The Prize seized.
The battle for Bouvet Island had ended, the Zulu emerged as the winners, and in their grace and goodwill; they invited the Japanese and Compact expeditions to join them in uncovering the city.
Taken with an Experimental colour camera by an unknown member of the Zulu expedition.
Fortunately for the expeditions, the city’s ancient harbour was in reasonable condition, and placed on the northern, more ice free, areas of the island, allowing them relatively easy access to the city’s entrance portal, who is shown above.
The entrance itself was closed with an iron cast gate, due to the extreme cold, the Iron Gate was reasonably intact, thus providing the first obstacle, as the expeditions nature where scientifically, they simply couldn’t destroy them, and had to simply figure out how to open them, without damaging them.
The Solution to this first obstacle, came, surprisingly enough, from a young British sailor who, after having been rescued by the Compact expedition, just after the second Skirmish, presented his remarkable skills as a locksmith, when enquired where be learned his skills, he simply answered that he had “learned it by experience in his youthâ€.
When entrance was finally gained to the city itself, the expedition members found themselves in a massive hall, guarded by massive statutes of undeterminable humanoid shapes.
Seeing as the area was reasonable suited for a base-camp, they elected to use it as such, establishing a small encampment, they could use for the purpose of further exploration deeper into the city itself.
One of the Japanese envoys lead a minor expedition into a number of stairwells, leading to the towers and fortifications, that had lead to the discovery of the city itself. They managed to locate very few artefacts of interest, mostly it was just common usage items; such as cups, plates and other utensils, although one of the Japanese did find an old barely intact sword, a fairly standard type though, merely a shortword.
The interesting part was however, the expedition lead by a veteran Zulu explorer, leading a contingent of volunteers down the main stairway from the entrance hall, he reported that the city itself had dozens, maybe even more, levels downwards, due to the lack of light, he couldn’t say for sure.
At this stage, something odd happened, a small Compact expedition had been sent to explorer a small sideway from the main hall, and hadn’t reported back for almost three days, worrying the remaining expedition members.
We now present a small section of the Diary of Lady Elizabeth Hufton, of the Compact Expedition.
Monday 17th of March.
We haven’t heard anything from the Simon and his expedition for days now, the whole expedition is starting to get worried, and the Zulu commander ordered a small armed contingent into the sideway Simon went into, I pray to the Ancestors that he is safe.
Tuesday 18th of March.
They found the bodies.
Wednesday 19th of March.
They are dead, all of them, Simon is dead, killed by something or someone, down there, in the dark.
Thursday 20th of March.
We can hear drums in the deep, Commander Mensa has ordered us all to be armed. I hope it helps.
Friday the 21st of March.
They are coming, and the Iron Gate have sealed itself from the inside, something dark is at work here, some of us have decided to use the stairs to the fortifications and get help, Commander Mensa disagrees though and has sworn to stay and avenge his lost warriors, the Japanese has drawn lots among themselves, and are sending one theirs with us, to report to the ships anchored outside.
Saturday the 22nd of March.
We made it, we’re safe.
Sunday the 23rd of March.
An armed force managed to breach the Iron Gate using explosives; they found all of the remaining members dead, their bodies horribly mutilated. We’re going home now, leaving warnings to whoever is foolish enough to try and find the secrets of this cursed place.
Thank you for your time.