Matthew's eyes adjusted to the darkness when Clyde's voice rang out.
"The last thing I expected was books."
"What books?"
Matthew took a look around the room. And as Clyde said it was filled with books.
A lot of books.
Matthew could faintly hear footsteps outside. Clyde slowly made his way near the door. Matthew stood on the other side and listened. He could make out the voice,
"Yuni, just leave me here."
"No. I will take you out of here."
"I'm slowing you down. If that thing chases..."
*RRRROOOOAAAARRRE*
Another roar and heavy thin heading this way as the flood shook a little.
Matthew once again faltered but Clyde held him steady.
"Keep your posture low Becker. It'll help with balance."
Matthew gave a nod of apparition and shifted his stance. He focused on the voice once more.
The footsteps came closer as their voice became clear.
"Yuni! Don't be stubborn. I'll survive just hide yourself."
"No!"
"It's the twins," Matthew whispered to Clyde.
"Sounds like one of them is hurt." He whispered back.
"Yuni. Leave me."
"No. I won't... Look there are doors here. Let's hide in one of the rooms."
"No! They weren't there when we came through..."
The beast was getting closer as the shaking of the floor increased. Matthew could feel the vibration through the wall.
Clyde watched as Matthew took out a doll. a
"On three, I will pull the door open and drag them in. Close the door immediately"
"Wait. Becker, maybe we should..."
"Three!" Matthew cut off and pulled the door open. He saw the girl was carrying the boy on her back.
Both of them looked stumped as he grabbed her by the collar and dragged them inside.
*bang*
With a loud bang, Clyde shut the door after them as Matthew immediately pushed the duo against the wall.
He put his hand on both of their mouths.
The boy froze as the girl took out her dagger to attack. Clyde also pull out his sword and pressed it on her forehead as her dagger pressed against Matthew's throat.
A bit of blood tickled down but he didn't care. Clyde's steady hand remained on her forehead as his eyes watched her dagger.
The shaking of the floor reached its peak as the beast suddenly stopped.
Matthew could hear the snarl as the beast moved around.
*sniff* *sniff*
The beast was sniffing around. It growled again and again as it scratched over the door. Aware of their presence but unable to get in.
Matthew gently lowered his hand and held the doll.
The girl still had her dagger at his throat. The boy grabbed the girl's hand and gave her a slight nudge with his head.
The girl lowered her dagger and Clyde sheath his sword.
Matthew held the doll tightly. Ready to throw it at the beast.
*RRRRROOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR*
A new roar vibrated throughout the corridor as the entire crypt shook violently. Matthew felt his eardrums ring as this roar continued.
The beast outside stopped its movement before heading towards the new roar.
Matthew stepped back and waited for anything else. After the pin-drop silence, the girl opened her mouth but he quickly stopped her.
"not now." His whispering voice was just enough to reach her.
She was ready to retort when her brother nudged her. She closed her mouth and obliged.
*creaaakk*
Matthew tightens his grasp on the doll as the sound of hinges rang out.
Someone stepped out in the corridor followed by a voice soon afterwards,
"All agents have been funneled towards the burial chamber. RUCVA agents are unaccounted for. Permission to activate Morre-3."
"*static* Granted. *static*"
The girl frowned as Matthew made eye contact with Clyde. He shook his head as the voice continued,
"Copy that. Permission to initiate combat."
"*static* Granted. *static*"
Soon multiple roars were heard but they were drowned by quickly as the voice returned.
"Contact has been initiated. Phase one has been completed."
"*static* Copy that. Head to point A-3. Over. *static*"
"Copy that. Over." The footsteps went in the direction of the beast.
Soon everything once again settled down.
Time passed slowly but after a minute or so Matthew reached for the handle but there were none. Once the door-like frame now looked like a solid wall.
Matthew whispered.
"What happened to the door?"
"A Void Anomaly. We are stuck-uh... We are stuck inside a Shifting Room." The boy winched in pain as his feet touched the floor.
The girl helped him lean against the wall.
Matthew frowned,
"Void Anomaly? Shifting Door?"
"It's a small dimensional room that randomly appears and disappears. We are effectively stuck." Clyde replied as he inspected the wall.
"How stuck?" Matthew questioned immediately.
The girl suddenly turned around and grabbed him by the collar. Matthew gasped as was lifted a few inches from the ground.
"I told you to mind your own business."
She felt a cold metal on her neck. She looked back slightly as Clyde took off his glasses,
"Calm down kid."
"Yuni don't escalate." The boy tried to calm his sister down. But she simply sneered,
"You think you can threaten me?"
Matthew held his doll tightly ready to use it. But,
"It's not a threat. I just saved you and your brother. The polite thing would be to say thank you."
Amused by Matthew's words she held him higher and replied,
"Well, I'm not polite."
Matthew smiled and suddenly launched forward. His forehead connected with hers. She dropped him immediately and backed away surprised. Clyde moved to Matthew's side.
"Clearly...damm. It's like hitting a wall."
Matthew rubbed his forehead as a slight headache assaulted him.
"She is a Beholder. With a Mutation type Gift. What were you thinking?"
Clyde couldn't help but question Matthew.
"Hahahehehahaha"
Before Matthew could say anything, a burst of laughter rang out.
In the darkroom, the silver hair of the girl shone with a pale light as her voice rang out,
"I'll enjoy breaking your leg."
At that moment all Matthew saw was a silver blur and sparks as metal clashed against each other.
Clyde stood before Matthew as he tried to push her away. But her dagger was steady as her mocking voice rang out,
"You're overestimating your Gift."
Despite the reach a sword gave, Clyde felt an indescribable pressure from her.
She pushed her dagger against the sword, intending to throw him off.
"And you're overestimating your skill."
Clyde simply sidesteps to use her weight against her. Aiming the blunt edge for her head, Clyde attacked.
The swing missed her by an inch as she ducked under and took a stab at his chest.
Clyde let go of the sword and grabbed her arms and twisted the dagger off. Clyde tried to leverage her right arm to pin her down.
But she quickly closed the distance and threw a left uppercut.
"Uuggh.." Clyde felt the air escape from his lungs as another punch was followed through hitting him on the side.
She used a leg sweep as Clyde fall to the ground. She held him by the collar and said,
"Night night."
Clyde gritted his teeth as her fist flew straight at his face.
"Stop or I'll drop him." Matthew's voice stunned both of them.
Looking over to bear the door, they saw Matthew standing with a dagger in Yan's throat.
Her grip bend Clyde's armor as she said in a monotone voice,
"Release him."
"You first. Get away from him." Matthew ordered.
There was no hesitation. She left Clyde and moved away from him and said in the same monotone voice,
"Release him."
"In a moment. You okay?" Matthew enquired. Clyde got up and he rubbed his side,
"More or less." He took a glance at her. She stood still with both eyes locked on Matthew.
"Release him." She asked once more.
Matthew however kept the dagger on his neck,
"Name. Tell me yours and his."
"My name is Yan and my sister liked to be called Kiara."
Yan answered immediately.
"Good. I'm Becker and that's Clyde."
"Nice to meet you, Becker. And you too Clyde." Yan said with a smile.
"The same. Although the circumstances could have been better." Clyde picked up his sword.
"And nice to meet you, Kiara. If I release him, do you promise not to attack me?"
She didn't reply.
"She won't." But Yan did.
Matthew could see her shaking.
"I'll take your word for it."
Matthew lowered the dagger and stepped away from Yan.
"He sprained his ankle. I don't have any ice or cold press on me. My backpack has painkillers and I can properly bandage his ankle to prevent any further harm."
Matthew took off his backpack and threw it over to her.
"It also has a flashlight. You can check the validity."
"Why did you bring flashlights?" Clyde looked at him with a confused look.
Matthew simply shrugged.
She kept her eyes on them. She picked up the backpack and looked inside. Clyde watched as her face utter confusion to bewilderment.
"No funny business." Kiara walked over and handed him the backpack.
Matthew took out a flashlight and handed it to Clyde.
"Hold it steady and you..."
Matthew pointed at Kiara,
"Hold him steady. It's gonna hurt a lot. Don't let him move much."
After that Matthew used a few books from the surroundings to help Yan get more comfortable. And started working.