Black Hole: The Book of Iratus, Episode 46

Chapter 461

Iratus Venatio and the two kids were waiting outside the Kobalts home. When Commercium answered the door, he sighed.

Commercium, "No way."

Venatio, "We have not even asked yet."

Commercium, "Some sort of uninteresting adventure?"

Iratus, "Woh woh. We actually want to investigate the industrial building back over here."

The rabbit man took a look back into his house, with his wife in another room with a yelling baby. Iratus noticed the rabbit had a collar similar to Iratus, which made him think of the priest in Last Mistake and if he married the two.

Commercium, "Actually, I'm a bit busy for the rest of the day. Mind if we push this to another date?"

Venatio, "I'm not waiting forever. How about this? We go and take a little look, maybe pick up a few things, and then we can all go as the real group later."

Commercium, "Why ask me? Have at it. I'll come by the tower later then."

They visited for a while longer before the party said their goodbyes and headed for the industrial building.

The building was nestled inside a carved-out hill with a concrete road leading from it to a thick woodland, where it died and turned into a dirt road with a wooden sign devoid of any writing on it. The industrial complex had towering structures that loomed over the party as they drew near.

The complex laid itself out as a labyrinth of concrete and steel, with years of neglect showing in the crumbling infrastructure. Weeds and vines had already begun to retake the structure, leaving the paved roads below cracked.

The party did a good search around the building complex and only found remnants of the people who used to dwell here in its time period.

Venatio, "Well, I didn't find anything. How about any of you?"

Iratus, "To be honest, I've stayed back quite always. So, nothing too."

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Chapter 462

Venatio checked her bolt action rifle while the two kids got their spears ready as Iratus took the lead. Inside the large vast warehouses, the air was thick with the scent of decay and industrial chemicals. The conveyor belts were dormant and covered in layers of dust and debris, while rows of silent machines stood in the shadows. Piles of discarded equipment and forgotten items cluttered the floor, items that Venatio looked over.

The old machinery was out of the quesiton as they were broken beyond repair. Iratus looked over some leftover tools and reconized many of them which he looted before.

Iratus, "I guess we could use a fourth wrench...or maybe a seventh hammer."

Fuligo, "You can never have enough tools."

The otter girl started stashing a few of the tools in a backpack. Iratus watched  Venatio looks at a few containers no doubt filled with hazardous substances. Despite how bad the place was, the sunlight peircing through the cracks made the place seem rather peaceful and the group certainly felt it as they explored.

Venatio, "This place is a bust. Let's check the offices and then save the heart of this place for when we have a real fighting force."

Venatio led the way this time and into a side door that would lead to several hallways that opened into the offices. There were so many scattered papers and the desks and other furnatiure were in various states of broken. The old fox woman searched through a few documents before shifting her attention else where.

The group took a collective pause when two full sized puppets with multiple limbs  were found, smashed and rendered unusable.

Iratus, "Is that one of Buba's?"

Venatio, "You're asking me? Pfft, I guess so. However, I assume it is time to get out of here."

Iratus, "Agreed."

On the way out, the party loaded their cart up with a bunch of scrap metal, iron beams, and steel sheets just enough as to not make the cart too heavy to pull.

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Chapter 463

It was day 63 when Iratus finally came back to the industrial complex building.

Iratus, "And here we are, a little late, but we have finally arrived after all these days."

Venatio, "Is that a slight at me?"

Resonantia playfully, "Surely not. Maybe a curse at me, though?"

Iratus, "Come on. I respect you girls enough to know when you need rest. I was just saying that it has been awhile."

Commercium, "Are you sure you can't get more of your loves to join us here?"

Iratus, "That's not happening."

Resonantia, "We finally had enough free time to dedicate ourselves to an activity. I, of course, chose battle."

The group started to head into the heart of the industrial area.

Commercium, "And only you came?"

Resonantia, "We have work and babies to take care of. Sparing just one of us is a feat unto itself."

Iratus, "And better the soldier."

Resonantia, "Correct."

Venatio was still armed with her rifle and baton, Iratus with his standard kit, the shark girl with her short sword and bow, and Commercium had his various weapons and Victoria's crossbow. However, this time everyone carried a hammer, for if they ever encountered one of those dense born monsters.

Resonantia, "Remind me why you don't bring your pistol."

Commercium, "Because I'd rather have my mate keep it."

They walked deeper and reached the center area, where several offices were, and on the side was a garage-like area. Inside were more various items, which this time included electrical components like wires and circuits that were either scattered on the ground or still attached to the walls. Venatio ordered the rabbit man to collect all the wires and safety equipment on the ground, pointing to gas masks, respirators, and a single pair of goggles.
 
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Chapter 464

The rabbit man was quite fine with gathering the items as the others headed deeper into the building and into a maze. Inside the structure, the group found more of Buba's puppets, smashed and bashed open, with each body having a ton of thick metal cords wrapped around a concreteborn. All the monsters seemed to have long since expired, with the puppets inert and the concreteborn crushed with the wires digging deep into their bodies.

Iratus, "Yeah, in case we forget that all these monsters fight each other."

Venatio, "Each a lord of a similar theme, and yet they fight each other? I just...who gave them these names? Is there, like, a super villain convention or something?"

At the same time,
Iratus, "Super?"
Resonantia, "Super villain?"

Venatio, "Nevermind."

The group passed several vehicles that were scattered around as well, such as a rusty forklift and an abandoned truck. The old fox woman checked them out and shook her head.

Venatio, "Definite nope. These things are just junk now."

Iratus's ear twitched as he heard a clang.

Iratus, "Anyone else hear that? The clang."

Venatio, "There have been a few of those."

Iratus, "No, no. This one was a real clang, you know?"

The party realized what Iratus was saying and started reaching out to their senses.

Resonantia, "I can only smell the chemical crap in this place."

Venatio, "Regardless, there are no tools that I needed here, and we have exhausted the entire building. It is time to flee."

The other two nodded their heads and hastily moved back to where Commercium was, and as they moved, they could hear something following them. They reached the open warehouse and then broke out into a run, but as soon as they did, something crashed through the windows.

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Chapter 465

The group got into a battle position, with Iratus taking the lead. In front of him was a large puppet, maybe nine feet tall (274cm). It was that mannequin-esc puppet devoid of features, though this one had something of a nose, though still without much detail. In addition, this puppet had eye holes, or rather, there was just a slight enough seem that created two eyes, but again, without a closer look, one would not see them. This large puppet sported six arms and was crouched over as if it were a beast. The tan lumber it was made from had quite an oily exterior, which seemed old enough to leave black oil stains across the creature. The creature's limbs constantly shivered, making the whole puppet clack and putting the group on edge.

The rabbit man walked in, hearing the commotion.

Commercium, "Hey, we have a problem outside." Then he saw the puppet. "Nevermind, I'll handle it."

He left back outside, but Iratus wasn't upset, as the rabbit man seemed distressed about another problem. He then heard Venatio pull out her rifle and immediately covered his ears as she fired three shots at the puppet. 

The shots pierced all the way through the puppet—two tiny holes in the chest and one in the head. However, the puppet did not stop as it moved while crouching, skittering closer to the group. The creature leaned in at Iratus with its fingers exploding, and dozens of thick metal wires snaked outward. The mouse boy did his best to strike at them, but had to run away as the wires dropped and slammed into the floor below.

Venatio ran around the other side of the puppet while Resonantia shot arrows that, in fact, stuck into the puppet. The sound of cracks forming could be heard echoing out in the warehouse.

Iratus switched weapons to his hammer and tried to move in, but the puppet was completely focused on Iratus, which meant that he couldn't get close to the creature throwing grabs and metal whips at him.

Venatio and even Resonantia pulled out their hammers and were striking at the puppet, which, despite its hulking look, was fragile enough that striking the right joint would yield a crack.

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Chapter 466

Eventually, Iratus started to peel off and headed outside.

Iratus, "This thing ain't dying. It is time to retreat."

The two girls broke off and ran outside while Iratus gave one last chase for the puppet before blazingly running outside and being met with several ashborn. Commercium was gone, but several piles of ash were proof enough of his battle with these monsters.

Iratus and the two girls did their best to maneuver around the ashborn and the puppet, which followed Iratus into the ashborn horde. Iratus might have been sweating terribly, but the puppet was forced to swat away the monsters as they began to grapple with the puppet. The puppet eventually stopped chasing Iratus and started fighting the ashborn, and unfortunately, the puppet didn't have enough sense to jump out of the horde and, in time, would be set ablaze.

Iratus has to smash the faces of a few ashborn, but he did make it through the horde, covered in ash, but mostly fine as the two girls ran all the way around. The ashborn were slow, but not as slow as many other monsters, which forced the group to move all the way back to their cart.

Along their run, Commercium came by to run with them, but just before the cart, he fell on his knees.

Commercium, "Hold up. I've been running around these guys for too long."

Iratus, "That's fine. Let's all take a short rest before we clean up."

Venatio, "It looks like we need bigger weapons for that puppet."

Resonantia, "We were breaking it."

Venatio, "Excuse me? Given, like, ten minutes sure. Too bad we didn't have such luxury."

Everyone began to sit down on the cart to take a breather.

Commercium, "By the way, I've seen a new one of those born monsters. The thing was some sort of metal-made being."

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Chapter 467

The party had a few minutes to go over their strategy. Before long, the puppet was walking, instead of crouching, around and with a purpose. It was sluggish, and it had several large holes, which were made by the fire that was consuming multiple places on the creature. In the holes, the puppet was mostly empty, but there was that bulky mass of thick metal wires, pulsating like organs.

A few ashborn tried to claw at the puppet, but they were squashed, leaving only a few left alive, as well as a bronzeborn, perhaps the bronzeborn, who was breaking away from the puppet, which was now heading towards the group.

Venatio, "I'll spend one more bullet."

She walked up, fired a shot at the puppet, and blew apart a large chunk of it. The creature continued walking forward, and Venatio set her gun on the cart while Resonantia and Commercium fired their own shots at the puppet, dealing damage evident from the cracks that continued to form. Once the puppet was close enough, everyone went in with their hammers, and quickly the puppet was finally being dismantled. First it was a leg that broke in half, then one of the arms. The metal whips lashed out at everyone but focused on Iratus, who just lured the puppet towards him and away from the ones who were destroying it.

A second arm was cracked and then snapped under the creature's weight. Soon the puppet dropped on its back and started to convulse. The metal wires ripped themselves out of the puppet, and the formless blob finally started attacking everyone with one hit, leaving a nasty gash on Venatio.

Everyone's attacks weren't doing much, but soon even the writhing mass started to crumble and collapse into dust as some sort of feedback sound reverberated from it. Once it was metal dust, everyone just looked at it with blank expressions.

Venatio, "Woh. That's something."

Iratus, "Thank the Lord."

Resonantia, "What happened?"

The rabbit man sat back down at the cart and gave an exhaustive sigh.

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Chapter 468

Commercium, "I vote we come back later. I'm not at my best right now."

The shark girl was applying water and alcohol to her wound.

Resonantia, "Sure, it's your home right past the trees there."

Venatio, "This location does need to be cleared, but since I found no useful tools for myself, this place is useless."

Iratus, "Surely there must be something to rip out of these machines."

Venatio, "Hmm, yeah...that sounds doable."

Iratus nodded his head, and the group headed to their respective homes.

At his home, Iratus sat on a couch, looted from one of the abandoned towns, and relaxed. After some time, Ignis came forward.

Ignis, "This one hopes you are not deluded to the point that you assume your day is over. I'd like some solitude with you as well, my love."

Iratus, "Alright, I don't mind. Give me a minute, and I'll take you anywhere you'd like."

And soon enough, Iratus and Ignis were off, with the red panda girl leading the mouse boy back to the rice fields near the burned-down city. As the two walked down a road and passed the rice fields, Ignis spoke up.

Ignis, "The kids and I have found something quite superb out here. I never once gave a mental account of the few farmhouses over here. However, I have...the kids too; we have pillaged the houses and came across several fascinating discoveries that I simply want to present to you."

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Chapter 469

On the outskirts of the fields were a few rows of huts that were separated by large plots of land. Ignis led Iratus to one which looked like a regular Japanese house of an old age, just with the passage of time eating away at it with vines and plants already trying to grow over it. Its wooden exterior exuded an eerie stillness as well as the stagnate area that all has been long abandoned.

Ignis came up and pointed to some faded paint clinging desperately to the shutters, now cracked and peeling under the relentless assault of nature. As the two stepped into the entrance Iratus noticed the outside house part was something of a fake as the inside was a secret garage, something mostly untouched by time.

The lights from outside reveled a a vintage Japanese sports car from its peak glory. It had a sleek curve and polished chrome which stood in the direct opposite of the dilapidation surrounding it.

Iratus, "Well, that is quite something."

Ignis, "Right? This world, or rather giant place full of worlds always excites me in its unknown wonders."

Ignis rubbed Iratus's chest and hugged him.

Iratus, "Ah yes, nothing like a garage place, with what I assume to be a vehicle to really rise up that libido."

Ignis, "I know! These unknown secret places are arousing."

Iratus playfully, "Dang it love."

Iratus was hugged even harder.

Iratus, "I mean, thank you my love. This hidden secret of the world was a great gift and moment that I will cherish forever."

Ignis with a predatory grin, "You better."

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Chapter 470

Iratus and Ignis finally left the secret garage and were heading home when they stopped to see the group of ashborn and the bronzeborn heading towards their way, towards the building. They got back inside and slammed the door.

Ignis, "Well. There goes my romantic evening."

Iratus, "Non-sense, it has only begun."

The red panda girl smiled at that.

Iratus, "Will you be fine?"

Ignis, "I lament that I still have not forged my own armor yet, but I am always armed."

The mouse boy nodded his head and then opened the door back up. Luckily, he too never goes outside without being armed; such is the nature of the world.

The bronzeborn somatically ordered the ashborn to spread out.

Iratus, "Was there a back door to that garage?"

Ignis, "Not at all, love."

The bronzeborn clapped its metal hands, and the ashborn actually ran for once, at Iratus and Ignis. Iratus managed to slay two ashborn while Ignis stayed near the doorway and slammed her crowbar into the head of one and slammed the door on the rest, who were viciously trying to get in.

Iratus was grabbed by one of the monsters, but he quickly used his weight to toss it to the ground and finish it off as well. The other ashborn were too preoccupied with the door to care about Iratus coming up from behind them.

The bronzeborn facepalmed as its underlings were swiftly slain by Iratus and Ignis.

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EPISDOE 47: END

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Episode 47 End Character Sheet
Name: Iratus Lionheart
Species: Mousefolk
Age: 15
Coverings: blonde fur, white gambeson (many repairs, some leather patchwork), leather gloves, tactical vest, tailorcraft backpack, leather plate helmet, delicate gold chain with a small pendant shaped like a lion's glare, flashlight
Weapons: Long Sword, 3x Knifes, Short Sword, hammer
Equipment: belt, belt bag, water skin, leathercraft backpack, 2 bags, 29 oval copper coins, 6 small silver bricks, 20 fine silver coins,15 fine gold coins, metal keycard

Wounds: none

Relevant Community Stash: a fire starter, whetstone, several leather items, 2 glass jar, 12 empty bottles, 1 fish net, primitive sewing kit, a bunch of small wooden figures, wooden dice, metal scrap, lots of rusted metal, several small fish nets, sextant, some bedrolls, a tent, a large barrel, writing material, 73 cloaks and other clothing materials, some fabrics, 5 carts, 8 tattered tents, skin drum, beautiful arts of tropical scenery, floatation devices, wildlife figures, lots of tropical clothing, ancient era hyenafolk clothes

Armory: 10 wooden spears, 45 short swords, 47 knifes, 23 daggers, 31 metal spears, 21 rusted weapons, many armor pieces, semi-automatic rifle (no ammo), 3 hunting traps, 3 snares, 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: 52 oval copper coins, 19 oval silver coins 44 ancient metal coins, 8 fine silver coins, a tarnished silver brooch, a small ornamental figurine, a handful of sparkling glass beads, a few antfolk tapestries, some antfolk art, 46 copper lion coins, 5 silver lion coins, 2 gold lion coins, 57 wolfen metal coins, bronze lantern, bronze idol, some jewled trinkets, iron lantern, several large blocks of various metals.

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), Tool Shed (fishing gear and supplies, trowel, woodcutting axe, woodworking tools, lots of rope, rope ladder, plows, hoes, sickles, rakes, shovels, scythes, chisels, anvils), Partially Built Wall, Small Cabin

Books: 3x woodworking books, weathered leather-bound journal, war game booklet, sketch book (from warband), Bathhouse Reviewers (entire 80 book series), cards, Fractura's Notes, Tempestas's Notes

Year 1, Day 63

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TOWER FOLK:
Iratus of House Lionheart
mouse, male, blonde fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'4 (193cm), age: 15
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Victoria
raccoon, female, gray fur, black hair, brown eyes, 6'2 (188cm), age: 15
-
Aestus of clan Riversinger
otter, female, red fur, red hair, blue eyes, 5'11 (180cm), age: 14
-
Ignis Yang
red panda, female, reddish-brown/white fur, black hair, golden eye, 6'3 (190cm), age: 15
-
Resonantia Diamond Heart Steel
shark, female, blue-gray hue skin, white hair, blue eyes, 6'3 (191cm), age: 15
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CHILDREN:
Negligere
shark, male, steel gray skin, white hair, gold eyes, age: 0
-
Ruina
otter, female, orange fur, vibrant orange hair, blue eyes, age: 0
-
Gula
red panda, male, brown fur, dark brown hair, gold eyes, age: 0
-
Tenacitas
raccoon, female, silver fur, dark blonde hair, amber eyes, age: 0
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NEIGHBORS:
Venatio of Wise Storms, Mother of House Black Jewel
fox, female, red fur, red hair, brown eyes, 6'6 (198cm), age: 71

Studium of Winter Winds
fox, male, gray fur, black hair, blue eyes, 5'6, age 12

Fuligo
otter, female, black fur, blonde hair, blue eyes, 5'4, age 12

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THE COBALTS:
Commercium Jade Blue Cobalt
rabbit, male, white fur, black hair, gray eyes, 6'8(203cm), age: 24
-
Abrasione
hyena, female, tan fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'5(196cm), age: 20
-
Kuxatura
hyena, male, tan fur, black hair, gold eyes, age: 0

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