Dekel hung slumped against the tunnel wall, his wrists and ankles bound by rusty chains, his vision fading as blood poured from the stump of his severed hand.
A low, guttural growl rumbled from the deep tunnel, and he forced his head up, his sweat-soaked face turning pale. With a chilling screech, a long, twisted limb with grey, gnarled fingers scraped the stone as it stepped into the dim torchlight.
The eyeless creature came out, its sharp teeth dripping with new blood, its jagged slits twitching. Dekel thrashed against the chains and let out a high, desperate scream.
"No! Leave now!"
With a bone-crunching snap, the monster's massive jaws clamped around his torso as it lunged. Only one bloodied hand remained hanging from the chain, swaying in the silence as flesh and bone ripped apart.
************************************************************************************
Meanwhile, Alan and Moriko ran through the twisting tunnels, their footsteps echoing off the damp stone walls. Alan gripped the bloodied sword he'd loaned from the guard.
The Parheller mines were a maze, full of dead ends and dark shafts, but Alan had a tool better than any map, the power to return from death.
Still running, he raised his hand. "Everyone, release!" he shouted, his voice booming through the tunnels.
In an instant, sharp *clicks* echoed from the sleeping quarters and nearby shafts. Slave collars snapped open, clattering to the stone across the mines. Hundreds of slaves froze in the sleeping quarters, feeling the absence of the cursed metal with their hands touching their necks. The cavern was filled with a wild roar of freedom as gasps gave way to shouts of joy.
"We're free!" a rough-voiced slave yelled in a raw yet triumphant tone, the others joined in as a storm of ragged figures rushed toward the exit of the quarters, their chains dragging behind them.
Nearby guards whirled around, their faces white with surprise. As the slaves charged forward in a wave of desperate hope, one muttered, his hand fumbling for his whip, "What in the gods' name—?"
Another guard drew his sword and yelled, "Stop them!" but they were overpowered by the throng of emancipated slaves. Swords flashed and whips cracked, but the slaves' roars overpowered the guards' commands as their bodies pushed past in a crazed stampede.
Moriko looked at Alan as they ran through the tunnel. Breathless from their run, she asked in a tight voice, "Why did you release everyone?"
"Every guard in the mines will come down on us because of that!"
Alan's mouth twisted into a sardonic, sly smile. His voice was steady and low as he stated, "Chaos is our cover."
"Guards won't be chasing us because they'll be too busy chasing them. We slip through the cracks."
As they rounded a corner, three guards emerged from a side tunnel, causing the skid to stop. With his sword drawn and his eyes narrowing at the sight of the emancipated slaves in the distance, the lead guard yelled, "Two Slaves escaping!"
"Just stop there!"
Moriko didn't hold out. She let out a low, savage growl and charged forward, her body changing into her semi-beast form in the middle of her stride. Her muscles tightened with fierce strength as her body became leaner. Her arms and legs sprouted sleek, dark fur.
Her hands became gauntlets with long, sharp claws. She gained explosive speed as her legs changed, her feet turning digitigrade and clawed. She resembled a human panther.
With a screech of metal on bone, she jumped at the first guard, her claws colliding with his sword. She parried, her speed too great for him, and sparks flew. Her claws ripped through his chest with a swift slash, tearing through flesh and armor like fabric. Blood pooled on the stone as he staggered back, screaming.
Alan's sword clashed with a loud clang as he deflected a blow from the second guard.
However, the third guard's blade flashed too quickly as it swung from his side. Alan swerved just in time, leaving a thin line of blood where the steel touched his arm.
Taking the chance, the second guard delivered a vicious blow with his sword. The blade cut clean across Alan's chest, a searing pain erupting as blood sprayed.
His vision blurred, the world fading to black.
[Skill: Return by Death activated.]
[Checkpoint retained.]
---
"Why'd you release everyone?" Moriko asked, her voice sharp with confusion.
Alan's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding as he stumbled to a stop in the tunnel, gasping for air. The pain of the sword cut lingered like a ghost across his chest, but his body was whole.
He'd looped again, back to this moment, just before the guards appeared. His breath came in ragged bursts, his mind racing.
Back to this point?
Is it time? Place? Some kind of anchor?
How does this work?
"Alan?" Moriko shouted, skidding to stop and ran back to him, her hand grabbing his arm.
"What's wrong with you? You're shaking!"
He blinked, her voice pulling him back to the present.
"Let's go," he said.
Alan ran through the dark tunnel despite the pain in his legs and the tightness in his chest from each deep breath. He knew what was coming.
From a side tunnel, three guards charged. The leader raised his blade and yelled, "Escaped slaves!"
Moriko didn't slow down. Her body changed, whipping her tail and growing fur. With her claws tearing through the first guard's chest, she jumped at him. His scream was cut off as he fell, blood spraying everywhere.
With sparks and metal clashing, Alan deflected the second guard's sword. Knowing the third guard's attack from his previous death, he ducked.
He was prepared this time.
Before the third guard could swing, Alan turned and stabbed him in the chest with his sword. The man fell, his eyes wide, blood gushing from his mouth.
"Sorry," Alan muttered, pulling his sword free. "I'm done repeating myself."
The second guard froze, shocked. His sword swung wildly, but Alan was quicker. He pushed the dead guard's body into the blade's path. The sword hit the corpse with a dull thud, and the guard stumbled back, stunned.
Moriko jumped, claws slashing the guard's throat. He choked, blood pooling on the stone as he fell. She landed, gasping, her form shifting between beast and girl, golden eyes tired. "I'm starving, Alan," she said.
"This is too much."
Alan cleaned his sword on a guard's cloak. "No time to rest. We're almost out."
Rrrrrrrhhhhkk...
A scream echoed, followed by deep, creepy growls. Moriko's ears twitched, her fur standing up. "What was that?" she asked, looking into the dark.
Alan smirked, knowing. "Something worse."
Guards shouted as a group of screamed slaves ran around the corner. Everyone appeared frightened. With a loud crunch, a slave was dragged into the shadows by a long, twisted, grey arm behind them.
Moriko's eyes widened. "What on earth is that thing?"
"No time!" Alan took hold of her wrist. "Get going!"
Moriko kept up, breathing heavily, as they ran through the tunnels, which had broken paths, slippery slopes, and sharp turns.
They stopped as they slid into a large chamber. A dead end. Their labored breathing reverberated as the stone walls enclosed them.
Moriko turned, panic in her eyes. "Alan, we're trapped!"
Grrrrrrk...
A low growl came from the tunnel behind. The air got cold, the torchlight fading. The monster was near.
"What do we do?" Moriko whispered, her voice shaky.
"Stay here," he said, voice low.
Moriko's hand shot out, grabbing his arm. "Are you insane? You can't fight that thing!"
Alan hesitated, his fingers twitching slightly. His heart thudded like a war drum. Even knowing he'd return… the pain, the fear, it never got easier.
He looked back at her, his blue eyes fierce, but under the fire was a flicker of dread.
"I'll figure out how to get us out again," he said, almost like convincing himself.
"Alan, no!" Moriko cried.
His throat felt dry. His legs didn't want to move. A tremor passed through him. Dying still hurts, every single time.
He pulled away, his blue eyes fierce. "Trust me."
"Alan, please, don't!" she screamed, reaching for him.
The creature burst into the torchlight, a eyeless monster, its jaws splitting open, showing rows of sharp teeth. It lunged, faster than Alan thought.
Crunch.
Teeth ripped through him. Blood sprayed. Alan's body went limp, half-eaten in the creature's jaws.
[Skill: Return by Death activated.]