“Something is wrong,” said Malik.
But before he could do anything, gunmen appeared to accost the Luminary, and the stairs began to lift and retract. He leapt into action, ran towards them, and jumped. It was an impressive leap, but he was just short as it retracted quickly. He landed down on the floor once more with an angry growl, and as he looked back up to the window, the Governor was staring right back at him.
“Bring the steps down, now!”
The Governor just shook his head as he pressed a button to talk over a speaker that echoed about the dome.
“You are not welcome here. This is a free world now,” he spat venomously.
“Get down here right now, and I might spare your life!”
The Governor did not waver, and the Luminary could do nothing as six men had rifles trained on him. Malik rushed back for his armour, but a door dropped down to the area and sealed it shut. He hammered on it furiously, but it was solid steel, and all other exists sealed a second later. They were trapped in the dome. He paced out furiously into the centre of the room to address the Governor once more.
“It was no accident you diverted our landing, was it?”
The Governor said nothing, but the guilt was all over his face.
“They tried to kill us all?” Hyland asked in disbelief.
“Hey? You hear that?” asked Wyse.
They all fell silent and listened, as a droning noise grew louder. It was like hundreds of drums being beaten.
“That sounds like…” said Andez.
“A swarm,” replied Malik in disgust.
A door either side of the dome opened, and Snappers rushed in, spreading out both sides to fully encircle them. The Troopers and the remaining Wards backed up into a circle in the middle of the room. They held their distance as they snapped and hissed at Malik’s small force.
“Drukk,” whispered Alder.
The Cleric would have disciplined him for such a slur at any other time, but he let it go. They had far bigger things to worry about. He looked up to the Governor with disgust.
“You’re going to pay for this treachery, every last one of you!”
The Governor’s voice rang out once more.
“You are finished here, Cleric. The Sanctum is finished. My people will be free.”
The window faded out once again, and Malik’s force was left alone with the horde of bloodthirsty creatures.
“Fight, and win, because I will have my vengeance! For the Sanctum!”
TO BE CONTINUED
Battle Cleric 1 Page 4