The long hallway was dotted with doors that were open, closed, ajar, or shrouded in darkness. The open spaces along the path kept Cutlery, Angela, Tall, and Janet on high alert, as they raced along, constantly scanning their surroundings. Each new doorway that slid past was a possible ambush.
Roddy's group reached the end of the hall and pushed open a large set of double doors. They all rushed in weapons out. So much for looking for traps. Tall stopped before the double doors. They veered left into an open door.
The small room had desks with half-written papers. Tall turned to leave, but Janet hit her back and then backed up and glanced down the hall.
"THERE!" she shouted. Cutlery followed her pointing hand and saw a figure in front of the elevator, another falling from the ceiling, and a third choking a youth.
Cutlery rushed down the hall. Tall burst out and picked up Angela. Cutlery at full speed flew ahead of the bulky Tall. She took out a sling and some small stones and started to swing them. The sling was surprisingly lethal. She slowed slightly, but stones started flying down the hall at the enemy.
The attackers lifted their arms, brandishing their weapons, as Cutlry's sling stones flew towards them. One stone hit its mark, striking the arm of one attacker and breaking it with a loud snap. Tall let out a loud roar, while Janet's body was enveloped in the light of her spell. The third attacker, having just choked out one of the youths, quickly slipped into the elevator as its door started to close. Despite their speed, they were still a hundred feet from the lift.
Cutlery cursed. The lift would already be moving. Another group of youths, featuring four girls came from the left hallway and reached the lift. One girl's wide shoulder smashed into the lift door while another lifted their staff to the door handle.
Once Cutlery's group reached them the door handle was sludge, and the door frame was bent inward. Cutlery screamed and the youth girls moved. Cutlery lept and delivered a flying double kick to the door. It cracked and two hinges broke off. The large-shouldered girl forced it all the way open. Janet and Angela came in behind Cutlery. Cutlery scrambled up and everyone peered into the shaft. Tall lagged behind after having set them down. Seems Tall wasn't very high in stamina.
Looking down, they saw the three attackers two floors below, clad in grey masks and clothes with their eyes glowing yellow.
-
Tall's arrival caused chaos. Ignoring that the elevator may have moved since its last use, Tall barreled through the doorway with force, sending seven youths flying into the open air. Whether they wanted to or not, the groups were now accompanying Tall and the traitors on the elevator ride.
The yellow eyes of the attackers widened as a group of youths fell upon them from above. Two of the attackers tried to reach for the walls while the third covered their heads. The ladder was crushed under Tall. The impact was loud and explosive, causing the elevator to shake and drop briefly before continuing its descent. Groans filled the air, followed by a scream as two of the enemies had already begun stabbing one of the group girls with their swords. Everyone quickly stood, with Tall grunting as they rose to their feet. The enemy below them had managed to stab the colossus' hip with a dagger during the crash.
Chaos erupted as the fight broke out. Janet, Angela, and two other group girls fired off spells, while Tall swung their massive sword. Cutlery ducked the massive blade. One of the girls from the other group fell as a sword pierced her throat. Dropping her weapons she clutched at the wound. The sound combat in the thin stone shaft covered her choking.
The figure that Tall had defeated rose to their feet in the center of the lift. Tall and the broad-shouldered woman sprang into action, raining blows down on the traitor. They nimbly dodged two massive strikes that shattered the wooden floor where they had been crushed. The other girl with Tall struggled to avoid Tall's careless attacks, dodging several times. The traitor in the middle was overpowered by their wounds and stumbled to the ground. Tall began stomping on them mercilessly.
Meanwhile, Cutlery noticed that the two other traitors by the wall had taken down another member of the youth group and were slowly making their way toward the lift's doors. As they did, the lift slowed.
A spell from Rega drilled one of the attackers, causing their hood to be burned to ashes. The attacker's hair, now revealed as long and blonde, stood in stark contrast to their dark complexion and glowing yellow eyes. They retaliated with a powerful pulse that caused all the lights in the elevator shaft to go out. In the sudden darkness, the sounds of slashing and grunting slowed down. The glowing yellow eyes of their attackers also have gone out. Cutlery heard Angela cry out and then a splatter, but she couldn't be sure what had happened.
Just then, a door to the lift leveled with Cutlery's position and light trickled in. Cutlery sighed with relief and dived towards the door, where she saw a figure in grey with glowing yellow eyes standing in the frame.
-
Cutlery propelled herself off the floor. The newcomer whipped their foot into her chin. The back of her head slammed into her spine. A somersault somehow came out of her scrambled nerves. She pulled her long thin blade out. It was a rapier meant for lightning-fast jabs. Her chin vibrated from the impact. The newcomer observed the chamber as their allies flanked them. The one in the center had fallen still with Tall's foot planted on them.
Six allies and three enemies were left. The newcomer raised their hands. A purple line flitted between Tall and Cutlery. It connected with Janet's forehead and then went taut. She collapsed onto the girl she was healing.
Fucking scary shit, Cutlery thought. Tall roared and charged them. Cutlery joined. Each chose a different target to engage. Tall's enemy wielded a blade while Cutrlery's brandished a spear. Spearhead stab after stab rushed into Cutlery all at once. Her short training in combat gave her enough knowledge to sidestep the strikes. She and the spear wielder swapped a spray of thrusts. Three slashes gashed across Cutlery's arms. One of her own attacks went into the enemy's grey cloak. They hissed as she left a deep cavity in their shin.
Then a wooshing came at Cutlery. A huge iron chunk rushed over her as Tall swung her blade. Her enemy was pitched sideways as the weapon's flat end made contact. The sword wielder thrust forward and plunged their blade deep into Tall. It stopped halfway as tall muscles contracted around it. Also, scary shit.
Angela finally joined the fray and started attacking the downed spearsmen. The remaining two girls from the other group were healing their allies. As long as they got up soon, this would work out.
The newcomer enemy performed some hand signs and thrust their palms forward. A wave of fire rolled outward. It missed their allies by a few feet. Cutlery dropped to the floor. The flames licked her back. Tall was slammed in the chest. Then Cutlery was blinded by the flames. The fire dispersed as quickly as it had come. Tall stood with smoke rolling off their body, fucking badass.
Tall grabbed the swordsmen's arm. Tall squeezed and the Swordsmen let out a stifled groan as they yanked their arm free. Leaving their blade still in Tall. Cutlery rushed the newcomer mage. As she slashed toward them, a shimmering barrier caught her sword. A discharge of blaze fired past her cheek as she went for another jab. With a quick spin to the side, Cutlery buried her blade deep into their stomach.
A glob of blood hit her cheek as the newcomer spat. Cutlery kept assailing them. No more fancy magic came. Just simple bolts of fire. They were sweating and heaving hard as the small knicks started to add up. Cutlery smiled wide.
Anglea rushed over to Cutlery. The spearsmen lay motionless behind her. Then a wet splatter hit the floor behind them. Cutlery turned.
Tall grasped at their throat. The swordsmen stood atop their shoulders blade in hand. Blood gushed through tall grasping fingers and opened stomach wound. Cutlery didn't have time to help, a firebolt blasted into her foot and burned through the boot instantly. Her body dulled the pain. Fucking slivers man, something else.
The swordsmen leaped backward from Tall's shoulders. As they landed they swung their blade wide toward the other women. They were still crouched over their stirring allies. They rose to meet them too slowly and one was immediately beheaded. Her head simply slid off as the sword was already singing for the other one.
Cutlery panicked and began to disregard guarding against the mage's attack. They raised a hand and grabbed the blade as it stabbed through their palm.
"Temple I invoke thee I will dedicate myself to your cause!" The mage yelled. Cutlery paused at this sudden outburst. The rest of the room's sound dulled as if a blanket fell over her head. Then a golden ichor boiled up from the floor and onto the mage. Cutlery watched. She jerked her sword but the mage grasped it tightly. The ichor sped up and rolled over the mage entirely.
A glow emanated from within the ichor. The fire started to boil from the mages. The heat built and Cutlery let go of her sword to jump back. With a quick glance, Cutlery assessed the rest of the room. The one who had been stirring now lay still on the floor. The swordsmen fought the last remaining girl. Angela was also watching the Mage's transformation.
The golden ichor hardened. The shell completely enraptured the mage. With an audible sound it went completely solid. Cutlery could see the outline of the mage inside. Their arm twitched and a crack appeared in the shell. Lava started to boil out.
