To The End

Chapter 8:

Oren shot up in bed, drenched in sweat. He felt as though he were being boiled alive, and he struggled to catch his breath. His whole body shook as he finally took a deep breath. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he pressed his knees to his chest.

Nearly every night had become the same, and he had grown tired of reliving traumatic events in his sleep. There was no rest for him; every morning he woke and felt just as exhausted as he had the night before. Except for in the cave, that is. While he was unsure what was different that night, he was grateful to have gotten any real sleep. It was the first time he woke and felt rested in many months.

Perhaps it was in the brief burst of euphoria that he decided they should head toward the capital city, Foras, to continue their search for Astaria's brother. He would have liked to say there would be no other reason to risk such a trip to the city, but he knew that was not entirely true. Oren knew all too well what groups lurked in the dark, damp allies and whispered in the shadows. He also knew what resources they would gain access to, as well.

As his breathing slowed, he realized how quiet the night was. It was in that eerie silence that he knew something was scurrying about. It was thanks to this silence that he could hear the stairs groan faintly and a squeaky floorboard call out.

Then he heard it. He heard the dark, guttural growl echo down the hall. It was as though it were meant to intimidate. "Stay back," the sound warned anyone awake at such a late hour. But he had no intention of listening to it. He swept his legs off the bed, quietly placing them on the floor. Snatching up the dagger that he had left on the nightstand, he crept over to his door and placed his ear to it. The sound rumbled through the hallway just on the other side, and the soft sound of footsteps sneaking through stopped only a few feet away.

Oren's heart dropped when he realized where it had stopped. A mere few feet away, Asteria slept in the room just by his. Anxiety crept through him, and he resisted the urge to rush out and put himself in the path of unnecessary harm. He heard the scratching noise first, followed by a bump. The door was resisting the creature, refusing it entry.

'Good,' he thought, a small breath of relief escaping him. 'She remembered to put whatever she could in front for extra security.' Surprisingly, he found himself to be a little proud of her at that moment, but he quickly pushed that away and refocused on what he could hear in the hallway.

The bumps hastily became thuds. The beast had begun slamming its full weight into the old, wooden door. He could hear the familiar sound of splintering wood, and his stomach wriggled and squirmed in worry. Then there it was: the sound of crashing and a piercing scream. He threw the nightstand aside, rushing to unlock his own door. With great force, he pulled the door open and ran into the hall.

His feet slammed against the rough floor, and he scolded himself for not keeping his boots on. Moonlight flooded the hall from Asteria's opened door. There was shuffling, growling, rumbling erupting from the room, and he blindly dove in. Their eyes instantly met, and he thought he saw a flash of relief when she spotted him.

She was on her back, blade raised out in front of her with both hands. One hand was firmly wrapped around the handle, and the other was bracing the blunt end of the dagger. Yet the man above her was biting down on the cool steel with such force, it sent chills up Oren's spine.

It was the barkeep, his jaw extended with vicious fangs protruding outward. The sight was nauseating; he was a rancid-looking beast. In the dim lighting, it appeared as though his flesh was sagging from his bones, spots of decay patterning his exposed skin. Without a second thought, Oren grabbed onto the man's shoulders and pulled hard. He ripped him away from Asteria and braced himself in front of her. A whimper escaped her, and he glanced back to see her gripping the hand that had been bracing the blade against the creature's mouth full of fangs. He did not have time, however, to assess her wound.