Greetings. Yes, I promised the update soon, but between FanFiction going down, my new job, and a new WOD chat I am on, my free time has become something of an illusion. On the plus (negative?) side I am thinking of releasing some stories from my chat characters. I usually have issues with chat based stories, but (of course) I think my Sabbat shall be enjoyable. Also, if you ever spot a Corax called Jo on a chat... In any case, let's see if Dominic and the others have what it takes to escape the...
Fall of the Heroes: A Tale of Detroit
Chapter 9: Billowing Winds of Rain
He sat in quiet meditative rest and looked out across the frozen lake, allowing himself to relax. Behind him he heard Leona's barking cries as she bid farewell to the last of the children. He almost laughed, he hadn't expected the lupus to so quickly succumb to the playful urgings of the children. Of course, perhaps it was just the excuse for her to get away from the leash. He looked out across the lake and nodded his head, the crowds were dissipating, it was time to act.
He stood up and walked over to where Snapback still sat patiently on the bench. He paused as he glanced around. The park was indeed empty now. Leona was slowly trotting back over to them, a slightly silly grin on her furry face. He pulled off his coat and dropped it next to Snapback. The chill breeze flowed across his bare torso and caused the tuft of red hair on his chest to dance slightly. He quickly pulled off his sneakers and began to unbuckle his belt.
"What are you doing," muttered Snapback as the ronin pulled off his pants.
"I was planning on investigating the lake, how did you suppose we were to do it?" He dropped his boxers on top of the pile. Snapback glanced around uneasily, trying to make sure no one else saw the strange display. Finally the ronin carefully unwound the piece of fur and silk holding his ponytail together and laid it gently upon the pile of clothing. Then he turned to walk over to the lake. Leona quickly bounded up, and eyed him over as he strode out towards the weakened center of the ice. He dropped to one of his knees sharply as he plunged his hand into the ice. It cracked and split apart, opening up for him. He struck twice more to create a large gap in the frozen surface.
He nodded briefly to the other two as he took in a deep breath. He then tilted forward and plunged into the icy water. The chill liquid pressed in coldly around him. Seeping into his skin and numbing his muscles. He pushed downward, his powerful arms sweeping in strong strokes to pull him ever deeper. The dark waters obscured his vision as painful tingles started to dance along his skin. The bottom of the lake slowly came into view, a murky maze of dark rocks and muddy dips. Then he spotted the slight flash of something yellow lurking near a large outcropping of stone. He swept his arms in wide arcs as he pushed himself down into the deeper and colder waters.
He neared the barrels. They rested in a small cluster, there only appearing to be about ten of them. He frowned in suspicion. There should be more barrels, many more. Also, why were the barrels all apparently still firmly sealed? As he pondered the mysteries he caught a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. He quickly froze and pulled himself lower against the rock outcropping. He watched the two shapes swimming through the water towards him. They appeared as overlarge and misshapen dogs. Their gray mottled skin littered with barbs and boils. Curved claws decorating their paws that appeared almost like actual hands. Their mouths brimming with rows of sharpened teeth. Their eyes glinting red in the darkness of the lake.
Banes. He felt a shiver pass through him that had little to do with the freezing water around him. Banes were evil spirits, devoted servants of the Wyrm. These two, scraglings to be precise, had obviously chosen to physically manifest in the real world. Such actions were not usually performed by the spirits due to the massive amount of energy it drained from them. But what had made these scraglings choose to enter the real world and swim about in this lake? His answer came almost immediately as the two scraglings grabbed one of the barrels and began swimming off with it. His eyes narrowed as he followed.
They coasted along the bottom of the lake until they reached a large cave opening. The two scraglings maneuvered the barrel through the opening and disappeared from view. He considered returning to the surface for more air and perhaps help, but then dismissed the idea. His living or dying probably wouldn't make a huge difference in the great cosmic cycle. He pumped his arms and entered the cave. It followed a winding course, twisting and turning in dark tunnels full of jagged rocks. His entire body now felt numb, his lungs burned with pain as they searched for air. Still he swam, and still the tunnel went on. Little bands of darkness started to ease in on the edges of his vision. His sight began to blur...
Air! His head burst through the surface and gulped in large lungfuls of the stale air of the cave. He quickly pulled himself out of the large pool he was floating in. The cold hard stone of the cave floor cut into his bare feet. The room was near pitch black, only the dimmest of light filtered into the cavern. As he stood up he saw the four scraglings that were lurking near the back of the cave. Behind them stood a massive pile of yellow barrels that was stacked near to the ceiling. The scraglings hissed as they started to advance, their tongues sloppily running over their teeth.
He shook his head about and wiped his long damp hair away from his face. He walked forward slowly, his face calm and his hands hanging at his sides. The four scraglings sprang as one, their mouths gaping open as they bellowed loudly. He leaped upward and spun around quickly. As he did he lashed out with his foot, the spin adding momentum and strength to the kick. The perfectly executed hurricane kick crushed in the skull of one of the scraglings, and moved him away from the lashing fangs of the others. The dead scragling fell to the ground, dissipating back to the spirit realm.
He landed behind the remaining banes and quickly spun around, his arms lashing out as he lunged forward. His hands transformed into razor sharp claws as he slammed them hard into two scraglings' backs. The creatures howled in pain as his hands tore deep into them, tearing apart their innards. The two creatures discorporated as he continued forward and slammed hard into the last scragling. With a sharp kick he shattered one of its arms. His left hand swept out and gouged open the shoulder of its other arm. His hand closed about its throat as he slammed it up against a wall.
"I shall only ask you once dark spirit. What is the purpose of this chamber?" The scragling glared back at him and hissed in amusement. His eyes narrowed as he turned to peer behind him. The air bubbled and shifted as many more large gray shapes manifested. The other scraglings growled loudly as they started to advance. Drool dripping from their massive fangs, their red eyes gleaming brightly. He quickly tore apart the throat of the one he was holding and turned to face them. He let his bloody hands drape down to his sides as he jerked his jaw slightly upwards. "Would it matter to you if I said that violence is not the way?"
The scraglings howled as they charged forward.
"Surrender now Dominic, and we may allow you to live. Otherwise you may consider this as your final resting place!"
Masked and black uniformed guards rushed into the warehouse. Their guns held deadly and ready in their grasp. Jo peeked out from behind a pile of yellow barrels as she watched them storm in. This was bad, literally bad. It looked like Allied had pulled together every slimeball fomor who knew how to use a gun for this operation. Suddenly she heard the pounding of boots on metal behind her. She spun around as two heavily armed men burst into her hiding place.
They paused to scan over the area. However neither of them bothered to note the large black bird that was now perching upon a set of black tubing above them. Jo ruffled her feathers in annoyance as she watched the men take up battle positions. Their faceless helmets swung back and forth as they scanned the catwalks. Their fingers curled and held ready over their triggers.
"Hell," she muttered. But though she had literally said it none of the guards seemed to care about the soft cawing of a bird. She twisted around to watch the inrush of guards again. A squad was now quickly sprinting up the stairs to the catwalks. Well...it was bad, but not doomed. All they needed to do was figure out a good way to slip out of here. Then they could play it good and quiet and...
"Die Wyrmspawn!" There was a sudden scream and the chatter of gunfire. Jo tensed in surprise as she heard more yells and a bellowing roar. A head came sailing down off the catwalk to bounce down in front of the tall black man who had spoken earlier. Then, as though this wasn't bad enough, Dominic just had to add his own views to the situation. "There's my opinion of surrender! Come slay us if you can!"
"Hell," snapped Jo in frustration.
"Get them. Spread out! All stairways covered. Move and sweep the catwalks!" The dark man motioned out with his arms. Around him the swarms of guards burst into action. Boots rang loudly as they stormed up the narrow stairways. Others remained in position, guarding the front and rear exits carefully. There were more screams and sounds of gunfire. Jo quickly took wing, circling about to get a better view of the situation. She was beginning to wonder how they were going to get out of this one...literally.
Charlie grabbed the guard and tore open his chest, his claws easily ripping apart flesh, bone, and armor. He then quickly shoved the creature off the catwalk to plummet to the floor below. Somewhere off to his left he heard Dominic roar loudly. They'd split up, Dominic's last order being for Charlie to head for the roof. Charlie turned to peer up at the skylight set in the roof, wondering what exactly Dominic planned. His ears suddenly twitched at the sound of boots behind him. He spun around with a snarl as two more guards circled into view from behind a row of pipes.
Charlie sprang forward even as they raised their guns. Silver bullets snapped through the air around him. Charlie felt a flare of pain in his side as a few bullets chewed through his flesh. But then he was among them, and he showed them the error of attacking a Chosen Warrior of Gaia. His clawed fist smashed through the faceplate of one, transforming his face into a pile of shattered bone and torn flesh. The second tried to turn and run off. But Charlie's head snapped forward, his jaws closing about the guard's shoulder. Blood filled his mouth as Charlie twisted his head around, tossing the man off the catwalk.
Charlie grunted in glee as he heard the loud splat of the guard hitting. This battleground wasn't too bad. The narrow confines and lack of visibility only aided his fighting style and hampered their use of guns. As Charlie advanced around the corner he spotted another figure on a lower catwalk, one of the strange pale men in thick dark sunglasses. Charlie snarled at the pale bald figure, but the man simply grinned. Suddenly Charlie's senses seemed to swirl. He staggered in shock as the world tilted crazily around him. He felt his muscles go limp, as though they no longer had a will to move. The only thing that didn't shift was his steady gaze, locked with the dark glasses of the pale man.
The figure chuckled to itself. It lifted its hands slightly, and as if by that motion alone lifted up from the ground. Charlie watched in awed dread as the creature slowly floated upward, its gaze still fixed on him. The man slowly lowered himself a few feet from him. Charlie tried to move, tried to force himself to leap forward and slash at the man. But his muscles remained frozen and unresponsive. The pale man grinned, his teeth glinting eerily in the shadows, each of them seeming a sharpened piece of shining metal. The figure walked forward, one of its pale hands reaching into its jacket. Charlie could only watch in numb anger and horror as it pulled out a silver knife.
"Foolish wolf. So powerful in body, so feeble in mind. That is your weakness. That is your death." Then came a loud squawk of anger. The fomor looked up in surprise as the black bird slashed down and pecked and beat at his face. The creature staggered back in shock, the silver knife slashing wildly in the air. In the same instant Charlie felt the strange numbness leave his body, once again his muscles were his to command. As quickly as she had come Jo withdrew. The fomor's pale face was cut in a few places, thick black blood leaking from the wounds. Its sunglasses had been knocked away, revealing that its eyesockets were dark empty holes. The creature turned the empty gaze on Charlie as it hissed in anger.
Charlie scowled in disgust as he quickly stood up, his powerful furred body towering over the fomor. The pale creature raised its arms in a futile attempt to ward off his blow. Charlie's claws smashed through the arm and crushed the creature's head like an egg. Black gore sprayed out of the shattered skull as the bizarre creature collapsed and began to dissolve into bubbling goo. Charlie nodded in thanks to Jo as he turned and started rushing up the next flight of steps.
He reached the top level of the catwalks quickly. He brushed through hanging chains as he ran forward towards the spot under the skylight. He heard a sudden growl nearby. He turned and shoved aside some chains to spot Dominic battling near the top of a second stairway. The bodies of three fomor lay at the feet of the Shadow Lord. Another was locked in a brutal grapple with the raging crinos form, they struggled as Dominic shoved his blade down towards the hissing guard's face. Suddenly the shadows behind Dominic seemed to ripple. Charlie gasped as a tall black man stepped out of the darkness, seeming to just pass through the shadows as though a door. He reached into his coat and pulled out two gleaming pistols.
"Dominic! Behind you!" Charlie shouted as he charged forward. Dominic twisted in surprise even as the figure raised his guns and began to fire. But Dominic quickly heaved up the fomor he was wrestling with and spun around so that the guard's body received most of the bullets. Dominic quickly hurled aside the dead human shield as he leapt for the gunman.
The figure dropped his guns, his eyes narrowing behind his gold rimmed glasses. Dominic slammed into him hard, both toppling back onto the catwalk. As they slammed down the black man just seemed to dissolve into the shadows even as Dominic's claws slashed down hard. The man seemed to rise up out of the darkness right behind Dominic, a silver knife gripped in his hand. Charlie roared as he leapt forward, springing from his catwalk across the gap to smash into the dark figure. The man reacted quickly and with amazing strength. Elbowing Charlie in the jaw, cracking the bone, even as he slashed his knife across Charlie's gut.
Charlie staggered back and felt himself press against the railing of the walkway. The shadow man raised his knife to strike again, but the blow was intercepted by the flashing blade of Bonespur. Dominic roared as his claws slashed out and ripped open the man's belly. Charlie staggered back as Dominic's blow tossed the black man through the air to smash into a large row of pipes. Charlie swallowed nervously as he eyed the injury Dominic had inflicted. The man's clothes were torn apart and lay in jagged strips over his belly. However no blood or even flesh was apparent, it was as though the suit was totally empty.
The black man regained his feet instantly, as though the gaping hole in his belly wasn't a concern. He reached out and easily twisted a part of the railing off the edge of the walkway. Holding his improvised staff he again advanced on Dominic. Charlie quickly scrambled to his own feet and stood next to Dominic, eyeing the strange creature warily.
"How do we beat it?" Charlie slurred around his broken jaw as he glanced over at Dominic questioningly, but the Shadow Lord only shrugged as he growled. Charlie swallowed nervously as the shadow man charged forward. Dominic easily ducked under the wide swing of the pole, and came up quickly as he planted his klaive into the creature's chest. The black man quickly clubbed his forearm across Dominic's face, tossing his head to the side. Charlie moved in, but suddenly recoiled as the man again seemed to sink away into nothingness. Leaving Dominic growling angrily at the shadows on the floor.
Even as he stepped back Charlie was suddenly slammed forward by the sharp crack of a metal pole across his back. He collapsed to the ground and looked up at the sneering figure of the black man above him holding aloft the metal bar. There was a sudden roar of sound as Dominic sprang forward and clapped his hands together. Charlie howled in pain as the shockwave hit him, the loud blast roaring over his senses. But the shadowy figure too stumbled slightly, a look of mild shock on his face. In that instant Dominic grabbed hold of him and quickly hurled him over the edge of the catwalk.
"Get up, the others are coming," snarled Dominic, sounding like he was speaking from miles away. Charlie groaned as Dominic pulled him back to his feet. Bullets started to rattle and spark off the catwalk as they made their way back towards the skylight. Then the bullets suddenly ceased to be fired. Charlie blinked in confusion. There was a sudden loud clang from below them. Clawed hands clamped onto the edges of the walkway as two figures started to pull themselves up onto the walkway. Both Charlie and Dominic quickly twisted towards one, planning on just knocking them off.
The fomori's black uniforms shredded as multiple tentacles burst forth from their chests. The ropy appendages wrapped tightly around the Garou's ankles, trapping them in place as the creatures started to claw madly at them. Charlie hissed in pain as the claws tore at him. The tentacles preventing him from moving well to avoid the strikes. The creatures also supported their weight on the muscular extremities, freeing their hands for the assault.
Dominic's hand snapped out, clamping around the throat of the creature attacking him and pulling it up. It hissed in anger as it clawed at his arm, holding tight to prevent him from tearing out its throat. Dominic instead ducked slightly as he swept Bonespur in a brutal arc that slashed apart the tentacles holding him in place. The creature wailed in pain as the bloody stumps lashed about helplessly. Dominic quickly turned and elbowed Charlie aside, knocking the younger wolf off his feet. In the same instant he slashed apart the tentacles around Charlie's legs and shoved the creature in his grip hard into the face of the second.
Both tentacled fomor howled in shock as they were tossed off the catwalk. They spiraled down into the factory and landed with a splash inside the large vat of chemicals that the factory was producing. Their wails grew louder and more disturbing as they lashed about in the green liquid. Charlie gagged as he watched their bodies twist and mutate. Their chests popping apart as dozens of extra tentacles started to sprout. Their hands splitting open as more clawed fingers tore through their flesh.
"Good god, what is that stuff," he gasped in horror, "I've never seen anything like it."
"I have."
He glanced up at Dominic, whose expression was dark as he eyed the glowing green sludge below them. But the Shadow Lord offered no further explanation, instead he grabbed up Charlie and shoved him along. The bullets again started to rain up around them. Charlie felt a stab of pain in his leg as a round ricocheted off a pipe and tore into his thigh. Below them the fomori shouted angrily as they started to charge up the stairways. They both rushed up under the skylight, looking up hopefully at the beams of light that streamed through the glass.
Then there was a low roar as a black shape swept over the escape route. The racket of the chopper seeming to drown out all sound and hope they had. Charlie sagged slightly, the sight of the deadly hunter's return dashing any belief in their survival. Dominic however continued forward with a howl and leapt upwards, shattering through the glass of the skylight as he burst out onto the roof. Then came the dull bellow of the helicopter's machine gun.
The dark insect-like hunter had returned. It buzzed in glee as it prepared to destroy them. Jo cursed at their bad luck. Even as she twisted about to look for another escape route she heard a howl and a shattering of glass. She turned back in time to see Dominic leap through the skylight. Jo cursed loudly as she spun in the air and flapped quickly after him through the shattered hole in the glass, wondering what the hell Dominic was thinking.
As she sailed through the hole there was a chattering howl as the helicopter seemed to grow angry at Dominic's impudence. He turned and dove for cover as huge strips of the roof were blasted apart by the machine gun. Jo banked sharply and followed after him as he rolled behind a large row of cement smokestacks. She flapped above him as the hunter angrily began to circle around to destroy him. Dominic looked up at her and pointed towards the chopper.
"Distract gunner. Now!"
Distract gunner? Jo turned and soared towards the chopper. It didn't particularly occur to her that angering someone operating a massive gun was a brilliant plan. The things she did for friendship... She quickly arced down towards the open side of the helicopter where she could see the figure sitting behind the huge gun. Huge? Make that flipping monstrous! Jo gritted her beak as she dove into the gunners face and flapped about while cawing loudly. He cursed in surprise as he batted at her. One of his wild swings catching her hard and sending her spinning out the hatchway. Jo cawed in fear as she desperately flapped her wings, only barely regaining control in time to dodge the tail rotor of the chopper.
However in that brief instant Dominic had moved. He grunted as he smashed hard into the smallest of the smokestacks. The ten foot high pillar of cement toppled over, the top few feet shattering and spraying out across the roof. Dominic quickly bent down and grabbed the remaining length of cement. With a loud grunt he lifted it over his head like a javelin and turned towards the circling black chopper. He howled as he hurled his makeshift spear through the air.
Jo laughed as she watched it arc in. Like a needle to pin up a bug in a collection. The pilot screamed in terror as he saw the pipe of cement arc in towards him. He jerked his arm back and tried to pull up and away. However it was far too late. The cement pole crashed through the windshield. Crushing the pilot in a spray of red before tearing through the back of the cockpit. Smoke billowed from the dark hunter as it made a few lazy turns in the air and then tilted down to smash into the roof.
Jo flapped away quickly as it landed with a deafening crunch. There was then a desperate wail of pain from it as it was torn apart by a large explosion. A ball of fire billowed into the air, washing the rooftop in a bright orange flare. The smoke surged into the sky. The blazing orange flames mixing with the deep reddish glow of the setting sun. The long trail of smoke reaching up into the air appeared like the charred remains of a log amidst the flaming amber fire of the sky.
Charlie burst up onto the roof, his eyes wide as he looked at the crushed remains of the chopper. Dominic growled loudly as he turned and sprinted towards the edge of the roof. He launched himself over the edge, his powerful muscles hurtling him more then thirty feet through the air as he fell towards the parking lot. Charlie snarled as he turned and rushed after him. Jo simply banked in the wind and glided through the air down towards Dominic. As soon as he had landed Dominic had smashed apart the windshield of one of the cars parked in the lot. He wrenched off the rearview mirror and turned it towards them.
"Quick, into the Penumbra where they cannot follow or track us."
Mr. Kay opened up his black umbrella and held it over himself before stepping outside of the warehouse. He squinted slightly in the bright glare of the setting sun as he turned to watch the men who were trailing back in from the parking lot. Walking at their head came the last Sweeper, the pale faced fomor scowled as he walked over to Mr. Kay.
"They slipped into the spirit world. We have no way of following them or of knowing where they go." The Sweeper hissed the words angrily. Mr. Kay knew that Sweepers hated to be bested at anything, their mental powers giving them an inflated sense of ego. Mr. Kay frowned as he glanced up at the spiraling column of smoke that rose into the sky from the roof of the factory. In the distance he could hear the approaching wail of sirens. The Sweeper snarled as the other fomori all circled about them. Mr. Kay pulled out his cell phone and dialed quickly.
"This is Sands," came the crisp reply from the other end.
"Mr. Sands, the Garou have just escaped from the factory. We assaulted them fully but lost a dozen or so combat fomori, one Sweeper, and the chopper. They then slipped off into the spirit world, we can't pursue them." There was a long pause, Mr. Kay knew that Robert was trying to calm himself down.
"We don't need this. The operation is coming to a close and we can't let them stop us."
"I know sir," said Mr. Kay in his deep voice, "but I am low on men and equipment. We have no idea how to find them again. And I'm not sure that if we did we could kill them."
"Fine. Report back to the office at once. Leave the Sweeper and some of the men to deal with any police investigation." Mr. Kay nodded as he issued the orders. "Mr. Kay?" Robert's voice was full of anger and frustration, yet tinged with despair. Mr. Kay frowned, unused to hearing his superior speak so.
"Yes sir."
"I think it about time we brought in the specialists."
Leona stood on the ice and slowly circled around the hole that had been shattered through it. The chill ice bit painfully at the delicate pads of her paws. Her nose caught the tinge of fire and danger on the wind. She peered up again at the column of smoke that arced into the sky. She was tense and nervous. The stranger had been down in the lake longer then anyone should have been able to hold their breath. Yet should she follow? Wait longer? Contact Argent and Syntax? Leona whined slightly as she looked around again.
Snapback still sat on the park bench calmly. His hand was pressed up over his mouth as he carefully watched her. Leona's tail flicked about at the sight. It looked like he was eating something! How the hell could he be quietly munching on something while so many questions remained a mystery. She growled as she again circled about the hole. Then the water shifted as a few bubbles floated up and burst the surface. Leona dropped back a few steps and bared her fangs. Back on the bench Snapback quickly shoved whatever he had been pressing to his mouth back into his pouch as he stood up. Obviously wondering why she was tense.
A hand suddenly burst out of the icy hole. It gripped onto the edge as it pulled the stranger into view. His long rust colored hair was plastered damply against his body. His skin had a slight bluish tinge to it as he pulled himself from the water and shivered. Leona yipped eagerly as she turned towards Snapback. He was already starting across the ice, the stranger's clothes bundled under his arm.
The stranger shook his head about, tossing his soggy hair away from his face. Leona took a few moments to admire his body as he sat there naked on the ice. It had been strange, but ever since her first Change she had found human forms as attractive as those of wolves. She eyed the dozens of pale scars, now tinged blue, that crisscrossed his tan body. She wondered how he had gotten them all. What battles he had fought. She again wondered why Argent had been so quick to warn them away from the stranger.
"What did you discover," asked Snapback as he approached and handed over the clothing.
"Something inexplicable," said the stranger as he started to pull on his clothing despite his damp state. "There were banes down there, many banes." Leona's hackles rose slightly at the mention of the dark spirits. "They were collecting up the barrels and placing them within a cavern at the bottom of the lake."
"Why would they do that," asked Snapback slowly, "wouldn't it be worse to just let them pollute the lake?" The stranger nodded as he stood and tied back his hair with the piece of fur and silk.
"It does seem strange. I asked, but the creatures had been told nothing. It is a small gambit on the chessboard that we see here. But we see only the movement of the pawns, and are left to wonder at the ultimate placement of the king." Both Leona and Snapback turned to look at each other in confusion at the strange phrase. The stranger just sighed. "Oh Gaia preserve," he ticked his jaw slightly upward. "It's simple. All we know is this piece of the puzzle. We understand it completely. But we need more pieces if we are to see the picture they form." Leona and Snapback looked back at each other again.
"Huh," said Snapback finally. Leona whined and also looked up curiously at the stranger. He sighed again.
"I don't know what it means, we need to talk to the others to see what they've learned first."
"Oh," said Snapback with a nod. The stranger muttered as he turned and started walking back towards Syntax's lair. Leona watched him go and glanced up at Snapback who shook his head slowly. "Why couldn't he have just said so in the first place?" Leona was forced to nod in agreement. Human habits of using analogies to say one thing while meaning another had ever confused her. Humans. She sighed, Gaia preserve indeed.
Gorefist growled in pleasure as Kendar slammed her up against the filthy cement wall. He had yet again regained his urge, one of the benefits of the quickly recovering nature of the Garou. Gorefist hissed in mock anger as he forced himself on her. Around them her pack pressed in close, eager to watch, waiting for a chance to join in again. Kendar's massive crinos form towered over Gorefist despite her own eight foot frame. She snarled loudly, her fangs glinting at him as her long black ears fell back against her sloped brow. Kendar grunted in amusement as he clamped his hands around her throat. Gorefist struggled against his grasp, her fangs snapping and biting the air helplessly.
He bore her down to the ground. He roared in her face to quiet her struggles as he began to force her legs apart. One of her packmates slid up behind them. His thin hands roaming over Kendar's back. Another dropped down, his tongue lapping around the first's thighs. The other pack members circled in closer, their excitement evident. All of them, male and female, eager to please and be pleased by the powerful alpha. Kendar batted Gorefist about the head till she ceased moving. He snarled as he prepared to take her. Then there came a shout from outside. Kendar glanced up in annoyance as Stinkface pushed his way into the sewage room.
"Lord," hissed Stinkface nervously as he eyed the angry eyes of Gorefist and her pack. "The human worms. They say they need to speak with us. They wait even now for an audience."
"Let Endelon do it," snarled Kendar in annoyance. Stinkface hung his head slightly, not even glancing in Kendar's direction.
"I tried Lord. But Master Endelon has left the temporary hive, he is nowhere to be found."
"Why does that not surprise me," sighed Kendar with a shake of his head. He glanced back at Gorefist and growled slightly as he shoved her away. He stood up and reverted to his homid form. His heavy trench coat and fedora seeming to appear out of nowhere around him. He chuckled, "I guess with Endelon gone I am in full command now. Have the monkeys brought here." Stinkface nodded and quickly retreated from the room. Gorefist hissed in displeasure as she returned to her own homid form. She was a young and attractive Mexican woman with long and ragged black hair. She dressed in a torn leather jacket and jeans, she wore no shirt and allowed the jacket to hang open and reveal her ample breasts. The only detracting point from her allure was the torn series of scars across the left side of her delicate and dusky face.
"You disappoint me Lord," she purred as she walked over and ran her hand along his back. "I had hoped that my attentions would have held your focus more fully." Her one good eye glinted mischievously, her second eye was a dead and milky orb. Brutal reddish gashes surrounded it and traced down her cheek. "I hope I am not so scorned by you?" Kendar glanced over at her and batted her arm off him.
"If I choose to take pleasure from you it is by my choice. And if I ignore you that too is my choice." He turned towards her and bared his sharp teeth. "Do you wish to question my whims?" He was well aware of the fates that had befallen many of her other lovers. Bodies found torn open in the darkest corners of The Hive. It had been one of the reasons he had become so enamored by her, her fire and confidence. But she was still just a pack leader, and thus disposable and replaceable. Gorefist grinned and licked her teeth at him as she backed off slightly.
"Merely making sure you understood what you were missing."
Kendar frowned slightly at that comment, well aware of how eagerly he wished to finish taking her here and now. Then he heard the noise of approaching feet. The other pack members slipped back into shadows or smaller access tunnels. Gorefist placed her hands on her hips and jutted out her chest, she also made sure to shift her head slightly. She had a habit of waiting to reveal her old facial wounds, preferring to let others think of her face as normal and beautiful for a while. Kendar watched as the three men walked down the tunnel towards him. They wore gray and black business suits, and stepped gingerly through the filth of the pipes. Their fancy black shoes making noisy ringing sounds as they ducked and entered the room.
"My greetings to you Endelon, master assassin of The Hive. Stalker in the shadows, the silent death." The monkey in the lead bowed stiffly at the waist to Kendar. The young man then smiled and looked up to meet Kendar's gaze evenly. His bright blue eyes and sandy blonde hair framing a bright and handsome face. "My name is Robert Sands, executive vice-president of Allied Chemicals. I am here to request your aid in a serious matter for my...tribe, if you will."
"Monkeys don't have tribes," snarled Kendar, "and I'm not Endelon. You may call me Kendar, The Head-Collector." The other Black Spiral Dancers in the room shifted slightly at the words. A deep and understanding fear within them about what the title and name meant. Robert's easy smile didn't shift as he nodded again slightly.
"Of course I will Kendar. Sorry for the mistake, I do understand that leadership can be a fleeting thing in your tribe. No offense meant." Sands smiled as he motioned to one of his aides. The young, bald, black man quickly handed him a collection of papers. Kendar noted how the third monkey tried to peer discretely at Gorefist's breasts. Robert Sands smiled and kept his gaze on Kendar as he held up the papers. "Now, as I'm sure you're aware we and you work for the same master." Kendar's eye narrowed slightly at the easy remark, as though these humans could ever understand the majesty of the Wyrm or the true nature of Tyranthraxus. "As a result we are currently working together as allies to the cause. Since you are our allies I thought you would be eager to perform a few small favors for me."
"What sort of favors," asked Kendar darkly. Robert kept his easy smile as he handed the papers he held to Kendar. Kendar looked down at them, an address and a map with a section circled in red. He looked back at Sands, the monkey's eyes still comfortably meeting his own baleful glare. "What's this?"
"That my friend is a map of the city," Robert grinned as he pointed to one section. "Here is where we are, these dark lines are roads." Out of the corner of his eye Kendar saw Gorefist frown. She too was annoyed by the monkey's condescension, it was as though the fool thought himself superior to the Dancers. "This red dot is the location of that address, the circled section is an area near our primary factory operation."
"And why do I give a shit," snarled Kendar. Robert chuckled as he placed his hands in his pockets and shrugged slightly.
"Well, we thought you might want to kill some Garou. That is what you're supposed to do isn't it? The circled section is the area where the werewolves who attacked our offices and factories disappeared within. We need help in tracking and getting rid of them. That address is the location of someone who is helping them, we suspect it to be someone skilled in technology magic." Kendar nodded slowly.
"Fine, we shall begin again the hunt. We shall destroy them for the glory of the Wyrm." Around him the other Dancers hissed in glee. Their fangs gleaming as they spoke in sibilant whispers of the hunt. A soft warbling of the cry of the whippoorwill cascading about the tunnels. The two aides looked around nervously at the eerie sound. Robert Sands just nodded and smirked.
"Excellent. A pleasure working with you Mr. Kendar. I'll leave you my associate, Mr. Barnes. He'll help you in your dealings with any of my operatives. He'll also work to help you contact me if the need arises. Come Mr. Kay." He nodded again as he turned and headed back down the tunnel. The tall black man turned to follow. The last figure, a middle aged man with salt and pepper hair smiled slightly at Kendar. Kendar tilted his head back, a long and bellowing roar echoing forth from his mouth to carry through the dark and winding pipes. It was the howl of the hunt. Soon they would feast upon the flesh of their prey.
"I like feasting on chocolates, don't you? I mean, think about it. Chocolate has got to be one of the single greatest inventions ever conceived. Man, I wish I'd been there. I bet they just ate all sorts of chocolate that day. And how about joy and dreams? Do you have any idea how many joyful dreams and smiles that chocolate must have created over the years? Heck, I dream about chocolate, and I'm a faerie who inspires dreams! Do you ever dream about chocolate? I bet if you did you wouldn't seem so tense all the time."
Cruss lay on his belly and peered over the edge of the rooftop as Puck did cartwheels behind him. He slowly reached up with one gloved hand and massaged his temple slowly with two fingers. He forced himself to stop grinding his teeth together as he slowly lowered his head back to his spyglass. He peered through the eyepiece and carefully scanned over the sewer covers again. The Spirals had gone down there ages ago, and had spent the whole day down there. Now night approached again, he suspected they would soon swarm forth once more.
"Do you know that scientists claim there are happy chemicals in chocolate? Happy chemicals! Of course I'm not sure what would make a chemical unhappy. It's not like chemicals really seem to have emotions. They just sit there and...well...I guess they do whatever it is chemicals do. Do you think that any scientists have ever studied what it is chemicals do in their spare time? I'm sure they don't just sit around and do chemicalizing all day. What would you do for fun if you were a chemical? Try to play a game to be happy I suppose. Of course that's the whole point of the happy chocolate chemicals. I'd be happy too if I was a little chemical on a huge piece of chocolate!"
He slowly twisted his head to the side, trying to stretch out his neck and ease the pain in his shoulders. Of course he suspected much of the tension in his back wasn't caused by his uncomfortable position. He quietly returned to watching through the spyglass. She wanted him to talk, he knew that was her devilish little plot. But if he didn't speak she couldn't trick him into revealing more private information about himself. Of course the exhaustion was getting to him, making it hard to think straight. He'd suggested they sleep in shifts. But Puck never seemed to need sleep, and her prattle prevented him from resting either.
"How big do you think they can make chocolate? If I made chocolate I'd make it big! Just look at those tiny little bits you get in a chocolate box. Why, I need to eat at least ten before I even feel the sugar buzz. Why does sugar buzz you? It's not like it feels like a buzz. Who the heck was sitting around one day and said, wow, sugar gives me a buzz. And then everyone agreed with him? If I'd been there I would have said, no, sugar doesn't give me a buzz. It gives me a happy feeling of energy. See, there goes chocolate making people happy again. But the whole buzz thing is just confusing. Now alcohol, that'll give you a buzz all right."
Cruss smirked slightly even as he felt his annoyance levels rise. She rushed over to sit next to him. She clutched at her sparkle covered shoes as she rocked back and forth next to him. Oh yes, she just wanted to trick him again. But he was too smart for that. Maybe he'd never speak again, that would show her! He stifled the short giggle that almost escaped his lips. He shook his head, he didn't seem to be thinking straight anymore. He pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at it. Over seventeen hours, he had spent over seventeen straight hours with Puck. He slowly tucked the clock away. Best not to even think about it.
"I remember this one party I went to at Mr. Trodfoot's house. You know Mr. Trodfoot right? He works at court as the chef. The little chubby boggin with the buck teeth and frizzy white hair. I'm surprised more sidhe don't seem to know him. He does cook your food after all. Why, if somebody cooked my food I'd be thankful. Even if he gets upset when you ask for fifths on dessert. Can I help it if he had good chocolate? Shouldn't he be happy I liked his food so much? Well anyway, I was at the party and all the boggins seemed to like the booze, and their pipes. Boggins are big on pipes. That's why I got my bubble pipe. Sure you can't smoke real tobacco in it, but I rarely have a chance at smoking real tobacco anyway. Though I do have some now. Do you like tobacco? You look like maybe a relaxing smoke would help your nerves."
He heard some jingling and glanced up. Puck had pulled out a blue pouch with a silver tree emblazoned on it. She happily dug through it, idly tossing gold coins over her shoulder as she searched for the tobacco. Cruss's eyes narrowed as he slowly set aside his spyglass. He pushed himself lightly back to his feet and looked over at her. Puck glanced up and smiled brightly at him as she produced a small pouch of tobacco.
"So...Puck...is that your tobacco?" He asked with a slight edge of coldness to his tone. Puck smiled and nodded happily as she also produced a silvered pipe emblazoned with a 'J' and a 'C' from within the pouch. She eyed the pipe curiously as she twisted it about. Cruss grinned at her and lifted his eyebrows slightly. "Don't exactly know how to use a pipe, do you?"
"Weeeeell, I've seen it done," murmured Puck as she started to open the tobacco pouch. "How hard can it be?"
"That's an interesting pouch," said Cruss as he leaned in towards her. He pointed slightly at the silver tree emblem on the front. "I wasn't aware of your connection with the House of Liam."
"Oh really?" Puck paused and glanced at the symbol on the bag with a shrug. "Sure, me and Liam are like this," she wrapped two of her fingers together tightly. "I do all sorts of stuff with House Liam. I'm surprised you don't know that, aren't you a member?"
"Yes," said Cruss softly as he leaned in closer, his face coming within inches of hers. His blazing silver eyes locking with the multi-colored swirl of her own. "Which especially amazes me, since I know all the members of our House in this city. And because I happen to have lost my pouch sometime last night after council. Don't you recall me asking you if you'd seen it?"
"Oh sure, I remember that." Cruss' eyes narrowed more as his lips split into an angry snarl.
"And I don't suppose you happen to know how my pipe, money, and personal possessions got into 'your' pouch?" He glared at her, his face flushed red. His muscles twitching in barely controlled anger and the frustration of the whole day and night spent with her. Puck slowly licked her lips and glanced down quizzically at the pipe. She then looked back up at him and shrugged.
"That's a real mystery..." Cruss's hands snapped up and wrapped around Puck's throat. The pooka squealed in surprise and clutched at his tight grasp. He dragged her to her feet and looked at her surprised eyes.
"I'm going to kill you," said Cruss with a grin and a nod as he shook her in his grip. Puck's eyes grew wide as she hopped back and forth on her feet. Her hand dug into her pocket and produced a handful of tiddlywinks.
"Ayloshia said...the table...work together...widdly...tiddlywinks," gasped Puck as Cruss snarled at the tiddlywinks and shoved her down to the ground.
"I just don't care," hissed Cruss, "I hate tiddlywinks, I can't stand them anymore!" Her hands batted at his face as he snarled at her. "I'm ending the pain!"
"Why is that...do you need...another...chocolate?"
"You'll be dead, and I'll be happy!"
"Wait," Puck twisted her head to glance over the roof and began struggling more. The tiddlywinks clattered around them. Each tiny metallic piece clinking on the roof only serving to fill Cruss with more anger. Puck suddenly started waving in his face, her fingers dancing about wildly. Her eyes bulged as she started to frantically point. Cruss slowly turned to follow her gaze, and suddenly froze. Many dark shapes were pouring out of the sewers, dark clothed men and mongrel dogs. The Spirals were on the move again. Cruss glanced back down at Puck who was trying to smile and nod while still being choked. Cruss slowly released his grip on her skinny throat. He lifted his hands away from her.
"Sorry," he gasped, staring in shock down at his trembling hands.
"Think nothing of it," said Puck as she started gathering her tiddlywinks. "If I knew it meant that much to you I'd have given you the pouch." Cruss's hand snapped out and grabbed his pouch off the rooftop. He held it up angrily in front of her.
"This is my pouch," he snarled.
"Sure, I just gave it to you as a gift didn't I? No need to get so grabby and crabby about it." Cruss turned and started across the rooftops after the Spirals. Puck watched him go and shook her head. "He's just waaaay too tense," she muttered. "I wonder why?" As she turned to go she paused and then grinned. She reached out and grabbed the spyglass from where Cruss had left it. She giggled as she dropped it into her pocket and scampered after him.
"You can tell me if you'd like."
Syntax said the words quietly. Around her the computers hummed as they worked at translating the runes. Argent sat next to her, slowly typing in the meanings for more and more of the symbols. He glanced over at her slowly, one of his bushy white eyebrows lifting.
"Are you sure you'd not be too bored by it all? That you'd not rather we just work in silence?" Syntax brushed at her wild black hair and nodded.
"It would...I wish...please tell me about Dominic's involvement with the death of my pack." Argent smiled slightly. Syntax turned away to type in a few more quick commands. Still unsure why she felt so curious to hear about why the damned Shadow Lord had murdered her pack.
"Very well...it was a mistake. As are all such actions. There was a time I thought the whole mess could just be forgotten. But...the truth has a way of not letting anyone forget it." Argent let out a ragged breath as he turned towards her. "You should not hold Dominic in such disdain. He is not your foe."
"He is slayer of my pack," snarled Syntax, "he is a dog who deserves to die alone and forgotten. He is not the hero the songs and stories make him out to be. He voted with the council to destroy us, and then carried out their edict of death!"
"No child, no. That is not how it was," sighed Argent sadly. "You see...Dominic was the only member on the entire council to vote not to execute your pack." Syntax looked up in surprise at the words, her face confused. "He counseled patience and observation. But the rest of us would have none of it. Marn voted for destruction and the rest of us supported him." Argent closed his eyes and shook his head sadly. "But we were too cowardly to carry out our own dictates. We had not the conviction to match our ideals. But Dominic...he took up his klaive and said that what the council had decreed was law. He went and slew you all, though he did not wish it."
"Why would he," asked Syntax softly, "it seems a path to madness."
"All due to his honor," said Argent darkly. "It is his greatest strength and most damned weakness. Dominic's honor doesn't bend yet is too strong to break. Thus he is forced to bear upon it a great burden of sins that would crush a lesser man. I am certain there is not a minute that goes by that he doesn't regret what happened. Yet he never admits that he opposed it. He stays true to the council and accepts our guilt for his own."
Syntax lowered her head slightly at the words. It was a terrible story. She wasn't sure if it made her forgive him, or despise Dominic all the more. Argent seemed to understand her confused anger. He shook his head and leaned back, leaving her to her thoughts.
"Why do you tell me this?" Syntax slowly turned to look at him, her calm gray eyes filled with confusion. She didn't like this revelation. She had spent so much time hating Dominic that it was almost part of who she was. The concept that he might not have wanted to do it didn't please her at all. The idea that he might have done it knowing that it was wrong, she decided it made him even more despicable. "What possible gain do you hope to make by revealing your own weakness in this matter?"
"I am old," said Argent with a sad smile. "I am not as spry and able as I once was. My chances for dying honorably in a fight with the Wyrm...somehow I don't think it would happen." He sighed again, as though the possibility of dying not in combat, but of old age, filled him with a deep fear. "I have been given many honors over the years, but I have made my own share of mistakes. Perhaps by adimiting my own weaknesses I can find some type of absolution."
"That is what you spoke of with the Eighth Hero, then?" Argent's head snapped up in surprise at her words, his eyes narrowing.
"How did you...."
"Nothing happens in my jungle without my knowing," replied Syntax simply. "When you spoke, my jungle listened. Also, I looked within his case of supplies. I saw the weapons and memories. The only possible logic that can connect the various segments of information I have, is that he is a ronin, and the Eighth Hero. Are my conclusions incorrect?"
"No..." Argent sighed the words in resignation as he slumped back into his chair. The years seeming to creep into his aged face, the lines becoming deeper and more worn as vitality seemed to seep out of him. "He is what you think, though perhaps not completely. Part of his fall was brought about by my own failure. I sought his forgiveness. But he didn't give it to me, he just kept judging me, as Dominic does. They both know how I failed in my role in The Pit. And I know how my actions led to the evil that came upon Quentin. Yet I said nothing at the trial, I hid myself and let others answer for what may have been my own crimes."
Syntax watched as Argent seemed to become little more then a frightened old man. Fear of his own failures and weaknesses preying on his thoughts and deeds. She felt a twang of pity for him then, an emotion that rarely crossed her thoughts. She wondered if Dominic faced similar ghosts, if he battled with the memories of her fallen pack. She was forced to admit, the idea gave her some satisfaction.
"Statement: The runes have been decoded. You now have total access to the information." Blue Storm pulsed a deeper shade of blue with pride at the announcement. The few random emotions dancing within Syntax's head were brushed aside as she looked up and started to quickly read over the translated runes. A few moments later she had finished, and her gray eyes widened in fear.
"Oh Gaia...no."
