Bebida mumbles, “And I’m the freak huh?” No one noticed his muffled comment, “So how do you plan on beating her?”
Xiona explains, “Taxa is a very talented weapon-master and uses the weapon her opponent uses to help build a false sense of confidence. But little does her opponent know that the necklace that Taxa wears around her massive neck, gives her the same abilities and powers as the weapon that they are using against Taxa.”
“Same exact abilities?”
“Correct.”
“So they are on an even playing field then, right?”
“Not necessarily, unless you think that any human could ever be on the same level as an eight foot, four hundred pound Minotaur with the mastery of almost every type of weapon known to man.”
“Then how do you plan on beating her?”
“With skill and cunningness,” confidently Xiona states.
Razz says low and to himself, “I think he has a crush on her.”
Caught off guard by the comment, “What was that?” Bebida snapped.
“Oh, sorry I was talking to my brother. That Explode’s actually a funny guy.” Razz explained.
“Huh?” He didn’t realize he was talking to his brother out loud.
Bebida and Xiona realize that the twins must always have this line of communication through thoughts going on.
“So it must get annoying huh?” Bebida asked.
“Only when he gets lucky,” answers Razz with a huge grin.
“Anyways,” objects Xiona, “We are reaching the end of the tunnel.”
As they enter the room connected to the end of the tunnel a look of disbelief covers all their faces.
“You’ve got to be kidding?” Bebida states as he looks around the massive room.
This room is smoldering hot. Steam rises from the huge holes in the ground which would appear endless if wasn’t for the lava occasionally bubbling from the bottom of each pit. This appears to be the only way across. Each pillar is only about one to two square feet in width and the distance between them is about five to six feet apart. This person would have to make at least six successful leaps in succession to get to the other side.
“No fucking way. How the hell are we supposed to cross that?” Bebida asked.
“I think that’s the point. We aren’t,” says Razz.
“Well you were in the circus, monkey boy. Show us your stuff.”
“It wasn’t that kind of act,” objects Razz, who then turns to Xiona, “do you think you could get across Xiona?”
“No. Even if I did how would you guys get across?”
At that moment before any of them could answer, Shadow drops from the ceiling right in front of them, with her sword drawn. Only Xiona reacts fast enough to have her weapon out.
“What’s going on?” Razz asks in nervous tone.
Shadow says nothing as she looks all three of them over as if she was inspecting them.
“I don’t know but I don’t like it,” says Bebida as he slowly reaches for his knife in its hip sleeve, Shadow looks them over one more time, and then puts her sword away.
“Um... what just happened?” Bebida asked as he stops going for his blade.
“Well, I almost soiled myself.” Razz stated.
“Are you okay, Shadow?” Xiona asked.
Shadow looks upward over the lava pits. Xiona looks up also and now notices a rickety old wooden bridge.
“A bridge?” Xiona realizes that is why Shadow looks up; she was trying to tell them about the bridge.
“But how are we supposed to get up there?” Razz asked.
Shadow turns toward the pits, and with the agility of a cat and Olympic gymnast she gracefully leaps from one pillar to another.
Shocked by what just happened and her skills, they just stand there and watch.
“I must have missed something,” says Bebida.
“I think we all did,” says Razz.
Once Shadow is on the other side, she walks up to a wall and pulls a lever, the bridge starts to lower.
“Was I the only one who had sensed that she was poised to kill us?” Razz asked.
“Nope,” says Bebida.
“And now she saves us.” Xiona added.
Once the bridge has come to a stop and they are able to cross, Shadow runs off into the doorway next to the lever. As they cross the bridge, Bebida says to Xiona, “I don’t think you are the only woman here with her own agenda.”
“I agree,” says Xiona.
Chapter Ten
“So captain, is this the right way?” Rugged asks.
Tired of trying to keep his composure, Hack fires back, “I’m not a damn captain!”
“Calm down. I was just joking. I think you’re doing a good job despite all this unexpected stuff that keeps happening.”
“Thank you, I guess, but I’m not a leader. I’ve never been a leader and I don’t want to be one either.” Gladiator, who is trailing back, simply because he is admiring all the fine marksmanship in this well-crafted corridor, full of hieroglyphics, says “I think you’re doing great.”
This compliment seems to mean more to Hack than Rugged’s did, “Really?”
“Yup, I mean I don’t think I could’ve kept Xiona and Explode from killing each other by now.”
Hack and Rugged both laugh. Rugged adds, “I agree kiddo, also you being a man of technology, I thought you would be lost without it, but you’re holding your own.”
Turning the attention from himself, Hack asks, “Speaking of holding their own, how do you think the other groups are holding up?”
Gladiator fields the question, “Probably fine. We haven’t had any problems yet.”
“Speak for yourself, I’ve needed to piss for about an hour now,” says Rugged.
“Well why haven’t you? We aren’t that pressed for time,” says Hack.
“Well I guess, but you have to watch our little friend here. I don’t want him watching me take a leak,” says Rugged about their prisoner.
“Okay and you might wanna ask him if he needs to also.”
“Who cares if he does?”
“Just ask him.”
Rugged shrugs, then says something in the villager’s own tongue to him. The villager replies.
“He said no,” says Rugged.
“That sounded like a lot more than just ‘no’. What did he say?” Hack asked about the villager’s ten-second response.
“It sure did,” agrees Gladiator, who has now stopped to admire more artwork.
“Fine! If you must know. He said, “No, but please, please, please, I beg you to let me go home before I am cursed too. There are you guys happy now?”
“Um...not really,” gulps Gladiator.
“Cursed?” Hack asked.
“Don’t worry about it. All places like these are supposedly cursed. The only one cursed here is me. My curse is that I’ll never be able to take a leak.”
“Oh, sorry, go ahead,” apologizes Hack.
Rugged walks over to a wall to urinate, “Damn idiots, every tomb is supposedly cursed and they call themselves treasure hunters?” he mumbled to himself. As he continues to unleash a lengthy one, he notices that one of the hieroglyphics in front of him has a ruby as its eye.
He thinks to himself, “Sweet. Finally some treasure.” He reaches out to touch the jewel, while he’s still doing his thing. As soon as he touches it, three huge axe blades swing from hidden crevices in the wall, each in the opposite directions of the next.
Gladiator is a little ways back and out of range of these blades. Unfortunately he was the only one so lucky.
Hack notices the front outer blade, the one closest to him, and manages to avoid it. His backpack wasn’t so lucky. The razor sharp blade smoothly removed the backpack from his back along with part of his jacket’s hood. He rolled to safety.
Their captive was caught completely by surprise. By pure luck and his thin stature, he stood safely between the two saw blades closest to him as they passed by each other and him.
/>
Rugged was the true victim of misfortune, as he was standing next to where the farthest back blade emerged. The saw tore into his forearm, leaving a three inch deep gash. The three blades swing back into their resting places.
“Son of a bitch!” hollers Rugged from the ground.
“You okay?” Hack asked. Hack is several feet ahead, also on the hallway floor.
“What happened?” Gladiator asks as he runs toward Rugged.
“I thought that damn thing was a jewel but it was a stinking trap.”
Gladiator comes to a stop by Rugged, “That’s why I was only looking, not touching. I saw something like that on the wall over where I was standing.”
“A little late for the info. Ow!” Rugged says as he clenches his injured arm.
Gladiator helps Rugged to his feet, “Can you still walk or do you need me to carry you?”
“Shut up! This little flesh wound....ow!” Rugged can’t even finish the sentence because of the pain.
“Sure, flesh wound huh?” Gladiator then points at the villager, who’s still standing in the exact same spot he was when the blades passed him. “What’s wrong with him? Is he hurt?”
As he starts to stand Hack answers, “I don’t think so. Probably just feels that he’s cursed, that’s all.”
Rugged and Gladiator slowly make their way across where the blades had crossed. Gladiator grabs the villager and says in his best policeman impersonation, “Come on move it mister, there’s nothing to see here.”
He escorts him back over to where Hack’s standing.
Hack asks Rugged, “You gonna be okay?”
“Yeah.”
“What about him? He looks like he’s the walking dead or something.”
“He probably feels that way. The curse he spoke of is that no one messes with King Foymama’s treasure and lives.”
“Well just like you said earlier, ‘Looks like the fun has begun’.” This playful comment doesn’t gain any kind of response from Rugged, but does get a big grin from Gladiator.
“Whatever.” Rugged mumbles as they head deeper into the tomb.
Chapter Eleven
“She had to come down this way” stated Xiona, referring to Shadow.
“Then where is she? She couldn’t be that far ahead of us” Razz replied.
“This whole thing with her stinks. I’ve stared killers in the eyes before, and just her body language and movements said that she was going to attack, but she didn’t.” Bebida stated. “Well she’s not gonna catch me off guard again.” He removes his knife.
“But if she was going to kill us, why would she help us then?” Razz stated with a puzzled look.
“That’s what I don’t understand.”
“If she was going to kill you two, you would be dead right now, instead of asking questions.”
Xiona’s firm statement didn’t mold too well with Bebida. “What?”
“You two were caught completely by surprise by her; frozen in time, like this tomb.”
Bebida rudely fires back, “Whatever. I see why Explode doesn’t like you.”
Xiona brushes the comment off with a light laugh. “She’s right, well at least kinda. We do need to be more ready. You know, just in case.” Zarr pulls out a highly colorful sword that was in its backside sleeve. The sword and sleeve were undetectable to the naked eye.
“Pretty neat little trick. Didn’t even know you were armed.”
“That’s the most common, last words I hear.”
Xiona interrupts, “Enough of the ego checking. There’s a door up ahead. Let’s keep on our toes and eyes peeled for traps and Shadow. She might not be in such a helpful mood later.”
Once all three have passed through the doorway, a huge block of stone slams down behind them, closing off the previous path.
Bebida says, “That’s not a good sign.”
“Tell me about it.” Razz added.
They find themselves walking across an arena. This arena is completely surrounded with cement steps like the room Explode and company encountered, but this arena is enclosed from all sides. The seating swings around like a horseshoe, giving it the feel of a stadium of some sort. Up high above in the rock like rafters, in a circle that follows the flow of seating are statues of archers with arrow tips pointing upward toward the ceiling.
Xiona is the first to notice this. “This must have been used as some sort of arena for fighting or dueling.”
Sarcastically Bebida says, “Maybe you’ll find Taxa here.”
A voice that is so thunderous that it feels as if the ground was shaking, echoes out, “Look no further!”
“Oh my...” Razz started to say, but the sight of the creature approaching cuts that short. Taxa walks through the doorway opposite the way they entered. She’s over eight feet in height and weighing easily 400 pounds, with pulsating muscles. Razz is still stuck in thought.
Bebida is awe-struck, “Look at the size of her...If you’re sure she’s a woman.”
“This is my destiny.” Xiona walks forward toward Taxa, who’s approaching the middle of the arena, leaving her companions standing in place.
Taxa has a large chain draped over her shoulder which is hooked to a massive cart full of weapons. The squeaking of the wheels sends chills down the men’s spines.
“Are you sure you want to do this, Xiona?” Razz asked right before he gulped.
Taxa answers for her, “She has no choice, unless one of you would like to take her place.”
Both men remain silent.
Taxa continues, “You have summoned me by coming into my arena. Either you battle me and die, or just die.”
Xiona boldly adds, “I’m adding a third choice. Battle and win.”
Smiling and exposing her fanged teeth, “Sorry to disappoint you, but that choice is reserved for me.”
Bebida yells to Xiona, “You don’t have to fight her. Let’s just run!”
Razz adds, “Or we could help.”
Xiona looks at them at out of the corner of her eye, “That would not be very honorable.”
“And neither is losing your head.”
Taxa’s voice thunders again, “Little man, you don’t seem to understand. The only way out is past me in one on one combat. If you or anyone interferes, then you will feel the Rain of Arrows.” Taxa points up at the ceiling.
Everyone in the room looks up at the ceiling. The archer statues are now aimed downward toward them. Taxa once again continues, “It will also rain when she loses.” Taxa gives off another eerie laugh that makes the loose pebbles fall from the ceiling. “So runt, what weapon do you choose to die with and what weapon are you offering up as the wager?”
“I offer the Dagger of Stealth. It was once used by Zuma the Thief to kill an entire thief’s nest to avenge her brother’s betrayal and death.” She pulls out a dagger from a pouch. “And I will use my broad sword to fight.”
Taxa replies, “A worthy weapon that has slain many. It will make an excellent addition to my collection but you failed to mention the name and history of your broad sword.”
“No I didn’t forget. It has no worthy name or history. It’s just a weapon I picked up for my battle with you.”
Taxa looks a little confused. Xiona explains, “Taxa, I know about the power of your necklace and how it copies the special abilities of similar weapons used against you, then multiplies it. So there will be no extra advantages for you or for me. Just a fair and level playing field.”
Taxa smiles once again, “Fair and level? You versus me? You make me laugh, squirt. I eat rats bigger than you.”
“Man, just her laugh would be enough to make me drop.” Razz states as he stands by.
“You can do it!” Bebida yelled.
Razz is shocked at Bebida’s newfound faith
“I know I can.” Xiona said confidently.
Razz asks, “Do you really think she can?”
Bebida replies, “Nope, not a chance. We need t
o try to edge ourselves toward that door. So we can haul ass when we get our chance.”
“So you want to just abandon her?”
“She’s as good as dead. Do you wanna die with her?”
“How can you be so sure? Xiona could probably whip you around.”
“And definitely whip yours, but that’s beside the point. When I get my chance, I’m gone and I advise you to do the same likewise.”
Taxa reaches into her cart and pulls out a broadsword similar to Xiona’s. “Are you ready to die, little one?”
“Let’s go!”
The two combatants start to circle each other. Taxa makes the first move. Taxa’s powerful swings are blocked valiantly by Xiona’s broadsword but each powerful strike backs her up. The sounds of steel meeting steel echoes throughout the arena. Taxa backed Xiona against the cement stands. Taxa swung and missed, hitting the cement and removing a big chunk from the wall.
Taxa turns and faces Xiona, who has managed to put about ten feet between them, “You run well, bug, but let’s see how well you fight.”
Taxa charges again with more big shots meeting Xiona’s blade. The ones that don’t connect with steel barely miss flesh. Any one of these blows would kill her on impact.
Bebida slowly scoots toward the exit unnoticed by the combatants but not unnoticed by the archers, who have pulled their bows tighter. They also move along with him. Razz notices both, “Bebida, stop or they’re going to shoot. Look!” Bebida looks up and notices the same. He moves slowly back to his original place next to Razz.
He asks Razz candidly, “So who’s winning?”
“You know, you’re a real piece.”
Bebida ignores the insult, “So if she wins, she’ll get the weapon she’s after right?”
“She’ll get all of Taxa’s weapons.”
Meanwhile, Taxa had thought she had Xiona cornered again but Xiona had managed to escape yet again.
Taxa says through her fanged smile, “If you think you are going to tire me out, think again. This is barely a warm up.”
“Well, I pity you then, because this was my warm-up and I’m ready now.”
“Then bring it on, bug!”
Xiona charges Taxa and delivers several blows that are blocked by Taxa who holds her ground. Taxa tries to counter attack one of Xiona’s attacks but this was the opening Xiona was waiting for. She delivers a counter of her own, cutting a gash across Taxa’s midsection. It’s not a major wound, but Taxa is bleeding.
“Good one. You’re better than I thought you would be. Only one other person has ever hit me before. He survived because he’s immortal, but you aren’t so lucky.”