The Orcus Games: Mistress V (Book 2 in The Orcus Games Trilogy) - COMPLETE

CHAPTER THREE - PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1 (Part 1)

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CHAPTER THREE - PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1

(Part One)

Sat back waiting for the action to start, I reclined in my oversized throne and ordered one of the runners to get me a snack from Dr. Chronos. ‘Some elf ears would do nicely!’ I demanded to a shaky worker. He did as I asked and ran to get the treats.

‘Why do you look so pleased with yourself?’ Darcy asked, pulling up a seat next to me.

‘Just watch and you’ll see,’ I replied. He looked at me puzzled.

The runner came racing back with the elf nibbles and we focused on the screen. ‘They’re doing well. I think they’ll all make it to the ChandraZone,’ Darcy commented. I looked at him supremely and shook my head.

As the famous four sprinted across the screen, I allowed Darcy into my secret: ‘Unfortunately, only three of them will make it through. Our little princess, Luan, will be saying her goodbyes in this section,’ I laughed.

He stared at me, gobsmacked at this revelation. ‘What did you do?’ he gasped. I merely chuckled with pleasure and pointed to the screen. He looked back at me with disdain as he replied, ‘I hope this vampire is worth all of your efforts. What’s to say he isn’t going to dump you as soon as he escapes?’

Before I could reply, the conversation stopped and we looked at the arena screen. Aries clapped furiously, with which he announced a new obstacle to the eager audience. ‘I think we need to introduce something to slow down the fantastic four… introducing the Malum! Straight from the pits of hell, once this beast catches its prey, it will pull it inside out to consume the organs first!’

The audience gasped in horror as this demon made its appearance on the screen. Trapped in a spellbound cage, the small, agile phantom darted across the screen, frantically waiting for its release. Everyone observed its ghost-like appearance with trepidation. ‘The Malum is created from all the evil souls in hell. It absorbs all dark auras and evil deeds, which enhance its poisonous nature. With the ability to enter other beings’ bodies, this creature can take over both powers and mind. One of the most destructive creatures ever to come from the Underworld, only one being has ever escaped its clutches!’ Aries declared to a stunned stadium.

The audience remained silent as one of the workers went to unleash the phantom from its cage. Protected by a specialist suit, he unlocked the latch and ran back to the studio quickly, watching the Malum’s violent escape from a safe distance. It flew into the distance, relieved at its freedom, and then stopped.

We all moved closer to the floating screens to get a better view in the office. ‘What’s it doing?’ one of the workers asked as we all looked confused.

‘I think it’s sniffing out its prey,’ Darcy confirmed as the demon seemingly identified its target and shot off to the left.

The excitement was bubbling inside me, and I wasn’t sure if I could contain it any longer. ‘Why is it taking so long to get to them?’ I groaned as Darcy tutted at my impatience, knowing the real reason for my keenness.

Within that instant, all the screens went black and faded up onto an image of Aries.

There was a deadly silence in every arena. He read the death count slowly. ‘Maybe the Malum wasn’t needed after all…’ Darcy read my mind, as I wondered if Ardan was on the list.

‘Shhh!’ I growled as I listened to Aries keenly.

The announcement reached its end and the office sighed with relief - the images had appeared back on screen and we were once again viewing the Malum attacking the group of four. It swooped and snapped as it tried to grab its prey. ‘Not Ardan!’ I squealed. Luan jumped in front, to protect him.

Heather and Phoenix chanted numerous spells, but nothing seemed to affect this demon’s attack. ‘Create a tornado!’ Phoenix shouted as he lured the monster to an open space and hid in a hollow tree trunk.

Heather came out of hiding and started chanting: ‘Invisible beast you are no threat to me. Take your anger and let it decease. Let the sky send you high, away from this site, leave us contestants to bid you goodbye.’ She held her arms up to the sky, generating an electric charge above her head.

Ardan and Luan looked on in amazement as the Malum fought to attach the electric witch with disastrous results. It was given an electric shock each time it tried to penetrate the charged cocoon she had formed around herself. Her skin started to crawl as the electric coursed through her like the blood in her veins.

Becoming more annoyed with each failed attempt, the Malum accelerated and tried once more to get to Heather, but nothing seemed to work.

Just as it was about to retreat and concentrate on Phoenix, it became distracted by a shadow in the distance. Swirling, gaining in momentum, was a black mass, growing in height by the minute. ‘She’s doing it…’ Luan whispered to a startled Ardan.

Heather’s eyes turned black and the electricity flowing through her veins became sparks, which flew from her fingertips and mouth.

The Malum flew away from her and took on Phoenix instead. ‘CONSUME IT!’ Heather cried. The swirling black mass pulled everything around into its gloomy vortex. It ripped the trees from their roots, absorbing any evidence of their existence.

‘HELP!’ Luan shrieked as she held onto Ardan’s arm; they struggled to hold to the tree.

Heather maintained her gaze on the Malum; she waved one hand to the windswept vampires and threw them to the top of the tree, casting a protective electrical barrier around them. Meanwhile, the Malum began to fly around in an erratic manner, trying to avoid the pull of the tornado, but it was too late.

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