The Rising Sun: Episode 3
Page 26
Ion felt his every nerve in his body draw a sharp tenseness, as he slowly crept on down the large cave. The man standing at the far end was undoubtedly his target. He could sense it. He skulkily crossed half the distance, his nerves tingling in anticipation. He was now less than a few metres from his target, who stood with his hands behind his back, lazily kicking stones out his way.
The vigilante’s black robe allowed him to meld right into the darkness around him. But he did not to go unnoticed to Ion’s extra sharp vision: he could make out the man’s outline, as he turned and slowly walked across the cave, his black silhouette seeming to ripple in the dark as he moved. Ion continued to soundlessly sneak deeper into the cave. His target kicked a stone off his way as he turned and strode to the right.
Then, in seconds, Ion was less than ten feet from him. His sword was gripped tight in his hand, and he felt a cruel smile curve his lips at the thought that this was going to be far too easy.
Finally, sensing the unwanted presence which had crept into his company, the man in the black robe slowly turned and faced Ion.
Carcasar stared at the red haired boy standing feet from him, feeling a daze break over him. He tilted his head slightly. As the daze passed, a heavy sense of intrigue found him.
Ion felt his head tilt as well, as he realised that something was wrong: this was not the vigilante he had come after. If his sharp vision relayed correctly … this wasn’t a man at all.
You’re one of a kind, aren’t you? Carcasar thought to himself, as he surveyed the man being in front of him. Walking right into us … something this nice hasn’t happened to us in years.
“Who the hell are you?” Ion asked, bewildered.
“I,” Carcasar felt his lips part in a smile. “am your gateway to eternal sleep.”
And then, through the many corridors splitting the cave, Ion heard it … a group of unworldly, ghastly howls. And then the distinct thudding of a bunch of footsteps running reached Ion from the corridors of the cave around him. He twisted around and saw them burst out of the corridors from all sides, surging like an oncoming tide right towards him…
Zelgron…
His insides going frigid in horror, he turned back to the one standing right in front. Whose dreadful smile stretched longer.
“I don’t know or care who you are,” Carcasar said softly. “why you came here, or what you wanted to find … but you have many thanks from all of us: because you’re the reason dinner’s served.”
As the entire bustle of monsters came exploding from the inner chambers of the cave, Carcasar made a leap towards the boy in front, his arms spread forward, his long, dreadful claws waiting to sink into flesh. But the boy moved faster than Carcasar had imagined possible: he jumped backwards with a spring in his motion. Just missing Carcasar’s outstretched arm by inches. Missing his target, Carcasar hit the ground. As he climbed back to his feet, he saw the boy holding a sword, its blade portion lit in a bright orange that left steam to escape around it.
That explains it. thought Carcasar as he righted himself. He’s a mystic … but we’ve butchered stronger mystics than you, Pal.
As he lunged again, the boy’s sword flashed wildly before him … He had slashed it across the air.
And the skin on Carcasar’s face blazed with pain as the tip of the sword scraped across it. The sword had slashed across one of his eyes. Carcasar stumbled, erupting with a scream of agony.
My eye!!
Pain and rage stormed him as he stood there with a hand over his punctured eye, his other hand flailing madly. Without wasting another second, he threw himself forth at the boy, aiming to tear his face out.
And this time, he found target…
Ion gasped loudly as the monster’s nails dug into the side of his face, squeezing … Every other thought wiped from his mind, he wrapped both arms around the creature, and hurled across the cave. Towards the tide of Zelgron that came surging at him. The creature crashed into his brethren, and all of them were sent stumbling and falling in a wave impact.
Taking the split second advantage, Ion turned and tore across the entire cave’s distance. Behind him, the swath of Zelgron had steadied themselves and were raging at him again in full fury…
The fresh night’s air filled Ion’s lungs as he pelted right out the exit of the cave. Behind, the Zelgron came pouring out of the cave, hot on his heels. Their unearthly screams split the night.
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