Chapter 35: Voldo
After almost two months looking for it and having explored six different islands; Sophitia, Cassandra and the retired sailor who was helping them finally found the Money Pit.
At first sight it seemed a pit like any other, but instead of its rope being tied to a pulley and a bucket, it was only tied to a metallic ornament and it looked stronger than an ordinary rope. It was evident that it was meant to be used for descending to the pit and not for extracting water from it.
- Here we are. – said the man after checking if they were in the correct place. – I can go first, if you want.
- No, please. – declined Sophitia. – You have done enough bringing us here.
- Are you sure?
- Yes.
- All right, but be careful. They say that Vercci protected his treasure with all kinds of traps.
- What a great moment to say that! – complained Cassandra ironically.
- Cassandra, be quiet, please! – said Sophitia to her sister. – I'm going down. When I reach the bottom, I'll call you and you follow me, right? Don't move until then.
Cassandra reluctantly nodded.
Sophitia gripped the rope and started to descend to the pit.
About ten minutes later, Cassandra and the sailor heard her voice.
- There's nothing down here! – she yelled angrily.
Cassandra looked at the sailor with a reproving look.
- That's impossible. – he mumbled. – It's here, I'm sure.
- Wait! I've found something! – exclaimed Sophitia.
- What is it? – asked the other two at the same time.
- I think it's a tunnel. The treasure could be this way.
Cassandra sighed.
- Ok, there I go!
Cassandra reached the bottom more quickly, taking advantage of her smaller size.
- Hi, sis. – said Cassandra when she reunited with Sophitia.
- My turn! – yelled the sailor from above.
However, before he could even touch the rope, someone took him from behind.
The two women heard a drowned cry and saw something falling down the pit. Soon after, the sailor's corpse landed near them, with a deep cut on his neck.
They screamed and raised their eyes. A strange man was looking into the pit.
His skin was extremely whitish, his damaged eyes indicated that he was blind and he wielded a katar in each hand. One of them was covered in blood.
Then, the killer did something really surprising. He started descending the rope at full speed, without even dropping the katars, just using his arms and legs.
The two sisters ran into the tunnel.
After some minutes running through the darkness, they saw a light. However, it wasn't solar light. It had to be the place where Vercci had hidden his treasure.
They went into it, but then something happened.
Right at the moment Sophitia put a foot on it, she activated a trap. An arrow was shot from somewhere and it stuck into her stomach.
Sophitia fell to the ground, heavily wounded, and Cassandra stopped running to help her sister, despite their pursuer being following them very closely.
- Cassandra...run. – pleaded Sophitia.
- I can't leave you. – said her sister, who was starting to cry.
- If you stay, he'll kill us both.
Cassandra took a look at the room. Soul Edge and Soul Calibur didn't seem to be in there, but there were other weapons which looked very powerful.
- I have an idea. – she whispered.
She knew that Hephaestus' swords weren't too powerful, so she approached the treasure and picked up a big sword, with some difficulty.
When she did, another trap activated. A sharp spike emerged from the floor below her, but she was quick enough to avoid it.
Cassandra hid beside the room's entrance and waited for the killer to arrive.
Soon after he did, but he didn't step where Sophitia had. He probably knew the whole pit perfectly despite being blind.
Cassandra stood still while trying to hold the huge sword and Sophitia was lying on the ground.
For a moment, nobody did nor say anything.
Suddenly, the man talked:
- I can smell you. – he whispered. – You are in my house and there are traps everywhere. Do you really think you can get out of here…alive?
He sniffed the air, while the two sisters tried to be quiet.
- My name is Voldo, by the way. – he introduced himself. – Vercci left me in charge of his treasure. He is the only person who doesn't mind my blindness and trusts my…skills.
He moved towards Sophitia, who was still bleeding on the floor, as easily as if he could see.
He knelt beside her and smelled her hair.
- What have we got here? – he said with an evil grin. – I don't remember when was the last time I smelled a woman's aroma.
Voldo left his katars on the ground and started caressing Sophitia's neck with his nasty hands. The woman could only let him do it.
Voldo's cold fingers were about to touch more private parts of her body when Cassandra suddenly yelled:
- Here's another woman, you bastard.
Before Voldo could turn around, Cassandra hit him with the big sword. The blow sent Voldo to the ground and pushed him some meters from the two women. Cassandra kicked his katars away in order to prevent him from picking them up again. However, Voldo got up in a few seconds and kicked Cassandra's face, leaving her aching on the ground.
- Great news! – yelled Voldo angrily, licking his lips. – Two at the price of one!
He approached Cassandra but, before he could touch her, something impaled his chest.
Sophitia had gathered all her strength left to stand up and stab Voldo with her Hephaestus' sword.
Sophitia took her weapon out of Voldo's body and he fell dead to the ground.
After that, Sophitia collapsed.
Cassandra hurried to stand up and run to her sister.
- Sophitia!
- Don't worry. – whispered Sophitia. – I'm okay. I'm wearing a breastplate. The arrow broke through it and hurt me, but I think I'll live.
Sophitia closed her eyes and moaned in pain, but she looked really calm.
- But…how are we getting out of here? – asked Cassandra. – I can't climb the rope carrying you.
Sophitia smiled and tried to stand up. Cassandra helped her.
- I think I can do it on my own.
The two sisters hugged and headed to the pit's entrance, the wounded one leaning on the healthy one to be able to walk.
Sophitia was going to recover, but they had lost a lot of time in vain. Furthermore, the sailor who had helped them had died. At least, he had lived a last exciting adventure before dying.