Golm

Golm - Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Maurna, Channdis and the remaining warriors were just seconds away from the main lobby. They all thought they were going to make it. They entered the main lobby, which had two giant staircases at the far end and numerous doors along the bottom floor. The room was quiet, too quiet. They stood in the center and Maurna asked, “It doesn’t look like anyone’s here. Should we wait for Herridan?”
Just when Channdis opened his mouth, a dark voice from behind them startled them, “Herridan is dead.” The five turned around and they saw Runar with about 30 soldiers behind him. Pias turned around and saw even more soldiers pour down the two staircases. Rorden saw a few come out of a few doors on the left, Utof saw the same on the left. Channdis in a controlled panic, secretly slipped a piece of paper in Pias’ pocket.
Pias shouted to Runar, “What are you talking about, Herridan’s alive!”
Runar laughed and slowly paced towards the huddled group. He explained, “I found that pitiful waste of flesh hiding alone in a bedroom. He was crying. He cried and screamed and hoped I would leave him alone, but I didn’t. I grabbed him by his worm of a tail and squeezed. He screamed and cried more, but I enjoyed it. I grabbed one of his little fingers and I broke it. His screams amused me, so I tortured him more. I grabbed his little arm and broke it too. I broke all his little ribs too, one by one. Then his fading screams got boring so I ate his head. Along with his little tail man brain. It was very, very satisfying.”
Pias was ticked off and so was everyone else. They drew their weapons and got ready. Runar laughed again and continued to slowly pace towards the group. He laughed, “You really think you can stop me do you? What do you have, hmm? There are five of you with the most pitiful weapons I’ve ever seen. What do I have? I have harnessed two of the elements and I’m not far from the third. As well I have an army of hundreds of loyal men who would give their lives to see me reign supreme.”
Channdis ordered, “This is madness Runar, you realize this? You can’t possibly harness all four Elements with out starting that war again. And if that war breaks out we are all dead! Stop right now!”
Runar shook his head and said, “You could have been my right hand man. You could have been the sage who gave me the power, but you left for your innocent country life, fool! Now I’ll have to live with the reputation of having traitors on my side.” He snapped his fingers and four guards popped in and took Channdis. They tried to stop them, but some guards prevented them from getting Channdis.
Maurna asked, “What do you want with Channdis? He’s an old researcher and he hasn’t done anything wrong!” She looked at the floor a thought for a second, she yelled to Runar, “If you think he knows where the other Elements are, you’re wrong! I know where they are, take me!” The guards taking Channdis to Runar stopped and began to let him go.
Runar stopped them by shouting, “You fools! I didn’t say to release him. The Aquasian lies you see, she may know where one is, her homeland Solwashi, I know that too, I just have to go and get it. But Channdis here is of much better use to me. He knows were the Fire Element is and he knows a lot about the magic I am to harness, so he will be my best friend for a while.”
Runar began to walk away, but he turned around. He added, “Oh, these may belong to you.” He threw Chen-glok and Vion’s corpses across the room and landed in front of the Maurna, Utof, Pias and Rorden. All four were shocked to see both bodies horribly mangled and mutilated. It was a disturbing sight especially for Vion, who had only a few arteries left of his head. Runar laughed again as he walked away and ordered his army, “Kill them.”
The entire army charged at the same time towards the four. They charged back and a ridiculously outnumbered battle began; four against hundreds. There wasn’t even enough space to swing a weapon; it was all push and shove. We managed to push ourselves to the top of the stairs and we were hacking away at them from above. The men didn’t stop coming in and we kept on getting pushed up the stairs.
Maurna had an idea and she backed away, further up the stairs. She began to concentrate and focus. She was using magic as an attack. She began to shake, using all her strength. But soon the army stopped fighting and heard a noise. The noise was getting louder and it shook the ground. Then like thunder over your head, the entire wall was destroyed by a massive wave of water. The soldiers ran in horror as the water giant swallowed them up. Then the wave swept back from whence it came, taking the hundreds with it.
There were still many soldiers left, but the odds were better and they stood a fighting chance. The tens of soldiers left battled with the four of us viciously.
Runar was walking up to the top of a private tower. He had knocked out Channdis, because of his resilience. He dragged Channdis up to the top of a tower. The top room was Runar’s top secret room, the room with all his plans and important files. There was a large cage in the room and Runar threw Channdis in it. Runar locked the door of the cage and the door of the room. He sat down on his large chair and wrote in his log.
I was running through the halls and I hadn’t found any guards at all. I did find the exit and I got outside. I ran a bit, but found in the field a whole bunch of bodies and numerous severed appendages in a large pile. I ran to check it out. At least fifty men were on the ground (that estimate included all the factions of men as well). I noticed around the area there were no footprints going away from the castle only hundreds going into the castle. I thought that everyone was still inside fighting the entire army. They couldn’t survive by themselves; I had to help. I ran around the side to find the entire side of the castle missing and a battle raging on in the center. I rushed to help my friends.
I ran in a killed a few men from behind with my old sword. I met Maurna, Utof, Pias and Rorden on the top of the stairs. We fought and talked at the same time. Pias exclaimed, “Herridan you’re alive!”
Utof looked at my tail and the toothed tail blade of life and asked, “Is that the sword?” I answered, yes. Rorden asked, “How did you manage?”
I laughed, “It’s a long story, let’s get these guys and maybe we’ll live to hear the story.” We hacked and slashed and we were slowly getting them all. I tried out my new blade by thrusting it into a soldier’s chest. It pierced right through him and another guy like I stabbed air. When I pulled the blade out, the hooks pulled, drilled, dug, latched, tore and sliced up everything, so much that the soldiers fell apart into many small pieces. It was very disturbing, but the fact that the enemies’ swords got cut in half when they touched the sharp edges of my blade made up for it.
The others were quite impressed with my super powered weapon. The soldiers stopped attacking once I killed some one else with the blade. They feared their lives and knew that they had no chance, so they ran. The rest of Runar’s army ran in terror of me and the Tail Blade. I asked Maurna, while I wiped the blood from my old sword (The Tail Blade stayed clean oddly) “Where’s Channdis?”
Maurna sighed, “He was taken by Runar. He’s going to use him to find the Elements.”
I asked, “What are you talking about?”
Maurna echoed me, “Long story as well.”
I explained, “We’ll exchange our gifts later.” I holstered my sword and asked, “Where did they go?”
Utof pointed down the stairs and to a door, “He went to a tower, the door’s down there.” I thanked him and I ran down the stairs.
Pias stopped me, “Where are you going?”
I answered simply, “I’m going to get him back.”
They told me, “We’re coming too!”
I shook my head and told them, “Just wait in the field for me. I’ll make it quick.” I raised my blade and shook it to get their attention. They moaned a little about my stubbornness, but they knew that I was the only one who could stop Runar, so they let me go. I smiled and ran to the tower.
I reached the top and found out the door was locked. I pulled and yanked, but eventually after a few huge bangs I got it open. I rubbed my shoulder as I noticed Runar sitting in his chair, startled by my sudden entrance. I turned right and saw Channdis awake in his cage, happy to see me alive. Runar got out of his chair and spoke to me, “Well, well. If it isn’t the Tail man Herridan, come to save his mentor. How dramatic.”
I demanded Runar, “Let him go. This is between you and me.”
Runar pretended to look puzzled. He asked, “Why do you think we have a feud that must be settled with our weapons? I haven’t done anything to harm you or your friends.” I gave him an ugly face of disbelief. Runar continued, “Oh, I see it now. You want revenge. Simple revenge about your trial?”
I shouted back at him and listed reasons why I wanted to kill him, “First of all, all my friends keep on whining that I’m the only one who can kill you and save Golm. Then there’s the fact you basically murdered everyone at the Golan Sword Tournament with those new rules to try and kill me, you set me up in court and you were your own lawyer, you murdered Elesia’s father and tried to get Elesia herself, because they knew where I was hiding, from what I get you were the cause of all these attempted genocide through out history, you probably killed Vion and Chen-glok and finally you just captured Channdis and you’ll probably kill him as soon as you make him talk.”
Runar asked, “Is that all, are you done? The first reason was good enough, because of the thousands I’ve slaughtered in my life. So you are really that eager to die?”
I shook my head, “I got the Toothed Tail Blade of Life and I will bring back life to your ruined throne.”
Runar was a little shocked, maybe even threatened by the sight of the Tail Blade and myself wielding it, but he soon asked me, “Fine I see we have a deal here. If you kill me, you can take Channdis back and live happily ever after with Princess Elesia. If you lose, I can use Channdis as I please and I’ll destroy everything and rule everything in both worlds. Does that seem fair?”
I shouted back, “I don’t care. That’s a bad deal that’s what’ll happen anyway. I just want to kill you.”
Runar shrugged and took out his sword that was twice the size of me. “Very well.”
I got my sword out and we paced in circles for a while. As we were pacing around I asked him, “Why do you want me dead so badly?”
He laughed and explained, “You’re the only one who can stop me. I tried to get rid of you when you were weak, but you seemed to slip through my fingers. Now you have that blade, the blade your ancestor, Narr wore when he tried to stop me.”
I added with a grin, “And he nearly killed you didn’t he.”
Runar laughed, “The man didn’t even put up a descent fight. He had trained for months and months. Vicious training; the training that would bring most men to insanity. He killed all my guards, my army, alone! You have done the same, but you needed your friends to help. He found me and we fought, like what we’re doing. But I had beaten him in the first 10 minutes and I was mangling his corpse for hours. He failed to even scratch me and he died a slow and painful death, as you will.”
I got really angry and I charged at him. Runar let out a yell and swiped his sword at me. I blocked it, but he had so much strength that he blasted me back, I flew across the room and crashed into the wall. I was in a lot of pain, but I staggered up to my feet. Channdis from the other side of the room called to me, “You’re quicker then he is, use that to your advantage.”
I shook off the pain and I charged at him again. This time as he swung for me, I slid underneath the attack and bounced up behind him. I went to slice him, but he pounded his tail across my chest and I flew into a wall right next to Channdis’ cage. Runar’s tail was thicker than my whole body and he whipped it across my chest like nothing. Every oxygen atom was probably out of my lungs, but after a few short moments I was standing up again. I had drastically underestimated Runar’s strength and ability. I was giving it my all, but Runar was casually moving his body parts and he was beating me. I had little hope of stopping him.
Runar asked me, “Where is your strength? Or are you just another rebel. No skill at all.”
I panted and replied, “You just…surprise…me. That’s all.”
Runar had mercy, “Why don’t I just turn around and you can just attack me from behind.” He turned around and his back faced me. I didn’t attack. He assured the deal, “Fine, I can see you don’t believe me. So I’ll drop my sword on the ground.” I didn’t know what to expect, but I had a free shot. He was unarmed and his back was turned. If I got him in this one attack it would be over, I wouldn’t be able to get another shot like this ever, so I took his offer.
I charged at him for the third time and I thought I was going to get him, he wasn’t even budging. Then he pulled off some great speed, by grabbing his sword with his foot, spinning around and slashing my legs holding his sword with those bird’s shaped feet. Luckily I sensed the attack when he spun around and I had jumped over his blade. I gave him an overhead swing to his spine, but his giant hand got across my face before I hit him. I spun through the air and landed on my knees.
I stood on my knees, wobbling, barely able to stay conscious. Then I fell down on my back. Channdis was to my right. He was asking me to hold on. He said some other things, but my vision was spinning and sound was muffled, I couldn’t understand. I began to get up, but Runar wrapped his tail around my neck. He lifted me up so I was eye to eye with him.
I was choking, but I could still smell his foul stench of blood and rot. His tail around my neck was rough, scaly and cold. His yellow eyes peered into my soul and the rest of his face made you wish you hadn’t of seen it. I could barely breathe; I had no strength to shake myself free. Then Runar laughed his evil laugh and he said to himself, “This is the boy everyone’s been waiting for, for hundreds of years. He was sought to stop me, but he hasn’t even touched me and he’s probably begging for mercy.” I wasn’t begging for mercy though. In my head I just waited for the second he loosened his grip, so I could make my move.
He looked at my beat red face. He looked at the blood dripping from my lips. He spoke to me softly as he scratched one of his claws down my face, splitting it open like a zip-lock bag opening. He said, “I want to see you suffer more. If I get rid of you I don’t need to worry about finding the locations of the Elements quickly.”
I squeaked a word out of what throat was open, “Channdis?”
He nodded, “Too bad you won’t live to regret this moment.”
My eyebrows popped up, as Runar lifted his right hand. Then heat waves scorched around his palm and then smoke. Then a ball of fire emerged. It got bigger and bigger, then it flew from his hand. I turned my head as much as I could to see what happened. My body inside burst into flames and my heart became ice. An unsuspecting Channdis got the fireball to the chest. Runar turned me around, so I could watch my friend burn. Channdis’ screams got quieter after a few seconds. Channdis stopped moving. I saw all his flesh melt and all his organs turn to dust. With in 20 seconds Channdis was a smoking skeleton.
I was in complete shock. He was dead. The man who took care of me, the man who saved me, the man who taught me everything about life, the man I called father more than anyone I knew. He lay there in his cage, as I watched his skeleton turn to dust as well. My eyes began to water, and the emotions in my heart couldn’t stay in. I suddenly burst out in tears and I shrieked, “Nooo!” My best friend in my life had just been decimated and the man who did it was holding me by the throat.
In a huge burst of emotional power, I cut Runar’s tail off and I freed myself. I fell to the ground and I swiped at Runar’s chest furiously many times, screaming, “You killed him!” “Now I’ll make you pay!” “No! Channdis.” Runar was on the ground and I was still hacking away at him. My clothes were drenched in his blood. I didn’t stop slicing him. I didn’t stop. I would only stop until Channdis was alive again, that was all I thought. Runar had done evil all his life and he had done the worst thing he could have ever done to me. I hacked and slashed, as I cried and screamed. I finally stopped and fell to my knees. I cried more. Runar was twitching, but he wasn’t doing anything.
I cried and cried. I crawled to his cage and looked at what black dust was left. I picked it up and pressed it against my heart in my fist. I held it out again and watched as his remains disintegrated. I sat there weeping for a long time, remembering all that he had done for me and I couldn’t repay him, by saving him. I had failed him. Nothing mattered anymore; I just wanted to cry.
But those emotions changed as Runar got up. He peered down at his chest. Nothing was there; organs, bones, blood were all on the ground, but Runar was still alive. Then I could see his body was healing itself, like Maurna’s, but at a slower rate. His tail regenerated and his torso was almost healed. He laughed at me, “Your feeble attempts have failed and you have lost your best friend and your best chance of any sort of victory. You have failed everyone. Why don’t you just come here and die to your superior.”
He was right, I have failed. Channdis our lead in any Golan magic on legends is dead. I have no strength left, nor any will to fight and use my Tail Blade (because I hacked him up with my old sword), so what was the point in trying. Runar had won. I wasn’t in any control of my body; my brain had completely lost it. I walked towards Runar. Runar liked how I made my final decision. I stood in front of him and I holstered my sword. I hung my head down. Runar laughed and said, “This has to be your best contribution to your Emperor.” He lifted his sword and aimed for my neck. My last tear fell to the ground.
Then I heard Runar yell out in pain. Then he did it again. I looked up to see. Runar had two arrows in his head, and then a third one went into his skull. I looked out the window to where the arrows were coming from. I could barely see, there were too many tears and too much dizziness. It appeared to be someone outside the window shooting the arrows. I heard the voice. I recognized the sweet, relaxing voice. It was Elesia, to my rescue! I made out the muffled words, “Herridan, come on! Jump on my back! Hurry!” I wobbled and shook with each of my tiny steps. I began to see light and myself leaving the darkness behind. I got out the window and got on Elesia’s back. She had trouble with the extra weight, but she flew back to safety. Runar was in he tower yelling at me and screaming. I passed out.