Chapter 8: The Structure

Location: Drilling chamber

Jackson 001

Shortly after Jackson had released Teal'c, the big Sangheili had gone over to a bunch of crates. He and Sil had gone over with him to make sure he didn't try to do anything reckless. Jackson didn't trust Teal'c one bit and got a shotgun from one of the Kig Yar to make his point clear. "Why do you have to shove a gun into everything?" Sil asked quietly, also letting a hint of irritation creep into her voice.

"I don't trust him and neither should you. He is an asset nothing more."

Sil frowned at him as they walked. "You're starting to sound like the person that got us into this mess. You know who I'm talking about."

Jackson stiffened his shoulders at that and he knew she saw it but he didn't look at her. "You trust him if you really want, but I'm going to be ready for when the time co…"

Sil interrupted him. "You're not seriously still thinking about killing him are you?" He ignored her question. "Are you seriously going to go back on your promise? You can't just…"

Jackson cut her off with a harsh tone in his voice. "This is not up for discussion. The only thing keeping him alive is his usefulness, and when that runs out I'll…" Jackson stopped himself when he saw the hurt look on Sil's face. "Aaa shit" He thought. "I went too far." As they walked past the crates Jackson lightly elbowed Sil on the shoulder and she looked up at him. "Look I'll give it some thought ok."

She seemed to brighten up at that, but it didn't last long. When they turned the corner of the crates Teal'c was standing over the crumpled body, Jackson assumed was his friend. The smaller Sangheili had fallen off the catwalks and had landed head first, breaking his neck. Jackson couldn't detect any emotion from Teal'c as he moved his friend's body into a more dignified position. He straightened up his friend's body, clasped his hands over his chest and closed his eyes. Then Teal'c knelt down on one knee, hands cupped together, lowered his head and started praying. Jackson couldn't understand what he was saying but that didn't concern him. What concerned him was Sil. She was upset and looked ready to burst into tears. "Don't cry." Jackson said softly, putting his right hand on her left shoulder. She looked at him again with her sad green eyes. "It will offend him, and shame his friend's passing."

Jackson didn't really care about Teal'c's honour or his friend's death. In fact he believed he had it coming. But he couldn't take seeing Sil cry again and he definitely didn't want her to shed a tear for a guy who tried to kill her. Teal'c had finally stopped praying and stood up. But before he did he pulled something off of his friend's belt. "Hey what do you think you're doing!?" Jackson demanded, aiming his shotgun at Teal'c's already blackened chest-plate.

Teal'c put his hands casually in the air and showed them what he had taken. It was the hilt of an energy sword.

"Do not take this as an act of trickery Human." Teal'c explained, "I have no intention of using this weapon on you or the others."

Jackson stepped closer and pointed the shotgun right between Teal'c's eyes. "And I'm just supposed to take your word on that?" Jackson asked in a deadly tone. "I don't think so. Hand it over or things get messy."

The Sangheili didn't move but he did stare past the barrel in his face and looked straight at Jackson's visor, not seeming bothered by the shotgun. "This blade has been passed down my friend's family for generations. It is sacred and he made me promise if he fell in battle and I still lived. I was to bring it back home and return it to his family." Teal'c leaned forward just enough for the barrel of the shotgun to touch his forehead then added. "I will not go back on my promise Demon, and you're not going stop me."

Jackson tightened his finger around his trigger as his anger increased. "This is your last warning Sangheili. Hand. IT. OVER." Jackson could feel his heart rate quicken as adrenalin started to pump through his veins.

"NEVER!" Teal'c snarled.

Jackson pulled the trigger.

Just a second before he fired, Teal'c moved his head to one side and let the buckshot fly over his shoulder. Momentarily surprised Jackson's eyes widened in disbelief as Teal'c smacked the shotgun out of Jackson's hands and ignited the energy sword. This blade was different however. Its edges were jagged and it was a pale green colour. Jackson ducked below the deadly swing and pulled out his own sword and went to strike. "Oh I'm going to enjoy this." Jackson stated but Teal'c had other ideas.

He hopped back on one leg and kicked out with the other to Jackson's head. The move caught Jackson off guard and he fell flat on his back. He looked up to see Teal'c come at him with a charge, his blade held over his head.

"I'm going to tear you apart Demon!"

Suddenly Sil appeared out of thin air from Teal'c's left side and parried his overhead blow downward with the shotgun. Sparks and lightning danced of its metal surface. In the same move she brought the butt of the gun up hard into Teal'c's already messed up face with a loud thud. He howled in pain as he stumbled back, clutching his bloody nose. Sil then came up with a kick to his groin and caused him to stiffen up in unbelievable torment. He dropped the blade and fell to his knees as he gripped his stomach and grumbled in pain. "Good work Sil." Jackson sighed, getting to his feet. "Now give me the gun and I'll…" Sil suddenly came at him and kicked his own sword out of his hand. "SIL WHAT ARE YO…" She had him completely off guard as she struck him hard in the stomach with the butt of the gun. The blow was hard enough to knock the wind out of him and he bent over in pain. From his bent position Sil put her foot on Jackson's knee and used that as a lunching platform, to flip backwards and deliver a stunning kick to his helmet. Dazed Jackson fell back, rolled on his shoulder and landed on his stomach. "Wha… what the hell Sil?" Jackson gasped. He saw in his HUD his shield was half empty from the two overpowered blows. He got to his knees and stared at Sil who was standing in between him and Teal'c. "Why did you attack me?"

Sil's face looked ready to explode with rage, jaws clenched tightly together as she stared at him through very wide and very angry green eyes. "WHY!?" She shouted. Sil was also breathing heavily from her excursion and rage. "I'll tell you WHY. I've had enough, of all the KILLING and KILLING and killing, I just want it to stop." She threw the shotgun at Jackson and it bounced harmlessly off his armour.

"Sil I…" He tried to speak but Sil was having none of it.

"Shut up, just shut up and listen to me for once." Jackson could see she was fighting back tears forming around her eyes as she vented her emotions. "You always told me uncle, killing is wrong and I should never take pride in it. So what do you think you're doing HUH? This isn't the uncle Jack I know, you're better than this." She spun around and started on Teal'c. "And YOU, I don't know where to even begin with you." She went over to Teal'c, bent down and took the hilt of the energy blade. "I'll be keeping this till you can be trusted." She turned and went to the corner of the crates and before she vanished past them she turned her head and said with a shaky voice. "Sort out your differentness so we can save Chackrol and get off this damn planet." And with that Sil vanished past the crates and left Jackson and Teal'c completely dumbstruck.

"She…aaahh… she frightens me Human." Teal'c said as he unsteadily got to his feet and stood up, still gripping his belly as he panted softly. "Where did you find such a fierce girl?"

"I need to talk to her." Jackson got to his feet better than Teal'c, and was about to go after her when Neaola and the others came speeding around the crates with their weapons ready.

"What the hell is going on back here!?" Neaola demanded as she aimed her Spartan laser at Teal'c. "Did he try to kill you Human?"

"For the last time." Jackson growled, "Stop calling me Human. It's Jackson or if that's to hard to say call me Jack." Jackson looked back at Teal'c " And it's fine Neaola, we were just settling our… differences." He bent down and picked up his sword and shotgun and added. "Well at least for now."

Teal'c just snorted at that, purple blood dribbled out his nose as he did so. Stiffly he walked up to Jackson and was only a few centimetres from his visor. Teal'c was a head taller than Jackson so he had to look up to his battered face. "So, I take it we have a truce then?"

Jackson held his gaze for a moment before he finally said. "For now, we do."

Jackson took a few steps away from him and turned to face Neaola and the others. They all stood and looked at Jackson awkwardly, their bird like eyes seemed to shift from him to Teal'c, silently trying to work out what the hell had just happened. "Neaola, I'm going to need you over here to translate what I'm about to say to the rest of the Kig Yar." Jackson asked. Neaola raised one of her eye-ridges at that and took a place beside Jackson. He decided to keep it short. "Workers of the Vinishia mines" Neaola started to translate Jackson's English into Kig Yar. "I know you have been through a lot in a few short hours. You've lost friends and loved ones. I understand that it hurts but we need to pull it together. The Sangheili have entered the Forerunner structure and have taken Chackrol with them. I don't know what you think of Sangheili but it's my understanding that it was he who made all this possible."

"And we're going to save him." Neaola said, looking at Jackson with determination in her bright blue eyes. "You don't need to convince us Jack we all want to get some pay back. Go see your girl, we'll get ready over here and keep an eye on that one." She finished by pointing at Teal'c who was still just standing there.

Jackson nodded and went past the crates to go find Sil.

He found her at the circular entrance of the tunnel leading into the structure. She was leaning on the wall with her arms crossed and had her eyes looking straight at the ground with a pissed off expression. She looked to be in deep thought and didn't see him approach. "Sil I…I just wanted…" He tried to speak but Sil immediately cut him off.

"I don't want to talk about it." She scowled not even looking at him. "I just want to get this over with and get off this frozen hell hole."

Jackson tried to reason with her. "I know you're upset but we…" she cut him off again by looking up and staring at him. Sil's bright green eyes seemed to see right through his visor and made eye contact. "YOU promised me uncle!" She yelled. "You promised after our last job we would get away from all this, go somewhere quiet for a while. Somewhere I can feel normal. Somewhere I can sleep not fearing if I'll ever wake up again. A place where I can enjoy every day, without the thought any of them could be my last or yours." Sil then gestured past Jackson to the ice chamber. "So what happened uncle? What happened to your promise? Why are we yet again in another place where we fear for our lives?" Jackson didn't know what to say. He had no idea she had felt this way for so long. Its probably the same reason she's been so angry lately too. He was about to speak when Neaola and the rest of the group approached with Teal'c up front. "I guess we're going to continue this after or should I say if we save Chackrol and get back to the ship." Sil then stood up straight, turned away from Jackson and started walking down the tunnel without another word.

Jackson tried to reach out to her but a large hand came down on his left shoulder and made him turn his head in response. It was Teal'c. "What do you think you're doing?" Jackson growled in a low threatening tone.

"You should let her be." Teal'c said. There was wisdom in his voice as he spoke. "Trust me Human, let her cool off before you talk."

Jackson shrugged Teal'c's hand off and said in a harsh tone. "I don't need you to tell me how to take care of her. And don't ever touch me again."

Teal'c just sighed and brought up his other hand, which had a small disc in it. The disc came to life and a blue holographic map appeared with a yellow line leading the way. "Ral has a head start." Teal'c pointed out on the map. "I suggest we get moving without further delay."

Jackson didn't argue with that and checked his shotgun ammo by pulling back the pump, which opens the slug lid. "Alright lets get this done. Lead the way."

And with that the group moved forward and made their way into the structure. They got about five meters when Jackson added. "Um where did you get that map?"

"Off of Cano's body. What you really thought theses lenses did everything?"

Jackson didn't answer that and they just continued in complete silence.

Location: In Forerunner structure's dark hallways.

20 minutes later.

Sil

Sil's rage had subsided a while ago and now she felt troubled. She decided to walk ahead of the group and was now just behind Teal'c, who had taken the lead. Sil had never lashed out at her uncle like that before, something inside her had just snapped. Now how was she going to talk to uncle Jack, she couldn't even look at him. Sil fiddled with her necklace, rubbing the green gem between her fingers in deep thought. The dim lights of the hallway cast a soft glow and made her tan coloured skin look kind of bluish. Sil suddenly felt a hand tug her wrist and she looked down to her right to see Flip Yum hobbling behind her. " Are you ok?" he asked. Sil could see the concern in his small purple eyes.

"Oh…um hi Flip… I'm… um…" Sil struggled to find the words.

"Flip saw you fight the big Sangheili again. He also saw you attack the Human too." Flip said, adding, "Why hurt the Human? He no seem that bad to me."

"No its not that he's bad, its just… aaa he just doesn't understand." Sil felt heavyhearted just thinking about it, and talking just made it feel worse.

"Why don't you just speak to him?" Flip suggested.

"I've already tr… it's not that simple." Sil protested.

"Sure it is, you spoke to Flip and now you see he no scared of you anymore."

Sil had to crack a smile at that, just a little. She then asked. "Why were you scared of me?"

Flip looked at the floor in thought as they walked down the dark hallway. When he spoke, he didn't look up. "Other Master would kill the ones that stood out of line or the ones that didn't help." Now he looked at Sil, with his happy yet sad eyes. "Flip thought you were the same but you proved him wrong."

Sil had a sense of deja vu when Flip said (Other Master) and put her hand to her forehead. "No Flip I'm not your…" Sil turned her head and suddenly walked right into Teal'c's armoured back and banged her nose off the blue metal. "Ow shit, what the hell Teal'c!?" She yelled as she rubbed her sore nose. "Why did you just stop?"

Teal'c didn't seem to notice her as he stared past his hollow-map and down the dark hallway. A deep grumble emanated from his throat as he sniffed the air. "Something doesn't smell right." Teal'c murmured in reply.

Being a Sangheili Sil had an acute sense of smell and only when Teal'c pointed it out did she actually get a scent of something. Sil scrunched up her nose when she caught a whiff of a foul stench of decay. "What is that smell?" Sil asked, looking up at Teal'c's face. Teal'c had wrapped a leather strap around the right side of his broken jaws, so they didn't hang under his muscle anymore. He also had cleaned up his face and Sil could now see his reddish skin. Without blood covering his features Sil had to admit he had pretty good-looking face. And there was something Sil found oddly attractive about the way he looked at her.

"Something bad." He answered, knocking Sil out of her musing.

Sil pulled out her magnum and calmly aimed at hip level down the hallway and waited for…something. An ambush, charging enemy, anything to kill the eerie silence. Flip had done the same with his weapon but he wasn't as calm about it. His hand trembled as he tried to aim his plasma pistol. Teal'c on the other hand had no gun so he clenched his fists and tensed up, ready for a fight.

"What are you doing?" A voice came from behind Sil and almost made her jump out of her skin.

She spun around to see it was Neaola, still carrying her big laser weapon on her shoulder. She was also smiling. "Don't do that." Sil let out the breath she was holding as she glared at Neaola.

"Do what?" Neaola replied, not trying to hide her sarcasm.

Sil clenched her jaws angrily and was about to retort when she caught sight of her uncle right behind Neaola. For once Sil was glad uncle Jack had a helmet; she couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye.

"Do you two still have a problem?" Uncle Jack asked as he stood in between them, adding. "Because if you do it ends now."

Without another word or a reply from either of the girls he went up to Teal'c and started talking to him.

Sil turned back to Neaola and stuck out her left hand in front of her. Neaola looked confused as she looked taken aback by the gesture. "What is this?" Neaola asked, pointing a claw at Sil's hand.

"I'm calling a truce." Sil answered.

Neaola leaned forward and sniffed Sil's hand. "Um…do I lick it?"

"No." Sil couldn't help but giggle a bit. "You shake it."

Neaola still confused took Sil's hand and started shaking it back and forth lazily. "Like this?" Neaola asked.

"NO." Sil got her to let go and repeat. "This is how you do it." Sil gently took Neaola's scaly hand in hers and slowly motioned their hands up and down. "That's it you've got it now. Right?" Sil let go of Neaola's hand and waited for her response.

Neaola just stared at her hand still confused. "What was the point in that?" She finally asked.

It was Sil's turn to look confused. "You've never hand shook before?"

"I only hear of such interactions from other Kig Yar traders who do business with Humans." She looked up at Sil. " Though I never expected it from a Sangheili. What does it mean?"

Sil looked at her own hand and pondered as she did. "Well from what uncle Jack taught me when you hand shake on something you can't break it." She did a circular motion with her wrist as she continued. "It's like considered a betrayal to break it, so…"

"I bet 50 credits you'll break it first." Neaola challenged with a big grin, showing off her dazzling pearl white teeth.

Sil was about to object when she thought better of it. Sil started to grin though she showed no teeth but was just as big. "You're on. Though I must warn you. I keep my deals."

Still grinning Neaola just walked past Sil and up to uncle Jack and Teal'c. She was about to join them when the sound of pitter-pattering feet caught Sil's attention. As Sil looked back past the group of Kig Yar she saw Nip Nap hopping and sometimes jumping down the passage. When the little Unggoy reached her she could hear him breathing heavily as green gas seemed to shoot out his mask in quick, short puffs. It smelled but she was used to it so it didn't bother her "Nip?" Sil asked. "Where have you been?"

Nip found it hard to speak as he tried to catch his breath. "Doctor…say... Char…awake. Nip is to tell… Neaola the news."

"Oh shit." Sil swore in concern "Hope my meds I gave to the doctor helps with the pain."

"Sil." Came the voice of uncle Jack. "Get over here."

Sil started walking up to uncle Jack and called back to Nip, who was now standing beside a concerned Flip again. Using his friend for support as he pressed his breathing mask harder to his face. "I'll tell Neaola ok. You just catch your breath."

Sil got up to Neaola, Teal'c and uncle Jack, they all seemed to be talking about something. "What was that about?" Uncle Jack asked.

"That was Nip telling me Char's awake now." Sil replied.

"Is he in pain?" Neaola asked in concern.

"Don't know. All I know is he's awake now. What were you all talking about?"

They all looked at each other before uncle Jack spoke. "Teal'c tells me something doesn't smell right." Uncle Jack stated with a thumb in the direction they were heading.

"I agree." Neaola chimed in. "I don't now why but this place seems… wrong." Neaola and Teal'c looked at uncle Jack. "What about you?" Neaola asked.

Uncle Jack crossed his arms over his chest plates and tilted his head slightly to the right in thought. "I don't smell trouble, I feel it. Something was off the moment we set foot in this structure. I can't put my finger on it but there's defiantly more than just spookiness to this place, I can tell you that."

Then they all turned to Sil. "You?"

"What is this a democracy?" Sil protested.

"What's a… dimocracky?" Teal'c asked, he had some trouble pronouncing the last word.

Sil just face-palmed in annoyance, this was getting nowhere. "Look can we just get moving again please?"

Without another word they all nodded in agreement and continued down the dark hallway.

Since their last discussion the group walked in silence, keeping their guard up.

Sil had to admit to herself that this place just felt wrong, she didn't understand why but it just did. Every time they passed a large gap in the wall Sil couldn't help but feel that something was watching them from the darkness. All of Sil's survival instincts were setting off alarms in her head. Her mind screamed at her to turn tail and run. Run and never look back. But she had a task a job that had to be done. And she was going to see it through, no matter what.

They came to a stop when they reached the end the passage and it split off into two new separate hallways, and both were pitch black. "Which way do we go now?" Uncle Jack asked Teal'c.

Teal'c scrutinised the hollow-map and pointed to his right. "That way." He said, following his own finger and starting to walk. Sil was close behind him as they all turned the corner. They walked about two meters before Teal'c suddenly stopped and was stuck still, frozen in place. Sil was about to ask him what was wrong when. She saw what he was staring at. In the darkness at least four meters away stood a lone figure. It was too dark to make out its features but Sil could tell it was big. Really freaking big.

"Chackrol?" Neaola called out with a hint of hope in her voice. "Is that you?"

The figure did not reply, just made a low clicking sound. "I don't think that's Chackrol." Teal'c stated.

It opened its eyes and what shone forth made Sil's hearts beat quicker and stomach go cold. The thing's pearl like eyes pierced the darkness and stared at them with a cold. Dead. Gaze as it took a step forward. Uncle Jack had trained Sil to suppress fear and control her stress levels in order to stay focused and on task. All that cool clarity seemed to melt as the thing came more and more into view. She could smell something foul as the thing approached. It smelt like something died and had been buried for 2 weeks only to be dug up again. Sil felt like she was going to throw up. Then uncle Jack did something Sil wished he hadn't. He turned on his helmet-lights and illuminated the figure. Whatever shred of calm Sil had left. Was now non-existent. Standing nearly 5 meters tall it was completely naked except for a layer of slime that covered its pale yellow skin from head to toe. Its body was muscular and bloated at the same time also dotted with black spots. Its right arm looked normal except for it's over sized hand which long sharp claws protruded out of. The left arm wasn't so normal. From its shoulder down to its wrist it was completely bloated and misshapen ending in long slimy tentacles. The legs were humanoid so it defiantly wasn't Chackrol. Sil took little comfort in that. But what held Sil's gaze the most was its face. Its face was thin and withered, dark rings circled the eye sockets and hundreds of spines populated the top of its head. The nose was completely gone as if it had rotted away some time ago. Sil's hearts beat loudly in her ears as she was transfixed by its stare that hungry never ending stare.

"Silia."

A deep voice so empty and rotten reverberated through Sil's skull, seeming to come from everywhere. Sil looked at the thing's face, its lips formed no words but instead did something Sil wasn't prepared for. It smiled. Cracked and rotten lips pulled up to reveal yellow razor sharp teeth and a long drooling tongue that flicked around in lustful eagerness.

"Join us, and we will become one."

With its right hand it casually waved, flexing its over sized fingers. What came next made Sil lose all sense of her surroundings. Sil's vision pulsed and pain surged through her mind. A green haze started to form around the edges of her vision, when she looked at her hands. They seemed so far away like she was stretching longer and longer or her soul was being torn from her body. Sil felt so bizarre and much lighter than she was. Then the pain started again more intense and she griped her head wishing it would stop. The voice kept speaking.

"Become one, with the flood."

Something touched Sil's shoulder and she turned to see a mass of swirling black smoke with a single blood red eye.

Location: Deep within the Forerunner Structure

Ral 'M' Hondow

Ral's Hard-light blade cut deep into the last of the skinny withered combat form's chests, its soulless black eyes showed no hint of anguish as Ral's blade burned its insides. The combat form in front of him was as tall as he was but its muscles had decayed away a long time ago and was now nothing more than a starving husk. Their frail bodies were no match for Ral's raw strength and powerful Hard-light weaponry. With a sickening crunch and a loud popping sound he yanked his blade out of the form's rotten chest cavity and let it crumple to the floor with a wet splat. "Filthy abominations." Ral said in disgust. "Anymore?" Ral asked, as his troopers were finishing off what was left of the Flood swam that had attacked them. One had put his boot on a combat forms chest pinning it to the floor and was spraying his Suppresser into its abdomen, bits of flesh and guts flew in all directions. Where another had drove his hand into a forms chest and pulled out the Flood spore within, letting it squirm in his grasp for a moment before crushing it into a slimy, gut dripping mess. When the rest were done one of them approached Ral and answered his question.

"The rest of the Flood have fled." The crimson trooper replied, bowing his head. The visor of his helmet cast a light blue glow that lit up the dark hall they were standing in, reflecting off of his and the other's armour around him.

"Are you sure?" Ral insisted.

"Yes Ship Master, no more have shown up on the scanners." Again the trooper bowed.

This was what puzzled Ral the most. Why did the Flood keep retreating, it wasn't like them to give up so easily. The Flood he knew never gave up, were blood thirsty and ruthless. But these ones were different, like they had some new animal cunning. They attacked in small packs and they only struck when Ral and his troops had entered a new area. It was almost like they were trying to conserve their numbers, for what Ral didn't know. He turned away from his men and eyed the large silver door that blocked their progress. The door was 2 meters taller than he was, with a curved top and unlike all the other doorways they had come across this one was locked. He holstered his weapons, stepped forward and put his hand on the cool metal, running his fingers along the claw marks that populated its surface.

"Why is there so many claw marks?" Ral thought, as he kept inspecting the door. "What was the Flood trying to get at?"

Suddenly when his hand brushed across some symbols near the doors seal, a holographic control panel appeared with a bright blue flash, which made Ral jump slightly. The control panel was a bunch of holographic text, which formed itself into an "O" shape.

"A combination lock." Ral muttered to himself, turning to his men. "Torn get over here."

The one called Torn walked over and eyed the panel. He looked at Ral, and waited for his orders. "You sure you have studied the Forerunner glyphs I provided, correctly?" Ral asked.

"With what you gave me, I'm confident I can unlock it." Torn answered with a swift eagerness.

"Good. Now impress me." Ral motioned to the panel.

Torn flexed his shoulders, cracking his neck and fingers at the same time as if getting ready for a fight. He lifted one hand from his side and hovered it over the control icons. Detecting his presence new smaller icons appeared and moved around his claws in a graceful yet ghostly manor. Slowly he twisted his hand counter-clockwise and the icons followed, shifting from blue, purple and red. One of them turned green and locked into place with a low beep. He then did it the other way and another turned green with the same low beep. Ral could feel his excitement grow every time the beep came. The anticipation was almost suffocating as he realised he was holding his breath. A few more beeps later all the icons were green and the control panel vanished. There was a hiss and a click as the door unlocked. The doors slid apart and a blast of freezing air washed over Ral's face, making him close his eyes. He raised his arm in an attempt to shield himself from the stinging cold. The wind went as quickly as it came and left in its wake an eerie silence. Ral broke the silence when a handle attached to his wrist flew into his grasp and a Boltshot built itself in his hand. It made a soft hum as the energy inside came to life and glow a strong gold. He was the first to step forth into the icy cold passage that went down into the depth of the structure. Ral turned back to his men who waited patiently for his orders.

"One of you stay here and guard the entrance, let nothing pass."

Without hesitation one of them said. "I will stay and make sure none pass."

Ral nodded and he and the rest of his men descended into the dark cold passage.

(Writer's note)

Sorry for the long delay, college and GTA online have been… well I think you get the picture.

The chapters will keep on coming if anyone is worried, the lack of feedback on my story has left me in a position where I really have no idea what people are thinking.

OH! If any of you like art I have a deviant-Art account with my own art of my characters. Just type Predman1227 on the web site and you'll see my stuff.

Thanks again for reading my story and a thanks to my Dad and sister who are my editors.