Slowly, Laura's eyes opened to a sight she didn't think she'd see, not after everything that had happened. Shane was also looking down at her albeit blearily. After his eyes, she noticed a huge, dark purple bruise that sprawled out along his jaw, deforming and swelling the usually sharp feature.
"Oh! Good morning Shane... uh... sorry again about last night." she sheepishly apologized, that aching feeling of wrong doing swallowing up her fear of being still in that cave. Shane just groaned a little, stretching his arm up above his head, and rubbing gently at his jaw. They both winced a little, as a waft of body odor came over both of them, but neither addressed it so as to save face. Laura knew she was also suffering from it, and made note to keep her arms down unless necessary. Smells didn't air out well in this dank, stuffy cave.
"Don't worry about it." he muttered, a little bit back to his old self, and she wondered if he might be suffering a concussion for real, but addressing it would surely cause more of a problem than the one at hand. Besides, they were running on time they weren't sure they even had.
"Hey, let's just get going." he finally said, and picked up the galaxy dagger, turning it in his hand, the dim light bouncing off the blade. Laura watched him, hopeful that things might be turning around, that maybe they'd find Jas and everything would be okay. Soon, they took off, walking fast down the tunnels that continued to expand and contract as they went.
They came into contact with a few other monsters within the cavernous walk, and even, to her great shock, a sleeping shadow brute, something she'd never seen before and wasn't sure she knew was possible. Before she had gotten a chance to say anything, Shane had jumped on the thing, ripping off its wooden mask. It shrieked and garbled out nothing words like most of the brutes did, reaching for a staff that had once been within it's grasp. But he kicked it away, and plunged his dagger deep into the chest, it's shadowy body writhing and contorting before dissipating out into nothing. It left Laura stunned, and her wide eyes met his as he stood, sweat dripping from the exertion and adrenaline. The ordeal had her wondering if he'd been down here before, but knew there was no way. It was simply the extreme need to get his Goddaughter back. She decided to keep her mouth shut about it, and kept plugging along.
It wasn't much longer before there was an uphill portion of the cave, and they reasoned that their situation was about to change greatly. Pausing and tucking themselves into a little cranny of the wall she opened her bag and passed him a small bomb which he took hesitantly.
"Just in case there's more than we thought. But once you drop or throw it... run." she whispered to him, both their gazes darting upwards to be sure nothing was suddenly approaching.
And with a small nod, they began crouching their ascension and eventually getting on their stomachs and crawling. At the top they peered out to see a vast and interconnected network of paths that rose up from the ground and snaked past each other, the jumble so thick and varied in size that some paths didn't even make sense and just seemed to collide into each other without rhyme or reason. It was also quiet, without movement and Laura wondered, if possibly they were all in the upper levels scavenging... but before she could continue her thoughts she heard Shane's breath hitch, and following his eye sight she saw.
There was Jas, crumpled and looking... more lifeless than not. Her heart fell and time seemed to slow, Shane's body tensing beside her, his fists clenched and tears burned his eyes. Then, a small movement and a relief followed by deep seeded panic that came over them collectively. Shane moved to rush towards her from where her small body perched high up amongst the arches but Laura grabbed him and yanked off the glove, and the ring with the bright blue light, keeping it inside the base of the glove as she passed it. He made to refuse it but Laura kept pressing.
"You promised. And you remember the words?" a heavily pregnant pause but slowly, he nodded, taking it as he made quick looks over to where Jas lay. And as soon as the ring and glove were on him he was off, sprinting to where his God daughter was. Laura followed as quickly as she could, eyes wildly trying to seek out threat as she knew Shane had only one track at that moment.
And it seemed too good to be true, because before they knew it, Shane had hold of Jas and she was pressed hard into his chest, his arms clutching her so tightly Laura worried he'd break a bone or two. Only one thing left to do- and so he removed the leather glove, and made a move to grab hold of Laura's hand but just as he did, the beam of light from the ring became so suddenly bright they instinctively followed it. And there stood Olc, the one who had been the cause of extreme pain and grief so far.
Across the cavern he was, and quickly approaching, gaining speed. The rate he was going his shadow figure was almost stretching out behind him, trying to keep speed with his core.
"Laura Serrano!" he bellowed almost gleefully. It was in that moment Laura knew she needed to take care of the problem and their lives would not be able to return to normal until he was dealt with.
"Throw a bomb!" Laura shouted at Shane as she took off to the right, hoping that it was only her that the shadow brute was after. He followed her orders and threw one towards the brute, the impact causing the fuse to spark and within seconds it had exploded, smashing apart sections of the routes, but within the haze of the shaken dust Laura could see the dark figure had evaded the attempt.
"Go! Shane! Call them to get you!" she yelled, but he was frozen in place- staring as the distance closed between herself and Olc.
Focus she reminded herself- unsure of how powerful this was going to be. Unsheathing her katana she took a low stance with the sword and as the thing got to her she hacked upwards slicing through ribbons of shadow and Olc hissed with an almost enjoyment.
"You thought, didn't you? That you could kill so many of us, and just get away with it?" he growled, swiping out at her, the contact with her shoulder causing a burning sensation to surge through her. Her lips stayed sealed tightly, as she pushed forward, crowding his space and thrusting the katana forward, catching his side as he danced out of the swords path.
"I would never have fought anyone had I not been attacked first each time!" she shouted back at him, weaving and darting and clenching her jaw when impacts were made. She noted that her stance was much stronger than his- but he seemed to know the footing of the labyrinth of pathways so well that his movements were sure. An idea crossed her mind, that if she backed him up enough, the section blown might disorient him and she could simply push him off and down into what looked like an almost endless pit down especially in the darkness of the caverns.
"Go, Shane!" she wailed, grunting as her footing almost came out from under her in her effort to push the brute backwards. There was no space in time to glance over at the man she was pressuring to leave. It was an intense meeting of power and katana that had beads of sweat snaking down her forehead, burning her eyes, and the hilt became almost loose in her sweating palms.
The plan was looking as though it could be working and her eagerness to finish him off was almost becoming an impairment, heart beating so fast it rang in her ears. Just a few more motions of pressing and she had her chance.
Thrusting the katana forward he once again dodged out of the way but there it was, his foot came down with such sureness on nothing that it was obvious, he was going to fall into the pit. A noise came from him that sounded as though her head had been shoved in a fire, the crackling and hissing, it was dizzying. She barely even felt a clawed hand incircle her arm and jerk her down, and it was almost luck that she reflexively reached out as she fell and caught the ledge. His noise stopped, and she felt her arm pull out of the socket in her shoulder, searing pain and she cried out for the first time loudly. Kicking she felt her boot make contact with something soft and he let go of her arm but only fell enough to grasp her foot. Throwing her arm up, she gripped the ledge and prayed to Yoba, the dust helping to keep her from slipping.
"Shane!" she screamed, and heard his footsteps pounding towards her. But suddenly Olc began to become very light, and she was unsure of what was happening. With one arm she was able to pull herself up enough onto the ledge that her head peaked out over the edge to just barely see Shane's panicked face coming towards her his mouth agape in terror. Then, a loud buzzing that she knew all too well. It had to be cave flys, and tons of them. Not only that but with the sudden weight shift, Olc was now using her body to crawl up to the ledge, his arms now around her waist and pulling upwards. It was with sudden reinforced fear that she began to buck and wry to get him off but it was to no avail.
"Shane!" she called out out again, a fear of death coming over her as she realized there was no time for her. "Shane please! Go! Do it! I'm sorry!" and her voice shuddered slightly as she took a very quick moment to just look at him as he still hurtled towards her. So many things she wanted to say. Hundreds of thoughts flooding and colliding inside her mind. "Don't let this be in vain." and she released her hold, and her body fell bonelessly through the air, Olc dug claws into her stomach and the pain was so great that spots began to form in her vision. She heard a howl of anguish but then moments after a bright light became all she saw with a snapping boom of thunder. It was the last she saw as she plummeted and fainted in the midst of her fall.
Would love to hear what you think. This chapter really worries me but, it's my first time writing a scene like this. I like a slow climb, a chaos of action, and then the story will go on. I may end it here, or I may continue on, I guess depends on reception especially of this chapter. Especially if there is negative feedback which is also welcome. If this story seems too slow I have an idea for another ShanexFarmer slow burn that I'm very excited about.
Either ways there will be a few more chapters. Also! I commissioned artwork.
The artist is from Fiverr and I don't believe ever played the game but I still really like it. c: Hope everyone is doing well!