The Curious Case of Jacob's Hallow

by Patrick Walsh

  “You follow Tobias then…” His sympathy and guilt became twisted with anger and disgust. Fear began to creep out like the legs of a spider.

  “He wants to wait, but I’m done waiting. Tell me where my wife is or I will kill you!” Tears streamed down his face.

  Aza wanted to reply, but he didn’t have to. Two boys around his age charged in from around one of the corners, their footsteps initially muffled by the sounds of everyone else winding down the streets just out of view. They jumped back when they saw the disheveled man had a gun. One looked as if he was going to run, but the other stood his ground.

  “Hey!” His voice cracked a bit, clearly scared of the situation he had just put himself in.

  The grieving husband turned to face them, then back to Aza, then stopping half way. The gun swung back and forth as he found his footing. “This doesn’t concern you!”

  The boy looked as if he was going to run, but his eyes fell to Aza and he held firm. “I lost my gran in the attack, I am as concerned as you are.”

  “Ha! Then you’re on my side! This is the one who's behind the whole thing!”

  “No, he’s not! Tobias is a fraud and everyone knows it!” His words shook as the fear of being shot twisted over him.

  The husband would never get the chance to fire as, while he was distracted, Aza sprung forth a thick mass of threads. It fired as fast as the gun would have, punching the barrel in half and tearing it from the man’s hand.

  “Ahhh, you bastard!” He was gripping his throbbing fingers and looking back and forth to the three.

  Despite what he had tried to do, and likely would have done, Aza took a deep breath and spoke calmly. “I am not the Nightman. I don’t know what happened to your wife, but I am doing everything I can to find out who’s behind all this.”

  The words seemed to deflect off the man as he sneered and charged past the two boys. He flew around a corner and disappeared into the alleys, headed for the Western Leviathan. Only Aza and the two strangers were left. He tried to place them, but came up short. Then he remembered last night. They were on Shaw’s ship, part of the second crew alternated with his own. He had no idea why they were here, why they had helped him.

  “Are you ok?” The one that had been speaking stepped forwards.

  He patted himself down.“Probably. Are you?” Aza wasn’t sure how to respond.

  “Good, and yeah. We saw you and Luke kill that thing on the East Leviathan. That was...amazing. Are you two really investigating?”

  Aza nodded. “Yeah, and it's gotten very dangerous, very fast. You two should probably head back home.

  The one who had been quiet, pulled on his friend’s arm and pointed away, agreeing with Aza.

  “Of course. I just figured you should know that...not everyone believes in Tobias. While no one says it...there are a lot of people who have seen what you’ve done over the years. We appreciate it…” He fumbled over his words as his friend practically dragged him away.

  Aza left as well, dumbfounded by the whole encounter...yet energised by it. The idea that not just them, but a lot of people could be on his side was...too good to be true. In fact he didn’t really believe it, but the thought was nourishing to a very worn out soul. He had almost gotten to the edge of town before realising what day it was. Aza turned on his heels when the first farm house came into view and dashed back the way he came. Han might have been there, but if the timing was right then both he and Luke would be elsewhere. While he didn’t know this for sure, he was right. Dullahan had dashed off to find Luke’s farm, only to run into him on the way, along with many other farmers.

  Not wanting to draw more attention, Luke had scooped him up into their group and continued onwards. His brother Jack and sister Mabel were beside him, all dressed up for warship. Though dressed up was a bit of an overstatement considering their formal attire were just a pair of regular clothes that they had tried to keep extra clean. Han had finished filling Luke in on the undertaker as the four stepped into a large church on the northeastern side of town. It had a wide, round base that spiraled up two stories, with many rooms and doors sticking out from the sides. Dullahan thought it had a strange look to it, even outside the eccentric architecture. Yet he had little time to dwell on it given their current predicament. Once inside, he and Luke broke off and sped up one of the many staircases.

  “He was arrested!?” Luke nearly jumped out of his boots. “Then we need to get down to the police office right now!” Fear and anguish overtook him as he and Han walked along the upper balcony that made a circle around the bottom floor.

  “We cannot be hasty! If it were that simple then I doubt he would have sent me off.” Han looked around, unsure if more of the spies from before were lurking around the crowded building.

  Luke thought about it for a moment, then relented, rubbing his hands through his hair in frustration. “This is bad, this is very, very bad.”

  “Can we go back to your farm, or somewhere more private?”

  Luke thought about it, but the time it would take to walk there and back was time he couldn’t waste. Instead he pulled Han through the busy rooms and corridors, searching for someone while his other siblings hung back to wait in line at the proper alter. Said alter was one of many scattered around the building. Each of the major loa had ornate looking statues carved from different stone and littered with an array of offerings. Lesser ones were there as well, but only a few, and they were placed about with no real rhyme or reason. The duo navigated around the odd building with Han taking in what must be a very historic place, while Luke just scanned for the priest. Luckily, he was able to spot him walking up one of the spiraling metal staircases that led up to the second floor.

  “Hesmond!” Luke shouted to his brother, who turned around to face them.

  Han jumped back a bit when he saw the fellow. He looked exactly like Desmond but a bit heavier, and in much nicer attire. His hair was also a different color, looking much more like Luke and Jack’s.

  “Brother!” Hesmond stepped forwards and gave Luke a bearhug. “It’s been too...what’s wrong.”

  “Me and him need a quiet place to speak.” He nodded to Han.

  “Oh.” There was disappointment resonating through his words, yet he beckoned for them to follow.

  The fourth level was completely empty. Each day a new area would be opened as the week went on then reset at its end, as was tradition. Hesmond led the duo through a twisted set of open halls to a large, circular chamber with three statues. The biggest of them was a skeletal creature sitting upon a throne of skulls. There was a greedy grin on his face and rum in his hand, his eyes obscured by a sagging top hat. To his left was a similar creature, with a tattered dress and firey hair. She too was smiling, but it was a toothy cackle complimented by wild eyes. The last one had a long overcoat and short skirt, with a long boa wound around its neck. It had a cane perched out in front, and a coy smile, looking to be the youngest of the three.

  “So how has dad been?” Hesmond circled around them, slowly orientating himself back the way they came.

  “Please, not now.” Luke gave his brother a pained look.

  “Well, when then?” He threw his arms back. “Is Desmond the only one of you lot to let the past die?”

  Luke sighed. “I’s sorry but there are a lotta things going on right now, very crazy things.” He lowered his head. “When this is all over we can talk.”

  Hesmond stood his ground, but relented, not wanting to get into a spat. He turned around and walked out, leaving the two alone. “I’s gonna hold ya to that!”

  He watched his brother disappear from view and shook his head.

  “I take it there was a family disagreement?”

  Luke sighed. “I know whys he did what he did, but the way he did it… hurt us all.”

  Han nodded, not feeling it necessary to push any further. He instead looked around and listened to make sure they were still alone. As he did, his prying eyes couldn't help but fall upon the statues and the
ir offerings. Compared to the other two, the deity with the cane seemed to have the lion's share of goods despite being notably smaller and closer to the wall.“Who is that?”

  Luke looked to the statue Dullahan was pointing at and used it as a beacon to draw his scattering mind to. He looked up at it in dread as he thought about his friend. “Nibo. He watches over folks who dies young or, dies violently. Carries their souls to the place beyond. He gets a lot more attention round here then much anywhere else I’d guess.”

  Han looked down at the offerings, the vast amount of rum, cloths, coins, even dead animals burying the floor around it. Guilt swam around within his mind, pushed down ever since he stepped out of the library. “The night I came into town… did...all those people die because of me?” He was still staring at the statue, more speaking out loud than really talking to Luke.

  “I eh...well…” He was caught completely off guard. “I mean...it didn’t sound like you knew they were there...but you came here to investigate…” Luke was puzzling out an answer, the strange contradiction of what he just said not crossing his mind.

  Han could tell, and laughed a bit. He had been annoyed with Luke at first, but his simple nature was endearing. Yet he was still drawn to the grim figure before him. He needed to just leave this evil place. There was likely enough in his notebooks to accomplish what he wanted, no reason to dawdle. There were a million and one ways to break off from Luke should he so desire. Yet he didn’t. He felt compelled to stay. But why? He didn’t know those wights were out there. He didn’t owe these simple townsfolk anything.

  “No?” Luke looked down at Han, who was broken from his thoughts.

  “What?”

  Luke shrugged. “All you two could do was run. Those things should have never been in this town that night...any night. They’s evil to the core. Yous say you’re a Paladayin...I think that makes you good.”

  Han nodded. He would have never been told that by his peers back at the academy, only drown out by a sea of pessimism. Most of him tried to take that response as an excuse to leave this grim place guilt free...yet another felt different. One splinter, ever growing, saw it as a reason to stay. It wanted to remain here with these people. No matter what side would win out, he needed Aza back in their hands. “So do you have a plan?”

  Luke smiled. “Nah, but I’s sure you can come up with one.” His gaze then fell to the smiling god and his expression turned deathly serious. “I don’t wanna have to pray to Nibo…”

  Chapter 11: Divide and Conquer

  Aza was sitting at the small table within the old mill, his cold eyes peering down at the world worn map that lay upon it. His pupils shifted up when he heard footsteps. From the grim pathway within the side of the rock, emerged Luke and Han. The duo had concocted a grand scheme to find Aza, and free him if need be. Though in doing so, they had left the church early causing both parties to miss one another by mere minutes. After an exchange with Hesmond, Aza had decided to return to the mill instead of continuing to hunt for them. Reason being that long ago he and Luke agreed to meet there if things went wrong, once they had started the Nightwatch. This old pact Luke had remembered upon arriving at the jailhouse to not only hear that his friend had never even arrived, but was in fact still out on the streets. Now they all sat united once more, back at the same table, in the same spots from the previous day. Aza filled in Luke and Han about his encounter with Barnabee, while both of them gave an abridged version of the events in the church. Once filled in, both Han and Aza filled Luke in about what happened at the mortuary. Each left gaps in their tales, one not telling of a weak constitution, and the other not revealing everything the Undertaker had told him.

  Luke leaned back a bit, absorbing all the new information like a damp sponge. “Well thank Samandi you’re ok.” He nodded to his friend.

  “I couldn’t agree more.” Aza gave a half hearted smile in return, wanting to reassure him but full well that even if things worked out, Barnabee would never let them live.

  “So what was the thing he placed on his desk?” Han’s eyes wandered around the table.

  “Microtransponder.” Luke leaned forwards. “ It’s like...oh, like the thin Aggie had but smaller. Also, we can’t hear who's on the other side...but they can hear us.”

  “Excellent.” His voice was saturated with unease and paranoia.

  “So what exactly…. are them things exactly? The pale creatures that walk round in the fog.” Luke turned to Han. “Or is it need to know?”

  Han thought about it for a moment, then seemed to deflate. “It does not really matter at this stage. An I suppose that you two knowing would not hurt anything regardless. The creature on the table was called a wight. It is a corpse that has been reanimated with a special curse. A soul who had left its body, but has not yet passed on, becomes trapped in a rotting corpse. I don’t know the magic behind it, but the souls become confused and angry. A teacher described it as them being trapped in a blinding red haze, where all they can feel is hunger and malice. Whatever they kill...or whatever dead thing they can find...they can...fuse to their bodies, usually to replace something that rotted off.

  Both Luke and Aza were horrified.

  “As far as undead go they are very powerful...and for hundreds to be here.... is just unthinkable....for many reasons.”

  “So we’re dealin with a necromastener?” Luke turned to Aza. “Like in the book.”

  “What now?” Han turned to Aza as well.

  “Gregory had, well prolly still has, a bunch of old books about heroes and legends. “We used to read them all the time as kids. In one, about a battle in the War of Eras, there was a hero who had to fight an army of skeletons lead by a necromancer. It was this thing with dark skin and pointed ears...and I think its hair was really white…” Aza was trying to recall all he could from the simple tale.

  “I think what you are talking about is a Vorustrow, or Drow as most just call them. They were masters of necromancy during that time, but no. It is hard to explain, but it is a matter of method.” Han pondered the best way to lay it out. “A wight is made using old magic, and the soul is not actually brought back, but intercepted before it can ever pass on. To make one takes a lot of time and resources. If this was a necromancer then they would have a myriad of easier and more efficient techniques to build an army than wights.”

  “So...so what does that mean then? Why does it matter?” Aza didn’t understand why the distinction had to be made.

  “Why does it matter? It matters because it tells us, well me, more about who is doing all of this. Given where we are, the wights, and the reliance on old magic, I would wager that someone in this town is a sea witch.”

  “Ok...what does that mean?” Aza didn’t like repeating himself, but this was all far beyond him.

  “A witch is just someone who practices old magic, sea witches simply have a focus on spells related to the ocean and weather. They’re very uncommon, but tend to lurk around this region of the world opposed to anywhere else.”

  “So what was that thin at the tower...a big wight?” Luke leaned in.

  “Yes...to a degree that would be a good way of putting it. Except instead of placing the soul in a corpse, someone created a more elaborate, resilient body to animate.”

  There was a pause as both Aza and Luke mulled everything over, absorbing all this new information. The wind blew around them as the dreary clouds rolled and shifted overhead.

  “How’s we kill em?” Luke spoke softly, but firmly. “Clearly theys can die.”

  “I think all you need to do is break the body enough so that the soul slips out. Though there is a more simple method, sunlight.”

  “Wait, what?” Aza was dumbfounded.

  “It is the reason most would consider them impractical for anything large scale. Here, in an isolated area, that you already hold power, they are immeasurably strong. At night...they become unbeatable to any average individual. As a fighting force, they cannot be in direct sunlight or their bodies will
burn. It is a common problem with people or creatures that have too much dark magic within them.”

  Luke nodded. “So that’s why theys only come out at night…”

  “Exactly, and that is likely why it never seems to get any better than dark overcast.” Han leaned on the table as he began thinking out loud. “In this light, they would be able to wander around during the day, but in a weakened state. Assuming the mayor, or someone else, wants them to seem invincible then bringing them out at any time other than night would be foolish. Could just be so that the option is on the table, or a simple way to oppress the masses. Then again, it might not be for them.…”

  Aza rested his elbows on the map. “Ok... this gets us somewhere.” The talk of witches got Gregory’s words spinning around his mind, her. The mayor seeming to be in charge, yet letting their hunt continue.

  “So could the mayor be a witch or is it only a woman?”

  “Hmmm? Oh, the term gets associated with women, but, like I said, it only delineates the type of magic you use. Though it could be him considering what you said about him being behind the animal attacks.”

  “Ok...so what’s next then?” Aza ran over the plan from the day before, realizing it had run its course.

  “I intend to head back to your library. As for yourselves, I have a job for you to do.” He pulled up his satchel. “I need you to find out everything you can on someone named Arthur Lore.”

  “Arthur? Aza, ain’t that one of your bosses?”

  “He is, and actually runs the library...though he was out early the other day.” He turned back to Han. “What exactly are we looking for?”

  From his satchel came a smooth sheet of paper, written in the language sometimes used by the upper classes. “Inside of the lighthouse were a few parchments. I have copied down the relevant information from them onto this sheet.”

  Aza looked the pristine thing over; it was a bullet pointed list that read like a teacher’s summary. He quickly folded it up and popped it into his pocket. “I know where he might be if you and Luke want to head to the library. It would be better if I go alone.”