I sense air, clean air, rushing past my face. It
feels good. For once I don't feel like
I'm burning up. In fact it feels a little
cold.
Am I outside?
Where was I not too
long ago..? Wasn't I just in...
I open my eyes and
see a magnificent sky. Huh those are
some strange stars. They look like
burning skeletons and glowing maggots. I
hear fabric snapping in my ear. Now that
I think about it I feel like I'm falling?
Ernest is holding
me. There's Ioan looking very serious.
Wait.
We're falling.
"AAAAAAHHH!"
"Reader! Stop
flailing!"
"Ernest why are
we falling!?"
"We got spat out
from the worm some how-"
"Squirted more
like."
"Yes Ioan,
squirted. Stay calm Reader."
"Ernest, we're
really high up. Aren't we going to die
hitting the ground from up here?"
"You're going to
have to speak up Reader, it's hard to hear you."
"Aren't we going
to die!? Eh!? What's that sound?"
Down below the giant
sandworm moaned like a whale. It shook
its massive body, thrashing the sandstone surrounding it. Gouts of fluid began spewing into the
sky. In that fluid was a cocktail of
wreckage. Hunks of stone, rubble from
buildings, angry grubs and angrier warwicks.
All of it was covered in acid from the worm's belly, filling the air
with a horrible crackling noise.
No sign of the
Twins. Whew.
"Reader hang on
tight. Whatever you do, stay behind
me."
"What are you
planning to do?"
"Ioan are you
ready?"
"Whenever you
are Ernest."
The worm clenched up
and fired another wave of junk into the air.
This time it was coming right at them.
"ERNEST WE'RE
GOING TO GET HIT!"
"HANG ON
READER!"
The two sides
collided. Ernest and Ioan flexed their
knees on impact, absorbing the blow.
I can hear Ioan's
joints pop from over here. How can their
bodies stand this?
Their platform was
still flying up. Across from them was
material raining down from a previous spray.
Whoa! Rain? No. There's stuff falling around us. That was a warwick that just fell past us,
screaming. Now a grub following it. ! Ernest just batted away a stone that
would've hit us. We can't stay like this.
Any minute now this platform (?) of rubble we're on will stop going up.
"How are your
legs Reader?"
"My legs-? Now
that you mention it Ernest, they're a little woozy."
"Get on my back
and hang tight."
Reader wrapped arms
around Ernest as instructed, and then they were off. Debris fell from the sky like meteorites.
Impacts crashed all around them as they ran to the edge of their rising island
to jump to a falling one. These two
propel themselves like bullets! There was no time to rest as acid damage
ate at their footholds. Jump. Land. Run.
Jump. Impact. Run. Run. Run.
Leap.
I saw something move.
Impact. Run.
"Ernest there's
enemies on some of these!"
"Thanks
Reader! Ioan!"
"RAAAAAH!"
Ioan ran forward just
as a warwick came into view. It was
battling a hungry grub. Ioan clawed off
the warwarick's head and kicked the grub aside.
He still held the biting skeletal head when another of its kind landed
in front of them. Running forward he
pitched the flaming skull scoring it in the spine. It screamed in frustration as Ernest leapt up
and crushed the creature under his boots.
They continued
running. More rocks, blobs of acid and
mystery bits fell around them.
The platform? It's
tilting.
Run. Run. Jump.
Land.
This one is starting
to tilt too!
"We should be
getting closer to the ground by now. Get
ready to urph!"
Ernest's warnings
were cut off as something collided with the falling rubble they were standing
on.
No-no we're gaining
altitude! I want to get down not go up!
Ack! A rock almost took off my
head. What hit us? It looks like a volcano is growing in front
of us. Wait those are limbs? That-That thing is huge!
Were any of the
Warwicks that big before?
A skeletal
monstrosity was trying to dig its way out of the rubble, shaking the entire
island apart. Its body was made up of
piles of blackened skeletons crushed together.
Bone fragments fell off as ash with each movement. All of it was wreathed in hot blue flames
except for its large eye sockets framed with the skulls of dozens of its
brethren. Those empty eyes turned and
saw the struggling trio. Then the island
broke apart as it tried to reach for them.
Glad for that. Gah something got in my eye. Rub rub.. Something hit my back!
"Reader not that
hard, you're *hack* choking me."
"S-Sorry, I
thought something was attacking me."
Ernest and Ioan
landed on another falling pile which dodged a jet stream of fresh worm spittle.
Ernest adjusted Reader on his back and looked around.
It's really surreal
when you see everyone's hair flowing upward.
"Let's make a
move over there." He indicated with
one arm and immediately moved. Ioan
followed.
*Crack*
OW! I just got sprayed by rock
shrapnel. Let me turn around - no more
island? Don't tell me that thing got free
and followed us! I see its glow
now. Oh good its falling way-way down
haha. Wait. It's rising again on a new float. Really fast.
Oh don't tell me-
"Ernest that
Giant is above us. He's probably going
to-"
"Crash down on
us? Keep your eyes open for him
then. Ioan more up ahead."
The Vampire gave out
another battle shout. This time the
platform was much larger and that meant a lot more opponents. A small battle was happening between warwicks
and grubs. Ioan didn't even hesitate as
he ran in. Tongue hanging out he became a spinning death machine splattering
glowing gore and flames to create a hole for Ernest to run through. He reached the edge of the platform allowing
Ernest to pass by. Ioan spun around to
face the on rushing mob. A warwick got
too close allowing Ioan to grapple the skeleton and sink his teeth into its
skull. He took a deep breath causing the
flame on the skull shudder.
*Fwooooosh*
His exhale sent out a
wave of blue flames that sent the grubs into a frenzy, tearing apart everything
around them. He flipped away from
struggling hands to another platform and caught up to Ernest who was busy
kicking opponents away.
Yeah get him Ernest
yeah. Woo spin kick. Almost became dizzy there. Ah, no more enemies on this platform.
"That looks like
a safe path down Ernest."
"You're right
Reader lets-"
Why are we
accelerating up so fast?! Ack something
else in my eyes now *rub rub*. It was
like getting tossed from a seesaw.. Teary eyes making everything blurry. What is that brown stuff? Rock!? !!!
"Ernest!"
"I got it!"
Omph. Just nearly face planted into another
platform. Face is wet? That's not water,
guess I really did face plant. I feel like we're getting tugged around. Ah this platform is rotating a lot. I can see Ernest and Ioan waiting to right
themselves up. What sent us flying? There on my peripheral vision. It's-arg that Giant!
"It's coming for
us again!"
"What
Reader?"
"The
Giant!"
"Where is it?"
"Ernest it's
leaping to another one above us."
"Hold on!"
The giant threw
itself from its platform and crashed into theirs, clawing at it to get right
side up.
My whole world is
spinning clockwise.
We're free falling
again! Good there's something to land
on.
Impact. Get up.
Run. Run.
There! It's in front
of us again. Wait' we're running straight at it!?
Ernest and Ioan leapt
over the howling giant which continued to give chase.
"We're getting
closer to the ground now. Just a little
longer Reader."
Again the Giant spun
their island and got in front of them.
Why so persistent?!
Ioan snarled at the
giant, "Arg you are like so annoying! Ernest I'm finishing him."
"Wait Ioan,
aren't vampires supposed to be bad with fire!?"
"Not any worse
than normal people Reader!"
Ioan went high,
Ernest went low. Flames brushed them
with the texture of rough hot hands.
There was a strange moan up above as Ioan landed on the massive warwick
and danced around its frame, dodging gripping claws. He tore at the frame sending ash everywhere. As he dug deeper he lashed out his tongue.
Am I seeing this
right? Is he sucking up the fire?
"Can he eat fire
Ernest?"
Ernest was busy
roundhouse kicking a grub into oblivion.
"I don't think
so Reader. Obviously that isn't normal
fire. Huurah!"
Another grub to
become a falling speck of light in the darkness.
I'm surprised we
haven't burned up out here. Actually
there's a lot of shade. What is going on up there-
Reader looked up into
the sky and saw a vision of hell. Light and shadow displayed chaos raining
death everywhere. It gave Ioan a
magnificent backdrop to fight on. A
horde of disgusting grubs tried to rush the collapsing Giant. The vampire was snuffing up its blue fire
with each deep breath, blasting out waves of skin crackling flame. Soot fire and howling wind dressed him like a
raging dragon. With a final shout he
decimated the platform and all on it with expanding wings of fire.
What … What kind of
vampire is he?
Reader tore eyes away
from the sight long enough to see the bigger picture. Though there was light, there were also large
clouds of ash and debris everywhere. The
struggling lives caught up in the worm made storm could be seen as specks till
something snuffed out their light. All
around were massive piles of rubble crashing into each other sending bits and
pieces in all directions.
How did we survive
any of that?
Lightning in the
distance.
Thunder.
It's only now that I
feel an immense sense of pressure even as we continue to fall. The worm is still belching stuff into the sky
and it all... it all looks like...
Rain?
Ernest freed up a
hand to wipe muck off his face. Ioan
shortly appeared at their side, covered in welts and burns but looking
satisfied. The vampire swept back his
singed mohawk and gave a dazzling smile.
"Why aren't we
running anymore Ernest? We're still falling."
"We're waiting
Reader."
"For what?"
Ioan pointed down
below them. The worm was still thrashing
about. But now it was raising its
massive form to the heavens. They were
falling right at it.
"Reader."
"Hold on?"
"That's
right."
