Chapter 14
The warriors now completely healed and well rested, stood across the room from several Blood knights who guarded a white knight in the centre of the room. The blood knights looked like Black knights except they wore large grey armour instead. Lothar erected a blazing orange firewall. The knights still came through. Derek, Daniel and Adrianna attacked with water and lightning and destroyed the knights. The knights appeared to be resistant to fire, which was not good for Lothar as his magic was based on fire. Adrianna aimed a silver arrow at the white knight. He held up a hand and said,
"Please don't kill me, just hear me out. I was a knight in King Leoric's court. I was there when he was killed and he laid the curse on us. While the other knights were taken, I escaped and tried to escape the curse. I failed. Now I only seek to end my cursed life. I have heard of the Rainbow elixir of the heavens that will end my life and finally bring me peace. Please find this elixir for me and I will repay your efforts. I swear upon my honour," the knight said. Derek recognized the knight wearing the same armour as the other knights except that it was white.
"Lachdannan?" Derek asked, "Is that you?" stepping closer to the knight.
"Yes. I am whom you say. Please will you help? I feel I am doomed for all eternity," Lachdannan said. The warriors nodded and turned to go back to town. Adrianna wondered how Derek knew a man of such high stature.
"Derek how do you know Lachdannan?"
"Well he visited the town often before this all started. He delivered messages from the King to us. He sent us the notice when the prince was born. We became friends soon after. The last I saw of him was when he delivered the kidnapping of Albrecht. I guess he was needed in the castle". The warriors came across the bone stairs they had found on the first floor that lead to the town. They emerged from a crack in the ground. The crack was a bright red, revealing the fires of hell to the world above. When they returned they would find the Rainbow Elixir of the Heavens. Adrianna and Derek had joined their friends for breakfast and surprised them all. Agden was especially glad that they were well. Adrianna had never actually been ill, just worn out by the immense power she exerted.
Hell Spawn shot balls of red fire at the warriors as they made their way slowly through the second floor of Hell. The Hell Spawns were female demons with long black bat-like wings that came out their backs. They rose high above their heads. They looked like female humans and had long black hair reaching far down their backs. Their white fangs glistened evilly in the dim light. Their eyes were pure black. They wore high black boots and very revealing outfits. Much of their pale skin was revealed. Their black gloves reached their elbows. A ball flew through the air, hurled in Adrianna's direction. She was hit on the side and she was sent flying. She landed with a thud on her back as pain shot through her body like lightning and then she blacked out.
Adrianna could hear screeching and the clang of weapons as they hit their target. She heard the last demon fall. She heard footsteps and someone drop by her side. She opened her eyes and saw Derek looking down at her, worry in his eyes.
"Adrianna! Are you alright?" he asked lifting her body into his arms. She winced with pain and just wanted to rest, but she knew that Diablo needed to be stopped. She looked up at Derek and said,
"I'll be fine, thanks". She pulled away from him and he helped her up. Her back was killing her.
"Diablo is going to pay for this," she said rubbing her back. The others the smiled as they had finally finished the second floor of Hell after a month of drakes and succubi and now they quietly crept down the bone stairs to the next floor.
The floor was alight with attacking Snow Witches. Snow witches looked like Hell Spawn except their skin was blue and they shot blue fireballs at their foe. Adrianna jumped over a ball arching her back and flipping over to gracefully land on the floor, feet first. She shot her elemental arrows at the Snow Witch, who also dodged the attack. The witch hit her bow and it was knocked from her hands. The two attacked hand to hand. The witch tried to punch her and Adrianna ducked. The witch punched the wall and cried out in pain. Adrianna kicked and then tripped the witch. Grabbing her dagger, Adrianna stabbed the witch.
Across the room, Derek charged a black knight, the clang of their swords sounding in the air. The knight brought his sword down and hit Derek, who staggered back dropping his sword. Daniel was hit across the chest and lost sight of his hammer. Turning he grabbed Derek's sword and swung it clumsily at the demon. Lothar and Jayalm were fighting a hissing Poison Drake. Lothar hit him with fireballs. Jayalm threw tornados of wind blowing the drake away. The drake leapt at Lothar sending him sprawling across the floor. Jayalm blew the demon back while Lothar got up. Then Lothar used a flame wave to wipe the drake out. The flame wave traveled along the floor hitting the demon that screeched out in pain. Daniel faced off with another knight, their weapons entangled in each other. The knight pulled his sword and hit Daniel in the back. Daniel fell forward landing on the ground as the knight tried to stab Daniel, but he rolled out of the way. The knight now stood above Derek. Adrianna charged the demon. She ran across the room swiftly. Daniel, mistaking her for a demon brought the sword around and she could feel the sword wedge in her gut. She staggered back, holding her stomach. Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Her hands covered the blood exiting her wound. Pain gripped her entire body as she cried out in mortal pain. She felt nauseated like she wanted to throw up. She could feel something creeping up her throat. Then bending forward, she hurled. Blood came to her mouth and began to run down her side. She looked at Daniel. She barely managed to gasp her words out.
"Your mission is completed", she said as she was surrounded by darkness and collapsed on the floor. So this was the end. Daniel turned roaring and dug the sword deep into the knight's gut in sheer rage. The knight fell in a pile of metal.
Derek watched as Daniel stabbed Adrianna right through her body. His mind screamed out in horror as he saw her blood seeping out of her body. His only chance of happiness was fading fast. He got up and ran over to Adrianna and sat down beside her. He remembered the life saving technique. Perhaps he could save her life. He leaned down and rested his head against her chest. He could hear her heart beating. She was still alive. He closed his eyes to calm his panic-stricken heart and screaming mind, and then opening them, he leaned down towards her. His lips touched her bloody lips, the feel of the blood sending cold shivers up his spine. He could feel his life being drawn on. The feeling stopped and he pulled away from her, touching his fingertips to his lips. He saw the blood, her blood on his fingers, the taste disgustingly metallic. Calm, he watched as Daniel knelt down on the floor in shock, a look of shear terror pasted upon his face. He looked to be in a daze. Derek could see him put his head in his hands as he bent forward realizing what he had done. Tears slowly began to trail down his face. Perhaps he realized how important Adrianna really was. Jayalm in tears, knelt down beside Daniel, placing his hands on Daniel's shoulders to calm him. Daniel looked up, tears in his eyes. Perhaps he finally respected Adrianna. Lothar moved swiftly to Derek. How would they get Adrianna to town? She was the only one who could open a portal. Derek gently squeezed Adrianna's hand. He lifted her limp body and began to carry her towards the stairs then he heard a soft jingling noise, like that of small ringing bells. Looking up, he saw small, little, blue sparkles appear out of nowhere. They joined together into a human figure. The figure became solid and the witch Alyssia stood there in front of them all. She stood regal, her raven black hair lightly blowing around. How had she known they were in trouble? Alyssia walked mystically across the room and stood by Derek. She placed a small hand on Derek's shoulder and another on Adrianna's shoulder. Derek could feel his body start to tingle. Before his eyes, the world faded away into a light blue hue. He could hear Alyssia in the distance. She told him that all would be fine. The blue faded and Lithious' hut came into view. Lithious turned to face them in shock. He gasped when he saw the wound upon Adrianna's body. She was deathly pale, the colour drained from her face. She had lost a lot of blood. Alyssia released her grip and disappeared again. Lithious knelt down by Adrianna, a look of hopelessness on his face. Derek could feel his heart sink.
"I do not know if I can heal this wound. This wound is a fatal wound and in most cases one would have died. I can try to save her". Derek could only nod as a sudden wave of despair washed over him. He could not lose her now. She meant too much to him. He had tried to push her away, to protect his feelings and he had failed. He realized then that he did love her. He loved her more than his very own life, but how could he ever tell her this? In fact he would give his life for her, but now he was losing her just as he had lost his friends and family. She couldn't die, not now. Alyssia appeared then with Lothar, Jayalm and Daniel. Alyssia walked over to Lithious as if knowing the hard task of healing the technically dead.
"I know of a way to heal her. There is an enchantment that was placed on her long ago. If I can tap into it, I can trigger it and release energy that will heal her completely. The consequence is that the enchantment will be lost once it is tapped into. I shall explain the enchantment later as time is of the essence." Alyssia knelt down and closed her brown eyes. Her hands moved gracefully in mystical patterns. A strange blue glow emerged from Adrianna's body. It floated around Alyssia's moving arms. With a final silent command, the blue cloud dove down into the wound. From that point, Adrianna started turning blue. The wound healed quickly closing up until it actually disappeared as if it had never existed. The blue travelled around her body and then dispersed evaporating into the air. Alyssia sighed and leaned back, tired by her spell. Derek reached over and took Adrianna's now warm hand in his. Alyssia straightened up and spoke.
"I know that you are wondering how I knew about your plight and the enchantment so I will tell you the tale of my life. When I was seven years old, an old woman known as Lana came to my village. She asked many questions and then took me to become one the sorceress's living deep in the jungles. When I was eight, Lana brought me to a small town within the kingdom of Khanduras; it was this town. Derek you know of the old wise woman who visited here long ago. I was the little girl that accompanied her. She was looking for the sacred five. When she discovered them, she placed magic enchantments on them to protect them from death. Do you remember the last story she told you? Yes you and Adrianna were sitting in front and she sent a blue glow over your heads? That was your enchantments. If another sorceress tapped the enchantment, it could be used to save their life. She placed enchantments on you all. She was an old woman with a life long quest. On her deathbed, she told me that I must watch over the Sacred ones, but above all else, I must protect the sacred one of love, for he or she will bring forth the Messiah of Love. Lana believed that person was Adrianna, but it could easily be any of you. I was instructed to watch over you all. Upon her death, I left the Zann Esu, my clan and followed you all everywhere you went, always staying out of view. However, since I had already found Derek I only needed to find you other three. So since Adrianna travelled the most, I followed her. Therefore I can sense when she is in danger and so that is why I was there when she was hurt". It was an incredible story and it did make sense. Derek, not wanting to listen anymore, gently picked Adrianna off the floor and took her to the recovery part of Lithious' hut. He placed her on her back. He pulled white sheets over her slender, angelic body. He knelt down by her. He prayed to his Lord and softly leaned down and kissed her forehead. He sat on the floor and leaned against the wall. Their battle with the demons of Hell was impossible. There must be another way to stop this evil. Tired and exhausted, Derek leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes.
A bright light surrounded Adrianna surrounding her like a blanket. So this is what death was like, just a white light. A dark figure appeared. Adrianna recognized the person as a young child. The child walked up to her. The child was a small, raven black haired girl. It was the small girl that had accompanied the old prophet so long ago. The child changed into a woman that looked quite familiar. It was Alyssia. The little girl was Alyssia.
"Hello Adrianna I have waited a long time to tell you of your destiny. Please listen to me. You are not dead and will not die. Derek kept you alive and then I used a spell to heal you. I have spent my entire life watching over you all. I gave up my life to fulfill that of my teacher and adopted mother Lana, the old woman who you call a prophet. She was actually an old sorceress of the Zann Esu. I must protect you for one of you is the only one who can bring forth the Messiah of Love. Without this Messiah the others cannot defeat the evil that lives in the heart of the gate, therefore you cannot die. Now it is time for you to return to the realm of the living. I know you understand me". Indeed Adrianna did understand, but how could she bring forth a Messiah? The white light faded and all that could be seen was darkness.
She reached down to her stomach to feel the area where her wound had almost killed her. There was no indent at all; she could not even feel a scar. It was as though she had never been killed. She remembered what Alyssia had said. At last Adrianna knew Alyssia's purpose. It was if she had a shadow protecting her. Adrianna turned and saw Derek lying against the wall fast asleep. She looked at him. He seemed so handsome when he slept. She couldn't hide a smile. She carefully knelt down on the floor in front of him. She ran her fingers gently through his black hair, how soft and delicate it felt, not rough and jagged. She whispered her thanks to him and rose. She crept back to her cot and lay down. She fell into a deep dreamless sleep, thoughts of her near death experience and her battle drifted through her mind.
The huge beast ran towards her and rammed into her. He was a hideous beast, with many tall sharp horns on his back, his eyes were glowing red and his skin was a bloody red, marked by the blood of the dead. His claws dug into her skin. She yelped in pain. She could feel his claws dig deeper into her body. There was no way out, no Messiah to save her…
Adrianna shrieked, her scream piercing the air around her as she sat up in terror. She clutched at her clothes, her knuckles turning white with the strain. She breathed heavily and rapidly. The cold sweat beaded up on her forehead as she took in large gulps of air. It had been the scariest dream she had ever had in her entire life. Derek awoke from his sleep alert to any danger nearby. He was up and by her side in moments, placing his big hands on her shoulder. His gaze fell upon her and she turned her gaze from his eyes. He felt pity for her. She was not weak. She would not let him comfort her. She pushed him away, while pulling off the sheets and moving around him. He looked confused.
"Please I need to be alone, leave me". Derek nodded and carefully crept to the door and slipped out. She was alone in the darkness. Surely her nightmare was nothing more than that. A picture created from the many horrors she had seen and her experiences. It was just a dream. It was not real. It had felt real but it could only be a nightmare. She took a deep breath and she felt her relief wash over her. She yawned and decided that it was best if she slept, so she could be well rested for her battle. She slowly crept into a light slumber as her last thoughts drifted through her mind. It was at this time that Derek crept back into the room to take silent guard, watching over her.