Chapter 9 Leaving the Museum

I held still, listening to the sounds that were coming from the corridor ahead. I was going in the opposite direction I had gone before. It was the closest way to get to the exit. The passageway curved into a huge arc on my right side, this museum was nothing but curves and alcoves.

I was entering an area that had held several fossilized dinosaur bones, Bill had given me a heads up on the layout of the floor plan. What we did not know was how the magic had changed things. It could be anything from living bones to reanimated in the flesh Dinosaurs to ghostly apparitions. There was just no way to know how the magic had changed things.

I continued on, moving one step at a time, taking my time being silent as I walked. I could now see past the curve in the darkness and honestly was not surprised at what I saw. On a small pedestal was the skeletal remains of a Triceratops and it was alive. We spotted each other at the same time and judging from the reddish glow in the empty eye sockets of the beast if it had a body I would be dead. It could only open and close its beak in frustration as I edged past it.

I could smell salt water as I continued around the curve. On the left side was a diorama of land emerging from a great inland sea. In front of me was a shimmering curtain of sea water, I could look up at an angle and judged the surface to be about 10 meters above. There were some pretty large fish swimming in my view but what concerned me was the fact that two Terminonaris robusta, creatures about 6 meters long were swimming in the distance. Bill had informed me that they were like Crocodiles with a tremendous bite and a burst attack.

I had to swim about 40 feet underwater to make it through this section of the museum which was a sea diorama from about 80 million years ago. My only chance was to activate Divine Grace which would give me three minutes to make it across and exit the diorama. Taking the time to secure my weapons in my pack after wrapping them to keep them as dry as possible I stepped into the diorama and was instantly in warm sea water.

I began to swim towards the other side, the weight of my pack giving me neutral buoyancy. I had made it about one-third of the way there when I noticed I was getting some attention. Activating Divine Grace, I continued to swim while keeping an eye out on the 3-minute timer that had appeared. The diorama actually had a current within it and the swimming was hard going. Several fish swam up to me but lost interest as soon as they came within ten feet.

I was within 2 meters of the other side and swimming quite close to the Terminonaris robusta. They both circled me with a lazy flick of their fins, they seemed curious about the strange creature in their kingdom. I finally made it through the curtain of sea water at the far side and sprawled on the floor. I stood up and squished my way around the curve of the wall. I wanted to be out of sight from the creatures, they could easily stick their heads several feet out and grab me and pull me back into the sea.

Once I made it to what I thought was a safe place I stood still and took stock of the situation. I was in an area that held many little displays, they all seemed to be quiet so I stripped off my wet clothing and wrung it out, then grabbed a change from my pack and dressed. My weapons had gotten a little wet so I took the time to make sure they were dry. At the same time, I went through my ammo and began to cast Double Damage and Sure shot. I alternated on the rounds and then reloaded. Taking my time, I continued to cast the spells on all my ammo only stopping when my mana emptied. I could see that once through this area I had some steps on my right side that led up to the surface.

Walking slowly, I made my way to the stairs and then climbed up once my head was above the surface I stopped and listened. I could hear the sounds of guttural chanting and then a scream which was suddenly cut off. Straight ahead was a place to hang outside clothing and then off to the left was a small passage and that is where the chanting was coming from. I stood up and slowly made my way past the old gift store still locked tight after over twenty years. I had an exit on both my left and right sides but I wanted to see what was happening.

Drifting like a shadow I crossed the room and then peered around the corner, there was a diorama with a T-Rex and he was busy eating the remains of a BeastMan.

There was a small group of other BeastMen they had one other individual tied up. They began to chant again and then they tossed the poor bastard over the rail to land under the T-Rex. With a lunge, he opened his jaws and bit down on the victim ripping him in half and showering the others with blood and gore. They all began to bend down and prostrate themselves before the guardrail.

Guess these animals had themselves a God, and as much as I was tempted to take them out I knew that it would not end well with me. Too many of them and if the T-Rex hopped the rail and left his diorama I would be finished. Sighing to myself I backed up and then exited on the right side, stepping out into the cool winter air. A veritable forest had grown over the years and I made my way into the tree line and quickly faded from view.

Once I was among the plants I began to feel my mana increase it was not a spell but rather an autonomous action as I siphoned off mana from the living plants. Within minutes I was topped up and as the weak sun shone down I felt invigorated, I was also being filled with energy from the weak winter sunlight. That Treant DNA was doing its thing.

I moved with caution but at a good pace through the trees, finding a path where there was none a moment before. This must be what Okar had meant about the earth being gentle with me. Indeed, I felt something, a connection with the earth and with all the living thing that relied on it for sustenance. I soon arrived at College Ave and decided to stay within the tree line until I hit Scarth street at which point I would head north for a few blocks. This would put me at Victoria Park, only a few blocks from the Casino.

It was not the fastest way there but I knew that Beastmen had taken over a few of the towers that were on the more direct route. The city was empty of sound but the wind which never really stops blowing here. I crossed College ave and made my way north towards 14th Ave. Almost all of the houses and apartment buildings were in ruins, with a few of the high-rises now changed into 5 story tall towers. No one really knew what was in them but I suspected that they were the abode of Lichs and the Undead.

In the time of B.C., the buildings were senior’s complexes and mature living facilities and most of the people who lived in them had not escaped, hell most of the people had no other place to go. The world had been a cruel place back then with people abandoning their family as they aged, they were left alone in their own small apartments where they suffered from isolation and loneliness or they were put into nursing homes where they were treated with a lack of respect and dignity. It was a terrible thing, I thought as I made my way past several of the towers.

As I crossed 13th Ave, I noted a plume of smoke it was coming from my left side, there had been a parking lot there and now it was wooded, with shrubs and trees. I drifted over and into the trees, feeling somewhat safer and out of sight. Most of the trees were leafless yet I knew that they were still somehow hiding me, blocking the view of anyone looking at me.

Making my way to the center of the former parking lot I found that the middle area held a small clearing. There was a small hut constructed out of wood and mud and it had a chimney that was releasing puffs of dark smoke. Clearly, someone was home and had a fire going. I was curious about who lived here and noted a small window in the side of the hut. It had been salvaged from a house long ago.

Making my way to the window I glanced in and observed what looked like a heavily bundled figure tending a fire with something cooking on it. I ducked my head down and thought for a moment. I was curious about this and decided to see who or what was inside the cabin.

Walking to the door I opened it and stepped inside, my Henry at the ready. The figure turned around and I could see that it was a woman, perhaps 45 or 50. She stopped and stared at me and then sat down on a stool. Tears began to form in her eyes and she started to cry.

I closed the door while keeping my eyes on her and then asked, “Hey, are you alright, why are you crying?”

We stared at each other and then she spoke, “I am crying because Mary had told me that you were coming and I had doubted her, she told me that you would help me and that I could trust you.”

I felt a tingle on my neck when she said Mary but I had to know for certain, so I asked her, “Do you mean Mary the mother of Jesus, who lives at the cathedral on 13th ave?” Seeing her nod I walked over to the little table and sat down, then turning to the woman I said, “Let's start at the beginning. Why did Mary tell you I would help and who are you and why are you living here in the middle of Regina and not out in one of the settlements?”

The lady looked at me and then smiled and said let me make us some tea and I will explain it all. She stood up and quickly filled a water jug from a barrel in the corner of the room. Then using it to fill a battered teapot she added some loose tea and placed it on a shelf over the open fire.

Sitting down she then said, “My name is Brenda and I live here, I used to live at the YWCA a few blocks over before the change. I was pretty messed up, I had just found out I was pregnant and had been living on the street before I got a room there.

When the change happened, I felt somehow drawn to come here every day, and soon the BeastMen began to come also. They built me this place and began to supply me with food and firewood. I somehow knew that when one was sick or hurt I could touch them and they would be healed.”

I nodded, I had heard that it was possible for healers to randomly heal people without choosing a healing class but that was pretty damn rare and I had never heard of anyone healing BeastMen.

“Please continue,” I said.

“I soon had my baby, and we lived here in peace for years, my daughter was my helper and indeed she had even more healing ability than I, then about a week ago a group of BeastMen, one I did not know showed up here. They pushed me aside and took my daughter, I overheard them talk about returning to the Casino, that is where they were camped. Please find my daughter and return her to me, I had prayed to Mary and she told me you would help.”

Suddenly a notification popped up and I read,

Quest, Save the girl and return her to her mother, rewards, XP and one item that is freely given to you by the healer.

I accepted it as the woman handed me a cup of tea and then I asked: “What is your daughter’s name?”

“Her name is Joy,” the woman replied, “And I am Samantha.”