“Tomb of the Panther, Part Two: forbidden secrets await our brave heroines!”
Derian Kazcada paced back and forth nervously, mumbling incoherently and biting on his long nails as he waited for the transmission from Master. He knew for a fact that he was quite low on the ladder, and the only reason Master even put up with him was because of his devious intellect and powers of manipulation. He had even impressed Master once, which was saying a lot considering his outstanding brilliance and sublime subtlety. Derian’s success ratio was not very high compared to Master’s more reliable subordinates, however, but he wasn’t a complete failure, and he had already procured several items Master wanted. He had even stirred up dissent on that one world, and had assassinated that one leader awhile back—with the help of the Fog Ninjas, of course.
“Mr. D, please report on your status.” Derian flung himself at the radio and squeezed it in terror; Master had startled him.
“Yes, yes, I’m here as you asked, and all the arrangements went according to your plan, Master.”
“Good. According to my computation, the Dauntless will arrive there in exactly seventy-three minutes and forty-one seconds. You should already be able to see it in the upper atmosphere. I have estimated that it will take approximately one thousand four-hundred eleven Fog Ninjas to reach the treasure inside the Panther’s Tomb and come out alive again, so please send that number out now.”
“So many,” he wailed ecstatically. “Beg your pardon, O measureless one, but is such a large number really necessary? And does this place really exist?”
“That is correct, Mr. D, and to answer your first question, yes: that precise number is needed. You see, the Panther’s followers laid many traps to protect their master’s acquisitions, and I have concluded that despite the skills of the Fog Ninja, half of them will be eliminated going in and nearly half of them will die coming back out. But one will certainly survive, and that is all we need. In the meantime, gather a force of two-hundred forty Fog Ninjas on the planet to intercept the crew of the Dauntless. That number is ten times the number of crewmembers aboard the approaching ship.”
“So the crew won’t stand a chance against such overwhelming odds,” Derian giggled.
“Perhaps, but it is only one of two possible outcomes. Every good strategist must prepare for the unlikeliest scenario imaginable, Mr. D, so even if the entire crew survives, they will be delayed long enough for your scouting team to arrive at the treasure.”
“Yes, yes, that makes perfect sense!” he cried gleefully. “As always, Master, you’re a genius! So…once this is done, I’ll be in good graces with you again?”
“Only if you succeed, Mr. D. If you do not…I would hate to describe the details.”
“Oh, yes, of course, and I would certainly hate to hear them! But…Master…may I ask one favor? Could you please just call me Mr. Kazcada?”
“Only if you earn my respect. Inform me of your progress.” The transmission died and Derian was left clutching a silent machine. He dropped it slowly and fell to the ground, exhausted with relief. The Master terrified him in a way no glacier could, and the way he warned Derian about failure…
“Ohh!” he huffed, hugging his crimson chest. “Those blasted Ninja better not fail me! I’d rather not even think about the consequences! Just to be safe, though, I’d better summon more. It’s not like there’s a limited supply of them.”
……
New London, first discovered and christened by English explorers, was very similar to Amazonia: they were both wild jungle worlds rank with humidity and lush with exotic flowers, some blossoming with colors that had not yet been discovered, but it was just as different as well, for there were modern settlements not far from where the ship landed, and the tiny pockets of residents and tourists that lived there gave it an unsettling familiarity. It was quiet as both crews stepped out to survey the land and breathe the clean air, or as quiet as jungles may get, considering animals of all kinds were making symphonies around them.
“We really lucked out!” Rose exclaimed as she held her map out for all to see. “If there’s any truth to this scrap of paper, the Tomb’s only a few miles southeast of here—erm, that’s about ten kilometers, I guess. This basically means that we won’t have to trudge through endless stretches of wilderness and overgrowth, battling with all sorts of indescribable beasts along the way. The trip’s just been cut in half, that’s all.”
“Is that really all?” Aseria snorted as she peered at the map. “Volcanoes, chasms, deadly bogs, valleys so black you can’t see a centimeter in front of your face…” Rose shrugged haphazardly.
“What can I say, the Panther was an expert on security, and that’s just gettin’ to the place. Anybody could tell you what’s in the general area; it’s what’s inside the tomb that nobody knows about. That’s where I’m hoping your genie friend’ll come in handy, Miracle.” Amy was staring listlessly into space, her eyes generally shifting towards the southeast, like she could sense the whereabouts of their destination. Rose tapped her on the shoulder and she asked the pirate to repeat what she said.
“We’ll just see what’s in store, I suppose,” she answered vaguely. “Don’t wait up for me, all right? Actually, we should probably decide on who’s not going. There’s no way I could make it halfway there in my condition, it’s sad to say.”
“It’s probably for the best,” Rose agreed. “Who else?” Chandra and Vimmy quickly dashed over to her side, of course.
“Someone has to stay behind and, uh, protect her!”
“Yes, and me too, no doubt, I’d be just in your way in this dangerous place, oh my, for once can’t we PLEASE not throw our lives into some terrible ordeal, what I wouldn’t give for a nice peaceful adventure, and not too much walking, hmm, maybe I could try my own hand at cooking and bring along a picnic lunch, how beastly this heat is, but ah, don’t worry about us, friends, we’ll be here monitoring your progress, and, umm, praying for you.”
“May the goddess Sappho grant you all safe protection,” Chandra chanted. The pirates all grinned and saluted her, but Amy’s crew just stood there awkwardly.
“You’re such cowards,” Alala grumbled. “Amy’s the only one who has a good excuse to stay behind.”
“We can’t all be adventurous,” Yenae sighed. A small handful of Rose’s pirates remained with the ship “just in case”, leaving the rest to push onward, placing all their faith into an unreliable pirate wielding an even more unreliable map.
Progress was slow due to the large size of the group. Rose’s entire crew numbered about a hundred, but several had divided to stay with the Bloody Dove and the Dauntless. Even so, with both parties combined, they totaled seventy (Rose remembered to count Kay and Tee as two people, and they smiled at her for it). It would be needless and tedious to go into even the barest detail concerning the conflicts that erupted along the way. The environment, unpredictable and savage as it was, quickly became the lesser of two evils as both crews clashed. Love had sprang between pirates and adventurers during the three days they spent living together, but hatred was inevitable as well, and Rose had a fine time keeping the two emotional squalls organized.
“It was bad enough with all the bickering and flirting in our own group,” Yenae sighed as she walked at Alala’s side. The indomitable Felinis tensed up for a moment, preparing for another barrage of tricks, but she sensed her tormentor was solemn and thoughtful now, and gradually lowered her guard. Yenae smiled at her sadly and continued: “I mean, it’s not like I expected everybody to get along. Our crew is so eclectic… These pirates almost make things worse, if they didn’t make it more interesting.”
“So’re you saying it was a bad idea to team up with them?”
“Only time will tell. Frankly, I’m not interested in the Panther’s treasure or his tomb, and I’m not exactly happy about facing all those booby traps, either. You could get us through them all, I’ll bet.” Alala frowned, not certain where this woman was going, and decided to respond neutrally.
“It’s possible. I haven’t been beaten yet.”
“And you never will.” Yenae seemed to shine for a moment as she walked ahead, leaving Alala more puzzled than before. As the large group wound their way through rougher and rougher terrain, several of the less athletic women started lagging behind, particularly Fuuka. Athena stopped and encouraged her to sit down for awhile, and asked if they could take a break.
“I guess we’re not in any big hurry,” Rose said, “so maybe we should take a breather.”
“Not too long,” Lyara warned them. She stood transfixed, her eyes steely and her posture steadfast, like she was bracing herself for a storm. Her short, triangular ears wiggled softly, and even Aseria looked like she was listening for something. Those who knew Lyara’s abilities the best advised everyone to be on their guard: she was clearly picking up some unusual feelings.
“What is it, hon?” Allegra whispered, cradling her rifle. Lyara shook her head.
“Not an animal. But it’s not really…intelligent either. Not in the way we might think. There’s a small whisper of…it’s difficult to pick up. It’s very far away; it’s like looking at the furthest stars with the naked eye. Some…anticipation. Worry. A demonic hope. Bloodlust. There’s fear in the air, this I can guarantee. Some distant creature is horrified, and…I think it wishes to act against this. We will probably be hunted in the future.”
“How…” Patches blurted, when Henrietta suddenly lifted her machine-gun leg.
“Get down!” Her thigh quivered as bullets burst forth from her limb, perforating the yet-unseen adversary. The slimmest whisper of gray wind floated by and was lost in the air as a ghostly entity fell and disappeared. Athena stood up and drew her sword.
“Them again. Fuu-chan, can you run?” The gentle Kitsune looked up with eyes expressing fear.
“Not very fast, but I can try.”
“No good, there are too many. You’d be overtaken. Kate, can you carry her? Somebody give her a gun!” Athena was such a cool, collected person that when she suddenly lashed out anxiously like that, it startled several people. She stood strong against the upcoming onslaught—the others could only guess what was coming their way—but her legs shivered and her arms shook as terror crept into her bones. It was not for her own life she was worried about, of course, but for the one who had saved her soul and stolen her heart. Torch handed Fuuka a spare handgun and prayed the frail fox-girl knew how to use it.
“So what fiend persists now?” Sharyn asked as she stood next to her fellow swordswoman. Athena snarled as a berserker’s rage slowly took over.
“Remember the things we met that were made of fog? They’re back.”
“Ah, persistent indeed! How many do you estimate?” She shook her head.
“Too many.”
“Not for this group!” Natalie and Peggy stood next to them, followed by Torch and Duchess, and more followed until there was an impenetrable wall of warrior-women standing between the unseen adversaries and their goal. Rose laughed quietly and drew her cutlass.
“I did say we could take our time, didn’t I? It’s been awhile since I’ve had a good workout!” Their misty enemies could already be seen charging in from the distance; there were so many that it looked like one giant cloud surging after them. The seventy women stood firm as the jungle groaned and trembled in fear of what was to come.
“I knew it,” Athena groaned, “we’re outnumbered four to one.”
“Oh, is that all?” Naja grinned. “Then I guess this will be a quick battle!”
……
They are smoke, fog, mist, miasma, vapor, haze, steam, and cloud, brought to life by dark forces beyond the reckoning of mortals. They are used to survey, scout, spy, learn, infiltrate, test, spring traps, and sometimes, to kill. Individually, they are no stronger or more skilled than normal people, though they do have an advantage in speed, and they have no conscience or will of their own, save the will implanted into their collective minds by the true Master. They can quickly overtake any surface and wipe out any army, for their numbers are everlasting, so long as the Master lives. They are silent, swift, and unflinchingly loyal, each but a fraction of the Master’s desire, and when one is cast back to the fog from whence he came, another takes his place just as quickly. They cannot lose, for they can overcome any foe with sheer teeming numbers, and in the unlikely event victory is not achieved, it is only because the Master has an even greater plan in store for them later. They are the Fog Ninjas, and they are unstoppable.
Two hundred forty of their number perished in that initial attack, sent as decoys to delay the advance of the two crews—delay, or if possible, put an end to. Miracle’s crew survived with only a few scrapes and bruises, but three of Rose’s women had been killed in the onslaught, and she insisted that funeral rites be observed before they could go on.
“Normally we’d wrap them in silk and throw them into an ocean,” Rose mumbled quietly. “They lived as pirates and they deserve to be buried as pirates. But meeting that huge army of smoke-creatures has me worried. Enemies like that don’t normally attack you on a whim. I’m betting someone else is interested in the Panther’s Tomb and they don’t want us involved. If that’s the case, we can’t waste anymore time. Torch, give our sisters a final illumination and scatter the ashes. I just hope whatever’s at the end of this road was worth dying for.” Rose bowed her head solemnly, plucked out a knife, and cut off three centimeters from her long golden hair. It was said that the infamous Dead Rose only pruned herself anytime a member of her crew was killed, and the fact that her mane stretched down to her ankles was a testament to their sturdiness.
“Looks like this calls for some emergency magic,” Rachel stated firmly. “I’m sure that Master Amy wouldn’t mind if I spent a little bit of power helping you. It’s the least I can do for those who died. Just don’t expect me to bail you out every time!” Rachel stretched her arms out sideways, jumped high into the air, and hovered like a dandelion seedling caught in the breeze as a sphere of translucent crystalline energy surrounded her. She floated even higher once the orb had enveloped her, flying quick as a jet before barreling down to the surface and swiftly scooping everybody into her bubble. Being caught up like that so speedily and thrust into the wind in a supersonic blaze didn’t even compare to the shock of slapping into that filmy exterior: it was like running through a pleasantly cold shower that left a clean, aromatic sensation all over your body.
“Awesome!” Shana exclaimed. “What is this?”
“Our ride, of course,” Rachel said. The bubble was traveling at a speed that could rival the Ozmund Company’s fastest rockets, but it felt so organic and pure being carried through the atmosphere, despite the screaming wind thrashing against the exterior and the speed at which the land passed them. Despite the bubble’s size and the large team contained in it, there was no sensation of claustrophobia, nor even acrophobia, though they were well above the surface. They felt freer than clouds inside that orb, and the sensation of falling was as distant as nightmares in the morning light. In short, the journey was quite fun, but very brief. Rachel dropped them off in the center of a dead volcano, of all places, and flew back into the air once everybody’s feet were on the ground.
“That’s all the help you’re gonna get!” she exclaimed. “In his wisdom, my first Master the Lord Solomon declared it is poor to indulge too greatly in any activity, be it for good or evil…or something along those lines. In any case, I’m sensing a magic force field I won’t be able to get through without serious effort, plus I’m worried about Master Amy.”
“Oh, that’s right!” Herut exclaimed. “She’s on the ship with Chandra! You’d better hurry if that’s the case! No doubt by now that slut’s making a pass at her—unless she decided to have a party with those pirates!”
“That sounds likeliest,” Rose said smugly. “Amy’s brave, but she’s got this homely look about her. That pleasure unit will have to get pretty bored before she sets her sights on your miraculous friend. Still, if ya gotta go, ya gotta go! Jolly Roger be with ya!” Even with everything said, though, more than one person begged Rachel to stay behind. Simply being in her presence made several people
feel more assured about themselves and the adventure, but nothing they said managed to change her mind, and off she flew. Sighs aplenty bade her farewell as the team (led by a babbling, hyperactive Kyrie) descended into the depths of the volcano in search of the legendary Panther’s Tomb.
……
Even though nobody could feel it, a strong magic shield had definitely been erected to prevent supernatural looters from unfairly exploiting the tomb’s treasures. Back when the infamous Panther was alive, in the grand era of exploration when space was a limitless frontier for dreamers and not a territory to be populated by common drones, the Elvish races had wielded far greater powers than they presently possessed, and there were other species that could speak with the Mana and the Arts Arcanum, though humankind had almost completely lost the art. Fearful that creatures cowardly enough to weave such spells would pillage his ill-gotten riches, the Panther set up those barriers in the hopes of warding off such vandals, or at least slowing them down. There was no doubt that Rachel could break through them all with little effort, but she knew she could potentially destroy the tomb in the meantime, as well as her allies—and besides, her loyalty was elsewhere. But if Amy had decided to come along…
In any case, the foul odor of the dead volcano was quickly lost as hollow winds swept through the tunnels. The passageway became so narrow that several of Rose’s pirates were forced to remain on standby, and even members of the Dauntless lagged behind, feeling useless and burdensome. Herut, Valti, Naja, Fuuka, Rebecca, and the Acheron twins (to Rose’s dismay) volunteered to wait so the others could press on, but perhaps it was for the best. Too many explorers can ruin an adventure…and there’s always the threat of more enemies to worry about. They would have their chance to prove themselves as the others burrowed further and further into the depths, guided by Rose’s map, Kyrie’s lights, Alala’s intuition, and Lillianne’s experience.
“I’ve seen just about every ruin, tomb, crypt, maze, and passageway there is, and if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. Hell, this one even looks like it was built by a Mun prince. Lastgear, shine some light on that wall over there. Can you read that, Latoli?” Riene squinted at the flickering wall until carved symbols began to form. She was a linguist, not a cryptologist, but even then, she thought she could pick out a message.
“Just barely. I think I recognize half of these characters. There’s a warning, that much is clear: here’s a picture of a skull impaled on a pike. If you’ll allow me some interpretive freedom, I believe it reads, ‘the tomb of a great warlord and explorer has been sealed by powers greater than yours. A thousand agonizing deaths await those foolish enough to challenge them. Only one as cunning and
powerful as the soul embalmed can find what he seeks. You have been warned.’ But that’s stringing together the few words I did recognize and presuming the rest.”
“Like I said,” Lil proclaimed as she turned the corner. She squatted down hastily, and just in time: a large axe soared out of the darkness and crashed into the wall, carving a huge gap. It certainly would’ve taken her head off if she hadn’t ducked. She nonchalantly crossed her arms and stared at her comrades impatiently. “Like I said,” she proclaimed again. Her experience as an archaeologist saved the group from numerous fatalities: there was a pit full of spikes several steps away that not even Eve could survive, covered in darkness and concealed by a breakaway floor, but Lil harmlessly sprang the trap and Athena and Sharyn carefully climbed down so they could hack the spikes away. Later on, there was a room where the ceiling rose and fell in a rhythmic pattern, but not only did Lil make it through safely, she also deactivated the machinery that moved the ceiling, so even the most sluggish could walk through freely. There was even a room similar to the laser security area in Bibliopolis, but Alala didn’t need to show off her gymnastics a second time: Lil seemed to know the exact patterns to follow, and skipped through without a scratch.
But everyone played a role in getting through the tomb; even Lillianne Markus would have been annihilated ten times over if she had challenged it alone. There were at least three puzzle rooms in the underground crypt: one that required Riene’s mastery of language, one that asked for mathematical formulas that Mink was skilled at, and a final one that had Shana remember details from the previous two riddles. There were countless rooms sealed by boulders, large blocks, and other obstacles that only Kate could move; there was a very narrow room with razors imbedded in the walls that only the lithe Alala could squeeze through; there was an area bubbling with magma that Kyrie conquered effortlessly; there was even a room with several living guardians, which Athena and Sharyn easily disposed of.
Some of the most interesting situations fell to Eve, Yenae, and Allegra. One room had two tiny platforms on both sides, separated by a sheer drop into darkness. Kyrie threw one of her torches to the other side and noticed a switch that had to be hit from afar; Eve struck it with a sniper’s weapon and created a bridge. Another had Allegra shooting targets on the far side of a room in a certain order (an order alluded to occasionally in the tomb, which Shana dedicated to memory), and another had Yenae throwing her knives at very precise spots on the wall and ceiling. The pirates that had followed Rose weren’t slacking off either: there were just as many traps and snares that only a group could conquer, and sometimes rivalries sprang up between the two sides.
“We shouldn’t compete,” Rose sighed glumly, “but it’s gotten so damn fun. Even after watching my ladies die in battle and leaving the rest outside, I can’t help but have a good time. Here, hold this for me, will ya?” Henrietta grabbed the lever and held on tight (Duchess, Patches, and Natalie had chosen to stay behind for obvious reasons) while Torch set several lamps aflame and Kate turned a crank. The immense column that had been impeding their progress slowly crawled away, giving the team just enough space to squeeze through (and not a moment too soon, as lances had been slowly peeking out from the walls). The room after that made Kyrie whine and wail: seventeen fountains were constantly spewing water, and the lever to shut them off and drain the room was deep under the flood.
“Don’t be such a wimp,” Aseria rebuked her as she removed some of her clothes. “A little water won’t kill you. I think a shower might actually do you some good.”
“Easy for you to say! You don’t live, sleep, and breathe the path of the pyro!”
“And people think I’m weird?” She slipped underneath the waves like a catfish, dark and sleek and amazingly strong. Riene breathed a sigh of relief and wished Rebecca was there so she’d have an excuse to cling to her. She was terrified of drowning and loathed the idea of jumping into that abyss.
“So just how long can she hold her breath?” she asked Lillianne.
“Oh, I’d say about three or four minutes, but it’s not like she needs to. Aseria does have some magical ability.”
“But if she can use magic, how could she pass through that barrier? Didn’t Rachel say there was something blocking her progress?”
“Yeah, but like I said, she can hold her breath a long time. I’m just saying that if she could use magic, she’d do it. Does that make any sense?”
“I suppose,” she murmured warily. The water gradually began to subside while they were talking, and soon Aseria came to surface, soaked all the way through but not particularly tired.
“It was deeper than I expected, but we should be safe now. It’s draining quite nicely. Have the fountains stopped?”
“Most of em’,” her lover answered as she gazed up. Five were still gurgling and gushing, but the others were silent. Aseria also reported that she had seen the door to the next room down on the surface, and judging by the speed of the drainage, they’d all be able to pass through in about three minutes. Kyrie had a fire going before Aseria even asked for one, and the dark elf cozied up to it with a sweet purr.
“Say Shana, dear,” Yenae squealed, “just how many rooms have we been through already?”
“Well, if you’re just asking about the rooms with traps, there have been twenty-six, but altogether, excluding empty hallways and antechambers, we’ve gone through thirty-nine.”
“Twenty-six!” she exclaimed, and several girls whistled. Mink calculated the odds of their surviving so many dangers and came up with something like 1,786 to one. They all had a reason to beam with pride, and once they all moved onto the next room—which was a nice, safe, empty one for once—they took a break and gathered their strength for what Rose believed was the final run. According to her map, the Panther’s Tomb had forty-two rooms in all, so that left just two to go before they reached the treasure, whatever that might be.
“Becky really should’ve gone with us,” Shana sighed as she drew her legs close to her chest. “She could’ve helped us a lot. She probably knew more about this place than anybody.”
“You’re forgetting that up until recently, nobody was even sure this place existed,” Lyara reminded her. Shana just shook her head.
“I know that, but you know how myths go. There’s a grain of truth in every fiction, and even if the legends about this place weren’t entirely accurate, why would there be so much fuss over a place that wasn’t real?”
“It’s just like the stories of El Dorado and Shangri-La back home,” Allegra added. “There’s no one that can honestly say they’re real, but surely there’s a place that’s awful close, unless everything’s the fabrication of someone’s dream. I prefer it to be real, personally. People need goals and aspirations, even if they are plumb insane.”
“This place is definitely real,” Alala grumbled as she nursed one of her wounds. She had victoriously led the team through several tricky snares, but had not escaped them all without some reminder of her troubles: there was a tiny little cut on her lower torso from the wall of razors she passed through earlier. Yenae snuck in and managed to kiss it quickly before Alala swatted her away, which got a rise out of the pirates. They had brazenly flirted with both women, especially the feisty Felinis, who they believed was as sexual as the rumors suggested. Alala fought back, of course, but whenever she wasn’t around, Yenae defended her honor quite valiantly.
After ten more minutes and a quick snack, the team plowed onward, ready to face whatever the Panther threw at them next. Fortunately, their deceased adversary didn’t have a perfect security system, and the next room was actually quite tame compared to the others, probably because the designers didn’t think anybody could’ve made it this far. They only had to fight a ravenous monster that fed off the scores of intruders who occasionally dropped in. No problem at all.
“And now I’m glad Valti didn’t come, or she would’ve brought the poor beast with her on the way back,” Kate sighed. She prayed for her worthy foe’s soul and quickly caught up with the rest, her heart aflutter with excitement. Lillianne couldn’t resist cutting in one last time and saving everyone’s hides, and stopped them from blundering in. Sand was gushing in from the ceiling, filling about half the room, while a boil sucked it down into the ground, so there was always a constant amount. They could not plug up the hole, nor could they impede the flow, and there was no way to cross except by treading over the surface. Kyrie took a deep breath and used her small wings to hover over the ground.
“I could turn this sand into glass or silicon if I had my flamethrower. Sweetie, I guess you’re all burnt out, huh?” Torch nodded in defeat, so Kyrie flapped over the trap and settled down. She was petite and light for a Pyrosian, but her wings could not support her for very long, and she could not carry anybody over. Brains began to whirl into motion for a few tantalizing moments before Aseria came up with one of her radical solutions.
“We’ll throw everyone across. Hear me out: Lil and Kate could take our arms and swing us like a pendulum. They’d let go when our swing has reached its highest momentum, and Kyrie over there could catch us. Even if they fall short, she can fly over to save us. Your wings can hold out for that long, right?”
“Uh, I guess,” she murmured, feeling very perplexed and unsure. “But you’re missing a key ingredient there, elf-girl! How’re Lil and Kate supposed to cross?”
“By sprinting and jumping, naturally,” she answered coolly. “I know for a fact that my Lillianne can make this quite easily. It’s only about eight meters across, right? She may only look like a ravishing beauty, but I guarantee her physical strength is nothing to mock. And we all know how strong Heavyworld people are, don’t we?”
“This is ridiculous and reckless,” Kate grunted, “but I guess it’s our only choice, unless somebody brought a grappling hook and some rope. But I guess even Becky’s equipment couldn’t support all of us. We’ll give it a try—you first, Aseria!”
“That only seems fair,” she shrugged, quite unfazed. Lil took her left arm and Kate grabbed her right, and together they swung the dark elf back and forth, building up momentum. She was a light 52 kilograms (just over 114 pounds) and flew over like a sparrow, easily landing on solid ground. Athena volunteered to go next, and after her came Yenae, Mink, Sharyn, Lyara, Rose, several pirates, Riene, and Allegra, who both squealed as they were flung across. Shana screamed at the top of her lungs, even though she was very light and landed even further than Aseria had, and Alala flailed and roared terribly; she almost didn’t make it. The poor girl crashed on the edge, her legs and tail splashing the sand, the wind knocked out of her. Kyrie pulled her to safety and goaded the next “victim” on.
“Shit, that’s me, isn’t it?” Eve groused. She weighed a lot more than the others thanks to her artificial legs, but Lil and Kate assured her they could handle it. Even so, she couldn’t help but feel a little scared as she was swung and flung, and stretched her arms out to grab the other side. She crashed quite painfully, and as she feared, her legs were buried in the sand. Fortunately, she was pulled to safety and given the chance to breathe, but then the moment of truth came. Lil slapped Kate’s shoulders and grinned wickedly.
“You first, Shepherd!”
“Wha? Why me? This was your girlfriend’s idea from the start!”
“Look, don’t piss me off or I’ll throw you into the boil! If you really want to be the last one to go, be my guest! Just don’t wimp out on us or anything! How the hell does a Heavyworld woman get to be such a pussy, anyway?”
“We’re not all brainless muscle-heads,” she snorted bitterly. Kate put as much distance between her starting point and the sandpit as she could, took several breaths to steady herself, and squatted down into the runner’s position. Both sprinters and marathon runners would be humbled by her strength, speed, and endurance, but despite what people thought, Kate also possessed a vast inner strength as well, one borne of suffering and hardship. She would not let Lillianne or this trap defeat her. Kate sprang forth like a shot…she jumped…!
“You can do it, Katie!!”
Her feet touched the ground and she froze momentarily, soaking up her victory. Perfect landing. She glowed as Allegra gave her a thumbs-up.
“Well ain’t you a grasshopper! Shucks, you made that look easy!”
“I had a bit of help,” she answered softly. Aseria coughed bluntly and pointed them to their last ally, who was already coiled like a jaguar ready to pounce.
“I’ll admit that was impressive, but what you’re about to witness will send shivers down your spine. The sheer beauty of Lillianne’s graceful leaping has driven people to tears.”
“How poetic!” Shana exclaimed.
“Arrogant is more like it,” Athena muttered. She grossed her arms and smiled craftily. “All right, let’s watch the Mulian jump. Ugh, damn it, now I’m starting to talk like Fuu-chan!”
“Don’t pressure me, Lady Tolan!” Lil called out before taking the plunge. Her dive did not quite live up to Aseria’s description, but it certainly was entertaining to watch. However, she misjudged the length of the trap and landed on the very edge of the platform. There was a single second where she teetered on the brink, grimacing in humiliation, before plunging backwards into the pit. Aseria screamed and flew to rescue her, but the sand boil was much faster than it appeared, and Lady Markus was already being dragged to the hungry center. Aseria just managed to clutch onto her ankle, and tumbled down as the strength of the whirlpool threatened to drag her as well.
“Hurry!!” she screamed, not knowing what else to say.
“I’m coming!” Kate exclaimed; Mink and Kyrie were following her at once, and they started to drag Aseria towards safer ground. Her grip on Lil was failing, though, as her sweaty palm slipped down her ankle onto her foot, where it caught hold of Lil’s alien boots. But Lady Markus was fighting hard against the current, and sure enough, she proved to have amazing strength for a woman with her build. She was certainly Naja’s match, and could even hold her own against Kate, who was certainly less aggressive. Aseria gnashed her teeth as she lunged forth, heedless of her own safety, and grabbed Lil’s ankle with her other hand, thus improving her grip. It took four women to pull Aseria and Lillianne to safety: they had to fight the voracious sand-currents as well as the weight of the two hapless lovers. But everything did turn out all right, in the end, even if they were all out of breath.
“Stupid elf,” Lil wheezed as she kicked Aseria’s head gently. “I told you…not to pressure me!”
“It’s not my fault…you’re so arrogant.”
“You’re the one…telling everyone how…great I am.”
“You…lap it up like…the dog you are.”
“Takes a bitch to…know one.” They both sighed and came to a truce; Rose rolled her eyes and picked them up by their collars.
“Let’s save the lovers’ quarrels for later, huh? There’s a treasure waiting.”
……
The luster of the Panther’s collection was only overshadowed by the fact that a handful of Fog Ninjas were inside as well, gathering as many relics as they could carry. Their master had clearly underestimated the fatality of the tomb, for there was hardly enough to put up a threat, even though the adventurers were exhausted from their journey. What few ninjas survived perished under the wrath of some twenty infuriated ladies, who quickly rested amongst gold and jewels beyond the measure of mortals. Aside from this, there were also priceless books and manuscripts—made out of real paper, no less—many of which led to other treasures. Rose’s pirates claimed them all since the women of the Dauntless had no need for them, and they also scooped up coins, crowns, scepters, robes, weapons, shields, and other royal paraphernalia the Panther had swiped.
Very few of the girls were honestly interested in all these riches, and only took items that either pertained to their character (such as a solid ruby carved into a flame for Kyrie, Elvish instruments and crafts for Aseria, and a magnificent coat-of-arms for Sharyn), or interested them as novelties. Kate loaded up out of necessity, though, and Riene stocked her purse out of kindness; she knew that Rebecca was providing for her mother, and thought this would be a generous gift. As greedy as Rose’s pirates were, though, they left more items than they took, largely out of admiration for the deceased master of the tomb, which they all paid respect to as they passed his kingly coffin (plus, they could only carry so much). Rose casually pocketed a few trinkets but always seemed to be looking for a particular item; her search drew several inquiring eyes.
“What is it?” Allegra said. “Can’t see the crowd with all the gold?”
“It’s not that,” she replied quietly. “There’s something I wanted to find here, or maybe it’s something I thought was here. It’s in several of the legends, and I was hoping it existed.”
“Pray tell what this bauble might be, so that our eyes can aid thee!” Sharyn was exercising her vanity as she modeled a queen’s costume and tiara, but only managed to look silly.
“Sorry, princess knight,” Rose said, stifling a snicker. “I just don’t trust any of you with it. Just let me find it myself. Hey, elf girl! The fair-skinned one, I mean.”
“It’s Lyara,” she snorted.
“Right. Pretty name. Anyway, you’ve got telepathy, right? Go tell everyone else that we made it and we’ll try to head back. I just hope we don’t have to go through all that shit again.”
“I’ve already taken care of it,” Lyara answered stiffly. “As for going through… This gold may be the death of us.”
“We’ll worry about that later!” While Rose was peeking and poking through every corner in the room, vainly searching for her mysterious item, Shana came across a very strange item. She had stuffed quite a few pearls and diamonds into her pockets—not for herself, but for someone else—and was fingering a necklace when she came across a small, well-worn, dusty old hat. It fit snug and warm when she wore it and made her feel comfortable, but she couldn’t figure out why such a strange accessory was in this place. Perhaps it belonged to the Panther, or maybe one of the few burglars that had made it this far? Either way, nobody would begrudge her the hat, and so she claimed it as her own. It was much nicer than she first thought.
“Hey Alala, how do I look?” she called out. The spunky catgirl was playing with a soft golden ball she had found and gave Shana a good review, but when Rose turned around to glance at her, her heart jerked in her chest and she ran right over like a maniac.
“That’s it! Give it to me! Name your price and you’ll have it, just give me that hat!”
“What? This old thing? Why? What do you want it for?”
“Never mind!” she shouted, as her hand slithered towards her cutlass. “Please, just take it off and give it to me. I’ll even give you everything my crew found here. Here, take the map, too: everything here is yours, just…give me that hat!”
“No way!” she squealed, pressing it protectively against her head. “You’ve got a strange look in your eyes! Tell me why you want it so badly first!”
“I can’t do that!” she shouted, flecks of spittle flying from her lips. “Just give me the fucking hat and take whatever you want!” Her wild sapphire eyes burned with an otherworldly light and her fingers clenched around the hilt of her weapon as if her greatest enemy stood naked before her. Rose’s pirates surrounded her and held her back; some even slapped and punched her.
“Snap out of it, boss! This ain’t like you! What the hell’s gotten you so worked up? C’mon, Cap’n, she’s just a kid! Lay off, will ya? We came all this way for treasure, so just forget about that dumb cap and start looting! We’ll kidnap some young bride once we get outta here, whaddya say? C’mon, it ain’t worth it!”
“Get the hell out of my way!” she growled. Rose flung her beloved sisters-in-arms away and marched after Shana, more animal than woman. Miss Suing was now completely frightened out of her mind and started running away. It took seven women to completely restrain her, and for good measure, Athena punched her in the solar plexus, nearly knocking her unconscious. She sighed and looked over at the unfortunate girl.
“You okay?” Shana hiccupped and nodded shakily. “Hmm, good. Just what the hell was that all about, anyway? It’s just an ordinary hat. Can I see it?” Shana took it off and gave it to Athena, who put it on quite nonchalantly. Her long fuzzy ears poked out, making her look cuter than before, but nothing else changed.
“Give it back now,” Shana said, reaching her hand out greedily. She swallowed and almost croaked as she said, “Give it back, Athena, please. Give it back or I’ll kill you.” Athena stepped back, and for a moment, her composure broke as sheer horror overcame her. She threw the hat off her head and sliced it in two as it sailed through the air. Shana and Rose scrambled for the two halves, but soon mastered their senses as the spell wore off. They both stopped what they were doing and looked at each other.
“What the hell just happened? Something made me want this piece of shit real bad.”
“You sure fought hard for it!” Henrietta coughed. She rubbed her jaw and spat out some blood. “Sheesh, you always go overboard. Now I wish that cute little fox-girl had come with us.” The pirate queen stared hard at the tattered cap, crumbled it in her fists, and threw it aside.
“Burn that, Torch. Shana…I’m sorry. I don’t have any excuses for what I did. That hat did something to me.”
“But I was affected as well,” she murmured, crumpling her half numbly. She stared at Kyrie with deep, disturbingly mature eyes, and the red-skinned woman knew what she would have to do. The group soon departed from the Panther’s treasure room, leaving two small bonfires behind them, abandoning a great terror and the final safeguard against intruders. They made it outside without incident.
……
Have you ever been so infuriated, or so terrified, that it leaves you witless and numb, until all you can do is stare and wait until the feelings wash over? Derian was experiencing the full force of this. The loss of so many Fog Ninjas was forgivable, but the fact that they had been beaten, against all odds, by his Master’s enemies—and they now had the Panther’s treasures in their grasp!—well, it threw him into such a fearful rage that all he could do was sit quietly and wait for the end. His Master was surprisingly calm when he gave his report, but Master always had been in complete control of himself. His every action was so frigid and scientific that at times, Derian thought he really was a machine and not just a man whose voice carried through time and space.
“I am gravely disappointed, Mr. D, and not just at your inability to perform this simple task. I thought my computations were flawless, but it seemed even I overlooked something; I didn’t count on those pirates interfering so much. I believe I had specifically directed Miss Gillian to acquire that treasure, and the fact that she let it slip from her grasp disturbs me. She shall feel the brunt of my aggression, but do not think this lets you off so easily, Mr. D. I shall allow you one final chance to redeem yourself in the future, and if you cannot perform accordingly, well…let us just say that you will not want to fail. I shall contact you when an opportunity reveals itself, so until then, do try and not make a total fool of yourself.”
Derian sighed bleakly as the transmission ended. He was so awash with fear that perhaps not even the threat of ice could wake him. He had endured too much to get where he was now, so he was determined to see this final mission all the way through, even if it meant the end of him. He knew quite well that when the Master’s wrath was involved, there were things much worse than death.
Preview of next chapter:
Sharyn: Legends tell of a Standard that can lift suffering and bring happiness to those who bask in its brilliance. One of the tasks appointed to me by my liege was to retrieve this Standard at whatever cost, and deliver it to my people.
Lyara: What is this proud warrior willing to accomplish for the sake of her countrymen? How far is she willing to go to bring peace to those she loves? Will her hands of pure green be stained red with the blood of innocents? Will her boldness shrink in exchange for a brooding maturity? I feel that in my heart, I must somehow help this young warrior.
Riene: It’s the final chapter in the Dead Rose volume, “Mission of the Bloody Dove: yo ho-ho, a damsel in distress!” Sharyn, now is the time to show us what a true knight is capable of…
Kyrie: Zounds, our first “serious” preview! Angst ahoy, landlubbers!
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