by Kris Shamloo
**
The fire filled caps of the pillars were just tiny specks of light now. The haze filled my lungs but I fought the urge to cough. I held my sword and shield with white knuckles. Where are you? The green glow from my sword and shield gave me a small purchase in the haze.
Their demonic battle cry rang through the great hall, one from the far corner, another from the entrance. They charged towards me. Drunk on power and rage they plowed heedlessly through the pillars towards me, cutting no corners, doing nothing to mask their sole desire to annihilate me.
The first sister was nearly to me, they were unbelievably fast for their size. Focus, fight the fear, you can beat them. The pillar adjacent to me exploded as I jumped out of the way. My sword swung blindly in the cloud of rubble. I made contact. Before I could enjoy the howl of pain the first sister made, the second one had reached me and sent my body flying through the room into a far pillar. The adrenaline stood me back up quickly but my body shook, ringing from the blow. They bolted towards me. Move! I ran into the forest of pillars.
They bore down on me relentlessly, they could outpace me in a straight line but I could turn harder and faster. The pillars slowed them down as well. Their jagged teeth snarled at me during the chase and when I could risk it I turned and swung my sword at whichever beast was closer. We fought like this until all but a handful of the pillars had been shattered. Tiny puddles of flame spotted the floor from the shattered glass.
I had cornered myself, one sister slid into the wall while the other smashed through one of the last few pillars. We stood staring at each other, gasping for breath. Their hulking fleshy bodies trembled with each breath. They were beasts unlike any other, each so massive the ground cracked under their weight. I have to separate them. The sisters sat back, coiling for a killing blow.
I anticipated and sprinted towards the one closer to the entrance. I had just enough speed to run against the wall as I cut at the sister's back. Another howl of pain. The two hulking monsters collided in the corner. They turned and charged, I was halfway through the rubble.
The haze was thinning, the wounded sister lagged behind. I reached the entrance, the first sister now at my heels. You've gotta move faster if you want to live! I could feel her bloodlust; the aura of hatred was as palpable as the choking haze that accompanied them. I dove through the square hole cut through the fourth door. I didn't look behind me when I heard the violent crash of metal.
I headed straight for the workshop. The sisters smashed recklessly through the mass of tools. I lead them through the steamworks, the injured demon crashed into a tree of steam pipes and valves. The room went white with the hiss of steam accompanied by the howl of the injured sister burning.
I felt my way through the workshop. The uninjured sister lost my trail for only a moment. Sprinting across the antechamber the hulking monster emerged from the steam room back in the hunt. I moved like a madman towards the elevator. You can make it.
As I sprinted past the large glass ring of fire I swung my sword furiously. Fire spewed violently from the gash, the ring wobbled as the fire escaped its hold. I had reached the lift as the ring collapsed to the floor. Fire exploded everywhere and the room began to tremble. I threw the switch as the demon bolted through the wall of flame. It roared with bitter hatred as I climbed away from the antechamber.
It's not over yet. The elevator reached the machinery room at the base of the obelisk. It was quiet; the haze lay outside obscuring the sun. It was much thinner now; the second sister must be badly injured. I walked outside stepping on sand where there had once been a massive obsidian panel. I looked up to see the panel flying towards me. It crashed with thunder against the wall of the tower.
The sister slammed back on all fours and sprinted forward. I did the same. A massive sweeping claw reached for me as I slid under her exposed belly. My sword made contact as her flesh tore open. An inhuman howl of pain shot out. We turned to face each other, another wild claw reached for me; my shield blocked it at the expense of my footing. I flew fifteen yards in the air before reuniting with the earth, catching stone discs as I slid to a stop.
Badly rattled from the blow I fought the urge to stay down and recover. I climbed up using my sword as a crutch. The sister lay dying on the ground as the haze began to lift. Her shape had no thread of humanity left in it. I limped towards her wheezing hulk to finish the job. I lifted my sword over her misshapen skull and severed it. As my stroke fell a shriek of pure fury echoed from the base of the tower. The second sister stood before me, flesh bright pink from the burning fire and steam. "You're next." I pointed my sword at her. I was bluffing.
The sister limped towards me slowly gathering speed. I barely had the strength to stand. There was nothing left, my body was broken. One enemy lay dead, to slay another would cost too much. The monstrosity barreled down on me. I dropped my shield. I lifted my sword. At least I'll die fighting. With the last of my reserves I mustered up one final effort. My sword flew from my hand; it had just enough room to spin once fully before it buried itself in the neck and shoulder of my final enemy. She collapsed but still carried the momentum of her massive body. She slammed into me. Darkness.