(M) The Shadows that walk among Us. (IC)

[Cfavano]

As Dani made his way down the ladder, the hatch suddenly slammed shut, and locked, leaving the heroes in the tunnel in pitch blackness. It was very cold there, and while the water was not deep, it did get into their shoes and soak their feet through their socks. It was very slimy water. All at once, a wave of pain and nausea washed over them as the stress and trauma of the previous situation hit them as their adrenaline wore off.

But even as the trembling and dry heaving and vomiting passed, they did not feel weaker, they felt oddly...stronger, more ready to face the horrors of the world. They were still scared shitless, but filled with a sort of resolve. The had to survive, get out, and tell the world. For now, they just had to survive...

END PROLOGUE

Chapter 1 : Escape Castle Droknar

One by one, the heroes would likely turn on their cell phone lights, and they would see that they are in an arched stone tunnel. The walls were slick with a sort of slime, and they an see their breath in the air. to their left was interlocking bars, preventing them from going that way, and to the right, the tunnel stretched off into darkness., that was the way the water flowed, and they can feel wind blowing from that direction.

[IsaacGaming]

As the last person started making their way down the hatch, there was a sudden slam and then darkness. While this made Garmr jump, it was also a very welcome sign. He had made it out. Or, at least, for now. This relaxation suddenly gave way to nausea. There were so many dead people… the whole situation was horrible and disgusting. Garmr began to heave what little contents his stomach had, with some hope that these other people and himself would be able to make it out of this. Hell, maybe they would be the ones to even try and stop this.

But for now, the first order of business was to make it out of… wherever they were. Turning on his phone, Garmr addressed the others and pointed to the right. “So, shall we get going?”

[Enigma]

"Yeah," Sabine replied with a sigh. She didn't like how the hatch had slammed shut. Was it to keep them inside? Or something that was in here from invading the room the vampires were in?

And then there was that burn she got. But was it just a burn, or a brand? And if it was a brand, what did it mean to the vampires?

She started sloshing through the water. She needed a bath, and a full-length mirror, and some privacy so she could examine the burn, maybe it will tell her what it was?

[Undead_Fears]

Link watched as the hatch shut, immersing the tunnel into darkness. As the adrenaline that had flooded her body began to calm, it was immediately replaced with debilitating anxiety, the kind she hadn't had since a few years after her brother had died. She looked around at the others as her body shook, her thoughts running a mile a minute trying to figure out what was going to happen to them, and last but not least, the black figures she'd see in dark nooks and cranny's.

At the sound of Garmr's voice, her head snapped back into reality and she gave a slight nod, starting down the tunnel with the others. It was hard to keep her body from shaking, and harder to properly move her body at all. She put a hand on Garmr for a second to steady herself, then pulled it away shakily. "S-Sorry.. Just n-needed to catch m-my balance.."

[Cupsy]

Dani squeaks in surprise as the door slams above her and slips from the ladder falling on his ass in surprise. A stream of expletives stream from his mouth. "Holy crap what the heck was that!! This cant be real!! Some one tell me this isn't really happening! This kinda thing doesn't really happen!" he calls out to no one in particular as he stands and tries to wring the water from his skirt. Silently he listens to the group get their bearings and when one of the guys suggests the group move he watches the rest of the group to see how the rest respond .. what their reactions are to this impromptu leader. As he watches he notices Sabine nursing some sort of wound, and he moves up to get a closer look. As the group begins to move he follows up behind Sabina and points to the injury with a concerned look on his face, his eyes a glinting with concern in the dusky light. "uh hey... can i get a closer look at that, maybe i can give you a hand you really don't wanna have a open wound down here". He offers Sabina a empathic smile, his lips almost glowing in the dark tunnel as the lights play off of his highly glossed lips.

[Ma1chbox]

The wary Patches kept his taser pointed at the three of them, unsure of whether or not they could be trusted. Suddenly, he saw that they too had strange brands on them, quite possibly the same one he had on his forehead. Dani made his way down the ladder and didn't get torn to pieces either, so that was more proof the three new guys weren't actually vampires in disguise.

Now that all five people were safely on their feet in the tunnel, the hatch at the top of the ladder slammed shut. This surprised Patches at first, but then it gave him relief knowing that at least they wouldn't be followed. That smile was all but wiped from his face when the adrenaline finally stopped. The thief looked at his blood-covered clothes and the bandaged wound on his chest and began to tremble, almost dropping his taser in the brackish water. The reality of things was finally settling in. "Oh god... This is real, isn't it?" He stopped pointing his taser at the others and took a deep breath to stop himself from shivering. A sudden wave of resolute will washed over him at that moment. "... I'm not going to die here. I am not going to die here. I am unbreakable. Unbreakable."

The big viking guy was the first to take initiative, suggesting that the group start moving in the only direction they could go. Fortunately, the water flow and slight breeze suggested it was the way out. Patches turned on the flashlight on his phone as well, choosing to stick close to the others but stay in the rear. "After you then, mate..."

[IsaacGaming]

Getting a general sense of agreement from the impromptu party, and by the recommendation of the mysterious bald man, Garmr readied himself to lead the group. Just as he was about to take his first step into the vast unknown, he felt someone putting pressure on his arm. Turning his head, he saw it was Link, who offered a quick apology. “No worries, friend. We’ve been through a lot, so take all the time you need to recover. Oh, and thanks for having my back up there. That could have been a messy situation without your help.”.

Taking one last glance and seeing everyone was finally ready, Garmr lifted his phone in front of him and began to head down the tunnel, unsure of what laid ahead in the darkness…

[Enigma]

Sabina paused, turning towards Dani with a sigh as she dragged off the bandanna around her neck, then pulled the other from her pocket.

"I don't have any tape, I'm not sure how you're going to bind this," she said, offering him the cloth.

Bet she rips one of the bandannas, she thought.

[observation]

[Undead_Fears]

"Me have your back..? M-More like you had mine," she said as she continued walking with him. She looked at the others, noticing the same brand on the bald man's forehead that was on her wrist. She looked at the lady who was stopped with another woman, unsure of what was going on.

She kept on walking, trying to keep her eyes down and keep herself calm. "I think we should try to rondevue back and get our stuff, maybe we can find some things to help us, and with my supplies and can disguise us if we need it.."

[Cfavano]

They walked and walk along the damp tunnel, the massive weight of the castle above them always weighing down. They also notices the the tunnel was getting narrower, and thus the water deeper.It eventually crept up to a foot depth, and they could hear it rushing, like a waterfall. Thea's when they found the exit. They were in a storm drain or channel of some sort, and it was black outside. Looking down, they could her the rushing of the ocean, only barely though, over the howling wind and driving rain. From the looks of it, a sudden hurricane had blown in, and rain was coming down in sheets. Lightning flashed, and they could see the bottom of the cliff, over a hundred feet below, lined with sharp rocks and rushing waves. They were tapped, it seemed. That was likely why the hatch was shut and locked, they would have nowhere to go.

The finality of their situation hit them. The monsters that nearly killed them expected one of three things to happen; they would die of exposure, die of hunger, or leap from the ledge and die that way. There was no signal, so they couldn't call for help, and the brochure never actually said where the con was held, just that it was a short drive from Castle Rock, but it wasn't. They were alone, in the wilderness of upstate Maine, if they were still even IN Maine. With no GPS, there was no way of knowing exactly where they were. It was in this moment, that all hope faded from our heroes, and their impending doom weighed heavily on their minds.


But wait! Garmr can see that there is a balcony overhead, and there is a ladder than can be lowered, as if that is how maintenance was done! If someone could get up there, they could lower the ladder. But two problems existed; One, it was twenty feet above them, and two...it was a cheer cliff wall. While it was true there were climbing holds, as if people used to climb here they had worn down from age to only finger and toe holds. It would take someone with immense physical strength and endurance to make it, not even taking into account the driving rain and howling gales that buffeted them. A fall from there would certainly mean death.