Demon Hunter 5

"What about here?" Alex called.

Bob walked over and inspected the wall. There was a black circle with a line under it, and triangles shooting out from anywhere above the line. Bob rubbed the mark, barely visible on account of the lighting and size of the marking.

"Well, then we'll have to find a to open the wall, then, won't we?"

Bob's eyes flashed as he reared back his arm.

"Fire in the hole!" Alex yelled leaping back from the wall.

Bob brought his fist forward and powered it through the wall. A hole opened up in the wall, spraying rubble and pieces of stone throughout the well. Behind it, there was a circular hallway, a tube really. On the walls were torches protruding out of the wall angled upward.

Bob stepped back and swept his arm toward the newly made hole and stepped aside. "After you, madam."

Alex stepped over the rubble, one hand lightly touching Bob's. He followed immediately after, and was followed by the rest.

The five Hunters walked in silence most of the way down the hall. There was no sound except for the occasional cough and smooth padding of the boots.

Bob stayed at the back of the group, shotgun drawn, walking backward. He heard a steady click behind them, and warned the rest. "Move! If it's another one of those elite guards, I'll take care of him. Go! I'm gonna check this out."

Bob stopped and waited around the bend of the tunnel. The clicking came closer and closer very quickly. A form, dressed completely in black, rounded the bend.

Bob leapt at it, his shotgun leveled at its forehead. "Stop or I'll-" a wooden cane flashed from his right side, knocking the shotgun from it aim. The slug ripped into the wall behind the two. The form pulled a sword from the cane and leveled it under Bob's chin.

"What have I told you throughout all of your training?"

Bob sighed, realizing whom it was. "Fight your enemies as if they were better than you."

"Right. And what was your mistake?"

"Rich, come on. Training's over." Rich raised the blade so it pricked Bob's skin. "Okay, okay. I underestimated you."

"Correct."

Rich slipped his sword back into the shaft of the cane. "So where are the others?"

Bob shrugged and pointed down the corridor. "Traveling that way."

"Bob get over here! We found the door!" The voice was faint, but he could still tell it was Alex's.

Bob turned to look down the hallway. Rich nodded and said, "Go. They need you more than I do. I'm a big boy-I can take care of myself."

Bob started off down the tunnel and called over his shoulder, "Sure you don't want me to carry you down there, old man?"

Rich chuckled and called back, "I believe this ...old man' just taught you a lesson!"

He heard Bob laugh in the distance, slowly fading.

Rich followed, much more slowly, but surely.

Chapter 5: The Final Battle; Two Tragedies; A Farewell To Loved Ones; Going Home

Bob appeared jogging around a corner in the tunnel.

Jeff turned to greet him. "Where you been? We need all the keys to open this damn door!"

Bob glanced over Jeff's shoulder and saw a magnificently crafted and designed silver door. It was two times his height and three times his width. He whistled and noticed the five gold-rimmed keyholes at chest level just to the right of the door.

He shouldered his way past Jeff and ran his fingers over the intricate carvings. He pulled out his key and slammed it into a keyhole. He heard clanking inside the door, and a small portion of the carvings popped out.

Jeff, Alex, Dillon, and Ashley inserted their keys in the remaining holes, and, after a lot of the door swung open.

The Hunters peered inside and were amazed at what they saw. A cavernous room, three stories high, had been carved into the stone. The structure was cylinder-shaped with arches cut into the wall. In those arches were ancient sets of armor, all holding a single weapon; a spear here, a sword there, and so on. In the center of the room was a beautifully carved stand with a platform on top that held a gold chest. The chest had a silver lock hanging from the front.

"I trust you are here for the Black Pearl?" said a voice, bouncing around the room. A form, human in size, floated down from the ceiling.

The form was shiny with polished demon steel. Its whole body was covered in armor, plated or chain mail. A sword hung diagonally across it's back, and in both hands were short swords.

"Well, you're not going to get. Because in order to get to the Pearl, you must get through me! I've never lost a fight-" he landed and slid his feet into a fighting stance, "and I don't plan on losing one today!"

Bob pulled his sword and charged the demon. "Then there's been a change of plans!" His eyes turned pearly white, and his speed increased. He met the demon full speed and engaged in a sword fight. Sonic booms rocked some of the armor stands from the arches to the ground, spraying armor and weapons everywhere. Finally, the two locked swords and pushed each other away.