Chapter 2: The Battle Begins

Michael slowly eased the door open, scanning the dimly lit foyer for anything that seemed out of place. The front door stood open sending shafts of noon sunlight flooding in. Suddenly the house lost it's safe, cozy feeling, and began to feel something like it must have for Max and Edward in the chapters he read about them. He felt that familiar feeling of heavily shrouded evil, just on the edge of perception. The three of them made their way tentatively into the room. We're all armed, if you have an issue you need to discuss, Why don't you come discuss with Mr. Winchester here Alex barked. Michael cracked a slight smile, she was definitely a Roivas, like all the others, she was as tough as nails.

They all scanned dark corners where shadows had begun to pool. Suddenly, Michael froze. He pointed his Glock at a particularly dark pocket behind a small clock between the two massive staircases. Something moved slowly out of the shadows. I'm giving you till the count of three to make yourself known, or your gong to be in a world of hurt Alex warned, obviously not bluffing. All three of them could feel that familiar feeling of evil. Somehow, they knew the game wasn't over yet. Dr. Edwin slid the hammer back on his pistol and prepared to fire. .... The outline of a smallish shirtless, decrepit looking man became noticeable. Alex put the stock on her shoulder and took careful aim. Three!, Good day to you sir Alex began to pull trigger. Dr. Edwin lunged at her and slapped the gun up in the air, the gun burped out a massive shot, ripping a solid hole in a patch of wall to the right of the house. he screamed.

Seemingly unphased, Alex cocked the shotgun and prepared to fire again. For the love of god, look! Dr. Edwin barked. The little man's face suddenly became visible. He sat with head hung low, and his eyes closed. Even after all these years of aging, they could all still recognize his face. It was the man that single handily defeated the black guardian. Dear Lord, Peter is that you?! Dr Edwin said while not lowering his weapon. Peter said nothing, he just stood there with his head hanging low. Alex was horrified at what she had almost done. Oh my god, Peter i'm so sorry, I almost.. almost she sounded extremely shaken up. She began to move forward to make sure he was all right.

As she did, Michael reached out and grabbed the back of her shirt holding her back. Don't be so hasty, take a look at that he said softly. They watched as a small object fell out of Peter's nose and on to the floor wriggling in place, it was a large, juicy maggot. Another fell out of his ear. she said, and slowly stepped back, taking her place beside michael. Something is very wrong here Peter still stood deathly still. Do you still have the Tome? Michael asked alex. Looking slightly puzzled, Alex replied, Yah, it's in Max's hidden room. Michael nodded, Go get it, right now, run. Alex was about to question him more when she saw the seriousness in his eyes. She turned and sprinted out of the room, not looking back.

Michael looked over at Dr. Edwin. You feel it don't you? Most definitely, that slight chill on the back of my neck, the feeling in the pit of my stomach, it's almost like i'm back in that temple in cambodia Michael nodded. Peter, what is wrong you, if your okay, please say something. Silence. Why don't you come have a seat with us Peter Dr Edwin gestured toward the stairs. Silence. The tension in the air was almost palpable. Peter began to speak. In a low, barely audible raspy whisper, one word, Kill who? Kill what, what are you talking about peter, what's going on here Michael question. Peter spoke again, without opening his eyes or raising his head.

As the last syllable escaped his lips, he seemed to coil up like a viper, his head head raised and his eyes snapped open. Horrible, ghastly inhuman eyes. They emitted bright light, the color of rotting flesh, the deepest, darkest purple. A rune became noticeable on his forehead, a rune they both instantly recognized, Mantarok. Peter eyes widened to a point where they seemed like they'd pop out of his head and mouth formed into the shape of maniacal smile, both Michael and Edwin were rooted into place, frozen with terror. Peter spoke again, this time, a deep, gurgling voice. He's wants you, wants you all. Then before either of them had a chance to react, The Peter Thing let out a gut wrenching scream, KILL ME! Then lunged at Michael with cat like agility.

It dove head first, striking Michael in the mid section sending the gun flying out of his and causing him to go sprawling across the floor. The thing's strength was incredible. It held him pinned to the ground, Michael watch in horror as a seam formed on it's chest and a gaping maw, complete with rows of gleaming razor sharp teeth, opened up gnashing at him. Having seen quite enough to convince him, Dr. Edwin, opened up on it. He fired of three shots in rapid succession, sending the freakish monstrosity rolling into a wall with a dry thud.

It was back on it's feet in seconds. Dr. Edwin hadn't expected it to stay down. He kept firing, while backing up toward the door leading in the Library. More freakish mouth's began ripping open on Peter's horrible defiled body, they were gnashing, and issuing the most high pitched scream either of them had ever heard. Michael rolled quickly to his feet and grabbed the loaded Glock, adding to the base of fire at the beast. It was slowing it down, but not for long. The shots ripped jagged holes in the creatures bodies, sending blobs of congealed blood flying against the wall, it slowly, but surely advanced. Just then Alex burst in through the door holding the shotgun and the Tome of Eternal Darkness.

When she saw the Peter thing, she let off a shot from the Winchester, it ripped a frisbee sized hole in it's mid section and sent it flying. It got up more slowly this time. What the hell do we do Alex screamed over the beast high pitch wailing. Cast an enchant item Michael screamed back. Alex blasted it again as it was getting up, a large section of the top of it's skull was now null and void. But none of the alignments are powerful enough to harm Mantarok's magic! Dr. Edwin yelled back. Alex, suddenly understanding, went to work. If none of the three alignments would work on Mantarok magic, maybe all three combined will.

Michael and Edwin tried to keep it pinned down with the occasional well place shot, while Alex went to casting. The process had become so familiar. She held the book in her hands, and let the mental image of the different runes flash through her mind. First she visualized Cha' tturga, followed by Magormor, and Antorbok. As soon as she let image of Antorbok materialize in her mind she felt incredible energy surge through her body. The disembodied voice of Cha'tturga issued from the book, speaking the runes as bolts of blinding red energy surged up through the floor drawing the runes, three red bolts of pulsing energy surged from alex's finger tips and into her Winchester, causing it to glow with the power of Cha' tturga.

She tingled slightly afterward, she would never get used to that sensation. With the trance broken she noticed that the freakish beast had sprouted gastly purple tentactles from several bullet wounds that were lashing across the floor searching for something to strangle the life out of. Dr. Edwin and Michael had managed to get out of the range of the things but time was quickly running out. Switch me Alex yelled tossing the glowing red shotgun to Michael who threw his Glock back. She completed the spell on it, this time embuing it with the pulsing blue energy of Ulayoth. Now you Edwin! They switched weapons and Alex enchanted his pistol with the power of Xelo'tath. They were ready, she prayed that it work. Just as they were preparing to fire, the beast caught Michael around the midsection and began to drag him toward it.

He led out a terrified yell and clawed at the disgusting appendage. He managed to catch his hand on the edge of a banister of the stairs preventing him from being pulled in any faster. He freed up his had with the Glock in it and pointed it at the Mantarok beast. It was slowly tightening around him, he wouldn't last much longer. DO IT NOW! He screamed. ON MY SIGNAL Alex belted. FIRE NOW! They all opened up simultaneous. The power of three combined ancients racked Peter Jacob's defiled corpse. Shafts of brilliant energy began to shine out of thing, it looked like some freakish wailing multicolored disco ball. Over the sound of the wailing mouths, a voice that sounded more like peter's let out one final cry. Then the creature burst outward spraying bits of disgusting flesh everywhere in a rain of carnage. The three chosen, fell to the floor, catching there breath. The game indeed wasn't over, in fact it was just beggining