Devils Own ( Steam Punk Adventure ) 6.6

6.6

The Vault was beneath the ground, and the only way in was by crawling half crouched in the hole made by it. The wall of the tunnel was slimy and coated with silver like surface. The group found themselves slipping onto their haunches when they move on, as there was no hold for their hands. It was Kassius who in the fore, then decided to sit back and slide on his back. He found his movement was smoother and after a distance they reached a larger cavern that allowed them to stand up on their feet. Their legs were immersed into the slimy surface up to their knees and they had to move with greater effort. Kassius sighted another tunnel up ahead and proceeded towards it.  He had to pull at his legs to move forward, but then he saw something moving just beneath the slimy surface. It was swimming beneath the slimy surface as if it was in the water. There was not one but a few of it.

“Behold the surface. There is something beneath.” Kassius warned the others while he leveled his sword at the surface. Prince Csaba had retrieved back his walking cane, raised it up to his shoulder while holding it at the mid section. Irina and Derreen had moved close with their back facing each other. It was the prince who attacked first. He swung the cane down hard on the moving object beneath the surface which was approaching him. The cane head hit into the slimy surface and then sank below to contact on the object below. The object reacted in pain and pulled back its form. At that moment, it raised itself up and was seen to be a tentacle with suctions beneath its skin. The tentacle reacted by pulling itself back to its main body which was camouflaged into the far wall. The creature was not of a body form, but appeared to be plastered across the wall surface stretching to almost one third of the cavern. It was not of any shades but multi layers of dull reflection off the wall. It was then they saw the set of what may be described as its eyes; all eight sets of it spaced out in a row. The eyes were not seen earlier as it was shaded like the wall, but when in pain its lids opened up wider to show the darker shades on its orbs. The eyes were seen to be independent of each other and were watching the group.

“It’s the wall.” Kassius pointed to the wall and moved it across from him. It was then from the slimy surface, more tentacles appeared out. They raised themselves up and swung towards the group. Kassius deflected with his sword and cut off the tentacles that lashed at him. The cut tentacle retracted but from its joint a new portion was seen growing.

“It’s alive.” Irina shouted out and then leveled her flame thrower. She aimed at the wall and pressed the trigger. The flames sprouted out and burned at the eyes. The creature wobbled on the wall as if it was in pain, but its silent pain was seen when the other tentacles all swung out wildly. In its pain, the body moved as if was trying to pry itself off the wall, and then retracted back. It then moved itself across the wall to the front, using the wall as the surface. Once it had moved its body form, an exit was seen on the walls.

“There”, Prince Csaba shouted out as he waded himself on the slimy surface. Some of the tentacles came at him, but he used his cane to hit at the swinging tentacles. He soon reached the exit and called on the rest. He reached behind him to pull at Irina and then Derreen. He saw Kassius was engaged with the tentacles.

“Assassin, move it.” Prince Csaba shouted out. He did not see the tentacles that sucked itself up his back and wind around his neck. He felt the tightness, but he was one that needed not the breath of air to survive. It pulled at him back but he held firm his stance. He reached up with his walking cane, forcing the cane into the tight gap before pushed at it. The tentacle felt the push and had then pulled hard into his neck.

Prince Csaba forced his hand through after the cane and pried the tentacles out. Once he had grabbed hold of its body, he pulled at it length. His grip stretched the flesh to tautness and then to the point of splitting its skin. He pulled even harder until he severed the skin and flesh. The wound oozed out the yellow ooze which resembled its blood. He tore the severed part off and tossed it onto the slimy surface. The torn part floated on the surface and then it sank down as if it was pulled by something. He then saw the new growth sprouting out form the severed link, and thrust his hand into the wounded part. His right hand went in deep into the flesh there and then it pulled out the innards from within. The creature went into frenzy with all its tentacles writhing in pain.

Kassius was slashing at two of the tentacles with his sword. The cut off parts grew back once it was cut but when the prince hurt it, the tentacles flayed out in pain. The unprecedented move caught Kassius off guard and slammed into his face. He fell backwards but with his feet embedded into the slimy surface, it held him up. He took hold of his balance and then thrust the sword into the slimy surface in random. He was searching for the main joint of the tentacles, and with his wild thrusting he found it. The blade cut in deep at the joint and caused the creature to retract further into the slimy surface.

“Move it, assassin.” Prince Csaba called out to him. The assassin pulled his weight forward and approached the exit. He soon stepped out of the slimy cavern into a narrow ledge on the side of an abyss. He had to be held back by the prince from falling.

“We have done it.” Prince Csaba spoke out and then he stepped out into the void. “Welcome to the Vault.”