AFK - Away From Keyboard

Chapter 17:

Emica's POV:

   Just as I was reaching my wits end, Myra's figure materialized.

I jumped up from the couch and ran to hug her. "Myra! I need your help!" I wailed.

"Aw, I missed you too." Myra laughed. "Ren didn't doo anything bad while I was gone, did he?"

I knew I blushed a little, but Len came storming into the room before I had time to answer.

"You're not actually going to let him come with us, are you?" He growled.

"I...um..."

"Who?" Myra inquired of me.

Kit came into the room as well. "You'll say yes, won't you Yue?"

"Who the heck is this?" Myra asked, turning to me.

"This is Kit. He was my best friend back in Kedron." I explained wearily.

"I don't like the sound of "was"." Kit whined. "I'd appreciate a little present tense."

"I think past tense suits you perfectly." Len rolled his eyes.

"Well I..."

Myra grimaced at me. "You poor girl, were they going on like this the whole time?"

"Ever since Kit came." I nodded. Not that I was blaming Kit. It had just never occurred to me that he would appear. I also couldn't understand why Len and Kit didn't get along since they're so much alike.

"So we're in agreement that that's the only way to settle this?" Kit asked haughtily.

"Deal." Len stretched out his hand, which Kit took. They both seemed to be trying to crush each other's fingers.

"Settle it how?" Myra held back a laugh.

"Whoever kills Argor without getting damaged gets to have their say." Len shrugged.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

   "Wish us luck." Kit smirked the next day at the temple's entrance. He had given us all teleportation tokens so we could teleport there with him and Len.

"I don't need luck to win." Len announced proudly, winking at me.

"Please don't do this." I begged. "It is absolutely idiotic."

Len wavered, but Kit simply shook his head. "Sorry Yue, this is how it has to be." 

"You're both going to die." Myra laughed. "Idiots."

"Then...then...I'm going too!" I cried as the two boys started to turn away. They both froze and stared dumbfoundedly at me. Even Myra did a double take.

"No offense Yue, but there are going to be all kinds of monsters in there." Kit grinned.

"She can hold her own against enemies." Len smirked. "I should know."

"I have my bow and dagger." I raised my chin defiantly at Kit. Defiance was a newer feeling for me, but it felt good to show them what I could do.

"I suppose I should go too then." Myra sighed. "Although I definitely won't be much help. Maybe I'll put together a picture of epic battles."

Kit shrugged and pushed open the doors, leading us into the cool, dank darkness.

The door swung shut behind us. Inside, the light was just bright enough for me to make out my surroundings.

Myra screamed and kicked something. 

It was a skull.

A shiver ran up my spine. Perhaps I shouldn't have suggested we come.

"This way." Len whispered, taking the lead.

"No. This is the right way." Kit started down a different dark passageway. They all looked the same to me.

"You go with Ren, and I go with Kit?" Myra suggested quietly. There was fear evident in her tone, but I tried not to let her see I had noticed; so instead I nodded and hurried after Len.

"Stay close." He murmured.

"Okay." My voice trembled. I wanted to slap myself for sounding so weak. It was incredibly dark. So much so that I tripped on something and bumped into Len.

"Not that close." He laughed quietly.

"Sorry." I whispered, falling back a little. The hallway was dank and long. The stone walls were damp and the floor echoed the sound of our footsteps in an eery way. At any moment a monster could jump out.

I was being to jumpy and stressed. Somehow I needed to calm my nerves.

But every sound; every grinning, twisting shadow kept my heart racing.

Bony hands clamped over my mouth and around my waist. Whatever it was started dragging me back.

I whipped out my dagger and stabbed the hand around my waist. Then I turned around and slashed the knife into the dark, making contact with nothing. I whipped around to run to Len, but instead found myself facing a skull.

The skeleton's fingers closed around my wrist and began pulling me towards it. I screamed and with my free hand tried to grab an arrow from my quiver, but the skeleton gripped my hand so hard that it began to bleed. 

As my vision began to fog up, I remembered that a skeleton's touch drained health. I struggled against the grip in vain.

With a bone chilling hiss, the skeleton suddenly fell to pieces and clattered against the floor.

Len stood directly behind where the skeleton had been. He was so white that it was easy to make out his terrified face.

"Are you alright?" He asked, grabbing my wrist and placing a hand on my cheek; not bothering to stay quiet anymore.

"Just...a...just a...little....shaken....shaken up." I stammered, praying I would never turn around to face a living skull ever again.

"Do you want to leave?" Len inquired softly. "I can bring you back to the entrance."

"No...I'm...I'm okay. I just....I wasn't expecting that." I gasped. Besides, he deserved a fair chance at his bet with Kit. Even if I didn't approve.

"Alright, let's go." Len instructed, beginning to walk down the hall again.

Now I was terrified. What else was in this creepy place? We hadn't even reached Argor yet!

Len had stopped walking. I noticed just in time to avoid smashing into him again.

"What is it?" I asked quietly.

"A door." Len answered.

"Can we open it?"

"Yeah. Thanks to you." His voice replied casually.

"Me?" I repeated confusedly. 

"That skeleton had a key." I heard Len insert the key into the door and turn it. The door opened slowly...ominously.

We crept into the room.

"It's so dark." I whispered.

Instantly a torch flickered to life and the door slammed shut behind us. I whirled around to face the door. It looked like it had been locked again.

"Look out!" Len cried.

I spun around again and saw a very large spider leaping towards me.