Fallen Victoria

Vaalbara, a cold and barren land, if you value rocks and harsh winds then perhaps you would find the region enjoyable. Although, in truth the real reason one would be brought here, lay under the rock and stone. Somewhere along the cliffed coast, there is an opening into the rock face. Like a maw of darkness, ominously contrasting against the gray walls of the cliffs.

A small port had been constructed near the base of the cavernous opening. Tugboats swayed in their docks with the incoming tide. Their crews mostly sat inside the crude shelter built on what little piece of land that the cave entrance provided. A curious few anxiously watched the silhouette of large ship draw closer. A horn was sounded from the approaching ship, three long drones signaled through the fog. The sound had cut the chatter from inside the shelter, which was promptly followed by their shuffling to make ready. Soon a barge emerged from the white mist. It crept towards the port, stopping as close as it could without crushing the smaller boats. As it came to a stop a lower horn was sounded from the enormous metal ship, echoing before the deep passage that lay before it. The tugboat crews untied from their cleats, and departed from the port. Two boats flanked the barge to align it to the cave opening. The lead tug boat put its bow to the stern of the enormous vessel. A cable was lowered to attach to the tugboat, and soon the caravan of boats entered the dark void.

An eternity later, the echoing sounds of the boat engines had dissipated. Red lights maliciously welcomed the ships, as the passage opened up into a cavern. The cave walls gave way to a vast subterranean sea. Before the barge was a city.

Fallen Victoria

The red lights directed the barge through a channel that would lead to the harbor. Once in, the tug boats helped the barge berth to the loading pier. As the ship bumped against the fenders, men on the docks awaited the barges crew to provide them rope to affix the ship to the dock.

A hatch opened on the port side hull, the opening was only a personnel access hatch. It was a tiny black dot against the giant wall of rusting steel. a ramp touched down on a loading platforn, and soon the crew came marching down to the dock. A second, much larger hatch opened. Whatever was stored on this ship was done so inside. When the cargo bay opened, the air outside rushed in and condensated. The smell from the cargo bay made the men cringe. A mix of body odor, excrement, and blood.

The interior lights flashed on and revealed slaves and servants. All of whom were cramped inside. The difference between the two, were that the servants wanted to be here, thus the lack of chains. However, they all were the lowest level of society. Slave or servant, your freedom was bought and sold. Now they were subject to any kind of work or punishment.

Within the slums of Fallen Victoria, a group of urchins raced through the alleyways. They tore through the empty streets, letting their curious destructivity break anything that wasn't secured enough. Their vandalism would go unnoticed. The district they inhabited was long abandoned. All that remained here were the disheveled residences rotting away.

The child leading the race was a girl. She was younger and smaller than the rest. She kept second place right behind her. She could leave home in the dust if she wanted to, but what was the fun in running alone. Plus, she liked the desperate look on everyone's faces as they could only imagine taking first place.

There were only a few landmarks to go before she won the race; that old bronze statue that used to give her nightmares, the abandoned schoolhouse, and finally the big cross roads. Her heart pounded in her ears as she came to a stop. The girl was elated. She wanted to gloat to the losers, but upon turning around everyone had disappeared. They always played jokes like this, the bigger kids could never let her enjoy her victories.

She started to head back to their camp, but was interrupted by the chatter of two men.

"That slave from Gondwana, boss not happy that he gone." Said a fat, slow witted man. Leading him was an unnaturally lanky man. They lumbered across the the crossroads, their eyes darted between the empty houses before the two men fixed their gaze on the young girl.

"You think the boss'll know the difference between that slave, and this fucking street rat." The tall man said through his crooked teeth.

"If boss no take girl, can we eat her?" The fat man suggested. The tall one reached for his belt knife while approaching the girl. She stumbled over herself in her scramble to run away. Her panic made her movements frantic. To the tall man's surprise, he couldn't produce a knife from his belt, it wasn't there?

A glint of a blade flashed next to him and from the fat man's neck, gushed hot blood onto everyone. Before the tall man could react something wild had jumped onto him, and drove the knife above his sternum. All he could feel next was his own blood entering his lungs and suffocating himself.

The girl watched as the mysterious creature that had saved her began take shape from the darkness that shrouded it. Now that it was still, and in the dim light, she could see that it was a boy. They were close in age, but she still couldn't see his face. She wanted to give her thanks, but he scampered into the darkness. Like that, she was alone. Not long after she made her way home, never looking back at the gruesome scene.