Chapter Nine: Mirror, Mirror
By Richard LeBlanc
Calloway awoke to a twinge of pain. It felt like he had been used as a punching bad at a Brujah rant. He tried to move - but - the pain was too much. He concentrated on his wounds and came to a disturbing realization. He was no longer in that twisted circus. His eyes slowly came into focus. He was in the tunnels that led to the temple of Snake - his mentor. He strained as he forced himself to slowly sit up.
He looked at the bloodstained sand that led to the broken bodies of the guardians of the temple grounds. He staggered up to his feet and looked around. Something - was terribly wrong!
"Snake," he muttered as he limped down the hallway that led to the heart of the temple. If his heart was beating - it would have stopped. The large iron doors that were used to trap foolish trespassers - had been smashed in. he placed his hand over some of the massive dents. "A war was fought here," he muttered. As he saw the broken bodies of the Setite dancers laying amidst hundreds of dead snakes. "Snake?" he called out - still limping.
He made his way into the next chamber - it like the other room was littered with broken bodies - but still - no sign of Snake or his inner circle. He leaned against the wall behind him - hoping to remember what the hell had happened. It was then that he felt something wet against his back. He rolled away and turned pale as he saw a message painted in blood on the wall.
"Your war is over Snake," he read out loud it was then that something grabbed his ankle.
"Where - were you?" a bloody bisected humanoid serpent asked.
"I don't know," Calloway muttered.
"He called - you did not answer," the dying Setite strained.
"What happened?" Calloway hesitantly asked.
"Betrayed," the Setite slurred before it fell into deep torpor.
"Betrayed - by who?" Calloway muttered in disbelief.
"You!" an enraged voice screamed as he felt a stake stab into his heart!
"Ah!" Calloway blurted out as he woke up. He was in a dark place. He was hurting - badly - and shivering. It was just a dream - a nightmare - a horrific one. He tried to move - but like in the dream - he felt as though he had been seriously worked over.
He looked down at his arm - the wounds that usually only went up to the elbow had progressed almost all the way up to the shoulder. He slowly concentrated on the wounds until one by one they slowly healed.
"How long was I out?" he asked himself.
"Give or take - about two days. I was hoping you'd be out for at least one more. Then that wound of yours might have finished you off. Giving the less that holy nature of your sick little twisted mind - I figure you would have been a log for at least a hundred more years," Luther mused.
"Sorry to disappoint you," Calloway muttered as he slowly sat up. across from him someone was staring at him! He jumped! Reached for his knives - but they were gone! He then realized that the person before him was himself. Somehow - he ended up in the Hall of Mirrors.
"Looking for something?" Luther asked.
"He took my weapons - again!" he almost spat.
"I know - how rude eh?" the specter mocked. The vampire wound up and punched the mirror before him with all his supernatural strength. The mirror rippled until it resumed its original shape. It was then that the lights turned on. He shielded his eyes for a moment. The floor was jet-black - the roof was filled with tiles that were lights. "Oh my - this should be interesting," the ghost mused.
"What are you?" Calloway began as he looked around and saw reflected images of himself on the numerous numbers of mirrors. Every move he made was reflected on about a dozen different angles. "Oh this is unpleasant," he muttered. It was then that he saw one of his reflections run off. "Oh perfect - hide and seek," he muttered. He reached into his pocket and found something - he pulled it out and looked at the ring he had found in the Big Top after he took down the diseased Malkavian elephant.
"They took your weapons but left the ring - I guess they wanted you to look good when they kill you," Luther commented. Calloway examined the ring. No unusual markings save that of the inscription.
"Piece of the puzzle - must be," he remarked as he fit it onto his finger. "Now to find a way out of here," he added as he began to walk in one direction. He did his best to pay attention to the mirrors - reminding himself that there was another person playing in there with him - one dressed like him.
"So which way out butcher?" the ghost asked. Calloway stopped and looked over at the ghost. He was going to argue - but realized that the issue was moot. He shook his head as he walked through the oddly designed maze of mirrors.
"When in doubt - hug the walls," the vampire muttered as he kept his back to the wall. It was then that he looked to the ring. He looked over his shoulder at the mirror his back was too and placed the ring against it. Slowly - he slid the ring across the surface. He looked down and saw the scratch. "So that was why he took my knives," he muttered. He shook his head as he began to work his way around the maze.
Some unknown amount of time later - much to his disgust - he found himself back where he started.
"The exit is either hidden," he began. The sounds of footsteps running above filled in the blanks. "Multiple levels - just fucking peachy," he almost spat. If there was multiple levels - that meant that the exit was up a level or more - and each exit to each level could be anywhere in the fool place.
"So what now?" Luther asked. Calloway saw one of the reflections closer to him move in a way he hadn't. He started doing slow gestures - testing the mirrors. Every image moved as he did. "Oh great - he is going to play mirror with a Mook," he muttered.
"Shut up," Calloway muttered as he began to throw a punch at the mirror beside him - but at the last moment stopped - only one image followed through. He heard the impact. The disguised Malkavian bolted. "Oh no you don't," he muttered as he gave chase. Trying to follow the sound over the sight.
After a short run through the maze of images and mirrors - he stopped. He knew the other person was near. He looked around and saw something and smiled. He saw a reflection of a person standing in front of the cut mirror. He made a charge towards the mirror - then stopped and dove at the person - slamming him into the mirror.
"Hello," the person dressed like him said calmly.
"You seem pretty calm," Calloway muttered - gripping him by the throat. "The way out - where is it?" he asked seriously.
"Tag - you're it," the Mook muttered - ignoring the questions. Calloway shook his head as he fed off the docile vampire. Once he was done he tossed the passive vampire to the floor. He was tempted to kill it - but something said to just leave it be.
"So - how many levels do you think are in this place?" Luther asked. Calloway was going to tell the ghost to shut up when the vampire on the floor sat up.
"Glad you asked. There are three levels - one for each difficulty setting. You are on level one - easy setting - level two is intermediate - level three - advanced. Complete the three levels to advance to," the vampire started but stopped.
"Great - that means that the opposition on the higher levels will be less friendly," Calloway remarked as he searched the friendly vampire for anything that could be used as a weapon - he found nothing. The vampire then began signing show tunes off key.
"Maybe another rib knife or five? However many it takes to silence him?" the ghost suggested. Calloway shook his head as he began to walk away.
After a lengthy time of navigating through the bizarre maze of reflections - he managed to work his way to the center. There he saw a hole in the floor above - from it - a fine mist escaped and fell down - until small vents sucked it in.
"No ladder - no rope," he muttered as he squatted down. He looked up at the opening that had to be eight feet up. "Here goes nothing," he remarked as he leaped up - and over - landing on the mist covered floor.
He looked around at another maze of mirrors and hundreds of images that looked back at him. He then looked down at the fog that hugged the floor - which went up to his knees.
"Time to do this - a little differently," he muttered as he slowly slipped down into the fog - so that he was completely hidden. Carefully - slowly he stalked through the maze - seeing only what was a few feet before him. He made as little noise as possible - hoping to find some trace as to where his - intermediate enemy was hiding.
"I doubt that will work. I think this one is hiding - using that funky shadow hiding magic that Mooks love to use," the ghost suggested. Calloway frowned as he looked over at the ghost. Unfortunately - what the annoying specter said made a certain amount of sense.
"Plan B," Calloway muttered as he remained perfectly still in the fog - but spread his limbs out so that he was touching the walls with his hands and feet.
"You have got to be joking. You plan to wait him out?" the ghost asked. Calloway remained silent. The ghost faded away into the fog.
How much time had passed since he chose to play that hand - was anyone's guess - it felt like hours if not longer. He was about to give up on the plan when something touched his chest. He blinked - there was a person with a stake in his hands. Calloway smiled as he saw the person's foot touching his chest - the cloak of shadows - had been lifted!
Like a coiled serpent - he lashed out at the vampire he was hunting and that was hunting him. At many points the Malkavian tried to ensnare him - but every time the effort failed. After a long fight - the Mook was in torpor. Calloway leaned against a mirror as he balanced the stake on his finger.
"One down - one to go," Calloway muttered as he shook his head. He pocketed the weapon as he made his way through the maze of fog - mirrors and reflections.
After a relatively short run through the foggy level. He found the hole in the roof that led to the next and last level of that maze - if - the Mook he encountered first was telling the truth. He looked at the bloodstained chain that was secured to the roof of the upper level.
"That chain is too tempting," he muttered. Once again he squatted down and readied himself to jump. This one seemed higher than the last - if the last one was an eight foot jump - this had to be twelve. "Have to do this just right," he added. He jumped!
He went up - up - and began to come back down. He gripped the chain and heard a snapping noise. Instinctively - he lifted his legs up. Two large bloody blades slammed together. He looked down and watched as the blades began to open and close intermittently.
"That would have been a bitch to navigate through climbing," he muttered as he climbed all the way up and then hopped to the side. He looked around and saw - that - this level was different.
All of the mirrors were remade but clearly broken. The dim light that speckled off the shards of mirror made the place look even more sinister.
He took out the stake and held it like a dagger. It was not his weapon of choice - but in the absence of alternatives - it was all he had.
"So - you got passed him - I'm impressed," a female voice remarked. He looked around to see if he could see some sign of where or from whom the voice came from.
"Let me guess - you are what stands between me - and getting out of this place?" he sarcastically asked.
"I like that in my prey - cleverness," the voice mused. He looked amidst the broken images to see if he could spot her - but all he saw was fragmented pieces of himself. "I am wagering," she continued as she stepped out from around the corner. "That you marked the mirrors in the first level - and played possum in the second," she remarked.
"That obvious?" he mused - pondering how long it would take him to get to where she was before she could bolt.
"Well - the first level really doesn't matter. That pussy is pathetic. Oh - be a dear and drop the stake down the hole please," she requested. He quietly laughed.
"Just part with my only weapon?" he asked. She smiled as she took out the bone daggers he had crafted from a while back.
"I like my prey happy. You fancy yourself a blade master? Drop the stake," she said as she held the two daggers by their points. "And I will be a sweetie - and give these back to you," she offered.
"Just like that?" he asked.
"Just like that. Here," she stated as she causally tossed one of them to him. he caught it with ease. "See how nice I am?" she pointed out. He looked at the blade - it was how he remembered it. He held the stake over the pit and dropped it. She smiled as she dropped the other one to the floor.
"You a Mook?" he asked curiously.
"Caitiff - Blood hunted in almost all of the United States for violating the Sixth Tradition. It's a weakness of mine. I like to - do things that cause people pain," she said making a pouty face.
"I think I see what the Doctor saw in you. You are one sick little fuck," Calloway remarked. The woman giggled as she shrugged her shoulders.
"We all have our problems. But likewise - I can see what the Doctor saw in you," she rebutted.
"That being?" he asked.
"You have a survival instinct that would put a Gangrel to shame. From what you have - you must have bested the Haunted House - and - the Ball Pit," she stated as she walked over to where he was. He wanted to strike - but he found himself in awe of her beauty.
"Also survived that tent," he added.
"I know - that was where I found you," she pointed out - tracing her fingers over his chest. "You talk in your sleep - who is this Snake person? A girlfriend?" she asked with a smile. He quietly laughed.
"None of your business," he replied.
"I see - you don't want to - play - before we play?" she asked curiously.
"I intend to leave this place - be it through you - over you - or around you. The choice is subjective to me," he said politely.
"I see. I like that - ah - through choice. The - hard way always gets me going," she remarked seductively. She began to slowly walking away - her movements accentuating every aspect of her feminine body. "Oh - I feel it fair to warn you. I designed this level myself. Mmm yes. The place is trapped in ways you can not begin to imagine," she said as she traced her fingers over some of the broken panes of glass. As she did he noticed - she cast no reflection! "It is designed to make you suffer - so - sweetly. Oh yes! I'm getting off just imagining the sweet ecstasy you will be in. Later honey," she concluded with a laugh as she vanished around the corner. Calloway shook his head.
"Majesty - this isn't going to be easy," he muttered as he carefully made his way over to where she had dropped his other dagger. He examined the floor and saw that the tile was amiss. "I don't want it that bad," he muttered as he stepped around and began to stalk his prey.
In the course of hours - he managed to explore most of the maze - finding and purposely tripping many of the traps. To say she was twisted would be making her sound - way to normal!
One area had concealed spikes - what tipped him off was one of the pieces of mirror concealing the traps was loose.
Another spot was lit up with a napalm trap - for OBVIOUS reasons - he chose to leave that one in tact.
He encountered everything from acid traps be it pits or sprays - guillotine blades - electrified devices and many more. True to what she had said though - all of the traps were not designed to kill - only maim - to trap the victim and make him or her suffer.
He rounded a corner and saw a door labeled exit. Before that exit though were three dark passageways on the left and right. He closed his eyes and shook his head. After everything he encountered he KNEW it wasn't going to be that easy.
He took off his other shoe and threw it towards the door. As soon as it passed each one - a pendulum blade began to swing.
"You are absolutely no fucking fun at all," a voice said from behind. He turned around and saw his prey glaring at him. "Not only did you avoid all my delicious traps that I spent so much time preparing for you - you planned to leave without - saying goodbye?" she asked in disbelief.
"I can't take the hard to get type," he rebutted.
"I was hoping - you would saw that. You know - I saw you left one trap," she began as she took out a remote.
"You light that up," he began.
"The whole place gets warmed up," she completed.
"Even you can't be that fucking insane," he stated. She smiled as she slid the remote between her boobs.
"You - think I worry?" she asked.
"I think - you like to see the outcome of your hard work," he rebutted.
"You got me there," she admitted. She pushed a piece of glass on the wall beside her. It moved in like a button. Calloway looked over at the pendulums - they were swinging faster. "I guess the question here is - is that really the exit - or did the sick twisted little bitch - make it a trap or worse - a dead end?" she mused.
"An interesting question. That could be a dead end - I could navigate all the way to the end - find out it is a dead end then see you light this place up," he admitted. She moaned as though she was being pleasured.
"I like the way you think," she said as she took the remote out. "You rocked my world baby - let me - rock yours," she cooed. She pushed the button. The two could feel the place shaking. "Ta-ta," she concluded as she dropped into a secret hole in the floor. He could feel the heat level in the place rising. He could see the darkness in the distance giving way to yellows, oranges and reds.
"Okay - shit," he muttered. He turned his attention to the blades. He watched as they moved and then leaped. He caught the first blade. He watched as the way out flickered between arching motions. He leaped out - staggered back then forward - doing his best to stay in the three foot window between swinging blades. He looked over his shoulder and could see the distant wall of flame!
He realized that time was becoming a luxury that he was running out of. He looked over his shoulder - the flames were a couple hundred meters away and rapidly getting closer. He returned his focus to the blades. He watched and saw the brief opening that was there - when the way was clear. He crouched down. He could feel the heat on the back of his neck. He blinked and bolted. One instant - it looked as though he was going to run into metal - then the way opened. The flames began to fill the corridor that led to the exit. He rammed his weight into the door - it gave! He rolled down a small hill and looked up as a pillar of flames erupted from the exit like dragon's fire.
"I hope that bitch is barbecued," he muttered. It was then that he felt something tap him on the shoulder. He looked over and went cross-eyed. It was her!
"My god - you are good," she stated. Were it not for the power of her majesty - he would have frenzied and killed her in a manner befitting. "I know you are pissed - but hey - you beat me fair and square - boo," she playfully said as she reached in her purse and took out an envelope. "But - as you did so swimmingly - here," she offered seriously.
"What the hell is this?" he asked.
"Tokens. There are some booths over there. If you want to get ahead - I would recommend playing some games. You would be surprised what you might win," she said as she began to walk away.
"Out of curiosity," he began. She stopped and looked over her shoulder. He held up his hand showing the ring. "This yours?" he asked. She smiled as she walked over. She traced her fingers over the ring and smiled.
"No - it belonged to Te'Beau. He was Prince in Paris if you can believe that. I - only met him once or twice - but it like clicked - it was so real," she said quietly as the smile faded.
"What happened?" he asked.
"He - didn't feel about me the way I did about him. he left me and went to Paris - never returned. Can - can I have that?" she asked sincerely. He took off the ring and handed it to her. She smiled as she gazed at it. "Thank you. Oh - sorry about the whole trying to kill you bit and all - just business," she said with a wink as she kissed him on the cheek. He sighed and shook his head as he watched her make her way towards the entrance to the building they had left. He then returned his attention to the tokens he had been given.
"Something tells me - I have to play some games," he muttered as he made his way towards the booths.
To Be Continued...
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