Descent Into Darkness (Book 2)

by James R. Vernon

  "Get up," Azalea said, grabbing Ean by his shirt and putting him on his feet. "I couldn't take this monster alone when I was completely healthy, which I certainly am not right now."

  "Yaeger can..."

  "You're hound is dying, boy," Azalea said, her words short. Risking a glance back he saw that the Yulari was right.

  Yaeger hadn't moved and was lying on his side, blood pouring out of the savage wound in his stomach. Each breath by the hound was accompanied by a small gurgle and extra spurt of blood from the wound. The hound's eyes were locked on Ean as its head lay on its side, and actual fear accompanied the pain that Ean felt through their bond.

  Turning his attention back to Sadiek, he found the man slowly rising. Azalea's kick must have really done some damage to slow the stronger man down this much. Even so, Ean didn't like their chances as they were. But if he was going to die, he was going to make sure his companions at least had a chance.

  As Sadiek started advancing towards them, Azalea tensed and readied herself. Ean on the other hand sent everything he had through the bonds to both Azalea and Yaeger. All of the energy from the Abyss, all of his own strength, and more went to both of his companions. He felt it all go to them both as his legs started to give.

  With a roar Sadiek charged them, his eyes clear now and filled with rage. Ean knew he wouldn't be any help in the fight anyway, so instead of bracing himself like Azalea was doing, he tried something he hoped Sadiek wouldn't expect. Knowing his body was about to give out, Ean pushed off Azalea and tumbled forward. Ean watched Sadiek's expression as he fell and would have laughed if he had the energy. The older man's face turned from rage to confusion and then surprise as Ean fell directly at his legs. Moving quickly, Sadiek had no chance to dodge around Ean's body as it fell.

  Sadiek's thigh smacked into Ean's face and spun him to the side before he finished falling. Sadiek also left his feet as he tripped over Ean's body, falling forward. Ean didn't see him land, as without any strength left, he wasn't able to even catch himself as he fell. All he was able to do was turn his head to the side right before he hit the ground, saving himself from breaking his nose and losing some teeth. He was able to hear the sound of the other man hitting the ground shortly after he did.

  Lying on his stomach, Ean continued to pour everything he had into his two friends through their bonds. He could feel Azalea rapidly gaining in strength, a mixture of determination and anger flowing back to him through the bond. From the hound, Ean felt the fear and pain lessen. He hoped he was saving the hound's life, if not getting him back into the fight.

  Unable to move, Ean could only stare ahead at one of the pillars while he listened as somewhere behind him Azalea and Sadiek began to battle. It started with the patter of feet moving around quickly, Ean feeling Azalea's focus through the bond. Then the sound of grunts and the thuds of fists and feet hitting their targets. A tearing sound at one point accompanied by a slashing pain to Ean's right shoulder told him that Sadiek had landed a blow. As time slowly moved on, he could tell that even with all of the energy he was giving Azalea, she was wearing down. Ean had to get back into the fight.

  Ean let himself feel the hound through their bond. The animal was still in pain, but not as much as before, and a sense of relief floated along to him from the animal. Ean hoped the animal's relief came from being healed and not from its body just giving up. Either way he needed some of his energy back if he was going to help Azalea. Stopping the flow of his own strength through the bond, Ean kept a sliver of the energy from the Abyss feeding into the hound.

  Feeling slowly returned to his body and he started to push himself up. A slashing pain to his left thigh--Azalea's--almost brought him back down but he worked through the pain. Once he was on his knees, he turned around and got a real view of what was taking place. Many of the nearby small flagstaffs were completely knocked over or leaning against the strange black rock that sat in the middle of the room. Drops of both red and blue were scattered about the ground and nearby pillars as well.

  Azalea and Sadiek were circling each other, their eyes locked and their hands held out defensively in front of them. Azalea's shoulder and left leg was scratched and the beginning of dozens of bruises covered her body. She limped slightly as she circled, breathing heavily as she gave her opponent a cold stare. Ean could feel through the bond that her strength, even with what extra energy he was providing, was waning.

  Sadiek's body looked slightly worse, claw marks covering a great deal of his exposed body, most of which were bleeding. The fingers on his hands now ended in those sharp bone blades, most covered in either the hound or Azalea's blood. As he circled around and faced toward Ean, the damage of the hound's saliva was clearly visible. A good deal of skin around the man's right shoulder was black, pieces of it hanging off his body. All of the wounds didn't seem to bother the man though, as he moved just as easily as he had before. Azalea's wings still clung to his back like a protective shield and his face was twisted into a horrible scowl, which worsened as he noticed Ean back on his feet.

  Gritting his teeth, Ean began making his way towards his enemy. Sadiek stopped circling around as Ean began to move, backing up slightly instead and keeping both Ean and Azalea in front of him. As he moved back, Sadiek's eyes flickered occasionally to the hound before returning to watch Azalea and Ean.

  Good, keep part of your attention on Yaeger.

  Ean could tell through the bond that the hound didn't have the strength to roll over, let alone return to the fight. But Sadiek didn't need to know that. Let the man worry about the beast, Ean would take any advantage he could get.

  Moving in to Azalea's left, he gave her the briefest nod before returning his attention to Sadiek. The older man's eyes were flitting back and forth now between Azalea and himself. When the man's arms dropped slightly, Ean braced himself, expecting the man to rush them.

  Instead he was greeted by the sickening sound of ripping flesh accompanied by the grinding sound of bone on bone. Ean watched in horror as the rest of the skin covering Sadiek's hands tore itself away, leaving only the bone beneath. Those skeletal hands quickly changed, the bones seeming to fuse together until all that was left was one large blade extending out of what was left of each of Sadiek's arms. They looked exactly the same as the arms on those flesh monsters. It all happened in a matter of moments, and while Ean was still trying to comprehend what had just happened, that was when Sadiek charged.

  The man, or whatever he was now, made straight for Azalea. Bracing herself for the charge, Azalea let out a grunt of surprise as Sadiek suddenly changed directions and ran straight at Ean. Only a few paces away, Sadiek raised his right arm as he ran, a look of agony and anger painting his face.

  Ean dropped down just in time as Sadiek went past him, the bone blade protruding from his arm slicing through the air where Ean's neck had been just a fraction of a moment before. Ean rolled to a crouching position, mostly because he wasn't sure he could stand right away and turned to face Sadiek. He found the man already charging towards him, his right blade held high and ready to swing down.

  But Azalea got there before Ean could react, grabbing Sadiek's arm at the elbow with both hands. Her nails dug in deep as she held the arm in place, and she growled with the effort it was taking her to hold the arm off.

  Sadiek brought his other arm back, his attention now on Azalea, but Ean was already on the move. He launched himself up, wrapping his arms around the skin of the man's left arm and pulling it back as much as he could behind Sadiek's body. It took all of his strength to keep the arm immobile.

  Azalea let go of Sadiek's arm to step to the side, letting the tip of the blade crash down into the stone floor. Ducking down, she grabbed the bone near the tip with her right hand, then delivered a palm strike with her left just above her other hand.

  Ean felt the force of the impact as it traveled through Sadiek's body, shaking them both. With a loud cracking sound, the bone broke, leaving the sharp tip sticking straight down into the stone.
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  Ean expected that to slow down Sadiek, but the man seemed unstoppable as he lashed out to strike Azalea across the stomach. The broken edge of Sadiek's bone tore into her skin. Azalea clutched at her new injury and tumbled backwards.

  As Azalea rolled away, Ean aimed a kick at Sadiek's knee. Big mistake. The shift in balance gave Sadiek a chance to yank his arm free. The next thing Ean knew, he was being tossed into the air. He landed just a pace or two away on his side, the pain of the impact numbing his arm.

  Before Sadiek could move, Azalea was back, this time leaping in-between Sadiek's wings and digging her nails right above where the wings had only recently connected.

  "Give them back!" she screamed, clawing at the man's back.

  Sadiek spun around, trying in vain to impale her with his bone blade arms. When that failed, he threw his entire body backwards. Towards the floor. Azalea tried to leap off in time but got caught up in the wings and went down as well. With a loud thud, Azalea smacked into the ground right before Sadiek's body slammed into her, pinning her arms underneath the wings.

  As Ean got to his feet, he watched as Sadiek slammed the back of his head into Azalea face. Unable to defend herself or even move, Azalea let out a weaker and weaker cry each time Sadiek's head was brought down against her face. After the fifth blow, Sadiek rose and turned to face her leaving his back towards Ean. He stomped a foot down hard into her chest, pinning the barely conscious Yulari to the ground again.

  Knowing Azalea had little time left, Ean rushed to her aid. Spying the piece of blade Azalea had broken off lying on the floor, he scooped it up as he ran past it.

  Raising both his broken bone and full bone blades above his head, Sadiek let out a maniacal laugh. "Die, you wretched beast!"

  Ean rammed into Sadiek's back, driving the blade in his hand deep into the lower left side of the man. The momentum took Sadiek off Azalea and sent both him and Ean tumbling to the ground, with Sadiek letting out a cry as he fell. As soon as they hit, Ean pushed himself off Sadiek's back and rolled away, forcing his legs to push him into barely a standing position. He risked a glance over at Azalea and found her still prone, although her eyes were blinking slowly. He needed her to recover quickly otherwise he was in a lot of trouble. The only weapon he had ever held was still sticking out of Sadiek's back, and he barely had the energy to stand, let alone dodge the man's remaining blade.

  With a groan, Sadiek began to push himself up. If the man got to his feet, Ean wouldn't have much of a chance. Even with the blade still stuck in his opponent's back.

  His legs wobbled as he charged Sadiek this time. He just needed them to last a few more paces before giving out. Miraculously, they did not let him down and he threw himself on top of Sadiek, landing on the man's wings and forcing him back to the floor. Sadiek began moving his wings, trying to shake Ean off. Ean was able to hold on with just one hand, freeing up his other one to try and grab the bone blade sticking out of Sadiek's back.

  Realizing the wings were not getting the job done, Sadiek pushed himself over with surprising strength. Ean had only a moment to react before he would be crushed like Azalea. He used the man's own momentum to launch himself off the wings.

  Leaping off Sadiek's back, he somehow landed on his feet a few paces away. And then his legs gave out. Letting out a surprised yelp, Ean fell over on his side. He didn't hit the ground hard, but he struggled to get back on his feet.

  At the same time, thankfully, Sadiek was having an even more difficult time at getting up. He was down on one knee, trying to push himself up with both hands and very shaky arms. While he struggled, he kept his eyes locked on Ean, the look on his face clearly showing his rage.

  Ean glanced around quickly for anything he could use as a weapon, knowing he only had a brief amount of time before Sadiek came at him again. Unfortunately the room was mostly bare. The stone throne sat up on the dais, but Ean had no chance of reaching it and probably couldn't have moved it if he did. The flagstaffs that had been broken littered the ground, but they were all behind Sadiek at the moment. He was completely on his own.

  The thought froze him. He was on his own and he was going to die. If he died, Zin, Azalea, and Yaeger would surely share the same fate soon after. Or they would get sucked back to the Abyss. All of their struggles, everything he had accomplished and how he had grown would be for nothing. And worst of all, he would have failed everyone.

  Ean watched, paralyzed by his own fear, as Sadiek got to his feet. The older man took a quick glance at Ean's companions and a wicked smile spread across his face. He knew. He knew Ean was all alone. Ean, the least threatening of the three. The one with little strength. No speed or fighting abilities. Not even a weapon to defend himself.

  With a short laugh, Sadiek turned his back on Ean and began advancing on Azalea.

  Anger returned, filling Ean, burning away his aches and pains, scorching his fear in its inferno. How dare this monster dismiss him as nothing? How dare Sadiek try to murder his only friends, thinking Ean would just stand there and watch? Ean would probably die, but by the Abyss, he was going to make Sadiek regret underestimating him.

  With a yell, Ean charged Sadiek one last time, filling himself with as much energy from the Abyss as he could, more than he had ever held before. He took on more than he knew he could handle, not caring anymore if it killed him. The energy charged his body, tore at it, but gave him one last burst of strength. He stopped funneling some of it to the hound, taking in that energy as well. His body hummed with power, the runes on his body blazing and overtaking the torch light. He charged ahead, a blazing light of rage and desperation.

  Sadiek turned as he heard Ean yell, his body hunkering lower as it braced itself for the attack. Both of his arms went wide, like the teeth of a trap ready to snap shut as soon as Ean got in their range.

  But Ean wasn't all emotion at this point. Just as he was about to reach Sadiek, he ducked low. The monster's blades swept above him, missing as Ean drove his shoulder into Sadiek's midsection. The blow rattled Ean's entire body, but he ignored the pain and brought even more energy from the Abyss to wash over it. He held so much now it felt like he was all energy, his body burning, overwhelming him. But he wasn't finished yet.

  Not pausing, Ean began to unleash a flurry of blows to Sadiek's torso. The runes on his right hand blazed as he drove it repeatedly into the man's stomach. The satisfying sound of grunts from Sadiek accompanied every blow as the force of his fists lifted the man slightly into the air.

  One of Sadiek's knees rose to strike Ean, but he simply punched it as well. He punched or swung his arms at any part of Sadiek that moved. Keeping this close, Ean realized that the man could not bend his arms to bring those deadly blades into play. So he stayed close, trying to make each blow count, maybe wear his opponent down, cause any kind of permanent damage before he burnt himself out completely.

  A knee got past his defenses, slamming into his side, the pain almost doubling him over, but he kept swinging.

  An elbow caught Ean on the side of his head, slightly blurring his vision, but he continued to throw everything he had.

  An explosion of pain on the top of his head finally staggered him.

  A kick to his chest caused Ean to stumble back a few steps.

  And then, while Ean was attempting to recover...

  Sadiek's full, unbroken right blade slide straight into Ean's chest.

  THE POWER OF THE Abyss left Ean as the blade sliced through him. Pain took its place, the burning of overworked muscles, the stings of small cuts covering his body, and shockwaves flowing out like spiderwebs to his entire body from where he was skewered. Ean wasn't sure why he hadn't already passed out, but he wished he could. All he could do was reach down with both hands to grip the blade and hold himself up to keep from sliding down the blade further.

  Since he was still conscious, he kept himself from looking down at what he knew was a mortal wound. Instead, he locked gazes with Sadiek, giving the man his best glare. If Ean was about to die, h
e wasn't going to give the man the satisfaction of seeing him afraid.

  All he got in return for his effort was a smirk from the other man.

  "It didn't have to end like this, my boy," Sadiek said. "You could have worked with me, been part of something amazing. Instead you let your fear and loyalty to a bunch of beasts cause your downfall. Pity."

  "Someone...will stop you..." Ean got the words out through gritted teeth. "The people...or the Seekers will..." A coughing fit interrupted him, and he almost lost his grip on the blade. A small trickle of saliva ran out of the corner of his mouth. At least, he told himself it was saliva.

  "The people? The people of this land are sheep, following the wills of deities that only talk to a handful of them. Even a blind man could tell that the high priests of the temples have their own agendas. But the 'people' follow along blindly anyway, moving about their mundane lives with no real purpose. I will give them a purpose, and they will thank me for it."

  "And as for your Seekers, they are the worst of everyone. Blindly trying to hunt down anything connected to the Abyss, they won't bother with me or my creations. At least not until it's too late. By then, what good will three highly trained warriors be against a legion of my creations, creations that will be ten times as deadly as the ones you've seen. No, the Seekers won't be any trouble at all. No one will be any trouble."

  "You're insane."

  Those simple words seemed to strike a nerve.

  With a snarl, Sadiek lifted Ean into the air by the blade in his chest. If Ean had thought the pain was excruciating before, the edges digging and cutting even more on his insides as his weight tried to pull him back down was beyond description. It took every last scrap of strength he had remaining to keep himself from sliding forward down the blade.