| |
Peaking round the corner of a massive stone corridor, Alessandria looked at the impressive stone corridor ahead that led to the throne room. Since leaving the storage room with the Loom, all Alessandria had seen was plain stone corridor after corridor.
Thankfully, this one had style. It was easily twenty metres long but every metre stood a black statue of an animal. Some were massive dogs with razor sharp teeth and others were of lions and tigers and elephants from far, far away countries. But in the middle of the corridor were five statues of massive men.
Even the floor looked pleasant with it being made from polish cast iron with diamonds and chunks of gold being suspended in it. It was amazing.
Alessandria coughed as the smell of charred ozone and strange chemicals with a faint hint of cinnamon and dried herbs filled the air.
Hellen started tapping Alessandria with her massive wooden stick as they both remembered the smell from Procurator Times. Alessandria nodded with certainty. She had expected mind control was being used to some extent. How else do you get thousands of worshippers to attack the Queen.
The sound of animal like moaning noises came from inside and Alessandria nodded. After reading the original story in the magazine, Alessandria had checked out some of the former cultists. They were all brain dead for the most part.
Fear gripped Alessandria as she thought about Daniel. Was he okay? Was he hurt? She needed to storm the throne room. He had to be in there.
Turning around to face her friends, Alessandria looked at Hellen in her grey Procurator cloak. Tapping her massive wooden stick in her hand. She wanted a fight. She wanted to save her country and protect Alessandria.
Then she looked at Nemesio her strong beautiful man in that amazing blue and red fiery armour.
Both of them nodded.
Alessandria turned back to look at the corridor and whipped out her sword. Her stomach churned it felt like someone was kicking inside.
Stepping out, Alessandria and co carefully walked down the corridor. The cast iron floor felt strangely warm against her leather booted feet.
Halfway down the corridor Alessandria heard her friends stop.
Turning around Alessandria saw Hellen inspecting the statues. Her friend's eyes were narrowing.
The statues moved.
They weren't statues.
They were five brutal men painted grey.
The brutes roared and screamed bloody murder.
Alessandria shook her head.
She didn’t need this.
Her brother and her Queen were in danger.
Alessandria charged.
She was not muddying about.
She slammed his fists into a brutal.
The brutal didn’t move.
She couldn’t give a fuck.
Alessandria slashed the brutal with her sword.
A deep gash sliced into her chest.
Dark red rich blood poured out.
The brute went to punch Alessandria.
She still wasn’t kidding about.
She swung her sword.
The brute grabbed it.
He snapped it.
Alessandria’s rage calmed way down.
The brute grabbed her.
Throwing her against the wall.
He pressed against her.
Typical brute!
He smiled.
Alessandria slashed her nails across his face.
She slashed his eye.
She whacked him in between the legs.
The brute hesitated.
Hellen whacked him from behind.
The brute fell onto Alessandria.
She pulled him off.
Stomping on his head.
His skull cracked.
Four brutes left.
Another one charged into Hellen.
He grabbed Hellen.
He kept running.
Alessandria went to help.
A brute grabbed her wrist.
Alessandria relaxed.
She twisted herself free.
She went to punch the brute.
He grabbed her fists and squeezed.
Nemesio thrusted his sword into his back.
The brute didn’t show pain.
He smiled.
The brute loved the pain.
Alessandria chomped on his hand.
He seemed scared.
Alessandria chomped harder.
Ripping a piece of flesh out.
Blood flooded her mouth.
The taste of iron was overwhelming.
The brute shrieked.
Alessandria jumped on him.
Wrapping her legs round his neck.
She squeezed.
By the gods she squeezed.
The brute turned blue.
Alessandria looked to Hellen.
Hellen snapped the neck of her brute.
The air roared.
Black shadows rose from the three corpses of the brutes.
The shadows were absorbed into the last two brutes.
Their bodies snapped and crushed as they grew.
Their skin being thicker.
Alessandria looked for a sword. Her half broken sword laid at her feet. She picked it up. She needed it.
The two brutes charged.
Their feet pounded into the ground.
Chipping and cracking the cast iron.
Alessandria went to dodge.
A brute grabbed her.
Nemesio slashed open the guts of one brute.
Fresh warm guts covered the floor.
Again the black shadowy life force was absorbed into the last brute carrying Alessandria.
The brute’s grip tightened.
Nemesio stormed over.
He swirled and twirled his sword.
He needed to save Alessandria.
He wanted to slaughter this monster.
The brute whacked Nemesio in the stomach.
Nemesio collapsed to the floor. Holding his stomach.
Alessandria screamed as her bones compressed.
Hellen whacked the brute.
He didn’t react.
Hellen whacked him again.
Still nothing.
Hellen jumped into the air.
Whacking the brute over the head.
This time he stopped. His gripped lightened on Alessandria. Not enough for her to move.
The brute spun.
Alessandria jerked.
Hellen whacked him a final time.
The brute grabbed the massive wooden stick with his teeth.
He crunched on it.
Snapping the massive wooden stick.
Hellen screamed in rage.
She charged.
The brute threw Alessandria to the ground.
The brute punched.
Hellen dodged it.
She slid under his legs.
She whacked his manhood with her hands.
The brute made a sound.
Alessandria wanted to help.
Her body wouldn’t let her.
Hellen scratched the brute’s back.
He seemed to be in pain.
Alessandria looked around. She needed to find a way to help.
Her body needed a few more minutes to recover.
Hellen screamed.
The brute grabbed her.
Hellen’s hands waved to Alessandria.
Alessandria looked at the half-broken sword in her hands.
She threw it.
Hellen caught it.
She slashed the brute’s throat.
Blood gushed out of the wound.
The brute grabbed the half broken sword.
He thrusted it into Hellen.
The brute ripped it back out.
Alessandria’s eyes widened.
The brute fell to the floor but so did Hellen.
Alessandria and Nemesio both found the strength to rush over.
Cradling Hellen in her arms, Alessandria opened Hellen’s grey Procurator cloak to see a massive stab wound. An endless river of blood poured from the wound.
Hellen weakly stroked Alessandria’s face.
Alessandria couldn’t let Hellen die. She was her best friend. Her only true friend. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t. Not Hellen. Maybe she could find a healer. Maybe she could-
Hellen placed a blood soaked finger on Alessandria’s lips.
“Shhh, it’s okay missy. I died protect ya. I always wanna die that way. Ma friend. Thank ya for everything. We had a great run me and you,”
She blew Alessandria a kiss.
Hellen turned to Nemesio.
“Ya protect her now. I’ll haunt ya otherwise,” Hellen said, laughing. Laughing until her face turned still.