Chapter 13: Dark Walk
"Know thy self, though it may destroy you."-Elder God, Soul Reaver 1
"To put it simply," Elexis started. "There is apparently more to myself than I know."
"Meaning what?" Asked Tails.
"Meaning I'm going to be gone for awhile."
"Where to?"
"This….this Temple is not the real Temple. It is only a shrine to the sword. The actual Temple lies for beyond this place."
"Why can't we come?"
"You can, but it's dangerous. And I'm afraid I won't be always there to protect you."
"We're going anyway. I think we've spent enough time in here." Said Robotnik.
"I agree." Said Rouge.
"Suit yourselves." She said. "However, I would warn you that you've had experience in fighting, and that I will be going my way. You may just simply be there with me."
She headed out. Everyone else caught up with her.
"Where, exactly, are we going?" Asked Shadow.
No reply.
She just kept walking.
As they walked, Shadow and the others took notice of the blood stained streets. Corpses everywhere. They even walked through it. It was almost inevitable.
"Who did this?" Questioned Tails.
"I did." Was Elexis' simple answer. The group stopped in their tracks. She kept going. She would not stop. But the others were too shocked to move.
"Hey! Wait!" Shouted Knuckles.
"I told you, I'm not waiting for anyone. I won't stop for you."
They ran and caught up.
They approached the edge of the city. Apparently, not only had the city been effected, but the world. How extraordinary how that could happen. It didn't seem possible. Then again, in these times, nothing seemed impossible. Elexis kept walking.
"Do you even know where you're going?" Asked Rouge.
No answer. She had the face of a determined warrior. She knew. The fledglings grew hungry. They had nothing to feed on.
"I warned you." Said Elexis. "However, I sense that there are humans ahead. I will have you hunt for yourselves this time."
That was going to be first. They had never hunted before, much less for themselves. However, when Sonic was in power, they did bring down weak vampires. They wondered if a human would be any different. And when they did catch their prey, would Elexis stop for them?
More walking.
A lone human was seen just on the horizon. The fledglings ran for it, Elexis pulling them back.
"That is not the way to hunt. Have patience, and be rewarded."
They waited. The human had a gun. Not much of a threat, but a threat nonetheless. Robotnik grew impatient and jumped at him. The human tried to shoot, but Robotnik was already on his neck. He ripped and tore at his flesh. Blood flew everywhere.
"Fool!" Said Elexis. "All that blood going to waste! You must learn not to act like dogs."
Elexis consumed the soul of the human. The others drank. Sweet, precious blood. Elexis again began to walk.
The blood drinkers had a ways to catch up to Elexis after finishing, but they did it. What lay before them….they had never seen anything like it. Nor had they seen it before. Beneath the small cliff on which they stood, was a graveyard of vampires impaled on sticks. All dead and rotten. Thousands. It didn't seem to end. Elexis jumped off, landing like a cat on her feet. She kept walking. The others attempted. Surprisingly, they managed it well.
"My God……." Said Robotnik.
"Heh. This is just the beginning of the human oppression on vampires." Said Elexis, calmly.
Silence. Rain began to fall from the darkened sky.
Hours past. They still lurked through the graveyard. Rain still poured. Still walking.
Finally, the end on this travesty. By this time, though, night was falling.
"I'm tired." Cried Tails.
"You may rest, but I will keep going." Said Elexis.
"How will we find you again?"
"You won't. You must turn back while ahead of yourselves."
"What?" Said Robotnik.
"I know there is danger ahead. It is no place for you."
"Well….I suppose your right. Your obviously trying to do what's best for us."
"Precisely." She pointed in the direction in which to go back to the Temple.
"I'm staying." Said Robotnik.
"This is for the better." She said.
"I want to come too." Said Tails.
Elexis let out a sigh. "Very well. I already told you I will not stop for any of you." She again began walking. Robotnik picked up Tails and carried him as he slept. Still the rain poured. Finally, she came to a halt. She sat on the ground.
"Resting?" Asked Shadow.
"Yes. But I am close to the Temple. I need my strength if I am to enter."
The fledglings looked among each other.
"Oh." Said Knuckles. They sat down as well. Robotnik flopping Tails onto the ground.
"Elexis," Said Robotnik. "Please tell us why we are going here. What happened in that room?"
She took in a deep breath.
"It was Calypso."
"What? What is it?"
"Leave. Now. This is no place for you."
"Not until you tell me."
"NO. GO. There is danger coming." A trail of blood appeared behind them, which would guide their return.
"Very well." Said Tails.
They left, following the trail of blood Elexis had provided for them. Once a decent distance, Robotnik climbed a cliff and ran in Elexis' direction.
"What the hell are you doing?" Yelled Knuckles.
"You guys go. I'm going to find out just what's going on."
"Whatever, you idiot." Said Rouge. They continued their way. Robotnik running along the edge of the cliff that accompanied one side of their journey there. He finally saw Elexis in the distance. She was sleeping on the saturated ground. It was still raining. He decided to wait for her to wake, rather than take the risk of sleeping and find her gone when he woke. He noticed that the blood trail disappeared as the others went back. No going back for him. He thought he would be alright despite the recent turn of events.
"Why do you suppose Robotnik went back like that?" Asked Tails.
"Because he's an idiot." Answered Rouge. She knew it was smarter to go back than stay. She seemed to be the only one that realized that they weren't exactly ready for fighting yet. "He has no idea what he's getting into."
"You act like you know what's going on." Said Shadow.
"I don't, but neither does he."
"True."
She woke. She sat up slowly and stretched. She almost instantly got back to her feet and started to walk. And, of course, Robotnik did as well.
The day seemed uneventful since she woke until a large structure appeared over the horizon. It was dead. It was the most haunting sights Robotnik had seen. The structure had to be at least 50 feet high, and as gray as stone. Stone pillars held it up in front. A few windows with broken glass appeared in some of the walls. A large door of wood. Aside from its hideously grotesque appearance, there was not much else to the appearance of the Temple. A shudder ran threw Robotnik.
The same feeling of dread that had overwhelmed him before did so again.
Elexis opened the large door seemingly with no effort.
How would he get in? He decided he wouldn't go in. But he would get very close.
As she entered, he slid down the cliff and simply watched her conveniently threw the broken windows.
They approached the city. It was still desolate, but there was something very strange about it.
"Does anyone else feel that presence?" Said Knuckles.
"Yes." The all replied.
A flash.
Suddenly, a male figure stood before them. Vampiric. Large, black wings, blue skin, black lips. He wore a robe of black and dark green. His hair was short and black, similar to Elexis'. He seemed to be just as tall as Elexis. He had a straight face. There was something unpleasant about his sudden appearance.
"Who are you?! ANSWER ME!" Said Knuckles.
"Where is Elexis?"
"TELL ME WHO YOU ARE FIRST!" Knuckles demanded.
"None of your business. I am only here to meet with Elexis."
"What do you want with her?" Asked Rouge.
"Still none of your business."
Now what's this all about? You'll have to wait and find out!
"Know thy self, though it may destroy you."-Elder God, Soul Reaver 1
"To put it simply," Elexis started. "There is apparently more to myself than I know."
"Meaning what?" Asked Tails.
"Meaning I'm going to be gone for awhile."
"Where to?"
"This….this Temple is not the real Temple. It is only a shrine to the sword. The actual Temple lies for beyond this place."
"Why can't we come?"
"You can, but it's dangerous. And I'm afraid I won't be always there to protect you."
"We're going anyway. I think we've spent enough time in here." Said Robotnik.
"I agree." Said Rouge.
"Suit yourselves." She said. "However, I would warn you that you've had experience in fighting, and that I will be going my way. You may just simply be there with me."
She headed out. Everyone else caught up with her.
"Where, exactly, are we going?" Asked Shadow.
No reply.
She just kept walking.
As they walked, Shadow and the others took notice of the blood stained streets. Corpses everywhere. They even walked through it. It was almost inevitable.
"Who did this?" Questioned Tails.
"I did." Was Elexis' simple answer. The group stopped in their tracks. She kept going. She would not stop. But the others were too shocked to move.
"Hey! Wait!" Shouted Knuckles.
"I told you, I'm not waiting for anyone. I won't stop for you."
They ran and caught up.
They approached the edge of the city. Apparently, not only had the city been effected, but the world. How extraordinary how that could happen. It didn't seem possible. Then again, in these times, nothing seemed impossible. Elexis kept walking.
"Do you even know where you're going?" Asked Rouge.
No answer. She had the face of a determined warrior. She knew. The fledglings grew hungry. They had nothing to feed on.
"I warned you." Said Elexis. "However, I sense that there are humans ahead. I will have you hunt for yourselves this time."
That was going to be first. They had never hunted before, much less for themselves. However, when Sonic was in power, they did bring down weak vampires. They wondered if a human would be any different. And when they did catch their prey, would Elexis stop for them?
More walking.
A lone human was seen just on the horizon. The fledglings ran for it, Elexis pulling them back.
"That is not the way to hunt. Have patience, and be rewarded."
They waited. The human had a gun. Not much of a threat, but a threat nonetheless. Robotnik grew impatient and jumped at him. The human tried to shoot, but Robotnik was already on his neck. He ripped and tore at his flesh. Blood flew everywhere.
"Fool!" Said Elexis. "All that blood going to waste! You must learn not to act like dogs."
Elexis consumed the soul of the human. The others drank. Sweet, precious blood. Elexis again began to walk.
The blood drinkers had a ways to catch up to Elexis after finishing, but they did it. What lay before them….they had never seen anything like it. Nor had they seen it before. Beneath the small cliff on which they stood, was a graveyard of vampires impaled on sticks. All dead and rotten. Thousands. It didn't seem to end. Elexis jumped off, landing like a cat on her feet. She kept walking. The others attempted. Surprisingly, they managed it well.
"My God……." Said Robotnik.
"Heh. This is just the beginning of the human oppression on vampires." Said Elexis, calmly.
Silence. Rain began to fall from the darkened sky.
Hours past. They still lurked through the graveyard. Rain still poured. Still walking.
Finally, the end on this travesty. By this time, though, night was falling.
"I'm tired." Cried Tails.
"You may rest, but I will keep going." Said Elexis.
"How will we find you again?"
"You won't. You must turn back while ahead of yourselves."
"What?" Said Robotnik.
"I know there is danger ahead. It is no place for you."
"Well….I suppose your right. Your obviously trying to do what's best for us."
"Precisely." She pointed in the direction in which to go back to the Temple.
"I'm staying." Said Robotnik.
"This is for the better." She said.
"I want to come too." Said Tails.
Elexis let out a sigh. "Very well. I already told you I will not stop for any of you." She again began walking. Robotnik picked up Tails and carried him as he slept. Still the rain poured. Finally, she came to a halt. She sat on the ground.
"Resting?" Asked Shadow.
"Yes. But I am close to the Temple. I need my strength if I am to enter."
The fledglings looked among each other.
"Oh." Said Knuckles. They sat down as well. Robotnik flopping Tails onto the ground.
"Elexis," Said Robotnik. "Please tell us why we are going here. What happened in that room?"
She took in a deep breath.
"It was Calypso."
"What? What is it?"
"Leave. Now. This is no place for you."
"Not until you tell me."
"NO. GO. There is danger coming." A trail of blood appeared behind them, which would guide their return.
"Very well." Said Tails.
They left, following the trail of blood Elexis had provided for them. Once a decent distance, Robotnik climbed a cliff and ran in Elexis' direction.
"What the hell are you doing?" Yelled Knuckles.
"You guys go. I'm going to find out just what's going on."
"Whatever, you idiot." Said Rouge. They continued their way. Robotnik running along the edge of the cliff that accompanied one side of their journey there. He finally saw Elexis in the distance. She was sleeping on the saturated ground. It was still raining. He decided to wait for her to wake, rather than take the risk of sleeping and find her gone when he woke. He noticed that the blood trail disappeared as the others went back. No going back for him. He thought he would be alright despite the recent turn of events.
"Why do you suppose Robotnik went back like that?" Asked Tails.
"Because he's an idiot." Answered Rouge. She knew it was smarter to go back than stay. She seemed to be the only one that realized that they weren't exactly ready for fighting yet. "He has no idea what he's getting into."
"You act like you know what's going on." Said Shadow.
"I don't, but neither does he."
"True."
She woke. She sat up slowly and stretched. She almost instantly got back to her feet and started to walk. And, of course, Robotnik did as well.
The day seemed uneventful since she woke until a large structure appeared over the horizon. It was dead. It was the most haunting sights Robotnik had seen. The structure had to be at least 50 feet high, and as gray as stone. Stone pillars held it up in front. A few windows with broken glass appeared in some of the walls. A large door of wood. Aside from its hideously grotesque appearance, there was not much else to the appearance of the Temple. A shudder ran threw Robotnik.
The same feeling of dread that had overwhelmed him before did so again.
Elexis opened the large door seemingly with no effort.
How would he get in? He decided he wouldn't go in. But he would get very close.
As she entered, he slid down the cliff and simply watched her conveniently threw the broken windows.
They approached the city. It was still desolate, but there was something very strange about it.
"Does anyone else feel that presence?" Said Knuckles.
"Yes." The all replied.
A flash.
Suddenly, a male figure stood before them. Vampiric. Large, black wings, blue skin, black lips. He wore a robe of black and dark green. His hair was short and black, similar to Elexis'. He seemed to be just as tall as Elexis. He had a straight face. There was something unpleasant about his sudden appearance.
"Who are you?! ANSWER ME!" Said Knuckles.
"Where is Elexis?"
"TELL ME WHO YOU ARE FIRST!" Knuckles demanded.
"None of your business. I am only here to meet with Elexis."
"What do you want with her?" Asked Rouge.
"Still none of your business."
Now what's this all about? You'll have to wait and find out!
