(Update)
It took me about 32 minutes to arrive at Archon Arena. The whole place is as dirty as an abandoned wasteland. Houses rotten and destroyed with a bunch of spray paintings. The spray paints were one of those pagan symbols, even though they are similar, something just doesn’t add up with the design. The road is empty. Nobody came in or out of the place. Bushes and trees all dried up into husks. The sky was covered by dark grey clouds, as if covering this place in secret.
I kept driving until I arrived at the front of the gate entrance. The rusty doors are wrapped in vines and twigs. The mansion was massive and full of calligraphy. Windows broke into pieces. The walls rotten by ash and filth. It’s obvious that cults would inhabit a place dirty and abandoned. Where no other civilian would care to investigate it. I got out of the car, pulled out my bag, and locked the door shut with my car keys.
I went to the gate with my bag over my shoulder. I started to push the gate, making a terrible ear-piercing noise that shakes my brain violently. The doors are kinda heavy to push, felt like I was pushing some sort of door to hell or something. I got through the gate and started walking to the mansion. At the center of the area is a fountain of nothing. No water nor anything. Just weeds and twigs filled the fountain. At the center of the fountain was a statue of a woman wearing a cloak, looking up at the sky with those eyes of the damned. I couldn’t stand to look at it, so I just kept walking. But I couldn’t help but to look back at it. When I did, a jolting sensation immediately vibrated my whole body. The statue was looking at me in the eyes. I nearly dropped my bag but caught it quickly.
I quickly looked away and kept going. When I turned around again, to see if she moved closer to me. But she just returned to her proper position. I wanted to believe I was hallucinating but I saw it with my very own eyes. I shook my head, dismissing the statue.
The door I’m looking at does not fit with the whole picture of the mansion. It was bright white, clean as new. They probably just replaced the ugly door of this mansion few days ago. I climbed up the short stairs and was going to grab the shiny golden knob. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”
Before I could lay a hand on the knob, a man came out of nowhere behind me. It wasn’t Darwin nor my dad. I turn around to see a man standing before me. I’m not good at describing people’s looks but I’ll try the best I can. He wore a white shirt beneath his brown woolen coat. His dark circular glasses shields his eyes that I couldn’t see where’s he’s looking at. His dark orange hair consumes the light around us. His boots looked nothing else from this world but fiction. There’s even some sort of a large weapon held by his back. A sort of gun or a flamethrower.
“Who are you?” He walked closer, now standing behind the stairs. “The names Billy West. I knew that you didn’t call Darwin, so I came here to stop you from doing something stupid.”
I groaned in annoyance. How does people like them know that I’m not going to need their help? I don’t know what they’re thinking. This is my business and this is important to me. “Of course you’re with him. Can you just let me do my own thing?”
“Yeah, no. You have no bloody idea what you are dealing with. These kinds of people are far more dangerous and they are the kind of people you don’t believe. I know you wanted to save your daughter, but let me do the work.”I still stood by the door with my hand holding the door knob. I stared at him, trying to read his mind. But his glasses covered most of it. “Who are they?”
“They’re servants of a god from ancient times. They perform hideous actions and performances to please the spiritual world. Some of them are human but some aren’t really anymore.”
“What do you mean not anymore?” Billy faces me with a cold serious expression on his face. “Trust me, Donovan, you don’t want to know.” His response chilled my whole body to the core. I looked to the bright vanilla door and thought of what’s behind that mask. Will it just be a mansion or something else like a torture chamber.
What was I supposed to do now? Convince him to let me go or convince him to help me out? I don’t really like those ideas. He won’t let me continue my rescue journey. Then I thought of something, but I have to make it quick. “What’s with that statue over there?”
“The statue?” By the time Billy turned around to take a look, I immediately opened the door, ran in, and locked it behind my back. “What the bloody hell!” The interior of the mansion isn’t what I had expected. Instead of dust and mold, everything is clean and modern.
Basement…I jolted up, hearing a voice whisper in my ears. I turn around to face whoever it was. There was no one other than myself. Billy is now banging on the door with force. Yet the door still stands without a single sign of a crack or tear. He then tries to break through the windows but they didn’t break. It was as if the windows are made out of metal. Then, to my panic, he ran to the left side of the mansion.
I dropped the bag and bolted to the left hall, running as fast a I can to be the first to lock the door. I didn’t have the time to look around the room. There were no doors there. I ran to the right hall to find the next room to be the kitchen. There, a door at the right corner. I bolted to the door, hoping he wouldn’t make it. Before I could lay a finger on the lock, Billy jumped out of the left side, making my heart explode. “Donovan, stop! I’m trying to help you!!” His voice panicking but furious that I got goosebumps all over my flesh.
Billy was shaking the door knob and yet the door didn’t open. “What in the bloody hell?!” I looked at the lock to see it was already locked. Someone already locked it before they left. He then ran to the right, I followed in pursuit. The door at the library room was locked too. “Dammit!” Again, he ran to the next and I followed. The door was wide open and I was getting tired that I couldn’t catch up. I tried to keep up, but the beat of my heart was hard and my breathing was getting shallow every running step I make. I knelt down in defeat as my heart keeps pounding a hollow beat. He’s going to come in and stop me from rescuing baby Bonnie.
“Donovan!!” Right before my eyes, just before he got through the door, it immediately shuts itself up. There was so much sweat on my brow, yet I felt my hair rise and the chills crawling in my veins. There wasn’t any wind or anyone else who could’ve closed it. So that means I’m definitely in a haunted house right now. “Donovan!! Don’t move! I’m going to find my way in and bring you out of there!”
Basement…Again, that whisper in my ears. I can hear the whisper’s voice clearly. It was of a woman but familiar. I went to my starting point and picked up my bag. I’m very glad that my stuff is still there. Far away from my starting point, Billy was yelling out. “Hey! I said don’t move!” But I ignored him anyway. I explored the interior of the mansion, finding wherever the basement is. I don’t trust the voice but how am I supposed to get to my daughter.
I’m at the 2nd floor, introduced to 2 optional hallways, left and right. I chose the left hall without a single thought. While on a walk, there were large frames held on the dark crimson wall. I can tell the paintings were a story of the same woman as the statue. Instead of empty color, her caramel flavored milky skin reflects the shining light above from the heavenly plane, and her cherry crimson robe covers most of her body. Her face though, I have no idea how to describe. Maybe I could say, her face of godhood gave the people below beauty and heaven.
I kept walking, hoping the voice would tell me that I’m getting closer. I think that the more I kept walking, the story of the woman keeps going on and on. Throughout the stories displayed in the frames, the woman seemed to be guiding a secret club of her own. Once looked upon as a whore, then to a disciple.She was at the center of a literal orgy of men and women. I immediately looked away from it in disgust and kept walking to the next frame. I guess I got the painted detail of what my dad told me about the whole orgy thing in the cult. Throughout history, many things have changed. But still, history repeats itself.
She was being worshiped by nearly a thousand people at the crimson pyramid in the dusk of night. The moon shining before her and the pyramid. I swear when I looked closer, her shadow had the exact same eyes as the statue’s. I shook my head and kept going.
She was at a long dining table with her other servants. They were bitting, chewing, and tearing human flesh with those mad eyes and twisted smiles on their faces as blood drips from their chins. The woman was holding a wooden cup of blood. A bright shining milky circle lightens behind her head as if she’s some sort of angel from heaven. I can’t deny it as a hallucination. When I saw her face, Her expression was cold, then, before my eyes, she made a warm smile on her face, staring at me. There’s more things I never know about the cult, and they must have hidden a terrible secret. A secret from the world. I think we are dumbfounded by their appearance. I immediately looked away and kept on going through the halls.
Here…Here….Open…Open…. Finally, the voice has spoken. Before me was a large circular shape hatch. About 2 people tall. At the center was a rusty and molted wheel with fingerprints exposed on it. And on it was the drawing I made as a child. A coward young me hiding behind the trees. I can tell they stole my other arts and my wife’s but why this? Why would they be interested in a useless piece of garbage? Was it to mock me or something else?
I put down the bag, tore the paper off, grabbed the wheel, and started forcingly turning the wheel to the left. Turning the wheel makes a loud and roaring sound of metal being twisted. It was so loud that it echoed the halls and could even reach downstairs.
Then, I was stopped to a halt, and I pulled the hatch open as much as I can. The hatch is wide open, revealing a dark hallway with torches at the sides to lighten the way. I grabbed the bag and took a look at the dark hall.
I’m not a big fan of the dark in places like these. I get chills and thoughts of unknown creatures just taking me deeper into the darkness. I was beginning to hesitate. But I thought about my baby bonnie safe at home and my wife sleeping by my side unharmed. My hands bold to fist, ready to take the risk. I will risk everything to save my daughter. Even having fears behind my back, I’ll still keep going.
And then, I went deep into the dark halls. I know there’s no going back, I’m not willing to. As I walk deeper, chills were crawling all around me and the thoughts of demons and terrifying faces pops up in my head. I tried my best not to think so much of them, but they just keep popping up one by one. Looking deep into the darkness far away, I began hallucinating faces appearing in there, waiting for me to walk into their trap.
I then arrived at a disgusting putrid door. I can smell the hideous odor which I think came from the door itself. I’m introduced to a door with muscle tissue. I held my stomach, preventing myself from puking. There was no door knob anywhere to be seen. I felt disgusted to push it open, but I tried my best to ignore it.
I placed my hand on its fleshy surface and started pushing it. I kept pushing, hoping it would open, but it didn’t move a single inch. How am I supposed to open this door if there isn’t a knob for it? Before I retract my right hand, The door forms a hand of its own and grabbed my arm tight. I tried to pull it off but it kept its strong grip on my arm. A sudden jolt of extreme pain courses my whole entire body that I screamed in agony. It was a pain I never felt in my life.
A bunch of sharp scalpels protruded out of the fleshy hand and started digging inside of my flesh. The sound of crunching bone and squishing made my stomach sick. The smell got even more worse, like I was in some sort of dumpster full of rotten meat and shit. I had the urge to vomit, yet I couldn’t let out a single stomach acid.
When I looked at the door, it was shrinking. No. Not shrinking. It was digging its way inside the socket of my arm. I felt my whole body is burning. Tears swell beneath my eyes rapidly and my voice breaks. I looked at my arm to see the fleshy door crawl like a parasite, whilst the sharp scalpels keeps slicing parts of flesh, bone, and tissue. My blood drips rapidly to the floor as my life drowns to death. The fleshy door has entered inside of my flesh as the socket of my arm starts to stitch together. My mind is racing, like I’m being spun around by different emotions and pain. The sickness and twisting of my heart and stomach is agonizing. My body dropped limply on the ground as my vision fades to darkness. Is this the end of me. No, I can’t die here. Not now. I have to save Bonnie………………..
-
I don’t know how long I’ve been blacked out for. I open my eyes to see but a blur of crimson light and dark silhouettes. I felt a harsh stone sliding beneath my back, someone is dragging me somewhere. I keep hearing voices, talking about something. “Mother Malka! I have brought you our ritualistic patient. Duncan Donovan.” The man’s accent sounded like European. “Wonderful, Dr. Fitz! Just lay him right there.” The woman replied. A different woman. Her voice sounded familiar to me. I don’t know why, my mind is really dizzy right now.
I tried to move, but the terrible sting of pain prevented me from moving. Dr.Fitz had let go of my legs. “Mother Malka, I believe he should go through ma trials first. It would be a fitting starting point to grow his potential.” Another man’s voice had the accent of a Texan.
My eyes are beginning to become more clear and my mind freshly reborn like a bloom. Before me was something I deem impossible to exist. A cartoon man staring into my eyes. I nearly let out a scream but was caught in my vocal cords. When I jumped in horror, a painful jolt courses in my chest, as if it got tighter the more I moved.
“He has risen from the dead! What a jolly thrill it is to see you!” He had that jolly and wicked tone in his voice. Almost as if wanting me as a toy for whatever this freak’s games are. I looked around to find only darkness, except there is a crimson light shone at the woman, who’s wearing a deep blood cloak.
The only people I can see is a doctor in old worn clothes, a black and white cartoon figure with a modern suit, a blood covered nun holding a cross, an eldritch looking statue, another man, unlike the others, who looked ordinary and fine with a obsidian stetson hat, and the blood cloak woman. I can assume the woman is non other than Mother Malka, as they call her. And the doctor would be Dr. Fitz.
“Oh really. Please, you’re just going to-“
“Flesh. Bone. The sweet taste of the soul.” I can guess it might be the statue who said that. Its voice loud and bellowing for the whole area to echo. It’s like hearing thousands of people speaking at the same time, as if connected.
“To-“
“You look so fine and delicate enough! Don’t you worry, fella, I have a special gift wai-“
“You two! Shut your fucking damn tongue!! Or I’ll stitch your tongue in your asshole!!” Dr. Fitz yelled at the 2, annoyed and furious. If he really does what he said he would, I wouldn’t want to let this guy be my surgeon. “Now then. Where was I? Ah yes, you’re just going to give him powers to kill us all easily like swatting a fly?”
“Not at all, I just want em to get a good start.”
“A good start? We all know that’s not how this works, David. We all know you are just going to try to destroy the family. Let him go through my trials first. I can make things much more entertaining. Maybe could turn him into a sock puppet for a puppet show.”
“I don’t find your procedures holy and pure, Dr.Fitz.” The nun’s voice felt so gentle to my ears. I guess I can have a bit of comfort for my brain. I want to ask where am I, but my voice was caught in my throat. “‘I don’t find your procedures holy and pure’, come on! You’re not living in Harmsaivie anymore, Caron. What can hope and care do, other than deception and betrayal.” Dr. Fitz said mockingly. “Hope and care will give Duncan the strength to continue the journey of the trials. Cruelty and violence will only make things worse. What if he didn’t change and has the motivation to kill Mother Malka and yourself?”
“Yeah, well where’s the fun in that if there’s no cruelty and violence? He should be trying to kill us! See if he had gotten better and overcome his fears of weakness!!”
“Kindness and care will help him overcome the weakness-“
“And he won’t be able to face it alone, is that what you mean by that?!”
“ENOUGH!!” Mother Malka’s voice switched to radiant and impatient. Every one of us became silent and frozen. She sighed, escaping the breath she so desperate to let out. “Finally. I have made my decision. Nyarlathotep, Dr. Fitz, and Mr. Ink, will be chosen for the trials. Sister Caren and Sherif David will not be allowed to interfere with the trials.”
“Thank you.” Dr. Fitz bowed politely, whilst David and Sister Caren looked at each other, then to me with worried eyes. What really gave me the spooks was the message they’re giving me. Finally, I felt my throat comfortable and clean for me to speak without an itch of burn. “Where’s my daughter?”
They all turned their heads to me, looking at me with shark eyes. I can’t see Malka’s face, but there’s a picture in my head that said she’s smiling, the same way as the frames before. “She’s safe with me. If you want to get your daughter back, you’ll have to go through us. Dr. Fitz.” Dr. Fitz turned his gaze to Malka’s and nodded in response with a smirk on his wrinkled face. He walked towards me until he stopped only a feet away. He knelt down to my level and pulled me to a standing position effortlessly. The pain in my body dissipates entirely. Even though I’m glad the pain is gone, the fear for what’s about to happen, outweighs my relief. “Where am I?!”
Dr.Fitz then patted me on the shoulder, then stopped to a grip, holding me in place. “Can’t answer. Look, Mr. Donovan, I’m going to count to 10, and if you don’t move right now, you’re going to have a real bad time.” He then pushes me, mockingly. I wanted to fight, but fear overwhelmed me. Whatever these freaks are, they’re not human, as Billy said.
He then made a flat whistle from his mouth, which causes something from the darkness to arrive on command. What came out of the darkness are so many humanoid creatures and people in the same cloak as before. They’re everywhere, on the ceiling, walls, and even flying from the air. They all circled around us, ready to do something at his command. This is where I realized I’m in a game of cat and mouse. Instead of cat and mouse, there are countless of those creatures who are about to chase me and tear me to shreds.
“Angels and demons!! Today is the day of revelations!! Catch this man and tear him to shreds, but wait on my mark!” Their cheers are mixed with radiance, brutality, and chilling terror, that my whole body begins to shake. I was spinning myself around, looking frantically at all of them. I imagined what it’ll be like to be torn to shreds and turn into whatever sick shit they have going on. I looked around to find an exit. I’m beginning to panic that my eyes were getting wider and wider.
Again, Dr.Fitz grabbed my shoulder and forced me to stare at him for a moment. “Let’s see how much will is in you.” He let go, raises his hand up and begins to count. “10…9…”
While he was counting, I kept looking around, anywhere, hoping there is an escape. Tears welling beneath my eyes as hopelessness seeps into my soul. “7…6…5…”
I looked at Caren and David. Our eyes contacted each other as time begins to run out. There’s no guilt or pity in their eyes, instead they want me to follow their gaze by moving their eyes as a sign. Their eyes averted, breaking our contact. I followed their gaze to look to the ground. Something is down there that can help me escape. I’m willing to do whatever it takes, just to escape this nightmare. “4…3…”
There, right there behind me, was a sewer hatch. I don’t know why they are helping me nor how I knew. Maybe they could help me find my way to baby Bonnie. I immediately knelt down and pulled the hatch open with force as quick as possible. “2…”
My heart is beating so fast that my head is being filled with sweat. Why is the damn hatch so heavy?! Finally, the hatch was pulled out and I can push it. It’s nearly fully open. Just a little push and I can run out of there. “1!!!”
The hatch is pushed off, enough space for me to get through the hole. I immediately jumped down into the hole, landing my feet on the ground. “DINNER TIME!!” The dark hall is slightly lightened by the torches on the walls. I did not waste time that I bolted out of there as fast as I can. I didn’t dare to look behind me. A loud roar of shrieks vibrated the entirety of the hallway that the hair on my back rises with a cold itch. I kept on running and running as footsteps are getting closer.
Suddenly, a long pale arm reached out of the walls. I nearly tripped for gods sake. I ducked down from its arm as it tries to catch me. More arms are popping out of the walls, even the fucking ceiling. The gut wrenching roars behind me are getting more louder and louder. I ran past the arms that are flailing around wildly. I couldn’t help but scream out of the top of my lungs.
I was then stopped to a wall, it’s not a dead end though, there are two ways to leave. I thought about Caren and David’s eyes averting to the- “Right!!” I didn’t stop to think, I just immediately turned to the right. I tried to run more faster, yet I couldn’t and still run the same speed. In the darkness in front of me, a humanoid pale creature jumps at me like I stepped on its trap. It caught me with its arms wrapping my body. Its fingers digging inside my back. I screamed even worse than before. Its milky eyes are lifeless. I can even feel the coldness in its soul. A herd of monsters are nearly close behind me as they shriek and scream for me to be their dinner. The thought of me being eaten alive gave me the strength to resist my agony. I pushed it away with force and kicked its head, separating it from its body.
I continued to run, run until I’ve lost them. Another one of those damn creatures jumped at me from the right. I quickly ducked down and tried to push my leg muscles to make me run faster. More of these creatures jumped out from every direction. Their shrieks made me yelp. Another and another and another. Each and every one of them scratched a part of my skin, nearly caught me to a stop.
The halls got a lot more darker. There are no other torches left to light the path. I felt my foot press on something hard and metallic. In an abrupt motion, arrows shot at me without me noticing. I made a yelp out of my voice. More arrows were shooting all around me. It’s like they’re turning me into a porcupine. This is to slow me down!! I thought to myself. With that thought in my head, I kept running in a panic, no matter the pain I’m getting. So many arrows stuck to my flesh. My stomach twists uncontrollably. The sickness in my chest rises and yet no vomit came out.
I removed the arrows one by one as I ran in the dark halls. I arrive to a hall of a cave. The stone hard ceiling and walls emanate a breezing energy around me. The creature’s loud and disgusting roars and cries vibrates the interior of the cave.
There, at the far distance, light. The light is beginning to grow bigger as I rushed towards it, not stopping to take a break or anything else. I don’t know what’s beyond that hole, but I’m taking my chances. I arrived to find the hole is unbelievably too small for me to fit through. I finished removing the arrows from my chest, but I still have a lot more arrows on my back, arms, and legs. I can’t believe it. I’ve ran into a dead end and I knew I have no time removing every arrow.
I look back to see the dozen faces of the hideous creatures with hungry expressions. Their drools dripping to the ground. Their eyes widen hungrily. The cultists were flailing their weapons like maniacs. I thought I could save my daughter, my baby Bonnie, alone. What was I thinking, how foolish I was. I should’ve ask for help, but instead I foolishly went on my own, to my death. I screamed in terror, unwilling to be their dinner.
Just about I was going to be slaughter, I was out of the cave. I escaped the wildest and the most terrifying chase of my life. I’m now in the middle of a snowy wasteland. The sky bright and grey. I was so clueless as to how I managed to get out of there. It’s like I’ve been teleported. “There, there, brother. You’re safe now.” I turn around to find David standing before me with relief on his face. He pinched his obsidian stetson hat, removing it from his head to reveal his grey short hair, and placed it on his chest. I wonder why is he doing all of this. Is there a rebellion I didn’t know about? “W-why did you save me?” I said, helplessly shaking.
“Because you need to escape, and save your daughter. Now come on, I’ll take you to a place where we can talk. Oh yeah, by the way, the arrows are already off, you’re fine now.” Just as he walks away, I looked far down to see a massive town. I then realized that I’m not at a wasteland, I’m on a mountain.
-
The whole town were full of houses that are being connected to one another, I don’t know how to describe that properly. People were gathering planks of wood, a bucket of scrap metal, a basket of food, and barrels of water. There are kids running around, tagging each other as they laugh joyfully. “This place is a town not from yer world. But does have similar stuff between here and there. In 2567, June 26th, the world here went through an apocalyptic event, which nearly killed the entire human race. This town is built for about 7 years. Developing into a home to other survivors who managed to survive the bombing.”
“Wait, what do you mean year 2567?”
“Brother, you ever heard of the alternate reality stuff?” I did hear about alternate reality from someone from my first posted diary. I was saving it for later. “Kind of. But I didn’t really have the full picture about it.”
“I’ll discuss it when we get you somewhere to rest. You had enough pain for today.” As we walked along the road, David has been greeting people around him with a warm smile on his already bearded shaved face. After a long walk, we arrived to a house which looked old and dry. All of the windows broken down to pieces. He opened the door, gesturing me to come inside.”I suggest you take a seat.” He walked past me to the table in front of us. The room is brightened by the light through the gaping holes around the house. I took a seat on the chair.
Then, a reminder struck my mind. “Where’s my bag?!” David turned around with a coffee cup in each hand. “Sorry. Dr. Fitz took em. And if you think you really needed em, they won’t be of good use against us. Not even a nuclear bomb can kill us.”
“A nuclear bomb?! You’re kidding?!” I didn’t believe him at first, but the look of seriousness and fear on his face said enough for me to believe he’s not kidding at all. “I’m not kidding. At first, I didn’t believe it either. There is an event from another world called ‘Pilzbombardierung’. In German we call it mushroom bombing. Me and Malka survived the bombing. No matter how strong the force of it gets.”
“So, what are we supposed to do to kill them?”
He sat down on his own chair across me and gave me a cup. The cup holds not of coffee, but something else. It was dimly glowing blue. I was worried he might put poison in it. But he saved me back there. If it wasn’t for him, I would’ve been killed in the most unexplainable and horrible way. “What’s this stuff?”
“It’s a special drink. But nowadays in this world, it’s common. It’s like coffee, but it had a taste I have no idea how to describe.” He said with a warm smile.
“How am I supposed to know if I can trust you?”
“You don’t. You should consider what’s helpful for your journey. You don’t trust until you decide whether you should or not. Depends on how much you’ve learnt about their desires, actions, and history. So keep a very close eye on that. Otherwise, you might as well end up getting shot in the head.” While he took a sip of his cup, I wondered how am I supposed to reach Malka quick and fast, and who are they, really. “Who are your people? Why does Malka want my daughter?”
He placed his coffee cup down and took a deep breath before speaking. “We’re your wife’s family.”
Part 3