The Meridians

Chapter 20

Vassares

As they ran in the tunnel, it became darker, making them unable to see their footsteps. Everlis dragged herself, as she nested her trembling cold body under Ezra's strong shoulder.

They walked into a bizarre room, which had a torch lamp hanging off the ceiling by a piece of rope. They quickly moved past it and walked into the next tunnel, for they had no time to look around idlily. Ezra led the way in almost darkness until they found themselves again at another crossroad of the tunnels, with a few torches lighting up their surroundings, which was alarming, since the creatures needed no light to move around.

"What is going on with this crossroads and freaking tunnels?!" Remi frustratingly exclaimed "We are lost. We keep following the tunnel that we sense no sounds of them, but they lead us where they want!" he added anxiously.

"Then what do you suggest?" demanded Ezra.

"We must find THEM and not avoid them!" Tethranos burst.

"We are only six and they seem to spawn with no end. She can't do anything. How can we defend ourselves?!" exclaimed an angry Kilian.

"Five..." breathed Nerian in a faint voice.

Everyone turned their anxious gaze on him, as he was already on the ground, resting his back on the wall, holding his ribs.

"Are you hurt?!" Ezra asked worryingly, as he rushed towards him, leaving Everlis softly on the ground with Remi by her side.

"Yes" he replied with a soft groan. He was clearly in pain as he frowned his whole face hard. His torso was slightly bloody and besides the red stains on his clothes and skin, a white thick liquid oozed from the small wound on his rib.

"I didn't even notice" baffled Ezra, having a sinking feeling swallowing his soul.

Nerian's face under the dim light seemed yellowish and his eyes had rapidly reddened.

"Poison" breathed Remi as he was searching in his bag for some antidot that might work.

"Try this" he gave him a red vial and raised Nerian's shirt to see the wound, that was insignificant, yet the poison managed to rush into his blood.

Nerian grabbed it with his slightly shaking bloody hand and swallowed its sour content, making him squirm and in second he spewed it all up.

Remi swallowed hard, a wave of desperation rushed through his heart and struggled to hide it. The fear was painting on his face.

"It hadn't reached his stomach yet and he threw it up" Remi was about to panic, as he rushed back to his satchel and searched for something else.

He gave him another potion and another, but nothing worked, as Nerian's body didn't allow the liquid to reach his stomach.

He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and sighed deeply. He gazed at his captain with a grave face "It was a great honor being by your side captain" and he closed his eyes, losing all conscience.

"Nerian?!" Ezra almost cried out, as he touched his neck only to feel his cold skin and no pulse. He seemed like he was dead for hours and not only seconds, as his skin instantly changed its color into a greyish one, like the rocks around them.

"It was an honor to fight with you, brother" Ezra whispered as he touched Nerian's cold hand.

He had just lost one of his best knights and friends, one that he had shared all his adventures with since they were children and all of this to save a meridian and a barbarian. He was so distraught that everything suddenly seemed pointless, but kept his stern face, for he could easily lose his temper and he had no such luxury.