Monty python reference. Nice
Also Do you think that he's going to realize that he's following in the footsteps of the black swordsman?
Unholy Saviors (Berserk/Dresden Files crossover)
- Thread starter X0ll0X
- Start date
Also Do you think that he's going to realize that he's following in the footsteps of the black swordsman?
Chapter 10.3
- Location
- Switzerland
Chapter 10.3
If I thought that the outside was wasteful enough, it paled compared to the interior. Smooth marble columns battled for dominance with gold decor inlaid with a whole spectrum of differently colored jewels.
The few places that weren't marble and or gold were more often than not covered with detailed murals, no doubt depicting scenes from the Order's holy book. Each of the four walls, likely oriented to the cardinal directions, had huge stained glass windows depicting angelic beings, filtering in warm, colorful light into the main hall. The benches were lined with what looked like purple velvet cushions.
However, the centerpiece was no doubt the massive hawk in flight made out of flawless white marble, golden orbs rising upwards forming a helix. Its eyes glinted with white crystals, the detail on the carving was breathtaking and it wouldn't surprise me if the orbs were made out of actual solid gold.
It would be such a shame if everything were to be destroyed in a massive fire.
Our little procession led through the length of the cathedral devoid of humans save the occasional guard, past the altar and the fancy bird statue, to a reinforced door. Behind said door, a small room ended in a staircase downward into the murky depths of the inquisition shtick.
Much to my dismay, they didn't even have the decency to get big flaming torches as dungeoneering traditions demanded. Instead, a couple of lanterns were taken from their holders along the wall, lighted and then past around in the group.
Without much ceremony, we began our descent down the spiral staircase into the darkness that awaited us, leaving our Holy Chain guards behind.
The light of the lanterns was the only source of light during our trek through the underground dungeons. We passed by rows of heavy doors while Mikey did his best to keep up a semblance of small talk, assuring me we were only taking a shortcut to his very comfortable office.
It didn't completely mask the occasional moan and plead coming through the cells. Neither did it do anything against the stench of blood and piss and shit that seemed to permeate everything here.
I got over my disappointment over the lack of torches lining the wall quickly enough when I realized how much of an advantage they had unwittingly given me. A wolf needed far less light to function as humans did.
The stench grew more penetrating as we progressed, it gained something that uncomfortably reminded me of bacon. Along with it, I also started to pick up the nauseating, oily residue of the black magic which increased with every step forward I took. The metaphorical stench increased even filtering outthe greasy aura my 'captor' exuded as they launched one mental attack after the other, heating up the runes of my internalized helmet to uncomfortable levels.
When we finally arrived at the torture chamber, it took nearly every ounce of willpower to not start purging this world of these monsters prematurely. Even if I didn't gag because of the stench of offal and burned flesh wasn't thick enough that I could taste it, even if I hadn't seen the tanning fields, I would have killed them all gladly for their insistent, and blatant perversion of magic.
The door opened with a wave of dry heat and I grew very silent.
Someone had a field day in the local torture"R"us. My stomach churned at the sight of racks, the chairs lined with long spikes, a pool with a wheel, and the assortment of lovingly cared for instruments of torture – one crueler than the other. It dropped when I saw the red hot metal laying in the central burning bonfire, almost obscuring the iron maiden with blood pooling at its feet.
I meekly followed Mikey into the chamber, silently working the clasp of the manacle.
When I crossed the doorway, I had a good look of a bucket filled with bloody, flesh colored cylinders and looking around the occupants of this room, I could easily guess their origin. Almost every one of these tormented souls was missing either toes, fingers or both.
I was purposefully ignoring them until now, the victims of this fanatic cruelty, in the hope I could get into the room without doing anything rash.
Now that I was inside, I truly saw the extent. Men and women, everyone was naked, wasted and mutilated. Strips of raw meat were exposed where the torturers had practiced their flaying techniques. Large wounds had been seared shut by hot iron, lacerations were ever present, and gender only really mattered when it came to which body parts were most heavily mutilated.
Age didn't seem to matter either as I spotted the lifeless body of a boy who couldn't have been much older than twelve. I removed the manacle fully.
I felt Mikey put a hand on my shoulder, not an insignificant feat considering I'd tower over him if I stood fully upright. "Here we are mister Hoots, let me introduce you to…"
"Forzare!" I snarled with barely contained rage, interrupting the dead man walking, and slamming the heavy door shut in the face of one of his flunkies.
I felt how the cold flooded my senses, felt how winter howled for blood in accord to my own feelings.
"Infriga!" I snarled once more, freezing the door in place, coating it in ice and effectively shutting us in this wretched room until I decided otherwise.
Immediately, I heard cries of dismay and apprehension coming from the other side of the door, followed by their feeble attempts to break through it with brute force.
Whoever had taught them how to control minds obviously hadn't done the same with basic combat magic. Or at least they weren't capably of thinking beyond slamming door with their bare fists.
Of course, the walking corpse decided this was a good time to start blabbing again. "What do you think you are doing?! Stop this nonsense at once! You're only making it worse…"
With each word the fat craven uttered I felt an irritating spike of mind magic launched at me.
It was time to establish dominance in this worthless place.
I whirled around punching the wannabe dark lord in his liver with an ice covered fist and the full physical prowess of the Winter Knight. Sure, it paled in comparison to most supernatural nasties, but the removing the natural limiters on my wizardly ass meant that I could put Mike Tyson to shame.
The Chief Inquisitor doubled over in absolute agony. Before his corpulent body toppled over I delivered a short, dry kick to his knee., bending it in entirely the wrong direction as I felt the delicate joint shatter on impact and Mikey toppled over puking.
I looked over to the shell shocked torture technicians gaping at the scene and decided that there was still a little time before the dance truly started.
I knelt down to the fallen inquisitor lazily twirling my manacle.
"Mikey, Mikey, Mikey. If only you had ignored me, all of this wouldn't happen." I whispered in near perfect German, not bothering to reveal my menace. "I would have gone my merry way since I have to be places and you could have continued indulging yourself in your sick delusions. Now, after witnessing the depravity myself, I will raze St. Aurora to the ground. I will seek out the ilk of the inquisition and do the same to them."
The fat bastard tried to push himself up, struggling with his girth. "What will you do? YOU'RE CAPTURED AND SURROUNDED! You better hope you die before I'm done with you."
He tried putting some weight on his busted leg only to nearly topple over again in agony. He caught himself in doing some kind of walrus impression his upper body being held nearly vertical fully supported by both arms. He tried to glare daggers at the flunkies in the room but everything considered, it didn't amount to much.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR YOU DROOLING MORONS?! Get your thumbs out of your asses and get that bastard!" He yelled, frantically jerking his head towards me and rattling his comrades out of their stupor.
It also managed to make his walrus impression even more convincing.
"It hasn't dawned on you that I let myself be transported here, has it?" I asked casually rolling my shoulders as the torturers grabbed nearby tools. "I'm not locked in here with you. You're locked up in here with me."
I could see I shiver run through the walrus before I changed. My mouth was right near his right arm so I bit down hard, deciding he wouldn't need it in the near future. Having a very good grip, I yanked hard.
Through the combination of my freakish strength and mass and the fact that he hadn't much in the way of muscles, I ripped the limb straight off.
He opened his mouth to scream in renewed agony only to be immediately silenced as I used my leftover momentum and then some to backhand him in the face. With his very own hand. While his arm did lack muscles, it did have plenty of weight in fat on it, making it an excellent flail. The hand connected with a loud, sharp crack interlaced with the sound of bones shattering and flesh tearing.
The Head Inquisitor collapsed with his remaining eye opened in terror, a dent visible in his face, and pissing and shitting himself in his final moments.
I dropped the arm and turned to face the rest of the would be captors. Their newly found courage had disappeared completely. My enhanced sense of smell could even pick up the distinct smell of urine come from two of them.
It was one thing to face an unarmed man with eight armed people, even if said man was rather tall. It was another matter entirely to face an overgrown wolf that was covered in menacingly glowing symbols (I had decided to give the Hellhound shtick a serious shake and channeled some energy in the runes).
I snarled.
The torturer nearest to the door dashed towards the ice covered door and started banging it while crying for help, joining the continuing noise coming from the other side. The others, with the exception of one, tried to retreat to the furthest and darkest corners of the rooms, desperately trying not to be seen.
The only one that didn't, the one with the biggest knife, assumed something of a guard position, watching me intently. I could see something akin to rage in his eyes and I could see he had some experience as a fighter.
It didn't matter much as Winter had decided that none of them would ever be fit to join its pack and we'd be better off eliminating all of them to avoid future trouble. For once I agreed.
Deciding the knife wielder was likely the most dangerous of the bunch, I pounced at him.
He was ready and would have theoretically cut me before I could have reached him. Sadly for him, I didn't want to test how much the armor toughened up my hide and cheated. I shifted back mid jump, this time with all my stored gear and in full armor equipped and stabbed the bastard through his heart.
That's when the remaining six that weren't already crying completely lost it.
Five of them, I either stabbed to death with the Spear of Destiny or gored them with fangs and claws or both.
It wasn't a battle as much as a slaughter.
The last one standing had found some more courage in the face of certain death and had gotten the bright idea to use one of his victims, a girl with only a minimal amount of nasty, perfectly straight burn wounds on top of a few angry, red scars, as hostage to get out of the situation.
I shot him in the leg, forcing him to drop the knife he threatened the girl with. In the confusion I changed and tore out his hamstrings. For good measure, I punched with enough force to break his rips before throwing him on the fire he so loved to torment people with. He cried out in agony for only a short while before losing consciousness due to the combined trauma. The occasional sizzling pop was a constant reminder of his fate as I made my way towards the door and the last of the torturers.
He wildly brandished an oversized, bloodied pair of shears at me in blind panic as I stalked closer. I put him out of his misery with a stab through his heart and he collapsed in a lifeless puddle of flesh and bones.
From the moment I slapped Mikey to death to the point where the last torturer drew his last breath only a minute had gone past.
I flicked the blood of the spear and turned back to start looking to get them freed of their constraints.
Those who were conscious looked at me with wide-eyed horror, the girl who was used as a would be hostage had found a place that was as far as possible from any body and me. Her back was against the wall and she had picked up the knife of her torturer, holding it up defensively.
I guess, watching someone transform into a glowing wolf of doom, apparently materializing equipment out of thin air, and killing people with absolute, savage ease does leave an impression.
I touched my face and saw my hand return glistening red.
Hell's bells, never mind what I've done, I must have looked absolutely terrifying wearing an armor out of shimmering scales, claws, and bone, covered in blood.
I already felt like I needed a week long shower to get clean again, but deep down I knew that this was only the prelude and that not even that would make me feel truly clean again.
The hammering on the frozen door intensified and I could make out threatening shouts coming through. I couldn't understand what they said but could easily guess their meaning. Probably telling me that I was surrounded, that I had no hope to escape, and that I had to surrender or else.
In short, I had stuff to do and needed to get moving again.
I laid down my spear and slowly approached the girl with my hands in the air where she could see them.
"Shh, shh. It's alright. I'm getting all of you out of here." I told the panicking girl. "Can you help me to free the others?"
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed, flailing the knife in front of her, scampering to get further away from me.
I sighed softly and stopped where I stood, dropping into a crouch. "Okay, I'll stay right here for now. I'm so sorry you had to witness that. Could you give me your name fair lady? It would make this conversation much easier."
"J-j-jean." She stuttered in reply, her movements becoming less erratic.
"Hello Jean, I'm Harry." I answered in the soft voice that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere while living with my daughter. "So Jean, do you have any family you want to return to when we get out of here?"
The tender beginnings of hope started to bloom on her young, scarred face and her eyes began to tear up. "Yes. My big brother."
"How's that big brother of yours called, Jean?" I asked not daring to get my hopes up too soon."
"My big bro's called Angus." She replied, pride lacing her voice. "He tried to stop them when they came for me. I really didn't want to go. But suddenly I was walking towards Michael. Bro shouted and cried and suddenly he stopped… AAGH!"
She dropped her knife as she grabbed her head in pain, and was on the verge of weeping. It took everything in me not to run over her and hug the naked, anguished, gibbering form until the pain went away.
"Angus you say," I said in a happy voice hoping to distract her from her pain. "That does sound like the young man who tried to warn me and prevent me from being captured. As a matter of fact, he's coming this very way to rescue you right this very moment. You'll be reunited with him sooner as you can imagine."
"How can you be sure?" Jean asked, calming down once again.
"I'll let you in on a secret, Jean. I'm a wizard."
She gave the smallest of chuckles at that, before suddenly remembering something that threatened to bring her to tears once more. "But what if he doesn't want to be my big brother anymore! I… I walked away from him…"
"You didn't walk away, Jean. These creeps," I said, interrupting her train of thought and pointing toward the remains of the walrus. "Invaded your mind. They made you do that. You didn't have a choice."
I inched a bit closer to see how she'd react and as I saw she didn't react I continued in a lower voice. "They've done the same to Angus. That's why he suddenly quieted down, that's why he couldn't save you. He feels as guilty, if not more, about what happened even though it wasn't his fault. Angus needs you, Jean."
I could hear how they had started to hack away the ice on the door and knew that time was running out.
"So what say you? Shall we free the others and get you and your brother reunited again? You can even keep the knife in case I do anything funny."
She nodded once and stood up at that, leaving the knife on the ground.
And so we freed the emancipated victims from their devices, helping them stumble on maimed feet towards the one relatively free nook out of sight of the door.
The ones for whom all help came too late we laid on the ground as dignified as possible.
I dumped the bodies of the inquisitors in the furthest corner with rage coursing through my veins and Winter's strength, really not caring how they landed or in how many pieces.
It was grim and quiet work, only accompanied by the rhythmic hacking noises as the party outside tried to break through the door. I had simply torn apart manacles that bound some unlucky few to the wall, a feat easy if you can super cool the iron. The specifics of the different devices I tried to ignore, especially after seeing what the iron maiden had done to the young woman who they had put in before closing the doors slowly.
I really wish I hadn't seen the bloody scratch marks on the back wall of the device and her ruined fingers.
In total we could safe, if you wanted to call it that in some cases, a total of fourteen people including the young boy that was catatonic and silently weeping. Four hadn't survived their interrogation.
"Remember to stay hidden until either Angus, a little Fairy or myself come and get you." I called as I made my way towards the door.
I threw up my shield, making sure to cover the entire small hallway leading up to the torture chamber.
"Forzare!" I exclaimed, making a ripping motion.
The door exploded towards me, shards bouncing of my shield creating flashes of blue light where they hit the incorporeal barrier.
I calmly walked out of the broken door, stabbing the pair of soldiers that were trying to break through it mere moments ago through the neck, nearly decapitating them.
I reached out towards the undines swimming in the blood of the dead men, draining them and requesting that they block the entryway.
"Infriga." I snarled into the stunned silence that followed my sudden entry and a grisly barrier was formed, blocking the way towards the chambers once more.
I could hear a bell frantically ring an alarm in the distance and saw the first ones of the approximately forty-man strong force returning to their wits focusing their lamps on me.
I also noticed that they had brought some torches and put them in holders on the wall, illuminating the hallway.
I vaguely noticed that someone had begun shouting at me as I thought how much of a pity it would be if they were to suddenly lose that light.
I closed my and looked away as I pointed my staff ever so slightly towards the crowd pulling their attention to it.
"Lumen!" I barked, ripping the heat out of all the flames in the hallway, concentrating it at the tip of my spear to create the mother of all eye searing flashes of light.
Even through my closed eyes I could only see white for a moment before everything went perfectly black.
Shouts of pain and alarm intermingled with each other as I changed into my wolf self.
I let out an unearthly howl, asking the sylph to carry it far and wide, to amplify it.
That's when the utter, blind panic and the scrambling began. That is when I started my attack.
I didn't have the time to pay upon them what they did to all those poor souls. Besides I don't know if I could have lived with myself if I'd done that.
I could, however, make sure that their last moments were a living nightmare.
There would be no survivors.
Some of them must have looked away when I launched my flashbang on steroids because they were frantically trying to reignite their lanterns. Considering they went out of their way to paint a nice big target on themselves, they were the first of the main group to die.
I darted through the group, ripping out tendons and throats, slicing and stabbing at exposed body parts as I moved to confront each of the knights, not bothering to suppress the occasional angry snarl that escaped my lips. They were too focused on working their flints while shaking in uncontrollable terror to ever see me coming.
I went through the group again and again like the proactive grey brother of the Cù Sith claiming more and more lives with every pass. Relying on smell and sound as well as the superior night vision which allowed me to see the faint reflections bouncing off unmarred armor gave me an unfair advantage over the knights who were blindly stumbling over each other in mass hysteria.
I saw knights stabbing at each other in the panic when they accidentally bumped into each other. Others simply sat in steaming puddles of their own dread, completely unable to do anything, not even producing a sound anymore. I heard a woman desperately stammering commands that were ignored before it was her turn to come across my path. Those commands were drowned out by the mindless shouting and the cries of agony of the wounded who had survived my first pass.
Only a few of them died a clean death as I forced myself to keep moving and play it safe, often preventing me to land the killing blow right away. I effortlessly shifted to my human form to take a stab at the few knights that were swinging their swords around wildly. Still, even with the precautions in place, a few of them got in a lucky, grazing swipe in the chaos, causing lines of burning pain that would have threatened to make my steps falter if I wasn't as damned furious as I was.
After what felt like an eternity, I could hear nothing except my own panting and the frantic tolling of the bell.
I was going through the grizzly remains – regular victims of animal mauling were already bad enough, image the results when the wolf knows how to completely disable you, where it hurts the most, and is furious – trying to find the remains of the last four inquisitors, when suddenly said bell stopped completely.
Of course, the cowards had sent their pet knights to deal with me while getting themselves to safety, so I decided I might as well take a stroll and investigate what happened to the bell ringer. I was going to hunt those four down anyway.
Before I went my merry way I melted the crimson barrier that closed off the chambers I had exited not too long ago, but didn't say anything to the survivors within. There was no need to expose them to the scene of the massacre for an unnecessary amount of time. Better to let them wait until Angus got here and ferried them past the whole affair.
I made my way back to the staircase while I blew the door of every cell of its hinges and into the dark hallway, ignoring the occasional terrified squeak that escaped from the occupied cells. I knew it would make Angus' job much easier and I needed to vent some energy anyway.
It had been hard to restrict myself to mortal means to inflict medieval brutality. I simply wasn't used to seeing this much depravity, at least not on this scale, that had been inflicted by human hand. Normally, I could count on some supernatural nasty to be behind most of it, meaning I could use the anger that had built up beforehand. Sure, they came close to killing me and destroying the world (or whatever nefarious plan they came up with) but at least I didn't feel like a pressure cooker with a malfunctioning valve afterwards.
On the staircase I met up with Angus and Toot. That is to say that I was greeted by a strike of some monstrous smith hammer as soon as I popped my head around the corner. I blocked it with a quick shield and he was damn lucky that I had been able to order my thoughts once more during my stroll through the dungeons. Toot's immediate shouting also helped.
"What are you doing you idiot!" He yelled, hitting Angus with a very familiar stick. "If you want to kill yourself, please don't use Harry for it."
I looked up to the perpetrator and at least he had the decency to look somewhat ashamed while somehow also managing to mix in some fear and disgust. I noticed that his hammer was coated with blood and that he'd needed a new tunic as well.
"What has happened down there?" He asked as soon as he returned to his wits.
"Some knights didn't like me leaving. Did you perhaps encounter some inquisitors on your way down? I'm missing four of them." I asked, debating on whether or not I should use my doggy powers to try and find them if he didn't.
"We didn't necessarily encounter them as much as Toot found and distracted them while I bashed in the bastards' skulls." He answered nonchalantly enough, while still eyeballing my suddenly appeared gear. Or at least I hoped it was the gear and not the blood and gore that covered it and me.
"In that case you'd better hurry along. Jean is waiting for you." I said, instantaneously getting his full attention.
"She's alive? Where is she?" Angus asked barely keeping himself from storming downstairs.
"She's straight down the hallway together with most of the remaining survivors, you'll see it when you get to the right room." I answered. "Just watch out the ground is rather… and he's gone."
Angus had already rushed past me before I even started the second sentence. I simply hoped that I wouldn't need to plan a grand escape after he saw my handiwork,
That left me with my lieutenant-general who was looking at me, beaming with pride. As in he somehow literally gave off enough light to nearly blind me.
"Toot, what are you thinking?" I asked carefully, not sure I really wanted to hear the answer.
"Just that the Queen would be very pleased if she saw her Knight like this, boss." He replied innocently enough.
Depressingly enough I was forced to agree. I should have known that something was fishy considering the Mantle was awfully calm.
I gave that particular thought and its implications a neighboring room to the one that was still wondering whether or not Spain was a real thing in bizzaro-world. I'd have plenty of time to be haunted by it when I got out.
"So did you two encounter anything beyond the four cowards? Problems?"
"We had to deal with two more knights that were stationed in front of large cell on the first floor. In said cell were a noble pair was locked up. They're called Placidus and were the boss of this city before being taken prisoner by the cardinal when the inquisition came to town. Apparently the cardinal didn't like it when they protested when he started gutting the city and surroundings to keep up his lifestyle."
"Where are they now?"
"They went ahead to meet the council to see whether or not they can do something against Zargothrax and his mates. The town isn't that happy with the cardinal and the inquisition policies, or so the Placidi said."
"Are there still people in the building upstairs?"
"With a single exception, no."
"Let me guess the cardinal himself?" I asked as I made my way back downstairs to help Angus with the survivors.
"Yep. He's holed up in his tower penthouse. We didn't approach him. He felt dangerous." Toot replied as he lazily floated alongside me.
"Right. Have you found my gear as well?"
By now I was back in the hallway and I could see that Angus had been able to reignite some of the torches along the way.
"Yes, it's on the first floor, second door on the right. It's the same room with all kinds of interesting looking maps and papers." Toot answered dutifully.
"Okay. I want you to keep an eye out for our dear cardinal while I help Angus with the survivors. Warn me if he tries anything. I'll deal with him afterwards." I said as I was nearing the chamber.
Toot floated a bit faster, gave me a short salute and flew off in the opposite direction. I stopped and reached out towards the undines for a second time this day. I kindly asked them to remove the worst of the blood from me. They answered with the peculiar feeling of small streams running down my body.
The scene of the slaughter didn't look any prettier as when I left it, worse the stench had saturated the air making the whole experience even worse.
Angus was still in the room, hugging his sister while being oblivious of the surrounding. I could see tears flowing freely on the face of Jean.
I cleared my throat to break them up, hating myself for having to do it.
I carried a man, both legs maimed beyond functionality and missing an arm, while Angus half carried a woman who had her right foot reduced to pulp. Julie, and surprisingly, the boy stayed very close to him as the other prisoners organized in groups to support each other.
And so our group, the majority of which naked and badly scarred, began our slow walk towards the exit of their own personal hell. Along the way we collected some of the prisoners that hadn't exited the cells I busted open only minutes ago.
Even in the dim light I could see the mixture of relief and sorrow on their faces as they realized what fate they had narrowly avoided.
We had decided to leave the four deceased victims of this cruelty in that chamber. Nobody liked it, but nobody knew them either and everybody agreed that they would like to be remembered the way they were before their ordeals. Their bodies had been disfigured and maimed beyond recognition.
My promise to make this entire accursed cathedral a pyre for them and the other souls whose lives were so brutally cut short in this hell hole probably helped though.
"Angus, get these people on the cart and make one last check in the dungeons. Then get them away from this building." I said when we reached the grand doors of the cathedral, laying down the man carefully on the luxurious benches. Night had begun sometime during my short stay in the dungeons.
"Will do. What about you?" He asked as he shifted his companions wait a bit.
"I still have three things to take care off and I'm tired of holding back." I answered before setting off towards the stairs up.
The room with my duster and decoy bags were just where Toot said they'd be. I put it on, enjoying the security the familiar weight settling on my shoulders gave me. While I was in the room, I pocketed a strategic map that apparently showed some of the other bases of operation of the inquisition. I looked for some other documents but quickly gave up when I saw the endless lists and the Latin fetish they shared with my perfectly sane dimension. The map was all I needed for my plans after all.
With that out of my way I made my way towards the supposed penthouse.
"So, is the creep still holed up?" I asked as I met Toot in front of what looked like an ivory door.
"Yes he is. I didn't come too close though. He can see me." The heavily armored pixie replied.
"Do you know whether or not he's in the blast zone if the door just happened to explode? Purely by coincidence of course." I inquired as I tried to estimate the approximate value of the very fancy door.
"I don't think so…" He answered slowly, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
"In that case, go help Angus double check the dungeons below to make sure no one is still in there. I'll go introduce myself to Cardinal Zargothrax." I said to Toot whose mood dropped abruptly at that. "When you're done, you can come and watch you maniac. Just make sure I won't hit you."
"Yay!" He shouted and set off again.
"I'll huff, and I'll puff, and…" I murmured while pointing my staff at the obstacle in question.
"Forzare!"
The door exploded into the room and I walked in through expensive dust. I was greeted by a fit looking man with middling height, dressed in entirely dark purple silk robes, sporting a neatly maintained beard as black as the hair on his head, and wearing a pair of very fancy looking glasses.
The bastard was slowing clapping.
"Bravo, bravo," He said, an incredible smugness dripping from his voice. "You've finally made it here. You know, I was distraught when Lord Femto ordered me to stay here to secure the inquisition efforts instead of joining his glorious conquest. I mean, I'm indispensable and would make an invaluable asset on the battlefield, which is probably why he assigned…"
I recognized the signs of a monologue when I saw them and tuned him out. Instead of wasting my few precious, functioning brain cells to this drivel I looked around the room.
If I thought that the main hall was pompous than this room was outright vulgar in its display of wasted treasures. There were gems on nearly everything and it looked like the only important part was how much it costed instead of how it went with the other. It was a garish mixture of gold and silver, of unread books and giant paintings.
But looking beyond the pomp, I noticed darker details. Details like a bucket that looked eerily similar to the one in the torture chamber sat beside a comfy chair. Details like a liquor collection that would make Captain Harrison Love puke in horror.
"…don't know how you managed to defeat those wannabe knights – sure they were only pampered kids from nobles who are too craven to join any real army, but forty-two of them should have been able to do something –, but your luck has run dry as soon as you met me. Because I know one thing for sure, you're no Black Swordsman. A nobody like you couldn't possibly prevail against me." I took a risk and looked into his eyes as he took a breath to continue his impressive monologue.
And I started laughing, cackling even. I didn't even feel the slightest tugging hint of a Soulgaze when my gaze met his.
"What is this impudence? Haven't you heard a single word I've said?!" Thraxy shouted looking at my breathless, doubled over form like he was missing a joke and was extremely pissed because of it. "So be it. TREMBLE BEFORE THE MIGHT OF ZARGOTHRAX!"
I had put up my mental wards as soon as he started running his mouth again after my interruption, arguing that the walrus and co had to have learned or at least refined his skill with mind magic somewhere. My paranoia paid off as I felt the whammy impotently hit the walls of my mental fortress even through my enchanted helmet.
Seeing himself be repelled took much of the wind out of his sails.
"So you want to know what was so funny?" I asked sweetly while I plinked away the tears in my eyes – something surprisingly difficult with a helmet on. "You're not human. That means I don't have to hold back anymore."
I reached deep into the stored hatred that had threatened to overwhelm me not too long ago.
"Flickum Bickum!"
Zargothrax cried out in absolute agony as I set fire to his fat and nerves.
It was too bad that instead of going down like a good sport with bubbling and melting skin and everything, his legs began to suddenly expand in all directions, transforming into something far more monstrous along with the rest of my body.
And just like that I was facing a giant sea star with the fleshy, warped upper body of Thraxy sticking out of the top like some blobby mutant centaur. The powerful legs were lined with an unreasonable amount of irregularly placed spikes the size of my shins. Its edges were lined with vicious hooks and from the few glimpses from the underside of its undulating legs I could determine that he had found it necessary to replace the traditional suction cups with a mouth. They reminded me uncomfortably of the mouths of leeches.
"I must commend you for that attack, but it won't be enough. Now…"
"Fuego!" I belted, fueling the spell with more of the anger I had quietly stored during the day and silently wondering whether this particular monster would ever learn.
The wrist thick bar of fire, absolutely teeming with salamanders, punched through the torso and shattered the window on the other side in tiny little pieces. Also the curtains caught on fire. Oops.
Once again I was disappointed. The charred hole knitted itself together near instantly.
"FOOL! Did you really…"
It looked like Thraxy wouldn't learn
"Pyrofuego!" I roared, putting in even more of an effort and using a tiny bit of Soulfire to give it more substance and hopefully prevent the regeneration.
This time, he jumped out of the way of the fist thick bar of nearly white fire with an inhumane screech. He was surprisingly quick and as a result I only managed to slice off a limb even as I swiveled the beam around. The appendage flopped onto the ground with a wet smack and the demon star fish roared in pain.
The thermal bloom of the fiery lance had set fire to the any fabric and paper that was unlucky enough to be less than ten feet away from it as it passed through. That is to say, nearly everything was on fire.
I noticed that the Mantle had started its innate magic and was busy cooling my immediate surrounding to bearable levels. However, it didn't help much against the smoke.
I shook my shield bracelet and poured energy into it, forming a bubble around me that kept much of the smoke and heat away.
Gazing through the fire and smoke I could make out the silhouette of Thraxy, roaring guttural sounds of impotent rage. I could make out how the damned leg regrew with a startling speed. But I also noticed that he appeared to shrink in overall size.
That meant that I simply needed to attack until he couldn't keep up anymore. That said, I doubted I had enough magic left in me to both maintain my shield as well as brute force him to death.
As Thraxy managed to move again, I was struck by what the opulence and decadence reminded me of. Even though it wasn't nearly as pompous as here, I harbored as similar rage then. The dead tired me, still recovering from self-inflicted poisoning had been able to outsource one of the most destructive spells I had ever done.
From the corner of my eyes I saw that Toot had come back from his dutiesand was now absentmindedly devouring pocorn.
I smiled. It was night time and whatever my supernatural stalker had done, it appeared that it made it easier for the spooky side to appear near me.
I had no doubt that in this wretched place there were even more ghosts with severeanger issues than at Casa Bianca.
I opened myself up to the specters that haunted this 'holy' place using my own hatred and anger as a conduit to bind them, to aim them.
They answered my call near instantaneously and in far greater numbers. Maybe it was because my own ghostly adventures or simply because the specters were that thirsty for revenge. Or maybe it was bizarro-world or a combination of everything. The details didn't matter. They came in massive numbers without me ever drawing a circle. I didn't need to look for them this time, I didn't need to reach out for each and every one of them individually.
Zargothrax was moving towards me once more.
"Memorium," I declared. "Memoratum. Memoritus."
I imbued them with fire and pumped as much of the enraged energy into the ghosts that had built up in me during that day. The specters absorbed the energy like a dry sponge in the Sahara dessert.
The tower shook and there was a spectral wail announcing fury from the fiery pits of hell, demanding vengeance. The shrieks were ear shattering loud and terrible enough to stop a heart.
Windows shattered and walls exploded inwards as fiery specters rushed Zargothrax, taking out chunks faster than he could ever hope to regenerate, gouging out meat with fiery claws. Devouring him.
Over the wails of the dying demonic warlock I heard the sound of uncountable windows breaking, pillars cracking and saw how the entirety cathedral was ablaze in a hellish inferno.
And I was still inside.
I wanted to make a dash towards the window and hope I would be precise enough to command the sylphs in my fatigued state.
But then I saw Thraxy's last ace. Through the warped air and flames I saw his shriveled, severely damaged but frantically regenerating form slowly lifting an egg like object aloft.
"Fuego!" I roared once more, cutting off his arm, continuing the slice through the torso, deciding that I didn't want to find out what it did.
"Forzare!" I followed up, launching the flaming, one armed torso through the window, making sure he wouldn't be able to reach the object.
I ran after him, jumping through the same window to ensure he was dead, or at least be there to deliver the killing blow. Sometimes it was nice when difficult choices were made for you.
"Ventas Servitas!" I yelled, reaching out to the sylphs asking them to guide me to the corpse and land in such a manner that I wouldn't pop my ankles.
I landed just in time to hear a wet crunch behind me. I hadn't been looking around while falling with style due not trusting the sylphs to accurately estimate the tensile strength of my bones and having to concentrate. I turned around towards the source of the sound, desperately looking for Thraxy's remains to put an end to this. I was greeted by the sight of Angus. He looked like a proud warrior king, standing tall, bathed in the light of the fires. The inferno illuminated a determined, grim smile on his blood covered face. It also illuminated the hammer he had brought, its head embedded in its entirety in the ruins of Zargothrax' head.
The smoldering remains of the mighty Zargothrax shuddered one last time and then stayed still for good.
I gave Angus an approving nod and turned my attention towards the burning building.
Specters were flying through the walls, tearing at them, unleashing their rage. Molten glass and glowing rocks where scattered around the badly damaged structure. The cathedral gave a shudder drenched in finality, rumbled, and imploded in on itself with an explosion of sound. Angus, Toot and I were hit by a wall of heat and wind.
Somehow even the stones themselves appeared to be burning now and still the rage of the spectral beings wasn't quenched as they rammed the few remaining structures and the very ground with fiery rage.
I watched the complete destruction with no small amount of pride.
The three of us stood there for minutes as we watched the spectacle continue in comfortable and exhausted silence.
I only wished I had thought of packing some marshmallows when I set off to find the warlock more than a month ago.
If I thought that the outside was wasteful enough, it paled compared to the interior. Smooth marble columns battled for dominance with gold decor inlaid with a whole spectrum of differently colored jewels.
The few places that weren't marble and or gold were more often than not covered with detailed murals, no doubt depicting scenes from the Order's holy book. Each of the four walls, likely oriented to the cardinal directions, had huge stained glass windows depicting angelic beings, filtering in warm, colorful light into the main hall. The benches were lined with what looked like purple velvet cushions.
However, the centerpiece was no doubt the massive hawk in flight made out of flawless white marble, golden orbs rising upwards forming a helix. Its eyes glinted with white crystals, the detail on the carving was breathtaking and it wouldn't surprise me if the orbs were made out of actual solid gold.
It would be such a shame if everything were to be destroyed in a massive fire.
Our little procession led through the length of the cathedral devoid of humans save the occasional guard, past the altar and the fancy bird statue, to a reinforced door. Behind said door, a small room ended in a staircase downward into the murky depths of the inquisition shtick.
Much to my dismay, they didn't even have the decency to get big flaming torches as dungeoneering traditions demanded. Instead, a couple of lanterns were taken from their holders along the wall, lighted and then past around in the group.
Without much ceremony, we began our descent down the spiral staircase into the darkness that awaited us, leaving our Holy Chain guards behind.
The light of the lanterns was the only source of light during our trek through the underground dungeons. We passed by rows of heavy doors while Mikey did his best to keep up a semblance of small talk, assuring me we were only taking a shortcut to his very comfortable office.
It didn't completely mask the occasional moan and plead coming through the cells. Neither did it do anything against the stench of blood and piss and shit that seemed to permeate everything here.
I got over my disappointment over the lack of torches lining the wall quickly enough when I realized how much of an advantage they had unwittingly given me. A wolf needed far less light to function as humans did.
The stench grew more penetrating as we progressed, it gained something that uncomfortably reminded me of bacon. Along with it, I also started to pick up the nauseating, oily residue of the black magic which increased with every step forward I took. The metaphorical stench increased even filtering outthe greasy aura my 'captor' exuded as they launched one mental attack after the other, heating up the runes of my internalized helmet to uncomfortable levels.
When we finally arrived at the torture chamber, it took nearly every ounce of willpower to not start purging this world of these monsters prematurely. Even if I didn't gag because of the stench of offal and burned flesh wasn't thick enough that I could taste it, even if I hadn't seen the tanning fields, I would have killed them all gladly for their insistent, and blatant perversion of magic.
The door opened with a wave of dry heat and I grew very silent.
Someone had a field day in the local torture"R"us. My stomach churned at the sight of racks, the chairs lined with long spikes, a pool with a wheel, and the assortment of lovingly cared for instruments of torture – one crueler than the other. It dropped when I saw the red hot metal laying in the central burning bonfire, almost obscuring the iron maiden with blood pooling at its feet.
I meekly followed Mikey into the chamber, silently working the clasp of the manacle.
When I crossed the doorway, I had a good look of a bucket filled with bloody, flesh colored cylinders and looking around the occupants of this room, I could easily guess their origin. Almost every one of these tormented souls was missing either toes, fingers or both.
I was purposefully ignoring them until now, the victims of this fanatic cruelty, in the hope I could get into the room without doing anything rash.
Now that I was inside, I truly saw the extent. Men and women, everyone was naked, wasted and mutilated. Strips of raw meat were exposed where the torturers had practiced their flaying techniques. Large wounds had been seared shut by hot iron, lacerations were ever present, and gender only really mattered when it came to which body parts were most heavily mutilated.
Age didn't seem to matter either as I spotted the lifeless body of a boy who couldn't have been much older than twelve. I removed the manacle fully.
I felt Mikey put a hand on my shoulder, not an insignificant feat considering I'd tower over him if I stood fully upright. "Here we are mister Hoots, let me introduce you to…"
"Forzare!" I snarled with barely contained rage, interrupting the dead man walking, and slamming the heavy door shut in the face of one of his flunkies.
I felt how the cold flooded my senses, felt how winter howled for blood in accord to my own feelings.
"Infriga!" I snarled once more, freezing the door in place, coating it in ice and effectively shutting us in this wretched room until I decided otherwise.
Immediately, I heard cries of dismay and apprehension coming from the other side of the door, followed by their feeble attempts to break through it with brute force.
Whoever had taught them how to control minds obviously hadn't done the same with basic combat magic. Or at least they weren't capably of thinking beyond slamming door with their bare fists.
Of course, the walking corpse decided this was a good time to start blabbing again. "What do you think you are doing?! Stop this nonsense at once! You're only making it worse…"
With each word the fat craven uttered I felt an irritating spike of mind magic launched at me.
It was time to establish dominance in this worthless place.
I whirled around punching the wannabe dark lord in his liver with an ice covered fist and the full physical prowess of the Winter Knight. Sure, it paled in comparison to most supernatural nasties, but the removing the natural limiters on my wizardly ass meant that I could put Mike Tyson to shame.
The Chief Inquisitor doubled over in absolute agony. Before his corpulent body toppled over I delivered a short, dry kick to his knee., bending it in entirely the wrong direction as I felt the delicate joint shatter on impact and Mikey toppled over puking.
I looked over to the shell shocked torture technicians gaping at the scene and decided that there was still a little time before the dance truly started.
I knelt down to the fallen inquisitor lazily twirling my manacle.
"Mikey, Mikey, Mikey. If only you had ignored me, all of this wouldn't happen." I whispered in near perfect German, not bothering to reveal my menace. "I would have gone my merry way since I have to be places and you could have continued indulging yourself in your sick delusions. Now, after witnessing the depravity myself, I will raze St. Aurora to the ground. I will seek out the ilk of the inquisition and do the same to them."
The fat bastard tried to push himself up, struggling with his girth. "What will you do? YOU'RE CAPTURED AND SURROUNDED! You better hope you die before I'm done with you."
He tried putting some weight on his busted leg only to nearly topple over again in agony. He caught himself in doing some kind of walrus impression his upper body being held nearly vertical fully supported by both arms. He tried to glare daggers at the flunkies in the room but everything considered, it didn't amount to much.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR YOU DROOLING MORONS?! Get your thumbs out of your asses and get that bastard!" He yelled, frantically jerking his head towards me and rattling his comrades out of their stupor.
It also managed to make his walrus impression even more convincing.
"It hasn't dawned on you that I let myself be transported here, has it?" I asked casually rolling my shoulders as the torturers grabbed nearby tools. "I'm not locked in here with you. You're locked up in here with me."
I could see I shiver run through the walrus before I changed. My mouth was right near his right arm so I bit down hard, deciding he wouldn't need it in the near future. Having a very good grip, I yanked hard.
Through the combination of my freakish strength and mass and the fact that he hadn't much in the way of muscles, I ripped the limb straight off.
He opened his mouth to scream in renewed agony only to be immediately silenced as I used my leftover momentum and then some to backhand him in the face. With his very own hand. While his arm did lack muscles, it did have plenty of weight in fat on it, making it an excellent flail. The hand connected with a loud, sharp crack interlaced with the sound of bones shattering and flesh tearing.
The Head Inquisitor collapsed with his remaining eye opened in terror, a dent visible in his face, and pissing and shitting himself in his final moments.
I dropped the arm and turned to face the rest of the would be captors. Their newly found courage had disappeared completely. My enhanced sense of smell could even pick up the distinct smell of urine come from two of them.
It was one thing to face an unarmed man with eight armed people, even if said man was rather tall. It was another matter entirely to face an overgrown wolf that was covered in menacingly glowing symbols (I had decided to give the Hellhound shtick a serious shake and channeled some energy in the runes).
I snarled.
The torturer nearest to the door dashed towards the ice covered door and started banging it while crying for help, joining the continuing noise coming from the other side. The others, with the exception of one, tried to retreat to the furthest and darkest corners of the rooms, desperately trying not to be seen.
The only one that didn't, the one with the biggest knife, assumed something of a guard position, watching me intently. I could see something akin to rage in his eyes and I could see he had some experience as a fighter.
It didn't matter much as Winter had decided that none of them would ever be fit to join its pack and we'd be better off eliminating all of them to avoid future trouble. For once I agreed.
Deciding the knife wielder was likely the most dangerous of the bunch, I pounced at him.
He was ready and would have theoretically cut me before I could have reached him. Sadly for him, I didn't want to test how much the armor toughened up my hide and cheated. I shifted back mid jump, this time with all my stored gear and in full armor equipped and stabbed the bastard through his heart.
That's when the remaining six that weren't already crying completely lost it.
Five of them, I either stabbed to death with the Spear of Destiny or gored them with fangs and claws or both.
It wasn't a battle as much as a slaughter.
The last one standing had found some more courage in the face of certain death and had gotten the bright idea to use one of his victims, a girl with only a minimal amount of nasty, perfectly straight burn wounds on top of a few angry, red scars, as hostage to get out of the situation.
I shot him in the leg, forcing him to drop the knife he threatened the girl with. In the confusion I changed and tore out his hamstrings. For good measure, I punched with enough force to break his rips before throwing him on the fire he so loved to torment people with. He cried out in agony for only a short while before losing consciousness due to the combined trauma. The occasional sizzling pop was a constant reminder of his fate as I made my way towards the door and the last of the torturers.
He wildly brandished an oversized, bloodied pair of shears at me in blind panic as I stalked closer. I put him out of his misery with a stab through his heart and he collapsed in a lifeless puddle of flesh and bones.
From the moment I slapped Mikey to death to the point where the last torturer drew his last breath only a minute had gone past.
I flicked the blood of the spear and turned back to start looking to get them freed of their constraints.
Those who were conscious looked at me with wide-eyed horror, the girl who was used as a would be hostage had found a place that was as far as possible from any body and me. Her back was against the wall and she had picked up the knife of her torturer, holding it up defensively.
I guess, watching someone transform into a glowing wolf of doom, apparently materializing equipment out of thin air, and killing people with absolute, savage ease does leave an impression.
I touched my face and saw my hand return glistening red.
Hell's bells, never mind what I've done, I must have looked absolutely terrifying wearing an armor out of shimmering scales, claws, and bone, covered in blood.
I already felt like I needed a week long shower to get clean again, but deep down I knew that this was only the prelude and that not even that would make me feel truly clean again.
The hammering on the frozen door intensified and I could make out threatening shouts coming through. I couldn't understand what they said but could easily guess their meaning. Probably telling me that I was surrounded, that I had no hope to escape, and that I had to surrender or else.
In short, I had stuff to do and needed to get moving again.
I laid down my spear and slowly approached the girl with my hands in the air where she could see them.
"Shh, shh. It's alright. I'm getting all of you out of here." I told the panicking girl. "Can you help me to free the others?"
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed, flailing the knife in front of her, scampering to get further away from me.
I sighed softly and stopped where I stood, dropping into a crouch. "Okay, I'll stay right here for now. I'm so sorry you had to witness that. Could you give me your name fair lady? It would make this conversation much easier."
"J-j-jean." She stuttered in reply, her movements becoming less erratic.
"Hello Jean, I'm Harry." I answered in the soft voice that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere while living with my daughter. "So Jean, do you have any family you want to return to when we get out of here?"
The tender beginnings of hope started to bloom on her young, scarred face and her eyes began to tear up. "Yes. My big brother."
"How's that big brother of yours called, Jean?" I asked not daring to get my hopes up too soon."
"My big bro's called Angus." She replied, pride lacing her voice. "He tried to stop them when they came for me. I really didn't want to go. But suddenly I was walking towards Michael. Bro shouted and cried and suddenly he stopped… AAGH!"
She dropped her knife as she grabbed her head in pain, and was on the verge of weeping. It took everything in me not to run over her and hug the naked, anguished, gibbering form until the pain went away.
"Angus you say," I said in a happy voice hoping to distract her from her pain. "That does sound like the young man who tried to warn me and prevent me from being captured. As a matter of fact, he's coming this very way to rescue you right this very moment. You'll be reunited with him sooner as you can imagine."
"How can you be sure?" Jean asked, calming down once again.
"I'll let you in on a secret, Jean. I'm a wizard."
She gave the smallest of chuckles at that, before suddenly remembering something that threatened to bring her to tears once more. "But what if he doesn't want to be my big brother anymore! I… I walked away from him…"
"You didn't walk away, Jean. These creeps," I said, interrupting her train of thought and pointing toward the remains of the walrus. "Invaded your mind. They made you do that. You didn't have a choice."
I inched a bit closer to see how she'd react and as I saw she didn't react I continued in a lower voice. "They've done the same to Angus. That's why he suddenly quieted down, that's why he couldn't save you. He feels as guilty, if not more, about what happened even though it wasn't his fault. Angus needs you, Jean."
I could hear how they had started to hack away the ice on the door and knew that time was running out.
"So what say you? Shall we free the others and get you and your brother reunited again? You can even keep the knife in case I do anything funny."
She nodded once and stood up at that, leaving the knife on the ground.
And so we freed the emancipated victims from their devices, helping them stumble on maimed feet towards the one relatively free nook out of sight of the door.
The ones for whom all help came too late we laid on the ground as dignified as possible.
I dumped the bodies of the inquisitors in the furthest corner with rage coursing through my veins and Winter's strength, really not caring how they landed or in how many pieces.
It was grim and quiet work, only accompanied by the rhythmic hacking noises as the party outside tried to break through the door. I had simply torn apart manacles that bound some unlucky few to the wall, a feat easy if you can super cool the iron. The specifics of the different devices I tried to ignore, especially after seeing what the iron maiden had done to the young woman who they had put in before closing the doors slowly.
I really wish I hadn't seen the bloody scratch marks on the back wall of the device and her ruined fingers.
In total we could safe, if you wanted to call it that in some cases, a total of fourteen people including the young boy that was catatonic and silently weeping. Four hadn't survived their interrogation.
"Remember to stay hidden until either Angus, a little Fairy or myself come and get you." I called as I made my way towards the door.
I threw up my shield, making sure to cover the entire small hallway leading up to the torture chamber.
"Forzare!" I exclaimed, making a ripping motion.
The door exploded towards me, shards bouncing of my shield creating flashes of blue light where they hit the incorporeal barrier.
I calmly walked out of the broken door, stabbing the pair of soldiers that were trying to break through it mere moments ago through the neck, nearly decapitating them.
I reached out towards the undines swimming in the blood of the dead men, draining them and requesting that they block the entryway.
"Infriga." I snarled into the stunned silence that followed my sudden entry and a grisly barrier was formed, blocking the way towards the chambers once more.
I could hear a bell frantically ring an alarm in the distance and saw the first ones of the approximately forty-man strong force returning to their wits focusing their lamps on me.
I also noticed that they had brought some torches and put them in holders on the wall, illuminating the hallway.
I vaguely noticed that someone had begun shouting at me as I thought how much of a pity it would be if they were to suddenly lose that light.
I closed my and looked away as I pointed my staff ever so slightly towards the crowd pulling their attention to it.
"Lumen!" I barked, ripping the heat out of all the flames in the hallway, concentrating it at the tip of my spear to create the mother of all eye searing flashes of light.
Even through my closed eyes I could only see white for a moment before everything went perfectly black.
Shouts of pain and alarm intermingled with each other as I changed into my wolf self.
I let out an unearthly howl, asking the sylph to carry it far and wide, to amplify it.
That's when the utter, blind panic and the scrambling began. That is when I started my attack.
I didn't have the time to pay upon them what they did to all those poor souls. Besides I don't know if I could have lived with myself if I'd done that.
I could, however, make sure that their last moments were a living nightmare.
There would be no survivors.
Some of them must have looked away when I launched my flashbang on steroids because they were frantically trying to reignite their lanterns. Considering they went out of their way to paint a nice big target on themselves, they were the first of the main group to die.
I darted through the group, ripping out tendons and throats, slicing and stabbing at exposed body parts as I moved to confront each of the knights, not bothering to suppress the occasional angry snarl that escaped my lips. They were too focused on working their flints while shaking in uncontrollable terror to ever see me coming.
I went through the group again and again like the proactive grey brother of the Cù Sith claiming more and more lives with every pass. Relying on smell and sound as well as the superior night vision which allowed me to see the faint reflections bouncing off unmarred armor gave me an unfair advantage over the knights who were blindly stumbling over each other in mass hysteria.
I saw knights stabbing at each other in the panic when they accidentally bumped into each other. Others simply sat in steaming puddles of their own dread, completely unable to do anything, not even producing a sound anymore. I heard a woman desperately stammering commands that were ignored before it was her turn to come across my path. Those commands were drowned out by the mindless shouting and the cries of agony of the wounded who had survived my first pass.
Only a few of them died a clean death as I forced myself to keep moving and play it safe, often preventing me to land the killing blow right away. I effortlessly shifted to my human form to take a stab at the few knights that were swinging their swords around wildly. Still, even with the precautions in place, a few of them got in a lucky, grazing swipe in the chaos, causing lines of burning pain that would have threatened to make my steps falter if I wasn't as damned furious as I was.
After what felt like an eternity, I could hear nothing except my own panting and the frantic tolling of the bell.
I was going through the grizzly remains – regular victims of animal mauling were already bad enough, image the results when the wolf knows how to completely disable you, where it hurts the most, and is furious – trying to find the remains of the last four inquisitors, when suddenly said bell stopped completely.
Of course, the cowards had sent their pet knights to deal with me while getting themselves to safety, so I decided I might as well take a stroll and investigate what happened to the bell ringer. I was going to hunt those four down anyway.
Before I went my merry way I melted the crimson barrier that closed off the chambers I had exited not too long ago, but didn't say anything to the survivors within. There was no need to expose them to the scene of the massacre for an unnecessary amount of time. Better to let them wait until Angus got here and ferried them past the whole affair.
I made my way back to the staircase while I blew the door of every cell of its hinges and into the dark hallway, ignoring the occasional terrified squeak that escaped from the occupied cells. I knew it would make Angus' job much easier and I needed to vent some energy anyway.
It had been hard to restrict myself to mortal means to inflict medieval brutality. I simply wasn't used to seeing this much depravity, at least not on this scale, that had been inflicted by human hand. Normally, I could count on some supernatural nasty to be behind most of it, meaning I could use the anger that had built up beforehand. Sure, they came close to killing me and destroying the world (or whatever nefarious plan they came up with) but at least I didn't feel like a pressure cooker with a malfunctioning valve afterwards.
On the staircase I met up with Angus and Toot. That is to say that I was greeted by a strike of some monstrous smith hammer as soon as I popped my head around the corner. I blocked it with a quick shield and he was damn lucky that I had been able to order my thoughts once more during my stroll through the dungeons. Toot's immediate shouting also helped.
"What are you doing you idiot!" He yelled, hitting Angus with a very familiar stick. "If you want to kill yourself, please don't use Harry for it."
I looked up to the perpetrator and at least he had the decency to look somewhat ashamed while somehow also managing to mix in some fear and disgust. I noticed that his hammer was coated with blood and that he'd needed a new tunic as well.
"What has happened down there?" He asked as soon as he returned to his wits.
"Some knights didn't like me leaving. Did you perhaps encounter some inquisitors on your way down? I'm missing four of them." I asked, debating on whether or not I should use my doggy powers to try and find them if he didn't.
"We didn't necessarily encounter them as much as Toot found and distracted them while I bashed in the bastards' skulls." He answered nonchalantly enough, while still eyeballing my suddenly appeared gear. Or at least I hoped it was the gear and not the blood and gore that covered it and me.
"In that case you'd better hurry along. Jean is waiting for you." I said, instantaneously getting his full attention.
"She's alive? Where is she?" Angus asked barely keeping himself from storming downstairs.
"She's straight down the hallway together with most of the remaining survivors, you'll see it when you get to the right room." I answered. "Just watch out the ground is rather… and he's gone."
Angus had already rushed past me before I even started the second sentence. I simply hoped that I wouldn't need to plan a grand escape after he saw my handiwork,
That left me with my lieutenant-general who was looking at me, beaming with pride. As in he somehow literally gave off enough light to nearly blind me.
"Toot, what are you thinking?" I asked carefully, not sure I really wanted to hear the answer.
"Just that the Queen would be very pleased if she saw her Knight like this, boss." He replied innocently enough.
Depressingly enough I was forced to agree. I should have known that something was fishy considering the Mantle was awfully calm.
I gave that particular thought and its implications a neighboring room to the one that was still wondering whether or not Spain was a real thing in bizzaro-world. I'd have plenty of time to be haunted by it when I got out.
"So did you two encounter anything beyond the four cowards? Problems?"
"We had to deal with two more knights that were stationed in front of large cell on the first floor. In said cell were a noble pair was locked up. They're called Placidus and were the boss of this city before being taken prisoner by the cardinal when the inquisition came to town. Apparently the cardinal didn't like it when they protested when he started gutting the city and surroundings to keep up his lifestyle."
"Where are they now?"
"They went ahead to meet the council to see whether or not they can do something against Zargothrax and his mates. The town isn't that happy with the cardinal and the inquisition policies, or so the Placidi said."
"Are there still people in the building upstairs?"
"With a single exception, no."
"Let me guess the cardinal himself?" I asked as I made my way back downstairs to help Angus with the survivors.
"Yep. He's holed up in his tower penthouse. We didn't approach him. He felt dangerous." Toot replied as he lazily floated alongside me.
"Right. Have you found my gear as well?"
By now I was back in the hallway and I could see that Angus had been able to reignite some of the torches along the way.
"Yes, it's on the first floor, second door on the right. It's the same room with all kinds of interesting looking maps and papers." Toot answered dutifully.
"Okay. I want you to keep an eye out for our dear cardinal while I help Angus with the survivors. Warn me if he tries anything. I'll deal with him afterwards." I said as I was nearing the chamber.
Toot floated a bit faster, gave me a short salute and flew off in the opposite direction. I stopped and reached out towards the undines for a second time this day. I kindly asked them to remove the worst of the blood from me. They answered with the peculiar feeling of small streams running down my body.
The scene of the slaughter didn't look any prettier as when I left it, worse the stench had saturated the air making the whole experience even worse.
Angus was still in the room, hugging his sister while being oblivious of the surrounding. I could see tears flowing freely on the face of Jean.
I cleared my throat to break them up, hating myself for having to do it.
I carried a man, both legs maimed beyond functionality and missing an arm, while Angus half carried a woman who had her right foot reduced to pulp. Julie, and surprisingly, the boy stayed very close to him as the other prisoners organized in groups to support each other.
And so our group, the majority of which naked and badly scarred, began our slow walk towards the exit of their own personal hell. Along the way we collected some of the prisoners that hadn't exited the cells I busted open only minutes ago.
Even in the dim light I could see the mixture of relief and sorrow on their faces as they realized what fate they had narrowly avoided.
We had decided to leave the four deceased victims of this cruelty in that chamber. Nobody liked it, but nobody knew them either and everybody agreed that they would like to be remembered the way they were before their ordeals. Their bodies had been disfigured and maimed beyond recognition.
My promise to make this entire accursed cathedral a pyre for them and the other souls whose lives were so brutally cut short in this hell hole probably helped though.
"Angus, get these people on the cart and make one last check in the dungeons. Then get them away from this building." I said when we reached the grand doors of the cathedral, laying down the man carefully on the luxurious benches. Night had begun sometime during my short stay in the dungeons.
"Will do. What about you?" He asked as he shifted his companions wait a bit.
"I still have three things to take care off and I'm tired of holding back." I answered before setting off towards the stairs up.
The room with my duster and decoy bags were just where Toot said they'd be. I put it on, enjoying the security the familiar weight settling on my shoulders gave me. While I was in the room, I pocketed a strategic map that apparently showed some of the other bases of operation of the inquisition. I looked for some other documents but quickly gave up when I saw the endless lists and the Latin fetish they shared with my perfectly sane dimension. The map was all I needed for my plans after all.
With that out of my way I made my way towards the supposed penthouse.
"So, is the creep still holed up?" I asked as I met Toot in front of what looked like an ivory door.
"Yes he is. I didn't come too close though. He can see me." The heavily armored pixie replied.
"Do you know whether or not he's in the blast zone if the door just happened to explode? Purely by coincidence of course." I inquired as I tried to estimate the approximate value of the very fancy door.
"I don't think so…" He answered slowly, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
"In that case, go help Angus double check the dungeons below to make sure no one is still in there. I'll go introduce myself to Cardinal Zargothrax." I said to Toot whose mood dropped abruptly at that. "When you're done, you can come and watch you maniac. Just make sure I won't hit you."
"Yay!" He shouted and set off again.
"I'll huff, and I'll puff, and…" I murmured while pointing my staff at the obstacle in question.
"Forzare!"
The door exploded into the room and I walked in through expensive dust. I was greeted by a fit looking man with middling height, dressed in entirely dark purple silk robes, sporting a neatly maintained beard as black as the hair on his head, and wearing a pair of very fancy looking glasses.
The bastard was slowing clapping.
"Bravo, bravo," He said, an incredible smugness dripping from his voice. "You've finally made it here. You know, I was distraught when Lord Femto ordered me to stay here to secure the inquisition efforts instead of joining his glorious conquest. I mean, I'm indispensable and would make an invaluable asset on the battlefield, which is probably why he assigned…"
I recognized the signs of a monologue when I saw them and tuned him out. Instead of wasting my few precious, functioning brain cells to this drivel I looked around the room.
If I thought that the main hall was pompous than this room was outright vulgar in its display of wasted treasures. There were gems on nearly everything and it looked like the only important part was how much it costed instead of how it went with the other. It was a garish mixture of gold and silver, of unread books and giant paintings.
But looking beyond the pomp, I noticed darker details. Details like a bucket that looked eerily similar to the one in the torture chamber sat beside a comfy chair. Details like a liquor collection that would make Captain Harrison Love puke in horror.
"…don't know how you managed to defeat those wannabe knights – sure they were only pampered kids from nobles who are too craven to join any real army, but forty-two of them should have been able to do something –, but your luck has run dry as soon as you met me. Because I know one thing for sure, you're no Black Swordsman. A nobody like you couldn't possibly prevail against me." I took a risk and looked into his eyes as he took a breath to continue his impressive monologue.
And I started laughing, cackling even. I didn't even feel the slightest tugging hint of a Soulgaze when my gaze met his.
"What is this impudence? Haven't you heard a single word I've said?!" Thraxy shouted looking at my breathless, doubled over form like he was missing a joke and was extremely pissed because of it. "So be it. TREMBLE BEFORE THE MIGHT OF ZARGOTHRAX!"
I had put up my mental wards as soon as he started running his mouth again after my interruption, arguing that the walrus and co had to have learned or at least refined his skill with mind magic somewhere. My paranoia paid off as I felt the whammy impotently hit the walls of my mental fortress even through my enchanted helmet.
Seeing himself be repelled took much of the wind out of his sails.
"So you want to know what was so funny?" I asked sweetly while I plinked away the tears in my eyes – something surprisingly difficult with a helmet on. "You're not human. That means I don't have to hold back anymore."
I reached deep into the stored hatred that had threatened to overwhelm me not too long ago.
"Flickum Bickum!"
Zargothrax cried out in absolute agony as I set fire to his fat and nerves.
It was too bad that instead of going down like a good sport with bubbling and melting skin and everything, his legs began to suddenly expand in all directions, transforming into something far more monstrous along with the rest of my body.
And just like that I was facing a giant sea star with the fleshy, warped upper body of Thraxy sticking out of the top like some blobby mutant centaur. The powerful legs were lined with an unreasonable amount of irregularly placed spikes the size of my shins. Its edges were lined with vicious hooks and from the few glimpses from the underside of its undulating legs I could determine that he had found it necessary to replace the traditional suction cups with a mouth. They reminded me uncomfortably of the mouths of leeches.
"I must commend you for that attack, but it won't be enough. Now…"
"Fuego!" I belted, fueling the spell with more of the anger I had quietly stored during the day and silently wondering whether this particular monster would ever learn.
The wrist thick bar of fire, absolutely teeming with salamanders, punched through the torso and shattered the window on the other side in tiny little pieces. Also the curtains caught on fire. Oops.
Once again I was disappointed. The charred hole knitted itself together near instantly.
"FOOL! Did you really…"
It looked like Thraxy wouldn't learn
"Pyrofuego!" I roared, putting in even more of an effort and using a tiny bit of Soulfire to give it more substance and hopefully prevent the regeneration.
This time, he jumped out of the way of the fist thick bar of nearly white fire with an inhumane screech. He was surprisingly quick and as a result I only managed to slice off a limb even as I swiveled the beam around. The appendage flopped onto the ground with a wet smack and the demon star fish roared in pain.
The thermal bloom of the fiery lance had set fire to the any fabric and paper that was unlucky enough to be less than ten feet away from it as it passed through. That is to say, nearly everything was on fire.
I noticed that the Mantle had started its innate magic and was busy cooling my immediate surrounding to bearable levels. However, it didn't help much against the smoke.
I shook my shield bracelet and poured energy into it, forming a bubble around me that kept much of the smoke and heat away.
Gazing through the fire and smoke I could make out the silhouette of Thraxy, roaring guttural sounds of impotent rage. I could make out how the damned leg regrew with a startling speed. But I also noticed that he appeared to shrink in overall size.
That meant that I simply needed to attack until he couldn't keep up anymore. That said, I doubted I had enough magic left in me to both maintain my shield as well as brute force him to death.
As Thraxy managed to move again, I was struck by what the opulence and decadence reminded me of. Even though it wasn't nearly as pompous as here, I harbored as similar rage then. The dead tired me, still recovering from self-inflicted poisoning had been able to outsource one of the most destructive spells I had ever done.
From the corner of my eyes I saw that Toot had come back from his dutiesand was now absentmindedly devouring pocorn.
I smiled. It was night time and whatever my supernatural stalker had done, it appeared that it made it easier for the spooky side to appear near me.
I had no doubt that in this wretched place there were even more ghosts with severeanger issues than at Casa Bianca.
I opened myself up to the specters that haunted this 'holy' place using my own hatred and anger as a conduit to bind them, to aim them.
They answered my call near instantaneously and in far greater numbers. Maybe it was because my own ghostly adventures or simply because the specters were that thirsty for revenge. Or maybe it was bizarro-world or a combination of everything. The details didn't matter. They came in massive numbers without me ever drawing a circle. I didn't need to look for them this time, I didn't need to reach out for each and every one of them individually.
Zargothrax was moving towards me once more.
"Memorium," I declared. "Memoratum. Memoritus."
I imbued them with fire and pumped as much of the enraged energy into the ghosts that had built up in me during that day. The specters absorbed the energy like a dry sponge in the Sahara dessert.
The tower shook and there was a spectral wail announcing fury from the fiery pits of hell, demanding vengeance. The shrieks were ear shattering loud and terrible enough to stop a heart.
Windows shattered and walls exploded inwards as fiery specters rushed Zargothrax, taking out chunks faster than he could ever hope to regenerate, gouging out meat with fiery claws. Devouring him.
Over the wails of the dying demonic warlock I heard the sound of uncountable windows breaking, pillars cracking and saw how the entirety cathedral was ablaze in a hellish inferno.
And I was still inside.
I wanted to make a dash towards the window and hope I would be precise enough to command the sylphs in my fatigued state.
But then I saw Thraxy's last ace. Through the warped air and flames I saw his shriveled, severely damaged but frantically regenerating form slowly lifting an egg like object aloft.
"Fuego!" I roared once more, cutting off his arm, continuing the slice through the torso, deciding that I didn't want to find out what it did.
"Forzare!" I followed up, launching the flaming, one armed torso through the window, making sure he wouldn't be able to reach the object.
I ran after him, jumping through the same window to ensure he was dead, or at least be there to deliver the killing blow. Sometimes it was nice when difficult choices were made for you.
"Ventas Servitas!" I yelled, reaching out to the sylphs asking them to guide me to the corpse and land in such a manner that I wouldn't pop my ankles.
I landed just in time to hear a wet crunch behind me. I hadn't been looking around while falling with style due not trusting the sylphs to accurately estimate the tensile strength of my bones and having to concentrate. I turned around towards the source of the sound, desperately looking for Thraxy's remains to put an end to this. I was greeted by the sight of Angus. He looked like a proud warrior king, standing tall, bathed in the light of the fires. The inferno illuminated a determined, grim smile on his blood covered face. It also illuminated the hammer he had brought, its head embedded in its entirety in the ruins of Zargothrax' head.
The smoldering remains of the mighty Zargothrax shuddered one last time and then stayed still for good.
I gave Angus an approving nod and turned my attention towards the burning building.
Specters were flying through the walls, tearing at them, unleashing their rage. Molten glass and glowing rocks where scattered around the badly damaged structure. The cathedral gave a shudder drenched in finality, rumbled, and imploded in on itself with an explosion of sound. Angus, Toot and I were hit by a wall of heat and wind.
Somehow even the stones themselves appeared to be burning now and still the rage of the spectral beings wasn't quenched as they rammed the few remaining structures and the very ground with fiery rage.
I watched the complete destruction with no small amount of pride.
The three of us stood there for minutes as we watched the spectacle continue in comfortable and exhausted silence.
I only wished I had thought of packing some marshmallows when I set off to find the warlock more than a month ago.
- Location
- Little Rock, AR
Monster be cleansed in the fires of retribution, victims be vindicated in the pyre of you vengeance. The crimes are known and the debt has only begun to be paid. Unbound from fear and emboldened by hate the wrath of the people may lash out at the false. Rest for you are Martyrs and warriors rise in your name, stew for the fight is not over and the wise ones will call for aid. The battle has begun.
MWKillKenny84
Lurking from the Trauma Switch.
- Location
- Vado Ligure
And thus the true carnage was allowed to start.
Chapter 11.1
- Location
- Switzerland
Chapter 11.1
I was about to ask Toot for some of that popcorn when the ground suddenly shuddered and the first of the dungeons collapsed in on itself as the furious specters continued to tear through the ruins of the cathedral and everything remotely attached to it.
"I think we better get away from the building." I half shouted at Angus, to make sure I was heard over the hellish screeches before turning to see him well on his way enacting my astute plan with due haste.
I followed him with a relaxed jog even as the very ground crumbled under my feet, ignoring every instinct that was screaming at me to move faster. Sure, I saw the benefits in listening to these urges but I had the feeling that I had to do some PR next. I had to maintain a certain image after what I had done. And there was no doubt in my mind that nobody would come to check out the complete and utter destruction of a freaking cathedral.
Barely and casually out-speeding imminent danger and being able to strike up a conversation looked so much better than the alternative. Which, if the insistence of my instincts were anything to go by, would have been sprinting past Angus, screaming like a little girl, and face the music panting and covered in plenty of sweat to compliment the grime and ashes already covering me.
After all – even though it was another thing that went against my instincts – cool guys didn't look at explosions.
Besides, if something happened I could activate my shield and parkour out of the hole to make a dramatic entrance. The ghosts weren't a problem either as they should leave their creator alone. Probably. Maybe.
Much to the amusement of Toot who was lazily flying beside me, I picked up a bit more speed just to be sure I didn't have to find out what the ghost's stance on yours truly was.
One thing was for certain though: I had to get out of the town sooner than later. I remembered what the stalker lady had told me the night she visited Enoch, especially regarding the circumstances as to why she had been able to manifest herself to that extent.
This place seemed to be a dream come true if I saw any and I was fairly certain I would not survive round two. Especially not with the sheer exhaustion that the Mantle was no doubt overriding by adrenaline or something. If I remembered what Butter's said correctly.
Our retreat carried us all the way through the gardens, accompanied by the wails of the damned and with the hellish noise it seemed a lot longer than I could remember from my trip in the carriage.
Confused shouts and clanging of equipment greeted us as we reached the actual gate of the cathedral grounds. A contingent of city guards had arrived, apparently being pushed to double time if their general dishevelment and the panting was any indication.
Some of the soldiers shot a wary glance at me as I walked over to them, apparently not acknowledging the destruction that lay behind me. But none of them could hold that gaze too long as they'd either be distracted by my work or, even more often, by the human misery that stood beside the gate in form of the rescued victims.
Angus had made a bee line to Jean, who was now in his protective embrace that also included the boy that had chosen to adopt the both of them. I could make out some calm his face that was marked by grief and anguish. Slowly but surely the soldiers woke from their disorganized stupor and either made their way towards the cart, offering their cloaks to the naked victims, while others tried to inconspicuously form a half circle around me while I was waiting for someone who looked like he was in command.
Even from this distance and after more than fifteen minutes of intense supernatural destruction, there still was an occasional heavy rumble as another structural support gave way and another piece crumbled in on itself. There were still the occasional bangs as the extreme heat caused stressed material to simply explode under the pressure.
"Hey, Toot. How unhappy did the Placidus pair seemed about the whole inquisition when they stormed out?" I asked the pixie who was now flying from soldier to soldier, seeing who would react to him.
That I suddenly started talking in a strange language did little good to calm the nerves of these sensibly paranoid professionals. Doubly so when those who could see Toot-Toot witnessed him fly over to me.
"Aria was wildly muttering expletives aimed towards the cardinal and the inquisition in between telling her husband that she'd rally the town guard if he'd take care of, and I quote, 'those old fools in the council'." Toot-Toot answered while settling on my soldier. "Her creative language use was actually all kinds of inspiring. But anyway, they both stomped off the premise after that while she was still being creative."
Which meant that it was unlikely she'd be too upset for what had happened. Probably.
Luckily for my mounting impatience, I didn't have to wait too long before the totally-not-a-semicircle-surrounding-me opened up and the lady herself approached me.
I had to concentrate on counting prime numbers for a moment to get Winter out of the forefront of my consciousness as it found her to be a just what it needed after the bloodshed. Wild, red hair flowed in her wake and her somewhat tattered green dress left little to my imagination. The rapier bouncing against her long leg with every confident step she took, did much in the way of explaining the well-defined muscles of her arms and legs. She wasn't buff, but she reminded more than just a bit of a taller, red headed version of Karrin.
No bounce, she must have bound her chest to prepare for battle.
I slapped Winter down with basic formulas before it could get me in too much trouble. She looked like she could have tied me into knots or – more likely – poke me full of holes if I didn't have access to the Winter Mantle.
Something of my internal struggle must have shown through though as she stopped earlier as expected. Just out of range of a normal lunge and stab with a spear I idly noticed.
"What has happened here?" Aria asked as I didn't break the ice, somehow narrowly avoiding a hiss.
"I had a disagreement with inquisition and decided to rescue some people while I was working out our differences." I replied, showing a toothy grin.
My first impressions of Aria were good enough to not automatically activate my authority triggered wise-ass unit, but time was running out and I knew that I had to make sure where the power dynamic between the two laid.
"And where in that," Aria took a breath to overcome her disbelieve, "disagreement did that happen?"
She nodded at the scene at my back and I hazarded a glance at latest work as a human wrecking ball.
I had heard the destruction of Casa Bianca being described as a violent implosion.
I had the feeling that there were either far more spirits at this wretched place or they were far, far angrier then those of the vampire's victim. Or if the rest of my experiences in bizarro-world were any indication it was a combination of both.
Only an oblong crater, covered with molten and still smoldering rocks and glass remained of the once grand structure. Walls had simply collapsed into themselves and followed the floor into the dungeons as the specters ran out of structures above ground to ravage.
"The cardinal was a bit sturdier than expected and I overdid it just a bit." I started before looking at the Lady of St. Aurora in the eyes or as close as I could get without triggering a Soulgaze. "I gave the countless souls that died at the hand of the Holy Order in unimaginably monstrous ways the chance and the means to avenge themselves."
Aria was visibly taken aback when I dropped the flippant attitude. Good, I wanted to make sure that she was aware that I took this very seriously.
"The cardinal was some devilish creature that snacked on the remains of those that landed in the dungeons. I don't know whether or not he had been like that from the beginning or he literally sold his soul somewhere along the way and abandoned his humanity." I said, quietly and was aware that Toot didn't goof around.
From the corner of my eyes I could see he had remained on my shoulder and was now mirroring my calm demeanor, staring at the high lady with a hint of a very unfriendly smile. Aria wisely decided to remain silent and with that showed more common sense than I would ever have. The general quiet was probably an indication that there were quite a few people who could read the mood."
"I really can't stand to see entities with powers torment people. Humans get a tiny bit more wiggle room as long as they restrict themselves to mortal means and don't go overboard; I don't like putting myself above the rest of humanity and I severely doubt I have any right to." I continued, being careful every word was heard. "But as the inquisitors have learned tonight, I do make exception. So, I want to know. How did this happen in your town?"
"I think I can assume that you aren't from around here," Aria began, waiting for my confirmation which I gave, "One thing you have to know about the Holy See is their enormous power. Nobility fight each other over favors and if it wasn't for Lord Griffith, they'd still basically rule midland. As a result, large towns and families that don't support them tend to disappear or see a change of leadership while pyres are burning."
She took a tentative step forward, deliberately putting herself into my range. "Cardinal Zargothrax wasn't all that bad at first. I still felt shudders as I talked to him and there were some strange rumors going around about missing pilgrims, but he even supported the town itself, mainly investing in its defenses and local farmers."
Her face turned into something bitter and angry as she continued, "That changed when the Band of the Hawk was reformed and began their campaign against the Kushans. He turned petty and enacted more and more draconian policies. My husband and I did our best to soften some of the damage but we couldn't do much without openly going against the church which would have meant giving free reign to the cardinal."
She actually looked sickened by now. I couldn't tell whether it was because she blamed herself for what had happened or the events that followed. I could however guess what happened next if the bottled up rage coming from the soldiers that were present was any indication.
"Then the inquisition based their headquarters here and everything took a turn for the worst. Sandos and I went to the cardinal as soon as the unauthorized executions began to formally protest against it in the hopes of stopping a riot. We did stop the riot but not in the way we had hoped for. We were captured and used as hostages to keep our militia in check. With the promise that everyone who lifted a finger against the inquisition would be treated as heretics, the rest of any chance for a revolt was destroyed."
Aria looked tired, empty by now and seemed to await judgement.
I turned to Toot. "What do you think lieutenant-general?"
"She doesn't seem to be lying, my lord." He answered gravely.
"Ok then," I said in my previous, lighter tone, "With that out of the way. Harry Dresden's the name, wizardry's the game."
I extended my hand for a shake and was delighted to notice that said action had startled the soldiers into a fighting stance. I already had the feeling that she was upfront with me halfway through her recounting of the events – it did fall into line with my expectations after all – and Toot's assessment had sealed the deal.
Aria for her part was startled for only a mere moment before grabbing my hand and shaking it. "Aria Placidus. An honor meeting you, Sir Dresden."
"The honor is mine." I replied, letting go of her hand and gesturing to Toot. "This is Lieutenant-General Toot-Toot Minimus commanding the Za-Lord's Elite and my personal honor guard."
Toot in turn graciously reached for a finger of Aria's hand and gallantly kissed the back of it.
I could swear to hear stammered acknowledgement in return. It seemed she wasn't quite used to the supernatural just yet.
She recovered quickly and a sober seriousness washed over her. "I don't want to sour the mood, but I do have to ask: what happened to the knights stationed here."
"They lost my sympathy during my ride here and decided side with the inquisition as I tried to rescue the people out of the dungeons." I answered, very much aware that my voice had lowered itself automatically.
"I see. You, or more likely we, have made even more enemies than expected. Those were knights were the entirety of the newly rebuild Holy Iron Chain Knights. A group nobles sent their sons to climb in military ranks without much in the way of risks. At least not until they met with the Black Swordsman." Aria explained. "They'll be out for our blood if they learn what happened here and I have to protect my people."
"I wanted to leave this place sooner rather than later." I said shrugging. "I wouldn't mind if you told them a mysterious stranger opened the gates of hell and escaped before you could apprehend him. It's close enough to the truth and I have a strong hunch that soon they have reason to believe you without a question."
"And you'd simply leave. Without wanting rewards, titles, power, anything? I find that very hard to believe."
"I have no use for any of that, Lady Placidus. As you've noticed I'm not from here. I'm actually on a quest to find means to get home and I literally only stumbled upon this problem along the way," I returned to the growing disbelief of Aria. "If you truly want to do something in my name, help your people. Take care of those who have suffered at the hands of the inquisition and are willing to stay. Try to do something for the refugees outside of these walls and take down those abhorrent displays of human cruelty. If you have the resources, I'm sure that the surrounding towns would appreciate help and news about what happened here. Especially Dundee."
"Why Dundee?" Aria asked with no small amount of confusion.
"Right, almost forgot. Dundee was attacked by a group of undead unicorns and sustained a heavy loss in life and infrastructure before I had the chance to interfere." The strangled sound she made, might have been a sign of her reaching breaking point. "Before you ask. No, that isn't even the strangest thing that happened to me and is actually the reason for my visit to the cathedral."
I heard a small noise but panicked noise coming from the town wall in the quiet as Aria desperately tried to make sense of her new world view, reminding me that I was on the clock.
"Is there anything else you wanted to ask, Lady Placidus?"
"Anyone who saves me and gets rid of an evil as big as the inquisition without expecting any rewards can call me Aria. But no. Not at the moment. Why?"
"Because I had the bad luck of getting the attention of something unpleasant and who likes to make my nights a violent affair. Especially on energy rich grounds as these. It's homing in on the city as we speak."
"Could we do anything to help against this problem?"
"I fear not. People would only die in vain as tomorrow night the ranks would simply be refilled." I smiled lightly. "This is goodbye for me. The best of luck, Aria."
"The best of luck to you too, sir Dresden."
I walked towards the cart where Angus sat leaning against one wall with both Jean and the boy propped up against him, sleeping. I was aware of Toot waving goodbye as we left Aria to give out commands as if they were candy.
"Hey." I quietly greeted him as I reached the cart.
"Harry. I don't know how I could begin…" Angus began before I stopped him.
"You've done more than enough already. You helped to pull this off in the first place and delivered the finishing blow to the one responsible for both your and Jean's misery. Besides," I gestured at the sleeping form of the boy, "It seems that you suddenly have one more mouth to feed."
Angus looked at the mouth in question and sighed. "What Ooshie has told me, he was brought in with his mother after his father was killed for standing in the way of the inquisition. He had to watch his mother getting flayed before he himself ended in a cell, waiting for his turn in the chamber."
A fresh surge of livid rage washed away much of the building guilt and regret over my actions tonight.
"Just take your time and heal. All three of you. I've talked a bit with Lady Placidus and she'd very likely provide for you until you're ready."
"What about you? I've heard what you had to do. I'll have nightmares for the coming weeks and from what I've witnessed myself my deeds pale to yours. I saw you as you came up the stairs."
"I have to go or things would be getting unsafe for everything involved." I said before seeing his face cloud over with worries and adding. "Don't look at me like that. This isn't my first rodeo by far. I'll manage."
"If you're sure. I guess you should know best" He replied with enough sarcasm that I had to look for pools of the stuff.
"Yeah, I'm sure. One last recommendation; If you three feel like being able to handle traveling again, I'd suggest visiting Enoch village just over the pass behind Dundee." I said as I moved closer.
"I've been teaching them how to fight against the things that go bump in the night. Take everyone we rescued from the dungeons and who wants to fight. Tell the villagers that Harry Dresden has sent you." I whispered before straightening out again.
"Well then, take care, Angus."
"You too, Harry, Toot."
I moved to trade grips with him but stopped as I realized both arms were already taken. He shrugged and simply smiled. Toot moved in close to his free hand of his otherwise occupied arm.
"Bye." He simply stated and fist bumped the clenched hand of Angus.
With that out of the way, I began running towards what felt like the shortest way to the outer wall of St.Aurora.
"The gate is that way." I heard Angus call out behind me.
But it didn't matter to me. Where I went, I didn't need gates.
"Vento Servitas!" I exclaimed, reaching out for the sylphs one last time that night, trusting them a bit more after they didn't pancake me as I jumped out of the clock tower in pursuit of a halved Thraxy.
Much to the delight of Toot, I flew over the wall encircling the ex-cathedral, startled some guards as I and a merry pixie whizzed past them, and landed in a somewhat empty spot of the refugee slums clinging to the city walls, terrifying people in the process.
I started running as soon as I hit the ground, counting myself lucky that the air elementals and I both remembered that I had considerable mass.
With a howl I transformed into a wolf as I reached the edge of the slums, hopefully drawing in the attention of any supernatural predator nearby, and ran.
I was about to ask Toot for some of that popcorn when the ground suddenly shuddered and the first of the dungeons collapsed in on itself as the furious specters continued to tear through the ruins of the cathedral and everything remotely attached to it.
"I think we better get away from the building." I half shouted at Angus, to make sure I was heard over the hellish screeches before turning to see him well on his way enacting my astute plan with due haste.
I followed him with a relaxed jog even as the very ground crumbled under my feet, ignoring every instinct that was screaming at me to move faster. Sure, I saw the benefits in listening to these urges but I had the feeling that I had to do some PR next. I had to maintain a certain image after what I had done. And there was no doubt in my mind that nobody would come to check out the complete and utter destruction of a freaking cathedral.
Barely and casually out-speeding imminent danger and being able to strike up a conversation looked so much better than the alternative. Which, if the insistence of my instincts were anything to go by, would have been sprinting past Angus, screaming like a little girl, and face the music panting and covered in plenty of sweat to compliment the grime and ashes already covering me.
After all – even though it was another thing that went against my instincts – cool guys didn't look at explosions.
Besides, if something happened I could activate my shield and parkour out of the hole to make a dramatic entrance. The ghosts weren't a problem either as they should leave their creator alone. Probably. Maybe.
Much to the amusement of Toot who was lazily flying beside me, I picked up a bit more speed just to be sure I didn't have to find out what the ghost's stance on yours truly was.
One thing was for certain though: I had to get out of the town sooner than later. I remembered what the stalker lady had told me the night she visited Enoch, especially regarding the circumstances as to why she had been able to manifest herself to that extent.
This place seemed to be a dream come true if I saw any and I was fairly certain I would not survive round two. Especially not with the sheer exhaustion that the Mantle was no doubt overriding by adrenaline or something. If I remembered what Butter's said correctly.
Our retreat carried us all the way through the gardens, accompanied by the wails of the damned and with the hellish noise it seemed a lot longer than I could remember from my trip in the carriage.
Confused shouts and clanging of equipment greeted us as we reached the actual gate of the cathedral grounds. A contingent of city guards had arrived, apparently being pushed to double time if their general dishevelment and the panting was any indication.
Some of the soldiers shot a wary glance at me as I walked over to them, apparently not acknowledging the destruction that lay behind me. But none of them could hold that gaze too long as they'd either be distracted by my work or, even more often, by the human misery that stood beside the gate in form of the rescued victims.
Angus had made a bee line to Jean, who was now in his protective embrace that also included the boy that had chosen to adopt the both of them. I could make out some calm his face that was marked by grief and anguish. Slowly but surely the soldiers woke from their disorganized stupor and either made their way towards the cart, offering their cloaks to the naked victims, while others tried to inconspicuously form a half circle around me while I was waiting for someone who looked like he was in command.
Even from this distance and after more than fifteen minutes of intense supernatural destruction, there still was an occasional heavy rumble as another structural support gave way and another piece crumbled in on itself. There were still the occasional bangs as the extreme heat caused stressed material to simply explode under the pressure.
"Hey, Toot. How unhappy did the Placidus pair seemed about the whole inquisition when they stormed out?" I asked the pixie who was now flying from soldier to soldier, seeing who would react to him.
That I suddenly started talking in a strange language did little good to calm the nerves of these sensibly paranoid professionals. Doubly so when those who could see Toot-Toot witnessed him fly over to me.
"Aria was wildly muttering expletives aimed towards the cardinal and the inquisition in between telling her husband that she'd rally the town guard if he'd take care of, and I quote, 'those old fools in the council'." Toot-Toot answered while settling on my soldier. "Her creative language use was actually all kinds of inspiring. But anyway, they both stomped off the premise after that while she was still being creative."
Which meant that it was unlikely she'd be too upset for what had happened. Probably.
Luckily for my mounting impatience, I didn't have to wait too long before the totally-not-a-semicircle-surrounding-me opened up and the lady herself approached me.
I had to concentrate on counting prime numbers for a moment to get Winter out of the forefront of my consciousness as it found her to be a just what it needed after the bloodshed. Wild, red hair flowed in her wake and her somewhat tattered green dress left little to my imagination. The rapier bouncing against her long leg with every confident step she took, did much in the way of explaining the well-defined muscles of her arms and legs. She wasn't buff, but she reminded more than just a bit of a taller, red headed version of Karrin.
No bounce, she must have bound her chest to prepare for battle.
I slapped Winter down with basic formulas before it could get me in too much trouble. She looked like she could have tied me into knots or – more likely – poke me full of holes if I didn't have access to the Winter Mantle.
Something of my internal struggle must have shown through though as she stopped earlier as expected. Just out of range of a normal lunge and stab with a spear I idly noticed.
"What has happened here?" Aria asked as I didn't break the ice, somehow narrowly avoiding a hiss.
"I had a disagreement with inquisition and decided to rescue some people while I was working out our differences." I replied, showing a toothy grin.
My first impressions of Aria were good enough to not automatically activate my authority triggered wise-ass unit, but time was running out and I knew that I had to make sure where the power dynamic between the two laid.
"And where in that," Aria took a breath to overcome her disbelieve, "disagreement did that happen?"
She nodded at the scene at my back and I hazarded a glance at latest work as a human wrecking ball.
I had heard the destruction of Casa Bianca being described as a violent implosion.
I had the feeling that there were either far more spirits at this wretched place or they were far, far angrier then those of the vampire's victim. Or if the rest of my experiences in bizarro-world were any indication it was a combination of both.
Only an oblong crater, covered with molten and still smoldering rocks and glass remained of the once grand structure. Walls had simply collapsed into themselves and followed the floor into the dungeons as the specters ran out of structures above ground to ravage.
"The cardinal was a bit sturdier than expected and I overdid it just a bit." I started before looking at the Lady of St. Aurora in the eyes or as close as I could get without triggering a Soulgaze. "I gave the countless souls that died at the hand of the Holy Order in unimaginably monstrous ways the chance and the means to avenge themselves."
Aria was visibly taken aback when I dropped the flippant attitude. Good, I wanted to make sure that she was aware that I took this very seriously.
"The cardinal was some devilish creature that snacked on the remains of those that landed in the dungeons. I don't know whether or not he had been like that from the beginning or he literally sold his soul somewhere along the way and abandoned his humanity." I said, quietly and was aware that Toot didn't goof around.
From the corner of my eyes I could see he had remained on my shoulder and was now mirroring my calm demeanor, staring at the high lady with a hint of a very unfriendly smile. Aria wisely decided to remain silent and with that showed more common sense than I would ever have. The general quiet was probably an indication that there were quite a few people who could read the mood."
"I really can't stand to see entities with powers torment people. Humans get a tiny bit more wiggle room as long as they restrict themselves to mortal means and don't go overboard; I don't like putting myself above the rest of humanity and I severely doubt I have any right to." I continued, being careful every word was heard. "But as the inquisitors have learned tonight, I do make exception. So, I want to know. How did this happen in your town?"
"I think I can assume that you aren't from around here," Aria began, waiting for my confirmation which I gave, "One thing you have to know about the Holy See is their enormous power. Nobility fight each other over favors and if it wasn't for Lord Griffith, they'd still basically rule midland. As a result, large towns and families that don't support them tend to disappear or see a change of leadership while pyres are burning."
She took a tentative step forward, deliberately putting herself into my range. "Cardinal Zargothrax wasn't all that bad at first. I still felt shudders as I talked to him and there were some strange rumors going around about missing pilgrims, but he even supported the town itself, mainly investing in its defenses and local farmers."
Her face turned into something bitter and angry as she continued, "That changed when the Band of the Hawk was reformed and began their campaign against the Kushans. He turned petty and enacted more and more draconian policies. My husband and I did our best to soften some of the damage but we couldn't do much without openly going against the church which would have meant giving free reign to the cardinal."
She actually looked sickened by now. I couldn't tell whether it was because she blamed herself for what had happened or the events that followed. I could however guess what happened next if the bottled up rage coming from the soldiers that were present was any indication.
"Then the inquisition based their headquarters here and everything took a turn for the worst. Sandos and I went to the cardinal as soon as the unauthorized executions began to formally protest against it in the hopes of stopping a riot. We did stop the riot but not in the way we had hoped for. We were captured and used as hostages to keep our militia in check. With the promise that everyone who lifted a finger against the inquisition would be treated as heretics, the rest of any chance for a revolt was destroyed."
Aria looked tired, empty by now and seemed to await judgement.
I turned to Toot. "What do you think lieutenant-general?"
"She doesn't seem to be lying, my lord." He answered gravely.
"Ok then," I said in my previous, lighter tone, "With that out of the way. Harry Dresden's the name, wizardry's the game."
I extended my hand for a shake and was delighted to notice that said action had startled the soldiers into a fighting stance. I already had the feeling that she was upfront with me halfway through her recounting of the events – it did fall into line with my expectations after all – and Toot's assessment had sealed the deal.
Aria for her part was startled for only a mere moment before grabbing my hand and shaking it. "Aria Placidus. An honor meeting you, Sir Dresden."
"The honor is mine." I replied, letting go of her hand and gesturing to Toot. "This is Lieutenant-General Toot-Toot Minimus commanding the Za-Lord's Elite and my personal honor guard."
Toot in turn graciously reached for a finger of Aria's hand and gallantly kissed the back of it.
I could swear to hear stammered acknowledgement in return. It seemed she wasn't quite used to the supernatural just yet.
She recovered quickly and a sober seriousness washed over her. "I don't want to sour the mood, but I do have to ask: what happened to the knights stationed here."
"They lost my sympathy during my ride here and decided side with the inquisition as I tried to rescue the people out of the dungeons." I answered, very much aware that my voice had lowered itself automatically.
"I see. You, or more likely we, have made even more enemies than expected. Those were knights were the entirety of the newly rebuild Holy Iron Chain Knights. A group nobles sent their sons to climb in military ranks without much in the way of risks. At least not until they met with the Black Swordsman." Aria explained. "They'll be out for our blood if they learn what happened here and I have to protect my people."
"I wanted to leave this place sooner rather than later." I said shrugging. "I wouldn't mind if you told them a mysterious stranger opened the gates of hell and escaped before you could apprehend him. It's close enough to the truth and I have a strong hunch that soon they have reason to believe you without a question."
"And you'd simply leave. Without wanting rewards, titles, power, anything? I find that very hard to believe."
"I have no use for any of that, Lady Placidus. As you've noticed I'm not from here. I'm actually on a quest to find means to get home and I literally only stumbled upon this problem along the way," I returned to the growing disbelief of Aria. "If you truly want to do something in my name, help your people. Take care of those who have suffered at the hands of the inquisition and are willing to stay. Try to do something for the refugees outside of these walls and take down those abhorrent displays of human cruelty. If you have the resources, I'm sure that the surrounding towns would appreciate help and news about what happened here. Especially Dundee."
"Why Dundee?" Aria asked with no small amount of confusion.
"Right, almost forgot. Dundee was attacked by a group of undead unicorns and sustained a heavy loss in life and infrastructure before I had the chance to interfere." The strangled sound she made, might have been a sign of her reaching breaking point. "Before you ask. No, that isn't even the strangest thing that happened to me and is actually the reason for my visit to the cathedral."
I heard a small noise but panicked noise coming from the town wall in the quiet as Aria desperately tried to make sense of her new world view, reminding me that I was on the clock.
"Is there anything else you wanted to ask, Lady Placidus?"
"Anyone who saves me and gets rid of an evil as big as the inquisition without expecting any rewards can call me Aria. But no. Not at the moment. Why?"
"Because I had the bad luck of getting the attention of something unpleasant and who likes to make my nights a violent affair. Especially on energy rich grounds as these. It's homing in on the city as we speak."
"Could we do anything to help against this problem?"
"I fear not. People would only die in vain as tomorrow night the ranks would simply be refilled." I smiled lightly. "This is goodbye for me. The best of luck, Aria."
"The best of luck to you too, sir Dresden."
I walked towards the cart where Angus sat leaning against one wall with both Jean and the boy propped up against him, sleeping. I was aware of Toot waving goodbye as we left Aria to give out commands as if they were candy.
"Hey." I quietly greeted him as I reached the cart.
"Harry. I don't know how I could begin…" Angus began before I stopped him.
"You've done more than enough already. You helped to pull this off in the first place and delivered the finishing blow to the one responsible for both your and Jean's misery. Besides," I gestured at the sleeping form of the boy, "It seems that you suddenly have one more mouth to feed."
Angus looked at the mouth in question and sighed. "What Ooshie has told me, he was brought in with his mother after his father was killed for standing in the way of the inquisition. He had to watch his mother getting flayed before he himself ended in a cell, waiting for his turn in the chamber."
A fresh surge of livid rage washed away much of the building guilt and regret over my actions tonight.
"Just take your time and heal. All three of you. I've talked a bit with Lady Placidus and she'd very likely provide for you until you're ready."
"What about you? I've heard what you had to do. I'll have nightmares for the coming weeks and from what I've witnessed myself my deeds pale to yours. I saw you as you came up the stairs."
"I have to go or things would be getting unsafe for everything involved." I said before seeing his face cloud over with worries and adding. "Don't look at me like that. This isn't my first rodeo by far. I'll manage."
"If you're sure. I guess you should know best" He replied with enough sarcasm that I had to look for pools of the stuff.
"Yeah, I'm sure. One last recommendation; If you three feel like being able to handle traveling again, I'd suggest visiting Enoch village just over the pass behind Dundee." I said as I moved closer.
"I've been teaching them how to fight against the things that go bump in the night. Take everyone we rescued from the dungeons and who wants to fight. Tell the villagers that Harry Dresden has sent you." I whispered before straightening out again.
"Well then, take care, Angus."
"You too, Harry, Toot."
I moved to trade grips with him but stopped as I realized both arms were already taken. He shrugged and simply smiled. Toot moved in close to his free hand of his otherwise occupied arm.
"Bye." He simply stated and fist bumped the clenched hand of Angus.
With that out of the way, I began running towards what felt like the shortest way to the outer wall of St.Aurora.
"The gate is that way." I heard Angus call out behind me.
But it didn't matter to me. Where I went, I didn't need gates.
"Vento Servitas!" I exclaimed, reaching out for the sylphs one last time that night, trusting them a bit more after they didn't pancake me as I jumped out of the clock tower in pursuit of a halved Thraxy.
Much to the delight of Toot, I flew over the wall encircling the ex-cathedral, startled some guards as I and a merry pixie whizzed past them, and landed in a somewhat empty spot of the refugee slums clinging to the city walls, terrifying people in the process.
I started running as soon as I hit the ground, counting myself lucky that the air elementals and I both remembered that I had considerable mass.
With a howl I transformed into a wolf as I reached the edge of the slums, hopefully drawing in the attention of any supernatural predator nearby, and ran.
Sworl
Sparky
I think it is implied that there is more to the Winter Mantle than merely removing natural limiters (if that is what it does).
Butters likely wasn't (fully) correct in his assessment.
- Location
- Toronto, Ontario(occasionally)
I only just found this, I'm glad I'm not the only person who thought the Berserkverse could do with a solid dose of Dresden to kick in the prerequisite faces and this work is essentially all I could find, I like the way this is going.
Chapter 11.2
- Location
- Switzerland
First off, my apologies for taking so long with this chapter. Life and health couldn't really decide whether they wanted to double or tag team me (nothing too major, but more than enough to keep me from writing) delaying this chapter massively. On top of this, the chapter itself was something of a pain to write due to having difficulties trying to find a balance between brevity, pace, and generally trying to make it as fun as a traveling section can get.
Both of these things are the reason why I'm posting the chapter now instead of waiting for it to be proofread by someone else; I wanted to let people know that neither I nor the fic was dead (far from it, the planned fun stuff is only really starting) and felt like I needed feedback on the content of the chapter. I'll put the author note in spoilers when the proofread or better version gets uploaded.
Without much else to say, I hope you still enjoy the chapter.
May 6th: Smoothed the chapter out in both pacing and language.
Both of these things are the reason why I'm posting the chapter now instead of waiting for it to be proofread by someone else; I wanted to let people know that neither I nor the fic was dead (far from it, the planned fun stuff is only really starting) and felt like I needed feedback on the content of the chapter. I'll put the author note in spoilers when the proofread or better version gets uploaded.
Without much else to say, I hope you still enjoy the chapter.
May 6th: Smoothed the chapter out in both pacing and language.
Chapter 11.2
My bravado faded away long before there was even the earliest sign of dawn, an aching fatigue replacing it as my body remembered that it hadn't had a decent rest or real food for nearly two days. Then it reminded me that running, spell slinging, being in mortal combat, and even more running was another thing it would like to file a complaint about. Winter tried to disagree but found it was fighting a battle it couldn't win alone, forcing me to set aside my differences with the Mantle and chip in the only thing I knew that would help. My own stubborn idiocy. That was when I felt my body starting to plot its retribution.
Mentally and physically, it was all I could do just to keep focusing on that looming hot spot of magic, keep moving forwards it, and avoid the worst of the monster that came out of the bushes for some tasty wizardly wolf's ass.
With the growing fatigue, my parkour skills, the ones I had honed for so long on Demonreach in a feeble and presumably pointless attempt to stave off madness, deteriorated to the point where all the pseudo fairy grace in the world couldn't prevent me from misjudging distances.
At least, now I know that my hide – much like my teeth – inherited some of the magical qualities of my enchanted duster and armor. It just sucked that I learned only after missing a step and stumbling into a group of mini chlorofiends, made from only the thorniest vines and sharpest leafs, and then getting beaten more than a couple of times before I could entangle myself.
I truly realized how bad it was, how much I'd have to pay for my double rescue with a side dose of avatar of vengeance when Toot nearly poked my eye out in an attempt to get me moving again. The horizon already glowed red, heralding true sunrise and the succor it brought in less than an hour.
My memory of the last few hours were patchy at best, becoming worse as the night went on with only few highlights like the plant mob managing to take hold in my struggling brain. As such I don't know the exact chain of events that led to my muzzle being buried into the stinking remains of a scaly caricature of a wolf, my fur plastered with black, tarlike ichor.
I can remember the wave of irritation that hit me when Toot poked me. I remember wanting to snap at him for daring to interrupt me and how much the insolent creature sated in spite of its foul taste.
The soft, gleeful laughter that was carried by a sudden gust of wind when we left the bodies of the fallen pack haunted me for weeks.
I barely managed to turn back to my human form as we reached some kind of shrubbery not too far from a road leading in the general direction of our destination.
I was gone as soon as my head hit the ground of the bushes that promised small protection from prying eyes and larger predators. I didn't even have the energy left to ask Toot-Too to watch over me.
I woke late in the afternoon, Toot collapsing on me as he noticed me stirring. I was still tired and I was truly afraid to try putting on the manacle. Even without it and Winter coursing through my veins, I still felt tired and bruised, every motion causing discomfort as skin covered in lashes stretched and abused joints protested.
So I decided to keep it in my pocket, arguing that I'd best avoid civilization anyway with the way I both looked and felt.
What was the worst that could happen.
But still – even without the manacle – the growling of my stomach threatened to make matter much worse if I didn't pacify it soon and my parched tongue agreed with it.
Nearly as important, I had to start moving again if I didn't want to test the just how sturdy my defenses were.
The few remaining hours of daylight I spend cursing at inconsiderate farmer who built walls and fences everywhere and especially between the rather small fields, forcing me to vault over them if I wanted to avoid people on the roads and cut the travel distance. Without the extra jumping power my wolf form gave me, it meant that my Parkour skills got a refresher to the point where I had to suppress the urge to add in flips and somersaults just to spice things up.
There was the occasional shout of a disgruntled farmer and a couple of attempts to go after me but my pursuers fared far worse than me. I barely noticed them, my mind too busy cursing Hollywood for once again lying to me. No flowing fields of hip-high wheat and no paths with the nice strip of grass in the middle to be found at all.
At first I had explained their absence with the mountainy area of Enoch, looking forward to actually see it.
I guess it was what from blindly believing what was being told and shown since the first fantasy book I had opened, instead of actually asking. It wasn't like there weren't any wizards I knew that were around long enough to give me second hand accounts.
I even ignored Toot when he tried to protect my poor heart from the sudden disillusion. Something I intended to rectify when the pixie finally woke again. He was tired enough to deeply and soundly sleep in a relatively empty pocket of my duster even while I was running and hopping around like a madman. Somehow.
He shouldn't even be able to fit in there.
Even ignoring the numerous other reasons why, I really wanted to get back home -thus leaving this mad pocket dimension and my newly earned supernatural stalker behind -, getting away from Toot's new found power of casually ignoring the laws of physics and reality on a mere whim would have been enough.
Sadly, that night wasn't the right time to ask my lieutenant to teach me medieval history 101. The moment dusk arrived, I already noticed a certain focus in the few monster that were out already, mainly ignoring me and moving as if they had a vague purpose.
Their goal became clear a couple of minutes after I felt true sunset wash over me, heralding the beginning of the night. I ran into a veritable wall of nasties of all different kinds of shapes and sizes. They were clearly waiting for me to show up and wasted no time to pile up on me as one as I jumped a particularly high stone wall.
I was barely able to survive the scarily coordinated mob of skeletons, demons, goblins, and hell spiders even while completely disregarding any collateral damage and loss of produce I caused to multiple farmers, a depressing amount of experience with these kinds of situations, and a grouchy Toot watching my back, slashing down everything that came too close.
I left a trail of gouged earth and scorched fields as I broke through the ranks. I didn't want to know how confused the farmers were the following day. Even ignoring the rampant destruction my trail would be enough to cause stories to spread. I had to shift often to either fire of spells to clear a path or quickly dodge an attack coming from the sides or the numerous monsters I tried to leave behind, making my trail a baffling mix of human and wolf footprints.
Even after breaking through, I couldn't catch a break, too many demons like the wolfish creature I partially devoured were able to keep up with me. There simply were too many to deal with directly without the rest catching up and thus I ran.
I couldn't even take the easy way out by simply catapulting myself through the air like I did in chase that lead me to Enoch village. The air was swarming by flying critters, circling me and especially the albatross bats helpfully reminding me of their presence by swooping down at just the wrong moments. Their scythe-claws looked like they could easily decapitate a man.
If their precision was anything to go by, they practiced that technique regularly. They would have gotten me too if it wasn't for the Mantle and my wolf form's mobility. The fact that the shrieked when the swooped down also helped if you were supernaturally mobile like me.
And once again Toot proved his worth once again by flitting about, somehow managing to keep an eye out for any nasty trying to get a drop on me – often involving a literal drop in the forests a ran through – and scouting ahead of me, warning me when I would have run into an ambush.
The mad dash continued through the night, shrieks of the demons filled with bloodlust accompanied by the occasional throaty chuckle I heard at the very edge of my perception.
Somehow, the night managed to last both an eternity and mere minutes at the same time thanks to its unique blend of physical exertion that made me yearn for to see the sun and the reactions needed to actually survive the onslaught without breaking my legs in the process. Reactions that didn't allow for much thought.
Much like the previous day, I had barely enough time to revert back to my natural form before I pretty much collapsed into unconsciousness.
Unlike the previous day, however, what awaited me wasn't the black embrace of a dreamless sleep but Ignatz.
And he had company.
None them were as clear as Ignatz and his friends – young men I had killed to ultimately only delay the inevitability of my discovery and the ways to find me by a few weeks. Most of the newcomers were faceless specters in identical armors, their only defining features – if they had any at all – were peculiar decorations and medals and even they were vague.
Much clearer were their smells, everyone utterly steeped in absolute dread and worse. I could still hear the whimpers, their cries of agony and terror, their desperate pleas for a god to save them, and how those were suddenly cut off. Each smell and each voice was unique in their own haunting way. Everyone I had bitten had an individual taste.
I woke up only a few hours later, drenched in sweat and still feeling like an absolute wreck but knew I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep.
I didn't want to either way. I could still taste their flesh in my mouth. Something eating my ration of dry bread and jerky couldn't solve either.
Worse, I couldn't help but notice that my body was far too little disgusted by the phantom taste.
The rest of the day wasn't better. After discussing things with a grumpy Toot, we concluded that we were probably tracked thanks to the ridiculously excess amount of magic I exuded showing up on the magic-dar of my lovely stalker even during the day. As such we decided I'd wear the Manacle during the day in hopes to at least avoid traps like the night before.
It took probably more than half an hour of meditating until I found the concentration and determination to move again. My body was tired; I hadn't known before how much joints could ache, my muscle tried to actively murder me not only with pain but also with twitches, cramps and spasms, and I was covered with shallow gashes and a bruises with an untold variety of colors and shapes.
I didn't have to pretend to be a tired wanderer that day as I shambled along the road towards the ever elusive accumulation of magic.
I didn't have to fake gratitude either when a traveling merchant took pity on me and offered a ride to the next town on his cart for the low price of promising to help him defend his wares if we were attacked by bandits.
I probably looked harmless enough the way I shambled, leaning on my staff and hunching forward. It helped that I had detached the Spear of Destiny from my staff, safely storing it in its designated sheath as well as hiding the armor inside of me before committing to the torture that was known as the manacle. The story I told about being a refugee hoping to rebuild my life in the mythical Falconia didn't harm either.
I justified accepting the ride by reminding me that it would be far stranger to decline it and that energy saved during the day would mean better survival chances during the night.
Since both Winter and my subconscious were blissfully quiet and Toot was sleeping I took it their silence as unanimous approval of my reasoning.
It took less than an hour for me to regret that decision. The merchant was a bit too curios and jolly for my liking and the cart was slow. Much slower than I expected. It followed the winding road to a T and had to slow down or even stop to navigate around larger caravans, couriers, and other groups of travelers that regularly clogged up the road.
And after the merchant noticed I wasn't that talkative and wouldn't reveal too much about my past, he stopped talking and the only thing left for the both of us was to stare into the distance.
It left me with my thoughts.
We reached the next village, a collection of houses, farms and a single inn, in the late afternoon. After saying my goodbyes, I was able to slip away relatively unnoticed and unchallenged and was walking again.
The next night was busy and tiring, but nothing compared to the madness of the last two nights. As such we covered a fair distance – much more than during the day – and I even had the time and strength to eat a little before falling to sleep the next morning.
I fell into a rhythm the following days. I woke up around noon, put on the manacle, and lightly jogged along the road, cutting through the fields and forests if I felt that the road was becoming too much of a detour to my destination and parkouring my way over the obstacles. When I came to a hamlet or village I tried to get as much information as I dared without being truly noticed without the blending potion and compared the little I got with the map I had stolen from St. Aurora.
During the night I let Winter loose, covered a fair bit of distance, spilt more than a few drops of monstrous blood, and got to know my personal specters really well as I laid to rest after sunrise.
It was the sixth night after I left the city housing the former inquisitorial headquarters when I stumbled upon the next stronghold.
I didn't want to go after them. I didn't need more on my conscious. But then I forced myself to remember the atrocities of St. Aurora. I knew that it was an Inquisitional post. I knew that this way, I could try and shift the undeserved blame from the city and, hopefully, prevent further suffering.
Even while I was still tormented in my sleep by what I had done in St. Aurora, I cleansed that place. Because I knew that I could life even less with myself if I even risked the chance that a single innocent person would have to endure the atrocities of these monsters in human form just because I was afraid that it would disturb my night's rest.
They hadn't been as bad as the ones in St. Aurora but I had strong suspicions that it was mainly due to a lack of funds and practice than a lack of righteous malice. There were no surviving victims and six more faceless souls joined Ignatz and his ethereal friends.
To make sure that the Inquisition knew it was me, I knew it missed a certain something. A bit of my own ridiculous creativity with masonry.
The repurposed church lacked the souls necessary to fuel the fiery specters of wrath spell but the grounds were particular rich with golems.
There a crater now where the church once stood and its catacombs crumbled as the walls grinded each other into dust under the enormous pressure.
That night was harder as well as the time spent at the stronghold was used well to mass monsters and demons to my locations. I didn't truly mind it.
Toot-Toot was invaluable during the entire trip whether through his antics that managed to temporarily cheer me up enough to break through the tiredness and cycle of guilt and self-doubt and keep moving or his scouting work.
Even when I learned that the news of my exploits had spread across the lands in the second week just before I was about the hit the third nest of the inquisition. Deep down, I knew that a courier that didn't care about pushing his horse to the point of near death and with a supply of fresh mounts could outrun me even if I wasn't shackled by the manacle during the day.
But still, it startled me to experience how fast I heard about my actions from an innkeeper. It was a small comfort that they didn't have a description of me beyond 'tall' and that many of the common folk couldn't believe it to be the actions of a mere human working alone.
It didn't prevent me from ridding this pocket dimension from another blight. This one seemed to have really liked to shackle their victims to a waterwheel and let them taste the river flowing past that particular sorry excuse for a holy house.
They also thought to be smart by executing the innocent souls in their dungeons as soon as they heard the news of St. Aurora and getting rid of the most obvious evidence. It didn't do them much good, even as the remaining seven torturers and part time clergy begged for their lives after killing their four knights.
While I had the map with this location clearly marked as part of the inquisition I wanted to be sure and I made the mistake of actually opening up my Sight only to quickly close it again right after.
With the help of the angry spirits and the Lady of the Deep Water, the river now flows through the ruins of the building.
The last so called church I encountered lay in the steppes filled with herds of roaming sheep and horses. It must have been run by either disciples or admirers of the late Chief Inquisitor Mozgus. Wheels on poles littered the nearby landscape, the wind slowly turning them together with the broken bodies that were woven through them, making the contraptions creak. Crows indicated that it wasn't just a sick hobby of the past even before I could see the fresh body they were in the process of picking clean.
Even from outside the church and over the stench of rotting corpses, I could smell the stench of fear the ten tormenters felt as I howled, the wild sylphs picking up on my fury and joining in. It had probably been the only time I was glad that my reputation proceeded me and that they got at least one thing right.
Again the inquisition had left no survivors, the freshly spoked victim probably being the last one before running out. So I did the same to them.
The windy hills were ripe with sylphs, but try as I might, I couldn't get enough of them to work together to form a tornado. I managed strong gusts of wind but actually forming a tornado seemed to be too structured and boring to these unshackled wind spirits. Without the connection to a greater spirit and lacking enough other elementals to do something big, I couldn't really brute force it either without risking what little safety I during the night.
There were however enough Sylphs around that I could burn the place to the ground with a few choice lighting strikes and making sure the flames had enough oxygen to only leave a charred husk of cracked stone and surrounded by splintered poles.
Sadly, that process did little to pacify the angry spirit writhing in that place. They were too diffuse help power a spell. The lack of power for my spells didn't prevent them from possessing the wheels all over the landscape and neither did that mean that the possessed wheels moved slowly.
Throughout the blur that was that night I mainly remember running and desperately looking for cover while one or more wooden wheels after the other tried to ram me with speeds way over the limits in most cities, clawing at me with boney fingers only partially covered with small rests of rotten soft tissue when they missed the ramming attempt. Those very same fingers tore into the ground when they missed me with enough force that I decided that I didn't want to test my defenses against it.
I aimed to get onto what little higher ground and simple boulders I could find, firing off a few lances of white hot fire to destroy a couple of wheels before the rest found a way around the obstacle or used each other as ramps to launch themselves at me. Then they resumed their assault with relentless abandon and never ending endurance. Even with my frequent attacks, many of which were dodged by the infernal bringers of death, it was only when the light of a new day hit the wheels that my nightmare ended.
Even Toot didn't enjoy that night. For me it didn't help that I couldn't shake the feeling that plenty of the wheel were inhabited by my very own victims the last few weeks. I don't think I was tired enough to hallucinate faint whiffs of smells that had become far too familiar during my sleep.
Then, finally after more than three weeks after leaving Enoch and travelling nearly nonstop, I crested a hill and was rewarded with a sight that even made Toot gasp.
In front of us, in the plains teeming with farms, scattered with small forests and weird, wing-like structures rose an absolutely massive tree in the sky, its legs forming a helix and its branches reaching out towards the horizon. And it was glowing.
I startled to realize that the branch-like constellations I saw in the sky at night weren't constellations or galaxies as I previously assumed and neither could I chalk it up as simply bizarro-world being weird. Not anymore. Not after seeing that.
Now I knew that it had to be the branches of this impossibly gargantuan tree.
My eyes, after finally tearing them from the tree, then drifted further back and I was speechless for the second time in the same amount of minutes.
Falconia stretched out behind the helix tree, not smaller than most modern cities but infinitely more elegant. The entire city was surrounded by a wall that would make the White Walkers gnash their teeth in despair and an enormous building stretched out in the back of the city, not unlike a bird spreading its wings, offering protection to those living inside it.
Back in Enoch we had all assumed that the rumors were mere tales, the result of exaggeration build upon already questionable tales as it traveled around from merchant to innkeeper to traveler and so on. The townsfolk had assured me that they were mere tales country bumpkin told the others when they came home from a visit to Windham. They thought that the wing motives the travelers talked about were simple decorations to honor the Band of the White Hawk for being a driving force in the defeat of the Kushans.
They were completely wrong and the view I was presented with reeked with magic. There was simply absolutely no way that Falconia could have been built by mortal hand, especially not in the time period this pocket dimension appeared to be in. And now that I was close enough to actually see it, I could actually feel it. A pitch black core nestled deep in that amalgamation of otherwise fairly neutral magical energy. Something I could impossibly unfeel now that I was aware of it.
I felt my stomach drop as I wanted to move again and I noticed that Toot was very, very quiet, staring at the center of the winged mega structure with wide eyes.
"I have a bad feeling about this." I reflexively muttered as I made my first true step towards the city after getting some insight of its true nature.
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Chapter 12.1
- Location
- Switzerland
Chapter 12.1
"Are we absolutely sure we want to do this, boss?" asked Toot-Toot when I made my second step towards the city, my feelings no less foreboding than with the first one.
"Want? No," I replied as the third step went a bit easier than the previous two. "It's more a case of this being the only lead to getting out of this bizarro-world I know of."
I gestured at the glowing helical tree looming before us which, now that I thought about it, had to be really annoying at night. That thing was bright.
"Whatever happened to form that, likely had the magical oomph to cause the Nevernever to try its best Escher impression."
"And you're sure there isn't any other way?" Toot asked again, his eyes flitting again and again to the middle of the enormous winged structure. "There's something powerful there. Something that can eat us whole whenever it pleases."
That didn't sound ominous at all.
I felt my steps falter again as I mulled over Toot's words, remembering my own gut reaction when I felt that black core at the center of the magic. On the other hand, I was certain that it'd be virtually impossible to find even a real clue to get out anywhere else.
It was either this, roam this twisted version of earth looking for another way until my stalker caught up, or I could try my chances blindly traversing a mutated version of the Nevernever that was somehow far more twisted and presumably deadlier than the original. Or I could simply die due to a number of other causes; a long list on which my fellow humans were ranked very highly.
None of these options would bring me home – back to Maggie and Alice. Back to Karrin, Michael, and my other friends I've worked to patch things up between us.
A newly minted winter god might be able to order the dimensions to behave themselves again, but… No, I'd rather die. Besides, I'd probably wouldn't even want to leave this premium dark godling playground and if I somehow did, it would only be to inflict torment to those I loved in one way or the other.
I shook my head and resumed walking with a confidence I didn't truly feel, glad that Toot-Toot remained silent during my inner struggle. When was the last time that the possibility of going against beings wielding phenomenal cosmic powers (without the itty bitty living space holding them back) truly stopped me?
Perhaps I could gather enough information on the farms around the city the next day. If I got noticed anyway, I wouldn't want to deprive the local supernatural overlord of the genuine Dresden Experience (trademark pending). It might feel left out during the next support group for immortals meeting.
"I can't think of anything else that might get us home," I answered, as the sun was setting once more, plunging the fields ahead in twilight. "At least not without getting me – us – killed in the process before even getting close."
Toot sighed at that before straightening his back. "Maybe we get lucky – "
"Pff, sure."
" – and we won't need to get into the city proper to get enough information to move along. Even if we don't, I don't know how much longer I could continue like this, running away from her and the hordes she commands. We know she tracks me through my magic and if I stop that going all over the place, through her thralls. In that city, surrounded by thousands or perhaps millions and thick walls? As long as I keep on my Manacle, I might finally get some rest – even if it's only for a few days."
"Just don't be surprised if you hear me saying 'I told you so' in the near future, Harry" Toot said just a bit smugly, apparently redoubling his surveillance efforts if the binocular was anything to go by. And the floating patch of high grass. "And don't be mistaken in believing I won't."
I suppressed a nervous chuckle as I increased my pace to one I've grown far too accustomed to these last few weeks. If I wanted to get there early enough that I might spend a day asking the farmers for information and still get into the city come dusk if I couldn't find enough information.
"Wouldn't want it any other way, lieutenant-general."
"And, please, don't forget the sylphs when I'm forced to say it," Toot went on, more serious than I was used of him by far. "Don't forget you can fly or at least hurtle yourself through the air with style."
"You know; I'd rather not use it in the stressful situations you think we're going to be in. Especially not the distances you want. Too much time to accelerate me to pancake velocity."
"Boss, in that case, you'd also have enough time to renegotiate with the sylphs. They like you well enough."
I had to suppress a snort at that. The thing I feared was that they might like me too much as they appeared to resonate with the cold of the Mantle to an extent that they probably forget that I was still squishy with a crunchy core.
Toot tutted at my non-verbal dismissal and floated in front of me, somehow sporting a rugged cape and a weird, orange glasses. "Harry, if it's that hard to believe in yourself, just believe in me who believes in you!"
He dropped on my shoulders and continued, softly. "Trust me, boss, you'll be fine."
"Alright, Toot-Toot, if you believe we're going to be fine, I'll take your word for it."
"You know the 'fine' part only applies to the flying part?" he asked, chuckling. "I know you'll manage to screw the rest up and fire will be involved somewhere."
I opened my mouth to retort; to defend myself against these baseless accusations but only laughter left it, my honor ignored.
It wasn't the first time he got to play second fiddle, I was sure he could cope.
We spend the next twenty or so minutes in in relative, comfortable silence while I ran down the road, not encountering anyone this late, and waiting what this night had in store for us.
Nothing unusual appeared as night fell, which didn't do much to calm the little voice in my head that was rambling paranoia partially thanks to Toot.
I couldn't let the fun-sized Leonidas take all the blame for it though. It was a very familiar voice after all.
It didn't help that nothing happened either when I took off the accursed manacle and transformed. Not a monster or beast at all.
Instead of waiting for the other shoe to drop – I was certain the many-legged creature known as Fate had plenty left for me – I started running, sprinting towards the enormous structures in the distance.
A distance I realized in the previous minutes of silence, was greater than I previously estimated. During those twenty minutes I had realized that I had misjudged the amount of sheer bullshit involved to create the great city and its buildings; my caveman mind limiting my imagination to only realism and a bit more. It was more than that.
It was far enough away that I felt compelled to assume my wolf form if I wanted to hopefully be done there by the next day. Even if that meant risking being spotted by some hapless farmer or wanderer or luring in the horrors that had never missed a night to plague me.
I was glad when we finally encountered something after hours of running. We just left the last forest before we would arrive at the final, large stretch of farmlands separating us from the city and the first one to notice it was Toot, leaping off my back with enough force to make me stumble a bit.
He hit the overgrown chicken that was waiting for us like a silvery flash, carving a smoldering line over its body, and forcing it to unleash the breath attack he apparently prepared away from me in a desperate attempt to hit the flying tormentor.
As it was distracted I leaped at it, transforming in midair, and planting the Spear of Destiny deep inside the creature.
"Ignus," I spoke with absolute certainty.
A miniature sun came to life at the top of the spear, deep inside the monster devouring it with in mere moments and neutralizing whatever it spat at my lieutenant-general.
The collapsed chicken with newly made charred hole collapsed as I extinguished my sun and pulled the Spear free. It smelled absolutely delicious.
When I started tonight's sprint, I had been certain that I'd lose plenty of time due to the fighting I thought would inevitably pop up. It hadn't and as such, I had made enough headway that I could grant me a small break.
I glanced over to my little berserker and saw he was salivating as much as me.
"Of course, it would be a waste to simply let – "
I grunted as I felt another presence subtly probe my mental defenses causing me to reflexively raise the walls of my internal fortress of doom and throwing the gates shut in the intruder's face.
It hadn't felt malicious. No, it was more playful and curious, gentle even when trying to do whatever it wanted. That didn't matter much to me. There only place for someone in that dome of mine, and that's me. And my asshole-self. And the Mantle. Come to think of it, it also housed Lash and Alice for a while…
But the point was, nobody got in without my permission. Well, except…
"Harry, you'd better look at this," Toot said, loud enough to distract me from philosophical questions about myself and whether or not I could ask for rent from my (ex-) headmates.
I followed his outstretched arm and saw balls of light that were rising from the fields and moving towards us.
"That can't be good," I mused, the potential premium chicken dinner forgotten as they twisted into malformed human bodies, their "legs" still consisting out of a wispy tail.
They started accelerating as soon as their rotund upper bodies and spindly arms were formed. Each arm ending in long claws that looked ideal for raking.
The ghosts started wailing while they closed in on us, murder in their spectral eyes. "At least they can't be all mad, right?"
From my own, personal experience I knew that only the truly insane were able to manifest on a level that they were able to harm mortals and even fifty years of violent Chicago History hadn't produced this many Lecter Specters and even they tended to do their own thing when left to their own devices.
The frontrunner of the pack barreled towards me and I barely sidestepped the assault.
That didn't stop it from raking spectral claw over my arm in passing.
It hurt.
The next one was upon me only moments later and just Winter's reflexes managed to interpose my Spear in between the two of us.
It shrieked as it dissolved and I felt a trickle of magic feed into the Longinus.
I fed power and will into my shield bracelet, calling my shield bubble into existence while I idly noted that, unsurprisingly, the holy weapon could kill incorporeal beings.
"Any idea why we suddenly have to call the Ghostbusters?" I asked as I felt ghosts colliding on my shield all around me.
Toot's eyes were unfocused as he whispered. "So much death and suffering. So much horror and rage. Harry, we're on the largest battlefield this world has seen in decades. The spirits have had far too little time to come to peace with their demise and something, someone used it to rile them up and sic them on you.
"And they won't stop until either they are cleansed or I'm dead." I completed the thoughts Toot-Toot started, gritting my teeth as the ghost simply started to pile up on my shield and pushed.
The pixie knight gave an apologetic shrug.
"Prepare your sword – the silver one if bizarro-world logic is anything to go by," I told him, a feral smile spreading at this clear challenge. "We'll show them what it means to mess with us. Start big and follow up with hit and run tactics. They'll run out sooner or later."
I focused my will on the spell I was about to release, straining against the specters that wanted to rip me to shreds and all too glad that I spend the money for my new and improved shield bracelet.
Fire has and always will be my favorite element. It kept you warm and safe during the night, it cooked, and it was used to create all kind of wondrous things.
It also burned and cleansed and killed.
Winter didn't like the element on its own but having access to it through yours truly, it could appreciate it as a tool to destroy its enemies and making them fear me.
My willpower, honed by countless battles and struggles reached out for that very same element, pulling salamanders towards me in such numbers that the specters started to hiss in pain and ease off the pressure.
A beam would do so very little now that I was being dogpiled by murderous, crazed specters. The sun would kill me before their numbers would even begin to truly dwindle.
I felt the pressure redouble again, no doubt because of the sheer - for the lack of a better word – mass of spirits pressing down, ignoring the heat that hurt their fellow ghosts.
On top of that, I knew that ghosts were allergic to belief, to faith.
It was time to go back to the very basics and experiment.
I focused on my belief in magic, balanced and tempered by reason; on the very essence of life as I gave form to it and imbuing it with just a bit of my very soul.
I reached out to the salamanders that were crawling on my shield, heating it and those that were intermingled with the ghosts.
I fed some of the Longinus' reserves into the spell.
"Flickum bicus!" I proclaimed.
The spell coated my abused shield bubble with pure white flames, glaring, overcoming the heat shielding effects in moments.
Ghosts were erased by the hundreds as the fire barrier came to life.
But it wouldn't be enough, but then again, I wasn't done yet.
I raised my staff in preparation of the next spell.
The runes glowed as I struck down to the ground.
"Forzare!"
My shield shattered as it was launched outwards, taking the flames with it and creating an exploding wave of cleansing fire.
The ghosts in a fifteen-foot radius simply stopped existing and those fifteen foot further were damaged to a point where they soon joined the others.
I also got hit by flying splinters as the wall of fire hit the forest, superheating the trees and simply causing them to explode into tiny splinters.
I didn't need Toot's warnings to see the reinforcements rising from the ground and forming.
I transformed and set off towards the city, away from the forest fire that inexplicably started behind me and towards the next group of specters.
During the next couple of hours, Toot-Toot flitted from one ghost to the next and ended their unlives with a snicker-snack before moving to the next one.
I bit and tore and stabbed the specters that came too close. Whenever I saw a chance I eliminated groups at once with well-aimed spears of fire.
The specters soon lost their ability to harm me as I started to really throw down magic, practicing my faith.
The night was illuminated by the flashes of fire and filled with growls, wails, and battle-cries.
Unnoticed we drifted closer and closer towards the city and the giant gate in the wall that absolutely dwarfed me.
Then, an hour before sunrise we suddenly found ourselves without foes right in front of the gates.
They opened.
Out rode a silver figure and a broad, squat creature each carrying others.
The silver accelerated to a speed I knew I wouldn't be able to match and was at my side in moments.
I should have done something but couldn't. I couldn't tear my eyes away from what first appeared to be a mounted knight with an oversized lance even while my mind came to the conclusion that I wouldn't be able to outrun him. It.
What stood before me was you'd get if you crossbreed a centaur and a beetle under the crescent moon. And coated the resulting amalgamation with liberal amounts of shining silver.
The crescent moon motive propagated throughout it made it look spindly, alien. It had enough edges and spikes that it would do grievous harm just to bump into it, let alone being run over by it. The giant antler feeler… things on the side of its head only reinforced the insectile image.
The two soldiers – a quick glance at their eyes confirmed their mortal status – carried a spear and either hung on to the spikes protruding from the creatures "human" back or the one in front.
They made my gut reaction impossible to execute. I couldn't initiate my proven kill-it-with-fire-and-run plan.
The double, double-sided lance that would make Darth Maul envious breathed malice. I shivered as I knew that I was already in its deadly reach and I'd die long before I could reach him with my spear.
"The troublesome new recruit has finally reached Falconia, it seems," It; he spoke, his solemn face barely moving. "I apologize we couldn't open the gates sooner to aid you. But looking at you now, it would have probably only ruined your fun."
He chuckled at that and I had to suppress a shudder. I knew I had to stand tall and proud to survive whatever was coming.
He bowed lightly at me, causing his riders suppress yelps of alarms as the spikes shifted underneath their hands.
I returned the gesture.
"I am the Moonlight Knight, general of the Neo Band of the Hawk, leader of the Demon lancers," He gently smiled. "Call me Locus."
"Are we absolutely sure we want to do this, boss?" asked Toot-Toot when I made my second step towards the city, my feelings no less foreboding than with the first one.
"Want? No," I replied as the third step went a bit easier than the previous two. "It's more a case of this being the only lead to getting out of this bizarro-world I know of."
I gestured at the glowing helical tree looming before us which, now that I thought about it, had to be really annoying at night. That thing was bright.
"Whatever happened to form that, likely had the magical oomph to cause the Nevernever to try its best Escher impression."
"And you're sure there isn't any other way?" Toot asked again, his eyes flitting again and again to the middle of the enormous winged structure. "There's something powerful there. Something that can eat us whole whenever it pleases."
That didn't sound ominous at all.
I felt my steps falter again as I mulled over Toot's words, remembering my own gut reaction when I felt that black core at the center of the magic. On the other hand, I was certain that it'd be virtually impossible to find even a real clue to get out anywhere else.
It was either this, roam this twisted version of earth looking for another way until my stalker caught up, or I could try my chances blindly traversing a mutated version of the Nevernever that was somehow far more twisted and presumably deadlier than the original. Or I could simply die due to a number of other causes; a long list on which my fellow humans were ranked very highly.
None of these options would bring me home – back to Maggie and Alice. Back to Karrin, Michael, and my other friends I've worked to patch things up between us.
A newly minted winter god might be able to order the dimensions to behave themselves again, but… No, I'd rather die. Besides, I'd probably wouldn't even want to leave this premium dark godling playground and if I somehow did, it would only be to inflict torment to those I loved in one way or the other.
I shook my head and resumed walking with a confidence I didn't truly feel, glad that Toot-Toot remained silent during my inner struggle. When was the last time that the possibility of going against beings wielding phenomenal cosmic powers (without the itty bitty living space holding them back) truly stopped me?
Perhaps I could gather enough information on the farms around the city the next day. If I got noticed anyway, I wouldn't want to deprive the local supernatural overlord of the genuine Dresden Experience (trademark pending). It might feel left out during the next support group for immortals meeting.
"I can't think of anything else that might get us home," I answered, as the sun was setting once more, plunging the fields ahead in twilight. "At least not without getting me – us – killed in the process before even getting close."
Toot sighed at that before straightening his back. "Maybe we get lucky – "
"Pff, sure."
" – and we won't need to get into the city proper to get enough information to move along. Even if we don't, I don't know how much longer I could continue like this, running away from her and the hordes she commands. We know she tracks me through my magic and if I stop that going all over the place, through her thralls. In that city, surrounded by thousands or perhaps millions and thick walls? As long as I keep on my Manacle, I might finally get some rest – even if it's only for a few days."
"Just don't be surprised if you hear me saying 'I told you so' in the near future, Harry" Toot said just a bit smugly, apparently redoubling his surveillance efforts if the binocular was anything to go by. And the floating patch of high grass. "And don't be mistaken in believing I won't."
I suppressed a nervous chuckle as I increased my pace to one I've grown far too accustomed to these last few weeks. If I wanted to get there early enough that I might spend a day asking the farmers for information and still get into the city come dusk if I couldn't find enough information.
"Wouldn't want it any other way, lieutenant-general."
"And, please, don't forget the sylphs when I'm forced to say it," Toot went on, more serious than I was used of him by far. "Don't forget you can fly or at least hurtle yourself through the air with style."
"You know; I'd rather not use it in the stressful situations you think we're going to be in. Especially not the distances you want. Too much time to accelerate me to pancake velocity."
"Boss, in that case, you'd also have enough time to renegotiate with the sylphs. They like you well enough."
I had to suppress a snort at that. The thing I feared was that they might like me too much as they appeared to resonate with the cold of the Mantle to an extent that they probably forget that I was still squishy with a crunchy core.
Toot tutted at my non-verbal dismissal and floated in front of me, somehow sporting a rugged cape and a weird, orange glasses. "Harry, if it's that hard to believe in yourself, just believe in me who believes in you!"
He dropped on my shoulders and continued, softly. "Trust me, boss, you'll be fine."
"Alright, Toot-Toot, if you believe we're going to be fine, I'll take your word for it."
"You know the 'fine' part only applies to the flying part?" he asked, chuckling. "I know you'll manage to screw the rest up and fire will be involved somewhere."
I opened my mouth to retort; to defend myself against these baseless accusations but only laughter left it, my honor ignored.
It wasn't the first time he got to play second fiddle, I was sure he could cope.
We spend the next twenty or so minutes in in relative, comfortable silence while I ran down the road, not encountering anyone this late, and waiting what this night had in store for us.
Nothing unusual appeared as night fell, which didn't do much to calm the little voice in my head that was rambling paranoia partially thanks to Toot.
I couldn't let the fun-sized Leonidas take all the blame for it though. It was a very familiar voice after all.
It didn't help that nothing happened either when I took off the accursed manacle and transformed. Not a monster or beast at all.
Instead of waiting for the other shoe to drop – I was certain the many-legged creature known as Fate had plenty left for me – I started running, sprinting towards the enormous structures in the distance.
A distance I realized in the previous minutes of silence, was greater than I previously estimated. During those twenty minutes I had realized that I had misjudged the amount of sheer bullshit involved to create the great city and its buildings; my caveman mind limiting my imagination to only realism and a bit more. It was more than that.
It was far enough away that I felt compelled to assume my wolf form if I wanted to hopefully be done there by the next day. Even if that meant risking being spotted by some hapless farmer or wanderer or luring in the horrors that had never missed a night to plague me.
I was glad when we finally encountered something after hours of running. We just left the last forest before we would arrive at the final, large stretch of farmlands separating us from the city and the first one to notice it was Toot, leaping off my back with enough force to make me stumble a bit.
He hit the overgrown chicken that was waiting for us like a silvery flash, carving a smoldering line over its body, and forcing it to unleash the breath attack he apparently prepared away from me in a desperate attempt to hit the flying tormentor.
As it was distracted I leaped at it, transforming in midair, and planting the Spear of Destiny deep inside the creature.
"Ignus," I spoke with absolute certainty.
A miniature sun came to life at the top of the spear, deep inside the monster devouring it with in mere moments and neutralizing whatever it spat at my lieutenant-general.
The collapsed chicken with newly made charred hole collapsed as I extinguished my sun and pulled the Spear free. It smelled absolutely delicious.
When I started tonight's sprint, I had been certain that I'd lose plenty of time due to the fighting I thought would inevitably pop up. It hadn't and as such, I had made enough headway that I could grant me a small break.
I glanced over to my little berserker and saw he was salivating as much as me.
"Of course, it would be a waste to simply let – "
I grunted as I felt another presence subtly probe my mental defenses causing me to reflexively raise the walls of my internal fortress of doom and throwing the gates shut in the intruder's face.
It hadn't felt malicious. No, it was more playful and curious, gentle even when trying to do whatever it wanted. That didn't matter much to me. There only place for someone in that dome of mine, and that's me. And my asshole-self. And the Mantle. Come to think of it, it also housed Lash and Alice for a while…
But the point was, nobody got in without my permission. Well, except…
"Harry, you'd better look at this," Toot said, loud enough to distract me from philosophical questions about myself and whether or not I could ask for rent from my (ex-) headmates.
I followed his outstretched arm and saw balls of light that were rising from the fields and moving towards us.
"That can't be good," I mused, the potential premium chicken dinner forgotten as they twisted into malformed human bodies, their "legs" still consisting out of a wispy tail.
They started accelerating as soon as their rotund upper bodies and spindly arms were formed. Each arm ending in long claws that looked ideal for raking.
The ghosts started wailing while they closed in on us, murder in their spectral eyes. "At least they can't be all mad, right?"
From my own, personal experience I knew that only the truly insane were able to manifest on a level that they were able to harm mortals and even fifty years of violent Chicago History hadn't produced this many Lecter Specters and even they tended to do their own thing when left to their own devices.
The frontrunner of the pack barreled towards me and I barely sidestepped the assault.
That didn't stop it from raking spectral claw over my arm in passing.
It hurt.
The next one was upon me only moments later and just Winter's reflexes managed to interpose my Spear in between the two of us.
It shrieked as it dissolved and I felt a trickle of magic feed into the Longinus.
I fed power and will into my shield bracelet, calling my shield bubble into existence while I idly noted that, unsurprisingly, the holy weapon could kill incorporeal beings.
"Any idea why we suddenly have to call the Ghostbusters?" I asked as I felt ghosts colliding on my shield all around me.
Toot's eyes were unfocused as he whispered. "So much death and suffering. So much horror and rage. Harry, we're on the largest battlefield this world has seen in decades. The spirits have had far too little time to come to peace with their demise and something, someone used it to rile them up and sic them on you.
"And they won't stop until either they are cleansed or I'm dead." I completed the thoughts Toot-Toot started, gritting my teeth as the ghost simply started to pile up on my shield and pushed.
The pixie knight gave an apologetic shrug.
"Prepare your sword – the silver one if bizarro-world logic is anything to go by," I told him, a feral smile spreading at this clear challenge. "We'll show them what it means to mess with us. Start big and follow up with hit and run tactics. They'll run out sooner or later."
I focused my will on the spell I was about to release, straining against the specters that wanted to rip me to shreds and all too glad that I spend the money for my new and improved shield bracelet.
Fire has and always will be my favorite element. It kept you warm and safe during the night, it cooked, and it was used to create all kind of wondrous things.
It also burned and cleansed and killed.
Winter didn't like the element on its own but having access to it through yours truly, it could appreciate it as a tool to destroy its enemies and making them fear me.
My willpower, honed by countless battles and struggles reached out for that very same element, pulling salamanders towards me in such numbers that the specters started to hiss in pain and ease off the pressure.
A beam would do so very little now that I was being dogpiled by murderous, crazed specters. The sun would kill me before their numbers would even begin to truly dwindle.
I felt the pressure redouble again, no doubt because of the sheer - for the lack of a better word – mass of spirits pressing down, ignoring the heat that hurt their fellow ghosts.
On top of that, I knew that ghosts were allergic to belief, to faith.
It was time to go back to the very basics and experiment.
I focused on my belief in magic, balanced and tempered by reason; on the very essence of life as I gave form to it and imbuing it with just a bit of my very soul.
I reached out to the salamanders that were crawling on my shield, heating it and those that were intermingled with the ghosts.
I fed some of the Longinus' reserves into the spell.
"Flickum bicus!" I proclaimed.
The spell coated my abused shield bubble with pure white flames, glaring, overcoming the heat shielding effects in moments.
Ghosts were erased by the hundreds as the fire barrier came to life.
But it wouldn't be enough, but then again, I wasn't done yet.
I raised my staff in preparation of the next spell.
The runes glowed as I struck down to the ground.
"Forzare!"
My shield shattered as it was launched outwards, taking the flames with it and creating an exploding wave of cleansing fire.
The ghosts in a fifteen-foot radius simply stopped existing and those fifteen foot further were damaged to a point where they soon joined the others.
I also got hit by flying splinters as the wall of fire hit the forest, superheating the trees and simply causing them to explode into tiny splinters.
I didn't need Toot's warnings to see the reinforcements rising from the ground and forming.
I transformed and set off towards the city, away from the forest fire that inexplicably started behind me and towards the next group of specters.
During the next couple of hours, Toot-Toot flitted from one ghost to the next and ended their unlives with a snicker-snack before moving to the next one.
I bit and tore and stabbed the specters that came too close. Whenever I saw a chance I eliminated groups at once with well-aimed spears of fire.
The specters soon lost their ability to harm me as I started to really throw down magic, practicing my faith.
The night was illuminated by the flashes of fire and filled with growls, wails, and battle-cries.
Unnoticed we drifted closer and closer towards the city and the giant gate in the wall that absolutely dwarfed me.
Then, an hour before sunrise we suddenly found ourselves without foes right in front of the gates.
They opened.
Out rode a silver figure and a broad, squat creature each carrying others.
The silver accelerated to a speed I knew I wouldn't be able to match and was at my side in moments.
I should have done something but couldn't. I couldn't tear my eyes away from what first appeared to be a mounted knight with an oversized lance even while my mind came to the conclusion that I wouldn't be able to outrun him. It.
What stood before me was you'd get if you crossbreed a centaur and a beetle under the crescent moon. And coated the resulting amalgamation with liberal amounts of shining silver.
The crescent moon motive propagated throughout it made it look spindly, alien. It had enough edges and spikes that it would do grievous harm just to bump into it, let alone being run over by it. The giant antler feeler… things on the side of its head only reinforced the insectile image.
The two soldiers – a quick glance at their eyes confirmed their mortal status – carried a spear and either hung on to the spikes protruding from the creatures "human" back or the one in front.
They made my gut reaction impossible to execute. I couldn't initiate my proven kill-it-with-fire-and-run plan.
The double, double-sided lance that would make Darth Maul envious breathed malice. I shivered as I knew that I was already in its deadly reach and I'd die long before I could reach him with my spear.
"The troublesome new recruit has finally reached Falconia, it seems," It; he spoke, his solemn face barely moving. "I apologize we couldn't open the gates sooner to aid you. But looking at you now, it would have probably only ruined your fun."
He chuckled at that and I had to suppress a shudder. I knew I had to stand tall and proud to survive whatever was coming.
He bowed lightly at me, causing his riders suppress yelps of alarms as the spikes shifted underneath their hands.
I returned the gesture.
"I am the Moonlight Knight, general of the Neo Band of the Hawk, leader of the Demon lancers," He gently smiled. "Call me Locus."
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Dragonskyt
Ashen one, hearest thou my voice, still?
- Location
- Kiln of the First Flame
Welp, that happened.
Though admittedly, it's far from the worst of the group Harry could have met.
Chapter 12.2
- Location
- Switzerland
A/N: First off, let me apologize for the sizeable delay. Long story short, this chapter didn't want to be written. I started writing it days after I posted the previous chapter only to beach myself somewhere in the middle. I tried to rewrite thing only to notice something else that was off. This repeated itself multiple times. As some of you might have guessed at the same time an idea for another fic had wormed itself into my head and refused to leave. As such I decided to try and exorcise that demon by actually writing it down. Perhaps fittingly to the source material, it somehow escalated just a tiny bit while this chapter still refused to be written.
This weekend I decided I had enough and strongarmed the chapter into its proper place. It was a hard battle that required another complete rewrite but I'd like to think that my foray into another fic has helped me to grow and the end result should be pretty decent. I'm not completely happy with it but felt I wouldn't be able to improve it without feedback. On the positive side, it somehow grew to a fair size, though.
I've decided to post it as soon as I finished writing it in the hopes of moving past this chapter and get the fic in general rolling again. Sadly, this means that it isn't proofread and since it's 4:30am over here I'm afraid there'll be mistakes. I'm trying to break through an irritatingly persistent writer's block. If you feel up to it, don't be afraid to correct grammar mistakes and more when you see it (you won't hurt my feelings or anything) and general feedback is appreciated even more than ever before. I'll implement the correction after I've had some shut-eye.
I hope you enjoy.
EDIT: I've gone over the chapter and like to think I've managed to iron out the biggest mistakes and also smoothed over a bit to better reflect Harry's feelings and thought processes.
Chapter 12.2
His entrance, the way the demonic knight in shining armor comported himself down to how he actually named himself – everything pointed towards the fact that I should know him.
Worse, I had the feeling that beyond knowing him, I should be honored that he acknowledged my fighting prowess. I didn't have a clue who he was or what he was supposed to be famous for beyond his chrome ass.
And now that he was in poking distance (for him at least, I still needed to move in at least a foot), I felt something familiar in his aura; something menacing that somehow reminded me of burned seafood.
Demon Starfish.
Seeing the slower, lumbering form of the wide-mouthed monstrosity at the back, I remembered where I felt it before. While the dark undertones were pretty camouflaged at the time by the general human suffering of the current and past victims in St. Aurora. Zargy did have an eerily similar tasting aura considering how different it and the two forms in front of me looked. It had been subtle enough that it hadn't popped while I fought against him in that cursed place. It probably had something to do with the rage I had been building up during the battle through that particular hell.
The metal beetle would have to be the second coming of Mother Theresa if I were going to like him. I had the feeling that wouldn't happen.
"Call me Fenrir." I introduced myself with the shit-eating grin I knew somehow got on people's nerves.
Well, it had been more a case of showing my teeth if I was completely honest. Must have been the amount of time I had been spending as a wolf and the fact that I fastened the Manacle as I righted myself from my bow.
If the half step he took was any indication I had at least managed to confuse him. No clue whether the name rang any bells. His face wasn't really big on the emoting dealio.
Toot-Toot did recognize it though if his exasperated sigh was any indication. Then there was also the fact that he had his face buried in his hand before flying off. Presumably using such silly things like scouting as an excuse to get away.
"Another one, huh. If that's what you wish, Fenrir," The insectile centaur answered with only a slight pause. "If you don't mind me asking, though, I do wonder for the reason of your renaming. From the small amount of incomplete reports that had started trickling in from St. Aurora you were known as a certain Mr. 'Hoots'."
The fact that news had already reached Falconia, while extremely annoying, wasn't something I was that surprised over. Having a supernatural stalker with both too much time and power really was a bitch. I realized a couple of weeks earlier that mounted messengers would likely be faster. And well…
There's a reason why I listened to my paranoia. Using that fake name was already paying out even if one might have said that it had been overkill at the time.
Look who was laughing now?
It wasn't me since I was busy coming up with a reasonable sounding excuse. Something that would have gone much better if I knew what those creatures were and why they thought I was the new "recruit". It probably meant I had some importance, which in turn gave some more leeway…
But what was up with that banging against the gates of my mental fortress?
Really annoying and not at all conducive to my laughable lying capabilities.
"Well," I began before the silence stretched out for too long. "You may have also heard about what happened to Dundee?"
Somehow recognition shone through which was quite a feat for someone possessing only a barely moving mouth as a traditional facial feature. Also gleaming metal. "So it was you when the… undead unicorns attacked? I've seen the reports and if I'm honest I still find it hard to believe… But that doesn't explain the name change."
"Well, Mantis Face." So he could still twitch! "I've had some, let's say, previous run-ins with the church and after what happened I was sort of hoping to keep a low profile." I shrugged some tension away. That overgrown hoover was getting really close. "Didn't really work out so I went for the next best thing and hoped they hadn't added a description to my name."
"That would make your behavior since then a lot clearer as well. "The knight that was shining armor chuckled, which was not something metallic echoes made friendlier. "Looks like the church is still working admirably."
My confusion must have shown. "Later. This is something for special unit only. But why didn't you just escape? From what I've seen you could have easily done it."
I smiled again. "Like I've said, I've had some history with the church and since they were willing to give me a ride into their Inquisition headquarters… Well, who am I to refuse such a generous offer?"
I idly noted that the banging at my mental gate had redoubled in vehemence and thus annoyance. I imagined a group of French defenders to tell the disturbance off. It was lucky I had to focus on other things and that it wasn't a real threat or else it would have had to deal with a lot worse than outlandish insults.
"We'll continue this talk in a more private setting later," I could feel his urge to massage his non-existing bridge of his illusionary nose as the big guy stomped to a standstill. "For now, it's my privilege to introduce Borkoff of my Demon Lancers. I'm afraid he won't be able to do much talking in this form, but he might surprise you if you let him in his other one."
The rumble of agreement that went through the six-legged monster alarmed its riders. The situation wasn't really helped when my lieutenant-general choose that precise moment to fly through the group of crossbow- and lance-toting soldiers. Soldiers who could see him.
"And I'm Fenny and this is my trusted lieutenant-general Toot-Toot Minimus. Nice to meetcha." This time, I went for a goofy wave while both Locus and Borkoff bowed to the miniature Leonidas. There were some concerned mutters coming from chrome ass' passengers.
"But I couldn't help but notice a distinct lack of pointy bits on your pal here," I continued pointing at the six-legged hoover. "Won't lancing things be a problem with only that enormous, teeth-filled shovel mouth?"
"Who said he didn't have a lance?" At his word a mound of flesh on the back shifted as a lance grew out of it and another hand waved at me. His riders were rather unhappy about the situation. "Good old Borkoff doesn't even need a lance to be a tremendous asset on the battlefield anyway. Trust me."
"So Toot, how does the situation look like?" I whispered to my flying companion in English and just loud enough to irritate the stuck up insect – partially because I didn't let him finish talking. "Is simply flying off an option?"
Even though I hated to admit my naivety, I really hoped this morning would go differently. Smoother. I didn't know how many of those monsters would be waiting for me on the other side of the gate. Better flee now and hop over the wall during the night and try to sneak around.
And still, that entity was banging against my mental defenses. At least, they themselves were getting irritated as well. It probably had to do with the rows upon rows of Frenchmen in armor going the extra mile of mooning it. Or at least I assumed it was that since the annoyance was palpable afterward.
"Not good," Toot replied with a stage whisper. "There's another one of these creatures on the wall. Furry inverted centaur thing with an extra head and a giant, built in antler bow which he uses to aim at us. He looks dangerous and not like someone who'd miss."
"I would love to hear the story how an elf befriended one of our kind and more importantly how you got it to wear armor, but that too has to wait to for later. I'm needed by our Lord Griffith and I'm sure you're just anxious to join our cause."
"What if I decided I wanted to enjoy my bachelor life some more? I could just get out of your… well, hair."
"I would see that as an insult to Lord Griffith." His voice grew significantly colder and tinnier. "I won't stand for that."
"You'll exterminate me?" A bit of tinny robot might have sneaked into my voice.
"If necessary, yes, but I rather not deprive Lord Griffith of a useful tool before he can use it." Ooh, he was trembling trying to calm down. This Griffith guy seemed a bit of a sore spot.
"All right, all right, you win. Lead away, oh mighty leader. Just one thing, I'd appreciate it if Shaggy over there - " I nodded towards the point on the wall where Toot had said the bowman was stationed. "I would really appreciate it if Shaggy over there could stop aiming his bow at us."
Too bad he didn't have any eyes. "How did you…" He fell silent mid-sentence, apparently listening to something. "Lady Sonia has also just informed me that you've been blocking her out in quite the rudest way possible. She'd just like to talk to you so, please, cease doing that."
So that was the irritating presence inside of my head. "No can do pal." Another shudder. I should probably stop with the sniper around. "The Cardinal and his cronies tried and failed to mind control me. It didn't work and I don't want to take my chances. I would prefer to keep my track record after all. The empty space between my ears is a highly exclusive club."
"The Lady only wants to talk…" There was a hint of a growl in there now and his riders started to get angry as well. "She can call of Irvine after she has talked to you."
"Irvine?"
"The bowman."
"Ah, Shaggy. Gotcha. But still, no deal. I rather live with the terror of arrows than let anyone in my head. She can talk to me in person like anyone else"
I should really look into how to claim rent from my previous head-mates.
"Fine." He then just trotted off, followed by the six-legged hoover he couldn't contain its laughter much to the dismay of its passengers.
Even the "lady" left after delivering one last, pouting kick to my mental gate. I counted it as an overwhelming victory.
"If you and your pet elf don't follow now, Irvine might think you're trying to escape. He likes the challenge of long-range shots." Chromeface casually noted.
"Right," I muttered as I started following them towards the gates.
"So, Toot," I addressed my lieutenant-general. "Just how… distraction-proof is the area behind the wall?"
"It's a heavily populated area. Falling debris will likely kill multiple people." I could hear the fatigue in Toot's words but that was no reason to make false accusations.
I opened my mouth to correct him but stopped when Toot's cane started to appear.
"We both know what your go-to plan is, Harry. Besides, I suspect he would have shot you before you could aim a fire lance and you aren't that good a shot to land a hit with the revolver."
Well, that sucked.
It Looked like I would have to find a way out of this mess later today which opened up some other opportunities.
"How are you feeling Toot? Would you be up to watch over me a couple of hours?"
A grin with all too many pointy teeth showed. "If that means I can take care of the arrogant bastard down the line. Sure."
"If things go truly south, have a stab at it. Until try to behave and don't go hunting him down either way," I replied tiredly.
He rubbed his hands. "I think you mean when not if."
I simply sighed and moved to intercept our blinding, and hopefully, would-be capturer.
When I caught up to him, the chrome ass was already past the gates and his riders were dismounting. The guards posted at the gate were torn between paying reference to both monsters and eyeing me with a mixture of curiosity and hostility. To my surprise, there wasn't as much nervous anxiety going around as I suspected around two alien monsters standing in prime mauling range. My surprise grew that they were seemingly okay with seeing metal bug centaur transform into a more vanilla knight in shining armor on a horse.
"Neat," I said with only partially faked interest. "So is the horse part of you or does it simply fuse with you or what?"
From the corner of my eye, I saw Borkoff shrinking into a mounted rider as well. "My dear Archibold is a pure-bred battle horse and his consciousness is put to sleep as I fuse with him."
Locus gave his horse an affectionate pat on the neck while I wondered how the hoover's human form could look so much slimmer and more elegant than the brute he turned into. Or maybe it was the other way 'round. Who knew.
"Interesting," I finally replied, purposefully not thinking about whether he could use other animals as a base and if that was the case, whether humans were considered an option.
"I can imagine it is for the more normal ones amongst the War Demons," The shiny ass replied as he gave the soldiers a salute and began moving again. "But I suspect that wasn't the main reason you caught up to us. Just be warned I'm about to be late for an appointment and have little patience for nonsense."
War Demons? What a lovely name.
"I was just wondering where I was being escorted to?" I asked as I walked through the bustling street alongside a monster I was just itching to wipe from the face of this pocket dimension.
It really didn't help that the people were actually happy and awed to see it. They greeted it like a war hero ignorant of what lied beneath. How the feeling emanating from it grew worse and worse the more I irritated it.
The carefree attitude reminded me of another possibility; during my morning workout, there were scary little members of my usual followers harassing me. Sure, there were plenty of ghosts but the usual gaggle of trolls and demons were nowhere to be seen.
Maybe the common folk was ignorant of the creatures' true nature even while knowing the other form or maybe they just willingly entered the Faustian bargain willingly in return of a safe heaven.
Instincts were screaming at me not to Look too deeply.
"Straight to the palace to meet Lord Griffith." That didn't sound like something I would enjoy. "He wanted to meet you personally." Getting the attention of the boss of shape-shifting monster. What could…
I wasn't going to finish that particular thought. I had amused the deities of bizarro-world enough already.
The knight leaned closer to me. "After all it isn't often a user of magic manages to ascend and it's even rarer for someone like us to have such a trivial form. If I hadn't seen you fight I'd have you thrown in the barracks like a common foot soldier and prayed you'd last a week."
Nothing menacing there. Nope. "Well, talking about that fight, it tired me out and was wondering whether I could catch some shut-eye before the big meeting with the boss man." It was weird seeing him raise an eyebrow in annoyed puzzlement. "I mean, I'm not really fit right now and perhaps after some sleep I might even give a small demonstration."
"May that as it – " Locus started to say.
"I'm also less irritating when I'm rested and would waste less of the boss' time."
" – be… On second thought that might be for the better."
"Sooo?" I asked to make a point.
"I'll see to it that a chamber is prepared. That arrangement would fit better into Lord Griffith' busy schedule as well. I truly hope you know how to behave. I might have learned to temper my pride but that was all thanks to Lord Griffith. I hope you realize what that means."
I simply nodded with a goofy grin plastered on my face. I heard Toot snicker softly beside me.
"But you being fatigued neatly explains one thing."
"Aaand what's that, doc?"
"Why your presence has diminished as much. The fight must have cost you more as you let appear." He mustered me with a keen interest, sizing me up and no doubt imagining bloody murder descending upon my wizardly ass.
I was actually grateful for the Manacle beyond forcing the Mantle to behave. He had all the signs of beginning to underestimate me. Oh boy, he'd be in for a rude awakening.
"I've also been running for a while now, otherwise it would have been better. The occasional fights in between didn't help either." Locus gave a small condescending smirk at my words. "But since we're playing twenty-one questions, what was that about the church working as intended?"
Locus looked around the street leading up to what I presumed the castle. It had quieted down enough that we didn't have to shout at each other but the still bustling masses would prevent the casual eavesdropper from hearing too much.
Apparently content with the relative privacy and certain nobody he didn't know wasn't shadowing us, he faced me and leaned closer. "Part of the Church unwitting work is, let's say, to enable worthy individuals to ascend. It mostly happens during the initial phase when a couple is captured for heresy or witchcraft." The demon chortled. "You've probably been the first case where they'd been correct. But either way, it creates the right circumstances for the ritual even if there's a certain fallout for the clergy to deal with afterward."
He bored into me with a glare. "While I can imagine why you'd enjoy Hunting the Holy See, it's going to stop now as well as your regular eating pattern. Don't get me wrong, I personally am glad to see that useless, arrogant Zargothrax being dealt even if we still have to wait for reports that aren't grand exaggerations – I've seen you in action, you're not capable of doing the damage reported.
I practically felt the air cool around he and he lowered his voice further. "You've nearly killed the Pontiff when news about your 'exploits' reached his ears. Our Lord still needs the old geezer and that isn't even mentioning the furious nobles whose sons you've slaughtered." He took a deep breath while a predatory grimace flashed over Borkoff's face. "Luckily for you, we've been able to blame your actions on a group of supposed remnant Kushans going after the churches running away and ensured that justice will be served. People won't know the exact timeframe of your attacks. It will be the last time you've been covered."
I really didn't like how the stuck-up bastard emphasized a couple being captured in his exposé while talking about a single being apparently walking out of the ordeal.
"I'm so sorry to have inconvenienced you." I returned as trying to keep my voice level as the implications started to fall into place.
"I really hope your attitude improves soon, Fenrir. You're not irreplaceable and you don't want to know how many low-lives who had adopted the same moniker I've killed. You're not going to badmouth – "
" – Lord Griffith, yeah, yeah. I know, I'll behave so bite me, oversized bug."
I got the distinct impression that he was dearly holding onto the fact that apparently, his dear Lord wanted me alive to keep himself from killing yours truly. He even had the imitating gaze down quite well and if I wouldn't have had agonized far bigger fish and lived to tell the tale, it might have worked.
With the experience I had; though, I couldn't rate his cold, murderous rage higher than a six out of ten.
Seriously being in the sight of some medieval, demonic sniper while walking down bustling streets sucked all kinds of ways.
Luckily, we both decided that silence was the better course of action. He probably thought that he was being noble and knightly and all that shit to not forcing me into a situation of assisted suicide. I let him live with that delusion.
I needed some quiet time to come to grips with the newest batch of information and what was told between the lines. I needed him to shut up before I did something… rash.
Before I had simply thought that the Holy See Religious Order was "just" another run of the mill, fanatic Space Crystal Jesus worshipping affair that happened to be stuck in a caricature of the Spanish Inquisition. After hearing the newest info, I wasn't sure it was quite that simple.
Some wider conspiracy, some hidden agenda would help ease the niggling doubt that had been plaguing me ever since St. Aurora.
I couldn't imagine how an organization that brutally horrifying could operate without revolts forming – fanaticism could only bring you so far.
But Locus forced me to remember what Ignatz had said to me before I murdered him. He had seen me change and apparently immediately thought I was in leagues with the like of monsters I was now accompanying. He had accused me of being a warlock of sorts. With Chromeface's comment about my diet, I didn't blame him for wanting to see them dead. It was probably save to assume that at least some of these bastards ate human flesh.
My hand subconsciously wandered into the bag which held the weird stone. My stalker also talked about having the village to aid my "ascension " while trying to drive me into despair by slowly robbing me of my options and torturing me. That I should sacrifice them to reach godhood…
Couples got captured…
I got the phantom feeling of warm, sticky liquid coating my hands even as I started counting prime numbers to calm myself.
I really started to hate whoever was responsible for the fucking farce. They wouldn't even have to actively do much, I realized.
As soon as the first shape-shifting demons popped up, all what had to happen was someone important enough to point them as evil warlocks and witches, as heretics. It wasn't as if the rest of bizarro-world was all that nice – plenty of opportunities for absolutely despair and hopelessness. They wouldn't even have to justify the ramping brutality too much. All they had to do was point at the child-eating monster and say they wanted to catch heretics like that before they began the baby diet.
Which in turn lead to a couple of more monster being created, people getting confirmation bias which allowed for harder "interrogation-techniques" being applied, which likely caused more monsters to pop up, ad infinitum.
The bastards were in a vicious circle and had no idea they were an integral part of their own misery.
Considering the strength of my stalker I could easily imagine the root of evil reaching up very high up and far, far back in time.
And somewhere along the line, the Griffith dude, apparently a famous mercenary commander who had disappeared for a couple of years, reappeared. He somehow managed to unite the monster under his banner, defeat the evil Kushan empire, and then -as an encore- somehow created the very city I walked in.
Sure, I had to admit that my dealings with Red Court might have colored my perception just a bit, but the resemblance made me shudder. I really hoped that, for once, my paranoia had raised a false alarm.
There was a first time for everything, right?
Whatever it was, one thing was certain: The forces to be had mighty fine PR working for them.
It was simply jarring to see so many people being just fine with the monsters that walked among them to be that at peace with them after a group of villagers had tried to hunt me down for a mistake in identity.
The happy gaggle of bystanders didn't seem ignorant of the creatures' true nature if the slight apprehension that still colored their respectful greetings was any indication.
Pausing halfway up the enormous, snaking bridge up to the palace entrance, I saw what probably was one of the main reasons. It was the first time I saw Falconia up close and bathed in light.
The towering, slender architecture with all its pillars and wing imagery had been impressive enough while walking through the streets. But during that walk I wasn't really in a position to truly admire it and standing there, it was an entire different experience anyway. Seeing the morning light bounce off the bustling city with styles ranging from roman to baroque that somehow created a cohesive and stunning whole; creating something that simply meant to fit together instead of something that happened to tolerate each other.
Then there was the backdrop of the giant, glowing tree reaching into the heavens, protecting the farmlands underneath and all the people working on them.
It was simply impossibly beautiful.
Beautiful enough to remind me of the fae and their nonsense.
I could understand why people flocked to this city of wonders and what looked like the only safe place on bizarro-world. Vanillas wouldn't have the same experience as I did in dealing with the supernatural prettiness and mystique Falconia was steeped in. Even without having heard the rumors that this place apparently popped up in an instance they'd be left in awe. They'd be malleable to the suggestion of benefactors offering a place to life in this city straight out of a disneyfied fairy tale.
For me, as someone had been dealing with the likes of Mab, seeing the whole picture only served to sound my mental alarms. And that was without considering the fact that every step closer to the sweeping palace castle was also a step closer to that greasy, black core of magic I could feel halfway across the country.
I started walking again as we were waved through the checkpoint and I noticed Toot-Toot come back from the voluntary reconnaissance mission he undertook to stay away from the bug centaur. Something about not wanting to lose patience with the bastard. It also helped that the bastard in question started to glare murderous daggers at me.
"So, found anything new?" I asked as Toot landed on my shoulder like a heavily armed, overgrown parrot.
"Nothing much really. Shaggy is still watching you from the wall." I started to rubberneck but was stopped by Toot. "Don't bother, it's too far away and he has the light obscures him, boss."
"what do you think? Can he still land the shot?" That was some bad news.
"Probably. Didn't hang around long enough to get a better read though. He noticed me and something doesn't feel right with the guy."
That seemed awfully serious for the dew drop faerie. "What do you mean 'doesn't feel right'?"
"I dunno." Toot shrugged in frustration. "The images I pick up around him, they make me uncomfortable. They make me wanna attack him."
"Images?" I tried to clarify. That was something new.
"Oh, yeah. Started a week ago. The ones I pick up around you and the other mortals, they're exciting and pleasant enough – well yours can be a bit cold – but the ones around him, they simply gave me the creeps."
"Is that the same reason you don't like our shining knight? I thought it was because of the giant pole up his ass." The knight in question chose that moment to look over his shoulder and check up on us.
"Well yes… no… it is a combination of the two. Especially from him, I can sense… hatred aimed at you. I can't have the Za-Lord die on my watch."
I chuckled. Of course it all came back to pizza. "Fair enough. But when were you planning on telling this new skill to me? I mean spreading dandruff everywhere is one thing but this could be potentially useful."
"I can barely make out the mood of the images half of the time." Toot flashed a foolish grin from underneath his helmet. "I didn't want to distract you with basically not understood abilities while you're busy charging towards certain doom. You might come to your senses if I did."
I opened my mouth once more to object, thought about it, reconsidered my stance, and closed it again without uttering a word.
"Oh no." Toot spoke in mock horror. "Have I just witnessed a thought process?"
"Just you laugh, smartass," I snarled without much spirit behind it. "I won't let you take my job." I let voice return to my normal baritone. "But in all seriousness, are you still up for a guard shift? I'm not getting out of this peacefully and I have the sneaking suspicion that I want to bring my relative A game for plan B."
"Can I still stab the knight when you enact said illustrious plan B and its inevitable follow-up plans?"
I sighed. "Sure, if you get the opportunity. You probably get one even If we do get away cleanly. Think he wouldn't mind hunting me. He didn't seem to like me too much."
"In that case, sleep away, get some rest. I'll just get some popcorn beforehand." He started to hover to put said plan into action.
"Before you go, one more thing."
"What's that?"
"If something attacks me, do me a favor and ram both swords in an eye each – if they have them that is?"
"Gladly. Might I ask why?"
"Science, of course!" I exclaimed in not-entirely-fake enthusiasm. "I want to know whether they share the silver weakness like the rest of supernatural nasties here or whether good old, cold iron would do the trick. Either way, the end result is a bastard with a sword stuck in each eye. Any burning is a welcomed bonus at that point."
I hadn't noticed my voice transforming in a low rumbling growl towards the end. The bastards really reminded me way too much of the now-extinct Red Court. I wouldn't mind if my way out was through the lot of them.
Even if it meant becoming a monster in the eyes of the people gathered in Falconia. I couldn't risk their gradual enthrallment. I wouldn't.
What I did notice was that somehow shadow had gathered underneath Toot's helmet in such a way that only his eyes and surprisingly pointy, gleaming teeth remained visible The pixie could do an excellent Cheshire Cat impression.
"I'll look for marshmallows as well." He saluted me with the grin still plastered on his face and set off.
The rest of the climb passed in the same, tense silence that started earlier while I took in the opportunity to take in the view of the pitcher plant city. It really looked too be true. Not that it mattered to the rest of the masses who climbed the same road as us. They were filled with eager nostalgia. I could see some tears of sorrow, but not one of them seemed to be anxious about the whole deal.
The gate into the palace was another grand arching thing that screamed lofty. Not a single stone was chipped and even the guards managed to look alert and moderately friendly at the same time even as they let in most people after checking their papers.
I didn't have any but Locus was obviously enough. They even let me keep my spear and the rest of my equipment without even checking them.
Someone was pretty confident in their abilities to defend the important people inside the castle.
"Huh, where's Borkoff going?" I asked as the Demon Lancer in question parted ways with a salute after passing their horses to stable boys.
"It was his day off when he volunteered to help me escort you to the palace," Locus answered with only a hint of hostility. "You're in the castle so he's finally going to unwind. He has deserved it."
"So what's happening now?"
"You'll be picked up at the palace proper and I'll finally return to Lord Griffith' side. You're not the only visitor today and far from the most important, knave." He turned with a flourish of his cape and started walking away
"Does that mean we're parting ways?" I snarked. "I miss you already!"
Locus kept on walking. "I'll be present when you meet Lord Griffith and look forward to smacking you back into your place, you mangy dog."
He hadn't raised his voice but the words carried effortlessly nonetheless. Moments later, he walked into a hallway and out of sight.
Apparently, he started to truly loathe me during that refreshing morning walk. Good. The feeling was mutual.
I was waiting for about ten minutes under the intense scrutiny of armed guards when my assigned stewards with even more guards picked me up.
Somewhere during the trip to my chambers, Toot-Toot returned with a comically huge backpack with pre-sticked marshmallows poking out. It made my forced companions just a bit nervous, especially when we started to banter with each other in English.
After what felt an eternity we finally reached my designated sleeping spot and I wasn't that surprised to find that it was basically a suite. With how grand and clean everything in the castle was created, I had a hard time believing even the broom cupboards were allowed to look anything less than with what I was greeted.
Not that I really paid too much attention to it. The room had a bed. I was tired.
The only thing I managed to do before collapsing the bed (other than checking it for vanilla and magical traps) was to remember the constant mental attacks during my stay in Falconia. I pulled my armor inside of me, ignoring the weird tingling feeling that it caused, and fell face-first into the bed.
I wouldn't have to worry about those attacks like that and it was faster than changing out of the whole nonsense too. I really couldn't care less about squiggly lines that may had appeared on my body.
I sunk deep into the mattress and managed to make myself comfortable just before losing conscience.
The last thought that crossed my mind before my dreamless rest began was that the bed alone had was worth potential danger I was in.
When I rejoined the land of the living I was greeted by a quizzical, pouting girl's face. Not an inch over mine.
She was very lucky that the Manacle was still on otherwise, she'd either been a greasy spot on both the floor and wall or a human popsicle due to the simple virtue of the training by the incubi. And the fact that I was far behind enemy lines. And surrounded by monsters.
As it was, I simply startled and headbutted her head away as I jumped out of the bed to get into a better defensive position.
"Lady Sonia!" I heard a third, hitherto unseen young man in armor shout as he rushed to the girl's aid.
"Owie," the girl in question complained. "I'm alright, Mule, it wouldn't be the first time that I bumped my head. Why don't you look whether our new friend's okay?"
"But – "
"No but's, aren't you my personal servant?"
"Bodyguard, Lady Sonia. Your wellbeing is in my hands – a task far easier if you wouldn't wander off into situations where you could get harmed."
Sonia stuck out her tongue and Mule's eyes glazed over for a mere moment before he let out a tired sigh. "Fine, I'll make sure the big friendly apostle is unharmed from the blow that almost send you flying."
All the while, Toot-Toot was laughing his ass off.
The "new friend" meanwhile had found the Spear of Destiny and was debating whether he should remove the manacle. Normal people without ulterior motives didn't simply show this much interest in your sleeping form.
"Uhm, Lady Sonia," Mule said before even coming a step closer to me. "I think he's alright. Could you maybe convince him that we mean no harm?"
"What do you mean 'he's alright? Don't you need to get closer for…" The young warlock stopped massaging her head and looked up. "Oh. Uhm, Fenrir, could you please stand down, I didn't want to startle you. I was just curious about those lines on your forehead." She looked at the guffawing Pixie rolling through the air. "And could you please ask your elf to stop laughing at you. It's quite rude."
This, of course, left Toot wheezing.
I shot him a sharp glance to quiet him down and relaxed my stance ever so slightly. It took a while for him to stop snickering and stop muttering "you should have seen your face" over and over.
Which was good. It gave Sonia time to get helped up by her mule and me to get used to the greasy aura she exuded without throwing up at the implications attached to it.
I had been worried when the form attacking my mental gates appeared to be so small and young and desperately hoped it was just a trick of an abomination to lower my defenses. When she was referred to by name, I prayed it was a stereotypical, gnarly witch who liked to mess with people.
I hoped it was another demon hiding in plain sight who had a knack in psychomancy similar to Zargy.
I wasn't prepared to deal with a girl steeped in the taint of black magic.
"Apologies for hurting you," I offered with a forced smile, while mentally beating down a revolting stomach. "The last weeks haven't been too kind and I got used to the constant vigilance."
The girl simply nodded, mollified but the young knight interjected, "You have done nothing wrong, good Sir, it was us that have violated common decency and should apologize."
He gave his charge a pointed look. "What? If you knew what he showed me, you would take my side. It was so frustrating!" She pouted once again. "Hey, I was just curious. Mule was too and I just wanted to see whether I could see your mind when you were asleep. Normally that always works. Someone else's dreams are so interesting to explore!" She happily giggled.
I let my spear rest against my collarbone and stood up fully upright in relaxed attention and looked at her doubtingly. I didn't trust my mouth to not escalate the situation in the middle of enemy territory.
"Oh come ooon," Sonia continued. "It would have been just a peek. It's your own fault for making me so curious. I simply had to look. When was the last time innocent curiosity ever harmed anyone?"
I had difficulties keeping my mouth closed in shock. Was everything just a game to her? Was she unaware of the consequences when she influenced people even slightly; of the dangers with self-taught telepathy and how easily you could do go too far?
Or did she simply stopped to care?
The way Mule's eyes had glazed over didn't look like mere communication. His body language changed far too much for that it had been just consensual telepathy.
I could almost hear the click when my brain made the necessary connections. When I managed to formulate the things I already seem to know on an instinctual level.
It hadn't been by much and it didn't look like the tampering had been hamfisted or extreme but it was crossing the line dividing the dark, dark, dark gray side of mind magic into the true black one. It hadn't been the usual compulsion as much as it had been a mental suggestion with some power behind it. And if the taint surrounding her was any indication it wasn't the first time she used that trick to convince someone to do what she wanted. With the way, her standard solution seemed to be telepathy I'd even guess that it was something of a habit to her.
It was bound to mess up someone psyche. I couldn't explain any other way she'd be okay with the monsters wandering the castle and that pitch black spot of magic that close. Psychomancers tended to be sensitive to emotions after all.
Molly was nearly overcome by everything flying around in Chichen Itza and that had been a relatively short affair.
Sonia lived near horrors that apparently made Toot-Toot uneasy since last week.
"See! He's once more lost for words," she said to her companion as if making a point before turning to me. "If you'd let me in this would have been so much easier ´. No messy need for words or anything."
I knocked my head with my staff. "Sorry, Sonia, I can't let you do that."
Again she pouted. "Why not? I could have warned you that the funeral rite was about to begin. I mean, sure, letting so many people hear the voices of their loved ones one more time is tiring – Especially those pervy grandpas – but it really shows the White Hawk's grandeur. I know how pretty it was before it became routine. And then you could have had some cake as well. It was so good, Mule took a second piece!"
The Knight in question took offense at that statement.
"How does that work?" I dared to ask.
"The cake? Well, we sat in the garden and then..." She must have seen my incredulous face. "Oh, the rite! It's easy, really, the White Hawk can gather the spirits of the fallen gather around him and then appear before their loved ones on last time. It really helps them that they can say farewell one more time."
Unless souls, spirits, and ghosts worked differently in bizarro-world worked completely differently, that sounded like an enormous scam. That my actual soul could go on walkabout had been a rare exception to the normal ghosting M.O. Normally, mere copies of the person were left behind on the rare occasion it actually happened.
Hell's bells, I had teamed up with my own ghostly copy to munch on a über-ghost myself. I had, probably, been dead twice myself. I should know.
Everyone leaving behind a spirit before moving to the great beyond just after some last, heartfelt goodbyes? My guts told me that it smelled mighty fishy. Even with the differences between my own corner of reality and this, I couldn't imagine something as fundamental as death to work that differently.
The whole thing simply sounded too good to be true. Again.
I couldn't say that though. I was still supposed to be the moderately talented magic "Apostle"
"Oh, interesting." Was the wordy reply my brain decided on while my stomach was still trying to tie itself into knots.
The Merlin communicated telepathically on the battlefield for sure, but he was and veteran Wizard, the pillar of the White Council and generally its Big Gun. He hadn't spent his time collecting bottle caps as much as trained himself in the different ways of magic under the supervision of other badass spell slingers.
He had dared to practice in an area where most Wardens refused to train their defenses due to how easy it was to slip up. How thin that line between right or wrong truly was.
I severely doubted that Sonia would have had the training necessary. With what I had seen of this accursed pocket dimension, I would be surprised if she grew up without ever having felt the need to leap over that line in self-defense.
"And that's why you should have seen it yourself. I could show you if you…" I looked at her sharply. "Okay, okay, I get it. Hmppf. Spoilsport. Suit yourself. Just one thing, are those squiggly bits on your head what's blocking me out?"
It was close enough to the truth without revealing the entire story. So I simply nodded.
"I knew it! I…" This time she went out of focus and she deflated with a sigh. "Have to go. Locus is making a scene again. Seriously it was only a slap and it barely hurt. No need to get so angry." She focused again on me. "Please change clothes quickly, we'll wait outside to escort you to a future comrade."
And with that, she stormed outside, practically dragging the knight with her.
"So that just happened," I said to Toot with a levity I didn't feel.
"Yes, it did, Harry. Are you all right?"
"No I'm not Toot. I'm really not." I started to slow process of re-materializing my armor and nodded towards the door. "She's. I fear she's too far gone to be saved. If a Warden came across her, she'd be bisected moments into the meeting on principle alone. And she doesn't even know she's probably messed up beyond repair. She doesn't seem to realize that she's on a fast track to megalomaniac world conqueror and she doesn't even have the decency to behave all sinister. Instead she's just a spoiled, fun-loving brat. She lost the ability to even begin to understand why it's wrong to poke around in people's minds."
"Harry…" Toot hovered closer.
"I know., I can't save them all." I grabbed one of my equipment bags and began fastening it. "But it's just so… frustrating and aggravating are far too weak as words. She could have been a fine wizard if she had someone to guide her. Instead, it looks like I have to deal with her. A little girl who simply didn't know better."
"You don't have to do anything, Harry. You – we need to go home." He knocked on my helmet. "You have people waiting for you and I have to eat so much pizza you're going to provide."
I chuckled. "I was already starting to wonder who you were and what happened to my friend." I lowered my voice and couldn't help to notice the cracking. "But no, she's going to seriously hurt people beyond repair. I feel the only reason why there aren't more madmen walking around is simply because she only feels like talking to people and wants to reach out. She can do more; she will do more. It's only the matter of the right stimulus and she'd be on the slide straight into cruel madness, giggling all the way. I have seen how difficult it had been for Molly and she only violated the Laws two times. Still, she had to fight the impulse to rewire people's brain, to go peeking in someone's memories. I was there along the way to help her deal with it. I know how difficult it can be to ignore the urges to do more and I only defended myself. She's been at it for who knows how long. I have to -"
A loud knock tore me from coming plights and forced me to focus on current ones. I still had to find a way out of this place – both the palace and the dimension – and I needed to be on top of my game.
I made fastened the last bag. "Toot, would you do me a favor and try and look for humans in the area? I have a bad feeling about this."I stroked my stubble-covered chin. "I don't feel like growing a true goatee today."
"Sure thing, Harry."
"Just keep close, okay? I need someone to watch my back."
"And here I thought you would never learn," He quipped with a wink before shooting out of the door.
"Let's go," I said to the bickering youths outside the chambers and we set off.
Sonia kept her mouth running as we walked through the surprisingly bright halls, pointing out special features when we came across them or simply told anecdotes from her apostle friends.
Mule was busy preventing his hand form being glued to the ridge of his nose. He constantly seemed like he wanted to massage the little warlock's antics out.
I was silent – torn about what I could do, what I should do, and with which actions I could still live with myself. I would love to try and help her but something told me, the next time we met, she wouldn't be that friendly anymore. Which only left two almost equally disgusting options
It didn't look good.
The rest of my limited mental power was spend cursing whichever sick entity had caused all of this.
I barely noticed it when I was passed on to an Apostle called Wilhelm and I each of us went different ways.
Luckily, the monster didn't expect much interaction either. Instead, he chose to blabber about what sounded like a hazing ritual and how he couldn't wait to put me on the ropes.
When we exited the main building and stepped on another bridge I was slowly parted from my skulking as I noticed that the main spot of grease and magic that had been an ever-present companion was to my back and that another, slightly smaller one had been hidden behind it.
It was coming from the looming half-dome that bathed in the fog that seemed to fill the area.
The heavy doors opened with a creaking strain when we approached the structure that made my skin crawl. It revealed a short hallway with two more branching off perpendicular and flanked by a stair case to on each side. One going down and the other up.
Wilhelm led me up the latter and minutes later he finally stopped near an empty stretch of stands circling a pit in the middle.
"Welcome to Pandemonium. So watcha think?" Wilhelm finally said pointing at the general scene. "I know it ain't as good as catching some wild meat but plenty of fun to be had here."
I would have probably agreed if I had been one of the many-limbed, wide-mouthed, deformed monstrosities that were cheering on fellow, unchanged, draconic themed Apostle in the ring. An arena he shared with half a dozen of mutated tigers. The apostle slaughtered them with the mockery of a hammer he was wielding, each blow causing ecstasy in the gathered horrors.
"It's interesting," I conceded.
"That ain't all, though. If you serve Lord Griffith well you just might butcher some real fresh meat." Looking closer I could see the irregular bumps on his face that hid just underneath the skin. I noticed the hungry look in his eyes.
"Oh?" I felt the memories of the Red Court, of the horrors they had caused over millennia surfacing, banging on my consciousness for attention, robbing me of my vocal faculties.
"Not a real talker ain'tcha? No worries, ya can let the violence do the talking soon enough." He looked away from the carnage in the ring. "Too bad ya're new meat and missed Lord Griffith's party. That was sometin'."
"Do tell." Just keep breathing, don't do anything rash. Don't think of Sonia. Prime numbers, Dresden. Keep counting.
Wilhelm shook his head in pity. "Ya wouldn't believe it. You or me, we'd be satisfied with just someone. That guy? He'd fed us his army! Everyone a beloved mate. The betrayal alone would make ya drunk and then there was so much meat. Two escaped durin' that bloodbath but, hey, that only makes it fun longer. And wouldcha look at him now? Has all of us wretched beast and the rest of da world 'round his fingers."
He punched me jokingly as the "fight" in the ring came to an end. I swayed a little from the blow because I was way too busy trying to stop a giant explosion to deal with such trivialities.
"Wow, new meat .Ya're a real wealking arntcha." He cackled at his own observation. "I'll look that ya'll get some fellow pushovers to play with. But seriously watcha sacrifice, a unwanted child or a lying lover or what? I've never seen dem this weak."
For a second time that day I felt Susan's still warm blood on my hands. I felt the resistance of knife scraping the sternum on the way of her heart. I remembered how I wiped an entire species of the face of the earth just to save my daughter.
And like that, I didn't have to concentrate on my basic arithmetic and formulas to remain calm. "Toot?" I asked.
"Who does what, ya weird bastard?" I vaguely heard Wilhelm ask as the lieutenant-general arrived.
"Not a single mortal found this side of the bridge, my Lord," Toot-Toot replied grimly while sporting what could've only technically been considered a smile.
"An' what's that? An elf? Ya asked help from an elf ya cowardly bastard. I think I'll – "
"Before we begin," I interrupted his tirade while circling him, "I have just two questions."
"- Huh? Sure if that actually makes ya do sometin'"
I stopped flanking as my back faced an arched opening in the outer wall and Wilhelm stood in between me and the arena.
"First, what is that on the arena floor?" I leisurely started to remove the Manacle.
"That'd be sawdust. Ought to absorb enough of ya blood, weirdo." I felt the corners of my mouth starting to rise, mirroring Toot-Toot's.
Winter was furious as the last nail left my flesh before being informed of my plans and agreeing eagerly.
"Second, do you know what a magical focus does?" I dove deep into my fury, using it to set-up the first of two punches.
"Magical what?" I felt the sylphs react to my anger as Wilhelm's brain started to creak under the strain of actually having to think and cope with the sudden change of my persona.
"Well, a common misconception is that people believe they augment the practitioner," I began as the sylphs flew inside the dome. "That might be a case for some, but for me it's a tool to restrict my output, to focus it. I tend to be a bit messy without it."
"Seriously whatcha going on about and why's it getting colder?" The cold was caused by me sapping away the heat on top of the Mantle preparing the metaphorical right hook.
"This beauty, can both enhance and focus." I continued as I impaled Wilhelm on the spear I just showcased.
He started to protest but that was cut short as the flesh that made contact with the spear started burning and the protest was transformed into a high-pitched scream.
I paid it not much mind.
"Ventas veloche, ubrium, ubrium." I snarled and the sawdust in the arena exploded outward and in the air under shocked protest of both spectators and the lonely fighter.
I smiled. There had been enough blood spilled for the spell to work.
"In this occasion, I can afford to cut loose," I finished my explanation to the apostle barely hanging on to life.
I started to channel the heat I had pulled from the environment, part of the energy stored in the Longinus, and my conviction that I had to stop these monsters before it would be absolutely too late.
Said monsters started to scream and look for the partypooper who had crashed this particular murder party.
I meanwhile was reaching out to the salamanders that somehow were always present around me and then I reached further.
I only had one shot and I had to make it count. I need more fire. I wanted more fire.
I idly noted that I was already almost encased in ice when I felt something far stronger, greedier, and hungrier than the salamanders brush my mind.
"Get out of here, Toot." I managed to say before the ice completely enclosed my head.
I made the slightest of contacts with the new presence and was greeted by overwhelmingly hot flames. Ravenous fire screaming for fresh sacrifice. For tribute to make it grow. It brought the smell of Sulphur.
I rejected that elemental. It simply wouldn't do.
Deep down, I knew that there'd only been a relatively small part of the demonic force in here and for my actions to do any good, I had to cleanse the place and the misery and terror attached to it.
Greedy Hellfire wouldn't do that. It would only make the darkness of this place worse.
I fed a bit of Soulfire into the spell I was forming.
Suddenly, I felt my mind expand and orient itself what I knew with a shocking certainty was south.
An Entity cloaked in eternal flame greeted me with Its sword held aloft in salute. I felt myself mentally copy the gesture with the Spear of Destiny.
With Its other hand it offered radiant fire in return. Fire that burned indiscriminately no matter whether it was used to incinerate something or whether it was used to cook things. It brought death in equal parts as life-giving warmth. It simply was.
I felt that It was willing to help me and, surprisingly, It didn't seem to want anything in return other than me finishing the spell.
Somewhere deep inside me, there was a part of me screaming that it seemed to be too good to be true but I shushed that part by reminding it that the other elementals had been just as happy to help. This felt just like a very big and powerful version of the same.
I could almost believe it myself.
I raised Longius up to aim directly at the cloud of sawdust, moving both ice and Wilhelm without resistance.
I was aware that I was about to potentially do something monumentally stupid – even for my standards - but I wouldn't stand for the existence of the abomination I was standing in. I couldn't suffer the things it represented nor what it would likely mean for bizarro-world's future in its entirety.
I refused to let another race live that thrived on human sacrifice subjugate mortal. To keep them as unknowing cattle.
Not after Chichen Itza.
With a wry thought, I observed that with all the confused and angry shouting the name Pandemonium had become a lot more fitting.
It was time to end it.
"Burn."
This weekend I decided I had enough and strongarmed the chapter into its proper place. It was a hard battle that required another complete rewrite but I'd like to think that my foray into another fic has helped me to grow and the end result should be pretty decent. I'm not completely happy with it but felt I wouldn't be able to improve it without feedback. On the positive side, it somehow grew to a fair size, though.
I've decided to post it as soon as I finished writing it in the hopes of moving past this chapter and get the fic in general rolling again. Sadly, this means that it isn't proofread and since it's 4:30am over here I'm afraid there'll be mistakes. I'm trying to break through an irritatingly persistent writer's block. If you feel up to it, don't be afraid to correct grammar mistakes and more when you see it (you won't hurt my feelings or anything) and general feedback is appreciated even more than ever before. I'll implement the correction after I've had some shut-eye.
I hope you enjoy.
EDIT: I've gone over the chapter and like to think I've managed to iron out the biggest mistakes and also smoothed over a bit to better reflect Harry's feelings and thought processes.
Chapter 12.2
His entrance, the way the demonic knight in shining armor comported himself down to how he actually named himself – everything pointed towards the fact that I should know him.
Worse, I had the feeling that beyond knowing him, I should be honored that he acknowledged my fighting prowess. I didn't have a clue who he was or what he was supposed to be famous for beyond his chrome ass.
And now that he was in poking distance (for him at least, I still needed to move in at least a foot), I felt something familiar in his aura; something menacing that somehow reminded me of burned seafood.
Demon Starfish.
Seeing the slower, lumbering form of the wide-mouthed monstrosity at the back, I remembered where I felt it before. While the dark undertones were pretty camouflaged at the time by the general human suffering of the current and past victims in St. Aurora. Zargy did have an eerily similar tasting aura considering how different it and the two forms in front of me looked. It had been subtle enough that it hadn't popped while I fought against him in that cursed place. It probably had something to do with the rage I had been building up during the battle through that particular hell.
The metal beetle would have to be the second coming of Mother Theresa if I were going to like him. I had the feeling that wouldn't happen.
"Call me Fenrir." I introduced myself with the shit-eating grin I knew somehow got on people's nerves.
Well, it had been more a case of showing my teeth if I was completely honest. Must have been the amount of time I had been spending as a wolf and the fact that I fastened the Manacle as I righted myself from my bow.
If the half step he took was any indication I had at least managed to confuse him. No clue whether the name rang any bells. His face wasn't really big on the emoting dealio.
Toot-Toot did recognize it though if his exasperated sigh was any indication. Then there was also the fact that he had his face buried in his hand before flying off. Presumably using such silly things like scouting as an excuse to get away.
"Another one, huh. If that's what you wish, Fenrir," The insectile centaur answered with only a slight pause. "If you don't mind me asking, though, I do wonder for the reason of your renaming. From the small amount of incomplete reports that had started trickling in from St. Aurora you were known as a certain Mr. 'Hoots'."
The fact that news had already reached Falconia, while extremely annoying, wasn't something I was that surprised over. Having a supernatural stalker with both too much time and power really was a bitch. I realized a couple of weeks earlier that mounted messengers would likely be faster. And well…
There's a reason why I listened to my paranoia. Using that fake name was already paying out even if one might have said that it had been overkill at the time.
Look who was laughing now?
It wasn't me since I was busy coming up with a reasonable sounding excuse. Something that would have gone much better if I knew what those creatures were and why they thought I was the new "recruit". It probably meant I had some importance, which in turn gave some more leeway…
But what was up with that banging against the gates of my mental fortress?
Really annoying and not at all conducive to my laughable lying capabilities.
"Well," I began before the silence stretched out for too long. "You may have also heard about what happened to Dundee?"
Somehow recognition shone through which was quite a feat for someone possessing only a barely moving mouth as a traditional facial feature. Also gleaming metal. "So it was you when the… undead unicorns attacked? I've seen the reports and if I'm honest I still find it hard to believe… But that doesn't explain the name change."
"Well, Mantis Face." So he could still twitch! "I've had some, let's say, previous run-ins with the church and after what happened I was sort of hoping to keep a low profile." I shrugged some tension away. That overgrown hoover was getting really close. "Didn't really work out so I went for the next best thing and hoped they hadn't added a description to my name."
"That would make your behavior since then a lot clearer as well. "The knight that was shining armor chuckled, which was not something metallic echoes made friendlier. "Looks like the church is still working admirably."
My confusion must have shown. "Later. This is something for special unit only. But why didn't you just escape? From what I've seen you could have easily done it."
I smiled again. "Like I've said, I've had some history with the church and since they were willing to give me a ride into their Inquisition headquarters… Well, who am I to refuse such a generous offer?"
I idly noted that the banging at my mental gate had redoubled in vehemence and thus annoyance. I imagined a group of French defenders to tell the disturbance off. It was lucky I had to focus on other things and that it wasn't a real threat or else it would have had to deal with a lot worse than outlandish insults.
"We'll continue this talk in a more private setting later," I could feel his urge to massage his non-existing bridge of his illusionary nose as the big guy stomped to a standstill. "For now, it's my privilege to introduce Borkoff of my Demon Lancers. I'm afraid he won't be able to do much talking in this form, but he might surprise you if you let him in his other one."
The rumble of agreement that went through the six-legged monster alarmed its riders. The situation wasn't really helped when my lieutenant-general choose that precise moment to fly through the group of crossbow- and lance-toting soldiers. Soldiers who could see him.
"And I'm Fenny and this is my trusted lieutenant-general Toot-Toot Minimus. Nice to meetcha." This time, I went for a goofy wave while both Locus and Borkoff bowed to the miniature Leonidas. There were some concerned mutters coming from chrome ass' passengers.
"But I couldn't help but notice a distinct lack of pointy bits on your pal here," I continued pointing at the six-legged hoover. "Won't lancing things be a problem with only that enormous, teeth-filled shovel mouth?"
"Who said he didn't have a lance?" At his word a mound of flesh on the back shifted as a lance grew out of it and another hand waved at me. His riders were rather unhappy about the situation. "Good old Borkoff doesn't even need a lance to be a tremendous asset on the battlefield anyway. Trust me."
"So Toot, how does the situation look like?" I whispered to my flying companion in English and just loud enough to irritate the stuck up insect – partially because I didn't let him finish talking. "Is simply flying off an option?"
Even though I hated to admit my naivety, I really hoped this morning would go differently. Smoother. I didn't know how many of those monsters would be waiting for me on the other side of the gate. Better flee now and hop over the wall during the night and try to sneak around.
And still, that entity was banging against my mental defenses. At least, they themselves were getting irritated as well. It probably had to do with the rows upon rows of Frenchmen in armor going the extra mile of mooning it. Or at least I assumed it was that since the annoyance was palpable afterward.
"Not good," Toot replied with a stage whisper. "There's another one of these creatures on the wall. Furry inverted centaur thing with an extra head and a giant, built in antler bow which he uses to aim at us. He looks dangerous and not like someone who'd miss."
"I would love to hear the story how an elf befriended one of our kind and more importantly how you got it to wear armor, but that too has to wait to for later. I'm needed by our Lord Griffith and I'm sure you're just anxious to join our cause."
"What if I decided I wanted to enjoy my bachelor life some more? I could just get out of your… well, hair."
"I would see that as an insult to Lord Griffith." His voice grew significantly colder and tinnier. "I won't stand for that."
"You'll exterminate me?" A bit of tinny robot might have sneaked into my voice.
"If necessary, yes, but I rather not deprive Lord Griffith of a useful tool before he can use it." Ooh, he was trembling trying to calm down. This Griffith guy seemed a bit of a sore spot.
"All right, all right, you win. Lead away, oh mighty leader. Just one thing, I'd appreciate it if Shaggy over there - " I nodded towards the point on the wall where Toot had said the bowman was stationed. "I would really appreciate it if Shaggy over there could stop aiming his bow at us."
Too bad he didn't have any eyes. "How did you…" He fell silent mid-sentence, apparently listening to something. "Lady Sonia has also just informed me that you've been blocking her out in quite the rudest way possible. She'd just like to talk to you so, please, cease doing that."
So that was the irritating presence inside of my head. "No can do pal." Another shudder. I should probably stop with the sniper around. "The Cardinal and his cronies tried and failed to mind control me. It didn't work and I don't want to take my chances. I would prefer to keep my track record after all. The empty space between my ears is a highly exclusive club."
"The Lady only wants to talk…" There was a hint of a growl in there now and his riders started to get angry as well. "She can call of Irvine after she has talked to you."
"Irvine?"
"The bowman."
"Ah, Shaggy. Gotcha. But still, no deal. I rather live with the terror of arrows than let anyone in my head. She can talk to me in person like anyone else"
I should really look into how to claim rent from my previous head-mates.
"Fine." He then just trotted off, followed by the six-legged hoover he couldn't contain its laughter much to the dismay of its passengers.
Even the "lady" left after delivering one last, pouting kick to my mental gate. I counted it as an overwhelming victory.
"If you and your pet elf don't follow now, Irvine might think you're trying to escape. He likes the challenge of long-range shots." Chromeface casually noted.
"Right," I muttered as I started following them towards the gates.
"So, Toot," I addressed my lieutenant-general. "Just how… distraction-proof is the area behind the wall?"
"It's a heavily populated area. Falling debris will likely kill multiple people." I could hear the fatigue in Toot's words but that was no reason to make false accusations.
I opened my mouth to correct him but stopped when Toot's cane started to appear.
"We both know what your go-to plan is, Harry. Besides, I suspect he would have shot you before you could aim a fire lance and you aren't that good a shot to land a hit with the revolver."
Well, that sucked.
It Looked like I would have to find a way out of this mess later today which opened up some other opportunities.
"How are you feeling Toot? Would you be up to watch over me a couple of hours?"
A grin with all too many pointy teeth showed. "If that means I can take care of the arrogant bastard down the line. Sure."
"If things go truly south, have a stab at it. Until try to behave and don't go hunting him down either way," I replied tiredly.
He rubbed his hands. "I think you mean when not if."
I simply sighed and moved to intercept our blinding, and hopefully, would-be capturer.
When I caught up to him, the chrome ass was already past the gates and his riders were dismounting. The guards posted at the gate were torn between paying reference to both monsters and eyeing me with a mixture of curiosity and hostility. To my surprise, there wasn't as much nervous anxiety going around as I suspected around two alien monsters standing in prime mauling range. My surprise grew that they were seemingly okay with seeing metal bug centaur transform into a more vanilla knight in shining armor on a horse.
"Neat," I said with only partially faked interest. "So is the horse part of you or does it simply fuse with you or what?"
From the corner of my eye, I saw Borkoff shrinking into a mounted rider as well. "My dear Archibold is a pure-bred battle horse and his consciousness is put to sleep as I fuse with him."
Locus gave his horse an affectionate pat on the neck while I wondered how the hoover's human form could look so much slimmer and more elegant than the brute he turned into. Or maybe it was the other way 'round. Who knew.
"Interesting," I finally replied, purposefully not thinking about whether he could use other animals as a base and if that was the case, whether humans were considered an option.
"I can imagine it is for the more normal ones amongst the War Demons," The shiny ass replied as he gave the soldiers a salute and began moving again. "But I suspect that wasn't the main reason you caught up to us. Just be warned I'm about to be late for an appointment and have little patience for nonsense."
War Demons? What a lovely name.
"I was just wondering where I was being escorted to?" I asked as I walked through the bustling street alongside a monster I was just itching to wipe from the face of this pocket dimension.
It really didn't help that the people were actually happy and awed to see it. They greeted it like a war hero ignorant of what lied beneath. How the feeling emanating from it grew worse and worse the more I irritated it.
The carefree attitude reminded me of another possibility; during my morning workout, there were scary little members of my usual followers harassing me. Sure, there were plenty of ghosts but the usual gaggle of trolls and demons were nowhere to be seen.
Maybe the common folk was ignorant of the creatures' true nature even while knowing the other form or maybe they just willingly entered the Faustian bargain willingly in return of a safe heaven.
Instincts were screaming at me not to Look too deeply.
"Straight to the palace to meet Lord Griffith." That didn't sound like something I would enjoy. "He wanted to meet you personally." Getting the attention of the boss of shape-shifting monster. What could…
I wasn't going to finish that particular thought. I had amused the deities of bizarro-world enough already.
The knight leaned closer to me. "After all it isn't often a user of magic manages to ascend and it's even rarer for someone like us to have such a trivial form. If I hadn't seen you fight I'd have you thrown in the barracks like a common foot soldier and prayed you'd last a week."
Nothing menacing there. Nope. "Well, talking about that fight, it tired me out and was wondering whether I could catch some shut-eye before the big meeting with the boss man." It was weird seeing him raise an eyebrow in annoyed puzzlement. "I mean, I'm not really fit right now and perhaps after some sleep I might even give a small demonstration."
"May that as it – " Locus started to say.
"I'm also less irritating when I'm rested and would waste less of the boss' time."
" – be… On second thought that might be for the better."
"Sooo?" I asked to make a point.
"I'll see to it that a chamber is prepared. That arrangement would fit better into Lord Griffith' busy schedule as well. I truly hope you know how to behave. I might have learned to temper my pride but that was all thanks to Lord Griffith. I hope you realize what that means."
I simply nodded with a goofy grin plastered on my face. I heard Toot snicker softly beside me.
"But you being fatigued neatly explains one thing."
"Aaand what's that, doc?"
"Why your presence has diminished as much. The fight must have cost you more as you let appear." He mustered me with a keen interest, sizing me up and no doubt imagining bloody murder descending upon my wizardly ass.
I was actually grateful for the Manacle beyond forcing the Mantle to behave. He had all the signs of beginning to underestimate me. Oh boy, he'd be in for a rude awakening.
"I've also been running for a while now, otherwise it would have been better. The occasional fights in between didn't help either." Locus gave a small condescending smirk at my words. "But since we're playing twenty-one questions, what was that about the church working as intended?"
Locus looked around the street leading up to what I presumed the castle. It had quieted down enough that we didn't have to shout at each other but the still bustling masses would prevent the casual eavesdropper from hearing too much.
Apparently content with the relative privacy and certain nobody he didn't know wasn't shadowing us, he faced me and leaned closer. "Part of the Church unwitting work is, let's say, to enable worthy individuals to ascend. It mostly happens during the initial phase when a couple is captured for heresy or witchcraft." The demon chortled. "You've probably been the first case where they'd been correct. But either way, it creates the right circumstances for the ritual even if there's a certain fallout for the clergy to deal with afterward."
He bored into me with a glare. "While I can imagine why you'd enjoy Hunting the Holy See, it's going to stop now as well as your regular eating pattern. Don't get me wrong, I personally am glad to see that useless, arrogant Zargothrax being dealt even if we still have to wait for reports that aren't grand exaggerations – I've seen you in action, you're not capable of doing the damage reported.
I practically felt the air cool around he and he lowered his voice further. "You've nearly killed the Pontiff when news about your 'exploits' reached his ears. Our Lord still needs the old geezer and that isn't even mentioning the furious nobles whose sons you've slaughtered." He took a deep breath while a predatory grimace flashed over Borkoff's face. "Luckily for you, we've been able to blame your actions on a group of supposed remnant Kushans going after the churches running away and ensured that justice will be served. People won't know the exact timeframe of your attacks. It will be the last time you've been covered."
I really didn't like how the stuck-up bastard emphasized a couple being captured in his exposé while talking about a single being apparently walking out of the ordeal.
"I'm so sorry to have inconvenienced you." I returned as trying to keep my voice level as the implications started to fall into place.
"I really hope your attitude improves soon, Fenrir. You're not irreplaceable and you don't want to know how many low-lives who had adopted the same moniker I've killed. You're not going to badmouth – "
" – Lord Griffith, yeah, yeah. I know, I'll behave so bite me, oversized bug."
I got the distinct impression that he was dearly holding onto the fact that apparently, his dear Lord wanted me alive to keep himself from killing yours truly. He even had the imitating gaze down quite well and if I wouldn't have had agonized far bigger fish and lived to tell the tale, it might have worked.
With the experience I had; though, I couldn't rate his cold, murderous rage higher than a six out of ten.
Seriously being in the sight of some medieval, demonic sniper while walking down bustling streets sucked all kinds of ways.
Luckily, we both decided that silence was the better course of action. He probably thought that he was being noble and knightly and all that shit to not forcing me into a situation of assisted suicide. I let him live with that delusion.
I needed some quiet time to come to grips with the newest batch of information and what was told between the lines. I needed him to shut up before I did something… rash.
Before I had simply thought that the Holy See Religious Order was "just" another run of the mill, fanatic Space Crystal Jesus worshipping affair that happened to be stuck in a caricature of the Spanish Inquisition. After hearing the newest info, I wasn't sure it was quite that simple.
Some wider conspiracy, some hidden agenda would help ease the niggling doubt that had been plaguing me ever since St. Aurora.
I couldn't imagine how an organization that brutally horrifying could operate without revolts forming – fanaticism could only bring you so far.
But Locus forced me to remember what Ignatz had said to me before I murdered him. He had seen me change and apparently immediately thought I was in leagues with the like of monsters I was now accompanying. He had accused me of being a warlock of sorts. With Chromeface's comment about my diet, I didn't blame him for wanting to see them dead. It was probably save to assume that at least some of these bastards ate human flesh.
My hand subconsciously wandered into the bag which held the weird stone. My stalker also talked about having the village to aid my "ascension " while trying to drive me into despair by slowly robbing me of my options and torturing me. That I should sacrifice them to reach godhood…
Couples got captured…
I got the phantom feeling of warm, sticky liquid coating my hands even as I started counting prime numbers to calm myself.
I really started to hate whoever was responsible for the fucking farce. They wouldn't even have to actively do much, I realized.
As soon as the first shape-shifting demons popped up, all what had to happen was someone important enough to point them as evil warlocks and witches, as heretics. It wasn't as if the rest of bizarro-world was all that nice – plenty of opportunities for absolutely despair and hopelessness. They wouldn't even have to justify the ramping brutality too much. All they had to do was point at the child-eating monster and say they wanted to catch heretics like that before they began the baby diet.
Which in turn lead to a couple of more monster being created, people getting confirmation bias which allowed for harder "interrogation-techniques" being applied, which likely caused more monsters to pop up, ad infinitum.
The bastards were in a vicious circle and had no idea they were an integral part of their own misery.
Considering the strength of my stalker I could easily imagine the root of evil reaching up very high up and far, far back in time.
And somewhere along the line, the Griffith dude, apparently a famous mercenary commander who had disappeared for a couple of years, reappeared. He somehow managed to unite the monster under his banner, defeat the evil Kushan empire, and then -as an encore- somehow created the very city I walked in.
Sure, I had to admit that my dealings with Red Court might have colored my perception just a bit, but the resemblance made me shudder. I really hoped that, for once, my paranoia had raised a false alarm.
There was a first time for everything, right?
Whatever it was, one thing was certain: The forces to be had mighty fine PR working for them.
It was simply jarring to see so many people being just fine with the monsters that walked among them to be that at peace with them after a group of villagers had tried to hunt me down for a mistake in identity.
The happy gaggle of bystanders didn't seem ignorant of the creatures' true nature if the slight apprehension that still colored their respectful greetings was any indication.
Pausing halfway up the enormous, snaking bridge up to the palace entrance, I saw what probably was one of the main reasons. It was the first time I saw Falconia up close and bathed in light.
The towering, slender architecture with all its pillars and wing imagery had been impressive enough while walking through the streets. But during that walk I wasn't really in a position to truly admire it and standing there, it was an entire different experience anyway. Seeing the morning light bounce off the bustling city with styles ranging from roman to baroque that somehow created a cohesive and stunning whole; creating something that simply meant to fit together instead of something that happened to tolerate each other.
Then there was the backdrop of the giant, glowing tree reaching into the heavens, protecting the farmlands underneath and all the people working on them.
It was simply impossibly beautiful.
Beautiful enough to remind me of the fae and their nonsense.
I could understand why people flocked to this city of wonders and what looked like the only safe place on bizarro-world. Vanillas wouldn't have the same experience as I did in dealing with the supernatural prettiness and mystique Falconia was steeped in. Even without having heard the rumors that this place apparently popped up in an instance they'd be left in awe. They'd be malleable to the suggestion of benefactors offering a place to life in this city straight out of a disneyfied fairy tale.
For me, as someone had been dealing with the likes of Mab, seeing the whole picture only served to sound my mental alarms. And that was without considering the fact that every step closer to the sweeping palace castle was also a step closer to that greasy, black core of magic I could feel halfway across the country.
I started walking again as we were waved through the checkpoint and I noticed Toot-Toot come back from the voluntary reconnaissance mission he undertook to stay away from the bug centaur. Something about not wanting to lose patience with the bastard. It also helped that the bastard in question started to glare murderous daggers at me.
"So, found anything new?" I asked as Toot landed on my shoulder like a heavily armed, overgrown parrot.
"Nothing much really. Shaggy is still watching you from the wall." I started to rubberneck but was stopped by Toot. "Don't bother, it's too far away and he has the light obscures him, boss."
"what do you think? Can he still land the shot?" That was some bad news.
"Probably. Didn't hang around long enough to get a better read though. He noticed me and something doesn't feel right with the guy."
That seemed awfully serious for the dew drop faerie. "What do you mean 'doesn't feel right'?"
"I dunno." Toot shrugged in frustration. "The images I pick up around him, they make me uncomfortable. They make me wanna attack him."
"Images?" I tried to clarify. That was something new.
"Oh, yeah. Started a week ago. The ones I pick up around you and the other mortals, they're exciting and pleasant enough – well yours can be a bit cold – but the ones around him, they simply gave me the creeps."
"Is that the same reason you don't like our shining knight? I thought it was because of the giant pole up his ass." The knight in question chose that moment to look over his shoulder and check up on us.
"Well yes… no… it is a combination of the two. Especially from him, I can sense… hatred aimed at you. I can't have the Za-Lord die on my watch."
I chuckled. Of course it all came back to pizza. "Fair enough. But when were you planning on telling this new skill to me? I mean spreading dandruff everywhere is one thing but this could be potentially useful."
"I can barely make out the mood of the images half of the time." Toot flashed a foolish grin from underneath his helmet. "I didn't want to distract you with basically not understood abilities while you're busy charging towards certain doom. You might come to your senses if I did."
I opened my mouth once more to object, thought about it, reconsidered my stance, and closed it again without uttering a word.
"Oh no." Toot spoke in mock horror. "Have I just witnessed a thought process?"
"Just you laugh, smartass," I snarled without much spirit behind it. "I won't let you take my job." I let voice return to my normal baritone. "But in all seriousness, are you still up for a guard shift? I'm not getting out of this peacefully and I have the sneaking suspicion that I want to bring my relative A game for plan B."
"Can I still stab the knight when you enact said illustrious plan B and its inevitable follow-up plans?"
I sighed. "Sure, if you get the opportunity. You probably get one even If we do get away cleanly. Think he wouldn't mind hunting me. He didn't seem to like me too much."
"In that case, sleep away, get some rest. I'll just get some popcorn beforehand." He started to hover to put said plan into action.
"Before you go, one more thing."
"What's that?"
"If something attacks me, do me a favor and ram both swords in an eye each – if they have them that is?"
"Gladly. Might I ask why?"
"Science, of course!" I exclaimed in not-entirely-fake enthusiasm. "I want to know whether they share the silver weakness like the rest of supernatural nasties here or whether good old, cold iron would do the trick. Either way, the end result is a bastard with a sword stuck in each eye. Any burning is a welcomed bonus at that point."
I hadn't noticed my voice transforming in a low rumbling growl towards the end. The bastards really reminded me way too much of the now-extinct Red Court. I wouldn't mind if my way out was through the lot of them.
Even if it meant becoming a monster in the eyes of the people gathered in Falconia. I couldn't risk their gradual enthrallment. I wouldn't.
What I did notice was that somehow shadow had gathered underneath Toot's helmet in such a way that only his eyes and surprisingly pointy, gleaming teeth remained visible The pixie could do an excellent Cheshire Cat impression.
"I'll look for marshmallows as well." He saluted me with the grin still plastered on his face and set off.
The rest of the climb passed in the same, tense silence that started earlier while I took in the opportunity to take in the view of the pitcher plant city. It really looked too be true. Not that it mattered to the rest of the masses who climbed the same road as us. They were filled with eager nostalgia. I could see some tears of sorrow, but not one of them seemed to be anxious about the whole deal.
The gate into the palace was another grand arching thing that screamed lofty. Not a single stone was chipped and even the guards managed to look alert and moderately friendly at the same time even as they let in most people after checking their papers.
I didn't have any but Locus was obviously enough. They even let me keep my spear and the rest of my equipment without even checking them.
Someone was pretty confident in their abilities to defend the important people inside the castle.
"Huh, where's Borkoff going?" I asked as the Demon Lancer in question parted ways with a salute after passing their horses to stable boys.
"It was his day off when he volunteered to help me escort you to the palace," Locus answered with only a hint of hostility. "You're in the castle so he's finally going to unwind. He has deserved it."
"So what's happening now?"
"You'll be picked up at the palace proper and I'll finally return to Lord Griffith' side. You're not the only visitor today and far from the most important, knave." He turned with a flourish of his cape and started walking away
"Does that mean we're parting ways?" I snarked. "I miss you already!"
Locus kept on walking. "I'll be present when you meet Lord Griffith and look forward to smacking you back into your place, you mangy dog."
He hadn't raised his voice but the words carried effortlessly nonetheless. Moments later, he walked into a hallway and out of sight.
Apparently, he started to truly loathe me during that refreshing morning walk. Good. The feeling was mutual.
I was waiting for about ten minutes under the intense scrutiny of armed guards when my assigned stewards with even more guards picked me up.
Somewhere during the trip to my chambers, Toot-Toot returned with a comically huge backpack with pre-sticked marshmallows poking out. It made my forced companions just a bit nervous, especially when we started to banter with each other in English.
After what felt an eternity we finally reached my designated sleeping spot and I wasn't that surprised to find that it was basically a suite. With how grand and clean everything in the castle was created, I had a hard time believing even the broom cupboards were allowed to look anything less than with what I was greeted.
Not that I really paid too much attention to it. The room had a bed. I was tired.
The only thing I managed to do before collapsing the bed (other than checking it for vanilla and magical traps) was to remember the constant mental attacks during my stay in Falconia. I pulled my armor inside of me, ignoring the weird tingling feeling that it caused, and fell face-first into the bed.
I wouldn't have to worry about those attacks like that and it was faster than changing out of the whole nonsense too. I really couldn't care less about squiggly lines that may had appeared on my body.
I sunk deep into the mattress and managed to make myself comfortable just before losing conscience.
The last thought that crossed my mind before my dreamless rest began was that the bed alone had was worth potential danger I was in.
When I rejoined the land of the living I was greeted by a quizzical, pouting girl's face. Not an inch over mine.
She was very lucky that the Manacle was still on otherwise, she'd either been a greasy spot on both the floor and wall or a human popsicle due to the simple virtue of the training by the incubi. And the fact that I was far behind enemy lines. And surrounded by monsters.
As it was, I simply startled and headbutted her head away as I jumped out of the bed to get into a better defensive position.
"Lady Sonia!" I heard a third, hitherto unseen young man in armor shout as he rushed to the girl's aid.
"Owie," the girl in question complained. "I'm alright, Mule, it wouldn't be the first time that I bumped my head. Why don't you look whether our new friend's okay?"
"But – "
"No but's, aren't you my personal servant?"
"Bodyguard, Lady Sonia. Your wellbeing is in my hands – a task far easier if you wouldn't wander off into situations where you could get harmed."
Sonia stuck out her tongue and Mule's eyes glazed over for a mere moment before he let out a tired sigh. "Fine, I'll make sure the big friendly apostle is unharmed from the blow that almost send you flying."
All the while, Toot-Toot was laughing his ass off.
The "new friend" meanwhile had found the Spear of Destiny and was debating whether he should remove the manacle. Normal people without ulterior motives didn't simply show this much interest in your sleeping form.
"Uhm, Lady Sonia," Mule said before even coming a step closer to me. "I think he's alright. Could you maybe convince him that we mean no harm?"
"What do you mean 'he's alright? Don't you need to get closer for…" The young warlock stopped massaging her head and looked up. "Oh. Uhm, Fenrir, could you please stand down, I didn't want to startle you. I was just curious about those lines on your forehead." She looked at the guffawing Pixie rolling through the air. "And could you please ask your elf to stop laughing at you. It's quite rude."
This, of course, left Toot wheezing.
I shot him a sharp glance to quiet him down and relaxed my stance ever so slightly. It took a while for him to stop snickering and stop muttering "you should have seen your face" over and over.
Which was good. It gave Sonia time to get helped up by her mule and me to get used to the greasy aura she exuded without throwing up at the implications attached to it.
I had been worried when the form attacking my mental gates appeared to be so small and young and desperately hoped it was just a trick of an abomination to lower my defenses. When she was referred to by name, I prayed it was a stereotypical, gnarly witch who liked to mess with people.
I hoped it was another demon hiding in plain sight who had a knack in psychomancy similar to Zargy.
I wasn't prepared to deal with a girl steeped in the taint of black magic.
"Apologies for hurting you," I offered with a forced smile, while mentally beating down a revolting stomach. "The last weeks haven't been too kind and I got used to the constant vigilance."
The girl simply nodded, mollified but the young knight interjected, "You have done nothing wrong, good Sir, it was us that have violated common decency and should apologize."
He gave his charge a pointed look. "What? If you knew what he showed me, you would take my side. It was so frustrating!" She pouted once again. "Hey, I was just curious. Mule was too and I just wanted to see whether I could see your mind when you were asleep. Normally that always works. Someone else's dreams are so interesting to explore!" She happily giggled.
I let my spear rest against my collarbone and stood up fully upright in relaxed attention and looked at her doubtingly. I didn't trust my mouth to not escalate the situation in the middle of enemy territory.
"Oh come ooon," Sonia continued. "It would have been just a peek. It's your own fault for making me so curious. I simply had to look. When was the last time innocent curiosity ever harmed anyone?"
I had difficulties keeping my mouth closed in shock. Was everything just a game to her? Was she unaware of the consequences when she influenced people even slightly; of the dangers with self-taught telepathy and how easily you could do go too far?
Or did she simply stopped to care?
The way Mule's eyes had glazed over didn't look like mere communication. His body language changed far too much for that it had been just consensual telepathy.
I could almost hear the click when my brain made the necessary connections. When I managed to formulate the things I already seem to know on an instinctual level.
It hadn't been by much and it didn't look like the tampering had been hamfisted or extreme but it was crossing the line dividing the dark, dark, dark gray side of mind magic into the true black one. It hadn't been the usual compulsion as much as it had been a mental suggestion with some power behind it. And if the taint surrounding her was any indication it wasn't the first time she used that trick to convince someone to do what she wanted. With the way, her standard solution seemed to be telepathy I'd even guess that it was something of a habit to her.
It was bound to mess up someone psyche. I couldn't explain any other way she'd be okay with the monsters wandering the castle and that pitch black spot of magic that close. Psychomancers tended to be sensitive to emotions after all.
Molly was nearly overcome by everything flying around in Chichen Itza and that had been a relatively short affair.
Sonia lived near horrors that apparently made Toot-Toot uneasy since last week.
"See! He's once more lost for words," she said to her companion as if making a point before turning to me. "If you'd let me in this would have been so much easier ´. No messy need for words or anything."
I knocked my head with my staff. "Sorry, Sonia, I can't let you do that."
Again she pouted. "Why not? I could have warned you that the funeral rite was about to begin. I mean, sure, letting so many people hear the voices of their loved ones one more time is tiring – Especially those pervy grandpas – but it really shows the White Hawk's grandeur. I know how pretty it was before it became routine. And then you could have had some cake as well. It was so good, Mule took a second piece!"
The Knight in question took offense at that statement.
"How does that work?" I dared to ask.
"The cake? Well, we sat in the garden and then..." She must have seen my incredulous face. "Oh, the rite! It's easy, really, the White Hawk can gather the spirits of the fallen gather around him and then appear before their loved ones on last time. It really helps them that they can say farewell one more time."
Unless souls, spirits, and ghosts worked differently in bizarro-world worked completely differently, that sounded like an enormous scam. That my actual soul could go on walkabout had been a rare exception to the normal ghosting M.O. Normally, mere copies of the person were left behind on the rare occasion it actually happened.
Hell's bells, I had teamed up with my own ghostly copy to munch on a über-ghost myself. I had, probably, been dead twice myself. I should know.
Everyone leaving behind a spirit before moving to the great beyond just after some last, heartfelt goodbyes? My guts told me that it smelled mighty fishy. Even with the differences between my own corner of reality and this, I couldn't imagine something as fundamental as death to work that differently.
The whole thing simply sounded too good to be true. Again.
I couldn't say that though. I was still supposed to be the moderately talented magic "Apostle"
"Oh, interesting." Was the wordy reply my brain decided on while my stomach was still trying to tie itself into knots.
The Merlin communicated telepathically on the battlefield for sure, but he was and veteran Wizard, the pillar of the White Council and generally its Big Gun. He hadn't spent his time collecting bottle caps as much as trained himself in the different ways of magic under the supervision of other badass spell slingers.
He had dared to practice in an area where most Wardens refused to train their defenses due to how easy it was to slip up. How thin that line between right or wrong truly was.
I severely doubted that Sonia would have had the training necessary. With what I had seen of this accursed pocket dimension, I would be surprised if she grew up without ever having felt the need to leap over that line in self-defense.
"And that's why you should have seen it yourself. I could show you if you…" I looked at her sharply. "Okay, okay, I get it. Hmppf. Spoilsport. Suit yourself. Just one thing, are those squiggly bits on your head what's blocking me out?"
It was close enough to the truth without revealing the entire story. So I simply nodded.
"I knew it! I…" This time she went out of focus and she deflated with a sigh. "Have to go. Locus is making a scene again. Seriously it was only a slap and it barely hurt. No need to get so angry." She focused again on me. "Please change clothes quickly, we'll wait outside to escort you to a future comrade."
And with that, she stormed outside, practically dragging the knight with her.
"So that just happened," I said to Toot with a levity I didn't feel.
"Yes, it did, Harry. Are you all right?"
"No I'm not Toot. I'm really not." I started to slow process of re-materializing my armor and nodded towards the door. "She's. I fear she's too far gone to be saved. If a Warden came across her, she'd be bisected moments into the meeting on principle alone. And she doesn't even know she's probably messed up beyond repair. She doesn't seem to realize that she's on a fast track to megalomaniac world conqueror and she doesn't even have the decency to behave all sinister. Instead she's just a spoiled, fun-loving brat. She lost the ability to even begin to understand why it's wrong to poke around in people's minds."
"Harry…" Toot hovered closer.
"I know., I can't save them all." I grabbed one of my equipment bags and began fastening it. "But it's just so… frustrating and aggravating are far too weak as words. She could have been a fine wizard if she had someone to guide her. Instead, it looks like I have to deal with her. A little girl who simply didn't know better."
"You don't have to do anything, Harry. You – we need to go home." He knocked on my helmet. "You have people waiting for you and I have to eat so much pizza you're going to provide."
I chuckled. "I was already starting to wonder who you were and what happened to my friend." I lowered my voice and couldn't help to notice the cracking. "But no, she's going to seriously hurt people beyond repair. I feel the only reason why there aren't more madmen walking around is simply because she only feels like talking to people and wants to reach out. She can do more; she will do more. It's only the matter of the right stimulus and she'd be on the slide straight into cruel madness, giggling all the way. I have seen how difficult it had been for Molly and she only violated the Laws two times. Still, she had to fight the impulse to rewire people's brain, to go peeking in someone's memories. I was there along the way to help her deal with it. I know how difficult it can be to ignore the urges to do more and I only defended myself. She's been at it for who knows how long. I have to -"
A loud knock tore me from coming plights and forced me to focus on current ones. I still had to find a way out of this place – both the palace and the dimension – and I needed to be on top of my game.
I made fastened the last bag. "Toot, would you do me a favor and try and look for humans in the area? I have a bad feeling about this."I stroked my stubble-covered chin. "I don't feel like growing a true goatee today."
"Sure thing, Harry."
"Just keep close, okay? I need someone to watch my back."
"And here I thought you would never learn," He quipped with a wink before shooting out of the door.
"Let's go," I said to the bickering youths outside the chambers and we set off.
Sonia kept her mouth running as we walked through the surprisingly bright halls, pointing out special features when we came across them or simply told anecdotes from her apostle friends.
Mule was busy preventing his hand form being glued to the ridge of his nose. He constantly seemed like he wanted to massage the little warlock's antics out.
I was silent – torn about what I could do, what I should do, and with which actions I could still live with myself. I would love to try and help her but something told me, the next time we met, she wouldn't be that friendly anymore. Which only left two almost equally disgusting options
It didn't look good.
The rest of my limited mental power was spend cursing whichever sick entity had caused all of this.
I barely noticed it when I was passed on to an Apostle called Wilhelm and I each of us went different ways.
Luckily, the monster didn't expect much interaction either. Instead, he chose to blabber about what sounded like a hazing ritual and how he couldn't wait to put me on the ropes.
When we exited the main building and stepped on another bridge I was slowly parted from my skulking as I noticed that the main spot of grease and magic that had been an ever-present companion was to my back and that another, slightly smaller one had been hidden behind it.
It was coming from the looming half-dome that bathed in the fog that seemed to fill the area.
The heavy doors opened with a creaking strain when we approached the structure that made my skin crawl. It revealed a short hallway with two more branching off perpendicular and flanked by a stair case to on each side. One going down and the other up.
Wilhelm led me up the latter and minutes later he finally stopped near an empty stretch of stands circling a pit in the middle.
"Welcome to Pandemonium. So watcha think?" Wilhelm finally said pointing at the general scene. "I know it ain't as good as catching some wild meat but plenty of fun to be had here."
I would have probably agreed if I had been one of the many-limbed, wide-mouthed, deformed monstrosities that were cheering on fellow, unchanged, draconic themed Apostle in the ring. An arena he shared with half a dozen of mutated tigers. The apostle slaughtered them with the mockery of a hammer he was wielding, each blow causing ecstasy in the gathered horrors.
"It's interesting," I conceded.
"That ain't all, though. If you serve Lord Griffith well you just might butcher some real fresh meat." Looking closer I could see the irregular bumps on his face that hid just underneath the skin. I noticed the hungry look in his eyes.
"Oh?" I felt the memories of the Red Court, of the horrors they had caused over millennia surfacing, banging on my consciousness for attention, robbing me of my vocal faculties.
"Not a real talker ain'tcha? No worries, ya can let the violence do the talking soon enough." He looked away from the carnage in the ring. "Too bad ya're new meat and missed Lord Griffith's party. That was sometin'."
"Do tell." Just keep breathing, don't do anything rash. Don't think of Sonia. Prime numbers, Dresden. Keep counting.
Wilhelm shook his head in pity. "Ya wouldn't believe it. You or me, we'd be satisfied with just someone. That guy? He'd fed us his army! Everyone a beloved mate. The betrayal alone would make ya drunk and then there was so much meat. Two escaped durin' that bloodbath but, hey, that only makes it fun longer. And wouldcha look at him now? Has all of us wretched beast and the rest of da world 'round his fingers."
He punched me jokingly as the "fight" in the ring came to an end. I swayed a little from the blow because I was way too busy trying to stop a giant explosion to deal with such trivialities.
"Wow, new meat .Ya're a real wealking arntcha." He cackled at his own observation. "I'll look that ya'll get some fellow pushovers to play with. But seriously watcha sacrifice, a unwanted child or a lying lover or what? I've never seen dem this weak."
For a second time that day I felt Susan's still warm blood on my hands. I felt the resistance of knife scraping the sternum on the way of her heart. I remembered how I wiped an entire species of the face of the earth just to save my daughter.
And like that, I didn't have to concentrate on my basic arithmetic and formulas to remain calm. "Toot?" I asked.
"Who does what, ya weird bastard?" I vaguely heard Wilhelm ask as the lieutenant-general arrived.
"Not a single mortal found this side of the bridge, my Lord," Toot-Toot replied grimly while sporting what could've only technically been considered a smile.
"An' what's that? An elf? Ya asked help from an elf ya cowardly bastard. I think I'll – "
"Before we begin," I interrupted his tirade while circling him, "I have just two questions."
"- Huh? Sure if that actually makes ya do sometin'"
I stopped flanking as my back faced an arched opening in the outer wall and Wilhelm stood in between me and the arena.
"First, what is that on the arena floor?" I leisurely started to remove the Manacle.
"That'd be sawdust. Ought to absorb enough of ya blood, weirdo." I felt the corners of my mouth starting to rise, mirroring Toot-Toot's.
Winter was furious as the last nail left my flesh before being informed of my plans and agreeing eagerly.
"Second, do you know what a magical focus does?" I dove deep into my fury, using it to set-up the first of two punches.
"Magical what?" I felt the sylphs react to my anger as Wilhelm's brain started to creak under the strain of actually having to think and cope with the sudden change of my persona.
"Well, a common misconception is that people believe they augment the practitioner," I began as the sylphs flew inside the dome. "That might be a case for some, but for me it's a tool to restrict my output, to focus it. I tend to be a bit messy without it."
"Seriously whatcha going on about and why's it getting colder?" The cold was caused by me sapping away the heat on top of the Mantle preparing the metaphorical right hook.
"This beauty, can both enhance and focus." I continued as I impaled Wilhelm on the spear I just showcased.
He started to protest but that was cut short as the flesh that made contact with the spear started burning and the protest was transformed into a high-pitched scream.
I paid it not much mind.
"Ventas veloche, ubrium, ubrium." I snarled and the sawdust in the arena exploded outward and in the air under shocked protest of both spectators and the lonely fighter.
I smiled. There had been enough blood spilled for the spell to work.
"In this occasion, I can afford to cut loose," I finished my explanation to the apostle barely hanging on to life.
I started to channel the heat I had pulled from the environment, part of the energy stored in the Longinus, and my conviction that I had to stop these monsters before it would be absolutely too late.
Said monsters started to scream and look for the partypooper who had crashed this particular murder party.
I meanwhile was reaching out to the salamanders that somehow were always present around me and then I reached further.
I only had one shot and I had to make it count. I need more fire. I wanted more fire.
I idly noted that I was already almost encased in ice when I felt something far stronger, greedier, and hungrier than the salamanders brush my mind.
"Get out of here, Toot." I managed to say before the ice completely enclosed my head.
I made the slightest of contacts with the new presence and was greeted by overwhelmingly hot flames. Ravenous fire screaming for fresh sacrifice. For tribute to make it grow. It brought the smell of Sulphur.
I rejected that elemental. It simply wouldn't do.
Deep down, I knew that there'd only been a relatively small part of the demonic force in here and for my actions to do any good, I had to cleanse the place and the misery and terror attached to it.
Greedy Hellfire wouldn't do that. It would only make the darkness of this place worse.
I fed a bit of Soulfire into the spell I was forming.
Suddenly, I felt my mind expand and orient itself what I knew with a shocking certainty was south.
An Entity cloaked in eternal flame greeted me with Its sword held aloft in salute. I felt myself mentally copy the gesture with the Spear of Destiny.
With Its other hand it offered radiant fire in return. Fire that burned indiscriminately no matter whether it was used to incinerate something or whether it was used to cook things. It brought death in equal parts as life-giving warmth. It simply was.
I felt that It was willing to help me and, surprisingly, It didn't seem to want anything in return other than me finishing the spell.
Somewhere deep inside me, there was a part of me screaming that it seemed to be too good to be true but I shushed that part by reminding it that the other elementals had been just as happy to help. This felt just like a very big and powerful version of the same.
I could almost believe it myself.
I raised Longius up to aim directly at the cloud of sawdust, moving both ice and Wilhelm without resistance.
I was aware that I was about to potentially do something monumentally stupid – even for my standards - but I wouldn't stand for the existence of the abomination I was standing in. I couldn't suffer the things it represented nor what it would likely mean for bizarro-world's future in its entirety.
I refused to let another race live that thrived on human sacrifice subjugate mortal. To keep them as unknowing cattle.
Not after Chichen Itza.
With a wry thought, I observed that with all the confused and angry shouting the name Pandemonium had become a lot more fitting.
It was time to end it.
"Burn."
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MWKillKenny84
Lurking from the Trauma Switch.
- Location
- Vado Ligure
And thus Dresden shall have a "To Dresden'ed" added to the local vocabulary too.
- Location
- Switzerland
Actually, it's much smaller than something that Shierke could potentially do (if given enough time). Gedula (the King of the South of Shierke's protection spell) only gave Dresden a bit extra oomph and not much more. Most of the spellwork was Dresden's work. Sure, the resulting fire might do some funky stuff as a result of It's essence being mixed with Soulfire but it'll be "relatively" small scale. If Gedula really had been summoned, there'd probably only be a smoldering crater where Pandemonium was. Approximately. The four of them together can apparently level a city in a night or so and kingdoms don't seem that much of a problem either. However, to get such results you'd need a lot of experience and/or talent communing with these precise spirits and a plenty of time. Harry isn't schooled in the Berserk brand of magic (which for the sake of the crossover is pretty much summoner style and loading off the heavy lifting to the elementals who answer) and as such isn't likely to get to nuke level just yet. He does have enough affinity (as a walking magical powerbank) to instinctually recruit some elementals in his basic spells and more innate magical juice to make his own magic work.
Dresden is basically a semiautomagical cannon in this setting while Shierke can, with enough preparation and the right spells, reach WMD levels of mayhem.
Well, considering the nice, evenly distributed dust cloud and the somewhat enclosed area, there certainly be some ripping and tearing as soon as a tiny amount of fire gets thrown into the mix.
That said, I don't think there'll be boomsticks anytime soon. Though, there's still Rickert who, apparently, is pretty handy with experimental weaponry...
Chapter 12.3
- Location
- Switzerland
A/N: So, it has been a while. Apologies for those who were waiting for the next chapter. This ridiculous delay was caused by a conflux of bad luck and good intentions.
Either way, it is written now: the meeting between Dresden and the first characters of the Berserk cast. I hope I was able to do it justice. And before anyone asks, I didn't forget about Daiba. He simply had a vision what was about to come and decided staying away from it all was the wiser course of Action.
May whatever speck of benevolence is left have Mercy on Midland.
Chapter 12.3
A flash lit up the sky and for a moment, silence distracted both monster and the human combatants – their deadly struggle halted for a moment as they tried to figure out what had just occurred.
Rickert in awe as even from his distance to the castle, he just knew what happened even if he had no idea how it came to be.
The debris that was launched into the air, illuminated by the flash that turned night into day for the briefest of moments. It was the dreaded colosseum that had been a deciding factor in rejecting the thing that Griffith had become with a vigor that startled him.
Pandemonium was blown to smithereens by an explosion of a strength he hadn't dared dream about just moments ago.
The shockwave that rattled the blinds of the buildings and elicited panicked shouts from inside put an end to the referee.
As did the fact that the liquid fire the two behemoths were spraying at the amorphous blob of darkness was diverted by the same blast and threatened to splash onto the buildings.
Rickert sighed in relief that the Kushans stopped spraying the oil in time to prevent burning down the house where Erica, Luca, and the rest were hiding. It was a short-lived one when darkness descended upon the plaza like a smothering blanket. Much of the fire that previously illuminated the place and protected them against the enormous tenebrous war demon was snuffed out
Including the ones that had set him ablaze only moments ago.
The torch one of the Tapasa carried brought the shadows to life making them mocking caricatures of the people they originated from. Taunting the group. Threatening them.
"Set him ablaze," Silat shouted over the growing cackle that seemed to surround them all, launching a chakram at a point only he could see.
"Fufufufu," their tormentor whispered with chilling glee. "The lights are out. Death is in the air."
Rickert took a firmer hold of his flint and grabbed a handful of his bombs. He hoped it would be enough to inconvenience the monster that was hunting them.
"You'll soon join them," the stalker hissed from behind him.
Another stream of fire arched through the air in search of the lethal cloud that was stalking the living.
Instead of just their prey, it also illuminated a girl sneaking around the edge, carrying a tube. Shadows moved towards her with bone-chilling laughter.
Rickert was only vaguely aware of the flashes of blue light that appeared in the sky as he ran towards his sister in all but blood.
"ERICA!" he shouted while the girl was wrapped up by claws and supernatural cloth.
Incoherent screams came from the war demon as he righted itself, turning its mask to face the gathered adversaries.
"Now, now," it tutted as the mask snapped further to where Silat was sneaking around. "Don't go around and surprise me, young master. Something tragic might happen. A snap and a pop is all it takes. I'm so hungry."
Again, the demon cackled and all Rickert do in the dwindling light was to gesture at the tube that lay at the Kushan's feet.
Rickert's thought raced while he tried to find a way to safe Erica; to save his family from the clutches of the maleficent entity that had made it its goal to hunt him down. Just because it saw a rival in him. Because Rickert was the one who hurt the thing Griffith had become before it could.
The streak of silver that passed over the demon first seemed one of the Kushan's chakrams that only managed to slightly inconvenience it before.
That assessment changed immediately after when the line it left on the demon began smoldering and bellows of impotent rage and pain filled the air.
The streak made a second pass and Rickert made a mad dash towards his tube. He vaguely noticed that the giant men now each had a torch and were moving around. Silat let fly another kind of metallic gleams flew towards his former clansman while reaching the weapon Erica brought.
Rickert saw the kick coming before it happened and caught his experimental weapon with an ease that surprised himself. It helped that the rotation brought it just into the right position for an easy catch.
Dropping down to a crouch, Rickert did his best to check the state his weapon was in – it wasn't one he could afford malfunctioning. Not when more than just his life was on the line.
He tuned out the childish cries of agony coming from the monster that still held Erica and forced calm upon himself while he removed the rocket.
Silat was yelling command to his guards when he put the working projectile back into the tube. Dread threatened to take hold on him when he full well knew that while it was their best chance to end the monster, it would also certainly mean the end of his sister if he couldn't free her first.
Beginnings of a wish died in their cradle when he saw a tall form fall from the sky.
A weird-sounding shout thundered through the night sky and attracted the attention of the demon that held Erica hostage.
A gust of air billowed out of nowhere and with a primal cry the tall figure pierced the writhing shadow given substance, barreling it down to the ground with his sheer mass.
Erica flew out of his grasp and Rickert was relieved to see his former enemy dash to catch the girl.
Where previously the mysterious streaks caused small smoldering, this new attack set the demon alight. It buckled and fought to throw off the new assailant while Rickert felt the air grow colder. Rime grew over the undulating shadows while the spear that impaled it began to glow, illuminating the feral smile on the man that had fallen out of the sky.
"Do you know him?" Rickert whispered when Silat pushed his sister into his arms.
Tension seemed to threaten to rip apart the Kushan while he watched the sheets of ice grow, immobilizing the shadows trapped beneath.
"No," the assassin finally answered. "I know of no such sorcerer."
Blinding light illuminated the plaza, stone cracked, and ice exploded while a miniature sun ate away the head of the shadow.
"Show off." Rickert barely stopped himself from being startled by the figure casually floating beside him all of the sudden.
If he wasn't holding onto Erica, he wasn't sure if he'd still have the rocket. Or his life.
Letting his eyes wander over the armored humanoid there were two things that stood out. The first was that even though the creature seemed to be of the same kind of Puck who accompanied, somehow this one was armed to the teeth. Two bloodied swords were held in his hands and armor glistened with silver. His expression wasn't that of an oblivious and mischievous fool which seemed to be Puck's favorite.
Rickert felt a shudder take hold over him when the last unnatural light died down, highlighting the face that was hidden in the helmet of the elf. If his face reminded Rickert of someone, he would have picked Guts himself. Bloodlust and joy seemed to fill the elf's very being at the sight of the smoldering crater his companion had caused.
The second thing that put Rickert on edge was the size of the elf. The armored figure stood more than three times the length of the only other elf he had seen.
With a feeling dread, Rickert realized that the streaks of silver that allowed Erica to be saved was the elf casually floating beside him. One that had been too fast to react against.
Looking at his hired help, Rickert saw that Silat had long dismissed the supernatural creature and was instead focused on the figure that was approaching them as non-threatening as possible. Which wasn't working too well between what they witnessed, the still softly glowing spear he carried, and the length that put him one head taller than even Guts.
"Come with me if you want to live," the stranger stated, offering a hand just outside the reach of the dangerous assassin.
A dry slap sounded beside Rickert. "I do apologize for my liege lack of immediate intelligence. What he meant to say was that he's currently being hunted down and he assumes you are as well considering your previous predicament."
"Hey!" was all Rickert and his companions understood before they slipped into an unknown language but were clearly bickering.
"Do you think Puck could look as cool as this one?" Erica asked with bright eyes, sensing the conversation had halted for a moment.
Rickert opened his mouth but was cut off by more cracking and shifting behind the newcomer.
"How many times do you simpletons need reminding? How many masks must you destroy?" Shadows billowed out from behind their airborne aid. "What looks to be a face is not guaranteed to be."
Rickert felt his arm snap up towards the looming mass of darkness while Erica went through his pouches for the flint and bombs.
Needles flew into the demon and Rickert swore he could see the eyes of the newcomer grow wide for a moment when he saw his newest invention. With what could only be a curse, the tall man dropped to the ground before Rickert could instruct him to do so.
He knew the monster was too close to use the rocket safely but nothing else seemed to work. It was a choice between certain death and a chance to survive.
He triggered the mechanism of his weapon and the rocket flew into the centrum of the undulating mass of dark cloth.
Rickert dropped to his knees as soon as he fired to offer whatever little protection he could give to Erica. In the process, he noticed that the Kushans had rushed into cover faster than the eye could see.
Once again, night turned into day and his teeth clattered due to the noise the explosion made. It wasn't just a mere firework rocket that was loaded into the weapon. He had spent time during the few stops on his journey to tinker with the design, to experiment with the shape and load. This rocket could easily level a building if it hit directly.
Strangely, however, the shrapnel he expected didn't reach him and the noise wasn't as bad as he knew it should be either.
"Wow," his sister's soft utterance of wonder assuaged his fears that their last trump had been a dud. As did the soft blue glow reflected in those curious eyes.
The newcomer, the so-called liege of an elf climbed to his feet with an outstretched hand while flickering ghostly images of a mostly invisible construct stood between him and the explosion.
A shield.
The realization hit him with a certainty he didn't know where it came from. He knew it was the source of the flashes he spotted in the sky moments before the situation shifted from bad to worse.
An otherworldly screech echoed through the alleyways leading to the plaza. In a moment, the fluttering pieces of seeming fabric pulled themselves together and launched upwards.
The man snarled something in a language that vaguely reminded Rickert of that he heard the priest speak so long ago.
The spot of darkness was set ablaze while its cries of agony redoubled. A soft glow seemed to accumulate around the stranger that had literally dropped in to help them.
Tiny lights seem to dance and flicker while apparently eagerly floating towards the point of his spear. The weapon he was aiming at the retreating monster.
"Thank you for providing a clear shot;" he whispered through the parody of a grin that distorted his face.
Another bellow in a strange language was all the warning Rickert got before a thick pole of white flames pierced the night sky. Less than a heartbeat later it joined with the ball of flames in the sky.
The demon simply ceased to be as it was consumed by the greedy flames and sight left Rickert completely.
"I'm Harry," the stranger introduced himself while hauling the blinking Rickert up unto his feet. A white streak seemed to be burned into his eyes.
The elf swept down from the skies, wildly gesturing towards a point near the castle. Another command passed the sorcerer's lips and thick mist covered the improvised arena.
"This is Toot," Harry continued with less energy than before. "I guessed that you were in a similar bind as I was when my lieutenant-general informed me about what he saw. So, I made a detour since the air wasn't safe anyway."
"Erica," the smith introduced his sister who was cautiously approaching the elf. "And I'm Rickert. Why did you say the air wasn't safe?"
"A friend of the Grue is hunting me down and damned dangerous with his horn bow," he replied with a nonchalance that was fitting of someone who was apparently able to set fire to the very skies. "Also, Panzerfaust, can you tell your buddies to get out of hiding? I can smell you and frankly, none of us have time for a game of hide and seek. Or a paranoia marathon. Which I'd win anyway."
Rickert was about to ask who he meant with that name when Silat reappeared beside him. "While I'm grateful to accept your help putting down the disgrace to our clan, I'm curious what you did to warrant the personal attention of the war demons."
"First off, I didn't do it for you Jafar -"
"Silat," the Kushan corrected while his two bodyguards puffed themselves up to defend their chief's honor.
" - like I was saying, Jafar, I definitely didn't do it for you beyond the basic principle that I won't let these monsters prey upon more humans if I can stop it. So tell Humpty and Dumpty to cool it. The second reason is very closely related to the first one." A snarl slipped into the sorcerer's voice at the last bit.
"He destroyed that arena without informing those inside it," the elf clarified with a cold glint in his eyes and moved his hands apart in a dramatic version. "Boom."
"I'm not kind to buildings," Harry confirmed while fiddling with a bracelet. "But enough talk and more work on de-assing ourselves out of the area. Erhm at least in my case. I have to certainly leave."
"We're hired to protect the boy," Silat supplied without moving his eyes from the armored sorcerer.
"I have to go as well," Rickert admitted when he felt Harry's eyes bore into a point in between his own. "Sir Locus is unlikely to rest before I'm dead."
Harry's eyebrows rose slightly to that statement. "What about her?"
Rickert squeezed his sister closer. "She's family. Those monsters will use her to get to me. They can try coming through me."
"Good," the sorcerer replied after a short pause. "Those are good eyes. Now anyone has an idea how to get out of here? I can provide for some distraction but it's too close to Castle von Doom and I don't want to chance it with Shaggy the sniper stalking about. The air is right out as well."
"We found that the sewers are large enough to move through and lead to the walls," Silat provided easily. "However, the exits are blocked with strong steel and it's a labyrinth we haven't explored to its full extent."
"I can probably take care of the obstacle."
"An explosion will make this whole exercise futile." The elf laughed at the Kushan's assessment from atop Erica's head.
"I can do more than just that," Harry whispered in resignation. "You're okay with that plan Panzer?"
"Me?" Rickert asked. "I don't see any other means if the flight is truly out of the question."
"It is and contrary to what you might think, I'm more an elegant faller. I can't truly fly." Toot tutted to show his clear displeasure.
"I've done worse when with the Band and between us all Erica should be safe as well."
"What about Luca?" his sister asked unhappily. "I didn't say goodbye when I brought the launcher. She's going to miss us."
"We have to go," Rickert hugged his sister while carefully avoiding the arrow sticking out of his shoulder. That beam of fire was bright enough to light up the city. Demons are coming."
With a sad smile, he saw determination take hold in his sister's face as she blinked away the first tears.
"Goodbye, Luca! Goodbye Pepe! Goodbye Fouquet!" she shouted into the unnatural mist as they wordlessly followed the Kushans to their escape route.
The entrance was small and blocked by a heavy stone. Rickert watched in surprised shock when one of the mountains that walked as men lifted it with ease to let everyone in. A surprise that redoubled when they seemingly folded into themselves to contort themselves inside.
With the stone lifted bag to its rightful place it took a felt eternity of wandering through the stench-filled corridors. The silence and the eerie blue light shining from Harry's trinket gave time for introspection and reflection on the situation.
Things like comprehending that he didn't have any plans beyond getting away from Griffith started to weigh heavier as did the knowledge of what potential danger lay ahead. That Erica was forced to flee because of his uncharacteristic impulsiveness on the bridge.
It didn't help that the arrow in his shoulder began to hurt more now that they had time to cool down; that they had been forced to cool and quiet down. Nobody wanted to take chances with the war demons that were no doubt patrolling the streets.
"So, what did you do to earn the wrath of chrome bug?" Harry finally broke the silence when a distant sound of falling water was heard.
"Locus," the elf clarified with a timing that seemed practiced.
Rickert rubbed the back of his head with his good hand. "He showed me the place where he and the fellow war demons could be themselves. It made me realize the true meaning of what Guts told me before he left. That Griffith I knew was no more and that someone - something else had taken his place. I slapped him."
The twinkling in Harry's eyes did little to hide the predatory nature of his smile. "Ha! You slapped his beloved Griffith and lived? How did you do that?"
"Griffith just let me go," Rickert answered while ignoring the annoyed gazes of the Kushans. "It was only later today that Rakshas showed up to kill me."
"Locus spoke to them after the boy left," Silat confirmed softly. "The demon told them about how he was the first one to hurt Griffith."
"That sounds like the old classic. Getting rid of someone who insulted his boss by siccing another one he doesn't like on them. Two birds, one potential stone. I knew I had my reasons not to like that bug. Good on you for slapping his beloved boss. I don't know the details but this place felt fishy before I even knew human sacrifice was involved at one point."
They stopped at thick steel bars standing in multiple layers thick and in different angles that barred the way forward.
"What now?" Silat whispered.
"Now it's time for more magic," Harry replied while fiddling around with his bracelet.
He took a step and ice formed underneath it, making him look even taller than before. For a moment a wind seemed to gather around him, water accumulated onto the ice he was standing on.
Once more, Harry intonated words Rickert couldn't decipher and an icy, watery form launched itself through the barricade.
With a slight hesitation, the bracelet was put on again. "So, let's go."
"Go where?" the assassin asked with poison creeping into his voice. "You said you could get us out and the only thing I've seen was you being loud and asking for attention. Your spell didn't even make sense."
"We escape through the other side while aqua-me is trying to distract a chrome-plated ass, duh." Harry roled his eyes and Rickert could feel them stop at the arrow. "You're going to be okay with that? It's going to get infected if you're not careful."
Before Rickert could ask what he meant with infected, Erica already answered for him. "That's no problem! Just remove it and add bit of Toot's dust and it's as good as new."
A dead silence fell onto the sorcerer as he stopped mid-step. "His dust?"
"Yes," Erica confirmed with a nod while holding an increasingly confused elf.
"His dust can heal wounds?"
"Puck told me so and he should know because he's an elf like him." His sister scratched her head. "Well, he complained that Guts abused him as a flying cure but it was his dust. He healed my finger when I got a big splinter stuck inside it."
The temperature seemed to drop. "Toot, is this true?"
"I'm not sure?" the elf suggested. "What she said does make sense in a weird kind of way."
"Panzer, how can you handle pain?" Harry finally asked after a couple of deep breaths. "I need you to be at full capacity for the next bit and I don't want to risk you getting sick. I'm going to remove the arrow and see whether my lieutenant-general has suddenly developed a very handy skill without noticing. If that doesn't work I likely have to scorch the wound."
Instead of answering, Rickert pulled the arrow out with a grimace. "Do it."
Harry's hand moved to grab his helper only for the latter to evade it and just start shaking over the bleeding wound. It was difficult to tell who of the two was more surprised by the fact that it indeed closed.
"We'll have words when we're out," was all Harry said, defeated and tired, before starting to move in the opposite direction of the barrier.
Rickert followed suite together with his sister while Silat's group formed the rearguard.
The stench redoubled and the slope upwards was making itself known when they retraced their steps back into the maze. The thick taste of human refuge made talking an unattractive option even if silence hadn't been the better part of valor.
"So, you know this Guts guy?" Harry asked when they started descending again. "Both you and your sister have mentioned him."
Rickert threw an unseeing glance back to where he knew Silat was walking. "We were part of the Band of the Hawk together. During the Hundred Year War. I couldn't join when they saved Griffith; when everything changed. I was safe while the bastard sacrificed us, broke Casca, and condemned Guts to a life of never-ending combat. We've seen each other a couple of times afterward. He always had to go far too soon. Last time he visited, he told me about what happened. He left to Elfhelm to find a way to cure Casca. You? How do you know him?"
"I haven't met him personally," Harry replied softly. "But I have stayed in the same village he passed through and saved with his companions." He chuckled. "The villagers didn't shut up about him. They also liked to compare me to him."
"Why?" Erica asked with genuine wonder in her voice. "You're way too thin compared to Guts. And old."
Toot's laugh rang out like a bell.
"When I passed by, the village was attacked by a wyvern," the sorcerer replied, ignoring his companion. "I did some good old slaying but was too wounded to move on afterward. So, I did the only thing what I could and taught them how to fight that what goes bump in the dark while waiting to be healed. A damned shame I couldn't leave earlier because we didn't know… Hell's Bells, that bitch might not have attacked the village without me around."
"Lize would hit you over the head if she caught you thinking that." Toot patted his liege on the back.
"I know, it's just… Nevermind. The sewers aren't the place and this isn't the time to open that can of worms. What about you Jafar?"
"Silat," the Kushan growled. "I've met the Black Swordsman as well."
They turned a corner and the air became almost breathable.
"How do you know where to go?" Rickert asked when it became clear Silat had said all he wanted to.
"Magic!" he simply stated with a grin plastered over his face while rummaging through his pockets.
They stopped before the next corner and peaking around it, Rickert could see that it was their exit.
A murmuring followed by a grinding sound made him look back and he noticed that the wizard had reconfigured the very stones to form a bowl that somehow contained clean water.
"Alright, before I start, let's make clear what I'm going to do – what we're going to do afterward," Harry lectured while fire was willed into existence underneath. "I'm going to make what's called a potion. We will drink this potion and it's very important we all really want to get as far into that forest on the other side of the bars. What will happen then is that we'll become the wind for a short while and get there unseen. Any questions?"
"The wind?" Erica asked in wonder.
"Yes. Through magic." Harry waggled his ears. "Don't worry it should perfectly safe as long as we won't mix potions – which we can't and thus won't."
"How long will it take?" Silat asked while propping himself up against the wall on a dry and relatively clean section.
"We'll be gone before the first light of dawn."
With that, the questions were done. Rickert and Erica watched him add the weird, wild, and frankly impossible ingredients into the bowl. The Kushans and the elf slept while Harry was only too eager to tell the ones who were still awake about how the potions were made. What the core principles behind them were.
True to his words, the brew was done before even the red of a new day was on the horizon and they were standing in front of the seemingly impassible barrier.
"Remember," Harry spoke while holding his own stone cup. "Imagine a breeze flying through the trees. Really picture yourself flying after Toot-Toot through the forest."
He looked everyone in between the eyes.
"Jafar, your group goes first."
The Kushans glared at him but otherwise drained their cups in unison. Erica gasped when in the next moment they were simply gone, a swift breeze following their wake forming the only reminder that they had been there.
Rickert tried to see them reappear in the forest but it was simply too dark. A brief speck of light was the only sign they arrived safely at Toot's side.
"Are you ready?" he asked his sister.
Instead of answering, she simply emptied her cup and disappeared.
With a curse, Rickert followed suit.
He felt his mind expand. His body became unshackled.
Countless of giggling insects begged to play with him, danced around him, and offered to carry him off to wherever he wanted. With a force of will, Rickert reminded himself of his sister who'd be alone with the Kushans. He willed himself to be at her side.
Exhilaration flooded him as he simply moved through the air. A moment later he felt himself reforming
Erica tackled him in a joyous giggling fit and he found himself unable to resist.
It took a while before Harry appeared before them since he erased as much of the evidence he could before leaving as well.
A sheepish grin was on his face while mumbling something about sylphs.
It didn't matter to Rickert. They escaped Falconia.
They escaped it and they had found a powerful potential ally who seemed eager to fight against Griffith and his monsters.
A grim smile spread across his face.
Meeting up with Guts suddenly didn't seem such an impossible task.
Either way, it is written now: the meeting between Dresden and the first characters of the Berserk cast. I hope I was able to do it justice. And before anyone asks, I didn't forget about Daiba. He simply had a vision what was about to come and decided staying away from it all was the wiser course of Action.
May whatever speck of benevolence is left have Mercy on Midland.
Chapter 12.3
A flash lit up the sky and for a moment, silence distracted both monster and the human combatants – their deadly struggle halted for a moment as they tried to figure out what had just occurred.
Rickert in awe as even from his distance to the castle, he just knew what happened even if he had no idea how it came to be.
The debris that was launched into the air, illuminated by the flash that turned night into day for the briefest of moments. It was the dreaded colosseum that had been a deciding factor in rejecting the thing that Griffith had become with a vigor that startled him.
Pandemonium was blown to smithereens by an explosion of a strength he hadn't dared dream about just moments ago.
The shockwave that rattled the blinds of the buildings and elicited panicked shouts from inside put an end to the referee.
As did the fact that the liquid fire the two behemoths were spraying at the amorphous blob of darkness was diverted by the same blast and threatened to splash onto the buildings.
Rickert sighed in relief that the Kushans stopped spraying the oil in time to prevent burning down the house where Erica, Luca, and the rest were hiding. It was a short-lived one when darkness descended upon the plaza like a smothering blanket. Much of the fire that previously illuminated the place and protected them against the enormous tenebrous war demon was snuffed out
Including the ones that had set him ablaze only moments ago.
The torch one of the Tapasa carried brought the shadows to life making them mocking caricatures of the people they originated from. Taunting the group. Threatening them.
"Set him ablaze," Silat shouted over the growing cackle that seemed to surround them all, launching a chakram at a point only he could see.
"Fufufufu," their tormentor whispered with chilling glee. "The lights are out. Death is in the air."
Rickert took a firmer hold of his flint and grabbed a handful of his bombs. He hoped it would be enough to inconvenience the monster that was hunting them.
"You'll soon join them," the stalker hissed from behind him.
Another stream of fire arched through the air in search of the lethal cloud that was stalking the living.
Instead of just their prey, it also illuminated a girl sneaking around the edge, carrying a tube. Shadows moved towards her with bone-chilling laughter.
Rickert was only vaguely aware of the flashes of blue light that appeared in the sky as he ran towards his sister in all but blood.
"ERICA!" he shouted while the girl was wrapped up by claws and supernatural cloth.
Incoherent screams came from the war demon as he righted itself, turning its mask to face the gathered adversaries.
"Now, now," it tutted as the mask snapped further to where Silat was sneaking around. "Don't go around and surprise me, young master. Something tragic might happen. A snap and a pop is all it takes. I'm so hungry."
Again, the demon cackled and all Rickert do in the dwindling light was to gesture at the tube that lay at the Kushan's feet.
Rickert's thought raced while he tried to find a way to safe Erica; to save his family from the clutches of the maleficent entity that had made it its goal to hunt him down. Just because it saw a rival in him. Because Rickert was the one who hurt the thing Griffith had become before it could.
The streak of silver that passed over the demon first seemed one of the Kushan's chakrams that only managed to slightly inconvenience it before.
That assessment changed immediately after when the line it left on the demon began smoldering and bellows of impotent rage and pain filled the air.
The streak made a second pass and Rickert made a mad dash towards his tube. He vaguely noticed that the giant men now each had a torch and were moving around. Silat let fly another kind of metallic gleams flew towards his former clansman while reaching the weapon Erica brought.
Rickert saw the kick coming before it happened and caught his experimental weapon with an ease that surprised himself. It helped that the rotation brought it just into the right position for an easy catch.
Dropping down to a crouch, Rickert did his best to check the state his weapon was in – it wasn't one he could afford malfunctioning. Not when more than just his life was on the line.
He tuned out the childish cries of agony coming from the monster that still held Erica and forced calm upon himself while he removed the rocket.
Silat was yelling command to his guards when he put the working projectile back into the tube. Dread threatened to take hold on him when he full well knew that while it was their best chance to end the monster, it would also certainly mean the end of his sister if he couldn't free her first.
Beginnings of a wish died in their cradle when he saw a tall form fall from the sky.
A weird-sounding shout thundered through the night sky and attracted the attention of the demon that held Erica hostage.
A gust of air billowed out of nowhere and with a primal cry the tall figure pierced the writhing shadow given substance, barreling it down to the ground with his sheer mass.
Erica flew out of his grasp and Rickert was relieved to see his former enemy dash to catch the girl.
Where previously the mysterious streaks caused small smoldering, this new attack set the demon alight. It buckled and fought to throw off the new assailant while Rickert felt the air grow colder. Rime grew over the undulating shadows while the spear that impaled it began to glow, illuminating the feral smile on the man that had fallen out of the sky.
"Do you know him?" Rickert whispered when Silat pushed his sister into his arms.
Tension seemed to threaten to rip apart the Kushan while he watched the sheets of ice grow, immobilizing the shadows trapped beneath.
"No," the assassin finally answered. "I know of no such sorcerer."
Blinding light illuminated the plaza, stone cracked, and ice exploded while a miniature sun ate away the head of the shadow.
"Show off." Rickert barely stopped himself from being startled by the figure casually floating beside him all of the sudden.
If he wasn't holding onto Erica, he wasn't sure if he'd still have the rocket. Or his life.
Letting his eyes wander over the armored humanoid there were two things that stood out. The first was that even though the creature seemed to be of the same kind of Puck who accompanied, somehow this one was armed to the teeth. Two bloodied swords were held in his hands and armor glistened with silver. His expression wasn't that of an oblivious and mischievous fool which seemed to be Puck's favorite.
Rickert felt a shudder take hold over him when the last unnatural light died down, highlighting the face that was hidden in the helmet of the elf. If his face reminded Rickert of someone, he would have picked Guts himself. Bloodlust and joy seemed to fill the elf's very being at the sight of the smoldering crater his companion had caused.
The second thing that put Rickert on edge was the size of the elf. The armored figure stood more than three times the length of the only other elf he had seen.
With a feeling dread, Rickert realized that the streaks of silver that allowed Erica to be saved was the elf casually floating beside him. One that had been too fast to react against.
Looking at his hired help, Rickert saw that Silat had long dismissed the supernatural creature and was instead focused on the figure that was approaching them as non-threatening as possible. Which wasn't working too well between what they witnessed, the still softly glowing spear he carried, and the length that put him one head taller than even Guts.
"Come with me if you want to live," the stranger stated, offering a hand just outside the reach of the dangerous assassin.
A dry slap sounded beside Rickert. "I do apologize for my liege lack of immediate intelligence. What he meant to say was that he's currently being hunted down and he assumes you are as well considering your previous predicament."
"Hey!" was all Rickert and his companions understood before they slipped into an unknown language but were clearly bickering.
"Do you think Puck could look as cool as this one?" Erica asked with bright eyes, sensing the conversation had halted for a moment.
Rickert opened his mouth but was cut off by more cracking and shifting behind the newcomer.
"How many times do you simpletons need reminding? How many masks must you destroy?" Shadows billowed out from behind their airborne aid. "What looks to be a face is not guaranteed to be."
Rickert felt his arm snap up towards the looming mass of darkness while Erica went through his pouches for the flint and bombs.
Needles flew into the demon and Rickert swore he could see the eyes of the newcomer grow wide for a moment when he saw his newest invention. With what could only be a curse, the tall man dropped to the ground before Rickert could instruct him to do so.
He knew the monster was too close to use the rocket safely but nothing else seemed to work. It was a choice between certain death and a chance to survive.
He triggered the mechanism of his weapon and the rocket flew into the centrum of the undulating mass of dark cloth.
Rickert dropped to his knees as soon as he fired to offer whatever little protection he could give to Erica. In the process, he noticed that the Kushans had rushed into cover faster than the eye could see.
Once again, night turned into day and his teeth clattered due to the noise the explosion made. It wasn't just a mere firework rocket that was loaded into the weapon. He had spent time during the few stops on his journey to tinker with the design, to experiment with the shape and load. This rocket could easily level a building if it hit directly.
Strangely, however, the shrapnel he expected didn't reach him and the noise wasn't as bad as he knew it should be either.
"Wow," his sister's soft utterance of wonder assuaged his fears that their last trump had been a dud. As did the soft blue glow reflected in those curious eyes.
The newcomer, the so-called liege of an elf climbed to his feet with an outstretched hand while flickering ghostly images of a mostly invisible construct stood between him and the explosion.
A shield.
The realization hit him with a certainty he didn't know where it came from. He knew it was the source of the flashes he spotted in the sky moments before the situation shifted from bad to worse.
An otherworldly screech echoed through the alleyways leading to the plaza. In a moment, the fluttering pieces of seeming fabric pulled themselves together and launched upwards.
The man snarled something in a language that vaguely reminded Rickert of that he heard the priest speak so long ago.
The spot of darkness was set ablaze while its cries of agony redoubled. A soft glow seemed to accumulate around the stranger that had literally dropped in to help them.
Tiny lights seem to dance and flicker while apparently eagerly floating towards the point of his spear. The weapon he was aiming at the retreating monster.
"Thank you for providing a clear shot;" he whispered through the parody of a grin that distorted his face.
Another bellow in a strange language was all the warning Rickert got before a thick pole of white flames pierced the night sky. Less than a heartbeat later it joined with the ball of flames in the sky.
The demon simply ceased to be as it was consumed by the greedy flames and sight left Rickert completely.
"I'm Harry," the stranger introduced himself while hauling the blinking Rickert up unto his feet. A white streak seemed to be burned into his eyes.
The elf swept down from the skies, wildly gesturing towards a point near the castle. Another command passed the sorcerer's lips and thick mist covered the improvised arena.
"This is Toot," Harry continued with less energy than before. "I guessed that you were in a similar bind as I was when my lieutenant-general informed me about what he saw. So, I made a detour since the air wasn't safe anyway."
"Erica," the smith introduced his sister who was cautiously approaching the elf. "And I'm Rickert. Why did you say the air wasn't safe?"
"A friend of the Grue is hunting me down and damned dangerous with his horn bow," he replied with a nonchalance that was fitting of someone who was apparently able to set fire to the very skies. "Also, Panzerfaust, can you tell your buddies to get out of hiding? I can smell you and frankly, none of us have time for a game of hide and seek. Or a paranoia marathon. Which I'd win anyway."
Rickert was about to ask who he meant with that name when Silat reappeared beside him. "While I'm grateful to accept your help putting down the disgrace to our clan, I'm curious what you did to warrant the personal attention of the war demons."
"First off, I didn't do it for you Jafar -"
"Silat," the Kushan corrected while his two bodyguards puffed themselves up to defend their chief's honor.
" - like I was saying, Jafar, I definitely didn't do it for you beyond the basic principle that I won't let these monsters prey upon more humans if I can stop it. So tell Humpty and Dumpty to cool it. The second reason is very closely related to the first one." A snarl slipped into the sorcerer's voice at the last bit.
"He destroyed that arena without informing those inside it," the elf clarified with a cold glint in his eyes and moved his hands apart in a dramatic version. "Boom."
"I'm not kind to buildings," Harry confirmed while fiddling with a bracelet. "But enough talk and more work on de-assing ourselves out of the area. Erhm at least in my case. I have to certainly leave."
"We're hired to protect the boy," Silat supplied without moving his eyes from the armored sorcerer.
"I have to go as well," Rickert admitted when he felt Harry's eyes bore into a point in between his own. "Sir Locus is unlikely to rest before I'm dead."
Harry's eyebrows rose slightly to that statement. "What about her?"
Rickert squeezed his sister closer. "She's family. Those monsters will use her to get to me. They can try coming through me."
"Good," the sorcerer replied after a short pause. "Those are good eyes. Now anyone has an idea how to get out of here? I can provide for some distraction but it's too close to Castle von Doom and I don't want to chance it with Shaggy the sniper stalking about. The air is right out as well."
"We found that the sewers are large enough to move through and lead to the walls," Silat provided easily. "However, the exits are blocked with strong steel and it's a labyrinth we haven't explored to its full extent."
"I can probably take care of the obstacle."
"An explosion will make this whole exercise futile." The elf laughed at the Kushan's assessment from atop Erica's head.
"I can do more than just that," Harry whispered in resignation. "You're okay with that plan Panzer?"
"Me?" Rickert asked. "I don't see any other means if the flight is truly out of the question."
"It is and contrary to what you might think, I'm more an elegant faller. I can't truly fly." Toot tutted to show his clear displeasure.
"I've done worse when with the Band and between us all Erica should be safe as well."
"What about Luca?" his sister asked unhappily. "I didn't say goodbye when I brought the launcher. She's going to miss us."
"We have to go," Rickert hugged his sister while carefully avoiding the arrow sticking out of his shoulder. That beam of fire was bright enough to light up the city. Demons are coming."
With a sad smile, he saw determination take hold in his sister's face as she blinked away the first tears.
"Goodbye, Luca! Goodbye Pepe! Goodbye Fouquet!" she shouted into the unnatural mist as they wordlessly followed the Kushans to their escape route.
The entrance was small and blocked by a heavy stone. Rickert watched in surprised shock when one of the mountains that walked as men lifted it with ease to let everyone in. A surprise that redoubled when they seemingly folded into themselves to contort themselves inside.
With the stone lifted bag to its rightful place it took a felt eternity of wandering through the stench-filled corridors. The silence and the eerie blue light shining from Harry's trinket gave time for introspection and reflection on the situation.
Things like comprehending that he didn't have any plans beyond getting away from Griffith started to weigh heavier as did the knowledge of what potential danger lay ahead. That Erica was forced to flee because of his uncharacteristic impulsiveness on the bridge.
It didn't help that the arrow in his shoulder began to hurt more now that they had time to cool down; that they had been forced to cool and quiet down. Nobody wanted to take chances with the war demons that were no doubt patrolling the streets.
"So, what did you do to earn the wrath of chrome bug?" Harry finally broke the silence when a distant sound of falling water was heard.
"Locus," the elf clarified with a timing that seemed practiced.
Rickert rubbed the back of his head with his good hand. "He showed me the place where he and the fellow war demons could be themselves. It made me realize the true meaning of what Guts told me before he left. That Griffith I knew was no more and that someone - something else had taken his place. I slapped him."
The twinkling in Harry's eyes did little to hide the predatory nature of his smile. "Ha! You slapped his beloved Griffith and lived? How did you do that?"
"Griffith just let me go," Rickert answered while ignoring the annoyed gazes of the Kushans. "It was only later today that Rakshas showed up to kill me."
"Locus spoke to them after the boy left," Silat confirmed softly. "The demon told them about how he was the first one to hurt Griffith."
"That sounds like the old classic. Getting rid of someone who insulted his boss by siccing another one he doesn't like on them. Two birds, one potential stone. I knew I had my reasons not to like that bug. Good on you for slapping his beloved boss. I don't know the details but this place felt fishy before I even knew human sacrifice was involved at one point."
They stopped at thick steel bars standing in multiple layers thick and in different angles that barred the way forward.
"What now?" Silat whispered.
"Now it's time for more magic," Harry replied while fiddling around with his bracelet.
He took a step and ice formed underneath it, making him look even taller than before. For a moment a wind seemed to gather around him, water accumulated onto the ice he was standing on.
Once more, Harry intonated words Rickert couldn't decipher and an icy, watery form launched itself through the barricade.
With a slight hesitation, the bracelet was put on again. "So, let's go."
"Go where?" the assassin asked with poison creeping into his voice. "You said you could get us out and the only thing I've seen was you being loud and asking for attention. Your spell didn't even make sense."
"We escape through the other side while aqua-me is trying to distract a chrome-plated ass, duh." Harry roled his eyes and Rickert could feel them stop at the arrow. "You're going to be okay with that? It's going to get infected if you're not careful."
Before Rickert could ask what he meant with infected, Erica already answered for him. "That's no problem! Just remove it and add bit of Toot's dust and it's as good as new."
A dead silence fell onto the sorcerer as he stopped mid-step. "His dust?"
"Yes," Erica confirmed with a nod while holding an increasingly confused elf.
"His dust can heal wounds?"
"Puck told me so and he should know because he's an elf like him." His sister scratched her head. "Well, he complained that Guts abused him as a flying cure but it was his dust. He healed my finger when I got a big splinter stuck inside it."
The temperature seemed to drop. "Toot, is this true?"
"I'm not sure?" the elf suggested. "What she said does make sense in a weird kind of way."
"Panzer, how can you handle pain?" Harry finally asked after a couple of deep breaths. "I need you to be at full capacity for the next bit and I don't want to risk you getting sick. I'm going to remove the arrow and see whether my lieutenant-general has suddenly developed a very handy skill without noticing. If that doesn't work I likely have to scorch the wound."
Instead of answering, Rickert pulled the arrow out with a grimace. "Do it."
Harry's hand moved to grab his helper only for the latter to evade it and just start shaking over the bleeding wound. It was difficult to tell who of the two was more surprised by the fact that it indeed closed.
"We'll have words when we're out," was all Harry said, defeated and tired, before starting to move in the opposite direction of the barrier.
Rickert followed suite together with his sister while Silat's group formed the rearguard.
The stench redoubled and the slope upwards was making itself known when they retraced their steps back into the maze. The thick taste of human refuge made talking an unattractive option even if silence hadn't been the better part of valor.
"So, you know this Guts guy?" Harry asked when they started descending again. "Both you and your sister have mentioned him."
Rickert threw an unseeing glance back to where he knew Silat was walking. "We were part of the Band of the Hawk together. During the Hundred Year War. I couldn't join when they saved Griffith; when everything changed. I was safe while the bastard sacrificed us, broke Casca, and condemned Guts to a life of never-ending combat. We've seen each other a couple of times afterward. He always had to go far too soon. Last time he visited, he told me about what happened. He left to Elfhelm to find a way to cure Casca. You? How do you know him?"
"I haven't met him personally," Harry replied softly. "But I have stayed in the same village he passed through and saved with his companions." He chuckled. "The villagers didn't shut up about him. They also liked to compare me to him."
"Why?" Erica asked with genuine wonder in her voice. "You're way too thin compared to Guts. And old."
Toot's laugh rang out like a bell.
"When I passed by, the village was attacked by a wyvern," the sorcerer replied, ignoring his companion. "I did some good old slaying but was too wounded to move on afterward. So, I did the only thing what I could and taught them how to fight that what goes bump in the dark while waiting to be healed. A damned shame I couldn't leave earlier because we didn't know… Hell's Bells, that bitch might not have attacked the village without me around."
"Lize would hit you over the head if she caught you thinking that." Toot patted his liege on the back.
"I know, it's just… Nevermind. The sewers aren't the place and this isn't the time to open that can of worms. What about you Jafar?"
"Silat," the Kushan growled. "I've met the Black Swordsman as well."
They turned a corner and the air became almost breathable.
"How do you know where to go?" Rickert asked when it became clear Silat had said all he wanted to.
"Magic!" he simply stated with a grin plastered over his face while rummaging through his pockets.
They stopped before the next corner and peaking around it, Rickert could see that it was their exit.
A murmuring followed by a grinding sound made him look back and he noticed that the wizard had reconfigured the very stones to form a bowl that somehow contained clean water.
"Alright, before I start, let's make clear what I'm going to do – what we're going to do afterward," Harry lectured while fire was willed into existence underneath. "I'm going to make what's called a potion. We will drink this potion and it's very important we all really want to get as far into that forest on the other side of the bars. What will happen then is that we'll become the wind for a short while and get there unseen. Any questions?"
"The wind?" Erica asked in wonder.
"Yes. Through magic." Harry waggled his ears. "Don't worry it should perfectly safe as long as we won't mix potions – which we can't and thus won't."
"How long will it take?" Silat asked while propping himself up against the wall on a dry and relatively clean section.
"We'll be gone before the first light of dawn."
With that, the questions were done. Rickert and Erica watched him add the weird, wild, and frankly impossible ingredients into the bowl. The Kushans and the elf slept while Harry was only too eager to tell the ones who were still awake about how the potions were made. What the core principles behind them were.
True to his words, the brew was done before even the red of a new day was on the horizon and they were standing in front of the seemingly impassible barrier.
"Remember," Harry spoke while holding his own stone cup. "Imagine a breeze flying through the trees. Really picture yourself flying after Toot-Toot through the forest."
He looked everyone in between the eyes.
"Jafar, your group goes first."
The Kushans glared at him but otherwise drained their cups in unison. Erica gasped when in the next moment they were simply gone, a swift breeze following their wake forming the only reminder that they had been there.
Rickert tried to see them reappear in the forest but it was simply too dark. A brief speck of light was the only sign they arrived safely at Toot's side.
"Are you ready?" he asked his sister.
Instead of answering, she simply emptied her cup and disappeared.
With a curse, Rickert followed suit.
He felt his mind expand. His body became unshackled.
Countless of giggling insects begged to play with him, danced around him, and offered to carry him off to wherever he wanted. With a force of will, Rickert reminded himself of his sister who'd be alone with the Kushans. He willed himself to be at her side.
Exhilaration flooded him as he simply moved through the air. A moment later he felt himself reforming
Erica tackled him in a joyous giggling fit and he found himself unable to resist.
It took a while before Harry appeared before them since he erased as much of the evidence he could before leaving as well.
A sheepish grin was on his face while mumbling something about sylphs.
It didn't matter to Rickert. They escaped Falconia.
They escaped it and they had found a powerful potential ally who seemed eager to fight against Griffith and his monsters.
A grim smile spread across his face.
Meeting up with Guts suddenly didn't seem such an impossible task.
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Alphaleph
The Firstiest of First
Welcome back.
Well Rickert, the problem is not meeting with Guts. It's that you have to wonder how much of the world is going to be scorched in the process.