Disclaimer: Characters not mine but story is.
Double-Edged Sword
******************************************************
Preston struggled as he climbed the steep stairs. His breath was coming in sharp gasps and the stairs look like it was never ending. He glanced at Nigel from the corner of his eye who was struggling far more than Preston.
"You know Podge, you are quite heavy for someone your size," Preston said grunting. Referring to the fact that Nigel was using Preston for support.
"Well you're not exactly Thumbelina yourself," Nigel replied in between his heavy breathing.
Preston stopped and leaned against the wall to rest. "What do you always have to counter attack everything I say?" 'Keep him talking"
"I do not!" Nigel leaned back as well. "And even if I do it's because you always say the dumbest things at the wrong time. Now stop making me talk and let's get going. It's a long way up there and-," Nigel coughed and Preston stared at his brother waiting. He looked away satisfied when there wasn't any blood. "And besides," Nigel continued, "I need the breath to walk."
Preston offered his help again as he got up to walk but it was obvious that Preston's last remark had made a bad enough dent in Nigel's ego for him to ignore his help. Nigel continued walking without Preston's help. Preston grunted again at Nigel's arrogance and hoisted the sword over his shoulder with half the mind of throwing it at Nigel and telling him off.
The stairs finally ended as they faced the same door as the first one but the only difference was that it was easier to open.
Preston sighed with relief and wiped his sweat from his forehead. He never wanted to this kind of thing again, relic hunting was never his-.
Preston's thoughts were interrupted by Nigel's excited exclamation. "Preston look! The sundial!"
True enough the sundial was there in the middle of the room. The light that filtered into the room through the windows that surrounded the circular room threw a shadow on the sundial's hand casting a shadow that told the time. The room was about 15-feet in diameter.
"Nigel, Prest-." Preston turned around as did Nigel and saw Sydney walking through the door holding the medallion in her hands. Sydney's eyes went wide as she saw the sundial. "We found it," Sydney said her mouth curving into a smile and then she pried her eyes away and looked at the Bailey brothers. "We finally found it."
******************************************************
Sydney could hardly believe. After searching so long and almost giving up hope, they had actually found it. Sydney was a lost at words. She stared at the sundial her mind in a whirl as she tried to recall the riddle but all that came out was a blank.
"Sydney, the sword."
Sydney looked up at Preston who was holding out the sword at her. Nigel was standing at a corner leaning against the wall resting. "Huh?"
"What do we do with it Sydney?" Preston asked again his voice filled with a slight annoyance.
Sydney shook her head trying to shake off the euphoria at the same time. She didn't have time to celebrate. Not now, when there were more pressing things to do. Like saving Nigel, Sydney thought silently, cursing herself with the foulest word that crossed her mind.
Sydney took the sword from Preston's hand made her way to the middle of the sundial. She could hear Preston's footsteps walking over to where Nigel was standing. Sydney recited the riddle to herself silently as she bent down. She ran her fingers over the emblem of Dandolo, which was carved, into the middle of the sundial. As she did so, something that felt different caught Sydney's attention. There was a thin slit that was in between the two eagles of the emblem. Sydney measured it and then she realized what the slit was for.
"Preston?" Sydney said wanting to ask for Preston's opinion.
"Yes?" he answered.
Sydney hadn't waited for his answer after all. She had already placed the sword into the slit all the way in.
"Sydney, what are you doing?" Preston asked looking over her shoulder.
Sydney mentally crossed her fingers and waited. Nothing happened.
"Sydney?"
'Why isn't this working' she thought. "There's a slit here and the sword fits right into it. I'm guessing that this will open whatever it supposes to open. But nothing's happening!" Sydney shouted in frustration.
"Relax Sydney. Just relax and think." Preston said looking at the sword his brow almost meeting each other as he was putting himself deep in thought.
Sydney sighed and knew that Preston was right. This wasn't the time to lose her cool. She ran the riddle through her mind again for the umpteenth time. Nothing in the riddle was helping. Sydney paced around the room and walked over to Nigel who was sitting down His head in between his legs and looking down. Sydney hated herself at that very moment; she could have twisted her own neck for this. "TWISTED!"
Preston jumped at Sydney's exclamation as did Nigel who was quiet all this while, spoke up. "What?" It sounded more of a croak to all of them as Nigel's voice filled the room. He coughed to clear his throat.
Sydney walked up to the sword and leaned down once more. She placed her hands on the handle of the sword and twisted it to the right, but the sword didn't even budge. She stopped and adjusted her placing of her hands on the sword and twisted it to the other side.
The sword slowly turned inch by inch. "OH I get it!" Preston said running to Sydney's side. "That' was bloody brilliant Sydney!" Nigel stood up from the ground and waited behind Preston. The sword stopped moving after two turns. Sydney stood up and wiped her hands on her pants. "Please let this work. Please." she whispered under her breath. It seemed like an eternity before something happened. A low rumble broke the silence as all three of them searched for the source of the noise.
They didn't have to wait long as a hidden door that placed on the wall directly in front of them, started to move outwards. Sydney's heart started to pump faster. The sound stopped and silence once again fell on the place. The door opened completely and revealed a long dark staircase downwards. Sydney moved closer and inspected it. It was inky black and she couldn't see further than 10-feet down. She instinctively looked to her sides and found a torch that was covered in cobwebs -obviously left there since the last time this place was opened- Sydney took it. Now all she needed was a light.
"Do any of you have a lighter or match or something." Out From the corner of her eye, Sydney spotted Nigel leaning against the wall, his face pale and lips blue. Sydney gritted her teeth and silently chewing her tongue as she held back the impulse to grab Nigel and swear her self for her stupidity.
"I have one!" Sydney was snapped back into reality and looked at Preston as he fumbled through his pockets and finally brought out a lighter. "Took one from the receptionist this morning," Preston said with a slight hint of pride.
Sydney grabbed the lighter and lit the torch. The torch caught fire and lit the dark stairwell. "Come on let's go."
Sydney heard two pairs of feet shuffling behind her. "Sydney!" She turned around at the urgency of Preston's voice. "Oh no!"
Nigel was half lying and half sitting on the ground dazed. "I don't think he can go on much further Sydney," Preston said never taking of his eye off his brother. She placed the torch back into the holder and rushed towards them.
"NO!" Nigel protested defiantly. "I want to-."
"Please Nigel, Listen to me," Sydney said holding his shoulders and looking into his eyes. "I do not want to lose you. You already have done more than I could have possibly allowed, but you did. So now please just let me do the rest." Nigel didn't give an answer and looked away. "Nigel, please." Sydney's eyes were starting to burn as she pleaded.
"Come back safely," Nigel, answered looking back at her again. "I don't want to lose you either."
Sydney wiped away the tears with the back of her hand and smiled. "Have I ever let you down yet?"
Nigel didn't reply but hugged her instead. "Hurry up, before I change my mind."
Sydney hugged him back. She walked over to the sword and pulled out of the slit hopping that the door won't close, if it did, she'll have to go with the flow. Fortunately, nothing happened as she breathed a sigh of relief. "Preston," Sydney said turning towards him, "You stay with Nigel, and take care of him."
"You don't' have to tell me twice," Preston said looking at his brother.
"I don't' have to be babied!" Nigel said irritated, obviously able to hear their conversation.
Sydney took a step into the stairwell and looked back. "Wish me luck." Both of the Bailey brothers smiled back though Nigel's was weaker. 'Stay with me Nigel' she thought as she descended into the dark abyss.
******************************************************
Sorry for the long delay, but here's the next chapter.so what you think.should I kill off Nigel.(evil cackle).. reviews please.don't get angry at me though..^_^
Double-Edged Sword
******************************************************
Preston struggled as he climbed the steep stairs. His breath was coming in sharp gasps and the stairs look like it was never ending. He glanced at Nigel from the corner of his eye who was struggling far more than Preston.
"You know Podge, you are quite heavy for someone your size," Preston said grunting. Referring to the fact that Nigel was using Preston for support.
"Well you're not exactly Thumbelina yourself," Nigel replied in between his heavy breathing.
Preston stopped and leaned against the wall to rest. "What do you always have to counter attack everything I say?" 'Keep him talking"
"I do not!" Nigel leaned back as well. "And even if I do it's because you always say the dumbest things at the wrong time. Now stop making me talk and let's get going. It's a long way up there and-," Nigel coughed and Preston stared at his brother waiting. He looked away satisfied when there wasn't any blood. "And besides," Nigel continued, "I need the breath to walk."
Preston offered his help again as he got up to walk but it was obvious that Preston's last remark had made a bad enough dent in Nigel's ego for him to ignore his help. Nigel continued walking without Preston's help. Preston grunted again at Nigel's arrogance and hoisted the sword over his shoulder with half the mind of throwing it at Nigel and telling him off.
The stairs finally ended as they faced the same door as the first one but the only difference was that it was easier to open.
Preston sighed with relief and wiped his sweat from his forehead. He never wanted to this kind of thing again, relic hunting was never his-.
Preston's thoughts were interrupted by Nigel's excited exclamation. "Preston look! The sundial!"
True enough the sundial was there in the middle of the room. The light that filtered into the room through the windows that surrounded the circular room threw a shadow on the sundial's hand casting a shadow that told the time. The room was about 15-feet in diameter.
"Nigel, Prest-." Preston turned around as did Nigel and saw Sydney walking through the door holding the medallion in her hands. Sydney's eyes went wide as she saw the sundial. "We found it," Sydney said her mouth curving into a smile and then she pried her eyes away and looked at the Bailey brothers. "We finally found it."
******************************************************
Sydney could hardly believe. After searching so long and almost giving up hope, they had actually found it. Sydney was a lost at words. She stared at the sundial her mind in a whirl as she tried to recall the riddle but all that came out was a blank.
"Sydney, the sword."
Sydney looked up at Preston who was holding out the sword at her. Nigel was standing at a corner leaning against the wall resting. "Huh?"
"What do we do with it Sydney?" Preston asked again his voice filled with a slight annoyance.
Sydney shook her head trying to shake off the euphoria at the same time. She didn't have time to celebrate. Not now, when there were more pressing things to do. Like saving Nigel, Sydney thought silently, cursing herself with the foulest word that crossed her mind.
Sydney took the sword from Preston's hand made her way to the middle of the sundial. She could hear Preston's footsteps walking over to where Nigel was standing. Sydney recited the riddle to herself silently as she bent down. She ran her fingers over the emblem of Dandolo, which was carved, into the middle of the sundial. As she did so, something that felt different caught Sydney's attention. There was a thin slit that was in between the two eagles of the emblem. Sydney measured it and then she realized what the slit was for.
"Preston?" Sydney said wanting to ask for Preston's opinion.
"Yes?" he answered.
Sydney hadn't waited for his answer after all. She had already placed the sword into the slit all the way in.
"Sydney, what are you doing?" Preston asked looking over her shoulder.
Sydney mentally crossed her fingers and waited. Nothing happened.
"Sydney?"
'Why isn't this working' she thought. "There's a slit here and the sword fits right into it. I'm guessing that this will open whatever it supposes to open. But nothing's happening!" Sydney shouted in frustration.
"Relax Sydney. Just relax and think." Preston said looking at the sword his brow almost meeting each other as he was putting himself deep in thought.
Sydney sighed and knew that Preston was right. This wasn't the time to lose her cool. She ran the riddle through her mind again for the umpteenth time. Nothing in the riddle was helping. Sydney paced around the room and walked over to Nigel who was sitting down His head in between his legs and looking down. Sydney hated herself at that very moment; she could have twisted her own neck for this. "TWISTED!"
Preston jumped at Sydney's exclamation as did Nigel who was quiet all this while, spoke up. "What?" It sounded more of a croak to all of them as Nigel's voice filled the room. He coughed to clear his throat.
Sydney walked up to the sword and leaned down once more. She placed her hands on the handle of the sword and twisted it to the right, but the sword didn't even budge. She stopped and adjusted her placing of her hands on the sword and twisted it to the other side.
The sword slowly turned inch by inch. "OH I get it!" Preston said running to Sydney's side. "That' was bloody brilliant Sydney!" Nigel stood up from the ground and waited behind Preston. The sword stopped moving after two turns. Sydney stood up and wiped her hands on her pants. "Please let this work. Please." she whispered under her breath. It seemed like an eternity before something happened. A low rumble broke the silence as all three of them searched for the source of the noise.
They didn't have to wait long as a hidden door that placed on the wall directly in front of them, started to move outwards. Sydney's heart started to pump faster. The sound stopped and silence once again fell on the place. The door opened completely and revealed a long dark staircase downwards. Sydney moved closer and inspected it. It was inky black and she couldn't see further than 10-feet down. She instinctively looked to her sides and found a torch that was covered in cobwebs -obviously left there since the last time this place was opened- Sydney took it. Now all she needed was a light.
"Do any of you have a lighter or match or something." Out From the corner of her eye, Sydney spotted Nigel leaning against the wall, his face pale and lips blue. Sydney gritted her teeth and silently chewing her tongue as she held back the impulse to grab Nigel and swear her self for her stupidity.
"I have one!" Sydney was snapped back into reality and looked at Preston as he fumbled through his pockets and finally brought out a lighter. "Took one from the receptionist this morning," Preston said with a slight hint of pride.
Sydney grabbed the lighter and lit the torch. The torch caught fire and lit the dark stairwell. "Come on let's go."
Sydney heard two pairs of feet shuffling behind her. "Sydney!" She turned around at the urgency of Preston's voice. "Oh no!"
Nigel was half lying and half sitting on the ground dazed. "I don't think he can go on much further Sydney," Preston said never taking of his eye off his brother. She placed the torch back into the holder and rushed towards them.
"NO!" Nigel protested defiantly. "I want to-."
"Please Nigel, Listen to me," Sydney said holding his shoulders and looking into his eyes. "I do not want to lose you. You already have done more than I could have possibly allowed, but you did. So now please just let me do the rest." Nigel didn't give an answer and looked away. "Nigel, please." Sydney's eyes were starting to burn as she pleaded.
"Come back safely," Nigel, answered looking back at her again. "I don't want to lose you either."
Sydney wiped away the tears with the back of her hand and smiled. "Have I ever let you down yet?"
Nigel didn't reply but hugged her instead. "Hurry up, before I change my mind."
Sydney hugged him back. She walked over to the sword and pulled out of the slit hopping that the door won't close, if it did, she'll have to go with the flow. Fortunately, nothing happened as she breathed a sigh of relief. "Preston," Sydney said turning towards him, "You stay with Nigel, and take care of him."
"You don't' have to tell me twice," Preston said looking at his brother.
"I don't' have to be babied!" Nigel said irritated, obviously able to hear their conversation.
Sydney took a step into the stairwell and looked back. "Wish me luck." Both of the Bailey brothers smiled back though Nigel's was weaker. 'Stay with me Nigel' she thought as she descended into the dark abyss.
******************************************************
Sorry for the long delay, but here's the next chapter.so what you think.should I kill off Nigel.(evil cackle).. reviews please.don't get angry at me though..^_^
