PURE OF HEART

by Christopher Greyson

  Dean glanced at Bravic who quickly shrugged and gave him an I-have-no-idea-what-to-do look.

  “I’ll be right back.” Dean crookedly smiled.

  Oieda gritted her teeth and released her grip.

  Han nocked an arrow. Dean silently crept down the hallway, stopped at the corner of the first turnoff, and peered down. Although the hallway was clean, the alcove was filled with thick spider webs. At the end of the small alcove he could see a large metal door.

  “It’s a door. It’s closed,” Dean whispered.

  “Go by it,” the three whispered as one.

  Dean slowly moved alongside the wall and peered down many alcoves that all appeared the same. When he reached the end of the hallway, lights filled a huge cavern beyond. He flattened himself against the wall and peered out across the rock floor to the end that was nearly five hundred feet away. Stalagmites rose all across the floor. Dean waved the others forward and walked back to them.

  “What’s up there?” Han asked as they met Dean.

  “A really, really big cavern. There’s a bunch of those stalag-somethings on the floor. This place is—” Dean stopped talking as the hairs on the back of his neck rose.

  “We meet again, rabbit,” a voice boomed from the beginning of the hallway.

  “No way.” Dean shivered.

  “Taviak?” Han cried.

  “The hunter you killed?” Oieda gasped.

  “The rabbit has brought friends to my new home,” Taviak sneered.

  The four looked toward the beginning of the corridor with the large slab against the door. Standing in front of it, with his feet apart and his black visor up, Taviak grinned maliciously.

  “Rabbit, are you surprised to see me?” Taviak walked forward. “When you killed me, you sent me to this prison of the dead. It seems like I’ve waited forever for you to join me. Dean, you look pale; don’t you think I look good for being dead? My body has not yet started to decompose, you see.” He laughed.

  “You said he was dead,” Han shrieked. “Remember? As a doornail? He doesn’t have a head, he’s dead?”

  “Oh, I’m very dead, little one. And so you all will be. Please, welcomed guests, meet my new friends.” The hunter waved his hands.

  The sound of grating metal filled the hallway and a foul stench pervaded the air. Taviak reared back his head and laughed a very evil laugh.

  “Let’s get out of here!” Dean screamed, and then spun and sprinted down the corridor with the others at his heels.

  “Oh, a chase. I just live for a good chase.” Taviak laughed. “Run, rabbit, run.”

  “Look out,” Oieda warned.

  “An alive-dead guy,” Dean yelled as a skeleton in chain armor leaped from an alcove.

  As its rusted mace swung at him, Dean sliced its head clean off its shoulders. The skeleton fell to the floor with a crash.

  “Now it’s dead.” Dean snarled.

  “No it isn’t!” Han yelped as the headless skeleton rose to its feet.

  “Smash it.” Bravic growled as his axe crashed down again and again to crush its bones.

  “Lots of dead guys.” Dean gasped as he saw more skeletal, armored figures walk into the corridor.

  “RUN,” everyone called out.

  The four turned, raced into the cavern, and dashed around the stalagmites. Screams of glee rose from behind them, and running footsteps echoed into the chamber. As the companions wove back and forth around the stalagmites, they got farther and farther apart.

  “Die, creature,” Oieda cried as a dead warrior, with moldy leather armor and a rotting face, leaped before her.

  Her spear pierced its chest and drove straight out its back. The skeleton just drew back its sword, completely unfazed by the wound. Oieda swung the body impaled on the spear as hard as she could into a stalagmite. It crashed into the rock with a cracking of bones. She swung it again and bashed it into the stones on the right. A large section of its chest broke off. With a snarl, Oieda yanked upward and her spear ripped through its shoulder. The skeleton fell backward and caught itself against the stone. Oieda spun her spear around and smashed the skeleton’s head with the butt end. She bashed it repeatedly until it finally crumpled into a pile.

  Han’s heart pounded in his ears as he heard running footsteps catch up to him. He stopped and turned. A skeleton with a broadsword rushed straight for him. Han drew back his bow. He let his breath out slowly and slightly corrected his aim. The arrow whizzed through the air and sank deep into its rotting chest, but the creature kept coming. Another arrow shot forward and struck the skeleton in its eyeless socket. The shaft burst out the back of its head. The skeleton rocked backward and then ran forward once more.

  “Help! Help me! I can’t kill this thing again,” Han pleaded as he darted behind a stalagmite.

  Han crouched low and drew his little dagger. He fell to the side just as the broadsword sliced through the air and crashed against the stone where Han’s head had just been. Han slashed out with his knife as he scampered to his feet; the blade cut into the thing’s rotted thigh. The skeleton lifted the broadsword high over its head. Han ducked low and bounded under its legs. The weapon clanged against the ground.

  Han’s dagger jabbed into its back. Straining, Han pulled down and a huge section of bone fell off the skeleton. The dead warrior fell forward.

  Han backed away. The skeleton rose to its feet.

  “How do you make these things stay dead?” Han yelled.

  Suddenly, Bravic sprinted around the corner and grabbed the skeleton. He picked him up over his head and threw it into the stalagmite. He lifted it up again and slammed it to the ground with a sickening crackling of bones.

  “You smash them.” Bravic grinned.

  “Look out!”

  A skeleton jumped on Bravic’s back and grabbed his throat. With a snarl, the Dwarf seized the skeleton and flung it at his feet. His axe crashed down, and the creature soon lay in many small piles.

  As Dean rounded a stalagmite, he realized he was alone. He was about to call out but stopped. Footsteps echoed around the stalagmite. Dean pressed his body against the stone. When he leaned forward, he came face to face with a skull. He screamed and jumped backward as he lashed out with his sword. The blade bit into bone, and the creature fell in two. Dean’s heart froze, and his stomach turned as the skeleton’s upper body tried to rise. He smashed it until it laid still.

  “You can do great things when you’re dead. Don’t you think so, rabbit?” A voice from behind laughed.

  “Time to die again, tin-can man.” Dean spun around and his sword clashed with Taviak’s.

  “I’m going to make you suffer, boy,” Taviak screamed. He kicked Dean in the chest and sent him flying backward.

  As Dean landed, he rolled and came almost at once to his feet. He straightened and lowered his sword at Taviak’s chest. “I killed you once, tin-can man. I didn’t know you’d get recycled.” Dean smirked.

  “You’ll soon be joining me, boy.” Taviak’s sword sliced the air where Dean had just been.

  Dean lunged. His sword struck Taviak’s armor, and a shower of sparks rose in the air. The hunter staggered backward.

  “Nice move, boy.” Taviak laughed.

  Dean sprang forward again. Taviak blocked, and they stood face to face with the swords pressed against each other. Taviak head-butted Dean and knocked him again to the ground.

  Taviak raised his sword. Dean swept his legs. As Taviak pitched forward, Dean scrambled to his feet and ran.

  “Stay and fight, rabbit,” Taviak bellowed as he saw Dean dash behind the stalagmite.

  Dean frantically scanned the chamber, but he didn’t see anyone else. He heard footsteps on the other side of the stalagmite. He quickly crouched down and moved in the opposite direction.

  “Hey, boy,” Taviak called from the other side of the stone. “Let us stop playing games and fight like men.”

  Dean took two long strides and saw Taviak’s back. With a cry that sounded less than human,
he jumped on Taviak’s back and grabbed his helmet. Dean’s fingers locked on the visor, and he yanked backward. The helmet pulled free, Taviak spun, and Dean dropped to his feet.

  Dean gasped at the hunter’s deathly white face, the slash around his throat, and his cold, unblinking eyes, now burning with hate.

  “Scared, boy?” Taviak spat as he backhanded Dean with the hilt of his sword.

  Dean staggered back. The hunter punched him in the face again. Dean’s lip cut on his teeth. He fell backward, and his sword flew from his hands to skitter across the ground. Taviak raced over and grabbed the sword. He threw the blade as far as he could. A smile formed on Taviak’s cold lips. “Now it is my turn, rabbit. The hunt is over. Do you know what that means?”

  “Hot cocoa back at the lodge?” Dean jeered and rose unsteadily to his feet.

  Taviak howled in rage and burst forward. Dean set his feet. The hunter drew back his sword. The light flashed on Taviak’s blade. Dean lunged forward. His shoulder slammed into Taviak’s armor, and he grabbed Taviak’s legs and pulled.

  Taviak slammed down; his arms were pinned beneath his back. Dean knelt on his chest. He pummeled Taviak with his fists, striking as hard and fast as he could. Taviak’s head was pounded left and right as Dean rained punches down on him.

  Taviak pulled his right hand free. His gauntleted fist smashed into Dean’s head and knocked him sideways.

  Dean’s vision blurred. The lights in the cavern flashed and spun. His hands clawed at the ground as he desperately tried to get to his feet. He shook his head and felt blood fly from his lip, but the room stopped spinning. He stumbled toward the end of the cavern.

  “There’s nowhere to run now, rabbit.” Taviak got to his feet.

  As Dean ran from the cavern, he came into a large room. Ten feet from the door a pool stretched from wall to wall and end to end. All the way across it, five feet apart, were two rows of clear pillars that rose just above the level of the water. The pillars were large enough to stand on, but one would have to leap from one to the other.

  As Dean went to dive forward into the greenish water, he suddenly stopped. Something about the water didn’t look right. He picked up a chunk of rock and tossed it into the pool. It landed with a hiss and the water bubbled and boiled all around it.

  “Now you’re trapped.” Taviak walked into the room. “No one leaves this hall. Time for you to die. Kneel before me, and I will make your death quick.”

  “Yeah, right.” Dean jumped and landed on the first pillar on the right. “Come and get me.”

  As Taviak leaped, Dean sprang to the next pillar.

  “I didn’t really mean that,” Dean called back as Taviak quickly sprang after him. Dean vaulted ahead three more pillars but as he neared the fourth, he looked back.

  Look where you’re trying to land. Panadur’s words echoed in his mind.

  Dean planted his feet hard and wobbled at the edge of the pillar. His arms swung around in large circles.

  With a heave, he pushed off the edge of the pillar and landed on another one.

  “Dean,” Oieda called from the opening, “my spear!”

  Dean turned. Oieda tossed her spear to him. She threw it so the tip was high in the air to slow it down. Dean grabbed it just before the weapon plunged into the pool.

  “She cannot help you, rabbit,” Taviak scoffed.

  “She just did, stupid.” Dean grinned as he hefted the spear. “I’m going to hit you right between the eyes.”

  “Don’t tell him where you’re going to hit him,” Oieda yelled.

  “Just like Panadur’s stream,” Dean whispered to himself.

  Dean thrust the spear straight for Taviak’s eyes.

  Taviak grabbed the shaft. “You lose.” Taviak yanked the spear.

  Dean let go.

  Screaming, Taviak fell into the pool and disappeared into the bubbling liquid.

  “You lost. No deposit, no refund, tin-can man,” Dean said coldly.

  “You told him on purpose?” Oieda stared at him in disbelief.

  “My father taught me that move. I knew he’d grab the spear and try to pull me into the acid.”

  “But you let go of the spear.” She smiled.

  “You have to know when to hold on and when to let go. Stay there,” Dean called out to Oieda.

  He jumped back the way he’d come. When he finally reached Oieda, she grinned ear to ear.

  “I’m very glad to see you alive.” Oieda wrapped her arms around him.

  Dean groaned as she squeezed him tightly. His face brushed against hers. Her skin was warm and soft. Her breath tickled as her face pressed into his neck.

  Oieda suddenly froze. She leaned back and stared at Dean for a moment with her eyes wide. She straightened up, clamped both her hands on his shoulders, and held him at arm’s length. “Good . . . job. I thought you were—that was good.”

  She stepped back and muttered something, but Dean couldn’t understand what she said.

  “Thanks for the help.” Dean rubbed the back of his head. “That was a nice throw.”

  “Dean,” Han called as he and Bravic ran into the chamber. “I have your sword. We didn’t know what happened to you when we found it.” Han rushed forward and hugged Dean.

  “Thanks. Are there any more of those dead guys around?” Dean took the weapon.

  “I think we killed them all. We didn’t see any coming here,” Bravic reported.

  “Bravic, I’m in need of that spear you picked up earlier. Mine was boiled. I’ll explain later,” Oieda said.

  “I thought it would come in handy.” Bravic grinned as he handed Oieda the spear.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Dragon’s Breath

  “Where do we go now?” Oieda asked, and all three turned to look at Dean.

  “I don’t know. Did anybody see any other exit from the chamber?”

  “There’s no other exit. This is the only one. What is past this pool?” Bravic walked to the edge of the pool.

  “Don’t think about a drink. It’s acid. It would burn your lips right off,” Dean warned.

  “Wow!” Han ran to the edge of the pool. “Where do the pillars go?”

  “There’s another chamber on the other side. There’s a big iron door at the end. That’s all I saw.” Dean groaned and tossed his hands up. “Just great . . . I’m going to have to jump over the acid pool again.”

  “You can go first, too.” Han gulped.

  The four then jumped from pillar to pillar across the pool. Han had the hardest time, for it was a rather large bound for an Elvana, but they were all soon on the other side. The stone floor ran ten feet from the pool to two towering, iron doors. Looking closely, they saw the doors had runes that ran across the seam.

  “Can anyone read these?” Oieda peered at the runes. She gently placed her hand on the door and both huge doors swung silently inward.

  “What’re you doing?” Dean whispered fiercely as he and Bravic dove on one side, and Han grabbed Oieda and jumped to the other side of the door.

  “I just touched it.” Oieda’s hands went out.

  “We could have thought about it for a second,” Bravic growled.

  “I just lightly touched it.” Oieda glared.

  Han patted her shoulder. “Now you see how I feel.”

  “What’s done is done. Let’s see what’s in the room,” Dean peered around the door.

  The room was an enormous, stonework chamber. Its ceiling disappeared high above into the darkness. On both sides of the room two rows of fallen pillars lay in broken sections, as if one had fallen into another and caused a chain reaction. At the far end a small staircase led to a marble dais. In the center of the platform was an elaborate, black, high-back chair.

  “Creepville. This whole underground land of the dead is certifiably one hundred percent creepy.” Dean leaned back.

  “What should we do?” Oieda asked.

  “We have to go through. When I count to three, Bravic and I will run and hide behin
d the pillars on the left. You guys run behind the ones on the right.”

  With a puzzled look on his face, Han asked, “Why are we going to do that?”

  “It’s a trap. I guarantee it.”

  “Then why would we all go in?” Bravic’s eyebrows knit together. “Won’t we all be caught in the trap?”

  “Yeah. But that’s better than being split up and fighting whatever is in there.”

  “One should go in.” Oieda stepped forward. “I’ll go.”

  “No way.” Dean shook his head.

  “It should be me.” Bravic unslung his axe. “You three wait here.”

  “I said I was going first.” Oieda moved in front of the door.

  Bravic strutted forward. “Listen, missy—”

  Oieda’s nostrils flared. “What did you call me, mole?”

  Bravic’s knuckles turned white as he gripped his axe; the veins on his neck stood out.

  “Both of you are acting like babies.” Han darted between them. “I’ll sneak in.”

  “Like you can do that now that everyone’s shouting in the doorway.” Dean rolled his eyes. “Everyone chill out. Look, this looks like the same deal as the other door. We go in, the doors slam shut. I’ve seen it a hundred times.”

  “You’ve gone through a cursed hall a hundred times?” Oieda scoffed.

  “Not gone through it. I’ve seen it in the movies.”

  “Movies? Why do you always sound crazy?” Oieda tossed her head back and her ponytail danced back and forth.

  “I don’t sound crazy.” Dean crossed his arms.

  “You do sound crazy quite often,” Han said plainly. “He’s from the Heavens, and it’s very different there. Don’t ask him to explain, or he’ll just get frustrated and say ‘Oh, skip it,’” he whispered to Oieda.

  “Can he explain how the four of us getting trapped in there is a good plan?” Oieda asked Han.

  Dean held up a hand. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not standing right here.”

  “She’s got a point,” Bravic muttered. “I don’t see how all of us getting trapped is going to help either.”