The Death Mine

Lragen pulled out his bow and nocked an arrow and fired. The arrow whizzed across and hit the man in the forehead. The arrow head came out the other side carrying blood and fragments of the man’s brain. The body tumbled down hitting the ground with a dull thud. The other men glared at them drawing their battleaxes. Timaneus raised his hand murmuring “Herain!” one of the men’s shirts lit on fire. He screamed and pounded on his shirt with his free hand. The fire got onto his hand and started spreading. In seconds burnt skin could be smelt and the burning body lay against the wall. Misam slashed down with his blade, the man jumped away and swung his battleaxe. Misam fell back dropping his blade to avoid the mighty attack. Although a sword is more agile then a battleaxe, a battleaxe is very strong and the blades of a sword have been known to snap from blows. Timaneus jumped down and slashed. His aim was terrible though, he was desperate to try and save Misam. Instead he sliced the guard’s leg off and sending blood spraying onto the dirt. The guard couldn’t balance and toppled over. An arrow from Lragen put him out of his misery. Timaneus used magic to put out the fire. Misam dusted himself and picked up his blade. They all pushed against the door and it fell down. They were in a small passageway, Misam checked the map then they proceeded. Every now and then they passed miners who were working on enlarging a passageway or mining for minerals.

 

After an hour of navigating they reached the heart of the mine. It was a massive room, miners were working supervised by a man clad entirely in black. His hair was messy, his eyes were grayish showing only evilness, he was tall and carried a large jewablade at his back. A miner was before him sobbing, “You idiotic piece of trash!” the man yelled “My grandma works faster then you, you’re pathetic!” The miner begged “Please Master Drake I’ll try harder!” Drake sneered and raised his blade and in one stroke sliced the man’s head off. The head went flying dripping blood onto the ground then it fell down the mineshaft. Drake kicked the body down the mineshaft as well, then he turned to Timaneus and the rest. “So you’re the intruders we killed my three guards,” he said “I am sorry but you need your change for killing them,” he grinned “I’ll kill you,” Misam drew his blade “I’ll take him!” said Misam. “What is it prick!” sneered Drake “You’re so hideous I’d hate to see your mother that is if you even had one maybe you’re the spawn of maggots.” These insults were pointless but they got Misam angry. He dismounted and charged raising his blade furious at Drake’s insults. Drake pointed a finger at Misam “Stormnting!” blue lightning gushed from his fingers and hit Misam. Misam fell back screaming in pain and agony, Drake laughed as Misam crumpled and fell to the floor. Lragen nocked an arrow and fired the arrow shot from his longbow quickly. Drake raised his hand and murmured a spell. The arrow reversed course and shot back quick as a flash. It struck Lragen in the chest and he fell to the ground. Timaneus cried out as his saw Lragen’s eyes slowly close. Drake spat on the ground, Timaneus moved quickly drawing his sword and into a dueling stance. Drake raised his hand and muttered “Rocila!” a red ball of energy formed and Drake hurled it across towards Timaneus. Timaneus halted and placed a hand in front of him “Halaga!” the energy bolt stopped then Timaneus yelled “Gereai!” and the ball reversed back and smote Drake. Drake fell off his feet and fell back then he landed heavily on his back. He was up in an instant and Timaneus moved forward and swung at his shoulder. Drake blocked the blow then shoved back Timaneus stumbled back and only just brought his blade back to intercept a blow to his head. Timaneus smashed Drake in the stomach with his free hand. Drake backed off swearing then he delivered a powerful round-house kick that would’ve broken some of Timaneus’s ribs if Timaneus hadn’t moved out of the way. It caught him on the upper thigh, he was lucky but his thigh was throbbing painfully now. Timaneus used a thrust stroke, Drake jumped sideways to avoid it. He snarled and they traded blows moving across the room, Timaneus leapt over a miner. Drake merely kicked the miner into the mineshaft he was working near. The miner screamed as he tumbled into the dark depths. “Who are you?” gasped Timaneus, “Hmm I am Drake apprentice of the king future ruler of Oceanisia,” said Drake smirking and he flocked another stroke.

 

Timaneus tried to breach his defences but Drake was an excellent fighter and was much stronger than him. Drake effortlessly parried another blow, beads of sweat ran down Timaneus’s cheek. Drake lashed out with his blade, Timaneus jumped aside and smacked his own blade against Drake’s. Drake swore as his blade was torn out of his grip, he raised a hand and muttered something. Timaneus’s jewablade was torn out of his grip it fell onto the ground several feet away from him. Drake tried to roundhouse kick him, Timaneus moved back then dived behind a few boulders. He straightened up and then he talked Drake to the floor. They rolled down a small slope trying to regain their footing and punching each other. Drake managed to get on top and punched Timaneus in the face. Timaneus closed his eyes then gritted his teeth C’mon that hurt but you gotta fight back he thought some energy flared inside him. He opened his eyes and kicked Drake. Drake fell backwards and landed on his back. Timaneus rubbed his face, some blood was trickling down. He wiped it out and then Drake quickly got up spitting on the floor. Drake charged and raised his fist, Timaneus ducked under a punch, then he stepped on Drake’s foot in order to prevent Drake from kicking him. Drake howled in pain and Timaneus kneed him in the stomach. Drake was winded now and stepped back retreating, Timaneus bound forward and aimed a punch at his head. Drake moved off then grabbed Timaneus in a master-lock, each one of his arms went under Timaneus’s arm and over his head finally clasping against each other. Drake quickly tightened his grip, Timaneus mind was whirling, when he was young he and his friends had occasional wrestling competitions and the master-lock had been used quite common.

 

Timaneus raised his foot a little, then smashed it back as hard as he possibly could into Drake’s knee, breaking it. Drake howled and released his grip Timaneus jabbed his elbow into Drake’s stomach. Drake bent over, winded and in pain. Timaneus clasped both hands together and smashed Drake’s head. Drake gave a low grunt, he toppled back into a mineshaft. Timaneus weakly dragged himself over to Fleur and Norman. Lragen was still alive and breathing faintly. “Its fine,” he said panting “I was wearing chain mail so the arrow didn’t hit my heart but I think I might have a broken rib.” Timaneus helped Lragen to his feet, he said to a miner “Hey if you can help this guy get back to the entrance I’ll pay you some coins.” The miner walked over, he looked trustworthy “Really sir?” he asked. Timaneus nodded “Swear you won’t harm him,” “I swear on my life sir,” said the miner, “Good,” said Timaneus still unsure if he should to this. He handed the miner a few coins and then poured some water onto Misam’s face. As Misam woke up, searing pain rain along Timaneus’s shoulder. Timaneus gasped and fell backwards, he couldn’t believe that the wound from the arrow was still troubling him. Misam was still lying there, he was conscious but he wasn’t getting up. Rubbing his shoulders, Timaneus pushed himself up and walked over to Misam. “Are you alright?” he asked, Misam opened his eyes, “Yeh I think so,” Timaneus sighed in relief “I sent Lragen with a miner he seems to have a broken rib.” Misam nodded “That’s okay what happened to that man?” Timaneus indicated the mineshaft, “We had a big fight I was lucky though, he was stronger than me and better in sword-play but with some luck I beat him in unarmed combat.” Misam nodded “We should be going,” “Aye,” said Timaneus saddling Fleur and hopping onto her. Misam dragged himself up and mounted Norman.

 

Sliently they navigated out of the mine in another seven hours. This was the secret entrance into the Ocarina Ruins. Misam pushed open the trapdoor and then the led the horses out. They were in a store room with many barrels and carts. Timaneus shut the trapdoor and pulled a barrel over it. Misam opened the door, they were in a small hallway, the Ocarina Ruins was once a great temple where people came and sometimes the king visited it for holidays. A few decades ago some Orks had burnt most of it down and now the grand leader of the Orks probably lived here. The walls were black with soot and cracked, the ceiling was almost gone so there was no protection from rain. Rumble and items were on the floor, Timaneus saw a small door leading outside, he pulled Fleur and Norman towards it. Misam said “We need to see what’s happening, let the horses go they should be loyal enough not to flee.” Timaneus nodded and opened the door and let go of the reins. He said to Fleur “Be careful and we’ll be back soon,” the horses slowly trotted away. Misam nodded “This is just a bunch of rooms we need to get into the heart of the Ocarina Ruins.” Timaneus unsheathed his blade and they crept through the hallway. There were some skeletons scattered on the floor as well. Soon Timaneus and Misam were in the heart of the Ocarina Ruins a big, giant room that served as a temple. There on a throne sat the grand leader of the Orks, Mortis. He was seven foot tall, his charcoal black hair was short, his body was strongly built muscles ran along the body. His giant battleaxe lay next to him. “That is him,” said Misam “I could never forget him, okay lets go.” They were about to turn when something sharp was pressed against their throats from behind. “Don’t move or I’ll slit your throat,” growled somebody.