Rolling over I groaned and spoke out to my companions hoping they were around me.

  “Ugh- what was that, is everyone ok!? Who’s in here with me!?” I forced myself to sit up and could see the others were all unconscious apart from Rhua who was breathing heavily.

  “Th-THAT bastard, I think we’re at Coch Manor!" Angrily she punched a wall repeatedly taking chunks out of it each time a fist connected. Bang, Clang the noises sounded like, occasional sparks appeared as the metal connected. Her hand shaking from the repeated striking.

  Oh no your F*&^ing kidding me I thought, looking at the bars on the cells hoping one of them looks capable of breaking.

  “Nothing will work, so don’t even try” Rhua picked up some of the dirt after saying that, and threw it, and a mark of the gods appeared, a strikingly vibrant yellow, was visible and the dust simply disappeared against the energy that was being produced from it.

  “I tried my weapon, ability and an art, nothing’s getting out of here; or in for that matter.” Her words filled me with anger rather than fear.

  “We’ve never interacted with her, what the hell are we getting targeted for, I’m not sure if any of us have actually ventured within the Areyan territories?” I say looking at Rhua who shakes her head in response.

  “The three of us haven’t, Silana likely not, she doesn’t seem from either Terra or Malicore, maybe Horace or Lucy has since they’re from Malicore originally, but it’s only the past year or so the ‘Baroness’ has started her mad efforts.” Rhua spat at the floor and stared out of the cell after her outburst, this is just the icing on the cake at this point, I dread to think what the mad bitch has planned for us the thought paced in my head, only furthering the rage building up in me.

  “How long has it been since they’ve been out? I’m not sure why I waited so long to ask, disappointment was another thing to the add on my internal list of growing issues.

  “About three hours, I was able to resist whatever was used against as we were pulled through, I’m surprised you woke up first though.” she said and As am I, I thought.

  “I just cannot fathom the stupidity of rodents; they dare to my strike IN MY LANDS! Screamed a female voice from afar.

  I felt another feeling, this time deep in my gut, fear was starting to build, there was a very real threat just around the corner, Areya was ruthless as a leader, utterly devoid of mercy for enemies and helplessness was screaming out in these moments.

  How to defend against a target that’s taken methods away I thought. We heard footsteps gradually getting louder and louder, as they seemingly became closer to us, though it was clear at least one of them used a class like Rhua, metallic and heavy designed for close quarter combat.

  A man in plate mail appeared before us, creamy white with a feint red around the neck, though his armour was not quite as worthwhile as the one Rhua wore though, sacrificing armoured plating for mobility and wearing black, lightweight leather that had a feint scale like appearance, Wyrmskin leather, this guy is well seasoned…or rich popped into my mind.

  Several of the manor police quickly surrounded him, wearing R?ti leather, which is usually grey, but this had been painted off-white. Does the colour indicate status here? I wished I could ask Rhua.

  “Hmm… yes, the notes said five, plus a young girl …it’s definitely this lot, a grave error on your part thinking you could attack someone belonging to the Baroness adventurers, the poor girl is tormented from your wicked actions, she is barely into her teens and must live out her days as a shadow so not to scare the others here!”

  Slamming his foot into the cell bars with a great force Clang-Clang-Clang then Clicking his fingers,a goon nodded and walked over with a girl that was limping into view, heavily bandaged and wearing a mask on her face.

  “Lottie, your bravery is admirable, so willing are you, to face your attackers so soon after what they did to you; an inspiration for us all!” chimed the captain.

  “Thank you, captain Amadan Dall, I do not think that of myself, but your words are so kind.” Said Lottie who began gently removing and sobbing her mask, her skin sticking to it and pulling off slowly healing patches of her face.

  Another one to fill me within…horror the words are piling up just like the feelings. My face did not respond, but Rhua did, staring her face on. Rhua’s eye said I’m sorry, but her face was full of anger.

  “I’m sorry for what ever has happened to you, this was not us, we have never been near Areya’s territory If w-”

  “LIAR!” interrupted Lottie who sobbed and shouted back at Rhua, “Look at me, LOOK AT ME, I’ll never forget the pain you caused, I’ll never be the same AGAIN!” Lottie screamed at her.

  The shouting began to rouse our party, Wardi was quick to wake up and stayed quiet trying to assess the situation I looked at him and just raised a finger to my lip signalling ‘quiet’ and he nodded in response.

  Lucy and Silana woke together and were immediately panicking that they were trapped and locked in a cell, so I sat and held them trying to calm their nerves. Horace had woken but was barely functional of course, I admire his nature sometimes.

  Once again Rhua spoke only this time the sympathy had gone from her eyes and a cold stare was there instead.

  “I’ve never seen you before, I’ll be glad to never see you again on that note as well.” The captain kicked the cell door to try to install some fear, but Rhua simply continued talking.

  “Your baroness may be strong captain, but you are clearly not, you attacked a large guild head on, I’ve no doubt they’re heading here as we speak, and when we get out of here, just for the SHEER audacity of these accusations I’ll take you out, ALL OF YOU and especially this lying bitch.”

  I was shocked at how after Rhua finished her threat, she decided to spit in the face of the young girl who not only dodged it but did so with her hands covering her face that…that was weird, how did she manage that without being able to see? This situation was increasingly degrading my health.

  “Come Lottie, we’ll take you back to the medics – Sergeant open the abomina door, they should be able to claim at least one of the wretches before the Baroness has her way with them.”

  The captains’ words stirred the other goons whilst a slightly more decorated officer with a shield hit a switch and rumbling behind us occurred, the walls slowly opening like a sliding door only with dust and an unbelievably foul smell coming from it.

  “Adios cretins” said the officer walking away.

  Odd scraping and movement could be heard coming from the dimly lit stone corridor, whatever it was it was likely not friendly. Lucy attempted to cast an art, but her source of energy was blocked, Horace in turn tried to use his cannon but his abilities were no longer usable either, attempting to craft a shell for making light wasn’t possible, though he did manage to throw the last of his premade canisters defence down for us.

  “This will GIVE some resistance to poison, venom and paralysis and THIS ONE calms down animals” Horace piped up before slamming a can down at our feet then throwing one into the corridor. The smell of the can was awful but not of whatever is lurking down, it’s like someone died and they were left in a warm summers room to get all nice and fermented for a week or two not that I would know but I’d assume so Zing! -eh it’s not the time for jokes I thought.

  The grunts were louder, and the movement seemed hastened after the attempt to quell what’s creeping to us from the dark. “Well, I don’t think it’s an animal” said Wardi stating the obvious to everyone.

  “I scared, why bad things, they keep happen?” A feeble cry came from Silana and Lucy took her hand to try and calm her who gripped it so tight if she had the strength, it would certainly crush it.

  “Just weapons and experience behind us now, there’s a feast for all courtesy of me if we get out of here” I said aloud. The thing was close now, for a moment, there was a spark along the sides, and the shape of what appeared to be claws were visible, colour akin to bone but the hand it was attached to was grey not metallic.

  Rhua stood at the front with shield at the ready, and was planted firm and steady into the entranceway of the corridor, some off gurgling sounds came from down it and a bunch of rock seemed to collide with the shield and dropped to the floor, and with almost no warning did the noise stop and two large talons grabbed hold of the shield, Rhua stumbled ever so slightly, we aided her stabbing at an incredibly durable talon which caused my daggers to get stuck, whatever it’s hand was made of, the noises as the rapier buried itself deep into its hands were grating to the ears, squelches and hissing.

  “This is getting us nowhere, I think we need to strike at its body or head if it has one!” said Wardi, I grabbed at the ground trying to find a rock or two, but the only thing available was what the creature threw at us, it looked like an egg from I could see in the light smooth a little crunchy, until I turned it around and held it up causing Silana to scream and Lucy to stare in horror.

  “Oh helvete! It’s a FOOOKEEN HEAD! IT THREW HEADS AT US” Rhua shouted out

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  “Sorry!” I said trying to be respectful and placing to the side whispering to “Rest in the next,”

  The hands had detracted, and squelches could be heard as it detached from the shield, a sharp piercing pitch really twanged against my eardrums as a talon scraped across the shield. The silence following was deafening after it seemed to retreat, the tension was damn intense, what was its next move. We were all thinking.

  “NO GET OFF HER!” shouted Lucy. The creature had grabbed its hands around Silana’s face stopping her screaming, trying to pull her towards its head, which was horrifying to look at. Eyeless and bits of skin rotting away from it from top to bottom, yet its mouth was full of razor-sharp needles rotating around tearing its own mouth apart silently, the only noises came from the meaty chunks of mouth hitting us and the floor at high speeds.

  That’s not horrifying at all I thought. Jumping in to pull Silana back, Rhua hacked at the creature’s arm-like appendage to try to weak the grip it had of the poor girl, it was certainly unfazed by the blades cutting into itself. It’s either incapable knowing the sensation or it’s enchanted/buffed to ignore such thing, either way this has reminded me of the Inv?rs?r that we fought, though this one is far less dangerous in comparison. …still a threat in the current moment, however.

  “YUCK, the deeper I cut into it, the more gases give off, how is this thing functioning!?” said Rhua trying hold her breath and not gag. Despite not managing to cut the creatures appendages in half, it did us all a favour and sliced off its own arm then hung from the top of the cell like a primate, its limb grew back almost as fast as it was cut off which was not exactly a pleasant thing to witness either; silent as it did so.

  “DOWN BOY, that’s enough, go back to the pit, AWAY WITH YOU” came the powerful voice of a female walking along the cell hallway. The creature cowered as it heard the voice and scuttled and shuffled back into the darkness from whence it came, the corridor begun closing after it.

  “Well, well, well, you survived one of my little pets did you F*&^ING dissident LITTLE BASTARDS THE LOT OF YOU” the voice increased in volume as the shadow of the person on the wall also grew. Wardi’s newfound curse of course made it self-known, and he shouted it loudly, causing an awkward silence for us and surprisingly it stopped the movements of the person coming our way for moment or two what a stupid calm before the storm hits us did, I wish to shout aloud.

  The owner of these hallowed cells, face to face as we lined side by side ready to face them head on.

  “All kneel in the presence of the Baroness Areya Hufen Coch, future empress of Malicore!” Kneel we will not, her goons however did so.

  Her appearance truly did not reflect her personality, she was tall, slender, unnaturally red hair made her look like a glowing shop sign against the hallways. She wore painted white hunter style leather that was almost as pale as her skin tone, with strategically placed metal plates in vital areas around her chest, waist, and neck. Her grassy green longbow was a remarkable sight with its angelic wings adorning it, fluttering regardless of the lack of wind down here.

  “How is that bastard friend of yours these days - Barry Bernard, still planning to attack my lovely estate again anytime SOON!?” pressing her face against the bars of the cell and crushing them as she gripped tightly, she snarled and frothed at the mouth.

  “Just because we are friends with him doesn’t mean we are involved; fuck you and your cronies bitch.” said Rhua who threw her shield against the cell bars but the protection in place stopped it.

  “Oh, aren’t you feisty, don’t worry your little bonnet I’ll be sure to give you a good time soon” said Areya who simply grew increasingly feral as the situation went on.

  “So, tell me why you thought it necessary to declare a personal war against me and my efforts to unite the lands? The five and a half of you aren’t exactly that strong now are you or you wouldn’t have needed to cower behind that filthy little tree hugger Zainab…I’VE LOST ONE OF MY MODERATELY USEFUL MAGES THANKS TO HER!” she screamed like a toddler having her toy taken away, banging on the bars hysterically.

  “Your parents didn’t discipline you much did they, you’re meant to learn to stop doing that” Wardi said simply not thinking about any consequences that could arise. Particularly as she fired an arrow that Rhua was only just able to react to in time, sending a shockwave out at us as the arrow hit her shield and then being forced back several yards back.

  “Do - NOT TRY AND TEST ME.” she shouted at Wardi. Who flinched a little but quickly composed himself - he’s been through worse than this, this can’t break him I thought, and I was right he stood tall staring down at Areya.

  The silence was broken by a loud commotion above us and annoying bird like squark could be repeatedly. Areya stepped back and screamed at her goons.

  “What IS HAPPENING? ONE OF YOU TELL ME IMMEDIATELY!” she shouted at them. They stood around scared and shaking, one of them was brave enough to reach out to the other and signalled over a device in his ear asking.

  “Uhh, what is happening outside by orders of the Baroness!”

  “Unknown attackers, coming from the Southeastern direction!” said an officer on the other end for whom the goon reiterated.

  “Signal the Battladeers, take potions from the stores and END THEM…NOW, WHY ARE YOU STILL STANDING AROUND.” The goons jumped up and sprinted in the direction to go above and the bird like squawking became one long deep guttural honk over and over.

  We stood around anxiously waiting for the next part of this situation to happen. My pulse was practically exploding, not having access to the things that help us fight worried me and the others no doubt.

  Areya stood there, her face fuming like she wanted to say something and shaking back and forth, she reacted to something, but it didn’t seem like there was anything for her to do so.

  It felt like time had slowed in the moment of what happened next, she readied her bow at us and took aim at Rhua again who raised her shield in preparation.

  The wall behind Areya crumbled away causing bricks to come crashing down on her head and the grounds, the dust was thick it was hard to see what just happened, but it appeared the restrictions lifted as the others suddenly seemed more alive.

  “I can feel my Kaha again!” said Rhua The others checked in turn to see if they could feel theirs, whilst Lucy entered a trance to regain some of her Lùth. Horace summoned his turret which slammed into the ground as soon as he could. Wardi began trying to speak, but was interupted by the sound of droning coming from the tunnel.

  “OH-YEAH-MM-da-da-be-be-be-bop-ya, thought i’d lost ya there’s for a second young uns, glad to see your alright! MM-de-da-re-mi-baba” hummed a familiar face.

  “FITZ!? What are you doing here? said Lucy who smiled as he landed in our cell.

  “Ba-da-de-bom, just a little rescue missions of course, wasn’t going to leave yall in HER hands heh heh, I'm quite good at jiving and diving, but really good at digging you feel my digging grooves before I got here?” Hummed fitz.

  I responded to Fitz “Sorry bud, we didn’t feel anything, there was probably something stopping it, there was powerful restrictions here until you arrived.”

  Fitz droned, I think annoyed that we couldn’t “Feel” his grooves.

  “Who dares to cause more damage TO MY MANOR AND IN MY PRESCENCE!? I’LL MURDER YOU, ALL OF YOU.” shouted Areya, who jumped up sending debris in all directions, her, and the armour she has on coated from head to toe in thick brown dust sullying her not so innocent in the first-place appearance.

  Fitz buzzed a loud angry noise in response, looking ready to pounce, Areya appeared to activate an ability, and an arrow blew us all to the side and impaled Silana in the chest, blood erupted as if a fountain was turned on and imbedded her into deep into the wall; a message, not to make enemies of Areya.

  Screaming erupted in various: “NO!” shouted Wardi, Horace and I, “SILANA!” From Lucy and “AREYA YOU BITCH!” from Rhua.

  Rushing towards Silana who was once again now clinging to life. Areya began readying herself and a much larger, dangerous arrow formed from her bow. Fitz in turn jumped in front of us and a large black, dense ball appeared between his wings now spread out as if shielding us, it sparked out vicious and deadly black bolts, cracking in the air and the wall as it connected against them, I couldn’t tell if it was an ability or an art, it was POWERFUL regardless.

  Areya smirked as she fired off her arrow and the ball in turn met it, they merged into one another. The room shook releasing a mighty pressure, all of us except Fitz, brought to the floor again face down, even Areya wasn’t strong enough to resist and was pushed onto a single knee, she must have been furious to be in this position, a nobody doing this to her, great way to kick in an ego death. I thought.

  As the two projectiles completed merging, they disappeared and caused the room to still, the pressure to go… not before an explosion blew us all back to the wall and it appeared …

  “CHASM!” shouted Wardi stumbling to stand after smashing into the wall.

  A swirling translucent tear in the world appearing before us… was this our best chance of escape now? I thought. The decision was not mine, nor Wardi’s nor anyone else apparently.

  Silana having come down from the trophy wall from the arrow previously being dispelled, walked towards the rift, dragging us all with her with an energy that seemed neither Kaha nor Lùth.

  She mumbled as she walked towards it, but the words were impossible to hear. As we grew closer to the chasm, it expanded seemingly to Silana’s wave of the hand, and the force pulled us in faster and faster, leading us to begin free falling; towards a land that felt of nothing but death and lifelessness. We reached out to each other and tried to huddle as we fell.

  “I guess this is it, I’m grateful for all the adventures we had together guys, sorry, what a crappy way for this to end…” said Wardi.

  “Me TOO! Thanks for the fun” piped Horace. Smiling away as he always does.

  “Thank you, for giving me a place when no others would,” said Lucy beaming with tears in her eyes trying not to cry but it’s all too much to deal with.

  “I’m sorry for all the times I was harsh, it was never about you, I truly love you all despite by nature, thank you for the good times.” said Rhua.

  “Let’s all meet up in the next ey amigos, cheers for the memories, see you soon Serilia you won our little bet!” I spoke.

  “We should close our eyes now, better for the impact to get us blind than see it head on” I followed up with, nodding everyone did and I was last, as the ground was only seconds away.

  For we are seedlings

  Bathed in warm glows.

  The words whispered in the wind, Silana had casted something. Now no longer falling to our doom but ascending towards her, glowing with shining pastels, which spanned out as far as my eyes could see. Fitz appeared from below us and flew next to Silana, who himself was glowing a vibrant and pearlescent blue, akin to what she was giving off herself. Her wings were breathtaking as the velvety butterfly like wings spread out from her back, shifting further into Angelic black leathery wings and white feathered demonic wings It felt as if she was the source of all life, greater still than anything I had felt and witnessed in the heavenly realms.

  To all of you.

  Who Protected and sheltered.

  Entertained and broke bread with.

  Showing a stranger the kindness in your hearts

  I’ve reached the end of this life, now take the last of me.

  Your journey: and others, are yet to start~

  They began to fade away, slowly; together. As they did so, fragments of their being flew to us, each time the pieces merged with us, they grew closer to disappearing before our eyes.

  We could not stop our protests; it was like listening to broken records.

  “Don’t do this, either OF YOU, please, no!” I screamed til my voice was raw.

  “NO, this is wrong… damn you, Areya!” mumbled Rhua unable to break past the frog in her throat.

  “SILANA, FITZ! Wardi cried out, reaching and failing to fight against the wind.

  “You can’t, no, please Silana don’t die!” Lucy barely able to speak, bawling her eyes uncontrollably.

  “Take ME instead, please!” Wept Horace, drowning in his tears joining Wardi in trying to stop them.

  But it was no use.

  The noise swallowed our voices, as a screaming wind drowned our shouts slowly but surely we began to lose consciousness.

  Further and further up we travelled, from the nothingness that welcomed us in below.

  Returning slowly back to a land full of life, that had just tried to take repel us away.