Post by Argoth/Maximus on Sept 26, 2018 14:25:32 GMT -6
Nym sprinted down a long, haunting underground corridor. There were no lights in these halls, so in order to see, he had produced a small but luminous flame in his unoccupied right hand. In his left, he held an ancient looking book. He hadn't gotten much time to admire it after he took it because, as is typically the case after stealing from a high wizard, it was heavily booby trapped. Behind him came the hurried scrapes of bone on stone; it echoed eerily through the long, dark catacombs. Every now and again he'd pass intersections of branching off corridors. The hallowed sound of those scrapes could be heard from them as well. Sweat was now running down his already beaded forehead. If they cut him off before he reached the exit, he was a goner. Nym gritted his teeth and poured on some more speed.
About thirty seconds of heavy sprinting began to take its toll on Nym, and still there was no indication of an exit. He was sure he had gone the correct direction. Gah! he thought, furious, if only I had time to stop and check the map! Then I could be certain I went the proper direction!
His pace began to slow. The path he was on seemed to stretch forever. Before, when he had used the map to gain access to the old wizard's tomb, this corridor had to have been the one he took. But was it this godforsaken long? He couldn't remember. Nym was typically level headed, cool in the face of danger, but now his heart began to beat faster from uncertainty. His greatest nemesis.
The horrifying sounds of bony bodies colliding with the stone floor and walls was inching closer now, and Nym chanced a looked over his shoulder. They were maybe thirty feet behind him now; a never ending sea of glowing red eyes in the dark. Nym swore under his breath and continued his labored pace. Every new intersection he passed planted another seed of doubt in his mind. Should I turn? Where is the end to this corridor! It hasn't changed direction at all since I began running down it!
Then, as if the goddesses heard his frantic thoughts, the floor began to incline. A wave of relief and giddiness washed over Nym. He was on the right path. Up ahead the corridor turned to the right and continued its incline. This is it! Not far after that turn!
He rounded the corner faster than he meant to and his momentum carried him into the far wall. Pain shot through his shoulder and he hugged the book tight to his side so he wouldn't drop it. Far in the distance a pinprick of light indicated his salvation. Nym was so preoccupied with the elation of seeing the exit, that he failed to notice that his pursuers were now a mere fifteen feet away. Seeing the exit, however, proved to be an instant motivator, and a final spur of adrenaline allowed him to keep pace with his pursuers for the majority of his escape.
But on the last twenty five feet a heart stopping shadow stepped in front of the entrance, which was now a door sized hole of light. Nym cursed again, but trudged forward. He would not be deterred! The exit was so close he could smell the open air.
Whatever was blocking the entrance was as big (if not bigger) than the door itself. Nym closed his eyes momentarily, focusing on the fire spell in right hand. The flame grew, engulfing his entire hand. The exit was now a mere ten feet away, and he opened his now glowing sapphire eyes, cast out his flaming hand and shouted, "Nara Sur!"
A cone of flame rocketed from his out outstretched palm. In the light of his attack, Nym could see what was blocking the exit. It was Captain Keeta, the Ikanian General for the old royal family turned stalchild. The wall of flame slammed into the enormous skeleton directly in the midsection. It blew him through the door and out into the sun, where he promptly disintegrated into dust.
"Yes!!" Nym shouted in triumph. But his victory was short lived. As he exited the door, the warm sun and cool breeze welcoming him like the arms of a loving mother, several bony hands clamped down on the tail of his cloak. The hem of the cloak tightened savagely around his adams apple and his feet came out from under him. In another moment he hit the ground, flat on his back. The adrenaline hushed the pain for now, and Nym was thankful for that later. The book he had stolen tumbled forward onto the lush, well manicured lawn. At least that was safe.
Slowly, the stalchildren of Ikana Graveyard began dragging him back into the catacombs. Panic coursed through his veins like liquid nitrogen. With both hands he frantically unclasped the broach connecting his cloak around his neck. It was ripped into the darkness behind him, and he was free. For several heart pounding moments Nym lay at the mouth of the catacombs, breathing heavy and closing his eyes.
I Made it.
About thirty seconds of heavy sprinting began to take its toll on Nym, and still there was no indication of an exit. He was sure he had gone the correct direction. Gah! he thought, furious, if only I had time to stop and check the map! Then I could be certain I went the proper direction!
His pace began to slow. The path he was on seemed to stretch forever. Before, when he had used the map to gain access to the old wizard's tomb, this corridor had to have been the one he took. But was it this godforsaken long? He couldn't remember. Nym was typically level headed, cool in the face of danger, but now his heart began to beat faster from uncertainty. His greatest nemesis.
The horrifying sounds of bony bodies colliding with the stone floor and walls was inching closer now, and Nym chanced a looked over his shoulder. They were maybe thirty feet behind him now; a never ending sea of glowing red eyes in the dark. Nym swore under his breath and continued his labored pace. Every new intersection he passed planted another seed of doubt in his mind. Should I turn? Where is the end to this corridor! It hasn't changed direction at all since I began running down it!
Then, as if the goddesses heard his frantic thoughts, the floor began to incline. A wave of relief and giddiness washed over Nym. He was on the right path. Up ahead the corridor turned to the right and continued its incline. This is it! Not far after that turn!
He rounded the corner faster than he meant to and his momentum carried him into the far wall. Pain shot through his shoulder and he hugged the book tight to his side so he wouldn't drop it. Far in the distance a pinprick of light indicated his salvation. Nym was so preoccupied with the elation of seeing the exit, that he failed to notice that his pursuers were now a mere fifteen feet away. Seeing the exit, however, proved to be an instant motivator, and a final spur of adrenaline allowed him to keep pace with his pursuers for the majority of his escape.
But on the last twenty five feet a heart stopping shadow stepped in front of the entrance, which was now a door sized hole of light. Nym cursed again, but trudged forward. He would not be deterred! The exit was so close he could smell the open air.
Whatever was blocking the entrance was as big (if not bigger) than the door itself. Nym closed his eyes momentarily, focusing on the fire spell in right hand. The flame grew, engulfing his entire hand. The exit was now a mere ten feet away, and he opened his now glowing sapphire eyes, cast out his flaming hand and shouted, "Nara Sur!"
A cone of flame rocketed from his out outstretched palm. In the light of his attack, Nym could see what was blocking the exit. It was Captain Keeta, the Ikanian General for the old royal family turned stalchild. The wall of flame slammed into the enormous skeleton directly in the midsection. It blew him through the door and out into the sun, where he promptly disintegrated into dust.
"Yes!!" Nym shouted in triumph. But his victory was short lived. As he exited the door, the warm sun and cool breeze welcoming him like the arms of a loving mother, several bony hands clamped down on the tail of his cloak. The hem of the cloak tightened savagely around his adams apple and his feet came out from under him. In another moment he hit the ground, flat on his back. The adrenaline hushed the pain for now, and Nym was thankful for that later. The book he had stolen tumbled forward onto the lush, well manicured lawn. At least that was safe.
Slowly, the stalchildren of Ikana Graveyard began dragging him back into the catacombs. Panic coursed through his veins like liquid nitrogen. With both hands he frantically unclasped the broach connecting his cloak around his neck. It was ripped into the darkness behind him, and he was free. For several heart pounding moments Nym lay at the mouth of the catacombs, breathing heavy and closing his eyes.
I Made it.