The rest of the day had been plain and uneventful. Then the sun set, and Russel was trapped in another illusion. This time was strange though, everyone was transported together to the entrance of a strange temple in the middle of a desert.
"An open space! That means we might be able to escape!" One of the others cheered.
They started to run in the opposite direction before they heard an audible thud and a purple grid shocked the runner. They fell to the ground and screamed as their skin peeled off their bones, a horrible and painful way to die.
"I wouldn't recommend anyone try that again! I've made this illusion so the only way to go is inside!" The casters voice yelled out. "You may have noticed your friend Elizabeth is missing… Well that's how you get out of this."
"Care to elaborate!?" Russel yelled out in frustration.
"Fine. You have to save her from the giant monster at the end of the temple." The caster explained. "That's all I���m giving you. Make sure to die this time."
"What was that?" Rachel asked.
"The voice of the obnoxious bitch who has been causing the illusions." Russel explained.
"You do know I can hear you!" The caster complained.
"I don't give a shit." Russel said coldly.
"I guess we have to go in then…" Oliver spoke.
"I have a worse feeling about this than normal." Russel sighed as he entered the temple.
They were immediately greeted by a large room filled with water that seemed to be full of fish. The room didn't seem to have any other halls attached to it. Making Russel think that there was only one way to continue.
"Underwater…" He scoffed.
"Huh?" Oliver questioned.
"There must be a path underwater." Russel told him.
"Are you sure?" Rachel asked.
"I don't see any other way out… Process of elimination." Russel explained.
He looked behind him at the seven others. They only had eight in total now, and they had so many more only three days ago.
Russel jumped into the water and was immediately assaulted by the fish, they all had sharp teeth that bit into him viciously. Russel ignored the pain and found what he was looking for, an underwater tunnel that led to another room. He quickly swam back to the group and threw off all of the fish.
"There is a tunnel we can swim through to get to the next room. Follow me." Russel ordered.
"Wait! Why can't we just stay here while you go ahead?" Someone asked.
"If you're not together you die… For example…" The caster giggled.
The person who had asked the question suddenly went pale as a ghost and collapsed onto the floor.
"If you can do that, why not just kill all of us?" Oliver asked.
"Don't give her any ideas…" Russel complained.
"What would the fun in that be? Its more fun if I get a show out of it like this!" The caster laughed.
Russel scowled and jumped into the water, quickly swimming through all of the fish and going through the tunnel before resurfacing on the other side. He got out of the water and took a look at the room, finding that it was covered in platforms that rose up periodically out of a sand pit to reach an elevated doorway.
"What the hell are those fish!?" He heard Oliver whine.
Russel turned to see Oliver, Rachel and three others emerge from the water. Russel cursed as he saw the blood gradually grow more red and a body float to the surface.
"Now there's six…" He grumbled.
"So what's up with this room?" Oliver asked.
"It seems we have to jump from platform to platform to get to the exit up there." Russel explained, pointing to their objective.
"Those jumps look difficult…" Rachel mused.
"No doubt… Just follow me." Russel said with confidence.
He ran forward and jumped up to the first platform making it easily. He continued up the spiral, careful to make sure he jumped further each time to not fall. When he was about halfway up he looked down and motioned for the next person to follow. Oliver went second, repeating Russel's movements though he struggled at parts. When he a single platform away from Russe; he took a deep breath and jumped. Russel panicked as he realized Oliver underestimated the jump. He threw himself to his stomach and reached out his arm.
"Help!" Oliver yelled as he started to fall.
Russel quickly grabbed Oliver's arm to save him falling. He grunted as he shifted to his knees. He started to raise himself to his feet with great effort, gradually pulling Oliver up onto the platform. Once Oliver was safe the two fell to their backs and breathed heavily. Russel from the workout of pulling Oliver up, and Oliver from the adrenaline of almost dying wearing off.
"Thanks buddy…" Oliver chuckled.
"No worries…" Russel sighed, boosting himself back to his feet. "Next!"
Rachel was the next to make the climb and got up to the same platform of Oliver and Russel with ease. Russel looked back and saw the other two with them looking nervously at the platforms.
"You'll be fine!" Russel assured them. "Just take it one at a time."
The others nodded in affirmation and began the jumps. Russel smiled as he saw they were making good progress. Until one began coughing and they jumped. Russel cursed as he saw them bash their head on one of the platforms and fell into the sand below which swallowed them up.
"Five…" Oliver observed.
The last remaining person slowly made their way up to the others with only a few missteps. Russel took this as the sign to go ahead and made the next few jumps which were rather easy. It was only until he reached the final jump he became worried.
The final jump was by far the longest, and the one where he would have to gain the most elevation. He started sprinting and used the legs to propel himself high at the last possible moment before running off the edge. He felt himself fly through the air, though he started to worry as he saw that he didn't have the correct height to make the jump. In a desperate effort he stretched out his hand and managed to catch the edge of the final platform with his fingertips. He grunted as he struggled to hold on and used all the strength he could muster to jump up a bit and get a proper hold on the edge. He sighed in relief as he felt his hand clap solidly around the ledge and pulled himself up.
"Mind the gap." Russel joked to the others.
Oliver began his way up and made the final jump with Russels assistance. When Rachel arrived at the last jump she looked hesitant at the distance.
"Don't worry. We'll catch you if you need it." Russel promised. "Trust us."
"Ok… I'll trust you." Rachel nodded.
She breathed in deeply as she began to run and made the jump. Russel and Oliver put out their hands and caught Rachels and pulled her up. She started panting heavily and rested against Russel.
"Um… Rachel?" Russel laughed nervously.
"Just give me a minute…" She panted heavily.
Russel sighed and let her rest as he watched the final person make their way through the jumps. When they arrived at the final jump they didn't even take a stride before making the jump, sealing their fate. They quickly started to fall and hit the sand seconds later, swallowing up their body as they desperately cried for help.
"Three…" Oliver scowled.
"Let's keep going." Rachel huffed, pulling herself up to her feet.
Once all three of them were standing they continued on down the hallway they had entered in silence until they reached an area with strange straight markings in the floor. Rachel ignored them and kept going, but Russel was more wary. Right before she crossed one of the markings Russel pulled her back into his chest.
"What are you doing!?" She asked, flustered at his actions.
However, as she was speaking a large blade swing right above where the marking was. Russel sighed in disappointment and let Rachel go. She looked up at him with wide eyes, which confused Russel.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Thank you for saving me…" She said quietly, looking away from him.
"Don't think about it too much or things will get awkward." Russel stated as he began walking again.
The blade swung again and Russel narrowly dodged it, feeling a rush of wind from the blade across his face. The next blade triggered and Russel avoided it as well. The blades continued to swing in a rhythm leaving Russel trapped between them.
"Watch the pattern and dodge accordingly." Russel explained as he went past the second blade. "Time it wrong and you're dead."
With that warning Russel continued through the blades, narrowly avoiding each of them due to their different timings. There were ten blades in total and after getting past each of them Russel sighed in relief, it was then he felt a blunt impact against his chest sending him to the ground.
"Russel!" Rachel screamed.
Russel was thrown towards the blade and rolled out of the way so he wouldn't be decapitated before drawing his sword and jumping to his feet. Immediately in his eyesight he saw a large, muscular man wrapped in bandages. He looked like any other man who had done lots of physical labor, which the exception of his huge, monster-like fists which Russel deduced were what knocked him down.
"You should be honored to die in a sacred place such as this." The bandaged man spoke.
"I have no intention of dying here." Russel smirked.
The man threw a punch towards Russel which he tried to cut through with his sword, but ended up knocking him back. He heard the man grunt in pain and saw that he had severed one of the man's fingers.
"Now you'll pay!" He growled, sending a flurry of punches at Russel before he could recover from the last assault.
Russel was pummeled into a wall by the main huge fists. He tried not to scream from the pain and bit down on his tongue harshly. He gripped his sword with such force that his knuckles became pale white. He struggled to lift it from his side to stab the man, and he saw his vision going spotty.
"Russel!" He heard Oliver yell.
"I'm fine!" He strained himself to yell. "Just get through the blades!"
'No way am I letting this thing kill me.' Russel thought.
He managed to raise the sword from his side and chopped off one of the man's fist. The bandaged man recoiled and Russel took his opportunity to release a flurry of strikes before the man could move. The shredded remains of the man fell to the floor the very same moment Rachel and Oliver got through the last blade. Russel, seemingly gloating about his achievement, did a trick with his sword and sheathed it.
"Let's keep moving." Russel said calmly.
"If you're trying to look cool you're doing a bad job." Oliver smirked.
Russel laughed and punched him lightly on the shoulder. He turned and continued leading the group down the hallway. They walked in silence one more, a feeling of unease growing in Russel. When they finally emerged into a large room they saw a cage in front of them, holding Elizabeth inside.
"Look out!" She yelled.
Russel looked around and saw a large hammer being swung towards him. He pushed Oliver and Rachel out of the way before dodging himself. He spun back to face the enemy and saw a large beast with a single eye in its forehead. It swung its massive hammer in a round motion and hit Rachel and Oliver, throwing the pair into a wall.
"Damn you!" Russel yelled, charging towards the beast.
He slid between the beats legs and jumped up, slicing up its back. The monster howled in pain before turning towards Russel and spitting at him. The liquid from the beats mouth hit Russel and covered him. Russel tried to move but found that his muscles wouldn't work.
'It paralyzed me!' Russel realized.
He pushed himself to try and move, but it made no difference. He looked up and saw the giant preparing to brings its large hammer down on him.
'No no no! Damn it I need to move!' Russel panicked fighting against his paralysis.
He managed to move his fingers and continued to struggle, maging to move at the moment he heard a voice.
"Russel!" Rachel said from behind him, voice growing closer.
Russel managed to jump forward out of the way. He heard the hammers impact behind him and turned to see a hand reaching out from under it, along with strands of brunette hair. Russel fell to his knees as he realized what had happened.
'She tried to save me…' He thought with his eyes open wide and mouth ajar.
"Haha! Oh I love seeing it every time!" He heard Elizabeth cheer.
Russel turned his head to look at her and titled his head. Elizabeth was smiling and dancing inside her cage as she looked at the body under the hammer.
"How I love the effects of Cyclops spit! The natural reaction that temporarily paralyzes non-cyclops. It's so useful for these things!" She cheered.
"Elizabeth…" Russel growled at her, his eye starting to twitch.
Russel saw Oliver fall to his knees in front of Rachel out of the corner of his eye. Oliver buried his face in his hands as he looked at her remains. He punched the ground angrily and screamed.
"Rachel!" He screamed out in emotional distress.
"Human suffering! Yes give me more! My favorite thing in the world!" Elizabeth cackled.
"Elizabeth! Shut it!" Russel screamed.
"Oh… Well it looks like the game has come to an end anyway…" She sighed. "I'm surprised someone smart like you hasn't figured it out already Russel. I'm the one creating these illusions." She responded innocently.
Russel looked at her in shock releasing all the air in his lungs. Oliver turned to look at her and bared his teeth.
"What!?" Russel spat.
"It's just like I said. I'm casting the illusions." She spoke. "You might want to look out for that hammer."
Russel looked up and saw the Cyclops about to bring the hammer down on him. He screamed defiantly, making the cyclops back away nervously. Russel felt as his demon transformation kicked in. Claws, teeth, wings and his vision enhanced. He held out his sword and burst forward in the blink of an eye, decapitating the cyclops in a single strike. He fell back to the ground and set his eyes on Elizabeth.
The two locked eyes, Russel in hatred and disgust, and Elizabeth in both shock and terror at how quickly the cyclops went down. Russel got to his feet and leapt forward at lightning speed. He closed his eyes as he yelled, putting all his frustration behind his sword. He felt the impact briefly as he cleanly cut through his path. But when he opened his eyes, he found himself in front of a fallen tree. With the illusion dispelled Russel found himself near the carriage and the now terrified horse. He turned around and looked to see Elizabeth surrounded by a fiery pink aura, levitating a few feet above the ground. He saw Oliver, still hunched over in shock.
"I suppose this is where our adventure together comes to an end…" Elizabeth sneered, the aura around her growing brighter by the second.