Light of the Ancients

Chapter 8

The Cave of Requiems

"Woah..." Frey said as the two stood up, awed by the cave,

"What is this place?" Lest asked, then held his head in pain,

"Argh!" Frey groaned as well, a terrible headache came upon them,

"Kree!" Senti flew in Frey's chest, hiding from the pain.

"What in the world!?" Lest groaned, then traveled forward, "Ah..." he stepped over, then his pain was alleviated,

"Woah..." Frey mumbled as the pain left, "What..."

"This cave..." Lest muttered as the two ventured deeper...

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"Hmm..." Frey inspected the stalagmites, "This cave has something ominous about it.." she whiffed the air, "Yes..."

"It smells like pure death..." Lest grumbled, "This place may be dangerous..." he held Frey close as he advanced with his spear ready,

"Oh my..." Frey gasped as she spotted the row of the graves that were ahead,

"Guh..." Lest gulped as the two traveled in between the two rows, each on the left and right cave walls,

"I don't like this..." Frey muttered, "This is weird..."

"Help us... Help us..." some voices called out, a quiet as the soft wind,

"Who was that?!" Lest got into attack position, as did Frey,

"Help us.. Help us..." the voices repeated,

"Ah..." Frey shook in fright, "Lest..."

"Help us!" the voices boomed, and a huge image projected from a nearby pool of water.

"AH!" the two jumped in fright,

"HELP US!" the images projected showed civilians running from the Terror, who was destroying the unnamed city they inhabited.

"Gah." Lest gasped as the images receded, then he spotted the mound of skulls that appeared, "No..."

"Oh gods!" some other voices yelled, and the two turned to the opposing wall, where another magic projection played.

This projection showed many priests and priestesses praying on a mountain, "Help us! Whichever god will hear us!" they cried, "Help us!"

"RAHHHH!" the Terror's roar boomed, and a huge beam signaled the end of the projection.

"Ah!" Frey gasped when a mountain of charred bones appeared,

"He never came back, did he?" a single voice called out to them, and surely enough, there was a young woman and her baby ahead of them.

"Oh.." Frey mumbled, feeling a connection to her,

"Woman..." Lest called out to her, "What are you saying? Who are you?"

"He never came back.." the woman repeated, "Tell me... Is Raguna the Hero alive?" she asked them, her cold ghost eyes stared into their souls,

"Oh..." the two mumbled and looked at each other,

"Tell her, Lest." Frey muttered,

"Ok..." Lest nodded, then turned to the ghost, "Oh... Um..." he mumbled, "We do not know.. mi'lady." he responded,

"Really?" the ghost woman muttered, then held her chest in pain, holding her baby tight, "No... YOU SPEAK LIES!" she screeched, then charged towards the two,

"Wah!" Frey gasped and avoided the ghost,

"Ahh!" Lest yelled and barely avoided the enraged specter,

"YOU SPEAK LIESS!" the ghost screeched and turned to attack once more,

"RUN!" Lest told Frey, and the two bolted, the ghost followed behind.

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"KILL THE HERO'S AID!" some more ghosts appeared from the graves, "THE TRAITOROUS HERO AND HIS ALLIES MUST DIE!"

"Wah!" Frey screamed as the ghost incessantly chased them down like a vicious dragon,

"RAH!" the ghost woman screeched and got on all fours and gained speed,

"Run, Frey!" Lest urged his partner, "Look! An exit!" he pointed ahead of them,

"Alright!" Frey smiled in relief.

KRROOOO! a large tremor shook the cave, and surely enough, the large stone door that covered the safe area shut it off.

"OH NO!" Lest yelled as they slowed to a stop,

"This is it!" Frey screamed as the ghost got ever closer and closer,

"KILL KILL KILL!" the other ghosts chanted, "THEY WILL FEEL THE HATRED WE HAVE TOWARDS THE HERO!"

"I'm sorry, Frey." Lest cried, "Well... There goes the Polonians..." he muttered,

"I'm sorry too, Lest." Frey held Lest close, "I'm so sorry..."

"RAH!" the Phantom Woman screeched and pounced... but stopped a few feet ahead of them.

"Huh!?" Lest said in surprise as he noticed the two still lived,

"Tell me once again, mortal." the Phantom Woman addressed them, "Is Raguna the Hero alive?" she repeated the question.

"Uh..." Lest trembled, then looked to Frey,

"I don't know..." Frey cried, then looked at her rapier, which she had taken out in order to attack, "I um..." she muttered, then looked closely at the hilt,

"Tell ME!" the Phantom Woman exploded in rage and extended her ghost claws,

"Ah ha!" Frey exclaimed, "Woman!" she responded to the specter, "He lives and defends the entirety of the world!"

"Ah..." the Phantom woman returned to her motherly appearance, "Thank you..." she smiled, then started to disappear, along with all the other ghosts.

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"Phew..." Lest sighed, "Say... How did you know that?" he asked,

"It is inscribed on my rapier." Frey responded and showed him her sword,

KRROOOOOK! The stone door guarding the rest zone retracted,

"Well... After you." Lest bowed, and the two entered the rest area...