Scorching Dead Secrets

"Vanenkin bet that I couldn't take on a Plaguewalker in a fight." I said following behind. "I couldn't just let that go, then I'd be taking the coward's way out." I added defensively, sounding as if I was trying to convince myself more than my peer. "And technically I won...."

"Your little victory would've been your...last" I continue to walk foward. "There is nothing wrong in...retreating...retreating only makes you...realize of your mistake to try again....and succeed...never try to take on a plague walker again alone....once you contract the plague again......your body will just collapse...and you're done for....no cure....no more Ceres"

"Yes sir...." I said grudgingly. I fell silent as I followed farther behind, making a mental note to 'speak' with Vanenkin about requirements for any future bets we might have.

I looked down and saw footprints that Lead up to a cave 'these marks..he has to be in here' I thought as I got back up and went into the cave "Ceres...follow closely...caves tend to contain 'The Blind'...they are horrible creatures that'll kill you in...one bite...trust me on this one...stay close to me"

I picked up my pace until I was close to Militis, tucking my wings in tightly and keeping my tail awkwardly up against my body. "What are the Blind?" I asked eyeing the dark cave suspiciously. "What should I do if we run in to them?"

I begin to whisper and crouched a little "the blind are souls...who cannot see light...but they roam in the darkness...if you ever make a sudden move they'll come towards you....like I said one bite and you're gone...stay very close to me..." as we ventured through I stopped and pointed at a man. The man was walking with its eyes removed. They all begin to shout words from their lives. They all make hand gestures and flail around. "They are all insane..."

I stuck very close to Militis, closer than comfortable for me but I wasn't about to argue with him. Plus the screaming souls creeped me out and after being cornered by the Plaguewalker I wasn't willing to start a fight at all. I tried being as silent as possible as I slowly moved by his side watching the Blind raving around us.

I immediately grabbed her wrist and stopped moving. A blind one was right in front of me. Luckily the others weren't triggered. The blind one sniffed me but was more attracted to Ceres as it got geot close to her.

I froze and tensed up, my eyes widening as the creature got very close to me. I could hear it sniffing and the foul stench of rotting flesh permeated my senses. I held my breath and stayed completely still. It was now directly in front of me mean inches away from my face. My instincts told me to run but I remembered what Militis had said about sudden movements. My only choice was to trust his words and to pray that the Blind didn't decide to take a bite.

The blind one sniffs until it reaches her neck. Then as it widens it's mouth another blind one numbs into it. They both screamed at each other and started to rip each others dead flesh off. I grabbed Ceres and slowly progressed forward. More blind ones bumped into me but were too focused on the fight going on behind us. As I have my hand on Ceres' s wrist I sped up. After a bit of distance from the blind I grabbed Ceres to lift her up a ledge. I whispered "he's been through here.......there is blood marks...he is already dead but still lives like me........but be careful....he might be one of them...." I look behind me and the blind ones are gone. Vanished out of thin air. "Where did they go?"

I was shaking a little when he placed me on the ledge and looked around wildly for the Blind. I was freaking lucky that a fight had started out or else I certainly would have been dead. I pressed against the wall as I tried to regain a calm mind and sucked in a deep breath. I could hear the screaming up ahead and pointed silently down the tunnel, seeming to have lost my voice for the moment.

I turned my head onto the pointed direction. A large number of them are just standing still. I slowly looked back at Ceres and climbed up. Just for safe measure I grabbed a small rock and threw it away from us. I gestured "Go.." I threw it and the group went towards it. Sure enough we made it far into the cave where if we yelled we would be fine. We come across a hallway and I completely froze.

I followed as close to Militis as I could without touching him, being as silent as possible. When he suddenly froze I smacked into him face first and staggered back a few paces. I looked up at him questioningly because I didn't see anything ahead.

"Blast these ghosts to hell....Ceres stay next to me and hold....my hand. Up ahead are the Ghosts of Lies.....they will do anything to take you...away...they will trick you...whatever you do...look foward and never look into their eyes...." I grabbed her hand and walked foward. The ghouls start to appear next to Ceres and start to touch her shoulder. They speak "Little girl please look at me...can you help me find my daughter?" Another ghost comes next her yelling "Why don't you love me?! Why?! Why?! Why?! Why?!" A ghost comes next to me to mimic my movement "Hey hey hey soldier, I'm a better soldier than you. Look at me haha" Almost half way and I see a blind one behind a ghost. 'This day cannot get any worse.......I'm tired of this...I'm to old for this'

I grabbed his hand as I felt icy touch of the ghouls on my shoulders and arms. I forced myself to look straight ahead and tried to ignore their yelling and screaming. A cold arm snaked around my throat as a voice yelled, "You left me to die! I trusted you and you let me die!" I froze rigidly where I stood, my grip tightening as I fought back the urge to look. "You stabbed me in the back you traitorous bitch! He'll never take you now, you're a disgrace to your bloodline." The arm suddenly retracted and I willed myself to move again, although I was slower than before, and realized that my breathing was growing shallow and quick.

A ghost came from behind and took Ceres away. "Ceres! No!" I ran after her as the ghost dragged her away. The ghost got cornered and I threw a fireball at it. "Blast...." I said under breathe. These ghosts leave out a screech causing the blind and more ghosts to get attracted. "Ceres jump into my armor!" My chest plate opened for her to jump in.

I let out a strangled cry as the ghost dragged me back, calm my hands and sharp claws digging into my skin. As soon as the ghoul let go I ran and climbed into him. Fear mixed with excitement as I tried calming myself down. Although I was absolutely terrified I hadn't felt this alive in years.

I grabbed Ceres and shoved her in my armor. I turned around and all the ghouls were hitting me. I covered my face and braced for impact. Ghouls constantly hit me and repeated until I fall. I get up and quickly try to react by running away. I saw a an opening big enough for me to jump through. I heard a waterfall nearby as I jumped through the hole. Shortly enough I jumped into a small water hole making a huge splash. I forgot about Ceres in my armor when I reached the bottom. I release Ceres but almost to the point of drowning with all the movement underwater.

As soon as he let me out I turned into my dragon form and grabbed him. I dragged him up towards the surface and eventually made it to an uninhabited shore, an impossible task had I stayed in my human form. I reverted back to my ex form and flopped down on the cold bank coughing up water and gasping for breath. "Are you okay?" I asked once I had filled my lungs with the much needed oxygen. I had a few bruises and cuts here and there and two dislocated fingers but nothing serious. I didn't feel the pain yet thanks to the amount of adrenaline coursing through my veins. "You know, had they not been trying to kill us I might have been able to call that fun." I said with a lopsided grin.

I get up and shook a few times. Excess water coming out of my creases. I regain posture and stood tall because of a door with strange claw marks stands. "He is behind this door....I know he his" as soon as I said that the door shook as if somebody wants to burst out.

"So who is this man you're looking for anyways?" I asked gazing at the door. I could hear distant screaming and looked back across the lake to see the Blind and the Ghost of Lies standing on the opposite bank.

I step towards the door slowly and stopped to stare 'this is it....the man...I was looking for....he's in there..' I spoke out loud for Ceres to here "He is the reason I'm in this...state...finally it's time" my blue flames turn from blue into red. Each step was making smoke as I stepped foward.

I could see quite plainly that I did not belong in this fight. So I jumped onto a large boulder to the side and watched closely. I folded my wings and pulled the cloak around myself tighter despite the fact that it was soaking wet. "Good luck Militis." I muttered as I waited.

I opened the door and saw a man clawing his way out. Half his face is zombified and covered with fear. He recognizes the armor with that amount of fear in his eyes and face. All he could see is the flames. "Finally...." I closed the door behind me and all you can hear was a huge scream and loud bang on the door. I slammed him to the door. I punched him multiple times until his head, covered with blood, made a hole into the door. I then kicked him to slam it opened and made his lifeless body slide down into the water and the body just floated on the water as I get out of this small cave room

I watched flinching slightly at the brutality of the fight, if it could even be called that. In fact I wasn't so sure I could call it a fight. My eyes followed the limp for down the river and I said a quiet prayer for it. I didn't think Nartik would listen.