We think in silence for a minute. “Because it is an infernal sword.” Kathy says.
“Because it was a sword for demons, good.” I repeat her answer. “Anything else?” I ask. Kathy shakes her head. “The wood is probably the most expensive of them all.” She adds. I nod and start pacing again.
“What about the heaven door then? How expensive is that wood?” I was so thankful that my best friend had a general knowledge of almost anything in that big brain of hers.
Kathy walks towards the door and takes a closer look at the wood. “Hard to say. Probably Hornbeam. Not cheap either.” She concludes.
I nod again. “And why would we choose the Heaven door?” I ask.
“Because heaven defeated hell, heaven gifted the sword to the walkers, and it was supposed to be used in the name of good?”
Kathy walks around, tapping the wood, running her finger over the little carvings above the door. “I would need more light…” She sighs gesturing to phone in my hand. I check the screen. 45% battery left. This thing was going quick!
“What about listening by the doors?” I ask, pressing my ear to the wood of the red door. The cold timber pressed against my ear, but how much I wanted to hear something – I didn’t. It was like trying to listen through a wall. Absolute silence.
I tried the second and the third doors, but they as well, yielded nothing but absolute silence. I ultimately gave up, sitting down with my back against the rough stone wall. I let my eyes slide over the doors as Kathy squats next to me. “What do you think?” She asks.
I had tried to keep the absolute terror I felt inside at bay. Claustrophobia was raging through my stomach and the little beads of sweat stinging on my back told me I was not far off having an absolute fit.
I could see Kathy smile at me. It was a sad smile. As if she had pity on me. It made me feel bad, worthless even. Because normally I am the one who takes care of my friend, the one who makes sure she is okay.
“Let’s think through this logically” She said as she now sat down next to me, looking at the doors in the faint light of the phone. “They hid the sword here because they did not want the bad demons to get their hands on it.” She said.
I rub my eyes. I am tired. I am thirsty. I am hungry. “Yes.” I say. “I guess so.” Kathy bites her lip. “So, I guess we can discount the door that says hell…” she theorises. “Because if I was one of those bad oafs outside, I would take the hell door. Because for them, Hell is the right side, Hell is the place where the ‘good ones’ are.” She tries to explain.
“I think you are right.” I sit a bit straighter. “This sword was given to walkers.” Something clicked into place. “The last thing they would want is to go back to hell.” I bite my lip and look at the white door. “And heaven… heaven is where the angels are.” I say. “No way a walker would affiliate with heaven.”
I stand up and take a few steps towards the middle door. “If anything, it will be this middle one. The door of Eirzm. The door of Earth.” I look at Kathy. My friend was biting her nail but nodded. “And if anything.” She says. “The Walkers want to be on earth, it’s their home. It is the place they helped protect.”
My hand hovers over the iron knob on the door. I look over my shoulder to Kathy. He nods. “I think it is that one. I think it is Earth.” At those words I yank open the door, almost knocking myself back.
Chapter 23
I close my eyes against the bright light. I drop the phone and shield my face. The room is brightly lit with at least a hundred candles and torches.
The complete chamber is decked out in beautiful white marble – from the altar in the middle to the pews and the beautiful statues. I let my eyes adjust to the light and pick up Kathy’s phone to switch off the flashlight.
“What is this place?” she asks in a hushed voice. I hear her words echo through the chamber. I shake my head in silence and take a few steps towards the altar in the middle of the room.
In the middle of the marble altar stands a magnificent golden bowl. I look into the thick black liquid in the bowl. Should I touch it? Should I drink it?
I look back at Kathy who was taking in the room. I take a step back and breathe out. The light and the airiness of the magnificent atrium had chased away the gnawing feeling of claustrophobia.
“I think this is another test.” I mumble, keeping my eye on the big golden bowl.” Kathy nods. I think you are right. She says. She lets her hand slide over one of the statues and turns towards me.
“I think this is much bigger than we ever thought.” She mumbles. “This…” She turns towards the two statues behind her. These two are Alistair and Ambrose.”
I recognise the names faintly, but I couldn’t’ say that my overall attendance of history class was good enough to do so with certainty. I shake my head, signalling that I had no idea what she was talking about.
“The Brandsworth Brothers?” She smiled. She was used to my absolute ghastly academic results and did not even try to refresh my memory as to whom these two marble statues in what looked like fine clothing might represent.
“These…” She retracts her hand as it lands on the beautifully carved eight pack of one of the statues. “Were two well-known vampires in the 17th and 18thcentury who presumably helped both human and warlocks escape the fires of the Spanish inquisition. They travelled all over Europe to help…but they were ultimately killed by Graham Brunswick as they killed and drained a human baby. But I am not so sure about this anymore…”
I nodded as I faintly remembered something about these two vampires – I also remember the book on martial arts and the Captain Marvel comics I had hid inside my history book.
“Okay so, what are you trying to say?” I turn towards Kathy who had moved to yet another statue. “I am saying.” She sighs, without averting her attention from the state. “That these statues are all of vampires who helped humans, walkers or other races and species.” She had a little smile on her lips.
“I think this goes so much further than we thought.” She says. “I think this whole thing.” She gestures around her. “This whole pact to hide this stupid sword, was a pact made between all of us. Between walkers and hunters and vampires and whatnot.”
I nod as that would make sense. Although Vampires and hunters and werewolves have never really seen eye to eye, Demons have always been a common enemy.
“So, what are you suggesting?” I try to get a grip on the situation. “That there are two more rooms.” She sighs. “One by werewolves and one by Warlocks – if they decided to join that is.” She bites her lip. “I don’t think the Fae would have gotten involved in this as they don’t want to get involved in worldly quarrels – like ever. And I don’t think the leprechauns would have been so altruistic to actually help someone without being paid or being able to hold it over them.” She has her thinking face on. “So yeah… probably werewolves and warlocks.”
“Great.” I groaned as I made my way towards the altar again. “So how do we solve this? I point at the bowl. Kathy sighs and looks at the letters neatly carved into the white altar.”
“Your most precious gift we will take, so this beautiful journey you can make.” She translated the words out loud.
“Oh, these vampires are some cheeky bastards.” She smiles under her breath. I had no idea what she was talking about. “What do you mean?” I ask while trying to translate the words by myself again, but I cannot get any further than gift and journey.
“What does a vampire prize above all?” She smiles while lifting up the leg of my trouser to find my little hunting dirk. I shake my head. “Dunno.”
“Blood obviously!” She has a broad smile on her face now. “Preferably freely given.” She says as she put the point of my dagger onto her thumb. A small red pearl of blood appeared on her finger where she had planted the knife.
“Let’s hope this works.” Kathy grunts as she flicks a few drops of blood into the black liquid in the bowl. Before the last drop even hits the bowl’s contents, the
altar starts to roar. The platform on which we are standing turns slowly while the marble block and the golden bowl disappear into the floor, uncovering a dimly lit staircase.
“After you!”
“Thanks” I grunt at Kathy before I take my first step down the black stone stairs.
Chapter 24
The stairs turned and turned and turned until my foot hit the polished stones at the bottom of the stairs. I was dizzy and had lost the enthusiasm and the hope I had felt in the brightly lit marble room upstairs.
The tunnel in front of me was lit with dim burning torches. Magical fire I concluded when I picked up a torch and the fire burned cold. No wonder it’s freezing down here.
I hear the soft thud of Kathy’s feet hitting the floor behind me. I hope she was right about these tests and rooms. It would mean there were only two rooms left before we would find the sword. Two rooms too many, but still – only two rooms.
My stomach let out a mighty roar as I felt the hunger grip my throat. I had no idea how long we were down here. I forgot to take note of the time when Danny pushed us down the narrow stairs and now the phone read “19:18” in big bright numbers.
Kathy and I followed the hallway. We must have been down here for at least 2 or 3 hours. Darkness was falling quickly when we entered this maze and in winter it gets dark pretty early. I yawn as I follow my best friend.
These last few days have been really exciting, but I do feel like we are out of our depth. On the other hand, asking help from the Guild would have meant that two other, more experienced hunters would have had all the fun…
Not to mention Gran had said specifically not to trust anyone. But what if we were in trouble… what if something went wrong. Really wrong…
Kathy and I walk in silence. We are both tired. It is hard to sleep at Gustav’s. Although we had tried to clear out everything as best, we could, the apartment was still a mess.
“you hear that?” Kathy turns around, index finger in the air. I look around, listening for whatever she must have heard – or imagined. My belly gave another massive roar, demanding food and preferably a steaming hot chocolate.
“Oh, sorry that was me.” I laugh. But my friend was not all that convinced. “No.” She shook her head as she waited a few seconds, wondering if the sound would come back, before continuing her path down the corridor.
The stone walls had become rougher. Little streams of water were protruding through the stones forming stagnant pools where stones were missing in the floor. The torches had burned less bright throughout the corridor and I was forced to take my phone out of my pocket to light our path through the hallway.
I stop. My heart beating in my throat. How? The big white digital clock on my phone reads “19:18”. This was impossible. We have been walking for at least 10 minutes. Did I misread the clock on my phone?
I shake my head and turned on the flashlight. It’s probably the stress. It’s not necessarily amazing being down here. Sure, I loved Relic Hunter and Indiana Jones when I was a little girl, but I had no idea how boring treasure hunting could be, how claustrophobic and above all: how hungry it would make you!
“You okay?” Kathy asks. She put her hand on my shoulder. I nod. “Sure.” I decide not to tell her about the bug on my phone. The last thing I want to do was stress her out. I know she’s scared. I knew that the only reason she is holding it together on is because of me.
At the end of the what seemed like an endless corridor, two massive doors block our path. The doors have two large brass knockers attached to them. “Werewolves!” Kathy exclaims not entirely without enthusiasm. She points out the wolf heads which had the massive brass rings in their beaks.
I try to think of any useful information I might have on werewolves – but the only thing I could think of was a recent guide I read on how to kill a werewolf in 12 easy steps. I hoped from the bottom of my heart I would not need that guide today.
Kathy and I each take a large brass ring in our hands and push open the massive, heavy doors.
Six hungry pairs of eyes stare at us.
Oh shit.
I take a step back into the hallway but the biggest of the six wolves starts growling. I check the back of my trousers but remembered that I decided not to take my rapier. ‘Why would I need my rapier – nothing is going to happen today.’ I hear my own voice mock me in my head. I am so stupid.
Kathy takes a few steps back as I slowly bend towards my ankle. The wolves inch forward and bare their pearly white fangs.
My heart is beating in my throat. Shit.
I keep my eyes on the big white wolf in the middle while his five friends nervously tap their massive paws on the floor. The room is dimly lit with large fabrics and banners hung on the walls.
I take a deep breath and try to decide what to do next. I would be able to take on one wolf, but six at the same time would be suicide. I also know that Kathy was not a great fighter. She was in fact pretty shit at it.
My fingers hit the cold metal sheath of the blade by my ankle. I grab the hilt and slide it slowly and carefully out of my ankle sheath. “No sudden movements – no sudden movements – no sudden movements…” my inner voice is keeping me calm and steady with this simple mantra.
I let my eyes slide through the room. On the other side, just past the wolves, I can see the dark outline of what I imagine is a door. Good. A way out. No stupid riddles or bloody rituals this time. We just need to get past the wolves. We just need to get to the other side.
I turn my head slowly and try to signal this to Kathy. I was going to take on the wolves so she could run to the other side. I would break off the fight as soon as possible and then run towards the door. If we are lucky, the door is strong enough to hold against 6 massive adult wolves.
I take a deep breath and relax my shoulders. The knife in my hand feels reassuring. This was my expertise. This had nothing to do with brains or wit. This was pure hunting. This was me!
The adrenaline in my blood pushes me upward and forward. I take my first few steps into the direction of the wolves. My hand is shaking. Would I be able to do this? Would I make this?
I look at the door behind the six large beasts and swallow hard. Probably not. I take a deep breath as the muscles in my legs contract, launching me forward towards the beasts.
I can feel the hard white teeth dig into the soft skin of my upper arm. I screamed. I feel fur against the back of my hand as I try to stab one of the wolves but miss completely. One wolf has put his paws onto my back, arching me forward. I cannot see the bastard, but I furiously try to stab him to get him off me. I feel how another one put his teeth into my calf and tears my trousers as I lose my balance.
I hit the cold stone floor when I see Kathy run past the squirming heap of teeth and white fur. I throw one off of me when another sunk his teeth into my arm again. As long as Kathy was safe, as long as she could get the sword.
“Isa!” I hear Kathy’s high-pitched scream as one of the wolves was slowly coming up to her. I scream and I kick one of the wolves with my wounded leg. “Stay still.” I grunt. I have no idea if she heard me, but I could see how her feet stand frozen on the stone floor. “Just…” I kick another wolf off me while I try to get a third one to stand down from gnawing on my underarm. “just stand still. Close your eyes. It will be okay!” I say quickly, now focusing my attention on the fourth one who was growling at my dirk. I take a few quick stabs, but the beast was too quick.
I see the white nervous paws of the wolf stalk closer to my friend. Shit. She… If I can’t take on the pack – and I obviously can’t, then she would definitely fail. I have to get the wolf away from her. I have to get Kathy to safety!
I try to stand up from the floor as I punch one of the gnarling wolves onto his snout. Are we supposed to fight them so we could become an Alpha? I am pretty sure you only need to fight the current Alpha!
Maybe that is it! Maybe I have to find out who the Alpha of this pack is and defeat him. I might be able to do this… I might be
…
And that is when I saw that the wolf in front of Kathy was lying down. “Kathy?” I ask, grunting under the weight of one of the wolves as he put his paw into my stomach. “What is happening.”
“I don’t know.” She whimpers. I sigh, and I throw the wolf off me. At least that means I only had to fight five wolves instead of six. Great. If only these were lapdogs or golden retrievers. Then I would have a sparkle of chance!
That’s it!
I closed my eyes and shut out all my instincts. I ignored the pain and stopped resisting the dogs, I stopped fighting back. If I was wrong, I’m dogfood. If I’m right – we will be with the sword in no-time.
I take another deep breath to calm down my heartbeat. I feel how the wolf by my feet loosens its grip and starts growling again. The one by my arm lets go of my elbow. I can see his bloody, red snout as he takes a few steps back.
The other wolves now get off me and lie down next to me. I was right. This was not a test of strength. This was a test of kindness and compassion. A strength of courage even!
Slowly I bring my hand to the wolf closest to me. He growls slightly but once my shaking hand touches his head, he seems to calm down.
His dark brown eyes change to Icy blue as I scratch him behind his ears. Kathy follows my lead and offers the wolf in front of her a belly rub. My heart is pounding in my chest. I have no idea what would have happened if Kathy had not frozen. If Kathy had been a great hunter, we would probably both be dead.
I try to get up but fall over as a sharp pain shot through my leg. The adrenaline seemed to have evaporated from my blood stream. I can clearly feel the open wound in my leg, the puncture wounds in my arm and the many scrapes and teeth marks and bruises these wolves have left all over my body.
I cry out as I fell back onto my butt. The wolf next to me sniffs my hair and licks my face. “Thanks bud.” I grunt, looking at my legs. “But I don’t think you can help here. Unless you want to bite my leg completely off, that is.”
The Aberrant Sword Page 11
