Chapter Seven: That Sinking Feeling
Character
Master Chief (John)
"Oh I remember these tunnels," John said as he, Doctor, River, Spyro, and K entered the old, stone tunnels that ran under Warfang and through the mountains that the city was built against. The tunnels were carved out eons ago and were sturdy enough to survive the sundering of the planet and years of neglect, they were a testament to the history of the city and now the artfully crafted underground escape rout was about to be collapsed to close off the advance of a demon army. John found it ironic that the rout that had once saved the city by letting the inhabitants out would now save it by crushing the aggressor as they tried to get in.
"Yeah first time I saw you I thought you were some new version of one of Malafor's minions," Spyro said, "you can imagine my surprise when you jumped on Cynder's back and started to help us."
"Yeah, I'll bet," John said, "I'm just glad you didn't shoot first. So what are we looking for down here?"
"Well if I can find a good location to create a resonant frequency in the rocks then we could collapse the tunnel on the demons without risking men in the inevitable fight should the demons enter the city," Doctor replied, "Ah there that nice flat patch of wall will work nicely."
"There are demons down here," K said, "I am needed back in the city, but I can have Doug send some extra hands to help you keep them at bay."
"I'm sure we will be fine," Doctor said, "With Spyro, River and John I doubt that the demons will surprise us."
"I can't stay either," Spyro said, "All of us dragons will be busy with the city's residence and will not be able to assist you."
"Then send North and South," John said, "I could probably handle anything that comes down that passage but its good to be prepared."
"And what am I chopped liver?" River asked indignantly.
"No but I don't know what you can do yet, mostly I see you two doing science like this when the rest of us are fighting."
"Between the two of you I doubt you would win," Doctor said to John.
"Either way I would like to have some extra guns down here just to be safe," River consented.
"They are on their way," K said, "we must go, send word when the trap is ready."
"Oh we won't need to the resounding crash will be pretty loud if I must say so," Doctor said with a goofy grin on his face, "Oh right, sorry this is your history, I'll just get back to work."
Spyro shook his head as he and K walked back out of the tunnel. "Smooth one," John remarked.
"Well the idea seemed the best one at the time," Doctor said, "I mean who keeps their history in a tunnel under their city?"
"Its still the best idea," River said, "we don't have any way of knowing where in the tunnel the demons are so bringing the whole thing down will ensure that we get them."
John chambered his sniper rifle, "well at least this position gives me a good long view of that tunnel."
"Aye," River said as she adjusted the power of her laser pistol, "Good for using that unwieldy thing."
"That's why I also carry swords," John said, "They don't run out of energy."
"Hey guys what's up," South called as she and her brother North walked up to John and River.
"Doctor is working on bringing down this tunnel and we are going to keep any curious demons from interfering," John said.
"I see you like the same cure for curious demons that I do," North said as he hefted his own sniper rifle.
"Oh please," River remarked.
"What we also have a shotgun and two SMGs," North added.
River was about to explain when John heard a noise, "quite listen," he said as he scanned the tunnel for targets. North and South both dropped down to one knee, SMGs out, while River got very still, her laser ready.
"There," North said, "left side looks like a monkey or something."
"Never mind the undead monkeys," John replied, "besides they make more of a clank, this was more like a scraping."
"Well it looks to be scraping the wall," South said, "Oh... uh it just disappeared."
"I saw it to," River said, "almost like it was swallowed by the darkness at the end of the tunnel."
"Doctor, how much longer?" John asked.
"I just got the equipment set up it could be a while," Doctor said, "If your worried about the dark set up some light or use heat scanners or something."
North pulled up his sniper rifle and scanned the darkness.
"You got heat detection on that thing, impressive," John said.
"Oh yeah and is it detecting heat," North said, "we got about twenty sigs right over there where the monkey was."
"Ok am I the only one who is concerned about the undead monkey part of this place?" South asked.
"Your undead," John pointed out.
"Yeah but not like bones and ghost and zombie stuff just not dead right now," South argued, "Wait hear that?"
"Yeah, five of those sigs are moving closer to us get ready for some company," North said.
The scraping sound got louder as out from the darkness emerged five large serpents they had no eyes but were just huge mouths on a snake-like body. Their scales were a shiny hard black almost like obsidian, and from their three jawed mouths were jutting large blood-stained fangs.
"Will our bullets work against something like that," South asked in a whisper.
"Only one way to find out," North said.
"Don't," River interrupted, "they may not notice us and we can go on for a few more minutes without having to fight off the demon army."
"Ok guys things are about to get loud," Doctor said. Then he turned on the frequency generator and a loud thumping began to echo through the tunnel. The demons responded by homing in on the device and starting for it.
"Ok now shoot them," John said as he fired four rounds into the first of the beasts. The shots drew blood and a piercing cry from the demon but didn't stop it. River put a laser bolt right through the creature's mouth dropping the demon. As John reloaded North fired four rounds, one into each demon, stalling the advance while South fired bursts from her SMG into the next demon taking it down. John followed up with a third demon shooting off the top of its three jaws and a fourth by shooting through a section of scale that River's laser had melted. North finished off the last one with four more quick shots through the mouth.
"And you said that there were fifteen more of these," John said.
"Yup and here they are," North replied as he pointed to more of the demons emerging into the light.
John handed him the remaining sniper rifle rounds that he had and activated his energy swords, "Then give me cover," he said as he charged into the demons. The first demon reared up and opened its mouth to swallow him but instead ate some of South's bullets followed by a sword through the gut. As John removed his sword from the dead demon he dodged an attack form one of its comrades and followed up by opening up a hole that River made excellent use of dropping a seventh demon. "Thirteen," John counted down. He ducked and rolled as North took out another demon that was coming at John from his side, and came up right behind a demon that was rushing South. He jumped onto its back, ran to its head and eviscerated it. "Eleven." He spun around and thrust his swords into the belly of a demon that was about to swallow him, cutting the creature along its length leaving it in two halves on the floor. River and South took out two more while North handed South his SMG and took up the shotgun and headed for John.
"Time to join the fun," North said as he pumped two rounds into the nearest serpent.
"Yeah, welcome to the party." John said as he impaled the same demon, "Seven."
The remaining demons came at them in a wall formation of teeth and bulk, John and North jumped onto two of the demons and started to work through the creatures, killing the two they were on and a third in the process. South was now using both SMGs as she put down two more and River finished off the last two with eight quick, pinpoint shots that left a hole right through the demons' heads.
"Ok now am I good enough for you," She asked.
"I'm not going to lie that was pretty impressive," North said.
"Yes, I see your point," John replied, "But I still think it was a good idea to have North and South along."
"Of course it was," South said, "I would have been mad if I had missed the fun."
"Ok we should really go now," Doctor said, "In a few minutes it will be snap boom time."
"Then go," John said, "There are more demons down here and if the tunnel is going to collapse then we want them as close to it as possible."
"Time to make some noise," South asked.
"No we really should go," Doctor said, "River can't you convince them?"
"Afraid not dear," River replied, "I agree with them."
"What," Doctor exclaimed, then with a look of exasperation, "Fine we will stay with the device until the walls start cracking, but then we have to leave."
"Fine," John replied, "Now where are those demons."
Character Daemon
Daemon, his brother Lucifer, his father Saetan, and his wife Janell were following Krista and Geyser around Warfang. Daemon was a tall dark haired handsome man with piercing black eyes, a pointed hawkish nose and a curt frown that was almost always plastered on his pale face. He wore a tux almost everywhere for reasons he never truly understood. Lucifer was his counterpart, the winged Eryian was tall like Daemon but had a spectacular tan and bulging muscles. His eyes were a bright blue, his nose, cheek bones, jaw and chin were larger and instead of a frown he almost always had a fun-loving smirk on his face. Lucifer generally wore armor plated trousers and a brawling harness. Their father, Saetan, was more like Daemon, with dark if some what graying hair, the hawk nose and perpetual frown, he however wore less demanding attire than Daemon's tux, instead preferring a sweatshirt and bluejeans. Janell was the most eye-catching of them all though, with her golden hair, deep sapphire eyes, petite nose, generous mouth, and glaringly pale skin adorned with a red silk robe, it was impossible to think that Janell was anything other than unique.
"The demons really did a number on the city," Daemon remarked, "It is hard to imagine what grandeur must have been here before this destruction."
"Aye," Geyser replied, "even the Guardians tower is cracked and marred, not even Malafor dared to harm that structure."
"Demons, you will find, have a different perspective on what to destroy," Saetan added, "If you can break the spirit of a people then you can defeat those people."
"Makes sense," Krista said, "I see now that that is what Malafor tried to do."
"Tell me more about him," Daemon said, "You all talk about him but never in a good light what was he to your kind before K swooped in and got all of you caught up in his life?"
"Malafor was father's arch-enemy, dad trapped him in the core of the world when Malafor rent the world apart as you see it now," Krista said, "I think dad was only thirteen or fourteen and mom was about the same age."
"So they worked together to defeat Malafor," Janell said, "Impressive I remember when I was that age I rarely worked well with anyone."
"That is because you are a Queen," Saetan replied, "Its not in your nature."
"I suspect it is not in many young ones' natures to co-operate," Lucifer added, "I'm sure you remember when I was young."
Saetan rolled his eyes in mock exasperation as Krista continued her explanation.
"After Malafor was trapped we had a few instances with some of his left over army but nothing serious, we had thought him gone for good and started to rebuild everything he destroyed," Krista said, "It was during this time that K arrived, I was only five so I've known him my whole life and Fi has never had a time where she can't recall him being around."
"Aye these last thirty years have been harder on her," Geyser added.
"Indeed, but sis is stronger than she looks," Krista replied, "Anyway we had pretty much rebuilt the city and several of the outlying villages when John, Cortana, Haggard, Jackson and Fenix showed up and all this crazy mess started. Malafor ending up on our side is primarily the result of K tearing him up real nasty like blood and bone everywhere."
"Hold up feel that," Daemon asked as he felt a thrumming vibration roll through the ground at his feet.
"Yes," Lucifer replied, "It feels like its right underneath us but Doctor is on the other side of the city."
"His device shouldn't be vibrating the ground this far in," Geyser said, "what could be causing this?"
"Strike at the heart," Saetan said.
"Geyser Krista fly now!" Daemon roared, "Go tell K that they are looking in the wrong place the demons aren't coming through the tunnels but are already under the city, Go!"
Geyser and Krista both took off at lightening speed, courtesy of the armor suits they were wearing, and headed for the Guardians' tower.
"Ok was it really a good idea to send away the two most capable warriors at your disposal," Grishnake asked as he came up beside them, "before you ask yes I've been following you all."
"Good to see you haven't changed much," Lucifer said.
The vibration turned into a rumbling and the street began to sink into the ground.
"There the building on the right that looks stable," Janell said, "lets get over to it."
Daemon led the way to the building, it was a low, for dragon standards, white marble, structure with a large base, something that would prove hard to sink into the ground. It also had an open air porch lined with dragon sized benches that would be great for taking cover behind.
"Lucifer dad, take the left side Janell and I will cover the right, Grish blarg it where did he go?" Daemon said as he and Janell ducked behind one of the large, flat benches. To his relief, both his brother and dad just nodded as they took cover behind the other bench. The rumbling turned into a grinding then after a loud crack stopped completely. He chanced a look around the side of the bench but didn't see anything. "I think we are clear," He said but then a huge hand punched it's way out of the ground.
The hand was mostly comprised of semi-molten flesh that reeked so bad it seared Daemon's nose as he inhaled, making it hard to breathe, what wasn't molten was charred bones and the occasional rock. As the demon pulled its entirety out of the ground Daemon sized it up at about thirty feet tall and fifty feet wide, the semi-molten flesh of its arms coalesced into a body of red hot metal that sat atop a cloud of smoke and ash and was topped with a head covered by a helmet that was as cold as the body was hot from which peered three flickering eyes.
"What is it what do you see," Janell whispered.
"I don't know but it is large, I assume very powerful, and it looks totally malevolent," Daemon replied.
"Then how are we supposed to kill it," Lucifer mentally asked him.
"I don't know but I'd suspect that its arms are the most vulnerable," Daemon replied on the same thread of communication.
"Stop that," Grish snarled quietly as he came up beside Daemon, "That's an Apocica a siege breaker if you will, the five of us can't take it but if we wait until it wanders off into the city then we can stop the demons from coming up through that hole."
"Hold that thought," Daemon though to Lucifer.
"Grish where were you," Daemon asked in a whisper as they waited for the demon to stop stomping about and walk away.
"Inside the building," Grish replied, "I was hoping I could find a way to trap that thing inside than bring the building down on it but nothing useful came up."
"Big help," Janell said, "You sure we can't take this thing, even knowing what just one of us is capable of?"
"K created these creatures back when... well you know," Grish said, "I would want someone equally as powerful to help destroy it."
"So you don't believe K's whole redeemed to God bit either then," Daemon said.
"I don't know, after everything I've seen and been through with K it makes sense but I do believe in being cautious and that creature definitely warrants caution," Grish replied, "Uh I don't hear it moving anymore."
Daemon got a really strong feeling that something bad was about to happen but he looked around the bench anyways. The Apocica was waiting, Daemon barely got his head back around the side of the bench as a wave of freezing energy passed by the bench.
"Well that's just great," Lucifer shouted as he popped up from his bench and sent a beam of energy crackling across the demon's back.
The Apocica snarled and turned its head to send a freezing blast towards Lucifer and Saetan, but Grish had another plan. He rolled out into the street behind the large lumbering creature and threw two eight-inch daggers into the demon's back. That move bought Daemon and Janell enough time to collect their energy and wrench the beast off the ground and hold it above the hole it created on the street facing away from the five of them.
"Ok we can't hold it here forever so kill it already," Janell yelled.
Daemon sent spikes of electricity into the Apocica while Lucifer used his energy beam and Saetan used alternating hot and cold on the creature. Grish was firing bolt after bolt into the beast but the demon just wouldn't die it was instead starting to laugh, a deep low rumble that seemed to originate from its armored torso and echo out from the helmet.
"We can't hold it up anymore get behind something Grish," Daemon called out.
Grish ducked behind another building as the Apocica crashed to the ground. The ash and smoke cloud it hovered on dissipated for a moment but gathered itself back under the demon allowing it to move again. Daemon could tell that Janell was contemplating doing something drastic and he was almost inclined to let her but before anyone could do anything Geyser and Krista dived into the fray. Krista barreled into the Apocica driving it backwards as Geyser filled it with spikes of ice. After the demon finished rolling backwards down the street from the sudden assault it collected itself and once again advanced on their position.
"You know the idea of you going to get help was to come back with some," Daemon shouted.
"We did," Geyser yelled back, "Listen."
Daemon did and he heard the thunderous footfalls of Beast, the hundred and fifty foot tall former embodiment of The Lucifer that was now free of that entities' control and was now helping K and DC. Beast was alive for all anyone could tell even though he, like the Apocica, was comprised of fire, flesh and what is something like a fireproof scaly skin, his eyes were pits of flame and his head was almost like a humans without flesh and crowned with two giant horns, his mouth was full of large spiny teeth and jagged, thorny spines ran down his back.
"Hmm a little morsel seems to be making trouble for you all," Beast said in his deep, rumbling, almost English sounding voice as he smashed his way through the city to them, "Come here you little snack." Beast reached down and lifted the Apocica up with one hand, almost like one would palm a basketball. Then with one massive bite rent the demon in two, consuming the half that he bit off and throwing the other half back down the hole in the street. "Hmm they aren't as tasty as I remember them being."
"Where were you all hiding him," Grish asked.
"In a box under the bed," Daemon replied, "Why you want to keep him?"
"Oh shut up," Beast said, "Listen K says to stop fooling around out here we have bigger problems the entire city is sinking. Probably due to the demons tunneling under it."
"Isn't the Doctor supposed to be resolving that issue," Saetan replied.
"No he is just closing off the old tunnels so that the demons have to make new holes if they want to get in," Krista said.
"Great, well I guess we should get over to the tower then, Geyser, Krista you got room for one more?" Grish asked.
"Hop on," Geyser said.
Daemon and Janell pulled themselves onto Krista as Geyser arranged Grish, Lucifer and Saetan on his back. Then the eight of them, Beast included, headed towards the Guardians' tower.
Character Kalathanon
Geyser, Krista, Daemon, Janell, Lucifer, Saetan, Grish, and Beast had arrived just after Doctor, River, John, North and South. The Tower was rumbling and vibrating as the city sank around it. The sinking was slow at first but now was about two inches an hour and speeding up. Fenix, who had fought against the Locust which employed a similar tactic was pouring over maps of the city and its infrastructure. K had just finished filling in John and his group, C was informing Daemon and his group, the Guardians were bringing in more maps and records of the supports under the city, The champions, Alverion, Saphira, Scion, Elly, Pyros, Kitara, Scaron and Elantra had just left to take another survey of the city to see how long it would be before it was underground, and everyone else was running about trying to get the remaining inhabitants to safety.
"K we found something," Sparks, the ghost of Spyro's old dragonfly friend said as he flew over from Fenix.
"Good," K said as he walked over, "What do you think?"
"I think," Fenix replied, "That the Loc... I mean Demons are trying to sink the city intact to do that they are taking out the supporting arches that line the tunnels that are under the city. Based on how far we have sunk I would guess that they started at the very bottom layer of tunnels and are working their way up. That also explains why we are sinking faster, as they collapse tunnels that are closer to us we will sink farther."
"What we need to do," Sparks continued, "Is stop the demons from making their way up the tunnel structure and we have identified this section here as the most opportune spot for a defense. The city will still sink by another five or six feet before the ground is stable again but that will just be from the tunnels that are already collapsed up to that point."
K looked at the indicated area, it was a series of ventilation tunnels that the moles used when they were mining the marble that they built Warfang out of, relatively few entrances from below but many exits that led up to the larger tunnels above.
"It looks good but small none of the dragons can fit down there, except me in a smaller form," K said.
"What do you mean none of us," Carter said as he and Cloak walked in, "We may have human bodies but we are still dragons."
"True," K agreed, "then you two will lead the force that will go down there, who do you want to take with you? The tunnels will be small but there are only four entrances into it from below where the demons will be coming from, I'd limit your force to sixteen at the most."
"Well us, Vince and Carl make Four that leaves twelve left. Fenix you up to some tunneling?" Carter asked to which Fenix nodded, "Good then you and Delta are in that makes nine, John and Bad Co can go too and Tex, K you want to take the last slot?"
"I'll do that," K replied, "Celantra I'm heading down with Carter and gang you going to be ok up here without me?"
"Sure thing love just remember no explosives, or detonations, or massive expanses of air nothing that could destabilize this city more," Celantra replied.
"Ok got it," K said, "Sparks got fetch the others make it quick and tell them to meet us near the center of the old city."
"You sure you want to go there," Sparks said, "That golem thing is still kicking around in there."
"If the old city is the fastest way down to the tunnels then that is where we are going to be," Cloak said.
"Alright alright I'm going," Sparks declared as he left the room.
"Boss you sure you want us to go with you I'm sure that there are others who are more qualified than us to fight these monsters," Vince said.
"Two things you need to remember," Carter said, "I got the four of us into this mess I'll look out for us and two no one other than K is qualified to fight these demons so lets listen to the expert."
"I'll detail the weaknesses of as many demons as I can on the way there," K replied as he morphed into his human form, "Lets go I prefer this form the least."
Ten minutes later Carter, Cloak, Vince, Carl, Fenix, Dom, Anya, Coal, Baird, Redford, Sweetwater, Haggard, Marlowe, John, Tex, and K were standing about five hundred feet above the tunnel that they needed to get to.
"Any ideas," Tex asked.
"Well we could dig our way down," Dom said.
"Allow me," K said as he carved a spiral stair way out of the ground that headed straight for the tunnel they wanted. "Its a lot of stairs but better than jumping."
"Maybe for you," Tex said as she jumped over the edge and fell down to the bottom. "The demons are not here yet," She called back up after a resounding thud announced her landing.
"I wish I could do that," Marlowe said.
"You ain't a robot now get walking," Redford replied as he headed down the stairs, "Never going to get to go fishing..."
Tex was waiting for them when the rest got to the bottom. "Did a bit of recon, the four openings are spread out along the northern side of the tunnel so if we can keep the demons bottled up at the holes then we could still pull back to the stairs here if we needed to."
The tunnel was obviously old, most of the support beams were worn and cracked but still stood. The tunnel consisted of rock walls and floor with a wooden ceiling above which the strata layer changed from rock to dirt.
"Whatever the demons are using to take out the supports must also be able to dig its way through the rock," Carter said, "K got any tips?"
"Not dig through," K replied, "melt through, like a cutting torch for rock. The demons are called the Char; ash wraiths with focused magma for arms very nasty. Always come in pairs and I would bet that the demons are using two pairs of them."
"So possibly four more holes," Fenix said, "Well that still leaves two per hole."
"Aye, Tex, Hags, Vince, Dom, take the hole closest to the stairs," Carter said, "Should another hold open up, Vince, Dom you two get on it. Fenix, John, Sweets, Carl, take the next hole up, John, Carl, you two break off if another hole opens up near you. Cloak, Anya, Red and I will take the next one with Cloak and Anya free to take another opening. K, Baird, Coal, Marlowe you four got the farthest Baird, Coal, you two tackle any extra tunnels."
"Well this should be fun," Baird said as they all moved into their respective positions.
"Hear em," Marlowe said, "Demons are on their way."
"Bring em," K snarled as his twin soul-blades erupted from his hands, "Its been too long since I was feared in Hell."
"You know those still creep me out," Coal said.
K didn't have time to respond as demons broke through the trapdoor that was covering the entrance to the lower tunnels. The first grotesque head that shoved its way into the tunnel was separated from its body with on stroke of K's blade. Gun fire rang out through the tunnel as the demons tried to push their way in. K met each new demon with a readied blade or spell chopping and dissolving every demon that stuck its head up through the passage, until the demons stopped.
"What are they doing," Carter asked as he reloaded his Famas G2.
"Still don't know why you use a French weapon," Cloak asked as she hefted her RPK 74.
"Shut up," K snarled, "I don't hear drilling and I don't smell melted rock... they are going to get smaller demons."
"That is good right," Sweets said.
"Not if the demons are small enough to get past us while we are trying to guard the tunnels," Carter said, "Lets back up give them some wiggle room."
"So the blargers can writhe around as they die," Coal said, "I like your thinking."
"Ok we are going to defend the stairs," Carter said, "K, Cloak, Tex, John and I will be in front since we can take a hit from these demons and have the highest survivability. Delta your behind us, Bad Co., Vince and Carl your going to be on the stairs so you can shoot over us."
"Sure thing boss," Vince said.
As they were taking up the new formation the first demon jumped through the trap door and into the tunnel. It was small, only about the size of a mid-sized dog, had mutated legs and arms that acted like tentacles, two black pupils on each side of its head and a body that was a large mouth, filled with tiny hooked teeth and a tongue with razor sharp bones sticking out of it. K shot that first demon through with one of his swords, but as soon as it died there were a dozen more that had jumped into the tunnel. K dropped demon after demon as did everyone else that was there, but the demons' sheer numbers soon had them back at the stairs. Then the four Char melted their way into the tunnel bringing with them two dozen of the demons with the spike arms.
"Well look who came to the party," Cloak said, "The Rippers." She promptly followed up by unloading the remaining twenty rounds in her clip into the first spike demon. K finished off that demon by shooting it through with one of his flaming swords. Delta, Bad Co., and Four were keeping the smaller demons at bay while Cloak reloaded and Carter and Tex brought down one of the Char. John and K both readied their swords then charged into the demons. Their combined ferocity drove the demons back slowly at first but, as the rest were able to start using the breathing room that K and John were providing, the demons were pushed all the way back to the remaining three Char and six Rippers. K engaged the first Char blocking the molten arms with his soul-blades and then dissolving the demon with his breath. Marlowe dropped another Ripper with six well placed rounds, while John, with the help of Coal and Red, managed to take out a third Char. The smaller demons were mostly cleared out by now, allowing Anya and Fenix to grind down two more Rippers. The last Char and three Rippers charged at K and John in an attempt to knock past them and get to the rest of the team. K wasn't going to let that happen, he responded with a wave of disintegration that stopped the demons cold as their bodies were ripped apart.
"Well that's all of them then," John asked as he deactivated his swords.
"That's all of them," K replied, "Carter lets go see if there is any other activity around and if not we need to decide what we will do next."
"Right," Carter said, "Come on lets head back up."