Descending Shadows: Into the Dark

I was lost. I couldn't think straight, not with the kids in danger. I couldn't slay the Nazragadhs without putting them in harm's way. But right then, Arabella teleported all of the children away from the monsters and close to her.

"Get them to safety!" I yelled. She nodded and teleported with them.

And with the opening Arabella gave us, we charged forth and began to hew each Nazragadh, one by one. Moments later, we heard screams from the distance.

"It's Arabella!" Leslie shouted.

We rushed over there to find Arabella and the children already recaptured by three Nazragadhs. Arabella tried to break free from their grip, but she was out of breath. She was out of magic. I had no other option, so I decided to take a gamble; I dropped my blade and slowly walked towards the monsters, raising my arms to let them know I had surrendered.

"Moon, what're you doing?" Nolan yelled, but Leslie held him back.

Everyone was shocked at my decision, but I stayed true to it. With each step I took, my stomach wrung even deeper. I knew that if I were to falter, even for a moment, it would've spelt the end for us all.

When I was close enough, the one holding Arabella let her go and walked towards me. It suddenly grabbed hold of my head, but I had something it did not expect. There was a dagger in my pocket. I swiftly drove the blade into the beast's belly, watching it burst into flames and wither away into a pile of ashes. Leslie and Nolan followed my lead and threw their daggers at the remaining two, incinerating them within an instant.

"Moon, we have to go!" Nolan shouted, pointing ahead. There was an army of them heading towards us, around fifty-strong. We weren't getting anywhere safe with those numbers... At least not all of us. And so, the strongest of us able to fight decided to stay behind, while the rest escorted the others to safety. Ten of us stood there, at the top of a hill, waiting for the advancing enemy. We knew we had to make use of all that was left of the Canamazdh.

Once they reached the foot of the hill, we sprayed the Canamazdh onto them, and most of them fell to ashes. After that first wave of attacks, the monsters stepped back and didn't come any further. But they didn't leave; just stood still, as if to taunt us. And very little of the chemical was left for us to use, so we could not afford to be rash.

But something wasn't right. It was as if they were staying there just to taunt us. To keep us... "No—"

I suddenly heard screams from the distance and knew what was up. "They're the distraction!" I yelled, running in the direction where the others escaped to. Leslie and Nolan followed me while the others took care of the rest of our pursuers, but we did not find them.

"Damn it!" I screamed, dropping to my knees. Leslie and Nolan consoled me, but it little to ease my frustration. "I already lost my parents... I'm not going to lose my brother, too!"

"You won't," replied Nolan, holding out his hand. I nodded and accepted it, rising to my feet.

We looked around, searching for tracks and clues that would lead us to our friends and family who were abducted. Nolan eventually discovered a trapped door behind some thickets that led underground. But we couldn't open the door; it was locked from the inside. And so, using our daggers to unhinge it, we slowly, and quietly, descended into the deep cavern. There was barely a hint of light within it, save the rays that flowed in through the entrance. There was a faint foulness on the air, which was almost still. Through the cave’s shadows, we waded, advancing into enemy territory in search of our friends and family.

Finally, we came across a line of cellars, and found them locked up in one of them. They were bound and gagged, and could barely move an inch. I tried opening the cellar door, but everyone imprisoned started becoming agitated. We weren't as quiet as we thought...