Happy Blog Day Everyone!
Chapter 13 of Avalon Tales is here and I bet you can't guess what happens with a title like reunion! It's a short one this week but as it's really the part that should have been included last time, but you know, these things happen. With the end of the school Holidays, I'm hoping to get back on track, especially now that we're in the final part of the story.
That aside, let's look at our favourite man and rat duo...
The Comic Tales of Brennan and Riz
As promised last week, here's the final part! I couldn't pass up on the imagery of Riz arguing with a portal. Ten issues to go though...hmmm...
Short Diversions: Avalon Tales Chapter 13
With the Blood Brothers gone for the moment, it looks like Isabelle could use a friend, or two...Will the three of them be enough to stop the demon's evil schemes?
Avalon Tales Chapter Index
Chapter 13
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Chapter 13: Reunion
Robyn and Cade had progressed quickly down the tunnels with minimal interference which was causing them both some concern. By now, they'd both assumed the enemy would know that their defences were breached and should have reacted accordingly. That the pair seemed to have the run of the place greatly alarmed Cade, who sought to voice as much:
“You know what this means, correct,” he said turning to look at Robyn. He was fighting instinct to call her by her rank.
“It's means either they don't care that we're in here as they think we're not strong enough to change what happens next, or that they want us here, which means we've walked into a trap,” Robyn said, rolling her eyes. As long as she found Isabelle, it didn't really matter what their goal was, as she was adamant the three of them could stop it, or failing that, derail it enough to deter them.
“Indeed, we can not afford to waste time right now,” Cade said as he adjusted his glasses.
“Who’s wasting time?” Robyn quipped back. “Izzy isn't going to be waiting around for us!” Making sure that her equipment was securely fastened, she started running down the corridor.
Cade let out a small sigh as he quickly followed behind her. There was no point in being stealthy now.
Isabelle didn't know exactly how long she'd remained hidden. She’d wanted to move before but couldn't, not between her own doubts and the pressure from her scar that had finally let up. Taking a big breath, she looked around, making sure that the coast was definitely clear. Where the demons had gone, she didn't know and she cursed herself for not being in the right state of mind to track them. There were four possible exits, though Isabelle could discount one of them quickly enough as they would have had to walk right next to her, which clearly they didn’t do.
Why did I feel like that? Isabelle asked herself, wanting to make sense of what had happened. She had a chance then to perform her duty but didn't do anything but cower. She shook her head, wanting to clear her mind. She'd swore she'd settle this on her own, so why couldn't she? What good was she if she couldn't do anything. With one action left to her, she slapped herself, knowing that if Robyn was there, she'd have done the deed herself. With the brief pain she was able to centre herself and got some much needed clarity. She looked at the directions open to her, wondering which way was the correct one. She had to get a message to her father somehow but she also couldn't allow the Blood Brother's to slink away to repeat this again. She had no doubt that whatever form this trap took, they'd be at the centre of it, wanting to see their revenge first hand.
Deep in thought, she felt another sensation from her scar. At first she became tense that there may have been demons in bound but the sensation didn't feel the same, as odd as it sounded, it felt kinder. Closing her eyes, the feeling was pulling her to the left, towards the doorway that seemed to lead upwards. With a final glance, she headed off in that direction, wary of what she was going to encounter there.
Robyn and Cade had found more evidence to support their thesis that the demons running this operation cared little for their presence in their nest. The pair had encountered several demons that looked physically different from the ones they previously encountered, moving rocks from one tunnel to another. Their goal seemed to be altering the layout of the base, making a seemingly preferred route. The demons only reacted to the pair when they got too close, but it can't be said they put up a fight.
Cade had stood and watched as their remains dissolved away like the rest, making quick observations in a notepad about the body structure and the alterations the demons had undergone. More evidence to him that the Blood Brothers were getting a lot of outside help with what they were planning, which meant the traitor in Avalon had to be providing a lot of resources. Robyn had been inspecting the passageway they were working to clear, as it was obvious that it played an important part in the trap to come. The only question, for her at least, was do they travel in the opposite direction, or head down that way. The device they’d been using to track Isabelle was getting less reliable the further they were going down.
“Which way then?” She asked Cade as he came to join her.
Carefully, he looked down the routes before swiftly coming to an answer.
“We head further in, as that is what the Knight Major would do.”
“Still can’t just call her Isabelle can you?”
“Now is not the time for that discussion,” He replied bluntly as he straigented his glasses.
With no reason to argue, Robyn shrugged her shoulders and the pair took the unblocked passageway.
Isabelle had also encountered those different demons, doing the same task, but from the opposite side as they were attempting to block the passage she was moving through. The creatures met the same fate with several of them not even noticing her till her blade was already mid swing. She noted herself that this was the third type of demon she’d encountered in these depths, it made her realise the scope of the operation the Blood Brothers had been planning, them and their mysterious ally. With the feeling in her scar pulling her forward, she took a quick breather and then set off again. There were so many questions that were swirling in her head about the events of that night, and she was determined to get answers to some of them at least, yet it all hinged on her surviving and foiling their designs to the best of ability.
Is it possible to do all that on my own? Maybe one of those goals at the expense of the other, is that really the choice I’m going to have to make? The sound of footsteps ahead made her focus once more as she slowed down, not wanting to walk into another demonic ambush. Her scar gave no hints that whoever was coming the other way were demonic, but who else would be down here? The grim thought of her being too late and the trap having lured the Avalon forces down to their doom had occurred to her, but she would have surely heard some signs of that, in this silence, the gunfire would have echoed like far off screams. Still, her scar pointed to no threats. She couldn’t take the chance.
The passage lacked any real hiding places, but there was a slight indent in the walls where the supporting beams went to the ceiling, so she hid herself there the best she could, then she waited as the footsteps got closer. She could tell there was something off about them judging from the times she’d encountered demons before as these weren’t as heavy, but also had a sense of urgency about them. Whoever it was wasn’t talking, or if they were, it was coming out as barely as whisper, the other thing she’d learned was that there were only two of them. If her scar had been tricked somehow, the odds were somewhat favourable as she’d done better with more against her. The footsteps seemed to slow of their own accord as they got closer, which gave Isabelle the impression that whoever it was, knew she was waiting in ambush, and were now acting accordingly, something that she herself would do. To her, both sides were now aware of each other, so a confrontation could not be avoided. While she had hoped that it wasn’t an enemy, she prepared for the alternative and with a silent count of three, she leapt out and came face to face with Robyn and Cade, who had similarly drawn their weapons preparing for a fight.
It took a second for everyone to fully figure out what the situation was, but before a smile could even cross Robyn’s face, Isabelle charged at her with a hug, surprising her.
“Izzy?” Robyn said, confused for a moment before hugging her back.
“Knight Major, I’m glad we’ve found you,” Cade said, interrupting the moment. “It is vital we speak of tonight’s events, there’s a traitor…”
“...In Avalon, yes I figured as much, but there’s more going on as well. Do either of you know what Black Knight is?”
“No? Can’t say that I have?” Robyn replied, looking confused.
Cade stood thinking, but exasperated with himself he sighed.
“No, I have not either, but that will not be for long,” he swore. “We’ll make sure to interrogate the traitor on the matter, unless that’s a pseudonym they are using to conceal their identity.”
“Possibly, but we have to act fast,” Isabelle spoke up, separating from her from her embrace with her partner. “A trap has been set for my father, and the Blood Brothers are close to springing it, we have to get word out and then deal with the threat.”
“With communications down, that may be difficult,” Cade said thinking.
“Then, we’ll just have to spring the trap ourselves,” Isabelle decided.
“You do know what that will mean, correct?” Cade asked, putting on a serious face.
“I’m aware, but to protect my father, I mean, the Lord Commander of the Realm,” Isabelle corrected herself knowing that her stalwart companion was staring at her. “I think it’s a risk we will have to take. We’re members of Avalon afterall, and this is a dire threat that can lead to greater deaths should we fail.”
“You know I’m with you till death do us part, Izzy,” Robyn said with a smile. The pair then looked to Cade.
“Given that I outrank you both, this operation lives or dies on my decision, but that said, duty calls and if this is the only way to spoil their plans, then so be it. They will not have their way,” he announced. “Lead the way, Knight Major.”
“Alone I couldn’t do it, but the three of us…” Isabelle muttered under her breath deliberately so that they wouldn’t hear it. “...Let’s do this.”
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Next Chapter (not live yet)
Well that wraps this weeks entry up. I realise I have fallen into a rut lately, one that I hope comes to an end soon, I need to do some writing that isn’t linked to this blog! Really I need to finish my rewrites of Daemon Soul 2 then work to get things back online and readable once more. Not something that's going to happen overnight, but I need to get it done.
Till next time...
Keep on writing!
Peter James Martin
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