Keaton crept toward the opening that was just up ahead, grateful for the widening of the tunnel’s mouth. That sixth sense of his grew more insistent, to the point where he was certain they wouldn’t be alone in that room. And sure enough, he heard the scraping toward the back of the room. One look at Cassia confirmed she’d heard it too, and Keaton pressed himself against the wall, sinking into the shadows.
“On my signal,” she said levelly, looking to her warriors. Her ear flicked, anticipation and excitement warring for control over her expression. “Ready your weapons… find peace in your hearts… and give the enemy no quarter.”
That last, harshly whispered line was apparently the signal. The warriors surged forward, spilling out into the chamber like a rushing river breaking a dam. Their shouts bounced off the walls of the cavernous expanse, creating a terrifying echo that struck fear in Keaton’s heart — even though they were on the same side. It was a bleating bellow, high pitched and full of intent. Not the sound he would have wanted to hear before he died, but it was about to be that way for several snakekin.
There were four of them in total. Large, sturdy warriors with fleshy hoods that extended from their human heads. It was an unnerving sight, even when Keaton realized that was just armor, woven very recently from the looks of it. The same armor that covered their broad chests and powerful arms. Armor that deflected the first strikes from spears and javelins that were thrown with deadly accuracy.
One strike. The warriors were meant as a distraction.
Keaton made use of the chaos, sneaking around the outside of the chamber until he was positioned behind one of the snakekin. He hunkered down, watching the way the creature moved. They all had a pattern of attacking, lunging with their upper bodies alone much like an actual snake would. Their rattles shook right before — just the tiniest vibration to give them away. And, most advantageous for Keaton, their armor pulled up enough to expose their lower back. If he could wrench his dagger in, he could sever the spinal cord and ideally strike a vital organ.
Ideally.
It was all he had to go on right now, and with Cassia and Adriana moving into position — the former armed with her halberd and the latter wielding a scimitar and dagger like Keaton — he had to act now.
Keaton waited to feel the vibration beneath his feet as the snakekin’s tail rattled. Then he lunged forward just as his opponent did and drove the dagger into his lower back. The creature let out a shrieking hiss, but Keaton pushed for all he was worth. He used both hands to wrench the dagger upward, feeling the moment the newly forged metal sliced through the spinal cord, the column of nerves separating from bone. The snakekin went limp and Keaton wrenched toward what he assumed would be a kidney, slicing into as much internal tissue as he could before drawing the dagger back out.
The snakekin jerked, seizing for several moments before his upper body collapsed, falling at an awkward angle atop his coiled tail. As the enemy’s scimitars clattered to the ground, Keaton looked to see Cassia and Adriana similarly dispatching their targets, with Cassia taking out two in a brutal swing of her halberd.
Adrenaline pumped through Keaton’s veins, making him feel invincible. A dangerous feeling, and maybe that was why he didn’t notice the danger all around them.
The walls began to shift, dirt and stone crumbling down, all sides of the tunnel pushing out forms as if birthing them. Coiled, writhing masses of flesh plopped onto the ground, rising to their full height as snakekin warriors. Dozens. Hundreds. Surrounding them from all angles, pooling in from the corridor.
She had known they were coming, and she’d sacrificed the four warriors they’d killed just for the sake of an ambush. Keaton would have given her credit for her keen mind if he wasn’t desperately trying to think of what to do.
There was no way they could fight all these snakekin. If nothing else, they were in danger of being crowded into the corners, pinned against the walls, and either suffocated or easily killed by accomplices. Even as Cassia surged forward with a shout, driving her halberd into the nearest one, he knew something else had to be done.
What’s the best way to kill a snake? You cut off the head.
As the thought occurred to him, he caught Adriana’s gaze. Her eyes were imploring, the dragonkin giving him a resolute nod.
The best thing he could do for them was to advance the plan. Trust them to handle the warriors, even if they had to handle them all at once. Nothing had changed so far, Keaton just needed to do his part.
Pushing his way through the crowd, jostled by the bodies of snakekin and Emvola warriors, Keaton stood at the center and called upon Anima. He drew the room’s energy into himself, feeding off the adrenaline, the rage, the lust for battle. Then he imagined himself compressing it into a tight ball before thrusting it back into the space, directing its energy toward his own minions.
He felt the moment they were bolstered. It washed over the crowd like a wave, lifting spirits and surging strength. Cassia let out a fierce shout and bisected a snakekin with her halberd. Adriana thrust her dagger through one’s eye socket, all the way to the hilt. And the assembled warriors each cut down their own fair share of enemies, giving Keaton space to slip away unnoticed.
He hated leaving them, but his place wasn’t in the front lines. He’d always been best sneaking around back; seizing the element of surprise. He would do the same now and hope to all the gods that he could find some way to get this elixir into the dungeon lady.
Keaton doubled back until he found the goblins, the three who’d accompanied them on all fours, their nostrils flaring as they sniffed comically.
“Is the way clear?” he asked, only able to assume that was what they were looking for.
It’s either that or a meal…
“Way clear,” one of them said in a scratchy voice, pushing up to his feet.
“Head hisser with crystal,” another confirmed.
Just as he’d thought. It was the safest place for her to be, all things considered. Otherwise he could have just snuck in and destroyed the crystal, then all of this would be over fast. Instead, he’d have to deal with a worthy adversary who’d very nearly brought him to his knees without much effort. She likely expected to do it again this time and Keaton didn’t blame her. He’d been an easy mark.
But he had no intention of being one today.
Touching two fingers to the pouch that contained the mind fog elixir, he made his way through the corridor. Keaton walked silently, watching his step to ensure not even a single pebble was dislodged. As he reached the stairs leading down to the Crystal Chamber, he stopped and listened. The sound of scales shifting over stone was obvious, as was unconcerned humming. He didn’t recognize the tune, but it sounded like something one might hum to a lover at night while softly stroking their hair; some kind of lullaby to get them to set aside their worries and sleep.
Shit. Does she already know I’m here?
The humming didn’t seem to affect him, though. Beyond being pleasant to listen to. So Keaton crept closer, until he reached the final landing. He crouched low, pressing himself against the wall, making use of the shadows cast by flickering torchlight.
Finally he could see her, slithering about in all her glory. She was beautiful. Her jet-black scales almost shimmered with iridescence, the patterning of red and yellow a fine warning to any who dared intrude on her space. Smooth, dark skin was flawless, her body something to behold. But there was an ugliness in her violet eyes that overshadowed everything else. An ugliness matched by the slight tilt to her lips as she gazed into a looking glass, its surface displaying images of the battle that raged on the other side of the dungeon.