Day 55

I love this room, it is so relaxing. The Tidepool Room. Salt spray and soft sand. Rocky outcrops with deep hollows filled with sea-water and more importantly; sea-food. Crabs, shellfish, fish, all trapped in there.

The monsters are also nice. Oh, there you are.

A scallop as big as my head leaps from the water, snapping a razor edged shell on me. It shut on my hand, since I covered my face. Ha. Caught. My other hand clutches at the edge, since it is jammed open by my arm bones. I rip the shell open, exposing the creature's flesh. Mmm, so nice grilled or boiled. Good thing I don't bleed, or this would be ruined.

An added bonus of having a grinding gear for a heart, I can use the friction to light sticks on fire by bringing them into contact with my core at full speed.

The Siamese comes over with a handful of fish looking pleased. I show her mine. She looks hungry.

With a small fire made from driftwood (how it got here I have no clue) already going we share it between us and give a few burning branches away for the others to use to make fires of their own. Niala's distracted, catching fish for our resident cat girl. I can't complain since it leaves me with the company of a very nubile cat woman.

“Good. Tastes good.” [Siamese]

“Yes, it is nice to have good food. Third time I've eaten this kind of thing here.” [Rick]

She is stretched out on the sand with a leisurely pose. We have a few eyes on watch, and everyone apparently has sharp senses, so now is the time to relax. I'm propped up against a rock.

“Tell me: that thing you wear, armor?” [Siamese]

Oh, the metal chest?

“No. It is me.” [Rick]

“That cannot be.” She replied, looking up at me, pale blue eyes showing surprise. She is crawling over here on hands and knees...

Her clothes are ragged leather, something like a short dress. It is ripped in places and stained, but the gaps are alluring, displaying toned abs and modest cleavage. Get a grip, don't let your fantasies run wild again, ratboy.

She strokes my chest, trying to find the gap between it and flesh, but sadly there is none. She does however find the hole where my heart should be.

“Don't.” I catch her hand as she tries to explore this gap. “You will be hurt if you do that.”

“How did you get like this?!” She asks, eyes wide with deep curiosity.

“A skill. I was dying, a spike through my body. I made the spike fill the loss. It made me stronger, tougher but less than I was.” [Rick] “I am on the verge of something. This body, it is only a step. Whether the end leads to Heaven or Hell I have no clue. Only power.” [Rick]

“Heav'en? Hel? What are these?” [Siamese]

Ha. Terms from Earth...

“An ideal. The best of places is Heaven, the worst of places is Hell. To travel there is to live an experience that is better or worse than any you knew before.” [Rick] “Or to die, because death is supposed to lead to those two places. However I know better. It just leads to more of the same shit.”

“You fear this change will make your life the worst?” [Siamese]

“No, I fear this change will make me a monster that makes the lives of others the worst.” [Rick]

“I understand. But know that monsters are not born. They come from nothing. You will even at your worst be only yourself.” [Siamese]

“What? Monsters just appear? From the air?!” [Rick] “Like the items? The food?”

“Yes. I have seen it. They grow from the rock up in the 'death' zones.” [Siamese]

“Really? You entered one?!” [Rick excited]

“No, a child did. He died choking on the second step. But I could see from the corridor, as I followed.” [Siamese] “We were running from the slavers. They found me there, trapped.”

“They are dead now.” [Rick]

“Yes, but I am not. I cannot forget the terror. But since they no longer breathe I can at least live again. If I had gotten free, I would have killed the ones I hate. Your sister, I owe her for that. She ended them for me. I saw them, gaping like a speared fish. Whatever she asks, I shall do with thanks.” [Siamese]

“Is that why you trusted us?” [Rick]

“Yes, to doubt a savior is the height of dishonor.” [Siamese]

“The weapons you took, I made those.” [Rick] “It is my skill.”

“Why are you telling me this?” [Siamese]

“I did not know if I could trust you, I do now. My skill is dangerous. It can make a great many things. From the best ingredients, weapons that would rival the artifacts scattered through the rooms.” [Rick] “From the worst, things better than the sum of their parts.”

“My skill. It is future-sight.” [Siamese] “When I touch a thing or person I see glimpses of what they will know in time.”

Well, damn. Something like that exists here too? Precognition?

“You saw something when you touched me, didn't you?” [Rick]

“A you who was not you. A blazing, all-consuming fire. Things which watch us, make us, bleed us but do not understand us. Death.” [Siamese]

...I see. Well, considering my own skill I can't deny her skill is possible. Her words are cryptic as hell though. Well, none of them are concrete yet. Lets just let it play out. Perhaps it will be useful? Have her test fortifications every day? See when gathering is dangerous by touching foragers before they leave? Keep a diary and have her read out prominent entries in advance? No probably can't read.

A you who is not you... she saw my previous incarnation?! She sees the past of an object too? That could also be useful. Death is very vague though. I have seen too much of it.

For the first time since we were reunited Niala decides not to sleep beside me. I don't bother pretending to sleep now. I spend the night on watch or catching fish and baking them on rocks over the fire. They will make a good breakfast. Since there is no set day or night, aside from the forest room with it's transparent roof we rely on our biological clocks. It is surprisingly accurate as long as you aren't tired. Like how you can sometimes wake up just before an alarm clock sounds to stop it. Or was that just me?

Day 56

I got a lot of smiles from the whole set of felines for my fishy surprise. Niala had also managed to collect quite a haul of better quality food. It seems monster meat is always 'good' quality, which explains the snapping turtle steaks and grilled scallop tasting so nice. Something I must take advantage of.

There are only three rooms between us and our home base. The path is treacherous and for the first time we walk into trouble. There is something in the corridor. A person. A human.

I'm quite shocked by this. No differences, this man in loose robes is pure human. Not even Morlock-like. I can't help myself, I walk closer. He's talking to himself and looking down the tunnel in the other direction.

“Do not!” [Siamese]

She's frightened. Well, a stranger is obviously dangerous out here.

This guy though, looks like a bookworm. He's entirely too thin to have any real strength. How did he end up here? Is there a caravan nearby? Did he get separated from his own people and lost? Hmm, he's bigger than I gave him credit for though. Twice my height? No a little less. So we're all midgets, huh? Well the size of things down here varies, perhaps he's a giant among his people.

“Hello?” [Rick]

The looks very scared. He turns and cowering looking towards me.

This feels off, somehow.

I try again in ape and feline to greet him. Nothing.

I ask again, one last time in English.

“Oh thank God! Someone who speaks English!” [Tall Man]

“I can't believe my ears. You really do speak English?” [Rick] “How can that be? This place certainly isn't Earth.”

“I'm as confused as you. Where are you? Come closer so I can see you, the dark here is so deep I can barely see my hand in front of my face!” [Tall Man]

Of course. He's human. He doesn't have the kind of nightvision living down here requires. Transported by a strange artifact, skill or room, perhaps?

“I'm not human.” [Rick]

“Oh God I'm in Hell aren't I?! I knew it as soon as I felt the fire and saw the demons and darkness!”

[Tall Man]

“It isn't that bad. Calm down. Things aren't like that.” [Rick]

I walk closer and reach out to touch him.

You know, he looks very familiar.

“Don't get closer!” [Siamese shouting]

Where do I know you from?

The eyes.

Yes, they look a bit like mine used to.

But the features aren't me.

I catch hold of his wrist.

Ah, I remember now.

My brother had eyes like mine too. His face however looked a lot like this one, only he never looked like a man, because he was murdered at age seven...

“Brother... is that you?” [Rick] “Michael... you were dead... were you reincarnated too?”

The touch felt wrong somehow.

I looked down, the arm I held was not flesh. Had never been flesh. It was something... hard.

It's cutting me. The skin of this person who looks like my brother is tearing my hand apart.

I close my eyes. This is a monster isn't it? Using some kind of hypnotic attack to make me confused and vulnerable.

I'm only talking to myself, aren't I? This thing no more speaks English than a stone.

Yes. My brother is dead. That body is not my brother. If he were to reincarnate it would not be like that. He would look different, like me. I'm seeing my heart's desire, my brother alive and grown.

Unforgivable.

Utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, UNFORGIVABLE!!!!!!!!

I grab the sword-breaker from my belt and smash it down on the arm I hold. With my eyes screwed shut.

The flesh cracks and I hear snaps and a twisting whine. I hurt it. Good.

I take a quick look at my right hand, where I was being hurt. My little and ring fingers are gone, the thumb mangled. I think it was eating me. I shut my eyes again.

Raaaagh!

I slam the metal bludgeon down on the tall figure again and again, sensing it by the foul scent I finally noticed and the sound of movements. It crumples and stays down.

This is an act too, isn't it. You're playing possum.

You make me think I killed you, you get away. Right? Not used to finding prey you can't chew to pieces in moments, eh?

I stab the weapon down, aiming for center mass, with my body weight behind it.

The creature was indeed not dead, as it howled it's head off at the wound.

There your head is. I ram my injured fist down it's gullet, smashing fangs and then piercing flesh with iron claws I rip into soft inner parts. Hmmm, I think I clawed all the way through to the backbone. It isn't moving any more.

I crack my eyelid and peer at the fiend.

Ugh. Ugly as sin. A circular mouth ringed by fangs. A thick, black, segmented carapace. Huge eyes, like a mantis. An invertebrate? Huh, must have clawed all the way through to the back armor plates then.

What the hell is this thing?!

“A Nameless Stranger...” [Siamese] “To think such a horror was beaten down. Are you injured?”

“A little, but nothing that can't be fixed. Wow. That thing almost got me. I was completely fooled for a moment.” [Rick] “I hope there aren't more.”

“No. These beasts are always alone.” [Siamese] “Or, so I have heard. Few survive the meeting.”

“Yeah, I can see why.” [Rick]

What we learned this chapter:

A monster that hunts through hypnosis is not likely to need brute strength.

Cats like fish... Duh.

Gantz got sick of humans and moved on to monsters?