Bela meticulously double-checked their preparations before she and Kyia exited the room. They only had a few rounds to spare for the brunette's pistol. Ethan's guns had not fared much better in that department, either. There were only several shells left, along with two magazines for the sidearm. One of them was only filled about halfway. With the entire city at their feet, she feared what lay ahead. The place was crawling with the infected.
The blonde's thoughts lingered on their dwindling ammunition, the precious items that stood as minor pushbacks against the encroaching darkness. A pocket full of bullets would be used in an instant if they didn't play their cards right.
Kyia was not the warrior type. The woman may have fired a gun at close range and killed one of the infected, but that didn't mean a single thing. She had come off as a pacifist by nature. The execution-style pull of the trigger had only been born of opportunity. The blonde feared that this world would quickly swallow her up if she wasn't careful.
I need to keep her alive. She has a decent plan, but it isn't possible on my own.
"I hope these fragments work," Bela remarked, praying that the shards would stop the infected from seeing them. It was a nearly hopeless wish, as the uncertainty of their efficiency was a life-or-death gamble. A gamble on something so mysterious and otherworldly. One wrong move, and the hordes would descend upon them. She hated that she had to trust her safety to something that she did not fully understand, but there seemed to be no other option.
"They're more valuable than those bullets of yours," Kyia said as she finished packing her small bag. The Victorian woman slung the strap of it across her chest, pocketing the few rounds of ammunition that she had. A fresh cartridge had already been inserted into her gun's chamber. She desired to never have to use it. "I recommend that neither of us run headfirst into danger."
Bela's amber eyes cast a brief glance at the woman. It felt like she was so out of touch with reality, despite how much she appeared to know about their situation. "Danger is all around us. That is how Ethan and I found those fragments in the first place."
Kyia's lips curled into a tiny smirk, a fleeting expression that left Bela with a sense of unease. The initial rivalry between them hinted at a complex relationship that avoided a simple resolution. A single conversation could not undo the mistrust that lay buried deep inside.
Just as she felt unsure of her, it was just as likely that Kyia had felt the same way.
The brunette spoke again, "I know that. You think I don't –" Kyia cut herself off with a short breath. "Ugh, forgive me. I'm sorry. To be honest and a tad blunt, I still find myself thinking about this past of yours." That familiar look of shame washed over the lady's face as she walked over to the blonde. "I know this isn't the time to dwell on such matters, but..."
"But what, Kyia?" Bela became visibly agitated, but she withheld most of her displeasure. She wasn't searching for an argument, but Kyia's spontaneous comments did not settle well with her. They never did in the past, nor would that change now.
"I just find myself wondering if violence is still in your nature."
I don't know how to answer this. Does she not believe that I have changed?
The question lingered, leaving itself debatable in regard to how skeptical Kyia was. Bela's head shook and her shoulders shrugged, a subtle acknowledgment of the internal conflict she grappled with. It was a duality of self, a struggle against the necessity of violence in a world tainted by darkness.
Even if she wanted to abandon every aspect of the false life that had been given to her, there was no making it out of Serpenmoor without committing untold bloodshed. It was kill or be killed, and she had relied on her readiness to slaughter to keep her from a grisly fate.
But that did not mean that she found pleasure in the act. Demolishing the infected with brutality was not a game for her. She knew that behind all those maggots, the monsters were once people. This was their city, and their lives had been stolen from them, just like hers.
"Violence isn't a choice here," Bela replied, her voice backed by the memories of everything she had gone through. "It's a necessity. I'm certain that you would agree that this city brings out the worst in people, does it not?"
Kyia's expression softened, a fleeting acknowledgment of the harsh reality that bound them together. The smirk that had lingered on her lips faded, replaced by a solemn understanding. She knew full and well how easily this city could destroy someone.
"I don't revel in violence, Kyia," Bela continued, her voice laden with sincerity. "Maybe back in my world, before I came here. Before I learned everything that I know now." She closed her eyes and rolled her crimson lips, trying to shrug off the sins of her past. There was no way she could forget all the lives that she had ended inside that castle. The tattoo on her forehead may have been a mark of Alcina's control over her, but it wasn't the kind of mark that a murderer wore.
No. That was a bigger mark. One that was both completely invisible and, to someone who knew the truth, a beacon of light that was brighter than the sun itself. She didn't blame Kyia for seeing it, but she needed her to look past it.
Bela ended with one final statement, "A lot has changed. But in a weird way, I guess I have this world to thank for that."
"Hmm," Kyia mused, her green eyes glimmering with an unusual curiosity as she cast a glance at Bela. She adjusted her grip on her gun, a gesture that revealed a certain discomfort with the weight of the conversation. "Well, then I suppose this city has birthed one positive outcome. I do not look at you as less than me, Bela. But I have met several people in the past who have taken lives. I was never too fond of them."
She continued toward the door that led to the darkened hallways. "I feel like taking a life is going against nature itself." It was an odd statement to make, as far as Bela was concerned. The very fabric of nature embodied what Serpenmoor was all about.
The weak were devoured by the strong. The small consumed by the many. In this totem pole of carnivores and prey, people like the brunette were at the very bottom, while entities like Vikcia stood proudly at the top. Bela used to believe that she and her sisters were the fiercest predators in existence, but that image had been shattered upon her arrival in this desolate realm.
How someone like Kyia could not have understood the truth about nature by this point was anyone's guess. Bela just chalked it up to her docile nature. Even if the brunette had grown up on the rural outskirts of this land, something told her that she preferred to distance herself from the darkest aspects of humanity.
Kyia seemed to carry a moral compass that defied the city's brutal logic. Evidently, the darkness found her in the end.
The slender woman opened the map in her hand that detailed the interior of the constable station, holding the lantern in the opposite one. "But I suppose that is simply my nature and not the nature of this city."
She finally gets it.
"Are you ready?" Bela asked, her hand on top of the door knob. Kyia glanced down at the map and then redirected her green eyes back toward the blonde.
"Take a right and head straight. The holding cells will not be too far away."
That was Bela's cue to open the door and set forth on their journey. It was hard to believe that this was the next step, as partnering up with Kyia was something she had never seen coming. She could only hope that Ethan was still okay. However, the blonde would be lying if she said she thought he was. There was no telling just what kind of cruelty Vikcia had waiting for him.
Bela took a deep breath, steeling herself for what lay ahead. The darkened hallways loomed before them, filled with danger. As they stepped into the shadows, the echoes of their footsteps mixed with the creaks of the building. The lantern in Kyia's hand swayed, which sent the shadows on the walls moving in all directions.
The air was thick with the scent of decay, and Bela couldn't shake the feeling that they were stepping into the belly of the beast. There was no telling just what awaited them inside the holding cells once they got there. She had borne witness to countless untold horrors outside this place. Vikcia's plague took the people it engulfed and twisted them into things so grotesque that the imagination could not keep up.
There was never a way to prepare oneself for such creations. Some were more dangerous than the others, which kept her on her toes. Even a single individual of the most common breed could swiftly end her life if she wasn't careful.
The narrow passageway kept her on edge. She remembered clearing the adjacent rooms with Ethan during their earlier journey here, but it had been so long since then. There was no telling if something had crept into one of the many nearby offices, lying in wait for its time to strike.
Everything around them was incredibly quiet. The silence only meant that any noise the two of them generated multiplied tenfold. Despite the slow pace of their steps, Bela had no doubt that she and Kyia made an unforgivable amount of commotion as they walked ahead.
As they progressed, the occasional corpse lay sprawled across the floor. Maggots writhed in the cavities of the deceased, reminding the duo that the plague was never too far away. The larvae, it seemed, were as much a factor in life as they were in death, blurring the lines between the states of existence in this realm. Bela led the way, her eyes scanning the surroundings with vigilance and her gun held at the ready.
The twin-barreled firearm only offered two shots, but it felt like she had been stacked against an army. This building was so large and vast. Any number of the vicious creatures could have taken refuge within its confines. Unless they magically stumbled across more ammunition, the next fight will be a guaranteed close call.
Kyia couldn't conceal the nervous tension that gripped her. Her eyes darted around, unease etched across her face. The light of the lantern continued to create more shadows that seemed to turn as they walked ahead, as if the walls harbored a sinister consciousness that observed their every move. Her steps were cautious, almost hesitant, as she feared what might emerge at any moment.
The hallways were a chaotic mess. Papers lay scattered, intermingled with the remnants of shattered glass and debris. What wasn't covered in dust bore traces of blood. What wasn't covered in either was surely bound to be at any second.
So many bodies everywhere. I guess I had forgotten just how many people had perished here.
Kyia's grip on her lantern tightened, her eyes widening at the sight of a partially opened door. Bela was quick to take notice of it as well. She pointed her gun at the gap between the entrance and the wall, prepared to fire at anything that moved. The room beyond held a macabre display of Vikcia's relentless onslaught. Corpses, some mangled beyond recognition, littered the space. She thought that she and Ethan had cleared this room before, but little did she know how wrong she had been.
It was only when she glanced at the signs on the walls that she realized they had never gone down this hallway at all before. This was all new territory for her. That meant that she had no clue what this section had to offer, and every room nearby could have been a haven for a hungry predator.
As they navigated the halls, Kyia finally pointed towards the next turn. "Take a left here," she instructed, her voice hushed and tense. The thought of encountering the infected kept her on edge. The stench of rot grew stronger as they walked along, signaling their proximity to the heart of the darkness that had consumed the constable station.
Kyia hesitated, her eyes shifting between Bela and the map in her hand. "We're close," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just a bit further."
I remember Ethan and I seeing a sign for the holding cells. There must be another entrance to that spot. Just how big is that section?
"Kyia," Bela said as she withdrew her gaze from the front. "Can I see that map for a second?"
The brunette did not utter a word. Her response came in the form of her holding the map out under the light of the lantern. Bela's amber orbs scanned the paper, only for her heart to sink once she noticed the sheer magnitude of the holding cell area.
It is a quarter of the building.
She wanted to kick herself for not having noticed it before. In the heat of the moment, when her mind had been so wracked with concerns regarding their plan, as well as the state of her and Kyia's alliance, she had overlooked such a crucial detail. The size of the holding cells meant that they had to have been populated with infected. The weapons they had might have been able to hold up against a few stragglers inside a room, but against dozens of the creatures, they would be walking into a death trap.
With urgency in her voice, Bela turned her head back to the shadows ahead as she shouldered her gun. "Kyia, there must be another way to the carriage bay." She worried that they would expend all their resources before they even made it outside. If that were to happen, then they were sitting ducks when the night came calling.
Kyia's eyes widened, and she took a deep breath, prepared to speak the truth she had to convey. "Bela, there's no other way to the carriage bay. We must go through the holding cells. No halls lead to the carriages or the steeds. Prisoners are brought in by them and then confined to that area. They do not go further."
Bela's jaw tightened, a mix of frustration and resignation in her expression. The gravity of the situation hung heavy between them, and the reality of traversing the holding cells, teeming with the infected, sent a shiver down her spine.
"Damn it," Bela muttered under her breath. "Alright, let's move quietly and stay alert. We can't afford to make any mistakes. How far away are the holding cells?"
Kyia glanced down at the map, tracing the route with her finger. "Not far. Just a couple of turns. Once we round the next corner, we should be nearing the entrance to the confinement area."
.
As they approached the last intersection on the map, Bela's amber eyes fixed on the tarnished metal placard, the engraved words revealing the door's grim purpose—the holding cell area. The rusty streaks spoke of neglect that had transpired long before this plague. This part of the building would be a sanctuary of despair for those unfortunate enough to have been imprisoned.
The air was heavy with the weight of countless lost souls. Each minuscule sound around them echoed like ghostly whispers, carrying haunting memories of Serpenmoor's cruelty. Bela shouldered her gun as she drew closer. The firearm in her hands offered little comfort in the face of the terrors that awaited them.
With a slow, deliberate motion, she turned the knob, the heavy door creaking open to reveal the jet-black shadows right behind it. The faint light from Kyia's lantern struggled to penetrate them as the pair leaned in. As the door progressed further, all Bela could think about was the orchestra of noise they had now made. She might as well have just screamed out their presence while they were at it. If the fragments held any chance of keeping them hidden, this was the time to prove it.
As they entered, the nauseating stench of blood and death hit them like a physical force. It hung thick in the air—an overwhelming, putrid musk that clawed at their senses. The stench seemed to intensify with each step they took, permeating the air and clinging to their clothes.
Kyia's face twisted in disgust, the lantern light flickering erratically as her hand wavered in the face of the powerful odor. She couldn't help but gag as soon as her lungs opened. Bela wanted to hush her at that very instant, but the same fate followed her as well.
Even though she had thrived in cannibalism for decades, there was something about this smell that struck her in a way she had never been before. It went beyond anything she had once found appetizing. Maybe it was her shift from her old habits at play here, but she shuddered to think that her past self could have withstood such a revolting onslaught.
Ugh! What is that?!
Her eyes burned as they tried to gaze ahead, tearing up as the particles of decomposition touched their surface. She had to break her stance to wipe her face, but it hardly did anything to stifle the effect. It quickly became hard to breathe, but she knew that she would have to keep pushing ahead. Her biggest fear was that Kyia would falter at any second.
I can hear the way she's retching back there. I know she's trying to be as quiet as she can be, but I don't know how much longer she'll last.
Bela whispered as she extended her arm and placed her hand on the woman's shoulder, "Stay close."
Kyia only responded with a low cough, but it was enough for Bela to know that she was on board. The blonde figured that the best way to navigate this place was to stick to the walls as they went along. If they did, then they could follow the outline that had been drawn on the map until they reached the carriage bay entrance. Thankfully, if the map was as accurate as she hoped, then the holding cell room was just one giant square.
It shouldn't have been too complicated to figure out.
The square room seemed to stretch endlessly as they moved around. Bela tightened her grip on Kyia's shoulder, silently urging her to press on. The fragments in their possession remained an uncertain shield against the infected, but abandoning their path was not an option. They had to stick together.
This room is so dark. I can barely see past the radius of the lantern. I'm not sure if I hear any noises coming from the center, but that must be where the holding cells are located.
As they walked ahead, a sudden bang jolted their bodies. It wasn't a gunshot. Something sounded like it had dropped.
Bela's fingers tightened on Kyia's shoulder as she halted abruptly. In the silence that surrounded them, a new sound emerged. It was faint at first, but the clinking of chains and the motion of iron bars soon reached their ears.
The cell doors, seemingly rusted and worn, began to move. The ominous creaking echoed through the chamber, as if unseen hands were pushing them open. That was when the two women knew for sure that they were not alone.
No. Far from it.
Bela's eyes widened, and she gestured for Kyia to stay quiet. Fear coursed her veins as the shuffle of chains and the movement of cell doors continued. From the depths of the holding cells, disjointed muttering could be heard—a barrage of odd sentences that seemed disconnected from any coherent thought or reality.
That's the infected; there's no doubt about that.
Many of them.
Bela could hardly see past the iron bars, but she knew not to tempt fate. The lantern's light would only go so far. She and Kyia pressed their backs against the wall, fighting for every inch that they could gain that would place distance between them and the horde. The brunette needed a moment to think, but the blonde beside her could see that she was starting to freeze up.
"Kyia, we need to keep moving."
Those green eyes turned to her as Kyia nodded and gulped. "Just down this wall, I believe." She sounded uncertain of the path, even though it had been laid out at her fingertips. Kyia's innocent nature was not to blame here. Even Bela could feel the weight of the infected's presence pressing against her chest. She winced at the thought of some of them lumbering about.
The cell doors sounded like they were wide open. Surely, whatever hadn't been chained down would be walking freely. She began to have second thoughts about using her gun. The combination weapon was lowered and slung over her shoulder. The half-moon sickle would be brought up in its place instead. The last thing this room needed was a loud explosion that would alert everyone to where they were.
This was not a fair game. The odds had been stacked heavily against them. Backing out would get them nowhere. Going forward risked certain death. Ethan's fate hung in the balance, and if they did not escape this place and make it to that clock tower, he would spend his final hours in Vikcia's clutches.
Assuming that he wasn't already dead.
Bela gritted her teeth as she shook off those thoughts. The wave of negativity that they brought forth hindered her efficiency. She needed to keep her head straight and focus on the matter at hand. Sulking would only get her killed.
"Follow me," she whispered to Kyia.
As the two made it further down the wall, the noise of the broken chains and dragging feet drew closer. The orange globe of the lantern's aura picked up on the blood-stained trousers of someone who stood nearby. The women halted as they laid their eyes on them. Out of the corner of her vision, Bela saw Kyia reach for her pistol. She looked like she was ready to shoot it.
Bela's pale hand rested on top of hers. She gave no verbal warning, only a slow wave of her head to advise her not to do it. Kyia was shaky, visibly unnerved by her proximity to such a creature. The blonde gestured for her to raise the lantern higher, and when she did, the two got a better view of the infected man that shambled nearby.
Like the others, his face was caked with bundles of maggots. The larvae swarmed around his orifices, some falling like raindrops as he stumbled about. Dried trails of blood streaked down from the edge of his head, vanishing behind the strings of brown hair. His outfit was a white bodysuit, which buttoned down from the collar to the center of his stomach. Patches of dirt and crimson tattered his attire, a symbol of the squalor he resided in.
The foul odor that the duo had endured ever since they entered only intensified as the infected man got closer. None of the creatures ever smelled pleasant, but the ones outside had the fortune of being able to air themselves out. Trapped in this room, packed together like sardines amongst a mess of corpses, their bodies were as putrid as ever.
The duo watched as he moved about, seemingly unaware of their presence as he did. Bela's eyes displayed a glimmer of hope as she pondered the possibility as to why. Could the fragments concealed within their pockets and bags truly be the reason for the infected man's apparent ignorance? It was a fleeting thought that lingered in her head throughout the ordeal. One that she desperately hoped would be true.
Surely, he must be able to see our lantern. I suppose the fragment's light is what is keeping it at bay. If so, then we must keep moving.
"Kyia," Bela said as she tilted her head. "Stay quiet and walk slowly. Once we approach the corner of the wall, we turn and look for the door."
"Okay," she replied, her voice as unsteady as it could be. The urge for her to reach for her pistol and shoot the man dead was strong, but the fear of what it would cause kept her hand at bay. She followed Bela's lead, holding the lantern out as they moved past the wall. Seconds felt like agonizing minutes that dragged on like a heavy chain.
When they finally reached the corner of the wall, it was a sharp turn right that brought them to the next stage of their lengthy path. They could hear their hearts beating at the bottom of their throats. The lantern revealed more of the cells that paralleled their walk. Within them, scores of infected people could be seen crowded around. Many were dead, but just as many were still alive. The beings barely moved, as if they had been condemned to live the rest of their lives as statues in the seemingly endless darkness.
But looks could be deceiving, and in this nightmarish chamber, they certainly were. Bela knew that their lack of motion was only a disguise for how dangerous they could be. If any one of these creatures so much as picked up on their presence, they would all dart out of the cells and converge on their location.
As Bela and Kyia moved further across the wall, the lantern's light unveiled more of the grim spectacle that surrounded them. The holding cells multiplied, each one a chamber of horrors housing the groups of the infected. Some of the cells only contained lifeless corpses, victims either claimed by the ravenous plague or Serpenmoor's unforgiving corruption. Those with a heartbeat had sustained themselves by feeding on the dead. Even after all this time, the dried-up flesh still nourished their systems.
As they continued to move, Kyia's bag suddenly caught on an unseen protrusion in the wall. A gasp escaped her lips as she tried to free herself, but the obstacle held firm. She tugged harder, and finally, with an audible rip, her bag came free. In the process, however, it tore open, and the small box that held her share of the metal fragments fell to the ground.
A crash reverberated throughout the chamber as the fragments spilled out and slid across the cold floor. Time seemed to stand still as Bela and Kyia stared at the two scattered shards. The room, once oblivious to their presence, suddenly hummed with awareness. The infected in the cells stirred, their dormant forms now twitching with a renewed sense of animation. They knew someone was inside with them, but could they see them? As the growls grew louder, they realized that the worst possible turn of events had just transpired.
Oh, no. No, no, no.
Bela silently whispered to Kyia with the upmost sense of urgency in her voice, "We need to grab those pieces, now!"
Kyia hurried to gather the fragments, setting her lantern down to retrieve them, while Bela kept her gun aimed at the creatures inside the cells, watching in horror as their faces pressed against the bars. Unease crept over the blonde, her breaths turning heavy as the sound of additional shuffling reached her ears. More infected, not confined to cells, lurked nearby. The situation escalated, and panic flashed in her amber eyes, mirroring the fear that clenched Kyia's heart.
Kyia's hands worked with urgency, snatching the fragments from the ground. In her haste, the jagged edges cut into her palms, prompting a sharp cry of pain. Despite her injury, she continued, driven by the desperate need to secure their only defense against the horde.
As the last fragment was clutched in Kyia's hands, it slipped free and clattered to the cold floor.
When it pinged, all they could hear in response were the muffled groans of the people inside the cells.
Then the distorted sentences began to emerge.
"Not guilty… I read the book."
"The steeds are whistling... Four steeds… Blood in my mouth."
"It burns… We're all burning… Cold fire."
Bela lowered her gun and turned to Kyia.
They know we're here. They just saw us.
She turned to Kyia to direct her to move swiftly, but as she did, the pair immediately noticed the lurching figures of some of the infected heading straight toward them. The orange rays of the lantern blanketed their worm-infested faces, showcasing an insatiable hunger that drove them forward. No fragment would protect them now.
"Run!" Bela screamed.
In a blink, the chase was on. Kyia snatched everything that she had and took off, following Bela as she sprinted down the walls. The sounds of the footsteps echoed across the room, only to drown in the ocean that was the brood. Bela wanted to shoulder her gun again, but the desire to conserve ammunition resulted in hesitation. In no way, shape or form, would the weapon rescue them from the death that awaited.
Her entire plan had just gone to hell, but that didn't mean they had to stay here. If that exit to the carriage bay could not be located in time, the two would have to retreat and escape the jail as soon as they could. If luck was still on their side, then they would make it out of the door with just enough time to shut it. Her strategy was to allow the infected to give chase, forcing them to circle around. Getting anywhere close to the cells would place them within arm's reach of the monsters. The women had to maintain their distance.
As Bela sprinted ahead, she could see the light around her fading. Kyia wasn't keeping up. The brunette could only run so fast. Adrenaline pumped through her body, which made slowing down a deviation from her instinct.
Still, she could not abandon her.
Bela quickly turned her head, just in time to catch one of the infected closing in on Kyia, pursuing her with a sharp focus.
His prey had been too wrapped up in the cumbersome items she carried to notice his advancement. It was only when her green eyes darted up and she saw the alerted amber ones of her companion staring frightfully behind her did she realize the unsettling truth. Bela saw her head of bushy brown hair swing around before a loud scream leaped from her throat.
Kyia's first reaction was to duck, just in time for Bela to swing her sickle straight at him. The edge of the blade cleaved the side of his neck wide open. An explosion of blood soared from the valley that had been carved within—a testament to her capacity for violence. The man stumbled forward before he collided with the wall. Was it a death blow? It had to have been, but Bela would not stick around to confirm it.
Kyia's wide-eyed gaze met Bela's, both acknowledging the success of the desperate counterattack. She glimpsed the sickle in her hands, stained with a sanguine glow. The escalation in the blonde's eyes spoke for itself.
The brunette's breaths quickened as she pushed her body to the limit, closing the gap between her and Bela. There was no time for words, unless speaking would save their lives. Another infected man, bound with broken chains that dragged along the floor, hobbled over to them as he tried to regain his balance. Kyia saw him as soon as his form appeared within the shifting globe of the light. It bounced in the dark as the illumination shifted around, mirroring her strides as she traversed the distance to the next corner.
She was too focused on him by the time the next man, emaciated and infested with maggots, honed in on her. In the split second that she had to analyze him, she couldn't help but wonder if he had been one of the earliest victims of this sadistic plague. Maybe he was. She'd never know.
Before Bela could swing her sickle, another figure entered the fray—an infected woman, disheveled and snarling. Colliding with the wall, she pivoted and charged at the duo with unsettling determination. Her pus-filled mouth opened to reveal rotted teeth and gangrene gums. One eye, dissolved beneath a writhing mass of larvae, did little to impede her predatory focus.
Bela only had a second before the inevitable would take place.
I must kill her! She's going to –
The woman pounced on Bela before she could finish her thought. The blonde barely had time to raise her arm before the bloodthirsty drone rammed into her. They spun around as Bela's back skirted along the stone wall. Her arm, which held the sickle, was strained under the weight of the frenzied assailant, and trembled with exertion. The infected woman's teeth gnawed for the chance to clamp onto any exposed skin.
Summoning a surge of strength, Bela managed to kick back against the wall, using her momentum to momentarily break free from the infected woman's grasp. The respite was short as the assailant lunged again, fueled by an unrelenting desire for flesh. They connected, but this time, the blonde had managed to slam the head of her blade into the side of the lady's torso.
The infected woman shrieked with a shrill cry, her remaining eye, glazed over as it was, fixated on those of the person she sought to devour. Her rancid breath burst forth from her mouth as her face met Bela's only just inches away.
In the midst of her frenzy, the infected woman's incoherent babbling took a disturbing turn. "Where are my babies?!" she screamed, a twisted echo of the suffering she may have endured in the past. Her face contorted into a grotesque grin, and a barrage of unsettling fits of laughter followed.
It was the kind of laughter Bela had only ever seen from Vikcia. Whoever this woman once was, she was no longer herself. Just another poor soul perverted by the ruin that had befallen this world.
In the next second, Bela witnessed the infected man behind them attack Kyia. Her view of the encounter only lasted for a brief flash before the woman who clawed at her regained her attention. The blonde heard her companion scream in the background as her eyes shifted back to the front. There was too much for her mind to concentrate on right now, but deep inside, she feared that these were Kyia's final moments.
The crazed lady reached up and grabbed Bela by the sides of her face. "The Fabled Ones bled my babies out of me!" she cackled.
A sudden gunshot pierced the air, a flash of light sparking behind Bela. She turned her eyes just in time to witness the infected man drop with a gaping hole in his temple, consumed by a torrent of blood.
This was a reminder that surrender was not an option.
With a fierce grunt, Bela pushed the infected woman away and yanked her sickle from the lady's ribcage. The effort was great, but her will to survive fueled her strength. The deranged woman, seemingly impervious to pain, lunged forward once more. Before she could reach her victim again, the sickle found its mark, hooking into her neck and tunneling through the base of her skull. The severing of the brainstem brought an abrupt end to the assailant's twisted existence.
It was lights out.
"Hurry, Kyia!" Bela screamed as she beckoned for her to follow.
"On it!" The brunette ran for dear life as she and Bela darted down the wall as fast as they could. The exhaustion of their ordeal would not overpower them. If their lungs demanded air, they got it. If it wasn't enough, then they would have to make do. There would be no stopping them as they sprinted through the darkness.
A trio of infected appeared as soon as the lantern was able to highlight them. There was no way around—not without drawing closer to the cells. The pair could hear more and more of the creatures rushing out of their confines, seeking to feast on every drop of blood and every ounce of flesh that they could scavenge.
You've got to be kidding me!
Bela reached into her coat and withdrew Ethan's pistol from the inner pocket. With the likelihood of more fast approaching, she imagined that this would be their final stand. She lost hope that they would make it to the end, as it seemed the horde would quickly swallow them whole.
That was until the light of the lantern pushed just a little bit further, enough to reveal the placard on the wall that identified the next room beyond its door.
The carriage bay.
That's it! We're almost there!
"Kyia!" She screamed, "Straight ahead!"
The blonde dashed forward with a sense of savagery upon her. She would kill everything in her path if she needed to, just so she could make it to the next door. Time went by so slowly as she charged ahead. She was in the fight, and it got her thinking.
This must have been what Ethan went through, time and time again. The struggle to stay alive. It –
She pulled the trigger, sending a hail of lead directly at the maggot-faced creatures. One stumbled forward. Another fell completely. The third was unphased.
It begs for brutality, but it is born of goodwill. He wanted to rescue his daughter.
A second series of shots followed, revealing the monstrous features of the infected man who had escaped the initial shots. Spider-like mandibles replaced his once human lips, and in that moment, Bela saw not a person but a threat to her mission. She fired again and struck him. The realization crystalized—she, too, sought to rescue someone dear.
I get it now.
The man was dead by the time her arm drifted back to the left, ready to end this struggle for good.
She shot at the first one again, planting another bullet into his gut as he lurched forward. Bela felt the slide lock back, but it did not register until she pulled the trigger. There was no time to swap hands. The long gun that swayed relentlessly at her shoulder was a tempting tool in this dire situation. But she would abstain from its use. With her sickle gripped firmly in her left palm, she closed with the wounded man and exuded a shout of dominance as she slammed the blade into the middle of his throat, slicing through every strand of muscle that stood in its way.
It was a blow that utilized such precision. She did not think she could ever replicate it again. A warrior's kill, marvelously choreographed in pure carnage.
She wasn't the same woman she used to be, but that woman would have been proud.
But just like Ethan, it didn't take a monster to be one. All one needed was something to fight for.
The door is right there! I can see it! We made it!
Bela and Kyia sprinted towards the exit, pursued by the growing horde of infected. With determination etched across their faces, the women reached the door, only to discover it firmly locked.
No! Damn it!
Panic gripped them as Bela, refusing to yield to desperation, shouldered her long gun. Her finger wrapped around the trigger that would expel a high-caliber bullet from the rifle barrel. She aimed at the lock, the deafening blast reverberating through the confined space. Shrapnel erupted from the shattered mechanism, peppering Bela's body with stinging bits as she turned around and gritted her teeth against the pain. She did not know how much she had been struck with, but it was a preferable fate compared to what was just seconds away.
Bela shoved the door open, her ears still ringing from the blast.
Cloaked in the deafening aftermath of the discharge, an unexpected assailant lunged at Bela. The creature jumped onto her body, small yet nimble. Kyia's lantern shined around her, seeking to offer a better view of what the thing was. It was only in the struggle's final moments that the true horror revealed itself—an infected child, driven to madness by the maggots that clung to his nostrils and gums.
The boy glared at Bela, his eyes, once filled with youth, now filled with hunger. His boney hands gripped at her throat, his strength enhanced by the darkness inside his soul. The plague had pumped out yet another hunter to feast on the weary. The small frame of the boy housed a strength that caught the blonde off guard. She grappled with him, trying to pry his claw-like fingers from her, but the relentless onslaught proved overwhelming.
Despite her best efforts, the child succeeded in climbing up her body, which knocked her off balance. Bela's back collided with the hard stone floor as the infected boy clung to her. Every attempt to push him away seemed futile as he relentlessly attacked.
My sickle! I need to get to it!
Her hand left the boy's chest and scanned the floor for the handle of her edged weapon. She'd sacrifice her resistance for a second if it meant she could reacquire the very tool that would keep her alive. Unfortunately, it was nowhere to be found.
Where is –
The child's vicious cries were abruptly silenced when the tip of the sickle pierced through his mouth. A stream of blood quickly pooled beneath his tongue, but not a single drop landed on Bela as his lifeless body was yanked off her. His once-unrelenting growls were now reduced to limp gurgles as he was dragged to the ground.
Before Bela could fully comprehend the gruesome sight, Kyia, her eyes burning with intensity, stood over the fallen child. With a tragic scream, she pulled the sickle from the back of his head and, in a frenzied fit, began to butcher the boy's lifeless form, slashing and carving it apart with every swing.
As Bela scrambled to her feet, all she could do was look at the aftermath. The child's small body, already lifeless, was further diminished by the amputations and dismemberment inflicted by Kyia. The boy was dead, freed from the clutches of this horrid world.
When Bela seized the bloodied sickle from Kyia's hand, the brunette returned her gaze with an empty stare, as if grappling with the weight of her own actions. Infected or not, she had killed a child. Her green eyes drifted downward, seemingly oblivious to the approaching horde of infected that were not too far away.
Perhaps she did see them. Maybe she wanted to die.
There was no time for contemplation. Bela pulled Kyia along, lantern in hand, and forced open the exit door. Though the shattered lock wouldn't keep the horde at bay, it signaled the beginning of the next stage of their plan. Whatever the cost, they would have to give their all to see it through to its conclusion.
She just didn't know how great that cost was until now.
NOTES:
I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter!
This one goes heavy on the horror, as will the next. I'm taking this opportunity to test out what this would be like as its own, completely original story. Things like what we see here offer a glimpse at what Serpenmoor was like before Vikcia arrived. From the miscarriages of mothers to the insolence of youth, no one was safe from its law.
Bela and Kyia are both way out of their element on this one, but they will not stop moving. I know a lot of you have not been happy with the way Kyia has performed throughout this story. Her comments and attitude never did her any favors, but I think this chapter sheds some light on how much she just wanted to avoid this kind of outcome.
Are Bela and Kyia friends? Not quite, but the next chapter will also delve a little deeper into their chemistry. This one and the next one go hand-in-hand when it comes to their struggles.
When can you expect that chapter? Well, how about tomorrow? This weekend is another double!
On that note, I anticipate this story needing an extra chapter at the rate things are going, so I'll hold off on my countdown for a bit. We are almost there, though. Big things are about to happen.
Now, I'll also address the other stories that I have planned to write. The plan, first and foremost, is to roll out the Daniela story as soon as this one concludes. While that is going on, I'll also begin working on and releasing the alternate chapters for Fragmented Flies that were promised at the end of that story. As far as the Leon/Ashley story (also canon to this series) goes, it is not canceled. I'm going to continue working on that as well and figure out when to release it. I don't expect it to be that far out, but given the expected length of the Daniela story, I won't wait for that one to finish, either.
I say this because my mind has been thinking about going back to writing original works someday, and I don't want to burn out lol. All in good time.
So, I hope you guys enjoy your weekends! You have all been so wonderful to me, and I hope these stories continue to be something that you can enjoy! Thanks again for all the support and for being as kind as you are. It means the world to me, and all this work has been worth it! I'll see you all again very soon, so stay safe! 😊