Ryu Doppler
Evard's Tentacles of Forced Intrusion
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2011
- Messages
- 696
- Reputation score
- 67
Chapter 0: Prologue
A veil of clouds stretched out along the vast calm ocean underneath. The luminous moon overhead casting light and a cool breeze breathing gentleness to all that dwelled there. A rather tranquil scene, whose only intrusion for a time was the roar of something quite unnatural. A sight some simplier might call a strange metal bird.
Locked away inside this strange contraption, a number of men sat toiling with various devices. Two at the front sat arguing with each other, another sat monitoring a strange pulsing device near them, while three others could be found resting further back. Two sitting, one standing. And of these three one of the sitting men in particular seemed to be troubled by some discomfort, to which the standing man couldn't help but find rather humorous.
"Are you alright Mister Glenn? You're looking rather pale..."
Glenn, the object of his own attention being a small seatside window, continued to keep his focus drawn to it. "I don't like being this far up."
The standing man smiled, "Relax Mister Glenn. I assure you we're perfectly safe."
"Oh are we now. I never would have guessed what with being crammed in a tin-can high above the sea." He retorted, sarcasm oozing from his voice.
Smiling demeanor quickly left the standing man's face. "Tin-Can? This wondrous machine? Nonsense!" His spirit rather quickly was returned. "A marvelous device such as this would be ill-regarded to be called nothing more than a 'Tin-Can' good sir."
Glenn seemed rather unconvinced, saying nothing but looking to the man skeptically.
The standing man seized upon the chance to gain the upperhand in the conversation, "There is nothing to be worried about Mister Glenn, this Aeroplane is top of the line. A masterwork of the greatest mystical and industrial science of the mainland! Just look at it!" His hands motioned around at the various inner joinings of the cabin. "That's solid bolt and steel! Strongest construction there is!"
And as a show of it's strength the standing man gave a nearby support a good thump, almost immediately causing one of the bars of it's construct to come loose and let fall a number of supplies currently resting upon it, loud clanks echoing throughout the small vehicle.
"Uh-huh. Of course it is." Glenn regarded the fallen supplies for but a moment before continuing. "I suppose that whole two week delay was also on account of this thing's 'masterwork design' as well eh?"
The other sitting man nearby suddenly stirred, his gruff voice joining them, "Oh give it a rest will ya! Those damn engines was just be' stubborn t'was all. Heat makin it seize or some other nonsense."
A scowl formed on Glenn's face. "Stubbornness doesn't explain why a perfectly fitted machine, let alone two, refuse to start for over two weeks." His head came to rest in a supported hand, while another motioned towards the men. "You saw the parts! We went over the things a dozen times. We even took both of those machines apart and put them back together with fresh oil and fuel too."
The other sitting man gave a low snort, "A waste of time if you ask me..."
Glenn's attention returned to looking out the seatside window in thought, "It doesn't make any sense. It really doesn't. The machine parts where unflawed, the engines were perfectly fine and yet it just...wouldn't...start..." He turned his attention toward the men after a small time. "You realize we wouldn't even be flying right now if it weren't for the co-pilot right?"
"And quite lucky that too!" The standing man quickly chirped. "A marvel of aeronautics like this deserves to fly it's wings! Though weren't we going to call it quits when you machinists couldn't get it to run? What ever did possess that co-pilot to try starting the plane himself in the first place?"
"The boy said something in his head told him to do it." The other sitting man shook his head in disbelief, "If you ask me he's got half the screws missing up there, and a homesick heart. Idiot was probably trying to break the plane so we'd have to call it quits and go home."
It was Glenn's turn to shake in disbelief, "I very much doubt someone so young with an aviators license is going to ruin their career by trying to sabotage their own plane." A twinkle suddenly appeared in his eye. "Or are you implying you don't think your machine work is as good as mine, after all you put the engines back together last if I recall. There'd have to be some shoddy machinework there if a simple turn of a key could ruin two whole engines right?"
Clearly flustered, the other sitting man gave a small huff in anger and turned away, while Glenn finally set back relaxed with a small smile. Even the standing man couldn't help but share a smile too.
But while the three men behind conversed, a much more serious conversation was occurring at the front with three others. The captain, the co-pilot, and a radar-man.
The radar-man shook his head, "Sir it's no good, the pulses aren't returning anything."
"What do you mean it's not returning anything!?" The Captain, a rather older looking gentleman, furrowed his brow in slight annoyance.
"I've got nothing sir, the scanners are all bugging out. If I try to fine tune it any further I'll fry half the control board back here." The radar-man quickly scanned over a number of lit bulb indicators, before looking back to the captain with a knowing but secretive gaze, "It's detecting way too much sir, far beyond calibration. I can't even get the standard height functions to work anymore either."
The young Co-pilot, listening just as intensely, looked rather worried "Captain, maybe we should just turn back, half of our instrument panels are giving false readings as well. Hell the only thing that seems to be working right now is the compass."
The Captain almost seemed about ready to smack the younger man, "We're two weeks behind schedule men, and we're already in the thick of it. It's do or die time for this mission, so you two better get me something to work with here!"
A small while passed, the men at the front developing further their anxiety. But while they worried and worked, in the back of the plane another conversation stirred.
"Do you think it's true what they say Mister Glenn? About this island continent at the edge of the world." The standing man questioned.
Glenn shifted his attention from the seat window "Hmm? What? Don't tell me you believe those stories."
"Well don't you find it a bit odd? That out of the entire time it's existence has been know to the outside world that not one civilization has been able to successfully claim it? Countries far and wide have sent ship after ship, and they all just vanish..." The standing man said while pacing slightly. Nervously, with a small gulp he continued. "They say it's a land where the most feral beings still dwell. Ancient, dark and visceral. A land of horrible monsters..."
Glenn gave a cynical hmph sound. "Horrible monsters you say...isn't that what they say about every dark corner of the world. I swear you're something..."
A sudden shudder and the popping of instrument bulbs would suddenly catch everyone's attention. From time to time the entire vehicle shook rather violently causing a few smaller objects to suddenly bounce about. Weariness was suddenly replaced by a surge of alertness.
"What the heck?" The Captain announced in a rather strange but drowsy tone.
The radar-man alarmingly scanned from panel to panel, "Sir! Everything's blowing out! I...I don't know why! It's not supposed to..."
"Of course it's not supposed to you dummy!" The Co-pilot shouted rather abruptly. "Captain, we have to turn back now, we've got no other choice but to do so. It's too dangerous to..." He suddenly stopped as a horrible realization came to him.
There was a metal support bar sticking straight out the Captain's chest.
Before any note could be made of it, more vicious shaking rocked the small air bound vessel followed by a rather discerning booming sound. And from where Glenn sat he watched as one of the the rotors of the plane spun to a stop.
The next moments were nearly a blur, a rapid descent, the yells of panicked men. Through it all Glenn heard the call to belt up and hang on, rapidly doing so despite the panic. And as the moment went the last thing Glenn would recall before blacking out was his own incoherent terror...
Locked away inside this strange contraption, a number of men sat toiling with various devices. Two at the front sat arguing with each other, another sat monitoring a strange pulsing device near them, while three others could be found resting further back. Two sitting, one standing. And of these three one of the sitting men in particular seemed to be troubled by some discomfort, to which the standing man couldn't help but find rather humorous.
"Are you alright Mister Glenn? You're looking rather pale..."
Glenn, the object of his own attention being a small seatside window, continued to keep his focus drawn to it. "I don't like being this far up."
The standing man smiled, "Relax Mister Glenn. I assure you we're perfectly safe."
"Oh are we now. I never would have guessed what with being crammed in a tin-can high above the sea." He retorted, sarcasm oozing from his voice.
Smiling demeanor quickly left the standing man's face. "Tin-Can? This wondrous machine? Nonsense!" His spirit rather quickly was returned. "A marvelous device such as this would be ill-regarded to be called nothing more than a 'Tin-Can' good sir."
Glenn seemed rather unconvinced, saying nothing but looking to the man skeptically.
The standing man seized upon the chance to gain the upperhand in the conversation, "There is nothing to be worried about Mister Glenn, this Aeroplane is top of the line. A masterwork of the greatest mystical and industrial science of the mainland! Just look at it!" His hands motioned around at the various inner joinings of the cabin. "That's solid bolt and steel! Strongest construction there is!"
And as a show of it's strength the standing man gave a nearby support a good thump, almost immediately causing one of the bars of it's construct to come loose and let fall a number of supplies currently resting upon it, loud clanks echoing throughout the small vehicle.
"Uh-huh. Of course it is." Glenn regarded the fallen supplies for but a moment before continuing. "I suppose that whole two week delay was also on account of this thing's 'masterwork design' as well eh?"
The other sitting man nearby suddenly stirred, his gruff voice joining them, "Oh give it a rest will ya! Those damn engines was just be' stubborn t'was all. Heat makin it seize or some other nonsense."
A scowl formed on Glenn's face. "Stubbornness doesn't explain why a perfectly fitted machine, let alone two, refuse to start for over two weeks." His head came to rest in a supported hand, while another motioned towards the men. "You saw the parts! We went over the things a dozen times. We even took both of those machines apart and put them back together with fresh oil and fuel too."
The other sitting man gave a low snort, "A waste of time if you ask me..."
Glenn's attention returned to looking out the seatside window in thought, "It doesn't make any sense. It really doesn't. The machine parts where unflawed, the engines were perfectly fine and yet it just...wouldn't...start..." He turned his attention toward the men after a small time. "You realize we wouldn't even be flying right now if it weren't for the co-pilot right?"
"And quite lucky that too!" The standing man quickly chirped. "A marvel of aeronautics like this deserves to fly it's wings! Though weren't we going to call it quits when you machinists couldn't get it to run? What ever did possess that co-pilot to try starting the plane himself in the first place?"
"The boy said something in his head told him to do it." The other sitting man shook his head in disbelief, "If you ask me he's got half the screws missing up there, and a homesick heart. Idiot was probably trying to break the plane so we'd have to call it quits and go home."
It was Glenn's turn to shake in disbelief, "I very much doubt someone so young with an aviators license is going to ruin their career by trying to sabotage their own plane." A twinkle suddenly appeared in his eye. "Or are you implying you don't think your machine work is as good as mine, after all you put the engines back together last if I recall. There'd have to be some shoddy machinework there if a simple turn of a key could ruin two whole engines right?"
Clearly flustered, the other sitting man gave a small huff in anger and turned away, while Glenn finally set back relaxed with a small smile. Even the standing man couldn't help but share a smile too.
But while the three men behind conversed, a much more serious conversation was occurring at the front with three others. The captain, the co-pilot, and a radar-man.
The radar-man shook his head, "Sir it's no good, the pulses aren't returning anything."
"What do you mean it's not returning anything!?" The Captain, a rather older looking gentleman, furrowed his brow in slight annoyance.
"I've got nothing sir, the scanners are all bugging out. If I try to fine tune it any further I'll fry half the control board back here." The radar-man quickly scanned over a number of lit bulb indicators, before looking back to the captain with a knowing but secretive gaze, "It's detecting way too much sir, far beyond calibration. I can't even get the standard height functions to work anymore either."
The young Co-pilot, listening just as intensely, looked rather worried "Captain, maybe we should just turn back, half of our instrument panels are giving false readings as well. Hell the only thing that seems to be working right now is the compass."
The Captain almost seemed about ready to smack the younger man, "We're two weeks behind schedule men, and we're already in the thick of it. It's do or die time for this mission, so you two better get me something to work with here!"
A small while passed, the men at the front developing further their anxiety. But while they worried and worked, in the back of the plane another conversation stirred.
"Do you think it's true what they say Mister Glenn? About this island continent at the edge of the world." The standing man questioned.
Glenn shifted his attention from the seat window "Hmm? What? Don't tell me you believe those stories."
"Well don't you find it a bit odd? That out of the entire time it's existence has been know to the outside world that not one civilization has been able to successfully claim it? Countries far and wide have sent ship after ship, and they all just vanish..." The standing man said while pacing slightly. Nervously, with a small gulp he continued. "They say it's a land where the most feral beings still dwell. Ancient, dark and visceral. A land of horrible monsters..."
Glenn gave a cynical hmph sound. "Horrible monsters you say...isn't that what they say about every dark corner of the world. I swear you're something..."
A sudden shudder and the popping of instrument bulbs would suddenly catch everyone's attention. From time to time the entire vehicle shook rather violently causing a few smaller objects to suddenly bounce about. Weariness was suddenly replaced by a surge of alertness.
"What the heck?" The Captain announced in a rather strange but drowsy tone.
The radar-man alarmingly scanned from panel to panel, "Sir! Everything's blowing out! I...I don't know why! It's not supposed to..."
"Of course it's not supposed to you dummy!" The Co-pilot shouted rather abruptly. "Captain, we have to turn back now, we've got no other choice but to do so. It's too dangerous to..." He suddenly stopped as a horrible realization came to him.
There was a metal support bar sticking straight out the Captain's chest.
Before any note could be made of it, more vicious shaking rocked the small air bound vessel followed by a rather discerning booming sound. And from where Glenn sat he watched as one of the the rotors of the plane spun to a stop.
The next moments were nearly a blur, a rapid descent, the yells of panicked men. Through it all Glenn heard the call to belt up and hang on, rapidly doing so despite the panic. And as the moment went the last thing Glenn would recall before blacking out was his own incoherent terror...
Chapter 1: Flight of Fancy
Everything was dark. Glenn's mind was dark, and his world was dark. But slowly, it all began to come back and fill with a gentle light. 'I...I was...I'm...I'm!?' Forcing his eyes open with a groan, he bore witness to a rather gruesome sight. Of the five other souls he shared the flight with not one of them had survived the crash. Before Glenn could mull on their untimely Deaths his senses realized something rather important. His feet were soaking wet and the air smelled deep of salt of the sea.
"We crashed in the Ocean!" he said with small cry. Indeed it was true, as the remains of the flying machine, though still intact somehow with a number of holes, now rocked with the current of the ocean. Unlike a boat, this vessel was quickly proving not to be as sea worthy. "I've got to get out of here before I sink into the Abyss!"
Looking around, Glenn noticed his backpack satchel was still intact. A quick check revealed a few rather tasteless but edible rations, some rope and a net. A small flask with some rather strong drinking alcohol was stuffed there too, and a waterskin hooked into a side mount. The last thing he found on it was a Flint and Steel. A small frown formed, 'I don't see my spade, cooking tools or climbing tools anywhere...' A check nearby netted him his shortsword and longsword, his dagger having already been stored away on his person.
A dipping motion sent Glenn suddenly tumbling forward, falling face first onto the corpse of one of the other crew mates. A wave of revulsion spent through him as he scrambled to his feet against sudden rocking of the plane as the waves bounced it around. Water was really pouring into the cabin now, and in less than a minute would be rapidly descending into the sea. 'Ok, NOW it's really time to go.'
Attempting to open the door was surprisingly harder than he had thought it would be. Initially believing it to be merely stuck, he realized as the water began reaching waist height that it was probably because the plane was now underwater. Before Glenn knew it, the entire plane had filled up practically to the brim. Gulping one last pocket of air, he gave one more attempt to force the door. With a muffled squeal, it opened with success.
In the quickly darkening void of the ocean he could barely make out glinting moonlight from the surface. Pushing himself with more than he knew he had, he struggled with every little bit of strength to reach his way up. But his own body was betraying him. His lungs and muscles screamed for air and his mind grew foggy as it too began to suffer.
Before he would find his fate sealed like the others below, he became barely aware of a lifting sensation. Whether it was his own will or a helping hand his mind was too out of it to pick up on, but he definitely absorbed the fact of breaking the surface at long last and breathing the most beautiful breath of air he had ever experienced in a long time. And as his senses returned he couldn't help but let loose a few uneasy laughs at his thoughts.
'That was way too close for comfort...but how did I survive? I...I was certain I was going to...but I reached the surface!?'