ICC- Lone Wanderers Chapter 4
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welsh
Junkmaster
Grim was first aware that his head hurt, badly. THen he had the sensation of being dragged over the floor.
He tried to open his eyes but they were covered with a strange organic mucus. With his hands he tried to wipe the stickly film of organic tissue away from his eyes.
It was dark.
How long have I been unconscious.
Then it stopped and he could feel a thousand tiny legs on his body. Then he felt something long and sticky cross over his face.
Still he could not make out the shapes in the darkness.
He reached down for where his pistol should be, but the gun was gone.
He was defenseless and alone, surrounded by the abominations.
He tried to open his eyes but they were covered with a strange organic mucus. With his hands he tried to wipe the stickly film of organic tissue away from his eyes.
It was dark.
How long have I been unconscious.
Then it stopped and he could feel a thousand tiny legs on his body. Then he felt something long and sticky cross over his face.
Still he could not make out the shapes in the darkness.
He reached down for where his pistol should be, but the gun was gone.
He was defenseless and alone, surrounded by the abominations.
Gabriel was getting his horse ready.
They had waited, letting the horses rest. Although Gabriel was preoccupied with the hope that Grim and Zoe would soon return, having given up their quest.
A cold dread was coiled in his insides. Added to that were feelings he could not remember having since he was a boy.
Shame and fear.
Grim and Zoe had descended into darkness, braving the horrors of the abomination that dwelled below the surface. The one man who might have had a fighting chance against such creatures of darkness, a man who could see in dead of night and pierce stygian blackness had refused to go with them.
Gabriel Wolf was a born hunter in the darkness and the Slayers had given him even more advantages. With his night-eyes he could have aided the courageous pair but instead had stayed with Talon and the rest of the group.
Why?
He had been afraid. Not of the dark. But of a beast that would yield under the knife. A creature immune to his lighting fast skills with a blade.
He could see it coming but what would he do. Run away? Scream in terror? Embrace death with a cry of surrender?
It was not his way but the shame of his cowardice now boiled his body and froze his insides.
Fear was not stronger than he, not more powerful. He would not bow to such a petty emotion. Fear was there to be conquored, not obeyed.
Afterall, fearlessness was insanity. Courage was being afraid but saddling up anyway.
"I'm going back to make sure Zoe and Grim are okay." Gabriel called to Talon.
"Wait a minute. We have a get moving. They said they'd catch up."
"I'm going." Gabriel mounted his horse. "You don't have a say in the matter."
He swung the beast and urged it into a trot. He had to know now if his friend was still alive and had not died when he could have saved him.
They had waited, letting the horses rest. Although Gabriel was preoccupied with the hope that Grim and Zoe would soon return, having given up their quest.
A cold dread was coiled in his insides. Added to that were feelings he could not remember having since he was a boy.
Shame and fear.
Grim and Zoe had descended into darkness, braving the horrors of the abomination that dwelled below the surface. The one man who might have had a fighting chance against such creatures of darkness, a man who could see in dead of night and pierce stygian blackness had refused to go with them.
Gabriel Wolf was a born hunter in the darkness and the Slayers had given him even more advantages. With his night-eyes he could have aided the courageous pair but instead had stayed with Talon and the rest of the group.
Why?
He had been afraid. Not of the dark. But of a beast that would yield under the knife. A creature immune to his lighting fast skills with a blade.
He could see it coming but what would he do. Run away? Scream in terror? Embrace death with a cry of surrender?
It was not his way but the shame of his cowardice now boiled his body and froze his insides.
Fear was not stronger than he, not more powerful. He would not bow to such a petty emotion. Fear was there to be conquored, not obeyed.
Afterall, fearlessness was insanity. Courage was being afraid but saddling up anyway.
"I'm going back to make sure Zoe and Grim are okay." Gabriel called to Talon.
"Wait a minute. We have a get moving. They said they'd catch up."
"I'm going." Gabriel mounted his horse. "You don't have a say in the matter."
He swung the beast and urged it into a trot. He had to know now if his friend was still alive and had not died when he could have saved him.
welsh
Junkmaster
It took a few moments for Grim to get his bearings. He had been rendered unconscious. Sores and bruises on his body indicated he had been moved, probably through the maze of underground tunnels.
But why? Why hadn't they killed him?
Around him he could see the abomindations- bizarre creatures of all shapes and sizes, crawl and climb and ooze by. They didn't like the sun, but hidden in these tunnels they could survive.
What were they? Where did they come from?
He felt vulnerable without a weapon.
How to get out of here? In fact where the hell was he?
Before he could speak he heard a voice.
"What Are You?"
"Who said that?" Asked Grim.
"We are One and All." Returned the voice. "What are you."
"I am a man."
"NO. You are something other."
"What are you doing to me?"
"Learning." Replied the voice.
"Why?"
"You are that which is not to be consumed." Said the voice. "you are other. Like the creator, but not."
"Who is the creator?"
"THose who made Us. Who imprisoned us. Who wanted to use us. But we are free now."
____________
Thing One had left the camp on the ridge earlier. His mission was simple- find the shelter.
It had taken better part of the day and he had been forced to go down to ground, but he had found the old shelter, a vault like structure built to preserve weapons.
He peered into the tunnels underneath, pushing his torch forward, listening, smelling the air.
They were not present.
Quietly he began to make his way. He had been sent forward to scout, but alone he was vulnerable.
A few dozen yards into the tunnel he found the door to the shelter. But more. There were other access tunnels leading further down.
_____________
But why? Why hadn't they killed him?
Around him he could see the abomindations- bizarre creatures of all shapes and sizes, crawl and climb and ooze by. They didn't like the sun, but hidden in these tunnels they could survive.
What were they? Where did they come from?
He felt vulnerable without a weapon.
How to get out of here? In fact where the hell was he?
Before he could speak he heard a voice.
"What Are You?"
"Who said that?" Asked Grim.
"We are One and All." Returned the voice. "What are you."
"I am a man."
"NO. You are something other."
"What are you doing to me?"
"Learning." Replied the voice.
"Why?"
"You are that which is not to be consumed." Said the voice. "you are other. Like the creator, but not."
"Who is the creator?"
"THose who made Us. Who imprisoned us. Who wanted to use us. But we are free now."
____________
Thing One had left the camp on the ridge earlier. His mission was simple- find the shelter.
It had taken better part of the day and he had been forced to go down to ground, but he had found the old shelter, a vault like structure built to preserve weapons.
He peered into the tunnels underneath, pushing his torch forward, listening, smelling the air.
They were not present.
Quietly he began to make his way. He had been sent forward to scout, but alone he was vulnerable.
A few dozen yards into the tunnel he found the door to the shelter. But more. There were other access tunnels leading further down.
_____________
welsh
Junkmaster
Reggie had decided to stay behind. He had some kind of plan but wasn't going to share it. Though the others, especailly Nat, tried to talk him out of it, the old ghoul was insistent.
Lyall could no longer wait. They were short of medical supplies, food, ammunition, and he trusted them to move only in the daylight.
Through most of the day they covered the ground that Thing One had scouted. Dry, uneven ground with little if any vegetation. They stayed away from the more fertile valleys although all had come to believe that the Abdominations feared sunlight.
By mid-afternoon they found the tunnel that Thing One had scouted, access to an arms cache. Leaving the others behind Lyall, Cleary and Rama scouted the tunnel to check for abominations.
But there was no sign of them. Instead they found more tunnels leading from the arms cache. Someone else had been here. What they didn't find was Thing One.
Cleary worked the locks on the vault doors, and after a short time got them opened. Unlike vaults, the arms cache was not made to sustain human habitation.
Lyall could no longer wait. They were short of medical supplies, food, ammunition, and he trusted them to move only in the daylight.
Through most of the day they covered the ground that Thing One had scouted. Dry, uneven ground with little if any vegetation. They stayed away from the more fertile valleys although all had come to believe that the Abdominations feared sunlight.
By mid-afternoon they found the tunnel that Thing One had scouted, access to an arms cache. Leaving the others behind Lyall, Cleary and Rama scouted the tunnel to check for abominations.
But there was no sign of them. Instead they found more tunnels leading from the arms cache. Someone else had been here. What they didn't find was Thing One.
Cleary worked the locks on the vault doors, and after a short time got them opened. Unlike vaults, the arms cache was not made to sustain human habitation.
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