by Wolfe Locke
The creatures depicted on the door hissed as the wooden gateway pushed open. Through the open entryway John looked out onto a city.
Welcome to the 5th floor. Macabre, the city without stars. I grant you a quest, though it is not binding as it is on other floors.
Heal yourself before moving on. Far greater dangers wait below. You cannot defeat them as you are now. Do not die John Younger.
Understood. I need to heal anyway. My body is at its limit. John stepped through the archway into the darkened city.
A wild looking older man with shaggy hair instantly approached him from where he had been leaning against a building. “Welcome to Macabre.” The man said with an almost maniacal laughter behind his words.
John recognized the voice. “It was you who spoke to me before then through the door?”
“Aye. That was me, though I am sure I am not the only one that talks to you. Tell me, is it Nemesis that guides your path, Amarath? Or perhaps Archimedes?” The man asked and John felt for a moment of answering he remembered the warning.
“Who speaks to me is my business.” John answered firmly, trying to close the subject.
“Ha. you’ve a good one, then if the voices warned you.” The man answered, “ You will do well here."
“What exactly is the city?” John asked looking around at the hellish ruins of buildings and the dark bodies that milled about. He faintly thought he could make out a bazaar and tavern, though at further distance, he thought he could see a glimmer of light as if from a portal.
“This is a place where those like you and similar have chosen to live, rather than continue downwards. You too can join us. But there’s a price for everything.” the man said quite cryptically as he looked down at a bubbling shadow that seemed as if it was going to turn into a monster and crushed it beneath his boot with a heavy thud and a wide smile.
Monsters spawn here. “Who are you? How did you get here?” John asked as the old man wiped his boot against the side of a building.
“Who am I?” The man responded cryptically. “That hasn’t mattered in a long time and certainly doesn’t matter anymore. I am no man from nowhere, we all become nameless down here. But once I think I was somebody important before I became a nobody. I followed a young prince. I was told to go forth and root out evil for the sake of my kingdom and the God I worshipped. That young Knight died. His body bound and gagged, they tossed him into the ocean and now here I am. The part that survived. There are many ways into the dungeon. It has many floors and this place, Macabre, is the place they all meet up."
John hesitated for a moment, not wanting to reveal more details of himself, but knew he needed some kind of lead. “Where can I find a healer here?”
The old man looked at him quizzically and laughed. “There are no healers here, only liars and charlatans. But for the right price somebody might trade with you.”
The air between them changed and seemed to take on an undercurrent of tension as John noticed a subtle shift in the old man’s posture. “Your eyes, for instance. They still see clearly, don’t they? I’ll trade you for them. Something you can’t refuse. Your life.”
Chapter 21: Where the Bell Rings Twice
* * *
The old man lunged forward like a madman, and though John was unafraid, he still tensed up ready to fight. The man’s face contorted oddly, shifting to the side as the jaw elongated, stretching the skin until it no longer resembled anything human.
Underneath the surface of the skin, John could see things moving, much like worms, or something far more sinister. Even the color of the man’s flesh had changed, becoming pale, white, and almost leathery.
“Give me your eyes,” The man croaked again. His voice had warped along with his body. Each spoken word caused the skin on his face to crack and peeled back, revealing the white of bone and yellowed broken teeth that elongated into sharpened points like broken class. The man’s hands extended into deformed claws.
John jumped backwards. He was nearly taken by surprise when the monster swiped with the newly spawned claws. A pain erupted in his side as the Ring of Temperance burned hot. A burn that let him know the powerful artifact was almost at its breaking point. I need to finish this, but with a skin diver, it will be difficult.
Thus is the nature of Macabre. The hidden and profane. You have learned a dark truth in the city that makes monsters of men. What will we in time find what it will make of you?
Cryptic, but that doesn’t help me here. John thought as he reached for the axes holstered at his waist. He tugged, but the weapon seemed to be firmly attached to his belt. He tried again, putting more of his limited strength into it. It’s useless. What did that monster say? No weapons allowed in Macabre. It must be an enchantment.
He stopped trying, any more effort would be useless. The weapons could not be removed. Then I’ll have to use something else. The monster the old man had become cackled with malevolent laughter and came at him again. John considered his options as he worked to evade another attack. I’ve been down this road before. I’ve already got the answer. He reached into the well of power within himself where he had stored energy to use his smite ability and found just enough strength to summon the ability again. This will have to do.
“Smite.” he muttered as his hand glowed white with holy attribute and white fire spread up his hand. The Skin Diver tried to scuttle backwards to avoid him, but John wasn’t having it.
“Not today, not ever.” For a moment, John saw a reflection of fear in the monster’s black eyes. He ignored the strain on his body as he readied himself to attack and lunged forward with all the speed and precision he could muster and grabbed the retreating monster by the head and slammed it into the ground with a wet thud.
The effect was instant. There was an explosion of white, as the energy within him was used to power the ability. In a single moment where the monster’s head had been, nothing remained. Just charred flesh that had been cauterized. A purifying fire. The seed most have taken hold.
The recoil on his body was immediate and intense. For a moment he was wracked with pain from the exertion. Beads of sweat landed on the ground. I won’t be able to use that again. I don’t have the energy for it.
On the ground in front of him the monster reverted to its more human form though John noticed what looked like a blackened oil slick moving away from the man’s body towards the gutters of the city. What’s that about? This place is stranger than I had imagined. A single glowing orb appeared near the man and it was quickly absorbed. The monster’s essence.
That was not a Skin Diver, it was a No Man. An eventuality of all whom come to Macabre and forget themselves. You must avoid the same fate. Yours lay further below.
Quickly now, before more find you, follow my directions. Go down this road as swiftly as you can. Do not tarry. Do not linger. Do not look or say a thing. Do not even return a pleasantry if you hear one. You cannot be waylaid, you will not survive another encounter. When you reach the end of the road, go to where the bells strike twice. There you will find one to assist you.
Immediately, did as instructed. He lowered his head and increased his pace as fast as he could. He ignored everything not even looking at the buildings he passed, not worrying about whether they were shops, healers, places to rest, etc. He refused to reply, when he heard “Hey stranger, you look like you’re new here.” He ignored the crying of wailers in the street asking for aid. The voice has it’s reasons, I’ll trust it’s judgement.
Finally, when he came near the end of the street, he heard a bell ring and shifted, heading towards an open door in front of him as a grinning shopkeeper beckoned him in, but before he could pass the threshold John heard another bell ring twice. This is the wrong place. He immediately turned around as the shopkeeper wailed and turned to give chase like the No Man had.
When he turned, John saw dozens o
f the No Men had followed him through the city.
Without a second look. He ran, ignoring the pain and went straight to the place where he had heard the sound. He passed through two great double doors and the doors slammed shut behind him sealing him in. That can’t be good, but at least I won’t have to deal with so many.
A voice called out to him as John looked around and found himself at the end of a row of pews and up ahead between a circle of statues, John saw a shrouded figure covered in bandages.
“Be not alarmed. This place is a true sanctuary. Their kind hold no power here. I have heard of your coming. Which god will you dedicate yourself to? To whom will you seek protection? Take a moment and consider those who dwell below before you make this decision."
Chapter 22: The Pantheon of Twelve
* * *
* * *
I can give you no guidance here. There are old rules that must be obeyed, and your decision must be your own, uninfluenced and untethered. I would caution you though to choose wisely. Not is all as it seems
Alright then, so it’s on me completely. John approached the figure that was wrapped in cloth.
“And what exactly are you?” John asked of the man in rags “Before I make any further decisions. I need to know. I was already chased by the No Men outside in the city.”
“Your caution is understandable and has merit behind it. My name is Mieruel, I am the current keeper of the Church of Last Rites, the sanctuary you find yourself in. I hold no allegiance to any one God, and in doing so I am offered protection by all of them. Such an option is not available to you. You must choose.”
“Why would I do that?” John asked. But inwardly he could guess the answer. He felt it in every ragged breath. Because I’m not strong enough to go past this point alone.
“You cannot go further, no man may. The way is shut to those who are not blessed by a God. The halls below were never meant to hear the footsteps of men, nor will they.”
“The decision, however, remains yours. You may walk out of the sanctuary and try to push ahead with your broken body or stay and petition for a blessing. The choice is yours, though at least one choice is guaranteed to lead to a fate worse than death.”
I got it. So, if I try to go back out and fight the No Men by myself and keep going something terrible will happen. Like dying and being eaten, or having my parts sectioned off and stolen. I have no choice but to get the blessing.
“When you are ready step forward into the Chamber of the Twelve.” The man explained as he walked away and opened a door down the hall and disappeared. John was left completely alone.
John stepped forward going up the stairs. Once he passed through the room’s threshold, he felt everything change. The energy in the room grew heavy as did the air. It’s hard to breathe.
Behind him a line in white chalk that made intricate patterns on the ground lit up and began forming a sealing barrier. John knew he wouldn’t be able to leave until after his business was finished.
He looked around and saw that there were 10 statues still standing. The 2 remaining statues had crumbled into dust and lay broken in heaps. Just who were they?
Of the 10 statues that remained one resembled that of a woman. While he looked the statue moved, turning away from him. Odd. John looked at the other statues and immediately another statue moved. It was that of a man bearing a strong resemblance to that of a warrior. It also turned away from him.
It is difficult to speak to you here. Of the 12 only 10 remain. Deep within the dark you’ll learn that even gods can die. All that remains of them is the dust and stone from where their pedestal used to be.
You have already lost two whom would have blessed you. The Goddess of Temperance and the God of Warriors have both turned their back on you
From those who remained you must choose.
The God of Winter
The God of the Deep
The Goddess of the Dead
The God of Order
The Goddess of Shadow
The God of the Forest
The Goddess of Secrets
The God of the Hearth
Broken Heap
Broken Heap
Choices. So many choices. Yet none seem obvious. John approach the 1st statue and read a glowing sign that appeared in front of it.
God of Winter
““I am the God of Winter. Mine is the way of the hunger and cold. Of long nights and short days. Those who offer me their blood will know no pain. They may wield my power, the power of ice touch””
*Should you bond with the God of Winter you will become an Elemental.
An elemental? John considered the words and moved on to the next statue.
God of the Hearth
“I am the God of the Hearth. Mine is the way of warmth and comfort. Of soft nights and easy days. Those who offer me their blood will know only the ecstasy of comfort.”
*Should you bond with the God of the Hearth you will become a Hunger but will suffer no ill effects from a lack of sustenance.
Not that one. I bet the Gluttonous King was bonded to this one.
The next statue was broken, and John moved past it towards the next.
Goddess of Death
”I am the Goddess of the Dead. Mine is the way of the ghoul and the ghast. The lingering spirit and the vengeful dead. Those who offer me their blood shall know immortality.”
*Should you bond with the Goddess of Death you will become a Grave Titan. Growing stronger with every kill.
The words disappeared and John moved on to the next statue.
God of the Deep
“I am the God of the Deep. Mine is the way of the predator. Of shifting current and shifting pressures. Of traps and trickery. Of dead eyes that need no light. To those who offer me their blood, I offer in return the strength to survive.”
*Should you bond with the God of the Deep you will gain a body meant for the depths and the Uncanny Valley ability.
I’ve no interest in those. John thought as he moved on to the next statue.
God of the Forest
”I am the God of the Forest. Mine is the way of rot and ruin. Of crop and rotting compost. Of new life and lightless canopy. Those who offer me their blood will find aid in all of my creatures.”
*Should you bond with the God of the Forest you will gain the ability to summon green creatures of all manner and become a Treekin.
John moved on, ignoring the 2nd broken pedestal.
Goddess of Shadow
“I am the Goddess of Shadow. Mine is the way of the shifting dark and the lightless night. Those who offer me their blood will find a cloak of my shadows.”
* Should you bond with the Goddess of Shadow you will become a lesser vampire of a pure bloodline.
Not for me either. John moved on to the next.
Goddess of Secrets
“I am the Goddess of Secrets. Mine is the way of the ephemeral and unyielding. Of lies and crooked tongue. The way of deceit and the subtle knife. Those who offer me their blood may know my secrets and the secret ways to power.”
*Should you bond with the Goddess of Secrets you will become a Arachne and gain the ability Revealing Web.
Hard pass, and then there was one. John stood in front of the very last statue.
God of Order
“I am the God of Order. Mine the way of obedience and law. Of precision and purpose. Of hardened iron and harder resolve. Those who offer me their blood will be granted a portion of my essence to guide them.”
*Should you bond with the God of Order you will become an Iron Golem.
Not even a living thing. A construct. That won’t work either. John walked away from the statues as a altar in the center of the room raised up and within it was a pristine silver ceremonial dagger. The statues seemed to be staring at him hungrily as stone hands raised up and offered their palms waiting for his offering.
All he had to do was pick one. I’v
e no idea. None of them seemed like a good, obvious choice. John’s back starting to ache more from carrying the shield on his back. He pulled it off and sat it down.
As soon as he grabbed the silver dagger, he noticed a glint on the shield’s reflection, something he had overlooked before. In the shield’s reflection, John saw the first broken statue, and with it a message.
Goddess of Healing
“I am the Goddess of Healing. I am Seonna. Mine is the way of grace and forgiveness. Of perseveration and fortitude. Those who offer me their blood will be granted a portion of my essence to guild them. I am sorry I cannot do more.
*Should you bond with the Goddess of Healing you will gain a Regenerative Aura.
That’s really useful and Seonna has helped me already. But what about the other statue? John moved the shield so he could see the message in the shield’s refection.