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Chapter III:. Awakening●◦●◦●
She flew over the keyboard, powers, weapons, and creatures coming to life at the mere stroke of her fingers. A smile was upon her lips, not one of happiness or pleasure, but of victory, of power, a sadistic joy. She sat before a multitude of monitors, each one showing a different scene of Hybrid World, each one working together for a singular purpose. On her head rested the Gauntlet. Though unlike everyone else playing the game, she was not a character, mucking about in a fantasy realm of another's creation.
No, she was one of those creators, a Keeper, as they were termed, though nothing like most keepers, whose jobs were to maintain the server against crashes or hacking, her job was much, much different. Tasha, as she was called, was special.
Since birth she had been around computers. Her first toy was a laptop, her lullaby the whirring of computer fans. When most children were out playing sports, she was in her room writing programs and cracking impossible files. She had grown up with a single tutor who taught her everything from math to science, English to literature. But the technical part of her life, for that she was her own teacher. The programs in computers seemed to speak to her, as if they had their own language separate from everyone else on earth. And beyond.
Even though she was raised in the shadows, Tasha was still a beautiful young woman. Platinum blonde hair fell just below her shoulders, dark blue eyes shone with a fire that was unnatural in one her age. She was average height, standing at 5'8, but she was rarely seen standing.
Her fingers paused for a moment as the bones of her hands began to cramp, having been working for hours at her desk. She reached up and took the gauntlet off of her head momentarily, several strands plastered to her forehead by sweat. Her eyes glanced up at the clock on the wall of her room, the hands showing it to be 9:55.
Only five minutes left… She thought as she stretched, the bones in her back popping slightly, fingers reaching toward the ceiling. She looked around her room.
It was a wreck. Her area itself was in the basement of a large corporate building, since her father was the owner of said building. It was made up of several large rooms and had long ago been turned into an apartment for the girl. The room she was in now was dubbed her 'workshop', which housed a black leather couch along one wall, a pool table in the center, and on the wall opposite the couch rested her 'center'. It was a network of computers more vast than many could dream of. Flat Screen monitors decorated the wall, a line of towers sat on the floor, two keyboards sat before her. Each monitor was alive with characters and places, people that the Keeper had her 'eye' on.
She placed her gauntlet back on her head, a black affair much different than any other in the world, one created just for her. In a matter of seconds she was in, changing, rewriting, and watching as the world passed by. She had watched in amusement as players flocked to the forests of level twelve, all heading toward the cave at the edge of the woods. Many had given up and left the game, but in less than ten minutes they had returned, unable to sleep or rest without trying one last time. Hundreds of thousands were logged into the servers now, fast approaching the one million mark. Soon it would be time. Her skin shivered in anticipation.
9:59.
One minute to go, and the world would forever change, and all by the stroke of a key, the power of her Magic.
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A shiver ran through his body, the kind one would attribute to a person stepping on your grave. It could be expected though, since he was alone in the darkness of the cave with only the sounds of those following behind him as company. It was fine though, to him. It was how he usually preferred it. Alone, in the dark, with nothing but himself to count on…
He paused for a moment. A sudden, chilling wind had all of a sudden began to blow against him, coming from the direction they were heading in. It was still dark up further on, but the feeling of something there, watching and waiting, stole over his senses. A dread malevolence was there; he knew it. Never before in the game had anything felt this real, his blood this alive, as it did now. Every fiber of his being was on edge, pumping with adrenaline.
It was starting to scare him.
Before Jace could ponder it though the others were upon him, the blue light from the floor illuminating his back, shining off the black steel of his armor. Gemini, in its perch on his back, began to drink in the light, causing shadows and darkness to seep back in around the Knight. The others paused, Willow sending a hand to the ax handle waiting over his shoulder. Tetsu tensed, his stressed muscles already taut, a hand on the hilt of his sword. Ceisyl let a hand slip to a pouch at her side, preparing. All was silent for a moment.
"Well lad, what the bloody-" Jace held up a black covered hand, his fist closed, shutting off the dwarf's sudden question without a word.
"Do you not feel it…?" The Dark Knight whispered, his green eyes burning through the narrow slits of his helm. He stared straight ahead into the darkness, still feeling a strange, chilling wind sweeping over him. It invaded every possible opening in his armor, bringing small bumps to rise along his flesh.
The others behind him strained to break the pitch with their sight, but to no avail. Willow, growing impatient, pulled his massive ax from its notch on his back and started to step around Jace, but the knight's other hand shot out, grabbing one of the horns of the dwarf's helm.
"Hold, my friend." He turned his head slightly, noticing the mage on his left, catching her eyes with his. "You don't feel this…wind?" He asked softly, an eerie feeling starting to wrap around him. She shook her head slowly, her eyes widened, pupils large in the twilight.
He wanted to run. Everything within him said to drop his sword and rip the gauntlet off of his head, to wake up in the real world and shake off this feeling of terror, of death. Something was wrong, so wrong that it caused a shiver to descend his body.
"Something's wrong…"
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Collin's hands left the keyboard, rising slowly in the air, first one then the other closing over the gauntlet that rested upon his head. His fingers tightened, starting to pull it away from his slick flesh-
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Tasha watched those in the cavern, her eyes drawn to one, the Knight of Palidine, Tetsu. She knew him, outside of the game at least, and took great pleasure in watching him bumble about in the darkness. The fact that he'd killed her lovely creation though…
As her eyes scanned the monitor they lit upon the Dark Knight, and as she watched his body began to fade somewhat.
"He's taking off his gauntlet!" She screamed to no one.
Her fingers flew over the keyboard, symbols unknown to man appearing and vanishing in a matter of seconds.
30 seconds.
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Jace, his eyes still upon the mage, slowly began to vanish. He was sad to go, but this wrongness, whatever it was, had a grip on him that wouldn't let go.
But what will happen to the others?
The thought came unbidden into his mind, but the thought took solid form as something flew past him. A streak of black; the soft sound of an object pushing through the air. And then a cry. His eyes widened as an arrow seemingly blossomed from Ceisyl's chest, accompanied by a spreading of crimson fluid. Her startled eyes lowered to see the black shaft protruding from her body, the wood still quivering with impact. She looked back up at Jace, head slowly rising, and disbelief marring her features.
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Collin cursed out loud and slammed the gauntlet back down, falling once again into the world of Hybrid.
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The Dark Knight's body came back to full power at once, the fading gray giving way to piercing darkness.
Tetsu, ever the vigilant Knight, already had moved behind the mage, his arms wrapping around her body, keeping her from falling. Slowly he lowered her to the ground. He gingerly touched the black arrow, feeling evil emitting from it. He looked up at Jace, anger shining through his blue orbs.
"We are lit up as if it were noon." Jace said, turning. "Anak." He said, and instantly a globe of darkness fell over them, so vast that it was almost choking. Already he was moving, feeling his friend, Willow, at his side.
"I'm comin wit ye lad," Was all he said, and Jace, not wanting to argue, simply nodded. He knew that dwarves saw fairly well underground. Something to do with the magic of the rocks, or so they said.
"Tetsu, watch over her." They were off, the Dark Knight reaching behind him, his hand gripping the hilt of Gemini, which caused the magic to release its hold on the ebony blade. The sword felt warm in his hand, knowing that soon blood would be spilt by it.
The two stalked down the corridor as quietly as possible, which meant that it was only half a herd of stampeding cattle that was heard. Jace had no trouble walking as with shadows, but Willow on the other hand.. 'Dwarves tweren't built for runnin!' Willow was apt to say.
Jace could feel the wind still, blowing against them, carrying along its currents thoughts of darkness, forcing him almost to insanity. He fought it though, as he would a clan of orcs.
The cavern around them grew lighter, and soon a door came into view at what must be the end of the cave, and still no sign of their attacker. Jace halted.
"It must have been a PK." He said, staring at the large door. The door itself was constructed of two pieces, what most would term French doors, or double doors. They weren't carved of wood though, but of stone. Strange designs were engraved into the surface of them, mostly resembling dragons eating one another, but he couldn't be sure. They rose at least twenty feet into the air, and no sign of a handle or knob visible. In the center of the doors was a thin silver line though, one which ran from floor to the top of the entryway, no doubt a light from the room beyond.
Willow said nothing, only stared at the door, as if entranced.
"Lad… there could be treasure beyond that door…" His eyes were enormous, for a dwarf, and seemed to be filled with thousands of tiny stars, his black pupils reflecting the light of the doorway.
"Will, do you know what you're saying?" Jace said, scoffing at the notion. "There is no doubt a beast beyond this gateway. I still smell evil… and it comes from there." He nodded at the door.
"Bah! You and yer stupid superstitions! Why the bloody remorx would a beast be in there? Treasure, I'm a tellin' ya lad."
Willow was about to continue on to the door when Jace shook his head, then grabbed the dwarf by the back of his tunic. The short man turned, sputtering in indignation, battle ax held firmly in hand, fire burning in his eyes.
"Do you hear yourself… me…" The knight said softly, looking down at his friend. Willow's eyes widened once more, this time in shock. His ax fell to the floor. He lifted a hand to his face, covering it for a minute, then looked back up to Jace.
"What the… what's going on, Collin?"
Jace shook his head once more, and then began advancing upon the closed doorway.
"I don't know, but I think whatever it is will be behind this door."
"No lad!" Willow yelled, bending to pick his ax up from the floor, then spun and ran after the Dark Knight, who was fast approaching the door, his face grim, shoulders set. The light grew brighter the closer they got until it was almost like looking into the sun. Heat emitted from the crack, white heat one would feel from a hot iron, dry and burning. Jace felt it starting to cook his skin inside the black armor, turning the metal into a skillet.
"But how do we get in…" The knight whispered, mostly to himself, ignoring the burning sensation. A thought came to him and he reached around to his back. His hand closed upon the hilt of a long, curved dagger, and he pulled it free. It slowly slid out of its sheath, which was situated inside his armor. As soon as the knife was free it began to hum, vibrating with a thirst for power. He brought it around, holding it in front of his body, eyes traveling down the length of the black blade. It was an absorber, meaning that it absorbed any power that it came into contact with and contained it within the knife itself, or its user.
Willow looked up and noticed the knife.
"Are ye sure lad...remember last time ye used the thing…" He said softly, thinking back to a time when the knifes powers had poured into the knight, and him being unable to contain them, had been killed and lost over ten hours of progress.
"It's the only way my friend. Let's crack the shell…" He said, and then before willow could offer any more objections he lifted the knife high, and then plunged it into the sliver of heat.
A small explosion rocked their immediate area and sent them both flying backwards. The light swelled and bucked, ropes of its power appearing, twisting and lashing out against itself, illuminating the cavern. In the center of the maelstrom of light was a speck of blackness, the Dagger. Every piece of translucent power was drawn to, and into that one blemish. A keening sound split the air as the doors began to move, wicked and blinding light slashing out against the darkness, trying to maintain its hold on the ethereal plane, but unable to do so against the arcane power of the knife.
Jace propped himself up on his hands, eyes squinting against the glare that was brighter than any sun he'd ever seen. He looked to his side and saw the dwarf stirring, muttering under his breath as he tried to rise from his back. The knight turned his gaze back to the doors.
The light began to recede, drawing with it the heat that had washed over and into the room, the heat that had threatened to cook them all alive. As the brightness began to fade, the doors started to swing open on silent hinges. They could see beyond now, into a circular room.
With a little effort the knight lifted himself from the ground, feeling pain rush through every nerve. The single explosion had been like a mighty hand slamming into his body. He reached and pulled Willow to his feet, then turned and gazed into the room. From what he could see it was completely circular, the only break in the design being another door opposite the one they'd opened. The walls were white marble and reflected the faint light of torches which lined the walls. In the center of the room was a black pedestal on which a gem rested, caught in a form of magic, simply floating above the floor. Something about the rock tickled the back of his memory, but he put it away for now.
"We must get the others." He said, turning away from the inviting doorway and walking back into the darkness of the tunnel. Willow only nodded and walked after him, being sure to keep one hand on the hilt of his ax, as Jace did on his sword. The knife, he knew, was still hanging suspended in the air and would remain so until he plucked it out. He was too weak at the moment though to even attempt to control the powerful weapon.
It wasn't long before they came upon the mage and the knight, still in the same position they had left them in. The knight's hand was on the hilt of his sword, the blade showing half naked in the pale blue light of the cavern.
"Put that away, knight, it's only us." Jace said as they stepped from the shadows. "Sorry the darkness around you faded, but I needed all of my energy to open the door." He knelt down by the mage and felt the pulse at her neck. It was weak.
"Door?" Tetsu said, somewhat confused. Then he knew. "You found the gateway. There was no boss?" He asked almost excitedly. Jace still stood over the body of Ceisyl.
"Why has she not logged out and come back? Surely she would have had time, the cave entry was a save point." He stood and brushed off his hands, looking from the pale mage to the knight.
"I tried to wake her, but she wouldn't budge. If I knew her server port…" He shrugged and looked back down at her.
Jace reached into a pouch and pulled out a small green vile, then tossed it to the knight.
"Give her this, it should restore her. I only have one more… so don't spill a drop."
Tetsu nodded and bent to her, his fingers deftly popping the cork on the potion bottle. He placed it to her lips and forced them open, then emptied the contents into the girl's mouth. At once color began to return to her cheeks, her eyes opened softly, though still etched with pain. Slowly one of her hands moved, coming to rest on the shaft of the black arrow still in her chest. She murmured a few words and the shaft began to glow, then dim, finally until it was so dark that it fell in upon itself and turned to nothing but ash.
"Thank you," She said softly, staring up at Tetsu, already starting to rise. He shook his head.
"Wasn't me, I'm out. It was the Dark Knight." He turned to look only to find the man gone, in his place the gruff looking dwarf.
"He's to makin' sure no more arro's come out o' the dark." Willow said, hiking a thumb over his shoulder in the general direction of Jace. "We best be movin afore something else comes along." The dwarf turned and began walking, soon melting into the night.
"He said something about opening a door… I think they found the gateway, let's hurry!" The young knight said as he stood. His hand was held down to help the mage up, but she ignored it and stood on her own, howbeit a bit shakily. Tetsu's face hardened a little at this. "I am only trying to help, my lady." He said stiffly.
Instead of answering, the mage's hand went to a pouch hidden inside her robes, and from there she pulled a small golden figurine. It was in the shape of a sleeping dragon, silver with a streak of ebony running down its back, from head to tail. She let the tiny creature rest in the palm of her hand, then lifted the open palm to her lips, and blew. As her breath caressed the figure, words softly spoken joined them, becoming a spell of immense power. Before Tetsu's eyes the figurine moved, then slowly the still form came to life. It grew, wings and legs stretching as it woke from its slumber, golden eyes opening to regard the darkness. The tiny dragon became a three-foot long minor dragon in seconds.
"Hello, Synmora." The girl said softly, the dragon, hearing her voice, turning to nuzzle its scaled head against her chin. She turned to the knight as the small dragon's wings fanned out, then lifted the serpent into the air and onto her shoulder. "You see, Sir Knight, I need no assistance."
Tetsu bowed his head appreciatively, knowing that to capture and tame a dragon, even a minor one, was a remarkable act. From what he knew, minor dragons were crafted to have immense power, once they came of age and experience. He expected that this one could already shape-shift and enlarge its body.
Without a word he turned from the mage and her pet and started down the dark passageway, putting all thoughts of women and dragons out of his mind, focusing on nothing but what lay ahead.
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Willow found Jace where he expected he would, standing before the open doorway, eyes locked onto the obsidian great dagger that was for the moment lodged in mid air, contained there by the unimaginable amount of power coursing through its veins. The Dark Knight stood there, his dark eyes caressing each and every inch of the gleaming black blade, his hands twitching to grasp its hilt and feel the power rush through his own body.
"Ye can't do it now lad, you wouldna have the strength to hold on." The dwarf said as he came to stand beside his friend. "The last time… that was a new level of berserk, somethin' I'd never seen or thought possible. It's too strong Jace."
The warrior sighed. Willow was right. The dagger was crafted for someone of a much higher level, but through a hack of his own design he had equipped it to his own inventory. And now there it stood; only a few inches away, yet it might as well have been a thousand miles. He reached out, his hand coming only a breath away from the hilt, feeling the power radiating into his skin, his core, his soul of the game.
"I'll be back." He whispered. Then, without a backward glance he ducked underneath the dagger and strode through the doorway. For a second it appeared as if the room shifted, but then all was normal.
He looked around the room, yet still he could see nothing but a pedestal in the center of the room, so heavily guarded by magic that he would most likely die before getting within ten feet of it, and the door on the other side. Silently he began walking around the room, avoiding the center where rested the dais and the gem. The gem itself was plain to the eyes, seeming nothing more than an over-sized diamond. The magic around the gem though… it glistened as a rainbow through the morning mist. So strong and deep was the spell that protected the gem that it could be felt, tasted, and no doubt touched.
"Don't even think about it Will." Jace said over his shoulder as they circumnavigated the room, coming upon the closed door. He knew that sometimes the dwarf loved nothing more than to 'find' treasures and special items throughout the game.
"Never a thought lad." The dwarf said. Hearing something he stopped and turned around, noticing the Mage and Knight making their way into the room, both eyeing the dagger with trepidation, no doubt sensing the evil that hung about it as a shroud. He noticed that the girl had something perched on her shoulder, but given the fact that they were probably about to face a boss, or enter the next level, he didn't care.
Tetsu spotted the Dark Knight and the Dwarf immediately and noticed that they both had given a wide berth to the thing in the center of the room, so he did likewise. Ceisyl however had stopped after she'd entered the room and was now staring at the floating gem. A calculating light had come into her eyes and he could see her lips moving slightly, as if trying to capture some essence of the magic that held the stone in place.
"The door is just over there." The knight said, breaking her concentration. She glowered at him for a moment, giving him a look that would have flayed him alive.
"I am aware of that, thank you. You may join the others, I will be along shortly."
"Just don't get us all killed, you know, after we saved you and all." The knight said sarcastically. He shook his head and walked off, muttering under his breath about stupid, self-absorbed witches.
Ceisyl turned back to her concentration, feeling out along the threads of magic, testing each one, following it until it came to a knot of power. In her eyes she could separate each strand of arcane knowledge that had been laid over the gem. It was as if someone had set down a set of schematics before her eyes and then given her the legend to it.
It was a few moments later when she was jerked back into herself, realizing what she had been doing, and how that it was impossible to do so in a game. Perhaps she had been at this too long, starting to see things that weren't there… maybe she should log off and just call it a night before she lost her mind…
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Jace stood before the door, an ordinary door with a golden knob and no keyhole. It was dark brown, constructed of ordinary wood. No magic constrained it; no powers were imbued into it.
It was only a door.
He felt Tetsu and Willow gather behind him, noticing that the mage was not with them. He felt along the atmosphere, feeling his power over wind coming to his call to locate the girl. The air currents brought to him her scent, mingled with that dark scent of his dagger, and he knew she was near it.
No doubt enchanted by the gem. He thought.
"Well let's break her enchantment…" He muttered to himself as his hand reached out, firmly grasping the door handle. He waited for it to happen, for something to shatter his world and send him flying headlong from the cave, or perhaps to simple disintegrate his body where it stood…
But nothing happened.
"Well-" Willow began, but before he could even start his sentence the wall before them exploded in a shower of stone and debris. The three of them were flung backwards by the force of impact, of something slamming into the other side of the door. Jace flew straight back, his body slamming into the barrier protecting the gem, which sent him soaring forward into the rubble that had been created from a yet unknown assailant. Thankfully he had kept his helm on, for he crashed head first into the crumbling stones, his HP draining as if it was being sucked from his body by a succubus.
"Those who seek entry are DENIED!" A voice thundered from above him, shaking the very foundations of the room. Gingerly Jace pushed himself up, and then rolled over onto his back. As the dust settled he could make out what was waiting for them at the gate to level thirteen. A rock troll. The biggest he'd ever seen.
The creature must have stood at least thirty feet tall, his body made up of stones and magic. This one was different though, for it also boasted a type of plate armor that covered most of its body. The armor was gray in color, almost blending in with the body of the troll, and in fact, if one did not look closely, it would appear as though it was the body. Its head was uncovered, showing to the world its beady red eyes, bulbous stone nose, and gaping mouth complete with stone-hewn teeth. In its right hand it held an enormous spiked club, the size of a SUV, and obviously the tool that was used to crush the wall separating its lair and the chamber.
Jace cursed silently. A knight, a dwarf, a mage, and himself, against a rock troll this size. The odds were still in favor of the troll.
"Yous GONNA DIIEEEEE" It bellowed, lifting its club high into the air, preparing to bring it crashing home and most likely rip a hole through the mountain. And through Jace.
He rolled quickly to the right as he felt the wind breaking before the path of the club. His body was pulled up by Tetsu just as the weapon slammed home, sending both Knights flying headlong into the wall of the chamber. Jace kept his feet, as did the knight. Their bodies rang with the reverberation of the impact against the stone wall, sending pain shooting through them. Jace pulled his last potion from a pouch on his side and ripped off the cork, then drained it. He scowled at the taste and that knowledge that it was his last one.
"Have you seen the others?" Jace asked, looking to where the mage had last been standing.
"I heard Willow cry out just as the wall caved in, but after that, nothing. As for the mage, not a sound."
He should have logged out, he now realized.
"I think we've been spotted," Tetsu said, pointing toward the troll. Jace looked to where he pointed and saw that indeed they had, for the troll was flinging a handful of rocks at them as he watched. He couldn't expand the energy to shield them both, not if he expected to defeat the beast. But how could he protect himself and not Tetsu? The choice was taken from his hands in the next instant.
"Proctectous!" The word sung out in a strong feminine voice and instantly a barrier sprung into existence in front of both the Dark Knight, and the Knight. Jace breathed a silent sigh of relief and chanced a glance to where the voice had come from, finding Ceisyl standing there, bloodied but looking strong and fit.
The rocks hit the barrier and bounced off harmlessly, but it didn't matter for the troll's attention was already pulled to the voice of the woman. His eyes narrowed, if possible, and he began once more gathering rocks into his hands for another assault, this time on the annoying female.
"Now." Jace whispered. He took off without a word of consent from Tetsu, his hand reaching up and to his back, grasping and pulling Gemini from its place. The sword sung into his grip, becoming one with its user. For a moment he felt invincible, but that feeling was soon lost as he took in the sheer enormity of what they faced. It was as big as a house, completely stone and metal. How could they even think to hurt something like that? His steps faltered as reality crashed down, telling him that they were all about to die here in this cavern.
"Do not despair my friend, I am with you." Tetsu's voice, though still unfamiliar, stabbed through the overwhelming feeling of dread that was freezing his insides. He was ashamed and emboldened all at once, shamed for giving up before he'd even tried, and lifted up by the courage of the strange knight. From the corner of his eye he could see Tetsu, armor shining blue and gold, sword naked to the unnatural light of the chamber. They were running along side one another now, climbing the hill of stone that was scattered before the giant.
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The troll lifted above its head a handful of rocks; most the size of small children, and in one mighty swing lobbed them all in the direction of the mage. It barely registered two figures running towards it, and would have paid them no mind, but at that instant he felt an annoying sting in both of his ankles. Looking down he saw two humans hacking at his body, chipping away large chunks of his flesh with each swing of their empowered swords. Anger at the attack roared in his head, flowed through the dusty veins of his existence, and poured out in a single bellow that would have turned most men's insides to jelly.
Gnomsh, for this was the name given to him by his creator, kicked his left leg out, the one being hacked on by a human in black armor. He missed hitting the human, but he did cause the annoying pain. He was about to do the same to the other human on his other leg, but at that instant he felt the power of the arcane flowing from the man in black. It was then he knew that this thing was a threat, one that should be squashed with all haste. With a toothy grin that sent rocks crumbling from his mouth he raised his club, his own power forcing stalagmites to form on the surface, spikes to cleave the stupid human. With strength born of stone, he sent the club smashing down in a blow that would have turned a mighty oak tree into nothing more than toothpicks.
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Jace had barely dodged the kick by the troll, even though he'd been expecting it. The thing could move almost quickly for something of its size and brainpower. As he knew it would, it turned its attention for the moment onto Tetsu, no doubt about to give a repeat performance. He let dark power flood into his body, increasing his strength and potency, reinforcing his already daunting might. Energy, renewed and empowered, soared along every nerve and fabric of his being. Without a doubt he would destroy this thing.
He watched as the troll turned back to him, somewhat surprised that it could have enough thought to realize he might pose more than a minimal amount of trouble due to his size. No thoughts were allowed to flow through his mind though, as at that moment the beast decided to do away with him all together. Down again the club came, though this time spikes were jutting out from almost every angle available.
Tetsu called out a warning at the same time as Ceisyl, though the Mage's warning came in the form of a streak of blue lightning, dancing across the troll's eyes and blinding it. Jace tried to jump backwards, but a large, broken rock caught his foot and sent him reeling backwards. It should have been over, he should have fallen and the club crushed him to powder, but it wasn't, it didn't. He unleashed a small amount of his power, calling upon the wind and air to come to his aid. Coils of atmosphere wrapped around his torso and pulled him backwards forcibly. The club crashed home, destroying what was left of the floor where the Dark Knight had moments ago stood.
Jace breathed a silent relief, and then attacked.
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Tetsu watched in horror as it appeared to be the end of the other Knight, but then, by some miracle, the man made it out alive. He breathed a sigh of relief at about the same time as Jace, and like Jace he attacked. From a pouch inside his armor he pulled a small vial containing a red elixir. Instead of drinking it though he poured it upon his blade, bathing the steel in crimson. At once it began to glow, first a dull red, then brighter and deeper, soon becoming metallic. The light reflected off of his armor, showering the area in a pale red that spoke of blood and battle. He felt power flood his body and blade, surging through every inch and pore he possessed.
With crimson tinted eyes he looked up at the face of the troll, then back down at the hacked leg. He would tear the leg apart piece by piece. He had no doubt of that, no doubt that each blow of his word would chop deeper and deeper into the beast until there was at last nothing left for his blade to feast upon.
This he knew as well as he knew he would draw his next breath. He relished in it, the knowledge and feeling of power that he for a short while possessed. Never had he known that going berserk would feel so good.
He roared a battle cry to an unknown God.
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Ceisyl was getting tired.
She had used more power within the last minutes than she had in weeks. First to shield the dwarf, then his friend and the knight, then herself, and then her attack upon the troll. Her power was considerable, but it was most definitely not absolute, nor infinite. She would have to change battle tactics soon, or else stay out of the fight all together.
Her eyes were drawn to the dwarf who lay just outside the doorway of the chamber, slowly regaining consciousness, but so far out of commission. Synmora perched on his stomach, his power helping to heal the short man. The small golden dragon felt her eyes on him and glanced up, the two sharing a silent communication. At once the dragon unfolded his wings and launched into the air, slowly beating his wings until he was hovering just before her.
Ceisyl reached out her hand toward the dragon, and as she did a light surrounded him. It blinded her so that she had to close her eyes, but even so she knew without a doubt what was happening. The small dragon was changing, becoming one of the many things that lied within his magical arsenal. From the sleek golden body came a sword, blade flashing in the torchlight, hilt basking in obsidian glory. It was as beautiful in this form as Synmora was in his dragon shape.
And just as deadly.
Her lilac eyes opened, her hand closing on the hilt that hovered before her. As her fingers closed around the stone-hard metal she felt its strength course through her body, filling her with its ecstasy. She turned away from the cavern, away from the dwarf, and faced the chamber and the troll. Firm determination took over her delicate features, and with her free hand she drew a symbol into the air. At once the robes that clothed her in shadows dissolved, morphed, and changed themselves into a flowing cloak of purple and silver. Her armor was revealed to the light, dark leather turned and textured to perfection, tailor fitted to her body and curves as a second skin.
Her vision locked onto the monstrosity. Her only purpose now was to destroy the thing before it destroyed her. She wished that she could say it was for the others, but the truth was that she trusted none of them, and knew that the creature must perish by her own hands or it may not perish at all. With this in mind she started into the chamber toward the troll, her pace quickening with each step until she was at a full run, cloak and hair billowing out behind her.
She was nearing the barrier that protected the stone, still she could read the magic that covered it, could almost tell where one spell stopped and another ended. Without slowing she leapt, up and against, her feet touching upon the shield, but instead of propelling her away as it had Jace, it remained solid and supported her weight. Over it she ran, her feet lighter than ever, seeming to glide over the surface as if the magic was propelling her forward of its own will and accord.
Then, just as she reached its apex it launched her, up and over, her body somersaulting into the air. Synmora came to bear in her hands, the long sword held tightly in her grip, poised over her head as she came out of her flip, directly above the troll. She saw then though that her momentum wouldn't carry her all of the way.
She was going to fall short. Her strike would never hit the troll, he was too far away.
●◦●◦●
As the club crashed into the floor Jace jumped, landing on the club itself, his body sandwiched between two spikes. He heard the troll shout a guttural grunt of triumph, his arm flexing as he lifted the club high once more. The creatures gaze turned then to the other annoyance, the knight, who had for some reason stopped his attack.
The troll couldn't make sense of the red glow that bathed the area below him, but a feminine voice in his head told him that it was bad. His club rose high, poised to strike. He would send this little bug to join its friend in a tortured oblivion.
And then darkness. It fell over him as wool, as if the lights had suddenly ceased to exist. He started to call out; to roar, or something loud enough to let himself know he was still alive, but at that moment he felt a presence. Something was above him, something that had brought the darkness.
Jace felt his power ebbing, his control over the currents of wind that kept him afloat slowly losing their hold. It was now or never. He had expanded too much power in one night without any elixirs to help regenerate his mana energy.
With this thought in mind he let go of Gemini, the onyx colored blade hovered before him, his lips moving silently in an incantation. He felt the welcome rush of magic surge within, coming from without, draining the air around him of its raw energy. He coerced that flow of energy into his blood, along his veins, then out through the pores of his skin. His arms rose, stretched to either side. From out of his gauntlets came black chains, which wrapped around his body once, then began to snake around the sword called Gemini.
Tiny chains, stronger than mithril, wrapped around the hilt of his sword, tightening. At once they were ripped away, causing Gemini to spin, faster than his eyes could follow. Other swords appeared, shimmering into life on either side of his black blade. Now instead of one sword, there were five. All imbued with his own power, his own life, his own will. The chains from his armor moved once more, this time attaching each one to a different hilt until they were all connected.
Jace began to spin, twirling the swords around his body, creating a small funnel of blades, slicing the air as a warm knife through butter. Then one blade flew out from the whirlwind, straight at the black globe wherein the Troll resided. A sickening crunch resounded, a howl of pain and rage. The beast dropped his club, hands reaching for his head, but at that instant a second sword surged out, this one driving into the raised hand. It pierced through the stone skin, digging to the hilt, pouring out pain and suffering through its fragile blade.
A third, a fourth, and finally the last blade were flung down into the head and shoulders of the troll. Jace was poised in the air, the chains still attached to his body, his form being held up by his crumbling power over the wind.
●◦●◦●
Tetsu never knew that such a primordial roar could be birthed from his lips, but it had been so, and now as he stood there, his blood and body surging with crimson energy, he knew what to do. In the space of seconds the Dark Knight had made his move.
The knight's eyes went back to the leg he'd been hacking at uselessly, and now he knew that he could hew that piece of rock in two. With a growl he approached the leg, and then pulled back his massive sword, muscles bulging, almost breaking out of his armor. Power flooded every piece of his body. It was his to hold, to claim, to use. His and only his.
He swung, the blood-bathed sword biting hard and deep into the ankle of the troll. He pulled his sword back, noticing that some of the red stain had remained on the beast and was still eating away at the stone, making it even weaker than before. Another swing, his blade fairly melting the rock before he could even make solid contact.
He registered a scream from the troll, a cry for help to some unknown goddess, but it was all ignored in the face of his task. Another swing and his sword kept going. With silent shock he saw that with only three hits he'd completely taken the troll's ankle off. The rock began to crumble, the troll stumbling, roaring in pain from his leg and his head, his shoulders and arms. Tetsu had no time to dwell on what he'd just done though, for he could feel the berserk potion wearing away. Soon he would be back to normal once more and either have to deal with it, or use his last potion.
He ran around the side of the destroyed ankle, then around the back of the troll and to the other side, making sure to dodge falling pieces of rubble. He could see where Jace had been hacking away and had in fact made a good-sized chunk. With a twisted grin he pulled back his sword, tensed his muscles, and swung, his side-arc leaving behind a trail of red shadow as it sliced through the air. The blade hit and bit deep into the beast's ankle, the magic of his blade pouring out onto the rock, eating away at it.
Tetsu pulled back and tensed. One more strike would do it.
●◦●◦●
Jace heard a sound that was like heaven to his ears, that of stone crushing and shattering. At that instant he felt the beast shift, then saw a crimson tinged Tetsu running around the Troll below him. In front of him he saw Ceisyl running, toward and then up the shield that protected the gem in the center of the room. He wasn't sure why it didn't reject her as it did him, but it was only a fleeting thought.
He let go of the wind currents that held him aloft and dropped from his perch, straight down toward the head of the Troll. His feet touched down on the bald head of the beast, and without stopping he took off, running forward, then down, over the things face. The chains that were still held fast to his swords billowed out behind him as he ran vertically down the body of the troll. They grew somewhat as he ran, giving him the slack that he needed.
Once near the ground he stopped, bunched his legs, and then sprang from the body of the troll. He twisted in the air, tightening the chains at the same time, and turned so that when he landed he was facing the beast. He cast his eyes down quickly at the Knight who was swinging a second and final time, watched as the imbued blade cut through the strong stone of the Troll's leg. With that done he pulled with all of his strength. Muscles and chains screamed in protest, but it was starting to work.
The troll, with his body being torn apart at the legs, couldn't maintain his balance. The chains, which were attached to swords buried in his head, shoulder, and hand, upset what fragile remnants of stability it possessed, and down it came.
Jace let go of all the chains but one, and on that one he pulled. From the head of the Troll came the real Gemini, flying through the air with the chain attached to its hilt. So hard was the pull that the Dark Knight had put on the chain that the sword soared across the chamber and stabbed once more into stone, though this time the stone belonged to a wall and not a troll. Jace wrapped the chain around his hand one time and called upon the magic of his weapon, which forcefully pulled him up and away, toward his imprisoned blade.
Seconds after he was pulled to safety the troll crashed to the ground, its stubby legs struggling, and hands working to try and push it back up. But it was also at that moment that Ceisyl descended from above. She had no battle cry, she knew of no 'gods' to cry out to, she knew only her magic.
"Sientes!" She whispered. Magic fire flared along Synmora, dancing upon the gleaming surface of the blade, purple and silver. Her cloak of the same color flared up above her as she fell, her legs drawing up beneath her, both hands held firmly on the hilt of her sword. The globe of darkness that had been over the troll's head shattered just as she reached it, and she saw her mark clearly. With a smile of triumph she raised the sword high, then thrust it down hard and fast.
The magic-laced blade pierced through the neck of the troll. Ceisyl's body touched down upon the back of its head and she used the weight of her landing to drive the sword even deeper, the blade actually growing under Synmora's will. Fire exploded from the sides of the sword, and in that one strike she severed the head from the body.
Rock began to crumble under her, and with it she fell to the shattered ground, drained but victorious.
The troll was no more. His body, at his death, turned to nothing but ash and dust and memories. This was evidenced by the action of Tetsu wading through what was once a mighty stomach, but was now only ash, in his effort to reach her and off his congratulations. Even the plate armor, held to him by his own magic, had melted into nothing but metallic ash at his demise.
"That was great Ceisyl! I didn't even know you had a sword under those robes!" Tetsu said as he reached her, his hand outstretched. She thought back to when they were in the cave, and he'd made the same gesture, but she had rebuffed him. With one look at his brilliant, youthful blue eyes and his wide grin though; she didn't have the heart to refuse. Her hand clasped his and he pulled her from the ash of the troll's head.
"There are many things you do not know about me, Sir Knight." She said as she rose. Immediately she released his hand and dusted off the dark leather of her armor, then reached down and touched the glittering sword that lay amongst the ash. At once its magic was dispelled and it began to change, slowly shifting back into the form of the small dragon, Synmora.
"Ah…" he said as he was what had created the sword she used. His eyes took on a light of new respect as he looked upon the dragon. He bowed his head to it.
"The dwarf is before the cave exit. He was knocked out thought, so I did what healing for him I could." Ceisyl said, turning and walking away from the pile of ash and dust. As she walked her clothing changed, the cloak flowing out behind her, then back up around her body, becoming once more the robes of the Mage, free of any sign of battle.
"Good, tell the Dark Knight though, it is his friend." Tetsu replied, following her path out of the mess they were in. He was about to speak once more when the ground beneath him shook. He cursed the server and turned around just in time to see a great beast rising from the ashes of the troll.
"You have GOT to be kidding me!" He yelled as he drew his sword. A grey Minotaur was fast forming, and behind it yet another was being created, and beside that one yet another. From the death of the troll came living nightmares once more. The one rising above Tetsu lost no time in creation, for already was its mighty axe raised high above its head, and as soon as its torso was solidified it struck, bringing the axe down hard and fast, seeking to clean the knight in two.
To his astonishment, great relief, and utter shame, the Minotaur would never attack. Above Tetsu's right shoulder an arrow streaked, one that brought with it mind-numbing cold, and a winter that would never be satisfied. Ice began to spread upon the half-formed Minotaur's body before the arrow had even touched it, but when the missile did strike, the ice became something alive and grew from that one point of impact until it encompassed the beast's entire body, freezing it where it stood.
"Do I always have to save you Tetsu?" The Lady Rosilin said from the doorway, her bow still in hand, another arrow notched and already coming to bear on the next target.
Tetsu sighed and turned back to the field of ash and the newly formed minions, knowing that this would not end well.
●◦●◦●
Ceisyl stopped and turned at Tetsu's voice, disbelief marring her normally cool features. What was going on? Never before had anything in the game been this hard! Always, they defeated the boss, they moved on. Never was it more than one boss. She felt someone beside her and turned her head to see Jace standing beside her, his helm off and face grim. She noticed that at least he'd chosen a handsome face to park beneath his mask of evil. She sighed.
"I have nothing left to offer this night, Sir Dark. I hate to say it, but every bit of strength I had I pooled into Synmora for that one attack." As she spoke she looked up to the ceiling to find her small companion slowly circling the area, unconcerned for what was happening below since it did not include his master. He was, in fact, looking for something to eat.
"Besides," She continued, nodding her head toward a woman advancing into the room. She wore black and gold dragon-scaled armor, a half-helm which consisted only of a head piece and piece to cover her ears in the shape of dragon wings, up swept and golden. In her hands she wielded a bow and arrow, but at her side was strapped a formidable looking sword that she could no doubt use. Jace noticed the frost tipping her arrow.
"An Ice Dragoon. She seems to know our young knight." He said, not taking his eyes from the striking woman with long dark hair and dragon armor. Without turning toward Ceisyl he spoke again. "Take your rest, please check on my friend, and I shall do what I can to help get us out of this place."
One of her finely chiseled eyebrows rose at his words, and a barb was on the tip of her tongue, but she instead chose to ignore his commanding tone and words, and for once in her computing life, obey.
"Very well," she said with a bow of her head. She turned from him and reached behind her, bringing the hood of her robes up and over her head, casting her tattooed face back into the shadows that were her life.
Jace glanced back at the mage once, then put her from his mind and set about the task before them. Tetsu was now engaged in battle against one of the summoned Minotaur, and seemed to be handling his own well enough. The Dragoon was just now rounding the shield, and for the first time he noticed that her arrows could pass through it, even if a body could not. He filed that away to check on later.
He dug into his soul and pulled what power he had left, having to convince his feet to move when all he truly wanted to do was fall down and sleep. With a curse at the Server Gods he began to run back around the shield, coming upon the side opposite of Rosilin. Two Minotaur were advancing upon the locked battle of Tetsu. He knew that the knight couldn't have much hp left, or energy for that matter. Going berserk takes a lot out of one. His hand reached up and gripped the hilt of Gemini.
"Only a little bit more, my friend." He whispered to the blade as it came to life in his hand. Against one Minotaur at a time his blade was among the finest to be had, but against more than one…
The sword began to glow with darkness, a black light so profound that it seemed to drink in every fabric of reality around it until the air itself was nothing but a distortion of time and space. A silver light pierced the darkness, and then it was dispelled, the black light banished to where it had been called. In his hands now were two swords, not one. Twin blades, lighter than the mighty Gemini, but of the same color and strength. Each boasted of a hilt with a single cross piece, now shaped into the form of demon wings, the pommel of each crafted into twin orbs, one glaring red and bright to put the greatest ruby to shame, and the other pouring out darkness as a black sun.
Fire and Death.
He was fast closing upon the Minotaurs, their backs to his approach, intent upon their kill. Once again he called upon the magic that was fast leaving him and used it to send his body forward, hurtling faster than the eye could ever hope to follow. Once instant he was behind the beasts, now though he appeared in front of their charge. He bent to one knee, knowing that they had failed to even notice him in their unnatural lust for blood, and it would be their undoing. As the hard ash bodies passed Jace struck out, his swords that had been held crossways against his chest lashing out. The bite of Fire, the sting of death, it swept upon the creature senses, but still they knew not what the cause was, but they slowed. Past the Dark Knight they almost swept, both now sporting widening gashes in their sides, but before they could totally be free of him he used the coil in his bent leg to propel his body up, twisting in the air. Both swords struck out as he rose like a screw, severing the heads from each rampaging body.
Tetsu turned as the Minotaur he was fighting finally fell to his sword, the creature melting away with a nasty chunk of 'skin' gone from its throat. His blonde hair was sticking out at every angle, his armor dirtied from the soot and grim he was fighting in.
"Their blood is Ash, their breath dust!" He shouted in disbelief. He was about to reply when an ice-tipped arrow sped over his shoulder once again, over the shoulder of Jace, and into the shoulder of a Minotaur that was rising behind the Dark Knight.
He turned, following the arrow, and was shocked to his core to realize that one of the creatures was being created not two feet from where he stood. From the point where the arrow struck the icy death began to spread, he watched for a second as it did so, then raised Fire and struck the ice, satisfied to watch half of the Minotaur's body crumble back down to the floor.
Ros slung her bow over her shoulder as she came upon Tetsu and Jace, her hand moving to the hilt of her sword.
"You boys should really pay more attention to the world around you." She said with a grin. Looking at the two men before her though, the grin faded. Both looked as though they were about to drop dead.
"I thought you left, Lady Rosilin." Tetsu said, turning to her at the sound of her voice. Jace turned as well, but couldn't smile or offer any thanks for he was still caught up in the fact that if not for her he would probably be dead now.
"Family business. I logged back in as soon as I could, then knowing you like I do, I ran back to town and got some more potions. I figured you'd forgotten to." Tetsu winced, he had in fact forgotten to stock up before leaving town. So had Jace, but the Dark Knight didn't think he should say.
"Yea, I did. Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet, they're back in the other room, near a dwarf."
Jace quickly glanced toward the mentioned room and his friend.
"Looks like they've stopped coming." Tetsu remarked, looking around the dusty chamber. Nothing stirred, nothing moved save the small dragon still circling lazily above.
"I'll get Willow and the Mage, then we can get out of here." Jace said, turning and walking away back through the ash. As he did so he slipped his blades into unnoticed sheaths at either sides of his armor.
"Who's that?" Ros asked, watching him walk away.
"His name is Jace, he and the dwarf came to our assistance when we were ambushed by a Minotaur." Tetsu replied, turning as well toward the retreating man.
"Yea… I saw it on my way in…" She said thoughtfully.
"What? But we killed that thing ages ago. Should have been gone by now." Tetsu said in disbelief, turning his gaze to hers.
"Well it wasn't, now was it?" She said softly. Something was going through her mind, but he didn't know what. "Something's weird here, Tet."
"You're right my dear, something is very weird here." A soft feminine voice said from behind them. Both turned at the words, Tetsu's hands clasped tightly to the hilt of his sword, Ros's hand still on the hilt of hers, her other hand going to the long curved dagger at her other side.
The woman that spoke them was not directly behind the two, as they had thought, but was instead floating slightly above the ground where the door to the other room had once been before it was smashed by the troll. Yes, floating. Her unshod feet refused to touch the ground, and her feet may we add boasted of what seemed to be grass stains. From her stained feet up she was… impish. Not in looks, but in her manner. A light green gown clothed her body, velvet in design. The neck of it was low cut, revealing the beginning of cleavage, lightly tanned skin the color of warm coffee. Around the neck of the girl sat a strand of pearls with a single green teardrop in the middle, hanging just above the valley of her breasts. The arms of the gown ran the length of the girl's arms and ended at her wrists, though a piece of the material went on along her hand, tying itself off around each middle finger. Her eyes were the same color as the teardrop, a brilliant green that spoke of excitement and lust. Her hair, curled and spilling about her head and shoulders, was the color of a fresh morning sun, bright red and wild.
"Very weird indeed!" Her voice called out again, this time louder and with a note of maniacal glee. She laughed and threw back her head, hair flying out around her, arms striking out at both sides of her body. The walls began to shake and shift, the world tearing apart all around them. Darkness welled up from the floors, millions of voices crying out in the midst of them. Hands reached and grabbed for their souls, their powers.
Ros cried out, drawing her dagger, slashing at the unseen foes that clawed at her skin. Ice tinged the air everywhere she struck, but still they wailed and lamented at her feet. Still they clung to her body as a second skin, dragging her down into a hell that she knew she would never escape. Tetsu roared behind her, and suddenly a shimmer of red dispelled the black briefly. He had once again taken of the Berserk potion, his glowing sword slashing out at any and everything he could see, or thought he saw. Above it all came the cackling laughter of the girl. Her voice was around them, in them, pouring out from their lips. And then through the tortured whisper and screams of the bodiless souls another voice came, this one also belonging to a female.
"Syris welcomes you home." Ros cried out against the voice as a feeling of overwhelming despair shattered her heart, but Tetsu's cry was something different. It wasn't a shout to a god, or a roar of battle, instead it was a name.
"TASHA!"
●◦●◦●
Jace came upon Ceisyl and Willow, the mage sitting with her back against the wall, her eyes shut, and the dwarf still laying down, his axe at his side.
"He will be waking soon, I wager. Been asleep near thirty minutes now." The woman said without opening her eyes.
Had it only been half an hour since they came in here? It felt as though hours, perhaps even days had passed since then.
"The Dragoon said she brought some potions. Doesn't mean she'll share, but…" Jace said as he knelt down beside his friend. She was right, he would most likely wake any moment and wonder where he was and what he was supposed to be killin'.
"She'll share. I've heard of her, at least if she's who I think she is. A high-classed Dragoon from another server. Used to be called Lady Rosilin, but from what I hear now she just goes by Ros. Which means that the knight in there is the young pup that she's been training."
"You enjoy knowing everything, don't you, Mage." Jace said softly. By the startled look in her eyes he could tell that he'd caught her off guard. He was about to apologize and thank her for letting him know, when their world fell apart.
As was happening in the other room, to the other people, so it happened to them. Jace stumbled up from his crouched position, his hands reaching to his sides, groping for the blades that had so many times saved his life. He could hear the mage crying out as the unseen hands began to scratch at her flesh, as it was his. He fell back, hitting the ground hard, his hands releasing their hold on his swords to cover his ears, trying to shut out the voices and cries of the dead and dying.
"I CAN' DO THIS!" He screamed, whether in the game or in real life. He would log out; nothing could be worth this, not a new server, not new weapons. Nothing.
Log Out.
He couldn't remember how, or his body would not respond.
Log Out!
Nothing, still the hands snatched at his armor and his face, his eyes and hands, dragging him down into an oblivion that he never knew existed. He couldn't log out, something wasn't letting him. He felt as if a connection between his mind and his body had been severed.
"I'm going to die." He said, his voice echoing among the thousands of faces that he couldn't see, but that he knew was there, floating about him, chanting his words back to him. The word 'die' resounded off the walls clothed in blackness, penetrated the core of his being, and shook the foundations of the cave.
"You can't die yet, Jace." A voice said from behind him. The voice was like a single pure note of song in the midst of a tempest. His head turned toward it, which caused his body to turn in kind, upon his hands and knees, eyes searching the darkness for that one voice. It was too late; he knew he was going to die.
Then a hand, cool and warm all at the same time touched his face, brought his chin up. He was gazing into the bluest eyes he could ever imagine. They caused the voices, the screams of torment, to cease, to fall away in light of those orbs. He didn't look down, for he couldn't remove himself from her sight, but he knew that there was no body attached to those eyes.
"I need you, Jace." The voice said once more, its soft musical tone sounding within his soul. "Something very bad is happening right now, and you and the others are about to be swept away by it. You have the ability though to stop it. You can save them, and yourself, from the fate of this world."
He couldn't move, could hardly breathe. Though he could not hear them, still he could feel the power of the blackness crushing him, both in body and soul.
"This… is just a game… I just want to go home…" He said, whether out loud or not he wasn't sure, but the eyes heard, and understood.
"I know, I know and I am sorry. I cannot explain now, for I cannot remain as this for much longer or he will find me. I can only say that you cannot go home. This place that He has turned into a game… it is as real to you as your own world now."
Jace struggled against the words that he was hearing. His mind, his body screamed over and over to log out, to shut his computer off and go to bed. He had school in the morning, his mom would be upset.
The hand cupped his chin again.
"You can't go home, Jace. You are trapped here, just as I am."
"What do I have to do!" He screamed, coming up onto his knees, his hands clenched into fists at his side, the darkness crushing him, closing in on his lungs, his heart.
"For now… survive."
And the eyes were gone, her last words burning into his soul. Survive. With the spell of her presence gone, the reality of what was happening crashed down on him. He could hear Ceisyl screaming, Willow's moans of pain, and from the other room the sounds of Rosilin and Tetsu fighting against an unbeatable foe. Above it all came a voice, soft and deadly, like death upon wings of dark violence.
"Syris welcomes you home."
Then Tetsu, his voice tearing from lips no doubt curled in pain, calling out a name that Jace couldn't understand, so laced with pain the knights voice was. It was then he realized that they were all dying. He could feel his mind slipping away, his body longing to join it. Just when he thought he would give in and just let everything go, let it all fall away until there was nothing left, he saw it. A light shimmering, suspended in the darkness.
His dagger.
In the blackness of the room it shone as a sun, bright and warm, inviting and welcoming even though hours ago it had radiated nothing but evil intent. Now the light that it had drunk from the doorway poured out of it and into the twilight.
Jace struggled to his feet, his feverish eyes locked onto that one beacon, the one slash of hope. The thought that touching it could very well destroy him never seemed to surface in his crazed thoughts, so his feet nor intent ever slowed. As he neared the floating dagger it seemed to call out to him, as if his entire life's purpose was to take it from its place in the cave, to draw from its power and become one with whatever force it was now bestowing on the land.
All of these thoughts and more pounded inside the young warrior's mind, but they were all put to shame and all for naught when he reached out his hand and closed his fingers around the shining hilt.
The voices screamed in anguish as light flared from between his fingers, from the glistening blade, from the body of the Dark Knight. Light pulsed from every inch of his body as the power was transferred from the knife to him, but his body could not even hope to contain it. It pulsated away from him, in an ever-growing circle of light and energy, touching upon each of those trapped within the hellish chamber. With each second of the light's beating heart the darkness was dispelled, the voices chased away. Power and energy flooded each of them in turn, changing what was to be their destruction into their salvation.
In the chamber with Ros and Tetsu, Leda, the Green Witch, screamed in defiance. This was not how her Lord told her it would be. He had told her that she would be able to drink up their power and perhaps sate her lustful thirst. Her thirst for power that had driven the once docile young girl into a greedy PK, a Player Killer. Now though her trophies were being swept away from her on a tide that she couldn't hold back. No matter what spell she try and cast, it would only be rebuffed. She knew this. She also knew that this power wasn't normal, nor could it be achieved in the 'game', as it was once called. It had stopped being a game to her some months back when she had given her life to Him.
"I smell Hybrid in this…" The Witch said with a snarl. The watched in horror as the people she had been feasting on began to disappear, the power that was unleashed taking them from her. Her hands balled into small fists at her sides, green painted nails digging into her palm, drawing blood which flowed unheeded to the dusty floor. She screamed in anger and outrage.
When the scream ended, they were gone. No matter though, the girl thought.
"Like me, you stupid fools, there is no going home. I'll find you again. Lord Syris will see to that. He promised."