The Trickster of CHS

Joker and the Secret Rings Part 4

Running south for another hour led the three to a valley where a white powder rained from the grey sky covering the ground and scenery. Massive skeletons of dinosaurs and other animals were embedded into the sides of the valley, the bones protruding from the walls.

Shantae noted the white flakes falling down. "Snow? No... It's something else..."

Running through the white valley, Joker glanced up at the walls. "These bones are giving me the creeps..."

Shantae looked at a ledge higher up. "I think there is a secret entrance up there," she pointed. "You can probably use the skeletons to climb up."

"Fine by me. I hate skeletons..." Joker jumped and rocketed into the bones, climbing up them as he ricocheted off them at an acute angle. Making one final jump, the trickster landed on the stone ledge. Spotting a tunnel hewn into the rock face of the valley, Joker and Risky ran in, Shantae generating a beam of light so they could see where they were going. After a minute of blasting through total darkness—the only exception being Shantae's light—he found himself running on a long bridge constructed of nothing but bones. The path was extended dangerously over a massive crater. Joker couldn't tell how deep it was. Moving gingerly on the narrow walkway, using aerokinesis to stabilize him somewhat, the blue and black flaming streak made for a corridor that didn't look so primitive. In fact, the hallway looked like it had been carved by a professional builder in service to royalty.

"Hey, is this an underground castle?" he asked, running through the passageway.

The genie confirmed her master's suspicions. "Yes, as a matter of fact."

"So, why do they call it the 'Skeleton Dome'? I mean, there were bones on the outside of the place, but I haven't seen anything in here..."

Shantae and Risky shrugged.

Joker continued to run down the hall. Reaching the end, he found some kind of treasure room with an exit on the other side. Speeding out the other door, the wild card looked at the ceiling.

A giant bronze dome covered the area where he stood. The upside-down bowl looked at least six stories high.

Shantae also glanced around. The place was littered with bones and rusted swords. The circular room looked like its diameter was about the length of a football field. Torches lining the walls gave off a golden glow as their surroundings seemed to reflect the flames, amplifying the light.

Stopping, Joker noticed the bones lying around on the ground. "Is this a tomb?"

"I think this is some kind of arena," Shahra responded.

"So this is why they call it the 'Skeleton Dome'..." he said, looking at the ceiling again.

"Seems like it, Captain." Risky responded.

Noticing a flash of light out of the corner of his eye, Joker instinctively leaped back.

—SHINK!—

One of the skeletons had come to life and took a swipe at him with a sword.

"Joker, watch out!" Shahra screamed.

Three more piles of the human bones resurrected themselves, taking up the only available weapons on the ground.

The trickster slapped his forehead. Greeeaaat... More skeletons to deal with...

Joker took ten steps back clenching his fists. His blue flaming aura enveloped him again as he blasted through the evil spirits, completely obliterating them.

Noticing a door on the other side of the arena, the blue streak ran for it, hoping for a way out of the underground maze. "I've had enough of the walking dead for one day!"