Chapter VI: Encounters
The hallway was dark. It was silent. But Cleo could hear the clicking of bones as the various skeletons made their way for her. She was cornered; she had no way of escape since Catherine was resting her full weight on her. Any second now, she thought, they'll be here to consume me. Then, for just a fleeting moment, she heard them stop; all sounds that reveal movement have escaped her ears. She thought she must have been dead. It was painless; no wait, she could hear foot steps. Was it Devlin, she wondered?
At the end of the hall a figure slowly approached. As the figure slowly made its way to Cleo the skeletons started falling apart. They both could hear the cracking of bones as the figure stepped on a few on its way to where Cleo stood. Cleo couldn't recognize the shadow approaching her. She was still stunned by the fear of death and feelings of grave despair.
"There you are," said a female voice. "I've been looking for you all over the place. We're really lucky that you are still safe."
"Who are you?" Cleo asked slowly. "Why were you looking for me?"
"I'm Ashley," she answered in a comforting voice. "I just returned from my promotion. You see, I left Catherine and the others to become a priestess. Now I am one. Vladimir told me the both of you were somewhere here so I decided to help."
As Cleo heard this she remembered what happened to Catherine. "We've got to get help! I think Catherine's been hit!" Ashley looked over to Catherine and examined her. She tried to heal her, but it didn't work. She looked at her back and found the Skeleton Archer's poisoned arrow. A look of fear appeared on her face.
"We've got to get her out of here! She'll die if we don't remove the poison from her body right away." Ashley said.
They both carried Catherine's limp body as they rushed to find the exit. This was really difficult for them since some bones tried to form into skeletons as they entered some hallways. This was where Cleo saw Ashley try to heal every single one that tried to stand. She knew healing was difficult. It drained a lot of energy especially if you did it continuously. Cleo really liked Ashley for not complaining; she was doing her best for a friend in need.
After a while, they finally made it out of the pyramid. They both breathe a sigh of relief, but their troubles weren't over just yet. They had to find Devlin and the others and get help for Catherine. As luck would have it they found Vladimir standing just a little distance from them.
They waved and screamed frantically to get him to help them. They needed his help; he was an assassin after all. He had the quick reflexes and agility to get Catherine back to town quickly enough for her to be saved, but he did not understand why they were waving and screaming at him. He just thought they were glad to see him since they were inside all day. He merely waved back with a grin on his face thinking of his good looks. It must be a sin to be loved by three women, he thought, women of the Holy Order of all people.
"VLADIMIR!" Ashley screamed when they were finally near him.
"What?" he asked somewhat annoyed. "You don't have to scream. I can hear you just fine."
"We're screaming because you didn't even come down to help!" Ashley replied. "Catherine's been hit by a poisoned arrow! Get her back to the city and find an Alchemist!"
Vladimir took a quick glance at Catherine's face. She was pale and turning a little blue, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead, and she was breathing through short, quick gasps. A funny expression appeared on his face. It was the result of the rush of emotions the flooded his head at that moment. No one saw the look on his face because of his mask, but they knew he was now serious.
He took Catherine's body into his arms and ran to Morroc. As he ran he kept yelling for an alchemist. Desperately trying to find one that could save his friend. As he was running people started to either get out of his way or think he was crazy. He made it all the way back to Morroc without anyone trying to help, but at least he would surely find one somewhere in Morroc.
He was running through the streets searching for one until he finally saw one preparing to leave his spot. He yelled for help. The alchemist looked at him and thought of running away, but saw the priestess in his arms.
"Please sir," Vladimir was out of breath, "help her. She was struck by a poisoned arrow. Save her with one of your antidotes. We'll pay anything you ask."
The alchemist saw his eyes. He saw the desperation, the seriousness in them. "Sure, first, let's get her into a room with a bed. I also need to make the antidote."
Vladimir led him to a little shack. He gave Catherine a painkiller and then pulled out the arrow. He saw it was one of the ones the Skeletons used. It would be easy to remedy. He looked at Catherine and knew he had more than enough time to save her.
The door bursts open as Devlin and the others came rushing in. A barrage of questions followed, and Vladimir could only scratch his head. He didn't know who or how to answer first.
"She'll be fine," the alchemist finally answered as he stood up from Catherine's bedside. "I just dressed her wound a little while ago. I've already given her the antidote. She'll be fine when she wakes up tomorrow. She's a tough kid."
"You dressed her wound?" Cleo blushed. "But you're a man!"
"Don't worry," replied the alchemist. "It's better than having him do it. Don't you agree?"
They all agreed and were relieved to know that Catherine was safe. Ashley and Cleo went over to her to care for her. Devlin was puzzled by the priestess who joined them. He went over to Eidenborough who was feeding his Poring and asked who she was.
Devlin was pleased to know they had another member who could help them in their journey. He signaled the knights and assassins to follow him outside. He could not wait for the numerous parties and guilds to leave Morroc. They would have to leave tomorrow. He told Maxwell to ask the alchemist for whatever Catherine might need through a journey.
Maxwell faithfully did what was expected of him and asked the alchemist to make some medicines Catherine might need in a journey. He told Maxwell that Catherine would be fine tomorrow and would not need anything else, but Maxwell insisted that he make some incase she might need it.
Devlin and the others took turns staying by Catherine's bedside that night. They all tried comforting her in the few times she gained consciousness. The alchemist also stayed the night to make sure she would get the proper doses of the antidote. While Cleo and Ashley slept peacefully that night the others were making preparations for a long journey.
The sun had barely begun to rise; several shadows could be seen leaving the gates of Morroc. Devlin and his small group of followers were now starting their journey to the unknown. Devlin decided to leave now, before any of the parties or guilds did.
Vladimir and Vincent took their last look at the city they grew up in. It would be the last time they would see their home. For now, there was no turning back. Devlin was their master and where he would go they will surely follow, even if that where the deepest pits of hell.
The hallway was dark. It was silent. But Cleo could hear the clicking of bones as the various skeletons made their way for her. She was cornered; she had no way of escape since Catherine was resting her full weight on her. Any second now, she thought, they'll be here to consume me. Then, for just a fleeting moment, she heard them stop; all sounds that reveal movement have escaped her ears. She thought she must have been dead. It was painless; no wait, she could hear foot steps. Was it Devlin, she wondered?
At the end of the hall a figure slowly approached. As the figure slowly made its way to Cleo the skeletons started falling apart. They both could hear the cracking of bones as the figure stepped on a few on its way to where Cleo stood. Cleo couldn't recognize the shadow approaching her. She was still stunned by the fear of death and feelings of grave despair.
"There you are," said a female voice. "I've been looking for you all over the place. We're really lucky that you are still safe."
"Who are you?" Cleo asked slowly. "Why were you looking for me?"
"I'm Ashley," she answered in a comforting voice. "I just returned from my promotion. You see, I left Catherine and the others to become a priestess. Now I am one. Vladimir told me the both of you were somewhere here so I decided to help."
As Cleo heard this she remembered what happened to Catherine. "We've got to get help! I think Catherine's been hit!" Ashley looked over to Catherine and examined her. She tried to heal her, but it didn't work. She looked at her back and found the Skeleton Archer's poisoned arrow. A look of fear appeared on her face.
"We've got to get her out of here! She'll die if we don't remove the poison from her body right away." Ashley said.
They both carried Catherine's limp body as they rushed to find the exit. This was really difficult for them since some bones tried to form into skeletons as they entered some hallways. This was where Cleo saw Ashley try to heal every single one that tried to stand. She knew healing was difficult. It drained a lot of energy especially if you did it continuously. Cleo really liked Ashley for not complaining; she was doing her best for a friend in need.
After a while, they finally made it out of the pyramid. They both breathe a sigh of relief, but their troubles weren't over just yet. They had to find Devlin and the others and get help for Catherine. As luck would have it they found Vladimir standing just a little distance from them.
They waved and screamed frantically to get him to help them. They needed his help; he was an assassin after all. He had the quick reflexes and agility to get Catherine back to town quickly enough for her to be saved, but he did not understand why they were waving and screaming at him. He just thought they were glad to see him since they were inside all day. He merely waved back with a grin on his face thinking of his good looks. It must be a sin to be loved by three women, he thought, women of the Holy Order of all people.
"VLADIMIR!" Ashley screamed when they were finally near him.
"What?" he asked somewhat annoyed. "You don't have to scream. I can hear you just fine."
"We're screaming because you didn't even come down to help!" Ashley replied. "Catherine's been hit by a poisoned arrow! Get her back to the city and find an Alchemist!"
Vladimir took a quick glance at Catherine's face. She was pale and turning a little blue, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead, and she was breathing through short, quick gasps. A funny expression appeared on his face. It was the result of the rush of emotions the flooded his head at that moment. No one saw the look on his face because of his mask, but they knew he was now serious.
He took Catherine's body into his arms and ran to Morroc. As he ran he kept yelling for an alchemist. Desperately trying to find one that could save his friend. As he was running people started to either get out of his way or think he was crazy. He made it all the way back to Morroc without anyone trying to help, but at least he would surely find one somewhere in Morroc.
He was running through the streets searching for one until he finally saw one preparing to leave his spot. He yelled for help. The alchemist looked at him and thought of running away, but saw the priestess in his arms.
"Please sir," Vladimir was out of breath, "help her. She was struck by a poisoned arrow. Save her with one of your antidotes. We'll pay anything you ask."
The alchemist saw his eyes. He saw the desperation, the seriousness in them. "Sure, first, let's get her into a room with a bed. I also need to make the antidote."
Vladimir led him to a little shack. He gave Catherine a painkiller and then pulled out the arrow. He saw it was one of the ones the Skeletons used. It would be easy to remedy. He looked at Catherine and knew he had more than enough time to save her.
The door bursts open as Devlin and the others came rushing in. A barrage of questions followed, and Vladimir could only scratch his head. He didn't know who or how to answer first.
"She'll be fine," the alchemist finally answered as he stood up from Catherine's bedside. "I just dressed her wound a little while ago. I've already given her the antidote. She'll be fine when she wakes up tomorrow. She's a tough kid."
"You dressed her wound?" Cleo blushed. "But you're a man!"
"Don't worry," replied the alchemist. "It's better than having him do it. Don't you agree?"
They all agreed and were relieved to know that Catherine was safe. Ashley and Cleo went over to her to care for her. Devlin was puzzled by the priestess who joined them. He went over to Eidenborough who was feeding his Poring and asked who she was.
Devlin was pleased to know they had another member who could help them in their journey. He signaled the knights and assassins to follow him outside. He could not wait for the numerous parties and guilds to leave Morroc. They would have to leave tomorrow. He told Maxwell to ask the alchemist for whatever Catherine might need through a journey.
Maxwell faithfully did what was expected of him and asked the alchemist to make some medicines Catherine might need in a journey. He told Maxwell that Catherine would be fine tomorrow and would not need anything else, but Maxwell insisted that he make some incase she might need it.
Devlin and the others took turns staying by Catherine's bedside that night. They all tried comforting her in the few times she gained consciousness. The alchemist also stayed the night to make sure she would get the proper doses of the antidote. While Cleo and Ashley slept peacefully that night the others were making preparations for a long journey.
The sun had barely begun to rise; several shadows could be seen leaving the gates of Morroc. Devlin and his small group of followers were now starting their journey to the unknown. Devlin decided to leave now, before any of the parties or guilds did.
Vladimir and Vincent took their last look at the city they grew up in. It would be the last time they would see their home. For now, there was no turning back. Devlin was their master and where he would go they will surely follow, even if that where the deepest pits of hell.