***
Daniel slowly walked toward the entrance way to the ritual chamber.
This isn’t a plan! This is suicide!
Why did he say he would be the one to come down here? Why didn’t he let the new guy be the bait? His heart raced with each step he took. There was no way out of it now. He had to go through with it. He hoped the others were ready. They were only going to have one shot at this.
He walked out and stood in the stone archway. The body on the altar was still there, but everyone was standing around looking at it. There was an old man standing at the altar with a dagger. Daniel could hear the blade tearing into her flesh, and his stomach churned as he tried to open is mouth.
Too many people!
His head throbbed and the only thing he could hear was the sound of his own blood rushing through his ears. He closed his eyes as his body began to tremble. Why did he say he would do this?
“Please! Help me!”
Daniel’s eyes snapped open. Several feet away, the soul of the young woman from the altar floated a few inches off the ground. He felt a wave of pain slam against his body, and his chest felt like it was on fire. His breath caught in his throat as her silhouette stretched and contorted toward the altar. They were binding her soul to her body.
A squawking noise replaced his voice as he tried to get their attention. “So this is where the party is?”
Everyone turned and the old man pointed the bloody tip of the blade at him. “Capture him!”
“Run! Run!”
Daniel’s fear kicked into overdrive and he took off into the darkness of the corridor. He stumbled over his feet, falling against the stone wall before catching himself. His fear didn’t give him a chance to rest, and he propelled himself down the tunnel.
He ran past Jezryall and Aslin, stopping briefly at the entrance of the egg chamber. Jezryall’s head snapped to one side, her eyes wild, and he could hear the demon inside her forcing its way out. He took a few steps backward, transfixed on her eyes. So mesmerizing in their colour and the way the pulsed with life…
A ball of fire exploded at his feet.
“Go! Now!” Aslin shouted, as another one formed in his hand.
He turned and stumbled again, falling to his hands and knees. He felt a strong grip on his arm and looked up to see Martin’s worried face.
Daniel forced himself to his feet. His heart leapt into his throat as they scampered through the mud to the far side of room. Only when he felt the cold stone archway that led into the cage room did he feel somewhat relieved. He saw Martin hide behind the wall, and scurried beside the archway, forcing himself as close as he could into the corner.
The smell of brimstone was overpowering as the air sucked toward the corridors. The flames from the candles disappeared, plunging the room into darkness. Daniel covered his ears as shouts turned into screams, watching the shadows of victims contort as fireballs light up the adjacent chamber.
Then everything went quiet.
Daniel’s hands trembled as he lowered them from his face. An ethereal glow grew brighter as, one by one, white silhouettes of people floated past him and toward the exiting corridor. Daniel lowered his hands as the souls bounced against an invisible barrier, unable to leave the room. Tears clouded his vision as they wandered around in circles, blank looks on their faces. They looked so lost and alone.
Aslin tapped him on the shoulder and held out his hand. Daniel took a deep breath as he got to his feet. The Druid was strong, but he looked tired as he rested against the archway. Daniel looked into Aslin’s brown eyes and brushed some of his hair out of his face. In this light, he was intoxicatingly beautiful.
Daniel shook his thoughts from his mind. “You have to take the barrier down. They’re trapped.”
“Later,” Aslin said, and straightened up. “We need to finish this.”
Daniel noticed Jezryall lying in the mud a few feet away, wisps of black smoke trailing off from her body. Her breath came in erratic gasps as she tried to force herself to stand. Martin came out from behind the wall and went to her side.
“Don’t touch her!” Daniel said, reaching for his arm.
Martin wrenched his arm free and glared at him. “She’s hurt, you idiot!”
His look of contempt made Daniel feel worthless. Just like when he was a kid and they made fun of him. Daniel swallowed and turned away.
“Daniel is not an idiot,” Aslin said, walking past them. “You do not touch her when she trails the ethereal smoke from Hell.”
Daniel gave a curt smile as he shuffled over to Jezryall’s side. “I think you pushed yourself too far, Mistress,” he said, watching her struggle.
“It…was…necessary.” Her words were strained as she panted against the ground.
“You rest, Mistress,” Aslin said, and ignited another fireball. “We will take care of the stragglers.”
Jezryall looked up. “Spasibo tebe, moi? drug.” She closed her eyes and laid her head down on the ground.
Martin knelt down beside her. Her breathing was shallow. “What did she say? Is she going to be all right?”
“She just needs to rest,” Aslin said.
Footsteps came toward them as the old man and three followers raced into the room. A grizzly sneer appeared on the old man when he noticed Jezryall lying on the ground. Aslin moved between them and Jezryall as Daniel stood at one side and Martin on the other. Daniel put his hands in his pockets and gripped a wax ball between his fingers. He turned his head and carefully pulled it out.
“What an unexpected surprise.” The raspy voice of old man sent a chill up Daniel’s spine. “It seems we won’t have to use the other creatures to kill you after all.”
Aslin took a defensive posture. “So you are trying to kill her?”
He glared at the Druid. “Just her human side.”
The old man was fast and raised his hands, creating two fireballs, and sent them hurtling forward, but Aslin was faster and cast a white sphere around the group, protecting them as the flames wrapped around the shield. The two followers dashed forward, but bounced off the invisible barrier and fell to the ground.
Martin snorted as they scrambled back to their feet. “Idiots.”
Daniel stepped up behind Aslin. Aslin’s jaw clenched and relaxed as he struggled to keep the protective barrier up, as more fireballs exploded against the sphere. Daniel gripped his wax globe in his hand and put his arms behind his back.
Aslin turned his head slightly. “Get down.”
Both Daniel and Martin crouched as the old man sent two more fireballs toward them, but this time, Aslin threw the protective barrier forward and the two spells impacted, exploding in a brilliant blast. Daniel covered his head as the Druid was thrown back onto the stone wall, and fell to a heap on the ground.
Quickly Daniel stood and nodded to Martin. “Now!”
They threw the potions at the followers. The spheres broke apart at their feet and green smoke rose from the remains, quickly overcoming them. They gasped for air and coughed as they struggled to stay on their feet. The leader waved frantically at the smoke, trying to keep the noxious substance away from his body.
Fire hurled past Daniel’s head as two of Aslin’s fireballs whizzed past. With one hand, the old man brushed them away, swatting one toward Martin.
Aslin’s voice boomed in the confined space. “MOVE!”
Daniel saw the fear in Martin’s eyes and leapt toward him. White hot pain seared through his body as he was engulfed in a white fire. He grabbed a hold of Martin’s arms and fell to his knees. Looking up into his face, Daniel smiled as Martin cradled his body, a look of remorse on his colleague’s face.
At least the new guy wasn’t mad at him anymore.