Valkeryn 2: The Dark Lands

by Beck, Greig

  The Deltas spun to where Weng had been sitting and controlling the mini propulsion unit. He wasn’t there anymore. The back of the small craft was wet, but there was also a glistening substance coating the sides of the boat.

  Simms threw himself into the seat, and grabbed the controls, guiding them smoothly away from the walls. After another few seconds, he lifted his hand and looked at it. ‘Yech.’ It was coated in slime. He brought the gloved fingers close to his nose.

  ‘Holy crap, this stuff stinks – like fish and something else; bleach maybe.’

  Arn pointed. ‘No, not bleach… ammonia. Cephalopods are full of it.’

  ‘Cephalo-what?’ Sharp, like Teacher, had her handgun out, held in both hands and pointed at the dark water.

  Arn looked out over the smooth surface. ‘Squid, octopus, cuttlefish – keep your eyes on the water.’

  ‘Couldn’t look away if I wanted to.’ Brown also decided to save his rifle’s last ammunition, and drew his Beretta M9 handgun.

  ‘Weng… Weng!’ Teacher held up his light, flicking it back and forth over the water until a lump appeared on the surface. ‘Over there…’

  The lump grew, round and almost colorless, and many times larger than a human head or even a body. It rolled slightly, and then a single eye as round as a dinner plate regarded the boat for a few seconds before the mass slid back beneath the inky water.

  Brown sat down. ‘Jesus Christ – Simms, put the peddle to the floor and get us the hell out of here.’

  The boat kicked as Simms began to accelerate, but then immediately slowed as though caught in a net.

  ‘It’s underneath us!’ Teacher pointed his handgun, but then looked from it to Arn. He tossed the weapon to him. ‘Use it.’

  The boat lifted, and Teacher grabbed the gunwale. ‘Get ready to repel anything that tries to come on board.’ He stood, legs planted wide and made fists. Blades sprung from both hands.

  Immediately, the eye watering stench enveloped them. Arn pushed Grimson down onto the bottom of the boat and lifted the gun. The Beretta felt both alien and familiar, and he mentally thanked his grandfather for teaching him how to use a firearm when growing up.

  There came the sound of falling water from the darkness behind the boat, and immediately they swung their lights swung around to reveal a monstrous blob lifting itself from the water. Tentacle limbs rose to writhe, coiling over each other.

  Arn could see that the creature was basically man-shaped, but suckered tentacles bloomed from its shoulders and torso. It was like an octopus, but as wide as the boat, with the beaked mouth positioned at the front between two enormous lidless eyes.

  Trunk-like appendages, many more than eight, moved constantly, and just below the water, Arn could make out the lifeless body of Weng, strangely soft looking as though he had been brutally pulped in the slime-glistening arms.

  ‘Fire.’

  The thing reached out ignoring the tiny stings of the bullets, until Brown dropped his handgun and brought up his rifle, discharging the last of his armor-piercing high-caliber bullets into one of the eyes. The huge orb ruptured and there came an eerie high-pitched squeal, before the thing dived deep.

  Brown dropped a grenade in after it, and then ducked down. ‘Fire in the hole.’

  The surface erupted as the powerful explosive detonated. The black water showed traces of a green-blue stain and huge blobs of grey flesh came up to bump at the side of the boat. Thankfully there were no traces of Weng in the mess.

  Water drops fell for a few more seconds, and then silence returned as they all stared into the dark depths. But then, away in the blackness the sound of water being pushed aside, from behind them… then one side, and then the other. Either more of the same creatures were approaching, or something else, some other dark-adapted hunter, was attracted by the blood.

  Teacher roared. ‘Let’s move it.’

  Simms accelerated once again, gritting his teeth as though willing his own muscles into the propulsion engine, and taking them away from the thrashing water behind them while doing his best not to careen into the dank walls of the narrowing cave.

  After many minutes, the cavern opened slightly, but Teacher urged them on, possibly guessing that slowing allowed the denizens of the dark to catch up to them.

  The group’s muscles remained tensed as the small boat flew forward, until Grimson sat up and inhaled. ‘Earth, plants… we will soon be out.’

  In another fifteen minutes, Teacher waved his hand to lower the speed. There was light showing ahead. Soon, the water shallowed to only a few feet deep, and they came to a small opening in the stone, covered over with plants, creating a barrier and effectively hiding them from outside.

  The water shallowed and occasionally the boat bumped on the mossy stream bottom. Simms eased them up close to the latticework of branches and vines, and together they all luxuriated in the sunshine streaming through.

  ‘Haven’t felt this good for a while.’ Sharp lay forward letting the sun bathe her face.

  Brown did the same, closing his eyes and inhaling. ‘You got that right, Sharpie.’

  Brown reached over and softly punched her thigh. She put her hand on top of his.

  They stretched out and rested for a few minutes tied to the branch cage. Teacher peered out to check the countryside. He sat and turned, leaning back and letting the sun warm his neck.

  ‘Arn and Grimson, this is your side of the landscape. What’s best… stay in the boat, or continue on foot?’

  Grimson looked over the side. ‘The waters should be safe from here… at least from below. But there will be a lot of Lygon about. They tend to be more active at night, so for now, we will be fine. This river should take us closer to Valkeryn.’

  ‘Then the river it is.’ Teacher started to cut an opening in the lattice of hanging branches. He paused, turned and looked back into the dark cave. His face was like stone.

  ‘Lieutenants Benjamin Weng and Alfred C. Doonie – I thank you, sirs.’ He saluted, and the Deltas all did the same.

  In another moment Simms powered the boat out and into the sunshine.

  *

  It took all of them to drag the boat up and into some tall reeds. Being on dry land was a relief after being trapped in the small vessel in the inky blackness. The team had moved at a steady pace for several hours, and had only once needed to dive into the foliage, covering themselves with leaves and twigs as a sizeable force of Panterran and Lygon, numbering in the many hundreds, had moved by them.

  Just the Delta’s eyes peeked out from beneath their carpet of mud and bush. Grimson needed to be buried deeper so the familiar scent of Wolfen hadn’t attracted attention.

  Teacher had counted them as they passed, taking note of their armaments. He spoke softly to Sharp beside him, just breathing out the words.

  ‘Headed due west. Only one thing out there I can think of.’

  Sharp grunted softly. ‘The gateway. Let’s hope Henson managed to get reinforcements, or there’s a huge party gatecrash about to happen.’

  Teacher grunted. ‘Yep. Let’s just hope we don’t have to fight our way through them to get home.’

  Sharp grinned. ‘That’d be after we defeat the army that’s here first, right?’

  It took several hours for the monstrous beings to pass by, the day turning to afternoon, and then to late afternoon. After the last Lygon had thumped down along the trail Grimson nudged Arn.

  ‘We must get to the castle quickly. The Lygon see even better than Wolfen in the dark.’

  Teacher sat up, and then stood staring after the Lygon. Grimson came and stood beside him, his ears moving slowly. Teacher looked across to him. ‘Are they gone?’

  The Wolfen nodded. ‘We are safe… for now.’

  The rest of the team got to their feet, shaking debr
is from their bodies. There was no time to hunt, so protein sticks and water was their meal on the run. Grimson relished the dry and rigid meat-like substance, and even managed to talk Arn into giving away some of his own.

  In a line they jogged, the Deltas lattice mesh suits dappling in the last rays of the afternoon sunlight.

  Chapter 34

  Miles of Empty Beach

  Henson had greeted the new Delta soldiers and put them straight to work digging in on the small mountain slope. They knew they’d be monstrously outnumbered, but they didn’t care. They had the high ground, the expertise, the ammunition, and a determination that the Lygon and Panterran would be stopped here – end of story.

  Each man and woman had thousands of rounds, and there were rocket launchers, grenades and numerous other death-dealing goodies.

  Henson sat down with his back against a bleached piece of stone, and used his field glasses to scan the wasteland – flat and still bright as the late afternoon sun sunk in the west.

  Bannock dropped down beside him. ‘Anything?’

  Henson lowered the glasses. ‘Nope, just miles and miles of empty beach.’

  Bannock took the glasses. ‘I’m bettin’ they come at us in the dark.’

  ‘Yep, I would if I was them. Especially as they see better in the dark than we do.’ He turned. ‘Get a few of the guys down there and let’s leave them some fireworks to make things a little brighter for our guests.’

  Bannock grinned. ‘I got just the thing.’

  *

  Grimson led them through gorges, up hills and over escarpments, each of them having to swing under and over heavy boughs of trees and work to keep their balance as they pushed themselves to keep up. At a narrow rift in a hillside, the Wolfen stopped.

  ‘There is a secret entrance to the castle here. It will lead us in and behind the walls of Valkeryn. I must go alone, as the Panterran have acute hearing and will surely hear us if we all enter.’

  Teacher waved his hand. ‘Not happening. We need that diamond, and we need it now. If you disappear, we’re done for. We are too few to be able to breach the castle walls; we’d spend days being nothing more than an annoyance.’

  Grimson seemed to think for a moment. ‘Then I will take Arnoddr, alone.’

  Teacher shook his head. ‘Still no.’ He turned to Arn. ‘Sorry Arn, I trust you, but this is too important. You know what’s at stake.’

  Grimson folded his arms and looked away. His jaw was set hard.

  Arn just shrugged, and Teacher rubbed his forehead. ‘Last offer, you take me as well. Simms, Brown and Sharp, will create a diversion at the walls. That should draw them away, or at least make enough noise so we mice can scurry in unannounced.’

  ‘Mice?’ Grimson raised his eyebrows.

  Arn held his thumb and forefinger a few inches apart. ‘Little animals.’

  The youth nodded. ‘Mice… yes.’ His turned away for a moment, but then spun back. ‘Three mice it is.’

  Sharp guffawed and punched Simms in the arm. ‘We get to do a frontal assault on a castle… with an entire army inside… on things twice as big and ugly as us. This is gonna be so cool.’

  Grimson put his hand on her arm. ‘You will not be alone, or cold. Sorenson will be here soon. The moon will be high and he will come… I know he will come. And with him will be the Far Wolfen. You should wait for him.’

  She smiled. ‘He will certainly be welcome.’

  Teacher looked at his watch. ‘Time to get moving; we should get into place, and see if we can at least locate the diamond.’

  ‘Diamonds.’ Grim pulled a face. ‘Hard stones for a crown and nothing more; I care not for diamonds.’

  ‘I know, but we need it. And we also need to rescue our friends. Deal?’ Arn asked.

  ‘And kill Mogahrr? Deal?’ Grimson’s eyes blazed.

  Teacher sucked in a deep breath, filling his lungs, and then exhaled slowly. ‘Sure. Let’s go.’

  Grimson turned and started off. Arn followed.

  Teacher turned to his three remaining Deltas. He handed over all his remaining ammunition and then walked along in front of them punching fists as he went. ‘Give me two hours, and then raise hell. Remember, if we don’t make it, there will be no home to go back to.’ Into each of their hands he dropped a Morph Steel capsule. He grinned.

  ‘Tastes like steel-covered crap, but packs a punch.’

  Simms held it up between thumb and forefinger, and then shrugged. ‘Down the hatch.’ He tossed it into his mouth and dry swallowed. Sharp swallowed hers with a gulp of water, and immediately flexed her fingers, watching her hand.

  Teacher’s smiled grimly, but his face grew dark. ‘No prisoners, no quarter given. Fight or die.’

  The Deltas responded. ‘Fight or die. HUA!’

  *

  Teacher had finally managed to persuade Arn to don his CL-Suit, and also given him his morph steel capsule. After taking it, he spent a few minutes testing it by making long steel claws extend from the ends of each finger.

  Grimson edged in between a couple of boulders, pushing a hanging curtain of vines from his path, to revel a dark opening in the rocks. ‘This will take us all the way under the castle, and into the secret passages within the walls. We will be able to see and hear everything.’ He stared hard at Teacher. ‘But be warned – Man-kind have a distinct smell, and you are noisy. If the Panterran or Lygon hear us, they will pull us from the walls, just like… mice.’

  He turned to Arn. ‘This is an old entrance, rarely used. It is dangerous and it will first take us deep. We must be careful.’ He disappeared into the darkness.

  Arn and Teacher had to race to keep up with the Wolfen. Teacher switched on his forehead light and also held a flashlight in his hand. Arn just had a flashlight, and followed close behind the darting youth. Sometimes the walls closed to little more than a few inches, and both Arn and Teacher had to edge sideways, both grate the CL suits ensured they didn’t lose too much skin.

  After what seemed like hours of continually heading down on a steep descent, they reached a large open space where the lights refused to illuminate anything above or below them.

  Grimson stood at the edge of a platform of stone, its edge falling away into darkness. Arn came up beside him and looked over the edge.

  ‘How deep does it go?’

  Grim continued to stare into the pit. ‘No one knows. Some say it goes to the very heart of our world.’ He looked back at Arn, his face carrying a hint of fear. ‘Perhaps to Hellheim itself.’

  He pointed across to the other side of the abyss, where another tunnel stood yawning open. ‘We need to get over there. There was once a bridge here, long before even old Vidarr was born. But it is long gone. Now we must use the ledge.’ He pointed to a few inches of stone lining the edge of the pit.

  ‘Great.’ Teacher looked down at his size twelve boots.

  Arn pointed at his own large feet, now wrapped in the CL-suit. ‘Best we don’t look down, huh?’ He grinned.

  Teacher looked over the edge. ‘Nothing to see anyway.’

  Together they edged slowly out. Even Grimson had to concentrate, taking one small step at a time. When they were half way across, Arn looked down, frowning.

  ‘You hear that?’

  ‘No.’ Teacher looked one way, then the other.

  ‘I can.’ Grimson’s ears moved as he stared hard into the darkness. ‘We must keep moving – faster.’

  ‘I still can’t hear a goddam thing. How can you?’ Teacher turned from Arn and slid a hand carefully into a pouch on the CL suit and eased out a glow stick. He bent it in half, and then let it drop. It fell and fell…. and fell. As it descended, it cast a green glow on the walls of the huge pit and illuminated what looked like large, colorless fruit on the walls. The angle made it difficult to
work out whether they were something growing from the rock… or something climbing up to meet them.

  When the small dot of light had completely vanished, Teacher finally heard what Arn and Grimson had heard – giggling.

  Arn leaned his head back. ‘It’s getting louder… they’re coming up.’

  Teacher nudged him. ‘Well move; I do not want to be on this ledge if we are about to be visited by something from Grimson’s version of hell.’

  Arn started to shift sideways quicker and quicker. Teacher only had his heels balanced on the small shelf of stone, keeping pace until the wall crumbled beneath one of his boots. He went down, but as fast as he thought about it his fist sprang a metal spike, which he jammed, into the wall. He swung back up to the ledge, the spike retracting smoothly back into his flesh.

  Grimson leapt up onto the opposite platform, and looked back over the edge. ‘Quickly, quickly.’

  Arn leapt across, and Teacher came next, looking back briefly, but then racing into the new tunnel after Grimson and Arn.

  ‘What the hell were those things?’

  Arn shook his head. ‘Not sure, but I’ve heard them before. They seem to live in the emptiest and darkest places on the planet… and I for one do not want to meet them.’

  Teacher grunted. ‘Makes two of us.’

  ‘Three.’ Grimson called over his shoulder.

  The climb took another hour, and many times, Teacher would swing around in the dark, sure that something was so close behind him he could feel slimy fingers, or claws, or tentacles on his neck.

  The going was arduous, and they had to scale tumbled boulders using only their fingers and toes. It was a relief when the rock and slimy walls gave way to a set of ancient, moss-covered steps.