"You have the worst timing ever…of all time!"
Beans just grinned at the frustrated human. "Or the best, different point of view and all that." David sighed softly the man did have a point after all.
"So Davy Boy how are we going to play this?" He pulled one of his cleavers from its holster, fingering the blade with a smug smile on his rodentesque face. "There are so many options! You could try to run and I could kill you. You could try to fight and I could kill you. You could try to trick me and I could kill you. You could try to hide behind your absentee protector and I could kill you." He grinned bearing pointed teeth. "This is going to be so much fun!"
Hands raised defensively David backed away slowly. "Aren't you even going to give me a weapon? That'd be the sporting thing to do…"
Slowly advancing while spinning his cleavers, the Splicer nodded. "That would be the sporting thing to do…unfortunately for you I'm not in the sporting mood."
Taking that as his queue David turned and sprinted towards the city, a laughing Splicer close behind him.
()
Theta closed her eyes and focused she had to find her. David may hate her now but her sister didn't and she wouldn't let the only person who cared about her die at the hands of these crazed monsters! After only a brief pause Theta found her sibling, she was being held in the cathedral along with almost all of the monsters that lived in this hell hole.
Running as fast as she could, Theta tore through the makeshift city the monsters had assembled. The first time she'd seen the city she'd felt a grudging respect for the monsters accomplishment now she felt only disgust. Ignoring the streets and alleys the monsters had made Theta went strait towards the cathedral, obliterating any of the ramshackle buildings that stood in her way.
She reached the imposing cathedral in what must have been a world record time and carefully opened the door. She could hear the Bishop's smug voice as it preached to its idiotic followers. Words about sacrifice, words about blessings, words about ascension, he promised so much…a shame they were all lies.
Being as stealthy as she could the blood drenched protector climbed onto one of the maintenance ramps that overlooked the vast assembly hall. There was one monster sitting on the edge, smiling faintly as it watched the small form of the Bishop pace back and forth. Theta snuck behind it silently and broke its neck. Carefully she pulled it fully on to the ramp and laid it down so the monsters beneath her could not see their fallen friend.
The interior of the cathedral was impressive. A great semicircular area had been turned into a series of multileveled stands upon which the inhabitants of the city sat. In the center of the semicircle, against the far wall, was the stage from which the Bishop spewed his ranting. The far wall was pure glass giving an unobstructed view into the pitch black of the underwater cavern that resided next to Haven. The only thing besides the huge window on the back wall was a small airlock built into the back of the stage.
Below her the Bishop continued his rant. "These impostures summoned forth our blind brothers and stole the Adam from us! They almost killed our entire party, were it not for Bane's heroic efforts to reveal their treachery we would never have known!"
Theta snorted in disgust, she was looking forward to killing that cretin. Crawling on her belly she attempted to get as close as possible to the leader of this blasted cult. A sudden noise from behind her caused her to spin around. The monster doctor was crouched at the start of the catwalk staring at her like she was crazy. "What are you doing? You need to get out of here!" Theta shot it a disgusted look, if it thought it was leaving her sister behind it was sadly mistaken.
"The heretics made one critical mistake!" The assembled monsters jeered. "They may have denied us the Adam we wanted but they gave us another source." The monsters jeers morphed into energetic cheers. Theta felt her heart stop…a panel on the floor slid open and a cage rose out of it. Trembling inside was the small form of her sister.
()
David ducked, feeling the blade slice past the top of his head far too close for his comfort he kept moving. "Come on you fucking pansy! I promise I'll make it quick!" Ignoring the psychopathic Splicer's yells David spun around the corner, running down the main street of Haven.
A portly Splicer lumbered out from a back alley, trailing a cart of produce. Unable to stop in time to avoid hitting the man or his crops David did the next best thing, with a terrified yell he leapt over the cart. Landing on the other side he kept running breath coming in ragged desperate gasps.
From behind him he heard a crash and furious yelling. The yelling stopped quickly morphing into a pained scream as Bevis killed the portly Splicer. "I'm coming you little shit! You better run fast!"
David had to find Sam or Thompson; he just had to find where they went. He was so engrossed in his running that he almost missed the series of obliterated houses leading strait to the cathedral, well that answered his question. Still yelling in panic David turned and began sprinting towards the cathedral, well aware of the furious Splicer breathing down his neck.
()
Theta crouched readying herself to spring, she was stopped before she could however as the monster doctor rammed into her. They tumbled briefly before Theta came to her senses and pinned him beneath her. With a savage growl she raised her hand, sharp nails poised to deliver serious bodily harm. "Wait, just wait. Please…" Theta paused narrowing her eyes, why should she listen to this stupid monster?
"If you take her they'll kill the others please. They aren't evil they're just misguided…they don't deserve that." Theta snorted in disgust she didn't care if the monsters were innocent or not, she was getting her sister and if they all died as a result it'd probably be good for a laugh or two.
Theta stood to her full height and readied herself to attack. She stopped when the airlock on the far wall of the cathedral opened and the crowd hushed. The Bishop fell to a knee and bowed his head as some…thing came through. It was tall, very tall almost eight feet in height. The freakish creature walked on all fours, shuffling awkwardly towards the Bishop and her trembling sibling. Its legs were small almost comically so, its arms on the other hand were mammoth. They were incredibly lanky with freakishly large webbed hands on which it supported much of its weight. Its waist was very skinny, almost emaciated. This trait contrasted with its strong barrel chest. The creature's face was probably its most disturbing feature, it looked like it might have been human at one point but had been twisted. Its nose was barely visible just two small slits over its mouth. Its mouth was freakish a small almost leech like orifice with hundreds of needlelike teeth. Its eyes were a dull grey orbs that roved randomly around the large room, some small part of Theta's mind reasoned that it must be blind.
The creature stopped about three feet from the Bishop. It paused, horrible head tilting this way and that as its small nose sniffed at the air. Its leechlike mouth moved slightly and to Theta's shock it spoke. "Where?" Its voice was soft and sibilant almost like a hiss.
The Bishop did not raise himself from his knees as he gestured towards her sister. "It is right there oh glorious Ascendant."
The Creature recoiled backwards as if struck before, with a shriek of rage, it knocked the Bishop onto his back. Pinning him with one freakishly elongated hand it leaned over him, snarling. "Not as agreed."
The Bishop looked terrified as the monster loomed over him. "I-I know mighty one, there was an incident it was beyond our control." The creature hissed dangerously blind eyes narrowed in rage. "Take as many of my followers as you want oh lord! Just let me live! If I die who will carry your message?"
The creature leaned back, leaving the Bishop pinned it sniffed the air. "Much promised…much will be taken."
"O-of course great one! Take any you want."
The creature made a sick gurgling noise that Theta suspected might have been a chuckle. "Take you?"
"B-but lord, who would spread the word if I died?"
The creature snorted in disgust and released the Bishop. "Parasite. Consider self lucky useful." One unnaturally long arm grasped Amanda's cage and pulled it next to it. Before the creature could open the cage and grab her sister Theta acted, lashing her hand out she broke the back of the cage and pulled her sister through the air.
Theta caught her terrified sister and hugged her tight horrified by what could have happened if she'd been slower…if the encounter with David hadn't jarred her back to her senses. Her sister hit her with all her meager might sobbing. "Where were you? You were supposed to not let them get me!" Theta hugged her sister tighter accepting the abuse…she deserved it after all.
An inhuman scream of rage interrupted the reunion. Moving faster than its awkward appearance indicated possible, the creature lifted the Bishop with one hand and slammed him into the great glass window. "Worthless! Parasite should died long ago!"
Struggling to breathe the Bishop attempted to get the creature's attention. "L-look behind you." Incensed the monster ignored its follower's attempted warning. As such it was unprepared for the twenty metal spears Theta had created from her sister's cage and sent flying into the beast's back.
Both the monster and the Bishop screamed in agony as the metal weapons pierced through both of them and imbedded themselves in the glass. Within seconds cracks spread from the point of impact. They spread rapidly forming a spider web of cracks across the glass's surface.
Both Theta and the doctor monster stared in shock as the huge window trembled. To her left the doctor sighed and put his head in his hands. Theta's face flushed as she shifted from foot to foot…oops.
With a resounding crash the glass shattered.
()
David glared up at the smug Splicer standing over him. He had tried running uphill to slow the Splicer down…it hadn't worked. Apparently the Splicer had more endurance then him. "I hate you…I really do…"
The rat faced Splicer just grinned. "The feeling is mutual Davy Boy the feeling is mutual."
A sudden rumble shook the city and made the Splicer pause in his act of murder. Both David and the Splicer stared in shock as the cathedral began to spew forth an oceans worth of water. The water demolished everything in its way before following the slope downhill. As they both stared in shock at the water steadily filling up the cavern David voiced what they were both thinking. "Umm shouldn't we get to higher ground before the water gets up here?" Without even looking at the bemused human Barnum took off in a dead run cussing all the way.
David stood as quickly as his sore body would let him before moving after the Splicer. "Yeah…that's what I thought."
()
Theta, Amanda, and the monster doctor ran up the walkways, desperately trying to get as high as they could before the ocean filled the interior of the cathedral. The only reason they hadn't already gotten overtaken was the fact that the cathedral's door had given out while it didn't solve their problem it at least slowed the water's ascension.
A monster appeared before Theta in a burst of red smoke. With the casual ease of someone who did this all the time, Theta bashed him upside the head and tossed him over the railing. She watched with a twisted fascination as the monster's body neared the rising water. A second before it impacted something exploded upwards from the water. Freakishly elongated fingers securing its prize the aquatic abomination fell back into the water with a victorious shriek. Theta moved on with renewed determination. There were more of those things…great.
When Amanda tripped Theta simply scooped her up and placed her on her shoulders. She couldn't afford to stop now. The doctor monster was slowing down panting desperately; Theta glanced back at him and was surprised to see tears in his eyes. The monster was crying…
Despite his tears the monster persevered gesturing ahead of them he spoke. "We have to reach the Bishop's abode, the bathysphere he promised you is there." Theta felt grudging respect for the panting monster, even though all of his friends were dieing around them he was trying to fulfill his promise to David. Well…she assumed he'd promised David that he'd help her, she doubted he would have left him otherwise.
Theta could see the exit to the Bishop's inner sanctum; they only had a bit farther to go! Unfortunately the incoming water didn't care about that fact. As they neared the exit there was a great groaning noise that seemed to come from all around them. With a final protesting groan the cathedral's outer wall finally gave in. The sudden collapse destabilized the rest of the building and Theta could feel the walkway they were on beginning to fall.
Both Amanda and the doctor screamed as the water rushed towards them. One of the aquatic beasts leapt from the water, heinous hands raised towards the falling trio. Remaining calm, Theta grabbed her screaming sister and the flailing doctor. She dematerialized aiming for a spot high above Haven. She wouldn't hit anything unless there was shrapnel flythrough the air…she really hoped there wasn't shrapnel flying through the air.
()
David and Bevis were side by side, climbing a pair of ladders that led to the top of one of the rocky outcroppings that dotted the walls of the rapidly dieing city. Something impacted the base of the ladders. Pausing to look down, David was horrified to see some sort of aquatic Splicer tearing at the supports. He redoubled his efforts to reach the top. Getting eaten by the creature from the black lagoon was not on his to do list!
Bennie's ladder lurched violently almost upsetting his grip. He was able to hold on but lost his hold on his cleaver in the process. His enraged howl echoed around the drowning city briefly as the knife spun away into the water. "I liked that knife!"
Panting David reached his destination. Turning he paused to look down as Billy; he was about three feet below him but could go up no further. The aquatic abomination had managed to pull his ladder partially free from the wall and was rocking it back and forth, a gurgling sound that might have been a laugh floated eerily up from the beast. With the sound of tearing metal the beast ripped Ben's ladder fully from the wall.
As the evil Splicer began to fall David had a foolish urge jolt through him. Before he could think of the possible ramifications of this action he lunged forward and caught the hand of the Splicer before he could fall to his death. Groaning with effort he managed to pull the cussing Splicer up to his level.
They both sprawled out on their back panting in exhaustion at their close call. The frustrated cries of the monster faded into the background as it moved somewhere else to hunt. Slowly a rumbling laugh emanated from the exhausted Splicer. He propped himself up and looked at the wary human with a huge grin. "That was without doubt the most idiotic thing I've ever seen!" Still chuckling he held up a finger and after a second pulled a razor sharp knife from his sleeve. "Surprise!"
With a defeated sigh David lay his head back down. "Really Bubbadub, really?"
The Splicer stood up gnashing his teeth in rage. "My name is Banes! Banes you idiot! Just once call me Banes!"
David just sighed again, to tired to keep fighting. "I like Bubbadub better. It's more fitting. It's short for Beelzebub. You know…cause you're the Devil."
The Splicer howled in laughter, tears of mirth spilling from his eyes. "I think that's the first nickname you made for me that I actually liked!"
His howl of laughter turned to one of impotent rage as, with a terrified scream, David went flying into the air.
()
David slammed into her with enough force to spin her like a top, still screaming like a mad man he latched onto her by instinct. From her place on Theta's neck Amanda screamed in abject terror as they spun towards a watery grave. Holding onto Theta's arm the doctor was more reserved, deciding to settle for simply chanting shit repeatedly.
Theta spun in the air, managing to get her feet placed beneath her. Erupting from the oncoming water, an aqua Splicer leapt up at them, unnatural hands extended towards its prey. Theta impacted the beast feet first, her bare feet crushed the monster's teeth with a satisfying crack. Theta didn't stop to congratulate herself, once more she dematerialized.
She rematerialized a foot above the catwalk that led to the Bishop's sanctuary. She landed on her feet before collapsing in an exhausted heap, her legs felt like jelly. From his position on the ground next to her David laughed near hysterically. "People are not supposed to fly!" The doctor next to her cursed softly as he looked at the destruction that tore through his home. Her sister groaned and sat up. "Sissy…lets not do that again." Theta nodded her head; she was not planning on making a repeat of that performance.
Slowly, every muscle in her body protesting the action, Theta got to her feet. She'd never been so tired before, though to be fair she'd never teleported so much in such short notice. She glanced at the others lying on the ground around her, she'd never teleported with more then two people before either.
Theta gently picked up her sister as the doctor slowly got to his feet. Tentatively eyeing the gasping human she walked over to David, carefully extending a hand. For several seconds he stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face. After what seemed like an eternity to the nervous Protector, he gently took her hand. Despite the protesting of her sore body she pulled him to his feet giving him a tentative smile as she did. Not bothering to return the smile he turned and walked over to the edge of the walkway.
He looked out over the drowned city frowning deeply. After several seconds the water appeared to finally level off and the water stopped rising. From their position on the catwalk that draped around the stalactite they were safe. David sent her a cold look and gestured to the destroyed city. "Your doing I imagine?"
Theta whimpered, lowering her head in shame. It had been an accident! She didn't mean to break the window! David's cold look morphed into a glare. "Do you have any idea how many people you just killed? Not to mention the people you vindictively tore limb from limb!"
Theta shook her head, tears blurring her vision. She'd been scared…so scared. It had been like the room again she had wanted more then anything to leave, needed more then anything to leave. "What about the people who prepared our food? What about the people the made your dress? Did they deserve to die?"
Theta shook her head with a sob…she was sorry. "What about Andrea? Did you kill her too? Did you kill her for saving your life?" The vivid image of the she-beast's terrified tearful face as she had forced hornets down her throat flashed before her eyes. As another sob shook her thin frame Theta nodded.
David took a step towards her, voice nothing more then a hiss. "If you expect me to thank you for saving me from a disaster you created you are very mistaken." Theta nodded her head with a sob, she deserved this. David turned from her with a disgusted snort, entering the Bishop's home. He paused before sending one last remark over his shoulder. "And burn that dress, I never want to see it again."
Theta stared in shock as her friend left. Her hands were shaking and tears were sliding down her cheeks. It was Daddy all over again, just when she'd opened up to him, just when she'd begun to feel safe around him he abandoned her. Without a word the doctor followed David into the building tears in his eyes as he watched his home die.
Her sister turned to her, small hand moving to cup her cheek. "It's okay Sissy it was an accident. They'll see that eventually." Theta shoved her sister away from her with a sobbing hiss. She deserved this! It was her fault! She was a monster! Worse then any other! After several more minutes of silence her sister entered the building as well, a teary sniff following her as she left.
Theta stared into the new lake as she wallowed in her misery…if she jumped how long would it take the abominations to strip her to the bone?
These rapid updates are not the result of writing steroids but the result of a relaxing vacation. As such there is no need to worry about me, the risk of overdosing on life is quite minimal. Anyways bad jokes aside, please read and review. If you'll excuse me I need some sleep, I'm getting a bit slap happy.