With utter Determination in his eyes, the Captain made a mad dash for the doorway.
But as he passed down the first flight of stairs his legs couldn't keep up, they gave way beneath him and caused him to tumble down the remaining few before being slumped against the far wall.
Sweat beat down him like a horse in the summer, his clothes drenched with the stains. The Captial was already hot enough from the greenhouse effect caused by the Smog cloud that hung above, but being trapped in that golden prison had made it even hotter, it was like he was in a sauna with barely any room to breathe.
"Huff…Haff…Kaff" He retched as his hair was matted to his scalp. "I Ne-Need to Slow down. Just for a second My Heart's not Keeping up. Man, Only if this thing would beat faster and harder…Hahaha…Then I wouldn't have to worry." He joked to himself as he took a deep breath. That was what he needed above all else.
He needed to Fuel his brain of Starved oxygen no matter how hard his Heart Pulsed. "Hah…Huff…Hooo…" He looked to his hand, and saw that it shook Violently, incessantly. No Matter how hard he tried to focus it to stop. 'Breath…Breath~' He stretch the word in his mind as he took deep breaths. "Phew…"
He shut his eyes for a second. "Alright…I'm good."
He put his hands on his knees and forced himself to his feet, stumbling for a second but his body felt much calmer than it did. 'If I didn't even take a second to breathe. I doubt I'd have what it takes when I finally came face to face with…'
His sandals clattered against the Thick sandstone walls as he passed room after room, descending the tall mausoleum
Meeting rooms, History Displays, Common Areas, he passed all of them as he descended deeper and deeper down the Stairwell, eventually there were no longer rooms present as he descended the rest of the way, nothing but pure brick walls.
His sandals echoing from the closed in walls as he could barely hear the faintest of voices bouncing on the walls. 'Voices…I hear Voices…'
Suddenly there was a small vibration surging through the ground. "What was that? It was close, it didn't come from outside…" He hadn't stopped as he spoke aloud, the sensation made him pick up the pace even more! Fully Sprinting down the Stairs!
The Amber glow of Lanterns bouncing off the sandstone telling him the he was coming to an entrance!
Leroy Entered into a Large open room, the Same room from before where Hornigold had Walked through. The Voices suddenly stopped as he continued forth!
Hornigold Rackham! He was there! Right in Front of Leroy in the Next Room! A deep guttural roar coming from his throat as a battle cry! "Hrrraaah!"
Hornigolds Eyes Widened as he Saw just what was causing the footsteps "No…No No No! No!"
"How are you still alive!" Hornigold Screamed! Raising his metallic hand into the Air before lurching forward and slamming it onto the Ground! "Oro Manus!" Suddenly the very ground beneath him began to transform! Turning Metallic! His touch had turned the Ground to Gold! Spreading and zipping through the ground straight for Leroy!
'What the?! The Grounds turning to gold?!' "Hup!" He let out a breath as he Leaped up and over the ground! The very spot where he'd been standing mere moments before shifting to gold! Hornigold let out a Smile, wicked and far from the Composure he once held "Phrygian Knot!"
The Ground suddenly shifted, the golden floor seemed to shift from a solid metallic surface to what looked like a liquid before peaking and shooting up into the air right at Leroy! Two sharp spikes Arching and attempting to meet! The Captain's eyes widened, He attempted to adjust in midair, before feeling a sharp stab through his side! He'd just barely missed the first but had moved right into the path of the second with no more time to move!
"Ack!" Blood Spurt from his mouth as his hand gripped at his Side, gripping the metal with such strength that it shattered! He Pulled the rest out of his side before planting his feet on the Archway that he'd leapt in front of and Bursting straight for Hornigold Fist cocked back!
"Just Die Already!"
Honrigold threw his fist forward, knuckles forming and shaping into a wide thick blade! "Zloto Sabre!"
'C'mon! I'm wide open!' Hornigold said with a wicked look on his face! The two Collided! A monstrous sound reverberating out as Leroy cocked his neck to the side at the last second! The Blade slipping past him and plunging into his clavicle!
Leroy attempted to retaliate by throwing his own readied fist, but it simply Passed through Hornigold! 'Shit! He became intangible!' right as he thought, the blade in his shoulder reformed into a clawed gauntlet and grabbed him! Piercing his flesh yet again as like a rag doll he was thrown a distance away!
"Ah-ahaha! AH-HAHA! I don't how you keep coming back! But it certainly seems you've got some fight left in you!" Hornigold seemed crazed. Far and away from the composed cool business man that Leroy had fought in the desert.
His hair was loose and sticking to his face from the sweat that coated his skin "Hahaha! Ha! Haha! You've lost your composure! Have I really gotten to you that much?" Leroy mocked as he slowly looked up. That smile that had unnerved Hornigold, smeared across his face "So much for me a nuisance huh?!"
Hornigold grit his teeth, the very notion causing his Smile to fall. "How dare you! You Insolent wretch!" Hornigold clenched his fist. The limb returned to its original shape as he stared down his opponent. "Tch-" Rackham slicked his hand through his hair.
A cool and collected smile coming across his face "I'll give you that! You are a hard one to put down…" He stepped forward with a confident and powerful stride. Stopping a few feet from the Captain. "But even a Cockroach is Troublesome to keep down. But are Insects nonetheless." His hand started to shift into claws once again!