The Masks of Nyarlathotep: Australia pt 5

Extracts from the Personal Diary of John Jamil Zwaiter

After Death

We are going to attack the real cultists again. But first, of course, more talking, talking, talking.

….

Finally! Off we go. I stick with James and two Mimis. This is only a recce, but better than the endless talking.

….

Ouch!! I’ve tripped, hurt my leg. How can that be? I’m dead!

….

I can’t get over how the Mimi opens up the rock like parting the water in a shower. He gave us a spy-hole into the cultists’ dormitory which really interested James. I was more interested in my leg. How can it hurt?

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Uh-huh. Trying to be too clever and take a second look at the cultists camp. Two guards have seen us and are coming to investigate. They are talking in Darja, the Maghrebi Arabic dialect spoken in western countries like Morocco and Algeria. They are sure they have seen something. James has hidden himself against the tunnel wall, the Mimis have sunk into it. And I am still standing in the corridor. Do I have to hide? Can they see me? They are shooting!!! Havn’t hit me, though.

James tried to sneak away, got caught in the guard’s torchlight – and a Mimi drew him into the wall. Then…

Wow, that was something else. I’m not sure what happened. Now the guards are gone, James and the Mimis are back, and we’re heading back to the rest of our group.

….

Finally!! We are all heading for the cultists’ lair and will split into three groups for the attack. James, two Mimis and I will carry out one diversionary attack, while Fatima, Kakatak and two more Mimis undertake a second one. The main attack, starting in the cultists’ dormitory will be Dave, Marshall, Ginger, Freddie, two Mimis and 6 ghouls. Off we go, along the tunnels again.

….

But first, it goes wrong, of course. A Living Wind in the tunnels. Very nasty! It and lightning guns are the only things the Mimis fear. However, they got everyone to safety inside the rock walls except one of the ghouls, Kakatak, James and myself. As the air roared and sand and debris flew around, I used my medallion to make it go away, but it did not. Then Kakatak scored a hit with his lightning gun. We were all getting injured by the sand and debris the Living Wind kicked up. It came really close and for the first time we had a glimpse through the swirling sand of what it looked like. Horrific and disorientating.

Finally, James remembered he’d got a medallion identical to mine from somewhere and managed to make the Living Wind go away. I was glad I’d talked with him earlier about how to use the medallion.

The sight of the monster and intensity of the fight were too much to take in. I saw the Living Wind flee …..

……

Then I was sitting on the floor next to the ghoul with my back to the rock. At that moment I never ever wanted to feel wind against my skin again. Living underground would be fine! Everyone had emerged from the rock and the Mimi were clustered around James.

I’m not surprised that he looks upset by his experience.

We continue trekking to the cultists. Then Fatima, Kakatak and their two Mimis split off towards their diversionary destination. They had furthest to go and we’d agreed that they would start shooting first.

Soon James, our two Mimis and myself reached the tunnel we had to take. James had been really shaken by the encounter with the Living Wind. His whole body was trembling.

We reach the tunnel with the brightly lit cultists’ camp at the end of it. The Mimi could not find any cracks in the rock, so we could not get close to the camp through the rock as we had planned. Instead, we dreamt up a small rockfall to give us cover about 100 yards from the cultists. James and I quietly sneaked up to the loose rocks and lay down, concealed and ready to fire as soon as we heard shots from Fatima’s party. James was trembling so badly that he’d shoot all over the place. As a solution, I suggested the spell ‘cloud memory’ to take away his memory of seeing the Living Wind. This pleased him, so I cast the spell and after about five minutes he stopped trembling. Success!

It was so quiet that I could hear the cultists talking. They had spotted the rockfall, and normally would send a party to clear it. However, their camp was on alert due to the guards seeing us earlier, so these cultist did not want to venture out without orders. Fortunately, none arrived! James fiddled with his rifle, I balanced my heavy lightning gun on the rocks and we waited and watched the people in the camp.

And waited…

And waited…

Suddenly, the sound of gunfire, lightning gun fire – and our attack started!

James fired his rifle, and one of the people collapsed. I fired my lightning gun. I don’t think I hit anyone but it made a loud noise and vivid light. Then the Mimis ran forwards at an incredible speed and were among the cultists. I feared hitting them so did not fire again until they were out of the way. James continued with his carefully aimed rifle-shots– and anyway bullets would not hurt the Mimis. The cultists fired one or two shots at us but soon the Mimis, James – and arrival of the main assault team – gave them closer problems.

Yells and screams from people, the flash of lightning guns, sound of gunfire – all very dramatic.

I decided to move 50 yards up the tunnel to see what I could do, other than wait. After all, I’m dead. Surely I can’t die twice?

Then I moved forward again, stepped over a low barrier and entered the cultist camp. I saw a lone woman on an upper level with a rifle and fired my lightning gun at her. I missed, and she shot back at me, also missing. Then more people appeared near her, including some Mimis so I couldn’t fire again.

I looked for something else to do and headed for the cages containing the cultist’s prisoners.

It took time to get to them and the fight was almost over by the time I arrived. Fatima was already there and had got one open. Two very frightened, pregnant, injured women huddled at the back. Then Kakatak glided up and almost scared them to death. Other cages held more people.

My – colleagues? friends? – ignored me, but I once caught Marshall staring directly at me.

We’ll soon leave this place now that most of the cultists, including their leader, are dead or prisoners. Where to next?

More talking, people crying and arguing. Then one of the freed men, whom the Mimi had clustered around, stands tall and makes a speech, thanking us. Strangely, he speaks in elegant classical Arabic, but everyone seems to understand him. After that, the injured people are giggling and smiling and I feel calmer. Finally, after even more talking, there’s a decision to leave the caverns to get help and find out more about the cultists. There’s documents to take away that are full of their plans.

I feel strange about leaving here. After all, I’m dead, aren’t I? I don’t want to stay here as the Mimis hunt down the remaining mad cultists – that thought of remaining underground after we encountered the Living Wind was just a passing fear. I don’t want to be alone, but I also don’t want to be with people who cannot see or hear me. Having James as my only friend would be a lonely life and he’s half-mad himself.

However, now we are no longer focused on the danger from the cultists, as well as James Marshall seeing me, Fatima’s also looking at me after putting on a mask. Freddie piped up with the idea of the Dreamlands. He’s got a spell to send me there. I’ve visited the Dreamlands once. After talking this over with James, since he can hear me as well as see me, I agree that this would be a great idea. Freddie begins the ritual of the spell ….

And I’m on a bridge facing the Celephaïs. I recognise it from my last visit. I’m more alive (ha!) and cheerful than I’ve been ages. And I can be seen!! People crossing the bridge are moving round me. Excellent!!! Thank goodness I’ve got clothes on, unlike the last time I arrived in the Dreamlands! Oh, and I’ve got an arquebus and a duelling pistol instead of my shotgun and automatic. Now, I just need directions to the court of King Kuranes.