h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Get back here! I'm not done with you!

*Strikes at Nick's back with the sword, following with a dagger slash.*

~~Nothing, go...run...take the puzzle and the pieces to Lumien. Finish it, I'll distract him~~

*she stands and allows the blue light to fill the river of death. The sight is horrific, half-decomposed bodies floating in a deep swirling river to an iron gate coated in blood*

*Nick flicks his wrist and one of the bodies rises up out of the water to take the blow for him....cut in half it falls back, Nick keeps walking*

*Lumien stumbles and falls on her injured leg.*



*In her hand, she feels a familiar piece of steel.*

~~Lumien, help Shaylar with the puzzle, you must complete it~~

~~I'll try~~

*Grabs the rest of the pieces and helps Lumien to reassemble the puzzle*

Oh god, I hate these things

*Nick turns away from Syian and begins to follow Shaylar, the puzzle consumes his mind*

[Syian] Hey dad! Don't turn your back on me

*she kicks out with her left leg at his right ankle, the snapping of bone can clearly be heard*

[Syian] You forget, this is my realm as well as yours

OK... maybe this one goes there... *Clicks a piece in.* What is this supposed to be, anyway?

*one of the bodies grabs Lumien's ankle on her bad leg and tries to pull her into the flow of the river*

*Syian speaks some words to herself and a flaming sword appears in her hand, it has bright blue flames and seems alive*

*she strikes at Nick and he parries, they are soon locked in an even sword match*

*Puts in another 2 pieces*

Syian said something about this trapping Nick in a river and taking him beyond the ninth gate

I could never do these things as a child, I never had the patience

SHAYLAR! HELP!

*Lumien kicks hard at the dead guy around her ankle.*

I'm going to have nightmares about this for years...

*Grabs a spare sword and cuts the head off*

*Emerges from the shadows, looking visibly shaken. Advances toNick and helps Syian fend him off, driving him towards the river. As this goes on, a boat emerges from the mist and comes towards them.*

*Syian looks over at Kazinishi gratefully and together the two of them fight him into the river*

*the groans of the dead increase in volume and sound hungry...Syian thrusts her blue flaming sword straight at Nick's heart*

~~Now, put the last piece in NOW!!~~

*Clicks it in at the last moment.*

*Nick yells in pain as the last piece goes in, as he is distracted Syian thrusts the blue sword through his heart. The light of her sword and his dies, they are once again in total darkness*

*a bell clatters to the floor and all is silent*

*a small golden light glows from the gate illuminating the river, Nick and Syian are gone*

*Stands up, and limps toward the gate.*

Syian? Syian!

*Syian's bandolier is lying in the water, one of the bells shines and seems to call to Scandrea....an image of Syian ringing the bell in a zigzag formation comes into Lumien's head*