Jigoku: The Unknown World

Chapter Four - Awakening

"Ja-pan" The word slipped out of my mouth as my sense started coming back to me. Opening my eyes all I could see was smoke and dust, and Azala rushing towards me.

"Shin, are you ok?"

"I... Think so"

"Thank goodness! It looks like everyone survived, though Kilik was hurt pretty bad, Hima is healing him now." Azala grabbed my arm and helped me to my feet.

"Where are we?"

"Someplace we don't wanna be man, looks like the bosses chamber." The room was dark and damp. there was a few torches on the walls providing just enough light to dimly see everything. There was a staircase leading up behind us, and a large thrown against the wall opposite. We were in the center of the room.

"What kind of monster do you think sits in that thing?"

"Something with a high level, and a little more brains than its minions no doubt."

"Can a monster really be smart enough to have its own throne?"

"It sure looks that way. If I had to make the assumption i'd say these monsters have lived down here far longer than we've been alive, and we've just fallen right into the heart of their den."

"But isn't this dungeon made by humans?"

"Yes, but we can't let that rule out the fact that monsters have without a doubt moved in."

"Wait, do you hear that?"

"What's that light?" Loud and ominous sounds came from the staircase, surrounded by a screeching that sent shivers down my spine. Then, just as I was finishing imagining the most horrid creatures I could, my thoughts came to life. Out came an infinite number of bats as well as skeletons. There had to be hundreds upon hundreds of them as they circled around us, trapping us in the center of the room with no way out.

"Crap, looks like we need some more fireballs Shin!" Just then with earth shattering booms, the leader came into view. It was none other than a four story high lich with a humongous ax, and it was on fire.

"My fireballs wouldn't effect these guys, they're already on fire!"

"Crap, then what are we supposed to do?!"

"I don't know, but we need to think of something quick!"

"Then think fast." Kilik had equipped his daggers and lunged at a skeleton, killing it instantly. "They're coming!" They all rushed at once almost as if in sync. We all prepared for the worst as we fought back. Skeletons were swinging and shooting and hammering us left and right. Tension began to rise as I could see my health bar wasn't the only one starting to decline rapidly. I dodged a swift swipe of a  skeletons' short sword from my left, and countered with a jab from the spike on the tip of my halberd. The skeleton howled but only for a second as I remembered I was a good amount of level behind these things. Just as another lunged right for me sword aimed right at my face Shank jumped in and clobbered the monster right in the face, defeating it.

"You gotta stop getting into fights with higher level monsters man, or pretty soon you won't get so lucky." We both smirked but the moment didn't last for the lead skeleton started talking!

"You humans have no idea what you're in for! Acil, Lord of the Skull with show you what happens when you enter his lair!" Acil swiped the gigantic ax he was wielding, which made contact with Azala and sent her flying straight into the wall.

"Azala!"

"I'm fine! just be careful, they're attacking again!" Sure enough as Azala was getting back up all of the nearest skeletons charged once again all at once. We fought hard to keep them back but even Shank was now breathing heavily, clearly exhausted. As I wiped sweat from my eyes I sliced hard on a skeleton that was going for Hima. As I hit it Hima smashed its head with her staff,  killing it with our combined attack.