LoNeWoLf: Dude, you almost made me spit out my coffee reading that.
Sol1234: Sounds interesting! I'd love to see how it turns out!
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"Felix! Are you alright?!"
Sirona's voice reached Felix clearly, but he was more focused on the returning pain in his arm. It was no more than an ache, but it was definitely there. The rest of his body felt cold and drained, a stark change from the empowering warmth that had been there seconds before.
Felix trained his eyes on the corpse of the creature, which was now being consumed by the flames that Sirona had sent it's way. Sirona herself was circling around the creature's remains, watching as it was slowly turned to ash.
Sirona redirected her attention back to Felix, who was busy trying to find the strength to stand. His body shivered as he levered himself up from the tree he had collapsed against. His sword sat quietly on the grass, the black substance that was the creature's blood already solidifying and encasing the blade.
Sirona took a worried step forward as Felix faltered in his movements, nearly sliding back down the tree.
"What's wrong?"
She asked pleadingly. Her words managed to grab Felix's attention, drawing his eyes away from the burning creature and into Sirona's worried gaze. The human gave a shiver before gripping his left arm. The ache intensified under the pressure, making Felix wince.
Sirona easily determined the source of the problem, craning her neck and opening one of the pockets in her leather harness. She pulled a green gem shard from the pocket, stepping forward and offering it to her companion.
"Here, try this."
She said around the shard in her mouth. Felix looked at the shard before reaching out and taking it. The shard began to drain of it's color as soon as it met his palm, soothing the ache in his arm and dispelling some of the chill in his body.
While Felix dealt with the strange function his body was executing, Sirona lifted his sword from the ground by the handle, ignoring the toxic smelling substance on the blade.
Felix sighed wearily as the chill in his body began to melt away, shaking his entire frame in an effort to rid himself of the rest of it. He quickly regained his bearings, gazing about the forest vigilantly for any sign of further danger. After a quick look around, he graciously took his sword from Sirona.
Siorna quickly looked to the right side of the forest.
"The Catacombs are that way. Come on, before we learn if there are more of those things."
She said before taking off in a run. Felix followed suit, not bothering to sheathe his sword. He kept a hard grip on it though, making sure that it wasn't in the path of anything that might catch it or in a position to stab him if he fell.
The forest seemed to snarl as the two ran, with the sounds of growling animals and movements through the underbrush filling the air with a feeling of intense tension. Felix nervously kept scanning the forest for more signs of danger, his mind still dealing with the aftermath of the trauma he had just endured.
They ran for a few minutes, with the sounds of the angry forest only seeming to grow louder. Various birds and other animals screeched and hissed at the two as they sprinted through the forest, with even the light from the sun dimming as they went deeper. Felix felt more than unwelcome in the forest now, finding that his curiousity was practically nonexistent when the entirety of the things he found interesting sending out clear messages of anger.
Sirona panted in front of him, her movements getting more sluggish as she kept up her sprint. She wished she could fly, but that would leave Felix running alone through the forest.
"It should be just up ahead!"
She shouted. In an act that both of them considered as the God's mercy, the object of their quest appeared on the edge of their vision. The large yellow stone gateway that comprised the Catacombs entrance loomed darkly in the middle of the forest, the light from the sun all but blocked out from by the treetops.
They began to slow their pace as they grew closer, relief already beginning to wash over them.
It did not last long.
As soon as they were a few feet away, the forest went dead quiet and the sound of ragged breathing emanated from every direction except for in front of the two. They slid to a halt as soon as they reached the entrance. Felix turned on his heel, gripping the sword in both hands and preparing to fight.
What he saw was intimidating, to say the least. Four sets of purple eyes stared back at him from the darkness, with each shambling closer by the second. He took a step backward, his courage and his stamina already reaching their limit. Sirona stood next to him, her teeth clenched and tiny plumes of fire peeking out from behind her fangs.
The first creature stumbled out from the darkness, it's armor clanking noisily. There was a difference between this creature and the one they had slain, with this one wielding a halberd and having slightly heaver armor.
Sirona was quick to act, taking a step forward and snarling. Not a moment later, she reared back and shot a glob of Poison at the creature. The glob landed on the creature's shoulder, as well as splashing onto it's halberd and helm. The creature gave a screech as it's body was eaten away by the acid within the glob of Poison. In seconds, the armor and charred shoulder of the creature was burned away so severely that it's arm fell from it's body and the halberd fell apart at the handle.
Felix watched in horror as the acid ate away at what remained of the creature, barely noticing as a second breached the shadows and rushed him with and axe in hand. He caught a glimpse of the offense in the corner of his eye, ducking just in time for the axe to glide over his head harmlessly.
While he was still crouched Felix drew back his sword and swung, cutting deep into the creature's side before ripping the blade from it's body. The creature snarled as it stepped back, preparing to attack once more. Felix held his sword at the ready, feeling a hint of the courage he had mustered earlier return to him.
The creature roared as it lifted it's axe above it's head, bringing it down with a whooshing sound. Felix stepped to the left, easily avoiding the telegraphed attack and plunging his sword into the same wound he had created. This time he twisted the blade and drove it deeper, making the creature howl.
Meanwhile, a third creature dashed out of the shadows at Sirona with a spear aimed low in order to pierce her body. Sirona leapt forward, spinning her body in place and using her axe shaped tail blade to hack into the creature's ankle. It fell with a crack from it's armor, but it was still alive.
Sirona spared no mercy as she opened her mouth and unleashed a stream of red-hot fire on the downed creature, drawing an ear piercing screech from it as the armor it wore melted into it's body and killed it.
Felix and his opponent circled each other, ignoring the screech of the dying creature and instead focusing on their duel. The creature leapt forward, once again going for a downward strike with it's axe. Felix side-stepped the attempt and circled around behind the creature, gripping it's shoulder plate and quite literally backstabbing it. The creature gasped before falling limp, sliding off of Felix's sword lifelessly.
The fourth and final creature stepped forward with a snarl that made the travel partners' blood run cold. Felix and Sirona turned to face their new enemy, finding that it looked much more different than the others.
This creature was easily two feet taller than Felix, who stood at 5'9 inches. In it's right hand was what would be a greatsword to any normal man and in the other a blood-stained battle axe. Many blades pierced it's body, with the various handles and grips of the weapons hanging in the air behind it.
Sirona was quick to reason that fighting this creature would get them both killed, but they could buy themselves some time.
"Felix! Go into the Catacombs!"
Felix gave a bewildered look. He gazed at Sirona for any sign of doubt, of which he found naught but determination. He took a few steps back, preparing to retreat. He stopped before he did, taking the time to say something.
"Don't die."
Though they were lackluster in his opinion, those were the only words Felix could think of before darting into the Catacomb entrance. Sirona listened to his retreating footsteps before taking a few steps backward of her own. She stared down the creature with determination that could temper steel, feeling her plan click into motion.
The creature took a step forward, shaking the ground slightly. Sirona decided that her moment was now, releasing a stream of fire at the creature. It recoiled as the flames burnt it's already charred skin and heated it's armor.
Sirona quickly changed breaths, this time aiming towards the creature's legs and blasting them them pure Ice. The creature's feet were soon frozen in place, leaving it immobile and occupied with the growing flames on it's body. Sirona toom the opportunity and turned tail, leaping into the Catacomb entrance.
She came to a small platform thay served as the top of a set of large stairs before turning around and taking a deep breath. She once again unleashed a stream of Ice, building an ice wall at the entrance of the Catacombs and sealing them shut.
After finishing the ice wall, Sirona took a moment to catch her breath. The creature would not stay immobile for long, and the ice wall wouldn't keep it from getting in for any large amount of time either. The only choice they had was to either retreat further into the Catacombs and let it chase them, or to confront it.
She preferred the former, honestly. That thing was a bit beyond her expertise despite her training and experience against such large creatures during her quest to retrieve Eclipsen's twin swords.
She turned around, taking in the the majesty of the Catacombs. The platform she stood on led into a large staircase that spiraled deeper into the yellow brick ruins that made up the Catacombs. Only cavern walls surrounded Catacombs entrance, but eventually they fell away to reveal a large underground cavern system that was littered with towers that most likely made up the ruins on the surface.
Sirona sighed before walking to the edge of the platform and beginning the long walk down the stairs.
-Transition-
Felix breathed heavily as he rested on the yellow brick platform under him. He had retreated into the Catacombs, dashing down at least half a block of stairs before having reached a small platform that served as his current resting spot. His sword sat next to him, the black liquid dripping off of it and staining the yellow brick.
He took a look around him, finding that the cavern looking walls he had seen when he entered had transitioned into smoother, more square shaped yellow brick walls. He allowed his body to relax, laying down on his back in the process.
His breathing evened as he rested, but it didn't dispel the slight shake his hands had been stricken with. To face five of those creatures in one day had wrought havoc on his mind and body, leaving him in a state of numbness, both mentally and physically.
He hoped that Sirona hadn't sacrificed herself, as that would most likely break what was left of his sanity and leave him stranded with no map or guide to help him along. Felix sighed as he rubbed his forehead. He was way in over his head, but he had no choice but to push onward and that truth was hitting him hard.
The sound of claws on stone brought Felix out of his thoughts, prompting him to sit up and look at the stairs where he had come from expectantly. His suspicions were rewarded as he saw Sirona descend the stairs. Both companions lit up upon seeing each other, with Felix standing to meet Sirona as she dashed down the rest of the stairs.
"Felix! Are you okay? Did anything happen?"
Sirona asked as she reached the platform that Felix stood on. Letting his snarky side get the better of him, Felix ended up blurting.
"That's something I should ask you."
Sirona blushed upon hearing the words. Felix found it a mix between cute and interesting, as Sirona's purple scales made her blush look a bluish color intstead of pink or a brighter purple. Sirona quickly snapped out of her embarrassment, her determined look returning.
"I sealed the entrance to the Catacombs, but it won't hold for long. We need to get going."
Felix, against his better judgement and to the chagrin of his locked emotions, only responded with a strong nod. He bent down to pick up his sword, lightly flicking away some of the black goop that covered it. Sirona noticed the poor condition of the blade before stepping forward.
"Hold it still for a second."
Felix gave a questioning look, but did so. Sirona opened her mouth before letting out a plume of fire onto the sword. The black ichor caught fire easily and Felix extended his arm to distance himself from the flame. The black goop was quick to loose it's integrity, dripping and falling off the blade like mud would heavy rain.
The flames clung to the black substance as it fell, leaving behind a clean and shining blade that looked as though it had just been oiled and sharpened. Felix admired it with fascination for a few seconds, with Sirona watching with a slight feeling of pride in her chest.
Soon, she motioned towards the second set of stairs downward. Felix slid the sword into it's scabbard upon seeing her hint.
With that, they began to descend deeper into the Catacombs.
