12. Hanako Feels The Heat.

The Alpha Rat was the size of a castle, with ruby red eyes and black fur divided into burning grid lines of fire. In place of a front right foot was a human arm flexing with anger.

Hanako hid behind the first dead rodent, slowly lifting the shield off her back.

Before she could plan a move, the giant's tail whipped around, sending her flying out into the open.

Hanako rolled out of the path of the Demon Rat before it slashed down against the shield. Holding against the weight, she could feel claws connect with vengeance, but only managed to graze the surface. With a clear line of sight, the girl threw Chain-Maker into the side of the beast, where it remained.

Angered, the Rat went for another strike.

The wind-up gave Hanako enough time to flee out of danger and head toward the far edge of the turntable. She slid underneath, just as the Demon Rat breathed out a jet of pure lava. Even underneath tons of metal, she could feel the intense heat coming from above.

Hanako stayed down, waiting for the right time to exit. She felt safe for a moment, but something felt off; the slim light that caught her foot would blacken as if some shadow was interrupting it.

It seemed like the entire floor was shifting, writhing and seething with motion. Hanako moved into a shaft of light, and she realised to her horror that every cursed inch of the underside was teeming with an endless river of Rats.

Nope. Nope. Not today. 

Cold with panic, she quickly found a ladder and emerged from underneath.

Hanako spotted a carriage, lying on its side. Glancing around, she saw the Demon Rats turned away, giving her a slender chance to hide behind the train.

Where to go? Where to go?  She thought. Then she saw it, the green door at the far end. It seemed to be her only option..

Peaking around, she saw the Demon-Rat still looking in the other direction; it was now or never.

Hanako fled to the dirty green door lit in half-shade. The noise and chaos must have alerted the creature, because she could feel the tremors getting closer.

To her relief, the door opened easily, and she hurled herself into the room.

Once inside, while the door was outlined in flames, to her surprise, it held pretty well. Hanako kept her back against the wall and gently slid the metal bolt across.

Looking around, she found herself in some sort of laboratory, with a desk and bookcase to her immediate right.

On the floor, a thick trail of dry blood led from the entrance to the dark end of the room. Hanako hesitated, reluctant to venture any further, but she felt trapped, and her lack of options gave her no choice.

She took a flint shard from a pouch and sparked up a nearby torch. Adjusting to the bloom of orange light, she gasped upon seeing a trough filled to the brim with human bones.

Shocked, the girl backed into a cage, which shook from inside. Sweeping a torch around, she caught sight of a smaller rat with red eyes.

Its posture was one of fear, almost straining from the light. Hanako saw the same in the other cages, all of which were occupied with rats and cowering at the back. She noted how each of the Rats was lying on a woman’s tattered dress.

What kind of laboratory was this? One which involved kidnapping and mutation? Why was this under the Castle? Was Isaac involved?

The torchlight revealed a small hallway that led to another room. It appeared to be an office, with bars across the window and the skeleton of someone still in their suit, grabbing at thick vines which blocked the exit.

What is this place? 

To her right was a Bronze ladder leading up to a wooden hatch, locked tight. This seemed like her only way out.

I need a key. 

Hanako searched all over the laboratory; through the desk drawers and shelves. Even scattering books in the hopes that something would fall out. None of the documents gave any clues, since they were written in an unknown language that made her dizzy.

No luck. Zero.

To her left, she noticed a black book inscribed with the title: ‘Padden’s Journal.. She thumbed through the worn, yellow pages and was surprised to see the text was in English, as if it had been written for her alone:

‘Three brothers for daughters true. All grew weary, when shadows grew.’

Were these the daughters? Was this some punishment? Shrugging, she stowed the journal in the knapsack.

The room shook, and a shower of dust loosened. It was then that Hanako realised she had lost sight of why she was here. Sitting down and she covered her face with both hands.

Why is there a lock but no key? It didn’t make sense. A normal person would always have a key on them.

f only they were still here. If only they…never…left. 

A slow realisation trickled in. She returned to the small hallway and looked at the skeleton.

You’ve got to be kidding. 

Hanako approached the corpse and rubbed her arms.

I ain’t touching that!

She glanced at the skeleton and gave it a quick once-over. Her insides felt heavy, as if replaced by lead bars.

I have to, or I won’t be able to leave. 

Starting with the top, she reached into the inside jacket pocket and touched something soft and leathery. Upon removing her hand, the fingers brushed against a bony ribcage through the shirt.

Hanako did a little dance of disgust.

No-no-no-no! 

After calming down, she inspected the wallet. No money, just a drawing of a village with red X’s marked around the page. Whatever mystery this person was keeping died with them. Hanako reluctantly checked the lower left pocket of the Blazer.

It was empty. No luck there.

Please don’t be in the trousers. She thought.

Placing a hand inside the right pocket of the Blazer, she could feel something metallic and round. Her heart leapt, and she pulled out a set of keys.

Hanako made her way up the ladder, unlocked the hatch and found herself on a small stone walkway next to a thin wooden rail. From above, she could see the Demon Rat still searching for the intruder, squeaking in fury and burning the remaining train cars with its lava breath.

The girl ducked down out of sight and wondered if Rats could look up.

Something caught her eye to the left. In a hole in the wall, a faint glow of torchlight could be seen. Moving around, she hesitated at the wall and peered inside.

 There was a woman with a sack over her head, propped up against the wall and tending a tiny campfire. Hanako found it hard to believe that someone would decide to make a home in one of the most inhospitable places on the planet.

“Come in, if you’re coming in.” The woman said. “I, for one, will not bite. Heh Heh Heh.”

Hanako carefully moved out from her hiding place into the small area. She could see the woman’s toothy mouth form words.

“Don’t mind your manners around me, child. It’s been a long time since I have concerned myself. The name’s Cressida. I take it you saw the others?” The girl nodded sadly. “Unlike them, this mutation has stalled, leaving me halfway in between. I don’t know what’s worse: To lose yourself to the transformation, or be fully aware of it.” The woman took another swig from the green bottle. “Anyway, I suppose you’re looking to kill that Rat. The only way I know is to flood the area. Yank the chain on the top level and open the pipes. It will fill up half the basin. I would have done it long ago, but I don’t have the strength. Here.” Cressida produced an object that was cream-coloured and curled to a point.

“It’s a claw; figure you can do something with it. That old bastard might as well be useful.” Hanako tucked the claw into her belt and nodded gratefully. She then paused and turned around, as if to ask one more question.

“Yes,” Cressida said, swallowing down. “We will all drown like Rats, as it should be. Don’t waste time on being sad, child. Just turn around and don’t look back.”

Without any further hesitation, Hanako took herself back out toward the path.

Passing the hatch, she came to a rickety wooden ladder. It ended on a platform, next to a flow system with three ropes. She pulled at the first loop, but nothing happened. The middle one felt heavier and was harder to tug down.

The Rat suddenly squealed at a new intruder. Hanako looked over the edge and was stunned to see the first Rat being dragged by its tail into the corner. She covered her mouth as a muscular figure emerged from the shadows, covered in vines.

The girl remembered what Isaac said about the Headless-Nameless being relentless and how it does not like to lose. Was it hunting her down? Did it know she was here? By the way it proceeded to slam its fists against the locked door, Hanako suspected this was the case.

The girl crouched down next to the ropes and tried the middle one again. Being as quiet as possible, she pulled down the middle rope,  hand over hand, but there was some resistance

She tried again and watched in horror as the Headless-Nameless emerged from the shadows on the first-level walkway. Out of instinct, she kept slowly pulling at the ropes and heard the sound of creaking metal followed by rushing water. The Demon Rat squealed in fear and fled back through the broken wall.

Hanako waited for the water level to rise slowly. Soon, the door of the laboratory was submerged until the first level collapsed into splinters. She felt a pang of sadness when the waters snuffed out the glow of the campfire.

Luckily, the Headless-Nameless receded into darkness, choosing to fight another day.

I  guess it doesn’t like water.  Hanako thought, somewhat relieved.

Satisfied, she took a line of metal hoops up to the exit and left the sewer through a tall set of double doors.