Chapter 31 The new hunter of the maze

Rique was running as fast as she could, but Lowenna was faster.  The only advantage she had was her long or high jump.  Still, Lowenna was gaining on her.  She ducked as a pale pink ball of fire shot over her head.  She couldn't die, not like this.  She had to save everyone.  She had promised Callan that she would destroy the crystal and save everyone.

Lowenna was chasing her friend.  She had been here in a vision.  She now knew that all the visions of the future would come true.
She had a task to complete for her queen.  She didn't really want to kill Rique.  She was her loyal friend.  A young Mavon who had followed her here hoping to help, but her Queen had ordered her death.  Lowenna was the hunter now and Rique, her friend, was the pray.

Rique looked desperately around.  Lowenna was gaining on her fast.  She looked up and saw a high passage, "hopefully not a dead end."  

Rique jumped.  The lawman enhancement allowed her to make the jump easily.  She turned to see Lowenna enter the clearing.  
Lowenna didn't stop.  She placed her two middle fingers on her crystal and swung her arms out.  She jumped, her wings carrying her up towards the high path.  Rique swallowed hard as she saw her friend flying towards her.  She turned and ran, disappearing out of sight.  Lowenna smiled Rique would not escape.

Rique ran down a path.  She came to a choice of route, glancing up at the elf symbols before charging down the right passage, not really having time to study them.  Suddenly the ground gave way.  Rique swung her arm out just catching a handhold.  Below her was a pit full of spikes.  If it hadn't been for her enhanced reflexes that would have been it.  She placed her feet against the wall and kicked off, landing on the other side of the trap.  "Where is Lowenna?  She should have caught up.  She must have taken the other passage," Rique thought, as she allowed herself to breathe.  "No time to rest," she whispered to herself as she started to run again.

Lowenna was getting frustrated, where was Rique?  Maybe she had taken the other passage?   It didn't matter.  She would find her.  The blue crystal was in this direction that is where Rique was heading.  The sooner she found her, the sooner she could see her queen again.

Rique kept running until a wall of pouring water barred her path.  The water covered the entire opening to the next part of the passage.  Rique held her breath and stepped through, and instantly slipped, sliding down a steep slippery path. 

There was a drop ahead of her, she was in trouble, slipping and sliding.  There was nothing to hold on to, and she slid off the end.  She managed to turn in the air, landing on her feet, crying out in pain.  She was lucky she hadn't broken her legs.  She took a step, but she couldn't put her full weight on her left leg.  It had been weaker than her right since she had broken it while trying to save the hostages taken from Penbirth.  She swung her leg back and forth, trying to get the feeling back into it before she started to run while trying to ignore the pain.

Lowenna noticed water pouring down the side of the wall.  She had been running slightly downhill, but now the path seemed to level out.  She heard Rique cry out in pain.  She was close.  Lowenna started to run again.  She noticed the water pouring in front of the opening and stepped through but the water hid a step, and Lowenna stumbled out of the tunnel.  Lowenna composed herself as she looked around.  She noticed an opening high above her, was that the way Rique had gone?  She looked down at the ground, and a smile flickered on her face. 

Lowenna could see wet footprints, "Rique!"  She quickly headed into another tunnel following the footprints knowing she was close.
Rique had slowed down.  She didn't dare stop, but was breathing heavily.  She had never seen a lawman out of breath, but now knew it could happen.  There was a jump, Rique launched herself over it, landing on the other side, grimacing in pain as she landed.  Suddenly she heard echoing footsteps behind her.  She turned, then dived to the side only just avoiding a ball of pinkish-grey fire.  She vaulted and somersaulted backwards, avoiding the balls of fire Lowenna was pushing towards her.

Rique landed, facing Lowenna, her arm outstretched.  Bolts of yellow magic shooting from her ring, but Lowenna flicked her fingers.  Five pale pink sparks flew from them circling Lowenna.  Every yellow bolt that got close, a pink spark intercepted it dissolving each to nothing.  Lowenna was impressed.  Rique had become quite the warrior since she had met her in Vlad's.  It was a real shame her Queen had ordered her execution, but her queen wanted her dead, and Lowenna would kill her.

Rique turned and ran again, but her leg was slowing her down.  She still held her arm outstretched pointing in Lowenna’s direction, firing a bolt ever so often, before she got to the opening and ran through it.

Lowenna looked at the drop, took a few steps back and touched her crystal and clapped her hands.  She ran and jumped, throwing her hands back, the magic erupted from her hands like before, pushing her forward but Lowenna overshot where she wanted to land.  She pushed her hands forward to protect her and hit the wall above the opening.  "Stupid spell," Lowenna said to herself.  She would have to practise that.  She looked at her crystal.  Its colour was fading fast.  She started running again, chasing her friend knowing it was only a matter of time before the queen's orders were carried out. 

Erkut was bored.  He had been sitting on a Rock for what seemed like a season.  He wanted to be helping hunt down the Lowenna, the Mavon and the remaining member of the resistance.  What did the Jibranz have that he didn't?  Why had the queen taken him?
"I notice your unrest, master Lawman," Lord Thomas said.  "The queen left you here to guard the crystal.  A vital task."
Rune then joined them.  "Maybe the lawmen could have a quick look around, the adjoining chambers, check there is no one there.  If they find someone they could win the favour of our queen," she said while smiling.

"That was not their orders!"  Lord Thomas stated, but Erkut got up and stretched.

"Zenith, you stay here if you sense the Lowenna, call out.  Nera and I will look around.  If we find anyone, we will kill them and bring their bodies back here. Our queen will reward us." and with that, he and Nera left despite the objections of Lord Thomas.

  
"You stupid girl!" The Lord snapped at Rune.  "My Queen shall hear of your stupid suggestions and the lawman's attitude.  He is supposed to obey me I am a Lord."

"I only speak the truth," Rune replied, still smiling.

Rique had found jumping was faster than running but knew when in the air she couldn't dodge Lowenna's magic attacks.  She was hurting but knew she couldn't stop.  She had to keep going.  She had to stay ahead of Lowenna.  She had to destroy the crystal!  It was her only chance now.  She waved through the tunnels, trying to stay ahead.  She was nearly there.

Lowenna was getting frustrated.  She knew she was close.  She could hear the echoing footsteps but still hadn't seen her pray.  She had to kill her friend. She had to please her queen.  Nothing else mattered.

Rique entered the large clearing with the crystal.  Not slowing down and trusting her abilities, she launched herself on the closest floating platform ignoring the surprised looks of Zenith, the red armoured lawman and the others.  She jumped to the next platform but then paused.  The next one was too very far away.  "I can do this," she whispered as she took a step back before launching herself as far as she could.  A pale pink fireball whizzed past her head, as she looked down into the abyss.  She stretched her arms out and just made the platform with her fingertips.  She pulled herself up, as fast as she could before jumping again.  The platform exploding the moment she left it in pink and grey flames. 

The Lawman and followers looked confused, not knowing what was going on.  Only Rune smiled.  She knew Lowenna was now under the queen’s control and had been ordered to kill Rique, but there was still hope.

Zenith called out to Erkut and Nera, but it was too late, they weren't going to be able to stop the girl.

Lowenna watched Rique jump from the exploding platform.  She looked at her crystal again.  She didn’t have enough magic, to fly and her new launching spell was too unpredictable. Rique was getting away.  "Stop her!"  A man's voice suddenly echoed around the clearing.  Lowenna placed her two fingers on her crystal summing a spark.

Rique landed on the platform with the large blue crystal, she ducked a bolt of Lightning, pointed her ring at it and fired. 

The magic bolt exploded against the surface of the giant stone.  Her magic wasn't strong enough.  "Lowenna's magic is more powerful." Rique thought and turned, her back against the crystal.  This was her last chance, dodge Lowenna's magic, hope it’s strong enough to destroy the crystal, or all hope was lost. 

"I thought you were ordered to execute me?"  Rique shouted, trying to goad Lowenna, into shooting more fire.

Lowenna stood there frozen.  Did she really want to kill Rique, her friend?  The giant blue crystal pulsed with a flash of yellow as Rique's magic was expelled.  It returned to its natural state quickly.

Ercut entered the chamber, looking at Lowenna, then looking at the girl who was by the crystal.  "Guard the crystal at all costs!"  His queen had said, why had he listened to the sprite girl, and why suddenly did he not know what to do.

"Your Queen ordered my execution!" Rique shouted at Lowenna smiling, and Lowenna moved her hand.  "I thought you had to kill...me?..."  Rique looked down at her chest, a beam of grey light was touching it.  She hadn’t seen it coming.  Suddenly she couldn't breathe.

"No!" Darcariel shouted as she came into the clearing, a very battered limping Grilk by her side. "No!" she screamed again.  Lowenna clenched her fist cancelling the spell and looked at her queen, with confusion.

Rique looked down at where the beam of light had struck her.  A large bloodstain was forming she couldn’t hear anything or feel anything.  Her head was starting to feel heavy, and she could taste her own blood.

Rique turned to look at the crystal.  The beam of light had passed straight through her, but had it caused any damage?  Her vision blurred, but then came back into focus.  There was a hole!  Where the beam had hit it.  It was the size of her finger.  Or her ring's crystal!

Rique placed her ring against the hole, "Take this Queen Darcarial!" she whispered, in anger as her ring erupted with magic.

A small crack appeared, the lightning flashed brightly, the crystal glowed yellow and started vibrating, but Rique was spent, dying.  Her breath had failed her.  She fell down on one knee and shut her eyes.  A little purple smoke came out of her mouth.  Still, she kept the ring in place, focusing every ounce of strength she had left into her magic.

 
The crystal flashed again, there was suddenly a loud crack, echoing through the chamber.  The smaller platforms fell, and the lightning stopped.  Everyone watched, and Darcariel screamed as the magical crystal of Dalenna shattered.  Shards of the Crystal flew in every direction.  Some cut Rique pushing her backwards.  There was nothing below her.  She turned her head and opened her eyes one final time, looking at Lowenna, her friend, and mentor.  The woman who had saved her so many times. 

She had done it!  She had saved her friend.  A smile spread over Rique’s lips as she closed her eyes and fell backwards into the abyss.