Adelade - A new beginning

Chapter 18 - Closing the Gap

A reinforced door held closed by unseen forces stood in a long hall, suddenly a buzz from the other side of the door is heard, followed by the pierce of a blade from the doors opposite side, Adnaan's blade weapon rips the door down the center and the door popped open. 

The five friends step into the hallway,  Rathamin looked down the hall and tried to ascertain where Kreon would have went, but saw only a stretched out hall going as far as he could see. "That's not possible" Speron said, looking around. he was only a few seconds ahead of us. 

Rathamin thought to himself all the ways a Dragonian could have possibly been able to traverse a long hallway like that in only seconds, and came up even more confused. "What in the name of the ancients is going on" he said only half aloud, but then started down the hall. 

Cal walked beside Rathamin and said matter of fact, "We need to get moving, we're wasting daylight, Basso traps will defiantly be coming. especially at night. 

Rathamin was still bothered by the fact of Kreon's distance ahead and where he could have gone. He decided to keep his thoughts on the matter to himself. especially after the voice's warning in the cave. Did he dream it or was it real he asked himself, No matter, until he knew more or felt more secure in his friends actions and intentions he'd keep some info to himself. 

At the end of the hall a huge stone spiral staircase let up, Emily trying to be more unafraid than she felt brushed between the two males, "I guess up it is" she said and walked up first, Speron followed the young human and Adnaan was immediately behind her. Cal looked at Rathamin with a shrug and began up the stairs as well. Rathamin thought again about the foreboding message from the voice, glad he was bringing up the rear to watch the others. STOP he told himself and began up. 

It soon became evident they were going up one of the fingers of the Demons hand, going up and every so often seeing a small open window. Defiantly not large enough that Rathamin or Speron could get out and have a look around. Rathamin was trying to judge distance to the top based on the other fingers on the hand, when he heard Emily and Speron Scream. 

Rathamin launched himself up the steps with Cal close behind, when they reached the top the horror they saw became all to real, Rathamin was lying on the floor dead. His battle axe embedded deep in his chest. Adnaan had been impaled in the wall with Sperons sword. Emily had been folded in half and tossed against a wall in a pool of blood and Speron laid on the floor in the corner her throat had been slashed with Adnaan's blade next to her. 

Everyone realized almost immediatly was the one who had been missing from the carnage and looked over at Cal. Cal in turn smiled and covered his face with a rag he was carrying, and leapt into action. 

"I knew it, Speron hissed as she drew her sword from the sheath and began to swing in Cal's direction. Cal ducked the blow followed by Rathamin's Battle Axe swinging at him. He jumped off a overhanging ledge and swung his own knife over a clump of red spindly hanging flowers which in turn fell down the staircase they had come up. Cal caught his footing and unsheathed Rathamin's sword and held it defensively. with a clang Speron's sword hit Rathamin's and Cal was barely able to hold his ground. 

Rathamin felt it first, his head clearing, he looked around. the corpses disappeared. He reached out with lightning reflexes, and caught Speron's arm as she tried to charge at Cal again. "No stop" he growled and swung her around. Speron swung on her strong heel and was prepared to attack, but suddenly she felt her vision clear and she felt better. Emily gagged a bit as she also felt her head clear. Adnaan was on the floor still a bit woozy but taking deep breath's. 

"What just happened"? Rathamin said, still slightly weary from the experience.

Cal slid the rag he was carrying back in his jacket. "You were affected by Abisol." Cal said flatly. its deadly if exposed to long but I know the Basso use it to effect visions and hallucinations. I didn't know if it would be used up here but I tried to be prepared. What did you see?