Wild Wastes: Eastern Expansion by Randi Darren

Author:Randi Darren [Darren, Randi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-08-18T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Reaching the bottom of the ladder after climbing for some time, Vince peered into the darkness. There wasn’t a thing he could see from here.

Vince really did have spectacular night vision, but even he needed some light to actually see. And down here, there was no light at all.

Not a single speck of light, reflected or otherwise.

It was pitch dark.

Pushing his fingers into a vest pocket he retrieved his lighter and flipped it open, igniting it at the same time.

Soft orange light spilled out into the room. It didn’t eliminate the darkness, but he could see more now.

Ahead was a steel doorframe and a solid looking door. And beyond that door, only the darkness knew what lay in wait for them.

Walking ahead, he transferred the lighter to his left hand and checked his saber with his right. He lifted it slightly to make sure it would clear the sheathe and let it drop again.

Places like this was where the long since dead were. Given enough time, magic, or a necromancer, those dead could be walking around.

A sword wasn’t ideal, but it was better than his fists and feet.

Red hit the ground behind him with a thump.

Did she drop down without holding on to the ladder?

Pushing the thought from his mind, he focused on what was ahead of him.

Reaching ahead he grasped the door handle and gave it a slow turn. A click of the latch coming free was all he heard.

Pulling on the door there was a hiss of decompressing air as he broke the airlock from the entry tunnel to whatever lay beyond.

Stale air blew past him and ruffled his hair. Giving it a sniff, Vince couldn’t detect anything that could be a problem.

Moving forward, he continued onward. As he passed through the doorway there was a click, followed by a whirring noise. Vince froze, waiting, tense. Those sounds were usually something that proceeded a trap.

Yet nothing happened.

Even as the whirring grew louder, still nothing happened.

There was a thump from deep within the darkness, followed by a reverberating series of clacks. Light began flooding in from the ceiling down the hallway. Each time he heard that clack, another light turned on.

Closing his lighter while moving as little as he could, Vince watched as those lights came closer and closer.

Finally, a clack sounded right above his head, and the hallway he was in was immediately bathed in blinding, life sucking, fluorescent light.

Peering upwards he could see the recessed light fixture in the ceiling.

“Magic light. Bringer, Red would like to leave now,” Red grumbled.

“It’s not magic,” Blue said softly. Her voice was smooth and kind.

“No, it’s not magic,” Vince agreed. Standing upright he continued down the hall. “It’s electricity. And light bulbs. Both of which aren’t common or normal anymore.”

On exiting the corridor, he found himself in what could only be described as a lobby.

All around him were things he’d seen a thousand times in many a building. Except they’d always been in pieces and broken fragments.

Here, they were all intact.

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