Page 52 of Dark's Savior

There was a sudden shriek from close by. Aly froze, as did Ryziel.

It started as one, one very close by. Then another sounded farther in the distance. Then another, until there were several.

Ryziel eyes flashed through the dark. "Keva," he hissed. A word she didn't understand but was certain was a curse. "Get into one of the smaller holes and hide. Now."

Aly jumped and did as he ordered. She snuggled herself into one and crouched low. "What is it?" she cried as the shrieking grew louder.

"The nyghi," he growled, backing himself against the hole where she hid. "One must have been close enough to hear us. It’s called to its pack."

Aly's body went cold. "Ryziel, come hide with me."

Ryziel didn't move.

"Please, you said yourself you could only take on one or two, but this sounds like a whole lot more than that."

Ryziel crouched beside the entrance where she hid and looked back at her. "Just stay here. Whatever you do, don't move." Ryziel went for his bag and rifled through it until he found what he was looking for.

It was a metal insect with a drill for a mouth. Aly had seen it many times before in the mines and fixed a few.

"What are you going to do with a drillbot?"

Ryziel clutched it tightly in his hand. "Distract."

Before she could say another word, he was gone, leaving her alone in the dark. Her heart pattered wildly in her chest, leaving her panting. Sweat dampened her neck, falling down her back. The screams continued on until they slowly faded, and the noise of a drill could be heard in the distance. Soon, the shrieks died off enough that Aly could hear the soft dripping of water nearby. She waited a little longer until she heard the scraping of something close by and the sound of footsteps.

Ryziel crouched down before her. "We need to go now," he said. Aly could hear the urgency in his voice and knew they weren't out of trouble. She scooted out of the hole then flinched when Ryziel grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her up beside him. Before she could even process that he was touching her, he was taking her through the narrow passage out of the cave system, back into the larger part of the Keep.

"Our bags!" Aly hissed, almost tugging away.

"Leave them." Ryziel tugged her back, heading through the passage until they came out the other end. Holding her still, he pulled her quickly behind one of the giant pillars. His eyes flitted from one side of the chamber to another, as if he could see something she couldn't. "Keep your lights off, stay beside me no matter what."

Aly nodded, her body shaking. She couldn't see anything past the first row of pillars save for the area where dim blue light showed from the muirlemp. Everything else was just black shapes. She clamped her mouth shut, afraid that if one of the shapes were to move, she might scream.

Ryziel waited a moment longer then slowly led her out from behind the pillar. They went straight for the exit, until Ryziel halted suddenly and let out a sharp growl.

Out of the shadow of a great pillar, a creature appeared, barely visible in the natural light, but Aly saw enough to feel the blood drain out of her face. It stalked forward, its yellow eyes glowing at them, its lips pulled back to show long, curved teeth. Its head looked like a lizard with no scales or muscle, just bone with a thin layer of skin pulled tight over it. Around its neck and across its back were quills so dense they looked like black fur. The rest of it looked like the body of some kind of beast, like a lion or a wolf with razor-sharp talons and a long, whip-like tail. It hissed at them and a set of quills along its neck quivered.

Aly didn't need Ryziel to tell her what it was. She knew it must be the nyghi he had spoken of.

Ryziel brought her behind him and hissed back. The nyghi actually drew back, as if put-off by him at first, as if it could see Ryziel was not mere prey but a predator like itself. Still, it did not flee but instead elected to pace before them, blocking their way out.

"Get back, Aly," Ryziel said, releasing her. Aly obeyed right away, stepping back toward the pillar to give Ryziel space. Ryziel crouched down low, ready to strike as the nyghi started to circle him.

'He's going to be okay,' Aly thought as her back hit the pillar. 'He said one wouldn't be an issue. He will be okay.'

The nyghi went to strike, and Ryziel dodged, moving so quickly Aly barely saw it. The nyghi, however was quick also and moved to strike again. Ryziel dodged once more then struck out his fist, slamming it into the creature's face. The nyghi yelped and backed off, shaking its head. Ryziel went for it, ready to take it head-on, but he stopped suddenly and dashed to the side as another nyghi appeared from the dark.

Aly felt her muscles tighten as if ready to bolt. Ryziel slowly shifted back, his eyes never leaving the nyghi's.

"Ryziel," Aly whispered. One of the nyghi turned its head toward her, and she pressed herself closer to the pillar.

Ryziel slowly straightened, his head bowed, his shoulders rising and falling. He tilted his head toward her, his expression dark, his silver eyes flashing, alight with a violent fire.

"Go," he said in a guttural voice. "Run. Run and hide."

Aly shook her head, her eyes wide, panic rising deep in her. "I can't...I won't leave you."

"Do as I say." He looked away from her. "Wherever you go, don't come out. No matter what you hear. Stay where you are. I will come for you."

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