Alcingeria Chapter Thirty: Enigma

During the journey through the ruins, the group encounters danger at nearly every turn. Tabatha hints that she may have feelings for Don. Life truly is an enigma, no?

Chapter Thirty Enigma:

            “What happened?” I heard Walden shout in a panic.

            “I don’t know! We must have avoided setting it off when we walked by it!” Robert shouted in return.

I heard Walden grunting with effort, however I didn’t risk a look.

            “I can’t squeeze through! Sorry pal, you’re on your own!” Walden called to me.

I saw the vampire dart downwards for my neck. The sight sent a jolt of adrenaline through me that gave me extra strength. I frantically swerved my body to the right, narrowly avoiding being bitten. My new position gave me better leverage against the vampire and I struggled against the hold that it had on me. I could feel the vampires lowly backing off involuntarily. That meant that I was slowly gaining the upper hand. The vampire must not have drank blood for a while. It was weak, but still strong enough to subdue me if I wasn’t careful.

            “C’mon, pal! You got this!” Walden called from behind the grate.

            “Come on, Redmond! Pretend it’s Ignacio!” Robert shouted.

            “Show him how to die!” Macalister called.

            “If you die, I’ll kill you!” Don yelled.

            “Smarten up, you fool! He could die!” Robert scolded.

I pushed against the vampire’s strength. I pushed it off of me little by little. It was hard, but it was happening.

            “You… Aren’t… Getting… A… Bite… Out… Of… me!” I said through clenched teeth.

            “You’re almost there! Come on!” Don shouted desperately.

            “Almost there!” Tabatha urged.

On that last word, I managed to throw the beast off of me. The others erupted into cheers from behind the grate. The vampire rolled backwards and stood up. It wasn’t over yet. I considered reaching for my flintlock, but if I missed… I’d be in trouble. I pulled out my dagger instead. The vampire’s eyes fell on the dagger and for the first time, it spoke.

            “Your blood is mine!” She screamed as she leaped at me.

            “Cut her heart out!” Macalister shouted at me.

            “Just a little more!” Francella called, starting to panick.

I swiftly dodged. The vampire’s leap was uneasy and when she hit the ground, she almost fell over. She turned on me and ran at me. She didn’t run that quickly, either. She still ran faster than a human, but not much faster than that. I held my knife at the ready. She ran at me, her hands were out at throat level. She didn’t seem to see the dagger and ran at me like I didn’t have it. When she was close enough, I swung at her, the dagger hit her on the arm and blood spilled across the floor, glinting in the light from Walden’s fireball. The vampire was only fazed for a few seconds, but came at me again. I thrusted my dagger into her chest. She made a choked, gurgling sound and clutched my knife where it was embedded in her chest. She fell to the ground.

            “Is it dead?” Raymond called from behind the grate.

            “I think so, but I don’t want to stick around to find out! Get this grate open, and fast!” I shouted.

I didn’t take my eyes off the vampire. If she got the better of me and surprised me again, I wasn’t sure if I’d survive.

            “Let me use my magic on it.” Tabatha suggested.

            “You couldn’t have tried that earlier?” Macalister asked.

            “Well, I didn’t exactly hear you coming up with anything brilliant, either.” Tabatha shot back.

            “Just shut up and get the grate up!” Robert shouted.

After a few seconds, I heard Tabatha again.

            “Levitate!” She cried.

I heard the groaning of metal, and finally the sound of metal moving.

            “Someone help me! I can’t hold it much longer!” Tabatha said in a strained voice.

I risked a glance over and saw that Tabatha held the grate a foot off the ground using her magic. Don, Robert and Macalister rushed to help her and lift the grate open. Once they did so, I ran for it.

            “Lemme take care of the vampire.” Walden said as he threw a fireball at the vampire.

The vampire became engulfed in flames and was reduced to ash in seconds. I heard the click! Of metal and I saw that there was a latch above the grate that held it in place if it was lifted high enough.

            “Trust me yet?” Tabatha asked, shooting a glance to Robert.

Robert looked her in the eye.

            “Truthfully, yes. I trust you. You’ve done nothing to hurt anyone here, and you just saved my friend’s life. I’d say you earned my trust.” Robert told her with a grin.

            “Geez man, are you okay?” Walden asked me.

            “I’m fine. How’s Erin?” I asked.

            “I’m fine. I wasn’t bitten.” She said, her voice was still a little shaky.

            “That’s good. We should keep going and look for that door.” I suggested.

            “Good plan. Let’s go.” Walden said, flying ahead of us.

Don, Robert and Macalister clapped me on the shoulder.

            “Nicely done.” Don said in appreciation.

            “You almost killed it on your own. Good job!” Macalister praised.

            “You are truly a worthy fighter. I think you may have to challenge Macalister here for the title, though.” Robert said, elbowing Macalister in the gut.

I laughed nervously.

            “No thanks.” I said.

After I was done talking with Robert and Macalister, we all followed Walden. I guess we all wanted to get the heck out of there.

            “Well, how’s the adventure so far?” Francella asked happily.

            “Shut up.” Raymond said with a laugh.

            “Only trying to lighten things up. Sorry.” Francella said with a shrug.

            “What do we do when we reach the door?” Macalister asked.

            “We open it and find out what it is that Queen Yuka wants so bad.” Robert replied.

William nodded.

            “Yes, whatever is behind that door, Queen Yuka seemed to think that it was of utmost importance.” He told us.

            “What could it be though?” Stella asked.

Just then, Walden halted us. When we stopped walking and stopped talking, I could hear multiple footsteps and there was the sound of wet squelching in the air. I knew that sound. I feared that sound.

            “Eh, I’m afraid that there’s no time for speculation. There are a group of vampires ahead!” Walden cried.

As if in response, the footsteps and squelching stopped. Ceberus reloaded his musket and readied it. Don, Robert, Macalister and I all pulled our flintlocks. The others drew their knifes. A male vampire came running at us and became enveloped in our radius of light. I heard Stella scream.

            “Levitate!” Tabatha yelled.

I looked to her and saw that she had her staff pointed at the vampire. She angled her staff upwards and the vampire floated off the ground. He kicked and yelled and looked around frantically.

            “Let me go! Put me down!” He ordered.

Apart from his ability to speak, he seemed more animal than human. Since he was a vampire and he was down here, he may not have had blood for a while. Is that what lack of blood did to vampires? Made them savage? It didn’t matter right now. Tabatha grinned and thrusted her staff at the vampire who was now suspended about four feet off the ground. He flew backwards and collided with another male vampire just as it began running at us.

            “Nice one, Tabatha!” Erin said.

Don looked at the two vampires.

            “I’m glad I’m on your good side.” He said, clapping Tabatha on the shoulder.

            “If you want to keep it that way, don’t touch me.” Tabatha said without looking at him.

Don quickly withdrew his hand from her shoulder. Macalister chuckled.

            “I’m only kidding, geez, lighten up.” Tabatha said with a grin.

Both the vampires were down, but they were regaining their composure.

            “Walden, torch them!” William cried.

            “You got it!” Walden replied, hurling his fireball at the two vampires who Tabatha had floored.

They caught fire and were reduced to ash in seconds. Vampires sure were flammable. Or maybe they were dehydrated from lack of blood and caught fire easier? Walden create a new fireball and hurled it at an oncoming vampire. He burst into flames and became nothing more than a pile of ashes in seconds. Walden created another fireball.

            “’ow many are there?” He yelled.

Another vampire ran at Walden. He instantly torched her. He created another fireball. I then heard the sound of footsteps retreating. It was hard to tell how many vampires were running away, but I estimated there were about three pairs of footsteps retreating.

            “We get ‘em all?” Walden asked.

            “I don’t know, but we should keep trying to find the door.” Francella said.

            “Agreed.” Don added.

Walden started flying down the corridor once more. I began walking after him, and something crunched beneath my foot. A second later, an arrow flew out of the wall with a thwip! It nailed me in the arm and fiery pain flared where the arrow had landed. I cried out in pain.

            “Redmond! Hold still, okay?” Tabatha said, rushing to my side.

Everyone else stayed back, giving Tabatha room. I nodded my understanding.

            “It needs to come out, but I can heal it and make the pain go away right after. Are you ready?” Tabatha asked sincerely.

I clenched my teeth against the pain and nodded.

            “Okay, one, two, three!” On three, Tabatha pulled the arrow out of my arm.

Pain flared where the arrow had been. She threw the arrow aside and grabbed her staff. She held it over my arm.

            “Healing Gaze!” She cried out.

The familiar green light bathed me, and I felt a strange sensation that was my wound being magically sealed. After a few seconds, the green light receded back into Tabatha’s staff and my arm was free of any injury. The pain was also gone. Only my shirt was torn. Catching my eye, Tabatha held her staff over my torn shirt sleeve.

            “Seamstress!” She cried.

The green light washed over me and my shirt sleeve was magically sewed back together.

            “Thanks, Tabatha.” I said after the green light receded back into her staff.

            “No worries.” Tabatha said with a smile.

            “Alright, let’s get moving.” I told everyone.

Walden resumed flying down the tunnel. We all followed him. Thankfully, no one else set off any arrow traps.

            “I’m hungry.” Macalister said after a few more minutes of walking down the tunnel.

            “I’m a little hungry myself.” Tabatha admitted.

            “Alright then, let’s take a break and see what Martha packed for us.” William said, putting down the back of food and opening it.

            “There’s bread, dried fruit and some nuts.” William said while digging through the bag.

            “I’ll take some bread.” I said.

William passed me a loaf of bread. I took it and bit down on it, chewing and swallowing a few bites. After a few more minutes, everyone had their food and we all sat down and ate. As I ate my bread, Tabatha walked over and sat down next to me holding a loaf of bread in one hand and her staff in the other.

            “How’s your arm? Does it hurt?” She asked.

I moved my arm to demonstrate that it didn’t hurt.

            “No, it’s fine. You did a great job.” I told her.

Tabatha smiled.

            “Thanks.” She replied.

She bit into her bread. She chewed her bite and swallowed, brushing the crumbs off of her skirt.

            “You and Don have been getting along surprisingly well.” I remarked after a few seconds of silence.

Tabatha chewed off another bite and swallowed before speaking.

            “As much as I like teasing and embarrassing him, I don’t want him to think that I’m mean. I’m not. I did some things to him that were un-called for and I apologized for them. We’re all friends here, there is no need for extra tension. Besides, I kind of like Don. He’s funny and considerate of others.” Tabatha said.

I shot her a strange look.

            “But back at the bunkhouse after Don saved you, you told him to his face that you didn’t have romantic feelings for him. Correction, you told him that while you were levitating him. I think you scared him.” I told her.

Tabatha nodded.

            “I know what I did. I just… At first I thought he only saved me because he wanted to impress either me or those other girls we have with us, but as I grew to know him, I think that he saved me because he actually cares for others. Like I said, I kind of like him.” Tabatha said that last part with her head down, she almost mumbled the words.

I smiled and was about to say something witty to embarrass her, but she leaned in close to me, her rich brown eyes gleamed in Walden’s firelight. We were practically nose to nose.

            “If you tell him any of that, I will kill you. Understand?” Tabatha asked.

I knew she wasn’t serious about the killing part, but she would probably get me back somehow if I told Don what she said, so I just nodded quickly.

            “Yes, I understand.” I said.

Tabatha leaned backwards so she was out of my face. She took a bite of her bread and swallowed.

            “Good.” She said.

Erin then walked over to Tabatha and I.

            “What’s going on over here?” She asked.

            “Nothing.” Tabatha and I said in unison.

Erin eyed us both strangely.

            “Okay then. Well, the rest of us are ready to move out, how about you two?” She asked.

Tabatha and I both ate the remainder of our bread.

            “We’re ready.” I said.

Erin smiled and nodded.

            “Good. Now we can finally find that door that everyone is talking about.” She said eagerly.

            “Sounds good.” Tabatha said as she stood up.

I stood up as well. Tabatha, Erin and I walked and rejoined the others.

            “Swell, now we can get a move on.” Walden said.

He began flying down the corridor once more. The rest of us followed him. As we walked, Tabatha’s words rolled around in my mind. It was obvious that Tabatha liked Don, she had said it herself, but is it possible that she actually had feelings for him? I certainly was no expert in romance or anything of the like, but I thought that Tabatha and Don would be cute together. Who knows? Maybe Don secretly has feelings for Tabatha. Just then, I saw that the walls on either side of me were spreading out, indicating that we were entering a large room. We walked on for another few seconds and we came upon a huge metal door.

            “This is it.” Walden said.

I examined the door and found the spot where Walden tried to blast through. The spot was indicated by a black scorch mark.

            “Alright, time to put the key in.” Erin said.

Ceberus reached into his bag and grabbed the strangely shaped key from it. He walked over to the familiar square hole and inserted the key.

            “It’s a perfect fit!” I called over his shoulder to us.

            “I suppose that luck is on our side.” Macalister remarked.

            “Luck, or destiny?” Robert asked him.

Macalister was silent, Don fell into silent consideration as well.

He reached up to the prongs and he began turning the key. The key revolved with some effort from Ceberus and the sound of stone on stone filled the room.

            “Someone help me open the door!” Ceberus said after a few more rotations of the key.

I rushed over to help him, so did Macalister and Raymond. Together, we pulled the door and it came open slowly. When we pulled it open, we were greeted by a rush of cold air. Beyond the door was nothing but blackness. Vast, empty blackness. I heard Tabatha gasp. I turned to her.

            “What is it?” I asked.

            “I can sense the presence of dark magic down there.” She said, pointing to the newly opened tunnel.

Author's Note

Please tell me what you think!

Reviews

[KeithKVH]

Nice chapter, we're getting into the big group action and the magic really works great in it here. I also see the brief rest there developing Tabatha more, nicely done. I suppose they're hardy enough to stop and eat but I honestly thought they'd get jumped there lol. XD

Suggestions:

I could feel the vampires lowly backing off involuntarily.
I could feel the vampires slowly backing off involuntarily.

I thrusted my dagger into her chest. She made a choked, gurgling sound and clutched my knife where it was embedded in her chest. She fell to the ground.
I thrust my dagger into her chest, and she made a choking, gurgling sound and clutched my knife where it was embedded in her chest. Then she fell to the ground.

[Ryan Henderson]

Thanks for the review! I've already incorporated the changes here, and I planned for a while on how the magic is going to work, so I'm glad to hear that you like it. I honestly considered having them attacked while they were eating, but after having Redmond having the 1 on 1 battle with the vampire and having the group attacked by the vampires, I decided that they needed a break. Plus, this way I got the opportunity to add the Tabatha/Redmond bonding scene.