Soulcatcher

by Sergey Zaytsev

  Gramps traded his old chainmail for a battered, but still strong, one. He looked around, grinning with satisfaction, and noticed Tinnie buzzing around the statue of the ''Krazard''. Pointing at it with a thick finger, he commanded in a masterly manner:

  ''Tinnie, fetch!''

  Pouting, the fairy looked angrily in his direction. My girl didn't like his rudeness. I nodded encouragingly to the ''Treexie'', and she, pleased with my attention, dutifully set to search the room. Alas, Lady Luck felt that we had had enough; the ''Oasis'' was empty.

  I closed my eyes and let myself have some well-earned rest.

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  ''Arrows are useless here,'' Foxy sighed wearily.

  ''Quiet, you!'' Owl fearfully shushed the girl, peering over her shoulder.

  ''They can't hear a damn thing,'' I reassured. ''Those are Golems. Solid rock.''

  ''And a complete lack of brains,'' sarcastically said Gramps. ''My hammer's favorite target.''

  ''You really saved the day with the Gybberkin,'' said Grant, ''but your hammer won't help us here.''

  ''They have no vision either?'' muttered Owl. ''How will they…?''

  ''They'll feel us,'' I chuckled. ''As soon as we get closer. That's magic for you.''

  We kept close to each other and were in no hurry to leave the stone tunnel.

  Another immense cavern, another abyss and another bridge. Third one so far. Our weapons burned brightly, trying to disperse the darkness, which seemed much denser than before. The light was just barely strong enough to illuminate the first two rows of the seven feet tall soldiers. Rough stone faces faced each other, stone hands clutched shields, swords and spears. The distance between them was about five feet. We had to walk down the corridor before we got to the bridge.

  The previous one made us sweat. We were met by two level eight groups placed on both sides of the hanging bridge, consisting out of the same mobs as those that had attacked the ''Source'' at the ''Outpost''. However, this time around we were not protected by the aura of the ''Source'', and elite archers were in command of the packs. We managed to escape, but Grant ended up using up all of his mana, as he was constantly supporting us with healing spells.

  Involuntarily wincing from the memory, I felt my left bicep ache unpleasantly, so I bent and unbent my arm. I then looked at my right forearm. My hands had healed, only the holes in the leather sleeves and some scarring reminded of the wounds. Pulling the arrows out on the run hurt like hell. It wasn't just me. Owl was visibly limping, and Red's left shoulder was matted with dried streaks of blood. Grant's forehead was adorned with a long crimson mark left from a shot that had almost scalped him. The ''Turtangle's'' shell reminded me of a hedgehog; the elites had special arrows that could pierce almost any armor. My shield had turned into a sieve, covered in holes, cut and crumpled. It had caught as many blades and arrows as it could. Most of the captured arrows went into our archer's reserves. Gramps was the luckiest one and got out without a scratch. Tinnie, too, was not injured; but she still didn't interest our enemies, being only a level four. A handy pet, she was.

  This bridge was different from the previous two. It was built out of thick wooden logs. Had it not been for the Cavalier's blessed advices, it would be impossible to destroy it. On the side, now hidden in the darkness, should be a half-ruined column, which one could destroy with a massive blow of magic. It would break the bridge to pieces on its way down. But first, one needed to run to the other side, without getting into battle with the slumbering guard. That was the problem. The idol's level nine and elite status suggested that we were close to "The Destroyer". They couldn't be defeated quickly since almost nothing could damage the enchanted, soulless stone. The dungeon's rule was: the longer you stay in one place, the more enemies will arrive. If we went into battle here, we'd get caught up in it and wouldn't be able to leave. All we could do was escape. But the Golems were tireless and never stopped pursuing. Therefore, if you didn't destroy the bridge, the Golems would pursue you all the way to "The Destroyer", not allowing you to rest before the final battle, and even intervene in it.

  ''Should we maybe discharge the sphere?'' suggested Owl, still whispering. ''Let's check how 'The Last Argument' affects them!''

  ''No,'' I firmly rejected his offer. ''Your 'Argument' has a 24 hour cooldown. Better save it for 'The Destroyer'. The combination of its name and damaging power is extremely alarming. We have no idea how this works. We might as well get killed by this 'argument' ourselves.''

  ''I am also afraid of that happening,'' said Grant. ''In my opinion, it's meant to be used as the last resort.''

  ''How's your leg?'' I asked Owl. ''Can you run?''

  ''I can try,'' the mage sighed, frustrated that we hadn't been persuaded to experiment with the "Hand of Fate". But when all was going as well as it was, there was no need to risk in vain.

  ''Okay,'' I nodded briskly. ''Check your auras. Everybody ready for a run?''

  A discordant chorus of affirmative answers came. We were still standing, but our hearts had already started to beat faster. I gave the last commands.

  ''Grant, send Glutton forward. If at least one effigy blocks the road, crush it. People, do not waste your strength in vain, no spells. Is everything clear? Then, on the count of three…''

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  Panting, I sheathed my sword, raised the helm's visor and looked back at the path we had traveled.

  The entire tunnel, as far as the light emitted by the weapon reached, was littered with the melting corpses of guards in black armor. They were elite guards, the penultimate line of defense. It was not necessary to look at the fatigue bar to understand how hard this fight had been and how exhausted everyone was. One could see it on everyone's haggard faces and in their slowed moves. My shield was long gone. Massacred in many battles, it just fell apart, having served me fully.

  As soon as the fight ended, Glutton fell to the floor with a thud; even it was exhausted. Grant sat down on its shell, and pulled out the throwing knife protruding from his hip with disgust and threw it away. He sparingly splashed the wound with the potion from the jar, trying not to waste energy and mana. True to herself, Foxy walked among the corpses and picked up two arrows, still fit for shooting. She had to do this after every fight, otherwise she would have been left without ammunition log ago. Tinnie tried to keep her distance from us during the melee. Once it was over, she immediately flew up to me, flopped onto my right shoulder, legs dangling, taking her usual place. Noticing that her glow had dimmed heavily, I picked up a grey soul crystal from the floor, left by the last enemy, and silently gave it to the fairy. She squeaked gratefully and wrapped her arms around it. Pressing it to her body, like a lover in a passionate embrace, she shone, absorbing the energy of someone else's soul.

  It was easier with Tinnie, no one else could recover that fast.

  ''Bitches!'' cursed Owl, almost crying, looking at his black and not-so- new robe, which was now torn in several places. ''Had to be me, getting my skin torn!''

  ''Rags can be acquired,'' Foxy stopped next to Owl and pat him on the shoulder, comforting him like a mother would her little boy. ''Are you alright?''

  ''Yeah,'' sniffed Owl, the girl's attention making him blush.

  ''Well, be glad that you're fine then,'' muttered Gramps, shaking his flask which he then angrily hung back onto his belt. ''Who will share a sip with me? I'm out of freebies.''

  ''Sorry, I have a sip left myself,'' the girl shook her head. ''I'm saving it for the most extreme case. Grant, how are you feeling?''

  ''I'll be fine in a minute. You better take care of yourself, Red. Have a sit.''

  ''I'm fine,'' wearily sighed the girl, but obediently joined the mage who was sitting on the ''Turtangle''.

  My jar, too, was almost empty, but I passed it to Gramps. Grant had to save his energy for the next battle, so no one expected him to heal us. As hard as Glutton and I tried to intercept the attackers, our mages still got hit. Bloody guards rushed to them like bees to
honey, ignoring everyone else. Owl, with his sphere, dealt the highest damage, and Grant was the healer. It was no surprise then that the enemies tried to bring them down first. It was a miracle we got out with torn clothing and light wounds only.

  Getting the flask back, I began inspecting the doors; two folds of a monolithic stone, covering the entire wall, were so closely shut that you could not fit a knife into the gap between them. On both sides were steel levers made from dark, rusted metal.

  I took a step closer, Grant shouted a warning.

  ''Don't touch it yet, Wise!''

  ''I know, don't worry. Personally, I'm ready. We'll start as soon as everyone else is, too.''

  Because of the peculiarities of this damned dungeon, the calm couldn't last long. While we were bringing down two packs of elite guards, another one arrived, making our way to the ''Krazard's'' abode long and hard.

  ''Okay, then I'll remind you…''

  "Repetition is the mother of learning," Pops chuckled, interrupting Grant. ''Enough fighting. I'd rather face 'The Destroyer'…''

  ''Don't waste our time, Gramps,'' I looked at him discontentedly. ''Grant, go on.''

  ''The tactic is simple,'' the mage placed the staff over his knees, and made himself more comfortable. ''I'll repeat Cavalier's story. Behind these doors is a round hall about three hundred feet in diameter. Most of the area is occupied by a pool of acid that corrodes the flesh in a matter of seconds. There's no protection against it. The ''Krazard'' dwells in that acid. We will have to run around the pool using the narrow paths along the walls. You have to run as fast as you can. Do not stumble. Losing speed and falling behind the group could prove fatal. On the other side of the room is a door similar to the one in front of us, with two similar levers, which must be simultaneously pulled and held until the door opens enough to slip through. Reminding the overzealous – do not touch the ''Krazard''! No arrows, no magic, nothing! Any attempt to hit him will shorten his awakening time, forcing him to launch an attack. There were repeated attempts to destroy the ''Krazard'', and they always ended miserably. It cannot be destroyed and it is believed that this creature doesn't match this dungeon's location, and that it is much stronger than 'The Destroyer'. There are no guarantees that we'll manage to just slip by it. So, now we will decide who will pull the levers. Who is willing to take the risk? I can-…''

  ''No,'' I said firmly. ''It can't be you, we have only one healer. I'll deal with the right lever,'' I looked at the stocky, sturdy figure of the cleric. ''Gramps, how about you pull the left?''

  ''Can do,'' the cleric grudgingly nodded. ''But in my opinion, Red would be a better pick as she's agile. Don't look at me with such indignation, I take the offer back.''

  ''I can do it,'' calmly said the girl, smiling. ''We have equal opportunities here. And I do have more dexterity than you.''

  ''I told you I'll do it!'' the cleric frowned. ''Case closed.''

  ''It has been decided then,'' nodded Grant. ''So then: Wise, Red and Owl, when the doors open you head right. Gramps, Glutton, and I will go left. We will be equal in numbers, and won't get in each other's way. They say that the ''Krazard'' takes longer to awaken when there's a lot of targets on each side of the hall. Do not look at each other, look only at your feet or forward. If someone falls behind, do not stop! Even if that's me. You can defeat 'The Destroyer' without a healer, you'll just have to try harder. Anyone who tries to save the straggler will be left behind. Better to have one victim than to have the entire party die. Is that clear?''

  As the dungeon's end grew near, Grant began to feel the taste of leadership. In battle, I was the one making the calls, but in a relaxed atmosphere the deciding vote was Grant's. That was fine with me, as he clearly knew how to explain things. I never did like holding lectures.

  ''Yeah, very clear,'' Owl shrugged. ''You know how to explain... I'd like to learn that. It chilled me to the bone.''

  ''Hold on, guys,'' the girl smiled encouragingly, glancing at each of us. ''We're almost done. Outside this hall is the last ''Oasis'', where we will rest for a while.''

  She was as tired as we were, but she always had the strength to take care of everyone; this trait that won over everyone's sympathy.

  ''Everything will be fine, Red,'' gently smiled the healer.

  ''We'll break through,'' nodded Owl. ''As if we got a choice…''

  ''We will either break through, or we will die,'' Gramps shrugged, commenting in his usual, rough manner. ''I'd prefer the first option... Oh come on!''

  Reacting to the sound of clanking footsteps, we all looked back and stared into the darkness of the corridor. Another pack. The enemy was not yet visible, but we didn't have the time to wait. We had to either fight or run.

  ''Gramps, to the left lever!'' I screamed, grabbing the right one.

  As soon as the cleric got to the lever, we pulled synchronously. The lever gave in reluctantly and I leaned onto it with all my weight. Hell, the cleric wanted to leave it to Foxy! I had barely enough strength to do it! Something clanged inside of the walls, the doors trembled and creaked. A vertical slit cut through the stone from top to bottom and began to expand, inch by inch, terribly slowly, given the situation. It smelled of rot and hot steam.

  ''No time!'' shrieked Owl, ready to run after me. ''What a fuckup!''

  ''We'll make it,'' I exhaled, continuing to pull the lever. My muscles were bulging, and my face broke out in a sweat. Why the hell was it so hard?! Damn... The dungeon's difficulty was so high that two people had to man one damn lever! It's always like that, you make plans and reality comes and slaps you across the face…

  ''Owl, help me! Grant, you go help Gramps!''

  Without further discussion, the mage jumped toward me and pulled. It went faster, although he looked like a walking skeleton. Tinnie had long soared up and was anxiously buzzing next to my ear, trying to highlight the lever.

  The doors parted enough to squeeze through. But as soon as we released the levers, the doors would begin to close, which meant that we needed to part them more for everyone to get through.

  ''Wouldn't it be better to kill them first,'' Owl panted from the effort, ''and then…''

  ''It's too late, so shut up!'' Grant cut him off. ''Wise, Gramps, ready…''

  Almost three feet.

  ''Grant?'' I squeezed through clenched teeth, still leaning onto the stubborn lever. ''Is it time?''

  ''Yes! If Cavalier wasn't wrong! Get ready…''

  ''Don't forget Glutton!'' I exhaled heavily. ''Send it forth!''

  The lever didn't allow me to turn around, but out of the corner of my eye I noticed the ''Turtangle'' shove its heads into the gap, curiously looking at what was out there.

  ''Red, how close are those freaks?''

  ''I see them!'' Foxy shouted excitedly, since she was the only one left behind, occupied only by covering our rear. ''Come on!''

  ''On the count of three…''

  Mentally led by the owner, Glutton rushed through the not fully opened doors. Armored shell scraped the stone with a screech. Having slipped through, the ''Turtangle'' immediately moved to the left.

  ''Three!!!'' shouted Gramps, and, releasing the lever, rushed in with Grant following him.

  The door immediately started closing, much faster than it opened.

  Well, great, it would block the guards' path…

  Owl and Foxy stomped right behind me. The narrow path that went around the "lake" allowed us to move only in a single line, and I tried not to look back, as agreed. My main task was to quickly get to the next lever. I'd already distinguished it and, sight fixated on it in advance, ran. It was a rusty thing similar to the last one. In my peripheral vision I saw the spacious pool filled with greenish-brown liquid. As long as it remained calm, without splash and movement, we weren't in any danger.

  We were halfway there. Directly in front of us were quite large stones, so I warned those running behind me about them. With a shout, I jumped, and rushed further. My hearing, sharpened by the adrenaline, distinguished
a splash.…

  There was no time to look back, the lever was just a few steps away.

  I cast a quick glance to the left. Grant's group was doing fine, no one had fallen behind. Glutton was last, stomping heavily. Somehow they had managed to outrun the ''Turtangle'', no doubt, running right over it. In the next second I landed onto my lever like a vulture. Appearing from the side, Owl grabbed it with both hands. We pulled together. Foxy immediately jumped toward the gap that had started to expand. Smart, she could slip through first.

  ''Put your muscles into it!'' Grant yelled. ''The 'Krazard' has awakened!''

  The noise from behind got amplified, and waves of monstrous stench rolled over us. We already heard the murmuring and splashing, as if liquid was falling from a height... From the height of a large body, to be precise, that had emerged from the middle of the pool.

  These doors weren't moving as slowly as the front ones did. Perhaps they would also close faster, so one would have to perform some epic gymnastics in order to get through…

  Foxy was already waiting on the other side, bow in hand. Her face was tense, and eyes wide in horror. Hell, I didn't want to know what she saw. The door had opened quite a bit by now, almost enough for Glutton to slip through. Grant understood that time was of the essence, so he sent in the ''Turtangle'' with activated abilities. "Ramming Charge" and the "Ultimate Shield" crushed the edge of the door with a deafening roar, breaking off hefty pieces of stone. The pet´s black shell swept past us in a cloud of dust.

  ''Come on!'' I shouted to Owl.

  Grant and Owl broke off at the same time and slipped in after Glutton.

  The lever, feeling the slack, rose out of my hands, but I was already on my way out of this God cursed hall. Once I was a few feet away from the door, I allowed myself to turn around.