Alcadon: Chapter 1 & Chapter 2
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Chapter 1: Let Me Tell You a Story
QuoteDawn broke on another brisk autumn day, a stiff western wind whipped playfully through the ranks of the merchant caravan. This small caravan was bound from the city of Sampras for the shining city of Alcadon, named after the volcano to the north, to sell their various wares. It had been a long journey fraught with perils, but now they drew near to their destination. From the western bank of Lake Halgue they could see the massive Schultz building stretching into the sky, a mile tall pillar of glass, steel, and concrete that punctuated the jagged skyline.
The merchants had heard troubling stories from Alcadon, but, desperate for wealth the merchants disregarded such rumors. Money was money, and these men would risk much to get it. Breaking camp the merchants began northward over the top of the massive Lake Halgue, following the well trodden road to their final destination.
That evening, just as they crossed the northernmost point of Lake Halgue the caravan came to a sudden stop. Barring the road was a group of scruffy men and women bearing a variety of weapons, clubs, pitchforks, and an odd firearm could be seen. The merchants prepared for a fight, they’d driven off bandits on their journey but not this many at once. They unsheathed their swords and waited for their foes to advance.
It was a stalemate, neither side advanced, the sun slowly set behind the horizon. Soon it would be dark and it would be impossible for the merchants to defend their precious cargo. As the last glimmers of sunlight faded the bandit group spurred into action, silently sprinting, weapons raised, to attack the caravan.
A cry could be heard from the back of the group, then another, and another. Something was attacking them from behind! The bandits were taken completely off guard, was this a trick from the merchants? More bandits fell to this unseen foe until not one remained standing, all slain before they even reached the merchants.
The merchants didn’t let their guard down; it was just as likely that their savior was after their goods as well. Those with the keenest hearing could hear soft footfalls, barely perceptible, padding towards them, but it was pitch black now apart from the faint glimmer of Alcadon in the distance.
“Who are you? Are you friend or foe!?” The lead merchant called to the watching darkness.
“Worry not, I am a friend.” The voice came from directly behind him, a soft female voice.
“Aye? Then you’ll not mind if I reach for my lantern to give us all some light?”
“I welcome it.” The voice responded, this time from above.
The merchant rifled through his pack and pulled out a small electric lantern, flipping the switch he illuminated the grisly scene before him. Every bandit was dead, backs broken. He and his travelers recoiled in shock at the sight of the bodies.
“What kind of creature are you that can so effortlessly break a man’s back as if it were a dry branch. Are you an Indra? One of the guardians of the land of Alcadon? Or are you a spirit sent to protect us?”
The woman chuckled, “oh nothing so grand, I’m just a traveler, much like yourselves. I go wherever the wind takes me and never hesitate to help those in need of my… services.”
“I’ll believe your words when I see you for myself,” the merchant called to his unseen savior.
“Then see me,” the traveler dropped from where she was reclining on top of one of the wagons. She was tall and wrapped in a heavy cloak, across her mouth she wore a mask that extended over her left eye.
“I see you’re wrapped up well, any reason for such a getup?”
“I wear my cloak to protect me from the elements; I wear this mask to protect those I meet from my face. If you’ll forgive me for intruding I need to make camp for the night.”
“Please, share our fire with us tonight, it is rare for us to meet travelers such as you, we can swap stories.” The merchant leader indicated a small rudimentary fire pit being dug by one of his fellows. “Judging from your direction is it safe to assume you’re recently from Alcadon?”
“Why yes, quite astute of you. I’ll gladly share your fire tonight.”
There was soon a healthy fire going and the group gratefully sat around it, warming their freezing bodies.
“So tell us,” one of the merchants asked to the stranger, “what news from Alcadon?”
“That is a long and twisted tale, friend. Both in Alcadon, and far to the north, important events have taken place that might change the face of this earth as we know it. Would you like to hear my tale friends?” The group nodded eagerly. “Very well, let’s set the scene.”
Chapter 2: An Important Meeting
QuoteLaverne T. Schultz was a man who defied age, his stature was thin and wiry but his face was jovial and creased with laugh lines, though now that laughing brow was creased with worry. Etched in his face was the wisdom of a lifetime yet he looked no older than 35. Dressed in a dapper blue suit he looked every bit as authoritative as the greatest of kings and yet still exuded an unexplainable air of approachability, you could easily tell this man your deepest secrets.
Laverne T. Schultz was in a bad mood. Everything was perfect, though his interviewer was a little overenthusiastic and their tie looked ghastly, and there had been several more raids in the outskirt slums, but otherwise everything was perfect, apart from the small piece of paper on the desk behind him. He reclined in his high backed leather chair and gazed out of the window, three hundred and seventy seven stories up Laverne was the tallest man in the world, no one was above him, not even the gods of man. Through the window he saw the spires of the tallest buildings peeking up through the thick layer of brown smog, the smog of industry, contrasting heavily with the crisp blue sky, like the fingers of the damned reaching for salvation.
The population report had just come in, everything was up 45% over the past sixteen months, Alcadon was growing, and it was growing too fast, there were just too many mouths to feed. Alcadon, the last vestige of civilization on this barren planet, and it was going down in flames. He swiveled back in his office chair struck with an idea, facing his desk and the massive carved mahogany door. He pressed a small button on his desk and said as if to no one.
“Shelly, could you come up here for a moment?”
A small voice issued from his desk “right away Mr. Schultz!” a small scuffle of papers could be heard and the sound cut out.
Laverne turned back around to view his paradise; he knew what he had to do, in order to keep the city running sustainably, certain… sacrifices had to be made. Several stories beneath him a young woman frantically put papers back onto her desk. After stuffing a large amount of papers back into the file she dropped she hurriedly made her way to the polished silver elevator doors.
What could Uncle Schultz want with me now? She mused while admiring herself in the door’s reflection; she really did look good in a suit. The doors opened and she quickly made her way to the ornate double doors at the end of the too long hallway. As she approached she gave a small bow to the Indra bodyguards War and Pestilence who were standing guard as vigilantly as ever. She opened the door and stepped inside.
“You asked for me Mr. Schultz?”
He quickly turned around in his chair and sprang to his feet enthusiastically “Shelly! My favorite niece! It’s so good to see you! Say, how long have you been my secretary?”
“About six months Mr. Schultz”
“Six months?” He put on a perplexed look “has it really been that long? You’ve lasted far longer than any other secretary I’ve had yet! And are by far the best.”
“Really? Y-you really mean that Mr. Schultz?”
“Yes I do sweetie, and call me Uncle, please, there’s no formality between family.” He gave her a small tap on the nose, Shelly blushed slightly.
“Thank you Mr. Sch- I mean, thank you Uncle.”
Gently he corralled her over towards his giant panoramic window, the smog was light today, one could almost make out the dim shapes of the smaller buildings below.
“This is a view that no one but myself and a small few others have ever seen my dear, what do you think?”
“Oh it’s beautiful Uncle” Her eyes were wide, drinking up every detail her eyes afforded to her. She’d heard stories of the size of Alcadon but she’d always thought them exaggerated, but now she realized that the stories came nowhere near the absolute scale of it all, the sprawling city seemed to go on forever.
“When Alcadon was founded all those years ago, there was nothing, and now look, look at my creation. The last bastion of mankind rests here, protected by our wonderful military. Your brother joined our military service, what was his name again, uh Ellis? It was Ellis right?”
“Yes Uncle.”
“Has he been enjoying his time with our illustrious army?”
“Oh yes Uncle, he says it’s very hard work, but it’s worth it to serve and protect your beautiful city.
“Really? I’ll have to have a chat with the Brigade Leader and see about getting him promoted, he sounds like one smart cookie.”
Shelly looked thoughtful for a moment. “Uncle, what’s a cookie?”
Laverne T. Schultz cracked a small smile, “nothing to worry about my dear.” Sharply he turned around and started rummaging through his desk, pulling out a small sheet of paper and a pen. “here, my dear, I have something special I need you to deliver, a letter.”
“Of course Uncle, where do you want me to deliver it to?” She didn’t want to leave this brand new world she’d been shown, but work was work and this was her uncle after all.
“Just down to the mail room” He finished writing the letter and signed it with a flourish, “take this to Dr Fitsch on engineering level 7-G, they’ll know where to send this off to.” He quickly stuffed the paper into an envelope and handed it to her. “Remember give this to Dr. Ftisch and nobody else, this is very important to me.”
“Right away Uncle!” She turned to leave.
“Oh, um, sweetie, here take my private elevator.” He walked to one of the ornately carved sculptures set into the wall, a bust of his own head, and gave the nose a little flick. A small doorway opened noiselessly revealing a small industrial looking elevator. “Just tell it to take you to Engineering Level Seven and you’ll be there in no time at all.”
“Alright!” She eagerly stepped into the tiny elevator “Engineering Level Seven” she said firmly. The elevator door hissed closed and she was whisked away.
Laverne T. Schultz sauntered back to his chair and reclined in a comfortable fashion, everything was perfect. It was a long shot, but if things panned out properly then everything would turn for the better. He was a planner, and his plans never failed.
Somewhere deep below Laverne’s tower the elevator’s door opened to a wall of murky darkness, an indescribable stench wafted into the elevator. Shelly cautiously stepped out of the tiny capsule pinching her nose to block the stench, “Hello! Is anybody there? I have a letter from my uncle I—“she tripped and fell on something, she couldn’t quite make out what it was, it felt soft. Warm moisture began to soak into her pants where she fell, she went back to the dim light of the elevator, in the dull blue light she could see that her pants and hands were covered in blood.
“Take me back to my Uncle! Take me back!” Shelly screamed at the elevator, “PLEASE!” the elevator stayed still, door open. A shuffling could be heard deep in the gloom, heavy mechanical breathing permeated the air, she was not alone. “Please take me back, please” Shelly was sobbing and hyperventilating uncontrollably, the smell began to make her woozy, “please, plea…”
A giant hand emerged from the darkness enveloping her face and gripping it like a vice, ripping her out of the elevator and into the oily blackness. A reedy, whistling laugh cut through the air like a knife, a second hand gripped the back of Shelly’s head, it twisted sharply. A loud snap could be heard and a heavy thud as Shelly’s lifeless body hit the cold metal floor her neck snapped like a dry twig. Two meaty hands gripped her ankles and pulled her away through the darkness, toward unspeakable evil, still in her hand was the letter.
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