The 99th Platoon – Escape from Batula's Castle


(A/N Kudos for the cool chapter title goes to Silicon Knights and their greatest psychological thriller video game ever: Eternal Darkness – Sanity's Requiem. Introducing some more beasties that the house has to offer, besides the usual Zombies of course, comes a chapter about the Beast Within…about the Horror we all hide and what happens if it's let out from inside of us. Read & Review!)

Chapter 8: The Lurking Horror

The Platoon could hear Dark's battle cries as they charged down an ominously decorated corridor. Every so often there would be a stone pillar on which the grim reaper was carved, his hood drawn down to his eyes, his scythe drawn over his shoulder, ready to strike. On one of the designs the long, bony fingers flexed and gripped the scythe tighter. It lay still as the Platoon passed below it. Shrieking suddenly it lashed out and grabbed Sarge by the scruff of his neck.
"Sarge!" yelled Deja. The design stepped off of the pillar, still holding Sarge in its grip.
"Get Dark! I'll catch up in a minute!"
"But…"
"GO!"

The Platoon dashed off, occasionally sending fleeting glances down the dwindling, primeval hallway until they were out of sight.

Sarge nodded and lifted his shotgun high into the air before ramming it into the creature's gut. The creature let out a yelp of pain and gasped, winded. Sarge freed himself from the creature's grasp and leapt beyond striking distance. He paused momentarily to fully absorb this peculiar assailant. He shook his head and fired the buckshot squarely at the creature's chest.

The reaction was instantaneous. The beast made a peculiar noise, halfway between a growl and a yelp. It stood back and shook itself, much like a dog does after it's wet. Pieces of plaster rained down, along with little chips of cement. The instant these chippings hit the ground however they became almost transparent, slightly warping the area around them, before blending into the background.

"Camouflage…" Sarge whispered.

The beast was wolf-like in appearance. It stood almost as tall as Sarge and was roughly the same build. Its snout was flat and seemed to be plastered against its muzzle. The teeth that lined its large jaw seemed to be made from a metal similar to mercury, with the same reflective quality the liquid metal is known to have. Its paws, as big as frying pans, ended in three menacing claws. The blue coloured fur that sprouted all over its body grew out horizontally, giving the fiend a 'swept' appearance. Its glowing green eyes shone like beacons.
It opened its mouth slowly, baring its fangs. A strange, saliva like liquid dripped off its teeth and hit the floor as drool. A fetid odour rose from the puddle of spit.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you to brush your teeth?"
The monster slashed at Sarge. Sarge rolled to the left and fired his second shot at it. The wolf leapt onto the wall and sprung at Sarge, the potency of its bound suddenly far more deadly. Sarge ducked instinctively, narrowly missing this latest attack. The wolf smashed its paw through the cement. Growling it turned to look at Sarge.

Its growl turned more guttural, more sinister upon seeing Sarge's shotgun in need of reload.
It leapt at Sarge, its jaws outstretched. In one swift, broad and powerful motion the steel jaws of the beast collided with the butt of Sarge's shotgun.
The beast lashed out with its claws aiming to shred Sarge's face to mince. Reacting instantly Sarge caught them both in his paws. He swung his head in a fierce arc and slammed the wolf in the 'face', sending it stunned backwards, blood gushing from its nose.

Sarge put away his shotgun and flipped out his hunting knife. He charged the stunned entity and shoved the blade deep into the right shoulder muscle, slicing sinew and reaching bone, blood gushing all the way.
As the creature flailed along the wall, helpless, Sarge armed himself once more with his shotgun. He brought it up over his shoulder and swung it down, screaming in rage, effectively crushing the wolf's skull.
Bone fragments flew in all directions and Sarge's suit was smeared with its reeking blood. Sarge stared at the fell beast, panting. Slowly he turned around.
Suddenly Sarge swore in pain. His entire leg suddenly felt as though it was on fire. Turning he saw the wolf slashing out desperately behind him, one of its claws now a dark red colour.

"You don't know when to quit do you!?" Sarge yelled. He loaded his shotgun and fired two rounds, point blank, into the wolf's skull. He spat on the creature and, limping slightly, turned to meet his Platoon.
Without warning, Sarge suddenly swooned. He grabbed onto the nearest wall to prevent himself from falling down. He shook his head, feeling his strength returning to him.
"It's just a flesh wound…" he reassured himself.

He was unaware of the fact that his 'flesh wound' had turned an electric blue…throbbing…pulsing…


It wasn't looking good for Dark. He was inside a noose and the noose was being pulled tight. The zombies shrieked at him in unusual unison. Dark roared back, his deep, booming roar echoing down the corridor he was trapped in. The zombies suddenly stopped. Dark looked around warily.

"Dark! JUMP!"
It was Pyst. Dark recognised him from the whirring sound that followed his warning. He leapt up and jammed his body between the two walls. The whirring stopped.
*TraTATraTATraTATraTATraTATraTaTraTATraTATraTATraTATraTATraTA!*

Dark dropped to the ground, his muscles aching. The Platoon caught up with him.
"Nice to see you're still in one piece," said Dark, a hint of a smile across his face.
"Speak for yourself," said Oreos, his brow raised in amusement.

*thud*

ILZ turned to look behind him.
"Serge! Hey fellas! Help me a biddah he!"
Stealth ran to lift Sarge to his feet. The large Squirrel had hit the deck like a sack of potatoes.

"Sarge? Damn man you look like you've had better," said Chael.
"I'm okay. He was a pushover real-...-really"
"Sarge? What's wrong with you're eyes?" Deja asked worried.
"What about 'em?" he snapped. Deja stepped back, offended.
"Sarge you look like shit…" said Twisted.  He offered Sarge a canteen of water, "Have a sip."
"Yeah thank-thanks I um...yeah thanks"
"Has he ever been like this before?" RedStorm whispered to Stealth. Stealth shook his head, his face one of deep reflection.
"Let's get out of this hallway before they surround us again…"

The Platoon walked into one of the corner rooms. Sarge gratefully sat down on a bench under the window. He looked at the moon as it sent its silver beams into the room, lighting up his face.
He sighed and closed his eyes.

When he reopened them Sarge's pupils had gone from round…to oval. An electric green mist seemed to collect around the edges and creep slowly towards the centre of his eyes.
Electric blue hairs started to outgrow the grey ones on his knuckles. Sarge's ears grew pointier and slid to the top of his head.

Dark looked at Sarge and Sarge smiled back, revealing rows of steel, razor-sharp teeth.

The Panther flung himself at Sarge and the two of them rolled away down the corridor.
"RUN!" Dark yelled.
"What!? Why?!" Chael asked, his hand moving to his rifle
"He's been bitten!"
"What?!" Pyst yelled, taking a step back.
"WereSquirrel!"

"You got a problem with that sonny?"

Where Sarge stood a 6'9" beast towered over Dark. Rippling muscles with pulsing veins ran down his legs and arms. Sarge's army jacket hung loosely off its shoulders. A shaggy electric blue mane protected its neck. Its electric green eyes turned into slits at the sight of Dark. Sarge raised his paws. Slowly metal claws slid out. "Sarge" grinned a metallic toothy grin.

"Boys...you better run. Now."

"Sarge" charged at the Platoon, chasing them down a carpeted hallway. He roared as he stamped along, his giant strides matching their running speed. "Sarge" tore out chunks of the wall and ceiling as he chased after the Platoon.

Swearing Dark leapt at Sarge from behind and tackled him to the ground. Sarge took a wild bite, almost ripping into Dark's flesh. Dark punched Sarge in the gut, but the WereSquirrel threw the panther off. Landing on his feet, Dark blocked off the path to the Platoon.

The Panther stared at the oncoming 6'9" monster. They both jumped into the air. Dark thrust his leg into Sarge's jaw, knocking him down. The Panther fell. Sarge swung a giant paw, smacking Dark sideways in the ribs and sent him soaring into the wall.

The Panther yelled in pain, and fell to the ground.

Sarge set off to chase after the Platoon, but stopped as he felt a sharp pain in his neck. Dark's feline fangs bit down on Sarge's neck, buried in the ethereal mane. Blood filled Dark's mouth and he suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of nausea. It was an act of desperation to try and weaken the Squirrel.
Sarge's mind clouded over and so did his vision…

Dark kneed Sarge in the back, sending him to the ground. Still the WereSquirrel would not give up. He turned and thrust out with his paws, six daggers aimed at Dark with enough force to punch through stone.

"GaaAAhHh!" Dark yelped as the surprise blow nailed him squarely in the gut. Sarge lifted Dark up and the Panther groaned weakly as the blades tore through his stomach. Roaring Sarge smashed Dark through the nearest door and went on to continue the hunt…