| The Beast� Chapter Fifteen For two straight days Grey and Gee had been travelling. The terrain was harsh � the weather was worse. The ironic thing was that the weather and the terrain seemed to fit the mood that both were feeling. After a strong wind knocked both of them into a snow bank � the decided it was time to take a break. �I � am so tired.� Gee muttered. �You are preaching to the converted. How far did we get before this storm hit us?� Grey added. Gee took out Grim�s computer and reviewed their location against their last checkpoint. Much to their dismay � when the storm hit it had almost turned them right around. �Shit � we are only a few hours away from where we last stopped.� She moaned. �We can�t give up � if we do � his sacrifice will have been for nothing.� Grey stated seriously. At this point � that and basic survival were all that kept the two of them going. They pulled themselves out from the Glacorian-sized snow bank and trudged slowly forward against the snow and winds. �How can the weather be so bad here?� Gee asked. �Hard to say. If I were superstitious � I would think that someone � or something is trying to keep us from getting to our final destination. Lucky thing I ain�t that way huh?� Grey commented. �Is that possible? Is it possible that something could control the elements at that level?� she asked hesitantly. �If space travel is possible � why not?� Grey asked. He looked back at the mountain where they had crashed. It looked to be a fair distance away � but they didn�t make it very far. Something is trying to keep us away. But what? Grey thought. �What is it? Do you see Storg?� she asked. �No. Every time we have moved away from the mountain � the weather has tried to force us back. Even the compass and navigational computer directs us back. Do you remember where Grim said the lab was?� Grey asked. �I believe he said south from that peek.� She replied. Grey slowly turned around. Sure enough � the winds from the south were strongest. He checked the navigational computer � it said that south was northwest. �Looks like we have to do this by gut instinct alone. Follow me.� he instructed. The two went against the storm. The journey was harder than any of them could have imagined. Every step was a struggle. But after several hours of walking and crawling, they found themselves at the entrance to an ominous looking cave. For blocking the opening were four icicles that were shaped like giant fingers. �I�m betting that is the place.� He mentioned. �It would be.� Gee groaned. They slowly got up and squeezed through the gaps between the fingers. Once completely through � the ground began to shake. The two turned around and watched as ice fingers rose up from the ground between the others to completely block the entrance. �I � I think it�s expecting us.� Gee commented. �Maybe not.� Grey reaffirmed. Just then � a series of dim lights activated and lit up the dark tunnel before them. If there was any doubt that they were expected � it was clearly gone now. �I�ll shut up now.� He muttered. The two made their way down the tunnel. On the walls were carvings. Some were old � as in around shortly after the glacier was formed � others were more recent. �I � I�m getting a bad feeling about this Grey. This shit is old � really old.� Gee stated hesitantly. Grey stopped and looked a pictoglyph that showed a tiny Glacorian next to a giant of a beast. �What does this mean?� Grey asked. �It�s hard to say � I can�t make some of it out � some of it says that the god of ice lives here � others say it is the lair of Storg.� She muttered as she traced her hands over the ice writings. �Storg? Here?� Grey asked. �I don�t think they meant that one. According to some of these � this Storg was around long before Jakkle and Pinciata plagued our world. I believe that the Beast Beneath the Ice is the real Storg.� She commented. �Oh � that is just swell. So what you are telling me is that is that we are going to be dealing with one devil to get rid of another? I don�t like it. That�s a no win situation.� Grey stated seriously. �There has to be more to it than that. Grim wouldn�t try something that foolish. Wait � what�s this?� Gee muttered. She bent down and looked at another picture. It showed a Glacorian standing beside the huge monster � but the Glacorian was holding a small box in his hand � a remote. �There�s a device that controls him.� she stated. Grey knelt down beside her and studied the picture. He wasn�t so much interested in the picture of the remote � he was looking at the scale of the monster. �If we find the device � we can control it. If we don�t � he�ll control us.� Grey commented. Gee looked over at him. She wanted to deny the statement but she knew that it was true. �If it isn�t awake � we might have nothing to worry about.� She commented. Just then � the ice-covered entrance was shattered. The two quickly got up and looked towards the light � it was Storg. �No escape!� it shrieked. �No time! Run!� Grey exclaimed. The two ran as fast as they could down the dimly lit tunnel. Behind them they could hear the tunnel shake as the metal beast hopped hit the roof and crashed into the floor in hot pursuit. The distressing thing was that Storg was actually catching up with them. �We can�t outrun that thing! Do something!� Gee shouted. On that note, Grey turned around and completely blocked the tunnel with ice. They heard Storg crash into the wall. They slowly stepped back � everything was quiet � way too quiet. �It wouldn�t have given up.� Gee commented. �Just then Grey could see thin lines forming in the ice. �Sonics! Get down!� Grey shouted. He leaped over and knocked Gee down. Seconds later the wall of ice exploded. When the smoke began to clear � they looked up and saw Storg. His arms were raised where the wall used to be. �No escape.� It howled. The two quickly got up and began to run again. Once again they could hear the metal monster behind them. It was only a few meters behind them and was slowly catching up to them. �We aren�t going to make it!� Grey exclaimed. �Shut up and keep running!� Gee retorted. It was then that the two noticed that the tunnel was nearing its end. They didn�t know what they were running to � or what would be there � but anything had to be better than what was currently chasing them. Just then they leaped out of the tunnel and found themselves over a dark looking pit. �Oh � shit.� Grey muttered. The two began to fall into the darkness. �Grey � feel free to slow us down before we go splat!� Gee shouted. Grey snapped himself out of his trance and created an ice slide that hugged the walls of the pit. The two Glacorians slammed into the slide and began to slide down. Just then the two heard a shriek. The metal beast that had been following them quickly fell passed them and into the darkness. �Oh that is encouraging.� Grey commented. He leveled off the ramp so that it was level. The downward trip came to a halt. The two looked over the side of the ice ledge. All they could see was the walls leading into the darkness. �So if we go down � that beast will be waiting for us.� Gee stated. Just then the two noticed something floating up from the pit. They were in a state of shock when they recognized Storg. As it got closer � Grey noticed something. �The eyes � they�re black?� he mentioned. Gee looked closer and noticed it too. When it was chasing them � the eyes were glowing white and yellow. The metal beast hovered before them. Then it was flung upward and out of sight. �Something down there did � did that.� Gee stated. �Should we turn back?� he asked. Just then the ledge of ice was shattered and the two began falling � no, it wasn�t falling. It felt more like they were being pulled down. Grey tried to create ramps and ledges � but as soon as they were formed they were shattered. Then the two were slammed into the ground. Darkness� *** Some time later, the two slowly began to revive from their plummet. By some miracle � the fall didn�t kill them. Their eyes focused to the darkness around them. There were dozens of skeletons. Many were Glacorians � but some were not. They looked different. It was then that she realized what they were � Glacorians that were before the age of ice. �Grim wasn�t kidding when he said this glacier was old.� She commented. Grey looked up but could only see darkness. Whatever brought them there wanted them to stay. �We ain�t going back the way we entered.� He stated. Gee looked up and saw what he meant. They looked over and saw another cave. It was the only way out from where they were. �Shall we?� she asked. �Might as well. We don�t have many other options.� He replied. The two felt their way through the pitch-black tunnel. As they walked a dim light filtered in from the far end of the tunnel, it was then that they noticed similar carvings as to what they had seen up above. �Look � here it is again.� Gee whispered. Grey looked over at the wall and saw an image of a large rock moving towards a big sphere � presumably Glacoria. The next picture showed several Glacorians standing around a huge beast. The next picture showed the huge beast between the sphere and the rock. �They created it.� He mentioned. �So it would seem. If this is right � it was created to destroy the asteroid that caused the age of ice. I wonder what went wrong.� Gee added. �Don�t know � but it clearly didn�t stop it.� He replied. The two continued to study some of the other glyphs words and pictures that were carved further down. The next series showed what must have been the lab. It showed everything getting ready to launch � then an explosion. The beast frenzied � beyond that � no more glyphs. �If half of this is true � if that thing is alive � it will be very cranky.� Grey stated. �There is only one way to find out.� She replied. The two continued down the tunnel. When they reached the end � both were in sheer awe at what they saw � the walls of the massive cavern were glowing a pale green � and the lab that they were looking for was not only in one piece � it was rebuilt. The place had to be ten times the size it normally was and looked one hundred percent more ominous. The monstrous creation was forged out of the old technology and the new and was held together by ice. Without a doubt � the two knew that they were looking at the lair � of Storg! �We have to go in there � don�t we?� he asked hesitantly. �Do you have any other options?� she asked. It was then that she noticed huge cables that went from the lair and into the surrounding walls. Whatever the purpose these cables served could only be bad. �Do you think the remote is intact?� he whispered. �I doubt it � if it went amok like the pictures said � it either failed or was destroyed. Do you see any place that I can upload some of the old files?� she asked seriously. Grey looked around and saw a rusted console. �I don�t know if it works.� He stated as he pointed it out. Gee studied the damage and nodded. She took out a pouch with several tools in it. She then fiddled with the old technology. Grey watched the whole display as though it were a Pinciata musical. He shook his head and focused at the immense size of everything. Roughly an hour later, he heard the console activate. He turned around and saw that she had gotten the old computer up and running and was in the process of downloading all of the salvageable files. �You must be joking � you did it?� he asked in disbelief. �I am not without my talents. From what I was able to decipher � most of the files were either damaged � altered or erased. Luckily, I found the core files that were hidden before all of the other stuff happened. I can�t make it out now � but if we get out here � I might be able to decode it.� She replied. �I like how you mentioned if.� He retorted. �So what now? Do we look for this beast?� she asked hesitantly. �That is what we came here to do.� He replied. They slowly turned and looked at the menacing looking structure. It was easily the size of the old capital. It could take days to search such a structure. �Time ain�t moving any slower � let�s go.� He added. The two made their way towards Storg�s lair. As intimidating as it looked from far away � up close was no better. The base of the walls was littered with the bones of hundreds of Glacorians and numerous other dead creatures. �This place is starting to get under my skin.� Gee whispered. �It isn�t doing much for me either.� He added. �Is there any way in?� she asked. �I saw something that looked like windows near the roof � but I wouldn�t trust my ice after what happened to it when we fell here.� He mentioned. Gee remembered that all too well. �Point taken.� she added. Just then the ground began shaking. A noise as loud as an explosion erupted from the wall. They quickly turned around and saw pent up gasses escaping from the structure. They then watched as the walls slowly opened up to reveal a mammoth doorway. �That is the size of a mountain.� Grey commented. �I don�t want to see anything that needs a door that big.� Gee added. �Enter my domicile!� a voice echoed. With a great deal of reluctance � the two slowly made their way towards huge opening in the wall. The two stopped just before the doorway and cautiously peeked in. when they saw that the coast was clear � they made their way in. Once safely passed the doorway. The walls closed up. Gee and Grey were trapped inside. �You have been searching for me � congratulations you found me.� the voice echoed. They looked around frantically � part in fear of meeting what spoke � part in fear of whatever speaking meeting them. �Who-who are you?� Gee asked. �Who am I? I am the one true god of the world known as Glacoria � but your breed know me as Storg � the devil of ice.� he echoed. The two made their way forward. Noticing the complexity of the machinery around them. �But weren�t you � � Grey began when Gee elbowed him in the ribs. He was about to question the gesture when she gestured for him to remain quiet. �No need little Coldan. I am well aware of the misconception that is shared by the few that make it here. No Glacorian created me. I am a god � forged by my will and thoughts � made strong by the strength of my beliefs.� It echoed. �We�re going to die.� Grey muttered. �Oh no � it has been so long since any of your breed have traveled here. The two of you shall entertain me.� it echoed. Just then, some unseen force grabbed the two of them and pulled them at incredible speeds through the huge hallways. Within minutes � the two were thrown into the center of a room full of wires. There was a loud hum that resonated from the machinery � lights � cables. The two slowly looked up from the floor. They saw something that had bluish skin. As they looked up they began to see its silvery armor. They had to arch their necks to see the rest of the beast. It had two metal gun like arms with retractable claws on them. On the base of each gun were bayonets the size of a Glacorian that were stained with Glacorian blood. On its shoulders was another set of bluish arms � but they looked less like arms than they did odd-looking wings. The two were all but paralyzed at what they were seeing. �Welcome to my inner sanctum. Few of your strain are ever allowed to enter here.� It echoed. As it spoke, various lights on numerous computers blinked various colors. �If-if I may ask � why did you bring us here then?� Gee asked. �What can I say? Your noble quest amused me. I wanted to meet the people that would risk all to talk to me. Since the days of ice � most tried to run � others accepted their destiny and became by loyal acolytes. They were sent to tell the survivors of the catastrophe of my glory and splendor so that all could worship me like the one true god I am!� it echoed. �Some of them did as they were told � others were foolish enough to try to betray me. They warned that � a devil dwelled beneath the ice resided under the glacier � all of the traitors were punished. Since those days � I have become � selective � as to whom I will allow to worship me. Many of your kind have sought me out for various reasons. Antiquity � religion � power � and numerous others as well. The odd fool occasionally seeks me out in the vain belief of controlling me. I enjoy playing with those ones. But you and that one that perished � you actually came here in the expectation of receiving my help. In almost a hundred years � no one has been that innocent.� It echoed. �Others have sought you out?� Grey asked. �Oh yes. Their bones litter the ground outside of my lair.� It echoed. �Those that tried to control you � how did � how could they have done such a feat?� Gee asked hesitantly. A loud echoing laugh was her reply. �I cannot be controlled! I am god! But in some of the old text there was mention of a remote device that could control me. Just for fun I placed numerous fake devices all over your world � just to tease those that are impudent enough to believe that ANYTHING could control their god!� it echoed. �But-but what if such a device exists?� she asked hesitantly. �Explain.� It replied. �Well � meeting god is considered to be impossible � what if such a device was made.� She added. �Nothing could control me.� it retorted adamantly. �You and I know that � but what if it wasn�t made to control you directly � but was made to control an ancient weapon system that was designed to save their world from an asteroid?� she reasoned. �Go on.� It requested. �Well � if such a weapon was out there � it could be believed to be a god right? If the remote controlled it � it might be able to challenge your infinite strength.� She added. The monolithic beast was silent for a few moments. �Your argument is sound. Such a weapon would be a blasphemy. All these years I believed that they were attempting to control me directly. The fools were secretly creating a weapon to challenge me. You are a wise woman Glacorian Gee. Have you proof of this � this infamy?� it requested strongly. �I � I believe so. In our history � the council of First Ones flew off into space and vanished. I believe that they have either the plans for this weapon or are in possession of it already.� She added. �My records do show an odd number of ships leaving at that moment. It was broadcasted that it was to end the cycle of violence � those clever heretics managed to deceive me.� it mentioned rationally. �Can you not just bring them back?� she asked. Grey looked at the Coldan in sincere amazement. She was actually leading this monstrous machine down the proverbial garden path. �Regrettably � even my near infinite might has limits. Once off of Glacoria � they are beyond my range of influence.� He replied reluctantly. �Can you not find them?� she asked. �As I stated � my range of influence is not much further than the orbit of this planet. The heretics must be punished. I will entrust the you on this my holy mission � find these traitors and bring them for me to judge.� It echoed. �Uhm, what about him?� she asked. �What about him?� it retorted. �He � he is my servant. I would not have been able to find you and warn you of this were it not for him.� Gee pointed out. The beast looked over in disgust at the Iceion. It then waved one of its mammoth arms as though he wasn�t interested. �Then take him.� it echoed. �How are we supposed to pursue these heretics? Our ship was destroyed on our way here?� she asked. The Three of them began to float up. Moments later they were on what would have been the equivalent to the fifteenth floor. Once there they saw an old ship � one that must have been around since the days before the ice. �This will take you where you must go.� It echoed. The two Glacorians smiled awkwardly and entered the ship. Once they were safely inside. They felt the ship violently shake. Seconds later they blinked out from the lair. �Bring the heretics back.� It hissed. *** Seconds later, up in orbit, the ship reappeared. The two surprised Glacorians were happy beyond words that they were away from that hideous place. �How-how did you do that?� he asked. He got no answer. He looked over and saw that she was motionless. The shock of what she was doing had finally caught up with her. Grey took the controls and flew the ship away from the planet that they called home. �I feel sick.� She muttered. �Understandable. If you don�t mind my saying � you were amazing back there.� He stated with a smile. Gee managed to bring herself out of the terrified place she was just in. she then noticed the stars around them. �Thank you.� She replied. �If I may ask � why did you lead us off planet? I thought we were trying to save it not escape it?� he asked seriously. Gee looked at the hand-sized computer that had all of the data from the old terminal. �That � thing could see and hear everything done on Glacoria. In these records is the blueprint for the remote control that will control that beast. I need time to decode the data and I will then need a place to work on it. That is why.� She answered. �I like your style. I�ll handle the controls so that you can get your work done � deal?� he offered. �You can fly this thing?� she asked. �Seems simple enough. The controls are similar to those of Storg�s ship.� He replied. Gee smiled and nodded. She moved into the back and began to work of creating a device that would control the Beat that lurked beneath the ice. Despite the fact that they were a safe distance away from Glacoria � in her mind she could still hear that monstrous beast�s echoing laugh. Failure is not an option. She thought to herself as she began her task. |