"What the?!" Ria gasped in surprise, while Hilga nervously stared at Melinoe.
Nikolas stayed silent for a moment, processing what just happened. His hand was shocked, he dropped the lantern, and now someone else had suddenly appeared in front of him?
He prodded his walking stick forward to see if it really was someone, and his suspicions were confirmed when they smacked his stick away.
She pushed the blade closer to his neck.
"What are you trying to do?" She stared him down with threatening eyes.
"Where did you come from?" Nikolas asked.
"Huh?" Melinoe looked at him, confused.
"I could not hear your footsteps. Nor did I sense any movement. How did you get in front of me?" Nikolas elaborated.
Melinoe just looked at him. It was then she finally recognized the blindfold across his eyes.
"She didn't Nikolas, she came from the lamp." Ria whispered.
"Interesting." Nikolas stated. "You could not have fit in the lamp normally. Magic?"
"Do not play dumb." Melinoe growled. "You cannot trick me."
"Look, we aren't the ones who imprisoned you." Ria stated. "So please take the sword away from his neck."
"You said you were the daughter of the underworld?" Nikolas questioned. "Would you be willing to let me know the location of the entrance?"
"Hell no." Melinoe replied. "Why would I tell you?"
"I wish to enter the Underworld." Nikolas bluntly stated.
The sword inched even closer to her neck. Ria started to panic while a cold sweat dripped down Hilga's face.
"Whether you truly are the one which trapped me or not..." Melinoe spoke. "...you have no need to enter the Underworld."
"No. I will go to the Underworld." Nikolas adamantly replied. "With your help or without."
Melinoe scowled. "Then you shall-"
In an instant Nikolas thrust his walking stick in the air, finding new grip on the top and bottom of it as he leaned his head backwards and blocked Melinoe's sword from cutting straight through his head.
'He's as quick as I am.' Melinoe inwardly noted. 'But he acted sooner than I did. He predicted I would try to end him then. I suppose I wasn't exactly being subtle about it...'
Melinoe took a step back, getting into a swordsman's stance. 'He probably matches my skill, unlike...unlike the ones...'
She winced as she drew a blank. She waited for Nikolas to act, but he barely moved. With a twirl of his walking stick he now held it in front of himself like a staff. And with a click, the walking stick extended into a staff.
'What an expertly crafted weapon as well.' Melinoe thought. 'And his stance is powerful. How strong is he, when he cannot see?'
"Hey!" Ria angrily growled.
"Stop." Hilga put her hand out in front of Ria. "Both of us are ill-equipped for this. Neither of us are fighters. We'll have to stay back and believe in Nikolas."
Ria clenched her fist. "Listen to me! We didn't trap you!" She yelled. How annoying that she couldn't do anything helpful in this situation.
Ria felt so useless. Not just as a girl with a crush, but as a captain.
"Can we please put down the weapons?" Hilga sweetly smiled.
Melinoe didn't answer, staying focused on Nikolas. The two continued to stare each other down, neither making a move.
YOU ARE READING
The Son Of Snakes
FantasyA monster. Cursed by the gods and feared by all. Medusa, the famed gorgon which turned those to stone with one look, had lost all hope in her life when she stumbled across that crying baby. She was ready to put the abandoned child out of its misery...
