Creatures of The Dark

Chapter XVIII

"Lucius." I shook his voice from my mind. It called again, echoing throughout the never-ending corridor. No. My will cracked as I turned. The world slowed and tilted. Dozens of guards filled the hallway. They had snuck in under the cover of Saron's screams. The others stared, gaping at the massive force assembled. Adromere, the Dark King, stood atop the stairs, his smile like a knife. He held Illara against his chest, a dagger to her throat.

"I'm sorry," she called.

"Traitor," Tannon seethed. I stumbled to my feet, exiting the small cell where Saron still cradled his brother to his body.

Illara was sobbing against the Dark King, "I had no choice!"

Serena shot back, "We all have a choice."

Her voice cracked, "He has my brother." Understanding clicked in my mind. She had sold us out.

Alexandra started forward, her voice trembling with rage. She hardly made it a step before the centurions' swords were drawn. "You stupid bitch! He'll kill us all."

Illara looked away, "Forgive me."

"You know how this will end, Lucius." My eyes shot up, meeting Adromere's. He chuckled and I paled, stepping back. I knew how this would end. I would die before surrendering to the Dark King.

They descended upon us in a slow march. Saron stood, placing a hand on my shoulder. He gave his brother's limp form one last look before charging at the mass of soldiers. We flew into the fight. Alexandra jumped into the air, her feet kicking off the wall before landing on the neck of the guard. He slipped, falling back. She wasted no time in breaking his neck and pounced to the next.

I met the blade of a centurion who raised his weapon to Serena's back. He met my blade with equal force. I shot a dagger of light at his throat. He ducked, parrying the next blow of my weapon. I released a blow of power that sent him back against the wall. The guard rebounded and attacked again. I fought with magic and blade. An arm wrapped around my throat, a short sword pressed to my throat.

"Cease–" The male's words were cut off when a knife was thrown into his skull. I didn't have a second to look at who had thrown it. I threw the attacker's body off of me just in time to catch a blow from a guard. He kicked out, his knee landing in my stomach. Another guard moved, slamming me against the wall. I blasted out with light and he flew across the room. Another came at me and I held him off with a burst of ether.

I panted, my hands raised to hold off any attackers. They kept coming. It was a never ending assault. For every blow I landed four were returned. A shock of darkness slammed into me, throwing my body into the bars. The other prisoners in the dungeon had roused and begun to shout jeers and shants. They were broken and whiterd beyond allegiance. Their thundering voices echoed in time with the fight. I pushed off the metal and slid to dodge the swipe of a sword. I urged my power into my hands, its warmth spread and shaped into a staff.

I wielded it in a mighty arc, slamming my power into the back of a guard. The light at the top of the stairs came closer into view. If we could just– a wave of darkness beat me back. My head cracked against the floor. My mind split as pain lacerated my body. My ears were ringing, and the world was blurring in and out of focus. I couldn't pass out. I had to...I had to fight. I put one hand underneath me, begging my body to get up. A kick landed on my side. I cried out as another blow hit my head.

Tannon lay across from me. Boots landed across his back and legs as the fight left him. Saron and Serena were back to back, being pushed against a wall. Alexandra...I pushed upward. I had to stand. I had to fight. I couldn't even make it to my knees before I was beaten back down again. Alexandra...The hilt of a weapon struck me and darkness washed over me.