Chapter 6
The next morning Mian met Darkstripe and Bunny outside of a very large and ornate door. Darkstripe and Bunny were armed to the teeth and carrying the large laser rifles that Darkstripe had sent to charge the day before.
"Are we going hunting?" Mian asked.
"Just about... get the third gear pack over there and put it on." Darkstripe ordered.
Mian did as he was told and Darkstripe went to the large door and entered a code. The doors opened to reveal a very large elevator, all three of them stepped inside the elevator as it began to descend.
"Where are we going?" Mian asked.
"The old road." Bunny told him.
"What is the old road?" he asked again, frustrated at how secretive they were.
"Just be patient, mouse. You will find out soon enough." Darkstripe warned.
The elevator had no sides, only a rail that came up to his shoulder and Darkstripe's waist. Darkstripe walked over to the side that was opposite to where the door originally was and stood there silently. Mian began to notice light from below. Without warning the walls of the shaft ended. The three were freely descending over what seemed to be a landscape from a painting. A gigantic cavern with light coming from a source on the cavern roof. Trees, plants, beaches, lakes, mountains, cities full of gothic skyscrapers all illuminated in the blue-cast light that passed slowly across the cavern sky like a star.
"My God, an underground world!" Mian gasped as he looked over the rail.
"I present to you the underground kingdom of Nigh-Durum, my kingdom. The safest place in all of Zeleca." Darkstripe, the king of Nigh-Durum said proudly.
"I didn't know these places existed, they're only legend." Mian was still in complete shock.
After staring at the expansive kingdom during the descent Mian noticed that the elevator had reached the bottom. Bunny led the other two beasts for a while through the parks and down to a launch pad that had a waiting military hovercraft upon it. Mian was like a child who was first seeing a big city. He was looking everywhere, trying to absorb all he saw.
"Take us to the old door." Darkstripe ordered the driver.
"Do you concur with this, General Marl?" an officer in the other front seat of the vehicle asked Bunny.
"Yes Major. We are armed well enough." Bunny replied.
"Going hunting then?" the major asked.
"No... just passing through." Bunny said cooly.
"Passing... through. P... Procedure demands that you take a heavily armed escort for that!" the major replied, almost stuttering.
"Very well, but they might not be returning. The fewer people we take through the old road, the better chances we have of survival." Bunny continued talking as Mian began to look worried over all of the things she said.
"I know, but no one can override the original rules set down by Darkstripe the first. We must send an escort." the major said gravely
After a short stop by one of the bases to pick up a platoon of twenty heavily armed elite troops, they connected with one of the high speed rail lines. A high speed rail line was a quick way to get from one end of the kingdom to another. It would send a hovercraft down the tracks at over 170 miles per hour.
"Sir, we need the access codes to open the track extension to the old road." The major confronted Darkstripe.
Darkstripe quickly put in the codes as everyone belted in so that they would not be thrown to the back of the car as the hovercraft accelerated. They shot off down the track towards the old road. Mian had learned better than to ask questions about what was going on, so he simply sat and waited for the trip to end. Soon the forces of movement and the gentle rumbling of the craft forced Mian to fall asleep.
Chapter 7
"Mian wake up... we are here." Bunny tapped him playfully with her mechanical arm.
Mian got up groggily and stumbled to the door. "Man, those beers can take it out of you!"
Darkstripe was standing outside, he gave Mian some fizzy water to wake him up as he approached a small door against a large barren wall. They were in the underground mountain range on the very far east side of Nigh- Durum.
"Listen Mian, I must now explain what we have to do. We must pass through this end of the mountain range. If we make it through, you can be granted safe passage into the caverns beneath Basin Lake." Darkstripe checked his rifle and continued. "This passage was used countless ages ago when Basin Lake and Nightwake were allies. Far darker things than we beasts ever could imagine exist in this cavern. That is why we must be on guard and take a platoon with us." He took out an archaic key and unlocked the door.
"What do we do if we don't hear from you sir?" the major asked.
"If you don't hear from me, than there is no 'me' left and rule will pass to my son. Give us ten days to get back here. That should be more than enough." Darkstripe ordered.
The party of twenty-three entered the caverns of the old road. The path was six feet wide and one side dropped off into the murky depths. The only illumination in the cavern came from four lights held by members of the fighting platoon. The party proceeded with caution, making very slow progress. The first day and night passed uneventfully as they traveled through several tight spots and wide caverns.
"So why didn't you just extend the kingdom through here?" Mian asked Darkstripe. "They seem like perfectly useable caverns."
"Lets hope that you never have to find out." The king of Nigh-Durum whispered back.
The second night camp was made by a dank underground lake. Mian sat on the shore alongside Bunny and ate his meal while he chatted with her once more.
"So... how did the arm and the leg happen?" Mian pointed at Bunny's cybernetics.
"Well... they aren't really that permanent. I was burnt in a battle at the lava lake and I had to get these to keep what was left of my real arm and leg working. I still have bones and such under them but actually I think the smooth polymer skin that these have is kinda attractive versus the fur all over the rest of me." She replied cheerfully.
"So they are just arms and legs? Nothing special?" Mian asked.
"Well... I don't like to show off such things. Let's just say they've gotten me out of many tight spots." Bunny was obviously secretive about the arm and leg.
"Damn it." Mian said as he picked up a stone and started rolling it around in his hands.
"What's wrong?" Bunny inquired.
"Everyone is just so damn secretive around here and it is driving me completely crazy. What's so special about an empty cavern or a old road!" He released his built-up frustration by throwing the stone hard across the water.
Darkstripe jumped up and drew out his gun. "What was that noise?"
Bunny expertly covered for Mian. "It was a rock, it tipped off of the edge of the platform we are on."
"Quick, wake up the..." Darkstripe was stopped in mid-sentence as something swooped through the camp and took away one of the guards. Darkstripe took stock of the situation and quickly continued in a booming voice. "Everybody wake up we have wingers incoming!"
The guards awoke slowly but sped up suddenly as another flying creature came through and took a guard. Horrid crunching noises could be heard from off in the blackness where the guards had been taken. Darkstripe readied his laser rifle and started taking shots into the distance. Faint splashes marked the fall of the flying creatures into the water.
"This is why we cannot use this place, Mian. It is the kingdom of the wingers, giant intelligent bats, and we are trespassing. Get your rifle out!" Darkstripe yelled over the sound of laser pistols firing into the distance and shrieks of more winger guards awaking from their long sleep.
The tunnels on either side of the platform they were on glowed with a bit of an eerie green light as guards who were walking on the small clawed hands halfway down their wings approached. The guards had soft green-tinted lamps hanging from one footpaw and repeating crossbows hooked to the other. As soon as the first one cleared the tunnel wall Darkstripe took aim and began firing.
"Shoot the ones at the tunnels first! They have projectiles!" Bunny yelled across the battle as the guards took aim. The change of aim was of no avail. The flying guards swooped down and picked off six more of the now dwindling elite fighting platoon.
Mian was busy focusing fire on the tunnels when he saw something larger than the other guards fly overhead. It slammed itself down on the center of the platform, taking out the rest of the guards and snuffing out three of the lights. The cavern became increasingly green tinted with the loss of the white camping lights. The crossbow carrying guards backed up far enough to block the exits and bowed their heads in reverence.
Darkstripe spoke quietly to Mian from across the platform. "It appears to be the champion. Draw your sword. They will respect us if we beat them in single combat."
"And I gotta fight him. Why?" Mian questioned.
"Because Darkstripe has too much of an advantage and they will not fight females in single combat." Bunny said as she sat down in a huff.
Mian drew his sword, it did not glimmer as it normally would because of the green light. The champion of the winger guard seemed to chuckle a bit that a mouse was going to defeat him with a sword. Two buttons were positioned on the hilt of the sword, Mian pressed them both as he gripped down on the hilt. The sword crackled to life with electricity as a chain started moving around the edge of it as a saw's chain would. The winger now looked more serious and made the first attack by spitting goo at Mian's eyes.
"Look out Mian!" Bunny said as Mian expertly dodged the slime.
The winger champion and Mian locked into combat, Mian struck out against armored wings with his sword as the winger attempted to bludgeon him to death with the wings. The battle continued for quite some time, the other wingers making various squeaks and chips to cheer on their champion. The champion started vaulting into the air and attempting to crush Mian. This unwise attempt was what Mian was looking for. He sliced the champion across its chest as it took off. The wingers shrieked in horror as their champion was knocked back by the shock. Taking to the air, the champion screeched in laughter back because now he thought he would have an advantage.
"Oh that's playing dirty... wait." Man pressed a button on his suit and the wings extended. He took to the air with the same agility as the winger.
Every winger shrieked in horror again at the wingsuit, it obviously brought up some bad memory for them. The champion was coming back through and could not see Mian anywhere on the platform. He slowed to look about because although they had some sonar, the wingers could see. Mian came crashing down from the cavern roof driving his sword down through the champion and landing them both onto the platform. Mian ripped his sword out to the side causing it to saw a large gaping tear through the heart of the winger champion. The champion fell to the ground and went limp.
"They will respect you now... but hide those wings quickly." Darkstripe said as he pressed the button on Mian's suit for him. "Cut off the lead claw on the champion's footpaw."
Mian did as he was told and the wingers cleared the tunnel for them. Bunny lead the party out and through the last passage to the door that marked the entry to the depths of the basin's caverns.
"Go on, Mian." she instructed him
"You can't come further?" Mian asked.
"No. We must stay within their kingdom until we get back to our side. If we leave here and come back in, then we are no longer protected by your defeat of their champion. They have many complicated rules like that." Darkstripe finished the explanation for Bunny.
"Goodbye... I'll be back before ya know it." Mian said as he went invisible and walked into the depths of the basin.
Some time passed before Bunny and Darkstripe began to walk back towards the old door. They were not troubled by the wingers as they went on in their journey.
"Do you think he's crazy for accepting this mission?" Bunny asked Darkstripe.
"Certifiably. I think Chesha is even more insane for thinking up this stunt." Darkstripe commented.
"So do you think that Mian caught on about why the wingsuit was so significant here?" Bunny asked again.
"Not a chance in Hell. He was too busy fighting and he shouldn't have to know. We need to get a move on and get back to the door" Darkstripe picked up the pace as they traveled on, one light leading them and one invisible mouse that they left behind to carry out the first step of the most dangerous mission of his life.
The next morning Mian met Darkstripe and Bunny outside of a very large and ornate door. Darkstripe and Bunny were armed to the teeth and carrying the large laser rifles that Darkstripe had sent to charge the day before.
"Are we going hunting?" Mian asked.
"Just about... get the third gear pack over there and put it on." Darkstripe ordered.
Mian did as he was told and Darkstripe went to the large door and entered a code. The doors opened to reveal a very large elevator, all three of them stepped inside the elevator as it began to descend.
"Where are we going?" Mian asked.
"The old road." Bunny told him.
"What is the old road?" he asked again, frustrated at how secretive they were.
"Just be patient, mouse. You will find out soon enough." Darkstripe warned.
The elevator had no sides, only a rail that came up to his shoulder and Darkstripe's waist. Darkstripe walked over to the side that was opposite to where the door originally was and stood there silently. Mian began to notice light from below. Without warning the walls of the shaft ended. The three were freely descending over what seemed to be a landscape from a painting. A gigantic cavern with light coming from a source on the cavern roof. Trees, plants, beaches, lakes, mountains, cities full of gothic skyscrapers all illuminated in the blue-cast light that passed slowly across the cavern sky like a star.
"My God, an underground world!" Mian gasped as he looked over the rail.
"I present to you the underground kingdom of Nigh-Durum, my kingdom. The safest place in all of Zeleca." Darkstripe, the king of Nigh-Durum said proudly.
"I didn't know these places existed, they're only legend." Mian was still in complete shock.
After staring at the expansive kingdom during the descent Mian noticed that the elevator had reached the bottom. Bunny led the other two beasts for a while through the parks and down to a launch pad that had a waiting military hovercraft upon it. Mian was like a child who was first seeing a big city. He was looking everywhere, trying to absorb all he saw.
"Take us to the old door." Darkstripe ordered the driver.
"Do you concur with this, General Marl?" an officer in the other front seat of the vehicle asked Bunny.
"Yes Major. We are armed well enough." Bunny replied.
"Going hunting then?" the major asked.
"No... just passing through." Bunny said cooly.
"Passing... through. P... Procedure demands that you take a heavily armed escort for that!" the major replied, almost stuttering.
"Very well, but they might not be returning. The fewer people we take through the old road, the better chances we have of survival." Bunny continued talking as Mian began to look worried over all of the things she said.
"I know, but no one can override the original rules set down by Darkstripe the first. We must send an escort." the major said gravely
After a short stop by one of the bases to pick up a platoon of twenty heavily armed elite troops, they connected with one of the high speed rail lines. A high speed rail line was a quick way to get from one end of the kingdom to another. It would send a hovercraft down the tracks at over 170 miles per hour.
"Sir, we need the access codes to open the track extension to the old road." The major confronted Darkstripe.
Darkstripe quickly put in the codes as everyone belted in so that they would not be thrown to the back of the car as the hovercraft accelerated. They shot off down the track towards the old road. Mian had learned better than to ask questions about what was going on, so he simply sat and waited for the trip to end. Soon the forces of movement and the gentle rumbling of the craft forced Mian to fall asleep.
Chapter 7
"Mian wake up... we are here." Bunny tapped him playfully with her mechanical arm.
Mian got up groggily and stumbled to the door. "Man, those beers can take it out of you!"
Darkstripe was standing outside, he gave Mian some fizzy water to wake him up as he approached a small door against a large barren wall. They were in the underground mountain range on the very far east side of Nigh- Durum.
"Listen Mian, I must now explain what we have to do. We must pass through this end of the mountain range. If we make it through, you can be granted safe passage into the caverns beneath Basin Lake." Darkstripe checked his rifle and continued. "This passage was used countless ages ago when Basin Lake and Nightwake were allies. Far darker things than we beasts ever could imagine exist in this cavern. That is why we must be on guard and take a platoon with us." He took out an archaic key and unlocked the door.
"What do we do if we don't hear from you sir?" the major asked.
"If you don't hear from me, than there is no 'me' left and rule will pass to my son. Give us ten days to get back here. That should be more than enough." Darkstripe ordered.
The party of twenty-three entered the caverns of the old road. The path was six feet wide and one side dropped off into the murky depths. The only illumination in the cavern came from four lights held by members of the fighting platoon. The party proceeded with caution, making very slow progress. The first day and night passed uneventfully as they traveled through several tight spots and wide caverns.
"So why didn't you just extend the kingdom through here?" Mian asked Darkstripe. "They seem like perfectly useable caverns."
"Lets hope that you never have to find out." The king of Nigh-Durum whispered back.
The second night camp was made by a dank underground lake. Mian sat on the shore alongside Bunny and ate his meal while he chatted with her once more.
"So... how did the arm and the leg happen?" Mian pointed at Bunny's cybernetics.
"Well... they aren't really that permanent. I was burnt in a battle at the lava lake and I had to get these to keep what was left of my real arm and leg working. I still have bones and such under them but actually I think the smooth polymer skin that these have is kinda attractive versus the fur all over the rest of me." She replied cheerfully.
"So they are just arms and legs? Nothing special?" Mian asked.
"Well... I don't like to show off such things. Let's just say they've gotten me out of many tight spots." Bunny was obviously secretive about the arm and leg.
"Damn it." Mian said as he picked up a stone and started rolling it around in his hands.
"What's wrong?" Bunny inquired.
"Everyone is just so damn secretive around here and it is driving me completely crazy. What's so special about an empty cavern or a old road!" He released his built-up frustration by throwing the stone hard across the water.
Darkstripe jumped up and drew out his gun. "What was that noise?"
Bunny expertly covered for Mian. "It was a rock, it tipped off of the edge of the platform we are on."
"Quick, wake up the..." Darkstripe was stopped in mid-sentence as something swooped through the camp and took away one of the guards. Darkstripe took stock of the situation and quickly continued in a booming voice. "Everybody wake up we have wingers incoming!"
The guards awoke slowly but sped up suddenly as another flying creature came through and took a guard. Horrid crunching noises could be heard from off in the blackness where the guards had been taken. Darkstripe readied his laser rifle and started taking shots into the distance. Faint splashes marked the fall of the flying creatures into the water.
"This is why we cannot use this place, Mian. It is the kingdom of the wingers, giant intelligent bats, and we are trespassing. Get your rifle out!" Darkstripe yelled over the sound of laser pistols firing into the distance and shrieks of more winger guards awaking from their long sleep.
The tunnels on either side of the platform they were on glowed with a bit of an eerie green light as guards who were walking on the small clawed hands halfway down their wings approached. The guards had soft green-tinted lamps hanging from one footpaw and repeating crossbows hooked to the other. As soon as the first one cleared the tunnel wall Darkstripe took aim and began firing.
"Shoot the ones at the tunnels first! They have projectiles!" Bunny yelled across the battle as the guards took aim. The change of aim was of no avail. The flying guards swooped down and picked off six more of the now dwindling elite fighting platoon.
Mian was busy focusing fire on the tunnels when he saw something larger than the other guards fly overhead. It slammed itself down on the center of the platform, taking out the rest of the guards and snuffing out three of the lights. The cavern became increasingly green tinted with the loss of the white camping lights. The crossbow carrying guards backed up far enough to block the exits and bowed their heads in reverence.
Darkstripe spoke quietly to Mian from across the platform. "It appears to be the champion. Draw your sword. They will respect us if we beat them in single combat."
"And I gotta fight him. Why?" Mian questioned.
"Because Darkstripe has too much of an advantage and they will not fight females in single combat." Bunny said as she sat down in a huff.
Mian drew his sword, it did not glimmer as it normally would because of the green light. The champion of the winger guard seemed to chuckle a bit that a mouse was going to defeat him with a sword. Two buttons were positioned on the hilt of the sword, Mian pressed them both as he gripped down on the hilt. The sword crackled to life with electricity as a chain started moving around the edge of it as a saw's chain would. The winger now looked more serious and made the first attack by spitting goo at Mian's eyes.
"Look out Mian!" Bunny said as Mian expertly dodged the slime.
The winger champion and Mian locked into combat, Mian struck out against armored wings with his sword as the winger attempted to bludgeon him to death with the wings. The battle continued for quite some time, the other wingers making various squeaks and chips to cheer on their champion. The champion started vaulting into the air and attempting to crush Mian. This unwise attempt was what Mian was looking for. He sliced the champion across its chest as it took off. The wingers shrieked in horror as their champion was knocked back by the shock. Taking to the air, the champion screeched in laughter back because now he thought he would have an advantage.
"Oh that's playing dirty... wait." Man pressed a button on his suit and the wings extended. He took to the air with the same agility as the winger.
Every winger shrieked in horror again at the wingsuit, it obviously brought up some bad memory for them. The champion was coming back through and could not see Mian anywhere on the platform. He slowed to look about because although they had some sonar, the wingers could see. Mian came crashing down from the cavern roof driving his sword down through the champion and landing them both onto the platform. Mian ripped his sword out to the side causing it to saw a large gaping tear through the heart of the winger champion. The champion fell to the ground and went limp.
"They will respect you now... but hide those wings quickly." Darkstripe said as he pressed the button on Mian's suit for him. "Cut off the lead claw on the champion's footpaw."
Mian did as he was told and the wingers cleared the tunnel for them. Bunny lead the party out and through the last passage to the door that marked the entry to the depths of the basin's caverns.
"Go on, Mian." she instructed him
"You can't come further?" Mian asked.
"No. We must stay within their kingdom until we get back to our side. If we leave here and come back in, then we are no longer protected by your defeat of their champion. They have many complicated rules like that." Darkstripe finished the explanation for Bunny.
"Goodbye... I'll be back before ya know it." Mian said as he went invisible and walked into the depths of the basin.
Some time passed before Bunny and Darkstripe began to walk back towards the old door. They were not troubled by the wingers as they went on in their journey.
"Do you think he's crazy for accepting this mission?" Bunny asked Darkstripe.
"Certifiably. I think Chesha is even more insane for thinking up this stunt." Darkstripe commented.
"So do you think that Mian caught on about why the wingsuit was so significant here?" Bunny asked again.
"Not a chance in Hell. He was too busy fighting and he shouldn't have to know. We need to get a move on and get back to the door" Darkstripe picked up the pace as they traveled on, one light leading them and one invisible mouse that they left behind to carry out the first step of the most dangerous mission of his life.