No one had seen the city of Rixis since the days before the Rains of Destruction wiped out the Old World. Entire expeditions had been formed with the sole purpose of re-discovering it; some of the most renown sailors in the world had been obliterated by the currents in South Ocean, and still others had been slaughtered by the dangerous creatures dwelling in the Ixa'takan forests. Lawrence, Ilchymis, and Centime, therefore, had little hope for ever locating it, but Domingo, ever the optimist, swore he would find it within the week.
Two days later, he found it; like the Temple of Pyrynn, it was impossible to see without the power of his silver-moonstone spyglass.
Everywhere the trees closed in around them ominously; the air was so close that upon disembarking the Ironclad they abandoned their jackets and gloves, and passing through the gates they stepped on a floating platform and ascended for a long time. When the platform slowed to a hover and they crowded off, they couldn't believe their eyes.
It was a city composed completely of perfect white alabaster marble, pockmarked here and there by massive craters that left charred bowl-shaped phenomena in the ground. Air was more difficult to come by, as though an invisible pillow had been pressed lightly over their faces; a soft gray-blue mist covered everything mysteriously, as though they had just stepped into a low-hanging cloud. Everything was still and silent, and the only thing that stirred was their ragged breath in the now-much-cooler air; not a soul stirred all around. Lawrence led the way forward, broadsword out of its sheath and held ready before him, and behind him came Domingo, gazing around in awe; Centime was next, one hand upon his holstered pistol in precaution, and Ilchymis brought up the rear as Cupil circled his head anxiously.
"Look at this place," said Lawrence, awe in his voice. "Can you believe there are still places like this in the world?"
"Rixis was the stronghold of Ixa'taka in the Old World," answered Ilchymis in an undertone. "It was the last place to fall when the Rains of Destruction assaulted the world in this region, and only then because the Green Gigas Grendel was on the rampage. It was many years after the city fell that Grendel was at last contained."
"In Horteka, the villagers speak of Rixis as a holy place," said Centime, and the thick mist muffled his voice like a blanket. "Their god, Quetya, is said to have built the city for its faithful worshipers, and only those blessed by Quetya could enter."
Their single-file line widened out as they took in their surroundings; tarrying behind, Domingo strayed to one side of a crumbling alabaster staircase to a statue at the base. It was cut from a sort of lustrous black rock in the form of a great wolfhound, risen up on its hind legs and holding a pair of wicked-looking axes clutched in its clawed paws. The curious treasure hunter neared, hand outstretched to stroke the narrow muzzle, and then...
The large creature exploded into motion, snapping at Domingo with its jaws; caught completely off guard, Domingo cried out when it sank its cruel teeth into his forearm and clamped down tightly. Luckily he was able to break free with an unceremonial twist, and by then the others had rushed to the source of the commotion. Ilchymis, eyes narrowed with rage, invoked the powers of the Warrior's Heart and launched a mighty ice spell; the power Crystales encased the Sentinel in ice, but it shook it off quickly and pounced. But Domingo, kukris out and ready, leapt forward to stave off the attack, slashing with one and stabbing with the other; one drew an angry red line down the smooth, ebony-skinned chest, and the other dug into a shoulder and ripped mercilessly.
The Sentinel howled and lunged, lashing out at Domingo with both axes; both caused minimal lacerations in Domingo's stomach, and the treasure hunter lurched back in agony. But Lawrence leapt down from a crumbling staircase with a battle cry, broadsword held stabbing style, and just as Domingo stumbled back and fell the mercenary was upon their enemy. But the Sentinel was far quickly and dodged aside with a hiss; behind them, Centime's pistol jammed.
Both axes doubled back toward Lawrence's temporarily exposed back, but the mercenary dipped and turned so gracefully that both weapons sailed over his head. But when Lawrence swung the Sentinel countered, and they broke apart.
Centime chose that moment to fire. The bullet struck their adversary in the back and it shrieked in anger; Domingo stumbled back to his feet and lunged, bringing both kukris to bear and concealing Lawrence behind him, but the Sentinel swung and forced him back. Lawrence rushed up and slashed, and their enemy had no chance to dodge - the swing razed a wicked line from shoulder to stomach.
Enraged, the guardian dropped both axes and slashed out at Lawrence with both long, sharp set of claws, but Lawrence parried with impeccable reflexes; Centime reloaded with a shining silver bullet, sighted down the barrel, and fired a shot that burrowed through the Sentinel's temple and into its brain.
Ilchymis was upon Domingo at once, muttering a spell of healing; the treasure hunter's stomach was bleeding freely now. Lawrence drove his broadsword into the dead Sentinel's abdomen in disgust. "We'll have to set up guards when we camp tonight. Looks like the monsters here survived the test of time."
Domingo looked up; beyond the ruins the Green Moon was brightening in a swiftly-darkening sky.
Syek: You make me laugh. LOL
Derek Barona: Yeah, I know, I laughed hysterically too.
Meowzy-chan: I swear, one more "Alfonso needs a boyfriend comment"...
greekapino: Don't like it, don't read it, scumbag. I'm not forcing you. Have some respect.
The Right Hand of Fate: Glad to have you back!