"Dad, let's go! The Malakai and his army are bombing this bunker! We have to leave now!", Xalarah screamed furiously at Darrius. "Phil, grab his stone and an arm! We'll carry him out!", she yelled at the other man in the room. Darrius shook the fog from his mind and stood from the exam table.
"I'll walk, thanks.", Darrius responded gently pushing Xalarah away from him as he stood. A deafening crack of thunder rumbled through the gray concrete room knocking everyone to the floor. A smathering of dust trickled from the ceiling.
"Is everyone okay?", Perphillius' smokey voice echoed out.
"Yeah.", Darrius responded quickly followed by a long silence.
"Xalarah...", Perphillius asked but she replied before he could finish his thought.
"I'm fine. Let's just grab our gear and go.", her tone much calmer than before the explosion.
"By the way, where are we?", Darrius requests while clamoring back to his feet.
"Well, I'll let your daughter explain the situation.", Perphillius chuckled slightly as the words came out.
"Ass. Okay, fine.", Xalarah sighed heavily looking at Perphillius. "We took the B7 light gate.", she said staring apologetically at her father.
"So...", Darrius began to add up the details.
"Yeah, dad. We're in The Labyrinth.", Xalarah wept slightly before slowly staring at the cold dusty floor beneath her feet.
"Aw don't cry, darling.", Darrius said reaching his arms out to his daughter. She instantly folded to the comfort her father's embrace. "We'll be fine. Look at me.", he said tilting her face up to his. "We'll be okay. Okay?", he continued slowly wiping the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs.
"Okay.", Xalarah responded.
"So, we're in the lair of the most dangerous Eiden to live in a thousand years. So what? It's not like he knows we're here and is bombing his own property because of it. Ha ha!", Darrius exclaimed with a deep belly laugh. Perphillius and Xalarah chuckled slightly before quickly following Darrius through the exit.

-----------------A few hours later------------------------

You have to go. Now, Xalarah!", the anger is Darrius' voice was unmistakable. "Find the light gate and leave. Destroy the one you wind up at. He won't be able to track you.", Darrius' angry tone gave way to a remorseful one. Xalarah couldn't help but break down in tears. She had witnessed The Malakai murder her mother and now she was going to lose her dad to him.
"But... Dad... I'm not... leaving..." she said faintly through abrupt sobs.
"Phil, it's been great. I have a final order for you...", Darrius paused. Perphillius didn't want to hear the next words Darrius was going to say but he knew he had to hear them. "Get her outta here. And take care of her for me.", Darrius said and stuck out his hand to shake Perphillius'. The two men quickly shook hands and patted each other's shoulders before each went his own way. Perphillius with a sobbing woman draped over his shoulder and Darrius with his Eidenstone griped tightly in hand. Ahead of him Darrius could see a gap in the concrete bunker that led outside. He slowly shuffled toward it finally acknowledging the damage his leg took in the earlier explosion. He glanced behind him to reveal a few smeared spots of blood where he had walked a moment ago. He could hear the army beating on their war drums clearly now.
"Stop!", a male voice echoed from outside. It was The Malakai. Darrius was very familiar with his voice. Darrius crept closer toward the bright light and knelt down near the edge of the shattered concrete. "Dee, I know you're here! You wouldn't let her come by herself! Where are you, old friend?!", The Malakai shouted again. Darrius could see a mass of former slaves numbering in the hundreds outside but he couldn't see The Malakai. "You wouldn't be kneeling down by the opening of the hole we blasted now would you?!", The Malakai continued. Darrius was shocked that The Malakai could so accurately predict the situation.
"Okay, Ed! You've got me! I'll come out but this our fight, let's keep it that way!", Darrius shouted back through the hole as he walked through it.
"Fine.", the devilish smirk fell from Edul's pale pink lips. "I never intended to harm the girl anyway. She's just the offspring of traitors. She had nothing to do with Sam's death herself so why should she be punished?", The Malakai's words didn't obtain the emotional reaction he sought. "You will die for it!", Edul's anger overwhelmed him. Edul's Eidenstone floated above him and shown of a bed of embers. The Malakai rushed toward Darrius and swiftly ran his sword through his former friend's chest. Darrius had not even tried to fight back. He wouldn't. He couldn't attack his own brother. After a moment, the pain became too great for Darrius to stand on his own and his knees folded beneath him. Edul's cold dead eyes locked on the dying man's eyes. He could feel the blood pooling around his sternum as the trees above him began to spin. He closed his eyes and took the deepest breath he could.
"Dee, did you hear a thing I said?!", Lana asked again this time with a bit of anger in her angelic voice. Darrius opened his eyes and focused on the face of his bride intently.
"I didn't, I'm sorry. I was so caught up by your beauty I couldn't hear a thing.", Darrius said and smirked slightly. Lana smiled back at him.
"What do you think we should name her?", Lana inquired gently caressing a few strands of Darrius' hair. If his daughter loved him as much the girl in his premonition, he had only one name in mind.
© Macabre Entendre