Radiant World: The Underworld

Chapter 10: Bargain

 Ranch stood in front of that all familiar door. The one that kept his brother sealed away. He had installed a small latch so that he could look in, but never used it, worried he would see what had come of his brother.

He summoned his courage, gripped the small metal slide, and slammed it to the side. He opened his eyes to... no one. His brother wasn't anywhere inside the metal room. Sweat glazed down his shaking body.

Where...? He thought as his hand dropped to his side. He looked down at the door handle, wondering if he should open it.

I... I must look! He gripped the handle and pushed himself into the dark room where he had kept his brother locked away.

"Zan... Zanzaser?" His voice echoed in the silent room. He walked into the middle. A desk was sitting in the corner, a book had been nailed to the it. A lamp had fallen over and shattered.

"Where..." He swiftly turned around as he hear a thud. The door closed and locked. Ranch ran up to it.

"ZANZASER!" He bashed his fist on the metal, leaving a dent. He looked outside as a ghostly figure flew down the steps. Ranch bashed his fist into the metal once more, making another dent.

"Lumizan!" A light flowed from his hands, forming into a blade that glowed radiantly. He tore the door into shreds with one slash. Kicking what was left of the door out of the way, he stopped himself from leaving.

"Fine brother, what secrets do you hide?" Ranch turned back to the corner of the room. Walking towards it, he now felt a strong aura from the book. Ranch stood in front of the book and flipped it to the first page. He put the sword into the ceiling to illuminate the room and read the page.

Ranch's mouth gaped as he read the first words.

Unity is all I've been thinking about... I can't see my daughter any longer, my brother has locked me away, all because of Unity.

Ranch continued to the next line.

I feel an anger within my heart, but I can do little. I no longer feel...

The ink was sprawled across the page, so Ranch flipped forward. The rest of the pages were filled with gibberish, until he turned to the last page.

I'm sorry Ranch, but I can feel Delora's presence rising once again. I will go to help my daughter at all costs.

Ranch's eyes widened. He's going to Sophia? She's... On the fifth floor... Ranch wondered what Zanzaser would do but decided that he'd better not worry. He grabbed the sword, and it dissipated in his palm. He exited the room and looked down into the darkness.

Unity... Ranch gripped his fist, but let his anger go. I must not let it get to me. Ranch stood himself firm and jumped off the railing, down into the darkness.

"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Sophia shook Mya and Ildy, but they wouldn't awaken. Who was that voice she had heard? She looked out of the elevator into the fifth floor. A set of four stone pillars sat in front of her, worn from time. A cobbled path led her eyes to a stone door, with a large lever to the side, which seemed brand new. To the sides of the pillars were stone walls with engravings, and the ceiling curved up into a barn like dome, although some of it had crumbled away.

Sophia stood up and pulled the key out of the door. She grabbed Mya and dragged her out of the elevator, then Ildy with substantially more effort. As Ildys foot slipped out of the elevator, it suddenly dropped and disappeared.