The void was shattered by a scream. Dwight hung, a hook through his shoulder, and watched the cloaked stalker move away, looking for a new victim. A familiar creaking groan alerted the man to the now familiar "spider legs" of the entity forming around him. He took one last pained look about the trial, before the long black leather legs plunged into his torso. His vision slowly faded to black and he vaguely felt himself being lifted into the air.
by the campfire
Dwight woke up. This was the way of the "Entity". The vile abomination fed on fear and pain, meaning that when someone died, it bought them back to repeat the torture process all over again. Dwight sat up, dusting the dirt and crusted blood from his shirt. His vision, at first blurry, now returning to normal. As his vision was fully restored, someone's arm came into view, offered to Dwight. Dwight gratefully took it and was hauled to his feet. 'Not fast enough kid?'
The voice that spoke was deep and gravely, yet held a soft kindness at the same time. The speaker was an elderly man, tall and lean with a long, full faced, grey beard. He wore a yellow woollen t-shirt underneath a leather coat. He had long brown, worn army jeans and an empty holster by his side. Dwight took a look around, taking in the short, dry grass, log seating and small crackling fire surrounded by small round, river stones. Sitting on the seats were three other people, two young women and a short haired survivalist. 'How did you fair against in your trail, Bill?' Dwight asked, eager to know. He knew Bill was an expert in the trials.
Bill shook his head, his face suddenly serious. 'Only me and Jake got out of our trail this time. We were up against the Wraith. I think that bastard has figured out how I roll,' He added almost as an afterthought.
'Bill,' Dwight began uncertainly. Bill nodded for him to continue. 'Do you think we will ever get out of this hell. I just really want to see my family again.'
Bill's face instantly softened. 'Don't worry Kid. I'm sure we'll find a way out. just trust in good ol' Bill.' As he finished speaking, they both felt a slight tingling sensation as a black token appeared in their hand. 'Well kid, looks like we are going into this next one together.'
Bill, Dwight, a girl with long black hair and the survivalist all walked to the rusty iron gate that stood twenty metres from the campfire. 'Is everybody ready,' Bill began. 'Then lets roll out. Remember to watch each others backs and finish those generators ASAP.' The group nodded and followed Bill as he stepped through the gate, into the oncoming trial.
Dwight an Jake, the survivalist, appeared next to a massive wooden lodge. Dwight shivered as snow flakes managed to get down the back of his shirt and melt. Jake on the other hand, was fine. He always wore a massive fur jacket. The two boys slowly moved away from the building to where a series of low log walls sat in the corner of the arena. 'Mount Ormand Resort,' Jake began in a whisper. 'That means the killer we are facing is "the Legion".'
Dwight glanced at the teenager. 'Doesn't matter who is after us. What matters is that we kick their ass and escape.' Jake grinned at those words. He felt reassured by Dwight's confidence. 'There is a generator just up ahead, keep watch over me while I fix it,' Jake nodded at the order and dropped back. Dwight gently eased open the wiring hatch on the machine and began to fiddle with the messed wires. Slowly, but surely, the generator began to start up. The valves on top began to move up and down, slowly at first but speeding up as time went on.
Dwight felt a light tap on his shoulder and turned to see Jake, white faced. 'The Legion is coming,' The boy said. Dwight nodded his head in acknowledgement.
'Get out of here. I've almost finished this generator,' Dwight replied. Seeing the protest in Jake's eyes, Dwight decided to comfort him. 'Listen Jake. I've been here a much longer time than you and I can escape the killer much easier than you. If you stay now, one of us will get caught.' Jake nodded and moved of into the bushes in a crouch. Dwight turned back to the generator and continued the repairs, his heart pounding in his chest. Every sigh of wind made his breathing stop. Just a few more seconds- the generator side panel snapped shut with a loud clang. 'Time to get going,' Dwight muttered and turned around, walking straight into someone else.
William "Bill" Overbeck felt something was off. He just heard the second generator completed, and yet none had even seen the killer yet. His fears and suspicions were all confirmed when the young man Jake came rushing through the door, stopping and panting in exhaustion. Bill moved over to Jake.
'What's going on kid?'
Jake looked into Bill's eyes. 'Dwight was staying back to finish off a generator,' he paused to take another huge gasp of air. 'He told me to leave. I know I shouldn't have, but I came back just to check on him. I saw "the Legion" standing over him, the ground cracking beneath them both. Something is happening to the trail! I think its breaking apart!' Jake's eyes were huge, showing the fear that they would all die-once and for all.
Bill took the young man by the shoulder, looking into his eyes. 'Snap out of it kid! No matter what happens, hold your head high and continue on. This is the of a soldier.' He paused. 'The thing we need to focus on right now is saving Dwight.' Bill saw Jake nod, confidence returning. He abruptly stood, wincing slight as his right knee almost folded in on itself.
In front of the sat the hatch, one of the exits from the trial. Nearby, a large hole had formed in the ground. The odd feature of the hatch was that it was glowing bright blue, something Bill had never seen in his hundreds of trials. Standing next to the hatch was Claudette, her black hair tussled and unruly. She motion towards the hatch. 'Dwight got out already. Lets go,' She called. She jumped into the dark hole. Bill turned back to Jake, who sat shivering. He was about to say, 'listen, there is nothing we can do for Dwight anymore.' when the ground beneath them collapsed inwards. Plunging them both, screaming, into the dark abyss of the void.
Dwight woke up with a start, his breath coming is short ragged gasp. Calming his breathing, he slowly raised himself up onto his elbow, wincing as pain lanced through his side. He took in his surroundings. He appeared to be in what looked like a abandoned city. The building around him either in ruin, or falling to ruin. The wind was a ghostly howling force that penetrated into the silence.
Dwight slowly, and shakily, raised himself to his feet, wincing as the two ends of his cracked rib grated together. His keen nose took in the scent of fear and death from his surrounding. I'm glad the trials at least made my nose stronger, he thought. This environment, while similar, was nothing like a trial. First of all, not a single generator was visible. Second of all, the fog that had haunted him for years wasn't present. Glancing upwards, he saw a blue sky, dotted with clouds that drifted like angels and a sun that glinted like the heavens themselves.
He knew one thing, and one thing only. He was free. Free of the eternal nightmare and free of the constant torture. Despite the agonising pain he still felt, a small smile crocked across his dry lips.
His internal celebrating was cut short when something growled from behind him.
What he saw when he turned around was not the scariest thing he witnessed, although injured as he was, it posed a great threat. Standing only twenty metres away, in the shadow of a crumbling house, was what looked to be a large, bipedal wolf. It stood, slouched over, its massive claws flicking back and forth in anticipation of sinking into human flesh. It was massive, covered in shaggy black fur and protrusions of bone that covered its flesh like armour. Its massive jaws slathered saliva everywhere and its small black eye were fixed on its prey. Without further warning, it lunged. Quickly covering the small distance and lashing its jaw with savage intent. Dwight braced himself. It seemed a pity, he thought to himself. I had only just escaped the nightmare and now I die for real. Dwight closed his eyes, preparing for the pain that would end everything. But it never came.
Hearing the creature whimpering in pain, he open his eyes and was shocked to find the scene that had unfolded out in front of him. The monster was on the ground, its bone armour cracked and large open wounds covering it legs bled profusely. It tried to rise, but was stopped when a hooded figure plunged a knife into its throat. Dwight watched in fascination as the body of the thing slowly began to dissipate into nothing.
He looked to his saviour and his heart froze in his chest. The figure was masculine, wearing long beige cargo pants and adorned by a large grey, hooded jacket. His hands were protected by small, black woollen gloves. The most important feature of the figure was the face. Or to be more accurate - lack face face. In place, over his face, sat a once white mask. Drawn on the mask, was a crude cartoon smile with large circular eyes with cat-like pupils cut into them. what looked like a blood smear, was situated near the corner of the drawn on smile.
Dwight thought to himself, maybe I had a better chance with the wolf. There, was no about it. The man who had just saved his life was Frank.
Otherwise known as, The Legion!