06-25-2009, 05:19 AM
1)
"Touch nothing," Marcus ordered.
Daniel nodded and hazarded a glance at the crimson glop dripping from the chair and pooling on the floor. There were pieces of blood-soaked clothing mixed with the gore that looked vaguely like those that belonged to Tiberius.
Used to belong to Tiberius he corrected himself. The old man's time had ended in a very final way.
He clamped his teeth shut, trying not to retch. "What.." he started to ask, but the iron tang of blood was so thick in the air, it assaulted his senses with every breath.
"I don't know," Marcus answered quietly. "Whatever it was, it was powerful."
"Serves the little fool right," sneered Robin. She jerked herself from Daniel's protective embrace. "He should know not to mess with the affairs of his betters."
She turned and focused her gaze on Marcus. "Would you care to learn the same lesson, Guardian? Or perhaps the boy? If not, then give me the ring and the notes, and you may leave this place."
Marcus folded his arms. "Daniel?"
"Mmm?"
"I think I prefer your friend's company to her unwelcome houseguest."
There was a cruel laugh. "That child, she could not bear the sight of blood. Now, your answer."
Marcus gave a small snort. "Come on Balthus, you worse liar than Daniel. Both of us know you'd just as soon do the same thing to us as you did to Tiberius no matter what we decide."
"So be it then," a cruel smile spread across Robin's face. One hand raised and seemed to glow with a pale yet sinister orange light. Then, suddenly, the hand spasmed into a fist and with that the glow vanished.
"You were right Danny," said Robin with her own words, "we should have gone home."
Daniel smiled. "Next time you'll listen to me, right?"
She flashed him that mischievous smile he'd grown to know over the years. "We'll see."
"All well and good, but for that, we need to be sure there is a next time," interrupted Marcus. "And for that, we need to get out of here in one solid piece." He began to study the room as he continued speaking. "Know where he hid his traps, lass?"
Robin shook her head. "He's trying to hide more things from me now that he's weakened, but... I think the seal on the notes is trapped."
"Wonderful." Marcus sighed. Trapped in a room that smelled like a slaughter house and looked worse and could probably kill you just by touching the bric-a-brak. The girl might be the best to search - would Balthus allow her to die while he was inside? Marcus wasn't sure he wanted to take that risk.
He continued to study the room. The place seemed oddly untouched by time, which was worrisome. Everything was very neatly kept, except for a pile near the door that looked like his armor and other missing things. Which was probably trapped too.
Something bothered him. Where was Balthus' black crystal?
"Touch nothing," Marcus ordered.
Daniel nodded and hazarded a glance at the crimson glop dripping from the chair and pooling on the floor. There were pieces of blood-soaked clothing mixed with the gore that looked vaguely like those that belonged to Tiberius.
Used to belong to Tiberius he corrected himself. The old man's time had ended in a very final way.
He clamped his teeth shut, trying not to retch. "What.." he started to ask, but the iron tang of blood was so thick in the air, it assaulted his senses with every breath.
"I don't know," Marcus answered quietly. "Whatever it was, it was powerful."
"Serves the little fool right," sneered Robin. She jerked herself from Daniel's protective embrace. "He should know not to mess with the affairs of his betters."
She turned and focused her gaze on Marcus. "Would you care to learn the same lesson, Guardian? Or perhaps the boy? If not, then give me the ring and the notes, and you may leave this place."
Marcus folded his arms. "Daniel?"
"Mmm?"
"I think I prefer your friend's company to her unwelcome houseguest."
There was a cruel laugh. "That child, she could not bear the sight of blood. Now, your answer."
Marcus gave a small snort. "Come on Balthus, you worse liar than Daniel. Both of us know you'd just as soon do the same thing to us as you did to Tiberius no matter what we decide."
"So be it then," a cruel smile spread across Robin's face. One hand raised and seemed to glow with a pale yet sinister orange light. Then, suddenly, the hand spasmed into a fist and with that the glow vanished.
"You were right Danny," said Robin with her own words, "we should have gone home."
Daniel smiled. "Next time you'll listen to me, right?"
She flashed him that mischievous smile he'd grown to know over the years. "We'll see."
"All well and good, but for that, we need to be sure there is a next time," interrupted Marcus. "And for that, we need to get out of here in one solid piece." He began to study the room as he continued speaking. "Know where he hid his traps, lass?"
Robin shook her head. "He's trying to hide more things from me now that he's weakened, but... I think the seal on the notes is trapped."
"Wonderful." Marcus sighed. Trapped in a room that smelled like a slaughter house and looked worse and could probably kill you just by touching the bric-a-brak. The girl might be the best to search - would Balthus allow her to die while he was inside? Marcus wasn't sure he wanted to take that risk.
He continued to study the room. The place seemed oddly untouched by time, which was worrisome. Everything was very neatly kept, except for a pile near the door that looked like his armor and other missing things. Which was probably trapped too.
Something bothered him. Where was Balthus' black crystal?