Chapter 45: The Hunt

I couldn't describe the horrors of our first hour or so in the second floor of the Stronghold of Security-the catacomb of famine. If anything, the decoration choice was worse-everything on this floor was rotten. The soil in the floor was rotten, the dirt on the walls was rotten, even the creatures were rotten. Flesh crawlers were a nightmare-with giant pincers, two red eyes, and six huge legs, they tried to rip the flesh from you with their acid spit and their pincer strike. Zombies were zombies-white, pale, slow, moaning, possessed creatures were very common on this floor. Everything was starving, even the doors-they stared at us hungrily with their red eyes as they refused entrance.

Most of our food was growing rotten in the presence of this floor-if we didn't get to the grain of plenty soon, our food would rot completely and we would starve. I didn't want to end up like the poor explorer at the top, being forced to eat the corpses of flesh crawlers.

As we trod on, through starved doors made of solidified dust, past countless hungry flesh crawlers, zombies and rats, I started getting doubtful as to whether we were going to get out of here alive. The others started getting a familiar stronghold shadow of doubt too. Just as we were starting to discuss stopping for the third lunch-break, we heard a loud moaning from behind us. It seemed that at least twenty-five zombies had been following us, following our scent.

"Skip the break," I muttered, as we all got out our weapons-me, my hammer, Amy11, her pink dagger; Haldir6, his poisoned dagger, and Osrie1, his staff. We all ran forward to greet the zombies.

They lunged at us, trying to drag us off to join the undead. I could smell their putrid breath from here. I smashed one of them in the face, and its head flew off. The fact that it had a missing head undaunted it-it continued to follow my smell. It grabbed my neck, and for a heart-stopping moment, I'm sure I heard a small click. I shook it off, and swung around, knocking the zombie holding me into another zombie.

We were surrounded, and when I thought we were going to end up as a snack for these zombies, a booming voice sounded across the whole area.

"CRUMBLE OF THE UNDEAD!" the voice screamed, and a huge, brown explosion flew around the area. All the zombies in the vicinity moaned a final time, and collapsed into dust. I looked up, and saw Capablanca, brandishing his staff like a sword. I sighed with relief, and ran to him.

"Good timing!" I said, patting him on the back.

"Yeah," he agreed, putting away his staff.

"Where are the others?" Osrie1 asked, as the others ran up to greet him.

"They were two slow, stopping for breaks every five seconds, so I ran ahead, to protect innocent noobs," he replied. Haldir6 coughed a bit too loudly, and took out his dagger threateningly. "But, they didn't need it, because of Haldir6," Capablanca then stuttered. We all laughed, and Haldir6 put away his dagger, giving Capablanca side stare.

(Exploration team's point of view)

"Where the hell is Capablanca?" Creator demanded. Sin sighed.

"If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times," Sin replied slowly. "When Clayguy7 went ahead, Capablanca decided to follow. Anyway, we should pipe down, we're nearly at the gift of peace." They continued around a corner, and there it was-a golden chest, illuminated in a shining light, surrounded by pure soil. The soil didn't seem so pure any more, though-there were bloodstains and bits of flesh everywhere. "We must have missed most of the fun," he then said.

"Shame," Creator replied. I would have loved to maul Master Samuel's head in."

They continued forward, towards the ladder, when they saw Clayguy7's axe lying on the floor. Sin went forward to pick it up.

"I wonder what happened to him," he thought aloud. They went down the ladder into the second floor, and Sin was sure he could hear an evil chuckle behind him.

When the pair was gone, the voice was heard again. "They will suffer at the hands of famine, the same way that man clad in clay suffered at the blade of War."

(Meanwhile, at the exploration teams trek….)

We were making decent progress-just held back by hunger. All our food had either been eaten, or had rotted. I was sure we were at least half way, and I felt our luck was changing-I hadn't seen any creatures for at least half an hour. But there might be a good reason for that, a snide voice in the back of my head suggested. I ignored it, trying to remain optimistic.

Capablanca had decided to join us, for the sole purpose of his mighty 'protection'. He would leave us at the grain of plenty, to stay guard there. At least he would have plenty of food, I thought.

After we smashed down our hundredth gate, we stepped into a large clearing. It was empty, but there was an ominous air in here. The only thing to be seen for miles was another corridor. But, as I looked closer, I saw two bodies on the floor… I ran up to them. It was curious-I felt their heartbeat. One of them was as dead as dirt. The other one was alive and seemed to be stirring. While the live one sat up, I examined the dead one's body. It was curious-he was completely pale, and was ice-cold to the touch. He seemed to have been scared to death, but that was impossible.

"Where am I? The last thing I remember was being attacked," the live one moaned. "Who are you? Thanks for helping me. I'm Tom by the way. Where's Johnny?" he asked. I pointed sadly to the dead body next to me. He gasped, jumped up, and examined the body.

"Whatever got me killed him!" he cried.

"Hello Tom, I am Haldir6, this is Amy11, there two are Osrie1 and mainiac97, and that noob over there is Capablanca," Haldir6 said, smiling warmly. Capablanca huffed, offended. Tom shook hands with all of us. I looked closely at him.

He was rather tall, and had pale skin. His eyes were like mine, except a different shade of blue-I was a light sky blue, and he was a dark, smoother blue. He had a tan explorer's kit on, and wore a tan hard helmet. He had a belt, which had a knife, a small defence sword, a tin of waterproof grease (for feet to avoid trench foot), a rope, and a lantern on it. He had a bag pack, presumably with a portable bed, a pillow, and food and drink.

"I'd beware around here-I'm an explorer, and this is my friend. The thing that attacked us and murdered Johnny was humanoid, at least. You don't mind if I give Johnny a decent burial and tag along with you?" he asked timidly. We all nodded. He took a spade from his bag, and buried a large hole. He placed Johnny's body in it. He covered it up, took a marble stone from his pocket, and engraved a memory on it with his knife. He placed the stone on top of the grave, and sighed sadly. A tear fell from his eye, and I patted his back.

"Worse yet is that he isn't going to come back. Nowadays, when people die, they stay that way," sobbed.

Just as we were preparing to set off, I was sure I could here whispers from behind us. I urged everyone to get going. I had a bad feeling about this.

That moment, a figure moved amazingly fast towards us. I yelled, and we ran out of its way. Another three figures moved blindingly fast and agile towards us, and we backed off. They stopped for a fraction, and ran in our direction again. This time, one of them touched me. I felt ice-cold skin.

"RUN!" osrie1 yelled, and we skidded off, three of them in pursuit of us. The last one remained, smiling and hissing, while at least another ten came out of hiding. It was a male, at least.

"We shouldn't really play with our food," he hissed. A pale, bloodless hand burst from Johnny's grave. "The hunt is now…on."