This end of the story is approaching.
Eric's POV
Everything looked torn. Simon's pants, his shirt, and his skin. I had watched helplessly as he had tuck rolled into a glass case. Without a second thought, I was jumping over display cases, trying to get closer. He was now struggling to stand, trying not to place his hands completely on the ground, that was littered in tiny shards of glass.
'Arghhhhhh.'
That sure got my attention, causing me to skid to a stop, just feet from Simon. It had just occurred to me why I had just watched my friend jump straight into a stationary object. We were now facing cyclopes. Two to be exact. They were both bigger than Tyson. That was Percy's brother. I won't lie, I was super freaked when I first met him, but he turned out to be a great guy. Er, monster. These guys on the other hand, not so much.
I turned back to Simon and pulled him up.
Craning my neck back, I was about to yell for Charlie. Her squeaking reached my ears before I could process what was going on.
Simon was now swinging his head back and forth. Taking in one threat and then the next. But I couldn't take my eyes off Charlie. Manager Stilson now stood behind her. A dagger to her throat. Charlie's dagger. He was using her own weapon against her. Smiling at us, Stilson flexed his wrist inward. Dark liquid started to ooze onto the blade. A trickle started down her neck, over her collarbone, and down to her shirt. Teeth grinding, fists tightening, and my breathing more ragged. I couldn't tell if I was panicking or readying to fight.
"Eric," Simon's voice was soft. "We have to get Charlie away from him."
Simon's bow was notched. When did he do that?
"You take care of Stilson. There is nothing I can do from here. I'll keep ugly one and ugly two busy."
Simon only shifted the weight of the balls of his feet. So subtle, it was barely noticeable. It was only indication he heard or understood me. Simon was bringing his right arm back slowly. I took one last glance at Stilson. His smile was turning into a cold sneer.
"Go."
Whether it was Simon who spoke or me, I couldn't be sure. All I could do was focus on the brutes who were about to slaughter me. I couldn't help but wonder if Charlie would miss me or not. That thought quickly left my head once my sword met the large club of the first Cyclops. I was positive he was the one who had thrown the crate at Simon.
"Hey dummy, why don't you pick on someone your own size." That was the lamest and least creative verbal attack ever, but I was mad.
All I got was an unintelligible 'Urgh!'
The second one was lumbering past us, not bothering with me. I couldn't let him get away that easy. I ran towards him, barely dodging a hit from cyclopes one. This was going to get confusing. Well the first guy has a big wart, right next to his eye. It kind of looks like he has two eyes, but he's just really disfigured. We will call him warty.
The guy I am charging now, he has a one big set of ears. I will just call him Dumbo. They must have picked some ugly guys for this job.
I jumped up slashing Dumbo in the arm. I couldn't get away fast enough before he walloped me with is opposite arm. I felt like a tennis ball as he back handed me to my starting point. On the bright side, Simon was being left alone to deal with Stilson. On the really ugly dark side, I was now the new target of the cyclopes rage.
"That should have broken your body," shouted Dumbo. He must have been the brains because all Warty had been able to do was yell garbled vowels.
I realized what he was talking about. I had been thrown into a metal supporting beam. There was a bend in the beam. But no bend in me. I glanced up and grinned. "Didn't you notice my new fashion statement? Magical armor is all the rage."
Warty's eyes narrowed, "You took the armor!"
Maybe it was a bad idea to point out to the very slow monsters that I had stolen what they were trying to protect. I didn't have much time to let that lesson sink in before Warty reached for the nearest glass case. Lucky me, there were about a dozen African spears on display. I had been admiring them earlier for the feathers and painted symbols each one had been decorated with. I didn't really have time for that now.
Charlie's POV
You know in the old legend where Robin Hood shoots an apple off some guy's head? I always thought that would be terrifying. But I can now tell you first hand, that it is way worse than you can imagine. And I barely had a chance to comprehend what was happening.
I don't remember how Stilson had snuck up behind me or how he now had my dagger cutting into my flesh. He wasn't talking, only breathing heavily into my ear.
Creeper.
My eyes were focused on Simon and Eric. I couldn't hear them, but I watched as Simon and Eric shifted. Each turning in the opposite direction. I don't think the monsters were smart enough to catch the movement. And Stilson? Well I couldn't figure it out, but I didn't think something was quite right with him.
It didn't matter now though. Simon and Eric were moving.
The more details your brain takes in, the slower time will appear. That's why when you get in accidents and you seem to notice everything, time gets slow. Time must have almost stopped for me. I could see the moment Simon's hand let go of the arrow. I watched it as it soared straight for me. Later, I admit I was proud of Simon for trusting himself. I mean I had already told him to do so plenty of times. In that moment though, I was wishing he hadn't taken my advice.
My eyes left the arrow and went to Simon's. His gaze was on the man, right behind me. Now as the arrow flew, his eyes averted to mine. I swear he smiled. He had a cut across his cheek and a bunch on his arms. None were deep, but I'm sure they hurt like paper cuts.
'Chink.'
I didn't want to look behind me. My dagger dropped and the hand holding it turned to dust. Simon was running towards me. Time went back to normal.
"What just happened?"
Simon threw off his quiver and pulled off his shirt. "He probably made a deal with the monsters after escaping from the underworld." He tried to tear it with his teeth, but gave up and grabbed my dagger from the ground, cutting two starting slits in the shirt. Simon handed me my dagger and with both hands he ripped the shirt into a large strip, discarding the rest of it to the ground. The piece he had was now around my neck, tied as tightly as Simon dared.
I gave him a smile, "You've got the looks, the hair, the money, the voice, and now you have to show off your body?"
Simon's eyes narrowed, changing color. I imagined this is what a solar flare looked like. "You almost died and you have to make a joke?" Simon slung his quiver back on.
"If I die today, at least I could see someone smile just once more." I sighed, forgetting the danger of that moment. Simon only stared at me for a second. Then he gave me a lopsided smile. "Let's go save Eric."
We ran towards Eric as he dodged spears, coming to a halt a few yards from him. Simon drew out and an arrow readying himself. He glanced back at me, "Is that the armor keeping him in one piece?"
I closed my eyes, the world swaying slightly before answering. "It's to protect the fighter wearing it. I know it fits whoever wears it perfectly, and it keeps your injuries to a minimum. But that's all it does. If Eric gets hit just right, then he's done for. And with his curse-"
The sentence was interrupted by another loud cry. This time it was Eric. The cyclops had snatched him in one of it's grubby hands. "Let me go, Dumbo!" He cried. I guess Eric had taken the time to name his new pet cyclops.
Simon let loose his arrow and it sailed through the air sticking in the side of one cyclops's head. It wasn't enough to do any serious damage, but defiantly hurt.
"You dumb hero!" it roared. Swinging his arm around as if to throw Eric at us. The cyclops released too late and Eric went flying. I watched in horror as he landed in the second room. The big door was open, probably how the cyclopes were getting through. Speaking of cyclopes, they were now stomping over to us.
I thought I heard moaning, but maybe it was just the creak of a door. Was Eric still alive?
Simon's POV
Continually glancing at the doorway, I fired another volley of shots. What was Eric doing? I'm sure he was alive. He had to be. Maybe he got knocked unconscious.
"Charlie, go find Eric. I'll keep them busy."
I could easily fight them both from a distance, instead of trying to fight up close and personal, like a normal sword fighter would have to do. Now, if I could give Charlie enough time to get Eric, then maybe I could make a run for the doors. After that, we would all get to the chariot and be home free.
I should have realized that this plan would not work.
I gave Charlie at least two full minutes to find Eric. Now it was my turn to get to the back room. I only had two more explosive arrows. I guess now would be a good time to use one.
'Boom.'
The smarter cyclops that Eric had dubbed Dumbo wasn't stunned for long.
Charlie was pouring gasoline all over a large machine. It must have been a backup generator. An old one at that. Eric paused shouting for Charlie to move. I turned back and shot another arrow, still running towards my group. Charlie came towards me, her sword in her hand. Neither of us were prepared for the hand that came crashing into us.
'Whack.'
Now I knew how Eric had felt.
"Simon," I heard Charlie's voice. Everything hurt, especially my head. I rolled it to one side. There was a mountain of wooden boxes just piled. My eyes slowly focused on the wriggling figure underneath. I shot up as fast as my body allowed me. Charlie was pinned down, unable to move. Eric. Where was Eric?
Eric was more than thirty feet away. He had somehow managed to hold onto his shield and pick up Charlie's sword. He was putting up a good fight, or at least better than before. He had both cyclopes attention, giving me the opportunity to pull Charlie out from underneath the mountain of debris.
"Give me your arms Charlie," I said reaching out for her. There was no way I could lift the wood off her.
I grasped her forearms and she held onto mine. I tugged with all my might. Charlie was doing her best not to cry, only whimpering. I gave a quick glance back at the fighting. The one not named Dumbo had turned to us. He had heard us. I gave one last yank with all my might. Charlie screamed, but thankfully she was out. Not so thankfully, there was a giant man eating creature of mass destruction coming our way. I started firing arrows.
"Charlie, can you stand?" I hadn't had time to asses her wounds, but now glancing at her she had a large tear down the back of her right leg. I could see blood through the opening. How deep had the nail gone in her leg?
I reached down, hauling her up. The cyclops closed the distance in this time. I took out an arrow, to stab the cyclops out reaching hand with. He only swatted me away, picking up Charlie.
I landed a few feet away this time. I was tired, sore, and barely functioning, Eric was slowly losing to Dumbo, and now Charlie was about to be crushed to death in the hands of this ugly behemoth.
