House of Omen: The Indomitable Smithersmith #featured

Chapter 18- Desparation

"There!" she shouted to Darius who was just behind her. She wasn't sure if this would work, but she had to try. In the exact same moment that they ran into the cave, another crack followed by an explosive blast destroyed everything in the immediate area. Transforming the lush green forest into a scorched barren desert in an instant.

The cave was deep and wide yet narrow at the entrance. The walls were covered in thick moss. Luckily for them the cave was empty, or at least it whatever resided inside it wasn't there at the moment.

"We're cornered." Darius said as he faced the dead end at the back of the cave.

"Does that thing work?" Lara asked as she eyed his hammer.

"Yeah."

"Well in that case I have a plan."

At that moment the great crustacean slammed into the cave entrance. It was far to large to enter, but that didn't stop it from trying as it repeatedly bashed into the mouth of the cave. Determined to penetrate the cave it pulled out of it for a moment, then lunged full force into the cave, getting itself stuck in the process. It used its long antennae to probe its surroundings. In search for any sign of Lara and Darius, while using its other, much smaller claw to reach in side the cave, trying to grab at anything it could. Lara seized her chance and went on the offensive, lunging forward and slicing off all four antannae in one sweep. Blinded, the creature writhed in pain. It still had two eyes but its eyesight was too poor to see into the dark cave, but it was determined to kill everything in the cave, at any cost.

"What the fuck is wrong with this thing? Its blind but it keeps attacking anyway." Lara was talking more to herself than to Darius. Spirits also valued their lives and would normally stop attacking once their were wounded this badly. So it surprised Lara that the shrimp kept at it.

The creature then began to unravel its large claw. Lara saw this and lept onto the shrimps head. She gave it all she had as she thrust both of her sword into the shrimps head, but to no avail.

"The armor's too thick!" she said as the beast violently jerked its head up and down. Bashing her repeatedly on the roof of the cave before throwing her off so hard she hit the back end of the cave, knocking her unconscious.

"Stop the test immediately!" the Emperor bellowed as he stared at the screen in disbelief.

"Where is the administrator? Have her shut the formation down now!"

"Father you know we can't do that. She has to survive the test on her own without our help. Either way the administrator isn't allowed to stop the test for anything, even you." said Edward, the oldest of Lionel's siblings. He knew that Lara was his fathers favorite child and when the time came would be most likely be chosen to become Emperor, or in her case Empress. Although if she were to say tragically die in the test, then his problem would be solved.

"Screw the rules that thing is going to kill her!" Lionel said, enraged by his brothers' lax attitude towards the death of their only sister.

"Well maybe if you hadn't been such a coward you would have been there to protect her in the arena instead of hiding from from your responsibilities like you always do." James, the second oldest snapped at Lionel. He realized what his older brother was trying to do and decided to support him in bumping off the competition.

Lionel looked to his father for help, "Dad we can't just sit by and watch Lar-"

"Your brothers are right, Lionel. If we help her she will not only fail by default but bring shame upon herself and our family. We have no choice. " the Emperor cut in, clearly defeated.