Dawn of Arcane Destiny

Chapter Seventy

Drayce didn’t start to worry until rocks began to fall from the ceiling.

“I’m twenty and too old for this.” Drayce said under his breath. The dais was almost completely sunk. Drayce stood on the very top. He looked terrified at Lillia who was clutching the doorway. Should he jump? He had not choice. Hopefully, he wouldn’t impale himself with the Sword on the way down.

He jumped as hard as he could throwing out an energy surge as bug as he dare manage. Drayce was flung forward. He collided with Lillia. He was forced to throw his sword to the side, as to not kill them both. Drayce immediately shot to his feet, pulling Lillia to her feet. He scooped up the Sword and grabbed Lillia by the arm.

“Come on we have to go now!” Drayce yelled to be heard over the rumbling. Lillia nodded mutely running forward and towing him along.

The sword chamber had collapsed, and the ceiling in the chamber beyond started caving in. Oh Non, the door! The door they had come through had closed. Drayce desperately tried the handle, yanking as hard as he could. It didn’t budge just like before. He slammed his shoulder against it, but it was far too heavy. The shaking was getting more intense. The earthquake was vigorous enough that Drayce found it difficult to keep his balance.

He looked wildly at Lillia. “Say the words! The ones you said outside!”

She bit her lip, her eyes wide. “I—uh… ” She stuttered.

“Now, Lillia!” Drayce yelled. He dodged a significantly sized rock, before it hit him in the head. In a matter of moments, they would be dead along with all the other skeletons in this cave. Rocks fell all around them. The cave was now half-way collapsed. Drayce’s heartbeat painfully, he would say the words himself if he could pronounce them.

Lillia looked behind her and turned sharply, her eyes full of fear. Drayce wanted to shake her but knew it would do no good. The cave was crumbling all around them. Death was so close. All she had to say was the words!

“Gu teth wyxter yustzn u oris!” She screamed at the door. Drayce felt power leave him instantly. 

The cave collapsed on top of them.

***

Zraa stumbled to her feet grabbing at the cave wall, her golden blood smearing. She looked murderous. Caelum wasn’t sure if she could speed heal, but she seemed hardly fazed, other than of course, Caelum had blinded her. That would jam a stick in the gears of her malicious plan.

Caelum leaned against the opposite wall, trying not to make any noise, assessing his injuries. The burning had stopped, thank Non. But the damage was done. In most places he only looked red, like a sunburn, but the blistered spots hurt fiercely. Then of course there was his face. Oh, Non his face! He couldn’t see it, but the entire left cheek was numb. Caelum didn’t know much about medicine, but he knew a numb burn was not good, nor could be fixed easily. He was pretty sure he made Lillia’s burns a few month ago, look like a walk in the park.

“Time’s up.” Zraa hissed. She looked around hungerly. “No Sword, pity.” She cackled as if she had just made a hilarious joke.

That has to be the third time she’s mentioned the Sword. Caelum thought. She’d really wanted Drayce and Lillia to get the Sword of Amasar. Why? Then it clicked. Caelum clenched his knife harder. That little temptress! Those “ancient laws” were a bunch of hooey. She couldn’t get the Sword herself because she was the guardian. She needed someone else to get it. She would kill them and then give it to Keir.