Free The Soul Forge by Andrew Lashway Page A

silence.
    “ Well what are you waiting for? Open your eyes.”
    It was with great shock that Thomas did just that, waking up the real world again. He was still in the throne room, and the Others were again closing in on them.
    The only thing that made it worse was the darkness bearing down on him.
     
     

Chapter 7: Escape
     
    He didn’t think. He didn’t have time. All he could do was stand up, holding his hands out as if to ward away the monsters from his acquaintances. They didn’t even so much as slow down.
    So Thomas did the only thing that he could think of, even though it was possibly his stupidest idea yet.
    He threw off the glass covering the weapons case, and he lifted the sword and shield from it. He marveled for only a moment, taking in the blue-hued blade with the solid steel hilt and the sturdy steel shield with a forgotten crest emblazoned on the front, like a sun with six prongs breaking through the clouds. It took him a moment more than it should have to figure out to slip his arm through the straps on the shield, and by that time the first Other was upon him.
    Thomas drew the sword with shaking fingers, and without thought he jutted the blade forward and into the Other’s chest. To his very great surprise, the blade actually tore through the wooden body and punched through the other side, and a shining light erupted from the wound. The creature wretched away, and Thomas used the opportunity to cut a hole in its face.
    The creature sank to one knee as if winded.
    Thomas’ jaw set, determined not to let his dismay show. Sure enough, the Other shook off the blow and stood up, now with two deep gouges in its hide but nothing more.
    So he could briefly injure them, but he couldn’t kill them. It figured.
    Thomas lifted the shield, blocking the blow from another and responding with a slash that chipped wood off of its chest. As before, the Other sank to one knee, but Thomas knew it wouldn’t stay down long.
    That was okay, he didn’t need very long.
    He crossed the floor to where Miranda and the Trask Twins still lay, and he none too gently kicked them all, one at a time. He had to kick the taller twin twice, but eventually all three woke up and became well aware of their situation. Thomas chopped down another Other, but there would soon be too many of them for him to fight. His companions’ weapons were useless, bouncing off of wooden hides and inflicting no damage.
    “Run?” Miranda suggested.
    “Run!” Thomas agreed. As one they broke free and made for the door, the slower Others moving to catch up but being unable. The only unusual thing about the whole ordeal – other than everything – was that the shade (whatever it was) hadn’t moved after its initial attack.
    They ran through the castle, making a beeline for the front door and freedom. To his very great surprise, guards rushed forward from different rooms, but they neither helped nor hindered the escaping party.
    One of them stepped into the path and was promptly run over by the taller twin. The guard’s helmet went flying , and under the helmet there was no face.
    Just a wooden mask and a distinct lack of eyeballs.
    Thomas had no words, and so they just kept running. No wonder the guards hadn’t noticed them in the barracks. They weren’t guards at all. They were Others.
    “All of the guards are those… things?!” Miranda shouted as they made a left and saw that their destination was in sight.
    “Looks like it,” Thomas replied, speeding up. The guards that had helped Thomas earlier, they must have been the last to go. Or die. Or be transformed.
    Thomas felt the world spinning around him, and it wasn’t just due to lack of air or water. This was all too much, too fast. He couldn’t handle this. He was just a farm boy! A helping hand, there to work and get paid with food and kindness! He didn’t want this, he didn’t want to deal with this insanity…
    It wasn’t until Miranda grabbed him by his belt and pulled him through