Lone Ranger Chapter 8

8.

Lance went running towards the shaft. He almost tripped and regained his balance. He felt the first wall-crawling creature grabbed his left shoulder and his right hand went to pry the hold there. It was cold and clammy to the touch even with his gloves on. Even before he could call on for his guns, the inkling on his right forearm went into action.

The protection spell of Noir Spike went into action. It was not a killing spell like the previous one but of the maiming one. It went out like dark spikes to punch at the cold hand. The spikes were like long nails that pierced the flesh there. The creature shrieked out in pain and withdrew.

It was then Lance fell and felt another creature on his back. He tried to roll over but the inkling went to protect its master. The spikes struck at the back of the neck. The second creature had climbed off in pain but by then Lance had rolled over. He reached for his gun with his left hand. He did not have to aim for the creature was in front. He shot three times at the second creature but it was a not scaling one but a frame that resembled a man.

To be exact it was a huge man with a scar at the left lips but the wings made him different.

The huge man with the wings staggered back when the bullets hit the chest. The inkling that was the Noir Spike then went for the huge man. It appeared again as a series of spikes that pierced the winged man on the chest. The winged man shrieked out in pain while the other two had crawled back into the tunnel. Lance got up and looked at the writhing huge man on the ground. The blood was spurting out from the wounds but the man was still alive. Lance aimed the gun at the head and blew the top part off. With that, the wings stopped fluttering and the body went motionless.

The shots have attracted the others and Lance turned to look up the shaft. There were shouts up there and he saw lights. He knew that the way up was not the best and then he made his way back into the tunnel. He went past the dead man and slowly felt the walls. He was looking out for the other two and the fact that they went in mean there might be another way out. He stepped carefully and then decided that he needed help. He unbuttoned his shirt and called on the Spirit of the Sun. The inkling was on the left ribs pushed out and appeared like a series of floating lighted orbs. The orbs lit up the place and then it went forward like a guiding light. It showed the lost souls there. They were not part of the demons.

“We know…” One of the wandering souls muttered. And then the one other which was a soul of the clergy stepped forth.

“Follow me.”

Lance did when told then and found his way was deeper into the mine. He reached the paths where the tracks do not reach. He had a look at the walls and noticed that they were not old. It could have been dug like some weeks back. He then came upon the huge cavern. The cavern was not dug out but appeared natural. It was a huge dome with crafted flooring that resembled a hexagon design. There were three of the designs there intertwined at the edge.

On the center hexagon design was a white slab each that resembled a casket. The cover on the slab was opened. Above the slab was the inverted cross over it. There were another two crawlers who were there crouched on top of the slab cover like crouching predators. The lighted orbs had snaked back to the chest for the cavern was illuminated with the green moss that released the luminous ambiance.

Lance drew up his guns and leveled at the two on the slab. They looked like humans but their facial expression was otherwise. It was a ghastly face with the fangs there. His inklings were throbbing to come out but he held them back. It was his fight and he needed to speak to them.

Or one of them.

Lance shot the uglier one in the face and the heart. The man fell off the slab clutching his face. Lance then smiled at the other.

“We can talk?” The other on the slab snarled and leaped at Lance. The later shot off twice to stop the attack. The attacking man fell short but Lance then heard the shouts. It was followed by the sound of explosions. The explosions rocked the cavern with the ceiling dropping pieces on the flooring. Lance rushed forth to examine the slab and studied for any markings. He had to hold his attention for more of the ceiling was dropping. Whatever was in the slab was not there. It was moved or stepped out on its own.

“Thank God we will not be interned for good.” The clergy soul cried out and then looked at Lance. “If you run along there, there is another shaft there. It opened to the top.”

Lance took the advice and run with his hands over his head. He reached it and saw the shaft. It was not one that needed climbing but an angled one that he needed to use his legs to run. He ran amid the collapsing ceiling and managed to make it out. He stepped out and found the welcome of six sets of guns drawn there.

“Whoa!” Lance did not reach for his guns than at the group of six guards but his inklings went into action.

The Lion of Richard streaked out like the scimitar from the inklings on Lance’s back. The magical scimitar flared upwards and then swung across in a deadly blow at the group of six. The scimitar cut across them without a drop of blood but the group of six shrieked out in pain. The blood soon spurted when the heads rolled off the necks.

“Whoa…” Lance did not wait to check on the dead and ran for the wall. He was soon out and heading for the stone hut. He needed to go to Arizona.