The Cost of Doing Business part 6

"Captain," Mr. Steelcastle whispered to me "This place is unholy, full of evil ! " Holding the crucifix and voodoo doll that he kept together on a necklace, he spoke again"Captain I know I owe you but ,please..not in there." This took me aback, Miriam Steelcastle, the only man I ever saw get shot and then walk over to the guy who shot him take away his gun and shoot him with it, that same man is now begging me not to go somewhere. I can't say as I blamed him a bit truth , I didn't want to go either.

"Walk tall and strong Mr Steelcastle, we are going in, and we ARE coming out." I wish I really believed that but as long as my ship was hostage what choice did I have ?

"Come along Captain, nothin inside will harm you" Why didnt I believe that ? I have heard rumors of dark powers requiring sacrifices of a certain number, hence I figured the four men he said had to accompany us. All these thoughts and more ran through my head as we took the last few steps into the foul black abyss of an entrance. How do you know where you're going ?" I asked not sure I really wanted to know. "Lanterns " I issued the command to light them and we began down a long decending slope of a passage.The air was still as death and smelled worse, strange skittering noises could be heard just out of the torch light, I could only hope as the crew was doing aswell Im sure, that the noises were mere rats or vermin, but in my soul I knew that it wasnt.The crew stayed huddled together close behind me as I followed the master of this tomb to where I did not yet know.

"I know you must be curious Captain the professor whispered over his shoulder, the others dont notice it but I know you do , yes , they are all around us , my lost children, my little charges" This startled me as he spoke so calmly about the creatures surrounding us."Oh, dont worry here I am in control, as a matter of fact your crew dont hear us talking at all " "What", I said" They are right here" and as I spun around to make a point I grabbed for Mr Steelcastles arm...MY HAND PASSED RIGHT THROUGH ! "He sees us walking ahead of him Captain nothing more" While I cannot effect your senses thusly, theirs as pure human are so easily manipulated" Thats when I realized that we were still moving ,I wasnt walkin, but we were still moving!

"Its merely a mode of conveyance captain, these creatures below us offer their service willingly to the Master and by extension to me." I looked down to see a bizzare creature it appeared like a cross of a turtle and a sting ray , there was one under the feet of all of us carrying us faithfully somewhere, they made little noise appearing to be mindlessly just moving.

"Whats so important, ya got us here , now what, somesorta sacrifice for ultimate power"

"My dear Captain , how shortsighted, I dont crave pitiful human domination."

"Then what ?"

"Ah, here we are " he said completely ignoring my question. I looked around us , we were on the shore of an underground lake more prescisely on a penninsula extending into the water with what appeared to be some sort of alien altar. I have travelled the world and I have seen the wonders of the ancient temples of Europe and Asia this was nothing like them, it radiated an aura of cold, and ..for lack of any better discription it felt actively evil I know that isnt a fashionable concept these days but I swear it felt wrong , like it was brought into this existance against the will of this world. I could see in normal darkness like daylight but this place , was truely dark, secrets hiding here would be kept . "Now my good Captain , tell me what you think. "

"Of what?" He spoke some phrase I wont even attempt to pronounce and the walls began to glow a sick blue green , then the eyes,...all the eyes came into view, there were thousands watching us , what are these wretched things, they appeared as emaciated hairless humans but the eyes were white, but I know the eyes of predators, they werent blind, these sickly stinking creatures were killers. They chittered incessantly back and forth to each other in the water watching us as they moved. The water or maybe it was more like black oil stuck to them like syrup, and the more they stirred it the worse it smelled.

Suddenly the old fool snapped his fingers ,"I almost forgot " He waved his hands and the spell surrounding my men faded.

"Captain!" they all shouted in near unison as they came out of it , the smell of the place causing two of them to vomit and the other two to try not to. They paniced as the scene before them registered."Captain!! ,where are we!?" The formed a tight circle drew their weapons.

"Stand down , for now " I urged them, hoping they believed the calm I tried to put into my own voice.

"My dear Captain" the old feinds voice now cold and truely evil," This is why I have brought you here to assist me, I do indeed need sacrifices, but they must be more appropriate. This is why I bought you and your murdering cutthroats here, he waved his arms in a grand gesture around the chamber, my loving children have been here waiting to DIE."

I had nothing I could say as I faced him,his countenance no longer human something else was there in his shell now and it was powerful.

" You see there are always rules" he casually spoke" I cannot take their lives myself they must die in my sight .I must know they died .....FOR ME! "