Hell's Missing Piece

Chapter 5

The group of hell horses stood restlessly on the oval roofs of Bernini's Colonnade as the armoured legionaries checked inventory and the General and the Ward surveyed the crowds of tourists in St Peter's Square. With their armour on they blended in with the statues surrounding them.

"You know, these orange roofs are nice and the Obelisk is tall but I have to wonder," Pouella gestures to the view in front of her. "Who the hell called it a square?"

"The same people that thought it wise to create a country purely dedicated to their religious purposes," Naveita answers. Pouella hums and nods with the 'makes sense' face. "Soldier, call over the coastie," she says and within moments the coast guard is standing behind them.

"Where to now?" The Ward asks turning to the guard.

He steps towards the Basilica and points, "Just below is the catacombs, that is as far as we were able to track them."

The rulers walk back to the group and call attention.

"Store your nucteques!" Atohno orders. "We'll be heading underground at once."

 

。・°°・・°°・。

 

The dark, dank and grey stone walls were illuminated by the red hellfire torches carried by the soldiers as the group travelled down the old stairs. The coast guard led the group past corridors and skeletons.

There were damaged shields and blunt swords scattered everywhere, along with the old homes of spiders decorating every archway.

Steps echoed through the tunnels and Naveita couldn't help but fear they were being watched, thus told her friend so.

"Well, there is a large number of dead things down here," Pouella said, trying to reassure Nav. "Could it be a ghost?" She asks.

"Maybe... Stay sharp everyone," the General orders.

A few moments pass in near silence until, what sounds like, claws scraping stone sounds throughout the tomb. The group halts as the sound gets closer and closer. Everyone readies their weapons as two little red dots glow not so far away and continue to come forward. It passes in front of Naveita and she stabs it. The rat screeches and dies.

"Well... Good job Nav, you killed the beast," says Pou as she glances at the rodent skewered on the silver sword.

"Rat bastard." Naveita mumbles, wiping the weapon.

The group continues when the coast guard says, "We are almost there."

At what appears to be the end of the catacomb a hallway opens up and the guard steps aside, pointing with his arm down the tunnel.

The rulers take the lead as the legionaries follow, leaving behind the coastie.

The hallway ends as a room opens up around them. A dome painted with gold and holy pictures decorated the room. Pillars and Angelic statues line the walls, each one unique to the others and made of white marble, but one thing was out of place.

The floor of the chamber was ordinary dirt, and in the red light of the torches everything seemed ordinary.

The group scour the room, trying to find a portal door or another hallway or more steps.

"Dead end ma'ams," a soldier reports.

The girls exchange looks, first in confusion and then in realisation.

"Where's the coast guard?" The General yells, spinning around trying to find him.

All of a sudden the room is lit up with pure white light and the red torches go out. The two friends press their backs together. Pouella readies her mist, collecting it in her hands while Naveita holds up her shield in front of her chest and steps into a fighting stance.