Shadowlands 13: In over my dead

I stood there surrounded by the intense humming of the soldiers. They just stood there, in some cases they hung there. The whole massive moving body had stopped save for the slight swaying to keep loose.1

Two jokers, red and black, leapt up to confront me. "It gets better and better boys!" I shouted. That sounded really stupid, why did I say that?2

They bowed to me. the black one balanced himself on a ball, and the red one balanced himself on a unicycle. The black one juggled little bombs, while the red one twirled juggling pins.3

"I am here," said the red one wryly, "To give you your third warning."4

I started to protest, "But I only-"5

"And I am here to give you your second warning," interrupted the black one slyly.6

"It all makes sense then thank you chaps. I'll actually be leaving now. Vix, Alice, let's go now," I turned to leave.7

And stopped at their combined command, "STOP!"8

"Do not toy with us mortal," said the black one fiercely.9

"Or we will see how mortal you be," added the red one piercingly.10

"Put words into action!" I shouted at them, "Or stop harrassing me with your little fukfuk games."11

"His decision is made," said the black one coldly.12

"So it is," replied the red one boldly.13

I thought I was prepared for the attack, but it came at such a confusing time. They started juggling higher until all their juggleables were floating down in four nice neat lines.14

The bombs came down first. I ducked and rolled avoiding debris. I tripped, and rolled, and narrowly avoided a bomb. The blast hit me though, my whole side got burned in the flame.15

I pushed myself up, and the red joker started bouncing his pins off of me in rapid succession. Needless to say, when I noticed everyone's favorite imp walk up with his hand outstretched, I was disinclined to warn the joker of his fate.16

The black joker almost, almost, reacted in time. But as his brother erupted at a high rate of hurt, he was knocked back by the ensuing concussion.17

I walked up to the joker, "Too bad you died in vain colorless one."18

"The prize is secured," said the black one meekly.19

The sound of furniture being kicked over in the break room caught my ear. "Alice," I turned, "Vix! Oh, nevermind, you're on it already."20

The sounds of shrill screeching floated up through the trapdoor to the break room, mixed in with the low merry rumble of a healthy fire.21

The soldiers surrounding me rushed the doorway. I scraped my right foot back. Time slowed as I dashed to the door. I hopped down the stairs and slammed the trapdoor shut.22

Normality returned. I have a plan. Run like a little pansy.23

I held the door down for a moment before noticing that the attackers had taken to the windows. Vix was busy making a dent in the pressing numbers, but he wasn't doing quite enough.24

I stepped into the fray and grabbed a soldier by the neck. His pincered claws flew up immediately, scratching and digging at my arm and my ribs. I spun and slammed him into the stairs.25

I picked up his spear, and pulled the pins off of his ink bombs. I held the belt and ink splashed out everywhere. Everything was black. It seemed to disrupt the cards. They scrambled around the room in complete chaos.26

I stomped my foot down hard, and faded from sight. The soldiers bolted for the door as I slashed at them with the speartip. I jammed the spear through a soldier as he fled, sticking him in the doorway until those behind him pushed him through.27

I listened as the frantic clicking got further and became confused as it mingled with those pressing in.28

I looked over to Alice. She was crouched in the corner cowering behind Vix. "Al! Al I'm scared!"29

"Don't be Alice, there's nothing to be worried about" lie "I'm sure we'll come out of this without a scratch," lie (considering how much I was bleeding) "you're in good hands," biggest lie of all. Honestly though it's not right to tell an eight or ten year old that she's about to watch you get killed.30

Spear in one hand, Alice clinging to the other, we slunk down the stairs. Out of curiosity, I checked the spear in my hand. It had the league's mark and my name on it. This place is crazy.31

The stairs emerged finally in a courtyard. It was a well kept garden, with hedges and fountains and statues.32

Linning the wall of the court were little weird looking trees that grew in the shape of a question mark, minus the dot. They were skinny at the bottom and thick at the top, with an oblong bulb at the very end.33

They seemed to attract Alice's attention. She walked over to one, and pulled it out of the ground.34

"Look Al! I pulled it out, and it's alive."35

"That is quite odd Alice, but I'll have to ponder this later."36

A few scouts climbed the wall and watched us. They gave hand signals to the soldiers behind them. 37

"Alice, you need to focus now," I said to her, as she ran joyfully around the courtyard. She seemed to have forgotten the hoardes of anthropods still vyying on killing me.38

"I'm not worried, Al. You said you'd protect me," she said it so sweetly. Her words made me feel ill. I lied to a little girl. She ran toward the courtyard's entrance.39

I sprinted to catch her. She led the way into a briar rose maze. A few soldiers had left their pulpy blood on the razor sharp hedges in the first attack, they wouldn't be able to climb through and ambush us in the maze. I have to hand it to Alice, she might not be in touch with reality, but she leads you to some nice accidents.40

As we walked, Vix became frustrated with the confines and sent a blast of fire into the bushes. They were open just long enough for Alice, her little imp, and the tip of my spear to run through, before regrowing.41

The spear was stuck fast. My accompliaces were gone. "Vix!" I shouted, "VIX! ALICE!" I paused, fuming internally. "FUGISHIGNIAMIT!"42

I tapped my left boot to my right, and stomped it down hard. It exploded, sending me into the air. I looked over the hedges, and found no Alice'es and no imps, but I did spot a few squads of cards.43

I landed hard, and looked at my available weapons. The thorns seemed durable enough to serve me, and I had no limit on usage. I grabbed a thorn and tugged. It wouldn't come off. I braced it by grabbing the branch it was attached to.44

Instantly my left palm felt fire. I pulled my hand off the branch and saw a dusting of tiny red spikes in my hand.45

"Idiot!"46

I advanced down the path. Ahead of me lay a T. Small feet padding through the dry grass caught my ear.47

Six soldiers arrived at the T as I got close. The leader jabbed at me with a sword. I stepped behind him and shoved him into the bushes. 48

He screamed and thrashed, as I made short work of the others. The last soldier ran away faster than I could persue.49

I sprinted randomly through the maze, with nothing to guide me, and no time to get my bearings, speed was my only tool. I'm not sure how long it took before I realized that I could distort time, but eventually the light dawned.50

I ran and ran, eventually I could not run anymore, or keep time slowed. I fell down defeated in the grass, and noticed it was burned.51

The whole area had been blasted with fire. And there were trails of white pulpy blood leading away.52

With new motivation, I pushed myself further, following the trails to a stone wall. The blood pooled there beneath streaks on the wall.53

I dug my hands into the crevasses in the stone and pulled myself up. I ascended to the top of the wall and looked down at the army. The queen was maneuvering around to the main gate, completely unaware of my presence. It was nice to have the element of surprise for once, but with around sixty thousand claws between myself and her, that element would fade quickly.54

I leapt down and landed on a soldier. He became a shield as I pushed through the throng. Chaos on my side and covered in the fog of war, I pressed onward to the queen.55

Three guards rose up to bar my path. After tossing my shield onto them, I grabbed another spear and vaulted the platform.56

The queen squared off with me. Alice was in her clutches once more, with a small crystal in her neck to keep her subdued. Vix seemed to have become a smear on the platform. Too bad; I liked the little guy.57

The queen squared off with me, holding her heart scepter ready to strike.58

I swung the spear in a wide arc aimed at the queen's stomach. She jumped back, and nearly fell off of the platform. I stood ready with the spear tip pointed at her.59

She began her swing, and I stabbed her through the wrist. I pushed the point of the spear down, and jammed it into the platform.60

My foot made contact with the screaming queen's head, and she fell limp. I collected Alice, and pulled the crystal out of her neck.61

Her eyes opened and she looked up at me. "I knew you could do it," she said.62

I looked out at the swarms of soldiers. They stood with weapons drawn, but not willing to attack. 63

The air went chill. Some of the creatures ran. Some of them curled up frightened. I knew what was coming.64

I turned and looked at the sun. It was blocked out by a large cloak, floating slowly down to me.65

It landed gently in front of me on the platform, taking the shape of a man. "Give me the newcomer," Deathwalker demanded from the depths of his shrouds. He extended his clammy hands66

"I don't think so creepy. I promised her I would protect her."67

"Then protect her by allowing her to travel back to the citadel."68

"Do I need to repeat my last statement, or just clarify it?" I leaned in and nearly yelled, "I'm not handing her over to the league."69

"Your punishment is not over until you return to the citadel," he rhasped, "I hope for her sake that you arrive." He twisted, and a gust of wind took him away.70

I set Alice down, and climbed off of the platform. Vix picked her up and hopped down after me. "Vix?" I said stupidly.71

He nodded excitedly, and walked through the scattered and defeated army. I stood for a moment watching him, and followed.