Author's Preface
The next few hours went on much as the first cave had. Each cave led to an open room with a troll, and occasionally two. Each troll seemed to care less and less about pain and suffering, almost as if they were created with one task in mind. Crush everything that appeared, no matter what. The trolls didn't scream. They didn't flinch, no matter the wounds Blue and Titus inflicted. By the time the three reached the top of the mountain, they had defeated two bosses. Titus stood at the entrance to a massive cave at the peak of the mountain. He reached down to grab Stacy's hand as she climbed up. Blue finally made his way up the cliff face, his hands meeting his knees as his breathing strained.
"Thanks for the help. Not like I needed it."
"Quit your whining. It's good to train whenever you can."
"Well, climbing this mountain has been harder than the trolls so far. Honestly, this would've been difficult by myself. Just how damn strong are you?"
Titus laughed. "A lot stronger than you."
Blue finally caught his breath and stood up straight as his system pinged.
"Well, looks like the anchor and the last boss are in that big-ass cave. I am going to assume this is the culmination of all the previous trolls."
"Possibly, but don't underestimate these gates. Even if it seems like the rest, it could be something entirely different." Titus looked at Stacy. "Whatever you do, stay behind us. Got it?"
"Yeah, Dad, I got it. You don't have to keep reminding me."
"Good, let's go. I'm getting hungry."
The three entered the cave and walked through its winding corridors. They finally reached the mouth of a large room. As Titus and Blue walked inside, a massive troll sat on an even larger throne. The troll slowly stood. It was at least thirty feet tall. In each hand, it held a massive axe that was larger than either Blue or Titus.
Titus bent his knees and placed his shield in front of him. "Just like we've been doing. If you see anything strange about his behavior or movements, call it out."
Blue nodded. Titus and the troll both started running at each other. The troll swung an axe at Titus. He deflected it with his shield and drove into the troll's leg. The troll didn't move. Titus looked up as the troll smiled down at him and swung again. Titus rolled out of the way as Blue sent an arc of sword energy flying toward the troll's stomach. The troll swung its axe down and cut the sword energy in half. Blue watched it crash into the wall behind it and dissipate.
"Well, shit."
Blue focused his qi into his sword. He sprinted around the troll as it spun on its feet, trying to keep track of him. Blue jumped against the wall, planted his feet, and pushed off, launching himself toward the troll's calves. He swung his sword as black blood spilled from the troll's legs. Titus caught Blue as he stumbled forward. The troll threw an axe at the two. Both ducked as the axe embedded itself in the wall near the entrance of the room. Titus looked back to see the axe had missed Stacy's head by inches.
"I FUCKING TOLD YOU TO STAND BACK."
Stacy pointed and screamed. "BEHIND YOU!"
Titus turned and stuck his shield in the air as the troll's second axe came flying downward. The troll pressed harder as the head of the axe sank into Titus's shield. Titus pushed back and looked at Blue, his face clearly straining.
"Can you do it?"
"Now?"
"Yes, fucking now!" Titus yelled as his feet sank into the stone beneath him and the axe continued to dig deeper into his shield.
Blue leaped backward and concentrated for a moment. His divine energy manifested. He leaped onto the ceiling, bent his knees and pushed off. He flew through the air and swung at the back of the troll's neck. His sword sank deep but got stuck in the troll's muscles. The troll turned its head left and right, trying to swing Blue off of it. Titus pulled his shield and separated it from the troll's axe. He threw it to the side and grabbed the axe, turned it, and slammed it into the troll's chest. The troll reeled backward. Titus ran behind it and yelled at Blue.
"MOVE!"
Blue let go of his sword and fell to the ground. He watched Titus jump into the air and land with one foot on the sword's hilt and one foot on the blade itself. He let out a scream and drove his legs down, pushing the sword the rest of the way through the troll's neck.
The head hit the ground and rolled to Blue's feet as he sat on the ground.
"Well... that's one way to finish it."
Titus landed in front of Blue. "Fuck, do I gotta do everything on my own?"
"Hey, it's not my fault my sword got stuck in his neck. Hes a muscular bastard."
"If you were stronger, that wouldn't have been an iss-"
Titus stopped talking as Blue began pointing at the troll.
"What? What are you staring at?" Titus began looking between the troll and Blue. "What's going on? The troll is dead. Lets cleanse the anchor and get out of here."
"The pendant... it... it's here?" Blue stared at the system screen that had just appeared.
[0/3 bosses remain]
[Third pendant piece located: 10m]
Blue walked toward the troll on the ground and watched his system as he did.
[9m... 5m... 2m...]
Until Blue was standing on the troll's stomach.
He bent down, grabbed his sword, and sliced the troll's belly open. He dug his hand deep into its stomach.
"What are you doing? There's no way a pendant would be in the troll's belly."
Titus watched as Blue pulled out his hand with a piece of jewelry in it. The room glowed with golden light the moment the pendant touched the air. Blue's necklace began to move on its own and lifted out of his shirt. The last pendant piece attached to the other two in a brilliant flash of golden light. It landed in Blue's open hand, covered in the troll's blood.
"Holy shit, what are the odds?"
Titus walked up to Blue and stared at the pendant in his hands. "All of this for that?"
Blue shrugged his shoulders with a huge smile on his face. As Titus stared at Blue, who stared at the pendant, they were interrupted. From behind the throne where the troll had sat, a hooded figure stepped out and slowly clapped three times.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
The figure stopped and stared at Blue and Titus, smiling wide.
"Absolutely brilliant."
Blue's system pinged again.
[Imminent threat]
[Old God detected]
[RUN]
Blue stared at his system. Before he could react, Titus shouted.
"Who the hell are you, and what do you want?"
"Well, you've been looking for me for quite some time. Here I am."
"Leader of Midnight?"
"Precisely. There's no fooling you, Titus." The figure laughed.
Titus picked up his shield and threw it at the figure. The figure did not move. The force and wind from Titus's shield forced the hood on the figure's head to fall off.
Titus and Blue both stared in stunned silence. The three men spent the next thirty seconds looking at each other.
"...Grayson?" Blue asked, the pendant still gripped tightly in his hand.
The figure disappeared and reappeared behind Blue in an instant. Blue felt cold steel pressed against his neck before he could register what was happening.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I can't give it all away. But he needs what you have, young man. I led you to it. Now be so kind and hand it over."
Blue elbowed Grayson in the stomach as Titus's fist met his face. Grayson swung his blade and cut Blue's fingers and the chain holding the pendant to his neck. The pendant fell from his hand. Grayson reached out to grab it, but Titus pinned his arm down with his leg. Titus bent down, picked up the pendant, and threw it to Blue. Blue reached out and caught it.
"Get the fuck out of here now!"
Grayson looked up and smiled at Titus. With one movement, Titus was on his back. Grayson dashed toward Blue. He reached out his hand to grab him, but as he did, Blue disappeared.
Blue hit the ground hard, still unsure of exactly what had happened. He looked up and saw the golden gate and the lobby of Eclipse. His system pinged.
[Teleport on cooldown - can be used once a month.]
[Return to Murim. Your life is in danger.]
Blue yelled. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN I'M IN DANGER? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"
From upstairs, Eve, Chris, Darrien, and Samantha came running down the stairs to see Blue lying on the floor, blood dripping from his hand.
"Oh my God, Blue! What happened?" Samantha yelled.
"No time to explain. We need to find a way back inside the gate." Blue pushed himself to his feet. A chill ran through his body. The fear of what he had just experienced still hadn't left him.
"What are you talking about, Blue? Where's Titus?" Eve asked.
Darrien and Chris stared at each other.
"I SAID WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THE GATE. TITUS IS IN DANGER!"
"Blue, brother. What is going on? Tell us what happened."
Before Blue could say a word, a blue portal opened above their heads. Through it fell Stacy and Titus.
Titus hit the floor hard. He was covered in deep wounds and bruises all over his body. He groaned and forced himself to stand. Chris rushed to Titus's side.
"Okay, someone fucking explain what is happening."
"There's no time. Blue, you must leave now! He is after the pendant. He said Hatred is looking for it."
Blue stood shocked. "No way. I can't leave!"
"DID YOU NOT FUCKING HEAR ME?!" Titus coughed as blood spilled from his mouth.
Nomi hopped onto Titus as a green light began to spill over him. Before anyone could utter another word, an explosion rocked the Eclipse compound. The glass near the front door exploded inward. Nomi hopped down from Titus and transformed.
She looked towards the door and back to Eve. "What is coming, we cannot survive. If I had all my tails, it would be different. He needs to go. NOW!"
Eve stared at Blue for a moment and watched a figure form through the smoke at the front door. Then came the creepy words.
"Here, kitty kitty kitty."
Nomi looked at Eve and the rest of the team. "NOW, BEFORE WE ALL DIE!"
Eve walked up to Blue, who stared at the figure and yelled, "GRAYSON, YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"
Eve grabbed Blue's cheeks with tears in her eyes. She peered deep into his eyes and kissed him on the lips for as long as she could. She pulled back and whispered, "I love you. And I'm sorry."
She turned and nodded toward Chris as the figure walked slowly closer.
Chris stepped behind Blue, whose hand was now on his lips as he stared at Eve. He grabbed him by the collar. "I'm sorry, bro."
Chris picked Blue up and hurled him through the golden gate. Energy coursed through the lobby as Blue disappeared into it. Grayson made his way past Titus and the team, who all watched him walk right up to the golden gate. None of them moved. They instinctively knew that if they did, they were dead. He reached his hand out as the golden gate's energy clashed against him. Grayson turned and clicked his tongue.
"Tch. No matter. Mal'kareth will handle him." He walked by Titus and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, we will finish this little dance later."
Grayson walked away, raised his hand, and wiggled his fingers.
"Toodle-oo!"
Everyone watched as Grayson walked out of the guild.
Comments