Into a Corner

Nothing returned to terrible reality as Daniel awoke.

I come for the conversation.

A Gatherer starred at the Englishman across rusted bars. I hadn’t been killed, but rather imprisoned. Alexander’s voice invaded my mind as I stood, shaking with each movement. He explained that to kill Daniel so close to the Inner Sanctum would serve only to anger The Guardian of the Orb, leaving Alexander himself vulnerable. Instead I was to rot in this cell and wait for The Shadow to come and rip me limb from limb, devouring my very soul and satiating its bloodlust.

Obviously, I had no intention of letting that happen. If I was going to die, I was going to make sure that manipulative son of a whore went down with me.

The Gatherers possessed limited intelligence, and as neglected to strip Daniel of any possessions. Not that it mattered much in a cesspool such as this. The area seemed well lit, but enough none of my items could force the lock. I examined the room, searching for some weakness in the structure as the prison warden wandered out of the holding cell area. I was alone, and seemed to have plenty of time to engineer my escape.

Figures I'd speak too fucking soon.

As I methodically turned over the cell looking for escape a familiar noise surrounded me. A feral scream, far away yet close enough to touch. As it reverberated off of the cobblestone the walls and floors began to change into a bloody, flesh-like growth. The Shadow had wasted no time in hunting The Orb's thief. I had maybe a minute before it destroyed me.

Panicking I found a section of the wall that was loose yet I couldn’t pry it open by hand. I forced a small, rusted piece of the prison bars loose to use as leverage. Even as I did the Guardian spread itself, consuming more and more of the cell. It attacked me, lacerating Daniel’s skin as I frantically attempted to open up my only avenue of escape. After what seemed at eternity a hole had formed and I crawled through, barely escaping death. 

Conversation sucked.

I emerged from the neighbour cell and began working on the door out of the area. It didn’t matter if the Gatherer was directly outside – the Shadow was spreading. The other cells were filling, the growth spreading out. Never before had I seen it contaminate a room so quickly. I had to escape before it consumed Daniel too. After locating the key I hurried out, further enraging The Guardian. It was angry, furious, and violent. I had been right there! It had me within its teeth, a mere moment from slamming down and crushing me whole. But once again, some lone human had managed to evade it.

This time, it wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

As I left the room it howled in rage and I knew I had to run. Even before the door I’d just closed exploded in anger I began sprinting. Daniel moved as fast as I could make him. The walls shook with The Shadow’s hatred and the growth infected everything. I turned corners, ran through water and slammed doors in its path with only one goal – escape. Slowly it gained, destroying everything in its path. Daniel came across yet another door and in terror tried opening it several times before I realized debris was blocking it. I began picking up stones and planks and throwing them away, catching a glimpse of the corner down the hall as it exploded into utter chaos. The Shadow was almost upon me – I unblocked my escape and dared one look back before throwing myself into its. It’s hard to describe seeing something that technically isn’t there but the way the air moved, the sounds, the very feel told me I had only seconds before I was dead. Wasting no more time I slammed the door shut and threw myself into the next room.

It seemed as though I had escaped – The Shadow could not stretch itself any further in such a short time. Again it screamed, having failed to kill the mortal who stole its charge, its Orb. I had only just made it out, but I knew it was only a temporary setback for the hunter. It was spreading faster and faster and soon there would be only one place left to go.

Between Alexander, Daniel, Agrippa, and The Shadow, the Inner Sanctum was about to become a very busy place.