The Shadowseeker - Victor Kloss Page 0,5

the lift; Ben supposed it was because everyone was heading to work.

“I hope there is a variable speed setting,” Charlie said, putting a hand on his little pot belly as they walked to the lift. “I don't know about you, but I had a big breakfast that I'd like to keep down.”

They joined a small line that had formed to get into the lift. Charlie waited patiently, Ben less so, but the line was not moving very fast. In fact, Ben realised after a couple of minutes, it wasn't moving at all.

“What's going on?” a fuzzy-haired lady asked, standing directly in front of them. “I have to be at the Institute by 9:30 or Mr. Ludwig is going to have a fit.”

She wasn't alone in voicing her frustration. There was a growing murmur of discontent. The lift was stuck on the bottom floor and wasn't coming back up.

“Not the best start to our first day,” Charlie commented.

“Does the lift break down often?” Ben asked the fuzzy-haired lady.

“It can't break; it's operated by magic. Some idiot is purposefully holding it at the bottom.”

“Why would they do that?”

“I have no idea; it's never happened before. But they're going to be in deep trouble, making everyone late for work.” The lady turned back around and joined the complaints that had now grown from a murmur to something more vocal.

Ben felt his stomach lurch, as if he had begun his descent down the lift. “Something's not right.”

Charlie groaned. “I hate it when you say that.”

“There are Wardens everywhere, watching for something, and now the lift gets stuck?”

“You think something bad is happening down there?”

“I could be mistaken,” Ben admitted. “I'm sure they have extensive security to stop the wrong people leaving the Unseen Kingdoms.”

Charlie shook his head a little too vigorously. “Your sixth sense is better than Spiderman's.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his gleaming forehead. “Should we tell someone?”

“I don't think they have as much faith in my sixth sense as you do.”

Charlie looked around anxiously. There were now several people lined up behind them. “Do you think we should step out of line? Maybe get a little closer to the exit, just in case?”

“Absolutely not,” Ben said. “You're overreacting, as usual.”

A sudden cheer drowned out Charlie's reply. The lift was moving again. Ben could hear a faint humming as it ascended from deep underground. The line in front shuffled forwards a bit, eager to get in; at the same time Charlie shuffled backwards, apologising profusely to the young man he bumped into from behind.

There was a ding as the lift arrived. The doors opened.

Silence. Then a collective gasp.

An explosion almost burst Ben's eardrums and sent several Institute members closest to the lift flying. An alarm sounded, loud enough to drown out the screams and shouts of surprise and horror.

Some of the Institute members fled as fast as they could, but others came forwards, grim-faced, drawing their spellshooters.

“Defensive line!” a deep voice sounded from behind.

Ben felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned and saw a white-faced Charlie screaming at him.

“Let's get out of here!”

But Ben didn't move. Many of those in front of him had fled or been blasted away, and he could almost see inside the lift.

Spells of every colour and shape were now being fired. Ben couldn't believe anything could survive such an onslaught, but it was clear that the enemy was still fighting. A woman went down in front of him and suddenly the path was clear to the lift and the enemy within – the unmistakable form of a dark elf sat on top of a huge panther.

Unlike the shoulder-length hair of most dark elves Ben had seen, this one was completely bald, with gold piercings in his nose, slanted ears, and both eyebrows. In one hand he held a sword, and in the other a purple ball of energy.

With a blank, almost bored expression, he rode out of the lift, hacked down the nearest Institute member, and blasted another against the wall. The dark elf dodged and swayed the incoming spells with an inhuman dexterity, and the panther's snapping jaws consumed any that came its way with only the faintest repercussions.

“Earth and air!” someone shouted.

The shape and form of the spells changed and the dark elf took a hit on the shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. Slowly the Institute closed in on the elf and his steed. In response, the elf raised his head so that he was staring at the ceiling.