After a long while I have returned. Many stories that I've written back in 2014, so long ago, I've come to loathe and I would consider them irreversably broken and beyond any rescue. However, this story has always had potential. So I will be focusing solely on this.
Chapter 1: a Different side of the story
The fire from multiple torches give the ancient Wulfburg catacombs an ominous orange gleam. The atmosphere inside is cold and feels tense. The wailing of the wind entering through the by explosives made entrance make it seem as if lost souls themselves inhabit it. How could such a picturesque, snowy German village could hide such a dark secret? The stone hallways feel claustrophobic to three German soldiers, part of the unit meant for security. As nerve wrecking as this location is, it has become the new normal. But today something is off; they can hear moaning and screaming the distance. Be it human or something else entirely.
The three stand in a circle facing each other in the midst of a T intersection. All three look battered, dirty and a little skittish of every movement. Spent bullet cases litter the floor and the smell of gunpowder burns their nostrils.
These three are Scharführer Xander van Acker, Obergefreiter Günther Mencken and Soldat Aiolos Zervas.
Xander, a 29-year old man from Holland, a neighboring country to the Vaterland. A farmer's son without a very good relationship with his father, standing 1,82 meters tall and of medium posture. His helmet has the SS runes on the right side. It covers his dark blond hair and cast a shadow over his faint blue eyes, a once-bright smile and a rugged chin: the would be perfect Aryan. Aside from a scar that sticks out just below his helmet on his forehead that is. He has no reason to support the people that occupied his country, but the fear of the Soviet Union and running away from getting a criminal charge attached to his name compelled him to join up. The recruiters were more than happy to send the figurehead of the superior race into battle.
Regardless of what the propaganda makes him out to be, he found that the fight against Bolshevism was not a righteous battle. With as much positivity and bravado as he went in, as much of a smack to the face the war turned out to be. He cut his teeth on the Russian front, fighting mostly on the front lines. Until he ended up in Stalingrad during the harsh winter months of 1942. He was shot but was evacuated and treated for his wounds. Declared unfit for duty for the Wehrmacht but unwilling to surrender his service, he applied to the Wolfenstein SS and became a Scharführer. Along with him, went two of his most trusted squad members.
The first one, Günther, is a 33-year old native German and has bushy brown beard and mustache combination. Not exactly in line with what is allowed but with lax supervision and the freezing cold, he is not only one. An excuse he uses often. He is the shortest of the group at 1,68 meters with a beefier posture, beer brown eyes and with a face best described as that of an English bulldog, he is not exactly a popular amongst the ladies. Much to his dismay. He makes up for it in humor usually, saying that when he was born he must have got hit in the face with a shovel out of necessity. Or he would have been prettier than Xander.
Joined up with the Wehrmacht since 1938 as a reservist, was put into action near 1940 to assist the Italians in their Greek campaign however he was diverted not long after. They needed all the men they could get for a then yet to commence offensive somewhere in the east. He served with Xander ever since the invasion into the Soviet Union began, just before they took Kiev. He wears no helmet, simply because he doesn't trust equipment that does not do what it supposed to do. Xander's helmet did not protect him from the bullet that practically scalped him. He came along with Xander and remained at his side, joining the Wolfenstein SS as well.
Aiolos is the newest and youngest member to the three man squad, being only 24. He is slightly taller thought, standing at 1,88 meters. Sporting a thin posture, a long face with high cheekbones and similar blue eyes to Xander but deep set into their sockets. Combined with his tanner skin color, short dark brown hair, people tend to make owl noises behind is back. He is usually too timid to retort and pretends to not hear it. He wears a simple slate grey wool ski cap, showing that he's without a doubt the Soldat of this squad. He still has his original service rifle on his back. Apart from his normal features, he has a large blood stain on his left cheek; a grim reminder of a close encounter with one of them.
Since the occupation of Greece in 1941, he applied as a volunteer for the Wehrmacht. His mother did not agree with that at all; his father died fighting the Germans during the beginning days of the invasion of the Greek mainland. Fighting for those who had murdered is father did not sit right with Aiolos either but it was income. They ended up with financial struggles after that loss. After 10 days of deliberation, not wanting to confront his mother directly, he snuck out of the house and joined up. Ending up with Xander's unit just before Operation Barbarassa and quickly bonding with the other two. He stills sends checks to his mother every month, not knowing if she received them or even if she would open them. After Stalingrad, he chose to remain with Xander and Günther.
Despite their experience on the battlefield, nothing could not have prepared them for the situation they are in right now. Just ahead of them and to the left, lies a dismembered soldier. His left arm has been torn off and his intestantes lie all over the floor. Where his killer is, is unknown. They only heard his scream and they were too late to save him.
'It is like a slaughterhouse in here.' comments Aiolos disgusted. 'Uurgh…' He has to hold back a gag reflex while a loud rumble in his stomach can be heard.
'I know. These things are everywhere.' proclaims Günther.
'What are they? And… where do they come from?'
'Don't ask me. No one ever tells me anything.' bites Xander.
Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream for help echoes through the hallway. Xander and the rest turn towards it, but it's too far away and too late. They hear blood flowing with the screaming slowly degrading into gurgling and finally silence, only interrupted by dimmed sounds of chewing.
'Mein Gott! Did you hear that?' asks Aiolos on the verge of running for his life. He checks the hallway to the exit to assure none of those creatures are coming out there.
'Ja!' confirms Günther equally scared, checking the right side. 'And I wish I hadn't!'
'We have to get out of here.' says Xander, something to which all two can agree on. 'Follow me back to the entrance. Aiolos, your rifle. You take point.'
Aiolos grabs the rifle from his back and aims for the right hallway. He swallows hard as fear breaks down his bravery bit by bit. The sight of that being, reaching and clawing for him. Someone else took the blow that should have been his.
Guilt. It gnaws on him, but does not compel him to ignore Scharführer van Acker's orders. He goes on, leading the team towards a small excavation site; the entrance they came through. It's brightly lit by excavation lights and the occasional table with relics placed on top is placed against and near the walls. One of which is flipped over on its side. In the for back there are some boxes with ammunition and grenades. Four thick stone pillars adorned with torches hold up the ceiling, but they did not hold up the ladder leading back to Wulfburg; It lies split in two on the ground.
'What!?' exclaims Aiolos. 'The ladder… it's destroyed!'
'T-they have sealed us in here!' Günther's voice crack betrays a hint of fear.
'No...'
Xander can say no more as more screams of agony echo through the hallways. This time more audible and crisp. It was closer than before; they are coming. They stand frozen turned towards the direction of impending doom.
'... Ok. Take positions everyone. We are holding this area. Aiolos, I want you behind that flipped table on my left. Günther, near the pillar to my right. Call when you see them.'
After both acknowledge, they move into position. Aiolos takes cover behind the flipped table and sets his rifle down on it. Xander kneels down near a set of ammunition boxes behind him, in case any of his team members need any. Günther is the closest to the door, kneeling down behind pillar, with a good view of the hallway.
'Get ready. They are coming!' says Aiolos with a panicked whiff at the end of his sentence. He takes one final look at Xander, who has already aiming down the sight of his weapon. Xander slows his breath, trying to focus purely on the targets about to come towards them. It is uncomfortably silent now.
Then, faint stomping can be heard. It's coming closer. The clattering of rusted iron and strained moans dampen any positivity. Xander sees the already drowned morale of his men wither even further as the anticipation lulls them into a trance.
'Show yourself you devil spawn...' he says under his breath. And not before long, his wish is granted. Accompanied by a low growl, two mummified corpses armed with battle axes and medival spiked armor turn the corner. Their eyes glow a fierce yellow and they march at them with shields raised.
'Fire!'
Günter and Aiolos snap out of it and have no trouble in following that order. The first volley of fire fails when the bullets deflect of the monster's shields. Not even the heavier Mauser cartridge of Aiolos' weapon is powerful enough. The creatures trundle forward, slow from decay but unaffected by the firestorm, they enter the site. One of them spots and charges at Günther.
'Günther get back here!' orders Xavier as he stops firing. He looks around for anything useful and finds a poach with 4 stick grenades in there. In the meantime, Günther as already joined up with him and is handed one.
'You know how to handle these.'
Both head towards the table where Aiolos is still laying down fire before his internal magazine runs dry. He reaches to grab a stripper clip but is handed a grenade instead.
'Wha...? Oh. Got it.'
All three unscrew the bottom of the stick and pull the cord. Each counting to three before they lob them over the table towards the skeleton warriors. The moment before detonation is slight agony before three loud explosions make the room shake on it foundation. Followed by the low death rattle mixed with the clattering of bones and metal hitting the floor. Silence and the smell of explosive residue fill the atmosphere now. The dust settles and the hearing of the three men's returns to them.
Xander signals stay down while, very carefully, looks up from behind the table and sees one warrior motionless on the floor and the other in tatters. To be sure, he aims his weapon at the seemingly dead one while gently walking towards it. He gestures Günther to follow him while Aiolos keeps overwatch after he has reloaded his rifle.
As Xander comes closer, the pressure begins to build again. What if that thing was not dead yet and simply pretending? It is still holding on to its weapon. So many thoughts and scenario's are going through his head right now but he decides not to take any risks.
'Aiolos. Put one in his head.'
A loud discharge of powder and one spent cartridge later, a 7.92 mm round lodges itself into the skull of the fallen enemy but there is no response.
'I think it is dead...' Günther almost swallows his words when he sees movement on the corpse. But the creature itself is not moving, it is turning to dust along with its weapons. A yellow glow left behind fades and whatever skin tissue was left on dissolves quickly. Until nothing but some bones and dust remain.
To which all three exhale relieved. The tension, much like the remains of their fallen enemies, is blown away. Xander sits down on a set of stairs to the left of the table with his MP40 on his lap. The heated barrel pointed away from him. While Günther leans against the pillar closest to him, letting his weapon dangle on the strap that is around his body.
'Well done Günther.'
'Thank you Scharführer. That was quite distressing to be honest. But after seeing these things reduced to bone... I don't know why I was so ängstlich to begin with.' he sniggers awkwardly. He breathes out a huge sigh of relief again while slides down against the pillar until he touches the ground; that image of an undead warrior shuffling at him with an axe held high will stay with him for a while.
'And you too Aiolos. We showed them.'
Xander turns to Aiolos, whose weapon barrel is smoking. He himself is leaning on the table with arms folded, staring dead ahead. Towards the hallway they came from. From the hallway they came from.
'It's over my Greek friend.'
Aiolos perks up snapping out of his trance. He turns to Xander and raises a fist in meager celebration. After a few moments of respite, Xander groans and gets up and Günther follows suit. They join Aiolos at the table and sit down behind it.
'What's the plan Scharführer?' asks Günther.
Xavier sighs. 'Not much we can do. For now, we keep this position. Get used with the reality we find ourselves in now. Fortify this site and we can look for ways to get back up to Wulfburg. Maybe we can fix the ladder. I will set up some kind of field command as a central point and unpack all those ammunition crates."
He puts his hand on the table. 'I want this to be shoved up against the entrance. As a barricade. Günther, push it into position. Aiolos, you help him."
Out of a poach, he grabs the final grenade and points it at Günther. 'Once the table is in position, you are first watch. If anything paranormal comes at you, turn it away or turn it to dust. Aiolos. After the barricade is in place, you will return to me and help me look for anything to help his out of this hole. Understood?'
The two nod in agreement.
'Good. We are going to stay here for a while. Try to make yourself comfortable. Dismissed.'
'It is like Stalingrad all over again.' chuckles Günther as he gets to work.
'Wouldn't Kiev be a better comparison?' interjects Aiolos.
'Now that you mention it. At least today you held yourself better than you did back then.'
Aiolos fusses. 'Oh real funny, like you were so fearless back then.'
'I ate those bolsheviks for breakfast!'
Xander watches his two friends grab each a side of the table and lift it up. It must be surprisingly heavy as even Günther has trouble with it. As the two playfully continue to banter, the Scharführer cannot help but crack a smile.
*These men... idiots. But the very best. Whether they do it for the Vaterland or for their family, they are in the thick of it every single day. And they got my back every single day too. We would go through hell and back for each other. I need to get them out of this Hell first though.*
With the thought process behind him, he gets up and goes over to the pile of ammunition crates where he found the grenades from before. There are a total of three wooden crates loosely stacked on top of each other. Most likely done in a hurry.
Xander looks around for something to open them but cannot really find anything. Not willing to waste a lot of time, he folds the stock on his MP40 and gives the top crate a stern smack with the butt of the weapon. Using the machine steel body like a battering ram has the desired effect; after a few good hits the lid breaks open.
'Plenty of ammunition. Good.' he says under his breath as he puts down the open crate, going for number two.
In the meantime the table has been put in front of the hallway and flipped over again, blocking it off to about hip-height. While Günther takes position as instructed, Aiolos looks to his right and spots on of the spotlights that are positioned around the room. Without a second thought, he fetches it. The cord providing power is long enough and Aiolos places it on the right side of the table, it's light now brightly illuminating the hallway ahead.
Günther thanks while staying focused on watching the hallway and Aiolos walks back over to Xander who in the meantime has managed to crudely break open the final box. The opened crates lie carelessly around him, filled to brim with pre-filled 9mm magazines and 7.92mm rifle ammunition in the familiar 5-round clips. All daintily coverd by a green cloth for protection against dust and bumps during transport.
'That will keep us fighting for days.' he notes, eagerly eyeing the merchandise.
Xander stands upright from his bend over position and turns to Aiolos. 'It sure will. But we cannot eat bullets sadly. And I doubt any of those freaks carry anyting edible on them.'
He pauses for a moment. 'Well, it cannot be helped. And speaking of food; grab what ammo you can carry and then ferry it over to Günther. Trade them for the canned pork he carries on him. I think all this supernatural stress can be digested best on a full stomach.'
No sooner said than done, the exchange is made. Xander takes a few torches from the pillar closest to him along with some wood splinters off the ground and pilles them into a makeshift campfire in the middle of the site. Aiolos meanwhile tears the green cloths into little pieces to fuel the fire and the wooden lids of the crates he puts in arms' reach. Both he and Xander sit down, while Günther remains at his position for now.
'Now, let's see if this Fleischkonserve tastes any better when warm' says Xander with a hint of sarcasm.
'What is even in it?'
'Whatever the RMEL can miss Aiolos. Don't think about it too much.' Xander betrays a sly smile.
Several minutes pass by and the fire has started burning bright. It releases a thick black smoke from the cloth being fed to it. However it is ventilated through the large hole in the ceiling. Where they originally went down accompanied by loads of other soldiers and scientists. There is no need to speculate what happened in between then and now.
The tin is held above the fire, sitting on the burned end of two extinguished torches, bound together with cloth just far enough from the fire. The meat conserve inside is softly sizzling, barely audible between the crackling and the campfire conversation between the three soldiers.
Günther has started whistling a tune that they've heard in Stalingrad during the good days of the offensive. It came from an old Russian man playing a piece of nationalist music on his piano. Originally written by a man with a name ending with -ov. When the aircraft stopped flying over, you could hear it really well. And enjoy it too. Especially when they were thoroughly wasted. They would dance to it and poorly emulate a traditional Russian folk dance. All a mockery towards their Soviet enemy. They once got an entire bar of soldiers to join along.
Jubilation mixed with nostalgia come from both Xander and Aiolos, who both remember what Günther did that one night; He urinated against a guard post close to the headquarters of a general.
Günther then points out that the other two were not such angels either. Wreaking havoc through the local city center, trying to seduce the local women and шлюхи (shlyukhi, the local prostitutes in other words) alike while slurring German-tainted Russian. They had little success as expected.
'Bah, those whores probably had crabs all over anyway.' Aiolos blows it off before doubling down. 'If you went down on one of them, I'm sure it would look exactly the same as this place right here.' he continues.
'Not to mention that one of those monsters might also pour out of those hairy cracks.' mutters Xander under his breath. They have a good roaring laugh before they settle down, on occassion having a chuckle. The music that infected the atmosphere has dampened as Günther's whistle goes more quiet.
In the meantime, the lid on the tin has started to bulge; the meat wants out. Xander carefully pulls it back to him and Aiolos gets up to assist. He wraps his hand in the leftover cloth to protect his hand from the heat.
'It is a shame that the old man was killed. I actually liked his music.'
'The songs were promoting a Soviet ideal and keeping the spirit up for the people. The SS does not like that very much.' says Xander while looking at the bulged lid.
'Bunch of nazi's huh?' says Günther out of the blue with the biggest grin on his face. Aiolos cannot help but laugh while Xander shakes his head.
Unfortunately for them, the innocent laughing that the terrible pun is disturbed by the sound of a large explosion coming from above, where the exit is. All three perk up and instantly reach for their weapons to point them upwards. The tin falling to the floor with a light thud along with the torch contraption.
'What was that!?' reacts Aiolos panicked
'Reinforcements perhaps? No... We can't risk it. Aiolos, move to Günther and keep your eyes peeled.'
'Ja Scharführer!'
They sprint around the campfire and position themselves to the front left and right of Günther, pointing their weapons up. Xander peeks over his shoulder and notices Günther feeling much more uncomfortable with his back towards potential danger, glancing between the hallway and back.
'Günther, eyes to the hallway. The Greek has your back.'
Whereupon Aiolos reaches behind him and pats Günther on the shoulder. Feeling more secure, Günther turns his back on the danger towards potential danger. Aiolos meanwhile softly squeezes his trigger. Xander comes close to his original position near the now empty ammo boxes but stops just short of the edge of the hole in the ceiling, points his gun up and another trigger is readied.
From up there, sounds of struggling are heard along with stone crumbling. Followed by gunshots that do not sound anything like the weapons they are used to. The noises coming closer as well as someone fast approaching. Then more stone breaks, as if a wall burst open from the inside.
'Piece of shit!' they hear coming from above. It is in American English but they know the word "scheisse" well enough. It sounds like whoever is up there is fighting with someone. And the American is losing the fight. A loud scream is uttered and sound of biting through flesh and bone follows. With a lot ruckus, a man in an American uniform stands on the edge and begins to fall backwards down through the hole.
Xander and Aiolos can only look stunned as they watch him fall and with a loud racket, the American crashes into the campfire on the floor beneath him. The altercation has now also caught the curious eyes of Günther, watching it unfold as stricken as the other two.
The American was not alone, as an nasty looking humanoid creature fell with him and is currently gnawing away at the side of his neck. The creature however is undisturbed by the three and is contently chewing away at the American's flesh. It does not even notice them.
Xander regains himself and approaches the creature. He can see it looks just as rotten and mummified as those warriors but without any weapons on it. Leaning over the still-eating entity, he observed it ignoring him and continuing its business. He mutters something under his breath, then puts the barrel against the creature's head and pulls the trigger. He does not let go, his face expressionless as the rattling of the machine gun goes on until he hears the bolt cycle nothing.
Before long that same head droops down lifelessly onto the ground as it is filled with more lead then it ever had contained brains. Without saying a word he reloads his weapon and breathes out.
'That's that.' He looks over to his soldiers and beckons them over. Günther kicks the creature off the American's body as it turns to dust. He reaches for the dog tags but Xander halts him.
'Aiolos, put a round in his head. Just to be sure.'
The order is swiftly followed and the forehead of the deceased American now houses a big hole. Xander gestures satisfied that Günther can now grab the dog tags.
'William Joseph Blazkowicz. OSA.' he reads before snapping them off the neck and holding them up. 'That is American. This... is the man who has raised trouble inside the castle! I heard about him!'
'The one that was captured along with that other American. The one who would not speak. I heard about them from the castle guards.' adds Xander.
'The one who will never speak again now.' contributes Aiolos a little quasi. From his voice, Xander can hear that he doesn't want to stay here anymore. The eyes of his friend speak volumes as they look up at him. 'I don't think this position is safe anymore. Can we just get out of here?'
Xander turns to where the monsters came from. It is now their only way out. Maybe there are survivors around further into the tunnels. There must be another way out.
'You're right. However, we still have our dinner and...'
'Sorry Scharführer.' interrupts Günther currently squatting down above the spilled contents of the tin. 'The American took the pork with him.'
'And fantastic.' Xander laments. 'Let's go. Günther, collect your stuff and carry as much of the ammunition with you as you can. Aiolos, same for you. We will find a way out.'
'Jawohl Scharführer!' Günther calls out, perking up from his squatted position while Aiolos nods before leaving to scavenge for resources. When they stand by Xander's side, loaded with lead and gunpowder, the team moves into the hallway.
