Bonded Spirits 2

by Jake Daniel

  A loud cheer rose from the gathered crowd as a row of fireworks exploded into the air from the front entrance of the labyrinth, lighting the sky in shades of green and yellow.

  Amos nudged me in the side. “That’s my brother, Gus.” He paused and held up a finger. “Sorry, King Augustus Corlinius.” He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

  “I figured. Now, is there anything else I should know before I go in there?”

  “Just remember your training. It should all prove useful. Be careful, humans and monsters alike will not hesitate to kill you. One tip that I can share with you, make it to the middle as quickly as possible. You should be able to figure out what to do once you get there.”

  Mona walked up and handed me my knife. “Here you go. Good luck, Logan.”

  I straightened and walked over to my group’s starting area. I took up a position behind a towering beast of a man with one centrally located eye and studied my competition.

  Amos walked over and tried to talk in a lower tone, even though it was nearly impossible with all the surrounding commotion. “Watch out for this cyclops. I heard he finished the trials by taking on fifteen men at the same time.” He looked the cyclops up and down and shrugged.

  I craned my neck to get a look around the cyclops toward the entrance. The first group was moving into place, getting ready to enter. I shook my head and turned back to Amos. “There’s going to be a massacre as soon as they enter. The weaker and smaller of the champions won’t even have a chance.”

  “Not entirely true. Watch.” Amos motioned toward the front entrance and as if on cue, the griffon guardians moved over the first group. One by one they dropped to the ground next to each of the fighters.

  The guardians lifted each champion high into the air and lowered them down at different areas across the labyrinth before returning to grab another. They started with the lighter and smaller of the champions and saved the larger of the combatants for last. The largest of which were two giants that took four guardians to lift.

  An eerie calm washed over the remaining combatants as the last of the first group was finally in position inside the labyrinth. The king’s voice rose again from a throne which overlooked the labyrinth. “Champions, prepare for battle.” He paused and several massive semi-translucent screens appeared over the labyrinth as if they were billboards in Vegas. “And a special treat for all those gathered, for the first time, you’ll get to watch each round.” A new round of cheers rose as the images of the first group of champions appeared on each of the screens.

  Amos spit on the ground. “Poor mages, they’ll be completely drained by the time the first round is over.”

  “Mages?” I asked.

  “Yes, my brother has captured some of the most skilled mages across Aurilon. He’d mentioned he had something big in store.” Amos paused and pointed up at the screens. “Mages can channel spirit and project the images of events happening elsewhere.” He nodded toward the screen which currently showed a ripped lion-man standing inside the labyrinth with his sword drawn and shield held at the ready. “Like that lion there. We’ll be able to watch as he fights and inevitably fails miserably. My brother’s found a way to use their incredible skills to build his entertainment empire.”

  I scanned the area and tried to find a mage but was unsuccessful. “Where are they?”

  Amos laughed and shook his head. “Oh, I’m sure they’re not far away. He probably has them hidden away in the arena or somewhere else nearby. He can’t risk someone interrupting them while they are channeling spirit or their screens will go black.”

  A gunshot rang out and chaos erupted on each of the screens as the champions rushed forward in their pursuit of survival. After only about ten seconds, the first of the champions was killed. A human in a full set of plate armor took an arrow to the throat from an elf male with long pointed ears and blazing purple eyes.

  It amazed me how many of the champions ran around as if they were just trying to find the exit. One by one they were chopped down, most dying immediately or severely injured. Each time another champion would die a low horn blast, like that of a foghorn, rose and the screens above the Labyrinth readjusted, compensating for each downed champion and becoming larger as fewer remained.

  The first forty champions of the group had died within the first five minutes. It was a complete bloodbath. The walls had basically filtered the majority of the champions into one big room where they had no choice but to fight. I was sure this was not a coincidence.

  The remaining ten lasted much longer. Every ten minutes the walls shifted and pushed forward, shrinking in size by about ten percent and pushing the combatants further in. Two of the champions branched off from the others and teamed up. They were shorter in stature and Amos informed me they were both Mountain dwarves from the same clan.

  I watched the dwarves intently as they found a stream and began collecting mud and leaves. They created a thick muddy mixture and quickly covered their entire bodies in the sludge to camouflage themselves. When they stood up against the walls, they looked exactly like the other bushes scattered throughout the inside of the labyrinth.

  They hurried down a long corridor together and froze as a giant lumbered forward, a large two-handed great sword held in one of his massive hands. The giant walked right past the two dwarves. They jumped out and sliced the back of his knees with their blades, causing the giant to fall forward with a loud grunt that could be heard from outside the labyrinth. An audible ‘Ooh’ rose through the crowd as the dwarves finished the giant with two knives to the back of its head.

  After nearly an hour, the labyrinth had been reduced to less than half of its original size. The two dwarves, an enormous orc, and the purple-eyed elf were all that remained. They each moved cautiously through the labyrinth, avoiding traps and random monster spawns as they worked their way toward the center. The elf climbed a tree and camped out among the leafy branches, waiting for the remaining champions to wander past. My eyes remained locked on his screen, it was as if I was watching the elf star in a movie or a very intense video game.

  A collective gasp rose from the crowd as a pair of glowing eyes appeared in the tree above him. A second later, a silver and black snake lunged forward and wrapped around the elf’s neck. The elf scratched frantically at the snake, trying to remove it from his neck. In about twenty seconds the elf’s arms fell slack and the snake released his body, dropping him some forty feet to the ground below. The elf’s body smacked into the ground with a sickening thud.

  The dwarves and orc pushed toward the center, but the orc was the first to reach the central podium. He pulled his flag out of his bag and went to raise it on the empty wooden pole. His flag was blood red and had a large meat cleaver painted on one side. He lifted it high above his head, not noticing the dwarves, who were still camouflaged, as they crept closer.

  Every spectator held their breath as the dwarves split and flanked the orc as he waited at the center. The orc didn’t show any sign that he’d seen the dwarves and held his cleaver in one hand and his flag pole in the other.

  Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the orc threw his cleaver forward. I shifted my eyes off the orc’s screen and onto the closest dwarf’s in time to see the cleaver wedge itself into the center of his head. The remaining dwarf rushed forward, but the orc was waiting for him. He bared his teeth and spun with the flagpole, thrusting it forward and sending it through the dwarf’s neck with a sickening crack.

  The orc broke the pole in half and raised the end with his flag in one hand. He yelled out, his red eyes matching the color of the blood that coated most of his green body. “Victory!”

  A cacophony of cheers and boos filled the air as a guardian flew into the labyrinth and picked the orc up. The orc lifted high above the ground and was dropped off at the top of the arena where the King watched, overlooking the entire labyrinth.

  The king’s voice broke through the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have our first victor! Nekras “The Butcher” Redcle
ave is moving on to the next round.” The crowd roared in response and the crowd chanted ‘Butcher’ until Augustus calmed them once more. “Group two, line up. The guardians will be over shortly.”

  The walls of the labyrinth moved back into position and drowned out all other sounds. Many of the spectators covered their ears as fifty mage-created screens reappeared in the sky.

  Amos slapped me on the back. “Well, now’s time to make good on your promise. Do me proud.”

  I looked around to see if I could spot any of the girls, but there was still no sign of them anywhere. I took a deep breath and held my rifle tight at my side. A small voice pulled my attention as I waited for the guardians to bring me into the labyrinth.

  “Logan, sir! Wait!”

  I turned to see Fapplejack, an enormous smile plastered across his face, running on a fresh pair of mechanical legs with Ellie at his side. It was apparent she was trying to get him to slow down.

  I smiled as Fapplejack reached me. “Logan sir, take this.” He held out his hand toward me while he tried to catch his breath.

  I accepted a small potion from him and quickly slipped it into my pocket. “Thanks FJ, I appreciate it.”

  “Of course! I’m sorry that I won’t be able to fight with you today, trust me, I asked, but Ellie wouldn’t let me join you.”

  Ellie rolled her eyes and gave me a smirk. “What do you think of his new legs? He already thinks he’s ready to take on the world, but he needs to take a little time to adjust to them or his body could reject them. They’re wired into his core. That kind of operation does not pair well with fighting in a tournament.”

  Fapplejack shook his head and waved her off. “She wouldn’t let me leave her shop until I promised I wouldn’t try to fight with you.” He paused and lowered his voice. “Say, you don’t still have those straps do you, I can still get your back.”

  “Fapplejack!” Ellie scolded. “You promised!”

  The goblin blushed and turned his eyes toward the ground. “I know, I know. I’m sorry, this is all so very exciting!”

  “FJ, it’s good to see you up and walking again, but Ellie’s right. You don’t need to take a needless risk, besides, if you learn how to use those things to their full capabilities, you’ll be back here next year to win this whole damn thing.”

  The goblin looked up at the screens and nodded. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” He paused, tears welling in his eyes. “Win this thing, okay?”

  I gave him a small smile and nodded. “Don’t worry, that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

  Before I could say another word, two large clawed hands wrapped over my shoulders and lifted me high into the air. I looked up and met the eyes of a toned woman with shimmering skin as her large feathered wings pushed us higher. She was even more stunning up close. She smiled down at me as she carried me across the top of the labyrinth. “You have an amazing energy about you champion. I wish you luck.”

  “Thank you, Guardian,” I responded and focused on the labyrinth below us. I tried to take in as much of it as I could. The guardian made several loops overhead as if giving me a little extra time to plan out my strategy.

  After a few seconds of soaring over the labyrinth, she spoke in a slightly hushed tone, even though I wasn’t sure who’d hear her at this altitude. “My name’s Alysain. I wanted to let you know that I’ve been in contact with someone close to you. I assure you, your bonded are still alive and send their love, but...” She trailed off and I knew something wasn’t right.

  “But what?” I craned my neck up to see her face and noticed a tear roll down her cheek.

  “I’m bringing them into the labyrinth after I drop you off. I’m so sorry.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Alysain lowered me slowly over a small grove of trees within the labyrinth. As my feet touched the ground, she looked at me with sadness in her eyes and held my shoulders. “I’m sorry.” She hesitated, as if she had something else to say but lifted back into the air without another word. She soared high above and was out of sight within seconds.

  I stood in place for several seconds and noticed a luminescent orb floating in front of me. The orb attached itself onto a nearby tree and within seconds it blended into its surroundings. I knew it had to be from a mage and was now broadcasting my current position like a small spy camera. Tall leafy trees stretched around me, much like they had when I took on the monkeys back at Amos’s labyrinth. I had a feeling that I’d be paired in the same round as my bonded. I just needed to find them before someone decided to give any of the other champions an advantage.

  I spotted a creek a short distance away and immediately went to work concocting a similar mixture as the dwarves had done the previous round. I finished the muddy concoction before the starting horn sounded. Although it didn’t appear to be as effective or well mixed as theirs had been, it would help keep me better camouflaged compared to what I had been when I entered.

  I worked my way inside the arena, keeping close to the walls and trees for as long as I could. I avoided large open stretches by every means possible. Even though I wasn’t able to use spirit to activate my skills inside the labyrinth, I was still completely in my element. It reminded me of the now thousands of hunts I’d been on in my life, although it was still hard to believe that I was being hunted just as much as I was currently hunting.

  I stopped as the fog horn blared out. I couldn’t keep track of how many times it blew within the first ten minutes. I figured at least half of the original fifty had to be gone by now.

  I rounded a corner cautiously and spotted two champions fighting in a small room. A human and lizard-man were locked in battle, until the human pulled a bottle out of his pocket and smashed it on the lizard man. Brilliant hues of purple and green filled the air as the lizard began to scream in agony. I used the distraction to continue forward.

  I stopped a few feet behind the man who pulled another bottle out and downed its contents. It’s contents were the same color as they were on the one Aether had taken before I thought I’d killed him. I pulled out my knife and inched forward. The lizard-man was on the ground gripping his chest, while the human raised a large sword and began to laugh. “Monsters will not win this year, fucking freak.”

  I closed the distance between the human and me as quietly as I could. When I was within a few feet I lunged forward and sank my knife into the man’s back. The man immediately dropped his sword and his legs buckled. He started to turn toward me as if to say something but fell to the ground before he could make it all the way around.

  The lizard man looked up to me from the ground and nodded. I grabbed my knife and quickly glanced around to ensure nobody else had arrived.

  The lizard coughed and sputtered before flipping onto his back. He stared into the sky and began to mumble something under his breath. After a few seconds he turned back toward me and stared into my eyes. “Do not trust the king. Monsters do not stand a chance. The kingdom is corrupt.” He stared into my eyes before crossing his arms over his chest. A few seconds later he took his last breath. I hurried back against the wall and continued my search for the center.

  I’d taken out another three champions; a troll who stopped to gnaw on the body of a fallen elf, an incredibly idiotic giant who was taking a shit out in the open, and a human who I discovered was tracking me. I’d covered my tracks as I entered a new room and waited for him to enter behind me. He’d made the mistake of stepping on a branch about ten minutes earlier, alerting me to his presence. I’d found that tracking and moving through the labyrinth was eerily similar to tracking elk, although elk seemed about ten times smarter than the majority of these champions.

  After about half an hour the walls scraped loudly around me as they closed in. I was frustrated that I couldn’t use my Sight skill. I wanted to check and see if I could sense any of my bonded. Not knowing whether they were close or not was driving me insane. My heart pounded out of my chest as I continued down the next corridor and was pushed further insid
e by the walls. I wasn’t about to camp out and wait for someone to come and find me, especially with my bondeds’ lives in danger. I just hoped I could find them before anything happened to them.

  I hadn’t seen any others for several minutes, but my luck had officially run out. The cyclops I was standing behind earlier, outside of the labyrinth, entered my corridor. I froze and tried to remain hidden, but his giant eye settled on me and he let out a roar. He rushed toward me with a heavy axe raised above his head. It all happened so quickly I didn’t have time to ready for his attack.

  He swung down violently as he reached me, missing by inches as I dove out of the way. I lost the grip on my rifle and it skidded across the ground and out of reach. My back slammed against a rock the size of a basketball sending a jolt of pain through my body. Knowing my knife wouldn’t do as much damage as I’d like from a distance, I picked up the rock and hurled it toward the cyclops. I landed a direct strike into his chest, sending the giant humanoid stumbling backwards. I took advantage of his momentary lapse of balance and rushed forward. I aimed my knife and jumped forward, smashing it into his chest, and plunged my blade to the hilt.

  The cyclops’s eye went wide as blood bubbled up and spilled out of his mouth. I spotted my rifle a short distance away. I hurried over and picked it up off the ground. I brought it to my shoulder and aimed it at the Cyclops as I backed away slowly. I felt the cyclops’s energy pour out of his wound and into me, charging my core past what I even thought was possible. He finally let out a maniacal roar and rushed forward.

  I raised my gun to my shoulder and shot, striking the cyclops where I thought his heart was. He looked at his wound and shook his head as if a bee had stung him. It seemed like he was more annoyed than hurt although it did slow him slightly. He pushed forward with a couple of labored steps and reached toward me with his tree trunk sized arms as I shot again, hitting him roughly in the same area.

  The cyclops staggered backward and gripped his chest in pain. He bent and hoisted a rock about the size of my head as if it were a pebble and threw it at me with his incredible strength. It smashed into the wall next to me. I brought my gun up and aimed for his head and shot, hitting him in the forehead directly above his eye. Blood poured out of his mouth, covering his yellowed teeth.