The Four Realms

by Adrian Faulkner

  "How odd."

  "Oh it's worse than that," Joseph continued. "Everyone knows that relations between elves and humans are at an all-time low. Ernest told me Rofen doesn't think we have enough wizards to defend the city if they attack."

  "Is it that bad?"

  Joseph nodded. "It's an epidemic. That's why he asked Ernest to look into it."

  "Ernest? But his speciality was the gateways."

  "Rofen seemed to think that mana was leaking out the world, and that some of the weaker wizards are the first to find it."

  "Leaking?"

  "Yeah. I mean, your world has no mana, perhaps our world is going the same way."

  "Oh dear," said Maureen thinking about the impact of all this. "And you think Ernest was murdered because..."

  Joseph shrugged. "I'm just someone he confided in. I don't have any answers."

  "And the notebook?"

  "He took it with him. Carried it everywhere he went. Sorry, I would have told you, but I didn't know you'd sneak in."

  "What about Rofen? Can he be trusted?"

  Joseph was quiet for a second before mumbling, "he was one of the few who knew what Ernest was up to. They'd been keeping it very silent. Worried it might cause panic if people found out."

  "So why did he tell you?" Maureen almost regretted it as soon as she said it. Almost. Either way, Joseph didn't seem to flinch at the insult.

  "Dunno," he shrugged. "Guess he couldn't tell any of the uninfected wizards for fear of starting panic. Who else could he have confided in?"

  Me, thought Maureen. He could have confided in me.

  "So, if you don't know if you can trust Rofen, what do you plan to do?" she asked.

  "See if I can find your elf."

  "Joseph, they tried to kill me," Maureen said, realisation of the danger she'd actually been in only now starting to grow on her. "It's not your job to get to the bottom of this."

  Joseph shot her a glare, and for the first time Maureen could see why trolls could be so frightening. That big, dumb, gentle face, wrinkling into lines and angles.

  "Who else is going to do it?" he shot at her.

  Maureen sighed. They were getting angry at each other for no reason. They were on the same side.

  "I'm sorry, Joseph," she sighed. "These last few days have been difficult."

  Joseph's face softened into the one she knew best; that big gormless smile. "It's alright, Maureen," he replied. "They've been difficult for everyone."

  "How do you plan to find the elf?" she asked, finding herself slowly being sucked in.

  "Larry McNally's. It's a club in the centre of town. Very popular with the elven community. As good a place as anywhere to start."

  Maureen looked out the covered walkway to the world beyond the covered walkway. Did she dare another adventure into Venefasia? She'd vowed after the last one that she'd never do something so stupid again, but with Joseph by her side she felt a lot safer. It was stupid and dangerous, she knew that. It wasn't the right thing to do, but the nagging feeling that someone had murdered Ernest for a reason ate away at her stomach. Who was left to defend Ernest’s memory now? Just Joseph and her.

  She sighed, knowing she was making another reckless decision. "Just let me get my bag and I'll be right with you."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - Narrow Escape

  Darwin's first waking moment was of Nanny Voodoo stepping over him on the lounge floor. Cassidy had moved off the sofa in the night and was now snuggled into his arms, sleeping how they normally slept on the streets. Then he heard the knock at the door, and couldn't be sure if that was the first time he'd heard it that morning. Bleary eyed, he saw the silhouette of someone against the curtains, making their way into the back garden.

  Nanny Voodoo hissed at him. "You have to go."

  Suddenly he was awake, as the door knocker banged again.

  "One moment," Nanny Voodoo cried out. "I'm just getting dressed."

  Cassidy stirred at this and Darwin found himself clamping a hand over her mouth.

  "Shhh!" he whispered in her ear.

  With someone at the front and someone making their way round the back, what exit strategy did he have? No way into the sewers, though he suspected that round this area they wouldn't be big enough to escape through. Maybe he could fight his way out, but he wasn't exactly sure who or what he was up against. Had they traced him here, or was this something different entirely? No time to think, Nanny Voodoo said he needed to go, and that's what he'd do.

  The bathroom. There was a small top window that opened, not by a lot, but big enough for Cassidy and him to squeeze through. It was on the opposite side to the path the silhouette had walked down, just a fence and beyond that the neighbour's garden path.

  He said nothing, just pointed at the bathroom. Cassidy nodded and he removed his hand from her mouth.

  Luckily, they'd made the choice to change back into their newly laundered old clothes last night. Darwin was glad to finally have some clothes he could actually breathe in, and he guessed Cassidy was the complete opposite, preferring something a little more secure than a dress three times her size wrapped round her. Either way, Darwin was thankful that they didn't have to waste time getting any more dressed than putting on shoes.

  A quick scan and check of pockets ensured they had everything, before darting into the bathroom. Darwin was careful to ensure that if anyone was looking in from the back of the house through Nanny Voodoo's bedroom window that they wouldn't see them.

  He carefully opened the bathroom window and was disappointed when it didn't hinge open as far as he'd like. This was going to be tight. He helped Cassidy up onto the sink and began pushing her through the gap.

  "Over the fence into next door," he whispered as she threw her rucksack on ahead of her

  He could sense Cassidy's fear and apprehension but give the girl credit, she didn't do her normal thing of complaining and protesting, just struggled on in silence.

  With her out it was his turn, although if she'd only just managed to squeeze the gap, no idea how he was going to do it. He managed to get his head and shoulder but got stuck at the chest. He reached out for the neighbour's fence with his fingertips, tried to push with his feet against the sink. Something went clattering to the floor. He winced.

  The door hammered again.

  "Wait a goddamn minute," Nanny Voodoo yelled out. "I have to get dressed."

  Darwin pushed again, felt the rotting wood of the window frame, give a little under the pressure. Then he was moving forward, on over the fence, trying to use his feet to ensure the window closed gently as he tumbled head first onto the neighbour's pathway beyond.

  Cassidy helped him up.

  "What now?" she whispered.

  "Just trust me," Darwin replied, putting his arm over her shoulder. "Hold my hand."

  She did as she was told and together the two of them walked down the passage to the main street. He could feel Cassidy tense up but gave her hand a little squeeze as if to reassure her. I know what I'm doing, he thought. At least I hope I do.

  He opened the gate and then started sauntering across the neighbour's front lawn, away from Nanny Voodoo's house. He afforded himself a look back to try and see who it was that was so determined to speak to Nanny Voodoo.

  He was a small man, wiry hair and scraggily beard, shirt half untucked. Yet still, there was something not quite right about him. The man turned to look at Darwin.

  "Was'up," Darwin said with a flick of his head and a street slang accent. "You gotta bang really loud. The old dear's a bit deaf." He tapped his ear with his finger.

  "Thank you," said the man.

  "S'alright," Darwin replied, turning his back to the man, but continuing down the road at the same slow, lazy speed. Do not give them any reason to suspect you, Darwin thought. He'd walked down this road to the T-junction at the end a thousand times, but never had it felt so long. He couldn't be sure if the person at the door was a colleague of the man, the thing, they killed in the library, but he was
taking no chances. Probably just someone wanting to read the gas meter, he tried to reassure himself.

  He heard a discussion of some sort take place - well one side of a discussion anyway - but he couldn't make out what was being said. There was a bang from the door, either it being slammed shut or barged open, but he dare not turn round. Keep walking, he told himself. Look normal, get to the end of the road, get out of sight of the front door and then run.

  They were about a hundred feet away, when there was a bang and a flash followed by the sound of breaking glass. He heard someone yell but couldn't tell if it was Nanny Voodoo or not. Curiosity got too much and he turned to see white smoke rising out the broken windows of Nanny Voodoo's bungalow.

  Panic set it, and he let go of Cassidy's hand.

  "Run," he said.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - Voodoo Magic

  Mr West watched the couple disappear down the road. What a curious thing love is, he thought. Humans were so trusting of chaos they'd even throw their relationships to chance. Not like his people. No, their betrothed was usually selected before either of them was born. A match based on breeding. Was there any love amongst his people? He was sure there was, but not like this, not like the couple strolling down the road.

  She seemed younger than him for a start, but not by more than a couple of years - Mr West decided she dressed herself younger than she actually was, although why you would want to hide your true age was one of this world's many mysteries he had yet to solve. He seemed pale and lanky by comparison, his spiky hair the epitome of chaos. What had attracted them to each other he wondered. In this chaotic world where anyone could be anything, how did you find your life partner? Maybe they had some common interest, maybe they had seen each other across a room and known. He'd heard humans talking about love at first sight - a preposterous notion, how could simple sight of a person inform you they were a good match? But deep down, there was something so dreamlike about that; that with purely adverse probability, you could find that special someone. They called that feeling romantic. He wasn't sure his people had even known such a feeling, but it was every bit as magical to him as what the wizards were doing out in Venefasia.

  Mr South returned from round the back of the building.

  "No-one coming out," he said, then nodding toward the door, "She still not answered?"

  Mr West shook his head.

  "No," he said with slight impatience in his voice. "Not yet."

  He rapped on the door again, a little more forcefully this time.

  "I don't buy from the door," shouted a voice. "Go away."

  Mr West bent down, opened the letter box and shouted through it, carefully taking the opportunity to see if he could spot anyone else in the house.

  "I can assure you we're not selling. We're investigating a theft and just wondered if you could help us with our enquiries."

  "Are you the police?" The voice sounded nervous, slightly unsure.

  "Of a sorts," lied Mr West. "Yes."

  "There's a lot of criminal gangs round these parts. Taking advantage of old folk like me."

  Mr West looked up to Mr South who was rolling his eyes and nodding his head toward the door. Yes, we could break in, thought Mr West, that would be the plan. That's what we are expected to do.

  "Yes," he shouted through the letter box. "You can't be too careful these days."

  "I want to see some ID," a defiant voice shouted back.

  Mr West tutted. "I could show you, Nanny Voodoo, but we'd both know it would be fake. Now you can open this door or you can cause a scene. It's your choice."

  "Why should I trust you?" Was that fear in her voice? Mr West smiled.

  "You can't," he replied. "But I can assure you that if you choose to be difficult, this could become very painful."

  There was silence from inside the house.

  West indicated for Mr South to get round the back again, just in case she was trying to escape. He nodded and ran down the side passage.

  There was a crash, something falling on the floor. She was trying to escape.

  West shouldered the door, the frame splintering as it burst open onto her lounge. So rotten, a normal man could have probably broken in. Mr West scanned the room. The woman was nowhere to be seen. There was the sound of something else hitting the floor, and he darted round the sofa to see the old lady standing on the sink, trying to push her way through a window that was far too small to allow her through.

  South came in from the back, a bedroom from the looks of it, as West shot out his hand. It metamorphosed into a tentacle as it extended, throwing a limb round Nanny Voodoo, and pulling her screaming toward the lounge. She popped out the window, like a cork out a bottle, the weight of her catching West unawares, her head smashing down into the sink

  "Careful," moaned South, "we need her alive."

  The blow was enough to smash the sink, red pouring down the woman's face as she continued to scream, clutching at the tentacle, as West dragged her across the bathroom floor and into the lounge.

  They'd been to see a lot of people these past few days, and West was able to divide them into one of two categories based on their reactions. Those that knew nothing or little of the vampires’ extinction would stand there open mouthed at the sight of the tentacle limb, would hardly move until it was wrapped around them and the tip fastened to their temple. But those who had something to hide, whether it be the knowledge of what had taken place or the whereabouts of one of the people they were after, they acted like Nanny Voodoo here. They tried to run, screaming and crying like a baby as a tentacle wrapped round them. Surely they should know there would be no escape. If the Vampire Council hadn't been able to defend themselves, what chance did someone like Nanny Voodoo have?

  He watched as she snatched at her glittering necklace, the chain breaking into parts as she ripped it from her neck. She threw it at him, and he instinctively turned as if to shield himself.

  The blast threw him hard against the far wall, and for a second he thought he blacked out. His ears were ringing and his eyes were blurred. He thought for a second it was raining, but he was indoors and it was only when he suffered a cut that he realised it was some of the shattered glass from the window above.

  He blinked several times, trying to bring his eyes into focus, but with the swirling clouds of smoke, there was little for him to focus on.

  As he slowly gained reuse of his senses, he felt pain in his tentacle arm. He withdrew it to find it much shorter, ending in a blackened and burnt stump. He wanted to cradle it, to succumb to the pain. No, he told himself. He had another twenty-six, the loss of a limb would not hinder him. Instead he needed to find Nanny Voodoo. That was easier said than done in a room full of smoke. She had been as close to the explosion as he had; she wouldn't be going anywhere in a hurry.

  He started to crawl, every muscle, both real and synthetic, as fluid as steel. Blind and deaf, he edged himself forward, heading toward where the front door would be, the smoke streaming out of it, it too trying to make its escape from this room.

  He wondered where Mr South was. Had he been injured? With any luck he would have taken the full effects of the blast, and another of his problems would have been dealt with. No matter, his only concern was finding Nanny Voodoo.

  He found her trying to claw her way out the door. Her legs seemed useless, either broken or too painful to use. The gash on her forehead had been joined by bleeding from the nose, ears and eyes.

  "Clever," he said trying to grab at her with his blackened limb but not able to adjust to its new stunted length. "Mana bomb in your necklace."

  He doubted she could hear him, even though he was probably shouting. No matter, she wouldn't get far. At least she had had the sense to use the door this time instead of trying to fit through that window. Had she got through, she could have dropped down into the neighbour's passageway and then...

  Mr West's mouth opened. The boy and the girl. That was why they couldn't find the notebook, they were after the wrong spec
ies. But the report had clearly said vampire. What kind of vampire could go out in daylight?

  "Oh, how stupid, Mr West," he told himself. "A half-vampire. Why didn't you think of it?" That would explain everything. Those sorts of cross-breeds would never be fully welcome by the majority of vampires, would have kept away from the Vampire Council, could move in daylight so wouldn't be restricted in the way normal vampires were. Everything now fitted into place. This was why data models were no good in this world. The chances of a half-vampire were so remote they wouldn't have been worth even coding, yet probability - probability would have made an allowance, even if it was a million to one. Because this is what had happened here, a million to one shot.

  He went to stand up, the room seeming to spin as he did so. He caught sight of Mr South the other side of the sofa, his face cut, his orifices bleeding. Did he look just as bad?

  "It was the kids," he shouted, but Mr South just shook his head and pointed to his bleeding ears.

  West pointed to the door and staggered to the exit.

  As he did so, Nanny Voodoo grabbed his leg. He reached down with his injured tentacle and despite the pain from the burns, swiftly wrapped it round her head and with one swift move, broke her neck.

  Clutching at the tentacle with his human arm, he staggered through the doorway, the door itself having been blown onto the front lawn by the blast. He stepped into clean air and automatically started coughing as his lungs evacuated themselves of smoke.

  Mr South staggered out after him, retching from the inhalation. There was no time to waste though. They needed to catch up with the boy and girl before they had chance to get too far away. Mr West tucked the remains of his tentacle, Napoleon-esque, in his shirt, and tapped Mr South on the shoulder. South spun round and Mr West indicated they needed to make their way down the street.

  He fumbled in his pockets as they ran, trying to find his mobile, hoping he might to call in some reinforcements to aid the search. But even though he'd realised he'd not be able to hear anything they said back to him, the phone was still no use, having been smashed in the mana blast.