BXBX NOVEL Chapter 209: Trap door
Zafron tensed, instinctively shifting to put himself between the man and Matilda. "Who are you?" he demanded, trying to keep his voice steady.
But the stranger was already turning away, his staff tapping an irregular rhythm on the stone floor as he began to weave through the crowd.
"Wait!" Zafron called out, scrambling to his feet. He tossed a handful of units onto the table, praying it would cover their bill, and grabbed Matilda\'s hand. "Come on!"
They pushed their way through the throng of dancers, the music pounding in their ears. Zafron\'s eyes darted frantically, searching for any sign of the hooded figure.
[My lord, are we really chasing the creepy stick man?] Calista\'s voice chimed in his head. [Because that always ends well in horror stories.]
"Not now, Calista," Zafron muttered, still scanning the crowd.
They burst out of the club into what passed for a street in the Undercity. The cavernous space stretched out before them, a maze of twisting pathways and rickety structures. Crystal lamps cast a sickly glow over everything, making it impossible to tell if it was day or night in the world above.
Zafron\'s eyes locked onto a flash of tattered fabric disappearing around a corner. "There!" he shouted, pulling Matilda along as he broke into a run.
For someone who needed a walking stick, the stranger moved with surprising speed. Zafron and Matilda chased him through winding alleys and across precarious bridges, always just a few steps behind.
[You know,] Calista mused, [for a guy who probably qualifies for a disabled parking spot, he\'s giving you a run for your money, literally.]
Zafron ignored her, focusing on keeping the hooded figure in sight. But as they rounded another corner, he skidded to a halt, nearly sending Matilda crashing into him.
"What\'s wrong?" Matilda panted, trying to catch her breath.
Zafron\'s mind raced. "This... this could be a trap," he said slowly. "The twins warned us not to trust anyone, remember?"
Matilda\'s eyes widened with understanding. "But he said he could help us get to the surface. How would he even know that\'s what we want unless...?"
"Unless he knows something," Zafron finished. He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Dammit, we can\'t lose him now."
He turned to Matilda, his expression grave. "Listen, I need you to go back to our place. If this is a trap, I don\'t want you caught in the middle of it."
Matilda\'s face hardened. "No way. We\'re in this together, remember?"
Zafron sighed, knowing he wouldn\'t win this argument. He glanced over his shoulder, relieved to see the hooded figure still in sight, moving steadily away.
"Fine," he conceded. "But we do this my way." He concentrated, willing his weakened powers to cooperate. A small blob of red slime formed in his palm, paler and more watery than usual.
He pressed the slime into Matilda\'s hand. "Hold onto this. As long as I\'m okay, it\'ll stay stable. If anything happens to me..."
Matilda nodded, understanding. "Be careful," she whispered, squeezing his hand.
With a final glance back, Zafron took off after the hooded man, his footsteps echoing in the cavernous space.
[Oh good,] Calista drawled. [We\'re splitting up. That always works out so well.]
The chase led Zafron deeper into the Undercity, down twisting staircases and through narrowing passages. The air grew thicker, harder to breathe, and the crystal lamps became fewer and farther between.
Zafron\'s hand instinctively flew to his face, fingers brushing against the smooth surface of his breathing mask. His eyes widened as he noticed the reflection in a nearby crystal formation. The familiar green glow of his mask was flickering erratically, pulsing between its usual vibrant hue and an sickly, pale shade.
"What the hell?" he muttered, nearly stumbling as he tried to keep pace with the surprisingly agile stranger. The glow continued to fade, growing dimmer with each flicker until it was barely visible, a ghostly remnant of its former brilliance.
Zafron\'s mind raced, matching the frantic pace of his feet. Was this connected to his weakening powers? Or had that man sold him faulty equipment? Neither option boded well for his immediate future.
Zafron\'s lungs burned as he pushed himself to keep up with the surprisingly agile stranger. The hooded figure never seemed to tire, his staff making no sound as it struck the stone floor.
The passageway opened up into a vast cavern, the ceiling lost in darkness high above. Rickety structures clung to the walls, connected by a dizzying network of bridges and ladders. The air here was noticeably thinner, carrying a acrid tang that made Zafron\'s eyes water.
He caught a glimpse of tattered fabric disappearing around a corner and pressed on, his legs burning with exertion. As he rounded the bend, he found himself in a narrow alley, littered with discarded machinery and broken crystals.
[Uh, my lord?] Calista\'s voice held a note of concern. [Not to be a downer, but we\'re getting into some seriously sketchy territory here.]
The hooded figure stood at the far end, his back to Zafron. Slowly, he turned, the shadows beneath his hood seeming to writhe with a life of their own.
"You walk... slow," the man rasped, his voice sending chills down Zafron\'s spine.
"No shit," Zafron panted, trying to catch his breath. "What is this place? Who are you?"
The stranger didn\'t answer. Instead, he raised a pale, skeletal hand and pointed behind Zafron.
[Uh, my lord?] Calista\'s voice was urgent now. [I really think we should-]
A loud click cut her off. Zafron spun around, his heart racing as he saw the ground beneath his feet beginning to shift. Mechanical gears whirred to life, and before he could react, a trapdoor opened beneath him.
Zafron plummeted into darkness, a startled cry torn from his throat. He tumbled down a twisting slide, flashes of crystal light momentarily blinding him as he picked up speed.
[Wheee!] Calista cheered sarcastically. [I always wanted to go to a twisted underground amusent park. If not for the busy schedule, we could have seen one in Drakoria... Oh wait, you got into trouble there too!!]
The descent felt endless, each turn and drop sending Zafron\'s stomach lurching. Just when he thought he couldn\'t take anymore, he was unceremoniously dumped onto a cold stone floor.
Groaning, Zafron pushed himself to his feet, his body aching from the fall. He blinked, trying to adjust to the dim light. As his vision cleared, he found himself in what could only be described as a mad scientist\'s laboratory.
Odd papers covered every surface, covered in scrawled equations and diagrams. Mechanical parts lay strewn about, some recognizable, others completely alien. The walls were plastered with blueprints and sketches, many stained with what looked disturbingly like blood.