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Ren ran for the cave at the top of the mountain, the sounds of fighting coming from below ringing in his ears. Whoever had chosen this as the hiding spot for the Ninth Treasure of Rule had picked it well. The native fauna was extremely hostile to outsiders. Very hostile. The eight foot tall beaked sauropods with foot long claws and covered with purple features were perfectly suited to their lush arboreal environment, able to climb trees, run horizontally over the trunks and launch themselves from the branches.
The cult that had formed on the neighboring island, who sacrificed three of their members every year by forcing them to carry out a pilgrimage to their holy site at the top of the mountain had been . . . less then welcoming to say the least. But it had been a simple matter to take the place of the intended sacrifices, instructing Niddler to anchor the Wraith out of sight on the other side of the island for an easy escape.
Hopefully they would be able to escape.
But first they had to get the Treasure the Compass indicated was here.
Ren climbed up the short cliff the path from the dilapidated dock ended at and pulled himself up. The ground was soft and crunched under his boots like snow but was likely sort of volcanic crystalline mix. He found himself in the mouth of the cave but could see nothing inside. Everything beyond the rounded entrance was pitch black, no clue as to what lay beyond. Ren hesitated for a second, feeling a strange chill go up his spine. He shouldn't . . . this place was old, ancient. He didn't belong here.
Down the mountainside, he heard Ioz give a sharp shout. Tula gave an answering cry of effort, the shrieks of the creatures nearly drowning her out.
Ren's blue eyes hardened and he straightened in determination. No, he had to go in. he couldn't give up now. Holding the Compass up to light his way, he stepped into the darkness of the cave.
The blue light of the Compass flared.
Ren's breath caught in wonder as the light was reflected and refracted off of dozens of little crystals set in the walls and ceiling of the cave, in the stalagmites and stalactites. It was beautiful. He stepped further into the cave and stopped at the sight of a form carved into the back wall. A creature like a dagron but with four legs and larger wings and more spikes had been carved rising out of the wall, round eyes seeming to stare back at him balefully.
That must be where the treasure was. Now how to get it?
He took a step closer, intending to get a better look at it, and jerked to a halt in surprise when something cracked under his boot heel. Ren looked down then he stumbled back in horror. Bones! The bones of people. He hadn't noticed it before but there was a lot of bones, many of them prostrating themselves towards the statue.
Was this the cult's god? The Ninth Treasure was inside it.
Ren looked up at the statue then down at the skeletons uneasily. How was he going to get the Treasure without triggering whatever had killed these people. There had to be a way . . .
“He's inside!”
Ren ducked behind a nearby stalagmite and glanced around it. His heart dropped at the sight of the figure that appeared in the entrance of the cave. Mantus! What was Bloth's henchman doing here? How had he found him?
Ren quickly shoved the Compass back inside his shirt, causing the pitch darkness to fall again. There were limited options as to places for him to hide in this cave. It really wasn't that big. But perhaps he could use the darkness to his advantage. Ren frowned in thought, staring at the nearly skeletal figure that was still standing in the entrance to the cave for a long second then bent down. He reached into his boot and removed his father's broken sword. Mantus was extremely skilled but he was just one man. Ren might have a chance if he took him by surprise . . .
He stiffened when he looked back up, several other figure appearing beside Mantus. One of them was massive, shoulders so wide they nearly blocked all of the light coming from the entrance of the cave.
Ren shifted his weapon in his hand, considering his options. He couldn't hide in here forever. The cave might be darker then night but it wasn't big. Even if they decided to stumble around blindly in the dark they would find him eventually. He could fight, he'd have to since he doubted Mantus would leave since he knew Ren was in here. He was outnumbered and without backup since he was certain Ioz and Tula were still fighting off the sauropods further down the mountain. He suspected they had found another way up the mountain since he doubted they could have gotten past his friends. He hoped . . .
If he was about to get captured, Ren was going to make sure to take precautions.
Using his sword as a shovel, he dug at the soft ground at the base of the stalagmite where it met the wall until there was a small depression. Taking great care to cover the curved dome of the Compass with his hand so as not to give away his position, he pulled it out of his shirt and slipped the cord from around his neck. He placed it in the hole and covered back up with loose earth until it was completely hidden. He'd grab it once he had taken care of Mantus and the pirates but this way there was no risk of it being taken by Bloth's men now.
He rose slowly into a crouch and looked around the stalagmite. He ducked back down as Mantus, still standing in the entrance of the cave, swept his eyes over Ren's hiding spot. Thankfully he didn't see it due to the darkness.
“Retrieve the prince.” Mantus ordered blandly, making an elegant gesture with one long clawed finger from one of his crewmates to the cave interior. The man who stepped forward was stooped over and bulky, a poorly healed facial scar bisecting his face. He lifted a stick with one end wrapped in cloth and swiped a match over one of the buckles of his harness lighting it and put it to the cloth which went up in flames. The man stepped into the cave. Holding the torch out in front of him, he stepped into the cave. Ren tensed, waiting until the light played over him, revealing his hiding spot, then lunged out, throwing himself at the pirate. The guy cried out in surprise and swung his torch around to block the downward swipe of Ren's blade. He reached out with his other hand quicker then thought and grabbed the front of Ren's black and red shirt. He used his grip on the young prince to drag him in a wide arc and throw him against the wall.
Ren grunted in pain as his shoulders slammed into the wall, the impact jarred through him.
The man lunged at him, swinging his torch.
Ren kicked out, twisting his hips and slamming the side of one booted foot into the side of his head, sending the man reeling towards the back of the cave. The light of the man's torch reflected off the curved balls of the statues eyes.
With the sound of an unnatural snap, a blue bolt shot out of the shot out of the dragon statue's mouth and struck the man between the shoulder blades.
The man dropped the torch with a panicked cry and grabbed at his head. “Oh, it hurts!” he wailed, clutching at his face so hard his fleshed pinched between his fingers. Ren's eyes widened in horror as the pinched skin stretched longer, pooling on his wrists while the skin of his chin stretched down to his chest. It was melting!
“What is happening to meeeerrrggh.” the man's voice trailed off into an agonized gurgle as his melting flesh turned bloody. He stumbled forward a step and collapsed face down on the floor, writhing in agony. Pained wheezes and gurgles filling the air as the liquefied flesh bubbled. The movement stilled and the sounds faded away. The flesh turned to steam and disappeared, leaving behind nothing but bones.
That must have been what happened to the other bodies he'd found
Ren was frozen against the wall, horrified and sick to his stomach as he stared down at the body.
“Pitar!” one of the pirates who had watched from the cave entrance shouted in rage and grief then charged forward. He grabbed the shoulders of Ren's shirt and lifted him into the air, slamming him roughly into the wall. “You killed Pitar!”
Ren grunted as the back of his head hit the wall, vision swimming with black spots. He hadn't, he had no idea how the statue had even been triggered. But he wasn't going to waste his breath proclaiming his innocence, the pirate attacking him wouldn't listen anyway.
He struck out, slamming the side of his sword against the pirate's temple.
The man dropped him, stumbling back and clutching the side of his head in pain.
Ren's boots hit the ground again with a dull crunch and he lifted his sword, racing forward.
Then a large fist slammed down on top of his head.
Ren dropped like a stone, vision whiting out. He landed hard on the ground, sword falling from his hand.
“Get the Compass.” He heard Mantus order as if from a million miles away and from underwater.
Rough hands turned him over and pawed down his shirt while others patted down his hips and reached into his boots.
“He doesn't 'ave it.” a gruff voice declared.
“He must have hidden it.” Mantus stated. There was a weighty beat of silence. “There is no need for anymore of us to risk are lives. We will have his shipmates find it. If they do not deliver it and the Nine Treasures, I'm sure Captain Bloth's rage will be mollified by shedding the young prince's blood.”
Ren could do nothing as he was picked up and flung over a massive shoulder, the last of his contentiousness fading. His last thought was for Ioz and Tula, a silent plea for his friends, before darkness claimed him.
Ioz planted one palm against the flat of his blade and gripped the hilt firmly with the other, blocking the purple feathery sauropod from biting his his head off. With a strained shout, he pushed it with all his might. The sauropod's growls turned to a startled high-pitched shriek as the shove pushed it off the path and down the steep mountain side.
Ioz had no chance to celebrate, two more of the creatures running up the path towards him. “These jitatan beasts are relentless.” he growled, swing his sword up to block a snapping fang filled beak that tried to bite his arm off.
“Hah!” Tula leaped at one of the beasts and kicked it in the chest, sending in tumbling down the path in a tangle of limbs and feathers, shrieking in protest. “I hope Ren is having a better time of it then us.” she agreed, blocking another sauropod from attacking her.
Ioz frowned, brows knitting in thought. This fight wasn't going their way. There were too many of the beasts and they were far too resilient, making it hard to put any of them down for any significant length of time. This wasn't working. They needed to try something else. He risked a look around, his mind racing. His eyes locked on a massive tree branch hanging over the path, sparking an epiphany. “Tula, run up the path!” he shouted to her and burst into a run himself.
“I hope your plan works! Whatever it is!” Tula shouted at him but complied, shoving the sauropod she was fighting back and running up the path. Ioz went a couple steps past the spot where she had been standing then spun around and threw his sword. It pinwheeled through the air and sliced through the branch. With a thunderous crash, it fell onto the path and began to roll down it, quickly picking up speed.
The sauropods shrieked and scattered, fleeing back down the mountain to escaped being crushed.
“Well done, Ioz.” Tula praised, re-sheathing her weapon at her hip as she joined him. Then her lips quirked up and a teasing light entered her eyes. “It seemed you do have good ideas sometimes.”
Ioz rolled his eyes at her with a grunt and walked over to retrieve his sword from where it had embedded itself in the ground at the edge of the path. He wiped the dirt off the on his pant leg, trailing his eyes down the mountain to see if the the beasts were gone for good.
He stiffened at he noticed another ship moored at the small dock far below, several figures walking towards it. One was being carried and even at this distance it was very obviously -
“Ren!” Tula cried out, having noticed the same thing he had, and lunged forward.
Ioz caught her around the waist, stopping her from advancing. He lifted her into the air so that she'd have no traction, making it easier for him to hold onto her.
“Let me go! They have Ren! He's hurt!” Tula shouted at him frustration, squirming and kicking at the air.
“Stop fighting, wench.” Ioz snapped back, voice strained. “We'd never reach him in time.” He stared around Tula's struggling form and down the mountainside to the figures already at the dock, jaw clenched and the skin around his eyes tight. His dark eyes couldn't look away from the sight of Ren's body flung over the burly pirate's part shoulder. Noy Jitat, this had all gone so wrong.
Far below, he saw Mantus turn back around to face the mountain from his place at the bow of his small craft. Ioz felt a creeping feeling go up his spine. Despite the distance, Ioz knew he was looking at them.
“We have the prince!” Mantus called up to them, making a sweeping gesture towards Ren's unconscious form as it was deposited onto the floor of the boat. “You will deliver the Compass and the Nine Treasures of Rules to the Maelstrom by sunrise tomorrow or he will be killed!”
Ioz felt shock go through him. The Compass? But Ren had had the Compass? If they didn't have it as well as him, where was it? And where was the Ninth Treasure? Ren was supposed to be grabbing it while they fended off those wretched purple sauropods. Chungo Lungo, now they'd have to find both and rescue the boy. This just kept getting better and better.
“Ioz,” Tula snapped, shoving at his arm roughly in an effort to make him release her. “they're getting away! We have to do something!” she exclaimed in frustration, watching as Bloth's crewmen took up the oars pf the little boat and began to paddle away from the island.
“We are going to do something, wench.” Ioz assured her, voice firm and hard with determination. He put her down but gripped her wrist firmly. “Come on.” he ordered, leading her up the mountain.
“We're going the wrong way!” Tula protested, trying to wrench her arm free.
“Noy Jitat, woman, do you intend to swim after them?!” Ioz exclaimed in frustration, stopping to whirl around on her, brows bristling in anger. “If Ren had the Compass when he went up the mountain but not when he went back down then it and the Ninth Treasure must still be up there.”
Tula's dark face was furious. “Do you intend to give them up?”
Ioz curled his lips, offended. “Of course not. I'm not letting that dartha eel blackmail me.” He turned back around and began dragging her up the mountain path again. “But we need that Compass and Treasure regardless. Also they will be useful in making Bloth think we are letting him play us.” he added, smirking under his mustache.
Tula blinked, green eyes widening in shock as she stared at the back of her crewmate's head, watching his high ponytail swaying quickly from side to side. “You already have a plan?”
“I might.” Ioz hedged, expression hard as stone. “But first we have to finish what we came to this forsaken island for.”