“So what’re we supposed to do now?” he said, kicking loose stones into the darkness, “Man, we’re proper lost, aren’t we?”

“Not really,” corrected John, “I’ve scanned in a map of this cavern and there’s some kind of buried ruin up ahead. Got readings that suggest people are there too,”

They moved out, following John’s lead through a maze of crevices and cracks, the dim light in the distance getting ever nearer. Then, just as they were entering a wide chamber, John signalled them to stop and silence. In the still air they could hear an echoing sound, a rhythmic beating of boot on stone, getting closer…closer…

Two torch-carrying figures wearing a series of dyed cloths decorated with patterns and animal bones entered the clearing from a different tunnel, noticing the would-be mercenaries at the same time they were noticed themselves. The figures staggered forward as if to get a better look, then began to run towards another passageway. Joel pushed his way through the group and charged after them, unsheathing his weapon and swinging it behind him in preparation for a decapitating blow. His guttural war-cry was cut short when the figures stumbled and fell forwards, unconscious.

“That idiot,” said Theseus, holstering his tranq-gun, “Last thing we need is him angsting over murder,”

“Man, I was totally going to do those guys over,” said the Raven, like a child whose toys had just been confiscated by his parents.

“You don’t need blood on your hands, Gibson,” said Theseus, “They’ll wake up in ten hours and have to explain where the hell they were when their plans were ruined. Let their leader deal with the punishment,”

“You watch too many old films,” said Andromeda with a wry smile.

“If I’m gonna do this shit, may as well do it with style,”

Before they entered the clearing, John checked for further movement and signalled an all clear. The flicking firelight was much closer now, its source behind tall pillars of rock waiting for them on the over side of the clearing. As they passed the unconscious bodies, Lyra knelt down to examine them.

“Just a couple o’ grunts,” she said, “Ain’t got much on ‘em that could be doing us much good.” She pulled some of the rags aside, exposing the man’s bare chest, which was marked with a strange tattoo not unlike the markings they’d found on the doors beneath the World’s End. “Gonna be guessing this has something ta do with whatever cult they’re a part of. Don’t know enough about this stuff ta be giving ye any idea what it’d be though,”

“Another crazy cult, huh?” said Theseus, “Man, don’t we get enough of ‘em round these parts,”

“One man’s cult is another man’s tribe,” offered Andromeda, “That’s how the world works,”

Theseus huffed his disapproval and continued on after John. The group navigated the winding passageway between the stone pillars, switching their flashlights off one-by-one as the firelight grew. Stepping out into the open, the source of the light – the ruins John spoke of – rose up in the distance, its walls glowing with flicking flames set at regular intervals. If this cult were anything, it was mathematically precise.

“Well, figure they must know we’re here,” said John, unhooking one of the long barrels from his belt, “May as well light up the night a little,”

Chapter 50
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