Authors Note: Hi again! SilverDeathscythe here with a new fic that has NO
yaoi in it? Wow. Anyway, some of this is actually based on a true story!
There's an old hotel in my town and it's not being used anymore. One of my
relatives does security there at night so I get to go exploring in it
sometimes. The place is HUGE and it's really easy to get lost in all the
halls and the rooms but after a while you'll eventually end up back where
you started! There isn't much left in it but it looks amazing and the stuff
that is left is really old fashioned! And trust me, wandering around in
there by myself in the middle of the night is quite scary! So this is where
I got the idea to write this, and playing too much Eternal Darkness on my
GameCube just added to the need to write something a bit spooky!
//. . .// = thoughts. (Just so you don't get confused!)
Warnings: Blood, violence, swearing and other stuff. That's why I rated it R.
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, Eternal Darkness or anything else in this fic!
**Touching The Darkness**
By: SilverDeathscythe
Tyson carefully walked up the rotting steps of an old hotel and peered curiously at the antique door that greeted him. "Are you sure?" he asked as he turned around to face his fellow travelers. Tyson watched as Rei tilted his head up to inspect four dark towers that rested on the upper part of the building, one on each corner. They were covered in ivy trails and fungus and loomed dangerously over the six people standing below.
"I don't think we have much of a choice. . ." said Kai, always in a cold, sharp voice. Mr. Dickinson nodded and stepped forward to knock on the brittle door. "The lad is right, we need a place to stay and this is the only hotel for miles!"
Max shrugged and pulled his coat tighter around his small body. It was just past midnight and the air was crisp and windy in the autumn season, making everyone shiver.
Tyson moved over to allow Mr. Dickinson more room in front of the door as they waited patiently for it to be answered. It wasn't long until the heavy wooden door creaked open and they were greeted by a thin, sick looking man dressed in expensive old-style clothing. White locks of curly hair hung around his head in a tidy fashion and swayed when he spoke. "Can I help you?"
"Yes, yes. . . we need a room for the night, can that be arranged?" spoke the head of the Bladebreakers team. Mr. Dickinson was a polite old gentleman and never seemed to be upset, even in these kinds of situations.
". . .Follow me." came the drawled reply of the servant as he lead them into the enormous building. It was like walking into a museum! There were numerous paintings of fine art spread across almost every wall, even though some were a bit morbid. There were also many bookshelves and small tables decorated with pieces of pottery and delicate china. The group of beybladers were in awe as they walked across the plush carpet that lead to the front desk.
An older man in a green velvet suit stood up and in a cracked voice he said, "Welcome gentlemen, how many rooms would you like?" His eyes were dark, yet glinted with a strange look as he met the weary travelers.
"Three, please." Mr. Dickinson looked at the boys with a tight smile on his face. "Sorry, but we're on a budget and we weren't planning on making a stop here. It looks like you'll have to share rooms again."
There was a collective groan from all of them, especially Kai, at the mention of this. Soon everything was ready and they headed to the elevator. As they stepped inside, Tyson pushed the button to the fifth floor, where their rooms were, and waited. Everyone listened in anxiety as the elevator started to ascend, making strange scraping noises like it hadn't been used in years. "I'll bet we're the first visitors here in a long time!" Max said quietly.
Tyson sighed in relief when the doors opened, signaling that they had made it to their destination safely and everyone headed to their rooms. Kai was with Rei, the only person he could get along with, Tyson shared a room with Max and the Chief stayed with Mr. Dickinson to help figure out plans for the next tournament. So they were divided into pairs but that wouldn't last long. . . they would need to be together in order to survive the night. . .
* * * * * * * * * *
Rei threw his bag on the floor of his and Kai's room before collapsing in a tired heap on the bed. "I can't believe we have to stay here. . . this place freaks me out!" he groaned. Kai walked around the luxurious room, admiring the fine wooden furniture and Persian rug under his feet.
"Well we could've stayed in some cockroach-infested motel on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere! Would you rather that?" stated Kai with thick sarcasm in his voice.
Rei laughed. "Yea I suppose you're right. Maybe I'll go take a shower. . ." He stood up and glanced around the large bedroom, searching for the door. "Where IS the bathroom?" he asked sheepishly. Kai sighed and pointed to pair of double doors that waited on the other side of the room, partly open.
". . .right!" said Rei with a grin. He wandered into the equally large bathroom and admired the beautiful marble floor and ivory sink. //Man, with all this awesome stuff you'd think we were staying in a palace or something!// thought Rei, totally in awe.
He stepped into the shower and relaxed under the hot spray of water that flowed over his tired body. Rei closed his eyes and smiled wistfully. When he was younger he had always wanted to live like a prince and now, it seemed, was his chance! //Although, it is kind of strange how there seems to be no one else here besides us. If this is such a grand hotel it should be flooded with visitors!//
Suddenly the water began to run colder and Rei's eyes snapped open. His heart stopped when he saw what met his gaze. Spiders, earwigs and other disgusting creatures crawled all over the walls and began to pool around his feet.
"Agh!! Gross. . .!!" A shiver ran down Rei's spine as turned off the water. He jumped out of the shower and shook himself off, in an attempt to get rid of the creepy tingling that ran through his entire body. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist before dashing out of the bathroom without looking back. He didn't need to see that wretched sight again. . .
"KAI!! We need to get out of here, this place is infested! Kai. . .?" Rei asked. His friend was apparently studying a painting that hung above a brass mirror and was ignoring his urgent cries.
"Hey, Kai! Give it up, this hotel is crawling with bugs, I'm not staying here tonight. . . are you listening to me??" Rei was beginning to get angry. He walked over but stopped when he saw something on the mirror. A stream of crimson liquid trailed down the clear glass. //Blood. . .?//
"Kai what's wrong with you?" He walked over and turned the other boy around to face him, dropping to his knees in horror. It wasn't Kai, it couldn't be! A strangled scream escaped the frightened boys lips as Rei stared at the gruesome sight before his eyes. Kai had painful slashes all over his arms, face and stomach, the torn flesh hung loosely from the deep cuts. But the worst thing was his eyes, or rather, lack of eyes. They had been gauged out and now left hollow, bloody crevices where they should have been.
He couldn't stop himself from screaming louder as all this registered in his mind. Rei closed his eyes and held his head in his hands. His whole body shook with fear as tears of panic streamed down his face. This was the worst thing he'd ever seen in his entire life and he really couldn't handle it. . .
*********
Max jumped up when a loud scream echoed through the hotel. "What was that?!" he asked. Him and Tyson were staying in the room next to the one that the scream had come from. He began to get worried when the screams started up again.
Tyson looked in the direction of the noise. "It sounded like Rei!" He scrambled to his feet and dashed toward the door with Max right behind him. In the hall they met up with Kenny and Mr. Dickinson who had also come running to the sound of Rei's terrified voice.
"What's going on here?" another voice from behind the group said. Everyone turned to see Kai standing there with a confused look on his face.
"I don't know, we just heard Rei screaming! Where were you? Aren't you supposed to be his room mate?" Tyson asked.
Kai just shrugged. "I went to get some ice while he took a shower. . ." he moved over to knock on the door but received no answer. Rei continued screaming from inside, oblivious to his friends that were trying to get his attention.
Kai reached over and tried the door, finding it unlocked. "Stay here. . .I'm going in. It IS my room after all." He handed the bucket of ice to Tyson before he carefully walked in and looked for Rei, finding him on the floor with only a towel around him.
"Rei! What's wrong?" he asked, rushing over to his fallen friend. He touched Rei's arm lightly and watched as Rei looked up with confusion in his frightened eyes, but at least he stopped screaming. Kai helped him up and Rei finally began to come back to his senses.
"Kai?? . . . you're alive! Oh my God, you're alive!" Rei cried, flinging his arms around Kai's neck and hanging on for dear life. Kai hugged his friend back but he was still a bit confused.
"Of course I'm alive. . .why? What happened?" he asked.
Rei calmed down a bit and spoke with a trembling voice. "I'm going fucking crazy, that's what happened! It was so real. . . I saw you, and you. . . you were. . ." he couldn't finish as a new wave of tears and shivers assaulted his body.
"It's ok, Rei, now get dressed. I'll go tell the others that you're fine. They were worried about you too, after hearing all the screams and everything. . ." Kai said. He walked out of their room, closing the door behind him.
Rei was still a bit nervous but shook his head. //It was all an illusion, it wasn't real. . . I just have to keep telling myself that!// he thought. //Well, if that wasn't real then maybe the bugs weren't real either!//
He decided to check it out after he got dressed and found that his assumption was correct. The bathroom was clean, not a creature in sight. //Ugh. what's wrong with me? I know I saw it, I felt it. . .//
**********
Kai stood with the others outside the room. Tyson shook his head and sighed, "So, you're saying he thought you were dead or something?"
"Apparently. I guess he only imagined it, because I'm pretty sure I'm still alive. . . " he said with a bit of his usual sarcasm.
"Maybe the poor boy was just tired. It's been a long day for all of us and with the American Beyblade tournament coming up, he must be under a lot of stress." said Mr. Dickinson.
Kenny nodded in agreement, "I read in Health Line Magazine that anxiety can sometimes be the cause of hallucinations." Just then, the door opened and Rei stepped out. His eyes were still a bit red but he tried to smile for his friends.
"Hey Rei, feeling better?" Max asked. The blond haired boy was always concerned for his friends well being. Rei shrugged but said nothing.
Tyson perked up. "Why don't we get something to eat? I'd love a midnight snack!" he said cheerily. He was mainly trying to get Rei's mind away from what had just happened but he was also a bit hungry.
"Tyson! That's all you ever think about. . . but whatever, I wouldn't mind a bite to eat myself." said Kai. He looked over at Rei and raised an eyebrow. The other boy still looked out of it so Kai waved a hand in front of his face. "Hey! Rei? Wake up, man!"
Rei's eyes snapped back into focus and he shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm really not in the mood to eat right now. . ." he said. //Even it was only an illusion, how do I know it won't happen again? Am I going insane. . .?// he thought. After seeing those visions, that's all he could think about. As the group went their separate ways once again, Kai couldn't help but worry about Rei's safety, as well as everyone else's.
**********
"Ah, for a hotel this old, it sure has good food!" exclaimed Tyson, leaning back in his chair. The restaurant in the hotel was, of course, empty except for the two Bladebreakers that occupied the far corner of the room. Kai nodded in agreement before pushing away his plate. Max had volunteered to stay with Rei for awhile and Kenny wanted to explore the enormous building. Mr. Dickinson went back to his room to get some sleep.
"Hey! Guys, come here! I found something totally amazing!" Kenny ran in, waving his arms in the air. Kai and Tyson jumped up and ran over to the excited genius. "What is it?" asked Kai.
"Yeah Chief, tell us!" Tyson was getting excited just thinking of what it could be, he didn't even give Kenny a chance to reply.
"I've discovered an old library in the hotel! You have to come see it right away!" Kenny pointed in the direction he had just come from.
Tyson looked disappointed. "A library. . .? What's so big about a library?" Kai folded his arms across his chest, waiting for an explanation.
"Well, it's not just a library. . .there's something there you need to see." Kenny started to walk away and the other boys followed silently. They went through a very nicely decorated hallway and into another large room. It looked like an office with many, many bookshelves. Then, Kenny led them over to a book on one of the shelves and flipped it open. There was a note attached to the back of the front cover, it read:
'To reach my chamber, the key is 555. Don't let this information fall into the wrong hands, Dorlan. I'm trusting you to bring what I require.' It was signed 'S. L.'
"Who's Dorlan?" Kai asked.
Kenny shook his head, "I have no idea but I also figured this out. . ." He walked over to an elegant grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "See, if you look closely, you'll see that the clock has stopped ticking! So, if I set it to 5:55. . ." he trailed off as he did it, moving the hands to their right places until a low rumble could be heard in another part of the room. The two astonished boys turned to see that a new pathway had opened up where the shelf had been. It was now moved to one side and in it's previous position, a dark musty stairwell made it's presence known.
"How. . .did you do that?" muttered Tyson. He was amazed at this discover but even more impressed with the Chief for figuring it out. "I couldn't have made that connection if I tried!"
Kai peered over Tyson's shoulder at the empty space that led below and shuddered. "I have to say, that was incredible! The chances of that actually working were low but. . .he did it." This was a rare compliment from Kai and Kenny accepted it greedily.
"So. . .are we going to go down there?" the proud genius asked.
"I don't know, shouldn't we tell Max and Rei about it first?" Tyson said.
This was a great discovery indeed and the others had a right to know. But there was one other thing that was bugging Kai, "Where's the hotel manager and the servants anyway? I haven't seen them since we first checked in. . ." he said.
Tyson just shrugged, "Maybe they went to bed. Although it is kind of strange. . . then again, what time is it?" Kenny looked at his watch, "It's 1:30 in the morning now!" he said.
"Right. . . then I'd say they decided to lock the doors and go to sleep!" Tyson stated. He decided that this was a reasonable enough answer and headed back to get the other members of the team.
**********
"Are you sure you don't want something to drink?" Max asked. He was really concerned for his friend. Rei hadn't said much after Kai and Tyson left but Max was doing the best he could to help Rei get over it. //Man, it must have been bad if he's still shook up about some stupid illusion. . .// the blond thought.
The other boy, as always, refused the offer. It would probably make him sick anyway. Max walked over and quietly sat next to Rei on the bed. "Do you want to tell me about it? What you saw, I mean. . ."
Rei sighed but decided it would be better to get it off his chest. "Alright. Well, first it happened in the shower. . . I saw dozens of disgusting bugs crawling down the walls all around me, even under my feet so I got out, naturally. Then, when I reached our room. . ." he shuddered, remembering the sight of his friend, butchered and sliced with blood oozing from his skin and eye sockets. "I saw Kai, he had cuts all over his body and his eyes were missing, just empty holes in his head were left. . . it was horrible. And then, then I found out it was just and illusion, my imagination, but it couldn't have been! It felt so real! I even touched his cold skin when I turned him around to face me! I can still feel those creepy bugs crawling all over my feet, Max, don't you get it? It was real!"
Max listened to the story and he suddenly felt sick. His face had gone pale and his shaking hands were gripping the bed tightly. "I see. . . no wonder you were so freaked out! God, Rei, what the heck do you think happened?" Rei shook his head, "I don't know. . . I think I'm going nuts, that's all!"
Max was about to reply but a loud knock was heard at the door, making both boys jump up from the bed in a fright. They looked at each other and blinked, trying to calm their racing hearts. Rei began to walk slowly over to the door with Max right behind him and grimaced as another series of loud bangs cut through the silence. He opened the door a bit and looked out. There were Kai, Tyson and the Chief, talking quietly among themselves.
Rei sighed in relief and smiled. "Hey guys, what's going on? Finished eating. . .?"
The other three looked up to face Rei, their eyes held a serious look of anxiety. Kai spoke first, "Rei, we've found something, you and Max have to come check it out. Now." It wasn't a question, more of an order. It left Rei bewildered and nervous, //What if it's something gruesome? Can I handle another mental break down tonight?// he thought. But then he shook his head. //What am I thinking, I know I'm braver than this. . . it can't be as bad as the vision I had earlier!//
Max poked his head out from behind the door with an almost child-like curiosity, "What is it, Tyson?" he asked. Max was always up for an adventure so he was ready for anything, that is, unless it involved dead people. . . that wasn't good.
"Just come here. . .it's a long story!" replied Tyson as they all started walking in the direction of the newly discovered path. Rei just hoped he could hold onto his sanity long enough to actually get there!
**********
Five pairs of eyes stared down into the dark abyss that awaited them. A chilled, dusty smell greeted them. "So how do you expect to see down there? Does anyone have a flashlight?" asked Tyson. The others shook their heads. This wasn't something they had planned on so how could they have known to bring an object like that?
"I have an idea! What about a torch of some kind?" Rei looked around the room and found three partly used candles in brass holders. "It's a bit medieval but it'll have to do. Kai, can I borrow your lighter?" he asked.
"Sure." Kai nodded and dug into his pocket to find the small cigarette lighter. He tossed it to Rei, who caught it and proceeded to spark the candles with it.
Tyson stared at Kai with a questioning gaze, "Why do you have a lighter? Do you smoke?" he asked. Kai shrugged. "Occasionally." He replied, simple and to the point.
"How come you never told any of us?" Tyson continued to badger the leader of the Bladebreakers with questions and Kai was beginning to get annoyed, "Because it's none of your business! Rei knew, obviously, and he didn't care so just knock it off!" Tyson knew that Kai could become dangerously violent when he got angry so he made a wise decision and kept his mouth shut.
"Got it!" Rei announced, handing a candle to Tyson and Kenny and keeping one for himself. Even though there wasn't enough for everybody, the small flames that flickered from the wicks were enough to light the way. The old stairs creaked under the weight of the five teens as they made their way down into the rooms below.
"Maybe there's a switch or something around here, if the rest of the hotel has electric lighting, then it should be down here too!" Kenny remarked when they reached the bottom of the stairs. The dim light of the candles was enough to show the floor under their feet and a bit of the surrounding, but definitely not enough to make out any detail in the room they had entered. Kai felt around the walls, scowling when he ran his hand through a spider web, until he found a small switch. He flicked it and a few bulbs sparked into existence, giving them a near perfect view. The three who held candles blew them out, saving the candles for later incase they were needed.
Tyson glanced around the room and whistled. "Woah. . .fancy!" he noted the old English desk that sat in the middle of the Study. The portraits on the walls were done in exquisite watercolor, giving them a life-like appearance and lined in brass and silver frames. The hard wood floor was dusty and littered with papers and books and other strange artifacts. There was a door at the opposite side of the room but the handle was missing.
"According to the size of the upper levels, this floor and any other floors that might be under it should be just as enormous if not bigger!" exclaimed the Chief in awe. It was strange that a hotel this size would have even more rooms unknown to the public.
"Hey! Do you still have that note, Kenny? Maybe this was the 'chamber' that was mentioned in it!" said Max with excitement. As soon as he heard the story, he was determined to uncover the mysteries of this place. It was like something out of a story book or a good mystery movie!
Kenny reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out the faded piece of paper. After looking over it once again, he shook his head. "I doubt it. There seems to be more to this hotel then we know and considering that there's a door right over there, this can't possibly be it. It's too simple. . ."
While Max and Kenny were talking, Rei decided to explore the room a bit, running his hands over the desk to clear away some of the dust. He looked down at an old book and saw that some of the pages were sticking out in all directions and had a yellow tint to them. The cover was made of soft leather with a double bind across the front in silver, and small gems were placed neatly near the side to trail down the edge of the book. There was a strange emblem on the front as well as broken lettering that might have spelled out the word 'IRKIEA'.
"Guys, I think you should take a look at this! I found some kind of strange book. . ." Rei said. He lifted the book up to the dim light and was surprised to find it quite heavy.
The others stared at it in wonder. It looked so expensive, like everything else they had seen so far. Kai moved closer and reached out to touch it, as if he didn't believe it really existed. "We should open it. It might tell us something important. . ." he said quietly. His voice cut through the silence that had descended upon them, echoing in the musty atmosphere. Rei nodded and placed the text back onto the surface of the desk.
Kai came to stand beside him and put his fingers gingerly on the cover to undo the binds. Suddenly an eerie feeling washed over him, like voices telling him that something was wrong here! Kai paused before shaking his head to clear his troubled thoughts and continued to pull apart the dusty leather covers. Time seemed to stop as energy surrounded him. The air crackled as Kai was infused with a power beyond his wildest imagination. It surged up through his fingers and straight to his brain with an almost painful tingling sensation. It was so immense, Kai screamed and clutched his pounding head.
"Oh man, what's going on? Kai! Are you alright? Christ, what the fuck is happening now?!?" A distraught Tyson asked. His heart was pounding as he felt exactly what his team mate was feeling, the slight electrical sparks that shot through his body made him numb.
Max and Rei staggered as their vision began to blur. They could hear the muffled cries of their friends, desperate for somebody to help. Max was starting to lose control. The room was spinning around in his head and the last thing he remembered before total darkness consumed them all, was a mysterious white face. It's features were twisted with an evil smirk and harsh lines, making it unrecognizable. He reached out, unknowing, wanting nothing more than to wake up from this dangerous and horrible nightmare.
**********
Black. Utter and total darkness was the only thing Kai felt and saw. His entire body ached with a pain that he couldn't quite pinpoint the source. He tried to move but found cold metal against his wrists and ankles, restraining him to the spot. "Where the hell am I?" he groaned. This was definitely a bit out of the ordinary!
"Ah, but that's exactly it! You're in hell. . .are you not?" a deep, malicious voice interrupted the few incoherent thoughts he had. It seemed to come from all directions and aimed directly at the leader of the Bladebreakers. Fear lurched through Kai's veins, making him tremble slightly.
"Who. . .who's there? What do you want with me, dammit?!" he screamed with an unsteady voice. Kai was always strong and courageous but never. . . never in his life, had he imagined this would happen.
A low cackle was the only reply he received until the lights flashed on, blinding him instantly. Kai slowly opened his eyes, adjusting them to the illumination and gasped. He was hanging on a stone wall with chains keeping him suspended above the ground. The shackles cut into his skin slightly but Kai ignored the pain, focusing on the source of the light only.
Flames danced with excitement in the center of what looked like an alter. There were smaller candles surrounding the main one and strange markings were carved into the walls and floor. But the fiend who was responsible for all of this madness was nowhere in sight. //Oh man. . .I'm gonna die!// thought Kai. As he stared into a bowl of water in the center of the alter. It disturbed him greatly to see no reflection staring back at him. //Or maybe I'm already dead. . .!!//
= = = To Be Continued. . . = = =
Authors Notes: MUAHAHA! So? What did you think? This is my second fic here on FF.N! Yay! Anyway, I have a lot of big ideas for this story and this is only the beginning! But I start school tomorrow (going to Grade 10!) so I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to write more. . .soon I hope! I actually really enjoyed writing this one! So bye for now! ^_^
//. . .// = thoughts. (Just so you don't get confused!)
Warnings: Blood, violence, swearing and other stuff. That's why I rated it R.
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, Eternal Darkness or anything else in this fic!
**Touching The Darkness**
By: SilverDeathscythe
Tyson carefully walked up the rotting steps of an old hotel and peered curiously at the antique door that greeted him. "Are you sure?" he asked as he turned around to face his fellow travelers. Tyson watched as Rei tilted his head up to inspect four dark towers that rested on the upper part of the building, one on each corner. They were covered in ivy trails and fungus and loomed dangerously over the six people standing below.
"I don't think we have much of a choice. . ." said Kai, always in a cold, sharp voice. Mr. Dickinson nodded and stepped forward to knock on the brittle door. "The lad is right, we need a place to stay and this is the only hotel for miles!"
Max shrugged and pulled his coat tighter around his small body. It was just past midnight and the air was crisp and windy in the autumn season, making everyone shiver.
Tyson moved over to allow Mr. Dickinson more room in front of the door as they waited patiently for it to be answered. It wasn't long until the heavy wooden door creaked open and they were greeted by a thin, sick looking man dressed in expensive old-style clothing. White locks of curly hair hung around his head in a tidy fashion and swayed when he spoke. "Can I help you?"
"Yes, yes. . . we need a room for the night, can that be arranged?" spoke the head of the Bladebreakers team. Mr. Dickinson was a polite old gentleman and never seemed to be upset, even in these kinds of situations.
". . .Follow me." came the drawled reply of the servant as he lead them into the enormous building. It was like walking into a museum! There were numerous paintings of fine art spread across almost every wall, even though some were a bit morbid. There were also many bookshelves and small tables decorated with pieces of pottery and delicate china. The group of beybladers were in awe as they walked across the plush carpet that lead to the front desk.
An older man in a green velvet suit stood up and in a cracked voice he said, "Welcome gentlemen, how many rooms would you like?" His eyes were dark, yet glinted with a strange look as he met the weary travelers.
"Three, please." Mr. Dickinson looked at the boys with a tight smile on his face. "Sorry, but we're on a budget and we weren't planning on making a stop here. It looks like you'll have to share rooms again."
There was a collective groan from all of them, especially Kai, at the mention of this. Soon everything was ready and they headed to the elevator. As they stepped inside, Tyson pushed the button to the fifth floor, where their rooms were, and waited. Everyone listened in anxiety as the elevator started to ascend, making strange scraping noises like it hadn't been used in years. "I'll bet we're the first visitors here in a long time!" Max said quietly.
Tyson sighed in relief when the doors opened, signaling that they had made it to their destination safely and everyone headed to their rooms. Kai was with Rei, the only person he could get along with, Tyson shared a room with Max and the Chief stayed with Mr. Dickinson to help figure out plans for the next tournament. So they were divided into pairs but that wouldn't last long. . . they would need to be together in order to survive the night. . .
* * * * * * * * * *
Rei threw his bag on the floor of his and Kai's room before collapsing in a tired heap on the bed. "I can't believe we have to stay here. . . this place freaks me out!" he groaned. Kai walked around the luxurious room, admiring the fine wooden furniture and Persian rug under his feet.
"Well we could've stayed in some cockroach-infested motel on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere! Would you rather that?" stated Kai with thick sarcasm in his voice.
Rei laughed. "Yea I suppose you're right. Maybe I'll go take a shower. . ." He stood up and glanced around the large bedroom, searching for the door. "Where IS the bathroom?" he asked sheepishly. Kai sighed and pointed to pair of double doors that waited on the other side of the room, partly open.
". . .right!" said Rei with a grin. He wandered into the equally large bathroom and admired the beautiful marble floor and ivory sink. //Man, with all this awesome stuff you'd think we were staying in a palace or something!// thought Rei, totally in awe.
He stepped into the shower and relaxed under the hot spray of water that flowed over his tired body. Rei closed his eyes and smiled wistfully. When he was younger he had always wanted to live like a prince and now, it seemed, was his chance! //Although, it is kind of strange how there seems to be no one else here besides us. If this is such a grand hotel it should be flooded with visitors!//
Suddenly the water began to run colder and Rei's eyes snapped open. His heart stopped when he saw what met his gaze. Spiders, earwigs and other disgusting creatures crawled all over the walls and began to pool around his feet.
"Agh!! Gross. . .!!" A shiver ran down Rei's spine as turned off the water. He jumped out of the shower and shook himself off, in an attempt to get rid of the creepy tingling that ran through his entire body. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist before dashing out of the bathroom without looking back. He didn't need to see that wretched sight again. . .
"KAI!! We need to get out of here, this place is infested! Kai. . .?" Rei asked. His friend was apparently studying a painting that hung above a brass mirror and was ignoring his urgent cries.
"Hey, Kai! Give it up, this hotel is crawling with bugs, I'm not staying here tonight. . . are you listening to me??" Rei was beginning to get angry. He walked over but stopped when he saw something on the mirror. A stream of crimson liquid trailed down the clear glass. //Blood. . .?//
"Kai what's wrong with you?" He walked over and turned the other boy around to face him, dropping to his knees in horror. It wasn't Kai, it couldn't be! A strangled scream escaped the frightened boys lips as Rei stared at the gruesome sight before his eyes. Kai had painful slashes all over his arms, face and stomach, the torn flesh hung loosely from the deep cuts. But the worst thing was his eyes, or rather, lack of eyes. They had been gauged out and now left hollow, bloody crevices where they should have been.
He couldn't stop himself from screaming louder as all this registered in his mind. Rei closed his eyes and held his head in his hands. His whole body shook with fear as tears of panic streamed down his face. This was the worst thing he'd ever seen in his entire life and he really couldn't handle it. . .
*********
Max jumped up when a loud scream echoed through the hotel. "What was that?!" he asked. Him and Tyson were staying in the room next to the one that the scream had come from. He began to get worried when the screams started up again.
Tyson looked in the direction of the noise. "It sounded like Rei!" He scrambled to his feet and dashed toward the door with Max right behind him. In the hall they met up with Kenny and Mr. Dickinson who had also come running to the sound of Rei's terrified voice.
"What's going on here?" another voice from behind the group said. Everyone turned to see Kai standing there with a confused look on his face.
"I don't know, we just heard Rei screaming! Where were you? Aren't you supposed to be his room mate?" Tyson asked.
Kai just shrugged. "I went to get some ice while he took a shower. . ." he moved over to knock on the door but received no answer. Rei continued screaming from inside, oblivious to his friends that were trying to get his attention.
Kai reached over and tried the door, finding it unlocked. "Stay here. . .I'm going in. It IS my room after all." He handed the bucket of ice to Tyson before he carefully walked in and looked for Rei, finding him on the floor with only a towel around him.
"Rei! What's wrong?" he asked, rushing over to his fallen friend. He touched Rei's arm lightly and watched as Rei looked up with confusion in his frightened eyes, but at least he stopped screaming. Kai helped him up and Rei finally began to come back to his senses.
"Kai?? . . . you're alive! Oh my God, you're alive!" Rei cried, flinging his arms around Kai's neck and hanging on for dear life. Kai hugged his friend back but he was still a bit confused.
"Of course I'm alive. . .why? What happened?" he asked.
Rei calmed down a bit and spoke with a trembling voice. "I'm going fucking crazy, that's what happened! It was so real. . . I saw you, and you. . . you were. . ." he couldn't finish as a new wave of tears and shivers assaulted his body.
"It's ok, Rei, now get dressed. I'll go tell the others that you're fine. They were worried about you too, after hearing all the screams and everything. . ." Kai said. He walked out of their room, closing the door behind him.
Rei was still a bit nervous but shook his head. //It was all an illusion, it wasn't real. . . I just have to keep telling myself that!// he thought. //Well, if that wasn't real then maybe the bugs weren't real either!//
He decided to check it out after he got dressed and found that his assumption was correct. The bathroom was clean, not a creature in sight. //Ugh. what's wrong with me? I know I saw it, I felt it. . .//
**********
Kai stood with the others outside the room. Tyson shook his head and sighed, "So, you're saying he thought you were dead or something?"
"Apparently. I guess he only imagined it, because I'm pretty sure I'm still alive. . . " he said with a bit of his usual sarcasm.
"Maybe the poor boy was just tired. It's been a long day for all of us and with the American Beyblade tournament coming up, he must be under a lot of stress." said Mr. Dickinson.
Kenny nodded in agreement, "I read in Health Line Magazine that anxiety can sometimes be the cause of hallucinations." Just then, the door opened and Rei stepped out. His eyes were still a bit red but he tried to smile for his friends.
"Hey Rei, feeling better?" Max asked. The blond haired boy was always concerned for his friends well being. Rei shrugged but said nothing.
Tyson perked up. "Why don't we get something to eat? I'd love a midnight snack!" he said cheerily. He was mainly trying to get Rei's mind away from what had just happened but he was also a bit hungry.
"Tyson! That's all you ever think about. . . but whatever, I wouldn't mind a bite to eat myself." said Kai. He looked over at Rei and raised an eyebrow. The other boy still looked out of it so Kai waved a hand in front of his face. "Hey! Rei? Wake up, man!"
Rei's eyes snapped back into focus and he shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm really not in the mood to eat right now. . ." he said. //Even it was only an illusion, how do I know it won't happen again? Am I going insane. . .?// he thought. After seeing those visions, that's all he could think about. As the group went their separate ways once again, Kai couldn't help but worry about Rei's safety, as well as everyone else's.
**********
"Ah, for a hotel this old, it sure has good food!" exclaimed Tyson, leaning back in his chair. The restaurant in the hotel was, of course, empty except for the two Bladebreakers that occupied the far corner of the room. Kai nodded in agreement before pushing away his plate. Max had volunteered to stay with Rei for awhile and Kenny wanted to explore the enormous building. Mr. Dickinson went back to his room to get some sleep.
"Hey! Guys, come here! I found something totally amazing!" Kenny ran in, waving his arms in the air. Kai and Tyson jumped up and ran over to the excited genius. "What is it?" asked Kai.
"Yeah Chief, tell us!" Tyson was getting excited just thinking of what it could be, he didn't even give Kenny a chance to reply.
"I've discovered an old library in the hotel! You have to come see it right away!" Kenny pointed in the direction he had just come from.
Tyson looked disappointed. "A library. . .? What's so big about a library?" Kai folded his arms across his chest, waiting for an explanation.
"Well, it's not just a library. . .there's something there you need to see." Kenny started to walk away and the other boys followed silently. They went through a very nicely decorated hallway and into another large room. It looked like an office with many, many bookshelves. Then, Kenny led them over to a book on one of the shelves and flipped it open. There was a note attached to the back of the front cover, it read:
'To reach my chamber, the key is 555. Don't let this information fall into the wrong hands, Dorlan. I'm trusting you to bring what I require.' It was signed 'S. L.'
"Who's Dorlan?" Kai asked.
Kenny shook his head, "I have no idea but I also figured this out. . ." He walked over to an elegant grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "See, if you look closely, you'll see that the clock has stopped ticking! So, if I set it to 5:55. . ." he trailed off as he did it, moving the hands to their right places until a low rumble could be heard in another part of the room. The two astonished boys turned to see that a new pathway had opened up where the shelf had been. It was now moved to one side and in it's previous position, a dark musty stairwell made it's presence known.
"How. . .did you do that?" muttered Tyson. He was amazed at this discover but even more impressed with the Chief for figuring it out. "I couldn't have made that connection if I tried!"
Kai peered over Tyson's shoulder at the empty space that led below and shuddered. "I have to say, that was incredible! The chances of that actually working were low but. . .he did it." This was a rare compliment from Kai and Kenny accepted it greedily.
"So. . .are we going to go down there?" the proud genius asked.
"I don't know, shouldn't we tell Max and Rei about it first?" Tyson said.
This was a great discovery indeed and the others had a right to know. But there was one other thing that was bugging Kai, "Where's the hotel manager and the servants anyway? I haven't seen them since we first checked in. . ." he said.
Tyson just shrugged, "Maybe they went to bed. Although it is kind of strange. . . then again, what time is it?" Kenny looked at his watch, "It's 1:30 in the morning now!" he said.
"Right. . . then I'd say they decided to lock the doors and go to sleep!" Tyson stated. He decided that this was a reasonable enough answer and headed back to get the other members of the team.
**********
"Are you sure you don't want something to drink?" Max asked. He was really concerned for his friend. Rei hadn't said much after Kai and Tyson left but Max was doing the best he could to help Rei get over it. //Man, it must have been bad if he's still shook up about some stupid illusion. . .// the blond thought.
The other boy, as always, refused the offer. It would probably make him sick anyway. Max walked over and quietly sat next to Rei on the bed. "Do you want to tell me about it? What you saw, I mean. . ."
Rei sighed but decided it would be better to get it off his chest. "Alright. Well, first it happened in the shower. . . I saw dozens of disgusting bugs crawling down the walls all around me, even under my feet so I got out, naturally. Then, when I reached our room. . ." he shuddered, remembering the sight of his friend, butchered and sliced with blood oozing from his skin and eye sockets. "I saw Kai, he had cuts all over his body and his eyes were missing, just empty holes in his head were left. . . it was horrible. And then, then I found out it was just and illusion, my imagination, but it couldn't have been! It felt so real! I even touched his cold skin when I turned him around to face me! I can still feel those creepy bugs crawling all over my feet, Max, don't you get it? It was real!"
Max listened to the story and he suddenly felt sick. His face had gone pale and his shaking hands were gripping the bed tightly. "I see. . . no wonder you were so freaked out! God, Rei, what the heck do you think happened?" Rei shook his head, "I don't know. . . I think I'm going nuts, that's all!"
Max was about to reply but a loud knock was heard at the door, making both boys jump up from the bed in a fright. They looked at each other and blinked, trying to calm their racing hearts. Rei began to walk slowly over to the door with Max right behind him and grimaced as another series of loud bangs cut through the silence. He opened the door a bit and looked out. There were Kai, Tyson and the Chief, talking quietly among themselves.
Rei sighed in relief and smiled. "Hey guys, what's going on? Finished eating. . .?"
The other three looked up to face Rei, their eyes held a serious look of anxiety. Kai spoke first, "Rei, we've found something, you and Max have to come check it out. Now." It wasn't a question, more of an order. It left Rei bewildered and nervous, //What if it's something gruesome? Can I handle another mental break down tonight?// he thought. But then he shook his head. //What am I thinking, I know I'm braver than this. . . it can't be as bad as the vision I had earlier!//
Max poked his head out from behind the door with an almost child-like curiosity, "What is it, Tyson?" he asked. Max was always up for an adventure so he was ready for anything, that is, unless it involved dead people. . . that wasn't good.
"Just come here. . .it's a long story!" replied Tyson as they all started walking in the direction of the newly discovered path. Rei just hoped he could hold onto his sanity long enough to actually get there!
**********
Five pairs of eyes stared down into the dark abyss that awaited them. A chilled, dusty smell greeted them. "So how do you expect to see down there? Does anyone have a flashlight?" asked Tyson. The others shook their heads. This wasn't something they had planned on so how could they have known to bring an object like that?
"I have an idea! What about a torch of some kind?" Rei looked around the room and found three partly used candles in brass holders. "It's a bit medieval but it'll have to do. Kai, can I borrow your lighter?" he asked.
"Sure." Kai nodded and dug into his pocket to find the small cigarette lighter. He tossed it to Rei, who caught it and proceeded to spark the candles with it.
Tyson stared at Kai with a questioning gaze, "Why do you have a lighter? Do you smoke?" he asked. Kai shrugged. "Occasionally." He replied, simple and to the point.
"How come you never told any of us?" Tyson continued to badger the leader of the Bladebreakers with questions and Kai was beginning to get annoyed, "Because it's none of your business! Rei knew, obviously, and he didn't care so just knock it off!" Tyson knew that Kai could become dangerously violent when he got angry so he made a wise decision and kept his mouth shut.
"Got it!" Rei announced, handing a candle to Tyson and Kenny and keeping one for himself. Even though there wasn't enough for everybody, the small flames that flickered from the wicks were enough to light the way. The old stairs creaked under the weight of the five teens as they made their way down into the rooms below.
"Maybe there's a switch or something around here, if the rest of the hotel has electric lighting, then it should be down here too!" Kenny remarked when they reached the bottom of the stairs. The dim light of the candles was enough to show the floor under their feet and a bit of the surrounding, but definitely not enough to make out any detail in the room they had entered. Kai felt around the walls, scowling when he ran his hand through a spider web, until he found a small switch. He flicked it and a few bulbs sparked into existence, giving them a near perfect view. The three who held candles blew them out, saving the candles for later incase they were needed.
Tyson glanced around the room and whistled. "Woah. . .fancy!" he noted the old English desk that sat in the middle of the Study. The portraits on the walls were done in exquisite watercolor, giving them a life-like appearance and lined in brass and silver frames. The hard wood floor was dusty and littered with papers and books and other strange artifacts. There was a door at the opposite side of the room but the handle was missing.
"According to the size of the upper levels, this floor and any other floors that might be under it should be just as enormous if not bigger!" exclaimed the Chief in awe. It was strange that a hotel this size would have even more rooms unknown to the public.
"Hey! Do you still have that note, Kenny? Maybe this was the 'chamber' that was mentioned in it!" said Max with excitement. As soon as he heard the story, he was determined to uncover the mysteries of this place. It was like something out of a story book or a good mystery movie!
Kenny reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out the faded piece of paper. After looking over it once again, he shook his head. "I doubt it. There seems to be more to this hotel then we know and considering that there's a door right over there, this can't possibly be it. It's too simple. . ."
While Max and Kenny were talking, Rei decided to explore the room a bit, running his hands over the desk to clear away some of the dust. He looked down at an old book and saw that some of the pages were sticking out in all directions and had a yellow tint to them. The cover was made of soft leather with a double bind across the front in silver, and small gems were placed neatly near the side to trail down the edge of the book. There was a strange emblem on the front as well as broken lettering that might have spelled out the word 'IRKIEA'.
"Guys, I think you should take a look at this! I found some kind of strange book. . ." Rei said. He lifted the book up to the dim light and was surprised to find it quite heavy.
The others stared at it in wonder. It looked so expensive, like everything else they had seen so far. Kai moved closer and reached out to touch it, as if he didn't believe it really existed. "We should open it. It might tell us something important. . ." he said quietly. His voice cut through the silence that had descended upon them, echoing in the musty atmosphere. Rei nodded and placed the text back onto the surface of the desk.
Kai came to stand beside him and put his fingers gingerly on the cover to undo the binds. Suddenly an eerie feeling washed over him, like voices telling him that something was wrong here! Kai paused before shaking his head to clear his troubled thoughts and continued to pull apart the dusty leather covers. Time seemed to stop as energy surrounded him. The air crackled as Kai was infused with a power beyond his wildest imagination. It surged up through his fingers and straight to his brain with an almost painful tingling sensation. It was so immense, Kai screamed and clutched his pounding head.
"Oh man, what's going on? Kai! Are you alright? Christ, what the fuck is happening now?!?" A distraught Tyson asked. His heart was pounding as he felt exactly what his team mate was feeling, the slight electrical sparks that shot through his body made him numb.
Max and Rei staggered as their vision began to blur. They could hear the muffled cries of their friends, desperate for somebody to help. Max was starting to lose control. The room was spinning around in his head and the last thing he remembered before total darkness consumed them all, was a mysterious white face. It's features were twisted with an evil smirk and harsh lines, making it unrecognizable. He reached out, unknowing, wanting nothing more than to wake up from this dangerous and horrible nightmare.
**********
Black. Utter and total darkness was the only thing Kai felt and saw. His entire body ached with a pain that he couldn't quite pinpoint the source. He tried to move but found cold metal against his wrists and ankles, restraining him to the spot. "Where the hell am I?" he groaned. This was definitely a bit out of the ordinary!
"Ah, but that's exactly it! You're in hell. . .are you not?" a deep, malicious voice interrupted the few incoherent thoughts he had. It seemed to come from all directions and aimed directly at the leader of the Bladebreakers. Fear lurched through Kai's veins, making him tremble slightly.
"Who. . .who's there? What do you want with me, dammit?!" he screamed with an unsteady voice. Kai was always strong and courageous but never. . . never in his life, had he imagined this would happen.
A low cackle was the only reply he received until the lights flashed on, blinding him instantly. Kai slowly opened his eyes, adjusting them to the illumination and gasped. He was hanging on a stone wall with chains keeping him suspended above the ground. The shackles cut into his skin slightly but Kai ignored the pain, focusing on the source of the light only.
Flames danced with excitement in the center of what looked like an alter. There were smaller candles surrounding the main one and strange markings were carved into the walls and floor. But the fiend who was responsible for all of this madness was nowhere in sight. //Oh man. . .I'm gonna die!// thought Kai. As he stared into a bowl of water in the center of the alter. It disturbed him greatly to see no reflection staring back at him. //Or maybe I'm already dead. . .!!//
= = = To Be Continued. . . = = =
Authors Notes: MUAHAHA! So? What did you think? This is my second fic here on FF.N! Yay! Anyway, I have a lot of big ideas for this story and this is only the beginning! But I start school tomorrow (going to Grade 10!) so I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to write more. . .soon I hope! I actually really enjoyed writing this one! So bye for now! ^_^