Chapter 7
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When they eased through the crack, all three of them were in awe of the view that opened up before their eyes. They assumed the crack would lead to more tunnels and caves but they were mistaken. It actually opened up to a large and cavernous area.
There were man-made architectural signs like columns and alcoves that were carved into and out of cave walls. It was as if a pavillion was hollowed out from the cave itself. The place was about the size of half a football field and at the end of the rows of columns that lined the walls was an elevated pedestal that seemed to be carved out from a natural stalagmite. On top of the pedestal sat an item that Arthur could not really tell due to the distance.
The place had the atmosphere of a divine shrine and without realizing it, all three of the party members were in silent awe.
Right at that moment, Arthur felt someone push Billy that he was carrying and as Arthur tried to grab the man that was tumbling forward, he felt the touch of cold steel on his neck.
Billy crashed to the ground and was about to complain when he felt the weight of a foot on his back, pinning him to the ground. Felicia turned around and found herself staring down the pointed end of an arrow. They had been ambushed by a group of black robes!
Felicia was the first one to speak, "Who are you people? What do you want?!"
The leader was the last to squeeze through the crack and when he did, Felicia gasped, "Wait, you're Emilio from the village!"
"I'm surprised that the beautiful lady recognizes me, looks like my name precedes myself." The man chuckled as he stepped forward.
"What are you doing here?" Hearing Emilio's voice, Billy on the ground hissed angrily, "Let us go this moment!"
"Now, why would I do that after I've done so much to set this up?"
"But, why are you doing this? How do you even know we're here?" Felicia asked.
"Who did you think set up this quest?" Emilio said with amusement, "I thought no one would accept the quest knowing the amount of qualified adventurers we have at Armana so you can imagine my pleasant surprise when you two picked up the quest. It made things a lot easier for me."
It dawned on Felicia then, "You're just using us to clear the way for you? What is your purpose for doing this?"
Emilio walked towards Felicia and whispered to her face, "Sweets, have anyone told you talk too much for a woman? I prefer my women obedient and silent."
Before Felicia could counter, Emilio used his finger to hit a point on the back of her neck and Felicia fainted. Like Felicia, Emilio seemed to know quite a bit about the human anatomy and how to exploit those weaknesses. Emilio then sighed in satisfied, "Ahh, now that's much better."
Billy screamed, "You creep, just you wait until I get my hands on you!" His scream echoed down the halls and was amplified several times before it dissipated. Arthur then realized the way the pavillion was built had its purpose, the arches and alcoves were designed in such a way that the sound waves would bounce off the surfaces in quick succession, thus creating an echo-chamber. However, he had no idea why the place was built in such a manner and it wasn't really the time to think about such things.
By then, Emilio had walked to stand before Billy and he mocked, "The hero is trying to save the damsel, isn't he? Well, why don't you take a look at your own condition first?"
Emilio purposely stepped on the bandage around Billy's injured knee and the man screamed bloody murder while the blood oozed out from the wound, dying the cloth bandage red. After he was done with Billy, Emilio turned to walk towards Arthur. He looked the young man up and down before concluding, "You, I like. Unlike those two, you know when to keep your mouth shut. To reward you, I shall give you the chance to do me a favor. If you do a good job, then, who knows... I might even let all three of you go free."
Billy shouted after the pain had subsided, "Arthur, don't listen to him. He's going to..."
Emilio turned back to give one of his men a look, the man heeded his order and launched a kick at Billy's injured knee. The rest of Billy's words was swallowed up by the scream. After the scream faded away, Arthur asked, "What do you want me to do?" He sounded calmer than he thought possible.
Emilio smiled. "Good, I like a man who knows when to surrender." Emilio waved his hand and the black robe behind Arthur removed the dagger from Arthur's neck. Arthur took in several deep breaths.
"Now, what I want you to do for me is fairly simple." Emilio pointed at the pedestal at the end of the pavillion. "Walk towards that pedestal and pick up the thing that sat on it. It's simple as that. Do that and I promise I'll let you and both of your friends go."
"Okay." Arthur had no idea why Emilio gave him such an order but for the sake of Felicia and Billy, he had no other choice but to follow the command.
He stepped gingerly into the pavillion with Emilio, Billy and the group of black robes watching him carefully. Arthur's footsteps down the pavillion created a resounding echo, the echoing effect of the pavillion was much more powerful than Arthur presumed.
Arthur reached the end of the pavillion and nothing happened. He couldn't help but sigh in relief. He took a closer look at the thing that sat on the pedestal. By his halfway there, Arthur already noticed it was a conch shell that sat on it, but upon closer inspection, he realized there was really nothing extraordinary about this shell. It didn't seem like it possess any magical power.
However, since he was ordered to pick up the shell, that was what he did. Arthur held his breath because he thought he might trigger some traps once the shell was lifted from the pedestal. Again, nothing happened.
He realized Emilio shared the same suspicion as he did because when Arthur sighed in relief, he could hear Emilio's voice echoing down the hall, "Good, it's not laid with trap."
Arthur turned back to face Emilio while holding the shell in his arms, "I've done what you asked, now will you let us go?"
"Of course, I'll hold up the end of my bargain." That was what Emilio said but it did not match what he did. The man pulled out a dagger and twirled it twice in his palm.
"What are you doing?" Arthur exclaimed with alarm.
Emilio shrugged, "What do you think? I lied. Do you really think I'll let any of you go back to the village to report on me? Only the dead doesn't speak!" He snapped his finger and plunged the dagger right at Billy's heart while the archer that held Felicia hostage earlier, trained an arrow at her head.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" Arthur screamed at the top of his lungs and the whole pavillion shook.
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When they eased through the crack, all three of them were in awe of the view that opened up before their eyes. They assumed the crack would lead to more tunnels and caves but they were mistaken. It actually opened up to a large and cavernous area.
There were man-made architectural signs like columns and alcoves that were carved into and out of cave walls. It was as if a pavillion was hollowed out from the cave itself. The place was about the size of half a football field and at the end of the rows of columns that lined the walls was an elevated pedestal that seemed to be carved out from a natural stalagmite. On top of the pedestal sat an item that Arthur could not really tell due to the distance.
The place had the atmosphere of a divine shrine and without realizing it, all three of the party members were in silent awe.
Right at that moment, Arthur felt someone push Billy that he was carrying and as Arthur tried to grab the man that was tumbling forward, he felt the touch of cold steel on his neck.
Billy crashed to the ground and was about to complain when he felt the weight of a foot on his back, pinning him to the ground. Felicia turned around and found herself staring down the pointed end of an arrow. They had been ambushed by a group of black robes!
Felicia was the first one to speak, "Who are you people? What do you want?!"
The leader was the last to squeeze through the crack and when he did, Felicia gasped, "Wait, you're Emilio from the village!"
"I'm surprised that the beautiful lady recognizes me, looks like my name precedes myself." The man chuckled as he stepped forward.
"What are you doing here?" Hearing Emilio's voice, Billy on the ground hissed angrily, "Let us go this moment!"
"Now, why would I do that after I've done so much to set this up?"
"But, why are you doing this? How do you even know we're here?" Felicia asked.
"Who did you think set up this quest?" Emilio said with amusement, "I thought no one would accept the quest knowing the amount of qualified adventurers we have at Armana so you can imagine my pleasant surprise when you two picked up the quest. It made things a lot easier for me."
It dawned on Felicia then, "You're just using us to clear the way for you? What is your purpose for doing this?"
Emilio walked towards Felicia and whispered to her face, "Sweets, have anyone told you talk too much for a woman? I prefer my women obedient and silent."
Before Felicia could counter, Emilio used his finger to hit a point on the back of her neck and Felicia fainted. Like Felicia, Emilio seemed to know quite a bit about the human anatomy and how to exploit those weaknesses. Emilio then sighed in satisfied, "Ahh, now that's much better."
Billy screamed, "You creep, just you wait until I get my hands on you!" His scream echoed down the halls and was amplified several times before it dissipated. Arthur then realized the way the pavillion was built had its purpose, the arches and alcoves were designed in such a way that the sound waves would bounce off the surfaces in quick succession, thus creating an echo-chamber. However, he had no idea why the place was built in such a manner and it wasn't really the time to think about such things.
By then, Emilio had walked to stand before Billy and he mocked, "The hero is trying to save the damsel, isn't he? Well, why don't you take a look at your own condition first?"
Emilio purposely stepped on the bandage around Billy's injured knee and the man screamed bloody murder while the blood oozed out from the wound, dying the cloth bandage red. After he was done with Billy, Emilio turned to walk towards Arthur. He looked the young man up and down before concluding, "You, I like. Unlike those two, you know when to keep your mouth shut. To reward you, I shall give you the chance to do me a favor. If you do a good job, then, who knows... I might even let all three of you go free."
Billy shouted after the pain had subsided, "Arthur, don't listen to him. He's going to..."
Emilio turned back to give one of his men a look, the man heeded his order and launched a kick at Billy's injured knee. The rest of Billy's words was swallowed up by the scream. After the scream faded away, Arthur asked, "What do you want me to do?" He sounded calmer than he thought possible.
Emilio smiled. "Good, I like a man who knows when to surrender." Emilio waved his hand and the black robe behind Arthur removed the dagger from Arthur's neck. Arthur took in several deep breaths.
"Now, what I want you to do for me is fairly simple." Emilio pointed at the pedestal at the end of the pavillion. "Walk towards that pedestal and pick up the thing that sat on it. It's simple as that. Do that and I promise I'll let you and both of your friends go."
"Okay." Arthur had no idea why Emilio gave him such an order but for the sake of Felicia and Billy, he had no other choice but to follow the command.
He stepped gingerly into the pavillion with Emilio, Billy and the group of black robes watching him carefully. Arthur's footsteps down the pavillion created a resounding echo, the echoing effect of the pavillion was much more powerful than Arthur presumed.
Arthur reached the end of the pavillion and nothing happened. He couldn't help but sigh in relief. He took a closer look at the thing that sat on the pedestal. By his halfway there, Arthur already noticed it was a conch shell that sat on it, but upon closer inspection, he realized there was really nothing extraordinary about this shell. It didn't seem like it possess any magical power.
However, since he was ordered to pick up the shell, that was what he did. Arthur held his breath because he thought he might trigger some traps once the shell was lifted from the pedestal. Again, nothing happened.
He realized Emilio shared the same suspicion as he did because when Arthur sighed in relief, he could hear Emilio's voice echoing down the hall, "Good, it's not laid with trap."
Arthur turned back to face Emilio while holding the shell in his arms, "I've done what you asked, now will you let us go?"
"Of course, I'll hold up the end of my bargain." That was what Emilio said but it did not match what he did. The man pulled out a dagger and twirled it twice in his palm.
"What are you doing?" Arthur exclaimed with alarm.
Emilio shrugged, "What do you think? I lied. Do you really think I'll let any of you go back to the village to report on me? Only the dead doesn't speak!" He snapped his finger and plunged the dagger right at Billy's heart while the archer that held Felicia hostage earlier, trained an arrow at her head.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" Arthur screamed at the top of his lungs and the whole pavillion shook.
When they eased through the crack, all three of them were in awe of the view that opened up before their eyes. They assumed the crack would lead to more tunnels and caves but they were mistaken. It actually opened up to a large and cavernous area.There were man-made architectural signs like columns and alcoves that were carved into and out of cave walls. It was as if a pavillion was hollowed out from the cave itself. The place was about the size of half a football field and at the end of the rows of columns that lined the walls was an elevated pedestal that seemed to be carved out from a natural stalagmite. On top of the pedestal sat an item that Arthur could not really tell due to the distance.The place had the atmosphere of a divine shrine and without realizing it, all three of the party members were in silent awe.Right at that moment, Arthur felt someone push Billy that he was carrying and as Arthur tried to grab the man that was tumbling forward, he felt the touch of cold steel on his neck.Billy crashed to the ground and was about to complain when he felt the weight of a foot on his back, pinning him to the ground. Felicia turned around and found herself staring down the pointed end of an arrow. They had been ambushed by a group of black robes!Felicia was the first one to speak, "Who are you people? What do you want?!"The leader was the last to squeeze through the crack and when he did, Felicia gasped, "Wait, you're Emilio from the village!""I'm surprised that the beautiful lady recognizes me, looks like my name precedes myself." The man chuckled as he stepped forward."What are you doing here?" Hearing Emilio's voice, Billy on the ground hissed angrily, "Let us go this moment!""Now, why would I do that after I've done so much to set this up?""But, why are you doing this? How do you even know we're here?" Felicia asked."Who did you think set up this quest?" Emilio said with amusement, "I thought no one would accept the quest knowing the amount of qualified adventurers we have at Armana so you can imagine my pleasant surprise when you two picked up the quest. It made things a lot easier for me."It dawned on Felicia then, "You're just using us to clear the way for you? What is your purpose for doing this?"Emilio walked towards Felicia and whispered to her face, "Sweets, have anyone told you talk too much for a woman? I prefer my women obedient and silent."Before Felicia could counter, Emilio used his finger to hit a point on the back of her neck and Felicia fainted. Like Felicia, Emilio seemed to know quite a bit about the human anatomy and how to exploit those weaknesses. Emilio then sighed in satisfied, "Ahh, now that's much better."Billy screamed, "You creep, just you wait until I get my hands on you!" His scream echoed down the halls and was amplified several times before it dissipated. Arthur then realized the way the pavillion was built had its purpose, the arches and alcoves were designed in such a way that the sound waves would bounce off the surfaces in quick succession, thus creating an echo-chamber. However, he had no idea why the place was built in such a manner and it wasn't really the time to think about such things.By then, Emilio had walked to stand before Billy and he mocked, "The hero is trying to save the damsel, isn't he? Well, why don't you take a look at your own condition first?"Emilio purposely stepped on the bandage around Billy's injured knee and the man screamed bloody murder while the blood oozed out from the wound, dying the cloth bandage red. After he was done with Billy, Emilio turned to walk towards Arthur. He looked the young man up and down before concluding, "You, I like. Unlike those two, you know when to keep your mouth shut. To reward you, I shall give you the chance to do me a favor. If you do a good job, then, who knows... I might even let all three of you go free."Billy shouted after the pain had subsided, "Arthur, don't listen to him. He's going to..."Emilio turned back to give one of his men a look, the man heeded his order and launched a kick at Billy's injured knee. The rest of Billy's words was swallowed up by the scream. After the scream faded away, Arthur asked, "What do you want me to do?" He sounded calmer than he thought possible.Emilio smiled. "Good, I like a man who knows when to surrender." Emilio waved his hand and the black robe behind Arthur removed the dagger from Arthur's neck. Arthur took in several deep breaths."Now, what I want you to do for me is fairly simple." Emilio pointed at the pedestal at the end of the pavillion. "Walk towards that pedestal and pick up the thing that sat on it. It's simple as that. Do that and I promise I'll let you and both of your friends go.""Okay." Arthur had no idea why Emilio gave him such an order but for the sake of Felicia and Billy, he had no other choice but to follow the command.He stepped gingerly into the pavillion with Emilio, Billy and the group of black robes watching him carefully. Arthur's footsteps down the pavillion created a resounding echo, the echoing effect of the pavillion was much more powerful than Arthur presumed.Arthur reached the end of the pavillion and nothing happened. He couldn't help but sigh in relief. He took a closer look at the thing that sat on the pedestal. By his halfway there, Arthur already noticed it was a conch shell that sat on it, but upon closer inspection, he realized there was really nothing extraordinary about this shell. It didn't seem like it possess any magical power.However, since he was ordered to pick up the shell, that was what he did. Arthur held his breath because he thought he might trigger some traps once the shell was lifted from the pedestal. Again, nothing happened.He realized Emilio shared the same suspicion as he did because when Arthur sighed in relief, he could hear Emilio's voice echoing down the hall, "Good, it's not laid with trap."Arthur turned back to face Emilio while holding the shell in his arms, "I've done what you asked, now will you let us go?""Of course, I'll hold up the end of my bargain." That was what Emilio said but it did not match what he did. The man pulled out a dagger and twirled it twice in his palm."What are you doing?" Arthur exclaimed with alarm.Emilio shrugged, "What do you think? I lied. Do you really think I'll let any of you go back to the village to report on me? Only the dead doesn't speak!" He snapped his finger and plunged the dagger right at Billy's heart while the archer that held Felicia hostage earlier, trained an arrow at her head."NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" Arthur screamed at the top of his lungs and the whole pavillion shook.
