The Journey (III)

Zeraph headed in first, then Zero, Bob, Alan, Jack, and Agnis, who was on lookout duty. Zeraph pulled out his lantern, and the dark tunnel became bright with light.

"Which way do we go from here?" asked Zero. He was waiting for Bob's answer.

"This way," Bob went left.

The dark, stale tunnel was not too wide nor tall. It was enough to fit three to four people across and was about ten feet high. Old lanterns dangled up overhead while wooden beams held up the walls. There were old tracks that led towards both directions, but no cart.

"It's so hard to breathe down here. How do you Dwarves do it?" Alan asked. He was uncomfortable being in enclosed spaces.

"We just deal with it. There's nothing special to it," said Jack. He hoisted his hammer over his shoulder like a sling. "It starts growing on you after a while, so it's not a big deal."

"I don't think I'll be able to stand being here," Alan replied. "Let's get out of here as quick as possible."

"I agree with Alan. It just feels too cramped in here," said Agnis. She, too, was not like being underground for too long.

Zero and his group made their way through the underground passage for hours without meeting any monsters. It was a clear shot until they started getting nearer to the exit.

"We're almost there. A good fifteen-minute walk, and we should arrive at our destination," Bob cheerfully replied. "We're lucky we haven't met any monsters in passing."

"Let's not jinx ourselves yet," said Zeraph. His hands were on the hilt of his blade, ready to use in seconds. "We are coming at the last stretch of the journey inside the tunnel. Didn't you state that it will be close to nightfall when we arrive at our destination?"

Bob slowly nodded, and his eyes widened as he understood what Zeraph meant. Even Agnis and Jack were starting to get their weapons out, ready to use at any moment. Zero couldn't help himself and started to take out his sword. Wherever these monsters were going to come from, there were only two directions: front and back.

Jack and Agnis turned around as they watched from the back, while Zeraph and Zero carefully watched the front. Alan and Bob were stuck in the middle, trying not to make a sound.

"Squeee." A sound that sounded like fingernails running down a chalkboard could get louder in the distance.

"Squeeeeeeee."

"What is that sound?" Jack replied, covering his ears in anguish. It was making him have a headache.

"I don't know, but it's coming from behind us." Zeraph whipped his head towards the direction from which the sound was coming.

"Run!" Agnis yelled. She saw what was heading towards them in the distance. It was a metal cart moving towards them at high speed.

"You're kidding me," Alan turned around with a worried face. He did not want to get flattened.

"Against the wall!" Zero quickly flattened himself. He knew he could not outrun it at the rate the cart was moving. So every single one of them flattened themselves as best as they could. Jack's belly slightly grazed the cart, making him sweat.

"What was that all about? Does that usually happen?" Alan pushed himself off the wall and asked Bob.

Bob shook his head, also lost at what just happened. "They are never on. This is the first time I saw the cart move like that."

"You're saying a ghost did that then?" Alan was not happy with almost being run over.

"G-g-host?" Jack stuttered. He was the type to be worried about ghosts.

Barking and growling sounds could be heard rushing towards them in the same directions as the metallic cart that passed by.

"It's the monsters! We need to hurry before they catch up to us." Bob was already sprinting ahead with his hands on his tattered hat.

Jack was already ahead of the crowd running toward the exit. Agnis, Alan, Zeraph, and Zero followed behind in a full sprint. They knew they needed to get out before they were swarmed by the monsters in the cave.

"Quickly!" Bob called behind him. "The exit is over there! We just need to cross the last hurdle!"

Zero noticed a sharp open drop where only a thin metal rail connected the entrance and the land they were on. Bob was already coming across, while Jack and Alan followed closely behind. Agnis made a sudden stopped as she looked over the edge. It was a fifty-foot drop into the darkness and a twenty-foot walk across the thin metal rail.

Zeraph was halfway moving across when he noticed Agnis not budging from the edge. "Agnis, what are you doing?" He called out towards her motioning her to step on the rail.

Agnis shook her head in fright and took a couple of steps backward.

"Come on, Agnis, we don't get all day!"

"I can't do it." She shook. "It's too high."

"Move!" Zero pushed her onto the track. She stumbled forward and fell on all fours. He could hear the monsters coming quickly from behind them. Already he thought he could see moving shapes in the darkness.

"Here, grab my hand." Zeraph held out his hands for Agnis to grab. But, instead, she shakily moved slowly ahead towards Zeraph.

"They're coming!" Zero yelled. He saw large wolf-like creatures with smooshed faces running at them at full speed. They had hardened skin that looked like rocks instead of fur and claws larger than a normal beast. Agnis looked back, and then she moved a little bit faster than before. "Move. Move. Move!"

"I can't. I'm scared." Agnis bawled out in fright.

"This is not the time to be scared. How were you so calm when you were fighting in high places with Lilith?"

"I was in the zone."

"Well, hurry up and get in it, or we'll be food instead." Zero had his back towards her, facing the monsters forward. Then, drawing out his Kamori, he stood ready for a life and death battle on the rail.

"The Boulderbeasts are here," gasped Bob. Alan, Jack, and he made it across safely and was shouting toward them. Alan pulled out his slings and put in a couple of large rocks. He aimed, ready to fire when he got the chance.

The first Boulderbeast rushed towards Zero; Zero slashed down at an angle, making the Boulderbeast falter onto the ground. He moved his sword as best as possible to keep them from coming forward. Because it was a thin rail, only one Boulderbeast could cross the bridge one at a time. This made it easier for Zero to defend, but he had to move backward, trying not to get thrown off by the Boulderbeast attacks.

Zeraph was busily picking them off with his bow and arrow as best as he could, while Agnis was inching her way towards the other side.

"Agnis! I need you to move faster!" Zero exclaimed while he was holding the Boulderbeast claws back with his sword. "I don't want to die yet!"

"I'm moving. I'm moving." Agnis tried her best not to look down. But, whenever she did, she would momentarily freeze from fright until Zeraph's voice snapped her out.

Zero could push back the Boulderbeast three-fourths of the way across the metal rail without falling. Until one of the Boulderbeast swiped him at an angle, he barely could defend. He fell backward onto his hand, the sword almost falling off the edge till he grabbed it just in time. With a howling rage, the Boulderbeast lunged towards Zero.

A rock whizzed past Zero's head and hit the Boulderbeast in the eye. This gave Zero enough time to stand up and kick the Boulderbeast hard on the chest. Then, with a roar, the Boulderbeast fell to the side and into the dark abyss. "Thanks, Alan. You saved me."

"No problem. Agnis is finally over. Hurry up and get across. Jack's going to throw in a bomb!" Alan called out towards him.

Zero understood and turned around towards where he needed to head. He sprinted forward to the best of his ability, running across the metal rail without falling over. When he passed the end of the rail, he saw the bomb flying over his head and towards the rail.

"Run!" Jack yelled. He lighted another bomb and threw it again. Zero doves and rolled towards his group.

A loud explosion could echo in the tunnel as it shook. The metal rail creaked and shattered from the impact. Twenty Boulderbeast fell into the abyss when the metal rail collapsed. The rest could not cross over and instead barked and growled at them in frustration.

"We might need to find another way back across," said Zeraph. He helped Zero up.

"Yea. We made it out alive. For now." Zero sighed. Their journey was just beginning, and they already had a tango with death again.

"Young dragon. It's over here." Bob excitedly called out. He was peeking through the cave's exit, waving them towards him.

"Well, shall we?"

"Sure."

Zero's group headed out into the dark night.

#####

Russ walked back and forth in the waiting room. It was already midnight as the candlelights flickered softly around the room. He was anxious to start his new job as a secretary to the Prince. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance for him, and he did not want to screw up. Plans were already in motion on what he needed to do to get what he wanted. There was only one goal. Lilac.

He would beat Ten in his own game and be next to her. That was what he had decided since the first time he saw Lilac. He dreamed about her and fantasized about being next to her.

The door opened, and the Prince entered the room by himself. He walked over, sat down on a chair with a loud flop, and rested his arms on the table.

"Sire. Was everything alright?" Russ asked. He wondered if something was wrong; he especially noticed the gloomy air around the Prince.

The Prince angrily retorted, "I can't believe what my father has agreed to do. It's a complete outrage to allow a commoner to have the rights to the Royal Library. Can you believe that? Just because our ancestors had a contract with this so-called Drezo Regalia, we must give up our most precious knowledge base in history. The sheer amount of loss to the kingdom and setbacks is something that the father doesn't understand at all. Even the name is switched over to Draconis Library. What sense does that make?" He nodded in disapproval while his hands slicked back his hair.

The Prince banged his fist into the table, startling Russ. "If I knew any better, my father has gone senile with old age. His time to rule has deteriorated, and since the new queen's marriage, all he thinks about is her. He does not care about his people and spends money like water."

"If I may speak, sire." Russ softly spoke, trying not to catch the butt end of the Prince's wrath.

"Go ahead." The Prince waved his hand, allowing him to speak.

Russ cleared his throat and stepped closer to the Prince. He did not want anyone else to hear what he had to say. "If you don't mind if I come closer. I do not want to pry ears to hear what I have to say."

"Go ahead."

Russ leaned over and whispered into the Prince's ear.

"You don't say." The Prince slowly nodded in understanding of what Russ was saying. "That could actually work." He smiled, deviously grinning. "We'll have back our Royal Library from this commoner. Send out the messengers secretly. We'll initiate the plan now." He bolted up from the chair, almost knocking Russ in the face.

The Prince rushed out the door, his passion in full throttle, to return to the Royal Library. Russ smiled. His position was securely assured. He now knew that he could persuade the Prince.