Part 9
As both of them made their way back down the path they had come in from, none said a word. The journey back through the dimly lit tunnels felt longer and more foreboding than before. Alucard's senses were on high alert, every shadow and echoing sound scrutinised for potential threats. Brok, though not as attuned to the subtleties of the supernatural, mirrored Alucard's seriousness, realising the gravity of the situation. Brok walked beside him the crushing sounds of stones and earth shifting from under Brok's boot.
As they made it back to where they started they could see a small glow of a low light in the distance at the end of the tunnel; it was most likely Markus and the rest. As they made their way down the long tunnel, none spoke. Brok wanted to but he was unsure what to say, he did not want to upset Alucard and nor did he want to pry into the man's past. The past is a hard subject to talk about when one is not ready for it, Brok knew this all too well, but just like Alucard pushed him he knew he had to do the same, to help him.
“I know it is none of my business, but you know after what you had done for me I have come to like you. You are a good person, but if you want to talk about it at any point I am here to listen. Don't worry I won't mention this to Markus or the others you have my word”.
Alucard remained silent, still not sure what to believe what he saw was even real, or it was just old nightmares returning after so long. Both upset Alucard more than anyone knew. “Let's just keep going. I don't want to talk about it.”
Brok nodded in agreement and they made the west of the way to Markus and the others. As they got closer to the light they could only see Markus, the rest had used the elevator and made their way down to the lower levels, Markus stayed behind to greet Alucard and Brok.
As Markus stepped closer to see both Alucard and brok he could not help but note something was not quite right. “You both look like you've seen a ghost? Is everything alright?”
But before Alucard could utter a word, Brok spoke. “Oh it was nothing Markus, come on let's go, the rest will be waiting for us'. As Brok stepped into the life, Alucard stayed behind as the life was old and had not had any maintenance for years. Who knew how much it could hold before it gave way.
As Markus and Brok descended deeper into the mine. Alucard saw the worried look on his friend's face.
Within moments Alucard was alone, no one else around, he could still hear the gears of the lift working and the cracking sound of the pulley system working. Alucard turned around scanning the tunnel he had just come down watching wait, he expected to see those eyes once more, the eyes that haunted his dreams all those years ago. The nightmare he ran away from and never looked back. They haunted his daily life and his dreams. A part of him felt as if it never really happened. It was all just a vivid dream he had and he woke up so conceived it happened that he believed it.
Alucard knew all too well that it was not a dream, no dreams at all. That night has followed Alucard for all these years and it still clings to him so ever tightly refusing to let go. It felt like a cold hand gripping Alucard's heart and squeezing ever so tightly slowly and slowly squeezing. Every day It got worse, it had gotten so bad that sometimes he felt it hard to breathe even though nothing was happening to him.
He hated those days, they made him so helpless, unable to do or say anything no one could ever understand what had happened, he never wanted to go back to those days again. “I won't go back...” Alucard muttered.
Alucard could hear the sound of the lift returning. Brok yelled up the shaft “Alucard the life is coming back up, hold on.” Alucard looked down the shaft and could see a small light from the lamp that was left on the elevator for him slowly coming towards him. Suddenly there was a sound coming from the tunnels they had just past. Alucard turned around, sword in hand with the torch raised high to give as much light as it could.
He stopped, waited for anything, he could hear the sounds of distant echoes within the mine, rocks cracking, as if someone or something was walking on stone. The faint sounds of movement.
The distant echoes reverberated through the mine, creating an eerie symphony of uncertainty. Alucard's senses heightened, every muscle tensed, and he strained to discern the source of the sounds. The flickering torchlight cast long shadows that danced along the walls, adding to the disconcerting atmosphere.
"Brok, Markus!" Alucard called out, his voice echoing down the tunnel. The approaching light of the lift seemed agonisingly slow. The sounds persisted, growing louder, closer. Alucard's eyes darted from shadow to shadow, trying to pierce the darkness.
“What is it lad?” yellow Brok from the bottom of the shaft. “We got company!” Yelled Alucard. In the distance he could make out something fante, and then a group of red eyes. Two no three parts staring at him, ever more showing up with every second.
Alucard caused under his breath. Alucard counted at least 5 ghouls, the rest moving around so fast he could not keep track. He knew this was not good fighting Ghouls was not too much of a problem but in this tight area with nowhere to move would make it difficult. But fighting this many is dangerous. Alucard was not sure if he could win. He yelled back down to Brok and Markus and the rest, telling them how many.
Brok's voice echoed up the shaft. "Hold on tight lad! We'll get you!"
Alucard, surrounded by the eerie glow of red eyes, prepared for the onslaught. The lift ascended, each passing second amplifying the tension. The ghouls, sensing prey, began to close in. Alucard swung his sword in wide arcs, keeping the encroaching creatures at bay.
The lift was almost there. Alucard focused, blocking out the fear that threatened to creep in. His instincts kicked in, the training from years past guiding every move. As the lift arrived, he leaped onto it, the ghouls snapping at the edge as it ascended.
Once safely on the lift, Alucard yelled down to Brok and Markus, "We've got trouble! Ghouls in the tunnel. Get ready!" The lift continued its ascent, leaving the red-eyed horde below, their hungry snarls lingering in the mine's depths.
Alucard jumped on the lift and pulled the lever as fast as he could, speeding up the descent. It shot down at great speed the rope and gears made cracking sounds. The ghouls jumped down the shaft after him. One landed on top of the lift as it went down with great speed. As the lift descended rapidly, Alucard felt a surge of adrenaline. The damaged top of the lift creaked under the weight of the ghoul that had landed on it. Alucard's eyes were fixed on the approaching horde. The confined space of the shaft made evading them nearly impossible.
Alucard could hear Brok Yelling “Hold on lad!” The ghoul broke and twisted the meal framework, its sharp talons clawing at Alucard, swinging in every direction trying to grab its prey. It let out a haunting scream. It hissed and spat at Alucard, its breath foul with the stench of death. Its sharp teeth biting and pulling at the metal trying every so hard to rip it apart. Alucard thrusted his sword, threw the metal stabbing it in the chest. It let out a scream of both pain and anger still trying to grab Alucard, the rest of the horde rapidly chasing after them.
Alucard looked down and saw the bottom of the shaft rapidly getting closer, he saw Brok and Markus looking up but quickly moved away to avoid being hit. Alucard knew he had to time this moment perfectly or else it could mean his end. The ghoul still thrashing at Alucard he gave one last thrust of the blade cutting right through the ghoul it screamed in pain and fell silent. Alucard turned and ready himself and when the lift was moments away from the bottom he leaped through the door, rolling as he hit the floor, only just missing Brok and Markus. The lift hit the floor behind him crashing into the ground pieces of metal and rocks flowing acrose the room everyone ducked, only just missing their heads.
The shaft was filled with broken and twisted metal dust and smoke filled the air around the shaft opening.
The room was tense, filled with the echoes of distant snarls and the shuffling of approaching ghouls. Brok surveyed the room, his eyes narrowing as he gauged the situation. Alucard, having just narrowly escaped the ghoul on the lift, was already in a combat stance, his sword gleaming in the dim light.
"Get ready for a fight, lads. They're coming," warned Markus, his sword drawn and his eyes fixed on the entrance to the mine. The guards formed a defensive line, weapons at the ready.
The first ghoul burst into the room, its eyes glowing with hunger. Alucard moved like a shadow, his sword cutting through the air as he struck the creature down. But more followed, relentless in their pursuit. The guards fought valiantly, but the tight space limited their movements, making it a challenging battle.
Brok, wielding his massive hammer, swung it with precision, crushing the skulls of ghouls that came too close. Markus, a skilled swordsman, moved with grace, parrying attacks and striking back with lethal precision. His men not far behind him, making sure they closed the gap, they left no opening for the ghouls to get through.
As the battle raged on, Alucard's mind raced. The ghouls should not have been able to follow them so quickly. There was something more to this. Someone or something had gotten them into a frenzy. Alucard has never seen ghouls aced so aggressively. Aspecasly against the living. Ghouls in nature are corps eaters they eat the dead, and in groups attract and kill the living but never like this, this was something else.
Alucard moved with precision, his every strike a calculated dance. His eyes, a sharp crimson, reflected the flickering light of torches as he navigated the chaos. The ghouls, driven by some unseen force, pressed forward with an unnatural ferocity.
Markus, in the midst of the fray, locked eyes with Alucard for a brief moment. There was a shared understanding between them that this was not a standard ghoul encounter. They needed answers, and those answers lay deeper within the mine.
Brok, swinging his mighty hammer, managed to create openings for the guards to strike. The clash of weapons and the groans of the undead echoed in the confined space. The guards, though outnumbered, fought with a disciplined unity. They held their ground, determined to protect their town
As the battle reached its peak, Alucard's mind raced through possibilities. Was there a darker force at play, manipulating these ghouls? Or was there a connection between the recent murders, the sealed mine, and the frenzied undead? Alucard knew one thing for sure—the answers were buried deep within the shadows of the mine.
Alucard moved with great speed, as if he was dancing with the blade itself, cutting down each ghoul as they came in range. There were so many, and yet still more came down the shaft. How many were there? Is this all of them or was this just a small group of them? Alucard did not know. But what he did know was that their task did not stop here; they must keep going deeper into the mine.
Brok, with his massive hammer, continued to create openings for the guards. The clang of metal on bone echoed in the chamber. Markus, coordinating the defence, shouted orders to his men, urging them to hold their ground.
The fighting lasted what felt like hours to them, every breath they took was heavier than the last. The taste of iron and blood hung within the air. The group was tired beyond imageable, they could not last much longer, some fell to the ground from exhaustion, and a pile of the dead ghouls filled the room.
As the last of the initial wave of ghouls fell, Alucard's eyes darted to the mine entrance. The darkness beyond seemed to swallow any trace of their origin. The air hung heavy with tension. It was clear that this was just the beginning, and the deeper they went, the more challenges awaited them.
Markus, catching his breath, approached Alucard. "This isn't like any ghoul encounter I've seen. They're behaving... oddly."
Alucard nodded in agreement. "Agreed. Something has disturbed the ghouls, making them blood frenzy. I never seen a pack this big before, we need to go further.
Brok, overhearing their conversation, chimed in. "The deepest part of the mine is still ahead. Whatever's causing this, we'll find it there." Alucard looked around to see where Brok was speaking from but could not see him. So did Markus.
“Brok” yelled back Alucard and Markus together. “Over here lads” answered Brok as they scanned the room, they could see a arm sticking out amidst of a pile of dead ghouls that had landed on top of him.
“Brok you ok?” asked Alucard, quite considerate. “Yea I am fine lad, just these things are hevery can you help me up.” Markus and Alucard started pulling the body’s off Brok one by one. Alucard was amazed with how well Brok handled himself. These ghouls were no joke. They are twice the size of Brok.
“Not going to lie to you lads' said Brok as he sat on a pile of ghoul corpses trying to catch his breath. Resting his war hammer next to him. “But that fight took a lot out of me... I think we need a breather.” There were no disagreements from anyone in the party. Everyone looked as if hell itself came at them. Everyone was surprisingly unharmed, apart from a few cuts and bruises, everyone was good. Expected one of Markus’s men, it seemed one of the Ghouls had gotten a lucky shot and left a large gash on his arm that was dripping blood quite a bit.
Alucard, having seen the wounded guard, approached with a small vial from his pouch. "Hold still," he said, pouring a mysterious liquid over the wound. The liquid fizzled for a moment before settling into a glowing, soothing effect. The wound sealed itself slowly, and the bleeding started to slow down dramatically.
"What is that stuff?" asked the guard, astonished.
"Just a little remedy of mine," Alucard replied cryptically. "It helps wounds heal faster. But it's not a miracle curl, if your wound was any deeper this would be useless and you would most likely lose that arm.” The Guard's face turned pile for the thought of that happening, he had not realised how close he had come to losing the army completely. Markus grabbed a cloth and wrapped it around the wounded man's arm.
Suddenly they could hear noises coming from all directions of the mine, every tunnel and every side passage filled up with distanced echoes. Everyone looked around at each tunnel expecting an army of ghouls to come bursting out at them at any moment.
The group moved closer together, their weapons at the ready. The noises in the mine seemed to be closing in, echoing off the walls and creating an unsettling symphony of distant sounds. Alucard, sensing something amiss, raised his hand, signalling everyone to halt. Everyone waited for what was to come, Brok looked around at everyone he could see they would not last much longer if a large attack was to happen. Only Alucard could make it out of this alive Brok though but he was going to die down here not before he got his answers. Brok dropped his warhammer on the floor and started to grab his maps from the bag. “What are you doing Brok?” asked Alucard.
Brok pulled one of the newer maps out and gave it a quick scan “HERE!” Yelled Brok as he pointed down a path. “There is an overseer's office just a few feet from us down the left tunnel, if we make it there we can hide out until everything settles down.” Brok folded up his maps and pushed them into his bag, swinging it over his shoulder and grabbing his hammer and yelling “LET’S MOVE LADS” Before anyone could make a sound Brok had shot off down the tunnel towards the echos. Everyone gave each other a look of shock and surprised by Brok's quick thinking.
Everyone shot down the tunnel after Brok not even thinking and trusting him. Following his lead.
As they ran through the tunnels, the echoes of distant sounds continued to fill the mine. The group followed Brok as he navigated through the labyrinthine passages, relying on his knowledge of the mine's layout. Alucard stayed close to Brok, his senses alert for any signs of danger.
They reached the overseer's second office, a small, dimly lit room with dusty ledgers and abandoned tools scattered around. Brok closed the door behind them, and the group took a moment to catch their breath.
Alucard yelled “PUT THE FIRES OUT!” Everyone grabbed their torches and smothered the flame out, leaving them and the room in pitch darkness, everyone used their body’s and blocked the door to the office. Everyone stayed absolutely silent not making a single sound, Alucard could make out running outside the door, ghouls passing with great speed as if they were running away or towards something. They were on the hunt, they could smell blood in the air.
In the darkness of the overseer's office, the group listened intently to the sounds of the ghouls passing by. The mine seemed to be in chaos, with the frenzied creatures searching for prey. Alucard could feel the tension in the room, the collective breaths held, and the quiet determination to remain hidden.
As the distant sounds faded, Brok whispered, "Those ghouls are on the hunt. We should camp here, rest up for the night.”
Alucard nodded in agreement. "Resting here would be wise. We can't risk moving while the ghouls are in such a frenzy. Everyone, stay quiet and be vigilant. We don't know what else might be lurking in these tunnels."
The group settled into an uneasy silence, the darkness of the overseer's office providing cover. Alucard could hear the distant sounds of the ghouls' movements outside, their echoing footsteps creating an eerie symphony in the mine.
Brok, sitting against a wall, spoke in hushed tones. "We need to be prepared for what's ahead. These ghouls are acting like nothing I've seen before. Something's driving them mad. Alucard, you've faced these creatures. Any insights?"
Alucard, still keenly aware of his surroundings, replied, "Ghouls are creatures of instinct. They feed on the dead and usually avoid the living unless in large numbers. But this... it's as if they've lost all reason. It could be some external force or a disturbance deep within the mine."
As everyone started moving away from the door, everyone kept bumping into tables and old broken chairs.
“Bloody hell, I can't see a blasted thing in here.” Brok said in a hush tone but one could hear the frustration within his voice. “We need some light.”
“It's too dangerous to light a fire in here.” replied Markus “it could bring the ghouls down on top of us.”
“Blasted," said Brok as he walked into a table and smacked his leg. Alucard searched around in one of his pockets and grabbed a few small stones and placed them in the palm of his hand. He whispered something to the stones in a language no one understood, and the small stones slowly started to shine, and illuminate the room, in a low glow of pure white light. Within seconds everyone could see and make out the rest of the room, Alucard grabbed an old black cloth that was on the floor of the room, and toasted it to one of the guards, still by the door.
“Hang that up, make sure it covers the door completely so no light gets through.” The guard quickly turned around and covered the door. One of the other men came and helped out, pushing the cloth through all the cracks of holes in the door blocking all light.
Brok looked at Alucard and was always amazed how well prepared he is, but for Alucard planning and preparation goes hand in hand in his line of work, if one did not prepare with the right tools and equipment it would cost him his life.
“What are those stones?” Asked Markus.”I never seen anything like them before.”
Alucard held one of the glowing stones up for everyone to see. "These are lumistones. Or some light to call them lightstones they're enchanted to emit a soft light without heat or flame. Useful for situations where a torch might give away your position. A little trick I picked up in my travels."
Markus and the guards looked at the stones in awe, appreciating the practicality of such magical items. In the dimly lit room, the Lumistones provided just enough light to see each other's faces.
Brok, still nursing a bruise on his leg, chuckled. "Always handy to have a few magical tricks up your sleeve, Alucard. But let's get some rest. We'll need our strength for whatever awaits us in the deeper parts of the mine."
The group settled down, finding whatever comfortable spots they could on the dusty floor. Alucard remained vigilant, his keen senses on high alert. The Lumistones continued to cast their gentle glow, creating an otherworldly atmosphere in the small room.
As the group rested, the sounds of the mine persisted outside. The ghouls were still active, their movements echoing through the tunnels. Alucard stayed awake, waiting for everyone to get a few hours of sleep without worrying about their surroundings.
Alucard stared at the cloth covering the door, every now and then looking around the room checking to make sure people were getting their rest. This situation was nothing new to Alucard. He found himself in dangerous places before by both men and monsters, for Alucard sometimes he could not tell the difference between them, the human race can be a cruel and greedy lot.
Aucard could feel his eyes getting heavy with every passing minute. It made it harder to stay awake, to stay focused. He tried to fight it with every fibre of his body but not even Alucard could go without sleep for too long, with just a moment he left it guard down and drifted to sleep.
Brok woke up suddenly from his slumber looking around the room with a bit of confusion on his face, for a moment he had forgotten where he was, and though he had gotten drunk and went on one of his benders once again and fell asleep in some random location in town.
Brok's eyes adjusted to the dim glow of the Lumistones, and the memories of their perilous situation flooded back. The ghouls' frenzied hunt, the strange yellow eyes that Alucard swear he saw. It all made Brok uneasy, he put on a brave face for everyone but deep down he was regretting coming down into the mines. He was a blacksmith not a warrior, he shouldn't be here he thought but as soon as those thoughts entered his mind they vanished as quickly as he looked around the room, seeing his friends sleeping knowing every single one of them are in the same boat as him, they all must be sacred. But they are down here together wanting to stop the ghouls and reopen the mine for the people of Iron harbour.
It was a noble ghole, one witch brok was happy to be a part of, he wondered how Alucard did this for a living. Not knowing what was out there and if today could be his last day, but that did not stop him, and nor will it stop Brok.
He glanced at the cloth-covered door, where a sliver of light leaked through. Everything seemed quiet outside. Brok stood up, careful not to wake the others, and approached the door. Gently, he lifted the cloth and peered into the darkness beyond.
The mine tunnels remained still, the echoes of ghouls now distant. Brok turned around and sat back down on the floor, looking at the Lumistones that were left on the table to cast as much light as possible. The light had dimed slightly, the power within the stones were fading it would be pitch black soon.
Alucard was asleep, learning agents the wall with his black resting on him. His usually alert and intense demeanour seemed softer in sleep. Brok couldn't help but wonder about Alucard's past. The man carried an air of mystery, and his skills spoke of experiences that ran deep.
What sacred Brok more than the ghouls, is what Alucard thought he had seen. Alucard did not break a sweat fighting all those ghouls at once, he made it look effortless. But seeing those yellow eyes turned his cold, Brok hopes it was just his mind playing tricks on him, and if not he hopes to never come across it down here.
Alucard started to move in his sleep muttering to himself, Brok could not make out what he was saying.
Brok leaned closer, trying to catch Alucard's muttering. The words were fragmented, whispered like echoes from a distant memory. "Eyes in the shadows... can't escape... Elice run.. RUN!"
Alucard jerked himself awake, grabbing his sword by the hilt, quickly releasing where he was, letting go and saw Brok was looking at him. “Is everything ok lad?” Said Brok worried for his friend.
“Just old nightmares.” replied Alucard
Brok nodded in understanding, realising that Alucard carried more than just physical scars from his past. "We all have our ghosts, lad. Let's focus on what's ahead. We're in this together."
Alucard let out a small smile and nodded. “If you ever want to talk about it lad, I am here for you.”
“Thanks Brok, But I will be fine.”
The rest of the group in various stages of rest. He decided to let them sleep a bit longer, realising that their next steps would depend on what awaited them deeper in the mines.
As the group rested, Alucard sat in the dimly lit room, his mind wrestling with the echoes of his past. Brok's concern lingered in the air, a silent understanding between comrades. The Lumistones continued to cast their feeble light, creating an almost surreal atmosphere in the small space.
After a while, Alucard stood up, his movements purposeful. He approached Brok, who was leaning against the wall, lost in his own thoughts. "We need to move deeper into the mine," Alucard said, his voice low.
Brok nodded, pushing himself off the wall. "Agreed. The longer we wait, the more time those ghouls have to regroup. Let's wake the others."
Alucard moved from person to person, gently waking them from their short rest. “Markus, let's move” Said Alucard as he gently woke him. The Lumistones glow had turned ever-fading, with only moments left Alucard lit one of the torches once more and the room filled with a large orange glow. The Lumistones died out and the group grabbed the rest of the torches and lit them.
With that everyone had gathered there belongings they were ready to move once more, Brok grabbed his map out and showed the group where they needed to go, they were getting closer to the bottom of the mine it self, they needed to find one more elevator shaft and descend to the very depths and destroy the ghouls nest.
Part 10 of Luke's story is available here by clicking this link.
