Tramontina Horror. part 1
(translated by Anyna)
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..... Planet Una Tramontina , Far Worlds Rim ....
...... Technological Level - Renaissance Era ......
...... Population Race - Homo Sapiens Sapiens .....
10'th day after the beginning of the massive attack of the Yotun aliens
Date : 2596 A.D.E.
- Watch out ! , Sergeant Giacinto screamed furiously
Before he could finish the sentence a powerful shot from an enemy already smashed his body into dozens of pieces . The enemy soldiers were armed with the latest technology and Tramontans did not imagine what weapons were in the hands of the enemy , because in Tramonton the planet level of technology barely having reached the Industrial Era level
There was another enemy shot , a glowing little sun having emerged from an unknown weapon type of the enemy , headed straight for the small group of the warriors of Tramontina present here . As soon as the light sphere approached a soldier , a dazzling bright flash occured and after just few seconds it dispersed , leaving no blood drop left from the poor fighters bodies
Captain Prada shouted in fury orders to his subordinates . The special forces were carrying heavy losses , the defenses were broken down and the enemy fighters were rushing to the breakthrough
- Hold on ! , Prada shouted fiercely , waving his battle saber
- Hold on signore ! Our ancestors fought here , do not disgrace them , this area is never...
Farinni did not have time left to finish his phrase because a new explosion became heard very close . They were obviously firing from a heavy gun and the fireball appeared right in line of sight with the Lipovian Lancers . Ten people instantly turned into ashes
Shots were being heard everywhere and the battle was waging for death not for the living
The Tramontans were always suffering damage , the aliens were also having some strange monsters in their ranks clad in scaly armor , having tools of unknown origin held in their hands that were spewing out fiery streams of death , while the Tramontans were armed only with rifles and cold steel and nearly exhausted their grenade supplies
Many warriors have engaged in battle with the enemy using giant halberds from which one of these warriors managed to slam an enemy to the ground severing their head along with the helmet , and not too long thereafter another enemy appeared . Head to toe was dressed in shimmering dark armor and armed with two sharp blades that were rumoured to have been made up from pieces of fallen enemy soldiers . He instantly approached the captain . One of the Captain warriors tried to stop the newcomer advance but was dealt easily having been thrown nearly without effort far back , the warrior having crashed into a broken stone statue lifeless
Prada realized that this form of Death cannot be avoided because the enemy was attacking them with terrible speed while he was only armed with a sword , not being able to parry an enemy hit while the enemy was growling fiercely approaching
" Save us Lucretia ! " Prada whispered to himself
Yet suddenly a miracle happened , the enemy head exploded in shock leaving the decapitated body of the monster fallen on the ground , dropping the blades in the process , splashing Prada head to toe in the alien green blood
- So you ?! , an angry and enthusiastic voice was heard from somewhere on the left
Prada glanced in the direction of the coming voice and soon recognized a familiar face that of a companion . It was Osvaldo , Sergeant Osvaldo the son of the noble Count Benvolio being dressed in an iron armor having the coat of arms of his noble house carved on it . In his hands he was carrying a very long range rifle , commonly nown in the Tramontina army as a sniper rifle . Osvaldo was always downing his targets with just one shot , qualifying him well to be among the best in the special forces
- In the name of Infanta , Osvaldo ! Prada exclaimed with wild joy
- I thought you were being coined here
- I am not even wounded ! , grinned the Sergeant
- They cannot kill me that easy . Today the aliens will know the wrath of the gallant servants of the Queen
Osvaldo did not have time to finish his words because new trouble was following suit . Another explosion just occured very close to the comrades , smashing several sandbags and wounding one of the men
- Saint Lucretia ! , Osvaldo said . The caballeros of the Order are clearly needed here , the enemies seems to be in the hundreds or more
- I do not know , Prada said . We are trapped . The soldiers of the Order have to have been arrived an hour ago but they are all gone . I fear we might have to fight ourselves ; the city cannot fall in the hands of the aliens
Several more explosions were being heard and in all places the soldiers of Tramontina were fighting the enemies back as they could . But the Yotuns were determined to advance , sending more and more monsters into battle . Nobody was having any idea about the origin of these monsters except for one thing : they were lethally dangerous .
One of the Tramontian warriors was fighting one of the small alien creatures that was looking to be a hybrid between a crab and a locust , that just jumped on his face , trying to clutch it . The soldier tried to unhook the monster from himself but without success when suddenly the creature increased in size and covered all his head
Another of the alien creatures was attacking a Tramontian warrior . Osvaldo tried to shoot it while it was running but the creature was even faster for the Sergeant aim , looking like a small tornado in the eyes of young fighters . It grabbed the warrior , lifting him high above the ground and then tossed his body in the distance with its octupus-like tentacles
Now Prada could see the monster better . It was not clothed in anything appearing to be naked , its entire body was being covered with strange bioluminiscent outgrowth , shining brightly . The monster did not appear to have visible eyes but its nostrils and mouth were oversized and like Farinni once realized , these monster were seeing things in a different light spectrum
- Shoot it ! Osvaldo ! Shoot !! , Prada screamed wild when he noticed the monster was heading in his direction now
The Sergeant picked the rifle and pressed the trigger and soon the projectile hit the enemy head , blasting it into pieces . The large monster was defeated but to their shock , in his place appeared three more of them
One of the present warriors armed with two axes immediately attacked . The Captain quickly dealt with this enemy slicing its body in half . However he was also aware that against monsters with tentacles the blade did not seem to do any damage , especially after he seen how these monsters disarm the warriors of their weapons before they tear them apart
- Where are these damned warriors of the Order !? , Prada cussed to himself
- The aliens have broken through ! , cries of soldiers were being heard everywhere
- The Area is lost . We must retreat !!
And so , another new attack fell upon the valiant warriors of Tramontina when soon a strange sound suddenly arose in the ears of all the soldiers present including Captain Prada and none of them could figure out what it was . It was resembling the strange crackling and scraping of metal unto glass , the sound now growing louder and louder making many men to drop their weapons and cover their ears
- What is this ? , Prada hissed , barely audible , having not hearing anything around him except this loud gnash
Many warriors were dropping their rifles and rushing to higher grounds , this sound threatening to damage their minds . The monsters were soon attacking the fleeing soldiers with frenzied rage and like suspected , the monsters were not affected by the overly loud sound
- What is that ...what can be this ... , the Captain hissed , covering his head
All weapons were on the ground , he could not fight anymore , he was soon feeling completely powerless . And then he just rushed back , he could not help his senses , his body was not obeying him , with his head grabbed he rushed towards the city square and in the meantime the sound was growing even louder .
The Captain was running so fast that he was amazed by the speed of his own feet , not seeing anything before him and not slowing down , feeling his body not being anymore in control of his own brain . Soon he reached a place where the haze suddenly vanished from before his eyes and in front of him was lying a wall that he did not manage to stop in time and crashed unto it , falling to the ground with a strong blow , though not fatal . All the world around him was spinning but the grinding sound was being heard less and less and soon thereafter a strange word uttered in an uknown , deaf voice frightening him was being heard , making the Captain cower
- Aluuu ' Mukaarrr , the unknown voice growled
- Aluuu ' Mukaarrr , and soon the Captain lost his conscious fainting silent on the ground
..........................
- Aluuu ' Mukaarrrr , the voice was being heard again
Captain Prada gasped loud and then stood quickly on his feet . Looking around him , everything was surprisingly quiet and calm and there were no sounds of battle neither the gnashing , just this strange and mysterious silence , a silence akin to the dead
- Ahh . What's wrong with me .. , said the Captain , trying to look around
His head was aching terribly as if a horse had kicked him in the head a day before and he could still not see clearly with his eyes . He could only make out some distant silhouettes bathed in an unknown fog . He forced himself standing on his feet , his body was exhausted but it was not the right time to lie on the ground . He felt he was still alive , which meant he survived the terrible fight in the town square . A minute later , the vision began to return to Prada , seeing much better what was around him . He seems to have been finding himself inside the ruins of a building , walls covered entirely in moss . Then he realized that these ruins were present in the city before the alien first attack . This land was meant to be used as the ground for a profitable house but it was never completed and the unfinished building was lying here for many years , being strangely not too distant from the city square
- How did i get here ... , Prada asked himself
Then he began to examine what was under his feet . Given that he survived , he was incredibly lucky but he also knew that remaining without weapons was very unsafe too . He noticed a dead soldier on the ground . Curiously this soldier did not fall at the hands of the invaders but due of his own fear . There were no injuries on his body but just his face frozen and distorted with horror that led him to his death . He saw something before he fallen lifeless and his heart could not stand it . Next to him was standing his weapon , a rifle equipped with a small blade and a bag with cartridges
- Saint Lucretia can be generous , the Captain said grabbing the weapon from the ground
Once armed , he closed the eyes of the fallen soldier , sweeping him with the banner of Lucretia , yet still he felt a strange surge of fear when he was thinking about the face of the fallen soldier that did not fell from mortal wounds but from something that he seen before moving to the next world
While shaking his head , Prada cautiously left away from this place but the fog was everywhere and he had no idea where it was coming from . This phenomenon was seriously increasing the danger posed by the enemies and it was most likely the aliens themselves caused it to impair the defending warriors visibility
The building here was quite immense , Prada noticed while leaving from one room to another . His head was still aching but he was thankful that he was not seriously injured
- Fuck them ! Fuck these aliens ! , he was swearing while making his way through the ruins of this house
After a short time he exited the building finding himself out in the street . All around everything was bathed in this strange mystical fog . Walking along the path , he continously bumped into dead soldiers and dead aliens . He did not dare to look them in the eyes for it was painful how they inspired the horror and inevitability of a quick death . He realized that staying on this street can not be safe either and he moved quick across it , trying to walk as quiet as possible not to step loud . Soon he realized there were no aliens around , probably having obviously killed most Tramontine fighters they encountered , now advancing elsewhere - their nature was incomprehensible to any human
On the other side of the street Prada found a building that was meant to be a large inn . Everything here was half demolished , the walls were smeared yet there was not even a speck of dust left and the place was completely empty without any leftover meal to be found
Prada understood that the city was probably already lost and if any survivors remained , they were not anymore in the defense of the city but the last resistance . The city was not showing any signs of life , only the continous dead silence
- Again this silence , said the Captain to himself
- It irritates me...
For more than an hour Prada seemed to drift along over his city destroyed by the war , finding nothing and no one but only more and more dead bodies of fallen soldiers and townspeople . It seems the aliens took the upper hand in places like these because there were less to none dead bodies of aliens to be spotted , the corpses were only of his own people . Or maybe the aliens took the dead away from the battlefield...
The Captain reached a wrecked museum where young children used to run around here and tour guides were telling people about history , where school children were distracted by play and all was joy . Before the war the museum was among the most visited places in the city , but today was a different day , perhaps one that can be called the darkest day in the history of Tramontina
The Captain cautiously stepped in each of the rooms of the dilapidated building , silence here being even more mysterious , keeping his rifle ready because any time from any corner enemy warriors could appear . The aliens already destroyed several cities on the planet for more than a week now and Tramontina experienced the darkest days in the history of its existence
Suddenly the Captain heard a noise from the next room . In the next room was supposed to be a gallery with paintings from the last century . He stopped and held his rifle at the ready with his finger ready to pull the trigger to release a destructive projectile . An enemy had to be not far from here and a crack noise was increasing with every second
- Aluuu ' Mukaaarr , a strange human voice was heard nearby all of a sudden
It now was coming from right behind him , the enemy was right behind Prada . He instantly turned around and was about to press the hook but there was no one in front of him . One of the soldiers well known by the Captain was standing here instead . It was a corporal from a special squad named Paulo . Prada noticed his extraordinary courage long ago . Five years ago , he alone killed a terrorist leader who was about to blow up a large bazaar with a bomb in a large city of the provinces . Paulo did not knew fear , the feeling was alien to him
Yet now the corporal was staring at Prada with his eyes distraught of horror , his mouth being open as if in amazement . In Paulo's hands he was holding a sharp battle axe and all his armor was wrinkled and rugged , his long hair crumpled and disheveled
- Paulo ! , the Captain said while lowering his weapon , happy to see one of his own people
- Glory to Lucretia ! You're alive
- Careful Farinni , the Corporal said . They know ....they know everything
- What are you talking about ? Prada snapped nervous
- Ah , i understand they have influenced us all from our best sides , these creatures . The worst thing is we do not know why they come here in the first place
- Not only here , said Paulo as if staring into the Void
- It's Alu ' Mukarr , the secret weapon . You do not know ? Nothing . You do not know anything
And then the Corporal broke into a loud yell , his eyes devoid of light
- Quiet , whispered Prada
- Speak quietly ! What is wrong with you ?
- Aluu Mukaar will hear us , said Paulo in a trembling voice . What's the difference... I am sorry Captain ...i have to do this ...for you
- Do what ? , exclaimed the Captain tensely , already understanding what his subordinate might mean
- To save you , said the Corporal staring Prada in the eyes . To save you Captain ...to save us all . Better us than them right ? It is better this way than to be submerged ...I am sorry ...You do not understand
- No i do not understand , Prada said threatening
- Stop this madness . Yes we survived and we are all in big pain
- Forgive me , said Paulo . I have to do it
All of a sudden the Corporal howled angry and then pounced on Prada with his battle axe . The Captain dodged the strike right in time while Paulo's axe crossed the air
- What are you doing ? shouted Prada fiercely
But the Corporal was not listening to him . He was again trying to strike with his axe obviously having lost his mind
Farinni was not going to kill a colleague . He put his rifle in front of him and Paulo struck a blow to his chest , then Prada quickly turned and with a powerful blow from the back of the rifle he knocked the Corporal off his feet . Paulo collapsed on the stone floor , dropping his axe . Once on the ground he suddenly froze and strangely started to shake his head
- I am sorry Captain , the Corporal said
- It's all.........It's all Aluu ' Mukaaar
- Who is this Aluu Mukaar ? , shouted Prada . Who or what is it ?
- It's all Aluu ' Mukaar , Paolo said wriggling . Aluu ' Mukaar
His voice was becoming more and more hoarse and soon the Corporal calmed down but he was not showing any signs of life . Paulo was dead . His eyes stopped at one point and did not move anymore
- Holy Lucretia !! , the Captain cried desperately
He thought he did not calculate his strength right , thinking the blow with the rifle was really powerful that could easily take the life of a colleague and now the Captain realized that he might blame himself for this many years to come , thinking that Paulo was just scared , his mind could not stand the sight of the aliens
The Captain almost jumped in fear when he took a look at the dead corporal . Paulo's eyes were now staring straight at his face and his lips were moving
- Aluu ' Mukaarr , the monotonous voice of the Corporal was being heard again
- Beware of Aluu ' Mukaar
- Who is this ? , yelled Prada , Who is it ? Answer me !
- What is the matter with you ? , suddenly a low voice of a man was heard from the right side of the Captain
Prada turned abruptly pointing a gun at him and just when he was about to take a shot , his hand trembled
- What are you doing signor Captain ? , asked Osvaldo , looking at Prada
- Osvaldo ? , the Captain exclaimed in amazement . Is good that you are alive Sergeant
Prada with eyes full of terror was looking at Osvaldo's bearded and stern face . He was looking shabby , not wearing a helmet and his armor was having an eerie sight . But he was alive and in his hands he was holding his personal sniper rifle . Next to him were standing other surviving warriors and Prada recognized many acquaintances in them : forever in love with eachother Sergeant Jose and Private Yesenia , then Sanitarian Gunzo , known for his oddities and three other soldiers from a special squad : Valento , Marco and the stern smoker Adriano
All of them were tattered and tired but life was glittering in their eyes
- Thank God you survived ! , said Captain Prada with astonishment
- Yes i am lucky to have , said Osvaldo in a harsh tone
- However is not clear what is wrong with you . Why were you talking with the dead ?
- What dead ? , Farinni asked bewildered
- With him , said the Sergeant , pointing the muzzle of the rifle
- He is not dead . He is Corporal Paulo , Prada answered . I found him here and i do not understand what happened with him . I thought he was fine but then he lost his mind and attacked me
- Are you in your right mind Captain ? , Osvaldo exclaimed perplexed
- Paulo got killed in the square . One of the aliens smashed him apart with just a light weapon of their calibre
- How....on the square , Prada wondered confused
The Captain turned sharply toward the man lying on the floor , he thought was Paulo but instead of him someone else was before his eyes and it was not the corporal . On the stone floor was lying the disfigured body of one of the policemen of the city , black as pitch and from his once luxurious blue uniform only ripped scraps remained
- This cop has been dead for a few hours , said Osvaldo . Are you sure you are okay ?
- It was Paulo , Prada said pointing to the murdered guardian of order
- I saw him , he spoke to me
- I understand the aliens and the war , the Sergeant answered
- We have all been riled up , but you need to come to your senses Captain . This is nonsense , the dead do not talk
- What did i see then , the Captain said amazed ...Was it Paulo or not ...
- We all mourn for those who left us in this war , Osvaldo said . For example Adriano's lover died today . Private Amalia if you remember her . She was burned in the aliens flame and many friends and good friends have died without count . Paulo was a nice good man , we all mourn over their loss . May Lucretia rest their souls
- Forgive me , Prada said . Probably ...you are right
- What did the deceased say ? , a voice came suddenly from Yesenia , a dark hair woman warrior with a short haircut . What did he say to you ?
- My love we better leave it , Sargeant Jose said in a low tone . We would be better off to get out of this place
- He spoke the word , Captain Prada replied . A mysterious word : Aluu ' Mukaar
As soon as Farinni pronounced it , all those present around stood still frozen , many of their faces turned pale , Yesenia and Jose particularly frightened and even Osvaldo stiffened
- It is a sort of a psychic trap , Gunzo added . We all have heard these words and we do not know what they mean , but all of us heard them . My guess is the aliens are using weapons to affect our minds . Do you remember the loud screech too ?
- Ah..do not remind me , the Captain said dismissively , I cannot forget it , the creepy sound
- Most likely the aliens are affecting our minds , a nurse said . It's better to not pay attention to it . I for one am helped by my prayers to Lucretia and although i am a doctor , i am a believer too . Faith can save
.......
In less than an hour the survivors forsake the half ruined museum . In the Captain head the same voice was being heard that Corporal Paulo spoken but in the same time he did believe what Gunzo said , that the aliens were using strange weapons to affect the pysche and to drive the people insane and leave their shelters
- Where are we going , asked Captain Prada
- I also hope you have not forgot that i am your commander
- No signor ! , the soldiers answered
- I think we should go to Baron Telsomar , said Osvaldo . He built himself a fortress , is most likely he survived and will be able to provide asylum
- You mean the square citadel ? asked Yesenia
- Yes darling , replied the Sergeant . The fortress of Baron Telsomar , the queen former favorite . There are no newcomers going blind and i never knew why the baron built it in peacetime but now his stronghold will be useful for us . Some say he used something alien , a training howitzer fired in the walls and the wall resisted
- I think you are right , the Captain agreed . I have visited the baron few years ago . He was a hospitable host . He has his own guard , former warriors , we spoke a lot about our irresistible queen consort Georgetia and her family . The security agency called Seneschal that was ruled by general Morozov is now owned by the baron . We have to take the possibility that he did not survive the attack either , therefore if we do not find anyone there , we leave immediately . Is that clear ?
- Yes signor ! , said the surviving warriors in chorus
- Then let us go to the fortress , ordered Prada
The soldiers immediately obeyed , feeling again good to be back under the command of Farinni Prada , a skillful and discreet commander and all that just happened in the museum appeared to be quickly forgotten . They lifted their rifles and followed their commander
Like Prada found out , they were very close to the Square Citadel , needing only to walk some more until they would reach the mysterious blackstone fortress . Soon they reached the ruins of the Merchant Quarter . Almost all buildings here were destroyed , still burning and releasing smoke and the air was terribly covered in this smoke . Yesenia was coughing constantly striving to not show a sign that she was ill . She was nearly worn out and only her long time lover Sergeant Jose was left to give her hope
The soldiers were walking along the broken pavement , looking around constantly . The silence here was the same dead and mysterious and at least the fog began to subside and now the buildings and the road ahead of Prada were more clearly seen
Osvaldo was always checking the sides , aiming at non present targets with his sniper rifle . He was expecting any possible appearance of enemies . All the members of the detachment were terribly tense like they have never been in their entire lives
Prada remained troubled by the strange words he heard recently , the words of " Aluu Mukaar " that were not leaving his mind , constantly sounding in his head
- How you managed not to perish Signor ? , Gunzo asked all of a sudden
- I seen you running away from the battlefield holding your head and i do not mean at all cowardice because this psychic attack seems to have affected the strongest of our warriors . I mean something else . When you were running , right next to you a shell exploded and you vanished in a cloud of smoke and flame , but you survived
- I do not know myself , Prada replied
- I do not know about this at all . I do not even remember what happened after the rattling . It seems that everyone gone somewhere and i was with them and then a memory loss . I woke up quite far from the square , my head was aching terribly and it's good that i did not receive a cranial wound
- No but you will have a bump for a long time , the young man chuckled slightly . Sometimes you truly amaze us Captain and this is why you are a true example of Tramontine valor . Lucretia takes care of you , her invisible wings cover you from all misfortunes
- Maybe so , replied the Captain . We will discuss more later Signor Doctor . Now our goal is to reach the fortress of this baron and it's better to do this silently
The medical officer soon realized his small mistake and shut his mouth . The young man was always known for his likeness to talk and all members of the detachment were accustomed with this , sometimes this was annoying but the Captain treated this with indifference because the young man was not only a good doctor but also a brave fighter that defeated many enemies in his way
More recently , during the first two days of the attack , Gunzo vanished without a trace . He used to serve in the Arnulfian company and everyone was expecting him to be dead but the young doctor returned . He was ambushed in one of the cities , being attacked by an alien with sharp claws and teeth yet Gunzo soon returned to his comrades . He managed to not only survive but to even defeat a large three meter tall enemy thanks to only one grenade . The Captain personally praised the boy and signed him for his own special squad
Prada's fighters were all for one and consisted of only elites , only the bravest were allowed to serve with Captain Farinni Prada , the true knight of Tramontina and the faithful servant of queen Georgetia
Soon the survivors were finding themselves in a small alley , having followed the shortest route to the Square Citadel . However the road was blocked by a hefty blockade , having been built quite recently , consisting of mostly sandbags and wrecked garbage cans
- Quiet ! , Prada ordered , raising his left arm upward
- We are to be going cautiously
The barricade was looking to be recently built , Prada noticed it was made up in a hurry but nevertheless it was very useful for the defense of the entire lane
In the meantime Osvaldo checked all the roof of the buildings around to see if enemies would be there while the others moved cautiously , stepping with legs half bent , being also covered from back by Sergeant Jose and Private Yesenia
- Don't move ! , a sharp voice came from the barricade
Just in time for Prada to blink and other surviving fighters showed themselves , clothed in dark green coats and black fur hats , holding rifles and crossbows . The captain counted no more than ten of them and judging by their apperance , they were mercenaries
- Not at all , i said ! , again the angry voice from the fighters camp of greencoats
- Put your weapons down !
- Wait , we are on your side , shouted the Captain . We are on your side , Tramontina's special group of Prada , the Black Hornets
- Screw you all ! I said drop your weapons . All of you , responded the mercenary commander
- Have i not been clear enough ? All of you weapons down
- As you say , answered Prada . Do not shoot . See ? We are giving up . The weapons are on the ground like you wanted
The Captain nodded to the men and they obeyed the mercenaries , throwing their weapons on the ground for this necessity
- Who are you ? , asked a harsh mercenary with a thick beard that just got out from behind the barricade . I heard the name of Prada here
He was armed with a revolver , its barrel directed to the surviving fighters now and he was clearly taken over by distrust and fury , his eyes full of anger
- I am Captain Farinni Prada , said the commander of Tramontina . Yes , i am that Prada that you heard of , and these are my surviving warriors that miraculously survived during the attack on the square . Now , who are you ?
- My name is Vasili Pushkin , replied the mercenary commander . I was a major in the past and now i am in charge of protecting the nobility , Baron Tesolmar but i never thought it would be this bad . How did you survive ?
- I want to find this answer myself , Prada said . We were already headed this way
- All right . You can take your weapons off the ground , Vasili said with an easy smile
- These were just precautions . Nothing personal , mon Signor Captain . Do not be angry , i have heard a lot about you
- I am not angry , said Farinni . I understand all too well . We all have not seen a war like this before . How did you survive ?
- The Square Citadel , answered Pushkin . A strong and defensive bitch and very big like the arse of my former girlfriend . In this castle the damn aliens attacked and we fucking survived and we shot many of them faggots . Everything happened so quick . Do you see these guys ? These are all that remained alive . We defended as best we could but these aliens have mutants too and God ! they were fucking horrible
- I understand , said Captain Prada . We lost many of our men too but Lucretia saved our lives . Take us to the baron , i understand you have warmth , food and a good refuge
- Yes , replied Vasili . But it will not last long , not more than two weeks . Come , i will take you to him personally
After he finished saying his words , Pushkin turned around to his mercenaries and they immediately lowered their rifles and by their faces speaking , they seemed to be unspeakably happy at the sight of other survivors
- Nikolai , continued Pushkin , while addressing them , Andrei , Vladimir and the rest of you . This here is Captain Farinni Prada , the faithful servant of the queen and the troops are his own personal squad , you can take them by example , is that clear ? They are really good examples to follow
Before the fortress of Telsomar now the warriors were finding themselves and the fortress itself was gloomy like always . The shape of a giant cube castle built not long ago for unknown reasons . The Baron always was answering that the reason for it was a simple personal interest in extraordinary architecture
The walls of the castle were tall in a Gothic fashion , with small windows where none would see what was being behind them and many warriors of Tramontina were scared by this building itself , always being dark . Now during the cloudy weather , it appeared even more mysterious and stern . Prada also noticed that aside from the main building itself , it was also surrounded by a small fortified wall . The Captain used to think the Baron was paranoid that he erected this structure during peace time but now he understood clearly that it will be very useful for the surviving soldiers to find a reliable refuge here
- It is amazing ! , Osvaldo's voice was heard while examining the castle
- It's as if Telsomar knew about the invasion
- And i am thinking the same thing , agreed Adriano . It also seems very sturdy this fortress
- Like the arse of my former girlfriend , added Vasili with a grin . I told you , i will never forget Martha . Her breasts were larger than even Anita Zefirelli , she was really good
- Why have you broken up with your big breasted lady then ? , asked Gunzo
- Haha i will tell you later sucker , replied the mercenary commander . Let's go into the fortress first and then we can speak more
- As you wish , said the young man . As you wish , Signor Big Hat
Pushkin rushed ahead , heading in haste towards the giant closed doors of the building . Two of the mercenaries followed right behind , armed with crossbows and by how Prada understood , they were named Vladimir and Dimitry . They rushed in front of the giant patterned door and knocked several times
- Password ? , came a voice from inside
It sounded strange and hoarse and Farinni did not like it
- A black cat , said the mercenary named Vladimir
- I caught a mouse , answered the strange voice . I swallowed it in my mouth and eaten it
- Is this your password ? , Prada asked amused
- Yes , replied Pushkin . When i was serving in the border troops of Kuntsev we were having this same password and we kept it
- Interesting , added the Captain . Very interesting
The huge steel doors began to open , the process took no less than thirty seconds . For a brief moment Prada's soldiers instinctively grabbed their rifles , preparing for a possible attack of the enemy but the Captain gestured to them to relax
There was no enemy to be found in Telsomar castle because this citadel was built by a devout servant of Queen Georgetia . In less than a minute they were all inside it
As soon as the doors slammed shut behind them , Farinni looked around . They were finding themselves in a spacious corridor leading to two large staircases . The building was really tall and the rooms inside it had to be plentiful . Everywhere various candles were burning dim and all over the place it appeared to be twilight
In front of the staircase leading to the second floor , a short man in a white shirt and a dark waistcoat was standing . Next to him were five people : an old woman in a dark suit , an old man in a dress coat wearing glasses and three servants dressed in uniform . The Captain soon recognized that the man in shirt with the vest was Baron Telsomar . Long ago , when he was still a Lieutenant , Prada visited the Baron's house with a delegation of ambassadors . Alexander Antonin Telsomar was the confidant of Queen Georgetia and a Keeper Of Secrets . Some rumours were saying that he was involved into spiritualistic type of magic because mystery and uncertainty were following the man everywhere
The Baron since then grew noticeable gray since Prada visited him . Alexander was now wearing round glasses , his face was gray with age and slightly lifeless , and he was also terribly thin
- I am glad to see you Signor Telsomar , Prada bowed saying
His example followed by the rest of the warriors
- And i am glad to see you too , young one , Farinni Prada , son of the noble Viscount Maurizio Archibaldo , answered the Baron in a hushed voice
" - Why did he call me young " , the Captain thought for a moment but then chased away the strange thought
- I see that you managed to survive the battle for the city , Alexander added . It's commendable . The city is almost lost but my home is the only reliable fortress to repel the siege . I ask of you to settle down . You will find all amenities here , more precisely most of them but you can get cleaned and eat well , the reserves are still good . After that we need to discuss our further plans
- Thank you Sire , replied Farinni . Thank you for the hospitality
- No need to , the Baron said with an evil smile . It's my duty . Do forgive my mercenaries , they are a bit rude in communication
- No problem , Prada said
The Captain clearly noticed the gloomy expressions on the faces of the mercenaries and as obvious the Baron did not like to have them around that much but he always kept them beside , Alexander's wealth allowed him to keep his own small army
- Allow me to introduce my faithful servants , Telsomar said pointing at the old woman in strict uniform and the elderly man wearing glasses
- This Katharina Valarti , castellan of the Square Citadel and this gentleman Francisco Kovalya is my trusted lawyer and economist . They are second to me in the castle
The two servants of the baron bowed low to Prada and his warriors and the Captain along with them answered in kind
Katharina will show your chambers , the Baron said hastily walking on the steps of the staircase . You can also leave your weapons in the rooms , there is no need now to take them along
The mercenaries left as soon as the doors were closing completely , leaving to their posts and were not being seen anywhere now
- Come , said the monotonous voice of the old woman
She spoke as if she addressed a wall , her eyes were lowered and Prada noticed another strange thing , that the elderly managers did not even look at those they were addressing , as if they were repeating the words they were taught
- Your chambers are upstairs , added the old woman . I will take you there
- Obviously not only we are frightened by the aliens , Osvaldo concluded whispering to his warriors . This old witch seems to be smoking
- You have no respect for women , Sergeant Jose interrupted . She is frightened like all of them . You are being a dick
- Thank you , said Osvaldo . You are not the first nor the last person to tell me this . I always had problems with women . It's my life style amigo
- Let us go my love , said Jose turning to his girlfriend Yesenia
He took her hand and slowly led in the direction of the stairs , she followed close to him , beside him she always felt safe
- A couple in love , the bearded Sargeant cussed softly , looking at the two warriors in love
- Hah ! I am also a dove and this is the great army of Tramontina . Fuck it !
Prada barely reached the stairs leading to the second floor when Adriano approached him close . The warrior appeared to be frightened by something , showing unknown fear in his eyes . He recently lost his own beloved partner in the fight with the aliens . His constitution was heavy but for some reason , only fear was expressed on his face right now
- Is there something wrong ? , asked the Captain looking at Adriano
- I do not like here Signor Prada , replied the warrior . I do not like it at all
- Why ? What is wrong ? , asked Farinni
- I do not mean the place , i mean that i feel they are not happy with us , i feel that they do not like us and i do not know why and they behave strange , ostensible ...as if
- As if what ? , asked the Captain
- As if they are not people... , shrugged Adriano
- Ah come on , Osvaldo added . Let us go upstairs , i think you have to understand how hungry we are
- Come on , Prada said . We have nothing to fear here . They are their own people
Farinni knew that his words were uncertain and deep inside he realized that Adriano was probably right . Baron Telsomar and his servants were really behaving strange . If they were really frightened by the aliens , then fear had been present on all their faces . However , Prada did not see any glimpse of fear in them but more like agents of intelligence , agents of the enemies
Farinni looked a bit at lawyer Kovalya for a second , the old lawyer smiled slightly at the Captain but his smile was strange and spiteful , no fear and confusion on his face . Something was clearly wrong here
- Are they already settled in their chambers ? , asked Alexander Telsomar
His gaze was concerned and attentive , being focused on his manager
The old woman stood before her master with her head down
- Yes they are , she answered monotonously
- Well , the Baron said clapping his hands
- Then it's time to start the fun . Segeus ?
An old man , wearing a lackey frock coat responded to the name . He followed the direction he was pointed and waited , his eyes were of a strange violet color
- Take it to our guests , said Telsomar pointing his hand to the cup that was standing nearby on a silver table
Black coffee was poured into this cup , the coffee being so dark that from a distance it was looking to be like a liquid black paint
- Are you sure you need it now ? , asked Sergei
- Have i not spoken clear ? , the Baron pronounced irritated . Or do you want to argue with me ?
- With all due respect your eminence , answered the old footman
- I would prefer , in your place , to surprise them at dinner when they come together
- And i think you'll never be in my place dirty pig , Telsomar growled angry
- You will do what i said or i'll smash your fucking face . Clear ?
- Yes i do , said Sergei bowing . Very well your eminence
- Then go and begin , the Baron said adjusting his dark vest
- It is best to deal with the couple first . Bring them coffee and say is a courtesy from the gallant servants of her majesty . Let them taste it
- That is , act in turn ? , the old man asked
- Yes , Telsomar said . And be kind , do not ask me any questions until i decide to use the saw . You know that you are just a microbe compared to me
- I am a microbe , Sergei replied submissively
- I am insignifiant and i obey
- That's it then , Alexander said with fury
- Here you go !
The old man again bowed to the master and then went to the table . He grabbed a cup of coffee hastily with both hands and went out of the room , running so quick that he almost spilled the drink on the floor
Telsomar turned towards the old woman , she was still standing before him with her head down and the Baron noticed that one of her hands was trembling violently
- While you head downstairs , said Alexander . Check how our animal is doing there
- Very well , Katharina replied monotonously
She turned and walked away in a strange dancing walk towards the door
Having completed his affairs with the managers , Telsomar allowed himself a smile . Away from the room was standing Vasili
The mercenary commander was sitting at a table , looking at the white cup in which he recently had hot tea but it was only boiled water . Without thinking twice Vasili swallowed the cup from one shot , the high temperature of the liquid did not disturb him at all . Steam rushed away from Pushkin mouth and a smell of burn was in the air . An ordinary person would have burned their esophagus if would have drinked a liquid that hot
- Careful is hot , said the Baron with a grin . You will burn yourself
- You know well this does not happen , answered Vasili Pushkin with a grin . I do not feel anything
Having said this , the mercenary commander bitten the white cup with his teeth and snatched a piece of it and he began to chew the piece with content as if it was pizza , all his lips being already covered in blood
- Quiet , quiet , said Telsomar . Do not overdo it . You know ...i wanted to thank you
- For bringing them ? , Pushkin answered
- No need to mention it . I played along with them all the time . I am starting to get used to this calf to some extent yet i still hate the venture . They are so primitive these creatures
- It is only a temporary necessity , said the Baron . Endure just a little more , just do not dare to get used to it , this is all for a short while
- I really hope so , said Vasili throwing away the fragments of the white cup
- I really hope not for long . I am already impatient to leave this shell of a body . It squeezes me from all sides . This body is terrible , it does not look like the beautiful creatures we are
- All in due time , muttered Telsomar . You will manage everything . For now , go and check the other soldiers of Prada but do not touch the Captain at all . We need him alive
- As you wish , answered Pushkin . I will take only two with me and do not worry , Aluu Mukaar will not let them go away
Jose with Yesenia found themselves in a cozy and spacious room where candlesticks were burning all around , giving a better light than in the corridors . In the center of the room a large bed , meant for two was standing . The Baron seems to have expected Prada and his soldiers to come here and it was arranged in such manner that Farinni and his soldiers to agree in advance about the warm reception
In the room Jose noticed unusual paintings hung on the wall made by artists not indifferent to surealistic art and all of them were depicting people trapped in traps . He stopped to look at a particular one that was depicting a man and a woman were surrounded by monsters from all sides . This gave a signal of alarm and did not inspire confidence at all
In the meantime Yesenia was trying to get herself clean , dropping the soldier armor along with the weapon on the bed , remaining to wear only a simple brown underware . She was ready to take a bath and now was waiting for Telsomar servants to take her there . While Jose was examining the paintings , Yesenia approached a big mirror in the room , grabbing a comb along from her napsack
- They are strange , said the girls while brushing her dark hair . This baron and his employees
- I noticed this too , my love , added Jose who did not take his eyes off the paintings
- But we have no other way out . Outside there are enemies and at least here we are safe
- The Baron is not happy with us , said Yesenia
- It was obvious from their eyes . They felt unusually indifferent
- How should have they been then ? , the Sergeant answered with a slight smile
- You sees what's happening around us . They probably do not have enough reserves and are not happy to share
- Why are you laughing ? , asked the girl
- Because we are alive , said Jose finally taking his eyes off the paintings . And because you are alive . You know when that four legged monster pounced on you , i froze for a second , for a moment i thought i would lose you ...without you i would not have survived . Lucretia saved our lives and i will thank her forever
- I also thought about her during the fight , added Yesenia . I prayed to her tirelessly . But you know , something tells me that now we are not at all safe
- Owww !! Aaaaa !!
The girl did not finish her sentence and screamed loud , her eyes filled with dread . She was looking at the bed as if she was seeing something terrible there
- The caterpillar ! , Yesenia screamed
Jose immediately glanced the spot where his beloved indicated and indeed a small , long insect crawled along the cumbersome bed and from where it came from , Jose had no idea. He grabbed the caterpillar tail and thrown it on the floor
- Well , I ..., said the Sergeant staring at the insect
- It's just a caterpillar . Of course i am not particularly happy to see it in this room but they are not so dangerous
- I don't know ....i don't know , the girl answered in a shaking voice . This really scared me . What a nasty thing
- Well , what is wrong with you , Jose said affectionately , touching his beloved with his right palm
- Caterpillars are not dangerous , they are only vile to behold at first but then they turn into beautiful butterflies . Bright , beautiful and amazing , just like you
Hearing the words of her lover , Yesenia felt some relief . She smiled faintly while Jose stroked her cheek and then kissed her on the nose
- I will not kill a poor caterpillar , the Sergeant said smiling . After all , soon , it will become something beautiful
- Yes is true , let her live , she smiled . It's a path for it
To Adriano and the others were given a strange , long room on the first floor . It looked like a nursery where a lot of kids had to be born . All around there were only simple beds and the light was dim . The walls were completely empty and the room was terribly cold too
- Ah , it's cold here , said Valento who pulled his armor off . Cold like in the streets
- What did you expect ? , said Marco . Warm pool , girls and Martini ? It's not a fucking resort , we are at war
- It is still colder than should , argued Valento . Did you not notice the strangeness of the hosts ?
- I noticed , said Adriano . I do not like them
- Me neither , agreed Marco . Have you noticed their hair ?
- Even the soldiers of Pushkin looked like angels to me , added Valento , after i seen the local masters
- Alright enough nonsense , Adriano said . Let us wait until the servants of this Telsomar come for us . Me , for one , am impatient to wash myself
Then the stern warrior thrown his steel cuirass on the bed , placing his weapon beside him , leaning against one of the sideboards of the room . Adriano felt very dirty but the unexpected phenomenon made the soldier shiver and nearly scream . On the wood floor in front of him , a huge caterpillar with a violet color appeared . It walked slow towards his feet and its head was twitching all the time , as if from excitement
- Oh you ... ! , Adriano swore . What a paddle . Where do the insects come from ?
- What did you expect ? , a voice from his comrades spoken . Jacuzzi ? We all slept in such conditions , you too . Remember our campaign against the southerners , there were mosquitoes the size of my fist there
- Is a very strange caterpillar , said Adriano . I have never seen one like this , violet
- Everything is still weird , he barked back . Everything here is strange
The caterpillar increased its speed and then vanished under the bed . Adriano swore again feeling his irritation growing inside him , soon to be turning into anger
- I am going out , said Marco , then walked quick towards the door , his legs twitching slightly
- Where are you going ? , asked Valento
- I need to take a piss , the warrior replied . If i will find where to do it , then he vanished behind the door
After he left the room , the strange silence settled but Adriano did not pay any attention to it . He was sitting on the bed , looking down with empty eyes , his soul in turmoil . Yesterday he was thinking that they would be able to repel the alien attack but these foreign invaders appeared unexpectedly , taking even Captain Prada elite squad by surprise . Recently , the alien attacks were more and more surprising and deep down Adriano was assuming that this might point out to a posibility there was a spy who was giving them all the needed information because the aliens seemed to always find the weakest spots of the army of Tramontina
They took the city almost without effort with attacks taking place on all sides , massive scaled . What was also worrying Adriano was the absence of any enemies in the city in the aftermath . When he woke up with that terrible sound in his ears , he found no one around him and was lucky to be found by the other survivors and now Adriano was starting to question whether he was still alive or he had actually been dead all this time and this could only be Purgatory
- Listen , said Adriano still sitting with his head down
- What if we got a mole in the army ? , he said turning to his colleague Valento who was taking his armor off the next bed , having taken more time to take it off than usual
Valento did not answer to this , few seconds passed
- Huh ? , Adriano asked again . Have you thought about it ? I have and i have been thinking and is very strange . The aliens seemed to be familiar with us and they attacked in the weakest spots and i only think they sent a handful of them here
No answer came again and although Valento was not as talkative like Sanitary Gunzo , he was always answering any question he could in detail
- Valento ! , repeated Adriano turning towards him . Are you deaf ?
But he did not manage to finish the sentence because as soon as he turned his head , an unexpected horror enveloped his whole body . Adriano just froze in place in an instant with his mouth opened wide in a grimace of fear
A large swarm of mosquitoes at a furious speed hit him in the face , throwing him on the bed not enough time for him to make a sound and now the mysterious insects were covering his whole body . He squirmed and mumbled but could not shout for help while the insects were not retreating , but continuing to bite him then trying to brush aside the mosquitoes , Adriano collapsed from the bed , hitting the floor with his head . He was no longer moving , nor breathing
.....
- At last we are safe , Osvaldo said with a sigh while throwing his armor
The Baron servants were about to arrive to take their guests for a bath and this is just what the Sergeant wanted
- I cannot say for certain , replied the Captain
Prada followed the Sergeant example and threw off his armor
- What do you mean not for certain ? , asked Osvaldo displeased
- Signor Captain , do you think they could be waiting for us here ? . If they wanted us dead , they could have done so in the city
- This is what is bothering me , replied Farinni . I have to be honest with you , amigo and tell you something
- When i visited the Baron in the times when i was Lieutenant , he was known to be famous for his optimism , he could not even speak a phrase without a pun . He had many battles in his time and his own colleagues always said that even in a heavy fight he remained optimistic because it helped him to survive . This was the view of Telsomar , that humor prolongs life . This here , is a completely different person and i seen his smile and it was not a kind one . This i did not like at all
- Yes it made me spit , said the Sergeant . I too am worried but for another matter . How long will we stay here and what about the reinforcements ? Will they ever arrive ?
- We were waiting for them on the city square , answered Prada
- The Order promised to send help because against such creatures we dearly needed better fighters , even better than us such as Frederick or Orpheus for example . We were almos powerless and although we are considered special forces , we could not hold out against these monsters but we will wait for reinforcements here , if any
- While we sit here ? , growled Osvaldo displeased . Sitting in one place ?
- Then do you have a plan ? , answered Farinni furiously
- Suggest me a plan and i will listen . Do you want to return to the city and risk being eaten alive by alien mutants ?
- No i do not , said the Sergeant . You are the boss , but i am not happy to sit still . We may be safe here without doubt but to sit and wait is not the style of the special forces
- We will discuss more at dinner , said Prada but you still cannot go back
- If you have not forgot , we still do not know the total of our losses we suffered . You know , when i was talking with the corpse in the museum , i seen Paulo in front of me and it was him , i seen him like i see you now and then he attacked me and i thrown him on the floor and he repeated strange words : Aluu ' Mukaar , Aluu ' Mukaar , Aluu ' Mukaar ... and then you shown up with the survivors
- It was a dead man , said Osvaldo . You seen him yourself , a murdered cop that could not speak
- Yet here i am , said Farinni , And i seen Paulo , i seen him , i swear to Saint Lucretia . It more seems to me the aliens have done something to us during the attack on the square and i mean that terrible screech and the strange phrase in this unknown language . We all heard it and i am not sure if we are all alright
- Do you think they are trying to drive us insane ? , asked the bearded Sargeant
- I think they already done it , Prada said
- The aliens used some sort of weapon and i seen with my own eyes how hundreds of our warriors were rushing to flee from the square , like madmen and then i joined them . It just does not work this way...
- I don't know for sure, Osvaldo said ...I don't know ...i did hear the rattle too , the creepy sound and yes that is the exact word i heard as well but the stranger things like you have , i did not notice and no dead on the street spoken to me or tried to attack
- I will go to the Baron , said Farinni . I will find out why he is here
Prada jumped off the sofa heading towards the exit , his eyes being worried and somehow appearing a bit insecure , even timid . The Captain was near nervous breakdown and Osvaldo noticed it . The Sergeant had long been among the loyal friends of the commander and he was familiar with his habits and feelings and now Prada's behaviour was seriously worrying him . For him , there was something very wrong with the Captain , something frightening and confusing and Osvaldo hoped to find out soon
- What is the matter with him , muttered the Sergeant after he made sure the Captain left the room
- ....Yet one part of my soul agrees with him ....yes ....something is very wrong here , very strange , even dangerous and their behaviour is too strange , not credible
..........
- It would not be bad of you to wash , my love , Jose said tenderly while stroking his beloved dark hair
- It smells like....from the most beautiful cow
- Same to you , Sargeant , added Yesenia ironically . I am glad you can still be romantic
She stood up on her feet , touching her cheeks with his then kissed his brow . The Sergeant smiled at his lover placing his hands on her shoulders and once he touched her , Jose felt an irresistible desire to remove all the clothes from her
- Let's leave something for later , he said passionately , almost whispering and winking at her
- I am looking forward for it , said Yesenia . We have not had sex for almost an entire day
- We have the entire night ahead , private , smiled Jose
- A whole night for military exercises , and without a warm up
- And you lover of sharp puns , mister Sergeant , laughed the girl in response
- It has always been so , since the first time we met . I still remember the moment when we first seen eachother
- And i also remember when i first deprived you of your innocence , my lady , Jose bursted in laughing . It was unforgettable and like i remember , it was in a tent . Haha ..i cannot forget the look on the Captain face when he...
Unexpected to them , a knock on the door interrupted and Yesenia face almost turned pale . Jose got tensed immediately and in his eyes were shades of anger , hating the fact they were interrupted
- Not on time , growled the Sergeant , hurrying towards the door . Come in !
The door opened and an elderly man entered the room , one of the servants of Baron Telsomar . The servant entered with a big smile
- Ah , the military folk , said the old man with a bow . I have brought you a refreshment . A fine refreshment for our brave defenders and true warriors of Tramontina
- From who ? , Jose asked displeased
- We were not expecting this
- From his ...excellency , the old servant answered timidly . My name is Sergei and the Baron told me to bring you a cup of coffee from Inalia , the best this castle has in the reserves . Try it . You deserve it . Your country ....will never forget you , a true example for everyone . Glory to Queen Georgetia Matia Fredda , the servant spoke in a strange sycophantic tone
- Hmm , said the Sergeant bewildered while taking the cup in his hands
- Well , tell the Baron that i thank him but i have a request . When can we clean ourselves off the dirt ?
- Very soon , answered Sergei . Very soon , you will all be clean
- Very well , said Jose . Thank you again , we await
The old man smiled again bowing down and leaving the room , holding the empty tray in his hands and in the same time he chuckled strangely and this aggravated the Sergeant irritation . As soon he was gone , Jose placed the cup on a small round table
- A strange one for sure . Why did he chuckle like that
- Just an ordinary old man to me , said Yesenia . It was the same in my parents house , the cup servant was always laughing and pranking at old age
- I'll try to taste this , Jose smiled slightly taking one of the cups but first i need to check how this refreshment tastes
Jose brought the cup to his lips and took a sip from it and despite the fact that it looked hot , the Sergeant drank almost half of it and then he put the cup on the table , staring around strangely . Yesenia noticed how her lover's eyes were turning strange , inspiring a mysterious fear . Suddenly , the Sergeant jerked coughing and coughing several more times while spilling the drink on the floor , almost splashing Yesenia with it
- Fuck this ! , cussed the Sergeant , spitting out all the coffee . Shit ! Shit !
- What happened dear ? . Yesenia asked with anxiety
- There was something in the coffee , replied Jose
Then he glanced at the black puddle that was spilled on the crimson carpet and here the rage filled his soul . Right in the pool a purple caterpillar was swimming , wriggling and trembling , twitching its numerous legs
- Darned caterpillars ! , snapped Jose angry
- I will go to the Baron directly , to explain all this shit
- But dear , it may have been an accident , Yesenia said
- Did you see the face of the old man ? , answered Jose discontent . He placed that in the coffee not by accident . I will not tolerate this . I am not just Sergeant Jose , i am the son of the Count Castanello and i will not tolerate this insult
- Dear..., she tried to say
But all her attempts to calm him were not successful and Jose furiously dashed toward the door , vanishing soon behind it . He was determined to find out the truth , not baring such an insult . Once he gotten out of the room , he found himself in a spacious corridor leading to many parts of the mysterious castle , everything being bathed in twilight coming from the dimly burning candles
The Sergeant eyes were full of rage and bewilderment and suddenly he felt deep inside himself , the origin of fear . A complete silence was present in the corridor that was not present even in the city ruins , so quiet that he could hear his own breath . His heartbeat intensified
Suddenly Jose heard a loud scream from the room where he left Yesenia , his heart pounded heavily , her cry frightened him
- Yesenia !!! , he shouted
He turned back soon heading towards the door that he nearly pulled it off its hinges when he burst into the room . The room was changed , there was no light in it anywhere , the candles that were burning here earlier were extinguished , as if someone done it on purpose
- Yesenia ! , shouted again Jose
- Where are you ? What happened ?
But no answer came from his beloved , the room was so dark he could not see his own hands and he felt something very mysterious and omnious being here
- Yesenia ! , repeated the Sergeant
- What happened ? Where are you Yesenia ?
Again no response from the girl . She just vanished without trace and he could not understand why . He ran to the middle of the room but being so dark he almost stumbled and fell on the bed , not being able to make out anything in the dark . By touch it was difficult to move around , the room was having no windows at all and his eyes could not get used to this darkness
- Yesenia ! , he yelled again . Yesenia !!
- Where is she ..., he thought to himself inconsolable
He clearly heard her screaming , she was clearly in danger , he was feeling this with all the fibers of his body . All of a sudden he heard a strange movement in the room . He could not see a thing but he could hear perfectly instead . He turned towards the noise stepping back
- Yesenia . This is not a joke . There is no time to joke like this
The movement in the room ceased and soon the silence settled again and for the first time in his life he realized he cannot overcome his fear now , his knees trembling
Suddenly he felt a strange touch , something touched his back , a light , almost affectionate touch . Jose shuddered and turned around again but the darkness could not let him see anything
- Who's there ? , he whispered in horror
- Whos is there ? In the name of Saint Lucretia
Suddenly , right before him two bright violet eyes appeared and for a second he did not realize what just happened but then he noticed a horrible face , disfigured by terrible scars and a giant oval mouth opened , revealing hundreds of sharp teeth like that of a shark , the violent lights dug into his face and did not let him move a muscle , fear completely feathered his body now
Jose screamed in horror but his scream did not last long and the last thing he seen before his demise , two giant jaws covered in sharp teeth
...........
- I done everything , Sergei said bowing . Your Eminence , i done all like you said
- Excellent , said Telsomar with a grin . We can safely assume they are already ours , the sweet couple
- Any other orders ? , the old man asked in a pleading voice
- Shut up ! Close your wormy mouth !
The old man bowed to his master and then departed from him two steps back . Suddenly , one of the mercenaries entered Telsomar office like a bullet . He was breathing heavily and his face did no longer betray anything human at him , his left eye having turned black like tar
- Mon Signor , one of Captain Prada warriors left the room , said the mercenary with head dropped down
- Kill him ! , said Telsomar in a commanding tone . But quick and silent lest our plan is compromised
- As you say Don Telsomar , the mercenary replied
- I have some questions . What about the Captain ? When he arrived here i looked at his gaze and he worried me greatly , to me he is very dangerous and his eyes was showing his true feelings
- We will take care of the Captain later , said the Baron . He is not dangerous to us , don't you dare say such a thing !
- He is still a veteran , the guard said without hesitation . He...
- You will carry out my orders , Telsomar growled hoarsely , his eyes glowing in a bright purple
- Or i will rip out your soft bodied shell and tear it in two . Captain Prada cannot be dangerous for us now . He already got trapped in the net and all of this is game of death that he will not win
- Yes ! , cried the mercenary falling on his knees
- Forgive me Your Eminence ... I doubted
- Do not dare ! , hissed the Baron in a threatening tone
- Do not dare to doubt it else even the greatest of the Yotuns cannot forgive you . They are only primates , primitives and we are not . We are a higher form of life than they are and you should never dare to be afraid of them . Captain Prada is indeed a worthy warrior but now he is a rabbit and we are tigers
The mercenary remained kneeled , covering his face with both hands in fear and his whole body was shaking as if from a deep cold
- Now go and perform your duty ! , Alexander Telsomar ordered
- Go prove your allegiance to Aluu ' Mukaar . Otherwise he will not suffer you on the ceremony . Aluu ' Mukaar will wreck your heart and devor it whole without leaving a piece of it and Aluu ' Mukaar will be the pain of this primitive life form . All humans will die in great pain !!!!
To be continued...
