Taking Off The Chains of Reality

I figured that this week I would step away from the gore and darkness that the world of The Onyx Tide offers, and speak on more of a personal tone.

"Why do you write?" A simple question that I was asked a few days ago.  My first instinct was to respond with a smile and say "because that's what I enjoy doing!" But for once in my life, I thought before I spoke. Trust me, when I finally put thought into my answers, I know that I am passionate about something.

So, why do I write? Obviously I enjoy doing it. No one does something willingly, on a regular basis, and for free if they don't enjoy doing it. So perhaps the better question would have been "What do you get out of writing?" Now that....that is a question that makes me lean back and sip on my icecap.

Writing isn't just a way of entertaining myself. It is a form of art that allows me to take off the chains of reality and go crazy. When I write, I am not bound by the laws of physics or by common sense. Sure those sort of things will make an appearance, but I am not forced to use them. I can have characters that can break bones with their minds. I can have a flesh eating disease that creates mutations to those who are lucky enough to survive it. When I write, I am in charge.

Of course, it is much more than just being creative and having freedom. It is also about creating life. Whenever I create a new character or a new setting, I am doing much more than writing words. I form family trees of these characters and history of these settings. In every job, people strive for the next level of perfection. I strive for making the most interesting characters that will be memorable. In the real world everyone has their part to play. This is no different for the Onyx Tide universe. From the smallest of characters to those who carry the plot upon their shoulders, it is my duty to make sure that it feels that they somehow add something. If they cannot add anything personality wise or plot wise, then they have no reason to be in the story. They get removed, deleted from the universe. If anyone stays behind that offers nothing, than it removes the feeling of being a real world.

"What do I get out of writing?" I get the ability to create worlds with a single cast of my finger across my keyboard. 

Outpost 321: Part 3

-Outpost 321: Part 3-

6 months after the incident

               "Shoot it," Krieg ordered. No sooner had the order been given, the opposing beast cried out. With a sudden burst of speed it hurled itself at them. Its deformed clawed hands were aimed right for Krieg's throat.

               The soldier's training kicked in before it was too late. Taking quick aim, Krieg lifted his pistol and fired off three shots. The bullets hit the monster dead center in its deformed chest. Its body stopped midair and crashed to the floor. Krieg did not double check to see if the enemy was dead. There were bigger concerns.

               The darkness around them was alive now, as more of the mutants crawled from the shadows and threw themselves into the fray. Sabre was barking loudly, joining in with the symphony of gunfire that now controlled the hallway. One demon ran along the ceiling. Its bottom jaw was missing and black blood dripped from its eyes. A quick burst from Hailey's rifle caught the monster in the eye, freeing the flesh from its skull.

               "We need to move!" Krieg ordered. He shoved past one of the monsters, shooting it in the mouth as he did. There was a hallway leading back towards the eastern wing. There was a chance that they could still make it. Krieg looked over his shoulder to see who was still with him in the chaos. Hailey was right behind, using her rifle's end to crush the skull of an oncoming enemy. Sabre's barking had ceased and the dog was nowhere to be seen. Andrew was pinned against the hallway wall by another one of the mutants. Krieg lifted his pistol and took aim, but slowly lowered it upon seeing that it would be a waste of ammo. Andrew's guts had been torn out and his assailant was elbow deep in his chest cavity. Flesh had been torn from the soldier's neck.

               Krieg did not spare the fallen comrade a second glance. He had been trained as a soldier. He could not hesitate even for a second. Krieg had seen death before. This would not be the last time.

               "Where are we going?" Hailey shouted. She spun on her heel and fired back into the darkness. The pained cries of the chasing demons replied as they got shot down.

               "Eastern wing," Krieg replied. He was running as fast as he could. There was no clue as to how many of the monsters resided inside of the base and where they would be waiting for them. The plan was to get the data they were sent for and then circle back to the exit. If they were lucky they could make it back to the ship without Sabre.

               "There's more coming!" Hailey screamed over her gunfire. They passed another hallway and Krieg could see the bodies moving in the darkness. They looked like ants coming from a hill as the deformed corpses clawed over one another.

               "We're almost there, just keep moving soldier." Krieg refused to look back over his shoulder.

               Hailey reloaded as she spoke, "We won't make it at this rate. I will stay and hold them back as long as possible. Just get to that room."

               "Don't be ridiculous! You'll be overrun in seconds and torn to shreds like Andrew!"

               "Yeah and with those few seconds you might just make it. Someone needs to tell the ministers about these....these....shades. Don't tell me you can't see it. They practically make up the darkness. Shells of once humans," Hailey scoffed. She made the decision for herself and stopped dead in her tracks. Krieg spared the female soldier a final look before shaking his head and continuing his sprint. It was foolish what she was doing, but she was also right. Krieg had not even traveled twenty feet before hearing the woman's pained screams echo down the hallway. He cringed. Was this meant to be his tomb as well?

               Slight relief took hold of him when he noticed the door he had been searching for. The shades were almost upon him now. He could practically feel their claws on his back. Using the last of his remaining strength, Krieg threw himself into the room. Scrambling to pick himself up, he slammed the door close. It shook violently as dozens of bodies slammed into it from the other side. Sweat dripped down Krieg's face as he used every muscle in his body to keep the entrance closed. The shades hollered and groaned as they tried to enter.

               With his foot, Krieg pulled a chair towards him. He had to act fast. In a swift motion he stood and slammed the chair under the doorknob. It would only hold for a few seconds. With limited time, Krieg wiped the computers off of the nearest metal desk. His screaming mixed with the shades as forced the makeshift blockade into position. The steel screeched and shuttered every time a new shade threw itself at the door.

               Krieg had no choice but to drown out the noise for now. The technicians room was full of laptops and servers. His eyes dashed over the nearest monitor, dread sinking in with every word that he read. The servers had been wiped four days ago. All information was lost. Krieg swore loudly and was half tempted to throw the computer. The entire mission had been a failure but he had to at least warn everyone about the monsters that had resided in Outpost 321.

               He typed as quickly as he could, fully aware that the door was ajar now. The shades' hands reached in, their long grey fingers trying to open the door even more. Krieg scanned his message to ensure that all of the important details had been stated. Satisfied, he added one final statement.

This will be the last message sent by Krieg Haywind. It was an honour serving.

               After confirming that the message had been sent, Krieg turned to face the door. He was just in time to see the desk shoved aside. Piles of shades clambered inside. Their broken jaws and bent fingers filled his vision as they collapsed on him.

Outpost 321: Part 2

-Outpost 321: Part 2-

6 months after the incident

               The ship's ports flared one final time as the aircraft positioned itself on the hill. Through the front window Krieg could see Outpost 321 at the bottom of the valley. Unlike the post that Krieg had been assigned to, this military sector had no tents. It was a plain and simple concrete structure. Once it had been the main station for trying to find a way to fight the Onyx Tide. Now, it was deserted. No mutts or guards were on patrol. Black strands had crept across the yellow field and planted themselves on the concrete slabs of the building.

               "I don't see any movement," Andrew Colins observed, looking over Krieg's shoulder. The soldier scratched the scruff of carrot coloured hair that sat on his chin. "Think anyone is home?"

               "Generally the words 'abandoned' and 'overthrown' suggests otherwise." The sarcastic tone of Hailey Roleen carried from the back of the ship.

               Andrew shot her a quick glance. "And generally weapons don't do anything against the tar and yet here you are." Hailey had been cleaning her rifle since they had left earlier that day.

               "Enough you two, grab your stuff and let's get moving," Krieg commanded and rose from his seat. He instinctively double checked that he had his sidearm before letting out a sharp whistle. Rustling could be heard behind one of the seats on the ship. A second passed before a large animal came bounding towards him, only stopping a foot away. Sabre was the dog's name. Standing over 4 feet tall, the granite coloured dog would be their way in and out of the outpost. As long as they stuck near him, the Onyx Tide would leave them alone. Sabre wagged his tail and gave a happy bark when Krieg pointed to the back of the ship. It was time to get the mission started.

               The air was thick and smelled burnt. Sabre happily led the way down the hill and towards the outpost. Every step from the large dog had the Onyx Tide curling backwards, making a temporary trail for the soldiers to walk along. Krieg scanned the area. He half expected someone to appear from behind a block of cement. No one showed their faces though and there were no signs of the mutts that had once protected the base.

               Metal doors had once blocked the only entrance to the concrete structure. Now, the iron was torn and twisted. Deep gashes were carved into the door, the metal jutting inwards.

               "What in the Three Gods happened here?" Andrew's voice was filled with paranoia. He knelt and picked up a spent shell that lay at the entrance.

               Krieg did not respond for a moment. He peered into the darkness of the outpost and sighed. "I don't know, but it looks like the power is out. I think something that wasn't the Onyx Tide attacked them." Either way, it was their job to find out. Krieg sighed one more time before lifting his sidearm and turning on the tactical light. Andrew and Hailey followed suit.

               Sabre let out a low whimper as they entered the poorly lit construct. The dog was promptly sniffing the ground, leading to the north wing of the outpost.

               "Sabre's got the scent of something." Andrew stated the obvious. "Maybe something that's alive?" He shined his light across the papers sprawled across the ground.

               "Doesn't matter, the data we want is in the eastern sector. Come on Sabre." Krieg tapped the purebred lightly on the side with his foot.

               "Sir, we were sent here to find intel. Perhaps it would be worth checking out what the dog is tracking." Hailey withdrew the rifle that she had strapped across her back and cradled it. Krieg glanced at her and towards the northern hallway. No matter which way they went, they would be moving into darkness. The only thing that stopped the veil was the daylight filtering in from the front.

               Krieg gave Hailey's suggestion a second thought. "Fine, we'll see what's got Sabre so worked up. Any signs of a waste of time and we turn around. Let's move." Krieg gave a sharp whistle, commanding Sabre to follow the scent that had been picked up.

               Leaving the front lobby behind, the three soldiers treaded after the dog. Their lights were like pale ghosts in the darkness as they swept over doors. The silence was not the part that worried Krieg; it was the lack of bodies. No signs of life or death. It looked as if the entire squadron had packed up over night.

               Sabre came to a sudden halt and lifted his head. The dog glared down the hallway and let out a low growl. His sharp teeth showed as he snarled at a wall of darkness. Krieg lifted his flashlight and pointed it down the hallway. The light almost seemed to be eaten up by the shroud. He couldn't even see the end.

               "What is it?" Andrew's voice echoed along the hallways. Another growl followed, but this one did not come from Sabre. It was much deeper. Stumbling out from the blanket of shadows, a demon showed itself. Perhaps at one point in time it could have been human. All that remained was a shell and a deformed body. The monster's ribcage was broken through the front of its chest. Bones splintered from its back. Eyes as black as coal stared down Krieg and his group as it stepped forward. The monstrosity walked on all fours, almost similar to an ape. It's back legs were twisted to impossible angles.

               "Shoot it," Krieg ordered. No sooner had the order been given, the beast cried out. With a sudden burst of speed it hurled itself at them. Its deformed clawed hands were aimed right for Krieg's throat.

Part 3 To be released next week