The Black Woods: Part 12: The Deal

The Al had become completely lost in the dark, dank cave that ran underneath almost the entire black woods. The cave system used to be populated by hideous, unspeakable monstrosities, but they had all been wiped out by the White Whale who regularly sent its minions into the system to capture its inhabitants and bring them out into the water. For years the cave dwelling creatures had been the Whale's main source of food, but it had now essentially eaten them to extinction and was forced to send its minions inland instead, which had led to many clashes with the other kings and queens of the black woods.

Unfortunately for the Al the crabs would never give up. The Whale could command them to keep on chasing and fighting even if their bodies passed out from exhaustion. (Which often happened. In fact some times the Whale could keep controlling its minions after they had died. It's skill at reanimating the dead was not as strong as the Terrible One's however and once the bodies had rotted to a skeleton then it couldn't control them any longer.)

The Al used its last ounce of strength to climb to the top of a massive 20 foot tall rock at the center of a large cavern. Fortunately whilst its jaws were thick and robust like those of a Tyrannosaurus, its arms were much longer like those of an Allosaurus which allowed it to climb relatively easily.

Once it had reached the top, the Al collapsed from tiredness. It almost fell asleep, but the snapping of the crabs metal claws from the tunnel soon alerted the creature.

The Al got a good view of its barings. There was only one tunnel up ahead which was so dark even its keen eyesight couldn't see ahead. The Dinosaur felt it was time to fight. Even though it was hopelessly outnumbered, from this large vantage point, perhaps it could have a better chance of defending itself. Either way the reptile even with its primitive brain knew it was pointless to keep on running. This place was a never ending maze and it would have to rest eventually.

A horde of crabs soon flooded the cavern. There were dozens if not hundreds of the monsters, far more than had been chasing the Al at first. It seemed like the Whale had sent almost the entire population of these monsters into the cave. The more the Al had been able to elude it, the more the Whale had become determined to see what it tasted like.

The Al had greatly underestimated just how many of the monsters there were and the monsters started to swarm the boulder from all sides completely trapping the baby Dinosaur, who still did its best to hold them off. It swung its tail at them, knocking several of the Crabs off the top and snapped its jaws at others. It even managed to tear off several of the beasts claws in the process. (With its jaws being strong enough to crush their metal easily.)

Unfortunately however there were just too many of the beasts, with a seemingly endless supply of them continuing to pour out of the tunnel, the Al was soon forced to flee again. It only got a few feet from the very top of the rock however, before it was swarmed and overpowered by crabs climbing up from all sides.

Just as the crabs prepared to drag the little Dinosaur back down the boulder, the whole cavern suddenly began to shake.

The boulder itself began to move and shift somewhat before rising out of the earth, knocking all of the crabs and the Al off.

The Al soon saw, much to its horror that the boulder was in fact Tyresian's Demonic Brontosaurus. The monster had tunneled its way into the cave system and lain in wait for the Al. It could sense the smaller Dinosaurs magic heading in its direction from several miles back, but had decided to set a trap, as it was much easier to catch the beast that way due to the Al's greater speed and the maze of tunnels were difficult for the Brontosaurus to navigate.

The monster was evidently a lot smarter than it appeared. After it had risen from the ground, the Brontosaurus right head reached down and grabbed the Al, before the smaller Dinosaur could flee. After the last time the Brontosaurus was careful to bite the Al on the back. Not so hard that it would wound it, but in such a way that the Tyrannosaur hybrid couldn't reach back and bite at its face. The right head also made sure to hold the Al away from the others too.

The crabs meanwhile all swarmed the Brontosaurus feet and started to snap at them. Their pincers were strong enough to pierce the Demonic Dinosaurs stone flesh, but the giant in response started to stomp on and trample the lesser monsters. Still much like the Al the larger Dinosaur soon found itself overwhelmed by the hundreds of monsters snapping at it.

The crabs however would soon fall victim to their own efficiency as their attacks did eventually knock the Brontosaurus off its feet, only for it to then fall straight on top of several of them. The Whale didn't care about their well being, but it also didn't like to lose any of its minions unless it had too for practicality, and so it genuinely did try to make them flee when the Dinosaur began to topple, but unfortunately the Brontosaurus was simply too large for them to escape. It's mass almost filled up the entire cavern. Even as it fell however the monster still held onto the Al, though in the commotion, the right head swerved towards the middle head, allowing the Al to clamp its jaws around the middle neck.

The right head however simply pulled as hard as it could, ripping a massive chunk of flesh off of the middle in the process.

Not letting it deter it, the middle head breathed fire on the remaining crabs which were still pouring out of the tunnel, whilst the left head used its fire breath to bring down an avalanche on top of the tunnel, stopping the crabs in their tracks. The remaining crabs were then crushed and burned by the Brontosaurus. The three headed Dinosaur then wrapped its tail around the Al, before using its heads to tunnel its way out of the cave system.

Outside in the forest, the Brontosaurus was set upon by more crabs and other monsters, including giant Demonic eel like creatures. The Brontosaurus however continued to fight them off with its fire breath, but eventually it became too much and the Dinosaur let out a mighty roar, which caused many harpies in the nearby area to emerge and begin fighting with the crabs and eels.

Both sides were able to inflict many casualties on one another, but during the commotion the Brontosaurus was able to slip away through the forest with the Al. The White Whale wasn't going to give up that easily however. It wasn't just interested in food anymore. The monster knew that there was great power contained within the Al and wasn't about to let it fall into the hands of Tyresian. It soon summoned a full army from beneath the waves to do battle with Tyresian's forces.

"You can't do this! We saved your city." Shelly shouted as she along with her companions were led to a cage by several guards.

"Actually technically I saved the city, but I get your point." Diassa said.

"Seriously?" Kelina interrupted?

"I don't see why we're being punished." Silverica interjected as he and Mukinsa were also dragged alongside their former prisoners.

"They think you're our friends. Believe me I told them what I really think of you both, but I guess they found it hard to believe anyone could dislike us." Jade laughed.

Along the way to their cage in the prison, Diassa, Jade, Kelina, Shelly and the two bandits saw the guards torturing some of their prisoners, including the father and daughter who had been captured by the Scorisio.

The girl had had all of her hair cut off by the guards, whilst the father was being beaten on the floor, though he was given short reprieve from the beating only so the guards could pour excrement over him.

"I'm guessing they're not as immune to the black woods as they think." Shelly said in disgust.

"Oh they don't need the black woods to behave like this. It's like I told you. There is always a catch to any great society." Mukinsa said.

"You have to have some kind of plan?" Mukinsa continued to Diassa after they were all pushed into a cage, which made Kelina laugh.

"I thought you believed in every man for himself?" Kelina asked.

Diassa meanwhile took no notice of any of them.

He was wracking his brains for any way out of this. The Wizard had rarely felt so helpless. He just had to hope that the other members of the five would see reason. Arkia may have liked to think of herself as a fair and just ruler, but underneath it was obvious she only cared about this city to further her own ego and image as the person who conquered the infamous black woods. If anything the fact that Diassa had played such a key role in killing the Terrible One would probably count against him.

One thing Diassa couldn't block out were the screams of the daughter who the guards had started to smear with the excrement too.

"You were happy to whore yourself out to those Demons weren't you. I doubt even they'd look at you now." One of the guards taunted as he slapped her across the face.

The guards revolting actions provoked Diassa to try to fire an energy blast at them, but sadly he couldn't get past Arkia's magic. He then screamed to try and attract the attention of the two guards.

"You're as disgusting as the Terrible One." Diassa said.

One of the guards laughed Diassa's taunts whilst another picked up a club and made his way to the cage.

"You know my brother, he died fighting that Toad monster. Whilst he was rescuing you!" The guard said.

"Sorry. For him. You're still no better than the monster that killed him." Diassa said only for the guard to strike the cage, which made Shelly jump.

"You take that back now." The guard screamed.

"You're right I'm sorry. You're worse as at least the Terrible One was a Demon and its their nature to slaughter people, you? You have a choice."

The guard struck the gates again. For all his attempts to frighten Diassa, he couldn't do anything to the Wizard as Arkia wanted to question him herself.

"Do you have any idea what that bitch has done?" The guard said.

"Her and her father have spent years using magic to capture people and bring them to the Demons in this forest. Any Demon that would hire them. Including all of the kings, except for the black Tyrannosaurus. He doesn't need anyone for help. Some of our own men and women, who were only trying to help them were betrayed by these cowards and sent to die miserable, painful deaths. This is the least of what they deserve."

"They do deserve to be punished. You're right." Diassa said.

"What you're doing isn't justice however. You're just sinking to their level and indulging your own twisted urges." He continued.

"I wouldn't get all high and mighty with him." Another voice from the back said.

It belonged to the blue creature, created from the dark magics that had possessed Jade.

It slithered out of the shadows, still possessing her form and confronted all of the guards in the cell block.

"You were happy to unleash a worse monster to take down the Terrible One?" The Demon snake sneered to Diassa before using her tail to impale one of the two guards torturing the prisoners.

"Let me out now. I can help." Diassa said to the guard nearest the cell, but he ignored him and foolishly tried to use his club against the blue snake that instantly broke his neck with its tail.

The monster took down the remaining guards in under a minute before using its strength to rip the cage to Diassa and the others cell off of its hinges.

Jade was the first to leave, with Diassa trying to hold her back from blindly attacking the monster that had almost consumed her. Not for its sake, but for Jade's who Diassa knew wouldn't stand a chance against this beast.

"I'm going to tear you to pieces." Jade said, with the blue creature simply laughing in response.

"Relax I am not here to hurt you, and I am certainly not here to possess you again. Believe me being free from you is the best thing to ever happen to me. Then again I have you to thank for that. Don't I Diassa?" The creature said which made Shelly, Kelina and even the two bandits look at him in disbelief.

Once again Diassa didn't respond and simply asked the Demon what it wanted.

"I want to get out of this city and you're going to help me."

"Why on earth would we do that." Jade asked.

"Simple. I can get you out of this city if you help me."

"How can you do that?" Diassa asked.

"It's simple. The magics that created me are brand new. That bitch Ar whatever she calls herself. She doesn't know how to control them. Unlike you I'm a free agent in here. Unfortunately however the forcefield around the city, it's made from some of the strongest magics, that regardless of whether I'm new or not, they'll kill me. They're capable of destroying just about anything."

"The Terrible One managed to break through them?" Kelina asked.

"Yes well I don't have quite his knowledge. Maybe if you'd bothered to learn some skills from your friend here Jade, I would know, but as it is I'm afraid I'll probably need your help Diassa." The blue creature said.

"You're asking me to shatter the forcefield to this city? Leave it at the mercy of the horrors in those woods?" Diassa replied.

"Why not you've seen what they are capable of." Mukinsa interrupted.

"Those in power are corrupt, but there are many normal, decent people in the city itself." Diassa responded.

"Trust me. Nobody normal chooses to live here." The female prisoner said from the back.

"You don't need to tear the forcefield down. Even the Terrible One didn't do that." The blue creature realising that it wasn't convincing Diassa said.

"Either way I'll still be letting you out into the world." Diassa replied.

"Oh yes into a wood full of monsters. Who cares." The Demon laughed.

"A wood full of dark magic that you can exploit"

"Well the way I see it I'm your only option. Without me you're a slave to that Ark whatever. Outside you can try to kill me if you want, but in here? You and all your friends are dead."

Diassa knew she was right, but he still tried to think of an alternate way round this.

"Do we have a deal?" The Demon asked with a smile on its face.

After a few moments hesitation Diassa agreed with the monster.

"You can't." Jade said angrily.

"Believe you me if I had any other choice I would take it, but this isn't just about us. We can't let Tyresian use the Tyrannosaurus Al. We can't wait for Arkia and the others to suddenly be reasonable. We have to get out of here now. I promise though when we're outside."

"Yeah I know you'll try and kill me." The Demon laughed.