Shadow Rider (Vampire Academy Fanfic)

Chapter 27 - Thanatia

As soon as the water engulfed me, I was shaking with the cold. I forced my muscles to work, swimming forward with big, long strokes. It was such a peculiar experience, to swim with an air bubble around my head. I tried to breath shallowly, wanting the oxygen to last as long as possible. Luckily, the air bubble granted me better vision, and pretty soon I saw a darkened spot ahead of me.

The cave's entrance.

I swam toward it with renewed purpose, but as soon as I left the open waters, enclosing myself in the narrow tunnel, the magic was cut off from me. The bubble burst, but not before I drew a last, deep breath.

Okay. I had no idea where the tunnel ended. The risk of me dying was pretty high. Panic filtered into my mind, disturbing my focus, but I channeled every ounce of bravery I had, swimming harder and faster. It was so dark, so black, that I could only hope I wouldn't swim right into the rocky walls. It went on and on, until I felt my lungs cave in. Just when I was beginning to think there was no hope, I glimpsed a little flicker of light ahead. Having no strength anymore to hold my breath, I slowly let out my oxygen, swimming upwards with all my might.

I emerged on the surface, splashing and thrashing, gulping in the precious, precious air. In the dark, I saw two gleaming eyes snap in my direction. I had only a second to yank out my knife, and the Strigoi launched himself right on it, effectively staking himself. I swam hurriedly to the edge of the little pool, painstakingly dragging myself up. The wet rock was smooth and slippery, and I had to try several times. When I was up, I scrambled to take cover behind a boulder, checking out the area ahead. If there had been anyone else there, surely they would have heard me?

Just when I decided it was safe enough to communicate with the others through the walkie-talkie, two Strigoi sprinted deadly-fast towards me. Armed with the knife in the left hand and one katana in the right, I jumped right into the fray. The tunnels were so tight that I felt our bodies slam into the walls as we fought. But in a swirl of motion, I stabbed one of them while neatly decapitating the other.

Struggling to catch some breath, I realised I had to reach Casimir, seeing as my thirty minutes were up. I grabbed the little walkie-talkie and pressed the recording button. Just then, a Strigoi pounced on me, knocking me down on the harsh rocky ground. His knee landed on my hand, smashing the walkie-talkie, and probably my hand as well.

Casimir was gonna flip out, but I had no time to worry about that.

The Strigoi's face loomed above me, fangs glistening, eyes blazing a terrible red. I elbowed him hard in the face, struggling to break free, but with one hand disabled, I was unable to push him off me. Before I could react, he bit into my neck.

A scream pierced the air, and I realised it was my own.

With my working hand, I fumbled at my belt, trying to extract anything to attack him with. My hand closed around a throwing star, and I yanked it out and stabbed it into the Strigoi's back, dragging it along his skin. He roared, pulling away so I had just enough room to squeeze up my leg between us. I kicked him, punched him, and threw myself on him. I grabbed the knife and stabbed him right in the chest. He was dead within seconds, but I was tired, and hurting, and simply lay on top of him, panting loudly.

I was lucky he'd only broken my left hand.

I struggled back onto my feet, swaying alarmingly. I must have hit my head as well.

Knowing there was no time to waste, I continued along the cave again, supporting myself on the damp walls. I reached into my belt and extracted a couple of mini grenades, edging along the cave as quietly as I was able. After a curve in the tunnel, I saw that they widened into a circular cave-room. There was a single light ahead, a flickering bulb, that illuminated the eight or so Strigoi standing there. I tossed the grenade, and hid behind a boulder.

The explosion, although contained, was still very powerful, and I was glad I'd taken cover. Rushing up from my hiding place, I sprinted through the dust and rubble, making sure to check all the cavities in the cave, wondering where they had kept the captives. The cave, however, was mostly empty now, and I had to assume the Strigoi had heard the explosion and rushed along toward the exit. As it was, after another bend I saw several of them lurking ahead, clearly unsure of what to do, and I tossed the second grenade, throwing myself down on the ground, arms over my head. The blast was so strong that it shook the cave, and I watched in terror as the roof began to crumble. I dragged myself up and ran, faster than I have ever run before, praying I would make it out before I was crushed to death.

The entrance was blocked by countless Strigoi, but I was so horrified that I ran straight at them. They heard me coming from behind, thinking I was attacking, and blissfully ran out into the night, where the guardians were waiting.

Just as I thought I'd made it through, a rock dislodged from the roof and caught the back of my lower leg. With a stab of pain, I went down like a sack of bricks. The air was so tight with dust that I couldn't breathe. My eyes watered, and I lay helplessly on the jagged rocks, thinking that this was how I was gonna die, alone and buried in a cave.

At least Casimir was safe.

An image of him together with Jenny flashed through my mind, and I thought myself such a fool, capable of jealousy even in my time of death. Anger flared up inside me. Anger for Casimir, for myself, for the whole damn situation. The hate was so all-consuming that it rendered me completely restless. I pushed myself up on my elbows, watching the mouth of the cave slowly fill with boulders. Without thinking, I hurled myself at it, jumping through the tiny space left between the roof and the rubble.

I landed with an excruciating pang, right on top of more jagged rocks. They cut into my ribs, and I rolled over, looking ahead of me.

It was complete mayhem.

The Moroi stood huddled together, surrounded by a circle of guardians. Scattered everywhere were more guardians and Strigoi, each fighting with all they had. Casimir had a terrifying expression on his face, and he was using his telekinesis to rip the Strigoi to shreds; they simply imploded, or exploded, I couldn't see well enough to know which.

I had enough presence of mind left to wonder how the prisoners had fared. I hadn't seen them anywhere in the cave. I had to assume, I had to hope, that they'd rushed out into safety.

I remained on the ground, because as long as I was immobile, none of the Strigoi would think of me as a threat. I lifted my good arm, and with my teeth, worked the ring of my finger. I had more silver on me, but the ring was the strongest, and if I concentrated hard, I could summon the ghosts.

I was too weak to keep them away from me, but as long as they did what I wanted, I wouldn't mind them possessing me too.

Soon enough, I wasn't in the forest anymore. It was dark again, so dark I couldn't see. Hollow faces were all around me, their sockets devoid of eyes, their mouths open, swirling pits. They were gonna drag me under.

With the last of my strength, I whispered, 'Save my friends.' My voice was broken and faltering, but they got my meaning.

I was about ready to pass out now, but I wasn't so lucky.