Eight of Hearts: The Rift Blade - Book 1

Chapter 10

A sudden shockwave knocked James and Tobias backwards as a massive skeletal beast crashed to the ground in front of them. It reared back on its hind legs, roaring angrily down at them. It towered over them, easily over twenty feet tall. Its front feet had long, clawed digits that grasped wildly at the air. Two horns were mounted on the front of its skull, and its empty eye sockets glowed red, completing the terrifying manifestation of destruction.

"Oh," was all Tobias could manage.

"Final boss?" James asked, giving a forced grin.

Tobias felt calm with his friend nearby. "Think we can take it?" he replied as he tried to match James's humor.

James stood stiffly and helped Tobias to his feet as well. "Depends," he answered. "What level are you?"

Tobias shrugged. "Maybe two?" he said.

"Oh sure, shouldn't be a problem then," James answered. He raised his sword overhead to challenge the beast, but a swift snap of its jaws shattered his sword completely.

They stepped back quickly, and James tossed aside the useless weapon.

"Well, did you at least save our progress before we started this fight?" James asked.

"Nope," Tobias answered.

"Well, poop. Maybe it can be reasoned with?" he asked, hopeful.

"Negotiations broke down a long time ago," Tobias said, still backing away from the beast. The other undead seemed to be just as afraid of the behemoth as they were, clearing away plenty of room as the giant began stalking towards them.

"Maybe we can run?" James said out of the corner of his mouth.

The beast's claw whipped out suddenly, catching them both off guard. James was snatched before he could move, leaving Tobias to watch helplessly as the creature held him aloft.

"Maybe I can run!" Tobias said. He turned, but tripped under the weight of his armor. In a flash, he too was snatched up by the undead behemoth. The pair hung helpless in its iron grip as it roared out again in rage.

"Wow, we really screwed up that quick-time event," James remarked.

Tobias looked over at his friend, dangling helpless from the behemoth's claw, same as he was. He was amazed at his calm composure in their desperate position. "You are having way too much fun dying," he said. He tried pulling at the bony fingers that held him, but was unable to budge them.

The creature reared back suddenly, and launched Tobias through the air towards a nearby hill. James was next, flung straight up with enough force to knock the wind from him.

Tobias braced himself for an impact that never came. Instead, he passed through the ground, coming to a halt as though he'd hit a wall of cotton just beneath the surface. Carefully, he stood up and looked around. The terrain under the terrain was like a meadow, abundant with life and greenery. He could still see the original desert terrain just above his head, though it was translucent.

The beast was still on the desert terrain nearby, though it seemed unable to reach the grassy terrain below. For the moment, Tobias was safe, but he could see James was standing on an invisible platform above the creature.

"For Tobias!" James yelled, leaping at the beast. He severed the head from its shoulders with a well timed kick to its neck, and hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop on his back close to where Tobias was hidden. James, it seemed, couldn't pass through the desert terrain like Tobias could.

The beast seemed undeterred by the loss of its head, and reared back to strike at James as he lay stunned on the ground.

"Darn, that usually works," James groaned. "I'm gonna miss living the most."