Tobias' eyes fell from the snow. The hilt, now awakened in some manner. Lydon had called out to him. The system had needed to gather parts. From the remnants of the black snow, it forged into a gun and fell in front of Tobias feet. He wanted to create a gun out of the hilt if possible. With materials made from it, and the hollowement if possible. How it formed without Lydons machinery was confounding. He brushed the black snow off, revealing a dusted gold color. A dragon embedded on the side.
The floor opened up and pushed canisters out from below. An easy way for the machine to get all the parts it needed. Through a complex underground system, rare and all other kinds of materials flowed across the world. Handfuls of steel and iron had been lifted out and got smashed together. Sparks danced and flashed as they melded their way onto the plate. Blows the helmet sustained being repaired. That was comforting. Being extremely thorough with so much precision, they could kick back and relax.
Grant's helmet was being drawn to life. The axes and volcano had been done. With folded arms, fingers tapping he approached the home. Maxwell was so lost in thought he couldn't be bothered to notice all the work going on up top.
The interface of the home made an announcement.
“Grant Callaway, your work has been completed. If it is unsatisfactory, adjustments can be made.”
Grant quickly dashed and stood under his helmet. Where the claws were bringing it down.. Smoke drawn out, was etched to both sides. A layering volcano made shape as it formed around the top of the face. Burning axes ready to do some work. He smiled and knocked on it with his knuckles.
Tobias watched all this from afar. He was fixated on the hilt.
Aeon Dividers. A battle that has lasted for ages? Great. Have really sunken into a trench here. Thanks, dad and mom. Tobias thought.
“This is what I am talking about. AWESOME.” Grant said.
“Does look really nice. Gotta admit it.” Maxwell said with a slight smile. “You going any fancy ideas over there?”
“Not for me. Just some standard soldier armor and some guns.” Maxwell said.
“I just remembered something. Quite important mind you.” Lydon said.
“So who was that girl down at the hangar?” Lydon said. He folded his arms.
“Feyanna. Took her in as our own child. Melanie and I had just gotten together at the time.”
“Oh…OH YEAH. Ok I remember her now. Taller skinny lass with long bronze hair and hazel eyes. Yes, yes. She was awesome. Still owes me for the rumble down at the Sinking reefs.” Lydon recalled.
“You sure have the strangest memories, but yes, her.” Tobias said.
“I, sorry if this sounds insensitive but, didn’t you guys stop the hunt for her a long time ago?” Lydon said.
“It has been what, a decade now? She really owes interest on that trip.”
“Yes we did. Thought we lost her for good. Rayla, Maxwell and I Had to give up on the search.” Tobias said.
“Rayla? Who is that?” Lydon said.
“A special contact of mine. Have not reached out or heard from her in ages. We had been assigned together at the CGA.” Maxwell said.
“Now I am curious, what could you have been doing down at reefs?” Tobias said
“Oh, nothing don’t worry it was nothing like that. There was an eldritch fight of some deep trench animals. A giant eel, man that thing was LONG, against some kind of shark.”
“What a surprise.” Mumbled Maxwell.
“Pretty much had front row tickets! The lights were on, those two going at it. Was really fun. She was rooting for the eel though, and called sharks lame. There was definitely some tension brewing there.” Lydon said.
“It may help, letting it out if you want. What happened to her exactly?”
“We got separated on the way back. Something had got her, snatched or shot. She tried crawling towards us but…the mountain had given way and we just saw her falling. It almost looked like something was pulling her back.” Maxwell said.
“Alright, I won't press you. You do have to finish telling me at some point though, got it?” Lydon said.
Maxwell nodded quietly.
“Who won the fight though? Eel or shark?” Grant asked.
“Don’t want to talk about it, Grant.” Lydon pushed his glasses close to his face.
Lydon took the chain from his wrist and unwrapped it. He held it up while placing commands. With quick order, it was taken and transformed.
“Get Onyx over here some armor too!” Lydon yelled out and began pacing.
“Multiple fires have been noted. More structural damage. Hollowment has been compromised. Sealing until further notice.” The voice from within the house announced.
“You are gonna have to pay me back somehow for whatever you have conjured up.” Lydon said.
“Sorry.” Tobias said, wincing. He tagged the idle one and went to get a better view of it.
“This, this thing is an idle one yes!? Why did you bring one here?”
“Well we did talk about potentially breaking them down to use them for parts. If they manage not to wake up and kill us first.” Lydon said with a smile.
As he looked at the idle one, the hilt trembled in his hand. A voice came into his head. From the dragon.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
This one lay dormant. A smaller host and body for the dividers. Take caution. They can be more parasitic than anything. I feel no soul left in this one. At the moment, you are safe. The dragon said.
Tobias watched as Grant went up to Lydons machine again. He caught a glimpse of a pair of gloves on his holoframe. Like he needed anymore. Countless pairs had been left in his car and at the forge.
Going to be a pain to carry around with one hand, Tobias thought while flipping his gun. The ground began to shake. Tobias nearly fell and put his hand on the wall. He could feel the wall vibrating as everything shook.
“Well here comes the repair crew. I am going to go down and watch.” Lydon said.
“Will join you, haven’t seen this In a long time.” Tobias said. “
“Lucky that I am covered for most of this. If not for working with Ballistic and granting good benefits. I would be sunk. Would have to come to extort you for money.” Lydon said.
Sets of stairs unraveled down into the earth. The first layer being worked on already. A series of underground networks snaked out in many directions. From Lydon's house, to Ballastic, to Grayland, these tunnels went all over the planet. Materials could be transported via Hollowment. Extremely fast service could be provided down here. Transferable all over the world.
The smell of dust kicked up into their nostrils as they entered. It was dry and humid down here. Heat from electricity running down the pathways, made the cavern warmer.
It was nearly impossible to see down the pathways. Faint lights flickering in and out on the walls. The reason for that was, small black machines rushing from the tunnels. The repair crew had arrived. As they piled onto each other, strands of some kind of material shot out from them. They attached the top of the dented and leaning metal support pillars under the house. Together, forming through the cracks, the foundations began to lean up again. With loud buzzing and shrieking, the workers began to melt and ooze their way through the damage.
“I don’t know how you can put up with these things running amok down here.” Tobias said.
”You just put up and get used to them really. Back at Ballistic there are tons.” Lydon said.
“That makes me shiver just a little.” Tobias said. He rolled down his shirt sleeves as far as they could go.
“Really? Never thought you to be the type with the jitters with a beetle of all things. Are you not use to them out in the wild?” Lydon said.
“Yes. Just gets me thinking of thousands of spiders crawling up through the bottom of your home. Imagine waking up in a cocoon. It could be a new type of weapon from Ballastic. Melt you as you try to get out.” Tobias said.
“You have spent way too much time thinking about ways to die.” Lydon said. He took off his glasses. Letting the dim light of the Hollowment light his sight.
With the repair crew diminishing in numbers, the faint yellow lights revealed the rocky ground. Sets of rails lie to either side, with another on top of the ceiling. Bats began to crawl out of crevices. They roamed on the ground, confused. The repair crew ruining their afternoon nap.
“I could stay down here all day and probably walk through the tunnels for hours. How about we go back up now?” Tobias said.
“Yeah, let's get going. Leave the bats and other critters to get rest. ” Lydon said.
Back upstairs had been quiet. The machines had retracted and Toaster was in the corner messing with a ball of wires. Grant had sat down in a corner with his helmet on. Most likely was fast asleep. Maxwell was staring off into space until the two had come back up.
“So did you and the girl find anything useful at the Annuals?” Maxwell asked.
“Found a book that could help us out. Things on the starlight impact and Archveil. There are also more creatures than just the one.” Tobias said.
Lydon nearly took a knee.
“You have got to be kidding me! He stomped on the ground.
Tobias held out the book to Lydon. Who instead just waved him off. He did not want to see it. Teeth gnashed together as he looked at the book.
“Damn it all.” Lydon said.
“Do either of you know anything about those markings or Duneweave?” Tobias said. “Let me see… I did work with one person from there a few years after the four of us went to Grayland. That is about it though.” Maxwell said.
“Will just have to get the details from here. If she feels like opening up.” Tobias said.
“Before we go any farther. Could you guys tell me what you were doing in Grayland after our successful defense?” Lydon asked, squinting at them.
“If you insist, sure why not.” Tobias said.
“Not even a week after we repealed those insane zealots, Hadral, our CGA chief, wanted us to go to Grayland. The mission for us was to gather information at, The Cracked Sky Chapel. We had two weeks to get in and out. All we had to do was act like we had an interest in flesh conversion.”
“Are you serious? Right into the Inferno.” Lydon said.
“How come he asked you guys? I never heard anything about this, from anyone.”
In the corner of the room Grant took off his helmet and rubbed the top of his head. Guess he wasn’t fully asleep after all.
“Me either. Why the secrecy, you two? We all fought together in the square. I feel slighted now.” He said, stretching against the wall.
“Well we had lost Feyanna at the time. Did not want to bring it up. Fixing Insmourn after their little stunt,”Tobias said. He gripped the hilt.
“Now that we have some weapons and knowledge, let us think of a way we are going to destroy this beast.”
“Indeed. Follow me.” Lydon said. He led them to a room, filled with blueprints from Ballistic. The room smelled of hot cocoa and coffee. Lydon had to have something keep his mind awake. He spread out a huge white sheet of paper over the table.
“First thing is first. Dead or alive Maxwell?” Tobias asked.
“With what that thing did to the city, and what it could do to us. I’m sure Grengraw would want it killed.” Maxwell said.
“That is what we should do anyhow. We very well may die. But we have to try.” Tobias said. He looked to the hilt, as if looking for approval. The chief of the Thara said, a time would come when to use it. Along with this dragon and the information it gave him. He knew what to do. It was time strike. The blade at the moment was the only answer.
Solace sat in the middle of his home staring out into the night sky.
How am I going to put on an act for this? I have to think of something to help them out. All of them will be doing their best. Solace thought. His back churned, as his shoulder blades moved at odd angles. His entire core being squeezed.
Through the holoframe he wrote to Lydon:
Hey, I would like to help you all out. Will take any kind of firearm you can spare. See you guys tomorrow.
Getting up, he did not want to sleep in his bed. The light from the moon faded away as he set his windows for black out mode. A pale reflection stood next to him. That same, bloody mannequin like body. It grabbed his face and struggled to break out from its grip. His head was pounding. Skin bubbled and bones de calcified as he lost strength. Knees dug into the floor, and Solace admitted defeat. Tears in his eyes. He did not want to struggle and fight whatever this thing was anymore. It also got to its knees. Its long white body covered in blood embracing him. A sinister smile across its face. Its hands were more fish-like, lungs turned into gills. The back protruding layers of spikes and fins.
That's it, my child. Let the fear wash over you. Soon, all that will be taken away and you won't have to worry. You are truly the perfect vessel for us.” It said, in a soothing voice.
Solace felt like his brain was going to burst out of his skin. He summoned the last of his strength and bolted out of the home. He ran to his car and jumped in.
It took off, flying down the road. He fought the pain as the swelling in his head began to squirm. He bit down on his clothes. Cotton greeted his mouth, as his fingers had splayed open. Into the web like hands that tried to take over earlier. Muscles shifted and transformed. Coughing and choking, gills took place on his neck. Heaving, he felt his lungs changing.
I should have just transformed myself as soon as I got back. Been thinking about it for some time now. To explore the stars, as a traveler would have been great. I’m sorry Tobias. Grant. Maxwell. Lydon, Mathias, Onyx. It’s over for me. Solace thought. His body had thrown itself out of the car. For how long he struggled, was unknown. He lay on his side at the docks. Foam coming out of his mouth. He reached for the snapper, a house of horrors, but mostly good times.
Curse you. Solace's last words. Before his eyes closed.
The coin that fell on the return trip, shimmered in the darkness.
Moonlight created a shadow as Solace's body jolted up and transformed. Gills, web hands and spikes. Long fangs arched out of his mouth. Black liquid fell from his mouth. The body was pale, and bloody. With a sickening smile, the body of solace raced into the tunnels near the docks.