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"Whoa, how does that thing work?" Daniel's eyes fixated on the colossal war hammer-like weapon.
"My weapon is a beauty, isn't she?" Shawn grinned.
As Daniel examined the massive weapon, he noticed engraved words on its side: *"A symphony of power where ancient might harmonizes with cutting-edge innovation. With a commanding length of 1.2 meters, this colossal hammer bears twin thrusters that blaze to life upon impact, unleashing a cataclysmic surge. Each strike becomes a thundering crescendo of devastation, a weapon that redefines the art of war with every resounding blow."*
"I call it the Dual-Thrust War Hammer."
"It's like you grabbed a classic Maul hammer and slapped some rocket boosters on it," Daniel remarked.
"Because we did. Who doesn't want their swings to have that extra 'oomph'? Feel that solid weight," Shawn handed the hammer to Daniel. "It's like a hug from an old friend!"
"It's like swinging a relic from the past but with a modern twist. So, what do you think, Daniel?" Shawn asked, patting him on the shoulder.
"That's pretty cool. I've never seen anything like this," Daniel replied.
"Hey, ladies, hurry up! We don't have all day; we have an objective to complete," Damien urged, displaying his Serpent blades with similar but distinct engravings.
*Serpent blades. Crafted from Serpent horn Scale steel, wielded by Dra'keshi honor. Its purpose? Swift precision, unyielding force. A blade that respects no barrier, slicing through cutlery barriers with ease, a reflection of its wielder's resolve. Understand it: tradition and power, entwined. Wield it: curved blade, measuring about 1 to 1.5 meters in length. Its Fang thorn Wood hilt boasts intricate carvings, widening toward a stylized cross guard resembling protective wings.*
"Kill joy," Shane muttered.
"What was that?" Damien replied.
"Huh? What was what?" Shane answered.
"Ugh, let's just head out," Damien said as they left the Holy Armory. Daniel inquired about their mode of travel.
"We'll use the helicopter. It's faster," Shawn suggested.
"On second though, let's take the jeep," Shane interjected.
"No, we're on a schedule, genius. We're taking the chopper," Damien insisted.
"Before Father Michael left, he said he doesn't want to see us touch any helicopter because of the June incident," Shane added, scratching his head. Damien nodded in agreement.
"Hm hm, yes, the jeep it is."
"Wait, let's use the chopper, and if he yells at us, it's not like we'll die," Daniel proposed. Both Damien and Shane turned their heads to Daniel in unison.
Shane, holding Daniel on the shoulder, said, "Oh god, you poor soul."
"I don't get it. What's the big deal?" Daniel asked.
"Let's just say death will be the least of your worries," Shane warned. "If I have to go through another round of training with Father Michael, I might become anemic. I can only lose so much blood," Damien shared, looking traumatized. "He once dislocated my shoulders and kicked me down a waterfall. I was lucky I washed up ashore," Shane added, shivering at the memory. "He never did that to me, though," Daniel said.
"Shane said the exact same thing when he found me, and I told him about my experience," Damien replied.
A moment of silence fell as the reality of Daniel's situation started to sink in.
10:12 PM
They got into the jeep and started to drive towards Berwick. Two hours later, they passed the "Welcome to Berwick" billboard.
"Hey Shawn, park here. We'll walk from here," Damien suggested, noticing something familiar. As they stepped outside, they were met with a gruesome sight. The town was devastated, buildings crumbling, and the stench of death hung heavy in the air.
"Hey, guys, look at this," Damien said, pointing at something.
"It's Lacy's V.L.A.D," Shawn observed.
"Let's keep moving. We must be close," Daniel urged.
As they walked through the streets, Daniel and Damien wandered into a museum. There, they noticed a huge obsidian hammer etched into the ground at the entrance.
"What's this?" Damien said as he tried to lift it off the ground. The engravings on the hammer glowed faintly as if responding to touch.
"I can't budge it," Damien grunted, his muscles tense with the effort.
Daniel moved from the hammer. "Step aside. Let me give it a try," Daniel said, taking a deep breath and channeling his strength. The hammer remained firmly in place and only shook for a fraction of a second. Damien burst into laughter. "You thought you were gonna do something cool like the protagonist in some manga?" Damien said, pointing at Daniel. "That's rich, coming from someone who couldn't move it too," Daniel responded. "Anyway, let's get going; we're wasting time," Damien said with an irritated expression. Shawn then walked into the room. "Maybe it's not meant to be lifted by us," Shawn suggested, examining the intricate carvings on the hammer. "Perhaps it's a symbol, a marker of some sort."
"Or a warning," Damien added, his eyes scanning the weapon. "We need to be cautious. Father Michael warned us about relics like these."
The group decided to search more. As they ventured deeper into the museum, they stumbled upon an old parchment, partially hidden beneath debris. The parchment contained a cryptic message written in a language none of them could decipher.
"Looks like ancient Dra'keshi script," Damien remarked, furrowing his brow. "Father Michael taught us a bit, but this is beyond my expertise."
"It mentions something about the four horseman; that's all I can read," Shawn said, squinting at the text. "Something about an impending darkness." Daniel and Damien decided to continue trying to decipher the text as Shawn went to search the location the girls' helicopter landed.
A few minutes had gone by after Shawn left. "Well, I quit. I can't read this. Just take a picture, and let's go meet up with Shawn," Daniel suggested. "You're right," Damien responded as he took a picture of the ancient text.
Ring ring. Damien received a call from Shawn. "You guys have to see this; come to the hospital site," Shawn said as the line cut. Both Daniel and Damien rushed to Shawn. As they were a few feet away, they noticed he was on his knees facing the ground. They ran towards him. "Hey Shawn, are you okay?" Damien asked. Without words, Shawn pointed to the other side of the building. Daniel and Damien rushed to the place Shawn pointed to, and immediately they got there, just one look at the site. Daniel punched the wall and kicked a mailbox over. "Damn it!" Daniel shouted out. Damien kept himself composed, turned around, and walked away, only to fall to his knees a few steps away.
The scene they had just witnessed was the heads of the nun's that lost their lives on spikes their Body parts were hung up on strings like decorative ornaments in the street the smell of blood was in the air.
The shock of the gruesome scene was setting in, Daniel clenched his fists as he hit the wall several times overcome by anger, and Damien dispute his usual composure found himself overwhelmed. The heads of their now grotesquely displayed sent shivers down their spines.
"What kind of monster would do this?" Daniel seethed his voice in a low growl. Damien getting up from his knees struggling to comprehend the brutality "this goes beyond just killing them"
Shawn, his face distroute joined them "it's like they want to break our spirit's".
"We need to find who's responsible for this and make them pay" Daniel said with the single minded goal of vengeance.
As the the trio silently in the midst of the macabre display Shawn noticed a message written in blood on the wall *FOLLOW THE RED BRICK ROAD* "What's that mean?" Shawn said as they all looked around and noticed a trail of blood leading to the hospital.
"Let's follow this trail and check the hospital. There might clues," Damien suggested.
The trio moved toward the hospital, steeling themselves for whatever may lay ahead. "The nightwalkers hadn't proven to be to difficult to deal with, but the sadistic brutality exhibited here tells me there's something more sinister at play here" Damien said.
As they approached the hospital, the air thickened with tension. Shadows danced on the walls, and the echoes of their footsteps bounced through the silent corridors. The entrance loomed ahead, and with each step, the group braced themselves for anything. Inside, the hospital Bloodstains marred the floors, and overturned furniture. The scent of death hung heavy in the air.
"Stay vigilant. We don't know what we might encounter," Damien cautioned, leading the way.
As they explored the hospital, they stumbled upon a room that seemed to have been a makeshift sanctuary. Tattered blankets and meager supplies hinted at a desperate attempt to find refuge. In the corner, they found a journal, its pages filled with trembling handwriting.
The entries spoke of a relentless enemies, the dwindling hope, and the growing darkness outside. The final entry, stained with tear marks, conveyed a heartbreaking farewell to loved ones.
"These were the last moments of those who sought sanctuary here," Shawn muttered.
As they continued their search, a faint sound reached their ears—a soft whimper coming from a nearby closet. They cautiously approached and opened the door to reveal a terrified survivor, huddled in the darkness.
"Please, don't hurt me," the survivor pleaded, eyes wide with fear.
"We're not here to harm you. We're here to help," Daniel reassured, offering a hand to the trembling person.
The survivor, a young woman named Emily, shared the horrific tale of the nightwalker onslaught on her family and friends, "hey did you see who made that despicable display outside" Damien asked but she didn't have answer to give as she did not know who did it.
"We need to find this bastard and put an end to these games," Daniel said.
With Emily in tow, the group followed the blood trail in the hospital till it lead them to a secret underground entrance.