Something had to be seriously wrong if the Black Knight had sent them there, but without guidance from his master Verin was at a loss about what to do. The tattered remnants of his master's army were no match for the intruders heading this way, not that they would be in the dumping ground to defend it should the small group of mortals find the city.
The only option he could think of was to gather the minions from the Factory and send them to the town, more as a means to slow the mortals down than anything because they were far less effective as soldiers than his formless companions. Inhibited by their small size, and the fact they could not possess other creatures, they would surely be a small hurdle for the humans to get past, but perhaps the inconvenience would hold them up long enough that the Black Knight could mount a more effective defense. If he returned in time to marshal his troops that is.
As Verin departed the chamber and headed toward the Factory he wondered how his formless body would be received by the human in charge of the facility. He was pretty sure the man had never seen his kind, but perhaps he would think of Verin as a ghost. Surely it would be a less frightening experience for him if that's how he perceived Verin, but then again, he was probably used to dealing with the Black Knight anyway.
***
It was a longer journey than he had anticipated, but an hour later Verin passed through the archway into the Factory. The impish creatures noticed him immediately, glancing up from their work and curiously wondering why he was there. The supervisor, however, didn't realize Verin was standing in the room until he noticed the sounds of work had diminished.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" the supervisor demanded, angry about the interruption and knowing the Black Knight would have his head if production faltered.
"I have come to collect your inhuman workers," Verin lied. "My master has something more important for them to do."
The man eyed him suspiciously. "Why does he send you instead of coming down here himself?" He was actually thankful to deal with someone far less terrifying than the Black Knight, but since he'd never dealt with anyone else the supervisor found it odd.
"Because he is away on a personal mission of his own," Verin snapped. "He left me in charge of his affairs while he is gone. You are wasting my time with all your pointless questions, mortal!"
"Very well, t-take th-them and g-go," he stammered, raising his arms in surrender and backing away slowly.
"Really? We get to leave? Ya-hoo!" the tiny, slobbering creature cheered, pumping a fist in the air.
***
If he'd thought the trip down to the Factory was long, the journey back was nearly insufferable. Verin felt as if he was traveling at a snail's pace in comparison because he constantly had to wait for the tiny creatures to catch up; their short legs, even when they were running, were an extremely slow method of propulsion.
Several hours after Verin had escorted the impish minions from the Factory they finally arrived at Cemetery Hill. Leading the large group through the chamber he opened the outer door, revealing the railcar that would transport the creatures to the dumping grounds.
"Get on," he instructed the tiny creatures, pointing to the platform on wheels as Verin stood next to the control panel which operated the car.
Hopping and dancing excitedly, they complied. Issuing last minute orders to the group, he waited until the last one boarded. Once they were ready, Verin hit the switch to send them down to the city below. The impish demons cackled and screamed in delight as the platform began to move, acting much like they were riding a huge wave on a surfboard as the railcar hurtled down the side of the mountain.
Chapter 37
After the delicious meal Katie and Brian had provided for them, the group continued their weary march to the south, unsure how far they would be required to travel to reach the throne of the Gods, or how many more dangers they would be forced to face along the way.
As daybreak approached on the following day, Edward pointed out the changing color of the leaves overhead. Having never been this far south of Elysia in his lifetime, he hadn't realized, until now, that the change of seasons would reach this far. The air was cool, but it didn't seem enough to cause trees to shed their leaves.
Not wanting to sound like she was complaining, Katie hadn't brought up the fact she could see many of the large trees in the distance looked to be almost completely devoid of foliage, making her think of her favorite holiday back home, Halloween. Instead, she rode in silence, occasionally glancing back to see how the leg she constructed for Jack was holding up.
The wind was starting to pick up, gusting through the forest from the north, bringing a biting chill with it as the light began to fade from the sky. Edward paused briefly to listen, hearing a rumble of thunder in the distance, and considered whether or not to stop and create a shelter.
"Do you think it's headed this way?" Katie asked, pulling her metallic steed alongside so Edward could hear her over the wind whipping through the trees.
"I can't see the clouds well enough to tell if it might be headed toward us or not," he shouted.
As if to answer her question, intermittent rain drops could now be heard hitting the sparse foliage overhead. "It could be nothing more than a drizzle," Brian remarked, joining them.
A bright flash lit the area as a streak of lightning came down close by, followed by an ear-shattering crack. In a matter of seconds, Katie and Brian were off their mounts and scrambling to get away from them before the storm decided to use their mounts as lightning rods. Looking around they saw Jack sitting nonchalantly next to a nearby tree, sheltering himself from the wind, which was steadily picking up in intensity, bending some of the smaller trees as it howled through the forest.
Cold, driving rain began to pour down, pelting their exposed flesh with enough force to raise tiny welts on their skin. Edward joined the trio moments later, standing close and opening his cloak to offer what protection from the elements that he could.
The storm raged on for nearly two hours before it began to ease up, but by then everyone was drenched. Edward's arms were exhausted from holding his heavy, damp cloak up to shield his friends from the weather. Letting his arms fall to his side, the only thing he had any energy left to do was chatter his teeth. With their clothes thoroughly soaked, everyone was freezing and even though the wind had died down, the light breeze filtering through the woods was enough to make them even colder.
Katie looked around dismally, knowing there would be no hope of finding any dry wood to build a fire. Seeing the expression of despair on her face, Edward shook his head sadly. "There is no way I could keep a magical flame burning long enough to catch anything on fire," he told her.
"We need to find some real shelter," she complained through chattering teeth. "A city like Loknar would be a welcomed sight right about now."
***
An hour after the rain had stopped they mounted their steeds, hoping that if they got moving again they would feel better. Jack seemed to be the only one of them who wasn't cold and miserable, but even that wasn't a sure bet. If he'd been in human form it would have been easier to tell; his fur covered face was impossible to read.
Though the wind had died almost completely there were still occasional rumbles of thunder overhead. As dark as it was now Edward had to ride with an upraised palm, carrying a small, magical flame within it like a torch to light their way; the dark clouds above hiding the moons and for yet another night, Amber was nowhere to be seen. Where the hell is she? Katie wondered. It would be so much easier to follow her, not to mention it would also be comforting to have her around.
Tink! Spinning her head toward the noise, Katie peered into the darkness. "Edward, stop! I think someone is out there," she stated in a harsh, uncertain whisper. The sound repeated itself moments later. "I think someone is throwing rocks at us."
Turning his horse around, he backtracked to where her beast stood, unmoving. Holding his hand higher he gazed into the nearby shadows, but saw nothing suspicious. "I do
n't see—" he started as he lowered his arm, catching a glimpse of the culprit as he witnessed a small, white object bounce from the mechanical horse.
Before Edward could open his mouth to warn the others, another pea-sized chunk of hail struck the metallic beast, then another. "Get off your horses, quickly, and take cover beneath them," he yelled, frantically climbing down from his own mount and flinging the reins over the head of the mechanical creature Katie was riding to make sure it didn't run off.
"Ouch!" she shouted, being pelted by the falling hail. Scrambling down from her mount as Edward instructed, she managed to get beneath the creature not a moment too soon. Within seconds the sky opened up, releasing a torrent of icy pellets upon them, the sound of them striking the mechanical beast above her resonating like machine gun fire.
Though the cloudburst was shorter lived than the downpour they had been caught in an hour or two ago, the hail quickly accumulated on the forest floor. By the time it was over, the surrounding area looked like a winter wonderland, the darkened ground now coated in a few inches of ice.
The four of them remained huddled beneath Katie's steed, well after the storm had abated. Even with the biting chill in the air and their damp clothing they were beginning to feel invigorated after discovering that even though they couldn't start a campfire, the magical glow in Edward's hand still produced enough heat to warm them if they crowded in close to him. Combined with the warmth of Jack's fur, it was comfortable enough for Katie to drift off as she leaned against Edward, his arms draped over her shoulders, attempting to keep the flame in his palm away from the wolf sitting between her legs. After all he had been through, the last thing Edward needed was to catch his friend's fur on fire.
Chapter 38
Time drifted by in agonizing slowness for the minion the Black Knight had left as a sentinel in the dumping grounds, making him wish that George would show his face so he would at least have something worthwhile to do.
The sound seemed far off at first, but was rapidly growing louder, a clacking noise which appeared to be coming from the rails. Quickly he stood up, anticipating the arrival of his master.
When the railcar came to a screeching halt at the termination of the tracks, however, the minion saw that it was not the Black Knight dropping by for a visit. Instead the platform was filled to the point of bursting with the impish creatures who normally cowered in the corner of his master's sanctuary. They were jumping and dancing with glee, laughing and carrying on like they had just finished riding a roller coaster at an amusement park.
"What are all of you doing here?" the minion inquired, approaching the railcar in confusion.
"Verin sent us. He said you were going to need help," a gnomish-looking creature replied, hopping down from the platform and waving his arm. Responding to the gesture, the others quickly joined him on the ground.
"I don't need any help," the minion scoffed.
"That's not what we were told. According to Verin there is a group of very powerful mortals heading this way. From what he told us, they dispatched most of the army Verin was in, almost as easily as batting an eye," the gnome retorted in a matter of fact tone.
"Mortals, huh?" The cyborg planted his hands on his hips, clearly not believing the story the little man was telling. "Sounds to me like that coward, Verin, has a vivid imagination. Mortals are no match for us. They run like screaming children at the mere sight of our kind."
"Hey, you may not think you need us, but when the shit starts hitting the fan I bet you come running to us for help," the gnome grinned maliciously.
Waving his hand in dismissal, the cyborg turned away from the tiny creatures and took up his spot among the dead, muttering profanities under his breath about how ignorant and gullible the impish demons were.
The enormous group of tiny creatures huddled as closely as they could around the gnome. Seeing as he was the most intelligent of them it was fitting that the little man took charge, but even so it took considerable time for him to issue orders to all of them as there were approximately two hundred tiny creatures babbling excitedly to each other.
After nearly an hour the leader had finally spoken to everyone and small groups of demons scattered themselves throughout the town to take up their appointed positions. "I would advise you to stay alert," the gnome told the cyborg as he prepared to find a good vantage point to command from when the battle began.
When the minion ignored him, the leader skittered down the alleyway between the buildings. "Don't say I didn't warn ya," he shouted over his shoulder.
***
Drenched and looking a bit like a drowned rat, George stood in the shadows of a large willow on the outskirts of the city he'd found the cyborg body he had previously used. Even though the body of the old woman he now possessed was decrepit and arthritic, he had arrived at the edge of town ahead of the small group he'd seen heading in this direction, one of who, if he wasn't mistaken, was the hag's son. This little factoid he had gleamed from the way her panicked mind had reacted when she had laid eyes on him.
There was still the matter of the troublesome ghost he had seen outside of Elysia, though. For whatever reason, he felt as if she were following him, watching and waiting. Even though he never saw her, George kept getting a prickling sensation as if someone were peering into his soul, raising the tiny hairs on the back of the old woman's neck.
He had no idea what the ghostly girl wanted from him, but since George had contemplated the notion that she was someone from his past, most likely a woman he had killed, the only motive he could think of was revenge. Somehow she was trying to get even with him for taking her life.
As he stood in the shadows hidden from view, George saw what he'd been eagerly anticipating. A chestnut horse bearing a cloaked rider, whom he was sure was the old woman's offspring, was sauntering wearily toward the city from the opposite end of town. Things will be coming to a head very soon. Grinning with delight, George rubbed his hands together as he began to plot the man's demise.
Chapter 39
Later that day, after waking from a short, well needed nap, Edward held up his hand and pulled his horse to a stop at the edge of the woods. Before him, not more than a ten minute ride from his position, lay a small town. As he waited for the others to pull up beside him, he scrutinized the layout of the city, which was much like every other small town he had come across in his travels. Even though it was still daytime there was none of the normal bustle of people, wandering the streets chatting with neighbors or visiting vendors. No guards patrolling. The city looked completely abandoned, dead, much like Haven had been after its residents had fled to get away from the three headed wolf-like monstrosity which had invaded their town.
As he pondered his silent surroundings, Edward rubbed his chin thoughtfully, remembering with vivid clarity the ordeals he had suffered at the hands of the machines. Where do they come from? Are they somehow coming through a portal into this world from another? It was a depressing thought, but after watching zombies pour from the outpost upon their return to Desolace it was a dreadful possibility he had to consider.
"I've never seen a more welcomed sight." Katie sighed, pulling up beside Edward. "Finally, we'll be able to get a decent night's sleep and a good meal."
"I wouldn't get too excited. From what I can tell the town is deserted," he remarked.
"Okay, so scratch the part about the meal. I'm sure there are some nice, comfy beds in those buildings though." She smiled weakly, trying not to let Edward suck all the hope out of her.
"I would avoid that town like the plague if I were you," Brian wheezed, stopping on the other side of Edward and turning to face him. His eyes were already beginning to cloud over in the same manner they normally did when in the presence of evil.
"Are you sensing something?" Edward glanced over at Brian and saw the overcast look in his eyes, confirming there was validity to his warning.
"I'm sure the memory is still fresh in your mind of how dire the situation was when you found me.
What I'm feeling now is considerably worse than dealing with a ravenous mass of flesh eating zombies. Magnify that situation ten or twenty times and you might be scratching the surface of what lay ahead," Brian replied, each word coming with excruciating slowness, his breathing so labored now that his words came out as gasps.
Edward glanced nervously at Katie. "What do you think? Should I check it out?"
"We've been able to handle everything that's been thrown at us so far," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. "Between yourself and Brian I'm sure you can handle anything that comes up." She tried to give him a reassuring smile but somehow it felt fake and forced, as if she didn't truly believe her own words.
Nudging the horse into motion, he called back, "Wait here, but keep an eye out for anything suspicious." Katie watched in agonized anticipation as the horse sauntered casually toward the city. Sitting on the ground beside her, Jack looked up at Katie and whimpered.
"Do you feel something, too?" Glancing down at the wolf she could almost see the worry in his eyes. "You do, don't ya?" Turning her attention back to Edward as he entered the town, she crossed her fingers for luck.
***
If there was indeed something lurking in the town, waiting patiently for its opportunity, he hadn't noticed anything unusual yet. Scanning the empty, rundown buildings that lined the street, his eyes nervously flitting from one window to the next, he began to think Brian's senses were off. Maybe the danger isn't in this abandoned town, but stalking us from behind. Edward began to consider turning back; his fear, that the others were about to be ambushed, palpable.
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