toward my intended target and stand back. My only concern was whether the door was locked, but when I looked past him it was slightly ajar. There would never be a better opportunity. I had no real plan of escape, I just hoped the grenades bought me enough time to form one.
Calypso ran the back of his hand across his forehead. “I'm sorry you feel that way, Nathan. I was hoping—,”
He never had a chance to finish the sentence. I threw the grenade. Wraith warned me to look away when tossing grenades such as these. He said the bright light which explodes from the weapon causes a majority of the stun effect. Even though I heeded his advice, the intensity of the explosive light surprised me and I fell backward, crashing my head on the corner of the bed. I expected the explosion would bring the attention of my guard outside, but the bomb was strangely quiet. It detonated with a hiss rather than a bang. I listened intently for what seemed like an eternity for stomps of approaching guards, but no one came. Calypso's unconscious body lay crumpled across the doorway. I stepped carefully around him and grabbed another grenade. This one is payback for the moldy bread and sewer water, I thought as I looked for the guard.
I pulled the door open slowly because I couldn't take the chance that a squeaky hinge would alert someone. My fears proved unfounded when the door opened, revealing an empty hallway. I was momentarily stunned at my unusual timing of good luck. I slid along the wall like a shadow clutching the grenade, ready to toss it at a moment's notice. A sign ahead marked the way toward the docking bay. I hustled around the corner when I bumped into Sam. His look of surprise was brief before he grabbed his sidearm and pointed it at my face. My fingers held the grenade in an iron grip as we stared at each other like some sort of Wild West standoff.
“What the hell are you doing, Nathan?” Sam's face was flushed and a thin veil of sweat formed above his brow.
“I'm getting the hell out of here, Sam,” I muttered. “Come with me.”
Sam lowered the weapon. “I can't do that.”
“These are bad people, Sam,” I pleaded. “You need to help me get back to my friends.”
Sam frowned. “Your new friends are not who you think they are, Nathan. You need to return to your room.”
His words weighed heavily on my heart. At that point I knew Sam could not be swayed. He was always bullheaded but this was an unnatural stubbornness that unnerved me. I had no choice, if I wanted to escape, it would have to be through my old friend.
“I can't do that.” I drew my hand back, prepared to toss the grenade. Before I could throw it I felt something slam into the back of my head. My face smashed into the floor and the coppery taste of blood filled my mouth. The grenade rolled uselessly toward Sam's feet. Someone grabbed my arm roughly and I blacked out.
I dreamt of a great stone building towering over me. I couldn't make it out completely because the sun rose behind it, blinding me in its glare. The shadow of the building engulfed me in its dark embrace. I shivered, despite the shroud of sweat on my face. A great forest surrounded me but seemed to close in, forcing me toward the building. The sun's glare fell behind the building as I made my way closer. Several stone steps ascended toward a large oak door. Two twenty-foot granite columns flanked the entrance. Above the door a single word was etched into the stone— Archivist . As I climbed the steps I was jolted by an earthquake. I grabbed the stair above me to steady myself and prevent a tumble off the stairs. I surveyed the area and noted that everything was calm. Not even the leaves stirred. I shook it off and climbed the remaining stairs. The tips of my fingers brushed the bronze door handle but before I could pull the door open another explosion rocked the world around me. Wait a minute, earthquakes didn't explode .
I was yanked from the dream by another explosion which
Calypso ran the back of his hand across his forehead. “I'm sorry you feel that way, Nathan. I was hoping—,”
He never had a chance to finish the sentence. I threw the grenade. Wraith warned me to look away when tossing grenades such as these. He said the bright light which explodes from the weapon causes a majority of the stun effect. Even though I heeded his advice, the intensity of the explosive light surprised me and I fell backward, crashing my head on the corner of the bed. I expected the explosion would bring the attention of my guard outside, but the bomb was strangely quiet. It detonated with a hiss rather than a bang. I listened intently for what seemed like an eternity for stomps of approaching guards, but no one came. Calypso's unconscious body lay crumpled across the doorway. I stepped carefully around him and grabbed another grenade. This one is payback for the moldy bread and sewer water, I thought as I looked for the guard.
I pulled the door open slowly because I couldn't take the chance that a squeaky hinge would alert someone. My fears proved unfounded when the door opened, revealing an empty hallway. I was momentarily stunned at my unusual timing of good luck. I slid along the wall like a shadow clutching the grenade, ready to toss it at a moment's notice. A sign ahead marked the way toward the docking bay. I hustled around the corner when I bumped into Sam. His look of surprise was brief before he grabbed his sidearm and pointed it at my face. My fingers held the grenade in an iron grip as we stared at each other like some sort of Wild West standoff.
“What the hell are you doing, Nathan?” Sam's face was flushed and a thin veil of sweat formed above his brow.
“I'm getting the hell out of here, Sam,” I muttered. “Come with me.”
Sam lowered the weapon. “I can't do that.”
“These are bad people, Sam,” I pleaded. “You need to help me get back to my friends.”
Sam frowned. “Your new friends are not who you think they are, Nathan. You need to return to your room.”
His words weighed heavily on my heart. At that point I knew Sam could not be swayed. He was always bullheaded but this was an unnatural stubbornness that unnerved me. I had no choice, if I wanted to escape, it would have to be through my old friend.
“I can't do that.” I drew my hand back, prepared to toss the grenade. Before I could throw it I felt something slam into the back of my head. My face smashed into the floor and the coppery taste of blood filled my mouth. The grenade rolled uselessly toward Sam's feet. Someone grabbed my arm roughly and I blacked out.
I dreamt of a great stone building towering over me. I couldn't make it out completely because the sun rose behind it, blinding me in its glare. The shadow of the building engulfed me in its dark embrace. I shivered, despite the shroud of sweat on my face. A great forest surrounded me but seemed to close in, forcing me toward the building. The sun's glare fell behind the building as I made my way closer. Several stone steps ascended toward a large oak door. Two twenty-foot granite columns flanked the entrance. Above the door a single word was etched into the stone— Archivist . As I climbed the steps I was jolted by an earthquake. I grabbed the stair above me to steady myself and prevent a tumble off the stairs. I surveyed the area and noted that everything was calm. Not even the leaves stirred. I shook it off and climbed the remaining stairs. The tips of my fingers brushed the bronze door handle but before I could pull the door open another explosion rocked the world around me. Wait a minute, earthquakes didn't explode .
I was yanked from the dream by another explosion which
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