06-25-2009, 05:17 AM
3)
Balthus' mocking laughter abruptly ceased. That's right, he thought. But if Tiberius touched the wrong thing...hehe. Could he afford to take that chance, though? What if Tiberius managed to find his records, before the room destroyed him? "I'll tell you what," Balthus said slyly, "I'll get the two of you into that room, if you'll give me back that ring you're carrying, Marcus."
"Not a chance!" Daniel exclaimed. "As long as you don't have that ring, your control over Robin is minimal. If we give it back--"
"Daniel." Marcus interrupted. "If we don't, we won't be able to get past that seal on our own. Balthus, get us inside, and you have your deal."
Daniel clenched his fists, and though his mind protested, he realized that this might be their best chance. "Fine." He growled. "If this is a trick, Balthus, I'll find some way to make you pay."
Balthus smiled to himself. You won't live long enough for that, elf whelp. Balthus waved his hand over the seal, and it vanished. "It's safe to enter now." He told them. He opened the door, and stepped inside. Marcus and Daniel cautiously followed.
"Give me the ring." Balthus commanded.
Marcus glanced at him, smiling slightly. "Are you crazy? Daniel's not much of a liar, Balthus. But I've been doing it for years. There's not a chance in hell that I'm ever giving that ring back to you."
Daniel coughed behind his hand, hiding a smile of his own. Balthus was furious that he'd allowed Marcus to trick him. Very well. If that's how it's going to be--
Whatever he might have been planning then was interrupted by Robin who abruptly pushed him to the back of her mind. "I don't have much time." She said to Daniel. "I'll only be able to hold him for a moment. His records are located in a hidden place under the floor over there." She pointed beyond the table.
Daniel kissed her quickly. "Thanks, Robin. Keep him quiet as long as you can."
Marcus pulled up a tile, and pulled out a stack of books and documents. "We're not going to be able to do anything here." He told Daniel. "There's too much to go through. And I don't trust this room. Something about it seems strange. Let's get out of here."
Daniel nodded. He took Robin's elbow. "How are you holding up?" He asked gently.
Her face was strained. "Holding on, but only by a hair, I think. Let's--" That was when she noticed the mess on the floor next to the big chair. She screamed. Daniel glanced quickly, and held up a hand to his mouth.
"M-Marcus?" He muttered, his face turning white.
Marcus saw what was left of Tiberius, and felt as sick as his two companions looked. "This is horrible. We have to get out of here. Now!"
The three of them headed for the door, but just before they reached it, it slammed shut, sealing them inside.
Balthus' mocking laughter abruptly ceased. That's right, he thought. But if Tiberius touched the wrong thing...hehe. Could he afford to take that chance, though? What if Tiberius managed to find his records, before the room destroyed him? "I'll tell you what," Balthus said slyly, "I'll get the two of you into that room, if you'll give me back that ring you're carrying, Marcus."
"Not a chance!" Daniel exclaimed. "As long as you don't have that ring, your control over Robin is minimal. If we give it back--"
"Daniel." Marcus interrupted. "If we don't, we won't be able to get past that seal on our own. Balthus, get us inside, and you have your deal."
Daniel clenched his fists, and though his mind protested, he realized that this might be their best chance. "Fine." He growled. "If this is a trick, Balthus, I'll find some way to make you pay."
Balthus smiled to himself. You won't live long enough for that, elf whelp. Balthus waved his hand over the seal, and it vanished. "It's safe to enter now." He told them. He opened the door, and stepped inside. Marcus and Daniel cautiously followed.
"Give me the ring." Balthus commanded.
Marcus glanced at him, smiling slightly. "Are you crazy? Daniel's not much of a liar, Balthus. But I've been doing it for years. There's not a chance in hell that I'm ever giving that ring back to you."
Daniel coughed behind his hand, hiding a smile of his own. Balthus was furious that he'd allowed Marcus to trick him. Very well. If that's how it's going to be--
Whatever he might have been planning then was interrupted by Robin who abruptly pushed him to the back of her mind. "I don't have much time." She said to Daniel. "I'll only be able to hold him for a moment. His records are located in a hidden place under the floor over there." She pointed beyond the table.
Daniel kissed her quickly. "Thanks, Robin. Keep him quiet as long as you can."
Marcus pulled up a tile, and pulled out a stack of books and documents. "We're not going to be able to do anything here." He told Daniel. "There's too much to go through. And I don't trust this room. Something about it seems strange. Let's get out of here."
Daniel nodded. He took Robin's elbow. "How are you holding up?" He asked gently.
Her face was strained. "Holding on, but only by a hair, I think. Let's--" That was when she noticed the mess on the floor next to the big chair. She screamed. Daniel glanced quickly, and held up a hand to his mouth.
"M-Marcus?" He muttered, his face turning white.
Marcus saw what was left of Tiberius, and felt as sick as his two companions looked. "This is horrible. We have to get out of here. Now!"
The three of them headed for the door, but just before they reached it, it slammed shut, sealing them inside.