Cyber Mortality

Chapter 9:

Hallwyn is just as beautiful during the night as it has been during the day. Stars twinkle in the sky an two ringed planets dance close together to the north.

"The cave should be somewhere around here," Rocky pulls out a Handheld Map Device or HMD to look at the area. "Yup here it is." He points to the 3D projection. "Crow Beak Cave."

"Make sure you keep your eyes out for anything interesting," DeNyle pokes me. "Any treasure we find we get to keep."

"I'll do my best," DeNyle reaches into the small satchel on his hip and pulls out a glass orb nearly the same size as the pouch.

"This is a light orb," he taps it twice and light floods the area around us. He taps it again and it turns off. He holds it out to me and I take it gingerly in my grasp. "Only turn it on if you absolutely have to. It will alert anyone nearby to our presence." I nod and add it to my inventory.

"You may also borrow this," he slips a small opal ring on my finger and my eyes widen. "This is a night vision ring. Twist the opal to the right to activate it." I do as instructed and blink quickly when the darkness around me is now lit with an eery green light.

"Cool," I grin. The boys slip on their own rings and Rocky motions for us to head toward the cave. A wolf howls in the distance but beyond that nothing else stirs. The wind whispers through the trees and I join its sound by saying the quick command to put on my armor. My body feels slightly weighed down by the new weight but nothing I can't handle. I press a button in the inventory to remove the helmet so I can see better. The guys do the same and before I know it we are standing at the large gaping mouth of Crow Beak Cave.

"I smell smoke," I whisper and Rocky nods. The subtle scent wafts from the cave. The bandits must have a fire going in there.

"I will go first, you go second, and DeNyle will take up the rear," Rocky whispers the command and I follow him into the cave. Even with the night vision it is hard to make out everything around me. We tip toe toward the growing scent of smoke until light flickers off the wall ahead of us. Rocky motions for silence as we creep closer. I turn off my night vision and watch the golden light dance on the wall from the fire.

"I'll bet those villagers never knew what hit them," a masculine voice chuckles from up ahead.

"Bunch of idiots. 'Oh please don't take my things!"," another voice cries out. "The mayor's wife was sure a pretty little thing though."

"Yeah I heard the boss got to have a nice private meeting with her," a third voice joins them. "Lucky bastard always gets the pretty ones."

"Hello there," a voice whispers in my ear and my muscles tense.

"Boys looks like we've got ourselves some heroes," two men shove DeNyle and I into the large chamber the thieves are holed up in. Rocky is nowhere to be seen. I blink quickly and look around. Where could he have gone?

"Ah, a pretty girl," a large man gazes down at me. "You make my time so much easier by comin' to me." My eyes narrow and my lips press into a thin line.

"Now what is that face? Don't you know who I am?" the man sneers and narrows his dark red eyes. "Silent eh?"

"What about you, boy?" a sword jabs DeNyle softly in the side.

"I have nothing to say to you," DeNyle turns up his nose. "Neither does she."

"I'm sure she will have plenty to say once we've got that armor off. Right girly?" the man reaches out to grasp my chin and I snarl. My eyes dart over to DeNyle and his eyes motion toward my swords. He wants me to use them? Then his eyes dart upward and I follow his gaze. Up high hidden among the stalactites I spy silver eyes gazing down at us. So that is where Rocky went.

"Will you allow me to take my armor off myself?" I glare at the lead man and his red eyes hold my gaze.

"So she speaks," he chuckles. "Go for it, girly." All of the men step back but their eyes probe me like leeches. Before any of them can react my hands reach up and I draw my swords. My feet slide into a fighting stance and the lead man's eyes narrow.

"That's cute," he smirks. "What are you going to do against the five of us though?" he gestures to his pals right as a bullet explodes through the top of his head. Light erupts and he pitches forward. Dead. I swing my swords up in time just as the second guy takes a slash at me. I block and slide my foot to give me added stability. Another bullet whizzes past and slams into a man's shoulder. He cries out but is silenced when DeNyle's broadsword severs his head. Light leaks out from the wound and then the man turns to dust. Within a moment all five men are dispatched and only the three of us stand to face each other with heaving breaths.

"Wow!" DeNyle stoops down and scoops up several purses of coins. "These guys sure left a lot."

"And none of it belongs to us," Rocky replies and joins DeNyle in picking up the loot. "We will have to return whatever they stole from the town first."

"Ah man," DeNyle groans. "Being nice is so awful. Can't we keep it all just one of these times?."

"No,"

"You are no fun, Rocky," DeNyle complains scoops up the last of the loot. "Will we go there now?"

"What about their leader?" I question. "They mentioned him but I don't see him here."

"They're part of the Viper Gang," Rocky snarls in disgust.

"Who's that?" I inquire and sheath my swords.

"A large group of people who enjoy killing and stealing from others," DeNyle explains.

"Shouldn't that not be allowed?" I question.

"Stealing is allowed," Rocky sighs. "There are no rules. Just morals. If you steal something it is yours."

"Then wouldn't there be anarchy?" I shake my head in confusion.

"No. People can always post jobs asking for help," Rocky replies. "That's what we are doing."

"Helping people?"

"Exactly."