Deep beneath the earth in a long forgotten tunnel, a small insect flew, buzzing without a care in the world.

It landed lightly on a exposed portion on rock, it's abdomen lighting up like a firefly gently releasing a tiny spec of light in an otherwise dark tunnel.

This all changed however as the echo's of footsteps began to make themselves known and the insect quickly flew off as a pair of individuals passed.

The two of them were both male, and seemed to be about thirty years of age, twins you could call them, but had short brown hair, but one had green eye's, whilst the other had brown eyes.

One of them carried a torch in his hand, it's fire lighting the space around the two as the second man clutched a large book in his hands.

This book was the priceless artifact known as the Timelords manifest, said to contain warnings and messages about the past, present and even the future, as well as the personal journal of the Timelord himself, one of the first kings in Chaknakian history and was said to of been able to control the flow of time itself and pluck at the strings of fate, he was also said to of vanished eons ago mysteriously, before he and the rest of his brothers were betrayed by the seventh king.

The book had been sought after for eons, and finally they had found it.

Coming to one of their designated rest areas, the man with the torch place it in a holder on the wall and sat down, beckoning for his apparent twin to sit beside him.

He nodded and afterwards, with the two panting slightly from their long journey, gave each other a slight grin.

"..still hard to believe that we found it eh?" asked the one who had been holding the torch.

"to right Adam, I mean-I thought that it'd be inside some ancient-secret temple or something on top of like-a mountainside and whatnot" said Adams friend.

Adam laughed "James you've been watching to many adventure films lately" he retorted lightly.

James shrugged and held the book out in front of him, looking over it lightly.

The book was clearly old and tattered, with yellowed pages and dusty brown covers, what must of been hundreds of pages were placed close together so that from certain angles in the dim light it looked like a single extremely thick page.

To think that an artifact of this caliber was just..laying around on a stone table in some forgotten cave system miles away from the nearest city.

It was remote to say the least.

"you know James, it's just us two down here for right now, while we wait for our extraction team to arrive-let's take a sneak peak at just what this says" said Adam.

James glanced at his friend.

"I mean-are you sure?, we just found it, let's not go and rummage through it just yet-don't wanna destroy it-" James said a bit hesitant in his wording.

Adam scoffed lightly "pffft, c'mon man, it's the Timelords manifest, It's gotta have it's ways of keeping it together, I mean it looks really good for a millennia old book." he said.

James considered this before looking down at the pages.

He couldn't deny it, it was extremely curious to see what lied between it's covers, as he thought it over more and more, he sighed and nodded.

"Ah..fuck it, yeah a little peak couldn't hurt-" James eventually replied after a few seconds.

"Haha!, knew you'd come around!" replied Adam joyfully.

Without a further word-and a hand that was beginning to tremble slightly as he gently grasped the books front cover, and began to move it to the side.

As he did so, he felt a pulse in his hand, he was certain that it was from his own shaking hand, but for some odd reason it also felt as if the book itself was alive with energy.

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Over the next five minutes they looked at whatever they could find and whatever texts they could understand, they found words describing in exact detail events that occurred a century ago, from a explosion that destroyed a oil facility far to the west twenty years ago, the book even mentions how it was found to be a deliberate act of sabotage.

To a massive epidemic that occurred roughly five-hundred years ago that wiped out nearly half of Chaknaka's population, mentioning in the words "savior turned fallen"

The two knew that was referring to the doctor that developed the cure for the disease, but went insane after his mind couldn't handle not having a world-wide plague to cure.

But there were various words and mentions that made no sense to them.

"The changing?, "all multiverses, become one-never to be undone"" said Adam.

"The great resurrection?, the unliving moving to consume those still living?"" said James.

"The reliving demon?" mentioned Adam.

"man what is this book talking about..it makes no sense to me!" replied James.

"Well we are in the "future" section, so I guess that makes sense, though I don't like the tone that these statements are saying, these seem more like warnings then anything" said Adam with a glance.

James sighed and shrugged.

"I mean what the fuck are we gonna do with this book once we meet up with the rest of the team and get top-side?, we're gonna have have the eggheads take a look at it to really make any sense of what these are saying" he replied.

"True..but oh well, once we hand it off to them, you know what we can do?" replied Adam.

"hmm?, what grand idea does one have?" asked James.

"Sell it." Adam simply said.

""Sell it?"" repeated James.

"Yep, sell it, I mean think about it-the price this book could fetch-we'd be rich man!, rich!" insisted Adam.

James sighed and replied.

"that's quite bold Adam, would it really be wise to do so?, I mean-true this book is priceless after all, but..whatever you say man" he replied reluctantly as he began to slowly and gently close the book.

As he closed the book with a light thud, the torch holder cracked and the torch fell to the ground, going out as it did so.

Now surrounded in nearly complete darkness the two men groaned.

"lovely, it just had to break at this perfect time" cursed James as Adam sighed.

"I'm activating the telepathic transponder, let them know that we got what we came for and need a pick up." said Adam.

Their team had a mix of telepathic magic users, and conventional location tech members with them, so finding them shouldn't be an issue.


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Jenvis an elven telepath, made his way with his two partners, Karina-a human mapper who specialized in geography, and Gregix a Dwarf who carried the equipment needed to properly secure the artifact.

Jenvis felt a mental "ping" appear in his mind, and like a trail he could only see followed the psychological bread crumbs that he had been given.

Due to being an elf, he was moving faster then his two partners, so he kept himself moving slowly to allow them to keep up, Gregix could see in the dark the best out of the three, but he couldn't see the mental bread crumbs like he could.

"we've just passed the five-hundred meter mark, they should be just up ahead, Jenvis you still reading'em?" asked Karina.

Jenvis nodded.

"indeed. The two of them remain in the clearing up ahead, this walk will only take a few seconds.." he said, but his voice trailed off as he felt something about the air go-odd.

"What is it elf?" asked Gregix.

Jenvis didn't answer right away, instead narrowing his eyes as he focused on the tunnel ahead of him.

His vision zeroed in ahead of him, he noticed what seemed to be a pair of figures in a deep crevice, he found it odd that they didn't have a source of light, he expected the two to of been reading the book inside and out by now.

But almost as soon as he spotted the two, a wave of shadow washed over his sight, cold and ice and feeling like spikes into his eyes as he quickly drew his vision back and grasped his forehead.

"Jenvis you alright!?" asked Karina.

Jenvis still didn't answer as he rubbed his temple.

Something was here, it was aware of them all and it didn't exactly feel friendly to any of them

"We need to reach them-now!" Jenvis said suddenly in reply and began to run ahead.

His two partners didn't get a chance to respond vocally as their elf partner suddenly rushed off, quickly running after him so they didn't get lost in the dark.

It took Jenvis only a few more moments to reach the clearing where James and Adam were located and immediately his senses told him to remain on high alert.

At first he didn't see them, as the abnormally dark clearing casted what seemed to be a perpetually dark shadow that even his Elven eye's couldn't see well into, but eventually they cleared up enough that he saw the lone figure of either Adam or James standing silently in the clearing.

"Hey-Adam?, James?, we're here now-how are you feeling?" asked the elf to the figure in the clearing.

He registered no movement or even a reaction to his words as Karina and Gregix caught up with him as Jenvis asked again.

"Adam..?, James...?" he asked slowly.

"What's going on..?" asked Karina.

"I see either Adam or James in here..but their not responding to my hails-just standing still-" responded Jenvis in a worried tone.

Gregix grunted and placed down his case and took out a small object, cracking it as it let out a soft orange glow-a simple glowstick really, but it would be very useful in an occasion such as this.

Tossing it light to roughly the center of the clearing, it lit up the room.

"Oi! Human!, we're here to get..you..out-" he began as they realized the state of the room, and stopped as he took note of the scene in front of him.

Standing in the center with his back to them was either Adam or James-it was very hard to tell as they had the same color hair and skin-only different colored eyes, his arms were in front of him as if they were clutching something tightly-no doubt the manifest.

But he was unearthly still, making no noise at all, no movement-he hardly seemed to be breathing.

While that was odd-it was nothing compared to the fate of the brother.

They became aware of a liquid covering a wall to the far side of the room, it's dark color immediately giving away just what it was.

Blood-plain and simple.

A whole bodies worth of blood covered the far wall, and below it-laid the limp body of the sibling, his skin unnaturally pale, his eyes missing, and only a single wound laid across his neck told signs of any injury on him.

"By the gods..what is the meaning of this!?" asked Jenvis.

At first-yet again silence to the Elf's words, but after a minute-the first actually response made itself known.

The twin spoke, but his voice was not his, it was hollow, light and ancient-not a 30 year old male human voice.

"You are not worthy..to bear the manifest" he spoke and the figure then turned around in the dark.

Jenvis could just make out the slightest hint of Green eyes that vanished as fast as they appeared as Gregix responded with a scoff.

"Who are you to tell us that human!?"

"Such..bravado..typical of a Dwarf, I've always liked your kind..but alas these two..one James and Adam..these two humans..foolish, they stated they would betray you and sell my masters manifest for money..for temporary trinkets..such ignorance and arrogance..I cannot let them go..unpunished" responded the voice.

"your master?..are you the-?" began Karina.

"I am the guardian of the Timelords Manifest, the timelords most loyal servant.. for eons I have slept deep below the rock, waiting for one to find us..and for one to be worthy" replied the voice through James mouth.

"we mean you no harm guardian-we simply wish for the book-" started Jenvis.

"you misunderstand Elf..It is more then just a simple book..it is my masters life long work..his dreams..his warnings to every inhabitant of Chaknaka of the past..present..and future...to call it a book..and have one say they will SELL it..for MONEY?..alas I simply cannot let such a thing occur to my masters work..as you are with them..your fate is all but forfeit as well..you are all..guilty.." stated the voice.


Jenvis swallowed as Suddenly the glowsticks light went out, and a sound like cracking dirt made itself known.

Jenvis looked around and realized in horror that skeletal remains were digging themselves out of the walls, some unknown dark force controlling them.

"While I did say that we waited here for a worthy finder to free us from this tomb..we didn't say that you were the first...unworthy ones to find this place..and soon you will take your place..among them.." the voice stated.

Human, Elf, Dwarf, Avian, even Siren skeletons dug themselves out of the walls as their boney heads looked straight at the trio with an air of aggression.

"We need to get out of here.." said Karina her voice shaking.

"But the book-" said Jenvis.

Gregix was about to respond when James-in his normal voice suddenly spoke up.

"QUICK-RUN-SAVE-YOURSELF-HERE-" he screamed as he tossed the manifest to Jenvis, his supernatural reflexes allowing himself to catch it gently.

In what seemed to be a bellow of steam the voice responded with a "FOOL!!"

The trio hesitated as James seemed to return to his normal self.

At least that's what they thought.

In the blink of an eye James's normal eye's suddenly vanished and were replaced with a pure white haze, before his body was lifted into the air by an unseen force.

James lifted his head slightly and muttered.

"run.." before his body was torn apart by an invisible force, various limbs and portions of James rained everywhere in the blink of an eye.

This was all the trio needed to turn tail and run like bats out of hell.

"What the fuck was that!!?!?!" screamed Karina as the first skeletons fully broke out of their earthen prisons and with a hiss of what seemed to almost be fury, they regained their composures and began to chase after the trio.

"The guardian of the manifest..I thought that a being of its type wouldn't exist for this long!" said Jenvis as they turned a corner, narrowly avoiding yet another human skeleton.

"Which way elf!?" asked Gregix

Jenvis focused, but found his vision becoming more and more murky as be shook his head to clear it.

Focusing a great deal now, his vision was filled with unnatural shadows, he knew that thing was doing something to try and block his sight to the exit.

"uh-straight!-keep going straight!" replied Jenvis as he took off running again, his two companions running after him.

As the three ran down the tunnel the air chilled around them, and their movements felt heavier and heavier.

"why...run?..I am the shadow of fate..I know your beginnings..and your ends.." said the voice in their minds.

"All this..trouble could of been avoided..if the one called Adam never said they would sell my masters work..such a foolish human..and now he has joined the souls under the earth.." it continued.

"begone demon!" yelled Gregix as he shoved past a skeleton, knocking it down only for it to get back up just as quickly.

"You misunderstand me Dwarf..I am simply the manifests guardian..you three are not worthy to carry its weight..return it to me now..and I will let you go free.." said the guardian 

Before any of them could respond Karina yelled.

"There! I see some light!" 

Dashing as fast as their legs could carry them, the three ran down the tunnel and sure enough, cracks of light began to appear in their vision.

"We made it-we're gonna make it-!" started Karina when a figure caught her eye.

Her vision registered an older-but still beautiful figure who had dark brown hair down to her mid back, the slightest of winkles had started to cover her face as creamy brown eyes looked at her with a smile.

"hello dear" said the figure.

Karina was frozen in place with wide eyes as she uttered a single word.

"...mom...?" she said slowly.

"Yes dearie, it's me, my beloved daughter" she said with a large..friendly smile.

"But..how?" she asked slowly.

How was her mother here?, her mother lived in the city of Verox-a nomadic city mounted on massive mechanical legs that was positioned hundreds of miles away, she was sick with a terminal illness, she joined these treasure hunters to help raise money for her mother.

"y-your..?" asked Karina slowly.

"yes Dear..I am alright..I promise" she said with a grin.

Gregix had reached her and looked around for a moment before becoming alarmed.

"Human!, wake up!" he yelled.

The tone of his voice shocked her out of her trance and she blinked.

Her mother was gone.

"how..but..how?" she stammered.

"That thing is playing tricks on your mind Karina!" yelled Gregix.

The spot her mother had been was now entirely empty.

Was it just an illusion?

She shook her head and felt anger began to rise.

Her mother couldn't be here.

There was no way for her to possibly be here.

Why?

Because she was dead. plain and simple.

She has been for five years, killed by a terminal illness that rotted the brain.

Her last words to Karina had been 

"I'm sorry dearie"

"That..creature..how dare you!" she started to yell.

Whipping around she came face to face with her mother, except now her mother was missing her eyes, black blood poured down her cheeks as an unnatural grin spread across her features.

Karina screamed as her "mother" spoke in that same voice.

"come child..join us beneath the earth for your transgression against the timelord.." she whispered.

Gregix snarled in frustration to yell at Karina again.

But Karina had bigger problems.

Snapping another glowstick he lit up the room, seeing both the corrupt form of Karina's mother and Karina frozen in place.

Except for one small detail.

Karina's mother had no shadow.

At first he expected it to have no shadow-as it was an illusion- but then he looked deeper.

Moving across the rocks face was a shadow, a wisp of darkness with no form.

"By the gods.." he whispered

"mom..please.." whispered Karina.

This time there was no response as the wisp of shadow suddenly leapt forward, its two "arms" extending into single large blades that impaled forward with unnatural silence.

Suddenly two wounds exploded from Karinas chest, despite the fact that nothing exited those wounds except her own blood.

But without a doubt she had just been impaled by some force.

Karina's skin quickly lost her color as her eyes closed, lightly falling to the ground with one last feeble grunt.

And then she was silent.

At the same time, all figures around her vanished, as if they never existed to begin with.

However after a few seconds, the air began to chill again.

"one down..now it's your turn to join us Dwarf.." said the Guardian. 

Gregix turned around to see that while he was watching the entire spectacle between Karina and her "mother", Gregix failed to notice the cavern filling up more and more with the Guardians army of skeletal victims.

Every one of them staring straight at the dwarf, none of them had an ounce of skin left on their grey'd bones, but he could feel all of them staring at him with a sound of muted aggression.

Gregix turned around to run down the tunnel when a sudden rumble rocked the area, and several crumbs of rock rained down onto the floor.

"what the-an explosion!?" asked Gregix to himself.

"Seems I have..other visitors..farewell dwarf..I await you joining us.." said the voice, and then suddenly the air returned to its natural moist temperature.

However the Skeletons were still facing him in the opening, and he found that several rocks had fallen in what was to be his escape route.

Uttering a curse in his dwarven languages, he took one last look at Karina's limp body and reached behind him.

Pulling out a small, but well-crafted Warhammer that he kept for emergencies, and he flicked a switch on his left arm gauntlet, hearing it flicker and fold itself out into a small but durable shield.

Dwarven tech was oh so convenient.

His eyes narrowing, he snarled to the skeletons.

"If you want my bones..come and take them norogh!" he yelled as the Skeletons hissed in return and made dashes towards him.
 
"gods of stone protect me.." he said to himself as he dashed to meet his foes.

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"Fotus to Tomb breaker and Rat-group, come in, this is Fotus contacting Tomb breaker and Rat-group" said Fotus through the communicator.

"Roger that Fotus this is tomb breaker, what's up sir?" asked the Pilot.

"We got two problems, one a massive energy spike of undetectable energy just emerged in the suspected area, we currently cannot detect anything else down there besides this unknown energy, it may be some form of potentially hostile contact." replied Fotus.

"Copy, we're have our heads on a swivel, what's next?" replied the pilot.

"We got a merc convoy nearby, someone must of tipped them off about the discovery, damn mercs, their lightly armed-mostly made for speed and mobility, but they will be on top of the camp within the hour, recommend you provide armed overwatch while the team completes their mission, our scans indicate that they should pose no threat to you" responded Fotus.

"shit..copy that Fotus, preparing for armed overwatch, interrogative-is that all sir?" asked the pilot.

"yes, it is, other then that-good luck and come home safe" replied Fotus.

"copy that, will do sir" the pilot responded simply.

The pilot then pressed a button on the intercom as a beep went up in the passenger cabin, causing the team to look up in slightl surprise.

"heads up strike team, we just got word from Fotus of two things-the first is a massive energy surge has been detected deep underground, its believed to originate from the tomb site itself, we can't identify the energy signature, so we could very well be running blind here, second we've been retasked to also provide armed overwatch for the camp, someone tipped off a group of bandits about the discovery and are currently beelining for the camp, their lightly armed but very mobile. " said the pilot.

"damn mercenaries..okay copy that, ETA to the drop zone?" asked Sandman, ignoring a slight side-eye from Oni-who was at one point a mercenary herself.

"roughly two minutes so buckle up and prepare for a blind insert, we don't know what's gonna happen once you enter those tunnels, we've got that recon team nearby to provide extra support, but let's deal with what we have first" said the pilot.

The group nodded as the group equipped their tunnel based equipment, and armed with weapons, some cocking their guns, whilst others tightening their grips on their sword.

"All Rat-members, we are one click from the drop zone, prepare to deploy" said the co-pilot.

Giving each other one last look, the side doors of the dropship opened as the aircraft slowed down, tilting its wings and engines into hover mode as a rope was dropped down over the side of the aircraft.

"All units deploy!"

The aircraft was low enough that some members with increased physical strength, such as Scanner could simply jump down, whilst some such as Sandman and Nova elected to rope down in a more professional matter.

After a few seconds of making sure that the landing zone was secure, Sandman waved the pilot off.

"All clear here tomb breaker, proceed to armed overwatch of the camp, over!" said Sandman.

"copy that, if possible keep us informed of your progress, heading to armed camp overwatch, out" replied the pilot as the aircraft lifted off back into the air again, before turning back into flight mode and flying off to the nearby camp.

Turning around the group spied the caves entrance and Sandman spoke again.

"Well..let's move Rat-group, make sure the team is alive and well and if possible secure the manifest, let's move!"

and after securing their flashlights and thermals, into the dark they went.