Black Hole: The Book of Iratus, Episode 52

Chapter 511

Time passed peacefully for a long time, with few events happening. Day 130 saw the hunting party ambushed by a saber-toothed tiger near the plains, with the group sticking to a spear wall and forcing the beast to flee. On day 138, a scavenging party found another empty town with a few treeskins wandering its streets. Once it was cleared of monsters, the town was torn down for building materials among all the other resources it held.

On day 244, another Blackest Day shook the people of the Tower, but luckily this time, this Blackest Day wasn't as bad as many of the others, with most anomalies and monstrous things being quite light. Day 301 was the day the group finally completed the wooden wall, and while it wasn't a perfect circle, it was enough to cover a large section around the tower.

Iratus celebrated in his own way when the year rounded again and because it was the first day of the third year, successfully surviving two years already. He had been growing taller and continuing to build his muscle, with his facial scars mostly muted now. Victoria had given birth to a son who would be named Frustra, a raccoon baby boy with gray fur, blonde hair, and gold eyes. In addition, she also adopted the familiar name Mother of House Lionheart, as she seemed to lack a proper family name. Ignis was also going to have another child, but something went wrong, and a gravestone was raised for the baby deep in the forests behind the tower.

A large cabin was built for the Winter Winds Clan as Studium, Fuligo Leaf Shadow, and Bellum of House War Knuckles joined up to be a family. Salvos Dark Sky and Leitmotif Schlange made their relationship official and lived in their cabin within the walls as well. Procella Ocean Drinker and Iter of Sanguinem Umbra also became a couple but decided to live nearby with the Colbat family to be farmhands and guards for the property.

Finally, Confodere Oculi Acuti decided to live in Last Mistake by himself. Well, the priest is there too, but he wanted a whole town to live in.

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Chapter 512

On day 2 of the new year, for Iratus, the mouse boy woke up and ate breakfast as usual.

Iratus: "You're sixteen now, right?"

Resonantia: "If I kept track correctly, yes. Which makes it funny that I and our son share the same birthday."

There was a knock on the door, and when Iratus answered, he saw Fuligo, the young otter girl.

They only spent a few seconds exchanging pleasantries before moving on.

Fuligo: "So, I'd like to borrow another book."

Iratus: "Sure. Come on up and show me which one."

The pair walked past the now-dwindled treasure pile, but the armor was robust, with Iratus and the girls now having gambeson and bronze breastplates. The library as well was expanded from all the looting of nearby locations which allowed the checking out of many books from it. Fuligo picked out a fictional book from this world, and Iratus lent it out.

Iratus went outside to see how lively the inside of the walls were with the chickens were out and about, and Venatio tinkering with some electronic devices. Salvos was getting a cart ready to go, as were Studium and Bellum, who were getting a second cart ready, but upon seeing Iratus, the two ran up to the mouse boy.

Studium: "Iratus, we got your cart ready! And, and, can we join you this time?"

Iratus: "As long as you remember the rules."

Studium: "Sure, because I have been practicing all the sword stances and stuff."

Bellum: "Same."

Iratus: "Alright, then let's go."

Salvos: "Which way are you going?"

Iratus: "We will head up to the farm."

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Chapter 513

Iratus set the cart down as the weasel girl, Procella, and the goat boy, Iter, walked down the road to greet them.

The kids grabbed the milk while Iratus handed them a box full of wrapped jerky and several other food items from scavenged locations.

Iratus: "You know, we had room for you guys."

Procella: "We know. It was just when we saw the family over there struggle to maintain their farm that we had to act."

Iter: "Mostly me since I know this stuff already." He sighed. "Yup, I gave up my life of adventure to return to the farm. Woe is me."

Procella: "And by the way, we have seen monsters nearby. Everyone here thought of hiring your group to help out."

Iratus: "I'll grab everyone. It will be like a family get-together, except with lots of violence."

The conversation carried on for a minute before a date was set for the gathering.

Iter: "And even if you can't get everyone today, come by later and we can do some scouting."

Iratus: "It shouldn't be too hard to get everyone ready. Work is oddly oxymoronic by being overwhelming and leaving much room for other activities."

Bellum: "You should let us come. We need practical experience with fighting... because we have to fight monsters eventually."

Iratus: "Do we know how dangerous it will be?"

Iter: "Nope. It was around the third farm, and you already know how much that was the worst for us."

Studium: "Wait, a third farm. How many farms are there?"

Iratus, "After the last Blackest Day, there were three other farms that popped in."

Iter: "And the third one had ashborn disguised as cows—fleshborn, we called them—and they nearly ate my arm off. It was the second worst day of my life."

The conversation didn't last much longer, and then Iratus and the other two would head back to the tower.

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Chapter 514

It was only slightly past the afternoon when Iratus managed to gather up a fighting force. Iratus took his standard kit and an extra flashlight. Victoria and Ignis refused to go since they had undergone another pregnancy recently and were not fit enough at the moment. Aestus took her standard kit, and Resonantia believed herself pregnant, so she decided to stay. Venatio took her rifle and bag of ammo, which made Iratus take a second look.

Iratus: "Wait, when did you get more ammo?"

Venatio: "Found it."

Resonantia: "How about you find some ammo for that one rifle we have?"

Ignis: "Or ammo for the rabbit man's pistol?"

Venatio: "I am not a diviner."

Studium and Bellum were allowed to go, and they wore several layers of cloth and several armored pieces, as well as taking a spear and shortsword. Fuligo stayed behind with the excuse of needing to do work. Salvos had his kit, but he also took Victoria's crossbow for himself.

Iratus: "How has Leitmotif been because I haven't seen her for some time?"

Salvos: "I think pregnancy is tough on snakefolk. I'm still shocked that cross-species of this caliber is possible."

Venatio, "She is technically a mammal, and folk species have a certain robustness in their reproductive abilities. Honestly, I believe it to be a miracle from God for these things. Though I have told you before, you are looking at a viable hybrid."

Salvos: "I couldn't care less how my kids end up looking."

Last but not least, Deficio and Confodere came to the tower as well. The lion priest only took a light gambeson and the normal combat kit since he didn't bring his shotgun.

Deficio: "I thought I told everyone I was out. Why did you think I was yelling and running out of that treeskin-infested place?"

Confodere, the hyena man, took the same combat kit with a bronze breastplate and additionally took Resonantia's bow.

Confodere: "Thanks for the bow. It is way better than anything I can craft."

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Chapter 515

The group met up with Procella and Iter, who also wore the same kind of gambeson and bronze breast plate.

Iratus: "Commercium not joining us?"

Procella: "Well, he does have a whole farm to look over."

As the group passed the farm, Iratus could see how much has changed with the Umbra Ocean Family's cabin; the weasel girl and goat boy had become lovers recently, as well as the expanding farm with many new cows and other farm animals now overcrowding the land.

The party passed the former ant panther hole, and then they passed the industrial building. Further north was a small open plain and the train tracks. Further north was a river, but what was pointed out to Iratus was the motel near the river. It had a crowded parking lot, but it was one of many buildings that were out in the middle of nowhere. There was no road anywhere nearby; there was just forest all around the building, and the cars were all in various states of disrepair.

Bellum: "And now I know that those are vehicles."

Venatio: "I don't think you have ever told me what time you came from—the year, I mean."

Bellum: "Oh, I guess I haven't told you yet. Uh...four ninety-nine, chainless era."

As the two talked, Iratus and some of the others examined the cars.

Salvos: "Not from my world."

Procella: "These cars are from Harmony."

Confodere: "Wait, some of these are from Radiance."

Iratus: "Classic Nexus Prime. Maybe the motel is the same."

The short sign outside read The Accidental Pig Motel, while the motel itself was a deep sea teal color with thick plastic siding, and while the motel was mostly a simple two-story building with many small rooms, there was a fitness center next to the main office. In the window of the office was a no pets allowed sign.

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Chapter 516

Procella: "Oh, hey, the legendary Accidental Pig. It's a pseudo-well-known motel from my nation. Hm, well, it does seem a little bit smaller than what I'm aware of."

Some sounds were ringing out, which made everyone take a serious stance. However, the only thing that came out to greet them was a lone treeskin. Iratus focused his senses while the others smashed the monster to bits. The mouse boy pointed out several more areas where some sounds were coming from, and the party spread out to deal with any treeskins.

Venatio, "If this is what you gathered us all here for, then I am greatly upset."

Iter: "No, no. I swear there was a big thing like a giant lizard around here."

Venatio, "Whatever. I'm going to take a look around."

Iratus, "We should have grabbed a cart."

Venatio, "Why? I doubt there is anything worth taking here."

Procella grabbed some cash that was around, and while it was worthless as paper money in this world, it seemed important enough for the weasel girl to grab. Most everyone had backpacks, so everyone grabbed some loose items. A lot of jewelry was obviously grabbed, as well as a few watches. Someone found a camera, while Iter grabbed a few magazines.

Iter: "Hey, these ones are from my planet."

Iratus was stuffing many toiletries into his backpack.

Bellum: "You're sharing those, right?"

Iratus: "You've seen us divide the loot when we bring some back home."

Once back outside, Iratus saw some of the others take out a few more treeskins. He looked around to see Venatio walk up to the second story and joined her.

Iratus: "Find anything new?"

Venatio gave a short scream, and Iratus quickly ran to her side.

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Chapter 517

In a room, there was a sheet of paper taped to the far wall with 'It's a Trap!' written on it.

Iratus: "Well, that's strange."

Venatio: "Or for us."

The fox woman walked out of the room and yelled down to the others.

Venatio: "Pack it up! We are leaving now!"

Aestus was halfway up the stairs to meet with Iratus.

Aestus: "Love, what happened?"

Iratus: "We found a message, and if it is for us, then we are in trouble."

Aestus: "Someone left us a message. How?"

Iratus: "My guess is Desidia, but who knows really?"

Iter tossed some sheets he was taking onto a car and readied his spear.

Iter: "Incoming!"

Seven Utahraptors started running into the parking lot and encircling the party below. They were sleek-bodied, with many feathers covering them, as well as having very sharp claws on their hands and feet. These animals were around six meters in length and 6'6ft tall (2 meters).

One of the raptors instantly fell when a bolt from Salvos slammed into it. Once the party downstairs gathered up, the raptors and the party had a face-off since, unlike the monsters, animals actually think and fear death enough that these top-tier predators were now looking for any vulnerability but staying out of threat range as well.

Venatio used her rifle and shot at one of the dinosaurs, but her first shot missed and made the raptors start to panic as they continued their encirclement. Aestus and Iratus started to head down when Venatio yelled out again.

Venatio: "Gray masks!"

But everyone already saw the brown-cloaked figures with various weapons, each wearing a grainy gray mask, stepping from the boundaries of the forest.

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Chapter 518

Venatio: "Deficio, escape route, now! Confodere, shoot the gray masks!"

Confodere: "What are-" He stopped flabbergasting. "Nevermind, sure."

The party and raptors continued their game until Iratus and Aestus came around. A raptor turned and screeched at Iratus, who simply yelled his own blood scream, beating his chest and snarling back at it. The mouse boy did not stop moving forward, and eventually the raptor, with all its threats, backed down until another raptor joined it and boosted its morale to the point where both raptors leaped at Iratus, who tried to block with his long sword. Only one raptor pushed Iratus up against a car, while the other one was flung from its jump by another gun shot by Venatio.

The other raptors were also taking initiative and began to attack the party, with Salvos getting his arm bitten by one while another two were pushing past to reach Iter and Procella. However, the two kids, Studium and Bellum, used their spears excellently and managed to stick one raptor, and Aestus stuck the raptor on Iratus with her spear.

Iratus managed to use his long sword to further pry the raptor off of him, and with the raptor pack down to three functional members, with the others in various states of being wounded or dying, they started to retreat, leaving Salvos, Iratus, and, to a lesser degree, Iter in a bloody mess.

The priest came back.

Deficio: "We are completely surrounded!"

The raptors were rerouted back to the parking lot by the gray masks closing in on the area.

Iratus looking up at Venatio: "What are they?"

Venatio: "I have no idea. I have never seen creatures like these before."

Once Salvos gritted through the pain, he shot another bolt at a raptor and nicked it enough for it to freak out and start rolling on the ground.

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Chapter 519

After another thirty seconds, only one raptor remained, and it jumped past the gray masks to flee for its life. Several gray masks were already dead because Confodere kept them back. From the back, gray masks began pouring in, but everyone was already heading up the stairs by this point. Iratus, Aestus, and Deficio couldn't get up in time and had to hold themselves up in a lower room. Venatio was constantly firing off her rifle until the shooting suddenly stopped. Iratus and the other two desperately used their range to slay the gray masks, as those monsters only used daggers, knives, and short swords.

Despite piling in, Iratus was doing well in cutting into the cloaked beings and slaying them one after another. There was a large group of gray masks, but their number went down rather quickly, with the group upstairs in the perfect position to fight, and just when Iratus and the other two were about to be overwhelmed, Deficio stepped in and took several stabs. Somehow the lion priest tossed several gray masks away, sending them flying, or as much as a normal person could. Suddenly, Deficio was holding a pistol and was shooting the incoming gray masks.

The group of gray masks that went into the parking lot were wiped out in just a minute, with the other gray masks backing up and heading back into the forest.

Once Iratus was able to get a better look at Deficio, he saw that his left arm was fake, metallic, and similar to Karish in terms of machine.

Iratus: "Woh, woh. What is that?"

The priest was a bit bloodied, and his left arm was torn apart, some from the stabbings, some from his arm opening up like a cannon, which meant that he didn't in fact have a pistol; his arm was a weapon.

Deficio: "I've lost many things living in this place. An arm is but one thing."

His arm closed back up, but his metal exterior was still exposed.

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Chapter 520

Everyone was busy bandaging up, and some gave glances to Deficio.

Bellum: "What is that arm of yours?"

Deficio: "A cybernetic limb."

Bellum: "Sure...I know what that is."

Procella, "How does that even work?"

Iratus turned to the others.

Iratus: "Are you out of ammo again?"

Venatio: "I saved three bullets."

Iratus: "Hey, I have a question. Is Deficio a robot too, or what?"

Salvos: "Cyborg. He only has a few machine parts. Leitmotif has a snake thing to see heat and stuff, and she saw the fake limbs. I thought the rest of you knew."

Venatio: "I knew."

Iratus: "And you didn't tell anyone else?"

Venatio: "I mostly just forgot, but it wasn't something important, so that checks out."

The group would eventually start to head home.

Iratus: "We should send patrols over to the farm regularly until we kill the new conduit."

Venatio: "I'm excited to see what those guys have dredged up. They never disappoint when it comes to using familiar people."

Iratus and Aestus gave a chuckle, as if they were the only ones who understood.

Iratus: "Hey, I didn't have the best relationship with my father; maybe I will see him coming to give me another beating."

Aestus: "Maybe we will see someone from a long time ago pop up again, but as a conduit this time."

Venatio: "I wonder how they'll get to me. I'm still alive and from outside of this place."

The group got back to the farmlands, with Procella and Iter leaving for their cabin. Once everyone else got back to the tower, they all just slumped down at the table as the other girls quickly made lunch.

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EPISDOE 52: END

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Episode 52 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, bronze breastplate
Weapons: long sword, 3 knifes, short sword, hammer, 1 dagger
Equipment: belt, belt bag, water skin, leathercraft backpack, 2 bags, 5 copper coins, 1 small silver bricks, 20 silver coins, 30 gold coins

Wounds: bruised left leg, large cut on left leg, large cuts on both arms

Relevant Community Stash: a fire starter, whetstone, several leather items, 2 glass jar, 12 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, 68 cloaks and other clothing materials, some fabrics, 4 carts, 4 stitched tents, skin drum, beautiful arts of tropical scenery, floatation devices, wildlife figures, lots of tropical clothing, ancient era hyenafolk clothes, gas generator, four flood lights

Armory: 40 short swords, 34 knifes, 19 daggers, 26 metal spears, 4 arming swords, 4 long swords, 2 extra gambeson, semi-automatic rifle (no ammo), 3 hunting traps, 6 snares, 12 backpacks, 3 katanas, 3 short katanas
Aestus: gambeson, bronze breastplate, leather helmet, metal spear, 2 knives, short sword, bronze long sword.
Victoria: bronze breastplate, gambeson, leather helmet, metal spear, short sword, crossbow, 2 daggers, flashlight
Resonanita: steel breastplate, gambeson, metal helmet, metal spear, short sword, 1 knife, compound bow, flashlight
Ignis: bronze breastplate, gambeson, leather helmet, metal spear, crowbar, 1 knife

Treasure: 13 copper coins, 2 silver coins 12 iron coins, a tarnished silver brooch, a small ornamental figurine, a few antfolk tapestries, some antfolk art, bronze lantern, bronze idol, some jeweled trinkets, iron lantern

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), Children's 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), Wooden Wall, Small Cabin (Venatio), Large Cabin (Winter Winds), Large Cabin (Dark Sky Family), Gravestone

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, 12 survival guides, 3 technical manuals, 46 fiction novels, 11 encyclopedias, 4 dictionaries, 22 cookbooks, 2 gardening guides, 3 crafting books, 20 educational textbooks, 5 religious texts, 4 diaries

Year 2, Day 2

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TOWER FOLK:
Iratus of House Lionheart
mouse, male, blonde fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'6, age: 16, b day 350
-
Victoria Mother of House Lionheart
raccoon, female, gray fur, black hair, brown eyes, 6'3, age: 15, b day: 5

-
Aestus of clan Riversinger
otter, female, red fur, red hair, blue eyes, 6'1, age: 15, b day: 99, (preg 7 days)
-
Ignis Yang
red panda, female, reddish-brown/white fur, black hair, golden eye, 6'4, age: 16, b day: 344
-
Resonantia Diamond Heart Steel
shark, female, blue-gray hue skin, white hair, blue eyes, 6'5, age: 16, b day: 2, (preg 36 days)
---

CHILDREN:
Negligere Lionheart
shark, male, steel gray skin, white hair, gold eyes, age: 1, b day: 2
-
Ruina Lionheart
otter, female, orange fur, vibrant orange hair, blue eyes, age: 1, b day: 330
-
Gula Lionheart
red panda, male, brown fur, dark brown hair, gold eyes, age: 1, b day: 340
-
Tenacitas Lionheart
raccoon, female, silver fur, dark blonde hair, amber eyes, age: 1, b day: 345

Frustra Lionheart
raccoon, male, gray fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, age: 0, b day: 338

---

NEIGHBORS:
Venatio of Wise Storms, Mother of House Black Jewel
fox, female, red fur, red hair, brown eyes, 6'6, age: 72, b day 299
---

WINTER WINDS CLAN:
Studium of Winter Winds
fox, male, gray fur, black hair, blue eyes, 5'8, age 13, b.day 190

Fuligo Leaf Shadow
otter, female, black fur, blonde hair, blue eyes, 5'6, age 13, b.day 245

Bellum of House War Knuckles
cheetah, female, blonde fur, blonde hair, blue eyes, 5'11, age 14, b day: 91
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DARK SKY FAMILY:
Salvos Dark Sky
wolf, male, black fur, white hair, copper eyes, 6'8, age 26, b day: 66

Leitmotif Schlange
snake, female, yellow and red scales, naga bodied, gold  eyes, age 24, b day: 229, (preg 51 days)

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(farm)
UMBRA OCEAN FAMILY:
Procella Ocean Drinker
weseal, female, blonde fur, black hair, green eyes, 6'5, age 22, b day: 207

Iter of Sanguinem Umbra
goat, male, white fur, blonde hair, brown eyes, 6'7, age 20, b day: 334
---

(farm)
THE COBALTS:
Commercium Jade Blue Cobalt
rabbit, male, white fur, black hair, gray eyes, 6'8, age: 25, b.day 221

-
Abrasione
hyena, female, tan fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'5, age: 20, b.day 4, (preg 90 days)

-
Kuxatura
hyena, male, tan fur, black hair, gold eyes, age: 1, b day: 284

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LAST MISTAKE
Deficio
lion, male, gray fur, rich gray hair, green eyes, 6'6, age: 46, b day 111

Confodere Oculi Acuti
hyena, male, dark brown fur, black hair, gold eyes, 6'9, age 26, b day: 239