“Drop the weapon, Ghost!”
The figure pulled his scythe from a fallen officer and turned to face the one who called him.
“That is you isn’t it? The Grey Ghost?”
He got only silence in return, all but his eyes obscured by the hat and bandanna.
Despite the theatrical overconfidence never leaving his voice, the captain was sweating. “You’re with Aza and the rest too!? Didn’t ya hear what I said to this lovely lady? They’re all dead!”
The figure didn’t move, just looked the two over. Then he pulled down his bandanna and propped up his hat, revealing his pale, pink hair. “On the contrary, Mom said Barnabee took a bullet to the chest.”
“What…” He looked from the figure to his hostage. There were maybe ten or so years between them, but they were definitely related. “That...that’s a lie! An…” He looked beyond the man as he heard the sound of hooves on the cobblestone. Two riders were flying down the road.
“If you don’t believe me you can ask him for yourself.” He waited for the perfect opening to swing is weapon, but wouldn’t take the shot unless absolutely sure he could make it in time.
The farmer and Puppetmaster ground to a stop and leapt off. On Aza’s face was a look of abject horror as he saw the blaze encompassing his home. There were three in front of him. The danger, the friend, and the unfamiliar. His mind didn’t seem to process it. “Where’s Gregory?” His words were manic as he stumbled forwards, hoping beyond hope to see his grandpa lying in the street. He looked to Gretel and saw the pain on her face.
“He went out with dignity.” It was all she could say.
“No...no that’s not…” Aza looked to the man that had saved him, to Gretel, the bodies, and then to the captain. “You…”
The Grey Ghost and Gretel were not affected as much by the fear of the creatures, or people like Aza. Yet they felt this. The captain froze, nearly dropping his gun from a quivering hand. The Puppetmaster stumbled forwards. He was angry, more so than he ever had been. He couldn’t even really process it. Rage, that’s what it was. Denial swirled about him. This wasn’t real. Gregory wasn’t gone. There was no body. Yet he extended the threads from his hand, his attention fully locked on the captain. Aza could sense certain traits or emotions from people if he tried hard enough, his soul peering into their own. He found, if he really tried or was really threatened, he could get a good idea of what they might do. He had used it without fully realizing it many times these last few days, dodging attacks and shots he had no right to. It hadn’t occurred to him until now just how much he had done it.
Enraged, his soul stabbing out in retaliation, he could feel every part of this simple man. He had lost all confidence in the safety his hostage provided, and was about to act. Aza drew up his arm as the man threw out his own. While the pistol trained on its new target, the threads of light were already spinning and twisting towards their own. They traveled down the barrel and burst through the top of the other side where the wood and handle met. The captain staggered as they cut through his eye and out the back of his skull. For a moment he stood, but fell as they retracted, his pistol clattering onto the wet stone.
He turned to the burning building only to see the top floor come crashing down. Aza didn’t know what to do. To Luke, to the stranger, to Gretel. He looked to each of them, tears falling down his face. “He’s not gone...he can’t be…”
Luke put his hand on his friend’s shoulder, a somber look upon his face. “I’m sorry.”
“No... you...there’s nothing to be sorry for.” He wiped the tears and pushed the pain down, deep down and let the denial take hold of him.
Luke hugged his friend and for a few moments all stood in silence.
Aza eventually pulled himself away and took a deep breath. “We have a job to do.”
Gretel looked down as her transponder began writhing around in the front pouch of her dress. She plucked it out and heard her mom on the other end. There was a very quick exchange and she dropped it back into place. “We gotta head up Delvon Street; she’ll meet us on the way.”
Aza nodded. “Ok, but who exactly is he?” He was looking to the man dressed in grey with a crimson scythe.
“That’s my brother, Hansel.”
The siblings mounted the horses with Luke and Aza clinging to their backs. Gretel wanted to say something to Aza but didn’t really know how or if this was even the right time. Her mom had taught her a lot, but tact was something she was forced to piece together for herself. Her brother had no such qualms, no connection to anyone but his family. The four tore off through the night and towards the countryside. They had gotten to the edge of town before seeing a red mare come running down from the west. Their beasts pulled to a stop by a tall light post and waited for Aggie to arrive. Yet as they did so, Luke spotted more people running up through the darkness. He had seen two figures in the distance earlier, but they looked to be headed into town. Now it was apparent the pair were running towards them. Hansel took notice as well, readying his weapon until Aza told him to put it back down. Aggie pulled up next to them just as an exhausted Jack and Desmond arrived.
“What in the Abyss be you two doin out here?” Aggie looked the two up and down as she was unable to comprehend their stupidity.
“Tryna find you lot!” Jack looked to Aza and Luke as well as the other three. “A buncha officers attacked the church. Desmond felt guilty bout leavin ya with Aza so we’s came lookin once we figured out the monsters aint nowhere.” He waved his arms around, baffled as to how they could even be out here without getting torn to pieces.
“Well it’s a good thing ya did I suppose.” Aggie turned to Gretel. “We’re headed home. You go with those two back to the church.”
“What?” She turned the horse to face her mother.
“Yeah, what are you talkin bout?” Jack looked from one to the other. “We came to get Luke before anythin else happens.”
Aggie just laughed at them, much to their confusion. “What’s so funny?” Desmond spat, insulted.
“It be far too late for ya lads to start carin! The wheels are already turnin!”
Suddenly thunder roared through the sky. The wind began to pick up as black clouds came blowing in from the sea. All of them could feel it, an evil presence, kept at bay by a now broken deal, coming for them.
“There ain’t be any time left! The wights will be upon us now if they ney be already.” She rode up to Gretel and handed her a letter. “Now go!”
She threw it to Jack, who scrambled to catch the weightless thing. “Ya aint cuttin me outta the fight. They murdered Gregory and tried to have us all killed!”
Aggie clenched her fist, not wanting to argue.
“And we arn’t goin without Luke.” Desmond chimed in.
Their brother looked pained. “Jack!”
“No! Desmond told me what you’ve been up to… do...do you know how much danger you put us all in? That you put yourself in?”
“Desmond’s boss shot the mayor about an hour ago, so I think you have bigger things to worry about.” Aza calmly let slip.
“He what!” Desmond’s eyes went wide, unable yet fully able to believe what had just been said.
“We ain’t got time for this!” Aggie threw hers arm out and shoved Gretel off the horse, nearly knocking Aza off as well.
She suddenly kicked her own and began heading North. Hansel and Luke followed with Aza having to catch up as the other three tried in vain to stop him. Instead they were left alone at the crossroads. Gretel looked out to sea and then back to them. Every fiber of her being told her to give chase, but her higher reason won out. Her and Desmond talked Jack into retreating with them to the much closer church rather than die out in the darkness. While they fled in anger, the others rode far into the country. They made it to the territory of the tree farmers, dashing and leaping through the twisting roots and thorny branches. The maze seemed to stretch on forever, blending and overlapping with the actual forest as they sped up a fo
rgotten stretch of road.
Their path narrowed and narrowed until exploding into a large yard with a high, patchwork fence. The thing was built to defend a burnt out manor that had slowly been pieced back together over the years. It was clear a fire had ripped through the middle, and most of the right side was gone, but improvements and repairs had been made to seal up any openings. They could see all this due to the massive, luminescent bulbs of fungi that littered the yard, fed by rotting things deep within the woods.
Upon arriving on the property, Hansel shouted for them to follow him exactly. He weaved and wound around a seemingly invisible path to the stables on the left side. They were not something on the original mansion but added much later for convenience. The group dismounted and Aggie released the horses, hoping they would find their way home or at least somewhere they might have a shot at surviving this night. With that done, the four walked inside. Any splendor this grim abode once possessed was long gone. All that remained were patchwork repairs and charred decimation. This was apparent to everyone as they traveled through burnt halls and unusable rooms, eventually arriving at what was once the centerpiece of the manor, the ballroom. Two arcing stairways framed the back and led to a balcony on the next level. Once serving as a place to give speeches and address the wealthiest of guests. There were still fallen tables and broken glass, with new supports and patchwork walls amongst them. As the group walked through, the old woman got nostalgic for the old place. She had come so many times, but not to this room, this ancient beautiful room.
“What is this place?” Luke was searching around, still unsure what was going on.
Aggie and Hansel turned to face the two boys, with the former nodding to her son. He returned the gesture and ran up the stairs to parts unknown. She was left to face the two, unsure what to say. “This is Beldrum Manor. Me old home.”
“What?” Aza was in awe of the place, even in this condition. Even more so that Aggie had once owned it in a better state. “What happened?”
Sh closed her eyes and gave a deep sigh. Memories from her long seventy two years flooding back. “You kids are likely too young to recall, but this town wasn’t always like this.”
Luke was taken aback. “Like the monsters?”
She laughed. “Nah lad, but we need that optimism. Ney, this place was once open to the world. When I was a wee lass, the last of the trade ships were still commin through.”
“Wait...but how?” Aza looked at her as if she was a liar.
“A long process. The bastards up at city hall have destroyed or hidden most of the old histories, but copies still exist if ya be knowin the right people. For the longest time our waters and the forests were dangerous, more than most, but it was only in the last few hundred years that things began to change. Year by year, travel got harder as the land owners and politicians began to seize more and more authority. Then the wights showed up. My mam used to say there were a few that would roam the streets when she was a las, but they just kept growin. More of this town became too dangerous to use...just a slippery slope that we be findin ourselves at the bottom of.”
Aza was stunned, unable to imagine this village any other way.
“What happened to this place though?” Luke spun his finger, gesturing to the dilapidated manor.
“Twenty five or...thirty…” She began counting on her hand. “Gretel is twenty eight so he’s ten years…so….yes, twenty five years ago.” She blinked a few times, unable to believe it had been that long. “I had inherited the land that belonged to me mam and dad. We were upstarts and had gotten a lot of nobles on our side. The witch had guaranteed us prosperity for compliance. That had always been the deal, but we were about to change all that. We were gonna send out a party that would alert the Paladins and end this nightmare. The biggest obstacle in our way...was Barnabee.”
“He was mayor even back then.” Aza wasn’t even sure why he was surprised.
“Not yet. Though, he was the adopted son of the biggest landowner in town. When that bastard was a lad, he an his parents worked for em. They took a shine for the child, and when his parents died, they brought him in to their home. The story was wights, but a lot of us never believed that ...yet who would accuse a wee lad of such a thing. Believe it or not he was quite charming when he was younger, got a lot of folks on his side. Then things came to a head…” She closed her eyes as she thought back to that night. “He told the witch about what was going on. Our home was set ablaze. Remus, me husband ...Gretel was only three. He died pullin her from the blaze.”
The two were silent.
“They thought Hansel had died as well, so we kept it that way.” She turned to Aza. “Believe it or not, yer predicament is far from the only one. But….well, they had hoped we would die poor in Cedric’s Row. Unfortunately for them fools, the connections we made through charity or just talkin...me an Gretel were on our feet in no time, though in closer quarters.”
“Ok…” Aza processed all the information. “So why are we here?”
She gave a grin and began walking up the stairs. “The sea hag isn’t the only wench with a little magic. Potions have always been my trade, but me and Arthur...both...used to try and mess with a book of spells. There used to be a dozen or so scattered around town, but one by one they were burned or stolen away.” The trio arrived atop the balcony, and turned left to a hallway set into the wall. “We wanted to find a way to instantly travel away from town and back. Once we had the ritual figured out, we began sending odds and ends a ways into the woods. It became apparent that we were missing some piece because...ha...we couldn’t control where or how the rotten things landed. Then the witch or Barnabee caught on that someone was up teh magic...then things got worse...Junior went missing...Arthur just...doesn't matter.”
The three arrived in a bedroom that had been cleared out. The floor was covered by rings of some red salt or powder with carved rocks set amongst them. Hansel was pouring more down as they arrived.
“So, the plan be to load the inner circles with slug root extract and shoot that piece of paper as far away from here as the ritual possibly can.”
“That’s amazing!” Hope began to spark back within Aza, but the fire quickly faltered. “What’s the catch?”
Aggie nodded. “It takes time and coordination teh preform. Whatever version of the spell we’re usin ney be the most efficient. You three will need to defend this place while I prefarm it…” She looked to Luke. “I wanted to send ya away with Gretel, but I figured you're just follow us anyhow. Maybe even bringin one of ya daft brothers trailin along behind ya.”
Luke gave a warm smile. “Ya know me too well.” He looked up as rain from the growing storm outside began to seep in. “You think we’re all gonna die here don’t ya?”
She didn’t nod, but he could see it in her eyes.
He drew his axe. “Then it looks like the witch ain't the only one gettin showed wrong here tonight.”
Hansel gave a deep, throaty laugh. “I love the enthusiasm kid.” He walked by his mother an gave the short old woman a hug. The other two followed him out and to the balcony above the ballroom, Aza handing off the paper to Aggie. Water dripped through the old ceiling as thunder roared in the shifting sky. It was far from the worst the witch could do, a show of power more than anything. Lightning lit up the dim room as they stood watch.
Aza crossed his arms and looked out over the empty tables. “So just stall them out until morning?”
Hansel shrugged. “If we can. I’ve been fightin those things fer damn near twenty years...but the last time they went after that piece of paper…” He looked to Aza. “She sent darn near everythin she had.”
He merely nodded, knowing that night all too well. This time though, he was ready. Luke was at one side and the terror of city hall to the other. Gregory might be gone...but what he fought for….what he died for…. would finally win. Without the code, without Barnabee, with her guardians falling...this was the beginning of the end for her. And if he was wrong...no, he wa
sn’t. Even if he was, he wouldn’t let himself believe such a hopeless thing… even as they felt the ground begin to shake.
The fire at the house had gone out, smothered by men from city hall. Not the corrupt officers of politicians, just people doing their jobs. Now they were in pieces, ripped apart by the army of pale, shambling horrors. Most obscured their crooked, patchwork bodies under cloaks and coats while others had taken in so many parts from the sea that no same man could have ever thought them once human. Within their ranks were a few of the eye covered monstrosities from the necropolis, alongside the guardian with the shepherd's crook. Yet leading them was something massive, not seen on the surface in nearly a decade. It was a battleship, reinforced with metal, and given countless cannons. The powerful structure was impaled on the back of a great sea strider, a massive crustacean that had been slain and brought back to carry this evil vessel. Most of its body was hidden within the rotten wood of the ship, while its massive, barnacle encrusted legs struck out to shake the earth below it.
At its bow was a single figure. A corpse in a tricorn hat with a dark sabre at his side. Fire burned in his rotten eye socket as he led the march to Beldrum Manor. His rigid arm struck out straight from his body, a fiery lantern lighting their way. The Nightman was coming...with the Abyss itself at his back...
Chapter 19: The Siege of Beldrum Manor
They were silent, yet the sounds of the night echoed and crashed around the ballroom. The howling of the wind, the dripping of rain….the shaking of earth. Each board and stone rocked to the ebb and flow of the raging gales as the three waited for the inevitable. Luke was afraid. He was afraid because he knew he had no chance against the horde that would be soon coming for them. None of them did really, but he more so than the rest. Yet he had a duty. So long ago, just stupid kids, he and Aza had sworn to protect this dreary town, restart the Nightwatch, become heroes. Now here he was at the end of such a perilous and deadly dream. There was regret, but also hope. Hope that they would make a difference, and that they would all somehow make it through this.
The Curious Case of Jacob's Hallow Page 26
