Black Hole: The Book of Iratus, Episode 61

Chapter 601

The creatures called gray masks had disappeared from the area, but the group still believed them to be around, if only somewhere else. The group of Iratus, Studium, and Procella headed back to the tower settlement. The three were still recovering from the living nightmares, recovering mentally and physically, and the group found themselves taking a few breaks before they got back to the tower.

Iratus: "Man, that nightmare place still hurts. Anyone else still feel the wounds?"

Studium: "I sure can."

Procella: "I don't know if I'll be making it back home at this rate."

The tower slowly came into view as firelight and smoke drifted up above the walls. Iratus moved the improvised gate to the side, with some of the other tower folk already outside.

Outside, Iratus and Procella met up with Victoria, Resonantia, and Venatio, with the fox boy heading home.

Iratus: "Well, it has been quite a day."

Iratus and Procella gave the quick version of what happened, saving the long story for when everyone else comes by. However, the girls seem to have their own story to tell.

Resonantia: "I wonder if that brief blackest day has anything to do with that."

Iratus: "So soon?"

Procella: "We didn't get any of that over at the farmhouse."

Victoria: "Exactly, it's odd!"

Iratus: "But did any of you see any gray masks?"

Venatio: "Nope. Also, tell me more about this living nightmare. This is huge; I've seen and learned more than the entire lifetimes of my own people, and now we have this living nightmare. This is too much!"

Victoria: "Eh, I still say that robot guy is the most enlightening thing we have seen."

Procella: "I'd love to stay and chat, but it is late, and I must really get back home."

Victoria: "At least take a snack for the road. How long have you been walking?"

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Chapter 602

In a few minutes, everyone came outside and listened to the full story of what happened, and when Procella was eating a quick meal, Iratus watched out the window, still paranoid about the gray masks. Soon enough, the small bonfire was reduced to embers, and the weasel woman was about to leave the tower.

Iratus: "Are you sure you don't want to stay the night? We have a guest room for situations like this."

Before Procella could respond, the door opened by itself. Everyone was on the first floor except for Aestus, the Winter Winds clan, and the Dark Sky family. Blue fog started to pour in, and Iratus immediately went for the armory.

Iratus: "I don't believe this!"

Victoria: "What?"

Rersonantia looking at the open door: "Hello?"

Once Iratus grabbed his sword, the other girls started to take their own arms, and from the blue fog, the familiar rubbery arm of Kollektivi reached through the door, though longer and lanky. The arm reached around and continued to stretch out.

Resonantia: "I'll guard the children with Aestus!"

She took an extra spear and headed upstairs while the others engaged with the arm. Iratus took a slash at the arm, while Venatio and Victoria fired their crossbows at it. The arm flicked and slammed Iratus backwards and onto the ground, and Ignis came in to help Iratus.

Ignis: "I have your back!"

The spear dug in, and the arm moved and pushed the red panda girl back, and she too was sent to the ground. The blue fog infested every corner of the first floor, giving everything a blue hue. The group continued to batter the arm until it finally retracted, the bolts breaking off as it went out the door.

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Chapter 603

From the door, the creature known as Kollektivi appeared. The being was a bit different than before; the black rubbery form was familiar, but the mask was green and looked like an oni mask. It squeezed itself through the door and then grew larger as it entered the building.

Iratus: "To the second floor!"

And the group went up stairs, where they could force Kollektivi into a tight space.

Kollektivi: "We met face-to-face!"

Iratus: "As opposed to the last time?"

The rubbery creature crawled up the stairs and reached through the doorway, only to be met with attacks from the tower folk. Kollektivi retreated for a second before launching his body up through the door, his body morphing and squeezing through it.

Two bolts slammed into the neck of the creature, while Ignis used her spear to stab the underbelly of the beast. Finally, Iratus came in to cut the right wrist of the monster. These attacks made Kollektivi collapse, but he started to lift himself back up. Iratus came around, forced his blade through the eye hole in the mask, and stabbed into the void where Kollektivi's eye should be. The mask cracked and bits shattered off, and Kollektivi deflated, with more blue smoke pouring out of the monster and encircling the entire floor, if not the entire tower.

Suddenly, the floor was wild with movement, and the fog was fading to reveal an endless black void with a thunderstorm rumbling with lightning flashes that revealed blue in the black void. Iratus looked down and then around, for he saw everyone standing on an old battleship, and in fact, it was the Anguis Marinus, the battleship the group destroyed a long time ago.

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Chapter 604

The deck of the ship was being torn apart, with a multitude of Kollektivi's arms reaching out to grasp at Ignis. Iratus looked around for the others and saw, in the distance, Resonantia standing in the ruins of the command bridge, staring down at Tacitus Rustbane, the rabbit now at the peak of his youth and wearing his signature purple conduit outfit, but without the mask.

Off to the side was Aestus, running from a four-legged beast that looked like a dangerous, feral-looking otter but was much more wolf-like.

Aestus: "Not one of you!"

She jumped down a large hole in the ship, with the otter-beast following her.

Iratus jumped to Ignis's side, with Venatio joining in. The multiple arms lashed around and slammed all around, with the three dodging and trying to find a way to counterattack. The wind was howling—literally and not like normal wind—while the waves slammed against the ship and splashed water all over. 

Iratus fell backwards as an arm slammed right next to him. Iratus bounced off the ground and slit the arm as it retreated, but the damage didn't seem to do much. Iratus moved closer to the cluster of arms, which swatted and battered him, and looking down, he saw the face of Kollektivi, or rather the mask, as the head was fused to the body of all of these arms.

Kollektivi tried to attack Iratus, who was forced to backtrack and continue defending himself. Iratus was forced to the ground and struggled to get free, but then he saw Victoria climb on board, bloodied with her left arm having shark teeth coving it.

Iratus thoughts: "I would have thought she would have fought Determinationis. Then again, I have no idea how these living nightmares work."

When Victoria looked over, Iratus pointed at the hole in the ship, which Victoria hastily headed over, and upon seeing down in the ship, she took a shot off with her crossbow. With that shot, Kollektivi went limp, and darkness covered everything until black was all that there was.

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Chapter 605

When Iratus was able to see again, he was back in the second room of the tower, and the green oni mask was on the ground with a larger hole in the eye hole.

When day 20 came, Procella headed out, for she had spent the night at the tower. In the living nightmare, she appeared to be lost in the ship itself as it took the shape of an endless maze. Also in the nightmare, Victoria told how she had to fight a shark. Ignis and Venatio were confused about why they were allowed to stand with Iratus and able to fight with Iratus. Resonantia told about her duel that didn't have a winner, with Aestus just barely managing to escape a beast from her world.

The Winter Winds and Dark Sky families had no idea anything was happening. They didn't experience anything and didn't know there was fighting happening. The farmhouse and the people at Last Mistake didn't receive anything either. Finally, in the nightmare realm, Resonantia and Aestus found their pregnancies missing, something Abrasione did not mention. However, after the nightmare, they returned to normal, and it appears the children were also unharmed.

The gray masks seemed to be gone this time, and when many more days passed, it seemed the threat of Kollektivi had truly passed for now. Twenty days later, everything was back to normal because everyone had to take a long time resting because the nightmare world truly sapped their stamina, and it took so much rest to reclaim it.

Venatio got back to charging batteries with the portiable solar panel and started to figure out how to make copper wires, using scavenged ones until then. The Winter Winds family started to regularly go on hunts and even managed to capture rabbits for some rabbit hutches they built. Salvo's neck wound would heal enough that he could get back to working, aiding the tower folk in making a proper gate for the wall. Procella and Iter would come by often, wishing to participate in gaming with everyone else, and even Commercium and Abrasione started to regularly come by as well as tell how their own farm was expanding, for they found more animals to shove in their farm.

The Last Mistake crew was swamped with helping Venatio make her inventions. Once the old fox woman got a taste of electricity, she had been specifically crafting more technological advances. The priest, however, continued doing his duties and now had to prepare for church a lot, with society finally being brought to life.

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Chapter 606

Within the hidden pool in the hot springs cave, Iratus took his time bathing with his four loves.

Iratus: "We should have come back here sooner. I miss this."

The pool room was clean, with steam filling the room but also being vented out from the hole to the side, which led up to the surface. Nestled within the cave was their special bathhouse, made of smooth stone.

Victoria leaned back against the smooth rocks, her gray fur glistening. 

Victoria with a resolute voice: "We deserve this moment of peace after another gray mask siege."

Aestus popped up from the water and wiped away the water from her red furred face, and when Ignis followed her, she attacked with a splash of water. Their laughter echoed throughout the cave. Resonantia leaned against Iratus.

Resonantia: "I felt like the tension would never leave. We really should have come here sooner because I feel like we can finally move on."

Iratus: "We just keep ending up having to fight so many of these monsters and their lords; you'd think we would be used to it by now."

Victoria: "Honestly, if this was fought somewhere away from where our children slept, I think I wouldn't be so stressed out."

As Victoria and Resonantia gave Iratus a hug, Ignis leaned closer to Aestus, her golden eye catching the soft light as she whispered something that made them both chuckle.

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Chapter 607

Iratus gave a kiss to Resonantia's pregnant belly and got up, everyone else following him. The group walked through the cave, steam and water still pouring around them, and even Aestus jumped through a small stream pouring into one of the pools.

Ignis: "So, how shall we focus our now-freed time? I'd like a large enough stash so that we can play more games!

Iratus: "We could explore more of the coast too. Most civilizations build from the coast because of all its resources."

Aestus: "Oh shoot, we should have built up a dock there. We need to start fishing!"

Resonantia: "The river not well enough?"

Victoria: "The open sea provides so much more. We should start making some boats or repurposing the ones from that boat shop."

Iratus: "Yeah. I doubt we need to use their engines. Probably could take that barge far out and start casting nets."

Victoria: "Now you are making me hungry."

Resonantia: "Let's go fishing. Tomarrow, let's start doing it."

Iratus: "Okay, but I'd like to explore the coast too."

Aestus: "We should also hire a babysitter because I don't think Venatio can hold herself back when it comes to making her things."

Ignis: "Right. Now that we have gained electricity, it is only a matter of time before we see what the future of technology holds."

Resonantia: "I, for one, am overly impatient for an easy living, as the people from outside of the Nexus Prime have put it."

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Chapter 608

Despite the bravado of the girls, Iratus was left walking the beach without them. The hot climate would be killer to anyone fully decked out in armor, so Iratus and the others with him wore no shirts.

Iratus: "And then they were all like, It's too hot, and it takes forever to walk down there in the ungodly jungle."

Studium: "That's ruff."

The fox boy wipped at his brow, his gray fur already soaked from his sweat.

Fuligo: "I mean, this tropical beach is actually burning despite my fur."

The otter girl rubbed her black fur in agitation.

Bellum: "At first, I thought that bringing twenty water containers was overkill, but we just got to the beach, and we already went through five. I grossly underestimated the tropics."

The cheetah girl looked over the ocean, and her blue eyes shimmered just like the ocean.

Iter: "It feels like how it was when I was working on a construction site."

The goat boy and husband to Procella gave a grin.

Malignitas: "Just stay sharp, everyone. You never know when an ambush could happen."

Iter: "Why are you down here with us? Don't you hate us or something?"

Malignitas: "Yes, but someone has to be here when you all freeze up trying to defend yourselves from people."

Iratus: "What are you trying to say?"

Malignitas: "I'm saying none of you youngsters have what it takes to mentally get past killing people. Someone has to be here to do the killing."

Iter sarcastically: "Gee, thanks."

Malignitas: "Don't mention it. Now, why are you here?"

Iter: "I was actually hoping to come down here to see what beach time activities my super attractive weasel lover and myself could partake in. Then Iratus was all like, I'm exploring a beach to find danger and treasure. Who could say no to that?"

---

Chapter 609

As the party walked along the pristine beach and the sound of gentle waves accompanied them, they saw in the distance the vibrant hues of a coral forest emerging, a striking contrast to the golden sand. The water was crystal clear enough that it revealed glimpses of colorful corals below.

As they wade into the shallows, the group was greeted by a kaleidoscope of colors. Corals of all shapes and sizes had risen from the ocean floor, their colors shimmering under the sunlight. Small fish dart between the coral branches, giving the impression of bountiful life being harbored here.

Iratus: "What is this?"

At the same time,
Studium: "Coral."
Iter: "Coral?"
Malignitas: "Coral."

Malignitas: "But, like, a lot of it."

Iter: "This ain't normal."

Fuligo: "Welcome to Nexus Prime."

They entered the forest and saw the corals in many forms and intricate patterns, creating natural pathways and arches. 

Malignitas mesmerized: "This is crazy."

Bellum: "The word you should be using is beautiful."

Sunlight filtered through all around them, and everyone was taken aback for a few seconds before continuing their walk. As they continued to move on the beach, they still saw a variety of animals within the coral forest, and even a sea turtle walked across their path to the water.

---

Chapter 610

The group stopped when they saw a campsite erected nearby.

Iratus: "And here I thought we found a great fishing spot."

Malignitas: "Okay, just as planned, everyone start looking around for threats."

Malignitas gripped the borrowed crossbow while Bellum didn't take the second crossbow from her shoulder. A few sturdy tents were pitched in a semi-circle, their fabric flapping softly in the wind. In the center, a stone-lined fire pit was lit, and a strong fire was brewing. A few colorful hammocks strung between palm trees were also nearby. In addition, there was a simple cooking area set up with a grill and supplies, with a makeshift table made from driftwood off to the side as well as some hanging lanterns around.

Seeing the fire, Iratus held everyone up.

Iratus: "Wait, everyone back up. With that fire, someone was probably just here."

Bellum: "Leaving an open fire is actually normal in survival situations since some people don't have the tools to just start one whenever they want. A fire going out would basically be a death sentence."

Fuligo: "I don't see anything in the wilderness."

Iter: "Actually, I think I see someone out there taking a swim."

Studium: "I smell folk, no humans. I can't get a number, though."

Everyone carefully backed up a little and continued to look around. After a few seconds, several people came out of the tents.

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EPISDOE 61: END

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Episode 61 End Character Sheet
Name: Iratus Lionheart
Species: Mousefolk
Age: 16
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: none

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, crossbow, several pounds of C4
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, Rabbit Hutches.

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 41

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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: 16, b day: 5
-
Aestus of clan Riversinger
otter, female, red fur, red hair, blue eyes, 6'1, age: 15, b day: 99, (preg 46 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 75 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, (preg 16 days)
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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 86 days)

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(farm)
UMBRA OCEAN FAMILY:
Procella Ocean Drinker
weasel , 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 129 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

Malignitas of House Brokensand
feline, male, light black fur, light black hair, brown eyes (single eye), 6'7, age 29, b day 343