Should Have Let Me Die

I could hear voices as we got closer, and I was surprised to find the other four all in the same big chamber. I tried to walk over to Buddy, but I was stopped by an invisible wall. It was like the curtain around the islands, and when I dragged my hand across it the images of the others wavered.

I turned fast, Buddy had sent a warning. Some things were coming out of the ground up ahead, and they looked like some kind of mud elementals. There were six of them, about two meters tall, but there was a larger one in the back.

"Hey, Rena, stay away from me and try to get yourself covered in mud! Everyone else, do the same! Those big ones are Storm Troll's and they call down lightning strikes, and are tough," I called over, as I snapped open three Gates.

The stone cracked under my feet as I did, but I had my eyes watching the Storm Troll that was ripping itself out of the ground. These things were monsters that had races that were rolling down mountainsides while randomly calling down lightning on each other for fun. These were one of those things that you didn't normally have to fight, just because they were so strong. 

"Can you keep the mud men busy? I'll get rid of a couple of them, but I'm going to spray you with a bunch of mud and try to stay in close range to the monsters. That will keep you safe from the lightning, and I will deal with the big guy!"

"Be careful!" That was all Rena said with a smile.

I turned, feeling fired up, and jogged to my opponent, but the mud men were not having any part of that plan. They rushed me and I bitch slapped the first one, snapping the fourth Gate open and close, spraying it at Rena. The mud-covered her thickly, and I round housed the next two, cutting them both in half.

There was a roar and the other three backed off, and I turned to find the big troll looking at me with a large ominous grin. He had black skin with yellow stripes on his arms and two large tusks protruding from his mouth. The Storm troll extended his right hand with his palm up at me and curled his fingers back to motion me forward, with pleasure.

I burst forward, and the troll jabbed with his right, but I got inside and hit both his knees, making them bow out. Immediately after, I ducked, and rolled, getting up and snapping open the fourth Gate. My shots to the knees had no effect on him whatsoever, and he was already turning around with sparks crackling off his body, and an even bigger grin.

"Hyde, good to see you again!" The Storm Troll said in a deep and graveled voice.

Wait, what? Who the fuck was this...HHZZZZ...brain...ouch...need...move...OOF!

I had just been zapped, and even with the Gates open it was like fire through my veins, and it stunned me in place. Then the troll hit me with a right hook that made me smash in the curve. I felt Buddy ask me if I was okay, but I had to get up and...OOF!

I was having trouble breathing, yup, that hurt. I pushed up off the ground but was immediately grabbed in the massive meaty hands of the troll. The bastard had kicked me when I was down, and now he was trying to crush me.

"HYDE!" Rena screamed. 

"STAY BACK!" I shouted with the last bit of breath in my chest, and I glared at the troll, no, at Reginold.

"The hero isn't so tough now, are you? To think this would be all that it took!" 

The troll's voice had changed into the annoying sound of Reginold. That's what I needed to hear, and I could see that the others were done with their fights. I needed this, someone to really cut loose with, so I exhausted all my power and bathed in the pain, this was nothing.

"This is the end for…"

"You know, you talk way too fucking much old man!" I said as the fifth lock burst like a dam.

The troll's hands were pushed off me and I dropped down to my feet, feeling great! I punched the first fist directly as he sent another right jab at me. The connection of our hand meeting sent out violent shock waves, but I stepped forward and uppercutting his wrist sending his arm flying up. Then I spun into him, delivering solid blows to the gut, and then kicking him back into the wall at the far end of our space.

I turned back quickly to check on Rena, but she was back in the tunnel a ways back. I looked over and buddy and Moshi were back in the tunnel, while Breth and Cable were standing against the far wall. Oh yeah, fifth Gate, right, the presence would be enough to kill lower-level monsters, but everyone was back now, so I could cut loose.

"How can you always cheat! Every time I get close to killing you, you cheat!" Reginold screamed.

"Cheat? You are the one coming into a world my brother built and cheating. Still, that's all you do is complain. Did you ever think you're just bad at games? This place was built for me, not you! It's time for another ass-whooping Reggy!"

I burst at him, smashed my fist into the black troll face, sending him to smash into the wall.

"You shit storm you have caused has hurt so many people, and you're still not satisfied! You killed people and ruined their lives! PEOPLE I LOVE!"

I kicked him into the roof, and then round-house kicked him into the wall before he could hit the ground.

"And, yet, you are still in there trying to hurt the people I love and care about. I will hunt you through every game and kill you over and over again the same way Dave did to you and all your business partners. There will be no place in a thousand worlds that you will hide from me for what you have done," I said as I walked over to the troll that was trying to get back up.

"I will find the Key, and then you will be…"

But that was all he got out before I dropped kicked his face into the ground, crushing it with a sickening noise. I wouldn't let him find the key, nor would I let him rest for the pain he has caused. No one hurts my family.