Magix

Chapter 10: Volcanus Lacuna

We had come all this way for nothing. Nothing.

Misty flies down and through the shield, she lands right beside me, her hand extended out to me, "let me try."

I hand over the box without making eye contact and my teeth grit in an attempt to hide the self-reproach surfacing. I could tell I was being watched closely by everyone but no one said anything.

Now was not the time for being emotional.

Gold smoke trails out of her palms, encasing the box in a glow that seemed to replace the immense darkness all around us. It outlined the leathery forms of the rugged corpses jostling about in their unconsciousness.

Misty's brows furrowed in concentration. Her whole face contorting in slight strain.

"That's clearly not going to work," Ju drawls, his demeanor cocky even in the grim situation we are in, "give it to me."

"Right, like you could do any better," David mumbles while rolling his eyes  but he doesn't take his cautious gaze off of the jerky dark figures surrounding us.

Ju offers him a sarcastic smile before suddenly smashing down the small box onto a sharp rock jutting out of the earth without warning.

A thunderous crack sounds through the crisp quiet air.

An abrupt shout of panic gurgles out of my throat. My friends too jump in alarm and simultaneously my hand reaches for the short knife's handle.

In unison piercing screams erupt from all directions, the sound so loud and resounding we fall to our knees. Our hands cupped over our ears.

Misty's screams rises above our own. Her arms were outstretched ahead of her with her fingers splayed out towards the shield. She shut her eyes and tears streaked down her cheeks.

My own vision blurs as tears pool in my eyes, and I stare in horror as the creatures start encircling the whole shield. Their bony fingers scratching at its surface, glowing white eyes locked on us.

I wipe my eyes when the cries die down a bit and stand up. Knife clutched tightly in my hand.

I look back at Ju as he fumbles with the contents of the box and then I rush over to Misty.

"I-I can't hold this shield up," she croaks with her eyes still clamped shut, "not like this!"

"I just need a minute," Ju hollers over the rising excitement of the Evils, his body hunched over the items now spread out before him.

"I-I can't!" she screams this time and the shield disappears within a blink.

Evils rush in on us before I could prepare. I push Misty's slackened form back, stabbing my knife into the eye of the creature that was lunging for her hard before struggling to pull it back out.

Another staggers it's way to me, replacing the one which just dissolved into thin air. It lashes out with its one arm, making contact for a split second with my cheek before I push it back.

Heat fills the air and thick black smoke engulfs us in mere seconds.

"Ju!" I shriek, feeling light-headed once more as the burning air enters into my lungs.

I wave the knife tiredly at the same creature I pushed earlier, it's jaw opened in an eerie yellow grin. Another one grabs my shoulder and I yelp at the fiery touch.

"David! Cover me," I hear Ju snarl, and a grunt sounds in response.

"Locks, move back!" David shouts over the giddy shrieks, but I was already gripped tightly by the two creatures.