THE SECRET SEA: EXPANDED EDITION

53

Chaos erupts as soon as we arrive in Poseidon's stone theater. Eve fires her guns and I start chopping through the hordes of cultists lying in wait for us. VarnLiqn bounds from body to body, taking out as many vampires as he can. Poseidon is nowhere to be seen, only dozens of his minions. We're forced to retreat as the element of surprise fades. I feel blades tearing my clothes and splitting my skin but adrenaline masks my pain.

I finally spot Poseidon standing atop the wall of the open amphitheater. His long beard sways with the breeze as he peers down at us with crossed arms. The sight of him invigorates me.

"Stop worrying about me!" yells Eve. "Attack them with all you have!"

A deep ache creeps along my arms as I scream and swing my blade, careful to make each strike count. Severed limbs fall around me. Dust explodes and burns my eyes. I feel cuts opening on my legs and arms, but I don't stop. My ears are ringing with gunshots.

Excalibur hums louder as I decapitate three vampires with one blow. Hearing the gunshots stop, I turn to face Eve. Her magazines are spent. She begins collecting knives from the fallen cultists and throws them desperately at the snarling mob. It was stupid to think we could pull this off.

"Chop no stop!" yells VarnLiqn before a bony fist sends him flying against a stone wall, knocking him out.

"Varn!" My body is covered in wounds. I should be gushing copious amounts of blood, but I'm not.

Eve calls to me from the ground. "Don't let go of the sword!"

I grit my teeth and begin a wild assault, making my way back to Eve. Soon, the entire pit is filled with black smoke and choking ash. When the air clears, only ten of the bastards remain. Still, ten is far too many. I fall to one knee, searching for a breath. Eve moves to my side and I'm happy to see she's in much better shape than I am. She's holding VarnLiqn in her arms like a baby.

"You were amazing," says Eve, placing a trembling kiss on my cheek. I fight back my tears.

I steel myself and rise on shaking legs to face my enemies. Before I can raise Excalibur, the cultists collapse without warning and detonate into sparks.

Poseidon steps toward us through the toxic cloud, looking amused. "Who dug up that relic?" His graveled voice is a collapsing sulfur mine. "I'm shocked it still has any energy."

"There's plenty left, you old bastard," I growl.

Poseidon laughs. "I'll admit you've done well with your trinket, but you've taken plenty of abuse yourself. Once Excalibur leaves your hands, you'll bleed out in seconds from all those wounds."

I turn to Eve. "What's he talking about?"

Eve is weeping. "The knight wielding Excalibur will not spill a drop of blood so long as they hold the sword. He's not lying. Let go of the hilt, and you'll die. Oh Tim...I'm so sorry."

My clothes are in ribbons, hanging off me. I run my fingertip through a slash in my skin. It's an inch deep, but not bleeding. "Oh god."

I realize I'm dead on my feet.