NOVEL NEXT Pull 9
Ash, Luke, and Ave sprinted down the hallway.
*RRRrroar!*
The enormous Shadowbeast pursued them. Its heavy footfalls caused dust to fall from the ceiling of the stone passageway.
“Monsters are real!” Ash shouted.
“I can see that!” Luke answered at the top of his voice.
“What do we do?”
“Keep running!”
#
They reached a branching section of the Dungeon corridor.
“Horseapples!” Ash shouted. “Which way?”
“Left! No! Correct!” Luke wavered.
“Did you mean right?” Ash asked.
“I don’t know!” Luke shouted.
The Shadowbeast landed with a heavy *Ka-thud* on the stone behind them. The creature flexed its claws. Sharp talons as long as butcher knives extended from its monstrous digits.
Ash jumped around in a panic.
“Back! Get back you!” Ash shouted as loud as he could. He waved his burning torch frantically back and forth in front of the beast.
The monster sneered at the fire in front of its nose. It backed up half a step to keep away from the flames.
“That’s right! Get back!” Ash pressed his luck.
The Shadowbeast let out a deafening *ROOOAAARRR!!!*
Ash, Luke, and Ave struggled to cover their ears. The monster lifted up one massive paw and swung it at Ash.
Luke leapt forward in a flash. He shoved Ash to the side at the last second.
Luke grabbed the monster’s paw in mid air with both of his hands. With tremendous effort he held it there. Luke grunted with exertion. Ash and Ave looked on in shock.
With a confused *Roar?* the misshapen monster shifted its weight. Luke was pulled off balance. He tripped over and fell right into the beast’s jaws. The fangs of the Shadowbeast closed around Luke’s rib cage.
*Snap*Crunch*
“Argh!” Luke shouted.
Luke flailed his arms and kicked his legs. The monster’s teeth were locked tight around this torso like a steel trap. He tried in vain to pry open the creature’s jaw. In desperation he punched it right in the nose.
The monster howled in pain. It started shaking Luke left and right in its mouth. After thrashing him back and forth the beast *Growled* and then flung Luke down the hallway.
Luke sailed through the air. He hit the ground with a *Thud* and rolled another two meters. The bundle of torches he was holding landed with a clatter beside him.
“Luke!” Ash shouted in fear.
He ran forward.
*Click*
Ash stopped mid step. He looked down. There was a pressure plate under his foot. He could hear a hissing of air coming from the wall to his side. He froze in place.
“Look out!” Ave yelled.
Ave tackled Ash to the ground. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and twisted her hips as they fell. Using her momentum she angeled their bodies so that they were perpendicular to the wall when they hit the ground. Ave braced herself on her elbows as she landed on top of Ash. She thrust her breastplate above her head so that it was between them and the wall.
*Clang*Clang*Pa-tang*
There was a clattering sound as a burst of darts shot out of the wall only to be deflected off of the front of her breastplate.
Ash looked up at the breastplate that was protecting them. “You saved me!”
*GrrrROOOAAARRR!*
The hulking monstrosity shook the walls of the Dungeon with its roar.
“We’re not safe yet.” Ave grimaced. She looked down at Ash. “Grab on to me.”
“Okay!” Ash threw his arms around Ave’s torso in a panic.
“Now roll.” Ave instructed.
“Huh?” Ash gave her a confused look.
“Roll. Roll like your life depends on it!” she shouted.
With a burst of movement Ave pitched her body to the side. Ash held on for life and kicked with his feet. They switched positions and he rolled on top of Ave.
Ave straightened her arms and held her shielding breastplate out in front of them so that it was still facing the wall.
As they rolled over there was another *Click* of a pressure plate. Another hail of darts fired from the wall at them.
*Clang*Clang*
The darts were again deflected off of Ave’s armor.
“Keep rolling!” she shouted.
The two of them continued rolling sideways down the hall.
*Click*Click*Click*
Each pressure plate they rolled over on the floor shot out another volley of darts over their heads.
Finally they reached the end of the trapped section of the hallway.
Ash stood up. He helped Ave to her feet and then winced in pain.
“Argh! I rolled on top of some darts.” Ash shouted. He twisted his head and looked down at his backside. Several darts were sticking out of the back of his pants.
“No time! Keep running.” Ave said. She stood up, put pressure on her foot, and winced.
“Ahhh! I can feel them moving!” Ash gripped his tender cheeks as he ran. The darts bounced.
The two of them ran over to where Luke was lying face down on the floor.
“Luke. Oh no. Come on buddy. Speak to me.” Ash shouted.
Ash crouched down and grabbed Luke’s shoulder.
“Ahhh… I, I’m alive!” Luke rolled over.
“What?” Ash stood in shock.
“Oh no.” Luke lifted his shirt up. “My corset is ruined. The seamstresses aren’t going to be happy about this.” Luke coughed as he got to his feet.
“You idiot. I’m going to kill you myself!” Ash shouted. He violently shook Luke’s shoulders.
*Roar!* The Shadowbeast stalked closer behind them.
“If that thing doesn’t finish you off first.” Ash hoped.
The beast of shadow moved closer to the group.
*Click*
One of the pressure plates on the floor activated under its weight. There was a hiss of air from the wall. The creature spun to face the sudden sound. It lowered its shoulders. The tip of its barbed tail speared the wall. Several stone blocks shattered. There was a shower of stone flakes from the wall.
The Shadowbeast sneezed and shook its shaggy mane. A cloud of dust scattered in all directions. It blinked its eyes several times then tried to use a giant paw to wipe away the rest of the dust.
“I have an idea.” Ave said. She held an arm out to the wall to steady herself. “Grab the torches.”
“I’m on it.” Ash said. He ran over and started grabbing torches off of the ground.
“Can you stand?” Luke said to Ave.
Ave twitched her leg. She grimaced. “Yes, but not for long.” She said.
“I’ll carry you.” Luke said.
Luke stood up. His corset *Popped* several times. Buttons dropped onto the ground as the loose stitching of his undergarment came undone.
Ash ran back. “What now?” he asked. He held the bundle of torches in his arms.
“Drop the torches.” Ave said.
“All of them?” he asked.
“Yes.” she said.
“But I just picked them up.”
“Make sure the heads are touching.” Ave grunted as Luke lifted her into his arms. She held the last lit torch in her hand.
Ash crouched down and set the torches on the ground in a pile.
“What next?” he asked.
“Get us down the hallway to the corner.” Ave said.
“Let’s move.” Luke said.
The three of them ran down the Dungeon hallway to the corner.
“Crouch down here.” Ave said. “Try to keep hidden.” Ave put one hand up in front of her mouth, then crossed her other hand in front of it at the wrist.
Ash, Luke, and Ave hid themselves at the corner of the hallway.
#
The Shadowbeast shook the last of the stone dust from its eyes. It saw the glimmer of light from the torch shining from somewhere ahead of it. The creature flexed its haunches. It jumped up to give chase.
*Stomp*Stomp*
*Stomp*Stomp*
The monster stopped just in front of the pile of torches. It leaned down and gave the oiled rags a quick *Sniff*.
#
Luke sucked a lungful of air between his teeth and held his breath. Ave raised the lit torch over her head. She waited.
Luke sidestepped into the hallway so that Ave could take aim.
#
The beast’s head snapped up. Its pupils dilated as it saw its prey standing at the corner illuminated by the torchlight.
It stepped over the pile of torches on the ground.
Ave brought her arm down in a perfect arc and threw. The lit torch sailed through the air end over end. The terrible beast froze in place with surprise. The tip of the flaming torch kissed the top of the pile of its unlit brothers.
*Ka-Fwoosh*
The oily heads of the torches ignited, sending a huge cloud of mucus melting smoke into the air.
*Roooaarr..aarrr…grrr…gaarrrggg…ggllllkkk…* Inside the cloud there were sounds of choking and gagging from the monster.
Heavy voluminous smoke filled the hallway.
“Run!” Ave shouted.
“I can’t see where we’re going!” Ash shouted back.
“Follow the wall! Luke shouted. “Maybe we can find the way out.”
Ash reached out and grabbed one corner of Luke’s shirt. He placed his other hand against the wall. The three of them fled down the pitch black corridor.
#
*Pitter*Pap*
*Pitter*Pap*
*Creaaak*
Somewhere in the depths of the Dungeon a door opened.
There was the *Klunk* and *Rumble* of furniture being moved around.
*Puff*
A small blue flame appeared out of nowhere. The tip of the flame hovered in the air for a moment before being used to light a candle.
The brightness of the candle illuminated an ancient storage room. Tools, crates, and barrels lined the walls. A wine rack and a series of cloth covered shelves were set off to one side. At the center of the room was a small end table about shin high. A single flickering candle had been placed at the center. A tiny foot stool had been pulled up next to the table.
*Pitter*Pap*
A small white dog hopped onto the stool and sat down. The dog was the size of a loaf of bread. It had white fur that shifted to black at the tips. It had a round face with pointed ears.
The dog rubbed one of its temples with a paw. “What a disaster.” it mumbled. “This place was supposed to have been abandoned. But now there are people, and monsters! And they’re all running around and getting eaten.” The dog slumped against the table. “How did they even get in? I did shut the door? Didn’t I? Of course I did. Oh… this is all too stressful. I need something to help me relax.”
The miniature mutt clambered down from the stool.
*Shuffle*Clatter*
“Heave… almost there…”
A red disk the size of a dinner plate was pushed up to the side of the table. With great effort the disk was eventually shoved up onto the top of the table.
*Pitter*Pap*
The small dog climbed back up onto the bench next to the table. It positioned the red disk in front of itself.
“I’ve been waiting a long time for this. This cheese should be perfectly aged by now.”
The dog licked its chops. It absentmindedly tapped the wax coating on the wheel of cheese on the table.
“What a shame. Those adventurers looked very young. I imagine they’ve been eaten by the Shadowbeast by now. But that’s what happens when you explore a Dungeon. It’s not anyone’s fault. It just happens sometimes.” The dog shook its head. “Too bad. Really too bad.”
The fluffy furball pulled out a small silver knife. With a delicate care it sliced through the cheese wheel’s wax seal. Using the knife the canine cut a triangular slice and placed it on the table beside him.
*Deeep Sniff* “Oh yes. That’s good. Such a rich aroma.”
The dog lifted the wedge of cheese to its mouth. It stopped before it took a bite. The dog put the cheese slice back down on the table.
“I know what would pair perfectly with this.”
Hopping off of the bench the dog *Pitter*Paped* its way over to a set of wine racks.
“Let’s see… Amber Sunset, no. Champions Loam, no. Bloodwine Bouquet? A morbid name but an excellent vintage.”
The dog waddled back to the bench with the bottle in between its paws. After sitting back down the dog produced a small silver cup. With a practiced maneuver the dog put one of its paws on the edge of the wine bottle’s cork.
*Pop*
The canine connoisseur poured a generous helping. It lifted the slice of cheese and took a savory bite.
“Here’s to those brave, foolish adventurers.” *Siiip…*
The dog froze in place. It spotted something out of the corner of its eye.
At the edge of the candle light Ash, Luke, and Ave crouched in place, sweating, beneath a pile of boxes in the corner of the room. They stared at the dog with wide eyes. Unblinking.
The dog stared back.
“Uh… bark?”