Into That Wild Blue Yonder

16. Return Unto the Earth

Over the following days, the trio finished all their preparations and gear purchases and set out to the mine entrance. An overcast sky hung overhead like a used mop, dripping fat droplets of dirty water all across the city. The citizenry rushed for cover as the stormy clouds darkened and the deluge magnified, but by then, the trio had already made it to the mouth of the caves.

"Couldn't have picked a better day," Idara said as she wiped the water off her head.

"Couldn't agree more!" Ulan responded loudly, eliciting an echo from the cave. "Oooh, echo!"

"Let's not do that," Colm said.

"Right, right, sneaky is better." Ulan grinned out his embarrassment. "I struggle with that sometimes." Colm shook his head slowly as Ulan continued forcing his grin.

"Alright, we have all our gear, all our supplies, good to go!" Idara announced, though not as loudly as Ulan spoke moments before. "Anything anyone needs to get off their chest before we enter? Potential last, nerdy words?"

Idara stared at Colm intently for a few moments before Colm blinked and responded with a rude gesture. She laughed and spun around to lead the way into the darkness.

Before she could make it more than a few steps, Ulan rushed forward and took the front. His larger body and heavier armor would certainly handle sneak attacks better, and the larger light he had on top of his head could see further than Colm's or Idara's lights.

"Are you sure you want point?" Idara asked.

"Of course. I have to make sure my little girl is safe."

Colm let out a brief snort and looked away when Idara glared at him. Before she could make any snide comments about Colm, a loud shuffling echoed from ahead of them in the passages of the mine. Idara drew up her mace and Colm pulled out his small hammer as the trio moved into a small fighting formation in the narrow passage.

As the shuffling grew louder, a figure emerged at the edge of the lighted area and slowed down as it approached. The trio stood frozen in place as the figure fully entered the light and their faces twisted with horror.

Their first wiedergänger shuffled slowly toward them from the darkness. It made no noise save for the dragging of its feet against the ground, rotten flesh tearing away against the harsh, uneven ground. Ashen skin rotted away from every exposed section of its body, revealing loosening and breaking muscle fibers and slowly oozing fluids. Its eyes shined yellow in the light, full of puss and devoid of life.

When it registered the intruders before it, the undead human sped up its shuffle toward the trio without a word or moan or even a huff. It didn't breathe, didn't pick its feet up off the ground as it moved. It moved with deadly purpose and not a care in the world for the potential of failure.

Ulan intercepted and slammed it into the side of the cave, obliterating every solid structure in its body with the force of his clawed hand. As it slid off the wall, leaving behind a trail of hideous fluids and torn flesh, it attempted to turn back toward the group before Ulan torched it and brought his hand down on its neck to destroy the spot where he believed the control stone to be. Sure enough, the body sagged and fell apart, leaving only the smell of burned, rotting flesh and trauma in its wake.

"Sweet god," Idara whispered, taking a step back.

Colm held a hand over his mouth trying to resist the urge to vomit. He had seen plenty of violence, but this, this was something else entirely. This was twisted and unnatural, a horrible crime against the world and nature.