Chapter 2.3 || The Duskwalker

Solus Brittanica

Janus 17, 1923 A.V

Dante

Olivia Harker

Her fingers twirled around her hair as she lifted her hood up again, looking at the mirror. “Hm,” she hummed, fixing her locks. She placed the mask on her face and stole one last look at her hair before shaking her head. “Ah, it doesn't matter,” she said to herself. 

She quickly left her house and headed for the shuttle station. It was another night, which meant another day at work. She’d probably have to do samples again, which was the most unpleasant part of her job, but if it pays the bills then she couldn’t really complain. 

She passed by the steel spiraling buildings of Dante, ramshackled and put together with different pieces of metal  sheets and whatever else could be found. Human and strigoi children running around and playing in the narrow streets. She gave a small smile, the human children had colorful and decorated masks, each different to every individual.

“Buena notte, Miss Olivia!” A few of the kids waved at her. Two human boys and one strigoi girl. “Vas al lavoro again, tonight?”

“Yeah, bloody work again. Pero it’s alright, und I get paid, ja?”

“Es wunderbar up there? I heard that tienes big walkers und autos up there!” the girl said.

“Pues, I heard die gente di sopra are proper posh und chic. No me gusta gente rich,” said one of the boys, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Now, now. Ellos are good people. They’re just cauti, pero noi should be rispettosi, ja” Olivia chuckled, shaking her head.

“Ja, claro!”

“Alright, tutti voi, geht ahora. Go, go! Don’t you cause trouble now, or I’m telling tus padres!”

“Haha! Nein, Miss Olivia!” 

Olivia sighed, shaking her head. “Kinder.”

As she arrived at the shuttle station and headed for the ticketing booth, paying for her two way ticket. She passed through the doors and went straight for the nearest shuttle. 

She sat herself at the very front, and strapped herself in with a seatbelt. She yawned and glanced toward the mirror. The shuttle was basically empty, barely even any passengers besides herself. It was to be expected of course. Not many Dantenites wanted to head up to the surface as duskwalkers. The discrimination was a major factor in that decision, but for some who just didn’t care, found it to be a lucrative source of income, better than anything that could be found in the depths of the underground city. 

“Please strap on your seatbelts and hold on to the armchairs. We are about to begin the ascent,” the driver’s voice came over the speaker. 

The doors of the shuttle hissed shut as compressed air vented from the seals. A soft clunk followed, and the green boarding light flipped to red.

The shuttle lurched gently backward, massive chains attached to the shuttle’s tail began dragging it along the track to build up launch momentum. At the same time, thick steel cables anchored to its nose strained forward, holding it in place—coiling the entire vehicle in a mechanical tug-of-war. The shuttle’s engines roared to life, its wheels whirring as they spun, suspended inches away from the track. The steel cables attached to the nose of the shuttle strained hard as it pulled hard on the front. 

Olivia did as was instructed and leaned back, grabbing her armchairs. The shuttle creaked as it was pulled from opposing sides and shuddered as if it were to tear apart.

The driver’s voice came over the speakers once again.  "Launching in three… two… one..."

The chains at the rear released with a thunderous snap. In an instant, the front cables yanked the shuttle across the track like a slingshot, aided by gravity and the vehicle’s own power. It was pulled down before being pulled upward, launching it up the vertical track. Its wheels spun furiously just above the rail, adding thrust to the already immense pull. The engines whined as they tried to keep up, barely contributing as the shuttle screamed skyward. With a flash of speed, the shuttle was pulled up five hundred feet upwards along the track as it went up at a ninety degree angle. 

After two minutes of vertical ascent, the track curved to level, and the shuttle slowed, gliding onto the surface of Thamesford. The shuttle stopped with a creak, and a sharp hiss as air vented out from the doors as they opened. Olivia unclasped the seat belt around her and got up, stepping out of the shuttle. 

It was dark out again. The sun was going down, painting the sky in pretty red streaks contrasting with the dark blue sky and grey clouds. It looked like an oil painting. Something she wanted to get into for a long time now. 

She walked out of the station and shoved her hands into her pockets, walking out in the dusk, true to the name. 

Now, all she had to do was head toward the Duskwalk tram station, and probably catch one heading for the university. She stretched out her arms and cracked her back before walking down the street. She waited a few minutes before a tram came around. She headed inside and sat down on one of the chairs. It would take about half an hour of travel time to get to the university, so she tried to busy herself with her thoughts for the moment. 

It was the same old scene outside, just people walking and going about their usual business. Large walkers and few cars out on the road. Tall brick buildings every block, street lamps beginning to light up as the darkness began to spread— the night taking over while ‘Great Sol’ set behind the horizon. 

She was about a quarter left on the way to the university when she suddenly perked up. Her long pointed ears flicked underneath her hood. She could hear something. It was faint, but definitely undeniable. It was getting louder by the second. A faint buzzing… an engine? No. A propeller.

She stood up as the tram suddenly stopped. She looked out the window, glancing upwards at the sky. Then she heard it. The unmistakable sound of explosions in the distance. The stench hit her despite her mask. The smell of fire and smoke in the atmosphere. 

People outside were frozen in fear pointing up at the sky as the large figures approached. Skyships dropping bombs across the entire city. Olivia gasped and quickly ran out of the tram. “Everyone, run! Get to safety, now!” she screamed out, trying to shake the people from their paralyzed states. 

“Start hauling bloody ass! Get to shelter!” Oliva grabbed a man by the shoulders and shook him, seemingly bringing him back to his senses. 

“S-strigoi! Strigoi! T-the Crescent are coming!” the man screamed, breaking out of her grasp and taking off as fast as he could in the opposite direction. The sight of the first man running set a cascade of events in motion. The staring crowd soon transformed into a deadly stampede as people ran over each other trying to get to safety. 

Olivia hissed behind her mask as she dove for those who had fallen over, shielding them from the onslaught of heavy bodies crashing against one another as they ran over them. She helped them up before making sure everyone got out of the area. 

The skyships were looming over her now. The bombs were dropping left and right. She was about to run herself when she heard a cry for help coming from the tram she was in. The driver, in a panic, couldn’t remove his own seatbelt. His fingers fumbling the lock and shaking as he shivered and yelled out in fear as the line of explosions got closer. 

Olivia quickly ran toward the front of the tram and grabbed the door to the driver’s compartment. She tore it off its hinges, bending the metal with just her brute strength and tossing it aside. She took the man’s seatbelt and swiped it with a single motion, ripping it out and freeing the driver. “Go!” she yelled. “Run! Get out of here, get to shelter!”

She ran right beside the driver, making sure he wasn’t left behind, but the skyships were right above them. It would be too late. The bombs dropping behind them made it hard to walk, the flames licking at their backs. In a last ditch effort, Olivia rammed into the driver and pushed him forward just a bomb dropped beside them. The explosion sent her flying, singing part of her clothes and knocking  her mask off of her face before she slammed hard against a wall.

Her vision was spinning. Her ears ringing as she blinked her eyes and tried to get back up, shaking her head. She looked around, seeing the destruction all around her. Buildings had toppled and burned. The road was cracked and filled with craters. 

The scents everywhere were stronger. She blinked her eyes, her hands reaching for her mask that was no longer there. The smell of fire. Smoke. Dust. Blood. It all made her feel dizzy as it all hit at the same time. 

She quickly got back up, and turned her attention toward the skyships that had finally moved past her position, dropping more bombs. There seemed to be no end to their destruction and chaos, almost as if their plan was to bomb the entire city to rubble, but she couldn’t have been more wrong. 

She squinted her eyes as she saw them pause at a certain distance. Then, what looked like thick ropes dropped down from the skyships. She gasped, taking a step back to hide behind some debris as she watched figures travel down the rope and reach the ground. Dozens of them dropping down from each of the ten ropes attached to each skyship. 

The Crescent Moon.

 She had heard of them in history classes. But she never thought she’d see one up close. Her hands gripped her hood as her eyes trailed the figures wearing thick coats and heavy jack boots. They had arqers slung on their backs, their coats sporting pins and insignias of a crescent shape. The symbol plastered on the red band they wore on their shoulder. 

There they were. Humanity’s greatest foe, and the subject of children’s horror stories. They pranced around laughing at spreading their arms out as if to stretch and enjoy the smell of death in the air. 

Olivia slowly began to move. She had to get out of here. She had to get back to Dante to warn her parents, or maybe she could get some help for any survivors, but her thoughts gave her pause… 

Would anyone really help me, considering it was strigoi that caused this to happen? But I have to try. People around me are suffering. Dying. I need to help somehow. 

She furrowed her brow and began to slip away. She wouldn’t forgive herself if she didn’t at least try.