by Bill Tiepelman
Ethereal Outlaws: Whispers of the Apocalypse
The wind carried the ash of a thousand ruined dreams, swirling it into the midnight sky like a reluctant offering to the gods. The Wasteland didn’t whisper—it growled, its hunger unending. Standing at its edge, Veyra adjusted the strap of her patched denim overalls, her sharp silver hair catching the dim glow of embers scattered in the wind. Beside her, Rook leaned on his makeshift staff, carved from a rusted pipe and god-knows-what-else, his hooded face a testament to decades of poor decisions and worse hygiene. “You gonna keep posing, princess, or are we actually gonna move?” Rook grumbled, scratching his scraggly beard. His voice was gravelly, the kind of tone that made you wonder if he'd gargled razor blades for fun. Veyra arched a perfect eyebrow, her smirk both lethal and condescending. “I’m sorry, are you offering leadership advice? Didn’t you lose our entire stash of rations last week because you thought bartering with a mutant who had three mouths was a good idea?” “First of all,” Rook retorted, straightening up and glaring at her, “that was tactical diplomacy. Second, I didn’t know he’d eat the damn bullets too. How was I supposed to know he was… what’s the word? Hangry?” “Tactical diplomacy,” Veyra repeated with a laugh that could cut glass. “Riiiight. Just like you ‘tactically’ passed out drunk while we were being chased by raiders.” Rook waved a dismissive hand, his collection of tribal bracelets jingling noisily. “Whatever, princess. You’re lucky I’m around, or you’d be a pile of bones somewhere, probably accessorized by vultures.” “Lucky?” Veyra scoffed, her hands on her hips. “Your sense of ‘luck’ is why I’ve got one boot held together by duct tape and faith. And speaking of faith, we’ve been walking in circles for three hours. If you don’t figure out where the hell this mysterious signal you’re following is coming from, I’m leaving your sorry ass here.” The Signal Two days ago, Rook’s scavenged radio—held together with copper wire, spit, and optimism—had picked up something unusual. A broadcast. Crisp, clear, and human. It wasn’t the usual garbled nonsense of old world ads or static-filled screams. This was a voice, soft but commanding: “Sanctuary lies in the Whispering Tower. Seek it, if you dare.” Veyra, naturally, had rolled her eyes at the idea of chasing some cryptic message. But Rook, ever the reckless dreamer, had insisted. “Sanctuary!” he’d said, grinning through yellowed teeth. “That means showers! Food! Beds that don’t have… whatever that smell is!” “You mean hope, right?” Veyra had replied, her tone drier than the Wasteland sand. “No way that ends badly.” Now, here they were, trekking toward some mythical tower, dodging feral mutants, and trying not to kill each other in the process. The suspense thickened with every passing hour, the Wasteland eerily devoid of the usual screams and gunfire. The Whispering Tower When they finally stumbled upon the tower, it was both magnificent and horrifying. A jagged spire of twisted metal and broken glass, it pierced the clouds like a malevolent beacon. Shadows writhed around its base, moving in unnatural patterns that made Veyra’s skin crawl. “Well,” she muttered, her voice tinged with sarcasm, “this doesn’t look like the beginning of a death trap at all.” “Relax, princess,” Rook said, flashing a grin. “I’ve seen worse. Remember that bunker where the rats tried to unionize?” “I remember the part where you screamed like a toddler when they swarmed your boots,” Veyra replied with a smirk. “Let’s go, brave leader.” The pair entered cautiously, their weapons drawn. Inside, the air was thick with the smell of rust and decay. Flickering lights overhead cast eerie shadows, and faint whispers echoed through the halls, as if the building itself were alive. “You hear that?” Veyra whispered, her hand tightening on her dagger. “If by ‘that,’ you mean my stomach growling, then yeah,” Rook replied. “I’m starving.” “No, you idiot,” Veyra hissed. “The whispers. They’re everywhere.” “Probably just the wind,” Rook said, though his hand gripped his staff a little tighter. “Or, y’know, ghosts. Definitely not anything dangerous.” They pressed forward, the whispers growing louder. Veyra’s sass was replaced by a wary silence, and even Rook seemed unnerved. Finally, they reached a massive chamber filled with glowing machinery. In the center stood a figure draped in tattered robes, their face obscured by a golden mask. The Truth Unveiled “Welcome,” the figure intoned, their voice a haunting melody. “You have traveled far, seekers.” “Uh, yeah,” Rook said, scratching his head. “We’re here for… uh, sanctuary? Is that still on the menu, or did we miss happy hour?” “Sanctuary is earned, not given,” the figure replied. “To survive the Wasteland is to prove your worth. But to thrive…” The figure gestured to the glowing machinery. “…is to make a choice.” Veyra frowned. “What kind of choice?” “A choice to transcend,” the figure said, stepping aside to reveal a sleek pod-like structure. “Step inside, and you will become something greater. Stronger. Immortal.” Rook snorted. “Yeah, no thanks. Last time I stepped inside something mysterious, I ended up with a rash that took three months to go away.” Veyra shot him a look. “You’re disgusting.” “What?” Rook said with a shrug. “It was a weird hot spring, okay?” The figure’s voice cut through their banter. “Mockery will not save you. The Wasteland consumes all who remain mortal. Choose wisely.” Veyra stared at the pod, then at Rook. “What do you think?” “I think it’s a trap,” Rook said. “But hey, if you wanna climb in and become some kind of robo-goddess, I’ll totally worship you. For a price.” “You’re such a charmer,” Veyra muttered. “Let’s leave. I don’t trust this.” The Escape As they turned to leave, the whispers became a deafening roar. Shadows rose from the ground, twisting into monstrous forms. “You cannot leave!” the figure shouted, their melodic voice now a distorted screech. “You must choose!” “I choose run!” Rook yelled, grabbing Veyra’s arm and bolting for the exit. “You call this running? You’re slower than a drunk mutant!” Veyra snapped, dragging him along as shadows clawed at their heels. They burst out of the tower, the shadow creatures disintegrating in the sunlight. Gasping for breath, Rook collapsed onto the ground. “See? Told you we’d make it.” Veyra glared at him, her hair wild and her eyes blazing. “If you ever drag me into something like this again, I’m going to personally feed you to the vultures.” Rook grinned. “Aw, you’d miss me. Admit it.” “Miss you? Ha! I’d throw a party.” As the two bickered, the tower loomed behind them, its whispers fading into silence. Whatever secrets it held would remain undiscovered—for now. But one thing was certain: the Wasteland wasn’t done with them yet. This artwork, titled Ethereal Outlaws: Whispers of the Apocalypse, is now available for prints, downloads, and licensing in our Image Archive. Bring this captivating piece of post-apocalyptic mystery and fire into your space or project!
