The moaning got louder and louder, and then all of a sudden stopped and was replaced by a nauseating creaking noise.Juline opened her eyes and turned her head upwards.She was greeted by a spike so close to her face it looked like a flat disk.She turned her head to the right and saw that somehow, her sword had gotten turned perfectly upwards when she fell and amazingly stood like that for the length of time it took the ceiling to descend that low.That blade was the only thing stopping the spikes from turning her into shish-kabob.
With a renewed will to live, she turned until her feet faced the door, taking care not to raise too high.She turned her legs sideways and began kicking.The creaking noise became an ear-splitting grinding noise as her poor silver short sword struggled to hold the ceiling up.At last, the door’s frame gave way and she was able to kick its remains aside and create an opening.
Her adrenaline still surging, she slowly inched her body through the crawlspace.At last, she got all the way out.No sooner did her head clear the toothy ceiling that she heard a clang; her sword had finally surrendered.
Juline hobbled back towards town, her adrenaline gone and her body drained of energy.Her clothes felt like they weighed a hundred pounds, and her muscles ached from exertion and stress.Her leg muscles’ protests were almost too much for her to bear. Only the knowledge that wild animals would eventually kill her if she stayed out there kept her going.After staggering for what seemed like an eternity along the road, she arrived back at the city.
Juline went straight to her house.She shouldered the door open and slammed it behind her.She removed her sweat-soaked clothes, threw on a nightgown, and flopped on her bed.She was exhausted, but she couldn’t fall asleep.She just lay there, sprawled out and her mind racing.She’d almost died, and only survived by the merest chance.
“A grand performance.Ha ha ha.”
Juline was sitting as straight as an arrow shaft in an instant.She looked this way and that, trying to locate the source of the voice.By the Tribunal, even her own house wasn’t safe anymore.
“I haven’t seen a face that terrified in centuries.” continued the disembodied voice as Juline sprang up from the bed and continued to search.“You should have seen it.Priceless.”
Finally, her ears sensed the direction from which the voice was coming.She glanced down on the bed, and there it lay.The same key that she’d found in the tomb.Shape-shifter.
“No, no.This is impossible.” she babbled as she staggered backward in shock.
“Aww, what’s the matter?Haven’t you seen a talking key before?” said Shape-shifter in a mocking tone.
Juline, not knowing whether this was real or if she was having a nightmare, turned and walked out of the room.She sat on the divan in the sitting area, distraught and wondering if she was going crazy.Then, everything just seemed to stop.She couldn’t hear anything, the thoughts in her head froze, and a wave of drowsiness swept over her.The next moment, she fell back against the back of the divan and her head slid into the crook where the arm and back met.She was out.
Shape-shifter: Chapter 2
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The moaning got louder and louder, and then all of a sudden stopped and was replaced by a nauseating creaking noise. Juline opened her eyes and turned her head upwards. She was greeted by a spike so close to her face it looked like a flat disk. She turned her head to the right and saw that somehow, her sword had gotten turned perfectly upwards when she fell and amazingly stood like that for the length of time it took the ceiling to descend that low. That blade was the only thing stopping the spikes from turning her into shish-kabob.
With a renewed will to live, she turned until her feet faced the door, taking care not to raise too high. She turned her legs sideways and began kicking. The creaking noise became an ear-splitting grinding noise as her poor silver short sword struggled to hold the ceiling up. At last, the door’s frame gave way and she was able to kick its remains aside and create an opening.
Her adrenaline still surging, she slowly inched her body through the crawlspace. At last, she got all the way out. No sooner did her head clear the toothy ceiling that she heard a clang; her sword had finally surrendered.
Juline hobbled back towards town, her adrenaline gone and her body drained of energy. Her clothes felt like they weighed a hundred pounds, and her muscles ached from exertion and stress. Her leg muscles’ protests were almost too much for her to bear. Only the knowledge that wild animals would eventually kill her if she stayed out there kept her going. After staggering for what seemed like an eternity along the road, she arrived back at the city.
Juline went straight to her house. She shouldered the door open and slammed it behind her. She removed her sweat-soaked clothes, threw on a nightgown, and flopped on her bed. She was exhausted, but she couldn’t fall asleep. She just lay there, sprawled out and her mind racing. She’d almost died, and only survived by the merest chance.
“A grand performance. Ha ha ha.”
Juline was sitting as straight as an arrow shaft in an instant. She looked this way and that, trying to locate the source of the voice. By the Tribunal, even her own house wasn’t safe anymore.
“I haven’t seen a face that terrified in centuries.” continued the disembodied voice as Juline sprang up from the bed and continued to search. “You should have seen it. Priceless.”
Finally, her ears sensed the direction from which the voice was coming. She glanced down on the bed, and there it lay. The same key that she’d found in the tomb. Shape-shifter.
“No, no. This is impossible.” she babbled as she staggered backward in shock.
“Aww, what’s the matter? Haven’t you seen a talking key before?” said Shape-shifter in a mocking tone.
Juline, not knowing whether this was real or if she was having a nightmare, turned and walked out of the room. She sat on the divan in the sitting area, distraught and wondering if she was going crazy. Then, everything just seemed to stop. She couldn’t hear anything, the thoughts in her head froze, and a wave of drowsiness swept over her. The next moment, she fell back against the back of the divan and her head slid into the crook where the arm and back met. She was out.