A/N: Okay, this story is on the move! More action! More drama!
More I say!
The clunking of metal made Jadelyn's eyes snap open. She knew what that could only be. Her gaze focused on the only door in or out. She stood up in time to see a tall man with intense eyes enter.
"Who are you?" she asked the man whom she never seen before.
"My apologies for scaring you but I am Clios, head of the royal guard..."
He looked to his left and saw Lottie approach him. Instinctively, he bowed and lowered his eyes to the floor.
"My Queen," he hurriedly said.
The old woman raised her hand, "That needn't be necessary, Clios. What news have you of the outside? My visions have been...inconsistent lately."
"I do not know precisely what Noxymis' play is, Your Grace but you are not safe here. You both must come with me."
Clios led the two prisoners by torch light through the catacombs of the underbelly of the castle. Jadelyn had to admit that Lottie despite being in her autumn years was rather spry. She had no issue keeping up with Clios, who looked like a man built for war. His sheer size eclipsed that of Beckett. She pondered if Reinhart stood a chance if then soldiers of Rosym were of similar caliber.
They made way to a hole in the wall that overlooked a torrent of rushing water. It was not a very long way down but the ferocity of the water coupled with what were probably jagged rocks really gave Jadelyn a bad feeling in her stomach.
"It is at least sixty feet straight down to that river," Clios shouted in order to be heard over the rushing waters. "A little further down and the river runs into the fiord and beyond Rosym."
"I don't know if I can do this," shouted Jadelyn who was genuinely terrified by what Clios was suggesting.
Lottie put her hand on Jadelyn's shoulder in a matronly way. "It will be okay, child. We must stay together, though."
"You were together," Noxymis said. "Safely locked away from any harm."
The escapees and their conspirator turned pale at the sight of the wicked king and his guard behind him.
"Clios," he shook his head. "I might have known. You were indeed right about him, Demian."
Demian locked his eyes with the wide eyes of his older brother.
"Traitor!" Clios bellowed at his kin. "How could you?"
"You are the traitor!" Noxymis pointed. "And any person will tell you that treason is punishable only by death. It is meant to be quick and painless but in your case I might make an exception."
Demian drew his sword and brandished it at his own flesh and blood. Clios responded in kind, keeping an eye on the two women.
"If you think that stopping me will eradicate your enemies, Noxymis; think again."
The play acting king turned to Demian, "What are you waiting for? Kill him."
Clios looked at Jadelyn and said, "You have no choice; jump."
He stood in front of Jadelyn and Lottie as they held hands, keeping them from Noxymis' forces.
"Tell me," Jadelyn said to Lottie as she peered over the steep edge. "Do you see us making it down?"
"I cannot see our deaths, if that is what you mean," she replied.
"It will have to do," the princess sighed.
The girl and the old woman both stepped forward until the ground was no longer beneath them and were suddenly falling fast.
Before Clios could react, he felt his sword being crossed and a clang immediately followed.
"You should not have done that," Demian threatened.
Clios started to get into a fighting stance. "So, you are going to kill me?"
"I get no pleasure from doing this."
"You have no idea what you are doing, brother." Clios points to Noxymis. "This corrupted man talks of treason when he is the biggest traitor of all. Turning his back on his own king!"
Noxymis clenched his fist. "He turned his back to me first; broke his word first; disgraced me with banishment!"
Demian pressed forward with his sword, Clios trying to use his strength to counter. He had made the mistake of underestimating his brother. He had no doubt been practicing intensely. Indeed, he retained much of what he had learned about strategy because Clios was finding it most difficult to get out of this fight. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt his own brother.
Unfortunately, Demian carried no such sentiment and stabbed Clios in his side. It was not fatal but deep enough to hurt. Clios couldn't give up; he had to maintain.
"I get no pleasure from doing this."
"What did he mean by that?" Clios thought.
A right hook made Clios' vision dizzy for a moment and soon a pain ripped across his chest as Demian slashed his blade across it, making it bleed. Clios clutched his chest and fell backward, also disappearing into the falls.
"Let him join his friends in their watery graves," Demian told Noxymis.
"You have done well, Demian" Noxymis told his ally. "You have past your test."
Daylight had broken and the company had eaten their breakfast.
Catherine at one point during the night drift off to sleep. She woke up shortly before the two sisters did and saw Rob, the reformed thief, still standing guard with his quiver in easy reach should trouble arise. Catherine also noticed that she was covered by a blanket. She didn't remember covering herself with anything and looked again at Rob.
Sufficed to say, generals opinions of the newcomer were warmer than the night before.
Now that everybody was fed and (mostly) well-rested, the four travelers continued northbound.
Catherine was in the front, leading the way. Victoria was second, sword at the ready. Trina was third as a buffer between her sister and the relative stranger. And Rob was in the rear, vigilantly keeping an eye out for enemies on all sides.
As they reached the zenith of one mountaintop, Catherine instructed that they had to begin traversing the side of the peak because the trail continued there. The air was feeling different among the group due to the elevation but they weren't particularly fazed by it, though it gave Trina a bit of a headache. After walking for about two hours, they came across a stone wall.
"Oh no," Catherine said. "This cannot be!"
"What is it?" Trina asked.
"There must have been a terrible rock slide," she replied, pointing in front of them. "The path is not surmountable."
"What do we do, then?" Victoria queried.
Rob eyed the opening of a cave nearby.
"We could go through the mountain," Rob mused. "These caves lead into the peaks all along the range. Like an underground network formed over centuries."
"Are you insane?" Catherine asked him. "We have no idea just what is in there!"
Trina folded her arms. "Agreed. Something had to make those catacombs you speak of."
"I know what we do not have out here: a way to that next plateau," he spat, pointing at their obstacle. "Besides, I have been in these caves once or twice. Never seen anything. Granted I had only gone so deep."
"Why on earth would you go inside these caves?" Trina asked.
"Hiding things," he sheepishly responded.
Trina rolled her eyes, "Of course. I forgot who I was talking to."
"I guess we do not have a choice," sighed Victoria as she walked toward the cave. She turned back and asked "Are you coming, yes?"
The three looked at one another and reluctantly followed her.
While the mountains certainly felt cool as nothing hindered the cold air; the foursome immediately became aware of a nasty chill.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Catherine shuddered. Rob took off his cloak and placed it around her. She allowed it to shield her while she rubbed her arms up and down to keep warm. "Thank you," she said to him.
"We are going to need light," Victoria said. "I have an idea. Rob grab a big stick from over there"
Rob nodded and quickly fetched fourth a hefty piece of root from one of the tree that grew in the mountain.
"Lay it flat against the rock," Victoria said, pointing to a big flat boulder. He obliged as she took a wedge-shaped rock and began scraping the side of the bigger rock. Soon sparks began to manifest and with a few more tries, Victoria was able to successfully ignite the root.
"A torch!" Trina marveled. "Brilliant, little sister."
"I suppose inventiveness is hereditary," Catherine chuckled.
Rob looked into the darkness that lay in front of them. "At least now we can all see."
They moved forward and little by little the abyss became slightly illuminated. As they moved forward, they treaded lightly for fear of a weak point in the cave floor or inconspicuous holes. The company relished what little heat the crudely-made torch gave off. Fortunately, this piece of root had long since dried out and was as flammable as a wooden stick. Hopefully it burns for a good while.
Walking for a time, they came to a fork in their travels. Two caverns within the deep dark cave.
"Which one?" Trina asked.
"Um," Catherine thought. "Let us try this one."
They took a few steps to the one on the left and heard a grumbling sound.
"Tell me that was somebody's stomach," Rob looking into the hole nervous.
"I do not think that was what we heard," Trina said.
Then came the unmistakable bellow of a loud roaring like some kind of animal.
"I suggest the one on the right," Rob told Victoria.
"I second that," she nodded and the four of them ran into the hole away from the noise.
They proceeded quickly but with heed, concerned that whatever had they heard will not find its way to the other cavern and pursue them. The tunnel led them into a large enclosed space. Victoria held everyone back once she spotted the massive pit.
"Mind your footing," she warned. "No telling if there is a way out down there."
"Look!" Rob pointed.
There was a shaft of light protruding into the dark. He ran around the hole excitedly to the light and with his hand over his eyes peered through it.
"This wall leads to outside," he called back. "I do not see anything but rock and sky."
"I really hope we made it past the rock slide," Trina sighed.
Victoria wedged her sword into the opening and started pushing down on his like a lever with Trina helping. Meanwhile, Rob attempts dislodging the nearby rock to make the efforts of the two sisters more successful.
Meanwhile, Catherine was drawn to the gaping hole int he floor. She couldn't help but peer over the side.
"V-Victoria...T-T-Trina...R-R-R-Rob..."
"What is it?" Rob grunted.
"There is something down there," she replied. "I can feel it." Her nostrils flared with an odor that made her spine chill. "And I can smell it, too."
That made the three of them stop and look in her direction.
Catherine's draw dropped as glowing red eyes started rising from the void and getting close and closer.
"WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!" the redhead screamed, making her voice echo. "SOMETHING'S COMING!"
Out of the abyss emerged a great hairy beast. It's brown hair covered its whole body. Despite its girth, it moved surprisingly swiftly with its legs and started reaching for our gang with its much longer arms. They dodged the monster's hand coming down; the impact making little rocks fall freely from the walls and ceiling.
"Everybody go that way!" Rob shouted. as he ran in the opposite direction. He stopped right at the opening and jumped up, waving his arms to properly distract the creature into attacking. It worked when the hand came down and knocked out several rocks, letting in more daylight. "We need to move!"
Victoria pushed Catherine to the direction of Rob and ordered her to stay close to him. She saw that Trina was being pinned down by the monster and ran to it pellmell, brandishing her sword. The brunette stabbed the beast in the arm, making it release its grip in her sister. She helped up Trina and started to lead her away when the hairy menace set his sights on her and snatched her from off her feet.
"NOOO!" Trina screamed.
Victoria struggled to release herself from its grasp but no luck. Then she bit the thing in the hand and it screeched. The grip was loosened just enough for Victoria to take her sword and stab in in the side of the face. It growled and pinched his leg which was extremely painful to her.
"Victoria!" Catherine shouted.
Trina turned back to her and Rob, "You two stand back!"
Trina began muttering quickly to herself, summoning an incantation to try and fight this creature. She could feel the energy in her fingertips rising; they tingled with purpose. But suddenly a stalactite falls and lands in the way of Trina's energy blast and dissipated into pieces.
"Damn it!" she grumbled.
Her heart sank when she witnessed her sister being held over the monster's mouth. It exposed its razor-sharp teeth as Victoria dropped her sword into the mouth in the melee. She looked at her sister in the eye, knowing this was the last time she would see her and told Trina, "Get out of here!"
And before one could blink, Victoria was completely devoured. Trina's screams shook the whole cavern and she shouted her spell back at the beast with more speed and ferocity than ever before. She wanted blood and she was going to make that thing pay.
This time the hit landed, sending the creature stumbling backward into the hole from whence it came.
"No," Trina choked out in a hush.
Rob and Catherine helped the distraught older sister from the cave and into the light.
Noxymis saw the small wooden figurine of the cave monster topple on its own.
"Pity," he said to himself, understanding what this meant for his pet, Attorenth.
He also saw the jewel was no longer glowing. In fact, it was even losing its color and turning completely black.
"Curious."