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Talking Heads

Whatever remaining life of the body was slowly extracted into a cylinder. The massive mainframe computer beeped, booped, and hummed processing the soul data. Its spiderweb of tubes glowing as the sacrifice was transferred.

"Ding!" said the vacuum screen lighting up green.

The digital number displayed blinked from 4 to 3 in between the hazy bars. A loud wiring sound started, but went ignored as a nearby printer fired out lines of 1's and 0's.

There were 3 remaining cylinders to be filled in order to activate the teleport. 4 people remained locked in the mainframe. Bronco was pinned to the floor. He was hostilely revealed by kicking and flailing underneath two knights who remained loyal to their leader.

"Let me out! Scrappy's body should be covered with dignity. It's the least you could respect him you heartless bastards," he screamed.

"Calm down, and we will fix things as best as possible. We can't have anymore death, relax," grunted Mooseman.

"You need to stay loyal, stop fighting us," said Zito.

Mooseman pinned Bronco's upper back with his knee. He shifted his weight to dig into the flesh like a tick making future communication difficult. Zito sat on his feet.

"Ooof," he grunted, being kicked away.

In the background Edward paced the room trying to brainstorm a speech. He needed to scheme extra fast while things remained relatively in control. The creepy jester named Snaggy helping him with tech support hadn't returned. The fool must have gotten himself killed somewhere outside the locked room they had become trapped in. Edward was all alone in figuring out the solution to the problem of sacrificing three men one by one, without them turning on him. He would get the teleport working, and himself back to the surface. A fresh idea popped into his mind. He strutted over to the three knights who continued struggling.

"This man here disobeyed a direct order from the crown, before I had to cut him down to protect myself, and thus his corpse will receive no honor," he paused to get closer, and unsuccessfully tried to keep a grin from leaking out. "In fact I think I must burn it before it turns into a zombie," said Edward.

"There's nothing left to zombify now, the machine has sucked him dry already," said Mooseman.

"That is speculation. Do you know what facts we don't have to speculate about?" Edward asked.

"The price of turnips after you implemented the price lock?" Speculated Zito.

"No, what is the penalty for treason?" asked Edward, smirking.

"Death," repeated both men together.

"No, don't punish me if we ever hope to return to the surface, man. There's enough threats for four to deal with already, unless you also feel like being sacrificed so the dear leader can teleport alone to safety," pleaded Bronco.

The two knights relaxed their choke hold on the prisoner.

"He's got a point we need him to survive ourselves," said Zito.

"Huh, good point," said Mooseman.

"And that's why we gotta all be on the same page working together. If only you bozos could figure anything out without it being written in blood first" said Bronco.

"The three of us have always been on the same page, You see, if you follow the leader you don't have to think much about it. I will figure out how to get us all out of here, as long as you stay loyal" said Edward.

"So he needs to follow all orders going forward, or else we kill him, " said Mooseman.

"I already don't trust him," stated Edward.

"I'm not sure I even trust myself anymore, let's give him another chance for our own luck," said Zito.

" I agree," said Mooseman.

"Hmmm,” thought Edward.

The two knights helped pick the third off the floor.

"No weapons for that knight ever again," ordered Edward.

Bronco ran to Scrappy's body. He spoke last word to his old friend, and showed him some respect in death by covering his eyes. He got a blanket from his backpack and covered the body. A cold wind turned the others attention from these trivial matters. All of them froze still as a statue. The opposite wall housing circuits had pulled back sometime in the commotion. Inside there was nothing, but darkness.

"Psst," whispered a knight, far below the other's ear.

Bronco felt something pinch his back. He turned to see Zito gently pricking him. There was cool metal being placed into his hand. He looked down to see a small carved dagger with a blade made of cutting crystal. The entire weapon was carved with vivid pictures of goat sacrifices.

"Remember I told yah I got first dibs on any loot, everything not nailed down, and I got three more of these puppies stashed on me eh,” said Zito, showing off his stash under trench coat.. “Might as well share one just in case another monster attacks,” he whispered.

Bronco stuck it far down his pants. Edward turned his attention back to his men.

"Well I'm going in, so how about one of you trailing me and the other staying here to guard the weaponless," said Edward

Edward walked forward without waiting any longer. He entered the dark opening and vanished. Zito and Mooseman did a quick game of rock paper scissors. Mooseman was the winner who followed behind his leader disappearing into the danger.

Inside the dark Edward could hear something suffering through the winds howling at him, but it wasn't human.

"Who's there?" He asked.

"I'm behind your majesty," gasped Mooseman, struggling for breath.

"Well make yourself useful and do a better job with your light so we can see," said Edward.

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"Oh right, well let me go back to the mainframe. I'm claustrophobic," said Mooseman, loudly banging around trying to find the exit.

"Send the other knight in your place with the light," Edward hissed.

"Yes you're high.."

"Slam!"

Mooseman slipped on black ice having caught a foot somewhere nearby.

"Here I am," another voice echoed.

Zito walked into the picture illuminating a claustrophobic ice passage. It was dug straight as far as light could penetrate and slightly heading upwards. Edward, and Mooseman would have to crouch uncomfortably to travel further.

"Wait a second," stammered Edward, moving backwards.

He turned around in circles as the light was dimming. It was on account of one knight helping the other up from the fall. They were still trying to figure out the light looted from Scrappy's pack. Edward huffed back past them, momentarily blinded by the glowing lights on returning to the room-sized computer. Finally his eyes readjusted and he noticed what was missing. The next knight he intended to sacrifice, and the one he already had vanished.

"Fools, I ordered one of you to follow and one to watch the traitor now look at two missing ones, one of which is dead and could be lurking around corners a zombie!" Screeched Edward.

“Well at least that mantis has stopped trying to break down the door,” blurted Zito.

Edwards stomach loudly groaned in hunger before turning into weird gurgles. He coldly studied the two knights who he figured were quivering with fear. A gust of frigid air had blown past them the smell of moldy tomb.

"What's done is done here, and now our only chance is to keep moving on for a chance of survival without the chance of activating teleporter," said Zito.

“Oh I think I'm going to gag at the prospect of going back into that crawl space.. I’m six foot six you know,” explained Mooseman, rubbing his mittens together and pacing back and forth in a vain effort to warm his body.

Edward let out a massive sigh of annoyance.

"Well guys what choice do any of us really have now other than giving up?" said Zito, helping himself to the backpack that had been left behind.

“Ok cheerleader ladies first,” said Edward, pointing to the exit.

“I’m ready to get the fuck out of here, I can do it,” said Mooseman gassing himself up for the battle ahead.

The party of three started forward. While Zito walked in front of them with the light Edward crouched in the middle, Mooseman crawled on his hands and knees in the rear. The cold here seriously threatened to cause a case of frostbite.

"This is how I'm spending my last days when I had so much left to accomplish in life on the surface. SighI suppose it's having so much fun with you folk," complained Edward.

"Hey how do you think we feel, man we've probably been trapped in this farcin icy paradise for over a year or more I reckon at this point. I hate it so fucking much," groaned Mooseman.

"Let's keep our final moments to ourselves gentlemen and please relax the nerves," instructed Zito.

“Your hardcore man, alright sorry for my freak out let's keep fighting forward,” blurted Mooseman.

“Everyone shut the fuck up already,” yelled Edward, spewing spit that froze quick.

The party silently advanced into unknown territory. The rear guard forced himself to go forward down the path ahead laboriously following the other two. The only noise was the creak of the light’s handle as it swung pushing away the darkness.

What felt like several laborious hours later the situation remained unchanged. Only Emperor Edward the cannibal and two of his knights remained alive. The party crawled along a slim tunnel burrowed single file deep beneath a haunted temple . The chances of a teleportation escape had shrunk much like the surroundings.

“Man I really hope this goes somewhere good because it’s impossible to turn around and I'm getting more claustrophobic by the second,” complained Mooseman from the rear.

“Let's only think about the instant future where we only go forward!” yelled Edward.

“Yes Sir,” said both knights together.

Their only light was carried by the smallest knight taking the front. However Zito's small frame still blocked much of it. Edward blocked more, and by the time it reached the rear not much was leftover for the most frightened.

The circular ice walls surrounding them appeared to be drilled with a massive sharp crystal drill bit bore into the core of the planet. A distant breeze tickled while the ice leaked the heat from their bones back into the walls. The cold air let them know something was waiting at the end of this tunnel, but it also threatened to freeze them in place with frostbite if not for their premium knightly clothing.

“The core plays games on the mind, and yet we willingly descend further into it,” stated Zito.

“Yeah well we have no other path to go, although I really think I failed to capitalize on the few slim opportunities to escape, I let slip through my grasp, and perhaps that will be my demise," mused Edward.

“I can only comment on the instant future, there's no love in the core,” said Mooseman, shivering as eerie stingers and drips of water intermixed with the voices forcing their way into his head. “Hey Zito, your light has dimmed significantly, is it almost out of juice?” he forced out, sounding like he was having a panic attack.

“Are you alright man and yeah the light is getting dimmer every minute, but I suppose we have no other option but to go until the light falls or we do,” said Vito.

“Lets slightly increase our pace,” ordered Edward.

The party crawled forward on the only path remaining to them. The cold walls surrounding them had long ago begun seeping into their bones. The air was becoming oppressive stale.

“Whoosh!”

A frigid blast hit them spurring backwards movement. Zito was picked up by the gust and blown into Edward who lost his crown. Mooseman stopped them with his big gut, but not before hitting his head bouncing off the low ceiling.

"Ouch"

“Well we must be close to something now, go on!” yelled Edward, pushing Zito off him with all his might.

The smallest member of the party went flying forward. The ground started sloping downwards, and being made of ice crystal it was extremely slippery. Zito hit the ice stomach first, and arms outstretched with the light. He began to slide quickly picking up speed. The two remaining were stuck watching their light slide off with increasing speed down the tunnel.

“Well I suppose sliding on ice beats walking on it,” said Edward.

“Hmm, it depends on what is going to be stopping your motion. In my case I happen to have a crystalized stump that will break whatever blocks my way” said Edward, desperately hunting in the pitch dark.

“Sigh well I hope Vito is alright seeing how he had a light instead of a stump like you or stomach like me,” sighed Mooseman.

"After I find my crown that has fallen, mind helping me down?" said Edward.

“Very well let me just find you first.Hey how about I stay up here and set up a rope anchored to something too bad zito had a lot of stuff i could use right now including the light," said Mooseman, searching for his backpack. “Zito, are you alright?,” he yelled into the dark.

Suddenly he slipped on a patch of invisible ice, and he fell forward with his arms outstretched that grabbed Edward.

“AaaaRRRG” spit Edward, flying forward with the air knocked out of him.

They fell down the slippery slide, rapidly picking up speed. Edward was squished underneath the big boned Mooseman who closed his eyes in the dark, and imagined a field of golden flowers overgrown and in bloom. The air whistled past while his unfortunate King became a speeding sled for this Knight.

“Blind and being crushed under pressure of a clumsy fat oaf ” hissed Edward.

“Try to slow us down King,” said Mooseman.

“What do you think? I haven't been trying to slow us down,” screeched Edward.

“Grind your face into it if you have to,” said Mooseman.

“Gonna take my stump out from anchoring us and dig it into your face,” replied Edward.

The ice shards were ripped into Edward's outstretched stump sending small pieces stuck into his eyes blinding him like a bat.

“AAAARG,” he cried, being launched into the air from the ice ramp with a knight still riding him.

“Don’t open your eyes,” Mooseman told himself.

“WAKE UP AND GET OFF ME!” yelled Edward.

The two hit the apex of their launch. They fell towards the ground. A knight already below them panicked to get out of the impact zone.

“Smash, Bang, Crash!”