Neckbeard Vampire: Nightbeard Rising
Page 37
Chapter 22
“Everything was going okay at first,” Cruxx shook as he spoke, barely able to enunciate the words. He was borderline hysterical—it was unnerving to see such a powerful warrior so terrified, “We found the location—a meat packing plant.”
“Did you destroy it?!” Dex gripped the back of his neck, aligning Cruxx’s face with his own. Cruxx looked him straight in the eyes and shook his head up and down. “Yes. We destroyed it. Completely and utterly.”
“Tell us what happened,” Randall urged calmly.
“Chadwick—contact the Apothecary—have him come immediately,” Dex commanded. Chadwick disappeared up the stairs again.
Cruxx, still shaking, recounted the gory details of the night.
“We were in the packing plant, and everything was going all right. We searched hard up and down the place but couldn’t find the body pillow. Nothing—just endless rows of pig carcasses and meat hooks, hanging neatly from the ceiling. We decided to split up into pairs to make the search faster.” Randall offered him water.
“I was with Jaxxon5,” he said, taking a gulp, “Mickey and Paxton paired up, and Fantasia and Chad went off together.” He looked at Dex, feeling the need to defend their decision, “…we thought he’d be better off with an experienced fighter.”
“From all I could tell,” He said as blood trickled down his forehead into a badly swollen eye, “Jaxxon5 and I were attacked first.”
“They came out of nowhere!” Cruxx continued, “…dozens of them! We were in a cold-storage room. We had to weave in and out of these dead pigs—just hanging there. I got hit in the face with a nun-chuck.” He gestured to the blood oozing down his head.
“They had throwing stars and Sais, bow staves and claymores! It was as though they had raided every Renaissance Faire and Sci-Fi convention for the past ten years! Jaxxon5 and I called for help from the others, but it was too late—they had completely surrounded us. Jaxxon5 took a few stars to the arms and legs. I swung my hammer brutally, until I could barely lift it! We beat ‘em off hard! But they swarmed us—like fat, sweaty ants. They just kept coming!”
“Fortunately, they weren’t too skilled.” Paxton entered the conversation. “Mickey and I came running back to help. Fantasia then joined as well. Together we managed to deflect their attention attacking on multiple fronts.”
“Where was Chadwick?” Dex questioned.
“He was up in the office on the second floor—destroying the body pillow.” Mickey said.
A look of panic shone on Dex’s face, “alone?!” he asked with urgency, “Was he alone?!”
“Yes—we saw the blaze from below and saw him up there. He signaled to us that it was done.”
Dex’s expression turned stone cold. Speaking slowly, he asked—accenting every word, “But-did-you-SEE-it destroyed? Can you actually confirm that it is no more?”
“I can.” Sputtered a half-conscious Fantasia. “I saw it.”
Dex sighed relief. Mickey motioned for her to rest.
“When we had broken free of the hoard, Fantasia garnered enough time to verify it was done correctly. It was on the way down that she got hurt.” Paxton said, “The steps to the office ran down the wall in the main packing room. As she was coming down I saw some throwing stars stick in her,” and he pointed towards the tears in her outfit—a metal disk with what looked like tiny arrows jutting out along the edges was stuck hard in the side of her thigh.
“They took her legs out and she tripped, falling down the stairs—the neckbeards swarmed upon her almost immediately—for her part she was able to fight her way through, even injured,” Mickey boasted. “That’s when Paxton and I ran to help. Cruxx took Jaxxon5 and we just barely escaped.”
“Funny that Chadwick seemed to have no problems.” Cruxx remarked wryly.
“Maybe that’s because I was playing it smart—and don’t just dive into a labyrinth of dead pigs without thinking ahead?” Chad had appeared at the stairs with the doctor in tow, wearing a none-too-happy expression on his face.
“Anyhow,” Mickey said, “he destroyed the tomb and Fantasia can confirm.”
“So you walked into a hive of some kind,” Dex said.
“NO,” Paxton said. “This was definitely not a hive.”
Mickey nodded, “He’s right—this was an ambush. They knew we were coming.”
“And it gets worse,” Paxton said, “These are new victims—some of these guys are people that I know from the shop.”
“Dear Sagan,” Dex said. “She is amassing an army.”
“Seems like it,” Cruxx said, “And I don’t want to go back out there without back up.”
The doctor had come down and was actively tending to the wounds of the injured with assistance of Johnathan and Randall, scurrying about for fresh bandages or rubbing alcohol.
As he assessed the injuries, feeling confident that no life-threatening damage was done, his pace slowed more carefully as he patched up the remaining wounds of Cruxx, Paxton, and Mickey. “There,” he said—I think you guys will be ok, but you need to rest up.” Then he looked to Dex, “I’m afraid they won’t be fighting fit for tomorrow.”
Dex looked to Randall and Johnathan, “Hey B-team. It looks like you’re up.”
Mickey shook his head. “Dex.” He said imploringly, “You can’t send them—they’ll be slaughtered.”
“There’s just too many,” Cruxx confirmed.
“Then we need help.” Dex said.
“Who? Who can we call on? Our guild—our guild right here is the only people from the Ren Faire we can trust…not to mention most of the others have been converted to her side! We can’t exactly call the National Guard.”
“No.” Dex said. “No we can’t.” He pondered thoughtfully for a minute.
“But,” he spoke after some minutes, “sometimes common enemies make allies.”
“What are you talking about?” Cruxx said—and confusion turned to dread as he realized what Dex was implying. “Wait, Dex—you can’t be thinking about them—they can’t be trusted! They’ll turn on you! I’d rather fight a losing battle than work side-by-side with them!”
“I don’t fight losing battles, Cruxx.” Dex replied.
“What are you guys referring to?” Paxton asked. “Who are you talking about? Who could possibly help us at this point?”
Cruxx looked at Paxton, resigning himself to that which he could not control. “Furries.” He said.
Dex smiled.