06-25-2009, 05:09 AM
3)
Marcus could hear the girl screaming even from where he was. He wasn't certain what was going on back there, but he didn't have time to worry about it.
He'd found Balthus' lab finally, and it was sealed as predicted. He had to find a way through the seal in order to find the spell they needed to break Balthus' hold over Robin. At this point, that was their primary goal. Without Robin's body, Balthus would either perish finally. Or, he would have to seek a new host. The former would be ideal, but Marcus was afraid that it would actually be the latter. However, that would slow Balthus down for a while.
Unfortunately, they might lose him after they extract him from Robin. Marcus shook his head. He didn't have time to analyze this. He had to break the seal.
The only way to break a seal was to figure out how it was made, and try to unravel it. Marcus was expecting it to be complicated, but the more he looked at it, he was amazed by its simplicity. But there was a trap within, and the trap was more intricate than the seal was. The trap was right in the center of the seal, and set to go off the instant some fool touched it.
Marcus wasn't a fool, however. He knew exactly what he had to do to get past the seal. He just hoped that he didn't miscalculate and blew himself up. Daniel would have to rely upon Tiberius then to help him with the spell, and that would only make matters worse. Marcus shuddered at the thought. There were so many ways that Tiberius could intentionally mess it up.
He retreated down the corridor, where the path split into three parts. He drew back his bow, taking careful aim. As he loosed the arrow, he quickly darted behind the wall. He had only a few seconds to do this. The instant the arrow touched the seal, it should set off the trap, and destroy the seal. At least, that was what he was hoping.
However, no sound of a blast came. Cautiously, Marcus peered into the corridor. His arrow was embedded in the center of the seal, but it seemed that it wasn't enough to set off the trap. Either that, or it was set to go off at a human touch. He hoped not. Those kind of traps had only one way to destroy them; a sacrifice.
Balthus would have had to set up one of those, which left Marcus in a bit of a predicament. He wasn't sure what to do. He certainly didn't want to kill himself in order to get through. There had to be another way. He just didn't know what it was, and he had the feeling that he was running out of time.
Marcus could hear the girl screaming even from where he was. He wasn't certain what was going on back there, but he didn't have time to worry about it.
He'd found Balthus' lab finally, and it was sealed as predicted. He had to find a way through the seal in order to find the spell they needed to break Balthus' hold over Robin. At this point, that was their primary goal. Without Robin's body, Balthus would either perish finally. Or, he would have to seek a new host. The former would be ideal, but Marcus was afraid that it would actually be the latter. However, that would slow Balthus down for a while.
Unfortunately, they might lose him after they extract him from Robin. Marcus shook his head. He didn't have time to analyze this. He had to break the seal.
The only way to break a seal was to figure out how it was made, and try to unravel it. Marcus was expecting it to be complicated, but the more he looked at it, he was amazed by its simplicity. But there was a trap within, and the trap was more intricate than the seal was. The trap was right in the center of the seal, and set to go off the instant some fool touched it.
Marcus wasn't a fool, however. He knew exactly what he had to do to get past the seal. He just hoped that he didn't miscalculate and blew himself up. Daniel would have to rely upon Tiberius then to help him with the spell, and that would only make matters worse. Marcus shuddered at the thought. There were so many ways that Tiberius could intentionally mess it up.
He retreated down the corridor, where the path split into three parts. He drew back his bow, taking careful aim. As he loosed the arrow, he quickly darted behind the wall. He had only a few seconds to do this. The instant the arrow touched the seal, it should set off the trap, and destroy the seal. At least, that was what he was hoping.
However, no sound of a blast came. Cautiously, Marcus peered into the corridor. His arrow was embedded in the center of the seal, but it seemed that it wasn't enough to set off the trap. Either that, or it was set to go off at a human touch. He hoped not. Those kind of traps had only one way to destroy them; a sacrifice.
Balthus would have had to set up one of those, which left Marcus in a bit of a predicament. He wasn't sure what to do. He certainly didn't want to kill himself in order to get through. There had to be another way. He just didn't know what it was, and he had the feeling that he was running out of time.