Elements of a Shattered Past, Chapter 13: Dark Catacombs
Story by FeuerfoxKA8 on SoFurry
Chapter 13: Marcus, Roland, and Meika descend into the catacombs beneath Rhy'Din City to help stem the tide of the undead. Will bullets and blades be enough to drive them back? [7pg, 3,507wd]
Rated mature for violence.
Notes: My memories of them are relatively fuzzy and my logkeeping wasn't the most accurate, but sometimes the best times spent in these chatroom rolelaying realms were shared storylines that affected a fair chunk of the players. Guilds would be at war with each other, famous fictional rivalries would crop up and others would join in, or(in this case) forces subservient to a dark god would send their undead servants to prey upon the living.
Again, there is some significant foreshadowing here, but if you blink you might miss it. :D That said, this is the last chapter I have for at least a short while. I'm about halfway through ESP at this point, and while I haven't gotten a lot of feedback it's been a joy to write.
The next several chapters will return to 'reality' as the final weeks of school draw to a close and a bad situation starts to rear its ugly head...
May 12, 2001
Rhy’Din Abandoned Cemetery
6:37PM
I parked the car on the unkempt dirt path. Despite the sun still casting its waning light onto the grounds of the old cemetery, the overcast sky gave it a dim, almost perpetually foreboding look. I glanced to the others as I shut the engine off.
Meika was riding in the back seat on the passenger side; her daisho sitting in the empty seat behind me. Roland sat in the front seat; if he was by any means put ill at ease by riding in a car he didn’t show it. Rather, his ice-blue eyes glinted with a hard determination. “This is the place?” the vixen asked, reaching for her seatbelt.
“Yes,” Roland confirmed, reaching for the door handle. “It’s the quickest way into the catacombs.”
“Once more into the breach, dear friends,” I quipped, hitting a button to open the trunk before exiting the car. Roland was already ahead of me; pulling the front seat aside to allow Meika to exit. The vixen slid out of the car with almost unnatural grace; having once more donned the leather bodysuit and coat she generally wore when facing potential foes.
I slipped off my own duster; revealing the black sweatshirt and slacks that I normally wore underneath, with that all too crucial modification for my tail. It was comfortable and allowed me to move freely; while I wasn’t much of a hand at melee combat I tended to carry enough firepower to make closing in with me a very bad idea. My trunk carried a few goodies which I would need. I slipped on a customized shoulder holster which housed one of my heavier arms: an HK MP5K-PDW; a compact submachine gun. A heavy belt I had set in the trunk contained extra magazines for the weapon as well as my pistol; I slipped it on. It was far more than I normally carried, but I wasn’t typically doing any heavy fighting. The last objects I pulled out were four boxes of ammunition, but not for me. “Roland,” I called out.
“Yes, Marcus?” The gunslinger blinked and turned to me, a questioning expression on his otherwise stony features.
“Some ammo I picked up for you,” I explained. “Hollowpoints, so they should have a bit more punch against soft targets. I also had the priests at the Temple of Tyr bless them, so they should be more effective against undead.” I handed the boxes to him, which he took with a nod.
“Thankee-sai,” he mentioned as he unloaded his two revolvers. Watching him manipulate the wheelguns was almost mesmerizing; the man’s fingers practically dancing as he exchanged the cartridges. Despite the awkward loading gate design of his revolvers, he reloaded them almost as quickly as I could exchange a magazine on my Beretta. “Your Dark Elf friend and I encountered a group of these ‘zom-bees’ not so long ago. They are difficult foes, but do fall to bullets.”
“You didn’t get anything for me?” Meika teased; a grin and a flick of her ear carrying across the point she didn’t actually mean that. However, she was mistaken.
“Actually, I did,” I smirked as I pulled my duster back on; removing a small, ornate case from my pocket. “Hanako suggested I give this to you.”
Meika’s amused expression crossed over to one of confusion almost instantly; blinking at me as she took the case from my hand. She opened it, revealing a fine, silver necklace with an amethyst pendant. “Is she dropping hints already?” The vixen smirked; her amused look returning as if nothing had thrown her off.
“It’s enchanted with a protection spell,” I explained, straightening my coat as I glanced to the somewhat overgrown graveyard. “She wanted you to have it, just in case.”
Meika tried to hide it, but a blush lit up the insides of her ears. “She’s always trying to protect us,” she explained, slipping the necklace on. “Thank you, Marcus.”
“Are we prepared?” Roland asked, motioning to a couple of old, crumbling crypts that stood mutely amongst the decaying, neglected headstones. “We do not want to meet yon creatures out in the open, where they can swarm us.”
“Agreed,” I affirmed. “Let’s get going.” We moved forward into the graveyard; keeping our senses on high alert as we silently moved through overgrown grass and past crumbling headstones. A scattered few were in English; most others in indecipherable scripts and in languages I had no ability to identify. Everything was still yet a foreboding, almost palpable presence had settled over the area. The crypt loomed before us; its once gleaming marble fascia having faded over multiple forgotten years. I frowned as we reached the rough, neglected wooden doors; one was slightly ajar; beyond lay an inky void that even my better than human eyesight couldn’t pierce. A musty odor wafted from the door; hints of decay and smoke hanging in the air.
“This is far too quiet,” Meika muttered, nudging the door open with a boot. “Weapons out; they could be waiting to ambush us.” Her hands went for her blades; the katana and wakizashi glinting in the dim, fading light.
Roland and I followed suit; the gunslinger’s hands dipping to his revolvers as I reached for my MP5. I entered the doorway first, letting the stubby firearm lead the way as my eyes became used to the darkness. A short procession of sarcophagi flanked a set of stairs leading down; other than that the crypt was empty.
I led the way down the stairs, acutely aware of every sound we made. Roland and Meika were almost completely silent with only a scuff of a boot or a hushed breath to betray their presence. I wasn’t that skilled at being quiet but I wasn’t a slouch at it either; thankfully about halfway down the stairs we were welcomed by the occasional sight of a lit torch in scattered sconces on the walls.
The stairway ended at a short corridor lined with limestone walls; the fine engraving depicting funeral rituals and passages meant to honor the dead had started to erode from countless years of exposure to air and moisture. We had reached the catacombs.
The corridor opened up into branching paths of hallways, every one of them flanked by compartments inset into the walls holding countless remains; some skeletal and some mummified. The hint of decay in the air had intensified; it wasn’t unbearable but it was noticeable. “Okay,” I spoke in a low tone, unable to keep my voice from echoing off the old stonework. “Where do we need to use this key?”
“Down several levels,” Roland answered, pointing down the hall. “We were able to clear the ‘zom-bees’ when last we were here, yet there will likely be others.” The gunslinger strode forward; Meika and I wordlessly taking up flanking positions next to him.
Our manner was that of quiet professionalism. Anyone who had survived Rhy’Din’s tougher districts for any appreciable length of time knew how to fight. Our eyes scanned the halls and niches as we moved forward. We hadn’t encountered any undead up to this point, but the attacks were still happening. Reaching another set of stairs we made our way down without incident, but the menace in the air was almost like a physical presence.
The level we reached was darker and colder than the last. There were fewer torches lining the walls, and even with the enhanced vision that came with being a half-kitsune, I was having trouble making out details. We kept moving forward with the same methodical, quiet pace we had before. However, it wasn’t long before we came upon opposition.
A soft shuffling noise echoed from the darkness ahead. We paused; Roland and I readying our firearms while Meika shifted into a combat stance. The pungent odor of rotten flesh drifted to my nose as I could start to make out shapes against the dim torchlight.
Shattered corpses brought back to life came into view; their jerky, stiff motion carrying them towards us at an inexorable yet sluggish pace. Some had been human once; other species such as elves, an occasional dwarf or gnome, and even a few anthropomorphics like Meika and I shuffled in the background. The living dead were obvious in their current state; the festering wounds that had killed them, boils and lesions from sickness and the process of decay had all taken its toll on their bodies. Some were ‘fresher’ than others; victims of the attacks on settlements and venues all over the city.
“Just like we planned,” I called out, hugging the wall and shouldering the MP5’s stock in one swift motion. “Let ‘em have it!”
My subgun barked and rattled in my hands almost in time to the thunderclaps of Roland’s revolvers. The enchanted rounds worked; the corridor illuminating in golden light as the bullets scorched and smashed through the front rank of undead; holy light releasing the undead from their torment. Meika’s blades flashed as a few tougher foes reached her; she moved like lightning as each strike of her katana and wakizashi either cut down or dismembered one of the undead.
It was an effective arrangement; our gunfire kept most of the undead off of Meika while her blades kept us clear to move and reload. Roland’s hands were lightning quick, dumping out spent rounds and putting fresh ones into his revolvers almost as fast as I could change magazines on the MP5. The undead fell like wheat before a scythe, but they continued to march forward; unaware and uncaring of the plight of their ilk.
Meika snarled as she cut down a recently undead orc; deflecting a clumsy grab from an almost skeletal former human. I had a clear shot; drilling it with a short burst before moving onto more distant targets. The vixen had enough time to give me a relieved smile before she was went on the offensive.
I didn’t have much time to return that smile as I shifted to other targets. I was an old hand with automatics; both in the trenches in the Great War as well as on the streets of Chicago not long afterward. The MP5 was an incredible weapon; compact and lighter than the old Thompson guns I was used to.
A flash of movement caught my attention; a flurry of dark brown cloth at the back of the pack of undead. Several figures entered the hallway, their movements too smooth and fluid to have been among the undead. They looked like monks of some sort; their faces shrunken and twisted into maniacal expressions. They were armed; some with pitchforks, a few with crossbows, and a couple who toted double-barrel shotguns. “Roland!” I called out. “More unfriendlies behind the zombies, armed!”
The gunslinger’s attention and aim shifted instantly; one of the shotgun-toting monks hit by a couple of blessed .45 bullets before he could react. I drilled the other with a burst from the MP5 as Meika concentrated on keeping the zombies at bay.
The remaining monks yelled in a dissonant mixture of anger and insanity; their language sounding somewhat like a twisted, menacing form of Latin. “Maranax infirmux!” The subtle twang of crossbows being fired were almost drowned out by the groans of zombies and the roar of our gunfire, but I felt a bolt buzz by my head like a large, angry insect.
I pegged the trigger, emptying my subgun into the group of monks. While the enchanted rounds had an almost explosive effect on the undead they didn’t act that way on living targets. Still, getting hit multiple times with 9x19mm hollowpoints tended to have a detrimental effect on one’s health. The robed fingures crumpled as my firearm ran dry; I ducked back into a nearby alcove to swap magazines.
A pained grunt from Meika carried over the din of battle. I popped out to see her standing in the midst of the thinning group of zombies; a crossbow bolt sticking out of her chest. Her lips parted in a defiant snarl as she still struck out at the dregs of the undead horde, but I could tell her movements were slowing down.
“Marcus!” Roland called out. “Meika’s taken a hit! Get her out of here!” He didn’t need to tell me twice. I pointed my MP5 at the group of zombies and pegged the trigger again, sweeping the undead with a mass of automatic fire as I moved forward. The thinned out ranks of undead pretty much broke as Roland turned his guns back on them; the group reduced to a few milling stragglers as soon as I reached Meika’s side.
“I got you!” I let the recently emptied subgun dangle from its sling as I grabbed onto the wounded vixen. She responded by wrapping an arm around my shoulders and sliding her blade back into its scabbard.
“We… we got them,” Meika croaked. “It should at least… help, right?” I plucked the wakizashi from her other had and helped her put it away.
“Yes, we did.” Roland’s voice was a cold as the catacombs around us. “I’ll hold the line here; the guild is on its way to help lead the assault into the inner chambers. Get your wounds seen to.”
Meika was unsteady on her feet as I led her away; as we started ascending the stairs she started shaking. “I… I don’t feel so great, Marcus…”
“I’ll carry you,” I wasted no time in sweeping her up in my arms; her breath starting to become erratic. The thought crossed my mind that the crossbow bolt had been poisoned. “We’re not far from the clubhoue; just hold on!” I rushed my way out of the catacombs; wincing as I heard sporadic gunfire coming from below.
We emerged into the darkened cemetery a few moments later; the grounds now dimly lit by a combination of flaming torches, bluish magical light sources and a few normal flashlights. Archmage Thanus was there; a short, wizened man dressed in dark green robes. The determined look he wore crossed to one of concern as he saw me approach. A quick glance to Meika revealed she had slipped into unconsciousness; her form limply dangling in my arms. “Your companion is wounded,” he stated. “What lies down there?”
“We were able to clear out a large contingent of undead in the catacombs,” I reported. “Roland Deschain is holding the line to the inner chambers, but he will need assistance.”
“Let me see your companion,” another voice came from the darkness. A tall, lithe figure emerged next to Thanus; one I recognized. Isla Ferranos was Diren’s wife, an eleven warrior who had seen beyond my friend’s dark past. A concern frown appeared on her hauntingly beautiful features as she placed a hand on Meika’s forehead. “She is badly poisoned. The protection enchantment she has is keeping her alive, but she needs a healer immediately.”
The words hit me like a truck; a cold wave of dread washing over me. “Where’s Liliana?” I asked; she was one of a very few who understood the intricacies of healing one of our kind. Magical healing affected us differently and if not done with a delicate touch could do far more harm than good.
Isla shook her head. “She is not here, Marcus,” she sighed. “She is tending to victims of another attack near the Docks.” I frowned; even if I were to shatter speed records it was nearly an hour away. That left the UKoR Clubhouse, as well as a fervent hope that Hanako and Ichiro were still there.
“I have an idea,” I nodded towards Thanus. “I may not return tonight, boss.”
The archmage nodded. “Get your companion seen to, Marcus. We can handle it from here.” With his blessing I left, crossing the darkened landscape to where we had parked the car. I wasted no time in getting Meika into the passenger’s seat, frowning at the rivulets of blood flowing from the crossbow bolt. I knew that pulling it out would not be a good idea. She convulsed as I tightened her seat belt; even with the protection enchantment I knew she was fading away. With our weapons properly stowed I started the car and took off, the BMW’s V12 engine roaring a resonant snarl into the night as I adopted a reckless pace.
May 13, 2001
United Kitsune of RhyDin Clubhouse
1:37PM
I was awoken from a sleep I hadn’t realized I had slipped into; a gentle shaking on my shoulder bringing me to consciousness. I had fallen asleep at one of the restaurant booths; a mug of cold tea a couple of feet away a testament to how I had gotten there. I blinked the blurriness out of my eyes to reveal Hanako’s tired yet kind features. The elder kitsune smiled softly. “I did not wish to disturb your rest,” she stated, “yet I wanted to let you know that Meika is now resting.”
The events were a blur in my mind. Meika was hit with a poison bolt in the catacombs, which became a frantic race against time to get her to help. I had raced a quarter of the way across Rhy’Din, pushing my car to top speed while dodging the eclectic mix of traffic and tight roads leading up to the UKoR’s clubhouse. Hanako and Ichiro were there and instantly came to Meika’s aid. “How is she?” My voice came out groggy, almost slurred.
“She will be okay, thanks to your quick intervention,” Hanako grinned. “The poison was strong; meant to quickly dispatch a mortal and make their body more susceptible to rising as an undead servant, but you saved Meika from that fate.”
“Good,” I stated, relieved despite the flatness of my voice. “That protection charm you asked me to give her saved her life.”
“Don’t discount what you did to save her life as well, Marcus. Meika told me to thank you for what you did for her. She would like to see you after she awakens, which means you should get some more rest,” Hanako motioned to the stairs. “You don’t need to sleep in a restaurant booth, either. Come, Athene and Akio have prepared a guest room for you.”
With the mixture of grogginess and disorientation that can only come from an interrupted sleep I blearily followed Hanako up the stairs. I wondered if the rest of the Dark Knights had been successful in disrupting the source of the undead menace, but I was relieved that Meika would be okay.
MarcusFirestorm: ((That was pretty intense last night. I might not be around all that much in the next few weeks, it’s going to be very busy for me))
HanakoFourTail: ((no prob, Marcus-mun! the SL’s drawing to a close anyway, but it was quite a lot of fun!))
IchiroSevenTail: ((Alot of people have summer plans, especially those in school. We’re used to it. :P ))
KitsuneMeika: ((graduation is coming up for me, so i get it. i won’t be around too often, especially as family is going back and forth about moving plans. i’m also having some strange dreams so i need to get as much sleep as i can.))
HanakoFourTail: ((ugh, I get it. parents were waffling about moving for a few years, but Ichiro-mun and I got our own place so we don’t have to deal with that. your dreams could be because of stress, so be kind to yourself.))
KitsuneMeika: ((i'm trying, hanako-mun. i really am. how long have you two known each other?))
IchiroSevenTail: ((We met junior year in highschool, started dating after a couple months and stuck with it. About three years strong now!))
KitsuneMeika: ((i've got friends kinda like that. no luck for me, though. recent breakup and while i kinda like someone he isn’t really interested in me. i might move so i guess it’s for the better?))
HanakoFourTail: ((you never know, Meika-mun. Athene-mun and Akio-mun met through here, so long distance things can work. How about you, Marcus-mun? Are you sweet on anyone?))
MarcusFirestorm: ((Not really, no. I’m okay with that, though. RP interactions aside, I’m not really ready for anything like that right now. It’s a definite no on the OOC dating, too; I don’t think I can really deal with long distance.))
KitsuneMeika: ((that’s understandable. feelings aren’t easy to deal with sometimes, i'm the poster child for that.))
HanakoFourTail: ((just make sure you’re following your heart, Meika-mun. we’re about to get ready to see a movie, so we should get off of here. catch you next time you’re on?))
MarcusFirestorm: ((Absolutely. I’ll try to make some time through the busy spells, but it’ll be sporadic.))
MitsuneMeika: ((i still have parents to deal with and this is a shared puter, so i might not be on that much. strict dad and all that, so i'll have to study more than i can rp. later, hanako and ichiro-muns!))
KitsuneMeika has left the room
IchiroSevenTail has left the room
HanakoFourTail has left the room
[5/12/01 3:07PM]: Chat closed, terminating log