Hidden Before Their Eyes

Chapter 16: Tower of Allanie

The giants continue to slam their fists into the rock as I start giving what information I can to the others. "Codra use fire, it makes them fragile, everyone else bash into them. Aim for their heads if you can, if not go for the legs, taking them out leaves us at an advantage. You probably all figured this out but they use fists, and the occasional head, to attack. They should not have any magic that is harming. Also be careful, when they die they disintegrate into sand."

Once more hit and we are showered in small rock shrapnel, the rock face crumbling into huge boulders. The giants start tossing the boulders to the side and Pavlios and Cora take the initiative to pounce towards them, dealing the first blows. Meanwhile Codra starts up another spell while Dracix and I get ready to attack the giants as soon as they come within reach.

Cora and Pavlios slowly lose ground to the giants as blows are traded. Thinking quickly I say, "Dracix help them, I will protect Codra."

Dracix advances carefully taking his time such that he can get into the optimum position to back the others. Soon the giants are within my range and I lunge forward, stabbing through the first giant's torso. The other three focus the other giant as I attempt to pull my sword from the quickly disintegrating corpse. As soon as the giant is fully sand his form collapses to the ground, rendering the cave floor a sea of sand.

Behind me Codra finishes up her spell and the other giant bursts into flame, their body crystalizing under the intense heat. Once the flames retreat the other three smash it to pieces.

As we are catching our breaths I say, "We need to move quickly, we lost a lot of time to those giants."

The others nod and we set a quick pace towards the tower once more. It is nearing dawn by the time we catch sight of the tower once more. Everyone on high alert for any more ambushes, we head to the tower. Our eyes all sweeping across the vast dunes of sand and boulders of all sizes and shapes.

When we reach the tower it is much taller than I originally had assumed. It reaches for the sky, story upon story stacked upon each other. Somehow it does not particularly show any damage from wind crashing the sand into the side of the base. Where one would expect wear and tear from the environment, instead is a smooth and untarnished surface of sandstone. The doors at the base of the tower are intimidating in the way that they are engraved, with no noticeable way to open them.

"So how do we get in?" Dracix wonders out loud.

"I'll take a look at it," Codra speaks up.

Codra lightly places her hands on the doors and closes her eyes. She delivers a short chant to cast her magic. Then suddenly she is pushed back from the doors, sending her sprawling to the ground. She jumps up quickly and says, "That's one hell of a seal."

I open up the file of information that I have and begin to look through it for instructions on how we can release the seal and open the doors. What I find is concerning to say the least. I pinch the bridge of my nose and let out a long sigh. I walk towards the doors and on the way slip the knife from Dracix's belt. Once up to the doors I take the blade of the knife in my hand and then slice it, pulling the knife away. I double check the instructions and then I paint a rough circle with my blood and evenly split between the two doors as possible. I toss Dracix his knife then push the doors open.

"How did you know that would work?" Codra asks.

Before I can answer her Dracix interrupts, exclaiming, "Who the hell just throws a knife at a person?"

I roll my eyes and answer them both, "One I knew you would catch it Mr. Heir, two I read the instructions."

"What?" Dracix asks, narrowing his eyes at me.