Apple of Discord: Chapter 4

You hope Master Da’Mon never finds out.

You drop hard into a kneeling position and side arm throw your short sword, with all your might, at Fulgar. You send a silent plea to your god parent.

The weight of the line seems to really slow your throw.

Fulgar’s eye flash in recognition. He knows what you’re attempting. He slashes down violently with one lightning rod, knocking your sword down with it as he levels the other lightning rod directly at you. 

Fortunately for you, the butt of the sword makes contact with a bit of hard surface.

Hard enough to have the sword rebound on Fulgar and into his upper thigh with a fleshy ‘thock’.

At that moment Fulgar releases a storm of lightning.

It never arrives.

The steel beam behind and above you flashes brightly for a moment, grounding Fulgar’s energy into the rest of the steel superstructure of the Littlefield building.

Your science teacher would be so proud, assuming they aren't a monster.

Fulgar’s mouth hangs open in pain and shock as he slumps against the wall for support.

At that moment that section of wall erupts behind him as two arms burst through the sheetrock, wrap around Fulgar’s face and chest, and rip him through the wall backward.

You bound through the hatch and onto the landing. It’s less than graceful, but you’re okay. You turn around and slam the hatch shut, turning the handle to lock it.

You look down in the rubble. Tree has Fulgar in a sleeper hold and has just released the lightning man to list limply on his side. Both men are covered in dust and drywall.

“You’d make a good Roman, you know that?” Tree says spitting out bits of dirt and rubble.

“Thanks for having my back!” you reply. “We stopped Fulgar.”

You retrieve your sword from his leg. “But, we don’t have a way to get to the Watcher. If Fulgar had my backpack it’s probably in that room back there with all the undead murder kitties.”

“It’s not in there,” Tree states, flatly.

“How do you know?” 

“Because we accidentally picked up each other's backpack after I changed into my new outfit at the hotel,” Tree says, throwing you your backpack. “All your stuff’s in there, as far as I know. Turns out Fulgar never had it.”

“I could hug you!” you say excitedly.

So that’s what Fulgar was so upset about. Ha! You think to yourself as you rummage through your pack, looking for the runic key.

Within seconds your hand finds it. You can feel its smooth stone surface. You pull it out of the bag and hold it up to examine in the light.

When you do, the hatch glows momentarily. You wave the stone around slowly. Every time you hold it toward the hatch, the hatch glows with odd runes and an almost illuminated manuscript type border. 

“Seems pretty straightforward.” You shrug.

“Wait!” Tree says excitedly.

“What?”

“How did the Norse pronounce the word, ‘friend’?” Tree asks.

You roll your eyes. “We aren’t going into the Mines of Moria,Tree. This is real life.”

Tree fixes you with a you’ve got to be kidding me stare.

You sigh. “I don’t know the word for it. Sorry.”

“Just try saying the word in english then.” Tree shrugs. “Please?”

You hold the runic key up to the hatch and are about to say the word ‘friend’ when a new door opens in the wall, replacing the previous one.

“I have to stay here with him.” Tree shoves a thumb over his shoulder, toward the unconscious Fulgar. “You know. In case. I’ll get word to some friends for some help.”

“Okay, I’ve got this.” You nod.

You climb in through the new doorway and are shocked to see that it’s not dark and gloomy inside at all.