Midnight Beneath the Clock Tower

a Ragnarok Online fanfic

by Serenade

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Although it contains references to actual characters, places, or events, their depiction in this story is based solely on the author's imagination, and should not be implied as representing reality in any way.

Dedication: To Lenor.

"Stay close," Lunakitty said, her steely grey eyes intent. "I can't protect you if you wander off."

Asheroth nodded, his fingers curling tight around the grip of his bow. He felt the pressure of Lunakitty's gaze. "I understand. I follow your lead."

They stood on the lowest level of the ancient clock tower. All around them, the massive clockworks turned, grinding and groaning in their slow, inexorable movement. The sound reverberated in the empty spaces; Asheroth could feel his heartbeat pulsing in time to the rhythm.

Before them loomed the entrance to the underground caverns, a lightless, gaping maw. His instincts screamed at him to stay well clear. But Lunakitty said he was ready, and he had given his word to trust her.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lenor circling, keeping watch on the corridor for hostile monsters. She moved like a shadow among shadows, the whisper of silk about her as she walked.

"This is the plan," Lunakitty said. The look in her eyes commanded absolute attention. Asheroth had tried, without success, to work out how old she was. Her hair was pale as moonlight, but her face was ageless.

"We go in together," Lunakitty said. "Lenor will scout ahead, you stay close to me. We're hunting penomenas. The caverns beneath the clock tower are a spawning ground for them--we should be able to find a nest easily."

"I've never seen one before," Asheroth said. "How will I recognise it?"

"You know hydras, don't you?" At Asheroth's nod, Lunakitty went on. "Penomenas are similar, except they have red tentacles instead of green, they attack faster, hit harder, and are tougher to kill." A thin smile touched her lips. "They also roam freely, unlike their cousins, and hunt fresh meat for food."

"I see." Sweat crawled down the nape of Asheroth's neck. What had he got himself into?

It's a test, Lenor had said. She wants to see how you do. Lunakitty was the leader of Lenor's guild, Shin Ravenloft, and a powerful priestess. Asheroth still felt uneasy around her, especially the way her gaze seemed to peel back the layers of his skin.

"When we find what we're looking for--or when it finds us--I'll cast a protection spell around us. As long as you stay within its circle, you'll be safe from the penomenas. Do not step away from the light! Lenor will cast her venom dust on the penomenas. Once the poison has weakened them enough, you will shoot. Do you understand?"

Asheroth nodded.

Lunakitty gestured for Lenor to rejoin them. The assassin gave Asheroth a nod and a wink. "Relax," she whispered. "You'll do fine. Luna's been here more times than I can remember, and she always brings everyone back safely."

They followed the stairs down.

* * * * *

The sound of the clockworks faded as they descended, to be replaced by the drip of water and the faint whisper of moving air. The glow of phosphorescent moss lit the caverns and threw oddly shaped shadows on the walls. Water pooled everywhere, mysterious lights dancing beneath its surface.

Lenor led the way, her feet finding the sure path across the uneven, stony ground. Lunakitty followed, her face betraying no sign of concern. Last of all came Asheroth, close on their heels, his gaze roving all about the caverns. Strange hisses and clicks echoed in the distance.

Lenor bent down and pointed. "There's a trail here, Luna," she said. "Penomena. Recent, too."

"How many?" Lunakitty asked.

"A couple. Maybe three or four."

"That's good." Lunakitty turned to Asheroth. "Remember what I said. Stay close, wait for my signal."

"Understood." As they began to follow the trail, Asheroth felt his heartbeat accelerating. Ever since Lenor had brought him out of Payon, he had travelled further than he had ever dreamed and seen more than he could have imagined. But nothing he had so far encountered had conjured up the same sense of dread and anticipation that these caverns did.

"There!" Lenor stopped short, pointing ahead to a rocky outcrop. "Luna!"

Lunakitty began to murmur the words of the spell. Light filled her eyes. Slowly, a glowing green mist swirled up from the ground, rising to veil her legs and feet.

Lenor was already by her side. "Over here, Ash!"

He needed no second prompting, scrambling across to join her. Standing within the mist, he breathed in its sharp, cool scent. Then he stared hard in the direction Lenor had been pointing.

"I don't see--"

"Wait!" Lenor put a hand on his arm. "It's coming."

Something detached itself from the shadow of the rocks, crawling towards them with a wet, slithering noise. Asheroth had the impression of a thick, mottled trunk topped with a mass of pulsing red tentacles. It moved as slow as wax sliding down a candle.

Without warning, one tentacle shot towards them, unwinding to an impossible length. Asheroth flinched away, instinctively throwing up one arm to protect his face.

He heard Lenor cry out. "Ash, no!"

Asheroth looked down. He had stepped out of the nimbus of light. Then something struck him in the chest with great force. He fell backwards, hitting his head against the ground. He groaned and tried to sit up. The smell of carrion assailed his nostrils. Looking up, all he saw was red, writhing and twisting like worms. Too close for bow. His hand dove to his belt and ripped the dagger from its sheath.

Red tentacles lashed out at him. Where they touched flesh, they stung and burned. One tightened around his throat, and he couldn't breathe. His vision dissolved into darkness.

* * * * *

Asheroth opened his eyes. He was lying flat on the ground, a silhouette hovering above him. "He'll be all right now," it said, in Lunakitty's voice.

"Thank heavens." Lenor's voice, nearby.

Asheroth sat up and touched his neck. The burning pain was gone, but the skin remained sore and tender. "What happened?"

"I took care of the penomena," Lenor said, crouching down beside him. "And Lunakitty healed you."

"Thank you. Both of you." Asheroth couldn't meet their eyes. "I'm sorry to have caused you all this trouble."

Lenor patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Just be more careful, all right?"

"Let's try again, shall we?" Lunakitty said. "And this time, pay attention. This place isn't generous with second chances."

Asheroth flushed. "I won't make the same mistake again."

They ran across more penomenas soon enough--a whole cluster of them, in fact, drawn by the scent of warm prey. But they seemed afraid of the glowing green mist, circling and circling without actually daring to touch it. This time, Asheroth stood his ground, even as tentacles lashed the air around him, fast as a toad's tongue snapping up flies.

From a pouch at her belt, Lenor drew out a handful of crimson powder. She scattered it over the nearest penomenas, which recoiled like slugs sprinkled with salt. As Asheroth watched, they seemed to shrink into themselves.

"Now," Lunakitty said. "Shoot."

Asheroth didn't need to be told twice. This was what he lived for, what he did best. With swift precision, he sent an arrow flying into the heart of the closest penomena. It sank deep, but had no obvious effect apart from enraging the creature. Asheroth loosed another arrow, and another, until the penomena stopped moving.

"Good work," Lunakitty said. Green mist floated past her face, dispersing like smoke; she raised her hands and began to chant softly again.

"Look out," Lenor said, "more are coming."

Asheroth turned his attention back to the penomenas. He had just killed his third one when the strange clicking noise came again. He had heard it before as they were moving through the caverns, but now it sounded closer. Much closer.

Lenor evidently heard it too--she snapped her head up and called out, "Brilight!"

It glided from the shadows like a rising moon, blue and white carapace split open to reveal transparent wings. It was the size of an eagle, the kind that could drop men off mountains. And it passed through the protective circle as though it weren't there, jagged mandibles snapping open and closed.

Lenor drew her katars. "Luna!"

But the priestess had already clasped her hands together, sacred words flowing from her lips. Glittering motes of light descended upon Lenor, like the benediction of a god.

Asheroth caught his breath.

He had seen Lenor move like the wind; now she was a hurricane. Her katars blurred as she struck at the brilight again and again. Its mandibles clicked in fury, its wings beating hard as it attacked. Several moments later, it fell on its back with a gurgle, ichor oozing from its broken carapace.

But the noise had attracted others of its kind; they swarmed from the shadows, and Lenor met them with her blades. She was fast, but they were many, and they tore at her with clawlike mandibles.

"Ash," Lunakitty said. "Start shooting."

He had been riveted to the spot in horror, but Lunakitty's voice brought him back to himself. Moving reflexively, Asheroth nocked an arrow to the string and sighted down the shaft at a brilight.

"Not those! The penomenas."

He turned to Lunakitty in shock. "But Lenor--"

"--is doing her job. As you must do yours. This is what it means to work as a team! Other people place their lives in your hands, trusting that you will carry out your duty."

Lunakitty raised her hands in preparation for another spell. "Kill the penomenas."

Asheroth saw a white light wash over Lenor, and the cuts and gashes on her skin began to seal themselves. Asheroth glanced back at Lunakitty; a look of absolute focus was in her eyes.

A tendril of green mist drifted past Asheroth's face.

It was only then that he understood what Lunakitty meant. Lenor was keeping the brilights away from them, and Lunakitty was keeping Lenor alive. But while her concentration was focused on that, she would have no chance to renew the protective circle. When it faded, they would be at the mercy of the penomenas.

There was only one thing to be done.

Asheroth loosed arrows as swiftly as his hands would move. He was operating at the level of instinct now, reflexes ingrained by countless hours of practice. Draw, target, release. Draw, target, release. His world narrowed to the movement of his hands on the bow and to the penomena in front of him. When it shuddered in its death throes, full of arrows, Asheroth turned to find another. There was always another. And another after that. And another after that.

He lost track of time. His fingers were beginning to seize up. He could feel his arms aching, could feel the muscles pulling tight across his shoulders. At last, the penomena he was shooting slumped over like a wilted plant. Asheroth swung his head around to look for the next one. All he saw were shadows.

A hand touched his arm. He jerked away in shock.

"It's all right, Ash. It's over." Lenor stood in front of him, tattered and bloody, but with a smile on her face. "We did it."

Asheroth looked around. Lifeless penomenas lay around them, and the heaped shells of brilights. No movement disturbed the shadows, no sound but the drip of water broke the silence.

Asheroth sank to the ground, breathing hard, exhaustion rolling over him. When he felt as though he could speak again, he looked up at Lenor. "Are you all right?"

Lenor waved a hand. "I'll be fine. I've survived worse than a few pesky bugs."

"You can wave him off, but not me," Lunakitty said, walking up to join them. "I want you to get those injuries looked at when we get back."

"Yes, Luna. Anything you say."

Lunakitty turned to Asheroth, measuring him with her gaze. Then she nodded. "That was well done."

Asheroth felt a spark of warmth ignite inside him. He nodded back. "I just--I did what I had to do."

"Well, I believe we're done here," Lunakitty said. "It's time to go home."

* * * * *

"So, Luna, what do you think?" Lenor asked that evening, when they were alone in the common room of the inn. "He'll do, won't he?"

Lunakitty gazed into the flames dancing in the hearth. "Yes. I believe he will."

Lenor inspected her nails. "I did some asking around while I was in Payon. There are strange stories floating about there as well, Luna. Monsters with powers. Hidden cities. Rumours of war..."

"There are dark times coming to Rune-Midgard," Lunakitty said. "I have seen the signs. That's why I've gathered you and the others. Change is in the wind, and we must be prepared."

Silence fell, interrupted only by the crackle of the fire.

"You know," Lenor said, "I wouldn't even have stopped in Payon if it hadn't been for that storm. Wasn't that a stroke of luck, finding him like that? I guess I was in the right place at the right time."

"That's not luck," Lunakitty said. "That's called fate."

- fin -