Mystery of the Soul Ch 7

In her chambers the Dark Harpy just strolled around, and waited patiently as she could for her spirit hunters to bring back the two souls she desired. An old and decayed skull with its lower jaw missing. Along with a set of fangs that hung from the top portion of its mouth, floated over towards Dark Harpy. "Mistress, do you honestly believe that those spirit hunters will actually bring their prey back?" Asked a very small and ugly creature that was perched on the floating skull. This creature was extremely muscular for something so small. The wings were only as big as someone's hand, it had two small rounded horns that curved forward. Extremely sharp claws and talons, a very long tail, and wore nothing but a loin cloth with an animal skin for a belt.

Dark Harpy narrowed her eyes as she turned around and glared at her servant. "It's true that the have been slacking for some time now. But they do know better than to even think about keeping these two souls for themselves. They saw what happened first hand to those that decided to betray me."

The creature nodded, "Of course my mistress, but I was just looking out for your best interest. I assure you that's the only reason that I asked."

Dark Harpy smirked, "I'm sure that you were, now, shall we see how our spirit hunters are fairing?" The small creature nodded and then summoned what looked like similar to a gorgon's head. This head had a golden complexion, but no eyes. It was mounted on a gold and silver triangular-metallic plate. The two top edges of the plate curved back, while the end tip of it was extremely sharp. On both sides, four long and narrow spikes curved out from the top portion of the plate.

"Gorgon, reveal!" Dark Harpy ordered. The gorgon's head shined and then showed that her spirit hunters were now finally in pursuit of Kento and Kaye. She smiled, "Soon, they will be mine." The two continued to watch in amusement.

"Balin, they're down there, trying to use the trees for cover!" Javas told him as they were spotted.

Balin smirked, "They actually think that they can lose us?" The leader of the spirit hunters looked on his left and to his right, as he signaled Javas and Rajak to follow him. They nodded and dived towards them.

While they ran, Kento skidded to a stop, whirled around, and stood there in a fighting stance. Kaye looked back, "Kento, come on!"

"Sorry Kaye, you know that I never run from a fight!" Kento replied in a slightly angry tone as he waited for them.

"Kento, please…" Kaye pleaded as she went back to him and tugged at his arm. Then her eyes went wide when she looked up as they heard the dragons cackle. "Watch out!"

"You're both ours!" Rajak declared, as he grinned in victory while his dragon took the first swipe.

"Kaye, get down!" Kento said quickly, as he dove down, and pulled her with him. His body shielded hers from their first attacker while the dragon pulled up into the air with its talons empty.

"Damn! I missed! I never miss!" Rajak yelled angrily as he hovered above.

Kento lifted his head up a little, and looked towards her in concern. "Kaye, you alright?"

She looked up at him, "Yea, I'm ok. How about you? Are you hurt?"

Kento smirked, "You're kidding right? You should know me better than that. It takes more than some stupid dragon to hurt me. I don't go down that easy."

Kaye smiled back at him, "Yea, ok mr. tough guy, any ideas of how we're going to get out of here, without being caught?"

Kento glanced back, "Well, we can't go where we came, and the only cover we have are the trees. But I don't think that'll be an option for too much longer." He then glanced up and a mischievous smirk played upon his face.

"Kento?" She glances up and saw what he had in mind. "Oh no, forget it…" Kaye objected as they finally stood up, and stayed under what trees were still there.

"It's our only option, unless you have a better idea?" Kento asked as he raised an eye brow at her. Kaye frowned, and then shook her head. "Ok then, as soon as the second one tries to grab us, get ready. Go on, climb up there and get ready to jump onto the dragon as soon as I knock the rider off."

Javas frowned deeply in thought. "What are they up to? Oh well, it doesn't matter I guess it's my turn." Javas gave a yell as he took his chance and dove at them with his dragon.

Kento smirked, "Come on, that's it…" Javas continued to dive towards them, and Kento just stood there, until at the very last possible second. Somehow, Kento's aura and eyes glowed orange. He could feel his sure kill coming to him even without his armor. He was more than a little surprised, but at the moment he didn't care. Kento yelled in rage, and the power pulsated from him. The area that they were on started to shake like in an earthquake. It broke apart at a faster pace than he was use to, but it worked. Maybe a little too well, he heard Kaye scream as they both plummeted down into the chasm….
"So, are you sure that you're ready to go through the gauntlet?" Maverick asked as he raised a brow at him. "This is your last chance to back out, you know."

Ryo narrowed his eyes angrily. "I never back out from a challenge. Let's just get this over with so we can leave with what we came here to get."

Maverick smirked, "Alright fine, there are between five to six obstacles in order to get through for you to make it to the vault that's holding the Dragon's Fire. So let the games begin!"

Shouts could been heard through out the guild, "Thirty seconds!" One thief shouted excitedly.

"What, no way, a minute!" A second thief shouted back.

Sage frowned and then looked over at Maverick. "What's with the shouting of the times? Is that how long they think he'll complete the gauntlet?"

Maverick smirked with a raised brow, "No, they're saying how long it'll take before he dies."

"What!? Ryo!" Sage exclaimed while he grabbed onto the bars of the wall.

Ryo looked over towards Sage. "Don't worry Sage, I'll get the Dragon's Fire and then we'll get out of here." He said as he looked forward with a deep frown, "Somehow…"

"Oh, and one more thing before you start. No fair using your armor, it just wouldn't be sporting otherwise." Maverick replied with a smirk.

"No fair using your armor, wouldn't be sporting. I'll give him a wouldn't be sporting." Ryo grumbled as he looked ahead. He was confused, Ryo at that time didn't see what was so difficult about this gauntlet. Then just he took his first step, a sword flew up from underneath, and embedded itself into the ceiling. "Hey!" Ryo said angrily after he jumped back from being almost ran through.

"Ryo, you alright?!" Sage called out to him in concern.

Ryo glanced over and nodded, "Yea Sage, I'm fine." Ryo said as he looked on ahead. He then looked at the different slivers of light that were shining through from the side wall. Something about that set up didn't feel right to him. Ryo swept one hand in the first ray of light. A swinging blade came by him, and missed by a few inches as he pivoted backwards against the wall. He watched the pendulum swing back and forth. "Ok…" While Ryo watched the pendulum swing, he caught a sight of some kind of bone. He then knelt down, picked it up and then tossed it a crossed the other beams of light, letting loose the other pendulums. Shouts from the thieves in the guild started to get intense. "You lost, so pay up, he lasted for longer than thirty seconds!" The second thief shouted to his partner. The thief that called out thirty seconds grumbled whiled he slammed his shillings into the other thief's hand and then crossed his arms and continued to watch.

"Ryo, hurry up! Kento and Kaye are counting on us to get what we came for!" Sage shouted over towards him.

"I know Sage, I know! You don't have to remind me!" Ryo shouted back while he watched the pendulums swung back and forth. Then he finally got an idea, Ryo leaped up on one pendulum and grabbed onto the arm of it as he felt himself stagger a little. 'Ok, this isn't so bad.' Ryo thought as he finally figured out the timing between each pendulum's swing. The first one that he was on, swung forward, the one next to him swung back, the third swung forward, and the fourth swung back. He got himself set in order to be able to carefully jump onto the second one without turning into the next blue plate special.

Sage frowned deeply. "Come on Ryo, come on." he urged silently.

'Here goes nothing.' Ryo mused, he took a deep breath and then leaped over to the second pendulum, and twisted around so he'd be on the right side to jump onto the next one.

"Yes!" Sage cheered with a smirk.

Ryo sighed inwardly knowing that was closer than he wanted it to be. 'Ok, just two more and then on to the next part.' Ryo mused while he got himself back in time with the swinging. He took a little more time to get ready to leap over to the third one, it was a little further than the first two. 'Great, and whoever designed this decided to make it a little harder how.' Ryo thought sarcastically as he tried to figure a different way to get off. He looked over to his next destination and frowned deeply. The space between there and the pendulum was just enough.

"It looks like your friend is getting cold feet." Maverick said as he grinned.

Sage scowled at Maverick. "Ryo doesn't get cold feet, you'll see, he'll get past this with no problem."

Ryo glanced over, and smirked, 'Thanks Sage.' he thought as he got himself ready. He knew that he couldn't risk crossing, so he did the last possible resort. Ryo took a deep breath and then he did a back flip onto the space between his next obstacle and the pendulums.

"Yea! I told you!" Sage cheered as he punched Maverick on the shoulder.