Chapter 4: Discovery

”Why did you kill them all, Veronica?” The man with graying hair spoke as he looked up from his leather chair.

His sharp eyes gazed at the only person standing before him, separated only by his work desk. With frowning and raised eyebrows, Tobias observed the girl before him, searching for an expression of regret here, or perhaps some hidden purpose there.

The girl before him could really fit to be his daughter’s age – soon to graduate from high school. With long, straight waist-length hair the color of midnight, tied together like a horse tail with a long strand of snow-white ribbon, she stared calmly back with emerald eyes so deep and clear they were like gems of nature.

”Two reasons: One, they were committing acts that destroyed any chance they had to redeem themselves. They already lost their humanity, and thus are no better than the insidious creatures they served. Two, they were shooting at me, so I had to take them out for good. That’s all, sir.” Veronica said lightly, her tone even and unchanging.

”…… Right…” Tobias sighed visibly, and leaned back with eyes closed.

If it weren’t for the fact that Tobias knew Veronica, he would have laughed and took back his question, or at least refuse to accept the person before him did all of that. Her appearance simply could not fit the image of a killer that took out over fifteen people in less than ten minutes, with them armed to the teeth as well.

Aside from her eyes and hair, not only was her figure slim, with modest curves behind a black blazer and white shirt which fit perfectly; from her relaxed small shoulders to where it barely overlapped the white-and-black checker skirt, her complexion was a healthy pale pink, with faint traces of pink flushes against the cheeks of a well-rounded face, fitting to be a teenage model.

Veronica also had a very special possession that set her apart from girls presumed her age. Adorned on her hair, slightly covered by shoulder-length bangs, was a hair-band; resembling the shape of a crescent moon, the band was more like a circlet which she corrected, referring to the ornament as a diadem. It was thin and brittle like it was forged from a crystal, as Tobias had remembered holding it once. However, upon further examination, the diadem was not made of any compound found on Earth. In fact, it looked brittle and intricate, yet enduring pressure threshold beyond even that of titanium alloy or diamond.

Of course, at that time, Veronica was furious when she woke up and found it missing. The reason: organization had to investigate everything regarding her after the gray-haired man and several of his colleagues found her three years ago. It seemed that this diadem was important to the girl, but she never remembered why, only that it was a fragment of her past memories. Therefore, despite its complete alien nature, the organization higher-ups decided to let her keep it, since they valued her capabilities far more.

Scratching his head, Tobias quickly returned from his reveries. Now was the time for formal business, not the time to linger back in sleep. Gazing at the clock, reading ten o’clock AM, the man returned his gaze to the girl. Before him on the desk was report she had submitted to him last night.

”Even if you say so… do you realize that things will not bode well for you? We of the organization only deal with-“ He started talking after beckoning Veronica to sit down.

He was about to start his famous lecture, and Tobias was known to drag it and repeat it in similar fashions, as if feeling that simple words, if not repeated, would never stay in one’s head for very long. However, that didn’t stop the girl from reciting from her clear memories of the exact same thing.

”Diabolical entities, ranging from anomalies caused by corrupt magic to the demons of the hell gates themselves, for the sake of preserving the peace of this world. Yes, Tobias, I understand clearly the reason why the organization exists. If I didn’t, then I would not have lived to stand here before you.” Veronica replied smartly, her voice casual.

However, as her emerald eyes exchanged contact with the dark eyes of the man many years her senior; they knew perfectly what the last part had meant. That’s correct, if Tobias and his colleagues didn’t find and saved her, they would have all died, and she would have killed them for certain.

… Three Years Ago, Somewhere in East Europe …

”So… what’s this trip about again?” A man strapped in a thick black jacket asked over his shoulders. They were walking along a narrow mountain pass alongside thick dense forests that stretched on for miles.

”It’s over ten hours since we got off the plane, and here you are still asking that? Geez, get a grip Ian.” Another man, taller and lean built, spoke as he walked behind Ian, strapped in a dark green jumpsuit and thick black jeans.

”Shut the hell up, John! I just want to know why we’ve been walking for over ten miles along these mountains, and still no sign of stopping… wouldn’t it be easier if we simply used the Heli?” Ian barked back, wiping slivers of sweat off his brow as he took a quick swig of the canteen.

”Can’t you two be quiet? We are reaching an overpass soon, and the trail should level toward sea level over the next hour or so, and that should be the next waypoint. We are making good time, so just try to stay rehydrated while ration on water. The organization has sent us for a reason, so when we get there, Haali will debrief us. Besides, follow the others’ example, they aren’t complaining.” A slightly disgruntled Tobias, whose hair was a natural brown, turned over at his close companions of five years to remonstrate them.

They had been walking for hours on this rugged terrain at least five hundred feet above sea level. Oxygen was not too limited here, but talking too much would still lead to shortness of breath. The slivers of clouds in the sky, amidst that soft sunlight, were the only traces of good weather they had encountered all day. However, because of how cold it actually was despite the sun, every member of the seven-group team must wear enough to leave them sweating barring the cold aside.

The ground below them was granite and sandstone ranging only three to four feet wide; the cliff faces above them were shadowy and dotted with roots, branches, and wild vegetation in random displacement. The thick forest below them was at least a good two hundred feet drop to the tallest peaks of the black pines, but because it stretched for so long, it’s almost as if the team of seven was walking alongside a field of dark green.

Seven people total, counting Tobias, his two old buddies Ian and John, Haali, the native born blond woman that was guiding them toward the mysterious location for investigation and the first one in front, and three others. Two of them Tobias couldn’t remember the names, though one was woman, the other man, and the other was Professor Vladimir, an expert on the Ancient and related in the context of Runic history and Magia. She was a brilliant scientist, Tobias vaguely remembered, a calm and reasonable woman that tended to only lose herself whenever she encountered some ruins or artifacts of value. Prof. Vladimir was a brilliant genius… perhaps too brilliant to fit in normal society; perhaps a reason why the organization brought her in. Of course, right now with nothing interesting around except the mountain pass, the cliffs, the dangerous sheer drop below, and the dark forests, not even the bright sun or the cold climate could bring any unnecessary emotion or word from out of her.

Trudging on forward, the team hugged the walls of the cliff and finally reached the overpass, where a gentle slope and widened path allowed them to relax into soft strides while each burdened his and her belongings in tightly squeezed-in camper sacks. To anyone who caught site of them, the seven people simply looked like an exhausted group of campers that stubbornly decided to live in nature despite the beginning of the cold November.

After one hour and ten minutes, Tobias and the others finally reached the waypoint, a wide stretch of ground with patches of dried grass and nearby trees in the distance. It was actually a camp ground, and they were to set up camp here. This place was also at sea level, so John, Ian, and the two unknown others unloaded their belongings as if throwing off a weight like the entire world off their shoulders. Tobias wanted to join them, to relax, but he knew there was not enough time for him to relax.

In this group of seven individuals, although all belonged to the organization, Tobias was entrusted with managing the team. Haali was also his colleague; they worked with one another from the start, when Tobias entered the organization five years ago. However, their relationship never went beyond that of professionals.

The year was 2020, the world was at peace… well, there was no global conflict. That ended over a decade ago. However, despite how technologically advanced the humans were, Tobias never dreamt that he’d be entering the organization and learned the bitter truth.

He was never a religious believer; Tobias prided himself in being an atheist all his life, with his professional degree in archeology and evolutionary sciences. He had thought his application was going for registry within Cambridge as an assistant professor, but ended up being used by the organization beneath that cover.

Demons, spawns of hell, the enemies written from the Christian Bible, Jewish beliefs, and Judaism, their existence on this mortal plane were the first things Tobias learned when he entered the department. From there on, it was a wild ride between seeing actual magus performing impossible spells to shape shifters, imprisoned demons, and even the startling evidences of vampires. For five years, the stout man threw away all of his beliefs of science, and forced himself to believe the reality he could see and touch, an impossible one.

Today was such a day, in which Tobias walked the road which shall change his fate once more. Of course, he had no idea. As Haali spent the next hour debriefing, Tobias fitted the pieces together and traced out the accurate mission the organization had given this tiny team of seven.

An energy surge followed by a rapid deterioration of mana had been detected in Eastern Europe. The location was out of any nation’s jurisdiction, and as long as the organization had any ties, the team was guaranteed safety… at the price of no protection or help from anyone nearby. Now Tobias remembered. The two that were new to the team were sent by the organization. They were two experienced magi that would provide the necessary protection if possible. He breathed a small sigh of relief that at least, this small team was not completely defenseless. Of course… he brought a pistol, but that’s nothing in the face of a ‘real’ threat.

”The site of disturbance used to be the city of Uzjeri, a part of Ukraine until seven years ago when it was completely burnt to the ground for unknown reasons. All we know is that the magical dissonance appeared within ten mile diameter of that city, and that a trail does exist. Kraig, you and Natasha are to guide us from there on, if that’s possible?” Haali spoke to the two magi behind us in a light Russian accent.

When the others turned to look at the duo, they merely nodded in affirmation. Somehow, the almost too passive nature of these two made Tobias somewhat uncomfortable - probably because they were absolute strangers that came out of nowhere to fit into the original team of five. He knew nothing about them or their assignments, and would honestly prefer not to trust strangers.

”I have a question then. What role do I play in? I know John and Ian are here to assist Professor Tobias, but if this is just some magical anomaly, then I can’t be of much help.” Prof. Vladimir was the first to ask Haali such a question. Startling enough, she spoke in perfect English void of any accent at all.

”Magical anomaly or not, we believe some sort of residues would be left behind. Whether it be ruins, artifacts, or anything tangible, that is where you come in, professor. Now, regarding perimeter set up…” That was the answer she gave before moving back to talking about other things.

While everyone else had undivided attention toward the speaker, Ian nudged Tobias’ shoulder.

”If she were a little more laidback, I’d totally hit on her. Too bad she’s more like my science teacher back in High School, hah!” He whispered to his friend’s ear, who managed to crack a subtle smile. Unfortunately, the woman in question somehow detected the remark, as her icy glare struck Ian, sending a cold shiver down his spine.

Truth be told, Tobias would agree without fail that Haali was very attractive. She was tall, slim, with curves at all the right places. She had an angular jaw that aligned perfectly with her face, a straight nose, and her long blond hair plus those startling blue eyes were trademarks of her Ukrainian descent. Still, she was just as serious as him in this investigation, and that was why he trusted her to act as his planner and guide. Perhaps one day he’ll invite her to a drink of coffee… or something like that.

…

Afternoon, two P.M. the campground was established. One large tent and three smaller ones were set up. The large tent had several equipment set up, with a fully functional field medical station and a series of electronic devices propped up on a foldable table. These were used as detectors for temperature change, energy readings, and a ‘Mana Detection Geographical Surveillance System’ that looked more like a mini-DVD player with a large desktop flat screen monitor.

It had been long standardized that all forms of magia were based upon the essential root essence called ‘MANA’, or Magia-Affiliated Natural Anomaly. All forms of anomaly beyond scientific means went under the category of magia, magical anomaly, and all function under the premise that MANA was the subunit component that acted as the activation energy for all forms of special abilities like magic and spells.

That was one of the first things Tobias had learned, demonology and religion-related stuff aside. As he shook these thoughts aside, eating the canned food they had brought on their trip, John and Ian came to sit next to him to eat together.

”Hey, how goes the analysis?” Tobias asked, regarding the fixation of coordinates on the exact location of the dissonance they will be investigating in an hour.

”We are getting a great deal of interference, but results should be coming in around twenty minutes. We are not far though, I’ll tell you that. To be honest though, I don’t really like the idea of spending the night here, let alone searching through the woods.” His friend, John the analyst and electrical engineer that knew a lot about electronic equipment and data analyzing, was the first to reply before wolfing down a serving of beef and potatoes.

”Definitely agreeing with him. The energy readings showed a dramatic decrease in temperature within a ten-mile radius comparing to normal climate readings from the satellite. Even with magnetic field interference, we are already narrowing down the possible locations of Uz… whatever that city’s called. Another thing that bothers me is how empty this large open ground is.” Ian added, nibbling on a piece of chicken meat as he spoke. He was a historian… more like an archaeological nut, except had a knack for differentiating between human and nonhuman remains of the past.

”Hmm, at least those two magi set up boundary fields around our camp, so we should be alright for the night.” Although he sounded calm, Tobias was simply acting cool to prevent his own worries from affecting the others. After all, he was responsible for all of them.

One hour later, it was decided that John was to remain behind with Kraig to watch the encampment while the remaining five head out. Their destination was within the forest, traveling 0.8 miles east from the encampment. It was simple enough using the sun, and although their GPS device managed to survive the magnetic interference that must had been a result of the magical anomaly, it was still an arduous affair treading through the forest.

It did not take Tobias and the others to find the ruins. It was more than obvious after a good half-an-hour of walking as the vegetation eventually thinned out, and their electronic devices all suffered increase amplitude of interference. Even his atomic-dial watch ceased to function correctly, the digits becoming chaotic fast at times, and slower or not changing at all.

After finally reaching the clearing, Tobias gasped, much like the others, at the sight unfolded before him. It was a ruin alright, yet looking nothing like the city it was supposed to resemble after decay. In fact, this ruin looked far more ancient, and the mana was probably overflowing into the air, as he felt that the air was heavier than usual.

”This is… gorgeous! Those structures… how could it be possible, early Mesopotamian? Or perhaps Babylonian? The very grounds we walked on appear different from the surrounding landscape. It appeared… my god, a lost city worshipped by an ancient civilization…” Prof. Vladimir was the first to express her opinion.

Tobias couldn’t blame her for her utter fascination and those pair of glowing eyes as a result of pure delight. He had read about ancient civilizations in the past, and had always been fascinated in the lore relating to their architectural design. Most of them were built with a clear purpose, unlike most modern buildings that were designed just so they could cram more people in. No, the architectural wonders of the ancient world were aptly appraised for their special function alone.

”But that’s impossible. There should be a modern city here. Uzjeri… this ruin looked like it simply replaced the city, and look, the way it’s situated – a giant crater… whatever it is, it’s clear that the organization sees this as more than just an anomaly.” With a tense voice, Haali made the first step toward the ruined city outskirts down a ten foot deep drop that sloped downward like a crater toward the center. All the others could do was taking her words in with silence, and following in her wake.

In the middle of that vast crater, a temple-like structure with heavenward spire seemed to dominate the landscape. Everywhere else around it were shorter buildings, from walls, eroded ramparts, to towers and what looked like the remains of a town square. This ruin was divided in places, with what looked like a dried up riverbank or artificial irrigation channel that ran across the city, dividing it into two halves of a circle. The whole ruined city seemed to be covered in fine white dust or sand, because its general shade of color was a powdery mixture of white and grey. Ian managed to take a picture of the entire structure using his modified palm pilot to transmit a frequency to one of the many spy satellite networks that the organization controlled. In doing so provided them a form of map with which to follow. It was a good thing Ian actually thought about electromagnetic interferences and had a neutralizer that shielded his equipment from the heavy disruptive field.

Upon reaching the breach to the city outskirts, where the collapsed ramparts and walls were, Prof. Vladimir had rummaged through her belongings and had some words with Natasha which Tobias could not overhear. The mage nodded in silence and walked to the head of the group. Before they all stepped into the ruins, she chanted something that sounded like Latin, and immediately, a surge of energy came and formulated a pale blue symbol, which erected in midair, touching what slowly became apparent as a giant prismatic surface. It looked as if that surface was a tiny piece of a much larger whole, as there seemed no end in what this ‘barrier’ extended to.

”As I thought, a barrier has been erected here to ward off accidental discoveries. Allow me a moment to break it.” This was the first time Natasha spoke, and Tobias could detect a faint German accent behind her low-pitched speech.

After what seemed like a full minute’s constant and silent recital of magic, the sound of cracked glass gave way to the shield that seemed to have encompassed the entire ruin. The five of them then walked in silence, entering the ruins in high tension. Normally, such an extensive shield would not have been erected unless something unprecedented was hidden within this white ruin. The Doctor that was an expert with these ancient ruins filed through numerous claims, but was unable to decipher the time or civilization of the ruins.

Nothing really seemed worth investigating to the group, except that the mana flow had become heavier toward the origin of which they determined to be the source of the magical dissonance in the reports. Bumbling through deserted and lifeless buildings, there were no indications of any mana origin.

The dried-up irrigation channel had remnants of what looked like bones, although the chilling fact remained that these were bones far larger than mere humans. In fact, when examined closely, there were bone fragments everywhere, but because they were covered in fine white sand, sometimes it was difficult to distinguish whether it was a broken piece of building, or a giant husk of something from ages past.

”What do you reckon to be the owners of these bones?” Tobias asked Ian and Prof. Vladimir, who were ahead of the group and were examining another set of skeletons that the team had uncovered.

”Can’t tell you much Tobias, the fossilized carbon data showed these to be less than two years old, fresh, but make absolutely no sense with regard to the age of this ruin, which should be at least… several thousand years old.” Scratching his head, Ian stepped away looking at the device in his hand. Such improvements in technology over the years, Tobias thought.

”What about you, Professor?” He then asked the woman who should be an expert on the ancient world.

”… This is the carcass of a slain monster. It looks nothing like any recorded animal in existence, and the way it is killed is most remarkable. Look: do you see that dent across the rib and spinal cord?” With a raised finger, Professor Vladimir showed Tobias the spot she was looking at on this giant skeleton, which was at least two meters wide and four or five meters long.

Scrutinizing the skeleton and the precise area where she pointed out to Tobias, he saw that there were heavy but localized damages to the rib cage, as if something like a sword, albeit small, had struck against the bones, causing them to bend inward, distorting the alignment all the way up across the spinal cord. Looking closer, there were many more signs of the same kind of damage dealt to this skeleton. It was obvious that this creature had died against an onslaught of those strikes, but it’s odd. The perpetrator looked like a small sword or blade-type, but the resulting damage against such solid bone structures and the assumed actual mass of the body made it seem like the strikes were way deeper than humanly capable.

”What killed this thing?” Tobias breathed, feeling a sudden change in the air around him. This creature was obviously not from this mortal realm, and the very idea of killing it in such a manner was beyond any theories cooked up inside his head.

”My hypothesis is that something within this ruin killed it. Whatever that did this can still be around, since the boundary field that was set in place can only be broken by magic alone.” Prof. Vladimir replied, and walked away to join the rest of the group that were moving ahead.

Tobias followed shortly, leaving behind the fleshless white husk of a creature that could only be another one of the stygian beasts, wondering why nothing was ever reported two years ago from this location.

Something was hidden here, consuming the once alive city and replacing it with the ruin of a civilization long lost in ages past. The group continued to tread onward toward their eventual goal: the citadel with those spire peaks, because if anything was still undiscovered, it would be there, the most preserved structure at the centre of the city. Its significance drastically increasing as more and more of those giant skeletal remains could be found.

After a good thirty-minute walk, the five of them had reached the entrance of the temple-like structure. What greeted them was pure darkness within and twin gates that looked as if recently broken into. Everyone present tensed at the sight, because the gate that appeared to be made of metallic alloy was smashed aside as if crushed and bent inward by an impossible force. The widened gap was a good two meter in diameter so there was no trouble getting inside, but was it worth going into the unknown, when whatever that broke through these gates could be waiting? That fear was evident in every member of the group, and Tobias immediately asked for a communicator.

”… John, do you hear me? This is Tobias, do you copy?” He tapped into the communicator, which appeared to be a silver headphone that went around his head.

”… Yeah, loud and clear. Managed to get through the jamming sequences and located your position. Anything to report?” After five seconds’ waiting, John finally answered, to Tobias’ relief.

”Yes, can you do a rescan of the central structure of the ruin? Scan for mana signatures and also petition in a bioscan for life reading if possible.” He requested to his friend.

”Sure thing, give me a minute.” A short reply came, and all that was left was waiting.

As the group waited around ten meters away from the entrance, the mage Natasha drew an elaborate symbol around one meter in diameter on the ground by tracing her fingers across the white sand. With a whisper of unknown incantations and a wave of her hand, the symbol came to life, pale red light flickering from the lines drawn. Before long, the light particles condensed and combined together to form larger orbs which surrounded her and each of the members.

”Where we are going is most likely filled with danger. I’ve provided you the most efficient wards given the limited mana I possessed. It shall help you in life-or-death situations, and nothing else. So be of the utmost guard at all times.” She told the group in a low voice that was somehow audible to all ears.

Shortly after, John responded through the communicator, giving Tobias the information he had requested, but not before a tremor resounded from the distance which immediately set everyone there on high alert.

”What? You felt a tremor? … This is bad Tobias, get your team out of there now. The mana readings show that mana veins are within the central structure and flowing outward. You probably triggered something upon entry, because the entire city seemed to possess some sort of defense mechanism. Get out of there as soon as possible… oh god, this is bad. The bio readings… suddenly I am getting them all over the place… To-… get… insi… tral… cita… da… commu….tions bre…ing tell… ever…. Inside no……” After that breaking of the signal, the communicator went dead silent. In frustration and necessity, Tobias took it off and threw it to the ground.

”Get inside the citadel, now!” He shouted to the group and immediate set off toward the giant building as more and more rumble happened in the distance.

”Wait, where are you going Tobias?! What did John say?” Haali was the first to dart forward and grasped his arm, which forced him to stop, but only for a short period.

”There’s not enough time, Haali. The city’s alive… somehow, and our safest bet is to enter the temple. Come on people! MOVE!” Shrugging off her grip, Tobias took out his pistol and ran toward the unknown darkness.

Bolting pass the damaged gates, he quickly took out a flashlight from his jacket pocket and turned it on. More footsteps followed behind him as the other four followed in haste. Surprisingly, as far as the lights could tell, the inner sanctum of the citadel was much broader and the floor itself was made of smooth tiles. As everyone had entered the building, Natasha quickly erected a crimson symbol that she drew with her fingers across the air. The symbol convulsed after its finish and immediate sprang away toward the direction of the entrance. The shifting sounds of grinding metal could be heard in the distance as the last glimpse of light from the outside was shut off, replaced by a crimson triangle imprint.

”Hopefully, that will last.” The mage said to the group and immediately moved forward to Tobias and the others.

As the team found itself in this broad, empty chamber, preserving only silence and the still air, four other beams of light emitted from flashlights. With several shakes and cracking sounds, flares were thrown to the various distances away from the group, giving off scarlet light that glowed in the distance, barely making a dent against the massive darkness around them. Ian unstrapped his backpack and took out what looked like a circular disk with four protrusions that seemed to be made as scaffolds for sliding and protecting the disk. With a quick toss, he watched as the disk flew into the shadows like a Frisbee. A few seconds later, the sound of metal against stone could be heard, and immediately, a giant ray of white light emitted from the distance where the disk had fallen onto the ground. The beams of light spread outward, providing giant luminescence that finally lit up the entire chamber.

Looking around, Tobias noted that it looked very much like a Catholic cathedral, except the arch structures and the multiple ridges that ran through the walls provided different possible origin. He walked over to Professor Vladimir, who was busy examining an orifice that stood thirty meters away at the end of the chamber.

”Any idea what this structure is about?” He spoke to her, who responded with a frightened yelp when he placed his hand on her small shoulder.

”Ah… yes, well… from what I can find, this is supposed to be some sort of holy ground. The two gates at the entrance were engraved with ancient symbols, depicting various ancient wards used by civilizations of the old to ward off some form of evil. As for this orifice, it is actually a part of a greater altar. See here, the tablet reads in Latin, translating to the message: Enter, true faithful of the dark angel lord. Should your soul be deemed worthy in his wrathful eyes, wake you shall of the cursed one, bound in eternal slumber.” As she recited the passage to Tobias, he could feel the raw excitement within her voice. It seemed that she had found what really sparked her interests.

However, there was no time for that. As much as the man wished to find out more about the passage, sounds of grating metal and dull impact could be heard from back at the entrance. Turning his head abruptly, he watched with everyone as the crimson triangle flared brightly every time something struck the gates on the outside.

The sensation of fear quickly returned. When Tobias asked everyone to gear up with whatever weapons they brought. Ian nodded and took out an MP-5 submachine gun. The others seemed to only have 9 mm pistols. Haali however came with a double-barreled auto-reload shotgun; as for where she stored it was anyone’s guess.

They had no choice. Not knowing exactly what they were dealing with, the five humans quickly dove toward the deeper catacombs of the temple. The tablet Prof. Vladimir had read to Tobias indicated there was much more left within the inner cloister, so all that was left was to keep running down the empty and silent halls with their hand-held flashlights as the only source of luminescence. The translation indicated that something was stored within, possibly sealed. Tobias didn’t know enough about ancient lore, but somehow, he felt instinctively that despite the lack of holy faith worshipped within this temple, discovering what was hidden within could possibly hold the salvation needed to get everyone out alive.

For a long while, nothing was present in the darkness as the five people descended down sets of staircases leading further beneath. All there was were shaky beams of light, the sound of rasp, uneven breathing, sweat-covered faces, wide and dilated eyes, and the sound of running footsteps. For a while this momentum did not slow down, until finally, someone gave, and the rest stopped after.

”Hah… hah… mind… taking… a short break?” Tobias heard his colleague’s voice and stopped with him.

Ian gasped for breath, before taking out his palm pilot device and quickly pressed a few buttons. After a short few seconds where everyone recovered some of their stamina, Ian showed them what looked like a blueprint.

”Okay, I managed to trace this entire bottom level with sonic frequencies. We have two more sets of stairs before hitting the basement, which seemed to lead through a series of corridors… I don’t know how far we have to go down, but there seemed to be what looked like a giant underground chamber that reminds me of a cemetery… seriously, guys, what the hell do we do? The blueprint showed no sign of exit.” He explained in details, before taking another gulp of air.

Tobias had to agree with him. There was no source of air, and the air was still. The oxygen they breathed in was not exactly fresh, and he could tell that everyone was trying to ignore the unpleasant odor that simply could not be identified. Although among all of them, Natasha the mage seemed the most composed.

”Prof. Vladimir, you explained to me earlier about that tablet at the orifice, right? Do you think it’s possible that the chambers beneath us could hold relics of that nature?” Tobias asked immediately, gripping his pistol until sweat gathered within his palm.

”Wha- oh, y-yes. That passage probably presented a type of faith beyond our current religion, and though the words themselves seemed insidious, it is unlikely they built this citadel to house the fallen angel or the devil. As for relics… it is possible, but how can that be of use?” She replied quizzically.

”There’s only one way to find out.” Tobias said quickly before once again darting further down, with Ian providing him the map.

When the group made it to the bottom of the final staircase, what greeted them was the sound of something breaking apart with a loud bang in the distance. The lonely group of people turned around, flashlights flaring at the darkness through which they came from. Nothing could be heard except their heartbeats, unified to beat against the impending unknown. Then came a sound most animalistic, the volume so loud it reached their ears, standing many meters beneath the ground.

”Shit, we don’t have much time. Natasha, anything?” Haali asked the mage quickly, who returned with a grim visage.

”I shall do what I can, although I doubt we have much time left. Whatever Tobias is looking for, it’s best if he finds it quickly and that it be our benefit.” With a gaze sharp as steel, the lone mage took out what looked like a vial of crystal-clear liquid. Without hesitating, she drank the contents within the vial and tossed it away. A tiny spark of flames remained where the vial crashed into the ground.

With a silent and long chant, what looked like multiple trails of red, blue, and teal wrapped themselves against her body, before spreading everywhere in an explosion of light. The entire chamber was quickly lit up, and as there seemed to be areas containing torches, those recovered in flames, while what looked like hundreds of magical symbols were in place, covering every surface possible with pulsing magical energy.

Natasha quickly joined the others, as they ventured further into the catacombs, only none of them made it very far. A screech came out of nowhere, and as the ground rumbled beneath them, something that looked like a giant black scarab the size of an elephant with mandibles split into six long scythe-like incisors tore through the staircase the group had descended minutes earlier, and charged at Tobias and the others.

Sensing the immediate danger, Tobias moved his body and sprang forth, knocking aside the mage who was the closest to the monster. He barely made it in time as the scarab creature snapped its incisors at empty air, only to move, and struck at the other three.

”Wha- let go of me this instant!” The woman beneath him was surprisingly strong despite how light her body had been. Startled, he followed her request and immediately sprang back to his feet, chasing after the beetle that was charging at his friends.

A spray of gunfire struck the creature as it got too close. Ian’s MP5 unloaded round after round of bullets at it, and managed to destroy the eyes of the monster, temporarily ceasing its assault. Follow in suit, Haali’s shotgun unloaded heavy lead shells that sent the insect monster. Tobias wasted no time and shot at the head of the creature, and their effort seemed to be paying off as it retreated backward into the entrance of the chamber.

Behind Tobias, Natasha could be heard uttering something, and immediately the symbols she had placed erupted in a shower of fire and electricity, striking down the scarab where it stood. After a few seconds, the monster ceased to move, withering away into ash after being scorched and electrocuted. As the party breathed a sigh of relief, a portion of the catacomb exploded in a shower of earth as another creature that looked like a giant serpent protruded its head out of the clouds of dust. With silver scales and what looked like crimson pupils, the reptile erupted from where it broke through and struck faster than any human eye could follow.

Before anyone could realize what had happened, the sound of gunfire echoed furiously as Ian attacked the snake, who had aimed for Haali all alone. As blood froze within Tobias’ vein, he looked at the monster snake’s mouth, only to see that she was dangling by her leg, her scream of pain ripping through the chamber as the snake attempted to consume its prey while being sprayed by a storm of bullets.

”HAALI!” He found himself screaming, before dashing and firing his pistol repeatedly at the silver creature.

However, the 9 mm pistol was perpetually useless against the silver scales, and although the MP5 in Ian’s hands was somewhat effective, the snake shifted its head and struck like a sledgehammer, knocking him flying into the air, the gun lost.

Tobias, noticing where the firearm had landed, immediately took the weapon and fired at the monster. However, it shrugged off the showers of bullets like nothing and attempted to drag Haali backward into the darkness. Screaming at the top of his lungs, Tobias tried to take her outstretched hands, only to watch in despair as the monster shock its prey left and right like a ragdoll, and with a toss, snapped its jaw of dagger-like teeth and sank its giant fangs through Haali’s body like skewers through soft meat.

An explosion of crimson filled Tobias’ vision as he witnessed the horrid scene before him. The serpent’s venomous fangs impaled Haali’s flesh, and as she cried out in pain, the rest of the giant gaping jaw snapped shut upon her torso, unleashing a cascade of blood as her organs and blood vessels were punctured, ridden with holes where blood flew out as quick as the last traces of her life left her body without even trying to resist. In mere seconds, poison and heavy blood loss ended Haali’s life before Tobias’ eyes, and soon after, even her bloodstained face disappeared as the monster rolled her broken body about with its tongue and snapped it shut in a bone-crunching sound, disappearing back into the darkness with its blood-stained snout.

Left alone, the four that remained could only stay paralyzed, realizing all it took was a few seconds, and one of their own was gone, her dying screams still fresh in their ears, the blood spilled still painting their visions crimson. Dropping the MP5 that suffered a jam, Tobias collapsed on his knees in cold sweat, trying to assess the situation and stay sane.

To the surprise of everyone, Professor Vladimir was the first to break the atmosphere.

”We… must keep moving. More of them could be coming; staying here would only invite death.” She spoke in an unnervingly calm voice, before knocking Tobias back into his senses with a sharp rap on the skull.

Still recovering from that gruesome scene, he gave a limping Ian back his MP5, while recovering the shotgun that Haali had carried with her. Trying to force the flashbacks of what had happened from his mind; Tobias followed the others through a narrow corridor beyond the catacombs. Not knowing what other creatures were waiting for them, the four remain could only continue.

Behind them, distant cries and shaking earth kept their adrenaline high and their minds sharp and heightened. The narrow passageway would make it difficult for the monsters to follow, but remembering what the serpent did, it seemed very unlikely that they were safe at all within this darkly lit temple.

After what seemed like an hour of walking, the corridor finally broadened, leading them to a surprisingly drafty catacomb resembling a pentagon. Before them was a large elongated podium of some sort stretched out at the center, with twin arch raised high above resembling the two halves of an orb. All around the five walls that made up the chamber were what appeared to be paintings of unknown design from the beams of their flashlight. At the furthest edge of the room was a towering statue of an angel without his halo. He held a giant kite shield, on which inscribed more unique writings, and beneath the statue was what looked like a channel that lead from the statue to the center of the room. Upon further examination, the center of the room, next to the podium, was a giant pillar that connected the floor with the ceiling above, at least two meters wide in dimensions. On it, another engraving of the angel was seen, except it was female, and there were five iron chains wrapping tightly around the pillar, each chain ending against one facet of the room. Air flow existed within this chamber, as there seemed to be multiple slits at the upper edges of the ceiling, however, the pressure within this dark chamber was still nauseating.

”… What is this place?” Ian asked full of apprehension, his submachine gun raised and ready as he looked about the chamber with flashlight.

”I don’t know, but… Natasha, do you feel any mana here?” Tobias spoke as composed as he could to the mage who had walked straight to the pillar and was surveying it with keen interest.

”Mana flow is quite condensed… it’s the thickest in this room, with the heaviest portions concentrating on this altar and the chains that surround this pillar. Whatever is at work here, it’s beyond my understanding as my knowledge is limited. All I can say is that this entire room is brimmed with magic. It’s best not to wander and touch anything dangerous.” As she spoke, the mage quickly pulled her hands away from the chains as if they were fiery hot.

”How strange… this writing… it’s not Latin, nor Greek, nor any of the regular alphabet in any existing language. Strangely, the writings are very similar to the runic hieroglyphs that are associated with the Norse myths… that’s simply… impossible…” The expert on the ancient lore and rune-related studies keyed in her thought, and Tobias quickly walked over where she stood, next to the statue of the halo-less angel.

”Can you at least decipher it?” He asked her, somehow feeling more restless and less engulfed by fear.

”It’s similar to the Norwegian language, so I will attempt it. The text seems to tell some sort of ritualistic chant of some sort… hold on.” She replied, gazing closer at the engraved shield with her flashlight lighting it up, showing its dusty age and how time had already begun the working into the rusting metal.

”Heaven above, hell below, the sinners shall rise and pray.
Neither above nor below, only the earthly presence shall stay.
That which slept beneath the bloodstained ground,
Awaits the sole catalyst that shall represent what is to be found.

In light of the Fallen Angel, in shadow of the Benevolent Demon,
Blood shall flow, and abide the steps to the truest summon.
T’was not the holy song, nor the condemned cacophony,
That shall welcome the awakening of the crimson effigy.

Praised by the condemned sinners,
Cursed by the self-righteous prayers,
Under the ever-watchful eyes of the beyond,
Sing with them this chant and undo the accursed bond.

That which was once protected,
Shall become the protector acquitted.
O, the seals shall forever become undone,
What there was, and then there were none!

With thy blood of knowledge, cupped in hand, challenge the binds of destiny and fate.
With thy power, bound by curse, restore the balance that was lost.
Awake you shall, when time arise, the bringer of victory!”

”Uh… do you understand it?” The chant was long, but finished at least. Those haunting words filled the mind of Tobias as he tried to grasp their meaning.

”Well… I am not entirely sure, but this chamber is probably used to seal whatever this ‘bringer of victory’ within. There’s some relation to blood, probably a catalyst as mentioned in the writings, and… it’s very unorthodox… using a language of an opposing mythical world to write about the key players Heaven and Hell are… beyond that, your guess is as good as mine.” The professor said with an exhausted voice. Her hands and shoulders were shaking slightly, and Tobias knew it was possibly an aftereffect of dealing with the insane encounters earlier.

The four of them were hoping to find some sort of exit, because they knew that there was airflow, so there must be some way to exit this chamber. Unfortunately, they simply could not find anything. Checking the watch, Tobias realized that it did not work anymore, making him further irritated. Natasha was busy setting up wards all over the chamber, but she seemed to be quite fatigued as well. Ian was sitting next to Tobias, idly chatting away, and the professor simply gazed at the walls covered in paintings. There were no more tremors or any raging cries of the serpent or those scarab monsters, but the peace they seek did not last.

When Professor Vladimir had finished examining the last wall and was walking toward the others, the wall behind her shattered into pieces as a pressurized blast from the outside generated bomb-like force that knocked every one off their feet, pelting them with debris and chunks of rocks. As the dust settled, something large charged in, its figure temporarily invisible to the four of them that had not seen the light of day for so long. As Tobias and the others tried to stand to better gaze at the new adversary, he groaned at the monstrosity before him.

It looked like a bipedal reptile, except it was completely black with giant yellow orbs for eyes. It was also covered in grey lengthy spikes that covered portions of its neck, abdomen, and back, with an elongated tail that looked like a whip... except even that was alive somehow. The creature had a rather large head, but what was scary about it was that it had a jaw several times larger than its slanted head, with teeth that looked like swords. It was at least three meters tall, and had long and muscular forelimbs with long sickle-like claws. Not bothering to wait for the party’s response, it leaped into the chamber and attacked the party.

Tobias and the others responded with pistol, shotgun, and machinegun fire. Natasha also summoned what looked like searing bursts of flames at the monster, but all it did was grunting in a loud screeching sound that threatened to tear apart Tobias’ eardrum, before moving again to snap its ridiculously deadly jaws at them. As they desperately seek survival, the monster battered against the pillar more than once, forcing the chains to shake, but not a sigh of wear or tear was even on it.

Sending another wave of attacks at the monster, but sadly ineffective while losing ammo fast, the three with firearms were forced to separate from the spell caster. Natasha ran a distance away from the other group, stopping at the angel statue at the edge, and as she summoned a magic circle, crimson, blue, and emerald symbols were once again erected all around her. However, whatever she had planned for was short-lived as the monster went for the easier prey in a blinding sprint. Slamming the mage onto the ground with a swift strike with its whip-like tail, the monster landed with its claws pressing onto the helpless mage. She sent another wave of flames and lightning at its head, but that did not stop it from finishing its business. The reptile descended with its giant jaws and gnashing teeth, sinking into her soft, unprotected flesh slowly, as if tasting her dying screams and drinking in her overflowing blood, before snapping its jaws shut, ending her scream with a final gurgle of crimson. Its blade-like teeth penetrated her flesh, severing her tendons and sinew, snapping apart blood vessels and puncturing the meaty organs, skewering her innards and ripping apart her dying heart, making no effort to distinguish between meat and the bones that stood in its way.

As it began feasting, consuming first the organs and flesh from Natasha’s torso before moving on to the crunchier head, scattering crimson residues and white fragments everywhere, the monster did not even bother with the three others. When Tobias and the remaining two tried to escape from the opening, they understood woefully why it didn’t attack them. Another one of its kind came through the opening as well, and guns once again had no effect against its impenetrable carapace.

A wave of dread struck the three, and Tobias knew with despair that none of them would make it out alive. They were out of ammo, and as if knowing this, the second monster observed with glee on its food, taking its time on the three helpless, juicy, living humans cowering in fear.

None of them noticed crimson blood flowing down the channel toward the center of the room. None of them noticed the decaying chains that held the pillar in place. None of them noticed that the angel statue, tainted in Natasha’s blood, gained a halo of light. Of course, none of them noticed that the archway and podium crumbled to pieces, until...

The walls of the room broke apart, as the metallic chains that wound about the pillar contracted and pulled them apart. In seconds, the sound of chains grating against each other and the solid rocks came from the pillar, and what followed was beyond astonishment as Tobias and his two remaining companions watched.

The foundation of the pillar cracked, rumbled, and slowly but surely, broke apart. Noticing this strange event, the two creatures stopped what they were doing, as if also waiting. A few seconds later, the pillar along with the chains fell onto the ground, cracked open like crumbling clay, before a pale, almost ghostly-white hand stretched outward as if reaching for the heavens. Then came an arm, and came… a human head, with earth within that tangled mess of long black hair. Before he realized it, Tobias was staring at the naked figure that stood up from the broken pillar she was sealed in, chains coiling around her chest, thin waist, and slender arms.

After what felt like an eternity, with Ian swearing beneath his breath and Professor Vladimir’s repetition of the word ‘impossible’, Tobias watched, mesmerized at the girl as she turned to look at them, completely ignoring the monsters only feet away. Her face, though smudged in dirt, still possessed a hidden beauty within. Her emerald eyes were expressionless, yet at the same time limitless in their depths. As their eyes met, a small smile hovered from the girl’s pale lips.

”You’ve awaken the guardians… I should thank you...” Those were the first words Tobias heard from the girl, not knowing then that he had stumbled upon a discovery that will impact the world like a silent approaching tempest.

--

Author’s Comments: Uh… yeah, apologize for the long update. Was busy with exams and working on my first story… so yes, an update a little over a month, ahahahaha… yeah. Ahem, anyway, this chapter is much longer than I intended, but couldn’t help it. There were just so much that must be written in order to reach the necessary conclusion at the end of the chapter. This one focuses on the unceremonious meeting between Tobias and Veronica three years prior to the story. As for the lore, the sealed pillars with the chains, etc, well… still no clue if she’s human or not, right? Ahaha… you’ll eventually find out. I’ll just have to keep writing, when I have the time that is (laugh) and yes, not too much blood and gore in this chapter, but thank you to those that had been reading/start to read. Any comments or criticisms please send my way. I am still fairly new at this (laugh)