The cathedral was quiet, empty, devoid of all life save five creatures on a mission. The snow was falling outside. Galuda lifted the stone panel behind the altar, revealing a passageway into the forgotten catacombs. But most surprising was the fact that torches were lit along the walls.
"Well, that's odd." Falcon remarked.
"Could Accel have exited?" Rouge pondered. "Someone had to light these torches."
"No, he is still within the place of many graves, I am quite sure!" Jack shook his head.
Kraken pushed aside the four standing in front and started down the stairs. "I don't care if Dante himself blazed through these halls, arr! We have a destination to embark to, yarr!"
"Dante?" Rouge tilted her pretty face.
"No time 'Ms. Mohammed is my prophet'. The captain's got a point. No point in sitting here all bloody day." Falcon answered.
Falcon, Galuda, and Jack started down the stairs after Kraken. Rouge's face was annoyed. "Hey, I don't go around making jest of your Jesus do I?"
"Of coarse not." Replied Falcon. "That would be just rude."
Rouge let out a growl and followed after. Kraken stopped in his tracks.
"Ar, we need a proper formation. Where's the navigator? Yarr." Kraken ordered. Jack slinked to the front. Kraken smiled, revealing his many missing teeth. "Arr, next we needs a powerful type, I presume you'll do the bit." He poked Falcon in the chest. "Next s the Captain, which is myself, arr." Kraken glanced at Rouge. "Ain't you a pretty missy? This ain't a picnic. What can you do, and if it taint anything useful than just go back upstairs. Yarr."
Rouge lit a small flame in her palm, lighting her features. She was not very happy. "I can do several things. But would you prefer medium, rare, or well-done?"
Kraken grinned. "That will be useful enough. You stand be'ind myself, arg. Galuda stand in the back, protect us from the rear. I just hope you 'avent weakened in the time between our fight and now, hehehehehe, yarr."
Galuda frowned. "I have only gained strength."
Falcon tapped the old pirate on the shoulder. "I dunno Cap'n, but I think you're missing a bloomin piece of information. You see, I'm the leader of this bunch and I give the orders."
Kraken eyed the Brit coldly. "Not anymore boy. I'm the captain of this ship, arg, so you do what I says or I slits yer throat. Do you hear me son, yarr?"
"We really don't have time for this. Falcon, let the Captain lead, he seems to know what he's doing. Jack, you have a trail from Accel?" Rouge asked.
Jack crawled down the steps a bit. His red went back and forth, locking on to some invisible trail. After a moment, Jack laughed.
"I do belive he's got a whiff of something alright." Falcon commented.
"Well don't just stand there boy! Lead you dog, yarr!" Kraken screeched.
The team of five went running down, down, down…
** *
It was dark. Not pitch black so to say, but the amount of light was far from satisfying. The air was damp and smell of smoke and fish. Oh how good that smell was. Ayame sat up and neatly placed the blankets that were resting upon her to the side. She was in some kind of old stone tunnel. Torches lit the wall, revealing a sandy brownish stone color. The old fisherman from before was sitting near by, roasting his catch over an open flame. The Frenchman noticed Ayame had wakened. He turned to her and smiled.
"I see you are awake. Do you feel cold?" The man asked.
"Not really, I'm feeling fine… thank you kind sir for rescuing me…" Ayame bowed her head.
"Ah think nothing of it madam. What is your name, young un?" The man asked. "Oh, how rude of me, would you like some of this fish? You must be starving."
Ayame instantly leaped over to the fire. She took the fish and began gobbling it as if there was not to be a tomorrow. The man raised an eyebrow.
"It looks as if you haven't eaten in days. Well try not to go too hard on the stock, it's what I've got to live on for who knows how long…" the man picked at the fire with a stick.
Ayame slowed her chewing and took a look around. Some ancient labyrinth, decorated with symbols she had never seen before. It was different from anything she had seen. "My name is Ayame Uematsu, pleased to meet you. …Where exactly are we Mr…?"
"Mr. Alexander Ashford at your service. This is the Manches Catacombs, an expansive crypt that runs below the city above. It is where the clergy used to bury their dead, but now it is all forgotten. There are many entrances and exits through this subterranean labyrinth, but you are probably wondering what you are doing down here. Early this morning, when the clergy were still a slumber, I sneaked into the entrance behind the altar at St. Joan's Cathedral. I lit the torches so I could find my way back, for you see it is quite easy to become lost down here. I keep my little boat down here, near a sloping exit that leads out to the bay. The best fishing is down here, and the piers require a payment. I am an old poor man so I can be very thrifty I beg your pardon. But now pirates have taken the city prisoner. I fled the sea once their galleon pulled in and I took you with me. I didn't wish to leave you abandoned and helpless in a battlefield." The old man, Ashford, explained.
"…And you plan on staying down here until the pirates leave?" Ayame inquired.
"That is my plan. It is not safe to go out of doors this day. Such fiends, no one has seen a pirate like that since the end of the eighteenth century, nearly a hundred years gone. …First the killings and now pirates... sometimes I think that God has a wicked sense of humor…" Ashford said.
Ayame's face surprisingly turned into a smile. She jumped up and grabbed Mr. Ashford's hand. "Mr. Ashford, this has to be the King Octopus! Only Ebenezer Kraken would be fool enough to land an attack on a western country with an ancient vessel! That means that my friends are back! The pirates are here to help us stop the serial killer!"
Mr. Ashford shook his head. "I think that cold water has gotten to your head Miss Ayame. They're up there battling the police and destroying anything they can. Thank God that no one has been killed as of yet."
"I'll prove it to you! I'll go find my friends and they'll tell you it's true!" Ayame laughed. For the first time in a long time, Ayame had hope. Her love, Accel, might have met up with the others. It had been a horrid, wretched trip, but things were looking better.
"I really wish you wouldn't go. I think it's best to stay put right now." Ashford objected.
"I have to Mr. Ashford. My friends are out there! I'll be back for you as soon as I can!" Ayame replied.
Mr. Ashford's eyes looked at her sorrowfully. He turned away after a few minutes and sighed. "Follow the torches. They'll lead you to the altar entrance."
Ayame stood still for a moment. The old man's look was pitiful. She didn't want to leave him, but she had to. She patted his back and moved on through the tunnel.
** *
Wet. So encompassing, this water. Cold, oh so cold. Drip, drip, drip. The only sounds that presented themselves inside this dark wet chamber. And yet the resident of this tomb had not paid token to such items of description. The setting meant nothing to the participant of this room. The half flooded stone floor, the four or so feet of cold water above. The arched ceiling with clumps of spider's web above even that. The water's shadows played along the wall and ceilings, dancing in a show of light, the only light, within these walls. But the trespasser did not care. The trespasser eyes were red, his hands cold, and his heart heavy. Drip, drip, drip endlessly into the hours. Wading constantly through cold water did John pass. John Accel did pass, searching oh so ever searching for the blood of his prey.
{{"Johnny!"}} A feminine voice called through his mind. It wasn't Ayame's I assure you. The voice came from deep within Accel's subconscious. Accel closed his eyes and let himself drift to a time far away…
** *
The grass was green on a blue day. A breeze blew through, causing the white sheets on the clothesline to promenade. A little cottage stood on a hill, dressed in old wood and antique metal. A little boy sat on a wooden stump, whittling a figure out of a small piece of wood. He was adorned in denim overalls and a loose white shirt. His hair was as blonde as any canary feather ever was and his eyes as blue as the sky. His feet were bare, swinging back and forth. The road was dry and dusty, curving back and forth from the cottage down the hill and through the endless plains such as a snake would.
CLIP CLOP CLIP CLOP. The sounds of a horse's four shoes echoed from the road below. The small boy stopped his whittling for a moment and looked down the road. A wagon was pulling up the hill, pulled by one horse. On the front of the wagon was a middle-aged man in a white button up shirt and dark brown overalls. His moustache hid his mouth as he drove the horse forward with the occasional "ha" and "giddy up".
"Johnny!" The voice called. It was John Accel's sister and the man, his father, returning from a trip from the north. The Texas Ranch seemed to be happier with them back, especially the young girl's presence. She had a pretty young face, though much older than that of Accel's. Her hair fell to her shoulders in a straight manner. Her hair was blonde as her eyes were as green as jade. She waved enthusiastically as the wagon drew nearer. Obviously these two siblings had been separated for some time. John ran over to the wagon.
"So what's the city like Jane?" John asked eagerly.
"Still under Yankee control. Damned war ended five years ago and they still have us under they're thumbs." Their father shouted. He grabbed his flask and took a swig.
Jane frowned. "Papa says that some carpetbaggers are coming to look at the ranch…"
"Carpetbaggers?" John repeated. "That doesn't sound like a nice thing papa."
Their father drove the wagon to the cottage door and hopped off. A woman in her middle age stepped out, rubbing a cast iron pot with a cloth. "Welcome back Jed."
"I'm not in the mood Martha. Damned carpetbaggers say there's no other way out…" He took a swig of his flask again.
"You've been out for nearly a month now Jed, you weren't able to find at least one bank?" The mother asked.
"All of them are controlled by damn yanks. I won't deal with Yankee soldiers."
"Jed, I-I know that you feel bad about losing the war, but, well, you've got a family to take care of! We can't sell the farm! You'll just have to try dealing with the Yankees at the bank!"
"Damnit woman! Don't you tell me what to do! Jed Accel doesn't deal with the enemy, especially after he burned our crops, stole our slaves, and oppressed our states rights! They slaughtered half of my goddamned family! Four of my brothers at Shilo all dead!"
Martha looked at the two children, who were watching with curious and scared eyes. She turned to Jed and clasped the flagon. She smelt it. "We needn't talk this way in front of the children Jed. We'll talk inside."
The two adults went inside and closed the door. Johnny could hear shouts and anger, fits and tantrums, all screaming back and forth. He turned to his sister, whom had retreated to the stump, far away from the cabin's archaic walls.
"What are they talkin' bout Jane?" Johnny asked, confused.
The preteen girl put her arm around her child brother. "They is talkin bout nothin' Johnny. Jus' havin a screamin' contest. Is all."
"Wow, Momma's real good at it." Johnny smiled. Jane continued to frown.
"…Don't tell no one I told you this, but Poppa says we gotta sell the farm." Jane whispered in a sorrowful voice.
"What? Why?" Johnney was shocked.
"He says that we owe so much money thanks to the war that we can't repay."
"Then where are we going to go?" Accel asked.
"I don't know, but remember this Johnny Accel, I'll always be there when you need me." Jane hugged her brother.
It was only an hour later that John would leave that farm for good. He left with his mother in a rush, not having a clue of what was going on. With tears in his eyes, he waved good-bye as the horse and wagon raced off into the dusty plain. He never saw Jane afterwards, or his father…
** *
Accel opened his eyes, the memories submerging back into his mind. He lifted himself out of the cold water. "…First they took away Jane and now they take Ayame… No! Not again! I will not lose another!"
Accel waded through the stream into the night…
** *
The tunnel broke apart. It was now a "T" rather than a line. Jack stopped, causing a traffic jam for the four behind. He narrowed his eye and shook his head.
"Well ol' chap, wots with the blinkin stop?" Falcon asked.
"I smell a familiar scent. But it cannot be…" Jack wondered.
"Is it that Other Jack, yarr?" Kraken pulled back the hammer of his hand cannon.
"No… it's-" Jack began.
Following the torches, Ayame ran through the tunnel before she reached an intersection. She raced until she almost met the far wall. To her left were the shocked looks of her friends. They all stared wide eyes, as if they had seen a specter appear before them.
"Falcon! Rouge! Jack! Galuda! Oh it's you! It's really you!" Ayame leaped over and hugged them.
"Ayame?! You're alive?!" Rouge asked shocked.
"Just barley, thanks to some brave people!" Ayame replied.
"But I saw Other Jack bury his dagger into your back!" Jack couldn't believe his eye.
"Oh Jack, I'm glad you made it! Accel …used the power stone …to bring me …back." Ayame explained.
"So wench, your this Ayame girl? Yarr?" Kraken asked.
Ayame bowed. "Yes, and you are Kraken?"
"Captain Kraken to you land lubber! Yarr." Kraken tipped his hat.
Ayame peered around the line. "…Accel… isn't with you?!"
Rouge shook her head and placed her hands on her shoulders. "I'm afraid not honey. He's somewhere down here searching for Other Jack."
Ayame looked at the stone floor. "Other Jack… We have to find Accel!"
Galuda smiled. "It is good to have you back Ms. Ayame."
"As it's good to be back, everyone!" Ayame smiled.
"Well, this happy occasion marks our team deaths back to zero. Let's just try to keep it that way" Falcon winked.
** *
