The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 29: What we knew. (Part 1)

Chapter 29: What we knew.

2 years 8 months 2 weeks after the Fall:

Get up. I forced my body to rise, to overcome the shocking pain the numbed my body. We had made it too far to fail now. I couldn't let Aria handle it all alone.

"Get up!" I yelled as I stood to my feet. "Everyone who can stand, stand! Aria's given us the time we need!"

Our raid team was thrown about the room, some unconscious, some injured and unable to move but despite it all the majority managed to rise. We had entered with close to 50 and now only 30 remained. We had lost friends new and old but together we had made it to the fourth and final floor of the Sand's Heart. Deep inside the dungeon past all the traps and monsters, we struggled and used all we had to reach the Heart's chamber where the Witch of Sands herself laid waiting.

A circular barrier of bright white swirling light encompassed the centre of the room of stone. Inside it was the Witch and Aria. The fight had been more than simply tough and as the Witch us threw our formation to disarray, Aria stood in between, locking herself and the Witch to protect us.

"Prepare your strongest," I ordered. "When the barrier falls we end this!" I raised my dagger and pointed towards the shimmering white. The mana in my chest burned, merging together with the Aura from my soul.

"I've got your back," Vanter stepped beside me bow in hand.

"And I've got yours," Shin laughed and pointed his rifle. "Watch it or I might just shoot you."

"Shut it you dumb drunkard."

"Right back at you long ears."

"Both of you shut it," Ana huffed and stood beside Vanter, sporting a serious wound on her side. "Quyen, I need a heal."

"On it," the young girl scrambled towards us covered in dust. "Where's Gary?"

"I'm fine," the stoic Oni stepped out from under the rubble.

All around us the others of the raid team were doing the same. It was a rush of movement as they tried to pick back up what they could. The barrier began to shake and the tension rose to an all new high.

"Ready!" I held up a hand.

The barrier began to collapse but before I could give the order a single voice pierced all our minds, STOP! It was Aria.

"Hold!" I yelled immediately.

The white wall of light vanished completely. Aria appeared, barely standing, leaning on her staff for support. In front of her was the Witch collapsed upon her knees and head bent down, her long white hair sprawled down her body and across the ground.

"Everyone stop," Aria huffed and faced us. "It's over."

"You killed her?" I asked for everyone as the tension began to simmer.

"No," Aria shook her head. "We can't kill her."

A voice shouted, "What are you talking about!" The source, a women, wounded and angry stood in front of her team. Her raven black hair was cut to her shoulder, eyes sharp and burning. "We're here to destroy this dungeon!"

"I know," Aria voice was pleading. "We came to stop the sands and we've done that, but we can't kill her."

I could feel the dissent and frustration begin to crawl up as the room became heated. I raised my voice and it boomed, "Enough!" The room fell to silence, the energy dying. "Aria explain, please."