06-25-2009, 05:05 AM
1)
Tiberius threw up his hands, trying to protect himself as the crystalline creature swung. The old man was lifted off his feet and slung across the cavern floor where he slid to a stop, blood oozing from slashes across his chest and belly, and did not move.
However, the attack left the Xanthum wide open, and Daniel made good use of this chance. He snatched up the spear and drove the point into the brittle crystal of the creature's body. The point broke deep into the torso, sending myriads of cracks through its frame. The monster flailed its remaining arm at Daniel who somehow managed to dodge and yet keep hold of the spear.
He heard a CRACK near his legs and saw another crossbow bolt had shattered the Xanthum's right leg. He braced himself as the creature began to tip and drove the spear in harder, widening the cracks.
Marcus and Daniel watched as the Xanthum slowly fell like a small mountain and shatter into bits.
Their victory was short lived unfortunately. Without warning, an unseen force caught the two up and smashed them against the crystal walls.
A figure emerged from the corridor. A female in guard's armor and an evil smirk.
"And so, it ends for you Guardian Marcus," Balthus-in-Robin spoke coldly. "Your pitiful crusade fails. How does it feel?"
Marcus clamped his jaw shut, biting back the retort that burned inside his aching lungs.
"The thought of making you suffer appeals to me," Balthus continued. "And there are many ways to do that, so many ways. In fact, I don't even have to touch you to make you suffer."
Balthus strode over to Daniel. "All I have to do is kill this useless reminder of things lost, and I can do more than pain than a thousand lashes."
"NO!" Marcus gasped out. He tried to pull free, but the force crushed in on him harder.
Balthus-in-Robin ignored the captive guardian, drawing a wicked-looking knife as he approached the pinned half elf.
Defiantly, Daniel met the eyes that used to belong to his best friend. Robin, I know you're still there, he thought as hard as he could, Fight him! Don't let him do this! You can beat him!
Balthus drew closer, the knife ready to stab at Daniel's heart. He reached out with Robin's hands, roughly grabbed Daniel by the shirtfront, dragged him forward...
And kissed him.
Long and hard.
The spell holding him dropped so suddenly, Marcus nearly fell over. He regained his footing in time to see Daniel and Robin (and it had to be Robin) still locked in a passionate kiss. The knife fell from Robin's hand and clattered to the floor, completely forgotten.
"Well," murmured Marcus with a bit of a smile, "I'll be damned. The boy was right."
He knew this was only a momentary reprieve. Balthus wouldn't give up easily. There had to be something they could do before Balthus' spirit could reassert control.
Still, no sense in interrupting yet.
Tiberius threw up his hands, trying to protect himself as the crystalline creature swung. The old man was lifted off his feet and slung across the cavern floor where he slid to a stop, blood oozing from slashes across his chest and belly, and did not move.
However, the attack left the Xanthum wide open, and Daniel made good use of this chance. He snatched up the spear and drove the point into the brittle crystal of the creature's body. The point broke deep into the torso, sending myriads of cracks through its frame. The monster flailed its remaining arm at Daniel who somehow managed to dodge and yet keep hold of the spear.
He heard a CRACK near his legs and saw another crossbow bolt had shattered the Xanthum's right leg. He braced himself as the creature began to tip and drove the spear in harder, widening the cracks.
Marcus and Daniel watched as the Xanthum slowly fell like a small mountain and shatter into bits.
Their victory was short lived unfortunately. Without warning, an unseen force caught the two up and smashed them against the crystal walls.
A figure emerged from the corridor. A female in guard's armor and an evil smirk.
"And so, it ends for you Guardian Marcus," Balthus-in-Robin spoke coldly. "Your pitiful crusade fails. How does it feel?"
Marcus clamped his jaw shut, biting back the retort that burned inside his aching lungs.
"The thought of making you suffer appeals to me," Balthus continued. "And there are many ways to do that, so many ways. In fact, I don't even have to touch you to make you suffer."
Balthus strode over to Daniel. "All I have to do is kill this useless reminder of things lost, and I can do more than pain than a thousand lashes."
"NO!" Marcus gasped out. He tried to pull free, but the force crushed in on him harder.
Balthus-in-Robin ignored the captive guardian, drawing a wicked-looking knife as he approached the pinned half elf.
Defiantly, Daniel met the eyes that used to belong to his best friend. Robin, I know you're still there, he thought as hard as he could, Fight him! Don't let him do this! You can beat him!
Balthus drew closer, the knife ready to stab at Daniel's heart. He reached out with Robin's hands, roughly grabbed Daniel by the shirtfront, dragged him forward...
And kissed him.
Long and hard.
The spell holding him dropped so suddenly, Marcus nearly fell over. He regained his footing in time to see Daniel and Robin (and it had to be Robin) still locked in a passionate kiss. The knife fell from Robin's hand and clattered to the floor, completely forgotten.
"Well," murmured Marcus with a bit of a smile, "I'll be damned. The boy was right."
He knew this was only a momentary reprieve. Balthus wouldn't give up easily. There had to be something they could do before Balthus' spirit could reassert control.
Still, no sense in interrupting yet.