Chapter 4: What Creeps Through the Library?

“I wanted to give this to you,” Annika said. The dragoness had a fist full of bullets. She went and dropped them into Lina’s hand. The brass combined with a silver tip seemed to radiate as the morning light hit it.

“What are these?” Lina asked.

“We tried to make as many as possible. They are mystic silver bullets for your rifle. If I had more time, then I could give you more, but ... at least you have something better than Helsing’s peashooter.”

Eight bullets. Lina took her bullpup rifle and pulled out the magazine. She removed the older ineffective 5.56mm rounds and replaced them with the new ones. She then put the magazine back into the rifle and charged it up, keeping it on safe. Lina looked at the peak of the towering pillar.

“Time your shots and keep it on semi-auto,” Annika explained. “One or two shots can take down an ogre if you hit the right spots.”

“Alright...,” Lina said.

“No tricks,” Viktor, the fox, said as he stepped up next to the yellow dragoness. “Just because you’re helping us doesn’t mean that you can take off and warn your human comrades. Those bullets can’t fall into anyone else’s hands.”

“She’s all right,” Aritaaku commented. “I checked her, and she’s pure of heart.” The hare woman waved her hand at the fox before Viktor grunted and walked away.

“Don’t hold anything against him,” Annika said. “He’s better at making bullets than I can.”

“It’s ok,” Lina replied. “I have something to fight,”

“It should be quick and easy. I’ll stay on the rooftops to help provide cover, but you have to stay close to Helsing.”

“I understand.”

Lina looked around. She felt rejuvenated after her breakfast. What seemed so strange for her to be with so many different characters had almost become mundane for her. Yet, to have the ability to be a part of something that could mean saving the world had become inviting. The dragoness could see Lina’s eyes wander.

“We’ll be alright,” Annika said.

“I know,” Lina replied. “I just ... to hear that I could see my cousin and parents again. I have a reason to fight.”

Annika lowered her snout a little bit as if she had no comment. It was almost as if she had withheld something that she was going to tell her. Before Lina could ask, Helsing walked out of the main monastery to confront the group assembled in the tiny courtyard.

“Are you ready?” Helsing asked both of them.

“Yes,” Lina said.

“I already have my game plan,” Annika told him. “We teleport to the roof, and I’ll take a position on one of the buildings.”

“Good,” Helsing replied.

Annika did sigh some. “Although, I still wonder if we should head out at night. Easier not to be spotted.”

“It will still be mostly dark in Europe. Ogres can be heavy sleepers through the morning.”

“Good point.”

“I forgot about the time change,” Lina replied. “Hey ... you lied to me. You told me that I slept for a few hours.”

“It was the truth.”

“In his way,” Annika told Lina. “He always has a way of distorting the truth when it suits everybody.”

Lina realized that Helsing almost seemed to give a hint of a smile on his face. However, it was only brief. The woman grunted, realizing that she had less sleep than she thought.

“Aritaaku, teleport us to the library,” Helsing ordered.

“May the divine light bless you,” Aritaaku said. The hare raised her furry hands and closed her eyes. “I call upon the light to guide my people. Allow them to travel to safety and back.”

A channeling of energy gathered in the air. Lina felt her hair rise some. Her body began to tingle as if her space was being distorted. Finally, the hare goddess lifted her hand.

“Teleport,” she said.

In a flash, Helsing, Annika, and Lina vanished in the blink of an eye. Lina felt like she was in two places at once, almost as if her body was being ripped apart and assembled simultaneously. It wasn’t painful in any way, but it didn’t feel comforting.

In an instant, Lina’s eyes were wrapped in darkness. She felt somewhat lightheaded as she tried to make sense of her environment.

Lina noted that she was standing on a roof. It was very flat, but she could see that she was standing over a cliffside, almost by four stories. A few more feet, and she would be plummeting over the building onto the concrete below. Her heart panicked.

“Whoa,” Lina remarked as Helsing grabbed and held Lina in place.

“Teleportation is never perfect,” Helsing commented as the woman pulled away from the edge. “The more unfamiliar the place, the less likely we’ll miss our targets.”

“Oh ... Merci.”

Annika had stepped onto the edge and begun to look around. Her attention was on the street and nearby surroundings. With the darkness, it was difficult to see much of the city. However, the faint outlines of smaller buildings lined the entire block.

“Quiet down,” Helsing whispered. “They’re here.”

“I see a few in the street,” Annika quietly said. She readied her sniper rifle, kneeled, and looked below. “A couple of them are awake. Make sure that you do this quickly. I can see a tank at the crossroad to our left.”

“Come...,” Helsing told Lina. The human woman followed along as Helsing hurried along on the roof. “There should be a roof hatch so that we can get access inside.”

There was no one else but them that were on the roof. It didn’t take long before Helsing spotted a small hatch. He ran quietly despite his rough boots. Lina was somewhat surprised at how nimble the man was.

“Here,” Helsing said. He reached down, pulled the handle, and snapped the lock that was in place. It made a slight thump as the hatch opened. It was large enough for a single person to go in at a time. Before Lina could say anything, Helsing leaped through it. For a moment, the woman thought she saw the man float down into the interior. She said nothing as she harnessed her rifle and slowly climbed down the ladder well.

“Quietly,” Helsing whispered.

Lina’s heart was pounding. Her boots clunked against the metal bars as she continued to climb down. It didn’t take long before she reached the bottom floor.

Inside, the library was untidy but not excessively dirty. The two stood in a hallway leading to a series of offices or various rooms. Helsing had pulled out his sword and slapped it to his left hand. He began to sniff the air.

“We are on the fourth floor,” Helsing whispered. “Remain quiet.”

Lina wasn’t going to argue. Helsing was meticulous but fast. Lina had her rifle at the ready as she scanned the environment around her. It was mostly dark in the building, with only the hint of distant starlight that flooded from the remote windows. However, there were hints of internal lights.

“How can you see so well?” Lina quietly asked Helsing.

“Vampires see well into the darkness...,” he replied. “Follow me.”

They began to walk through the hallway. However, there was an open door on the right. It didn’t take long for them to reach the edge of the entrance before Helsing lifted his hand up to stop her. Standing next to her, the man held two fingers up and gestured for her to remain. Lina could hear snoring sounds. The foul odor of the ogres’ stench loomed as well. It didn’t take long for him to creep into the room. Lina leaned forward to look into what looked like a large office. There were hints of subtle movement as if two large masses were breathing. The source of the snoring came from them.

However, it didn’t take long before Helsing reached the nearest body. He lifted his sword and stabbed dead center into the head of the ogre. The blade glowed blue before he pulled it out.

“Ergh...,” the other ogre grunted and stirred awake. “You say something, Fred?”

Quickly, Helsing swung wide. By the time the other ogre opened his eyes, it was too late. Helsing’s blade cleaved the ogre’s head in half. A hint of blood could be seen in the darkness as Helsing turned his head back to the hallway. He slapped his blade to knock the blood off as he stepped back into the hallway. He waved to Lina to follow him as the sword stopped glowing.

It didn’t take long for the two to reach the central heart of the library. There was a glass and metal fence that served as a barrier where the two could overlook directly down to the bottom floor. From there was a massive set of rows where books upon books were neatly stacked, at least for the most part. A couple of rows had been knocked down deliberately, spilling thousands of records and documents along the floor.

“The ogres...,” Lina whispered, shaking her head. “No care ... no remorse for history.”

“Come...,” Helsing quietly replied. He wandered on ahead as Lina followed closely behind. He turned his attention towards a set of stairs where he began to head down. He moved so quickly that Lina had to be careful when heading down. Her hand was close to the railing. Her boot tripped on a loose piece of plaster on one of the steps, causing her almost to tumble down. Lina had to remind herself to take things slowly. Helsing wouldn’t leave her behind.

Lina passed by flight after flight of stairs before she paused. She could see Helsing standing by the edge of the 2nd-floor hallway. The man held up two fingers again and told her to remain hidden. She got by the corner and remained quiet. The familiar stench and sounds could be heard as a pair of ogres were walking together.

“Ehhh...,” a male ogre grunted. “I hate patrolling here ... so boring.”

“What you complainin?” A lighter male ogre replied. “We have naked drawings of people here.”

“But no female ogres. Tired of nudie drawings. It’s just medical drawings!”

“Ergh. Could be worse ... could be...”

A sound of metal cutting into flesh and bone could be heard as Lina remained quiet.

“What? What the fuck!?” It was the other ogre’s last words as Helsing made quick work of him. Lina remained quiet as she heard two large bodies slumped to the floor, followed by a rolling decapitated ogre head.

“One more floor to head down,” Helsing said. He walked down the stairs and tapped his coat while Lina remained close behind.

“Annika, report,” Helsing said.

“There’s one patrol near the entrance of the library,” Annika’s voice could be heard from Helsing’s clothes. “I’m concerned about the tank that’s not far from the building. I think they have another vehicle way down the street, but I can’t get a positive ID on it.”

“All enemies inside the building have been dispatched. Keep me updated.”

“Understood.”

The two reached the bottom floor of the stairs. Upon reaching the bottom floor, Lina could see the vast room of the library. Rows and rows of books, documents, and other stored information lay everywhere. There were a few makeshift lights that were there, but not enough to give complete illumination. Lina noted that she could see the main exit, where she did her best to remain hidden in the rows of documents around her.

“I don’t know where they would hold a computer,” Lina said.

Helsing remained quiet. He could see better than her, but he was slow in his movements. Finally, he thought he spotted a room in the distance and proceeded through one of the rows. So much information and wealth, but even Lina didn’t understand half of it. Helsing did stop at one of the rows as if something caught his eye. It even caused him to put his sword away as he browsed the contents of books.

“What is it?” She asked him.

“Hmmm ... Topographische Anatomie des Menschen,” Helsing said as he pulled the book from the shelf. “The Pernkopf Topographic Anatomy of Man by Edward Pernkoph Volume Two...,” he looked at the other books. “And more ... such a wealth of medical knowledge.”

“You are a Doctor, oui?” Lina asked.

“A Doctor, yes, but a Doctor of many things, one that must continue to expand his medical knowledge.” He stuffed the book into the endless abyss of his coat before his gloved fingers continued to skim the backs of the other books.

Lina almost smiled. “You like books?”

“One does not reach my level without reading. I had all the volumes but this one. My apologies to Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring, but Pernkopf accomplished more.”

“You ... almost make it sound like you knew him.”

“Indeed,” Helsing pulled his fingers away from the bookshelf. “Pernkopf was a Nazi, but one whose books and breakdown of the human body would be used to save countless lives in the future.”

“Against the will of others?”

“You will find that medical progress always comes with a price where the ink is often a substitute for the blood used to make such literature. However, it is something not to be discarded so easily.” He turned away from the rows of books and proceeded further toward his intended destination.

“A computer room,” Helsing said. “We’re almost there.”

It didn’t take long before the man reached the closed door. There was a small window that allowed Lina to look into the room. It consisted of several computers, with another door that led somewhere else.

Helsing twisted the knob of the door, seeing that it was locked. He then took his fist and punched it. Lina was surprised as to the strength behind the individual. A single hit was enough to crack the hinges, making a thump reverberating through the library. The lock was broken as the door slowly opened.

“Let’s hurry,” Helsing said. “They probably heard that. Maintain watch at the door.”

Lina took up a quick position in the computer room, her rifle aimed at the entrance. Helsing reached into his coat and pulled out a small silver crystal. He saw a computer tower and slapped it onto it. In seconds, the computer, which supposedly had no electricity, began to power up. He then pulled out a second crystal, shaped almost like a portable hard drive, and connected it to the USB unit.

“Helsing,” Annika’s voice could be heard. “Seeing some activity. The ogre patrol must of heard something and is looking at the library entrance. I would hurry up in there.”

Helsing’s response was to wait as the computer fully booted up. Despite the year’s worth of inactivity, the system powered up. The man accessed the keyboard.

“Beginning download,” Helsing said. “Focusing on medical records pertaining just before the outbreak ... past medical records with unexplained deaths ... It will take three minutes.”

He stood up from his seat and pulled out both his sword and magnum. He quickly hurried to the window as the download bar slowly began to fill up.

“Not good,” Annika said. “They’re heading in. Want me to engage?”

“No,” Helsing replied. “It will attract their vehicles to the building. Once the shooting starts, though, begin firing on any reinforcements that head in.”

“Got it.”

“Lina, wait till they get close before you shoot them. The longer our discretion, the more information we will get.”

Lina remained quiet. She had her rifle aimed out into the open rows of books. She started to see three large silhouettes as they walked in.

“Eh...,” a female ogre said. “No word from inside.”

“Hey! Smith Gon!” A male ogre called out and waited. “Anybody?”

“Spread out! Noise means trouble.”

“Let others know.”

One of the ogres pulled out a radio and began to key in an alarm. Lina could barely hear the words as the other ogres started to fan out in all directions.

“I see another patrol coming,” Annika said. “I also see one of the vehicles powering up and heading toward the library. It isn’t a tank ... that I can tell.”

Helsing turned his head toward the computer. The bar was at 43%. The tension began to build up. Lina’s heart was pounding. She got away from the busted door so she couldn’t be seen.

“Hey ... the female ogre said. “That door ... not open before...”

“Did Gummer break the lock?” A male ogre asked. “Hey, Gummer! Gummer ... Huh...?”

The footsteps of the giant creatures got louder. There was nothing more that could be done. Lina watched as a big ogre walked into the computer room. Her head nearly smacked the lip of the doorframe. In seconds, she turned her head toward Lina.

Instantly Helsing threw his sword directly into the ogre. The blade pierced into the skull and went to the other end. The glowing blue blade was enough to be easily seen.

“Ah!” the male ogre yelled. “Call for help. Under attack, under...!”

BANG! Lina saw the standing ogre and fired a shot. She pulled the trigger again at near point-blank range. The rounds proved to be utterly effective. The huge creature lumbered backward and collapsed to the ground with a hard thump.

“Grab the flash drive!” Helsing ordered Lina. The woman turned to the small crystal device and ran to it. Helsing ripped the sword off the dead ogre before he heard a powerful shot. It was aimed at the door of the computer room.

Lina swore that she saw the bar at 78% before she pulled the drive free from its port. She began to head towards the door when Helsing took his magnum, aimed, and fired. Lina slipped the device into her pocket as she ducked and dived out of the computer room.

“Mythics!” the ogre screamed. “We need help! Get...”

Helsing was quick. He was beside the ogre when his gun was aimed directly at the ogre’s head. A shot blew the towering creature’s brains outward before the body slumped to the floor.

All hell broke loose as gunfire could be heard outside. Annika was already engaging the enemy. Lina stood up as she turned toward the entrance, but Helsing was on the woman in a second.

An explosion slammed into the library entrance. Glass shards were sent about, missing Lina and Helsing. The woman’s ears were ringing as she could only run away from the blast.

“Helsing!” Annika reported. “The tank’s firing at the library. The other vehicle is closing in fast. I can’t fight all of this!”

“Teleport out!” Helsing ordered. “Lina, stand next to me!”

Lina heard just enough of it that she turned and felt Helsing wrap something around her. For seconds, she knew she was supposed to be teleported, but nothing was happening. All she could feel was warmth. The wings withdrew from Lina.

“Can’t teleport,” Helsing said. “Come!”

Lina didn’t understand what was happening. Something prevented Helsing from being able to teleport. The man stuffed his sword into his coat as the woman ran close behind him. For a brief moment, Lina swore she saw two vehicles outside the destroyed entrance of the library. The tank’s gun was aimed upward toward the roof, almost as if it was targeting Annika. The other vehicle was some sort of armored personnel carrier. On it was a red glowing rock where Helsing caught a glimpse of it.

“An energy dampener,” Helsing said. “Blocks magic within its radius.”

“They have that?!” Lina replied as they hit the stairs and started climbing.

“Yes. We have to get out of its radius. Lost communication with Annika.”

There was another blast. The tank’s main gun fired, rocking the building. The foundations shook lightly.

“The ogres will switch all their weapons to mystic silver rounds,” Helsing explained as they kept climbing the stairs. “We’re all vulnerable.”

“Where...,” Lina was panting from the strenuous movement. “Are we ... going!?”

“Highest floor possible, assuming the ogres don’t tear the library apart first.”

There was another explosion that shook the building. Lina kept climbing, almost reaching the fourth floor. As the two reached the top, Helsing lowered his head and body and ran down the hallway. Lina followed suit as the glass wall fence couldn’t conceal or block the bullets. Five ogres came running through the main entrance. It didn’t take long for them to take aim and fire at the two as they were running deeper into the hallway.

Gunshots echoed, and bullets flew. As they reached away from the main central portion of the library, Helsing stopped, raised his magnum, and fired back to give Lina cover. One of the ogres screeched in pain, dropping his gun to the floor. Once Lina got to safety, Helsing stayed close behind her.

“Where!?” Lina yelled.

An explosion ripped near their location. A round from the tank’s main gun blew into the upper floor. It was so powerful of a blast that the hallway began to crumble to the lower floors. If Lina had been there a few seconds longer, she would have most certainly been killed. They continued running till they reached the ladder that led to the roof hatch. Lina was first as she shouldered her rifle and began climbing as fast as she could. Helsing put his gun away and was close behind her.

It didn’t take long before Lina reached the roof of the library. By the time she could see the open darkness, there was another explosion. The library was being torn apart. The ogres gave no care or remorse towards their actions in destroying the building. The foundations were beginning to buckle. Helsing reached the roof and quickly began to take his trench coat off.

Lina was too caught up in the moment to take notice. Her eyes could see something else that was flying.

“Hold my coat,” Helsing said. By the time Lina turned, a quickly folded red coat was given to her to hold.

The woman had seen Helsing’s black cloak that was underneath his trench coat. However, without the trench coat on, she realized that it was no black cloak. The top two latches that held the cloak together were actually cartilage that was neatly linked together. They unfastened, and Helsing was able to open a large set of bat-like wings. These were the wings he had that could overlap her and teleport her to new destinations in a blink of an eye. He wore a thin leather jerkin that covered his chest and stomach. It was the first time that she ever saw Helsing in this form. However, it was something she wouldn’t have a chance to observe for too long.

“Grab ahold of me and hold tight,” Helsing ordered.

“Ok,” Lina replied without thinking about it. The woman came in close and hugged Helsing tightly. He also used his arms to hug and hold her as tight to him as possible without physically injuring her.

“What are we going to...?” Lina tried to ask, but she didn’t get a chance to complete her question. Immediately, Helsing ran to the edge of the roof and leaped. Lina cringed, realizing that the man had jumped off the building.

“Don’t let go,” Helsing said. There was a brief moment when he fell to the Earth, but his wings opened wide, and he started to hover in a straight path. Lina could feel the wind hit her hair and face. It didn’t take a genius for her to figure out that she was airborne.

“Oh my God,” Lina replied as her heart skipped a beat. “I don’t want to fall...”

“We fly and escape. Just don’t let go.”

There was no fear in his voice. For a brief moment, Lina could feel a sense of freedom. It was like being connected to a glider. In less than a few seconds, there was another explosion from the library as the two flew further away from the doomed building. Lina was scared, knowing that she had no control over her flight. Her eye almost gave a hint to her of the other flying object that was closing in on her and Helsing.

“I see ... something flying,” Lina tried to say.

“Helsing!” Annika yelled. Lina could see it. Annika, the dragoness, had large yellow scaly wings. Her cloak was barely holding onto her frame. She was also airborne and maintained a flight pattern not far from Helsing.

“A little bit further, and we will be out of range of the dampening field!” Helsing yelled out. “Get your teleportation crystals ready.”

“I’ve never seen these devices before!” Annika yelled. “I couldn’t even transform to my full form.”

“The ogres are growing more and more advanced ... better technology to combat mythics. They most certainly have a higher intelligence at work.”

“Or leading them. We have to warn the Coalition...”