Cafe Nightshade

[Lauren Hynde]

Chloe Byrnes

Chloe opens her eyes to find her amidst the debris. She's holding Tony's hand, and the whole word seems at peace for a moment. They both realize that there is nothing more to fear, now that they found each other, and that all there is to do is find the demon and end this nightmare. Not a word is uttered. There is no need for words between them, now. They will always be together.

They start walking towards the big top. It is finally at hand's reach, the stage for the final confrontation. Stepping out of the main path leading to the big top, they start investigating the surroundings. They find an entrance to a cave, carved in the ground, with steep steps, hidden between the dense and old vegetation. They consider descending to the lower level, but they can reach a conclusion, they see another cave, some 12 meters ahead. And they find another. And another. And another. Judging from the stench emanating from these entrances, it is clear to them that the whole big top is built over some sort of archaic burial ground, a system of catacombs of some sort.

 

[Guest]

ZERRO

"damn!he's still following me!"Zerro ran for at least a mile but luck's little friends were still chasing him like a dog."you-have..to...got to be...kidding me!" "get him!" "dont let him get away!" "tear his ass apart!"

"persistant little basturds aren't they?!.now lets see..If I make a right turn here..."Zerro slid to the left around and then to the right of him arriving at the rides of the carnival."whoa...cool,to bad I get sick on the loops..."Zerro looked to the back of him seeing the little demons havent given up"shit....I hate demons!!!"Zerro started to run again soon enough seeing Zolt and two others he never seen passing them very quickly."Looh out guy beeing chased by demons here!"

 

[Zircon]

Tony

The rubble was not difficult to pass. I nodded to Chloë as we picked up our weapons to continue our search for the Daemon. Her eyes had a newfound determination in them. We would start our lives from this moment on. Our weapons and her Gucci bag were not damaged in the explosion, a fact that I was grateful for, as that little 6 oz. Of Symtex had demonstrated earlier.

The Big Top. I heard her sigh in anticipation of the final confrontation with the Daemon. Then Chloë found the entrance to what appears to be a catacomb system underneath the Big Top. The dense foliage hiding the entrance indicated that it had not been disturbed for a while. Something must have drawn Chloë to the entrance because she veered straight for it. Gads. The foul stench emanating from the cave entrance was overpowering. I offered Chloë my handkerchief to cover her nose. Something must have taken a long time die and rot inside. And something was drawing me into the black maw.

I looked closely at the steps and wall. It was smooth. Apparently someone had laboriously cut these out from granite. The chisel lines could be slightly discernible. So too were the markings like someone had carved them with their fingernails. The walls had dark stains dripping from the ceiling. The dim light of Chloë’s flashlight could not make out the stains. Curiously too were the hieroglyphic markings on the walls at regular intervals. There were some words present but of a language that I could not understand. Looking at it further, the words sort of glowed red, although it could have been a trick of the flashlight, or my eyes were still blurry from the explosion. I descended further into the what is a now an labyrinthine catacomb system.

I was half expecting a Minotaur to appear from one the dark tunnels. Instead, a roar that could have only come from the Daemon resounded above my head. And Chloë was after the source before I could blink. The writings were glowing, and so did my axe. The blue light clashing with the angry red.

‘TONY, THE DAEMON IS NEAR…GET OUT!…GET OUT!…’

The fresh air was welcomed as I emerged from the cave tunnel. However, as soon as Chloë saw me, she was off again. Another bellow came, this time clearly from one the other cave entrances. All I could do was follow the Prada camisole top as it disappeared into another cave entrance.

‘Chloë… Chloë…Damn it. Hold on…’


Cursing in all the languages in my possession, I chased after the love of my life. Women. Hummph! Can’t live without them, and can’t kill them, taking a line from my favorite movie.

 

[misterK]

Zolt

The scene before his eyes unfolds dreamily, as if seen through a thick pane of watery glass. Benjamin despatches two of the zombies easily and as the third one reaches for the newcomer, she draws in negative energy and somehow liquefies it on the spot.

But Zolt's mind is taken by something else. The newcomer. He can feel the mark of darkness upon her. He reaches out with his mind, probing gently at the edges of her awareness, picking the traces left there by the Dark Lord. She has been near Him. He can feel it. He pushes a little further but has to stop lest he be discovered in his attempt to read her mind.

'No matter' he thinks, 'I shall know more once she is asleep. I shall enter her dreams and learn about her.' Until then he will be careful for she is powerful and has not yet learned to harness her powers. And she has yet to choose between the light... And the darkness.

 

[princessa]

genia

genia feels a tiny prickling sensation on the edge of her conciousness and notices zolt's intent gaze. she ignores it and hopes that it isn't the start of a horrendous headache...
"so... where to now, benjamin and zolt? shall we go search for your missing protege and then hunt the great dangerous demon? the more the merrier to defeat the wretched spawn of the dark, i say!"
turning, genia glances at the empty paths and alleys around them. with a bright cheerful look of determination, she suggests:
"well, let's go!"

 

[chewbacca71]

Benjamin

"I agree with her Zolt, lets go find your little vampirette. Can you feel her emanations so we can find her? She may be in danger with how powerful some of these creatures are. Take us to her so we can collect her and add to her protection and our power. "

 

[Lady_J]

Angelina

The world was darkness, the abyss pressed like a stone on her chest. It was eternal, the hopelessness of the souless. Gradually the tunnel vision cleared and Angelina returned to conciousness finding herself rocking, knees curled to her chest, in the dark alley behind the hall or mirrors. She had no idea how much time had passed, and the errie perpetual dusk of the carnival gave no hint. She pulled herself to her feet and in a daze trudged in leaden feet away from the source of her terror.

I must find the others, I have to.... I have to get out of here, I NEED to get the fuck out of here now! Her mind's voice reached a shouting pitch and her anixiety rose as she looked at the deserted booths and lanes. Where the hell have they all gone? Where is everyone? She half expected to see tumble weeds cross her path as she began running down the empty path.

Suddenly up ahead she caught a glimpse of a small child running towards the center of the carnival. The child paused, sensing Angelina's gaze, and turned towards her with a beckoning gesture. Then the cherubic boy turned and sprinted toward the big top.

"Wait! Don't go!" Angelina ran after the boy, who disappeared around a line of booths.

She came to the bend and stopped, before her were a series of cave entrances. "Hello? Little boy, where are you?" Her voice echoed in the darkness. She moved to the next entrance, "Are you in there?" From the gaping hole in the earth, a faint child's giggle emerged. "Wait right there! I'm coming to get you!" Angie climbed down the narrow, wet steps into the murky underworld.

In the darkness her demonic eyes adjusted, but as she moved further from the entrance, the lack of light forced her to use her hands. The walls were slick with algae and mold, the stentch unbearable. "Where are you?" A small giggle came from further ahead, echoing and turning into a thousand mocking laughs, taunting her. She pressed her hands against her ears and felt a sense of vertigo as all her senses were shut out by the total darkness and the sound of the blood rushing through her veins.

When the sensation passed she reached out her hand to find the wall, but it was not there. Only empty air, thick with putrid odors, and the evil giggle of the child-imp met her. She had entered the abyss, and it had swallowed her whole.

 

[PmTick]

Hmmm this is going to take a little more than my little fiends I see. Lucky pulled a butterfly knife from his boot and aimed it at Zero's head. He released the blade and watched as it danced toward the back of Zero's neck. While waiting for the blade to hit he felt himself being teleported back to hell, this time for good.

 

[misterK]

"Well, let's go!"

Zolt smiles to himself as Genia starts towards the center of the carnival. He knows she has sensed him prod at her thoughts, but she is not yet aware of the full extent of her powers. She is still virgin in her newfound arts. A sudden image flares up in his mind and he quickly suppresses it. It has been too long since he last had a companion and he has rejected the pleasures of the flesh long ago.

Yet the thought stuck into his mind and his eyes cannot help but caress the curves of this intriguing woman. How he would love to teach her to develop her potential and become what she is destined to be.

A burning sensation begins deep inside his chest and he wallows in this renewed hunger which has nothing to do with blood and all to do with the world of the physical.

Benjamin's question brings him back to the here and then. He shakes the last traces of languorous pleasures away and turns towards him. He tries to concentrate, seeking the familiar scent of Angelina's soul and fleetingly feels her presence, but suddenly it disappears, as if cut off.

"I believe she is in trouble." He says. "But I cannot sense her anymore. I felt her for a moment and now she has disappeared. I think she is near the big top, we should hurry."

 

[chewbacca71]

Benjamin

Benjamin looks over at Zolt. "Ok, then lets go to the Big Top. I am concerned that we have not found the others by now. Is that creature that just ran by one of your group?" After Zolt answers yes, Benjamin turns to get the creatures attention, Zerro Zolt had called him. Benjamin sees a knife flying through the air going towards the back of Zerro's head. Moving with superhuman speed, Benjamin reaches out and knocks the knife from its intended path. Instead, it imbeds itself blade deep in the ground.

"Come friend Zerro, one of your companions seems to have gotten herself in trouble. Let us go see if we can extract her. " Without looking back , Benjamin starts walking with Genia and Zolt towards the Big Top.

 

[hybirdx]

".......ooooookay..."zerro was at complete loss.But at least he had some alies that would actualy save his ass from hell's tiny solders,when he came out of his teain of thought he saw the others leaving"hey wait up!"

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Chloe Byrnes

The foul stench coming from the steep stairs within the darkened cave was too terrible to endure. A smell of death and putrefaction. Yet Tony started to descend into the heart of the catacombs. And Chloe couldn't make herself stop him. There was something drawing them into that place. She listened to Tony's careful footsteps as he climbed down the stairs, the horrible squish squash, deeper and deeper into the catacombs.

Just as she was getting read to follow him inside, Chloe heard a distant voice of a young woman. She looked around and was surprised to find the little vamp-thief Angelina, with a mask of fright, approaching another entrance to the catacombs, as if chasing something, or someone. But there was nothing there, or at least nothing she could see. And her voice, how bizarre, sounded like it was being whispered from a mile away, even with her being so close. Chloe just stood there, watching, as Angelina entered the cave. She couldn't take her eyes of the place the girl had disappeared, trying to understand what had happened, instinctively holding her breath, waiting for... something... anything...

And it came. A loud, earthshaking roar, coming from the cave Angelina had entered. It was a trap. It had to be a trap. That could only have been the Demon, and he was attracting them to his battle ground. That was wrong, very wrong. The only thing close to a plan they had come up with depended on them being inside the big top, not underground, beneath it. That could only benefit the Demon. But he was going to get the girl. She couldn't just let that happen! Not now! Not anymore! So she ran. She screamed for Tony to come out and follow. The Demon was here. It was time to fight!

Chloe ran towards the roar, towards Angelina. She rushed down the stairs, her hands sliding through the slimy walls for direction, her eyes only starting to adapt to the darkness. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Chloe saw Angelina, standing in the middle of a large hall carved within the rock, with a distant sound of bubbling liquid somewhere and the same death stench all around. Angelina was almost in a trance of some sort, facing a small impish creature. Chloe grabbed her flamethrower and jumped between the two, immediately opening fire over the imp. The trance Angelina was under was broken as the shriek squeals of the dying creature flooded the catacombs, but promptly replaced by a second roar, so loud the cave ceiling threatened to collapse, coming from a nearby chamber. But which one? There were about a dozen of passageways out of the hall. Angelina woke up of her trance confused, unaware. The roar and the trembling of the hallway propelled her to run as fast as she could through the first random passageway out of there.

"Kid, Wait! What the fuck do you think you're doing? We've got to stay together or we'll all die!" Chloe looked back to see if Tony had arrived yet, but he remained nowhere to be seen. "Come on, Tony!" She screamed, but she couldn't wait any longer. She couldn't let the girl out of sight again.

 

[Zircon]

Tony

I ran as fast as I could behind Chloë. But her feet took her faster that I could keep up, and soon her camisole top disappeared down another tunnel. This time, the stench of this new tunnel was even fouler, if that was possible.

‘Chloë…wait up… Chloë…’ All I could hear was the echo of my voice against the fast fading sound of stiletto heels. Gritting my teeth in suppressed anger, down the dark, damp and foul smelling tunnel, I found myself following. Soon another roar reverberated in the tunnels, and I quickened my steps. I was grateful for whoever had carved these steps, for it were very even and easy to descend. Soon, I heard Chloë called out to the little vampire-girl, Angelina, and to me, telling me to hurry up. But as soon as I heard that clearly, the voices faded again.

Descending the last step, I came upon a large central cavern. Carved out from solid rock, the shiny walls reflected back quite brilliantly, which suggested that the cavernous room was almost perfectly domed. There were entrances to more tunnels set evenly on the walls. I had absolutely no clue as to which of the tunnels that Chloë and Angelina must have gone into. The multiple-colored tiles arranged to form a pattern were set on the floor. The space between each tile was so closely matched that a razor could not be wedged in between them. At the center of the room laid a smoking corpse. The remains could not determined, but it had looked like the handiwork of my beloved. I’m so proud of her.

Then all of hell broke through from one of the tunnels. The large frame of the entrance could barely fit the shoulders of the Daemon. The shower of rubble hit me instantly in the shoulders. Knowing that I was clearly at an disadvantage in this central chamber, I ran blindly into one of the opposite tunnels. I did not care where it took me, as long as it took me to a more advantageous position. Taking the flare out of my pocket, I lighted it and threw at the entrance of the tunnel that I took. My luck was still holding as the flare lighted easily.

I could hear the roar and the putrid breath closing in on me as the tunnel got darker, and the writings on the wall glowed ever more.

 

[princessa]

genia

feeling confident with the growing party after zerro appears, genia leads the way to the massive colorful tent apparent as the center of the carnival.

"so, this demon was... summoned?" she begins to ask as they turn around the corner of a ride.

suddenly, ben grabs her arm and she notices the mass of rubble in front of the main entrance to the big top.

"where in hell did that come from?!?" zerro exclaims.

for a moment, genia, benjamin, zolt, and zerro stare into darkness of an underground tunnel amidst the rocks. after close examination of the area, they determine that there is no route around the devastation.

"well, i suppose our next move is obvious. there is nowhere else to go but down." genia unhappily states.
"i do not like this. it smells like a trap." argues zolt.
"trap it may be, but where else can we go?" asks ben in response.

a dark wave of fear and hopelessness washes through them. while zerro seems unaffected and genia receives the vaguest sense of the emotions, ben and zolt are alarmed.

"angelina!" realizes zolt.
"if you feel the vampirette, come on then!" urges zerro impatiently.

breathing in a last breath of the dubiously fresh air from the cursed carnival, genia steps into the oppressive unknown darkness of the underground tunnel.

 

[hybirdx]

'Wha-what is this place?' zerro thought as he and the walked along 'and why would I want to save that anoying girl?she bit me damnit! ......I guess al that traveling after the elder of my village outcasted me when he found out my curse, but still... she bit me!'

"zerro, is there something wrong? you look caonfused." asked Genia "hmm? oh nothing. I'm just looking back on the time my life got interesting"

"oh?"

"I'll explain it later, right now we have to find Angelina."after a while zerro and the others stoped at two path ways. Zerro calmly stood there smelling the trying to catch a sent, after a second his eyes snapped open "well zerro?" asked zolt, zerro calmly turned giving everyone an cold stare "one path leads to angelina.....the other....the demon."

 

[chewbacca71]

"Well then Zerro, I think we need to find her first. We will need to be all together to fight this demon. Something feels wrong about all this. There is more to this demon than we know. We will need all the firepower we can muster. Come , show us the way to the girl. " Benjamin looks at the others. "If you do not want to go with me to find the girl, then go to the demon. Do not attack yet. Try to stay hidden, for I fear that it may still destroy us all. "

 

[hybirdx]

"Like I have a choice...." Zerro looked at the others "If anyone is going after big and ugly, fine! Just remember this....this place is an maze, you may get lost easy. So be carful on which turn you make!"

With that Zerro turned to the path of the girl "I just hope that we will survive this so called carnival"

 

[princessa]

genia

genia studies the tunnel walls while the men argue over directions. it is made up of a strange shimmery black stone similar to obsidian but stronger and warm to the touch.

"i just hope that we will survive this so called carnival," zerro mutters.

apparently, the debate was over and a decision reached. the party slowly makes its way down the path leading to the missing vampirette.

"this place... feels omnious. i wonder if we're really still in the carnival or transported elsewhere," genia remarks.
"we have no choice even if this is the demon's home ground. there will be less of an advantage but even more incentive to destroy it quickly." zolt answers.

rumble, rumble

"what in hell was that?" zero exclaims.

CRUNCH!

the party cautiously peers around the curving tunnel to discover the cause of the new noise. a wild tiger with an evil red glare in its eyes munches on a tiny morsel.

"hey! that's one of those creatures that tried to kill me!" zerro says angrily.
"unfortunately, the maxim about the enemy of your enemy being a friend probably isn't true in this case. i don't think we're getting past it without having to fight," benjamin analyzes.

slurp

the evil tiger gives its prey one last lick before getting up to stalk the new visitors.

"one tiger i believe we can defeat easily," zolt begins.
"um. what are the red glowy things in the rocks?" genia asks.
"shit! more of them! but we can take 'em!" zerro promises.

the round red glows turn into more evil creatures blocking their passage. several additional fierce tigers, a few angry bears, a single hyena, two huge elephants, and possibly more animals stand before the startled party.

 

[hybirdx]

"Oh this is just fucking perfect!" zerro exclaimed "The other beast will be easy, but those elephants..." Ben was cut off instantly by zerro "Leave the big ones to me! You guys get the others." zerro put on his gloves, and by squeezing his fist, two blades emited. "hey big and ugly! You want me!? Come and get me damnit!"

The two huge beast started to stampede after the ninja without any thought. One had tried to hit zerro with its trunk, Yet zerro jumped into the air and the beast missed. As zerro decended from the air, he stabed the giant with both of his blades. "Damn they're stuck!"

 

[chewbacca71]

Benjamin

Benjamin looked over at the tigers and quickly gathered his thoughts. He put his hands above his head and focused his energy. He looks into the minds of the tigers and the rest is easy. He projects the illusion of a wall of solid flame moving towards the tigers. The tigers flee from the flames, a few of them knocking themselves out against the hard stone walls. The fleeing tigers fall easily as prey to the fast motions of Benjamin, his sharp nails ripping out their throats as they run by in a panic. Benjamin wipes his hands on his jacket, and approaches the unconsious tigers. He rips out their throats with a practiced motion. Ben turns to the others, "Ok, you can have the rest. "

 

[hybirdx]

Zerro Tryed his best to take the blade out of the savage beast "Fuck I can't get them out!" Zerro thought of every technique he could think of, finnaly comming up with one that would work. His body started to glow, and his blades started to move out of the giant slowly, then rapidly.

Then all of a sudden, Zerro's body rolled over and over. Blood splatering all over the place, blood hitting the walls, his alai's, the other beast, but it also hit him self, making him more blood thirsty. As he started to decend for the torn elephant, the body ripped into hundreds of pieces

the other elephant slowly backed away, eyes widen with fear "oh no you don't! your ass is mine!"

 

[misterK]

Zolt

Zolt looks at the animals blocking their path calmly. He feels the rush of energy flow through Benjamin as he focuses his will on the tigers, and Zerro seems to be able to handle himself nicely, if messily, with the elephants. Which left a few bears and a hyena. He nods towards the animals asking Genia whether she has any preference.

 

[princessa]

genia

the others already engaged in battle, zolt nods towards the animals to ask genia her preference.

"i always thought bears were cute, but that one..." she shudders, "perhaps i can discourage the hyena from making a meal of us?"

 

[hybirdx]

Zerros blood thirst didn't end on the first elephant "come here Dumbo!" Zerro instantly disappered, then reapeared behind the monster. After a few seconds, the eleaphant split in half

 

[chewbacca71]

Benjamin

Wiping the last of the blood onto his cape, Benjamin leaned against the wall of the tunnel. He looked with amusement as the others destroyed the rest of the creatures that came and attacked them. He would wait till they were done, so they could all move on together. Seeing the raw power involved in the destruction of these animals, Ben reassessed the situation. Maybe they did have enough firepower to take out this demon.