Chapter XXXV: Heart of Chernobyl Part 2: Storming the Tomb of the Wish Granter

 The Sarcophagus was dark and gloomy place, only lit up by old lamps that seemed on the verge of burning out for good. On his left, Boris heard Dima's nightvision turn on, the humming bouncing off the walls. Boris did the same, and to help Hip who only had a pitifully inadequate flashlight, they turned their own ones on too. Strelok, Rogue and Stitch were fighting ahead, their weapons booming in the enclosed space. But it was nothing compared to the authoritarian, thundering voice of the Wish Granter inside Boris' head, ordering him to come to it.

• Don't listen to it. Whatever it offers to you, ignore it. It's a trap, Boris ordered.

• Damn, so you're telling me it won't give me unlimited cigarettes and beautiful ladies? Dima exclaimed sarcastically. Hip chuckled. Boris signaled for them to start moving, it was time to help Strelok & company.

Strelok's new group was fighting for their lives in the rooms up ahead, being surrounded by Monolith from all sides. The sudden flash caused by Boris' groups multiple lights seemed to surprise the Monoliths for a second, and the trios shotguns filled them with lead in a blink of an eye. One of the surviving Monoliths started a wavering limp towards cover, only to be mercilessly cut down by a double-barrels worth of buckshot from Hip. Another Monolith was growling from pain in the floor, his eyes clear. Boris saw that he had no grenade in his hand, stepped over him and in a swift slash of his kukri, released the warrior from his slavery.

• You came just in time, we were about to storm further in, Rogue commented dryly, but Boris could see he was thankfull.

• I see, you're using the old "let them surround us so we can shoot them on all sides" tactic, Hip said, and Stitch grinned slightly. Boris and Strelok nodded to each other, it was all these two needed to form a plan at this point. Boris took the lead as usual, his battleplate bent and scratched but as protective as usual.

Boris entered the next room, right at the sights of two SEVA-wearing Monolithians, and the zealots fired their AKs at him furiously. Bullets bounced off the heavy armour and Boris responded with slugs from his Remington, pumping the shotgun as large metallic objects pummeled his opponents to death. One of their shots had hit him in the thigh, but only scratched it slightly. The pain was nothing compared to what he had felt in the Meadow and he pressed on, rest of the squad by his side now. They moved on like a force of nature. Warrior after anothet fought them like maniacs, but each was cut down by shotgun shells or machine gun fire.

The Sarcophagus was a maze unlike anything Boris had ever seen, and without Strelok they would have lost the way. But he led them on, up the stairs to the Monolith control centre once the lower floor had been cleared. At the top of the stairs Boris stopped however. He could hear Monolith soldiers upstairs, speaking orders with hushed voices. He pulled a pin of a thermite grenade and threw it up into the room, following it with normal grenades that the others in his group gave him. Explosions shook the floor above and panicked cries for cover were heard. As the final explosion settled down, silence fell in to the tomb of the Wish Granter.

Boris rose up, Remington held ready, but he was greeted by a corridor of corpses. One of the Monoliths was crawling towards him, pistol in hand, one of his legs missing. Boris shot him in the head once and cycled his shotgun. Goddamn fanatics, he thought to himself, even after carpet bombing these bastards just keep coming. Others rose up too, and especially Hip seemed a bit shaken by the sight, but collected herself quickly. Boris was impressed, she was barely a rookie yet was storming this place despite her fears. It had been a good choice to bring her here, perhaps she would stop annoying Sidorovich now that she had seen the world beyond Rookie Village properly.

Strelok did something to the door ahead and it slammed open, leading to the Control Centre proper. He told the others to be ready, this place would be the hardest challenge yet. Everyone readied their weapons, Boris reloading the last slugs he had into the Remington while Dima switched to shrapnel on his massive shotgun. They attacked into the Control Centre and completely ruined the careful ambush set up by the defenders, filling the corridor with so much lead the swarm of bullets would have made a beehive look inactive.

The ambush might have been ruined but the rest of the Monolith forces attacked them instantly, pushing from all sides. The fight devolved into chaos when exo- and Nosorog-wearing Monolith honour guard bolstered by glowing apparitions resembling Monolith soldiers broke the squads firing lines. Boris found himself fighting an onslaught of phantoms, their weapons and armours seemingly as potent as their living comrades. Boris' Remington fired away as quickly as he could pump it, barrel glowing more red than the crimson streams leaking from the corpses of his enemies. He heard Dima's earthshattering shotguns blasts in the walls nearby, and Rogue's PKM sang on the other side.

He could hear Stitch yelling for help, and roared over the gunfire that he would. He rushed towards the noise, blasting apart one unfortunate soldier who tried to block his path. His corpse had not even hit the floor before Boris passed him. Boris found Stitch in one of the small rooms by the side of the corridor, locked in a deadly melee with a fanatic in NBC-suit. The Monoliths blade was black as the night and was pressing against Stitch's rifle which he held to keep the enemy blade away. Boris charged in and sunk his kukri into the Monoliths throat before the lunatic could even react. Stitch collapsed to the ground now that the moment of terror had passed.

• That was damn close, far too close for comfort. Thank you, he said as Boris helped him up.

• Anytime, just glad I was just in time, Boris responded, handing the Monoliths blade to Stitch. Stitch shook his head.

• Keep that, it was your kill after all. And you most likely can use it better than I.

Boris fastened the blade on his armour, cleaned his kukri on the side of his trousers and checked if Stitch was okay. Once they were ready they stormed back in, joining Strelok and Hip who were firing at the last of the spectres. The phantom collapsed under the sustained fire. The group almost together now, they stormed towards the last room, only to find that Rogue and Dima had already taken it over. Dima even had lit a cigarette, while Rogue was trying to unjam his PKM.

• Took your time, you four, Dima commented and glanced at Rogue, who showed a rare grin.

• Hey, you don't visit this place every day, a bit of sightseeing was needed, Hip protested.

• Dunno about you guys but I've seen enough of this hellhole. Where's the shard, Strelok, Stitch asked, still shaken by the melee.

Strelok didn't respond, only entered the door into a sideroom. There was an odd-looking circle with small pylons tipped by glass balls, all smashed seemingly years ago. Inside the circle was apparently an artefact, a glowing dark mass with white streaks around it. Strelok grabbed it and turned to Boris.

• I thank you. Without you and your companions, we wouldn't have been able to reach this place. Now, I will answer your questions.

Boris exhaled. Now was the time he had been waiting for. The time to get the means to buy his freedom from Dushman finally. They talked for roughly half an hour, Strelok explaining the journey he had taken here so many years ago, the truths he had uncovered and the things he was still yet to understand. Boris asked him every question he ever had come up about the Zone, and Strelok answered to the best of his abilities. Once Boris ran out of questions about the Zone, he told Strelok of the Redemption and his quest. He asked that Strelok would support it when the time came in exchange to Boris helping him whenever Strelok would need it in the future. Strelok pondered this for a time and agreed.

The mission now completed, Strelok's group left suddenly, each thanking Boris' squad. Silence fell upon the room, only lit by a long forgotten light barely illuminating it and Dima's cigarette. Dima was first to speak.

• So, we got what we came here for? Shall we go home now?

• Home? We got a home now? Boris asked, taken by surprise.

• The Meadow. We've got plenty of things to do there, Boris, and there's no place in the Zone I'd rather be at this point than it, Dima said, surprisingly serious.

• And I still need my artefacts too, Hip chimed in, smiling.

Boris looked at the two companions he had had for only a short time. Yet they were no longer only companions, they were now his friends and comrades in arms. He gave them one of his uncharacteristic smiles and said finally:

• Yes indeed. Let's go home.