Chapter 8: The Catacombs Below

Despite following the initially straightforward path within the tombs, Peter & Jakov soon found themselves lost in an endless labyrinth, wandering a web of house tombs, mass graves and rows of skulls with no clear end in sight. The path seemed to be one giant circle, but Peter couldn’t tell his left from his right anymore.

“We’ve passed this one a few times before, haven’t we?”

“Which one?”

“The skull with the fractured eye socket.”

“You can tell these things apart from one another?”

Peter tried his absolute best to keep his cool with the young teen, who stared intently at the decomposed carcass in front of him, as if he expected its bleached mouth to provide them with an answer. But he knew the sharpness of his tongue and reddening face would give him away, which became all the more difficult with the pounding on the blockaded door from the catacomb's entrance gradually growing in intensity. With their torches petering as the wax lost their potency, it wouldn’t be too much longer until darkness was all that stood between them and the beasts who breached the cathedral.

“Oh God, we’re going to die as bird food for those things down here, aren’t we?” Peter dragged his body down to the floor, trying not to disturb the skulls that stared at them from all angles.

“Your Grace, now is not the time to fret, you are Krsnik, I trust you with my life.”

Peter tried not to laugh, “Won’t mean too much if we can’t find the trap door out of here.” While Peter attempted to pull himself out of his despair, the skull with the fractured eye socket shook and wiggled in place. Jakov jumped and reached for his sword in a panic, ready to swing towards whatever abomination was moving within the fleet of skulls around them.

Roarus, child-like laughter echoed through the catacombs. “Relax, friends, I mean you no, imminent, harm. Just a little ruse to keep my sanity.”

Jakov keeps his sword hand ready. “Reveal yourself, villain.”

“Oh, I assure you I’m no villain, in fact, you might very well call me your savior.” The cracked skull rattled, until it fell from its resting place, shattering into pieces on the dusty floor. A childlike head popped into its place, with a long red cap that matched his equally auburn hair. Despite his joyous smile, his skin carried an uncanny tint of yellow to it, with intense crimson eyes, not too much unlike the Strigas. “No need to be afraid, I know I’m a little-strange-on the eyes, but you’ll find no more a loyal ally than me.” As it crawled out from the opening, taking out several other skulls in the process, the rest of its body became visible to the two. The thing was the size of a dwarf, no more than a couple feet in length. It wore a hodge-podged doublet, made from a variety of colors, with shapes and patterns that didn’t quite match, along with poulaines that curled up at their ends.

The creature bowed in front of Peter, “My Lord, I am simply known as Tintilinić, though my friends call me Tinnie. I hope to be your friend.” He laughed another roarious laugh.

Jakov continued to keep his sword hilt in his hand. “My Lord, give me the word and I’ll strike down this madman.”

Tinny put his hand on his head and heaved an exaggerated gasp. “Oh, you wouldn’t kill a poor, unarmed soul like me, would you? There’s no honor in that. Besides, you have bigger problems than me.” He motioned to the screeching and banging that continued to echo through the halls. “I’m no gambling man, but if I were, I’d figure you have another few minutes before those things break down that door and make you into an excellent Cobanac Stew. Lucky for you, I happen to know exactly how to leave these catacombs. I just demand one tiny price.”

John looked down at the conniving creature in front of him. He knew he couldn’t trust the thing, not fully, but the odds of them finding the trap door in time were looking bleak. He supposed he didn’t have a ton of leverage in the situation himself. “And what would that be?”

“Your Grace?”

“As it happens, I’m also not on great terms with those beasts. I’ll provide my skills and knowledge until you, oh mighty Krsnik, can handle them for good. When the time comes, I’ll just ask one favor of you when the time is right. Whenever I decide to initiate that favor in the future, you must relinquish it to me.”

“I don’t l-like to agree to something I-I know nothing about.”

“I promise, it’s a fair offer, no harm will fall upon your head over it and I always keep my word.”

Jakov leered at the creature, “I don’t like it.”

The banging on the door yielded to splinters and the cracking of wood. “I-it appears we don’t have a choice. It’s a deal.”

Tinnie gleefully screamed out, “Oh how I love a good bargain. Here’s what you need to do, push on the accursed skulls as hard as you can, each of you on the left side of say…here.” Tinnie pointed to a spot

Metallic screams boomed through the catacombs. Peter and Jakov pushed all of their weight onto the skulls. He felt them crumble and crack under his weight. At first, he thought the act was a final cruel prank from the creature, until the pushing in place caused them to tumble forward. The wall gave way and buckled under the pressure, showing a fresh bundle of skulls on the other side as the other wall rotated forward. Tinnie giggled as they regained their footing. “Careful now, it’d be an awful place to lose your head.” He laughed too hard at his own joke for Peter’s taste. Jakov looked to his Lord in confirmation, both wondering what in the hell they truly just signed up for…