Tales of Undeath: The Von Virtus Chronicles

LXIII. In the Kraken's Grasp

While the people of the slums risked everything to claim Cabdan's fortune and Faya's antidote, under the same moonlight, Virno, Ballo, and Clavia's enigmatic driver pressed forward through the night. After finally reassembling their vehicle, they had left the inn behind, the hiss of steam and clatter of gears their only companions.

Virno: "Just a bit farther and we'll call it quits... We made good progress today, thanks to you, man!"

He gave the driver two quick, enthusiastic taps on the back.

Driver: "... Your 'a bit farther' has stretched into several kilometers. If you want me to keep driving, I'll drive, but don't sugar-coat it! If I pass out, this thing'll crash, and we'll all go up in flames -- no biggie...!"

The driver's sarcasm was sharp, but the exhaustion behind it was sharper. Their hands clutched the wheel, eyes straining against the dark as the machine rattled down the road. Fuel was no longer an issue -- yet their long list of concerns stretched far beyond that.

Virno: "It won't come to that, don't worry. But... doesn't it seem too peaceful tonight...?"

The driver just shrugged, focusing on the road ahead. Ballo sat silently in the back, his gaze distant, as if tracking something unseen. Virno might have been eager to claim the sword and end his torment, but Ballo's mind was on darker matters. The confirmation of Nox's involvement had left him wary, alert to threats hidden in the night.

Virno: "C'mon, humor me, you two. You'd think the animals'd be freaked out by this thing, right? During the day, they scatter -- birds, rabbits, all of 'em. But now? Not a sound. No rustle, no chirps, nothing. Doesn't that strike you as weird?"

The driver let out a long, annoyed sigh before turning slightly toward Virno.

Driver: "You know what...? You do have a point! Maybe it is a sign we ourselves should stop and call it a night... How about we do that?!"

But before Virno could reply, Ballo stiffened. A bone-deep shiver ran through him, and his pale face seemed drained of blood.

Ballo: "NO! No... No. We cannot stop... Not now."

Virno frowned, taken aback by the old man's sudden outburst.

Virno: "Hey, calm down, Ballo. We're fine. We'll keep going if that's what you want. But what's --"

Ballo: "KEEP US MOVING -- AT ALL COSTS!"

His voice was raw, almost desperate. Virno's concern deepened.

Virno: "Ballo...?"

Ballo's hands trembled as he began muttering under his breath.

Ballo (muttering): "I must be wrong. I must be. M-must be..."

Driver: "Ballo? What the hell is going on?"

Virno: "Dammit, old man, what's the problem?!"

Before Ballo could answer, the moonlight dimmed as a shadow passed overhead, blotting out the stars. The temperature seemed to drop, and an unnatural darkness began to swallow the road behind them.

Then they saw it.

A mass of black fumes, like living smoke, streaked across the sky before diving toward the earth, crashing into the ground just ahead of them. The impact sent shockwaves through the dirt, rattling the vehicle. Virno and Ballo clung to the sides to keep from being thrown off.

Driver: "Shit -- something's fallen from the sky!"

As the dust settled, a silhouette emerged from the swirling smoke -- a humanoid figure standing eerily still amidst the chaos.