Blackstone - The Temple of Trials

Saving David

I woke up and found myself on a leather couch. I sat up and immediately regretted it. My entire body ached and felt like a hundred elephants had trampled across my ribs. I looked around. I was in a luxurious cabin. The lights were dim.

"Glad to see, you're awake. You were out for a long time, kid."

I turned around and saw Dax sitting behind a huge oak desk. A large portal looked out on the frozen seas behind him. Behind him mounted on the wall was a huge gold walkrus tusk.

"Where are we? Where's David?" I croaked out.

"Don't worry, we've got the young Ranger safe and sound. My men are watching after him in the hold," Dax said, "You should take it easy. You took about half a dozen photon blasts. I've never seen anyone take that much punishment before."

"I'm just a special case, aren't I?" I said and felt for my razor phone and etheric knife.

"Looking for these?" Dax said and held up my razor phone and etheric knife. He tossed the etheric knife in the air and caught it. "I've always wondered about you Rangers and your Ether Knives. This is made of real Dragon bone, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's made from real Dragon Bone. Now can I please have it back?" I said.

"How do you summon the Dragon Fire?"

"Look, Dax. I don't have time to play tour guide here. It's something only Rangers can do."

"That's amazing. I'd love to see you in action. Sadly it seems our paths have crossed at a different time."

"What do you want, Dax? It seems you're keeping us alive for a reason."

"I'm being paid by Father K to make sure you provide good ratings. We were supposed to kill you on that beach, but I've got other plans. Two Blackstone Rangers should bring a handsome price. I just need to contact your Colonel Nash and set up the payment."

"You do know that you're going against the wishes of the Temple. What's that old show business saying. The show must go on. I can't see how this is getting more ratings for Father K," I said.

"On the contrary, the audience loves a good plot twist. I bet they didn't see this coming." Dax said.

"So what's the deal. There's got to be an angle here somewhere. How much is Father K paying you?"

"Let's just say that we struck up an arrangement that's been pretty rewarding for me and my men. Here's the deal, bright eyes. You've got just an hour to rescue your dear lover boy from the hold of this ship which is slowly sinking by the way. You've got just one hour. After that he drowns and we blow this hulking wreck up."

I got to my feet. I felt like hell. My body was still sore and I could barely move.

"Here, you might need these," Dax said and tossed me my razor phone and etheric knife. "Good luck, kid."

I secured my razor phone and grabbed my etheric knife. I turned and made for the door that led out of the cabin. I turned back to the grinning poacher.

"Hey Dax, you wanted to know how these worked? It's pretty simple. Here I'll show you," I said and blasted the grinning poacher with a full on blast of dragon fire. Dax grinned as the flesh melted from his skull to reveal a metal cyborg.

I gasped when I saw Dax's true form. The cyborg flashed a metal smile. "That little stunt just cost you twenty minutes, darling. You'd better get going."

I wrenched open the door of the cabin and stumbled outside. Immediately I saw that I was back on the derelict freighter. The poachers must have been using it as there base of operations. I whipped out my razor phone and tried to get a reading on where David was. I picked up multiple signals that must be the poachers. Finally, deep in the ships hold I saw a weak signal that must be David. The signal was coming from a hold that was slowly filling with water. The nearest way into the ship was through a hold that was near me.