Nōn Superstes

Chapter 3 "No Survivors"

A room leading to another hall revealed itself.

While Mechanical Constructions made of Alloys decorated the entire open space with its innumerable sizes and shapes, Contraptions from an era long forgotten to this world.

The machinery was cold and lifeless, Yet it omitted a melancholic feeling that leached itself unto anybody whenever a single spark of curiosity is being craved by the soul.

Its dimensions and placements would inspire any archeologists or architects with delight though, As they would begin to revel on its entire design and make use of its reference for any new inventions worth the investment.

But that is not the case for these men who ventured into this maddening depths, They . . . realising that they did not enter through the entrance but from the backdoor, were most of the machinery inside it functioned.

Became worried . . . immensely.

As this was a Strange mechanism for an old temple to have, Yet while the Men stared at the unknown gears that sated their wonder lust.

Lars and Robert started searching around for any clues that would lead them to a safe switch to the other hall that came before them, And judging by their actions they seemed quite experienced with this sort of scenario.

For beyond the room and entrance which is the hall behind it, Was a numerical amount of trap like wires visibly exposing itself to Belford who stood near it.

He stared at the other hall that lead to the door at the other end in deep thoughts, As the traps were well placed but not enough to pose as a obstruction to them, Because there was a small path way in the trap room that led them towards the next area.

But that wasn't the thing that baffled and irked them the most, They now understood that this place wasn't a temple but an Old Tomb.

Yet it was odd very Odd.

For there were traps, But they weren't being directly pointing towards them, Let along it revealed itself to the Grave Robbers . . But to the door at the other end of the Hallway.

"Are we so sure that it is a good idea to venture on I- I mean this is ridiculously antagonistic already" Harry uttered seeming lost on this sort of predicament, For they had to make a decision whether or not they leave the traps open for later.

Since they do not understand whether anything abnormal would happen from now or after. But at the same time this was a precautionary measure that aren't taken lightly by Grave Robbers.

Belford only hummed a tone as if he was planning over the next course of action to take next.

However before he could muster anything, the Mechanisms inside the room on were they stood began to move, at the same time the traps being visibly perceived from their point of view began to shift and disappear inside the Antidiluvian walls.

Everybody looked around to find out the cause of this phenomenon, And as they did all their sights went on towards two slithering snakes that held a thin lever connecting to a pulley being mounted on the right side of the Confines walls.

Robert the instigator of this event, Became slightly disgruntled by the weird antics of these uncultured men and began to berate them for it.

"Well don't just stand there, The mechanisms are done over we can go to the next room up ahead"

As he said this, they first scoffed in annoyance but forgot the matter and went on with out further ado, opening the doors to the next area.

Lars couldn't help but thank Robert for his Ingenuity and Situational assessment, For it came handy during occasions like this, But is visibly genuinely worried about were this was going.

"Its a good thing that you brought whatever that is with you, or we would've been stuck in that area though i do think it's not a good idea to turn it off."

Robert answered back but was relieved by another fact.

"No don't thank me, Twas because that the traps were visible that we where only able to come forward to the next objective, true this thing is handy though, I guess that's why Count Hannibal never let go of it"

Holding unto a octagonal shaped sigil with the Cephalopod's three eyes and tentacle appendages sticking out of its form, they straddled towards the group who left them behind the supposedly cursed room.

Alas this wasn't the end of it, While they continued forward, The same situation kept on happening as they struggled to look for the lever to switch of the visible traps that are pointing towards the door of the next room.

It kept happening, again and again, everybody was already expecting the worst now since their anxieties intensified immensely from all the accumulated stress being garnered.

Continuing to walk along halls that stared at them with its grotesque looking art forms, and entering a room of tinkered mechanism leading to a trap door made them nearly lose it.

For this only heightened their experience of the feeling called dread.

It also did sparked the curiosity of all, For they now begun to understand that the traps weren't ment for them as its design always seemed very strange to use against any human, But their suprise was more then evident as they witness this again over and over.

Mechanical contraptions working without fault. Because no matter how old of an era this place was built during, It still functioned smoothly as before.

Though there was also always this uneasy feeling that what they were doing wasnt good, As they continued to venture, the power and greed they felt earlier would be replaced with fear and dread.

Always taking the form of the unknown.

Lars and Robert's discomforts were evident too, They begun to hesitate on disarming the traps using the sigil of the working tomb. While Belford and Harry wondered what it was used for.

Because of this overwhelming dread Robert couldn't help but say loudly.

"Who ever built this place, Never wanted the thing they buried under it to leave alive."

Shivers ran down their spine, And a fleeting chill invades their skin, The mere thought of it shook everyone to the core.

They understood Divine Powers wasn't for anybody, But the possibility of a monster living underneath it was no longer plausibility.

Robert Realised what he has just said and tried to calm everybody down by trying to slow down their breathing.

But when there are a lot of Statues of monsters that seemed to be staring at you from the exteriors of the walls. It was almost impossible to do so.

Finally they entered the Last room within the tomb, The spacious size of it gave it away.

They were expecting it to be filled with numerous pots of gold and oddities linked to their past, But No, What they saw on the middle of the Room was a Large six foot four tall Sarcophagus that is made of the same material that this weird tomb is made out off.

Seeing this Harry couldn't help but complain, As his heart bled with bitterness.

"What the Hell is this ! Were is all the Riches and Gold at ! Don't tell me that it has been long sacked"

"No I don't think that is it, Maybe the Real treasure is hidden inside that Coffin" Belford Denied Harry briskly. Those words pave Robert an enticingly Good Idea though.

"This can't be it, I was looking for more ?" Lars said in a very low feminine voice.

"Not on my watch" Robert didn't believe that this was it.

For after all this time and effort put to finding this place, All they got was an empty tomb and all.

As the men started complaining about their misfortunes, Robert Dashed towards the Sarcophagus and begin scanning its entire template.

"Wait? What are you . . . . .Stop!!!" Lars yelled very girlishly.

Seeing the same empty Ball shaped space at the middle of it, He immediately slapped the glowing artifact from were he uncovered on the hole and twisted it to the proper alignment.

Before Lars could rush forward and halt Roberts Actions, The place shook and the door to the coffin launched itself swiftly into the air, slamming unto Robert, knocking him unconscious five meters away from the group.

*Bang

The Doors behind them sealed itself tightly shut, and everybody panicked, As a bright fog filtered itself all around the room coming from the insides of the coffin, disorienting their sense.

Before Lars could comprehend what was going on, there was this voice.

"You shouldn't have done that . . . But you are my Saviors"

***

The whole edifice crackled in alarm, for a great evil has finally reawakened within the depths of the Elder Gods tomb, the Grave Robbers now understood the gravity of what has been unleashed, But did not know on how disastrous it would be.

As multiple Seals came off, they did not understand what was going on, but they do know that something is alive.

When the bright fog finally dispersed, what greeted them was an ancient disaster waiting to be groomed.

It all made sense now, The Statues were warnings, The mechanisms . . .an attempt to seal of the very thing that nobody understood.

For they now see why such depictions were being etched deeply into their minds with great madness, the moment they saw it.

. . . they were told

. . . they did not listen

. . . they have been warned

. . . It has been written in an ancient prophecy, about the return of a great evil that once brought the world into complete chaos.

A goddess made out of mockeries came out of the unheeded cautions that none, could ever expect and imagine.

There she was finally Removed from the shackles of eternal slumber that once binded her to the bones, the Forbidden one whose name none dared to utter.

As the Whole of all known races wouldn't be able to face her Spiteful reckoning, She Stood on top of the once Sealed Sarcophagus, In all her glory with her hair fluttering around, Displaying her naked features to those who had freed her unintentionally.

The beauty that none could match, Long Dark - ish Gray hair, Pale skin, rounded nose, luscious breasts, and a slender build that oozed off sexiness.

She is the most beautiful Woman that they have ever seen in their entire life time.

But . . . . . she was also a Monster . . . . . Her Hair are Cephalopod tentacles, her pale skin reflected that off the dead, her teeth bared with monstrous fangs, her nose lioness like, her fingers are webbed . . . sharpened with claws, and her ligaments are double jointed.

Stretching her body the abomination that came out of the coffin seemed to be not paying heed of the predicament she is at right now, Yet this did not stop her from moving.

While the mortals still greatly disturbed by her revelation, For they knew they are witnessing a living ascendant right now, The next act paralyzed them with Fear.

* Crack click click Chak bach

Bones broke and her form contracts itself, As she bends her neck deeply to a crooked length that reached the bladed edges of her shoulders in an 'n' shape.

The figure Spoke with a hissing sound that seemed to originate from her snake like tongue.

"Ahhhh Ten of thousands of Years of being a sleep can be a crick in the neck" *Crack.

Deep and a mix between Korean and Eastern Romanian is the tone of her voice, As she said this she retracted her neck again to its original holding, beautiful black irises opened up with a tint of crimson deep in them.

Causing fear to any who may look upon its cursed beauty.

Her ruby eyes traced them with interest, Revering on the past on what manner of race she had encountered and created before.

The silence was defining, the grave robbers become restless, for they feared that they have not known on what they have done. Through this the dazzling beautiful figure that gave an aura of death spoke once again.

'Licking her bloody lips'

And with those few lines their soul froze, body stiff from dreadful anticipation, they now regret ever coming down here, For their lives are currently at stake as the powerful ancient said to them in a debauching tone.

"Ohh, Asterians . . . My Favorites . . ."

With out any form of Arsenals in their hands, The grave robbers could only scream in agonizing terror as the betrayed goddess lounges towards them in unimaginable acceleration.

Bending her body and aligning herself in a crouching position, she started too focuse the energy around the space near her to create a frictional reaction that would increase the physics of her body and decrease the biomass required to Pounce.

Retracting her webbed Claw like Fingers, She had this creepy smile on her face that no one would be able to forget. While the double joints on her ligaments lengthened to the farthest capacity.

Forming a spider web of cracks on the Sarcophagus, She aimed at the closest meal on sight, Lounging at them with this primal urge, Grabbing her first prey while they stood frozen in fear.

As she took the Asterian Human by throat forcing him to choke from her Brutish Hold, she scanned them once again for they wore questionable clothing that was not reminiscent of her time.

But that did hinder her disposition, As she smelled the fear of her prey by hands grasp. Urine and feces wafted her nasal cavities making her grunt in disgust and dissatisfaction. Complaining with no choice, as she was hungering to bother it for long.

"Ughhh Disgusting Mortal you shan't have blessed me with such display of degenerating cowardice and releving excretment for your maker has been starved with eons of hunger . . . But Tis shall maketh do."

With this she clawed the poor man with her hands from his throat and took the life out of him through pulling his spine out of were his neck was, Ripping it from the wordly vessel that contains its soul, Blood gushed around the air, spilling itself on the floor, As she held his wriggling spine and presented it to onlookers that stood glued.

Lars fell from shock, full off disbelief and begun worrying for life. everything was going smooth, until it went downhill.

Only to be left with the sight of their fellow to be greatly dismembered by a crazed cannibal, With his body on one hand and a lengthened bone on the other.

While this went on, the lifeless body contracted into a pile of flesh as it was seen being eaten . . . no absorbed by this inhuman foe that stood upon them.

It disappeared from her clutches as if he had not existed in the first place, going inside her body in a inhuman way.

The onlookers went on and skedaddled when they realised on what had become of one of them, Fleeing for their worthless lives.

But to their horror the doors were still sealed shut.

All they could hear when they see this was the monster that stood behind them.

Licking her lips she playfully anticipated the short game "Who's next to feed me ."