The Unlikely Hero

Chapter 12. The Mess in the Crypts

"Gyyyaaaaah!" I screamed as I jumped backwards and fireballs shot out from my palms in completely random directions, hitting everything and everyone in its path. The skeletons that were moving towards us shattered in pieces down to the ground and I clattered my teeth nervously. Was this all? Were they all gone?.. All of them?

"Ouuuch," meanwhile, Elek exclaimed as he too got hit by the fiery flames in his side and he gave me a reproachful look. "What did I do?"

"I'm sorrryyyyy," I whined as I stepped backwards from a single rising skeleton. "Gah, no, no, don't come heeere!!!!"

I whirled around and dashed across the corridor towards the room we just had passed, knowing that at least that place was perfectly safe. The skeleton groaned after me and let out its last nonexistent breath as Elek severed its head.

"Come on, Aleta, he's dead now," Elek smiled and I shivered, peeking from around the wall. The warrior was smiling at me kindly, his eyes glinting with slight amusement.

"I'm pathetic, aren't I?" I grumbled as I walked towards him, my eyes glancing around for other undead moving piles of bones.

"Nah," Elek shook his head. "Everyone has their own fears. That's nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about."

"Easy for you to say," I mumbled as I finally breathed a sigh of relief. No more skeletons for now.

"Look, believe it or not, but half of these skeletons were killed by you, Aleta," Elek said as he took my wrist and led me forth. "Your fire is damn hot. What level is it?"

"I have no idea," I grumbled. "It just came out randomly. I'm sorry I burned you."

I glanced at his side where his armor bore marks of heat and noticed Elek grin.

"Aw, you're worried about me!"

"Of course, I am!" I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "You're my friend."

"Friend, hm?" he echoed and I glanced at him surprised.

"Why? You didn't know?"

"Ha," he chuckled and then his chocolate-brown eyes hardened. "Stay back."

I nodded my head as we walked out into another chamber, where skeletons were pacing around with buckles and rusty swords in their hands. I refused to contemplate over logicality of a skeleton knowing how and where to swing its sword even though it had no eyes. Just eyeholes.

Eyeholes. Ewww.

"Stay put, I'll deal with them," Elek noted and I nodded. No way am I heading there with him. Let the big strong warrior handle this one.

"Please, please, please, keep them away from me..." I whined as I plastered myself to the wall, trying to remain invisible.

And so, Elek rushed forth, cutting at the nearest skeleton and I watched him fight with slight awe. He was so fast and his sword came down precisely every single time with such force that the bones and skulls shattered into dust at the contact with the metal. I watched them silently, keeping away from all the fight. I wasn't sure why but these skeletons just gave me the creeps. I couldn't do anything at all. As soon as they came towards me, I would freak out and lose all my senses.

So, I merely slid along the wall towards an empty spot with no apparent danger, when some skeleton managed to notice me and it charged at me full force. I yelped and ducked, which drew more attention to me and now two more of them turned towards me.

"Gah, why, oh why is this happening to me?!" I screamed as I dashed further away and the skeletons trotted after me. "No, no, no, go fight Elek, you stupid bones!!!"