Melchior’s Grand Tour: The creature from the unknown [6]
The leader of the dwarves was adamant about looking into the eye of the cyclops, ignoring the terrorized warning of the Three-Eyed Girl. The rest of his companions pushed for a retreat as they were all exhausted, but the expedition’s chief didn’t budge. He left behind the interpreter, the artificer, and the alchemist, bringing the rest of the group with him.
We should have waited for them at the base of the skull, making camp.
Nobody was happy about this decision: the place was unsettling, clearly dangerous, and the droning sound was causing everyone a splitting headache. While we looked around to find a safe place, a scream covered the pulsing hums. Another girl with three eyes appeared from the rocks chased by a thing, a creature.
It was an animal, a monster, with powerful legs, tentacles as arms, a long neck, a neck with a mouth and fangs ending in an impossible head: a head shaped like a crying child.
We witness the chase and the fate of the poor girl: the monster reached her, grabbed her with her appendages, brought her to the mouth, and finally ate her alive.
The dwarves took out their arquebuses and opened fire. They told us they would use them only if strictly necessary, and that seemed the case.
The bullets hurt the beast, but they didn’t stop it: as soon as it made the last bite, it charged us. It was not clear who it was aiming at: the girl we found or the alchemist quickly trying to assemble an explosive concoction. The artificer got in the way with his construct: the drill was able to pierce the monster’s body, but the creature, in a spiteful last move, entangled the dwarves and his creation, dragging them into a nearby ravine. As the two plummet to the bottom of the pit, we fled running, not looking back.
We went back the way we came from and found a side tunnel to rest.
The humming noise has stopped and the blue light is disappeared, swallowed by the dark and the silence. As soon as we felt safe, one after the other, all my companions fall asleep. They swore to keep watch, but the exhaustion was too much.
I am awake: the adrenaline is still pumping, and the fear of another monster attacking will keep me vigilant. I’m writing this page at the light of a small lantern, I can not stand the pitch-black dark of the Tartarus.
The girl is sleeping by my side. She has always been near me since she appeared. Maybe the dwarves look scary to her? Or do I look trusting? I think it is because we get each other, to a degree. Even if she speaks unintelligible words, I kind of get what she’s saying: the other girl was her friend, the monster was strange and new to her toom that creature was the reason she ended up here… but all it’s vague, just impressions.
Sometimes she twitches and jerks like she’s having a nightmare. I just know she dreams of running.
In the chaos ensuing from the beast’s attack, we lost sight of the dwarven leader and the rest of the group. We all agreed to stay here and wait for them to come back. I don’t think they’ll be back.
What should we do tomorrow?
Should we RETURN TO THE SKULL CAVE, now prepared for what’s there, looking for the other Dwarves?
Should we GO BACK TO THE SURFACE, seeking help at the convent?
