Round Robin 1.3: The Saga Continues Again

[Mea]

1)

For a brief instant, he saw her face lit by the faint light, a mask of pale shock, and turned just in time to see the mass of teeth and claws surge through the doorway at them.

Daniel pushed Robin back as the thing lunged at him. A huge talon scraped across his chest, tearing through the red tabard and scoring deep scratches across his borrowed breastplate as it knocked him sideways off the stairway with the force of the blow. A burst of carrion-tainted breath washed over him, a sickening stench of venom and reptilian musk but mostly rotted meat that promised the owner wasn't too picky as to what it ate.

Frantically he rolled as jaws snapped at his legs. The armor may have saved him from being gutted, but it was also getting in his way, making it hard to move with the speed he was used to, speed which he needed right now. He struggled to get to his feet as the jaws snapped at him again, and instead scrambled back crablike until he ran smack into a wall.

The creature lunged-

-and abruptly jerked to a stop, snarling and spraying hungry spittle from its maw.

Daniel finally got a good look at the thing. He'd never seen anything like it before: it was large, about the size of a prize-winning sow, but that's where the similarity ended. It was covered in both scales and tufts of fur with some spikes mixed in for good measure. The head was reptilian with a small crest and powerful jaws that contained a collection of the pointiest teeth he'd ever seen and looked wide enough to swallow his hand and possibly his arm whole. A long powerful tail lashed behind it angrily as it pulled taunt on the chain that bolted it to the nearby doorway and was the only thing keeping it from having Daniel as a late evening snack.

"HEY! OVER HERE!"

The dead torch bounced off the creature's shoulder. It turned its attention away from Daniel and over to the girl on the stairs.

"Robin!" He'd lost track of her during the attack. What's she doing now?

"Just get ready to move!" she shot back. "Hey ugly, up here!" She threw her helmet at it next, nailing it right between the eyes.

The angry monster made a loud snarling hiss and lunged for the stairs.

[DerVVulfman]

2)

>K'CHINK< The chain broke free from the heavy spike that secured it as its fury drove it after its prey.

"She's gonna be the death of me," Daniel cursed as he began his chase up the two. Darkness had already enveloped them as they raced upwards. He would have lost sight of them if not for his elvish eyes. Robin shimmered like gold as he could see her warmth in the pitch. However, the thing that bound after her was dark and cold and offered him only a vague shape.

Then it came to him. The traps!

Fear drove him faster. If he didn't do something, she would be dead in an instant. Yet as he continued on, he saw Robin sidestep and dodge a pressure-plate on the stairs. Snapping its jaws at her like some monstrous snake would to a bird, the thing had also avoided the trap.

But in an instant, Robin leaped up and propelled herself towards the opposite wall. The beast did not.

In an instant, a row of steel lances jutted up from the floor and impaled the beast. It spasmed for a moment, then became still as it hung in the air.

Daniel slowed, almost to a stop. He finally reached the two as the spears retracted back into the floor, bringing the thing down with it. Sitting on the steps ahead of him was Robin, out of breath and wiping the sweat off her forehead.

Finally, he stopped when he was mere steps away from her. "That was the most bone-headed, idiotic, reckless..." he began. But only began as the miscreant practically leaped up and wrapped her arms around him.

"Oh-I'm-so-sorry-so-sorry-I-didn't-want-you-to-get-hurt!" she blurted out as she tightened her grip, making it difficult for him to hold his balance. "I-was-so-scared-that-any-!"

"Okay, okay," Daniel replied. "It's gone now. It's done. Not coming back."

"No, it's not, "she stammered. "It's..." But she didn't finish. Loosening her grip, she righted herself and proceeded to walk back down.

"Robin?"

"You coming?"

"The traps," he answered back. "You forget about them?"

She paused for a moment, almost smiling. "No. I remember how you guided me down the stairs, silly." She then turned back around and continued back down towards the doorway. Towards their prize.

If Danny only knew I could see them too, she mused.

[kalier]

3)

Robin's steps were light and carefree as she now led the way. We're almost there! She thought excitedly. After all that they'd been through, they were actually going to succeed!

But after only a few moments, she realized that she should have been paying closer attention to her surroundings. She ran right into what she thought to be a wall, but when she looked up, she discovered a huge man with a wide, barreled chest looking down at her. Then she saw the spear that he held in his hand.

"Uh--" She said.

"Robin?" Daniel was just behind her, and skidded to a stop when he saw the man. Daniel grabbed her arm, thrusting her behind him, as the spear swept upwards, intending to disembowel his companion.

Robin was drawing her blade, but Daniel knew that it was too small to be effective against a spear. If they'd been able to sneak up behind him, that would have been fine. But to have run into him?

The man thrust the spear at Daniel, who literally threw Robin out of the way, and managed to dodge just in the nick of time. He knew that somehow he had to disarm the guard, but didn't have the faintest idea how he was going to do it.

The head of the spear swooped down in an ark, nearly causing Daniel to lose his balance. As intent as he was on the guard, he didn't see Robin grab a torch off the wall. She brandished the torch like a sword as she thrust the flame into the guard's face. Blinded, he yelped, almost dropping his spear. With her free hand, Robin pushed the blade into his stomach to the hilt, watching in satisfaction as he dropped to the ground. His hand pressed against his stomach, the guard spasmed once, then was still.

Clearly without remorse, Robin spat on his corpse, and kicked the spear. "Pick that up." She ordered Daniel. "Without a weapon, you're useless."

He stared at her, appalled by the murderer she was becoming. He was afraid that she was no longer the friend that he'd known since childhood.

[Mea]

1)

"What are you staring at boy!" Robin snapped at him, "get the damn spear you worthless sack of-ShutUpShutUpShutUp!"

Daniel took a step back, staring. Robin's last few word seemed to be directed not at him, but at herself.

Robin blinked, looking flushed. "Daniel, I... I'm sorry."

Daniel said nothing. The hostility he'd seen in her a moment before had completely drained away. It was almost like watching two different people.

She sagged against the wall and rubbed her forehead. "I knew I should have told you but..."

"Tell me what?" he asked quietly.

Robin sighed. "You know how... ears run in your family? Well... family runs in my family."

"Huh?"

"Okay um... have you ever heard of Balthus the Black?"

Daniel shook his head.

"He was an alchemist," she explained, "Lived about a hundred years ago, studied black arts, did lots of bad things before the mob finally burned him for his crimes. One of the things he tried to do was discover the secret to immortality."

"Did he?"

"Ha! I wish. Oh, he tried everything, even doing ungodly things to people. To his wife even..." Robin paused. "Emilia didn't know what he was like when they were married. It was a blessing when the mob came and dragged him off."

"Grandmother?

"Great-great-great-great grandmother."

"Ah."

"She's nice, you'd like her."

"Wait, she's still alive?"

"No, her body died a long time ago, but whatever Balthus did... part of her is still here. She talks to us from time to time, my family I mean. Her son too, and my grandfather, and a bunch of others in my family. Sometimes it's pretty crowded at home," she laughed mirthlessly before going on. "They can never rest, they're always around never quite in the world always looking in never part of it. Most of them are resigned to their fate. But not Balthus... He blames Emilia, he blames the king, the people... he's always angry, never stopping, and he gets stronger every year and louder and more...more..."

She rubbed her head again. "He wants his property back, so we made a deal. He'd leave me alone if I got it, but I knew I couldn't do it without help so... I'm sorry I got you into this Daniel. I really am. This was a mistake."

[DerVVulfman]

2)

Daniel stood there and absorbed everything she told him. Now he understood why his childhood friend suddenly behaved strangely distant and hostile towards him. It wasn’t Robin at all.

Balthus.

He also understood why she didn’t tell him about their family. Possession, witchcraft, whatever you wanted to call it was forbidden and wouldn’t just result in their family being exiled. Anyone possessed like this could end up in a sanatorium or worse.

“Your mom? And little Aline?” Daniel inquired. “They have... they hear them too?”

A tiny smile began to form as she answered back. “My sister? No, thankfully. She won’t even be told about it until she’s much older.” Kneeling down, she picked up the spear by the fallen giant of a man. “Still, she wasn’t firstborn,” she spoke with a little more confidence. “I am.”

“Uh-huh,” he acknowledged. “And which pinhead ran back up the stairs just a moment ago?”

Robin gawked at hearing Daniel’s sarcastic query, and noticed the grin on his face. She almost broke out in laughter as relief swept over her. “You really have to ask?” she chortled.

That’s my Robin.

There was no longer any doubt in his mind. Moving nimbly, Daniel retrieved the blade from where it had fallen and proceeded through the doorway. Now, more than ever, he wanted to help Robin on her venture. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw her watching him dumbfounded.

“What are you waiting for, blockhead?” he called out. “Move your buns,” he said with a wink before vanishing into the next room.

With a spring in her step, she gladly followed him. Nothing could slow her down anymore.

Except an apparently barren room.

The chamber was impressive in size, nearly large enough to hold all of their little village. And unlike the passages and corridors they traversed to get here, it was all carved out of the stone mountain that the fortress stood upon. It all had an eerie reddish glow from the numerous oil lamps lit througout the room as they rested on their tall iron stands.

“This can’t be it,” was uttered deep into the cavern. The pair looked at each other almost smiling as they both spoke it aloud at the same time.

“I guess now we just have to start looking,” she sighed. Somewhere in the deep was their prize.

[kalier]

3)

"Okay." Robin said thoughtfully. "Look for anything that seems out of place. It has to be hidden here. Somewhere."

"Well, it would help, if you explained exactly what we're looking for." Daniel pointed out.

She smiled. "I suppose it would, if I actually knew what it was."

"You don't know?!"

She shrugged. "Hey! If Balthus even knows what it is, he's not saying a word. We're blind here, Danny. Just look, okay?"

Daniel shook his head, astonished. How were they supposed to find this thing, if no one actually knew what it was. More importantly, what it did. If Balthus had been an alchemist, and had attempted to find the pathway to immortality...it was possible that whatever they were looking for would be rather dangerous. Balthus' deal with Robin could be a lie. He could just be using her to continue his work.

"Robin, do you trust Balthus?" He asked.

"Not at all." She admitted. "But, if my family is ever to be free of this curse, I have to do whatever I can." She looked over her shoulder at Daniel as she was searching through some rubble, so she didn't see the switch that had been hidden there.

Daniel heard the whirring sound of gears and pistons set in motion, and the grinding of metal against metal. Daniel looked up, following the sound. There! Right above Robin, a giant cage was descending towards her.

Springing into action, he barreled towards Robin. "Get away from there!" He yelled at her, hoping that she'd realize her danger.

"Danny? What are you--Ooff!" The wind was knocked out of her as Daniel knocked her back recklessly. She touched the lump forming on the back of her skull a little tentatively. "Ouch." She mumbled. "Why did you do that?!"

Daniel was...and she really couldn't believe his stupidity...trapped inside a large cage with metal bars. "How did you get in there?" She asked.

"Never mind that." He said, looking at somewhere past her. Fear was on his face. "Just get out of here. Forget your promise with Balthus."

"Daniel, what are you saying?"

"Get out of here!" He said desperately.

Robin turned to see what he was so afraid of. A man dressed in flowing red and white robes stood right behind her. She hadn't even heard him approach! Nervously, she backed up away from him. "Greetings, little bird. I've been waiting for you."

[DerVVulfman]

1)

He was tall with broad shoulder and dark reddish-brown hair with only the hint of gray tied back loosely at the base of his neck. As he stepped forward, there was a faint metallic jingle, hinting at chainmail or other armor under those flowing robes. A smooth metal staff nearly as tall as he was and capped with brass was held in a gloved hand and looked to serve as both a sign of office and a weapon of choice. Grey-green eyes peered over a pair of glass spectacles that sat low on his nose and studied the two intruders almost like a hawk studying its prey.

"Robin!" Daniel yelled, "RUN!"

"Leave and the elf-son dies," the man in red said flatly.

The trapped Daniel cringed and reached for his headband. Sure enough, it had been knocked askew when he tackled Robin. The point of his pale ear was left exposed to the stranger's scrutiny.

Robin stood her ground. "You... you wouldn't dare!" she shot back.

The stranger pondered this for a moment. "Perhaps... Perhaps not. However, of the three of us, I am the only one who should be here. And I am well within my rights to kill you both on sight, especially after what you did to poor Krieger," he added darkly, focusing on the spear in Robin's hand as he spoke.

"But..." he continued now addressing both of them again, his tone somehow softer, "I am curious how a pair of common thieves knew of this chamber, let alone were able to reach it. And other things as well."

"Other things?"

The stranger's mood grew cold again. "You spoke of deals with a devil," he stated bluntly. "Balthus the Black died a long time ago and he, like his tainted work should stay buried, gods willing. I am here to make sure the relics of his folly never see the light of day again and yet, today I hear that he may be still among us after all this time? You can imagine my surprise, or course."

His grip tightened on the staff as he leveled his gaze at both of them.

"On my honor, I am not a violent man, but I will strike you both down for your crimes if one of you doesn't start explaining yourselves to me immediately!"

[DerVVulfman]

2)

Anger started to build within Daniel. Anger for the stranger in his sights, anger for himself. Only a few feet away from Robin and he can’t protect her. Not anymore. Reflexively, he gripped the bars even tighter.

Shh.. Just follow my lead.

His heart nearly skipped a beat at hearing her voice. He focused his gaze on Robin who stood between he and the stranger. She didn’t move one bit and as close as he was to Robin, the stranger was closer still. Surely the stranger must have heard her whisper.

It wasn’t a whisper. He heard her clear as day. Just as he felt her fingers now running through his hair, gliding gently through his strands.

What the...?

I’ll explain later. Her voice, clear as day, came upon him.

Robin would have smiled at Daniel’s confusion had the situation been any different. It was her fault that they were in this mess. Nay, Balthus’s in truth. It all stemmed from that fiend that still hounded her family. Now her only hope relied on the one thing the man did right.

“Explanations?” she cried out. “Explain yourself. You’re not supposed to be here. You were ordered to Sarrs.”

The stranger’s eyebrows knit together. What does she know of Sarrs? he pondered.

Robin stood her ground as she again spoke. “Yes, we know of Balthus. Why do you think we are here?” She clutched at the spear even tighter, the ring under her gauntlet started to tingle as she became more defiant.

Danny, back me up on this.

In the cage, all Daniel could do was watch and listen as Robin attempted to deter the stranger. And from the stranger’s state of confusion, Robin was doing an awfully good job. In the confines of the cage, Daniel stood up tall.

Good, she thought inwardly. Without turning around, Robin could feel the confidence again building in her childhood friend. She then focused all of her attentions back upon the man in front of her.

Focus... focus... she concentrated. There!

“And if Lord Tomas knew that you didn’t meet with Weseluk as ordered,” she continued. “You would be the one slain.”

“We were ordered down here.” The robed figure turned his attention to the caged elf who now spoke defiantly. “How do you think we knew of this place? Oh, and about your traps. They don’t work on anyone who has The Sight.”

[kalier]

3)

Stunned into speechlessness, the man could only glance between the two of them. He wasn't sure whether to believe them or not. Sure, they knew of Sarrs, but did they know what was there? He hadn't heard of any relief guards. Although, since he was supposed to be gone, that didn't mean anything.

He glared at the two of them, wondering just how he was going to discover if they were telling the truth or if this was just some fabrication to distract him from his true purpose. "I think that you're just kids playing dress up." He sneered at them.

Robin felt Daniel's confidence dwindling at the stranger's words. "Who do you think you are?" She demanded. "You have no right to talk to us this way. And let him out of that cage! You're preventing us from doing our job."

"What does an elf and a human girl have anything to do with--"

"Believe me--" She growled at him. Danny, don't go faint on me now. I need you to stay strong. "We don't really want anything to do with his business down here, but we were sent because there's been some kind of disturbance upstairs. The Lord doesn't want his precious artifacts to be stolen by common thieves."

"Hmph! As if I could believe that. This fortress is well guarded. No one gets through without his knowledge. What I think is that you're just a couple of servants who thought they could get away with whatever they liked, simply because you found some spare armor." He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Then how would we know you were supposed to be in Sarrs?" She retorted.

"Well..." He paused, pondering this. "I guess you could have overheard my orders." He didn't sound too certain about this, though.

"You were supposed to be in Sarrs as of yesterday." She told him. "As you're already behind schedule, do you really have the time to stand here chatting? Don't you think that you should get moving, before someone notices that you haven't even left yet?"

Hmm. This was an interesting development. The human girl was right, of course. He had to get going. However, he certainly couldn't let them go. Oh no. Even if they were telling the truth about having been sent down, they might go report his presence in the castle. He smiled evilly.

[Mea]

1)

"True, that is problematic..." he answered, locking eyes with the girl, "but not as much as if I let you two waltz in there uncontested."

The grin windened. "I got it! What say we all speak with Lord Tomas? I know he doesn't like me much, but since you're obviously his favored agents, I can live with another reprimand."

"And leave this place unguarded?"

"Fine, go get him then. Your friend will keep me company. Just as well too... we both know how Lord Tomas feels about elves," he added nastily.

"He's my thrall," Robin snapped, ignoring the brief look of surprise and annoyance that flickered across Daniel's face. "And I'm not about to trust you with my property."

"Just as I'm not ready to trust you with my charge," the man countered.

Robin and the man glared at each other for several tense seconds.

"You know the punishment for treason," said Robin.

"I do," he answered cooly. "But there are greater duties."

"You choose duty to Olan over his Lordship?"

The man's eyes widened. "HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT NAME?!" he roared.

"Lord Tomas-"

"Even Lord Tomas doesn't know the name of the Ordermaster!"

Though she tried to hide it, Robin cringed inside. In trying to dig information from the man's mind, she'd picked the wrong bargaining chip. Still, she couldn't give up yet.

"Are you so certain of-"

"You say you have the Sight. Is that what this is? Some trick? Gods, I'm an idiot to let it get this far!"

Any humor the man had left was gone. He gripped his metal rod in both hands, shifting to a fighting stance as he started to move towards Robin. He must have been furious with her, because he either momentarily forgotten about Daniel or misjudged the boy's reach.

Daniel lunged an arm through the cage, caught the collar of the stranger's red robes, and hauled back with all his might. He heard a strangled curse as the man jerked backwards and banged into the cage bars. Daniel hurriedly snaked another arm out and tried to keep him pinned. He immediately realized his mistake: the man was very VERY strong.

"Robin, do something quick!"

He looked past the struggling man at his friend to see if she'd heard him. Something about the way she stood there told him that friend Robin wasn't the one in control any more.

"Crap."