End of Days 7: Into the Depths
continues from part six Part 7: Into the Depths “So, how exactly DO we get inside that?” Gromet asked. “Doesn’t look like we can just go up and ring the doorbell.” “Storming the fortress would not be a wise move either,” Theodore said. “It’s too well defended. What do you think, Xesex?” The god thought. “The tower is protected by very powerful magical energy. A direct assault would be most unwise, and I can sense unseen eyes watching the walls. If we were to try and sneak in, we would be spotted immediately.” “Maybe we can sneak in,” Quinn said, getting an idea. “Look.” At the drawbridge leading into the tower, a steady stream of wrappers were walking in, carrying captured, mummified people. “Perhaps we can disguise ourselves as one of them,” Quinn said. “Then we get in line, and stroll right in. I don’t think those thugs have any brainpower, so they won’t notice us.” Xesex thought for a moment, then nodded. “A good idea. Who wants to be a volunteer?” Quinn stepped forward. “Heck, I thought of it, it might as well be me.” Xesex pointed his finger towards her, focused. Bandages shot forth and wove themselves around her body, squeezing and compressing it tightly. In less then ten seconds, Quinn’s body was completely wrapped, save her head. Surprised, she looked her bandaged limbs over, squeezing and flexing them. The bandages were very tight (perhaps a bit too tight around her crotch and breasts, she noticed), and restricted her movement somewhat, but she would be able to walk, and use her arms. “Well, I’d say it’ll work,” Vikki said. Working quickly, Xesex repeated the procedure on Vikki, Gromet, and Nia, turning them into tightly wrapped, walking mummies. It was unnecessary to wrap Robert and Aalyia, but when all was said and done, the six of them were a perfect match for the mindless guards walking into the tower. “Well, this is new,” Gromet said, running his bandaged fingers over his wrappings. “Never been wrapped before?” Nia asked. “Can’t say that I have.” “If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly do you do in your world?” Gromet paused. “Well, I deal in the literary field.” “Oh, so an agent?” Gromet thought, nodded. “Err, something like that, yes.” “Hurry up you two,” Quinn said. “Can’t waste any more time.” The line of walking thugs was coming to an end. They’d have to move fast if they wanted to get in line and into the tower. “Xesex? What about you and Theodore?” “We shall have to infiltrate the tower on our own,” Xesex said. “For obvious reasons, if we tried to enter like the rest of you, we would be spotted immediately. But do not fear. I will get us inside safe and sound.” With a wave of his hand, he sent out more bandages, began to tightly wrap the heads of everyone present. “Wait!” Quinn said. “What do we do once we’re inside?” Xesex focused his hands, and several small, glowing green balls of energy appeared, before zipping over to each individual, attaching themselves, and merging with the bandages. “There will be someone controlling all this,” Xesex said. “Most likely that Targonamey man. If he’s inside, find him, and do what you can to disrupt his operations. The energy I have just given you all may be used like a bomb, but you can only use it once. Remember: when used properly, stealth is more effective then force.” Then the last wrappings went forth, and covered everyone’s head, save their eyes. For Quinn, it was a familiar sensation, having her head wrapped and tightly compressed. But the effect of being wrapped like this was unsettling to the others, who now looked, and acted extremely nervous. She would need to act quickly to move everyone along. “Come on, everyone,” she said. “Follow me.” As Xesex and Theodore slipped away into the darkness of the alley, Quinn headed towards its exit. Vikki, apparently used to being bandaged, responded immediately, helping the others along, guiding them with a friendly hand. Grateful for the help, Quinn stopped, peered out at the mummy guards walked along, carrying their squirming, wrapped prisoners. When the last one walked by, Quinn took a deep breath, and dashed out As she had hoped, none of the wrappers looked back when she got in behind them. Vikki, Gromet, Nia, and Aalyia dashed out, though Aalyia was slower, due to carrying Robert on her back. But they got into line, and followed the wrappers, trying to stay evenly spaced, so as to attract as little attention as possible. Reaching the drawbridge, they crossed over. When they entered into the tower itself, they followed the wrappers as they went through numerous tunnels of chiseled stone, eventually reaching a chamber resembling an ancient Egyptian temple. Here, the sense of being watched diminished considerably, suggesting that it was safe to move around without fear of being seen. As the last of the wrappers turned the corner, Quinn motioned for everyone else to hide next to the wall, which they did so. Sneaking to the edge, she peered around. They were in a large throne room of some kind. At the end was a large, royal throne, and upon it sat Targonamey, with two tall cranes perched beside him like silent guards. Quinn couldn’t be sure, but she got the feeling they would be as effective as any guard when it came to fighting. Targonamey himself was watching as the wrappers walked past, each momentarily stopping to display their captives for his inspection, a process that consisted of him running his fingers over their wrappings to ensure tightness and consistency, and then a nod. With that, the wrappers then took their captives through another door, and out of sight. “What’s happening?” Gromet whispered. “Shush,” Quinn said, holding up a hand. Someone, or something, was coming out of another, larger door, and she wanted to see who it was. She got the shock of her life upon seeing a massive, canine-like being with a thick, muscular human body, but with the head of a jackal. Even without knowing who it was, Quinn recognized him from all the pictures she had seen throughout her life. Holy shit, he’s real?! “So, Anubis,” Targonamey said, standing. “How much time do we require?” “A few hours,” the Egyptian god of the underworld said. “The other towers report that they are ready. We’re the last one. But I must caution you, we do not have much time left if this is to succeed.” “Yes, I know,” Targonamey said. “But there are still many who can be saved. We will loose many, but I will not stand by and quit while there are still many we can acquire.” So that was it, this Targonamey character was gathering up all the individuals on the planet and putting them in these towers. But why? Obviously, there was something he was planning to do, but Quinn didn’t have the faintest idea. All they could do was try to stop him, as the event would be very unpleasant, no matter what it was. Anubis started to walk away, then stopped. He turned, and for a moment Quinn feared they had been spotted. But the god’s gaze went towards the ceiling, as if he could see beyond it. “We are not alone,” he said. “One of my kind is here.” A frown betrayed Targonamey’s calm demeanor. “What? You mean another god is here?” Anubis cracked his knuckles as he headed for the door. “I will deal with him. But be warned, it is likely that he didn’t come alone.” With that, the god was gone, leaving a now worried Targonamey to himself. Quinn turned back to the others. If Anubis could sense Xesex’s presence, then they needed to move fast. “All right, we need to get going,” she said. Reaching down to the bandages enveloping her chest, she withdrew the glowing energy bomb Xesex had given her. “Let’s split up. Find a place that looks good, then set your bomb. After that, we then get the hell out of here.” “But how the heck do we make these things blow?” Nia asked, looking over her bomb. “A good question,” Robert said. “I don’t know!” Quinn said, impatient. “I’m just making this up as I go! Now let’s go!” The others split up, heading down various corridors and hallways, until Quinn was left by herself. She looked down to her bomb, pondering exactly how to detonate it, and realizing that she didn’t know what to do about the mummified people stored in the tower, but she trusted that Xesex had thought ahead to that, and ensured that they would stop Targonamey, but not harm the people he had taken. Okay, all we have to do is go through the depths of a huge, labyrinthine tower and try to blow it up without killing anybody, Quinn thought. Easy enough. She started towards a nearby stairwell when she heard squawking from nearby. Turning, Quinn saw one of Targonamey’s cranes flying nearby, looking straight at her. “Uh oh,” she whispered. The crane shrieked, and charged at her. Quinn turned and ran up the stairs, the crane in close pursuit, with it’s companion now following after her. Reaching the top of the stairs, Quinn headed through a thin tunnel that was packed with dozens of mummies who were entombed within the walls, all squirming and struggling. A few were half buried in the walls, their legs kicking, which made it difficult to get past them, the cranes were knocked to the ground, giving Quinn more time, and she silently vowed that if she got out of this, she’d come back and personally free up all those trapped in this room. Exiting the hallway, she emerged into a large rotunda that composed the center of the tower, stretching up high to an unseen ceiling. Here there were practically no walls, only mummies that had been lashed together and tied to the walls, or dangled from chains, still struggling and squirming within their wrappings until there was nothing around Quinn but white, struggling forms. And this was only one level, for the higher up she looked, the more and more mummies she saw. This entire tower must be packed with them, she thought. Thousands of captured people, all wrapped up and bandaged, then entombed within the walls of this tower for some unknown purpose. The energy bomb pulsed in her hands, apparently signaling that this was the place to drop it. But even then, Quinn hesitated. Would it really be so right to drop a bomb among all these mummified people, who could possibly be hurt by the resulting blast? The screeching of unseen cranes grew louder. There was no time to second guess. All Quinn could hope was that Xesex had thought this through. Taking the bomb, she tossed it down the rotunda, until it vanished from sight far below. Relieved, Quinn was glad the bandages around her head were in place to soak up the sweat. Now all she had to do was hide until the heat died down, then get the heck out of this tower, find the others, and get as far away as possible. But it was not meant to be. The cranes shot out of the hallway, screeching upon seeing their prey. Oh shit! ...