" I take it that it has finished digesting that Orc's soul."
Joey whimpered as the wraith kept making void balls and attacking. Darzirak could barely keep up as he struggled to keep dodging.
" Boy, I'm dying. This is it for me, la. "
Darzirak cried as he panted.
" Don't say that! If you say then what the hell going to happen to me?! You only jump around for the past 1 minute!"
Joey questioned with widened eyes.
" Those balls sends everything around it into the void. Even though it narrowly missed hiting me. It's sucking up my energy. I'm a shadow being without light there is no darkness and that ball is sucking up both."
Darzirak huffed as he started to shake his head, trying to shake off the dizziness from the lack of balance within the physical plane and the shadow plane.
" Joey! Darzirak is too dizzy to remember where the traps are! Watch out for the pegs and the areas where the sand evens out."
Philomel informed as Darzirak threw another rock at the wraith. The wraith scream at the rock rendering it into nothing more than a burst of pebbles. Joey looked at Philomel before pulling at every peg he could find. A swinging madness of logs, rocks, nets and even grappling ropes that grab at the ankle and render it's target helpless by hanging them upside down.
The wraith no longer able to stand in one place peacefully was unable to cast it's void balls and more concerned with dodging logs and turning rocks into pebbles.
" Not there! That's a!"
Darzirak howled at Joey but unfortunately it was too late and uncovered another pit trap right underneath them. Darzirak quickly stretched his paw, grabbing the side and swinging them out. The demon catch his breath for a moment before running to a certain part of the catacombs and throwing a rock at the ground. The rock triggered a bear trap made of out sharpen sticks that bit down on ankles like a jaw full of sharp teeth.
Darzirak picking it up by it's string, breaking it loose and used it like a flail. Each time the wraith tried to cast void ball, Darzirak would swing the trap at him or shot out his paw to grab a swinging log to shove at the wraith.
" When did you have the time to make all this?!"
Amon gasped with disbelief as he stared at the amount of traps being triggered and used by Darzirak as a huge advantage.
" Darzirak was in a helpful mood after you rewarded him. He helped dig and collect the materials. All I needed to do was make them and set them up. We had like 2 days, of course that whole area close to the entrance is going to be full of traps. "
Philomel folded her arms with a proud smirk as she watched her traps at work. Amon silently studied Philomel, truly questioning if she was a theif or a trapper. He soon came to the conclusion a trapping theif since she obviously exceeded in both.
" Come on, let's make our move. Estelle is entering the final stages of her spell and Darzirak looks like he can handle himself."
Philomel shoulder bumped Amon and nodded at the huge pit that lead to the rapid flowing river. She passed the basket with the Messiah to Amon and pulled out rope from her belt pouch. She tied it to a nearby rock and lower the rope into the river.
Amon glance up at the ledge watching Estelle with her eyes closed muttered the spell. Her book was glowing a golden light as it floated around Estelle. The golden light pulses like a heartbeat, beating harder with each full circle it made around Estelle. Lenny was nowhere in sight, Amon with ease concluded that Lenny didn't believe Darzirak and had gone to check if there was an exit or not.
" Damn, if only Lenny and Estrella aren't blocking the second exit."
Philomel cursed as she studied the flowing river. She had bend down and was leaning to see where the river leads.
" I never planned to take the Messiah through this exit. This was only meant to trap , knock out and send knights as far as possible. I made it extremely well and even tested it with Darzirak. It's extremely risky to bring the Messiah down here."
Philomel informed Amon as she looked up at him.
" Isn't your mission to kill him? "
Amon titled his head, extremely confused of why she was worrying about that.
" Wa? It is! But didn't we agreed to... like rethink about this?? "
Philomel stumbled on her words as she tried to tip-toe round Amon's assigned decision, not wanting to remind him and making him depressed.
" Right... Let's just do our best. He is the Messiah I'm sure his good luck would hold out long enough for us to make our escape."
Amon as he rocked the basket trying to stop the Messiah from crying.
" Ok, now the river is very rapid and there's 2 big rocks, that's blocking the river. Hitting that at full force and speed of the river can knock you unconscious. Climb down the rope and hold on, then slowly avoid the first and second rock, after that let the river take you. Aim for the river bank and kick hard, don't go against the flow of the river use it to help you to the river bank. I done it before and it's going to be a little hard for you since I only taught you how to swim on your back... But just kick and move your arms in circles to keep your head up."
Philomel instructioned as she took the basket from Amon and passed him the rope. Amon frowned at the rapid river and turned to glanced at Philomel.
" Don't worry, I'll be right behind you with the Messiah. "
Philomel reassured but Amon knew even if she was right behind him, it was impossible for her to help him with her hands full with the Messiah.
" Well, getting knocked unconscious and flowing along the river before Philomel saves me, couldn't be the worst case scenario. "
Amon thought with a heavy sigh before climbing down the rope. Philomel followed after him with the basket hanging from her shoulder. With the help of the rope, Amon easily dodge the first rock and held the rope tightly so that he could stand on the second rock and wait for Philomel. Philomel half submerged herself in the river, the bottom of the basket almost touching the water. Water sprayed all over her face from it's speed, making it hard for her to see since it was going right in her eyes for some moments.
" WHOA! Hey! Where do you think your going?!"
Lenny suddenly yelled as he quickly snapped his fingers and quickly a purple barrier appeared around the basket. With a beckoning gesture of his fingertip, his barrier started floating upwards. Philomel inwardly cursed in her mind as she wrapped her arms around the basket, stopping the barrier from seperating it from her but dragging her back up along with the basket.
" There is nothing valuable in the basket, Little Thief Mel. So best hand it over, unless you wanna..."
Lenny trailed off when he saw the white clay dripping off Philomel's face, revealing her sunkissed skin.
" You... you're a dark elf?"
Lenny gasped in disbelief for a moment as Philomel's eyes widened and froze in panic like a deer caught in headlights, completely uncertain what to do.
" Mel! Let go and Let's go!"
Amon voiced out in a panic as he steady his footing. His left on one rock, his right on the other, he balance himself with the help of the rope and reached out one hand to catch her once she let go. His words were drowned by the rapid river and wasn't loud enough to snap Philomel out of her daze.
"You... that's why you were after us! This whole time! You are the assassin sent to kill the Messiah! How... how could you... how could you even bring yourself to attempt such a terrible thing? Do you even know what calamity you'll cause if you do?"
Lenny questioned with such a disappointed look in his eyes and such a sad expression. Philomel's heart instantly sank.
" I... You... you don't understand."
Philomel stated as tears stung her eyes.
" I? I don't understand?! The only person who doesn't understand here is you! You and your selfish kind! Readily to doom is all and for what?! Pride? Jealousy ?!Revenge?! How petty can you and your people be?!"
Lenny lectured as his disappointment turned into furry. Tears ran down Philomel's face as unfairness, anger and sadness rose.
" NO! This the only way my people can live! You and all light elves have always prejudice against me and dark elves. You purge us without fair judgement! Let go of the Messiah! Please! I beg of you!"
Philomel begged knowing that there was no other chance since now Lenny knows they are dark elves. Their team would purge them on sight and there won't be any chance of getting close.
"You... How can you even ask me of such a thing? How heartless can you be? How twisted can you be?! This is why all your kind deserve to be purged from this world!"
Lenny yelled in a growl before taking in deep breaths and glaring at Philomel.
" Since your demon saved us, we will let you go this time to return the favour. Never show your faces to us ever again. I can't promise that we would be this gracious the next time."
Lenny warned before his barrier shoved Philomel off the basket and she fell down the hole. Her body smashed against the rapid river with a painful splash before being swept along it's rapid flow.
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