Labyrinthian and Eyeblight

“You see the minotaur and the eyeball guy too, right?” Alex asked.

“Yup,” Jake simply said.

“Okay. Cool. So…what now?”

“Now you die, meat,” the large eyeball man said.

“Patience, Eyeblight. We only need the girl. He said prioritize capturing girls,” the minotaur snarled.

“Oh good. They talk too,” Alex said.

“Elysia! Quick rundown!” Jake shouted as they backed away from the monsters.

“Big monsters who kill pretty much anything in their path!” Elysia shouted.

“We don’t kill all we encounter, meat,” Eyeblight said. “Labyrinthian and I plan on taking you three as slaves.”

“Now now, Eyeblight. She came here for heroes.” Labyrinthian lowered his guard, thumping it on the ground. “Lets give them a chance.”

“A chance? Labyrinthian, you were told by Hydas not to play with the…”

“Hydas isn’t here, is he? So…male meats. This girl came looking for heroes. I give you the opportunity. Be her hero.”

Jake’s eyes went wide. “What?”

“Attack us. Save her. Or run away. We’ll let you go. You can live out the rest of your pathetic meat existence here in this world, forever remembering her face after you ran,” Labyrinthian taunted.

“Even I find this obscene, Labyrinthian,” Eyeblight sighed. “Can we go?”

“Quiet. Make your choice, meat,” the minotaur snarled. He stared them down, eyeing Jake and Alex. Jake felt his anger boil. To fight them was suicide. It would get him killed. It would get Alex killed. It was useless. Pointless…and then two bursts of green energy struck the monsters in the head, knocking them back a bit. Jake and Alex looked in awe at Elysia, her hands emanating an aura of green energy.

“You will not touch them,” Elysia said, her voice firm.

“I am annoyed,” Labyrinthian said, quickly shaking off the attack.

“That was bright,” Eyeblight complained.

“Holy crap, you can do magic?!” Alex exclaimed. Then suddenly his eyes went wide and he began looking around. “Bright…”

“Yes, I can, but not  enough to help us!” Elysia said.

“Our time is limited…” Alex murmured. Jake looked over at him. Alex was holding the broken pocket watch, gripping it tightly, as if it was the only thing important in the world. Jake understood. There was no choice at all. His eyes met Alex’s. Alex looked up, and Jake nodded. The two old friends understood with no words spoken.

Jake turned and ran, quickly disappearing into a door on the side of the building. “Where is he…” Elysia started to say. Alex grabbed her hand.

“Run! And keep shooting the green crap at them! As bright as you can make it!” Alex shouted as they ran. They circled around the machinery, heading back to the main entrance. Elysia looked behind them, shooting bright balls of green energy at the Twisted.

“Blasted…I can barely see!” Eyeblight moaned.

“Why do I always feel like I’m being punished by being partnered with you?” Labyrinthian snorted. He hefted his arm back and threw his great axe. It flew over the kids heads and crashed in front of the door, blocking them off.

“Trapped!” Elysia cried.

“Can you hold the energy? Make it  bright, so they can barely see us?” Alex asked.

“Yes, but it still won’t be enough to…”

“Doesn’t have to be. Pretend you’re about to unleash some ultimate attack.” Then Alex turned back to the Twisted. “Hey! We’re waiting! Were those threats before or was it…well, him crap!” Alex pointed at Labyrinthian.

“I’m eating the annoying meat slowly,” Eyeblight growled.

Elysia raised her hands above her head, creating a great green glowing orb of energy. “This will be my…um…ultimate attack! Be prepared to die!”

“Do you think she has an ultimate attack?” Eyeblight asked.

“Who cares? Let’s tear them apart.” Labyrinthian growled, stomping his foot and bellowing. Eyeblight screamed, and they both charged.

“Yeah, all eyes on us…” Alex said. As the two Twisted crossed the factory floor, Alex waited until they were in the right spot. The weak spot in the floor. “Shoot! Now!”

Elysia shot the energy ball forward. It exploded into a brilliant flash of light. Labyrinthian and Eyeblight stopped, stunned, unable to see as they heard a series of bangs start above them. Elysia, confused, looked up and saw Jake standing on the rusted catwalk, jumping up and down.

“You guys should have watched out for an ambush!” Jake shouted. With one more jump, the catwalk began crashing down, sending rusted metal falling onto the hulking beasts. As the catwalk descended on them, the weight of it all proved too much for the old floor, causing it to collapse into the basement, burying them under old wood and metal.

“Jake!” Alex shouted as his friend began to fall with the metal, but a thin green bubble surrounded him, letting him fall gently to a non-collapsed portion of the floor.

“You…you saved me,” Jake said, amazed.

“It’s simple energy manipulation. Besides, you saved us, so…” Elysia said humbly.

“Yeah, we all saved each other. Might I suggest us getting all the way the hell out of here?!” Alex shouted.

Two great bellowing roars from the basement punctuated the air. All three ran for the hole in the wall the Twisted created.

“You don’t happen to have a broom or anything, do you?” Alex asked as they ran.

“Why would I have a broom?!” Elysia asked.

“Jake, we have a non-traditional witch here!” Alex yelled.

“Sorceress!” Elysia corrected him.

“Whatever!” Jake cried out as they got to the front of the factory and their parked bikes. “Get on!”

Elysia hesitated for a moment. “But…why? You don’t owe me anything. You nearly died. You should…”

“What, go? Leave you alone? You need help. I’m not leaving until you don’t need help anymore.” Jake stood firm in his answer. Alex simply sighed.

“And I’m too dumb to leave,” Alex said, shaking his head. “So, where to?”

“You guys…I…” Another bellow rang out from the factory. “The woods! The portal I came through is out there!”

She jumped onto the back of Jake’s bike, wrapping her arms around him. For a brief moment, he forgot about the monsters.

Another massive roar from the factory brought Jake back to reality, or as close to reality as what he was experiencing could be called.

“Point the way, Elysia!” Jake shouted, and they sped off.

*

“You couldn’t have come on a path?!” Alex yelled as they hit a bump, their bikes flying over rocks and roots.

“I’m sorry! When I flee from monsters next time I will consult you on the easiest path!” Elysia yelled back.

“Hey, at least we’re not being chased!” Jake said confidently. This was followed by massive crashes from behind them. Trees were being flung to the side in the distance as two huge figures chased after them.

“You’re right! I think we lost them!” Alex said. They raced onward, hearing the noises of the Twisted behind them coming closer and closer. Branches whipped their faces, their bones ached as they blasted over the rough terrain, but still they kept up their insane speed.

“Hill! Hill!” Alex screamed, pointing towards the steep decline ahead.

“I see it! I see it!” Jake screamed back as he prepared to go down the hill.

“The portal should be at the bottom of this hill!” Elysia said, urging them on. They flew off the hill as the two Twisted reached for them, their fingers grasping as the bikes launched into the air. For all three of them, time seemed to slow down to an indescribable crawl. Then, the landing, the desperate bounce and skid as both bikes dodged around rocks and stumps, skidding down the hill before dumping all three teens at the bottom.

“Hurry!” Elysia screamed, standing as she ran towards a bright blue glow behind the trees.

“Since we’re about to die, you can forget about the five bucks you owe me!” Alex said as they sprinted forward.

Jake couldn’t help but laugh, despite the pain and fear and lack of breath. “God, you’re a dumbass!”

They passed the last trees, entering a small clearing. There before them was a shimmering…something. It was blue. It was all they and Alex could perceive. It hurt to look at, like a piece of reality which shouldn’t be there. Hues and shapes which made no sense crossed its surface, if it could be said it had a surface.

Elysia looked at the two of them. “Don’t…don’t look at it. I know. Run right through it. It’s…it won’t be pleasant. But hold onto one thought. We’re going to make it to the other side.”

“Got it,” Jake said, he and Alex nodding.

A crash behind them. Two roars of anger and pain. The Twisted landed at the bottom of the hill, bleeding and furious.

 “Go! Go! Go!” Alex screamed.

The three ran into the shimmering blue nothingness ahead of them. The crossed the threshold, feeling like they were falling, and then they were gone.