A Story of Kalathanon

by Kalathanon

The Second book in the Kalathanon Series that started with The Legend of Spyro: The Kalathanon Files. New faces include, David Web, RWBY, Ezio, some D3, Firefly, Borderlands, and more.

61. Chapter 61

Chapter 61 Rome-ing Charges

Character Ezio

Leah, Beth, Lyndon, Lil, Inarius, Lilith, Cain, Tyreal, Auriel, Diablo, Baal, Mephisto, Malafor, Tom, Blood-Raven, Xarle, Beast and Cerses had followed Ezio up to the gates of the city. So when the alarms did not go up throughout the city Ezio knew something was out of place. "Someone should have noticed us by now," Ezio said. "Beast can you see what is going on inside the city?"

"It looks like this section is deserted," Beast rumbled after a moment, "I just see a few scamps running about, probably trying to hid from us. The walls are not tall but the city stretches for miles I can't see all of it from here. It does look like something is happening farther in towards the center."

"Cerses fly over the wall and open the gate for us," Ezio said, "I want to try and keep my city as intact as possible." Cerses, who was about to burn down the gate, stopped with the fire flickering around his mouth. He seemed to think over Ezio's order before nodding and flying over the wall to unlock the gate.

The gate swung open and Cerses waved them in, "Welcome to Rome," the demon laughed, "Now let's conquer it."

"There are so many dead around here," Tom remarked, "Just say the word an I can have an army arise from the ground."

"Same," Mephisto added.

"We don't count as an army," Beth asked, "I mean look at us, aspects of vengeance, destruction, death, terror, hate, pain, hope, wisdom, and that's just me." Baal and Inarius shared a laugh at that, but Beth's point was still very clear. The nineteen companions were probably capable of taking over the entire planet. That is if the Templars hadn't delved up some new weapon.

"We need to find the Assassins Guild," Ezio said, "They will know what is going on." As Ezio finished speaking a massive light erupted from the center of the city. The sound of an explosion followed with a shock wave that knocked even Beast back.

"Ezio," Perindi said from the Apple artifacts, "A portal of some sort if forming here, see what you can do to stop that."

"I'm pretty sure that the giant explosion has something to do with that," Lil said, "I could teleport us over to it."

"It would be faster than walking," Cain said.

"Those head aches though," Leah said, "Besides don't we need to see about the Assassins?"

"This is bigger than the assassins or templars," Ezio said as he read the situation with the Artifacts, "both of our organizations seek order, just with two different methods. What we just witnessed was chaos' beginning... Lil teleport us if you can."

"Done," Lil said. The head ache hit Ezio as he realized that the group was now standing at the edge of a crater where the Sistine Chapel used to be. The crater went deep into the earth, deep into the Vatican vault that was hidden under the Chapel.

"We have to get down there," Ezio said as he circled the crater, "If there is anywhere that has Artifacts powerful enough to open a portal to Sanctuary it's this vault."

"Down we go then," Cerses said as he picked up Ezio and Leah then flew them to the bottom of the crater.

"Tell Tyreal we may need him down here," Ezio said to the demon, "have the others stay up there and hold off any intruders. You come back down with Tyreal, we may need some demon power too, there is no way to know what is down in these catacombs."

Cerses didn't say anything just took back off to relay Ezio's message. Looking around Ezio saw six tunnels leading out from the circular room that he and Leah were in. It appeared that there used to be a stairway that wound down to this level from the top but all that was left was rotting beams that jutted out from the worn, grimy, stone of the underground.

"Which way do we go," Leah asked.

"Give me a moment," Ezio said as he used his Eagle Vision to inspect the tunnels. No one tunnel was any more outstanding than any other. Each one was marked with a Templar sign, each one had a trap set into the floor at the fifth stone that would drop a spiked log from the ceiling, all led down.

Something however caught Ezio's eye at the back of the first tunnel, a strange twisting sort of shape that was running along the wall. The curios thing about it is it wasn't there when Ezio looked the first time. "Leah can you see anything down this tunnel?"

Leah peered down the tunnel. "I don't..." as Leah was speaking the twisting shape warped forward a few feet causing both Ezio and Leah to jump backwards, running into Tyreal in the process.

"Jumpy aren't you," Cerses commented, "Odd."

"It is odd for these two," Tyreal countered, "What spooked you?"

"See for yourselves," Ezio said as he pointed at the now creeping being as it slowly moved towards them along the wall. Studying it Ezio saw that within the twists and knots of the creature vaguely familiar shapes could be made out, a hand here, a leg there. It dawned on Ezio that the thing was once human, but mutilated and warped to the point that it was now an abomination of rancid flesh that was spun around a gaping mouth.

"What is that," Cerses asked.

"Dangerous," Leah said, "It can warp at incredible speeds, that is what..." All four backed up from the tunnel as the creature did just what Leah was describing. It was now halfway to them.

"That is disturbing," Tyreal said as he drew his sword, "We should destroy it before it can get out."

"Agreed," Ezio said. He used the Artifacts to see if the creature had any weaknesses, fire seemed to be the biggest. "Cerses your flame breath will be very effective against this thing. Any fire skills will light this thing up."

"Ezio behind us," Leah yelled. Ezio spun around to find five of the creatures standing in the room, they were warped and twisted but were jointed in such a way as to stand up in a mockery image of the people that they had once been. The arms were still just a tangle of twisted flesh and the face was nothing but a constantly chewing mouth of teeth. There must have been one in each tunnel Ezio realized but, then they would have had to move faster than the one... Ezio spun back around in time to cut the arm-tentacles off of the creature from the first tunnel. He quickly reversed the blade and decapitated the creature causing the whole thing to unravel and collapse. The really disturbing thing about these constructs was they had no soul, someone was animating these things, a necromancer. A wave of heat washed over Ezio. He turned to see that Cerses had incinerated the other creatures with his fire breath.

"Good work," Ezio said, "Now can anyone track a necromancer?"

"Tom could," Tyreal supplied, "I will bring him, Mephisto would be best left on the surface in case things get worse." Tyreal then flew back up to the entrance to get Tom.

"He's got some fancy wing work, I'll give him that," Cerses said, "Good call on the necromancer here. He's probably below us farther in."

"He most certainly is," Tom said as he was deposited on the ground, "Hmm it seems like all of these tunnels lead to the same place. Shall we?" Tom then dashed down a tunnel, triggering the trap but also easily dodging it before waving for the others to follow him. As they moved a Blood Golem rose up and started following Tom as did several skeletons.

"I don't even feel him casting spells," Leah said, "Normally I would be able to detect when someone is casting a spell."

"Same," Tyreal said.

"Maybe something is interfering with you senses," Ezio said.

"Don't be redi..." Cerses started, "Actually, it is possible that if an area is saturated with continually channeled power the spells of others who are casting in that area are undetectable."

"Exactly," Tom said as he rounded the corner and moved down the next incline of the passage, "Whoever is casting this spell will know we are coming, the destruction of his guardians will have alerted him. Ezio, you lived here right, any idea what this place might have or this guy be trying to do?"

"There is an artifact down here," Ezio said, "More powerful than these Apples, a whole room with abilities that I've never even been able to rationalize before, but now... I think it is used to create rifts to other universes."

"Sanctuary," Tyreal said, "And we've already weakened the barrier to it by being sent across so many times."

"Quickly the room is up here," Ezio said as the floor leveled out and Ezio found himself entering a familiar tunnel that he had seen before. The door to the room was closed but a light was shining out from underneath it. Just the bits of light that got out through the cracks around the door flickered and moved like an angry fire. Ezio moved up to one side of the door, Cerses moved to the side with the handle, Leah planted her crossbow turret and Tyreal placed himself between Leah and the door but off to the side a bit so she could shoot past him. Cerses held up three fingers, or claws in his case and counted down before opening the door and rushing in with Ezio.

Inside was a huge red and black portal that filled the octagonal room from floor to ceiling and was filling a third of the center of the room. A man in an odd combination of armor and robes was barely visible behind the portal as it activated and let more of the twisted warping things through into their world. A flaming arrow from Leah caught one of the eight creatures on fire, causing it to scream as it was incinerated. The man behind the portal turned around then and jumped through the portal.

"Kill these things," Ezio said, "I'm going after him!"

"Not without me you aren't," Leah said as she uprooted her turret and ran over to Ezio while igniting three more of the creatures as they came through the portal.

"Go," Tyreal yelled, "Cerses make sure this room stays clear I'll get the others!" Cerses bathed the newest wave of the creepy warping monsters in flame and Ezio and Leah jumped through the portal to chase after the man. What was on the other side however neither of them could have expected.

"It looks like your executioners have arrived," a tall woman said in a hard but slightly melodious voice at the arrival of Ezio and Leah. The man that the two had followed was pinned down on the rocky ground of this sub-dimension of the universe. A short woman with pale skin, a vanilla colored overcoat, brown pants, a brown eye and a pink eye and matching hair colors had the man pinned down with an umbrella. The tall woman was dressed in red and black feathered garments including a large, beak shaped mask, short shorts with an armored belt, skirt and plated leg guards and a thick blouse that was a mix of a robe and a shirt. Her hair was long and black and was accentuated with a feather dress that ran from the top of the mask and down her back. She also had a ridiculously long sword that was sheathed in a, of all things, Dust enhanced sheath. "Before you kill this man I would know, those creatures that he pulled into your world, you did kill them correct," the tall woman asked.

"We did," Ezio said, "and our friends are finishing off any that were left over." A look of relief passed across both women's faces.

"Good," the tall one said again then to the man on the ground. "Now you've got these two and their friends mad at you for endangering their world, you've got my friend there mad at you for attacking her when you came here and you've got me mad at you for stealing my prisoners and entering my Nether Realm and bringing these two in behind you. So if they don't kill you one of us will."

The man in the armored robe acted faster than Ezio thought was possible. In on swift motion he threw the small woman off of him and drew a sword that was hidden in his garments to strike at her with. The small woman rolled with the throw and came up with her umbrella blocking the strike that was aimed at her head. The man that had attacked her, blown up the Chapel and brought those monstrosities into Ezio's world reeled when his strike was blocked as a sharp pin like metal tip stuck out of his back. The short woman drew the pommel of her umbrella out of the man, extracting the spike with it and rubbed the blood off on his rob as he slid to the ground. She looked startled though as the man landed on his knees and fell to the side. She looked to Ezio and quirked an eyebrow at him while she returned the deadly spike to the inside of her parasol. That is when Ezio noticed his arm was extended in a throwing position for a dagger and a dagger was sticking out of the man's head.

"Now that is an impressive feat," the tall woman said, "to hit a man in the head with a dagger throw is one thing to do it while that man is moving is a harder feat still, but to do that while not even focusing on the man you are attacking... well that will get people asking questions. Those questions will have to wait though, your way home is closing, hurry through before you are trapped here."

"You could come with us," Ezio said, "I know your from Remnant, that is Dust in your sheath. We know people from Remnant, our company lives on your home world, if you two come with us we can get you home."

"Did you miss the fact that this is my Nether Realm," the tall woman said softly, "I can take us home whenever I want to. I know who you are, you've been helping... helping some people who are very close to me. Thank you, but it is best if we stay here, there are still more of these monsters to kill. You should go, your portal only has a few moments left before it is gone." Ezio looked between the two before nodding and walking with Leah back through the portal. On the other side they were face to face with a stern looking Tom.

"That was foolish," Tom said, "Portals like this on are tied to the life force of the caster, when you killed that man your timer to being permanently stuck in God knows where started. Your just lucky to have gotten out. However if we are really lucky then the portal's creation is still new enough that it's destruction will reverse those events leading up to it..."

"Opening," Perindi finished as the entire group found themselves back in the Mallet Lord's estate, "Yes I've been listening in, after all that is what I gave you those Artifacts for. Odd, the portal that the Architect opened did not lead here as I had suspected. That place you found, it was similar to this place. A pocket dimension sustained by the power of an individual... whoever that woman was you spoke to she is very powerful. She was sustaining her own dimension and keeping whatever those creatures were trapped in there with her. Only the Architect's interference allowed for some of them to escape..."

"What about that other woman," Ezio asked.

"I don't know a friend maybe," Perindi said, "It doesn't matter without the Architect your world doesn't pose a threat to this one, now go rule Sanctuary or whatever you want to do, I need to think."

"Then Sanctuary is safe," King Justinian asked.

"Safe enough," Perindi said.

"I meant from you," the King replied.

"What could your world possibly have that I would want," Perindi asked, "I've no interest in your world, now begone all of you."

"You all go on back," Ezio said, "Leah, Diablo if you would stay a moment?"

"Of course," Leah said. Diablo didn't move to leave so Ezio assumed he was agreeing.

"I don't need those Artifacts back," Perindi said, "They are extras."

"We're not staying to give you back those Apples," Ezio said, "Were staying because you are sending us back to Rome."

"What," Diablo thundered.

"Why," Leah asked surprised, "We can go now, let's just leave it."

"Because my family is in Rome, or in Forli," Ezio said, "They at least deserve to know where I've gone, that I'm okay."

"And you want us to go and meet them," Leah said, "Your not worried they will react poorly to Dad?"

"No," Ezio said, "Diablo is your father that is just how it is, and despite the appearance he's not such a bad guy."

"Ha, tell that to the billions he has destroyed," Perindi remarked, "If you're set on this and it will get you out of my house then back you go." Another flash of light and Ezio, Leah and Diablo found themselves back on the hill overlooking the city. This time a horn sounded almost immediately as people noticed Diablo on the hill. The gate which was almost abandoned before was now busy with people moving into and out of the city. These same people were parted as a group of riders came out of the gate and headed for the three.

"This is all on you," Diablo snarled, "I hate being diplomatic."

"If these are Templars I doubt there will be much room for diplomacy," Ezio said, "If they are just mercs or city guards let me do the talking."

"I hope they are just guards," Leah remarked. Ezio noticed she had her bow ready, just in case. He also noticed that the men riding up to them wore the colors of on of the mercenary guilds in the city.

"Hail Men of the Iron Shield how can I help you today," Ezio called out as the mercs approached. At the mention of their guild name the horsemen lowered their weapons slightly, a good sign.

"You can start by telling us what sort of creature you have at your heels," the Captain of the group replied, keeping a good twenty yards between his men and Ezio's company.

"This is Diablo," Ezio said, "A friend of mine and the father to the good woman here."

"Right," the captain said. He did not sound convinced but the group was still talking so that was a good thing. "What do you three want to do in Rome?"

"I am looking for my family," Ezio said, "Maria and Claudia Auditore da Firenze."

"Captain," on of the other men remarked, "This must be..."

"I know Bennet," the captain said, "So your Ezio, went missing about a year ago. Yeah we know your family, Claudia ran a real good establishment, always nice and clean with good meals for us."

"Your sister owns an inn as well," Leah asked.

"Not an in," Diablo said with a chuckle his voice startling the guards, "she runs a brothel doesn't she?"

"Not any more," the Captain said as he regained his composure, "They both left to head back to whatever city you all came from after you disappeared, I guess they figured you would make your way back there eventually."

"Great how far away is that," Diablo asked.

"Depends on which city," Ezio said, "Forli is about five days away, Monteriggioni is about three."

"Then we should get moving," Leah said.

"Wait," Ezio said, "Is Leonardo da Vinci in the city?"

"The crazy inventor and painter," the captain remarked, "Yes he is, arrived just two days ago, I think it would be best if we brought him out to you however, so your friend there doesn't startle the people."

"If you could do that it would be appreciated," Ezio said as he slipped the guard captain several gold coins.

"We will be back shortly," the Captain said as he and his men turned about and returned to the gate.

"Now what," Leah asked.

"We wait," Ezio said. "Leonardo is an old friend, if he knows what might be between us and Monteriggioni then it will be worth talking to him. Also I'd like to see if he has cooked up any new devices." Ezio extended his wrist pistol, "this is one of Leonardo's ideas, as are some of the modifications to my other gear."

"What about Forli," Diablo asked. "Is it in the same direction?"

"Generally," Ezio said, "they are both north of Rome, Monteriggioni is more to the west but even stopping by there first it will only make the travel to Forli a week long trip."

"A week," Leah asked, "That's all?"

"Ezio," Leonardo exclaimed as the colorfully dressed, gray bearded man came running up to the three, "Oh my what is this remarkable creature?"

"Finally some recognition," Diablo stated with a chuckle.

"He talks," Leonardo stated in astonishment, "This is simply amazing, I assume you met him after disappearing?"

"And me," Leah said annoyed that she was overlooked.

"I do apologize for that my dear," Leonardo said, "but I see people in armor with weapons all the time I'm afraid. Ah but where are my manors, Leonardo da Vinci, inventor, painter, historian, architect and occasional explorer."

"Diablo," Diablo said.

"I'm Leah... his daughter," Leah said as she prodded Diablo with her crossbow.

"Leonardo," Ezio greeted with a brief laugh, "I know you would love to catch up with me but I need to find my family, Mother and Sister, do you know where they were headed?"

"Yes in fact I just came from Monteriggioni, Maria was there but Claudia was out, with some of your assassin friends if I am not mistaken," Leonardo said, "Ezio I have to ask where did you go?"

"It's a long story but lets just say there are a lot of other planets out there with people on them," Ezio said. "You said Claudia was with the Assassins now... are they capable of dealing with her?"

"I don't know," Leonardo replied, "Maria indicated that Claudia is the one calling the shots now so I guess they did okay. Now did you say other planets, is that where?"

"Sure is," Leah said, "Our world is called Sanctuary."

"Sanctuary... amazing," Leonardo remarked, "And your sure you don't want to stay? I could make lunch."

"No old friend," Ezio said, "We really should go, after all I have responsibilities to an interplanetary organization now. I will try and keep in touch when I can though, with all of you."

"Hmm, I suppose that your large red friend here would not do so well in the city eh," Leonardo said, "Still when you get a chance do come by I may have a few new items that might be of interest to you. Prototypes for Claudia, she seems to have taken your place after you vanished."

"I don't know which is worse," Ezio said, "being an assassin or the owner of a brothel."

"Their both just as bad," Diablo supplied, "or just as good depending on your point of view. I tend to be a glass half empty type myself so their both bad."

"A pessimist, a realist and I hope your an optimist young lady," Leonardo remarked as he shook hands with the three in turn, "because if not I can imagine the depressing sort of conversations these two can get into."

"You don't know the half of it," Ezio, Leah and Diablo said before heading away towards Monteriggioni. Leonardo could be heard laughing as they left.

"You're sure you didn't want to stay for a bit," Leah asked.

"If Leonardo is making something for Claudia then chances are we will find ourselves back here anyway before we leave," Ezio said, "First lets focus on finding my family then we'll see about getting back."

"I've got that covered," Diablo said as he tapped his soulstone, "I'll just call us up a ride."

Character Charolite

"All I'm saying is it seems like we don't get to do much around here," Charolite said to Steve.

"I know but even with your training and my abilities your only twelve," Steve replied in her thoughts, "Now that said your strong, your smart and you were trained by K's personal general. I think the others are just overly protective of you because despite all that you've been through, that we've both been through, your still the most child-like of all of us."

"What about Ruby," Charolite said as she wandered through the hallways of the Ark that Doug had left open for people to use. "I've meet her and she seems so... I don't know, hopeful?"

"Hopeful is one way to describe her. Ruby has a simple, honest, soul however for one so young there is experience behind her eyes that causes me to wonder just what happened to her over the years," Steve said, "Of course our stories are pretty similar, we've lost parents and friends, we've know pain and hunger and cold. We've been tired, tortured, and... what is that?"

"Huh what is, oh," Charolite remarked as she stopped in the middle of the hall and looked up. In front of her was a swirling convergence of red and yellow energy. "Is that, is that the start of a spell?"

"Charolite," Pyros called from down the hallway, "Charolite where did you go?"

"Pyros over here," Charolite replied, "We've found some sort of... something."

"Something," Kitara remarked as she and Pyros came up to Charolite, "Oh dear."

"Is that what I think that is," Pyros asked.

"Get us closer and I can tell you exactly what it is," Steve said.

"Okay," Charolite said as she ran up to the convergence.

"Charolite what are you doing stay back from that thing," Kitara said.

"Don't worry Steve just wants to take a look at it," Charolite said.

"Oh okay," Steve said a few moments later, "We're fine this isn't a bomb or anything this is a rift portal."

"It's not a bomb or anything," Charolite said, "Steve said it is a rift portal. Wait a what?"

"Charolite get back here..." Pyros yelled but as Charolite turned around the world vanished and she was in the middle of a neighborhood street.

"Sorry about that the portal may have been active," Steve said.

"Steve," Charolite stated as she looked around. The street was full of cars, down the road a bit were three men and a girl, who appeared to be only a little younger than Charolite, they were pushing a car out of the way of their truck as a mob of people were moving towards them.

"Charolite! Move those people at the truck are being chased by zombies," Steve exclaimed.

Charolite didn't waste anytime, she was running down the street in a flash. As she got closer Charolite raised her hand for Steve to channel through. Three red bolts shot out and disintegrated the three closest zombies to the people by the truck.

"Steve, do you have anymore juice," Charolite asked as she slid up to a somewhat chubby boy who was hiding behind a van while the other two men and the girl were pushing the car out of the way.

"Got enough for one more trick," Steve said, "You may want me to save it though, looks like the truck is almost free."

"Come on Chet get in, you too little girl," one of the men, a white one with a black mop of hair on his head and farmers cloths on said as he waved at the two. Chet, the stocky man that was next to Charolite ran over to the truck bed and held out his hand. Charolite grabbed it and he helped her into the truck before jumping in himself. The truck took off and the zombies were left behind.

"Hi there I'm Chet," Chet said as he leaned up against the cab of the truck. Chet was a stocky white man with a boyish appearance and sandy hair, he was in jeans and a plain white shirt.

"Charolite," Charolite said, "why were you all being chased by the undead?"

"That's all they do," the other white guy said, "eat anything that is living or was recently living. I'm Shawn thank you for the help back there."

"Yeah thanks," the third man, a black man with a strong voice, neatly trimmed beard and mustache and a very close buzz cut said, "I'm Lee, this is Clementine." Clementine was the girl with them, she looked to be of darker complexion than Chet or Shawn but not as dark as Lee, her face was different than his too. Her hair was the same black color as Lee's but was long and curly. At any rate Charolite figured that the girl in the yellow dress was not any of the three men's child.

"How did you do that thing with your hand," Clementine asked amazed at what she had just seen.

"Oh that wasn't me that was Steve," Charolite said then taking a finger and pointing at her own heart, "He's in here, he is a friend of mine and helps out as he can."

"What like a ghost," Lee asked.

"Basically," Charolite said, "So where are we going and why are their zombies everywhere?"

"We're going back to my place," Shawn said, "It's a farm outside of town, from there I don't know you'll have to figure that out yourselves."

"Charolite I know we should probably try and get back to DC but... those zombies are not necrotic," Steve said.

"What do you mean," Charolite asked.

"I mean you can't stay at our place forever," Shawn said.

"No not you, I'm talking to Steve," Charolite said, "He says there is something odd about these zombies."

"Yeah other than they exists you mean," Chet asked.

"Actually no," Steve said, "These zombies are occurring naturally. No magic, no necromancer, nothing... they just are. It is like the body keeps going after the soul has moved on."

"So there is no way to stop them from... from coming back," Charolite asked.

"The only thing I can think of is to scramble the brain," Steve said, "If all the neurological pathways are destroyed then even if the body still is trying to do anything none of the nerves will work. That is assuming this isn't something that works on a cellular level."

"Steve focus, how can people other than us kill these things," Charolite said.

"Go for the head," Steve said after a pause, "Charolite... I think we should stay, see what we can do to help. Maybe I can find a way to keep the dead at rest."

"Well what does your friend have to say," Lee asked.

"He says scrambling the brain will kill these things," Charolite said. "He also said that the dead are getting up naturally. It's not a necromancer behind these zombies, they just get up."

"Why weren't they getting up before," Clementine asked.

"Now there is a smart question," Steve said, "Sadly I don't know, we don't even know where we are."

"We don't know," Charolite said, "We actually don't know where we are."

The four other people shared a look before Shawn said, "Your now about twenty five miles south east of Atlanta."

We're in the US," Steve exclaimed, "It can't be our world though. Charolite I think we've fallen through to another dimension. Let's try and keep that to ourselves for now. See how long it has been since these dead started walking."

"Atlanta, Georgia then," Charolite said, "Wow."

"What not from around here," Chet asked.

"No, I'm from Russia," Charolite answered, "Steve is from the US though."

"Russia huh," Lee said, "Are there walkers there?"

"I don't know," Charolite said, "How long have they been around?"

"Maybe three days at most," Shawn said. "It's getting much worse each day, like it is everywhere."

"Anyone who dies comes back," Steve said, "At least that is probably it."

"DC could fix this," Charolite said.

"The government, I don't think they can fix dead people getting up and eating your face off," Chet said. Clementine made a squeaking noise as she huddled next to Lee.

"Cool it Chet," Lee said, "Your scaring Clementine."

"Sorry," Chet said as he looked over his shoulder into the cab and gave a sheepish smile.

"I didn't mean the government," Charolite said, "I meant the people we were with before being brought here, Dragon Company."

"You were working with mercs and what do you mean brought here," Lee asked.

"Some sort of rift sent me here. Just about thirty minutes ago I was walking with some of my friends through one of our ships," Charolite said, "You know you guys are taking this pretty well."

"The dead are walking, Lee and Clementine show up out of nowhere to help us, then you pop up and melt three of those things, you have a ghost that lives inside you and are from a different world or something where you live with mercs and your only what fifteen?" Shawn said, "I was pretty much going to start believing anything after I saw the first dead guy chasing me."

"I'm twelve," Charolite replied.

"Really," Clementine asked, "Your close to my age, I guess, I'm eight."

Charolite looked through the window at Clementine and smiled, "Eight is a good age. I lost my parents long before I was eight..."

"My parents are in Savannah," Clementine said, "Or I hope they are."

"Here we are," Shawn said, "Welcome to my home, Lee come on my Dad can get you patched up."

"Thanks," Lee said as he and Clementine got out of the truck. Chet helped Charolite out of the back before saying bye to everyone and heading off down the road towards his house. Charolite was impressed with Shawn's house. It was two stories and looked fairly large for a farm house. There was a barn off to the right of the drive that looked pretty large as well. Her attention was draw back to the house and it's porch as the door opened and a man with graying hair, a green shirt and jeans came out.

"Shawn," the man said, "I'm glad you made it back, did you have any trouble?"

"Wouldn't have made it back without Chet," Shawn said.

"Well I'm glad you took him with you then," the man, obviously Shawn's father, said as Charolite moved up closer with Lee and Clementine. "I see you brought guests. Who do we have here?"

"This is Lee, Clementine and Charolite," Shawn said, "They also helped get us back."

"Did they now," Shawn's father remarked, "Your the father then?"

"No he's just some guy who found Clementine alone," Shawn said, "and Charolite there, well after she melted a few walkers for us there was no way I was not going to offer her a ride."

"Melted," the father asked as he knelled down, "Do you girls know this man?"

"Yes," Clementine said.

"I just got here I don't know any of you," Charolite said. "But Lee, Clementine, Shawn and Chet were the first people I ran into here so I know them better than anyone else right now."

"Humph, Okay then. I'm Hershel welcome to my farm," Hershel said, "You all can find a place to sleep in the barn tonight. There is another family staying here you will probably meet them shortly, or in the morning. First let me get that leg of yours patched up." Hershel pointed to a gash on Lee's leg that Charolite had not noticed yet due simply to it being on the side of Lee that was facing away from her.

"Hey just a heads up you might want to talk to me with your thoughts," Steve said, "If we are going to be meeting new people a lot it will be easier if you don't have to explain me every time."

"Okay that woul... That is probably for the best," Charolite said.

"Then we'll probably have to shoot you," Hershel said from up on the porch where Lee was sitting on a bench and Clementine was standing at the corner of the stairs with a look of horror on her face. That look quickly changed to a small smirk as Hershel laughed and said. "No we'd just have to clean it and redress it is all. Now you all probably want to get some sleep there will be work to do in the morning."

"Hey Clementine," Charolite said as she came to stand beside her.

"Hey Charolite," Clementine replied, "Are you going to stay with us tonight?"

"Well I don't have a home to go to," Charolite said as the full gravity of the situation finally hit her, "I... I have no where to go, no food, not even any water..."

"You and Steve can stay with us," Clementine said, "We're nice."

"Thank you," Charolite said, "and thanks for remembering Steve."

"He's here," Clementine said as she pointed to Charolite's heart.

"Hey there you two," Lee said, "What do you think?"

"About what," Charolite asked.

"The farm," Lee expounded, "Do you think it will be a good place to stay until all this blows over?"

"I want to find my parents," Clementine said.

"I don't even know where to start looking for a way back to Dragon Company," Charolite added.

"And I need to check on my family in Macon," Lee said, "Macon is on the way to Savannah we could look for your parents Clementine and maybe find a way for you to get back while we travel."

"Does that mean Charolite can stay with us," Clementine asked hopefully.

"If she wants to sure," Lee answered kindly, "Do you want to?"

"Like I told Clementine I have no where to live, no food and no water," Charolite said, "and like I told Hershel you guys are the only people I know here, I'll stay."

"Well then come on let's go get some sleep, the fence needs reinforcing tomorrow we should all rest while we can," Lee said as he led the way over to the barn. Clementine followed Lee and Charolite followed her.

"I miss my parents," Clementine said as she laid down on the hay that covered the floor of the barn.

"I'll bet," Lee said.

"How far is Savannah," Clementine asked.

"Pretty far," Lee answered.

"But we can get there, right," Charolite asked.

"We will get there," Lee stated. The hope that flashed in Clementine's eyes was all that Charolite needed to see to know that she was staying with them until this was all over. That night Charolite heard Storm in her dreams.

"Charolite, there you are," Storm said as the dragoness appeared in Charolite's dreamscape. "I can't talk for long the rift you went through is closing, also your on a different time speed than we are. We will try to get to you but It may be years for you before we can get there, here it may only be a few days maybe a month it just depends on when another rift like this opens up and we can stabilize it for travel."

"It's okay, I've got Steve with me and this place could really use his help, undead all over the place," Charolite said.

"I know," Storm said, "Seer remember? Stay close to Clementine, help her and she will help you. We will come for you but it will be a while, your time stream is moving much faster than ours. In the time it has taken me to think these thoughts to you a whole night has passed for you. It's time to get up now. Charolite we will see you again, we will."

Charolite woke with a start to see a man with a smile neck length black hair and a big mustache standing in the door. "Good morning y'all," he said as he walked in, "How are you doing?"

"I'm all itchy," Clementine said.

"That because you slept in a barn little lady, lucky you don't have spiders in your hair." the man replied. Clementine looked frantically at her hair for a moment before the man said, "but I bet your daddy scared them away huh?"

"I'm not her dad," Lee said, "Neither of them are mine, Names Lee."

"I'm Kenny," the man in the tan shirt and jeans said as he adjusted his red cap.

"Dad, we're going to build a fence and there's a tractor and everything," a boy who must have only been eight or nine said as he peeked around the door of the barn. He wore a plaid shirt and jeans. "Come on lets go!"

"We better get going or we won't hear the end of it," Kenny said as he turned and walked out of the barn. "That's my boy, Ken junior, we just call him duck though."

"Like the bird," Charolite asked, "What is he waterproof or something?"

"That was the idea," Kenny said, "He takes things in stride like water off a duck's back."

"That's a valuable trait," Lee said.

"No kidding, but frankly I think it's cause he's dumb as a bag of hammers," Kenny said.

"Daaaaad!" Duck yelled from the house.

"But he makes up for it with enthusiasm," Kenny added as he stopped by Duck and a homely looking woman with blond hair and a yellow dress with fall colored leaves on it. "Word is you were on your way to Macon."

"I've got family there," Lee said, "and it's close enough that when Clementine's parents get back they can find us."

"Well Macon is on the way and personally I'd appreciate the company of a guy who can knock a couple of heads together if he needs to," Kenny said.

"I've got to see what the girls would want," Lee said.

"Ah got to consort the ladies," Kenny said, "I understand. Katjaa, Duck this is Lee and, uh what are the girls' names?"

"I'm Charolite," Charolite said.

"Clementine," Clementine said.

"Those are very pretty names," Katjaa said.

"Thank you," Charolite and Clementine said.

"Look at that you two have only know each other for a day and your already talking in tandem," Shawn said as he walked up. "Well we should get to work, we've seen what those things can do so the faster we fortify this fence the better."

"I want to build a fence," Duck said.

"Well I need a good foreman, you can sit on the tractor and tell me to get back to work when I stop for a water break," Shawn said.

"Wow really, cool," Duck said as he ran around the side of the house to get on the tractor. Shawn smiled and followed the boy over to the fence.

"Charolite, Clementine why don't you sit here with me while the men take care of this fence," Katjaa said.

"Okay," Clementine said as she sat on a barrel. Charolite leaned against the same barrel.

"Why don't you two tell me a bit about yourselves, how did you end up out here," Katjaa asked.

"Lee found me at my house," Clementine said, "My parents are in Savannah and I was with my sitter, but then the walkers came and, and... turned her. I hid in my tree house until Lee came into the yard. I helped him fight a walker and he is going to help look after me until my parents get back."

"You helped him kill a walker," Charolite asked, "How?"

"I gave Lee a hammer and he bashed it until it stopped moving," Clementine said.

"Oh that must have been horrible to see," Katjaa said.

"She was my sitter," Clementine said. Katjaa and Charolite shared a look of pain for what Clementine had to go through just to get here and Charolite wrapped an arm around Clementine's waist .

"What about you dear," Katjaa asked Charolite, "How did you end up here?"

"I came across Clem, Lee, Shawn and Chet in a neighborhood several miles back, they were trying to get a car out of the way of their truck and I helped keep some walkers off of them until they got the road cleared. Shawn offered me a ride and now here I am."

"How did you help with the walkers," Katjaa asked. Before Charolite could answer however Shawn's scream drew Charolite's attention. She raced around the side of the house to see Shawn trapped under the wheel of the tractor, Duck on top of the tractor and walkers grabbing at both of them.

"No you don't," Charolite said, "Steve help me here."

"We've got this," Steve confirmed. Charolite stretched out her hands and a force field repelled the undead that were grasping at Shawn and Duck.

"Lee get them out of there," Charolite said as Lee came around the corner of the house. Lee took a second to evaluate the situation then moved in and got Duck off the tractor, handing him off to Kenny, before shifting the tractor to neutral and pushing it off of Shawn who backpedaled from the fence as Charolite's shield wavered and died out. Charolite collapsed to her knees in an attempt to stay awake after using such a spell. Hershel's gun shots brought her back to reality as she looked up to see five walkers loose their heads. The older man reached out and helped her to her feet as he slung his rifle over his shoulder. "Are Shawn and Duck okay," Charolite asked.

"We're fine, we're fine," Shawn said, "Though this leg is going to hurt for a while. You got me good there little guy."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Duck said as he hugged Shawn's legs.

"It's okay," Shawn said.

"Little lady I don't know what you did that knocked those monsters back," Hershel said, "but you and Lee saved my boy's life. I can't thank you enough for that."

"You saved Duck's too," Kenny said, "Hershel I'm really sorry."

"Don't be, everyone is alive," Shawn said, "My leg will be fine in a few days."

"But it's not fine, if it weren't for Charolite here you'd be dead or Duck would be and it would be partially my fault," Kenny said, "Hershel I appreciate all that you've done for us but I think it's time we were moving on, you know?"

"I respect that," Hershel said, "You three going with them?" Charolite noticed that Clementine had come up beside her and Lee as Hershel was speaking.
"You have that ride to Macon if you want it," Kenny said.

"Well girls what do you think," Lee asked.

"Macon is not too far, my parents could find us if they came back," Clementine said.

"I've nowhere to go home to," Charolite said, "I'll stay with you guys, if you don't mind."

"Of course not dear," Katjaa said.

"If you are going out there then may God protect you all," Hershel said as he helped Shawn into the house.

"And may He protect you too," Charolite said as the six made their way to Kenny's truck. They arrived in Macon around noon. The city looked terrible, cars abandoned everywhere, signs of vandalism and the smell of death lingering on the air.

"This doesn't look good," Charolite said.

"Doesn't matter, we're out of gas," Kenny said as the truck died.

"I suppose we could look around for some gas," Lee said. "Looks like there is someone over by those cars."

"Hey there," Kenny called out, "You know where we can get some gas?"

The man turned and hissed at them with his barely attached jaw. Suddenly there were walkers coming out of the allies and surrounding the group. Charolite didn't even have to talk to Steve she just threw the dissolving orbs at the undead as she tried to keep them back. One of the walkers jumped on Duck and got it's face blown off as a gunshot rang out.

"In here, hurry," a woman with shoulder length brown hair, light brown skin, a purple vest, white shirt and jeans yelled as she waved them towards an old drugstore. Charolite let up on melting walkers and ran towards the store with everyone else. Once within the store a younger man with a slight oriental appearance closed and locked a gate behind them before he slipped trough the door. Charolite leaned back against the door as the fatigue of channeling Steve's spells kicked in.

"When I say that door stays closed, I mean it," a woman said. Looking up Charolite saw a taller woman with sandy hair in a green sweater shirt and brown slacks. She seemed mad at the darker complexioned woman who had just helped Charolite and the others get to the safety of the store.

"I was not going to just sit around and let them die," the darker woman said.

"Yeah plus did you see what that girl there was doing," the oriental man said, "Red orbs that melt the walkers... man, just when you think you've seen everything."

"Well I didn't see any of this," the woman with the longer sandy hair said.

"How about now," Charolite said as she held out her hand and one of the orbs appeared in it, "Don't worry it only works on the undea..." Charolite collapsed due to the energy need to sustain the orb for as long as she was. She woke up what must have been moments later to a heated argument.

"He's bit," a large man who must have been in his late forties or early fifties was yelling at Kenny, "He'll turn and then we'll all be bit!"

"He's fine," Katjaa said frantically, "Kenny keep him away!"

"Hey try and rest up before channeling any more of my spells," Steve advised, "I know you may not be able to but try to so you don't keep blacking out, you'll get stronger the more you use my powers but for now try and take it easy, use some of the skills Moroni taught you."

"Right, I will," Charolite said.

"Your not going near Duck," Lee said as he moved up to Kenny's side putting both of them between the bigger man, Katjaa and Duck.

"If that's how you want to be," the big man said. Clementine's scream cut off the conversation and got Lee moving across the room. A walker had come out of the bathroom and had gotten a grip on Clem's leg. Lee grabbed the walker off of Clem and knocked it into a shelf. He held it back long enough for the woman who came to their rescue to shoot it's brains out. Charolite pushed herself up off the door and moved to help Clem up.

"Charolite," Clem said as she was picked up, "are you okay?"

"Yeah is the only one of you who is useful oka aahh," the big man said as he clutched his chest and slid to the floor gasping for breath.

"Dad," the woman in green exclaimed as she ran over to her father.

"I'm fine," Charolite said, "It's just straining to cast so many spells."

"Good, what about you Clem," Lee asked are you okay?"

"Yes, I got grabbed though," Clem said.

"But I protected you," Lee said.

"Yeah," Clem said with a smile.

"What is wrong with the big guy," Charolite asked.

"I don't know," Lee said, "You two stay here, I'm going to go find out. Why don't you two get to know the others here, we may be in here a while."

"Okay," Clem said. Lee walked over to talk to the sandy haired woman who was seeing to her dad. Clem and Charolite moved up to the woman in the vest who had helped them outside.

"Hi," Charolite said.

"Oh hey," the woman said, "I'm glad to see you're alright, I'm Carly."

"I'm Clementine," Clementine said.

"And I'm Charolite," Charolite added, "Thanks for your help out front."

"Anytime," Carly said, "But it wasn't just me, Glen and Doug helped to." She indicated the oriental one, Glen, and an chubby college kid, Doug. Those two are Lilly and Larry, I'm sorry they've been such asses to you all but we're all on edge and they are the closest thing to a leader we've got right now. I am curious what was that you were doing to the walkers, those red orbs that is."

"Necromantic skill," Charolite replied, "Channeling it takes a lot of energy, but it is effective."

"So that's why you passed out then." Doug asked, "Man seems a risky trade off to me."

"Speaking of risky trade offs," Glen said, "We have a working RV it just needs gas. While your friend sees to Larry I'll go out and get us some gas."

"What, how," Carly asked.

"I'm a local I know my way around," Glen said, "I can sneak up the street and circle around to the gas station and a motel just up the road. I'll siphon all the gas I can and bring it back here."

"Talk with Lee first," Charolite said, "He has a radio, Clementine has the other you can use it to call us if you run into trouble."

"Okay, thanks," Glen said as he walked over to talk to Lee. Clementine followed since she had the other radio.

"Hey you want to look outside," Doug asked.

"What, aren't there walkers out there," Charolite asked.

"Sure but the gate is locked, they can't get in," Doug said, "You said you have necromantic powers right, maybe you can do something about these guys and being behind the gate if you start feeling weak I can just carry you back inside."

"You don't really believe that is what it is do you," Carly asked, "I mean you really think this little girl is a necromancer?"

"Does it matter what it is," Charolite said diplomatically, "If I can drop a few more of those things why not let me try?" Carly looked at Doug who had the most hopeful expression anyone could have on his face, almost pleading for her to say yes.

"Okay but stay away from the gate, those things can still reach through," Carly said as she walked over to fiddle with a radio set that was on the counter. Doug opened the door and he and Charolite slid outside.

"Oh wow," Charolite said as she surveyed the street full of walking corpses. "There is so many of them."

"I know right," Doug said, "It seems all they do is eat, sound attracts them too so be quite."

"Spells are quite," Steve said.

"I don't make noise while casting," Charolite said, "Let me see what I can do. Steve I'm going to try some of Moroni's tricks, okay?"

"Sure just don't push yourself to hard," Steve said. Charolite Thought about it for a second before throwing up an illusion on one of the walkers that made it seem alive. It looked, smelled and even moved like it was alive and the rest of the horde converged on it tearing it up. The best part was the illusion was not as taxing as Steve's necromancy.

"Whoa that was awesome," Doug whispered, "Your, uh okay though right?"

"The illusion is not as exhausting of a spell," Charolite said, "I can probably throw one every few minutes and be okay. Just keep an eye on me and if you've got one of those energy bars from inside the store that would be appreciated."

"I'll go get you one, you keep zapping walkers," Doug said. Charolite nodded and settled in, she was probably going to be doing this for a while. She had taken out almost fifty walkers over the course of two hours having various people from within the drugstore come and sit with her watching awestruck as she manipulated the zombies so they would tear into each other. Doug was sitting with her at this moment still being impressed whenever she got the walkers to turn on each other.

"That is simply amazing," Doug remarked again under his breath so as not to attract attention to them even with the iron gate in the way. "And your still good, no fainting or anything?"

"Like I said," Charolite answered, "In little spurts I'm fine, the directly offensive spells take more energy. However the more offensive ones actually kill the walkers where as this one is just making them mutilate each other."

"Right, way to kill the mood," Doug commented. Charolite just looked at Doug when he said that. He had the biggest smile on his face she had seen since her arrival in this world. "Look I don't care about the technicalities of it, your a necromancer, a real live necromancer and we are all in a world of undead. I refuse to believe that you just happened to find yourself here at this time. How did you end up out here with those guys anyway?"

"Well I was with a very large organization," Charolite said, "Dragon Company, their mercenaries, I think, K doesn't seem to take mission that pay us though he is usually fighting just to protect people."

"K is your leader then," Doug asked, "what like a super necromancer?"

"Hardly," Charolite said, "We're not all necromancers, in fact I am not a necromancer, I am a demon trained infiltration specialist and my friend Steve, who is now a ghost that is in my head, is the Necromancer."

"Whoa," Doug remarked, "So if Steve is the Necromancer then your just acting as a conduit for his spells?"

"You took that rather well," Charolite commented.

"Your out here making undead eat each other by causing one of them to look alive," Doug said, "I'll believe just about anything you say."

"How are you two doing out here," Lee asked as he came out the door.

"Fine," Charolite said, "So did you get Glen back?"

"Yeah we did," Lee said, "We've got gas too, now I just need to get into the pharmacy and get Larry's pills."

"So why are you out here," Doug asked.

"I need a key," Lee said, "I think that walker over there under the telephone poll might have it."

"Why do you think that," Charolite asked.

"This picture," Lee said as he handed them a torn picture of the family that owned the store. "That man worked here. Chances are he has the key."

"Well we have two problems then," Doug said, "One the gate is locked, two there are still a good thirty walkers between us and him."

"I can take care of the lock," Lee said as he picked up an ax he had brought out with him.

"That ax may be good for dealing with locks and small groups of walkers but not a group that large," Charolite said, "But maybe if you had some help..."

"No we don't need you over extending yourself," Doug said, "If only we had a remote, I could get those tvs across the street turned on."

"I've got one," Lee said, "How can you get it to work with the tvs over there?"

"It's a universal right," Doug said as he took the remote, "I memorized all the codes, just give me a minute." After a brief bout of button pushing Doug had turned on the tvs in the street across from them drawing the attention of some of the zombies, but still not enough.

"They will still swarm you if you try to go out there now," Charolite said. Lee just hefted his ax and knocked the lock off of the gate before carefully opening it and picking up a brick that was laying a few feet away. He then threw the brick at the tv store causing the glass to break in the window and drawing all the walkers' attention to the store.

"Good thinking," Doug said, "Now hurry over there and get the key we've got your back." Lee nodded and slipped out of the gate and headed across the street. He stopped for a bit to seemingly talk to the walker before laying four strikes from the ax into it, splitting it's skull. By the time Lee had retrieved the keys however the walkers had lost interest in the inedible tvs and were returning to the street. More precisely they were headed for Lee.

"Lee run," Doug said. Lee turned to sprint back across the road but walkers had already blocked it off. Charolite didn't waste time thinking about the situation she fired off three quick bolts of energy, clearing a temporary path forward. Charolite then pulled on one of Steve's more powerful spells. The zombies that she had killed with the energy blasts had melted down to the skeletons which were now fighting for Charolite.

"What the," Lee started.

"Their mine," Charolite said as she waved him over, "Hurry while they hold the path open!" Lee ran through the skeletons as they held the walkers at bay. Charolite saw him close the gate behind them before she collapsed as the energy she had spent summoning the skeletons took it's toll. She awoke some time later to see the inside of an RV. "What... uh, where am I?"

"It's okay," Larry said as the big man looked over to her from the bench he was sitting on while they were driving. "We're safe from those things thanks to your creatures, they saved Doug's worthless hide that's for sure."

"They got your medicine," Charolite stated, "That's good then, but what happened?"

"We tripped the alarm when we went in to get the pills," Lee said as he came and sat down next to Charolite once she sat up on the bench she had been resting on. Clementine came over and hugged her, Charolite returned the embrace before turning to Lee. "The alarm drew the walkers," Lee continued, "We got Larry up and he, Kenny, and Lilly got the RV while Carly, Doug and I helped keep the walkers off of them. Doug almost got pulled out a window but your skeletons were still outside and they ripped the walkers away before they could harm him. In fact they were a key point of our defense."

"Where are we going then," Charolite asked.

"We should be arriving shortly," Katjaa said from the back of the RV, "Kenny knows of a motel outside of town we are hoping to hold up there until this blows over."

"This is not going to blow over," Steve said, "I've had time to study these walkers, they are undead but it's not a spell, it is a virus affecting the brain stem to send pulses through the body and control the movement. It seems that this virus is trying to build a newer version of itself so that it can affect all organic matter... an unlimited fuel source for it's perpetuation of itself. This thing is air born, everyone on the planet has it, even you."

"What is there nothing we can do about this," Charolite asked.

"Not at the moment," Steve replied, "Give me some time and I will report to you with what I can come up with, until then we may want to try and avoid the spread of panic and not tell the others unless we have to, leave them some hope you know."

"Steve," Charolite said, "If anyone can turn when they die then these people need to know."

"Is Steve talking again," Lee asked.

"Yeah," Charolite said, "He says we're all infected with an airborne virus that is causing the dead to walk again. If any of us die, we become one of them."

"What," Larry exclaimed, "Who is Steve and what do you mean we're infected?"

"Steve is the necromancer," Charolite said, "He lives inside me, he is my friend. He has been studying the walkers." Steve took command of Charolite's speaking for a few moments at this point changing her voice to be like his. "The walkers as you call them are not true undead, they don't serve a master but are instead a hyper intelligent virus that uses the human brain stem as a tool to try and consume enough organic material so that it can mutate to affect other forms of life. It seems to be determined to advance itself to the point that it can survive by replicating anything organic. Sorry Charolite but it was just going to be easier for me to explain that than to tell you and then have you tell them. You can have your vocal cords back now."

"Ha ha, you sounded like a boy," Duck said.

"Ah, that was unexpected," Carly added.

"Charolite, what was that are you okay," Kenny asked from the front of the RV. Lilly came walking into the main portion from the front to see about the situation.

"I'm fine," Charolite said, her voice a little raspy as it returned to normal, "Steve warn me before you do that again, my throat hurts now."

"Sorry," Steve said, "But I did try and tell you not to tell them. I knew they would want an explanation and it would be best if I gave it to them."

"So that was Steve then," Lilly remarked, "you really are two people in one body... If any of us can become a walker just by dying then we need to make sure none of us die."

"Or be willing to take out the head if it comes to that," Katjaa said, "Steve said it affects the brain stem, destroying the brain will stop the virus, killing the walker."

"Let us hope it does not come to that," Doug said.

"Then our first order of business will be finding food and more of those pills," Kenny said from the drives seat, "The last thing we will need is a three hundred pound tank of a man coming after us in the night."

"While your motivation maybe selfish," Lilly said, "I appreciate the support, that was my idea exactly."

"If everyone has this virus," Carly started, "Then, there won't be an end to this will there."

"It is a virus and viruses can be treated," Katjaa said, "But if it is in the air or the water, it will be almost impossible to cure the entire planet."

"DC could end it," Charolite said, "They have saved planets before."

"Great but when would they even show up," Larry said.

"I... I don't know," Charolite replied, "We have two things that are working against us in that regard. One DC has to wait for a rift to open to here before they can stabilize a pathway to this world, second is our time stream here is moving faster than theirs, one day for them might be a month for us."

Everyone was silent at this news. The RV pulled up to a stop inside the mostly empty parking lot of the recently abandoned motel.

"Well that doesn't sound like a bet I'm willing to take," Kenny said, "Let's get out and check this place out. If we are going to have to hole up somewhere for a while it might as well be here."

Character Paul Jackson

"Well, do you see anything," Jackson asked Price as the two looked out over the ruins of Mountain Glen in the afternoon of a slightly chilly day.

"Nothing yet," Price said as he looked through the spotting scope, "But If Ironwood thinks that there is a monstrously large Grimm out here, then I think it is worth checking into."

"And he's not even on planet right now to see this thing," Lucas said.

"That's why I'm here," Jensen said, "Besides I like you guys."

"I thought you liked everyone," Katarina said.

"I used to," Jensen answered, "Now I just happen to give people the benefit of the doubt. If it turns out they are likable then so be it."

"Your something else you know that," Jackson said, "Price I'm pretty sure that whatever we are looking for is not out in the open right now. We may have to hunt it down."

"Hunting it down will be riskier," Reinhardt said.

"But less dull," Ghost said, "Besides I'm sure Daemon and Janell are around somewhere, their family has apparently become Anjali and myself's personal guards."

"Whatever it is it is big," Soap said, "I feel stronger even from this distance, and we don't know how far away it is."

"Do Grimm have a limit to how big they get," Katarina asked.

"I don't know," Jackson said, "I would assume so."

"Maybe they do, maybe they don't," Anjali said, "Considering how massive this planet is, I can believe that there are some very large creatures roaming on it."

"All I can tell you is I am going nowhere near the ocean," Jackson said, "Deep sea creatures are terrifying enough without having man eating creatures that can grow to almost limitless size hidden within those depths."

"So you'll fight giant demons and killer machines but not calamari," Soap asked.

"Hey don't judge man," Jackson said, "Your scared of bees."

"Would both of you be quite," Price said as he stood up, "There is nothing up here, whatever this thing is it must be in those underground tunnels."

"Probably woken up when Roman blew up that train station," Anjali said.

"Probably," Katarina agreed.

"I've not been in these tunnels yet," Jensen said, "Are they big enough to hide something that is a danger to the whole city?"

"Definitely," Jackson said. "Well crap. Aslir get down here, we're going underground." The AI mech dropped down from orbit and landed below the group in the city, punching a hole through the street and opening up an entrance to the sub-city.

"Well that will make getting in easy," Reinhardt said.

"It will also draw the attention of the Grimm," Ghost said as the group moved down the mountain and made their way into the city. Five minutes later and they were standing above the hole that Aslir punched in the street.

"Aslir, buddy you down there," Jackson asked. He was answered with a large Creep hitting the side of a building that was visible from the opening. A 40mm cannon shot took care of the creature and Aslir walked into view.

"Get in," Aslir said as the canopy opened to allow Jackson access.

"That is a little creepy," Jensen said, "It kind of looks like a mouth."

"That's what I said," Katarina commented as Jackson jumped in.

"So see anything interesting down here," Jackson asked.

"A couple of Grimm but nothing much as of now," Aslir replied, "I didn't stray far from the hole, I figured you would use it to get down here." The hum of Jensen's fall dampening energy field signaled his arrival.

"Wow this place is massive," Jensen remarked as he looked around.

"Yeah Aslir has the layout up on the map for me," Jackson said, "There are tunnels down here big enough to hid just about anything."

"Hey are you two done chatting," Soap asked, "Because we could use a hand getting down there."

"Right," Aslir said, "One hand coming up." He reached up and used his arm and body as a walkway for the rest of the team to make their way down into the hole.

"Show off," Lucas stated.

"Keep your voices down," Jensen said, "There is movement all over this place. Jackson, Aslir, can I patch through to you guys what I see?"

"Should be able to," Aslir said, "What wavelength do you transmit on?"

"A specialized one, Arie encrypted it for me," Jensen said, "If you are on a standard wireless or radio wavelength I can send what my eyes pick up to you."

"Why would you need to do that," Price asked.

"Up there, you were the eyes," Jensen said as he turned invisible, "Down here, I am." A camera feed popped up on Jackson's HUD and even though he could hear no movement from the metal man Jackson knew Jensen was moving since the camera was moving.

"That is actually quite genius," Jackson admitted, "Jensen can you hear me?"

"Yes," Jensen radioed back, "I'll scout ahead and if it's clear you guys can move up. If it isn't, well between the ten of us I'm sure we can figure it out."

"Looks like your the leader then," Soap said, "Since you can see where Jensen is going through his eyes."

"Right follow us," Aslir said as he crouched down and slowly followed Jensen. The team spent about a half hour making their way through the constantly shifting gloom of the subterranean city until they reached the start of where Javik and RAIM had collapsed a large portion of the ceiling. Despite the large hole in the cave ceiling it was still pretty dim down in the system, since the setting Sun's rays did not get very far in.

"Man Javik really did a number on this place," Ghost remarked.

"Yeah but didn't he only put a hole in the roof," Jensen asked as he reappeared before them.

"So he said," Reinhardt answered, "Why... oh." Jackson had picked up on why Jensen was asking the same time Reinhardt did.

"Then why is there a hole in the floor," Jackson asked.

"That hole is at least sixty feet across," Anjali said, "What would have made something like this?"

"Fenix has something like this on his planet," Jackson said, "Before we met you guys we helped him sort some business out on his home world. He told me this story about how the Locust would sink entire cities with giant worms that tunneled through the ground. Maybe there is a Grimm that does a similar thing."

"Wow really," Lucas asked," How did he kill it?"

"Fenix said that he and Delta got eaten and ended up cutting their way out through it's hearts," Jackson answered.

"Well let's try another way to kill whatever we are dealing with here no," Katarina stated.

"Do you think it comes out at night," Soap asked.

"Wouldn't surprise me," Price said, "That's why I brought night vision scopes."

"Okay lets stop and think about this for a second," Ghost said, "If this creature is as big as that hole suggests then our guns are only going to make it mad, we may need to find an alternative solution."

"What are you thinking," Reinhardt asked.

"Well if it is small enough then Aslir's cannon can take it out but if it is the size I'm picturing it being... Maybe dropping a building on it or something," Ghost said.

"A building," Aslir stated, "Really?"

"Hey it's worth a …" Ghost started to defend his plan when the ground shook and dust rose up from the hole in the ground. The team looked at each other for a brief second before another tremor hit.

"Right building got it," Lucas said.

"No time now," Jackson said, "Get behind something." Everyone took cover behind buildings or debris and watched the hole as more dust poured out of it. A large scaly creature rose up from the dust cloud. It sneezed, throwing out a puff of green fire before shaking itself, the dust settled to reveal Shelly. She sneezed again before throwing a three story chunk of building off into the gloom of the cave and going back down into the hole. "Okay that was not what I was expecting," Jackson said.

"Ironwood knows Shelly though, he wouldn't have mistaken her for a Grimm, or anything else for that matter," Katarina said.

"She is also not as big around as the creature that made that hole," Price said, "judging by the size of it at least." Another chunk of building flew out of the hole as Shelly came back out.

"Thanks Price, I've been trying to watch my weight," Shelly said, "Now stop standing around up there and help me clear this hole. This cave system would make a perfect house for me but there is this stupid, shovel headed, snake thing down here that has been causing me no end of grief."

"Wait did you know we were here this whole time," Anjali asked.

"Ever since you came to the edge of this hole," Shelly replied before the true intent of Anjali's question sunk in for everyone. "Oh crap."

"If you knew we were here," Jackson started.

"Then whatever made this hole also knows we are here," Aslir finished.

"Well at least we don't have to go searching for this thing now," Price said, "Watch the ground there will have to be something that gives us a sign for where this thing is going to come up."

"How about a large train of cracks that ends in a ever increasing bulge under the surface," Reinhardt asked.

"That sounds promising," Jensen said.

"Then I think I know where it is coming up," Reinhardt said, "We should run."

"What," Jackson said but then he and Aslir looked down at their feet, the ground was cracking. The team dashed to the outskirts of the cracking area. Unlike Shelly's movements this tunneling creature was burrowing with a constant pressure that didn't cause the ground to shake as it moved only leaving the cracks and ever increasing bulge in the ground to announce it's imminent arrival.

"So do you guys have a plan for killing this thing," Shelly asked, "Because my original plan was just irradiate this whole area, with you here though that might not work so well."

"We were thinking of dropping one of the larger buildings from up above down on it," Soap said.

"How are we going to even do that," Lucas asked.

"I'll go get the building ready," Shelly said as she started climbing up the side of the cave towards the opening that was above them. "You be ready to get this thing in position when I signal."

"Wait is she just," Katarina was interrupted by a loud crack and a roar as a huge King Taijitu erupted from the ground behind them. It's head alone was forty feet across... well the first head at least.

"You know we probably could have guessed it would be one of these guys," Price said, "No sense in holding back now, Shoot it!"

"Aslir, this is your domain now," Jackson said, "Just let me know when your ready for me to do my part."

"Right," Aslir said.

Character Aslir

The Taijitu busted out of the ground and Aslir amped up the power to the servos in his legs. Price yelled shoot it and Soap fired off one bullet from his sniper rifle on the other side of the opening.

"Aslir, this is your domain now," Jackson said, "Just let me know when your ready for me to do my part."

"Right," Aslir said, then he was in motion. The snake turned towards Soap who was already half way around behind it again. Aslir used this opening to jump onto the Taijitu's back. It was easy for Aslir to compensate for the movement of the creature since it was not capable of moving faster than Aslir could perceive it. In fact the wild thrashing of the Grimm looked to Aslir like a bridge swaying gently in the wind. He navigated it's back to the head where the 40mm cannon would be most effective. Aslir had to dodge around to the side of the Grimm's head as it swung them towards a building. Looking down Aslir saw he was standing on top of one of the creature's eyes. Taking this opportune positing Aslir punched the eye but even his hydraulically powered, half ton hand didn't get through the thick, clear scales that covered it's eye. It occurred to Aslir that this creature must indeed be thousands of years old to have developed armor this strong.

"Jackson your sword isn't going to do anything to this Grimm," Aslir advised as he adjusted their position to avoid being crushed against the ground. "Also I don't think dropping a building on this thing will work, it's other head is still underground, never mind we have a bout three seconds before the other head joins us, based on Jensen's observation of the other surface cracks."

"Then we need a way to kill this thing," Jackson said. In the time it took him to say that Aslir had already figured out three possible ways to kill the Grimm. The first was to lob a C4 satchel with a grenade belt down it's throat and blow it up from the inside, another similar idea was for him to hang down in front of the mouth and fire into it accomplishing the same goal as the first the last was to distract it long enough for everyone else to get out so Shelly could bathe it in her radioactive fire. Aslir displayed all the possibilities on the HUD for Jackson.

"Everyone get Shelly back down here," Jackson said through the radio, "She's going to need to melt this thing."

"Okay sure but where are we supposed to go," Lucas asked.

Aslir scanned the other hole, the one Shelly was cleaning out, it was clear enough for them to get through and come out wherever it ended up. "Down the other hole," Aslir said, "The other head is arriving now." The ground burst open a hundred feet away and the second massive head joined the fray. Aslir jumped from the head he was on to a rooftop that was still strong enough to support his considerable weight then from the roof to the ground he fired the cannon to draw the Grimm's attention so the others could get around it and into the tunnel. Jackson and he could see from Jensen's video feed that everyone had made it into the tunnel, now they just needed Shelly.

"Where is she," Jackson asked.

Aslir scanned the opening above them but saw nothing then he scanned the walls and saw a smaller version of the cracking that happened when the Taijitu came up through the floor. Scaling it for Shelly's size Aslir calculated that she would be joining them in two seconds. He started backing towards the hole drawing the Taijitu's attention that way as Shelly's head poked through the wall and she slithered out. The massive radioactivity spike gave Aslir enough of a warning about the incoming firestorm. He turned and ran into the hole as the shriek that signaled Shelly's attack echoed from behind them.

"Hold onto something," Aslir advised, "low bridge coming up in thirty seconds." Aslir scanned the tunnel in front of them and determined that he was going to have to slide under a collapsed building. The problem was it was too low for him to get under even if he tried to slide, so he was going to have to blow off about three feet of building which would weaken the structure enough to make it fall. If he was not going fast enough when Aslir started the slide then the building would fall on him before he could clear it, too fast and there would not be enough time to blow up the needed amount of building.

"What, you can't fit under that," Jackson said with twenty eight seconds before they had to slide. Aslir marked the best spots for him to hit with the 40mm and adjusted his speed so that he would slide through just before the building fell on top of him but also give him the time needed to place the shots and let the debris fall away.

"Well be fine," Aslir said with twenty seven seconds left. At twenty three, twenty, seventeen and fourteen seconds to sliding Aslir fired the cannon to take out the needed section of building.

"This is going to be close isn't it," Jackson said at only ten seconds out.

"Yes," Aslir replied at nine seconds out. Five seconds out and he put the 40mm in it's mounted holster so his arms were freed up to help guide the slide. "Oh this will probably damage my left side, that is the side I plan to slide on," Aslir added at two seconds from the slide.

"Wait your going to wha..." Jackson started but he was to busy holding onto something to finish

his sentence as Aslir threw his feet forward and used his arms to help guide him as his mass and speed carried him and Jackson under the falling building and out the other side before it crushed them under it.

"Well," Aslir asked as he picked himself up, "What did you think?"

"I think your crazy," Jackson said, "But last I checked we basically make our living on crazy."

"Whoa that was some smooth moves," Ghost said, "But now the path behind us is blocked."

"Then we go forward," Lucas said, "Besides we need to see if there is anything else down here."

"Jensen is already ahead of us and he hasn't seen anything yet," Aslir said as he analyzed the data from Jensen's video. "But if I am reading the direction this tunnel takes then it is going towards Vale."

"What," Price said.

"It's just like what the Locust were trying to do on Serra," Jackson said, "burrow under a city and come up from underneath... this Grimm must have lived for a very long time to have come up with this plan."

"I have no doubts that Shelly has put an end to that particular threat," Soap said, "Since I don't sense it anymore. Aslir you okay there, that mech body isn't built for stunts like that."

"I am functional, the left arm is a little damaged but it is operable," Aslir said. "It is nothing that Sarge can not repair. I suggest we see how close to the city this Grimm got that way we can know if other cities are in danger."

"If nothing else we need to catch up with Jensen," Katarina said.

"Follow me then," Aslir said as he started out down the tunnel. He used his flood lights to light up the darkness of the tunnel as he followed Jensen via the video footage.

"Your leg is damaged too," Jackson remarked.

"Yes the bend in it has caused my top speed to be reduced by five MPH," Aslir replied, "It is not worth mentioning now though since the others would not be able to keep up with me at a quarter of my full speed." Forty minutes later and the group was at the end of the tunnel. Aslir compared his current position with those from earlier that day and discovered that they were under the park that was in Vale's wealthier district. They were just a hundred feet from the surface. "We are a hundred feet below Vale's city park."

"Wow so this thing was killed none to soon then," Reinhardt remarked, "We seem to get a lot of close calls like that."

"We need to warn the city so that the other kingdoms know of this threat," Price said.

"Well we can't get out this way," Jackson said.

"I don't know if we want to go back the other way," Aslir said, "That was a lot of radiation coming out of Shelly."

"Enough to leave residual," Ghost asked.

"Yes," Aslir replied.

"Okay no problem then," Anjali remarked, "We're Archons remember, we can walk right through a radiation field and not be harmed. We can warn the city and then get a team to dig down to you guys from the top."

"Are we forgetting something," Katarina said, "We don't actually know if Shelly killed that Taijitu, for all we know they could still be fighting."

"Oh I doubt that," Shelly stated as her head poked up from a hole in the tunnel behind them, "Well are you going to just stand there or are you going to get a ride out of here?"

"You've dug a tunnel out of here already," Aslir asked.

"Of course, that snake didn't stand a chance and I'm a very good tunneler," Shelly replied, "I'm not carrying you though."

"Fair enough," Aslir replied. "Let's get out of here."