Black Hole: The Book of Iratus, Episode 32

Chapter 311

The party stood outside of the fortified hospital after going over some battle plans. Once everything was settled, the group readied themselves with the hyena man giving his concerns.

Fractura, "Do we prioritize trying to lead this thing out here?"

The old fox woman gave a sigh.

Venatio, "Technically, you can do what you want. If you want mine or Resonantia's help, you'll need to be here."

Iratus, the mouse boy, gave his shark lover a deep embrace before getting ready to go.

Iratus, "Stay safe out here."

Resonantia, "You are the one going to the dangerous place. You stay safe."

Tempestas, "This is still a combat zone, so someone like you, who is at least two months pregnant, is in danger."

Resonantia, "Do you have anything else to say?"

Clamor, "I think she was just pointing out that you should take extra steps to stay safe."

Resonantia, "Since the day I could walk, I was trained in combat. I fight; that is who I am, and that is what I want to do." Then turning and smiling at Iratus. "As well as birthing out a whole family for my love too."

Clamor, "Then you really should stay out of danger."

Iratus, "We've gone over this same topic a few times already; let's not go through it again. Stay focused on the mission at hand."

There were some scowls, but everyone would follow through on the plan. Resonantia and Venaito stood outside, while the others walked inside. The group grabbed items and threw them about with howls and yelling, trying to get the attention of the third and last monster hiding in the building.

After a few minutes of nothing happening and now sounds could be heard, the group gave a collective sigh and then started to head deeper into the hospital.

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Chapter 312

Iratus threw down the bags as the others started to fill them up. There were bandages, first-aid kits, antiseptics, and various other medical supplies. Fractura found an intact gas mask and took it for himself, while Tempestas took some random jewelry that was around. Clamor grabbed a bunch of duct tape, while Iratus found some bottled water and rations.

The group was very vigilant as they looted, with everyone always looking out, ready for the monster they knew was still inside. Once they cleared the main hospital, they did a final search with Clamor watching the unearthly stairs that led to the underground laboratory.

Once the place was looked over, Venatio and Resonantia were summoned to the inside parking lot area with the rest of the party.

Iratus, "Ok, new plan. We do the same thing, but instead of leading the monster outside, we bring it in here."

Clamor, "Maybe, I guess there is more room around here, all things considered."

Venatio, "I am still unconvinced about the safety here. I know my historical buildings, and this parking lot does not belong here. In fact, does anyone see an entrance?"

Fractura, "Not all items summoned from history are brought back the same."

Iratus, "The hot springs cave location near us isn't even historical; it's from a book series."

Resonantia, "It will be fine. Let us proceed with the operation."

Clamor sighed but went down the stairs anyway. Fractura and Tempestas followed without any resistance, then finally Iratus took the rear or the line.

Iratus, "Ok, bye again, love. Stay safe."

Resonantia playfully, "And I can't wait for the third time where you will repeat yourself."

Iratus, "You know it."

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Chapter 313

The laboratory area was blackened and broken, with some halls and rooms still holding up well despite the previous monstrous occupants. There were two flashlights between the group, as being underground and having no electricity made the whole place shrouded in stiff darkness.

The group spread out to watch hallways and keep their vigilance with their ears, listening as best they could. There was a worrying groan when they reached the stairs without finding the monster, and the tension only increased when the party went down to the lower floors of the underground laboratory.

Fractura, "I really don't like how this is going."

Clamor, "How so? These hallways make for an effective chokepoint."

Fractura, "Yeah, but for who?"

Iratus, "Woh, hold on. Are these elevators?"

The group convened around the hallway with beaten-up elevators in them. Inside one was a long-since dead skeleton wiped clean of most rot wearing a stereotypical scientist lab coat that has degraded some by being ancient in years.

Fractura spotted something and started to head in, with Iratus stepping in on the side, trying to eye what the hyena man was trying to pilfer.

Tempestas, "I don't think anyone should get in those."

Iratus's ears twitched as they tried to home in on a sound from a cord.

Fractura, "This person...lady, has something on her."

Iratus, "You sound quite sure about these bones being from a woman."

Fractura, "A doctor knows their bones. This was a female."

Tempestas, "For us folk and even humans, sexual dimorphism is so strong and obvious that even just the bones reveal how self-evident it is."

Fractura pulled out a pair of keys from the pockets of the corpse.

Fractura, "There we go. Anyone who dies in a summoners lab usually have the most interesting things on them."

Iratus's ears twitched again, and even a few of the others picked up on the sounds that were slowly becoming more audible.

Iratus, "What is that sound?"

The elevator broke, dropped a number of feet, and slammed Iratus and Fratura on the elevator floor.

The elevator's safety mechanics stopped the elevator a little late, but the elevator only dropped by a little, with the top half barely in the hallway while the bottom half was open to the floor below.

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Chapter 314

Iratus, "Oh my silver, ow! Shouldn't we have fallen to our deaths?"

Fractura, "People build elevators with these kinds of disasters in mind."

Iratus saw the others look up into the shaft.

Clamor, "What? What is that?"

Tempestas, "I have no idea."

Iratus, "What are you people talking about?"

Clamor, "I think we found the monster. It looks like those living wire things."

Fractura, "Alright, try to enact the plan while we try to meet back up."

Tempestas, "Sounds really dangerous for you, but ok."

Since the top half was too small to crawl out of, Iratus and Fractura had to hop down to the floor below, and they attempted to make their way to the stairs. The stairs were a bit away, but the real problem was when the two saw the sheered line of destruction that ran through the area. It was the same one Iratus fell in the first time he came down here.

Iratus, "There were stairs over here too?"

Fractura, "Honestly, way better layout than the tower I live in."

Iratus, "Ok, there is that side stairway on the other side of the building."

Fractura, "Just how much of this place did you guys explore anyway?"

Iratus, "Not enough to know where we are going."

Fractura, "Oh, I'm sure that's fine."

Iratus, "Let's see...I think over there is the way around."

They wondered around for a bit before finally finding a proper hallway that led over to the other side, but they had to move through a large room to get to the second set of stairs. Iratus boldly strided through while Fractura looked around using the flashlight and revealed several metalheads tied up in thin wire, wire so fine that it cut into their metal-like bones.

Fractura, "Woh woh woh. What is going on here?"

Iratus stopped and looked around, and despite having a clearer view using his cat eyes, he had to squint into the darkness to see the line of tied-up metalheads. Fractura waved the light over them again, and the two took in their situation.

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Chapter 315

The monstrous creatures started to stir when the light hit them.

Fractura, "What happened to having only three monsters?"

Iratus, "Desidia said she was aware of three monsters, so in theory there could have been more wondering around and she wouldn't know."

The creatures started to stand and broke through their bindings, though clearly doing so left deep cuts in them.

Fractura, "We can't fight like this, so I say retreat."

Iratus, "Hold on, let's get into the doorway."

In the doorway, Iratus held his ground, with Fractura operating the light and thrusting his spear when he could. At first, it worked, slaying a couple of these creatures, but soon the pair had to backtrack as the mindless drones did not stop their advance. with Iratus nearly getting sprayed by one of the metalheads opening its mouth and pouring out its burning black oil.

Once the two ran out of the room, they circled to another room and bolted in, only to be met by the deep ravine that was the large hole that was burrowed into the lab, revealing the several floors above and below.

Fractura, "That's not good."

Iratus, "Or we could drop them down there. If we run back, we'll just have the problem of being overrun."

Fractura, "And if we get overrun here?"

Iratus, "My people survive falls like this; they did it previously, actually. As for you, we can think of something."

Fractura enthusiastically, "Pah, I bet. Whatever, let's set up."

They perched next to the doorway, and Fractura turned off the flashlight. They waited only for a few moments before the heat and fire of the creatures started to light the hallway beyond.

One metalhead wondered in, the metal skeleton still wearing brown and ragged clothes, which meant this used to be a person who was a drifter of some sort. Iratus and Fratura stabbed into the creature before they led it to the cliff, where Iratus body slammed into the monster to send it down the hole.

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Chapter 316

Soon enough, more metalheads came, and since they were not always lit up, Fractura was forced to use the flashlight, which drew in more metalheads. The pair managed to throw off another metalhead, and when the bulk of the horde arrived, they started to throw themselves off trying to get in the room, but there was only a small section of floor left from this doorway. Eventually Iratus had to back away while Fractura did his best to hold steadfast, with his iron spear's range being the only thing keeping him alive.

Lucky for the two of them, there were not very many metalheads to begin with. Iratus was burned from exhaust that one of the monsters breathed on him, but otherwise slammed and cut across the metal skull of the monster, as despite their metal form, it was too thin to endure simple sword strikes. Fractura also managed to hold off long enough to toss a few down the hole.

They came back to the door, only to have the floor give and nearly break off.

Fractura, "Woh, what the hell?"

Then the floor and walls snapped, dropping their small sections to the floor below. The drop and debris staggered the two for a time, but when they finally stood back up, they noticed a hum and a glow of purple light coming from a lengthy and thick cable that was etched into the walls.

Iratus, "Was there always light down here?"

Fractura, "That's a dumb question; of course we would have seen the light from up there."

Iratus saw the hanging cable bits, or more like vines, that hung where the floor above was.

Iratus, "Did they break the floor?"

Fractura, "Uh, I don't know, and I really don't care. We need to get back to the others. Come on."

They were in another laboratory room with counters all around them, and there was only one door where the cable ran across it, which was thick enough to leave too little space to crawl. The hyena man sighed and was about to strike at the cable when a person walked through the black metal like a ghost through walls. Iratus and Fractura backed up several feet and waited to see who was coming in.

The person was a female hyena with the same deep brown fur color, black-spotted pattern, and hair color as Fractura. She wore loose blue jeans and a black tank top with a blue and gold ceremonial-looking coat over it. The coat seemed like it came out of a historical movie about soldiers from the Pike and Shot era.

Strange Hyenafolk, "Howdy strangers, welcome to my home. How may I be of service?"

Iratus, "Another hologram?"

Fractura, "Worse, this is another gray mask conduit."

Strange Hyenafolk, "Now that's just rude. After all the years I took care of you, you continue to wound me."

Iratus, "Fractura?"

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Chapter 317

Fractura, "I'd say hello, mother, but you were never a mother, and you are most certainly dead. I guess Cicatrix will have to do for now."

Cicatrix, "As long as you stop calling me a gray mask, I'll accept being called by my name."

Fractura, "No, I'm calling you my mother's name. You are just a false image of her, which is a classic gray mask move."

Cicatrix, "If I remember correctly, gray masks require a body to create a conduit."

Fractura, "Our information on the monster in here has always been incomplete. Regardless, you can't convince me you are actually my mother because I already killed her."

Iratus, "Oh right. You said that the last time a conduit pointed that out."

Cicatrix, "The brute brutally killed me just because I didn't give him a few material possessions; what a horrid brat."

Fractura, "You sold my biological father's gifts to buy more drugs. Why am I even talking to you?"

The hyena man started to walk up, spear at the ready, to the figure that claimed to be his mother.

Iratus, "You know, technically, she hasn't attacked us yet. Maybe she is a ghost like us."

Fractura, "No.  Once you suffer the third covenant, you are beyond the summoner's ability to grab you. Also, she walked through the cable!"

Iratus, "Yeah. Hey lady, what are those black wire things?"

Cicatrix, "I don't know, some sort of cable?"

Iratus, "I feel like I've heard that before."

Fractura, "These things don't have that freaky field around them, so maybe they are not connected to the smaller wires that locked us in."

Iratus, "Hm, now that I think about it, excluding that field, these cables and those wires look quite similar; in fact, I think those thick cables are moving around just the same."

Fractura, "Looking at them now, yeah, they kind of are moving, just slowly." Then he looked to Cicatrix and said, "However, you seem to have a better grasp on these things than we do."

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Chapter 318

Cicatrix, "You keep wounding me. I most certainly do not know about wires and force fields."

Fractura, "Enough of this."

Fractura attacked with his spear, but before his strike landed, the arms of Cicatrix blasted open, with the sound being like wood being torn apart. The broken wood-like limbs fell to the ground, and from the elbows of her arms were chains, but these chains seemed a lot lighter than normal chains, and they also looked perfectly similar to the black wires and cables that have been around.

Fractura, "Called it."

A few thuds alerted Iratus to turn around, and he saw another three metalheads drop down to their floor. With only a few moments to spare, Iratus charged the metalheads, who were slowly trying to stand up.

Cicatrix and Fractura attacked each other with each having substantial range, and while Cicatrix should have been at a disadvantage using her chains, they shared that living spark, glowing purple, and moved on their own to cover all the openings.

Cicatrix, "You are a murderer, and you deserve to die like one."

Fractura, "As opposed to dying in a cockroach-infested home with a drugged-out mother and stepfather, I chose to live; that woman whose image you stole decided to steal me from my father and me just for another hit."

Cicatrix, "We hyenas were told to obey their parents. You didn't list, and your own kids didn't listen. Ever wonder why?"

They continued to exchange useless strikes at each other.

Fractura, "And look what obeying authority got us—all our civilizations crashed and burned down. Obedience gives despotism and authoritarians all the power to enslave everyone to their will. Only when MY people fought and killed all authority did we become free and travel past our solar system. My kids thought I wasn't worth listening to, and I am happy regardless if they stay or leave."

Cicatrix, "Our kind killed doctors and farmers, and you think that's okay?"

Fractura, "You are already slipping, for we didn't kill those kinds of people or others of such caliber. Our wrath was only directed at those who demanded obedience. The only lesson children need is that the only authority that needs to be obeyed are the ones that deserve it. Even when they don't, I have already stated that it should be accepted. Leave them on their own if one must."

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Chapter 319

Fractura saw himself above being distracted by his mother's form, but when the living chains almost successfully wrapped around his spear, the hyena man jumped back so hard that he nearly fell down.

Fractura, "Iratus!"

Iratus was bleeding from his right arm as his sleeve and skin were slightly burned from the heat from the metalheads, but the three monsters were indeed slain.

Iratus, "Yeah, I'm coming back now."

The mouse boy took a flanking position and tried to close in, only for the drooping chains to come alive and attempt to grapple him.

Iratus, "Do something, please."

Fractura tried to get on the other side, but Cicatrix worked diligently to cut him off every time. Finally, the hyena man ran forward, letting the chains wrap around his weapon and him. The chains pulled the spear away, but Fractura pulled out his baton and attempted to club the woman, but her face burst open with a very loud crack and bang as small black wires ripped through her face and wrapped around Fractura's face and neck.

Fractura could not see or breathe, and despite the wires holding him, he still managed to run forward and slam the woman against the doorway while she laughed the whole time. After a few seconds, she stopped when a spear from the thin space leading outside pierced her. Tempestas had thrust her spear all the way through the waist of the woman. The body cracked and slightly buckled from this, but Cicatrix still stood.

Cicatrix, "Well, this is troubling."

Iratus kept inching forward, and when a chain came at him, he slashed and managed to cut it in half, proving that the chain truly was not what it seemed. The chain piece was broken into a hundred fibers that were scattered on the ground.

Iratus charged forward, cutting one more chain on his way to Cicatrix. The mouse boy was grappled, but he was close enough to start slashing at the wires holding Fractura, and by the time he cut them away, the chains holding him slammed him to the ground.

Fractura was already about to faint from the lack of oxygen, however long it took for Iratus to free him. He was grasping and taking off the relevant wires to see and breathe. Tempestas finally ripped out the spear and was about to strike again until Cicatrix moved away from the doorway, only to be stopped by Fractura, who grabbed her and forced her against the wall, where Tempestas stabbed once more through the chest of the monster.

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Chapter 320

Cicatrix, "Fine, you win. You ruined the whole game anyway, so it's not like any of this was fun to begin with."

She tried to continue, but her words faded and her entire being collapsed into black dust, revealing that underneath her visage was some sort of mannequin.

The purple glowing cables also collapsed into dust, similar to the wires when the power was turned off. The group quickly walked away and headed for the stairs. They met up with Resonantia and Venatio and filled them in on what happened.

Venatio, "A strange creature, to be sure. I can't say I've ever heard of this monster."

Iratus, "I don't think it was a gray mask either. Besides not even having a mask, this thing was that metal stuff using a wooden body as a host."

Fractura, "Well, it knew things about me, so I'm of the mind that it was."

Venatio, "No. With all the information that we know, from the gray masks to the nanometal within this hospital, I am certain that this is another kind of monster."

Iratus, "And if it has the ability to know about people, that's concerning."

Venatio, "Maybe not. If someone was using this kind of technology, then maybe they have access to the galactic network outside. Looking up information on people is quite easy, especially tragic events such as what Fractura has been through."

Fractura, "Like, is another outsider like us using this stuff to try to kill me? Why me?"

Resonantia, "We saw the blackened form of that thing. I think it must have transformed before it met you two."

Clamor, "And since Iratus is from the past, information on him must be harder to get, right?"

Venatio, "Exactly. I don't think there would be any information on him, to be honest."

Iratus, "Anyway, let's grab what we can. There are a lot of medical tools around here."

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EPISDOE 32: END

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Episode 32 End Character Sheet
Name: Iratus Lionheart
Species: Mousefolk
Age: 14
Coverings: blonde fur, white gambeson (many repairs, some leather patchwork, a lot of minor damage, and torso tear), leather gloves, tactical vest, tailorcraft backpack, leather plate helmet
Weapons: Long Sword, 3x Knifes, Short Sword
Equipment: belt, belt bag, water skin, leathercraft backpack, 2 bags, 33 oval copper coins, 7 small silver bricks, 6 gemstones, 20 fine silver coins,20 fine gold coins

Wounds: Right Arm (slight burns)

Relevant Community Stash: a fire starter, whetstone, several leather items, 3 glass jar, 12 empty bottles, 1 fish net, fishing gear and other supplies, primitive sewing kit, trowel, woodcutting axe, a bunch of small wooden figures, wooden dice, metal scrap, lots of rusted metal, several small fish nets, a strange device (Gameboy-like device), compass, sextant, some bedrolls, a tent, lots of rope, a large barrel, writing material, 80 cloaks and other clothing materials, some fabrics, 6 carts, 11 tattered tents, skin drum, beautiful arts of tropical scenery, floatation devices, wildlife figures, lots of tropical clothing, rope ladder, reality machines: portal maker and energy use, 1 reality shard, woodworking tools.

Armory: 10 wooden spears, 56 short swords, 53 knifes, 25 daggers, 34 metal spears, 2 hand bombs, 21 rusted weapons, many armor pieces, ruined metal armor, semi-automatic rifle (no ammo), box of unknown ammo, 4 hunting traps, 3 snares, 2 pistols (no ammo), 12 unknown bullets, 4 backpacks
Aestus: leather vest, leather helmet, metal spear, short sword
Victoria: scrap metal breastplate, leather helmet, metal spear, short sword, crossbow, flashlight
Resonanita: breastplate, metal helmet, metal spear, short sword, compound bow, flashlight
Ignis: leather helmet, metal spear, crowbar

Treasure: 88 oval copper coins, 33 oval silver coins 74 ancient metal coins, 20 fine silver coins, 44 fine gold coins, 23 fine copper coins, a tarnished silver brooch, a small ornamental figurine, a handful of sparkling glass beads, a small wooden trinket box, a few antfolk tapestries, some antfolk art, 107 copper lion coins, 5 silver lion coins, 14 gold lion coins, 115 wolfen metal coins

Home Base, Tower: Large Storage Area (many crates, clay pots, and wooden chests), Basic Workshop Area (lots of tools, woodcarving tools, glue, sandpaper), Kitchen Area (many tools, many cutlery items, pots&pans, makeshift grill), Library, Armory, Infirmary Room (surgery tools, first aid kit, plenty of medicine and equipment), Guest Quarters, Master Bedroom (proper bedding, sensual antfolk sculpture), Six Bedrooms (proper bedding)

Outside Base: Butchering Hut (modern butchery kit, smoking rack), Tannery Hut, Underground Storage Area, Garden Area (fenced in)

Books: 3x woodworking books, weathered leather-bound journal, war game booklet, sketch book (from warband), special documentary on Nexus Prime #34, 16 Broken Tower documents, Bathhouse Reviewers (entire 80 book series), cards

Year 0, Day 146

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