Skara Braens

Part 17

Part 16 Vote Tally

Option A: 2
Option B: 1
Option C: 0

Well then... Onward!

Turning your head, you notice that the gate is open and undefended.  Why would it be? Everyone is dead. Sort of.  With everyone distracted by the undulating mob of walking dead soldiers approaching, it would be the perfect opportunity to escape the compound.  Turning back, you watch David and his team to ensure they aren't watching you and step slowly backwards.

One step.

Two.

Slow, silent steps so that no one would notice that you're gone.  Step by silent step, you back up, keeping your eyes on the fight ahead of you.

It is with some surprise that you find your back pressed hard against something.  You jump forward and spin around.  The first thing you see is the grin, a fetid row of yellowing gravestones; cracked and broken.  Drawing back your gaze, you see grey-green skin, so dry in places it's flaking off, and in other places covered in grease and growing boils like mushrooms.  Rheumy eyes, redder than is healthy, stares at you, unblinking.

"Master will be thrilled," the creature says.

Before you can react, a bony hand lashes out and grabs you by the face.  You feel searing pain shooting through you; fire tracing its way through every nerve in your body.  You close your eyes and open your mouth to scream, but there is no sound.  In the distance, fading away, you hear a familiar voice scream for you.

That voice is drowned by the sounds of the ocean against the cliffs.  You can smell the sea, hear drumming, and a voice that is both familiar and entirely foreign speaking to you over the cry of the sea eagles.  The drumming and voice fade away slowly, but the sounds and smells of the ocean remain.

Your body aches.  The remnants of the fire that shot through you throbbing through your limbs.  In order to test your body, you attempt to stretch, only to find yourself unable to move.  Something squeezes at your wrists and ankles uncomfortably.  Blinking your eyes open, you strain again, and again your attempts at movement are thwarted.  Scowling, you turn to your right hand, to find it held fast by a thick rope.  The same is true of your left hand.  Looking down at your feet, you find them similarly bound.

You are stuck, tied spread-eagle to a rock.  Overhead, you see nothing but rock.  All around you, however, the cave walls stretch down in naturally-formed pillars, revealing ocean between them.  It's almost as if you've been tied down, beneath a particularly round stone spider.

It is, you judge by the light sky, early morning.

You strain again, in the dim hope that one of the ropes will come loose.  One does not.

A light at your feet gets your attention.  Walking into the peculiar chamber, appearing to walk in through a solid rock wall, is the half-rotted creature who grabbed you at the compound.  It stops at your feet, a small lantern offering a sickly light in its hand.

"Master is very happy," the thing rasps.  "I did well, he says.  Master is good.  Master is generous.  You will like Master.  If you meet Master."

"Let me go," you demand, surprised at how strong your voice sounds, despite the terror threatening to make it tremble.

"Oh no. No, no, no, no.  Master wants to meet you.  He wants to.  But he cannot.  Not yet.  You must want to meet Master.  Really, really, want to.  You must want to fall at Master's feet.  You must want to kiss Master's hand."

"I don't think I want to kiss anyone's hand, thank you."

"Oh, you will.  You will.  You see, you must.  Or you will drown.  The tide is coming in.  And you will drown.  But Master can save you.  Master will save you.  But you must cry out to him.  You must let him into your heart.  You must kneel before him and pledge you loyalty.  You must pledge yourself to him."

You stare up at the creature, whose face is hidden deep in the faded red hood of its cowl.  All you can see is its mouth, and the yellow flashes of broken teeth; like now, as it grins.

"It hurts, becoming one of the faithful.  It hurts more to drown.  Trust me.  I know.  But Master saved me.  He saved me.  And he will save you.  If you let Master.  Cry out to him.  Call him Master and welcome him into your heart and you will be saved.  Cry out.  Cry.  And he will come.  He will save you."

"No," you croak, straining again at the ropes.  You don't want to die, but the chill you get whenever 'Master' is mentioned warns you against aligning yourself with it.

The creature standing over you cackles.  "You will.  Oh, you will.  I would wish you goodbye, but I know that I will see you again.  And Master, kind, generous Master will be pleased."  Coughing, the creature turns and shuffles away, walking back through the stone wall.  The stone appears translucent, until the creature fades from sight, and the stone appears to be stone again.

You drop your head back down, regretting the unchecked speed as your head hits hard stone.  You sigh, staring up at the ceiling of the cave, twisting the ropes that hold you fast every so often, testing them.  The results of each test are the same.  You are stuck fast.

You turn over your predicament in your mind, chewing your tongue.  The salt in the air has made you thirsty, and your stomach rumbles as hunger finds a home there.  You close your eyes, trying to concentrate.  Your eyes fly open again as a trickle of fresh, freezing cold sea water snakes its way down your back.

Your heart flies into a rapid panic, pulsing against your chest like a moth against a window pane.  The tide is coming in.  You are going to drown.

What do you do?

a) Accept your fate and drown. Better that than yielding to this 'Master.'
b) Scream yourself hoarse. It might fall on undead ears, but maybe there'll be alive ears which can hear.
c) Cry out. Call to Master to save you.

I am sincere when I say good luck, Adventurers.  You'll really need it. Voting ends Thursday 20 October, 2016.