GOVMANSION STORY LAST CHAPTER

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	GOVMANSION STORY LAST CHAPTER - GovTeen Forums Ok, this thread is going to track this story as I write it. I am going to keep this first post as a place to have the whole story, in its entirety, posted. That way, new readers won't have to sift through however many pages to get the whole thing, and I can update it easily. This is the most updated version. Here it is. Part I<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com ffice ffice" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Chapter 1<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The sword flashed menacingly as he drew it from the finely crafted scabbard, the hilt plain but well-made, and the sword weighing some two pounds, a thin, far-eastern thing. Razor sharp, the man, really little more than a boy, carried it with practiced caution. He was of a normal height, and his dark hair, complexion, and eyes brought to mind deserts and mysterious chanting. He wore a suit of extremely fine chain mail, though his head was uncovered. After a brief twirl, he assumed a guard, his weapon pointed across the room where a slighter figure stood, this one female and wearing a head wrap to keep her long, auburn hair out of her green eyes. She too wore chain mail, and carried a sword, though her grip was less steady than that of the man. Suddenly, the man charged with a flurry of thrusts, his scabbard thrown aside. The woman was set back on her heels, though she managed to parry each of the well placed blows. Then man spun and came in hard with an arcing slice. The woman ducked deftly underneath and swept out at the mans foot. He jumped straight up, over her extended leg, and twisted, extending his own leg and delivering a kick to the womans back that sent her sprawling. She dived into a well controlled roll, coming to her feet and turning immediately to launch her own series of slashes and thrusts. The man came on the defensive, parrying each of them. In reaction to one particularly vicious thrust that would have run him through, he dropped to the floor in a split, then spun his legs out, catching the woman on the hip and the heel and flipping her onto her back. Immediately, the man was on her. Before he could press the sword against her throat, she kicked him in the head, making him sprawl. She reacted faster than he had, placing her blade across his Adams apple before he could even recover from the kick. He dropped his sword, and turned his palms towards the ceiling to indicate his surrender. The woman stood, triumphant, a brilliant smile growing across her fair face. I win, good sir, she said mockingly. That you do, love, replied the man on the floor, resting his head and gazing at the ceiling, trying to contain his smile. He stood up and started stripping off his armor, which was sweaty from the byproduct of several hours of sparring. She pouted. You arent going to congratulate me? she said. The man had his back turned to her, and she could not see him smile as he said Well, Hilary, I mightve given you that last one. He turned in time to catch the roundhouse kick aimed for his face. He stepped nimbly in and caught her leg, taking her off balance, and sweeping her off her feet, into what wouldve passed for an excellent dance move had she not been struggling to escape his grasp. He placed her gently on the floor, kiss her lips fleetingly, then straightened up and continued undressing, walking over and laying his armor on the rack next to the bed in the corner of the room. Ben, you ruin everything, whined Hilary jokingly Too true, he murmured, finally removing all his clothing and going into the bathroom to start showering. He had only just turned on the water when Hilary stepped into the bathroom, similarly disrobed in a rather startlingly short period of time. Mind if I join you? she asked alluringly. Ben turned again so she would not see his smirk. I guess if you want to, he said slowly. Suddenly, she grabbed his head and kissed him fiercely, before pushing him into the large, curtain-less shower. * * * <o:p></o:p> In another room, not too far away, a telephone rang. Once, twice, three times, until finally a voice answered Hi, youve reached <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com ffice:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary-</st1:place></st1:City> a deep rumbling noise drowned out the surname. -eave a message, it continued, issuing a short beep. A voice spoke out of the box now, a new one, this one yelling GARY! <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">GARY</st1:place></st1:City>! You need to get down here NOW, the speakers British accent made the message even more intimidating. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">GARY</st1:place></st1:City>! Damn it all. Wake up! Im going to ki- the voice cut off, as a groggy teenager answered Hello? <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place>? sounded the very British and very irritated voice. What, Jon? Its so early, he said, suppressing a yawn. Its 2 pm, said Jon, sounding rueful. Weve an emergency. Come down he- <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Hung up on him, and rose, slowly. Putting on a robe and some slippers, he shuffled to the door of his flat. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Was walking down the hall way, which stretched out of sight in both directions. A strange property of the GovMansion, the enormous, mysterious boarding house in which <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Resided, was its Herculean size. From outside, it appeared to stretch for miles, though it never seemed to take particularly long to get from one part to another. None of the current residents had even been alive when the Mansion was built, and no accurate blueprints had ever been discovered. Whenever surveyors had been hired to examine the building, they never were able to explain why the outside of the house was much larger than the interior. The math simply did not work out. Even standing inside, one could wonder how it would be possible to ever get from one part of the hallway to the other, but somehow it was always a very quick walk, no matter how many rooms stood between you and your destination, it never took more than about 5 minutes to get anywhere. However, the owners of the Mansion were privy to information that might confuse the residents were it ever made public: as the room numbers got higher, the distances between rooms seemed to get larger. It took longer and longer to get between rooms, though the distances appeared at first glance to be much smaller than on the lower floors. All this was running through his mind, and he mused that the person living in the highest number room was Ben, in #652, some two dozen floors or more above <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s head. Ben was in remarkable shape, though visitors to his room were often winded by the time they got there, feeling as though they had been walking for hours, though upon looking at their watches, it was noted that very little time had actually passed. Well, thought <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place>, that was just part of what made life here so inter- A sudden, outrageously loud crash shook <st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City> Out of his thoughts, and indeed, shook the entire building so hard that <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Was knocked to the ground. The shaking continued for two or three seconds, and then subsided. Dust was drifting down from the ceiling, and several of the lights had fallen down. All of a sudden, the power shut off with a low whir of defeat, and emergency lights flickered to life all along the hallway. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Rushed back to his room and retrieved both his key which gave him access, as an Owner, to the most secret parts of the Mansion, and emergency plans. He sighed, then rushed to the stairwell and quickly went one flight down, and emerged into the center lobby of the Mansion. A crowd was already forming around a figure identifiable through the haze of dust in the air as Jon. He was standing on a raised platform, newly erected, next to a slightly shorter figure, wearing a dark cloak and a mask which concealed his face: Sparticus, another mysterious owner of the Mansion, and a powerful Magician. This is going to be fun, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Murmured darkly, as the Mansion gave yet another rumble. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Ben and Hilary were shocked from their revels by the crash. Ben quickly ran out of the bathroom and wrapped himself in a towel, Hilary following. Throwing open the door to his apartment, he rushed into the hallway and glanced to the right. All was normal, except for the lack of normal lights and the presence of the emergency floods. Then, he looked slowly to his left, noting as he turned the faint whiff of what he thought was brimstone that permeated the hallway. There, at the end of the hallway, was a large rock, a boulder really, embedded in the wall. It was actually quite huge, and the wall behind was crumbling around it. Hilary emerged next to him. Whoa, she said amazedly. Where did that come from? I dont know, Hil, I just dont know Ben replied absently. He returned to his room and walked across the large training floor to a spot where the light seemed to bend as though there were large invisible lens floating some three feet above the ground. Ben stood next to it and gazed in. A desert scene greeted his eyes, and he felt, for perhaps the thousandth time, that if he merely leaned a bit further, he could fall in. Indeed, he knew this to be truth. The desert was a strange anomaly, a pocket dimension which just happened to be located in his room. Inside, there was a dust storm swirling, not usually. Suddenly, the ground shook again, and Ben stumbled a bit. As this happened, the scene within the desert started to crack, as though the dimension was dissolving. Ben started to fall in, losing his balance over the portal. Suddenly, a hand grabbed him under the shoulder and yanked him back. Hilary started pulling him back to the hallway, where he saw that the doorway to the stairs was about to collapse, and that the boulder had shifted menacingly, threatening to fall through the floor, perhaps taking the stairs with it, thus eliminating their only means of escape. Ben and Hilary raced down the hallway. By the time the were nearing the stairwell, Hilary was winded, and Ben picked her up and frantically carried her the rest of the way. As they passed the boulder into the stairwell, Ben saw, for a fleeting moment, the words carved, as though by a chisel, into the boulder, before the doorway collapsed, leaving them in darkness. Chapter 2<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> We need to evacuate the Mansion! This is the end of everything! I always knew something like this would happen, and now it has. Throughout the crowded lobby, numerous voices were calling out, some fearful, some with grimly knowing tones, and some in pure hysteria. Some, like Jon, however, were calm. Please, quiet down everybody! he called, his voice magically magnified by Sparticus. We need to begin. The room quieted slowly but surely, all those crowded into the large, plush lobby taking seats that had been conjured earlier that day. The appearance of the boulder was only some thirty six hours past, but to Jon it already seemed surreal. It had been Saturday, and though the day had started out normal enough, it had quickly shown itself to be averse to normality of any kind. A report reached Jon via his cell phone that satellites had picked up an enormously powerful storm system, developing as if from nowhere immediately over the Mansion. Jon thanked his informant, but assured him that they were prepared for everything, only to receive another phone call soon after. Jon, its tornadic. You all need to take shelter! Jons face turned white, and he walked over to the window of the Control Room. The storm which had sprung up outside was vicious, pounding the Mansion mercilessly, but the building could handle it. However, in the distance, he saw a cloud which appeared to be rotating, and suddenly the rain stopped, and the clouds took on a sickly, greenish appearance. Thats when he called <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Before <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Could arrive however, Sparticus walked into the room, carrying a bag of spell components, foci for his powerful incantations, and strode to the door. He paused, and turned. Youve seen the storm? he asked, his voice obscured by the mask he wore. Yes, replied Jon darkly. Im going to go stop it, raise a shield over the Mansion. Keep everyone inside, he sounded dubious, as though not sure of himself. Before Jon could reply, however, he has swept out the door. At that moment, however, something happened that drew Jons attention away from Sparticus. The Mansion shook violently. Jon, fearing that the tornado was already upon them, ran to the window, and saw Sparticus chanting and moving his hands rhythmically, in the throws of spellcasting, with a funnel of dark clouds swirling towards them menacingly. The Mansion shook again, and Jon ran into the lobby, where a chandelier had fallen, scattering shattered shards of glass around the marble floor. Just then, the first residents started pouring out the stairwell into the lobby. Just then, Sparticus stumbled back in the door, looking faint. Its done, he murmured weakly. He then collapsed. Adam, a resident and a member of the Mansion militia, rushed forward, catching Sparticus and carrying him over to the corner. Steve ran over to help as well, and within a moment they had Sparticus awake and resting. Sparticus waved his hand briefly and muttered a word in a language no one could identify, and a table sprung into existence among the hysterical crowd. Jon and Sparticus clambered up, just as <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Walked into the room. The next day, they had called a mandatory meeting of all residents. So, we have called you here today to discuss the events of yesterday, said Jon, nodding around to the other owners who were assembled on the raised platform. There was Steve, who was looking grim. Sparticus, who was still faint, was sitting closed-mouthed on a chair. And there was Gary, who somehow seemed cheerful despite the gravity of the situation. Suddenly, a girl with a small frame and long, brown hair stood. We want to know everything. Dont try to hide facts from us, she proclaimed, sounding strained yet intent on ensuring that they knew what was going on. Jon stared her down. Courtney, rest assured that you will all know exactly whats pertinent to the situation, he said, though he last words were drowned out among a chorus of shouts of protest. A tall boy stood and spoke in a Northern accent. Shes right. Full disclosure is a must. Why should we trust you all to decide whats best for us? he said fairly. Courtney flashed him a brilliant smile, before turning to hear who else was speaking. I think we should let them manage the situation as they see fit, said the boy, who was quite short, though had fairly mature composure to him. Theyve managed to keep up out of trouble for this long, why should nt we trust them? This met a chorus of agreement from some, who had rallied to Jeff, the speakers, side, which was quickly drowned out by more shouts of displeasure from others, particularly the females of the Mansion. In the back of the room, Ben and Hilary were sitting with a fairly short boy, with brown hair and a bemused look on his face. They were conversing in rapid, hushed tones, glancing around at the chaos that was breaking out around them. They looked unsettled. Finally, they stood up. Ben, the tallest, peered over the crowd and caught Sparticus eye, and mimed to him that he would like to speak. Sparticus, nodding curtly, cast a spell to magnify Bens voice. LISTEN! he boomed, stunning Hilary and Daniel, who was the boy sitting next to Ben, his deep, resonating tones echoing around the room. The clamor died down, and Ben strode quickly to the platform and jumped up to speak. Jon blocked his way. What do you think youre doing? he said sternly. Commanding the audiences attention, a task at which you seem to have failed spectacularly, responded Ben disdainfully. Jon, let him talk, said Steve, jumping up at once. Ben nodded his thanks. He might have something important to say, and, after all, hes your lieutenant. Which is exactly why he needs to fall in line and sit down , he snarled menacingly, reaching to the sword hilt at his waist, which everyone knew, when drawn produced a blade of light which cut though all but the finest forged blades. Everyone also knew that Gary and Sparticus wielded similar arms, and Ben was schooled in their use. Ben stepped back, drawing a finely forged dagger from the small scabbard he carried. He knew it would be little use against Jons wicked saber if they came to blows, but he hoped it would give him enough time to get some help before Jon ran him through. The crowd as one leaned back in fright and amazement. Immediately, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Jumped to his feet, pulling out a his sword, which buzzed menacingly, and Sparticus stood up smartly and clapped his hands together with a resounding bang. As though an explosion had taken place, Ben and Jon were both thrown backwards, landing on the floor fifteen feet away looking livid. They were both held down. Sparticus spoke. Jon, calm down. This is not the time. Let Ben speak, this was met by a chorus of boos by those Jeff was sitting with. Finally, Steve spoke, his voice also magically loud. Enough of this, he said, his voice calm despite its fantastic volume. This is not how we handle ourselves. Peace, he looked at Jon, who nodded his resentful assent, and at Sparticus, who was nodding. Straightening himself up, Ben resumed his place, and began to speak. Courty, Brady, Im with you, and I think most of the owners are as well, more or less, he said, glancing pointedly at Jon, who was glowering. And so, Im going to tell you what I know, and the owners can then fill you in on the rest. The shaking was caused by a giant boulder which was ejected from the end of my hallway, by all appearances. It crashed into the wall at the end, and began to fall through the floor. It was monstrous in size, and Im not sure how it didnt cause more damage than it did. The walls all along the hallway to the right of my apartment were torn down, though to the left they were left unscathed. The boulder looked like it might have caused structural damage, he paused. The crowd was silent, and looked fearful. Even Jeffs crew was sitting stock still. Ben took a deep breath, then continued. As I was fleeing, I noticed that the boulder had words carved into it, he stopped, as though unable to continue. Courtney stood. What were they, she said gently. In the back, Hilary looked worried. Ben signed again. Id rather not say, he murmured, his voice weakening for the first time. Steve rose. Thank you Ben, he said. Ill take it from here. Ben returned to his seat, Hilary gazing at him with concerned, questioning eyes. Steve took the floor. Residents, he said calmly, I wonder whether any of you have noticed the weather of late. How it has been growing progressively worse. Of course weve noticed, said another speaker, Laura, who was sitting next to Courtney. How could we not have noticed? Are you saying that these events are connected? Steve chuckled. I am going to tell you he said. Yes, honestly, we do. Sparticus in particular has concerns, which the owners have discussed at length, with Ben who was witness to the boulder itself. We have theories, which I will expound upon briefly now. We do thing there is a connection, but it runs deeper than you might imagine, touching upon a basic aspect of the Mansion to which few of us pay any thought. As you all know, this House is powerfully magical. We believe that these occurrences have something to do with a disruption of the magical fields which surround and infuse the Mansion. Sparty can continue here, where I am afraid my expertise is quite limited. Sparty rose and limped to the front. Yesterday, the House sustained serious structural damage, he said blankly. Titters broke out throughout the crowd. I cast powerful magicks yesterday to rebuild the most severely strained sections, and support the building as a whole, for your safety. What concerns me more, however, is the overall pattern of destruction that has been increasingly commonplace within our residence. As some of you may know, immediately before the Incident occurred yesterday afternoon, the House was under imminent threat from a powerful twister which had sprung up, as if by magic, around the Mansion. I cast a shield to protect us from that danger, only to find yet another within the walls. And I wonder whether any of the guards have noted the increasing incidence of unnatural evils without our walls. Adam, a captain of the Guards, nodded thoughtfully, thinking of a particularly nasty incident several weeks earlier in which he had nearly been killed by what seemed to be a mere shadow. He was beginning to piece things together. So, this is what I believe, continued Sparty. I think that there has been a base disruption to the magic of the building, which has caused all of our problems. The nasty weather, the monsters, and our mysterious boulder. Could it be another wizard? said Court, sounding fearful. Chatter broke out. No, it could not, said Sparty. I am constantly on the lookout for magical infiltration and attack, as is Adam, and my other apprentices. What I think is that our problems are from within. That there is some sort of problem within the Mansion itself. I wonder, Ben, he said, addressing the back of the room, whether there has been anything strange occurring with the pocket dimension accessible through your room. Ben rose, amazed that Sparty could have known. Yes, he said. Oddly enough there has. And it was yesterday, immediately after the Incident. And now that I think about it, there was a particularly vicious dust storm going on within it, more violent a tempest than I have seen since I took up residence in the room. Which confirms both my thoughts, said Sparty, nodding. The danger is both to the actual magical foundations of the House and is coming from within. Ben, what room is located at the very end of your hallway? Well, everyone knows that, said Ben dismissively. Its room- it struck him suddenly, and he understood. The message on the boulder suddenly made perfect sense. Yes, affirmed Sparticus, nodding. Our problem is coming from Room 666, the very End of the GovMansion. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 3<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Silence greeted his words. Some looked stunned, but most looked very confused. Brady rose. What? he offered, sounding very much not in the loop, looking between Sparty and Ben. Ill explain, said Sparty. Ben nodded blankly, and sat down without a word. Sparty seemed to gather himself for a moment before speaking. Have any of you ever given thought to how many rooms the Mansion has? Silence greeted his words. Well, I will tell you, there are exactly 1, 322 rooms. And I am sure you have all noticed how long it takes to get from one place to the other. Within the Mansion, that is. Think about it. There are over a thousand rooms, and there are twenty rooms on each floor. So, the Mansion should be thirteen floors high. Well, I cannot explain this entirely, but I can tell you assuredly that all attempt to survey the inside of the Mansion have yielded startling results. According to every surveyor we have ever had brought in, the Mansion should by all logic be exactly one mile tall, and it extends an equal distance below the ground he paused, and a silence as thick as a rock greeted him. Brady rose again. He appeared to be shivering slightly. But, how is that possible? I mean, weve seen the outside, and it only looks to be around five stories high. But youre telling me that its actually over five thousand feet high? How can you expect us to believe that? I assure you, it is true, replied Sparty. Brady looked more than a little skeptical. So, did Jon. Excuse me? he said, sounding offended. Why wasnt I informed of this? And how can I be expected to accept it as true, he sounded angry. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Stood. Jon, I know its hard to swallow, but why would he lie about it? I mean, really. And it makes sense, doesnt it? No! he exclaimed. Of course it doesnt. Are you mad? Have you ever walked to Ben apartment? Its like running a marathon. Jon shook his head in reply. Its just not possible. I refuse to accept this. Im leaving. And he stormed out. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Made to follow him, but Steve held him back, shaking his head with a melancholy manner. Before anyone could think twice, Brady and several others had followed Jon out of the lobby. Sparty stood. I continue. What is going on now is complicated, though I believe that something is occurring involving the space-time curvature that seems to have in some way radiates from both ends of the Mansion, growing more severe on either end. He sat down smartly, as though unaware of the suddenness and gravity of his pronouncement. After a very awkward moment, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Silently dismissed the gathered crowd. Immediately, chatter broke out as the residents filed from the lobby. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> So, how are we going to handle this? said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Sometime later. He, Sparticus, and Steve were gathered in the control room. Jon appeared to have left the Mansion, and Courtneys attempts to talk to Brady had failed rather spectacularly. All said, things looked rather hopeless. Well have to try to figure out exactly whats wrong with these polar ends of the Mansion, as Sparty calls them. He looked questioningly at Sparty, who nodded. I do not profess to even have begun to scratch the surface of this mystery, but I have several ideas. I believe, first and foremost, that our primary concern is to prevent anything else from being exuded from the positive end. This is what he had taken to calling the top of the Mansion, though in truth he had no particular reason to believe that either end was either charge. We need to send someone in, said Steve, understanding. Sparticus nodded curtly. Who? said Gary, who still seemed more than a little overwhelmed. I have some ideas, said Sparty. He made a brief gesture with his hand. Suddenly, as if from thin air, Ben was standing before them. He was dressed in a long, light cotton robe, pure white, and wore a shawl to cover his head. At his side rested a water skin. What were you doing? said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, worriedly. Before he could answer, Steve did. He was going into the pocket dimension, to look for answer, he said. Ben nodded his assent, still gaining his bearings. Teleportation took a lot of getting used to. So were sending Ben in there by himself? <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Said, hardly daring to believe it. No, replied Sparty. I was thinking we needed another someone with more authority there, he gazed pointedly at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Me? asked <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, almost dazedly. It made sense, thought Ben. Gary, with a potent mixture of skills, including extensive stealth training, as well as lock picking abilities and dozens of little, invaluable tricks, not to mention none too shabby combat skills. Steve stood up. I shall go as well, he proclaimed solemnly, bowing his head. Not so, replied Sparty, shaking his head, a disconcerting gesture due to the mask. If my thoughts prove correct, we may very well need you here. Steve sat down, not seeming disappointed, exactly, but almost as though he blamed himself for some ill or another. Sparticus continued. I, actually, had another thought. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> What? You want me to go? It was sometime later, and though Sparty had declined to explain himself, he had led Ben and Gary on a walk to a particular room in the Mansion. Both knowing who they would find within, they were confused. Why would anyone bring him along? Brian, said Sparticus grimly. It is my wish that you go. He did not offer further explanation. But, why ? said Brian, not understanding in the slightest. He wasnt the only one. Sparty, hes right, said Ben. No offense to you, Brian, but what good will he really prove on a mission like this? <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Nodded his agreement. It is enough that I wish it to be so, said Sparty dismissively. Do you doubt me? Seldom, if ever, replied Ben with a smirk. Brian had other thoughts. Hey! What the hell? Who said I had even agreed to do this? It sounds pretty suicidal to me. You will be well protected, he replied, gesturing carelessly to Ben and Gary. And I will be observing you as often as I can, and can send aid if needed, even come myself for the direst emergencies. But-, he protested haltingly. Before he could finish, Sparty had vanished with a loud crack. He sighed. Guess youre in, said Ben. Still sounding skeptical. He left the room, and motioned to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> To follow. Brian waited till Ben had left. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, I just dont get it, he said, almost whiningly. Gary, who was almost at the door, turned. Neither do I, Brian, but apparently Sparty does. And with that, he exited. Chapter 4<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Sparticus, do you really know whats going on? Steve and Sparticus were by themselves in the control room. It was two days after the conversation with Brian, and Ben, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, and Brian had been preparing nonstop for their mission. There was a hurried, almost frantic tone about the Mansion, as though the mission, news of which had already spread, was what everyone was resting their hopes on. Sparticus, on the other hand, had been spectacularly calm, though this surprised nobody. He had spent great amounts of time in the control room, either by himself or joined in silent company by Steve. This time, Sparty did not reply immediately to Steves query. Steve waited patiently. After several minutes, Sparty stirred from his silence. No, Steve, I do not. I have been trying these last few days to divine exactly how things were going to turn out, and, frighteningly, all my spells have yielded only half answers and a foggy future. The only conclusive answer Ive received is one Id rather not share with you yet, for it involves another, and even now I am unsure of its meaning. Steve nodded, knowing that pushing him further would not yield results. They sat in silence again. After another few minutes, Steve spoke again. What do you plan on doing? This time, Sparticus cocked his. He appeared to be considering his answer carefully. Steve, I think the only answer to do research the old fashioned way. With books. But unfortunately, I have already checked and double-checked my entire collection, which has yielded nothing. No, I think we shall have to go to another for out info. He stood suddenly. Steve did likewise. Who? asked Steve, genuinely curious, and for once letting it through into his speech, which now had an eager bent to it. Sparticus, instead of answering, walked quickly from the room. Steve followed. Well? he said, sounding as expectant as Sparty had ever heard him in their years of friendship. Sparty turned suddenly, and grabbed Steve by the shoulders with an incredible grip and spoke, with more feeling than Steve had ever heard from him. Youll see, Stevie boy, oh yes you will. With that, they both vanished with an angry crackle of lightning and a loud popping sound. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Ben, you need to stop. Ben paid her no heed, continuing to pound on the punching bag with unusual frenzy. Hilary put a hand on his shoulder, and he paused, panting slightly. Why are you doing this to yourself? she asked, sounding quite worried. Ben had been training non-stop since his mysterious meeting with Sparticus, working to exhaustion and returning to the floor with renewed vigor as soon as he was able. I have to be ready, he replied, gently pushing back and continuing his vicious assault on the punching bag. She walked over and lay down on the bed. She spoke to the ceiling. But, for what? she said, more to herself than to Ben. I dont know, I just dont know. He finished off with a side kick. The chains, which suspended the punching bag from the ceiling and bolted into the training floor snapped simultaneously, and the heavy bag was tossed through the air. He paused, conceded defeat, and started to prepare food. He really was hungry. Silently, Hilary smiled to herself. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Brian too had been busy. Immediately upon learning that he would be traveling into an unknown part of a powerfully magical building, he appealed to Adam to give him at least some training with a sword, desperate to not be powerful when (and he was sure it was a when, not an if) Ben and Gary fell, and he was left alone facing some terrible monster, or God knows what else. And, he thought in the back of his mind, it might be nice to live up to whatever expectation Sparticus had of him, which apparently was enough to send him on this perilous mission. Adam, himself a dual disciple of both Sparticus and Steve, began teaching Brian basic survival skills, like how to survive in a forest with no food, and how to skin a deer. Though he didnt know what pertinence such knowledge might have (for what forest was Brian likely to encounter walking through a large building?) something told him that it was appropriate, and Adam made a point of trusting his usually accurate instincts. Brian had taken to such things easily enough, though he had problems trusting himself and grew frustrated easily. Once, Adam thought he saw something stir deep within Brians eyes when he was frightfully angry, but he dismissed it as a trick of the light. Over the last two days (during which they had stopped working only to eat and catch a few brief hours of sleep), they had accomplished much, and had grown more used to the others perpetual presence than either (or Brian, at least) had thought possible, let alone over such a brief period. Having already mastered the very basics, Adam had now begun teaching Brian the beginner aspects of swordsmanship. Knowing that their time was very limited, he did not have much hope of getting more than a little across, and Brian seemed ill suited to battle. He was not possessed of much dexterity, nor was he strong. He did have something of a spirit, though, so Adam refused to give up. Adam came in with a thrust at Brians feet, his sword tip almost hitting Brians shins before he leapt up. Landing with his foot on the flat of Adams practice sword, he thrust out at Adams belly. Drawing on his considerable strength, Adam yanked up with his sword, sending Brian stumbling backwards and keeping his sword well out of reach. Adam stopped and threw down his sword. What have I told you about that? he demanded angrily. I told you, at all costs, avoid touching the opponents sword with anything but your own. Brian glared at him. It was the flat of the blade, smart-one. A shadow crossed Adams faced, and with almost blinding speed, he flipped his sword up with his foot, caught it, and slapped Brian across the leg. Taking a grim measure satisfaction in his prowess, he watched Brian limp around the room in pain, staring daggers at him all the while. What the hell was that for? he shouted. To teach you a lesson. If I could do that so rapidly that you hardly had time to blink, what makes you think I couldnt have turned that sword fast enough to cut your foot right open. Brian, who had stopped limping, straightened up. I guess youre right, he conceded, sounding defeated. Adam clapped him on the back. Still, a good match. He said, trying to reassure him. Whatever you encounter, youll certainly be able to hold them off long enough for Sparty to send help. Brian frowned. Is that supposed to be reassuring? he asked. Adam laughed. Come on. Lets take a break. He said. Brian nodded his thanks, and they quickly changed and went down to the Mansion restaurant for a bite. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> For two days now, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Had been putting on a good show of preparing for his upcoming mission. He had packed everything he thought he needed (though, as Sparty had not yet informed them what they might be meeting, his preparations were rather preemptory). He had even tried to get in some weapons practice, as he hadnt been in any sort of armed encounter, even in practice, in several months. But he really couldnt get in to it. He was suffering from a violent apathy, and for long stretches of time over the last two days, he had done nothing but lie on his bed, staring at his ceiling, not thinking of anything in particular. He did not understand what was wrong, but despite his recognition of the hopelessness of his situation, he spent almost no time considering why he might be in this state. In truth, he was a little overwhelmed. For years, he had resided in this Mansion, with a host of people exceedingly strange. He had accepted a whole range of truths that normal people would be hard pressed to even imagine in their wildest flights of fancy. He had wielded swords with magical blades composed of nothing but the purest light. He had watched a masked figure cast powerful spells, perform feats he thought more properly placed in some sort of myth or novel. He had seen feats of combat that he thought were the stuff of legends; Punching through walls, leaping incredible distances, and wielding weapons with such skill that even a man armed with a modern gun would be powerless without an equal measure of training. And through it all, he had accepted it stoically, even partaking in the strange knowledge that he had been exposed to. But now, he was going to be making practical use of that knowledge, and it frightened him. Finally feeling hunger after having not eaten for two days, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Rose, slowly, silently, and traipsed from his room. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Courtney answered the door. What do you two need? she asked, murmuring and not making eye contact with either of them. They started upon seeing her, but were not really surprised. We need to see him, said Steve gently, not letting Sparticus speak first in what he recognized as a delicate situation. Maybe you can come back later? Courty suggested, still not looking at either of them. Steve signed. Court, please. This is impor-, Sparticus cut him off. Lass, this is very important. We need to speak with him now . And with that, he shoved pass her, ignoring her weak, startled cry of protest. Steve gazed at her apologetically, and did the same. Brady was lying on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He did not even glance at his visitors. Sparticus took the offensive again. We need your help, he said forwardly. Brady sighed. What help can I be? he said hopelessly. His voiced sounding harsh, as though his though was raw from crying or lack of water, or both. You have the largest literary resource pool of anyone Ive ever met in this world. And right now, I am about to send three people on a dangerous mission, and the only way I can even attempt to tell them what they might find is with your help. He spoke briskly. Take it. You dont want my help, he replied. He still had not taken his eyes off of the ceiling. Sparticus made an impatient noise. We really do not have time for this apathy. What has happened to you? he asked cuttingly, not sounding particularly worried either way. Courtney answered for him. Ill tell you what happened, she said, her voice strong for the first time. Hes lost his nerve. Hes grown soft, she sounded disdainful now. Brady sat up suddenly, tears streaming down his face. Youve no idea what Ive done, he sobbed. All my life, Ive made a point of knowing whatever I could about everything. I accepted things that logically were impossible, lived life for what is instead of what other people said was or should be. And now, Ive betrayed that way of life. He paused. What do you mean, said Steve gently. Behind him, Courty looked pleased and relieved. Ive lost my sense of wonderment. Things got too far out there, and I allowed myself to do what people with no faith do. Disbelieve. I just snapped. And I dont deserve to help you now. Ive betrayed you all. He lay back down, crying silently. Courty rushed over to him and embraced him. She whispered in his ear words that Steve and Sparticus could not hear. She then sat up. Are you brave now? she asked, already knowing the answer. Yes, replied Brady, sitting up. He was no longer crying. I can help you. Excellent, replied Sparticus briskly. He turned to Courty. Youll stay and help with the research? Yes, of course I will, said Court. If she had looked relieved before, it was nothing to how she was now. Brady stood shakily, and walked to a wall concealed by a bookcase. Pulling out a particular book (which Sparticus happened to know what not of this world), Brady whispered several words into the space behind it. Immediately, the entire bookshelf swung backwards, revealing doorway. Stepping through the passage way, they emerged into a library of monstrous proportions. It had two full floors, and was brilliant furnished, with antiques and a huge chandelier in the center. Just the reading area in the center of the huge room was large enough to hold a ball for several hundred people, and bookshelves extended for what seemed like forever behind that. Steve felt his face go white with amazement. You had this thing back here, and you couldnt believe the Mansion was unnaturally large? he asked amazedly. Brady chuckled, though more than a bit grimly. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Oops, excuse me. The person did not answer. It took Adam a second to recognize him. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>? <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Paused and turned. Though it was indeed him, he looked strikingly different. He now had enormous circles around his eyes, and his face seemed significantly thinner than it had even two days ago. He looked ill, and the expression of uncaring hopelessness on his face made Adam frown. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, have you eaten anything ? Brian asked, eying his friend with apprehension. Brian knew that he himself looked different too, just from those two days of work. But <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Was frightening. Adam physically forced him into the nearest booth at the restaurant, and ordered bread and butter. An hour later, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Still hadnt spoken, though he had eaten ravenously everything that Adam had ordered for him. Finally, he spoke. Thanks, Adam, he muttered. He then rose to leave. Adam and Brian rose simultaneously to force him back into his seat. Explain. I cant, replied <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. I dont know. I guess Im just scared. He couldnt muster the energy to really explain. Well, that makes perfect sense, said Brian. In truth, he thought it was a bit silly for <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"> Gary </st1:place></st1:City>to be scared. At least he could defend himself. I mean, youre certainly justified in your fears. Were all scared. I guess so, replied <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. He forced himself to look more cheerful. Theyd never get it, he thought. So Ill just have to not let them know about it. Relieved by his strained smile, Adam and Brian both relaxed visibly. Can I go now? <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Asked, putting on a somewhat facetious tone, as though the whole thing had been a silly joke. Id like to practice a bit. Sure, replied Adam. Call us if you need anything. Thanks, guys, he said, and he left. Adam and Brian exchanged glances. Well, Im glad thats taken care of, said Brian. Me too, replied Adam, though he really was not so sure that it was taken care of. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Chapter 5<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Ben, Brian, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>! Can you hear me? The three of them looked up from what they were doing simultaneously, despite their being in completely different rooms. Whats that? thought Brian. Spartys set up a mind link, explained Ben. Brian was the only one completely unfamiliar with such things. Yes, that is correct. I am currently in Bradys library with he, Courtney, and Steve. I should like each of you to come here now. The link was severed. In the library, Sparty blew a silent whistle. Something strange was going on. While he had to listen intently to hear either Gary or Ben in his telepathic conversation, Brians mind voice had come through loud and clear. Very odd, very odd indeed. * * * <o:p></o:p> A brief time later, Gary, Ben, and Brian each arrived outside Bradys door. Why didnt he just call us? asked <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Irritably. Mind to mind contact was not comfortable. Brady doesnt have a phone in his library, and if theyre deep into the books, its a fair walk back into the main room, reason Ben in answer. Christ, how big is his library? asked Brian. Big, affirmed <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Its colossal. You can get lost in there without a problem. Havent you ever been in there? Brian shook his head. Well, then, if you like books your in for a treat. And he opened Bradys door. The main room was empty, with the passageway to the library open across the room. Ben led the way as the walked across the small-sized flat Brady kept, and he ducked slightly as he went through the bookshelf. Even for Ben, who had researched the work and teachings of ancient Chinese martial artists and philosophers here many times before, walking into the library was a shock. The size never ceased to amaze. One could peruse a single section for hours, and there were few subjects that were not covered here. Foremost among them, and one of Bradys primary interests, was magic. Though it contained very few actual spellbooks (such things were more likely to be found in the personal collection Sparticus kept), it contained comprehensive histories, numerous theoretical works, and dozens of other texts that bridged magical subjects to their close relatives; Philosophy and theoretical mathematics and physics. Suddenly, they heard a call that seemed to come from far off. Over here! it was Courtys voice. Suddenly, her tiny form emerged from behind a massive bookshelf three times her height. Hey, the three of them called at once. Come on, were in this section over here. She vanished behind the massive stacks, and they had to hurry to catch up with her. After a few minutes of following her, they emerged into a small group of chairs arranged in a circle around a large table, upon which dozens and dozens of books were strewn, open to particular pages, some containing gruesome drawings. Sparticus was holding a particular text on magic theories involving space time, and the only person who was conspicuously absent was Steve. Wheres Steve? asked Brian, curious. Hes in the history section, replied Courty casually, plopping herself down in a comfy chair, picking up a particular text she had open on the table, curling up like a cat, and continuing her scan. Searching for references to the GovMansion, even the most obscure ones, continued Brady, himself holding a truly massive volume, whose cover was written in a script only Ben and Sparty recognized as Semitic. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Frowned. Shouldnt you have computers that can cross reference, with a library this size? he queried. Brady looked up from his text. Knowledge is carefully crafted spines and bindings and words, not ones and zeroes, he replied, a smile playing on the corners of his mouth. If you all are quite finished chatting, we could use some help, snapped Sparticus. Where should we start? asked Brian. Sparty did not look up. Ben, you can help Steve in the History section. Brian, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, pick up books that look promising, and start searching. Ben turned and left promptly. While Brian quickly picked up a book and sat down, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Hesitated. How will we know when weve found something important? he asked skeptically. Sparty looked up and gazed imperiously at Gary, who turned away as though by magical compulsion. I should think you would be able to discern such things for yourself. He said. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Picked up a book and started, keeping his eyes down. Anything to avoid that gaze. It went right through you. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Shivered. No one spoke for what seemed like an eternity. They simply sat there, each examining one book or another. Every once in a while, one of them would give a snort of frustration as they realized a particular book, which may have looked like it would hold what they were looking for at last, turned out to contain nothing of interest. The only sounds were the ruffling of pages, and the soft sounds of breathing, and the exceedingly faint buzz of the magical lights, which produced no heat nor bleaching light, and had been created by Sparticus. He had also, in years past, cast powerful wards to prevent any use of fire within the bounds of the library. It further warded against moisture, silverfish, mice, and plethora of other threats all librarians feared. They sat in that silence for hours. Finally, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Looked up to the ceiling to stretch his neck, and noticed that the enormous ceiling, which he had taken to be domed, was actually flat, and in reality was a gargantuan clock. It was about to strike one oclock in the morning. He glanced over. Courty was snoozing silently in her chair, her head on the book. Brady was gazing at the same text he had been reading upon their arrival, and he now had a glazed look to his eyes that told <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> He was not truly getting anything out of it. Only Sparticus was still reading, his head moving back and forth slightly as his eyes scanned the pages rapidly. Suddenly, he heard a noise behind them. It was Steve, who appeared from behind a shelf, with Ben right behind him. He stepped on a loose floor board, and though the resulting sound was muffled somewhat by the plush carpet that lines the ground, Courtney jerked awake, her eyes dazed. Wasamatter? she muttered. Brady and Sparty started as if from a stupor. Guys, its one in the morning, said Ben softly. There was no one else in the library, but the atmosphere of the place made one inclined to speak in hushed tones. We havent really found more than a dozen obscure references, and none of them were really of any use to us. We wrote down the sources from you, though, Sparty, he said, offering him a list penned on fine, crisp parchment. Paper was frowned upon in Bradys fortress of knowledge. But we just started, said Brady. He looked and sounded disappointed. Sparty looked livid, or as livid as one can appear to be when wearing a mask. Before Sparticus could object, Courty spoke. Yeah, really. Its one oclock, and we havent found anything. Honestly, lets call it a night. Absolutely not, snapped Sparty, loudly enough to make everyone jump. His harsh voice echoed throughout the expanse before being absorbed by the carpet and plush furniture. I have found bits of and pieces of what I am looking for, and if you all have not, then my suspicion is that you have been lax in the effort you are putting into this task. Courty growled angrily. Only Steve seemed unaffected. Brady stood up and made to curtail the fight he foresaw between Sparty and the obviously disgruntled Courtney. Sparty, shes right. I havent found anything but a few little blurbs here and there about distance distortion. Well, it might have been distortion. It also couldve been projectile vomit, Im not sure. And this text is pretty old. Im not clear on the dialect, and even the alphabet is pretty foreign. The only thing I can make out as far as the overall purpose of the text is a few vague eschatological remarks, but they make no sense I could discern, and really dont seem to have anything to do with the rest of the book. I tell you what. Lets hit the sack, were all tired. Well come back tomorrow, well-rested. Well even call Dan in to help us out. Hes good at this sort of thing. Were not going to find anything when were this tired. Fine, do what you want, Sparticus said angrily, and he made a hand gesture, and each of the suddenly found themselves translocated to their own rooms. Their clothes appeared to have been singed into rags during the journey. Before Brady could rush back into the library, the bookshelf swung shut, and refused to open. They all went to bed disgruntled, except for Gary, who was simply glad to be alone again. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Six hours later, at seven in the morning, a whole group of beds throughout various rooms in the Mansion found themselves flipping their occupants out onto the floor as if of their own accord. Suddenly, a blindingly loud voice sounded in each of their heads. They sighed, and began to make their way towards the library. Ten minutes later, Ben, Courtney, Brian, Gary, and Daniel were standing outside Bradys door, all looking resolved to a day of stunning boredom, except Dan, who simply look inquisitive. He would learn his lesson soon enough. The door swung open to reveal Brady, who with a gesture led them to the bookshelf, which graciously opened this time. They returned to the circle of chairs where they had spent so many hours the day before, to find Sparty sitting there, still reading. He looked up. Good, you are all here now, he said briskly. Gary and Court both stifled yawns. I have made some discoveries, or rather, inferences, based on what was found yesterday and the work I have been doing while you all wasted time sleeping. You may all sit down. After they had done so, each mentally preparing themselves for a long, boring, patronizing speech, Sparticus continued. The primary information I discovered relates most immediately to what our three explorers will encounter upon embarking on their quest. I believe that the most immediate thing they will notice is the increasingly distorted nature of distances. As one approaches the source of the distortion, the strength of the distortion increases in a pattern that should be familiar to all of the. I believe it will follow the inverse square law. When only Ben and Brady showed any recognition, he sighed. Ben decided to explain for him. The inverse square law applies to numerous natural phenomenon, most conspicuously radiation. As your distance from the source of the radiation increases, the strength of the radiation changes at the rate of one divided by the change in distance squared. Sparticus and Brady nodded, but everyone else simply stared. The point is, as we get closer, the distortion is going to increase exponentially. Get it? he asked. They nodded. Good, continued Sparticus. Another things I would like to note is that there is likely to be a great variety of terrain. As you approach Room 666, your surroundings will stop behaving like those of a Mansion. You will be in the wilderness, I would expect, and any civilization you do encounter is not likely to be modern. To the contrary, you are as likely to meet someone from the future or the distant past as you are to meet someone from the present day. So, Ben, as the history buff of the group, Id bring a fair variety of clothing styles along, and be sure that you are well armed. On that note, I suspect that electricity will stop working. There is some very complicated physics involved, but I would imagine that the area will be too strongly magical for any technology to work. Oh, and you can expect to find the same effects we have been feeling here; You know, terrible weather, unnatural monsters, nothing you cannot handle. Can you all remember all that? He glanced around expectantly. Only Courtney did not seem overwhelmed by the flow of information, which, Sparty mused, was not particularly useful given that she would not be going along with the trip. Sparty, she said. What about back here? Things are getting worse here as well. Yes, Courtney, they are. Excellent point. The more time you spend up there, the greater the danger to us all, he answered. He gazed around enthusiastically. Finally, Dans mind caught up enough for him to speak. But, what do you want them to do? he asked. I mean, sure, theyre going to encounter all this dangerous stuff, but what can they do about it? Sparticus paused to consider this. Well, he said slowly, In my mind, their primary goal is to arrive unscathed at the entrance to Room 666. Then, I can only hope that they will have the means to solve whatever they encounter there. Something needs to be done to restore the balance between the poles, which is what I believe is causing our problems. If you arrive there and are unable to locate the problem, you would be advised to contact me. I shall be watching you magically. Very good, he continued. Now, more research to do. With this, he sat back down and continued reading. Wait, what? exclaimed <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. First, you go on for ages about the dangers were going to face, and about how everything is going to be strange, and how even you dont know what were going to find. And you just expect us to take that? Seeing a problem, Court rose and steered <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Into a chair, speaking to him softly. He calmed down quickly. However, few within the group were wholly sated by Sparticus answer. Despite his neutral, unworried tone, and his seeming assurances, they were all worried about the fate of the Mansion as a whole, not to mention the survival of the three residents, one of whom was an owner, who they were to be sending off into an unknown adventure in just a few days time. At the back of everyones mind, too, was the fact that Jon was still missing. With yet another owner destined to be absent, they remembered the lore (they had read so much over the last few days) about rebellions and other violence that had taken place when disruption within the Mansion owners occurred. None of them spoke their thoughts, but to them all, Ben, Gary, and Brian in particular, the future seemed much less certain than they were comfortable with. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 6<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The clamor was enormous. It was now a week after the Incident, and Ben, Brian, and <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Were about to begin their journey. The entire Mansion had gathered in the hallway outside Bens apartment, though they had needed to use ATVs to get most of the residents there, due to the distance, which appeared to have grown more severe in the last week. Now, the three explorers were ready to go. They were dressed in a antiquated fashion. Ben was wearing his suit of wondrous chain mail (which was so fine weighed no more than a silk shirt and moved just as easily) beneath a hand sewn tunic of fine linen, and leather moccasins that Adam had crafted for him. A pair of sabers was strung across his back beneath his pack, which was full of all sorts of tools one might need in a forest. His favorite sword hung at his waist, ready, and numerous other bladed weapons were hidden in a dozen places around his body. A longbow was tied to his pack, and quiver of arrows was built into the other side. Gary and Brian each wore hunting leathers, which, though not as protective as the chain mail, offered greater ease of movement. They each carried smaller bows and their own quivers and packs, though they carried most of the food, and other equipment, such as the tents, medical equipment. They had their own swords strapped to their sides, and Gary had throwing knives hung on the other side. All together, they looked more than prepared, until one gazed at their faces, which were white with apprehension, aside from the slight flush and glean of sweat that perched on their cheeks due to the weight of their gear and the slightly overheated hallway. In front of them stood Sparticus, and behind him were Courtney, Hilary, Dan and Steve, all looking nearly as nervous as the explorers. At the appointed time, Sparty turned. Silence! he boomed. The crowd quieted immediately. Today, we send these three brave explorers into the unknowns of this Mansion, their bravery shining brilliantly as they courageously journey to protect us! Another great cry went up. After a moment, Sparty silenced it again with a wave. Now, he continued. From our perspective, they will appear to be merely traveling down a hallway for a few doors, until the curvature of space time grows so severe that even light does not move predictably. And now, we see our heroes off. The three explorers leaned forward (carefully) and said their fearful goodbyes. Meanwhile, a band had struck up a merry marching tune and the crowd was roaring cheers of encouragement. Then they turned, and started walking forward. For the first minute of walking, they merely appeared to be traversing a hallway, though a very long one, as they were still no closer to the next door. Slowly, though, they noticed that the sound of the crowd took on a muffled tone, and, turning, they saw that their fans now looked to be quite distant. Little did they know that, from the perspective of the crowd, they looked exactly the same, and appeared to have only moved a few feet, though their outlines were strangely fuzzy, as though being viewed through a thick pane of glass. Well, said Ben as the continued to walk. Nothings really happened yet. He kept his eyes forward, not wanting to turn. Guys? Why arent you answering me? Then he turned, and his draw dropped and he fainted. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>? Brian turned. Everything looked normal, except Where are they? He turned frantically, on the edge of panic. He could no longer see the crowd, and a terrible, frightening silence had fallen violently. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of someone in the distance. Logically, he reasoned that since he could still see Bens door, he could not have walked very far at all. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place>? Ben? Is that you? In a panic, he began running towards the figure. He ran for over a minute, and was out of breath before he realized that he had not gotten any closer. Suddenly, the figure spoke, though its voice was faint, and appeared to come from a great distance. Brian, can you hear me? It was <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s voice. Newly inspired and granted energy by fear, Brian began running again. Im coming <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, he shouted. A few minutes later, he was finally getting closer. Now the other figure was running as well. Soon, they were together. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, panted Brian, kneeling in exhaustion. Thank God Ive found you. Wheres Ben? I dunno, replied <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Maybe hes up ahead. You can tell that distances are all funny in here. Yeah, replied Brian, terrifically relieved to have found <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Lets go. They started walking. Several minutes later, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Spoke. I think we should turn back, he said. No, we cant. We have to help the Mansion, replied Brian, unable to completely keep the quiver out of his voice, and secretly agreeing with what <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Had said. He gulped then resolutely increased his pace. They dont really know where were going, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Persisted, hustling to keep up with Brian. He sounded more eager now. Theyre sending us off into the wilderness all by ourselves. We have no idea if what were going to find even if we do get where were going. And thats looking like a big if right now. We really should turn back. Brian turned to face him. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, I know youre scared, he said. So am <st1:place w:st="on">I.</st1:place> But we made a promise. We have to keep going. If we go back now, we have no chance of doing any good. Come on. He kept walking, and was pleased to hear <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Following him. He was not sure he would be able to press on if <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Abandoned him to go back. They dont care, you know, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Said. Brian sighed. Now it was getting annoying. They dont care if we live or die. Especially you. At this, Brian paused and turned, and <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Stopped too. I heard them talking, you know. Saying how they were just sending you on this mission to get rid of you. They never really liked you anyway. I mean, really, what good are you here. Now he looked even more eager. He had a hungry look in his eyes. Thats not true, replied Brian, though his voice faltered a bit. What if it was true? Theyre my friends, and you know it. I heard Adam talking, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Pressed on viciously. He said what a worthless student you were, and how he hoped you died in the mission so he wouldnt have to teach you anymore. This almost broke Brians conviction. Then he remembered what Sparty had said, It is enough that I wish it to be so. Sparty believe in him, he knew it, and he had to hold to that thread of though; He knew that if he stopped believing it, his will would break. That could not happen. He turned and continued walking, almost at a trot now. I said stop, snarled <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. The pure, utter venom in his voice stunned Brian, and, against his better judgment he turned, just in time to duck under a thrown knife. Are you nuts? he shouted, pulling out his sword hastily. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Walked up to him, and Brian knew by the look in his eyes that he had violence in mind. Holding his sword clumsily, hands sweaty with fear, he prepared to face off against his old friend. With startling rapidity, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Approached, but did not draw a weapon. Instead, he stalked forward, and ducked under Brian out held sword, bobbed up, and punched him in the face. Brians head was jerked violently to the side, and he fell, turning as he did so he faced down the hallway away from <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Behind him, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Stood, waiting to see if he would get up. Brian looked down the hallway for the dagger <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Had thrown, thinking another weapon would be useful. But it was not where it should have been. Then he put two and two together. He dived into a clumsy roll and came up facing <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. You couldnt know that, he said. We never told anyone that Adam was training me. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> smiled. You couldnt make it easy, could you? I was going to let you go, so long as you didnt interfere. But now, Im going to kill you. And Ill make sure it hurts, too And he moved forward again. Suddenly, Brian, who had been rummaging as silently as possible in his pack as he could, pulled his hands out. In his hands, he clutched a small wooden flute, which Sparty had given him. This flute smoothes out space time, temporarily, if you play it right. He showed Brian how to play a quick tune. In there, you can expect to find creatures who exist within the space time curvature, and use it to lend them power. Playing that tune should momentarily stun most of those creatures, unless they are too powerful. Even against them, though, it will slow their movements for a time. Use it well. Brian smiled, confident in his newly remembered weapon. He only hoped this impostor was the type of being Sparty had spoken of. He raised the flute to his lips, and blew. The sound that came out was flawed. It squeaked, and <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Realized he had messed up. The air around him rippled like it was a lake into which a stone had been dropped. When the waves reached the creature, it screeched inhumanly and clasped its hands to its ear. But the sound passed, and it smiled with glee. With his free hand, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Brought his sword to guard. Little toy didnt work, did it? <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Snarled, a feral growl plainly heard in his voice. He stepped forward and threw a crescent kick, aiming to hit the flat of Brians sword and pin it to the ground. Brian saw it coming, and reacted. He turned the blade up, and the creatures foot struck the edge and drove it to the ground, and cutting a deep wound. It shrieked with rage. Brian risked a quick glance down, and saw that the wound, which was bleeding a black smoke, was already healing. No joy, it said cruelly. But then Brian blew into the flute again. This time, he got the fingering right. The sound was beautifully calming and relaxing, and Brian felt his eyelids drooping before he could force them open again. But as delightful as the sound was to him, the creature seemed to suffer equal agony. It writhed on the ground, rolling and screeching, and slowly the outlines of its form began to get blurry, and it began to enlarge. Eventually, it was completely insubstantial, like a ghost, but it filled the entire hallway. Finally, as Brians song reached a particularly final sounding note (the magic of the flute was leading his fingers), the creature shrieked, and a terribly anguished voice filled Brians head. YOU CANNOT COMPREHEND THE DEPTH OF YOUR PERIL! Then, with a blinding flash of light, it was gone. Brian stopped playing, and, released from the spell of the music, fell to his knees. His nose was bleeding freely, and the sound of the flute echoed in his mind. His eyelids were so heavy, he could almost Before he could stop himself, he was asleep. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 7<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Voices. Speaking something. Not English. German? Yes. Well, wait, no. It is English or is it German? Ben opened his eyes. He was outside, and bright light stung his dilated pupils. But he was not where he hadwhat had happened to him? The events were fuzzy. He remembered, he was walking with Brian and Gary, and suddenly, he was somewhere else. The forest. He had found himself in a great forest. He remembered the ancient, undisturbed feel of it. Blinking, he sat up. He was in a clearing, and sparse grass covered the frozen ground. Judging by the temperature of the air, it was winter, and he was quite far north. Surrounding the clearing was what looked like an entire village, and beyond that he could see trees, enormous, unrestrained forest growth. His heart hammered with the mystery of it, and yet he could not ignore his obviously perilous predicament: he had no idea where he was. Suddenly, he heard voices shouting, and a little girl stuck her head out from behind a thatched hut nearby. Without warning, an entire crowd poured into the space around him, obviously clamoring over his being awake. He listened closely to catch bits and pieces of their language. It sounded like English, but wrong. Maybe Briton? No, not French enough. Cornish? No. Then he caught a few familiar snippets, and it clicked. He was in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Scotland</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Which did not help him in the slightest; As he knew that Scots may as well be another language for all the good it would do him. Further, he certainly appeared to have traveled a good distance back in time, and he knew that Scots had only become more like Standard English as time went on, and consequently, he had little hope of making himself understood at anything but the most base level. If he was that fortunate A voice spoke now, and he recognized that it was directed at him. He stood, and turned his palms up, a universal (he prayed) symbol for peace. Slowly, he released the cords that held his weapons to him. The crowd watched in rapt silence, and when the swords clanged to the ground, they jumped as a whole. He held up his hands, waiting for them to act first. A small circle of men at the front, who wore clothes of authority (as far as authority existed in a small, medieval village such as this) were whispering rapidly to each other, and Ben, though he was familiar with German and French, could not catch more than the occasional word, and none of them seemed to flow together into anything meaningful. Understanding his predicament, he kneeled, keeping his hands on the back of his head, with the back of his neck exposed. Anything to keep them from assuming him to be dangerous. Suddenly, the whispered voices drew to a close, and he heard one of the men giving hasty and nervous sounding commands to another, he dared glimpse up in time to see two very scared looking men rushed forward and gather up his weapons, and then grab his hands, roughly tying his hands behind his back. They then pointed ahead, and he understood that he was to walk. As they led him through the tiny streets, people crowded around him. Suddenly, he saw a familiar face in the throng. Laura! he called, before he could stop himself. It earned him a smack on the back of the head, but it was worth it: the girl turned to face him, her face fearful, and the people around her erupted into whispers. She glanced around, her face white. One of the men who were leading him turned to her, and spoke to her. Ben knew that they were asking if she knew him. She shot a nervous look at him, and then shook her head emphatically. The men glanced at each knowingly, and then nodded. The man who had spoken walked to the girl (Ben was sure it was Laura, especially now), and gently (much more gently then they had Ben) led her along. She did not look at him, merely gazed straight ahead resolutely. As they walked, Ben managed to examine her from up close. She was fairly short, though most of the women (and the men) were pretty short, testament to how far back in time he was, and her light brown hair and fair features were almost exactly as he remembered. But there was a difference. She was older then Ben remembered her, and she now had a toughness to her that shone through despite the panic-stricken look she now bore. Laura had, Ben remembered well, disappeared several years ago. She had been terribly depressed for many days, and her closest friend, whose name Ben could not recall, had recently left the Mansion and apparently vanished. Soon after, Laura stopped speaking to other residents, and had not left her room in so long that someone was sent looking for her. They found her room empty, and though many attempts were made to discern her location, they had all failed. Sparticus had even performed divinations to ascertain where she had gone to, but they had failed, and it was that event that had spurred Sparty both start training apprentices and strengthen his own knowledge of divination magic. Now, it appeared, Ben had found her. Laura, a native of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Scotland</st1:place></st1:country-region> Herself, had, coincidentally it seemed, managed to end up in a small village in the Scottish countryside. The question was how did she manage to also transport herself back seven or so centuries in time? <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Brian awoke peacefully. He felt remarkably well rested, and for several minutes he simply lay with his eyes shut, enjoying the peace and quiet. He was so comfortable, and he could feel the sunshine warming his b sunshine? He opened his eyes suddenly, and then sat bolt upright as he took in his surroundings. He was in a forest, and his head was resting on the root of a truly ancient tree. It was so large that Brian doubted it was younger than a thousand years, and, as he considered it, he realized that it seemed so completely integral to its surroundings that he simply could not imagine the forest without this tree. Looking closer, he noticed that it was crisscrossed with markings, deep crevices in its bark. After examining them for several minutes, Brian was unable to notice a pattern, and concluded that they must be some natural phenomenon. Suddenly a loud noise erupted behind him, and he started. Diving to the ground, he pulled out his sword from his pack and turned in time to see a doe and her fawn erupt from the bushes nearby and going leaping off through the ancient wood. Calming slightly, Brian realized for the first time how beautiful his surroundings were, and, as though captured by a spell, he wandered through the forest for an hour, examining every branch, drinking it in. It was morning, and the air was fresh. Finally, he returned to where his pack was, and sat down contentedly, thinking to go back to sleep. He felt so peaceful. As he lay down, his eyes fell upon his flute, and he suddenly was struck by the urgency of his quest, and the need to get away from this place and back to the Mansion. Wherever this place was Well, he thought to himself. No use thinking on an empty stomach. And indeed, it was empty, and he realized just how hungry he was. Besides, he figured. Who knows if Ill be able to find food once its dark. He knew that he had no food with him that was suitable for eating without the cooking equipment, which was still in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s pack. In the back of his mind, he knew that getting food would be the least of his worries when it got dark. Grimly, he pulled out his bow, strapped his quiver over his shoulder, and set off to hide and wait for an animal to come along he could eat. Two hours later, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Had downed a rabbit and a large, wild bird of some sort. He started a fire, and while it grew hot, he skinned and cleaned the rabbit, seasoned it with the spices he had brought, and had plucked the bird and prepared it for cooking. He cooked them both, and ate heartily, knowing he would not have time to do so again once night fell. When he was finished and had extinguished his fire, it was past noon. Arming himself with bow and sword, he set off through the woods, hopefully to find something that might lend him a clue as too his location. He wandered for hours, and found little. All he could ascertain was his general region. Judging by the trees, he decided, his location was likely somewhere in Northwestern Europe, maybe on one of the <st1:place w:st="on">British Isles</st1:place>. It was also winter, judging by the sun. But that did not help him. He knew that the British Isles, until the Industrial Revolution, had, like the rest of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>, great forests hundreds of square miles large. He could be days from the nearest village, and he had no way of knowing in which direction to travel. Feeling defeated, he returned to his pack, which took time, as it was growing dark, and the half-illuminated nature of dusk made finding trails even more difficult then at night. He quickly built a fire and set camp, telling himself that all would be well. As it grew darker though, his worries intensified to the point where he was sitting stock still with this sword clasped in his sweaty hands, trembling slightly, waiting Then, he heard it. In the distance, a wolf howled <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Shivered slightly. He had been walking for what seemed like forever, yet he had not passed Room 659. Very soon after they had set out, he had found himself alone. Ignoring the part of himself (which had been growing consistently louder for hours now) which told him he had been abandoned, and that he should turn back, he had pressed on, walking despite the overwhelming silence and oppressive walls. He began to focus on them, and they seemed to be closing in on him. Still he forced himself on. After a time, he came to a what appeared to be, for lack a more fitting description, a cloud , which completely filled the hallway and thereby blocked his way. For a while, he stood there considering it, and due to the startlingly apathetic way he was feeling, he failed to force himself to do anything for a good amount of time. Finally, though, for lack of anything else to do to quash the doubtful thoughts that were threatening to overwhelm him, he decided to just walk through. Worst happens, he dies. And really, would that be so terrible? Just as he stepped into the cloud, he heard a clanging sound behind him, and he turned, but before he could complete the motion, he clasped his hands to his head, as if in pain, and collapsed into the cloud, which obscured his vision completely. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 8<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> They led Ben and Laura through the village, which, Ben observed, seemed rather charming, were it not for the fact that he was being followed by a crowd of whispering, pointing observers, who he furthermore had no easy way of verbally communicating with. After a few startlingly uncomfortable minutes, they arrived at another hut, unremarkable except for its size, for it was much larger than the others. Inside, there was a simple handmade table, with chairs surrounding it. It seemed that it was some sort of government building. They placed Ben and Laura next to each other by the wall, and sat around the table and began speaking, obviously debating the fate of the outsider. Quietly, making sure no one would notice, Ben leaned over and spoke to Laura. Laura, he hissed, glancing around. How do we get out of here? If she had understood him, she gave no sign. She merely turned quickly to look at the men at the table fretfully, before turning back to the wall. Ben sighed. Laura, I know its you, he said. Please, tell me what happened. Quiet! she snapped finally, not even turning her head. Ben gave an inwards cheer. Laura, how-? Later, she interrupted, now looking most displeased. Ben took the hint and stood silently. A few minutes later one of the men walked over and addressed Laura. They spoke rapidly for a few moments, before the man smiled, which to Ben did not seem an expression that came easily to his face, and at that looked rather strained. They seemed to come to an agreement. He motioned for Ben to turn, and, drawing a knife, cut the rope that bound his hands. Rubbing his sore wrists, Ben bowed in thanks, hoping they got the message. Now, Laura started tugging on Bens hands, dragging him towards the door. Ben started, and glanced at the man who had set him free, and he nodded his assent. Ben followed Laura through the town, drawing curious stares from everyone they passed. Laura walked with purpose, and soon they arrived at another house, the smallest one Ben had yet seen. They entered, and Laura grabbed bed sheets off of the mattress which lay on the floor, and began hanging them over the windows hurriedly. Ben moved to help her, and within a few minutes, they were invisible to the outside world. Finally, said Laura, collapsing into a chair. Now, how on Earth did you end up here, and when are you leaving? Ben too grabbed a chair, and for the next hour he told Laura the story of the last week, about the boulder, and Sparticus sending them on a mission and about what had happened so far. It seemed very distant, as if he had been in medieval <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Scotland</st1:place></st1:country-region> Forever. Then, he courteously asked her to explain her situation. Almost by instinct, it seemed, she glanced around nervously, to make sure they were not being watched. Well, after well, you know, Ben nodded his understanding. It was still too painful for her to speak of. I became sad. Very sad. Ben noted how strange the words sounded to her, as if she had not spoken them in years. Anyway, she continued, One day, I had been crying, and suddenly, I heard a voice calling me. I didnt really hear it; I suppose it was sort of in my head. But it was very tempting. I dont know why I listened, but it told me to walk towards Room 666, and I did. I think I thought I was going home. It took a long time. Then it told me to enter one of the doors, and I did, and I ended up here. I dont remember where I arrived, but I ended up in the village, and they took me in, though theyve never been very kind. I learned the language, but theyve always been suspicious of me. She stopped. When I heard theyd found another stranger, I hoped it would be someone from the Mansion. But howd you get here, without going through a door? You said you were just here all of a sudden. Well, replied Ben, I think there are really many ways to get anywhere in the Mansion, since space is so screwy. But, Im here now. The question is, how do we get back? I dont know, replied Laura. I think our best bet is to wait until they trust you enough to give back your weapons, and then well go into the forest. Thats where they found you, so I guess the entrance, and hopefully the exit, must be there. Ben nodded his assent. It was late, and Laura said she was going out to get some food. She grabbed a longbow off the wall, and quiver of arrows, and left. An hour later, she came back with a wild bird in tow, and they ate well. Then, she said that she should go inquire about his weapons, because the sooner they could leave the better. While she was gone, Ben took time to examine her house. It was very simple. She had some deerskins, which, after seeing her take apart the bird, he could only assume she had killed and cured herself. They comprised the accessories of the house, and she had a small, square table, two chairs, and a mattress in one corner stuffed with heather. In another corner, she had a small loom, with which Ben assumed she had woven all of her sheets, which were made from some unfortunately rough material. There was a small opening in the ceiling for the fire pit, which was clay, and was excavated out of one of the walls. All said, it seemed a very modest way to live, even for the time. Laura came back just after dark. She rushed through the door, then rapidly shut it. We need to leave! Now! she said. She started grabbing supplies. Why? said Ben, now scared himself. She looked thoroughly disconcerted. Theyre coming to kill us! she exclaimed. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Brian knew they were coming. Still, it did not lesson the shock in the least when, in the distance, he saw the bushes shuffle. Fleetingly, he saw at least two canine looking creatures dive through. Brian wondered whether he would have the wherewithal to kill wolves. After all, he was an invader in their homes. But then, he saw them. These were no natural wolves. Their shoulders were level with his, and he knew that there was no way he would be able to take down more than one of them before another one got him. Still, he stood his ground. Finally, he saw them come bounding into sight. They spread out, and one of them ran straight at him. He braced himself, and when the wolf leaped, he ducked and thrust his sword straight up. The wolf gave a whimper and fell, Brian rolling out from underneath its weight. He stood quickly, and decided to take his chance and run. He ran faster then he ever had before, but he was trying to outrun a predator which, further more, was much larger than he was. As he ran, he turned to see if they were pursuing, and, sure enough, his leg caught on a root and he went sprawling. Turning over frantically, he saw one of the wolves slowly stalking towards him. They appeared to be in a clearing. He was quaking with fear, and the wolf growled menacingly as it stalked towards him, as he scooted backwards, searching frantically for an escape. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> I need my weapons, and my pack, stammered Ben. Do we really have time? asked Laura angrily. We have no chance of surviving by ourselves unarmed and without food! said Ben, now angry himself. Where are they? I think theyre in the Council Hall, replied Laura. Ok, we go in hard and fast. They cant be that tough. Ill lead, and you cover me with bow fire. Alright? Laura nodded, and they slowly, quietly, left the house. They did not go through the center of town. Instead, they crept around the edges. Ben was completely silent, and he was impressed at how similarly softly Lauras footsteps fell. She was good. Finally, they arrived behind the Council Hall. Ben stuck his ear to the wood, and heard his enemies talking inside. They were laughing. He could guess the joke. In the distance, they saw a fire kindling, and heard shouts. He imagined it was the mob coming to get him. Ben, concentrated, then kicked the wall. The wood splintered around his leg, and he shouldered his way though, leaving a large hole in the wall. The men turned, and jumped up, shouting in alarm. Ben weapons were laid on the table, and one of the men had the presence of mind to grab on of the sabers. Ben, knowing he had to get to the armed man first, jumped straight up and kicked up to both sides, hitting two of his nearest assailants in the throats. They collapsed. Now, however, two more of the men came at him, both of them wielding daggers. As Ben dodged and wove between their attacks, he was painfully aware that the man with the sword was creeping up behind him. Then, just as he was about to swing (Ben prepared to dive to the ground) a bow string twanged, and suddenly, all he could see of the mans face was black fletching. It twanged again, and one of the dagger wielding men dropped, this time with an arrow in his chest. Ben had little trouble dispatching the last man, and in a moment he had his weapons and pack strapped on and ready to go. As they left, a flaming arrow landed with a thud in the ground beside them. How good are you with those weapons? asked Laura, strangely calm. Not that good, said Ben, just as another arrow came streaking towards them. He snapped out a sword and cut the arrow out of the sky, just as three more came into view. Lets go! he shouted, and they turned and ran. As they pitched towards the forest, they heard the howl of wolves. Oh well, thought Ben. Out of the fire, into the frying pan. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Brian had never been so scared in his life. His heart was throbbing, he could feel it. Then, as the wolf made as if to spring, his heart gave a particularly violent throb, and his fear reached a fever pitch. Suddenly, he heard a loud crack above him. The wolf heard it too, and looked up in time to get its faced crushed in by a large branch which had fallen. Thanking whatever God was listening, Brian stood up and fled, knowing that the other wolves were not far behind. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Ben and Laura entered the forest, hardly slowing their pace. Glancing back they could see the angry mob surging towards them. Will they come into the forest? panted Ben. Probably, said Laura. If theyre angry enough. They ran for a long time, until suddenly, without warning, Ben collided with something, and bounced backwards. Ow! he said. Then he saw what, or rather, who, he had smashed into. Brian! he and Laura, who had stopped, both rushed over to his fallen form. He was out cold. Lets go! screamed Laura, looking towards the crowd, who appeared to be at the edge of the forest. Nodding, Ben grunted and picked Brian up, flinging his fairly light form over his shoulders, and starting to run. They had barely gone ten feet, however, until they stopped cold, as three wolves were stalking towards them, their breath visible in the cold air. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 9<o:p></o:p> Laura, do something. Youre a nature type, arent you? They were slowly backing up, their weapons at the ready. The wolves were bearing down on them slowly, maliciously. No, Ben, Im not. And further, I dont think these wolves are exactly normal animals. Laura, on my count, go to Brian. Cover him and try to help me out with that nifty bow of yours. Bens words were whispered and hasty. What? Brians on your b- Now! Ben erupted into action. Mustering all his strength, he heaved Brians limp form through the air into a small clearing and in the same motion, drew his two sabers. Laura dived to the ground and crawled to Brian, already nocking an arrow. But as she watched the unfolding fight, she found herself unsure where to fire. Suddenly, she heard approaching footsteps, and turning, saw the fires of the mob coming closer, and she fired into the throng. She took grim satisfaction in the screamed cry of anguish that erupted. She turned back to Ben, an arrow at the ready. As soon as Ben had thrown Brian, the wolves had sprung. Ben went into a spin, hitting one of the airborne wolves with a roundhouse kick that sent it soaring backwards (and numbed his shin bone) then whipped his sword towards the side of the second one. That wolf somehow managed to reverse its momentum and spring away, so that its wound was shallow. The third wolf managed to get in and bite down hard on Bens arm. The razor sharp teeth failed to penetrate the mail he wore, though it left a bad bruise on his left arm, numbing it. The wolf held on though. Then, suddenly, an arrow was embedded deeply in its side, and it gave a great howl and dropped, dead. Feeling the weakness in his left arm, Ben dropped the sabers, and drew his favored, double edged straight sword. He waved it in a defensive pattern, waiting. The wolf he had kicked had edged itself back, and now dived at Ben from the side. Leaning backwards till his torso was parallel with the ground, Ben spun the sword clockwise across his body, cutting deeply into the hind leg of the wolf as it soared over him. He then turned his sword so that its flat ran along his arm and continued the backwards lean into a back walkover. Instead of landing with both feet on the ground, his left foot found itself pressed against a tree, and Ben pushed off, leading with his sword, just as the wolf leapt back at him. The combined forces of his push and the wolfs leap manifested in the sword being driven into the wolfs skull to the hilt. Cursing, Ben, placed one foot against the skull and began tugging, only have one arm. Then, he heard a growl behind him, followed by a yelp and the sound of the third wolf being dropped. He finally freed his blade, wiped it off quickly, smearing wolfs blood and brains on the leaves that lined the ground. He gathered his other swords, shouldered Brian again, and set off, Laura right behind him, walking backwards with an arrow set towards the crowd, which they managed to outpace slightly. After a few minutes, Brian gave a moan, and Ben put him down, and they managed to coax him back into consciousness. Without a word, they pressed on, until they could hardly see the fires of the mob behind them. After a few minutes, they stopped. Where are we going? asked Ben. I dont know, I thought one of you two had an idea, replied Laura angrily. Speaking of, Brian, how did you get here? asked Ben. Its a long story, he replied, and we seem to have other things to worry about. Well, a whole lot of use you are, said Ben. He turned and swore. How the hell are we going to get back? There has to be a doorway or something. Then, something clicked in Brians mind. I know where it is, he said. He sounded confident. Where? asked Laura desperately. Just follow me! And he set off into the forest. Ben and Laura just stared. I guess we should follow him? said Ben. I guess so, she replied, and the set off. They walked for many minutes, but Brian seemed to know the way. Finally, they arrived at the trunk of a massive, ancient tree. Brian stopped and started around expectantly, as though expecting to see a portal spring out from behind a shrub. Well? said Ben. He started at the tree. Even in the darkness, he could make out the lines that Brian had been so fascinated by. They looked like they should spell something out, but there was something wrong. He voiced his thoughts to his companions. I felt the same thing, replied Laura. But we have to hurry, I can hear the mob. Brian stared intently at the tree, thinking intently. Suddenly, it clicked. The flute! he exclaimed, quickly pulling it out of his pack. He started to play a tune. For a minute, nothing happened, as Ben and Laura merely stared on in wonderment. Did he want to get them killed? But then, the lines etched (or so it seemed) into the bark of the tree began to glow, dimly at first, but then more brightly. He played for what seemed like forever, and time lost meaning. Until, that is, they heard the now very close sounds of the oh-so-persistent mob. But just as the lines became so brilliantly bright that they had to avert their eyes (but not before Ben noticed that they had rearranged themselves into a script that looked very familiar, though he could still not place it), the song reached a particularly moving note, and the light became all encompassing. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> The door opened, and the three of them, Ben, Laura and Brian stumbled through, quickly shutting the door and feeling very relieved. As they plunged through, however, they saw <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s form tumble into what looked like a cloud further down the hallway, and they heard him shout out in pain. They started running, and soon they were there. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Was completely within the strange fog, and they could not see him. Nodding grimly, they took each others hands (no one of them wanting to end up separated) and stepped in. Immediately, they were each assaulted by mental images of the things that they feared worse. Ben and Laura both collapsed into huddled heaps immediately, tucked in a fetal position and sobbing silently, hopelessly. They knew in their hearts that this was the end, there was nothing else. They would be there forever, trapped in their nightmare. Brian, however, was not so sure. He was confronted by his fear, which truly terrified him, and he almost gave in to the hopelessness. But then, he began thinking (in a part of his brain that seemed quite oblivious to the snarling, heart-wrenching nightmare currently clawing at this guts and heart). He thought about everyone who was depending on him. About all he had done to get here. And then, he was not as afraid, and certainly not hopeless. Within the recesses of his mind, Brian walked. He was alone, and suddenly, before him, was that thing he feared most. It was not so much the thing as the horror it represented, but he understood the idea. It came at him, but then, Brian started dismantling it piece by piece. He peered at it, seeing it for what it was. Part of it, he saw, was fear of the unknown. Well, thats natural, he thought. But does it really mean anything. We need not fear what isnt there, and really, this isnt an unknown. Its simply not understood. He looked back at his demon, and it had shrunk. Then, he thought about his attachments. There were people in the world that he cared about, that he loved. And this thing could hurt them. Well, of course it can, and I need to fight it. And it got a little smaller. Finally, it was the size of an ant, and Brian did what was perhaps the thing that would have seemed most unnatural in such a situation. He laughed. He laughed at the absurdity of it all, at the wee, tiny monster that had once been his worse fear. And the monster screamed in pain, a terribly grating sound, which only made Brian laugh all the harder. He was rolling with mirth, and slowly, surely, he noticed that he was seeing the hallway again, and the fog had lifted. He sat up, and as he did, Ben, Laura, and Gary, who he could now see as well, relaxed slightly, though they were still shivering. Brian went to work, and had a smaller fire going on a metal stove within a few minutes, followed soon after by some hot tea. He offered to each of them, and they drank, and said they felt better. Brian cleaned up, but before he finished, they were each asleep. And what a calming, quieted sleep it appeared to be. He sat watch for several hours, then woke them up. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Before they pressed on, they each took time to fill the others in on what had happened since their separation, all of them glad for the company. When all that had been adequately straightened out, they prepared to leave. Looking around, they noticed that they were outside Room 664. They marveled at how far they had come (though they knew that it was not truly that far), and started walking. As they approached Room 666, which took, surprisingly, fairly little time, a black mist seemed to coalesce out of nowhere to bar their path. They glanced around at Brian, who, understanding, took out his trusty flute. He set it to his lips, and began to play. As the sound reached the fog, two bright red dots which gave the appearance of eyes appeared within the mist, and it screeched in pain. The sound was all consuming, and it bit at their bones. The thing stretched out a tendril of mist towards Brian, and the flute suddenly shattered, its powerful magic dispelled. Brian, thinking to somehow strike the thing, tossed the broken remains at the mist. They passed straight through. Ben, thinking to protect the others, rushed forward and drew his enchanted double edged sword. Unlike the flute remains, which were then entirely unmagical, the sword, which possessed an edge of magic, met some resistance as it passed through the insubstantial body of the mist. It shot out a very corporeal feeling tendril and struck Ben in the chest before he could react, and he was tossed backwards a dozen feet before landing in a heap. Not defeated, he waded back in, this time taking care to dodge and weave to avoid the snaky tendrils. Quickly establishing that her arrows had no effect, Laura simply held back and attempted not to be a nuisance. So did <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place>! shouted Ben between thrusts. His movements were slowing. Use your sword. The magic will hurt it. Then, he slipped up, and a tendril shot through, and Ben was thrown again, and lay still. Yet still, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Did not move, his hand frozen with hesitation. The mist advanced upon Laura, who screamed helpless. Brian saw it all happening as if in slow motion. Over what seemed like an hour, he made up his mind. He rushed forward and grabbed <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s sword. The blade of light buzzed into life, shedding a brilliant hue of light that seemed to make the darkness of the mist retreat a little. Gathering all his strength, and putting all his fear and righteous anger into the blow, he sliced down at the mist. The blade left a glowing wound in the mist, which howled again. Now, it shrunk further, and it seemed to coalesce into the form of a woman, albeit one composed of black smoke. Brian, fearless, waded in and hacked over and over again, the woman trying to dodge, but appearing, for some reason, to be weakened beyond what her wounds would suggest. She dropped to a kneel, and as the final blow fell, she held up a hand. With what seemed her last bit of strength, she stopped the sword in midair, and tossed Brian backwards. Then, she seemed to discorporate. Laura rushed to help Ben, who was stirring, to his feet, and Brian returned the sword to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> With a scolding look. He seemed apologetic, but did not speak. After a moment in which they regrouped, they all stood together, facing the door. It was plain, but now that they could observe it, it seemed to change appearance. Its color did not seem set, nor did its shape, oddly. It seemed to be flowing, if one were to watch for long enough. For a long time, they started at it. The culmination of their mission was upon them, and they had all placed much in store for this. Laura felt relieved and more than a little overwhelmed. After years of being away from home, she was finally among friends, and suddenly in the center of a very exciting (if obviously hazardous) situation. Ben felt relieved as well, but more specifically in that they had all survived. He simply wanted to get the hell out of here at that point. Brian did not know how to feel. A part of him was excited, but he was overwhelmed with curiosity. What had happened to him? He had been acting very strangely, he thought. And what had happened back in the forest? <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, on the other hand, felt numb. He could not muster guilt nor any other emotion about his cowardice, and he simply stood there, his mind silent, uncaring. Then, Brian reached out and opened the door. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 10<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> A bright, all consuming light. A terrible, yet wonderful, angelic voice and a touch of holiness. A touch on the forehead. A tranquility wrought of relief, then a new, rising horror. Suddenly, darkness. Rushing, speeding, then light again. With a communal cry of pain, Gary, Brian, Ben, and Laura landed just outside Bens door, tossed a great distance. They moaned, and immediately a great uproar emerged behind them, and they felt the gazes of hundreds of individuals on their backs. Then, Sparticus was clutching at their backs hurriedly. They turned, still prone on the ground, and they saw Steve, Courtney, and a few others standing further back, looking shocked. What happened, whispered Sparty harshly. How far did you get? And, by God, Laura, is that you? he asked, looking faint. Why are you all still here? asked Ben. He was very aware of the fact that they were the subjects of many stares. Weve been gone at least a day. What are you talking about? Youve been gone all of a minute. We were just turning to head back down when you all were tossed back out. He looked disconcerted. Ben shook his head, as though trying to clear it of dust. Look, we dont have time to worry about this now. We need to hurry back to the Control Room, its urgent. Sparty stood. Alright, let us go, he said, gazing curiously at Ben. He helped the four of them to their feet, and he turned, in time to see Adam fighting his way furiously through the crowd to the front. Sir, he said, saluting and lowering his eyes in respect to Sparty, Steve, and Gary, his superiors. He paused, until Sparty waved for him to continue. Raising his eyes, he did so. Sir, he repeated, sounding flustered. We are suffering a demon incursion in the lobby now, at least three score of them. My forces are having trouble holding out. Before he had even finished speaking, Sparty was busy arranging a group of them in a circle, clasping hands. Courtney, Ben, Steve, Gary, and Adam were staring confusedly, not daring to interrupt Spartys concentration. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, suddenly, pulled out of the circle and rushed into the crowd. He was chanting silently. He closed the circle with his own hands, and suddenly, with a rush, they were in the lobby. The scene was dreadful. There were monsters all around. Horned things of every dreadful type one might imagine, dozens. In the center of the room, the militia was fighting viciously, though they were both outnumbered and slightly out skilled, and just immediately after their arrival, a soldier crashed into the wall beside them, thrown by one of the demons. Immediately, they sprung into action. Ben, Adam and Steve drew weapons and waded into the melee. Courty and Sparty drew back, as their talents lay in spells. Ben had his two sabers out and twirling. He dived into a roll, and came up slashing. He cut out the knees of a demon with one sword and followed with a stab with the other that punctured the creatures diaphragm and pushed up into its heart. He collapsed. He started turning circles, his blades forming a wall of bloody death to those around him. Then, breaking the circle as the demons around his drew back, he thrust himself into a flying kick, his body turning parallel to the ground, and his legs going up and over one after the other. Each foot made contact with a demon, and sent them sprawling. Having dispatched four or five and wounded a half dozen others, Ben dropped the sabers and drew out his straight sword, then reentered the battle with gusto. Adam pulled out his favored weapon, a powerfully enchanted red scythe, which a viciously sharp curved blade on one end and a hard wood spike on the other, the entire weapon constructed and magically enhanced to kill vampires. Driving the spike through the throat of a demon, then swinging the entire weapon around and beheading another, he put it to good use against all manner of beasties. His fighting style highlighted the slash and hack method preferred for the scythe, and he was constantly spinning and turning and get the most power. However, his slices frequently ended up being deceptively linear, and a creature often found itself impaled on the devilishly sharp stake. Despite the skill with which he fought, Adam quickly found himself surrounded, so he swung his scythe in a semi circle in front of him, and dived into a roll through the gap it created. Coming to his feet and turning, he muttered a quick spell and blew towards the crowd, his breathing carrying a freezing chill. The creature immediately in front of him found his skin frozen solid and his blood turned to ice, and several others felts a horrid chill to their bones that left them searing with agony. He smiled grimly and waded back in. Steve found himself in a less than favorable position. He carried only his sword, but wore no armor, and so he had to spin and turn to avoid blows much more diligently than he (and his fighting style) preferred. He wielded an enormous single handed sword, and carried a shield in his left arm, which he relied on heavily. He led into the battle with a shield smash which stunned the demon, and then followed with a stab into the demons belly. He kicked that creature out of the way, and found himself up against a horned Minotaur type thing wielding a wickedly bladed axe. It swung, and Steve had to duck to avoid the blow. He blocked the backhand with his shield, and felt his sizable arm go numb with the blow, and he was forced to take a step back. The creature swung at his legs, and he jumped over the swipe and stabbed out towards its face, but the Minotaur, showing remarkably agility, leaned backwards so that the stab passed harmlessly over his throat. Then, as Steve landed, it straightened up and threw a hook punch at Steves head, meaning to crush him. Seeing his chance, Steve swung at the oncoming arm, severing it at the elbow and unfortunately showering himself with blood in the process. He followed up with a back swing which took off his opponents head. He nodded grimly, as a lightning bolt leapt out and burned to death a skinny, emaciated looking demon that was creeping up behind him. He waved his thanks to Sparty. Sparty nodded back grimly, then cast another spell. When he finished, a series of large ice balls sped into the throng of combatants with great speed, taking down a number of demons. A cheer went up from the exhausted defenders. But now, the demons took notice of the dangerous wizard. An arrow shot out towards them, and Sparty, reacting with reflexes born of years of practice, quickly raised a shield. It caught the arrow, and shot it back, and took the archer, a demon with rat like features, in the throat. Sparty cast another lightning spell, this one creating a crackling blue arc that leapt among the archers, and they screamed in pain as their joints popped and their skin sizzled. One of them managed to get an arrow off, and it took Sparty in the stomach. With a groan, he collapsed, clutching at this torn belly. Next to him, Courty gasped. She knelt down to him, and began singing a song, looking relieved as her spell to effect. The wound began to knit. She finished, and stood again. Stay down, she said to Sparty, whose wounds were not yet fully healed. In defiance, he attempted to stand up again, so she began another tune, a gentle lullaby, and Sparty found himself groggy and almost asleep. She smiled, then started another song, feeling the magic building in her lungs and words. Then she breathed, and mist swept out across the battle torn lobby. It settled in the skin of all those whose hearts harbored evil, and it fed off of their sin, the small spores which had actually comprised the cloud forming small growths on the demon invaders, the vines that sprouted slowing their movements, and giving the defenders and edge. She pulled out a sword, and cast a quick spell to let her slip trough dimensions, and she reappeared in the center of the battle. She broke into a war chant as she thrust and twirled, and the song lent courage and hope to the militia, who further founds their wounds to not be bleeding so badly and their hearts to be beating a little more easily. Back over to the side, where Sparty lay, a demon, stealthy and silent, was sneaking up upon his prone form, a dagger drawn and a gleeful grin adorning its face. Subdued by Courtys spell and still weak, he could not even shout for help. Suddenly, the creature gasped, and looked down, in time to realize that its torso was no longer attached to its legs. As it fell, Sparty saw a figure standing with sword in hand, appearing angelic by means of a combination of backlighting and the overwhelming grogginess he felt. He reached out a hand towards his captor, her red hair appearing as flames to him. He lost consciousness. Sighing and checking his pulse, the newcomer started towards the melee, which was already winding down. She was of normal height, and her red hair bounced merrily as she dived into battle with glee. She wielded an enormous two handed broadsword, which one might think to large for her to ever carry, until, that is, they saw her swinging it easily, as though an extension of her arms. Her broad, sweeping strokes wreaked havoc, and her breastplate armor turned aside many swords, claws and axes that would have cut her apart. She always returned such attacks with a walloping swing that almost always resulted in the death of her assailant. She laughed as she darted through the battle, fully enjoying the feel of the sword in her hands and the thrill of the danger. Finally, the battle was over. Courty set herself to healing those who needed it, while Ben and Adam set about the messy business of disposing of the dead demons. The newcomer pulled those few soldiers who had been so unfortunate as to have been killed off to the side, where she cleaned them up and made them look dignified. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> So, tell me what happened, said Sparty, gesturing vaguely to those assembled in the room. Why were you all back so soon. He seemed impatient, as he was still in pain from the wound he had suffered earlier that day. All those that had gone on the mission were present, as were those who Sparty had brought to change the course of the battle. All looked weary, except the newcomer, whose name turned out to be Brianna. There was still a sparkle in her eyes, and she hardly seemed phased by the drama. Well, Sparty, said Brain hesitantly. Sparty held up a hand to stop him. Just tell me. Did you solve the problem or not? Brian, Ben, and Laura glanced around at each other. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Just stared. Well no, said Brian flatly. Actually we found something out. Who our antagonist is? asked Sparty hopefully. Brian shook his head. No. We found out that our problems are much deeper and more serious than we ever could have imagined. And, more importantly, they do not stem from Room 666. Silence greeted this ominous pronouncement. Part II<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Chapter 1<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> This is not okay! Well, I dont hear you making any suggestions! I think tha-, We dont care what you think! Ben rubbed his temples wearily. Across the room, he saw Steve making similar motions. Sparticus alone sat impassively, watching with seeming disinterest as the world fell apart around them. All the others were screaming at each other with gusto, no one side making headway because no side in truth had more than one adherent. Yesterday, Brian had revealed to Sparticus and the others the news of their encounter in Room 666. It had been quite fuzzy, as the memories from the incident were fuzzy, and Brian had been able to do little more than adumbrate the situation for Sparticus. Sparty was working on researching a spell to help them recall, but spells that affected the mind was hardly Spartys specialty. Even Courtney, whose magic more often dealt with such matters, had had little luck discovering an effect to get the full story. They all remembered almost exactly the same thing. A blinding light, and a voice, and a terribly wonderful presence that had shocked them to their cores. And the vaguest answertheir troubles were not founded in Room 666, and were much larger than they ever could have imagined. This was useless, though, as they could not remember specifics. Suddenly, the answer came to Ben. Sparty, he said, he voice cutting easily through the passionate screeching that his peers were engaging in. I know how we can figure this out. A short time later, the room was cleared, the only figures remaining being Ben, surrounded by Courty, Sparty, and Dan, who like Courtney followed a bardic profession, creating magic with his song. Together, the three of them hoped to uncover the truth about what had happened. Ben, are you sure this will work? asked Dan. He seemed nervous. Reading minds was tricky business that often had unforeseen side affects. Worse, they had decided that the job of actually performing the spell would fall to him, his expertise being most in line with such things. Courty and Sparty would be on hand to watch and supervise, or help in case of emergency. Yes, Dan, Ben replied patiently. Im sure. Ok then, if you say so. Dan said. Ben nodded and sat down on the floor in the center of the room. He closed his eyes, and mused about the strangeness of the situation. He was not used to meditating in front of others. His spirituality, the root to much of his power, was usually a private matter. Meditation, he had found, gave him a chance to live more efficiently. In the time he spent in meditation, it was as though he were going about his normal activities, in terms of the energy it took and the stimulation he got out of it. It had aged him, he found. Not physically; he was still as fit as ever. But emotionally, he was much older, and it often put him at odds with those around him. But in an art form where life experience lends power and skill, as in kung-fu, this was essential. Ignoring his discomfort, Ben sighed and straightened his posture. He began breathing deeply, pulling air deep into his expansive lungs, feeling his diaphragm contract and then relax as he slowly exhaled. After a few such breaths, he felt his heart rate slow, and soon he was unaware of the room around him. He vaguely registered when Dans song began, and he noted none of the details, barely even noticing his tenor as it rang out. Knowing that his time was limited, he started exploring within his consciousness. He knew the memories were there somewhere. The key now was to find them. Suddenly, he felt a presence in his mind. He called out to it. Dan? Yeah, Im here. This is a little disconcerting. Tell me about it. I go from doing my meditation completely alone, to doing it with three other people watching, one of them from inside my own head. Courtney and Sparty, unaware of the mental communication going on, started on worriedly and disinterestedly, respectively. Well, said Dan inside Bens mind. Shall we get started? I suppose, yeah, replied Ben. The idea of the procedure was for Ben to lead Dan on a mental tour while he was in a relaxed state, that they might uncover something important. It was as documented procedure among those of the bardic path and powerful wizards alike, but it was something that none of the magic users in the Mansion had any real experience with. Ben, who spent so much time in introspection, actually had an edge in such encounters. While most other people would move at the behest of the wizard or bard, and could only access such places as they themselves were privy to, Ben could lead Dan around at his pleasure, and even encounter memories and feelings that usually lay beneath his main consciousness. It was an exercise of mental strength for both of them. Ben manifested himself as he appeared, the image appearing easily. Dan, however, could only create a vague outline of himself to be his form. Dan, cant you do any better than that? Ben asked. He did not relish the idea of talking to a cloudy nebulous figure, not after the fight with that dreadful being outside of Room 666. Im not used to this. Dan replied nervously. Relax, said Ben soothingly. Dan forced his body to physically relax, and slowed his breathing. Finally, his mental form was fully like himself. Ok, lets go, said Ben. The expanse of Bens mind lay before them. It appeared to them as a great expanse of emptiness. The ground beneath their feet was grey and insubstantial, and through its translucence they could see other layers of thought and consciousness. They began walking, Ben feeling his way through the familiar yet completely foreign landscape. They wandered for what seemed like hours, Ben prodding and poking around, looking for a bit of memory that seemed to point him in the right direction. Finally, he came to an area wracked by fear and exhaustion, and he knew that they had come upon it. It appeared as a great shadow upon the terrain. Ready? asked Ben, as he gazed with apprehension at the collection of memories. Yep, said Dan, gulping audibly. And they stepped in. They found themselves in hallway. It was dark, dank, and dirty. The lights flickered, and it stretched on for a long time in either direction. It reminded Dan forcefully of a horror movie. What is this? he asked frightfully. I dunno, replied Ben, not really knowing the answer anymore than Dan did. Suddenly, they both heard it. A great rumbling noise. It was a gigantic creature, and they heard and felt it coming towards them. Weve got to hide, now! said Ben, sounding terrified. He turned frantically, and groped for one of the many doors that lined the hallway. The first one he tried was locked, and he and Dan quickly discovered that they were all locked. Move, Dan, said Ben in desperation. And he kicked down the a door. They ran inside, and into a bedroom. The entire area appeared deserted. They dove into a closet and stood there shivering. After a time, Ben wondered what they were doing. It was illogical, and ridiculous. This thing was just a figment, a irrational fear that had haunted him all along the trip; A sense of desperation and being hunted. As he realized that, a little white door appeared in the closet. Tapping Dan, he pointed to it. Look, he said. He opened the door, and crawled through. The door seemed to enlarge, or he shrunk, but either way he was soon through. Glancing around in disbelief, Dan followed. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 2<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The room was dark. Though one would not know it at first glance, it was circular. The edges, however, were covered with shadows, which flickered and leapt at the behest of the single, dim candle that sat in the exact center. The ground its meager light fell upon was the whitest marble, as were the walls and the ceiling, if one was able to see them. Slowly, a low chanting began to make itself heard within the chamber. It was almost a whisper, and even as its volume slowly increased, it retained a rasping quality which leant in an ominous feel. More ominous still, the chant was not in any particular language. Instead, it spoke to the very core of a person, and anyone unlucky enough to hear such a chant will never quite be the same. It spoke of great, unequivocal evil, ancient and malevolent. It spoke of pain, sadness, and, at the heart of it all, destruction. Bit by bit, the light of candle had been growing steadily stronger. As its flame illuminated more of the chamber, an observer would slowly have seen, at the edges of the light, arranged in a careful circle, robed men, heads bowed, their knees on the ground as they kneeled, as if in prayer. And that observer would know, beyond any inkling of a doubt, that the inhuman chanting was, somehow, without explanation or reason as to why they felt so sure about this, coming from those obscured figures, though they could not see their mouths, nor did the noises sound like those that usually emerge from human mouths. If the observer was a good person himself, he or she would likely be frightened, at least if they had any sense. A power radiated from the chant. A warrior, with a faithful heart and a clean soul, would no doubt want to kill those who created the chant, and if they had any sense, would not feel the vaguest shred of mercy towards them. But, as it was, there was no observer to be found in this chamber. As the candle grew in brightness, it began taking on a shape, strange though it may seem. In the dancing flame appeared images. They told a story, and they were echoed in their telling by the shadows cast on the walls, which were now illuminated. The images that appeared were unsettling, though less so than the gruesome chant. They showed bloody killings and unmerciful crimes of torture and violence. How they displayed this was not clear, but anyone watching would know immediately, in their very souls, what it was they were watching. Then, the chant changed, and now it spoke a different voice, though one no less fearsome. It was a calling. And the same observer, regardless of their ilk, would no doubt have felt at least a shiver of fear, because that observer would know, with as much certainty as he would fear the hooded men, that whatever this song was calling could not be good. And, further, whatever it was the was being called, was sure to answer, for the observer would not be able to imagine denying that call were it meant for him or her. Suddenly, as the song reached a peak, the candle, all as one, melted. The amount of liquid its melting divulged was startling, but it was not wax. It was blood, and it flowed, inches deep, over the kneeling men. As one, they bowed their heads and drank from the flowing torrent of fluid. Raising their heads, which were dripping, they continued the chant, now with an excited edge. As the lilting tune carried on, the blood stopped flowing. Then, it began to coalesce into forms, which like victims buried alive seemed to struggling to escape from beneath the surface of the blood, and their faces pressed into the surface. Suddenly, one of those emerging faces snarled and broke the surface. At that moment, some number of miles away, a young man named Adam woke with a start, and sat straight up in bed, gasping violently. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 3<o:p></o:p> They emerged into a blindingly bright room. Or, rather, what appeared to be a room, though might more accurately be described as a pure white expanse with indefinitely placed borders, for they could see for what seemed like miles with no change in the brilliant whiteness of the place. Strangely, the incredible glow did not sting their eyes, nor did the complete lack of enclosure seem at all discomforting. Rather, they both felt at peace. As Ben and Dan stood, gazing calmly off into space, they both felt a presence. They neither saw nor heard anything, but they both felt in their hearts that there was another being somewhere close by, and they knew that it was good. Suddenly, as if walking from within a thick fog, a figure appeared up ahead. Though its form was what seemed to be human, it had obviously inhuman features. Its skin was so purely white that it made the surroundings seem to dim. It was beautiful. Its features were neither identifiably male nor identifiably female, but both Dan and Ben knew they had never seen such beauty. It was bald, and clothed only in a toga like wrap composed of a golden material which likewise shone. Its eyes were as liquid pools of quicksilver. And it was walking towards. Hail, Daniel. Hail, Benjamin, it said, its voice carrying enormous power and force despite that it was spoken quietly. It extended its hands in a gesture of peace. Be welcome here, and be at peace. Ben and Dan nodded, though they now knew both great peace and remarkable internal turmoil, faced with a being as obviously holy (and powerful) as the one that stood before them. Please, said Ben dazedly. If youre a memory, how can you see and interact with us? Are we? it said, its eyes arching in question. You mean, youre not a memory? asked Dan, not understanding. In some ways, it replied. Now, it sat, and motioned to the floor in front of him for Ben and Dan to do the same, which they hurried to obey. Knowing they would get no clear explanation out of the luminous being, Ben decided not to press the point. Please, sir, said Ben, hesitating as he spoke the words for he knew not what the gender of the creature was (or indeed, if it possessed one at all). We need your help. Aye, said the being, nodding gravely. You wish to know better the depth of your plight. Yes, said Ben, nodding, and waiting for it to continue. Well, lad, you can not expect us to tell you, it said, a smile playing on the corner of its lips. It made the creature even more beautiful, if that was possible. You want me to ask? Child, little in the way of knowledge is made without asking. While under more auspicious circumstances we would say that you would do better to seek the answer within yourself, we have to concede that not only are you doing so in some way at present, but further, you are as unlikely to find the answer within yourself other than in this place as time itself is to run backwards. And surely we can promise you that that is rather unlikely to occur. Well, said Ben. Wed like to know exactly whats going on in the Mansion, please. Yes, said the creature. We have marked well that which has occurred in your home. It is worse than you think. Weve gotten that down already, said Dan, nodding ruefully. Ah, but you have yet to truly appreciate what the future holds, said the being gravely. As you know, your trouble lies not behind the door to Room Six Hundred and Sixty Six. Or, at least, not within the one you sought. What does that mean? asked Ben, not understanding. Think, replied the creature. Ben considered it, and realized that the Mansion ran as deeply underground as it rose above, and therefore- You mean the other Room 666. The one underground. Right? Aye, indeed, it replied smiling again. Well, what trouble lies there? asked Ben. Child, we can tell you several things and several things only. First, let me make you aware that the ripples that spread throughout time have hinted at something terrible. Some of them, those occurring in the most immediate future of your world, tell us of a great and terrible destruction. Thus, we can say with certainty that an end is near. What! blurted Dan. No more people? You assume much, replied their mysterious host. For instance, that yours is the only world. And that you are the only people. You mean there are other places? said Ben amazedly. Aye, indeed, it replied. Other worlds, separated from yours by magic, space, or time. Ben suddenly flashed back to his encounter in ancient <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Scotland</st1:place></st1:country-region>. But, you arent going to help us? asked Ben, understanding the connotations. The nature of Evil, child, it said, is to be discontented with its path and place in the world. While the nature of Evil inspires beings tainted with it to hate and strive, the nature of Good is not to oppose it. Good is not about vigilantism. Rather, it is about more than a mere mortal mind could fully comprehend. It is about love, and faith, and compassion. No part of that enables us to help you. So, youre just going to leave us to die? said Dan, beginning to grow angry. Not all of the ripples suggest destruction, and not every path leads to your annihilation. Some carry a more hopeful chord, and with your effort, you can steer your world in that direction. You must find who conspires against you bring your world to an end. But you could help us, and youre not going to? said Dan. The pillar of your salvation is among you already, replied the being mysteriously. Right, said Dan. Well, if thats all he stood. Have faith, child, said the luminous being. Remember the nature of Evil. Find your enemy and defeat them. Ben stood to leave as well. He quickly realized that there was no exit. How do we get out? asked Ben, as Dan turning frustratededly. In answer, the being stood and placed a hand on each of their foreheads. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Courtney paced nervously. Ben and Dan had been in the same state for close to half an hour. Sparticus sat calmly. Suddenly, both Ben and Dans still forms gasped, and their eyes shot open. Ben, who was sitting simply buried his face in his hands and tried to shake away the dizziness. Dan, however, who was standing, swooned. Without missing a beat, Sparty barked out a spell, and a soft, fluffy mattress appeared under Dans falling form just in time. He sat up and found his bearings. Are you two okay? asked Courty frantically. Were fine, replied Ben, still a little disoriented. Just then, with a crash, the door to the control room burst open. There stood Adam, clothed in silk pajamas, his face white and streaked with sweat. Sparty, I have to tell you something, he stammered. He looked horrified. We do too, said Ben, standing unsteadily. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Ten minutes later, an entire crowd of people were assembled in the control room, many of them yawning or dressed in little but bath robes. Numbered among them were all of the owners, save Jon, who had yet to return to the Mansion, as well as Courty, Dan, Ben, Brian, Adam, and the newcomer, Brianna (or Bri, as she liked to be called). No one quite understood why she was there, but Sparticus had demanded her presence. Also, Brady was there, though he at least seemed wide awake. Sparty rose to speak. We have many tough decisions ahead of us, he said without preamble. Ben and Adam each have disturbing news to relate to us. First Adam told his story. Everyone shivered as he related it, and once he started, he seemed unable to stop, and the words seemed to roll from his mouth at a frantic pace. When he finished, he merely stared ahead without making eye contact with anyone. Well, that was sufficiently disturbing, said Brady, who seemed rather unsettled now. But, why did we need to hear it? Wait, said Sparty. Let Ben speak. Ben told his story. This time, the faces of his listeners wore looks of shock and outrage, and the nervous energy in the room could be felt by all. So, said Brian, his voice cutting through the silence. What are we going to do about this? Everyone was silent. Then Steve spoke. Someone has to go, he said. He looked to Sparty for confirmation. Sparty nodded. What? blurted <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place>. You mean, someone has to leave the Mansion? He looked worried. Yes, replied Steve, looking concerned. But I think Sparty already has some people in mind. To his surprise, Sparty shook his head. He appeared to be thinking. Ill go get my stuff together, said Courty matter-of-factly. Before she could turn to leave, Brady spoke. Me too, he said. He sounded oddly sure of himself. And me, spoke up Brian. He seemed shocked at his own daring. So, is that it? said Adam. Sparty shook his head, and gazed meaningfully at Adam. He took the hint. You want me to go? he said incredulously. Dont bother arguing, piped in Brian. Trust me, it wont work. But Im the captain of the guard. Who will fill my post when Im gone? I have that taken care of, said Sparty. He motioned towards Bri, who waved cheerfully. Her? cried Adam. But she just arrived! She has already proven herself qualified. Rest assured my mind is made up. But, why? Adam asked, sounding resigned. It is my wish that you leave this place for a time, said Sparty. You need to see the world, and there is little more I can teach you directly. It is time to put your skills into greater use. Adam decided to concede the point. Where are they going to go? asked <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. If Bradys library did not have the information we needed, then we must send them elsewhere to find it. There are untold occult records in the world, and any of them might make reference to the Mansion or to who our enemy is. But Sparty, said Ben. What about what the angel thing said? That the pillar of our salvation is among us already or something like that? I have taken it into consideration, and I think that this is for the best. And what about me? asked Steve. You need to start planning for the worst, Sparty replied. Youll be retreating to your room for a few days, I assume? Steve nodded. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Chapter 4<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The crowd was egregiously loud. It was an even larger turn out than when Ben, Gary, and Brian had left the Mansion, which oddly seemed like very recently (considering that it had in reality happened only a short number of days beforehand). All had gathered to say goodbye to the intrepid explorers (who truly were not as intrepid as one might think, as they were in reality going nowhere particularly hazardous at face value). At the front of the lobby stood Courtney, Adam, Brian and Brady, all wearing civilian clothes (they were to be traveling via airplane, as Sparticus wanted them to avoid magical travel for a while). The stood facing the crowd. Behind them, Ben stood, his arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently. He was to be driving them to the airport, and was thoroughly irritated at being held up. As Courtney stepped forward to say her tearful goodbye to Laura (they had bonded again since her return), Ben sighed irritably, then checked his watch and said to no one in particular Were going to miss your flight. Courty finished her goodbye, kissing Laura on the cheek, and stepping back, waved to everyone in the crowd. The throng cheered, as the other travelers waved as well, except for Adam, who looked quite as irritated as Ben. He resented being sent from the Mansion, and he disliked having his position taken over by anyone, let alone a girl . Ok, said Courty. We really do need to go now. She spoke as though it was the fault of anyone but herself that they were late. Ben snorted derisively. Ok, he said, grapping Courty under the arm and steering her out of the Mansion. The others followed, dragging suitcases and backpacks. As they pushed through the double doors, they emerged blinking into the brilliant sunlight, made all the brighter by the rocky desert that surrounded the Mansion. Over a hundred miles from the next location of notice, the Mansion residents relied on a series of portals created by Sparty to get around. As they walked over the 50 yards that separated the main building from the garage, Brady glanced around. He was leaving the Mansion. It had been a long time. Since he had entered the Mansion over a decade a go, he had seldom left for more then a day, and never for a long period. He had everything he wanted there. His friends were in close proximity (space-time curvature aside), and everything was supplied for him. If he ever wanted to go out, there were always day trips via teleportation. Even as the realization of his recent reclusiveness hit him, he felt a rising thrill. He was going to be exploring new things. Before entering the Mansion, he has loved traveling. And now, he was to be traveling far and wide, though for far different reasons. Adam was grumpy. If Brady had been reclusive, Adam had been a downright misanthrope. He was completely immersed in his duties; But that was fine with him, as he loved it. He relished life in the Mansion, though he rarely spoke and even more rarely engaged in social activities. Only since Brian had come to him for help had he come somewhat out of his shell. Now, though, he was being tossed out of his warm bed into a cold, harsh world, and only the vaguest feeling of excitement reached his consciousness. Brian and Courty, for the first and perhaps last times in their lives, felt almost peculiarly similarly at that moment. Both were excited and eager to be leaving, though for quite different reasons. Both wanted to see more of the world, though perhaps seeing it through their occult libraries was not exactly what they had had in mind. They arrived at the garage, which was an enormous warehouse type structure, which seemed just jut from the ground like a rock formation, which oddly was not far from the truth. The entire thing had been sculpted from one block of stone by magic, called from within the earth in a ritual spell that had taken place long ago, though within the memory of the most longtime Mansion residents. Sparticus was known to have taken part in it, though he was younger and much more inexperienced at the time. Ben, knowing the way well, strode over to a particular section of stone and knocked in a certain order. Responding to his knock, the rock in a ten by ten foot section of the wall melted away into nothingness, to be replaced by the darkness behind it. They entered, and magically powered lights sprung into life all along the ceiling. It was cavernous, and was used as a general storage area. It also contained locked, magically warded cells, containing dangerous items that the owners of the past wanted hidden. Their original hiding spots within the Mansion itself were known only to Sparticus, who acted the part of his usual taciturn self whenever anyone (usually Ben or Brady, the only two interested in archiving) asked him about it. The closest part of the garage contained a line of expensive, well maintained cars and motorcycles, including several BMWs, a Mercedes, and, most noticeably, the Lamborghini stretch limo. Itself a striking deep blue, it was the most expensive car present by over a hundred thousand dollars, and had been custom made. It was bullet proof, and contained a small armory of magically enhanced weapons concealed in a panel beneath the floor in the back. All the occupants were to be heavily armed at this point, and were to remain so at all times on their trip. Sparticus had specifically taught Adam a spell to ionize the air, which would temporarily disable any metal detectors they might encounter. Ben unlocked the doors, and everyone climbed in. Brady, being Bens best friend in the Mansion (Hilary lived elsewhere, and only visited occasionally) sat in the passenger seat. The interior was delectable. The leather seats which ringed the open space in the middle were stupendously comfortable, and each could recline with a foot rest by pressing a button. Each seat had its own air conditioning vent, and an incredibly complicated (and expensive) climate control system could keep any given seat at any temperate the occupant desired. In the floor behind the passenger seat was a mini bar, which contained an assortment of liqueurs and pre-mixed margaritas (kept fresh by magic). Courty poured herself a small glass of Irish Cream before reclining in her seat and sprawling glamorously across two more. Adam, who generally abstained from alcohol, sat quietly at the back, while Brian, who had unwisely been assigned responsibility for loading all of the luggage, struggled outside in vain. In the end, Courty prodded Adam into helping him, which sped the process greatly. In the front seat, Ben mumbled angrily until they were all set, and then he pressed a button, which opened a larger hole in the wall. The limo sped out of the garage, handling as though it were half its length. On the straight, deserted desert road, Ben floored it, and zoomed across the landscape at one hundred and four miles per hour. The airport was over 300 miles away, and he wanted to make good time. After around half an hour though, the engine suddenly shut off. Breaking suddenly, Ben heard the occupants of the back seat topple over, Courty shout as her drink spilled, and Brady groan at the seat belt cut deeply into his chest. Considering the speed at which they had been traveling, they stopped rather quickly. Cursing under his breath (and as often as not above his breath), Ben stomped from the car and flipped up the hood. He hated cars, and knew only as much as he needed to. As Brady watched him disappear behind the blue sheet of metal, he leaned over and buried his face in his hands, massaging his eyes. This day seemed to have dragged forever, and had barely even begun. Suddenly, outside the limo, he heard Ben grunt, as though in pain, and he looked up just in time to see Bens form go flying away from the car, off the road onto the sides. He shouted in alarm as he saw what had thrown him. In front of the car was what appeared to be a giant snake, though it possessed arms and a vaguely human face. Its hooded head had the appearance of a huge eye, like that of a cobra, though it was the color of the sand. Its body was long and serpentine, and emerged from the ground, suggesting at greater lengths hidden menacingly below the surface. Responding quickly to Bradys cry, Adam reached into his back pack and drew out his scythe, which was concealed within, and stuck his head between the passenger and drivers seat to see what Brady saw. Hardly looking shocked, he sat back and pressed a button, which opened the door. He dove out into a perfect roll, coming up some ten feet away from the snake monster. Then, he ran at it and came in hard with a powerful slicing arc, which the monster ducked under. In one fluid motion, it drove its head into Adams stomach, and with the help of one of its arms, flung Adam easily over its head. Sticking their heads out of the open door, Courty and Brian squeaked in fright. Brady recovered his wits before either of them, and, seeing Ben stirring some dozen feet off, ran to the armory, kicked it open, and selected a pair of swords that matched Bens own. Pushing past his stunned companions, he tossed them to Ben with a shout. Ben caught them deftly, just as he saw Adam get tossed over. Drawing them both with startling speed, he rushed the creature and attacked with a weaving, fluid flow of attacks. Though the creatures skin was quite thick, and it dodged well, Ben managed to get in a single well placed blow, and the creature roared in agony. It swatted at him, but Ben, drawing on his training, sunk his weight into the ground, rooted himself, and grunted as the massive blow glanced off of him. It might leave a bruise later, he knew, but he would be much worse off it he allowed himself to be thrown away again. Knowing that he could only summon the chi power to resist such an attack several times in the course of a fight, he set himself to dodging. Adam recovered quickly, and rushed at the creature from behind, hoping to flank it and gain the advantage. Thinking him and Ben would easily cut it down together, he was surprised when the creature reacted to his attack as though it had eyes in the back of its head. Apparently, its hearing was superb, and it reacted to the two attackers without any distraction or difficulty. While Ben and Adam dipped and dived, Brady had the presence of mind to shut the door. Frantically, he, Brian, and Courty opened the sunroof and climbed out onto the top of the car, Brian clutching a bow and quiver. He shot once at the creature, but, in one blindingly fast motion, it caught the arrow and in the same arc of its massively strongly limb, plunged the arrow down into Bens arm. He screamed in pain, and immediately dropped the sword carried in his left hand. Even as she watched Ben attempt to shrug off the pain and continue fighting, Courty knew the situation was desperate, an image that was only reinforced when she noticed that the wounds the creature had suffered by Bens swords were already knitting themselves, and while Adam was tiring and Ben was wounded, the creature seemed no worse for the wear. Glancing around at their arid surroundings, a plan came to her. She cast a quick telepathy spell, and spoke to Ben and Adam, explaining her plan. Then she turned to Brian and Brady, and they both nodded their acceptance of her idea. When she was ready, Courtney screamed, Now! Leaping into action, Brady and Brian clambered to the edge of the roof and lay flat. Hearing their cue, Ben and Adam ran towards the car, stunning the creature with their sudden move. Ignoring the offered hands of their companions, they both leapt easily onto the roof, and all five of them practically dove through the sunroof into the car. Closing it, they sat and listened to Courty. Guys, the car is waterproof right? she asked. Ben and Brady nodded. And buoyant? she continued. They nodded again. Relieved, she turned to Adam. Do you remember studying any weather control spells? she asked, the words frantically pouring from her mouth as she rushed. Adam shrugged. Yes, but not well. It was a long time ago. Were going to cast one. Were going to cause a flood. Are you nuts? exclaimed Adam. Ben and Brady, on the other hand, nodded. Its a great plan, said Brady. Come on, Adam, we need to, said Court. Fine, lets do it, said Adam, giving in. How is this going to work? Im going to do the main casting, she replied, gather supplies from her pack. You just need to help. Youve had experience casting in concert? she asked, shooting him a glance. Of course, he said indignantly. In truth, Sparticus had only allowed him to attempt one or two such spells. He chose to not say that out loud. All along, the car had been shaking as the snake attempted to break though. So far, it had had no luck. Finishing her preparation, Courty sat cross legged, while Ben, Brian, and Brady drew back, Ben tearing his shirt to wrap his arm until Courty could heal it for him. After a moment in which they seemed to attune themselves to each other, Courty and Adam began the casting. Weather magic was heavily dependant on music, and so was much easier for Courtney than for Adam. Courty began a melancholy tune, wordless, while Adam went through a series of complicated hand motions. He did not seem particularly sure of himself, though his motions were neat and steady. After a moment, he began to hum a harmonizing tune, and the effect was beautiful. The others looked outside, and noted that it had grown cloudy. The great, dark nimbuses above them rumbled menacingly, and, suddenly, they divulged their great load. It was as though the heavens were unleashed. Water poured down in sheets, and, in the distance, they could hear the rumbling that signaled a flood was coming. Suddenly, Brady had a brain wave. Opening the sunroof, causing shouts of alarm as a great volume of water splashed in, he clambered onto the roof and slid himself along until he reached the front. He slammed the hood shut (they had not closed it), but as he did so, he was forced to dive backwards as the tail of the snake monster slammed into the hood right where he would have been. He dove back and plunged headfirst into the sunroof. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his feet, and realized with a pang of terror that the creature had his feet. As he screamed, Ben and Adam grabbed him and tugged, but only succeeding in keeping Brady from being ripped from the car. Though he knew not what made him do it, Brian stuck his head out of the sunroof and screamed at the snake. Let him GO! As he spoke the last word, he felt a wave of anger and fear course through himself like a pulse of energy, and suddenly the snake let go of Brady, waving its hands as though burned. Not questioning his good fortune, he pulled his head back and shut the sunroof as Brady toppled in, completely soaked to the bone and shivering with fear, shock and cold. Predictably, so was Brian, a phenomenon made only worse when the massive wave of the flood waters washed over them, and their world became movement. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 5<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Sparticus was woken from his nap by an outrageously loud bit of telepathy. Adams mind-voice thundered into his head, waking him from a deep sleep. The link was broken before he could respond, but he leapt into action. Not bothering to get dressed, he strode out of the control room (where he slept, not making great use of his own room). For the first time in recent memory, he did not ever bother to put on a mask. So, it was in his pajamas that he walked through the lobby, out the front doors, and sat down, cross-legged, and began to cast the spell that would raise a shield over the Mansion. Apparently, a great flood was coming, and would reach him in minutes. In the distance, he saw a great storm cloud, looking tragically out of place in the desert. Though, Sparticus mused, if this severe weather continued it might not be out of place for long. In just a minute, the shield was raised. It manifested as a great dimly glowing semicircle of force surrounding the entire Mansion complex. Such spells took greats amounts of energy to sustain, and thus Sparticus quickly forced himself into a meditative state. Thus, he remained unawares as a wall of water appeared on the horizon, rushing inexorably towards the Mansion. As it swept across the desert landscape, the roar of the mass of water grew deafening. Finally, it smashed into the force shield. The force of it was such that Spartys meditation was shattered. As his eyes snapped open, he saw, in front of him, the shield begin to crack beneath the colossal power of the flood. He was about to give up hope and teleport himself inside the Mansion when he heard a song begin behind him. Glancing around, he saw Dan standing at the door, singing now. His tenor voice reached a crescendo, and he flung out his hand, from which issues a crackling line of energy. It flew into the faltering force shield, bolstering it. The energy continued as the song did, and Sparticus returned his attention to keeping the rest of the shield up. Within a few minutes, just as the effort of maintaining the shield seemed to become unthinkable, the wave subsided. Knowing they were safe, Sparticus let the shield fall and passed out, just as the shallow remains of the wave washed over him. Dan rushed out and dragged Sparticus inside before he drowned in the water. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Ow Is everyone alright? Several groans answered the question. A great length of time, at least an hour, had passed since the flood swept over them. Since then, they had been tumbling along for miles and miles as they were kept precariously at the forefront of the great wave they had summoned. The car had remained upright for most of the time, but at particularly turbulent moments it had been flipped upside down, and all those inside it were nauseas. Courtney had managed to cast only the most basic of healing spells on Bens injured shoulder, and he was lying unconscious. They had had to strap him up using the seat belts to prevent him from concussing when the limo turned and twisted. What are we going to do now? asked Courtney meekly. Well, said Brady slowly. Only Ben knows how to drive the limo, and He jerked his head towards Bens still form, and the deep, nasty looking puncture in his left shoulder. Can he even drive like that? Oh! said Courty, remembering herself. She crawled over and started crooning softly, and before their eyes the wound knit further, looking almost as good as new when she finally slumped back, her song finished. Ben did not stir, though now he appeared to be sleeping quietly. Well, said Brian, as though he were trying to make the best of things, guess were waiting until he wakes up. And what about our flight? said Adam crossly. He looked shaken. Weve probably already missed it. I will call the Mansion and have Sparty get out flight rescheduled, said Courty soothingly. She stood shakily, and walked over to the phone. She quickly dialed a number, and waited. Hi, Spart-? she paused. Oh, hi Dan, she amended, looking confused. Hes what? Oh, well, alright. I suppose, then, can I speak to hm, she looked thoughtful. Maybe, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>? Hes what? Damn, ok. Ill call you back. She hung up. The others were looking at her curiously. Spartys unconscious, she said glumly, and <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s locked himself in his room. What happened to Sparty? asked Brian. I think he mustve exhausted himself shielding the Mansion from the flood. She said thoughtfully. At any rate, who is going to reschedule our flights? The only other person Id really trust with that is Ben, and hes Just then, the phone rang. Brady answered. Hello? Oh, hi Dan. You what? Ok, one sec, he motioned for a pen and paper, which Courty produced from inside her carryon bag. What time? Uh huh. Terminal? Ok. Where will the tickets be? Direct? this continued for a few minutes. Alright, thanks. Bye bye. He hung up. He rescheduled our flight. It leaves in another 6 hours, which is plenty of time. At least the way Ben drives. As he spoke, Ben began to stir. They all started, then rushed to circle around him, Courty checking his pulse while Brady mixed up a strictly virgin drink for him. Are you alright? asked Brian nervously, as Brady handed him the drink. Ben took it with a dazed nod of thanks. I think so. What time is it? he asked, looking outside. It was already twilight. Shit! The plane, were going to miss it! Dont worry. Dan rescheduled our flight, said Brady calmly. Dan? asked Ben, sounding skeptical. Why not Sparty? Sparty is unconscious, said Courty. Well explain later. Can you drive? I think so, replied Ben. Let me go outside and walk around. Get my bearings. Ill be accompanying you, said Adam suddenly, startling everyone. I think Ill be fine, really, said Ben dismissively. He looked around for his swords. Where are the twin blades? he asked. Well, Ben, I suspect they got swept up in the flood, answered Brady. Damn it! said Ben. Fine, wheres my good sword? Ben, you are not leaving here without me, said Adam sternly. Ben glared at him. Why the hell not? he said angrily. Think! That snake thing wasnt natural; It wasnt supposed to be there. It was an assassin, sent for us. Going outside by yourself would be stupid. Ben, hes right, said Court. Fine! snapped Ben, conceding defeat. Lets go. Within a few minutes, they were back inside the car. The water was now shallow enough to drive in, though Adam was forced to cast a spell to dislodge the car. Soon, they were speeding down the road again, the water splitting before their path like a zipper. Brady was explaining the situation to Ben, who listened carefully. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> What are we going to do about this? asked Sparty. Neither Steve nor Dan offered any answer to his query. It was several hours later, and the entire situation had been explained. Adams sure it was an assassination attempt? inquired Steve thoughtfully. Yes, and I happen to agree with his reasoning. I think we know what Adams dream was about. What do you mean? asked Dan, not understanding. Ive read treatises about ancient assassin groups. Supernatural killers that can be summoned. The snake demon they described, and the ritual Adam witnessed, both ring frightening bells. Theyre going to have to be careful. Steve and Dan nodded. They need help, said Steve suddenly, looking Sparty straight in the eye. It was disconcerting seeing him with the mask. His face was handsome, and he was quite fair, but it was a shock seeing it. I agree, said Sparty. But, objected Dan. They turned to look at him. Dont you think they can take care of themselves? I mean, they have Courty, and Adam his voice trailed off. Exactly, said Sparty. Of that group, they have only two high powered individuals, though I have to admit, that flood Courty summoned was shockingly strong. I did not know she was that powerful. I though they summoned it together, said Steve. Magic was largely beyond his understanding. In theory they did, replied Sparty. But I know Adams spell work, I taught him, and that flood had only the vaguest traces of it. That was almost all Courtney. Dan nodded. Courty and I trained together, he said, And thats definitely her work. It was masterful. I doubt I could even come close to matching that. At any rate, continued Sparty, Brian and Brady are mostly useless in a fight. If Ben had not been there, I do not doubt they might have all been killed. Alright, conceded Dan. But who can we send? Were all needed here, and its only going to get worse by the looks of it. Bris only been in charge for two days, and shes already fought several battles with demons down in the tunnels. I know just the person, said Sparty. He smiled vaguely. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Alright, were here, said Ben. In reality, they were about a mile from the airport, and were over two hours early, but one would not guess that from the speed at which Ben was driving. He passed one car then dodged another. As they approached the parking lot, he took a hard left to avoid a bus that was pulling out, then shot into the lot, and quickly found a spot. They dragged their stuff inside. As they walked Ben glanced around warily. Ok guys, remember what Sparty said. We should be expecting enemies everywhere. And look out for whoever Sparty is sending to meet us. He said wed recognize them when we saw them. The others nodded, dragging bags and trying to conceal weapons. Bens sword was masked by an illusion and kept at his side. After checking in, they entered the airport and strode to the counter to collect their tickets. This took a few minutes, though a quick dimensional alteration spell by Adam allowed them to largely bypass the line by entering an alternate time stream for just a moment. When they arrived at security, Adam mumbled a few quick words, and suddenly, with a buzz, the air was strongly ionized. In an instant, everyones hair was standing on end. The guards looked around startled, as did the shocked travelers whose hair was suddenly ruined. Thirty minutes later, they arrived at their terminal, not having been approached by anyone. And hour passed, and Courty, filled with nervous energy, decided to get up and go buy some magazines for the flight, which was quite long. She let the others know she was going, then entered a store. Picking out a magazine, she got in line. When she got to the front, a short, blonde woman with a kind face greeted her. What can I get you today, honey? she asked, a southern twang just audible in her pretty voice. Just these magazines please, said Courty politely. She handed them over. This is a big pile, got a long flight ahead of you? the woman asked absently as she rang them up. Yep, affirmed Courty. All the way to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region></st1:place>. Suddenly, the woman moved. With startling rapidity, she whipped out a gun and swung it to point at Courty. As she fired, a body slammed into Courtys side, driving her to the ground, and the bullet slammed harmlessly into a rack of candy, which verily exploded. Reacting quickly, Court cast a quick spell to freeze time outside of a close area, to keep others from being harmed. The woman aimed again, but this time Courty was ready for her, and dived behind a magazine rack for cover. Casting another spell to shield herself, she drew a dagger and leapt out. Instantly, a bullet slammed into her. It did not penetrate the shield, but hit it with enough force to knock to the ground and slide her ten feet across the floor. Suddenly, a thrown dagger flashed through the air and plunged deeply into the throat of the attacking woman. Courty did not have time to locate her helper or thank them, because at this moment, another two women emerged from the back room, both wielding shot gun. Courtys eyes widened, and she started running to present a more difficult target. Two bullets just missed her, as she barked out the lyrics to a spell to blast the women with electricity. It worked, and beams of energy erupted from Courtys eyes and slammed into the women. One of them dropped, clearly dead or unconscious, but the other shrugged it off, and prepared to shoot. Courty doubted her shield would survive the hit or protect her, and she had nowhere to run. Thus, he surprise and relief were equally great when the man she assumed must have saved her life twice stepped out from seemingly nowhere and, wielding a sword, lopped off the womans gun hand, then drove a second sword through her eye. Covered with blood, he walked over to Courty, who was lying helpless on the floor, and offered her a hand. He was dressed very strangely to be in public, wearing hunting leathers, and carrying to swords masterfully concealed (even Courty could not locate them, though Ben or Adam likely would have been able to do so). As she gazed his proffered lift, she started deeply into his eyes. He was handsome, and his dirty blonde hair framed his kind face. He was of normal height, though his musculature was obviously honed by years of weapons training, and he had a toughened look about him. Can I offer some assistance? he asked quietly. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 6<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> What? Oh, yes. Thank you, said Courtney. She took his hand dazedly, and he pulled her gently to her feet. Are you alright? he asked. His voice was soft, and sounded as though it had not been used much. Yes, of course, said Courty, brushing her long hair distractedly out of her eyes. She did not notice that sweat and debris that matted her hair, nor the spattered gore that marred her face. All she saw for that moment was him. Suddenly, she stumbled, momentarily losing strength in her legs. With remarkable speed, he caught her, and hoisted her over to sit on the counter. I wouldnt be so sure if I were you, he said. The faintest trace of a smile twitched across his face, though it was immediately overwhelmed by concern. Its really nothing. The time warp spell is hard to keep going is all, she said, trying (and failing) to sound nonchalant. She glanced around, suddenly noticing the destruction around her. What are we going to do with all of this? she asked. She didnt want to specifically mention the bodies. Ill take care of them, he replied. He forced her to lie down, and she was not strong enough to resist. He turned to attend to his morbid work. Wait, she blurted. Whats your name? He turned. Drew, he answered shortly. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Ten minutes later, the two of them hobbled out of the store. As they reached the border of the time warp, Courtney mumbled a few words under her breath, and suddenly, like a wave breaking, the normal flow of time collapsed back onto the rest of the world. Had anyone been watching, they would have been shocked to see, where there had been no one before, two tired looking individuals, one wearing very strange clothing, and both covered in what was certainly blood. When they found the rest of the group, they were all reading books they had brought. Courty and Drew stood in awkward silence, until Brian happened to glance up. Courty? This grabbed the attention of the others. As soon as he saw her, Ben jumped up. Courtney! he exclaimed, glancing around frantically. What happened? Why are you covered in blood? And howd you get back so fast? Wha- Ben, relax, she interrupted. Im fine. Tiredly, she took a seat. Everybody, this is Drew, she said, looking nervous for some reason. Courty, will you please tell us what happened? Who is this? Drew will be traveling with us. Hes the help Sparty sent, and you can thank him. He just saved my life. The others all glanced open mouthed around, until Courtney sighed, and began to tell the story. So, whered you put the bodies? asked Ben of Drew, a few minutes later when Court had finished. Theyre taken care of, he replied. He seemed a little shy, but he made eye contact, and his clear steady gaze made Ben believe him. He turned to Courty. What time does our flight leave? he asked. Um, in about an hour, she said, grinning slyly. Which gives us just enough time for you to tell us a little about yourself. Drew nodded, and straightened his back, assuming what Ben recognized as the stance of a trained storyteller. Within five minutes, he knew that that was indeed the case. He spoke for half an hour, and for not a single moment did any one of their eyes leave his face. The tale he spun, and the way he spun it, was remarkable, and was unlike any other they had ever seen, except for Courty, whose bardic training included similar discipline. In fact, she could probably have spoken just as well, which only engrossed her more. Drew had been born to a small farming family somewhere in the <st1:place w:st="on">Midwest</st1:place>, but his parents, as it turned out, had been members of some international crime organization who were fleeing retribution for some misdeed or another. He discovered this fact when his parents were assassinated at the age of seven. He himself had been captured by the assassin, whose orders did not say anything about a small boy, and taken to the regional head of the crime organization. The head, a cold, cruel man who had been hardened by years of ruthless deeds, felt not the slightest compunction about sentencing the boy to a life of servitude until he was old enough to become a criminal. By sheer fortune, he had been spared from this fate by one of the heads top advisors, a man named Gabriel. He offered to raise Drew himself, and to produce an amazing thief for the organization. In truth, however, his goals were quite the opposite. His intention was to raise Drew to be a good person. Drew, not trusting at first, understandably, eventually grew comfortable under Gabriels tutelage, and, as displaced young boys are wont to do, came to love him as a father. He wondered why Gabriel was so different from the other crime lords he encountered as he traveled with his father. He seemed to lack the cruelty, the distrust in the world. Gabriel watched with pride as Drew grew straight and tall, and taught him well. An extremely well-educated man himself, he taught Drew personally for years, and by the time Drew was fourteen, he probably could have entered college, but Gabriel kept him, and continued to teach him. It was not just school lessons he was taught. Drew learned the Classics, including the proper way to tell stories. He learned Greco-Roman wrestling, and he learned swordplay. Eventually, he could almost hold out against Gabriel himself, who besides being a world-class swordsman, was fantastically strong. And so Drew grew up, reaching the age of sixteen with an enormous store of knowledge and a strangely sated heart. But then, everything changed yet again. He had suspected for many years that Gabriel was more than he seemed, that the man he called Father was so unlike the other crime lords that there must be something below the surface he was missing. He discovered what that was when the assassins came again. He had been sleeping contently in his bedroom, on the second floor of the palatial mansion Gabriel called home. His senses, honed by years of training, detected the intruders entry despite its masterful execution. He sat straight up in his bed, staring wildly around. Calming himself, he heard the intruders (he could hear at least four) walking downstairs. Not understanding precisely what was going on, Drew stood, and moved in absolute silence, making much less noise then those who had entered below, stalking across the room to the rack of weapons that was kept there. He chose a battleaxe as his weapon, hefting and feeling its familiar weight in his hands. Then he crept silently, wearing only pajamas, out of the room. As he walked down the hallway, he heard footsteps around the corner. Sneaking along the wall, he waited. As soon as the intruder crept around the corner, Drew punched him hard in the face, breaking his nose and knocking him out cold. Quickly, Drew frisked him, removing all weapons, and finding the badge that identified his allegiance. He had been expecting a rival guild, and so was shocked to see that he wore the identification of the Gabriels own. Not understanding, Drew moved on. He came to the stairs, and sensed that the other intruders had not yet come up. He wondered what they were after. He crept down the stairs, and emerged into the library. There, he found two more intruders about to enter his fathers study, which lay through a short passage way. Watching warily, they drew knives and prepared to enter. But they were not given the chance. As they approached the door, it exploded outwards, sending them both sprawling. There stood Gabriel, looking more livid than Drew had ever seen him. In his had, he had a double-headed war hammer, and the veins in his forearm bulged. His eyes were wide, and his face white. The two intruders were on him in a flash, each drawing a sword and rushing at Gabriel. Moving faster than they could have thought possible, he ducked under the first outstretched sword, grabbed the man by the wrist, and with the barest exertion of effort, broke the mans wrist. He fell to the ground howling, and Gabriel lifted on good and stomped down mightily on his neck, and he went still. The other swordsman approached more cautiously, but at that moment Drew detected a movement behind him, and turned just in time to side step a downward sweep of a sword. Off balance, he fell backwards into a roll, fully in the library now. Following closely on his heels was the swordsman that had just attacked him, and close behind him were three others. They all swarmed to attack Gabriel, who was fighting furiously, but the first stalked in on Drew. He stood, not understanding. He had never thought of weapon play as a way of killing, it had always been a joy for him. Now, it seemed, the games were over. The swordsman stalked in towards Drew, sizing him up. Suddenly, he saw an intruder go flying, and knew that Gabriel was doing well. In the moment that Drew glanced over though, the swordsman attacked. He came in with a slice at his legs, and Drew leapt deftly over it. He kicked straight out as he leapt, smashing the intruder in the chest and forcing him back, his breath gone. Steve was on him then. He sliced in with the axe, using the back of the head. He still didnt want to kill anyone. The swordsman recovered in time to duck, the sliced at Drews midsection, and Drew easily managed to get the axe in line to block. He then transferred the axe rapidly to his left hand, and thrust his elbow into the mans face, shattering his nose and forcing him to step back. Then he paused, unsure of what to do next. Then he heard a shout. Drew! it was Gabriel, and Drew quickly looked over to his fathers distraught face, and followed his gaze. There was a swordsman sneaking up behind him. Without thinking, Drew came in hard with the razor sharp head of the axe, cutting the mans feet out from under him. He then turned back to his father. He knew what was going to happen before the event even began. His father, afraid for Drews life, had sacrificed his position fighting against the wall, and was now surrounded. Before Drew could even move, a bloodied sword erupted from Gabriels chest, and the look of fear on his face was the most disturbing thing Drew had ever or would ever see. He knew that it wasnt for himself. It was for Drew. Drew lets out a blood-curdling howl of grief, and erupted into a flurry of motion with the axe, cutting down the first man who had attacked him, he then turned on the other four men in the room. They made to surrounded him, but he hardly noticed. He waded into melee with abandon. Ignoring the other men, he made straight for the man whose sword had pieced his fathers form, and sliced down at his head. The man raised his sword to block, but he axe cleave directly through the metal of the sword, through the upraised arm and deep into the man shoulder, almost completely severing his arm. Drew raised the axe again, and lopped the mans head off, continuing the swing and embedding his weapon in the chest of the man who was about to swing at him. Tugging hard, he pulled the weapon free, and with one hand, swung it in a circle above his head, cutting deep into the skull of the man standing behind him. He then kicked out to the side, catching the final swordsman in the chest, and launching him backwards. Drew was on him in a flash. He attacked in a flurry of sideswipes and powerful swings. This swordsman, not surprised, proved more difficult. Finally, he managed to get past Drews guard and swing at his head. Drew, instead of blocking the sword, stepped in close and chop at the mans sword arm, severing it at the elbow. Then, he drove his forehead into the mans nose, channeling all his anger and grief into the blow. The mans nose erupted in blood, his eyes crossed, and he dropped. Not caring about killing at all now, Drew raised his axe and sliced down at the mans head, taking a grim satisfaction as it sawed through his skull, not even noticing the line of blood that erupted, further covering Drew. He collapsed now to the ground, sobbing into his hands. Not just at the death of his beloved father, but at what he had done. But he only cried for a moment. He knew what he had to do. He rose and cleaned his blade on his shirt. Hefting it across his shoulders, he strode rapidly into his fathers office, and starting riffling through papers, looking for something, anything, that might explain why his fathers own thieves guild would have ordered his death. He found it. Stamped in a small corner of some paper of apparently minor consequence was a seal, in red ink. Though it did not look familiar, it struck some basic chord in him, one of peace and goodness. He knew where to look. He ran to his fathers bookshelf, and began riffling through at lightning speed. Seeking a particular tome. He found it. He pulled Cults, Guilds, and Secret Societies off the shelf, and began looking. He quickly found the entry for his fathers guild, and, scanning briefly, registered very little, except that the guild was believed to have demonic connections. The word demon stuck in his head dizzily. Not understand, he continued flipping through, until he glanced what he was looking for. There, at the top of the page, was the same seal, which belonged to a secret society which was devoted to good. It mentioned powerful magicians, and spies infiltration the highest levels of many organizations of darkness. He understood. His father had apparently been a spy, and he had somehow exposed himself. A terrible though popped unbidden into his head. They killed him because of me . He shunted out, brutally repressed it. He could think of such things later. Right now, he needed to flee. But where could he go. The answer hit him quickly. He could find whichever organization his father had belonged to, and join them. Take revenge. But how to find them? He sat down, and rapidly read every word of the entry. It claimed that they were very nature oriented. He didnt know if he liked that, but he had made his mind up. But he still did not know how to find them. He sat there thinking for a few minutes, knowing he really should be fleeing. Suddenly, though, with a loud crack, a man appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the study. Drew yelped, and shuffled back against the wall, breathing heavily, and staring wide-eyed at the man. He was now glancing around the office, a sad look on his face. Hardly even glancing at Drew, he walked into the library, and stared for a moment at the carnage, kneeling besides Gabriels body and whispering a few words. Suddenly, to Drews shock and outrage, the body vanished. What the hell? he screamed, not believing what he was seeing. The man turned and gazed sadly down at Drew. So youll be his adopted son, will you? he asked quietly. He was tall, and quite thin. He was also, Drew realized, staring into his eyes, very old. He didnt know how he knew (for the man did not look older than forty), but he was sure. Something about his eyes. Drew nodded. Would you like to come with me? he asked. Drew did not even consider the offer consciously before nodding his assent. He somehow knew this was the right thing to do. I I need to get some things, he stammered. The man checked his watch, then sighed. Fine, but hurry. We have only five minutes until well have even more people to fight off. What do you need? Um, some of my things, he said, thinking quickly. Some of my weapons from upstairs, some mementos. A few books. Quickly, four minutes now. Drew nodded and leapt up, taking care not to even glance at the bodies of those he had dispatched, instead hurrying up the stairs. Grabbing a bag from a closet, he piled in all of the weapons of value he had in his room, entering his fathers bedroom to similarly empty it. Some of the weapons were priceless artifacts. He gathered a few books that were irreproducible, as well as some statues and religious items. When he returned to the study, he found the wizard pacing. Thirty seconds, he said. Then he noticed how many items Drew was carrying. By the gods, do you think youve gathered enough? he asked incredulously. Drew started to retort angrily, but the man cut him off. Hurry. Place your things in a pile on the floor. Drew complied, and the man stooped down and said a brief word. The pile vanished just as Gabriel had. Then he straightened up, and began a series of ritual hand movements. Suddenly, his hand shot convulsively to grab Drew by the wrist, and suddenly, the study, the house, and the world fell away, and what seemed to simultaneously be a moment and hours later, they were standing in an unfamiliar forest clearing. Your new home, said the man. Drew glanced around, and noted that the trees were full of houses and bridges. On the ground, narrow paths wove this way and that, though they appeared fully natural, and did not seem to have been cleared. The clearing in which they stood was surrounding by carts, in which people were selling wares. A city in the trees. His mouth gaped in wonder. The man noted his amazement, clapped him on the back. Come; lets get you a warm meal. The man led Drew to a tree, and motioned for him to stand close. Then, without warning, they began to levitate upwards. Drew looked around and noticed that others were doing this as well. He glanced down, and almost overbalanced himself in shock. Soon, they were stepping into a small tree house, finely furnished, and perhaps the coziest place Drew had ever encountered. You must be exhausted, said the man. But Drew had already dragged himself to a small couch and curled up, grief, exhaustion, and shock overcoming him at last. For the next year, Drew lived and grew in the City in the Trees. Living at the headquarters for a powerful secret organization was always interesting, and Drew learned much in his time there. He was immediately apprenticed to a very frail old man who lived in the city in seeming isolation, his tree home being fairly well isolated from most of the others. He was never told exactly what the apprenticeship was in, merely following instructions. He learned stealth tactics, particularly geared towards forest movement. He learned all about life in the forest, learning the name of every tree and every animal. Further, he learned to love nature, and to interact with animals in a semi-empathic way. And he learned how to fight. It seemed like he did nothing else. The old man, whose name he never learned, rarely spoke, and Drew seldom left his home. He realized, though, that his tree home must be truly enormous, for he had an entire training floor. Only to encounter animals did they leave, or to practice stealth or run errands. Drew often forgot the old man was there, so silent was he. Drew never really liked him, but they developed an understanding, and over the next year, Drew was quite happy. After a year of near isolation, a day arrived that broke the semi-monotony. Drew was attending to his daily chores, cleaning, putting food out for the birds that came to visit, and a myriad of other little things around the house. Suddenly, a form appeared at the doorway and stepped in. It was the wizard. Drew, my boy! How are things? Fine, he replied. He noted how strange his voice sounded, then realized that he had not spoken at all for days. He wondered how many other days had passed in absolute silence. Are you ready to go? he asked jovially. Go? Yes indeed. Your apprenticeship is up. Where am I going? Well, thats really up to you. I have been watching you very closely for this last year, closer than you could know. And Id love if youd stay with us. If not actually here, then as part of the organization. He was quite serious now. I dont really know anything about the organization, replied Drew. I appreciate all youve done for me, but I dont know how to react. Well, let me edify you, then, he said. He motioned for Drew to follow him. Drew glanced around once, somehow knowing hed not see the place again for a long time. Bye, he said to no one in particular, before stepping out of the building and levitating down after the wizard. As they walked briskly through the city, the wizard explained the organization. Everyone who lived there was part of it. It was a community, which stretched across the globe. It was devoted to maintaining the balance between nature and civilization (usually emphasizing the nature side), and beating back the forces of evil. They worked in secret, rarely revealing themselves. They had operatives all over the world, and were exceedingly ancient. The order had been founded in Sumeria, and had been unbroken in existence since then. Drew was convinced long before the man stopped talking, but he let him continue. He was not used to speaking, and had no problems listening. Eventually, though, a thought occurred to him, and his interruption cut through the line of anecdote easily. Can I be a field operative? he asked, hoping the term was appropriate. That was our intention all along, replied the man, not even turning, sounding as though the answer had been obvious all along. Drew smiled as the man continued. He did not think he would be able to stay here, but he was hopeful he could make a difference elsewhere. He loved the nature surrounding him, but knew his skills could be better used in the world. So, for two whole years, Drew traveled the world. He visited every continent at least twice (including <st1:place w:st="on">Antarctica</st1:place>), and learned more about the world than he could have imagined possible. And then, some hours earlier, he had been contacted magically by his superiors, and given a new mission. He was to report to the airport in short order. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 7<o:p></o:p> And thats my story. Silence. Are you all okay? he asked. That was wow, replied Brady. He was stunned. He had never imagined anyone could weave a tale so well. Only Courty was less than nonplussed. Not that one would have know judging by the rapt attention she had been paying to Drews every word, watching them flow from his mouth, as she savored their flavor and texture. Her mouth hung open. Suddenly, she snapped it shut, as she remembered herself. We need to get going, she said, snapping the others out of stupors that seemed to be drug induced. Yes, said Ben, rising suddenly. He shook back his sleeve, and checked his watch rapidly. His eyes widened. We mustve missed the first boarding call, hurry, get on the plane! Hurriedly, they snatched up their luggage, and dragged it Courty and Drew attracting stares that went unnoticed. They thrust out their tickets as they went past, and they waved goodbye to Ben. Drew was nowhere to be seen, but Ben had noticed him sneak with egregiously talented stealth onto the plane unnoticed. Courty looked around with sudden fear, then tried to cover her shock. Ben shot her a reassuring and understanding smile, and she relaxed, composed herself, and continued forward, waving. As his friends disappeared into the passage way that led to their flight, Ben sighed. Resignedly, he turned and began the walk out to the limo, limping slightly. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Of all of them, Drew seemed the most at ease on the airplane. Little did they understand the internal battle raging within him, an innate fear of flying combating his long instilled training to not express his emotions unless he needed to do so. The plane was packed (though Drew knew for certain that the seat next to the travelers was empty, as his superiors had arranged it to be so), and it took them a few minutes to find their seats, which they stared at with a bit of distaste (all of them used to the plush accommodations of the Mansion save Drew). After a pause, they resigned themselves and began stowing their luggage, which gave Courty a bit of trouble considering her height. After a moment, she grew frustrated, and almost considered using magic to solve her problem, when she found Drew plucking her bag from her hands and placing it above without. As he leaned across her to reach up, she found herself harboring a strange desire to kiss his chin, but shook it off. Do you want the window, or the aisle? Oh what? said Courty, shaking her head to clear her mind. Aisle or window? Window, please, she replied, smiling up at Drew. He nodded, silently thanking God that he didnt have to be subjected to the window seat. Courty slid into the seat, and went about rearranging her space, making it comfortable. Brady, and Brian were sitting in the row in front of them, and Adam was seating across the aisle. As had become usual for him over the last few days, he looked cross, though for the first time his ire was baseless, and he was really only making himself angry. I love flying at night, said Courty wistfully, staring out the window. She had not been expecting a response, so she started when Drew answered. Why? he asked, sounding genuinely curious. She turned, and found him gazing at her. Well, she said, thinking about it. I suppose its pretty, but thats not quite it. Its very serene, and calm. Especially flying over the <st1:place w:st="on">Atlantic</st1:place>. Where exactly are we going? You mean you dont know? said Courty incredulously. Nope. I was just told to report here and to find all of you. Wow. Can you really follow instructions like that? Yes, I always do. Do you ever make decisions for yourself? Of course I do. All my decisions are my own. It was my decision to join this organization, and its my decision what actions I take on this trip. I mean, are you ever impulsive? Sometimes, responsibilities outweigh impulse. Sometimes life outweighs responsibility. In response, Drew shrugged, smiled mysteriously, and stood up. He dug through the luggage bins, until he found what he was looking for. When he sat down, he was carrying a large tomb, written in what Courty recognized from her bardic training as a Semitic language, though she could not read it. What is that? she asked, taking in the text with her eyes. No one knows, he replied. Its written in Sumerian cuneiform, but no one can understand the dialect. We think it might be some sort of prophetic text, but we dont know. Can I see it? Brady had turned around, and was staring at the text expectantly. Sure, said Drew, handing him the book. It was clearly very old, though surprisingly well preserved. It was very large, and very heavy, and the covers and bindings were leather, the pages thin papyrus, every word obviously handwritten. Brady gazed at it, and his eyebrows rose as he realized that though the script was familiar, the words made not the vaguest bit of sense. Here, let me have it, said Court, holding out her hands. Brady handed it over. Lets see, she closed her eyes, and began muttering under her breath. Drew shook his head, but did not intervene. She finished, and opened her eyes. What? It hasnt changed! Well, no, thats part of the problem, said Drew, smiling. We tried that. We had our mightiest wizards test it out, and none of them could affect the book at all. Not only that, but it defies any magic at all. It cant be affected. Well, whats to be done then? Basically, I get the duty of staring at it until it begins to make sense. Which will hopefully be before whatever it prophesizes comes to pass. Youre a translator? asked Brady skeptically. Yep, part of my training. Wow, said Brady, not seeming particularly impressed. He sat back down smartly. So, is there anything you dont know how to do? asked Court teasingly. Yes, he said absently, not looking up. So, why do you have the book? I mean, Im sure that there is someone else more suited to dealing with it, since youre to be traveling and all, and why is it so important all of a sudden. Its probably been in that library of yours for eons. Actually, we only found it a few days ago. It just sort of appeared, really freaked out the archivists who discovered it. What do you mean, it just appeared? asked Court skeptically. Well, replied Drew, finally looking at her. I mean it just surface. It wasnt there one day. And then the next day, an archivist was filing documents, and there it was, or something like that. Its happened before. Texts will just show up. Usually theres a reason, though we rarely if ever know it until well after the fact. So, this book appears, and they shove it at you as youre walking out the door? Actually, he said, not meeting her eyes, one of the diviners foresaw me with the book. He had a vision of me and it in some situation or other, and my superiors took this to mean that it was to be with me. Hm, mysterious, said Courty teasingly. Drew smiled and turned back to the book. Well, fine, be that way, she said crossly. She stood and flagged down the stewardess. Can I help you, Miss? she asked primly. She seemed disapproving of Courtys looks, so Court smiled elegantly to win her over. Her effort failed. Yes, can I have a Baileys on the rocks please? Do you have ID? the attendant asked, flashing Courtney an inspecting glance. Damn it, said Courty angrily, and crossed her arms. The stewardess smiled in a self satisfied way and marched back to the front, shaking her rear in an uptight fashion as she walked. Courty had half a mind to cast a spell to make her trip, but thought better of it. The pilot announced take off, and she sat upright and looked out the window to watch as the barren landscape zoomed past. The plane shuddered violently, and lurched itself into the air. Courtney held her breath, then let it out in a sigh as the plane began a smooth, ear-popping assent. Within twenty minutes, they had reached cruising altitude (Drew was still firmly entrenched in the book, and was now making diagrams and notes on a piece of what Courty recognized as parchment and, strangely enough, a feather quill and ink well. As soon as the pilot turned off the fasten seatbelt sign, she saw Bradys hand shoot into the air in front of her, and the same stewardess came marching over. Yes, sir? Can I have a Baileys on the rocks please? ID? she asked again, smiling as she prepared to dash the young folks desire for alcohol. Brady reached into his wallet and withdrew an ID card. The womans face turned stony as her eyes swept it briefly, and she swallowed and stalked off, returning a minute later with the drink in hand. She gave it contemptuously to Brady, who shot her a cold smile in return. Without even waiting till she was out of earshot, he turned and handed it to Courtney. Here you go, Courtpants, he said, teasingly using her nickname that he had given her some years earlier. Thanks, Bradu, she said, returning the favor by leaning forward to deliver a kiss on the cheek. Brady smiled to himself, chuckled faintly at some internal joke, and then, with strange abruptness stifled himself and sat back down. Courty turned, settled back in her chair, and gazed out onto the night sky, for darkness had truly fallen now. As she sipped her drink, her eyes hungrily yet lazily ate up the beautifully serene view, and she found herself nodding off soon enough. Gulping the rest of her drink down, she whispered a spell which conjured a fluffy down pillow which would vanish in a few hours time, and curled up and was quickly asleep. What seemed like hours later, she woke up suddenly as a child coughed somewhere on the plane. With a start, she realized that she had been resting her head in Drews lap. Drew himself was sound asleep, only slightly reclined yet dozing soundly. She sat up slowly, and glanced around the silent airplane, so still as most of the passengers slept. Suddenly, in the aisle, a small child ran past, smiling, and a hassled looking parent rushed past. Without thinking (it seemed so natural), Courty lay back down as she was, her final view before her eyes shut being the back of Brians chair in front of her. Chapter 8<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The sword, long and heavy, swung through the air in a wide arc, slicing audibly through the air, swung so by two hands which clutched it comfortably. Unfortunately, it missed its target, a particular variety of demon noted for its ability to enact short range teleportation at the blink of an eye, as the demon vanished in a burst of smoke. Bri, however, had a shrewd idea where it might be showing up, and did not slow her swing. Instead, she continued it, her arms at full extension and her weapon covering a ten foot radius circle. She leapt into a pirouetting jump, and just as the demon reappeared, it found itself without its head as Bris sword severed it cleanly. But her motion did not cease there, as she detected the presence of yet another of these strange creatures behind her, and she turned her arc into a deceptively sharp stab that dived outwards to bight deeply into its chest. It gasped wordlessly at the weapon embedded in its cold heart. Though she did not sense any more enemies about, Bri kicked into the creatures chest, sending it flying backwards and freeing her own sword in the process, which she drew back into a defensive guard, glancing around for demons. Not seeing any, she dropped her sword point to the ground and leaned on it, feeling the pain in her sore legs and arms. She sighed, tucked a lock of red hair behind her ear, and wiped her face with her sleeve, removing a tangible layer of muck and blood to reveal something of her normally radiant self (normal being a relative word, as she was as often as not engaged in some fight or another). She drew a rag out of her notched belt and wiped down her sword, before sliding it into a scabbard that was slung across her back. Solo fights were the price she paid for ignoring her own instructions and breaking formation. She was acting as the point of her unit, scouting ahead in the tunnels that comprised the lower reaches of the GovMansion. Though they were usually abandoned (as few residents if any chose flats this deep into the Mansion, preferring the aboveground residences), the tunnels had been hosting monsters of uncertain origin more and more frequently since the troubles began (and for a few months beforehand), and Bri led several units on patrol at least twice a day. They almost always encountered one band of creatures or another, and rarely did they find the same breed type, which suggested some greater power organizing them, as demons of different species rarely worked together of their own accord, needing instead, by virtue of their own obstinate and vicious natures, to be coerced into doing so. At this moment, her own group was at least ten minutes behind her by her estimation, which was about twice the usual distance she recommended to her soldiers to keep. Point was a dangerous position, the person holding it often in total darkness, with no source of refuge should they encounter a creature they cannot handle. Ominously, the uninhabited apartment doors down here, unshaped by the wills of residents into particular shapes as so many of those above were, opened into terrifying hellscapes more dreadful than most humans (and many demons) could even contemplate. Thus, they operated in very dim light, using their other senses such as hearing and smell heavily. This required a level of perceptiveness greater than what almost any human could possess naturally, and many had had it instilled in them magically. Bri, however, had always had nearly preternatural senses, and thus prowled these corridors unaided. And alone. Always alone in these tunnels. That was how she liked it. As she walked back, her feet making no sound at all as they fell on the rough stone that comprised the tunnel, she relished her solitude, smiling savagely. However, she was not nearly as alone as she thought. Not too far away, someone was watching her. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Sparticus gazed into the image before him. He was seated, and he had before him a small table, on which rested a large, wide bowl, composed entirely of moonstone. The bowl was filled with some unidentifiable fluid, but the image that played across the surface was clearly that of Bri walking alone in her tunnel. The scrying bowl allowed him to witness events occurring anywhere in the world, except for those protected from such magical intrusion. Luckily, Bri was not yet so deep into the caverns that the time warp prevented him from watching. Though he regularly scryed many of the Mansions occupants, he had been spending more time than usual, more time than was appropriate, watching Brianna. He did not know why, but he was engrossed in watching her. He enjoyed watching her fight, watching her laugh, joke, talk. It made him feel like a part of him that had been empty was being filled, though he could neither explain the feeling to himself nor banish it from his mind. At that moment, however, something interrupted his thoughts. The ground beneath his feet began to shake, and the image before his eyes frayed and vanished as the water sloshed over the edges. Snatching the bowl and lowering it to the floor such that it did not shatter in the tremor, he looked around for his next action. His eyes fell on the portal that led to his room. Spartys room was an anomaly, having its number being 1313, well past 666, and possible only by virtue of the time warp effect of the Mansion. Therefore, it was only reachable by magic, and this portal was that magic. Now, it was breaking, and Sparty could feel the magic within it unraveling as the ground shook. Determined not to forever loose the invaluable resources he stored there, he ran with alarming alacrity and dove headfirst through the damaged portal, barking out a spell for telekinesis as he went. He landed, and felt the power of the spell course through him. With a sweeping motion, all of the valuable objects in the room soared towards and through the portal, including his collection of magical mask, a prodigious number of books, including irreproducible spell books penned by powerful magicians, and a great number of mightily enchanted items including weapons, staffs, and potions. All this and more flew through the portal, though Sparty felt some resistance as he forced them through. He hurried towards it and attempted to thrust himself through, but was repulsed. He tried again, mustering all the willpower he could. Finally, he felt something snap, and he was through the portal, though as he turned back to look at it, the stone archway that comprised it cracked in half and crumbled, and the shaking stopped. As Sparty drew himself shakily to his feet, three people rushed into the room behind him, stopping at the doorway as they could not find a way through the piles of the items that had once been within Spartys apartment. He turned to see Ben, Dan, and surprisingly Gary (who had not left his room before now) standing at the doorway, white faced. What was that? asked Ben, repressing a shiver. I do not know, but it was serious, replied Sparty. Just then, another man, wearing armor and carrying weapons, rushed in, making them start. He was white faced, and spoke directly to Sparticus. Sir, Bri sent me. A horde of demons has appeared, at least four score strong. We need help, for only two dozen patrol members are currently dispatched. He lowered his head and waited silently for instructions. Ben? said Sparty. Yes, send me. You have weapons? Of course, take your pick, he replied, waving vaguely at the pile of enchanted arms lying about. Ben nodded and scanned the room quickly, finding a pair of sabers that resembled his own, though as he hefted them and clipped them to his belt, he realized that they were powerfully enchanted, so much so that his hands tingled as he touched them. Thesell do, he said grimly. Would you like armor? asked Sparty. No time. Ok, lets go, he replied. Sparty nodded, and moved towards him and the messenger to send them, but then Gary and Dan stepped up. Youll be sending us as well, said Dan. Youll go? asked Sparty skeptically. He noted that <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Had armed himself with his preferred type of blade. Yes, replied <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Ben eyed him. Sparty, send us, we can discuss this later. Fine. Youll all need to hold hands. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Bri spun and cut down yet another of these strange demons. They were unlike anything she had ever seen, and their manner of appearance was even odder. When the earth began to shake, she had rushed back to her patrol, just as the other patrol arrived in the corridor. They looked to her for instructions, but she silenced them, watching the earth, which appeared to not only be shaking, but was animating itself. Demons began peeling themselves forth from the rock, with two dozen emerging before her eyes, and scores more approaching from either direction in the tunnel. Quick! Form up! Bri had barked. They arranged themselves rapidly into a tight circle, with archers in the center. As they readied themselves, the first bunch of demons attacked. They fought with brute strength and were difficult to kill, for their skin was as tough as the earth from which they came. Now, the formation had been lost, and it was simply a grand, vicious melee. Bri had not stopped swinging for a moment, always turning to help slay another, though their numbers did not seem to have diminished. She felt a rib broken in her abdomen, and reminded herself that she could not take more than a few blows from these monsters. She paused, as she felt a new presence in the tunnel. She looked over to where she had detected it, just in time to see a blade of light erupt from the chest of one of the demons which was about to land a killing blow against one of her soldiers. The blade jerked up, cutting the creature in two. As it crumbled, she saw <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, holding the blade, with Ben and Dan right behind him, Ben with two swords in his hands. Bri almost sighed with relief, but instead turned to enter into combat with yet another. Ben and Gary erupted into action, twirling their weapons and cutting a swath through the crowd of fighting bodies, trying to get to Bri and present a unified front. Ben found that his magical blades easily cut through the stone of the creatures bodies, and presumed that at least part of the enchantment must be for superior sharpness. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Likewise found no problem wielding his blade of light. He had not fought or trained for weeks though, and was already beginning to tire, just a bit. He forced his fatigue into the back of his mind, and focused on the task at hand. This was his chance to fix what was wrong. Finally, they reached Bri, just as Dan finished a spell he had been casting. Ben felt a drop of water on his face, then two, and it began to rain, the stone above their heads divulging water. It took Ben a moment to realize the purpose, then saw that the blades of the soldiers were more cutting more deeply into the stone-flesh of the demons. Just then, Ben saw that a group of demons had circled around and were encroaching upon Dan from behind, to kill him and flank the patrol. Ben shouted out a warning, and Dan turned, opened his mouth, and screamed. The sound that issued was so horrible that Ben almost covered his ears. The air before Dan rippled, and the cone of sound rushed towards the demons, whose mineral composed bodies shattered into dust as the intense shout reached them. Then it was over, and Dan turned his attention back to the main force, having destroyed a good dozen of the demons with that single spell. He looked around for ways to help. Bri, Ben, and Gary arranged themselves in a small circle, and began systematically cutting their way through the throng, and the soldiers rallied about them. Even so, it took a long time for the battle to end, and by then, at least a dozen of the soldiers were wounded, three were near death, and one was actually dead, his head crushed under the immense blows of the stone demons. Dan rushed into the crowd and began healing those he could. When he had done what he could, they gathered their wounded and began the trek back to the ground level. Chapter 9<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> So, that was fun. They all glared at her. She looked taken aback. Ok, or, you know not, she amended, shaking her head. They continued walking. A few minutes later, they found themselves in tunnels that were easily recognizable, the stone evolved into a civilized hallway, and they passed the first inhabited apartment. Bri stopped, and adjusted the unconscious form that was slung across her shoulders. She and Ben were both sporting such loads, as no one else was strong enough or possessed the energy to carry those who could not walk. Dan had sent the body of the dead soldier up to the Mansion-proper magically, but they still walked with his loss hanging heavily over them. Soon enough, they emerged into the bright lights and marble floor of the lobby, and found Sparticus waiting for them, with Laura in tow. She carried a small leather bag, and when she saw the wounded soldiers, she rushed over, and, with strength very surprising for her small stature, lifted them off their carriers backs, and began tending to them, pulling creams and unguents out of her bag and applying them with expert precision. Laura, you never told me you knew how to do this stuff, said Ben, checking the other soldiers for broken bones now that they were safe. I was the village healer back back there, she replied, avoiding mention of her time in ancient <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Scotland</st1:place></st1:country-region>. I had to be of use somehow, so they taught me much of the old lore, and I even learned a bit of magic to speed the process. Because Courty is out of the Mansion, I took steps to ensure we would have at least one skilled healer about, said Sparty. Good thinking, said Ben. He glanced around nervously, then leaned in towards Sparty. Where is everyone? he asked. I thought they all be gathering after that tremor. I put their rooms under lockdown, replied Sparty, not bothering to lower his volume. You did what? gasped Ben. Lockdown. Their rooms are magically shut until I decide otherwise. It is a precaution designed to keep a crowd from forming during an emergency. Well, I think its time to take care of that, said Ben sternly. Sparty paused, then nodded his assent. There, he said. Sure enough, people had begun pouring into the lobby. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, seeing the crowd, quickly shied away, and made to head back to his room. Laura saw him slipping around the large, rune carved pillar that dominated the center of the lobby, and glanced him disappearing into the corridor that led to his room. She looked around and located Dan. Come here, she said urgently, pulling him down to the patient she was tending. Hes mostly patched up, and I need you to finish the job, she implored him, rising to leave. But- protested Dan meagerly. Laura cut him off with a look and began weaving through the crowd. She quickly arrived at the corridor <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Had just entered, and hurried up one flight of stairs and arrived at his room. She knocked once, then entered, without waiting for an invitation. She found <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Lying on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He did not rise or acknowledge her presence. You know, she said from the doorway. What you did was terribly brave. Sure, he said, his eyes not moving. But whats the point? <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, she said softly. Whats wrong with you? Ever since I came back youve been terrible. Useless even. Thanks, Laura. You really know how to cheer a guy up, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Replied, not even attempting to drive sarcasm into his tone. You know, that is quite enough! she snapped, sounding angry. For the first time, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Moved. He sat up. Excuse me? he said. His temper was rising now too, the first emotion other then despair hed felt in weeks. You know, were in a state of crisis here. You are one of the owners of this Mansion, and you have a responsibility to those people down there. So why dont you buck up, and stop moping around? Laura, you have no idea what the hell youre talking about! <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Shouted. His face was flushed bright red with anger. He turned to walk away. With startling rapidity, Laura crossed the room, grabbed Garys shoulders and spun him, then punched him full on in the face, her fist traveling almost straight up to reach him. She felt his nose crack under her fist. Blood exploded everywhere. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Clutched his hands to his face, then fell backwards onto his bed, clutching at his shirt and pressing it to his shattered nose. What did you do that for, he screamed, as bruises blossomed brilliantly across his face and under his eyes. Youre being pathetic, she snapped, glaring furiously at him. Not only that, youre being moronic . Get out, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Coldly, trying and failing to be calm. Im not leaving this room until youve explained yourself and made amends. And trust me, Ill know if youre sincere. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Stood up aggressively, and in response Laura pushed him hard on the chest with remarkable force, and he fell backwards again. Stay! she snarled viciously. Explain, NOW! <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Considered her carefully, his eyes burning with rage and pain behind the clump of fabric pressed to his now crooked nose. Then, after a moment, he began speaking. He spoke for what seemed to him like ages. He explained how he had had that one moment of doubt, about how his faith has wavered. He had stopped feeling the wonderment of living in a world full of magic, with more excitement and thrill than most people ever experience, and instead had begun looking at the world through the eyes, dare he say it, of a real, grown adult. He was not a child, but he had always promised himself he would never lose the childlike quality that had allowed him to witness feats that defied logic and common sense, and to not fear it, but embrace it wholeheartedly. Finally, he arrived at the point in the story when he had stepped into the cloud in the hallway. When I entered that cloud, I saw my worst fears made manifest before my eyes. And, forefront among them, was me living in a world without magic, without excitement. And in that moment, it truly became real to me. His head drooped, and he was silent, waiting for Laura to speak, scream, rage, to pass judgment. She didnt. They were silent for a long, long time, neither moving, nor coughing, nor making any noise or action at all. Finally, Laura broke the stillness. She walked forward, grabbed <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s head with one hand, forcefully grabbed his nose with the other, and with a sickening crack, she set the bone back into place. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Almost fainted from the pain, but Laura held him steady. She kissed him on the top of the head, and then turned to walk away. Before she reached the door, she paused as she remembered something. She reached into her pocket, and drew out a small tub of a yellow cream. Here, she said, tossing it to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. He missed it, his equilibrium still thrown off. It bounced on his bed, and ended up by his side. Put that one your nose. It will get rid of the bruising, and help the bone heal faster. Dont touch it or let it near hot water till tomorrow. And with that, she walked from the room. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Gazed after her. He did not know how he felt, but a great weight was gone from within him. Finally, he picked up the cream, gazed at it skeptically, and walked to the bathroom. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> So, what did he say? Oh, something about Irish Cream, I wasnt really listening. Didnt sound terribly important. Nothing to report at all? Wait, who did you speak to again, Ben? Brady. Sparty, didnt you talk to Court at any point. No, Brady said she was sleeping, he replied, and a very uncharacteristic smirk rose on his face. What are you smiling about, Nothing, no matter, he replied evasively. Just then, his eyes darkened. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place>? said Dan amazedly. Sure enough, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Was standing at the doorway to the Mansion restaurant, wringing his hands nervously. He glanced around, then walked to their table. Hey guys, can I join you? he asked tentatively. Sure, Ben replied. They quickly made a spot for him. So, are you done being such a downer? asked Dan teasingly. I think so, he replied, smiling. Just then, his eyes fell on a very unexpected sight. Jon? Everyone turned. Hey guys, Im back. Chapter 10<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The captain has turned on the facet seatbelt sign as we prepare for descent. Please return your seats to their upright position and stow all carryon in the overhead containers or beneath your seats. Courtneys eyes snapped open, and she closed them again, before she realized where she was. Suddenly, she sat up, and felt the back of her head collide forcefully with something hard. Ow! Oh, Drew! Im so sorry! Are you alright? Yes. Well, I think my chin is crooked now, but need for cosmetic surgery aside Courty smiled crookedly and guiltily, rubbing the sore spot on her skull. So uh howd you sleep? asked Drew awkwardly, not quite making eye contact. Good, I guess. How about you? replied Court. Thats, uh good! Really great, he said. He chuckled nervously, and smiled. Courty smiled back, and they gazed intensely into each others eyes, almost leaning in towards each other. Hey guys. Whats up? It was Brian, returning from the bathroom. Brady was in his seat, turned around and looking on with a knowing smile upon his face. They both jumped and quickly looked away, Drew fussing about with his seat belt and Courty checking her hair in the reflection in the window. It was dusk, she noted, which meant they had lost an entire day in transit, having left in the early hours of the morning, and the flight itself being over ten hours. Courtney looked down and saw brilliant countryside, and in the distance she could make out the brilliant blue of the sea, and she smiled with glee as she looked down upon one of her favorite places in the world. We are now cleared for landing at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1 laceName w:st="on">Ciampino</st1 laceName> <st1 laceType w:st="on">Airport</st1 laceType></st1:place>. Thank you for flying with us today, said the voice over the P.A. Were going to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Rome</st1:City></st1:place>? asked Drew. In response, Courtney smiled mischievously. Whats in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Rome</st1:City></st1:place> That will help us? he asked, puzzled. Well, not <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"> Rome </st1:place></st1:City>strictly speaking. A little bit more narrow, replied Courty. Suddenly, it clicked. Were going to the Vatican Library? he asked, amazed. He had always wanted to visit it, but had never had cause enough to get clearance. Yep. The Papal Library has one of the largest occult references in the world. Of course, they have no idea what theyre sitting on; It was put there thinking it was all just dangerous heresy. But for those who know where to look I bet, said Drew, shaking his head in amazement. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> It took the travelers close to two hours to get through customs, retrieve their luggage, and exit the airport, and all of this went rather smoothly. Brady managed to flag down a taxi with minimal effort, and when they realized that they would not be able to all fit, he was forced to dismiss the driver, who swore angrily at them in Italian before speeding off. What did he say? asked Brian. Youd rather not know, replied Brady grimly. So, what are we going to do? asked Courty. She seemed to soaking up the sun, and her skin looked even more brilliantly olive in the Italian air. Why cant we take two cabs? asked Brian. Do any of you speak Italian? asked Brady sarcastically. Courty speaks Spanish, she might be able to get on well enough, said Adam. Why take the chance? said Drew brightly. He reached into a pocket sewn into the tunic he wore, and withdrew a very high tech cell phone. He dialed a number, and held a brief, mysterious conversation with the person on the other end. Well have transport in just a few minutes, but we need to get out in the open, and fast. The all began walking away from the airport, and after struggling through crowds, the managed to find themselves in the center of a very large traffic circle. Quickly, stand along the edge, Drew said hurriedly. They moved to obey him, and suddenly, as if from nowhere, there was a small, chrome plated aircraft parked in front of them. A hatch opened, and Drew dragged Brady forward. Talk to him, he said, as the pilot dropped out. Brady stepped forward, and had a brief conversation with the pilot in Italian. Then he turned, and climbed back in. Quickly, get in, said Brady. Drew started shoveling suit cases up the hatch, and when he was finished, he helped Courty in, and then climbed in himself, with the other three right behind. The inside was about the most minimalist decorating job any of them had ever seen. There was a seat for the pilot, a small cargo hold for their luggage, and a single long pew-style bench with a single seatbelt reaching across. They all sat down, and passed the belt across and strapped themselves in. Suddenly, the craft shot straight up into the air with breathtaking speed, and they felt their internal organs jolt and their bodies get pressed into the hard metal of the seat beneath them. Then, suddenly, they were cruising steadily, though none of them could even guess how fast. Drew, panted Brady, recovering first. What is this thing? Its a craft our engineers designed. It uses advanced technology and a little concealing magic to be almost entirely invisible from below, and it completely defies any attempt to catch it on radar. It also moves quite fast, as you noticed. Suddenly, the were all thrown forward as the jet (for lack of a better word) decelerated rapidly, and then their hearts leapt into their throats as it plummeted, seemingly in free-fall, towards the ground. Just when they thought they would hit the ground, it stopped suddenly, the forces so severe that Brady felt his back crack and one of his ribs creak. We must be here, said Drew. Brady called to the pilot, who answered him briefly, and Brady nodded to Adam, at the end of the row, to unbuckle them. Adam looked distinctly green. The hatch opened, and they all carried themselves out, Adam rushing out first and retching violently. Drew removed their luggage, and passed it down to Brady, who was attempting to not look at Adam nor listening to the terrible sound of his sick splattering on the ground. Finally, they were all out, and without any warning at all, the craft was gone. Courty looked around, fearing they were about to be swarmed by curious onlookers, but she had the distinct impression that no one had even seen the strange aircraft at all, nor noted their arrival. She craned her neck back, but could not detect even a shimmer in the air. Giving up, she sighed, and looked around at where she was, one of her favorite places in the world. Piazza San Pedro, she said, her eyes taking in the glory of the great expanse of history. She spun around, dizzying herself. Finally, she stopped, and breathed out strongly. Ready to go? she asked, looking around at her companions. Sure, Court, said Brady. Adam, are you alright? Adam did not answer immediately. He was still bent over, panting. Finally, he straightened up, wiped his mouth, and turned back towards them. Yes, he said faintly. Oh, Adam, Im so sorry, said Courty rushing forward and laying two fingers on his head. She frowned as she rubbed a particular spot, muttering words under her breath, and as she worked, normal color slowly returned to Adams complexion. Thanks, he said gratefully. He loaded himself up with bags, copying Drew, who already looked something like a Christmas tree weighed down with outlandishly large ornaments made of leather. Courty and Brady each picked up a light bag and walked on towards where they knew the <st1:place w:st="on">Vatican</st1:place> Archives awaited them. Several minutes later, they arrived at the doors, and entered, finding themselves in a lobby, a Swiss Guard stationed by the desk, behind which sat a stern looking librarian. Si? he asked coldly. We have an appointment, said Courty, stepping forward and smiling widely. And you are? asked the librarian, switching instantly into accented English. We are from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>, said Brady, taking over. Were from the GovMansion. Ah, yes, said the librarian. I was ordered to allow you to enter. My superiors ensured me that you were to be trusted, and, most unusually, you are to be allowed to enter by yourselves, for however much time you wish. Yes, said Brady, understanding the oddness of this situation. No one was allowed to enter the Library without an accompanying Swiss Guard (and more than likely a librarian breathing down their necks) without direct permission from the Pope. Brady wondered what Sparticus had done to arrange this. I shall explain to you the library protocols, said the librarian scornfully, as though he doubted that any of them could understand such things. There is no need, Brady assured him. I am a librarian myself, and I understand your system well. I use a similar one myself. Very well. This way please. They followed him through a door leading off of the room, and they emerged into a chamber that dwarfed Bradys collection. For as far as they could see, rows and rows of glass enclosures ran through the room. Then they were alone, as the librarian turned on heel and left them. Brady, after taking a moment to drink in the sight, turned and began giving out research assignments, ensuring that only he and Drew were to be handling the most fragile texts, which were centuries old, very fragile, and could not be removed from the glass cases. Then they each went off to their tasks, Courty having cast a spell allowing them to read all languages, which would aid them should the text they need be encoded in Italian, or any number of dead languages that might be contained in the great library. Though all of them went to their tasks with gusto, each excited to be able to encounter such ancient texts, within two hours they were all feeling rather hopeless, as none of them had found anything of value in any of the books. The Catholic Church had retained an enormous amount of information, but as much as they had kept, they had burned and demolished ten times as much over the centuries, and consequently much of the knowledge they might have had was lost. Adam grew frustrated first, slamming shut a Sanskrit tome with considerable force. He grunted angrily, and decided to walk around. He returned the thankfully undamaged book to the oxygen empty case it came from, removed the rubber examination gloves he had been wearing, and opened the hermetically sealed door, which hissed. He did some quick stretches to loosen himself up after hours of reading, and began to walk around, gazing absently at his surroundings. He glanced Courtney, reading intently in her enclosure, and turned around. He did not want the others to know he was taking a break. He walked for a few minutes, and as he walked, he gained the curious sensation someone was following him. More intrigued then frightened, he automatically felt for his concealed long knife, his scythe having been left in his pack in the front room. He paused, and listened hard. He heard no footsteps fall, but, very, very faintly, he detected a well concealed breath, and knew that his suspicions were correct. He thought for a moment of calling for the others, but he decided instead to throw caution to the winds. Who would be here, anyway? He began stalking, not making any noise, his hand resting comfortably on the hilt of his weapon. Suddenly, his senses twitched, and, as if from nowhere the Swiss Guard appeared, wielding a large, double headed war hammer, and Adam flung himself into a back handspring to avoid the heavy blow aimed directly at his chest. He came to his feet, but then dropped immediately, without thought, into a split as the hammer, apparently balanced for throwing, went spinning over his head. The guard grunted in anger, and suddenly there was another hammer in his hand, seemingly from nowhere. Adam swung his legs around and flipped himself to his feet, drawing his blade at the same time, rising just in time to duck under a powerful sidelong swipe of the hammer that would have crushed his dead. He dove into a roll and came up behind the guard, thrusting out towards the center of his back. The guard, moving faster than Adam would have guessed possible for a man of his size, stepped forward just out of range of the knife, turned, and, before Adam could withdraw the weapon, swung the war hammer around and struck the extended knife on the flat of the blade, which shattered. Adams eyes widened at his shattered weapon, but only for a fraction of a second, before he threw it directly at the guards head. The hammer swung back across and picked it out of the air. The guard moved forward, and Adam turned and flung himself into a no handed cartwheel, relief spreading through his body as he felt both heels, one after the other, connect with the guards chin, knocking him to the ground, blood running freely down his face. Adam turned and hissed a spell, knitting into existence a blade formed of magic, which was fully formed just as the guard rose to his feet, Adam threw it, and it connected, burying itself deep in the guards eye. He dropped to the ground. Panting, adrenaline flooding his veins, Adam turned and ran, and collided head on with Drew. They both fell to the floor, groaning. What happened? asked Drew dizzily. I was attacked, said Adam frantically, and Drews head snapped up, his eyes wide. It was the Swiss Guard. You killed him? asked Drew, now looking equally frantic. Yes, replied Adam solemnly. Suddenly, Drew was tugging his arm. We need to go, now! he shouted. Pulling Adam into a run. Why? asked Adam as they ran. In response, a siren wailed in the distance. Oh, damn, said Adam, his question answered. As they ran, Courty, Brady, and Brian emerged from behind a glass case in front of them. What happened? shouted Brady, seeing the two running towards him. An assassination attempt! answered Drew, not slowly. The three of them got the message, and broke into runs themselves. Drew, running faster than any of them, got in front, and as they burst through the door, the librarian stepped in front of them to bar their way, holding a machine gun. Drew did not even pause, side stepping the gun before the man could even react and driving the dagger that had suddenly appeared in his hand through the mans throat. He reached into his pocket, and made another call on his cell phone, this time shouting frantically. Two minutes, he said to his companions, hanging up. No one spoke, but they each picked up their luggage, knowing that they would have to run for it. After a couple minutes, Drew signaled to them to follow him out. He opened the door, and they saw that an entire contingent of Swiss Guards was rushing across the Piazza, though they were still out of range for any accuracy. They next thirty seconds seemed to crawl by, but suddenly the strange aircraft was there in front of them again. The hatch opened, and Drew rushed forward. Hurry, hurry! he screamed. The others moved forward, but Courty rushed passed him, and stood in front, ignoring his cry of protest. Thrusting her hands out in front of her, she whistled shrilly, and suddenly a great wind sprung up from her outstretched hands, rushing across the Piazza and bowling into the Swiss Guards, who were suddenly buffeted by a strong gale that knocked the weaker ones over and made the others strain to move or even open their eyes against it. Courty smiled fiercely, and ran back to the hatch, only to find Drew hugging her tightly, her head pressed against his well muscled chest, before he released her. Glad you care, she said, looking up at his stricken face. He did not smile. He picked her up and verily through her up through the opening. Then he was in himself, and they had barely strapped in before they were once again soaring. Well, I cant say that was one of my favorite trips to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region>, said Courtney lightly, looking around at her friends. None of them seemed able to respond. Where to? asked Drew, knowing that they would have to give the pilot directions soon. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City>, said Brady wearily, the first time he had spoken in what seemed simultaneously like hours and like mere moments. Luckily, this time, no one knows were coming, so hopefully we wont encounter a welcome committee. The others nodded grimly.


	I'm going to post the rest of the story in this post, so that it's easier to edit. Chapter 11<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com ffice ffice" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> So, where were you exactly? Oh, a little of here, a little of there. Id really rather not talk about it. Im so ashamed that I left at all. And youre back now? Jon looked up from the meal he was ravenously devouring, finished chewing, and swallowed. Of course Im staying, he answered dismissively. Why would I leave? Well, I was never clear on why you left in the first place, said Dan, gazing intently at Jon, in an appraising manner. I told you, I felt uncomfortable. Im here now. Dan did not look satisfied, but Jon seemed to not notice, and Dan failed to pursue the matter. Dan glanced once at Ben, who seemed to be working hard to keep his mouth shut. Sparticus looked on impassively. He seemed neither shocked at Jons return nor distressed at his reluctance to discuss his whereabouts during the weeks of his absence. Steve, having emerged from seclusion for the first time in days, had greeted Jon reservedly, not understanding the reasons for his return, but had loosened to his presence quickly enough, and now seemed rather comfortable with his return. <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com ffice:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Sat at one end of the booth in the dark restaurant, watching the others wearily. He felt very unsettled by Jons return, though he could not pin down why. He wanted to return to his room, but every time he was about to make to do so, his nose gave a particularly painful throb, and Lauras furious visage popped unbidden into his head, which stymied his desire to leave. So, got any good stories? asked Steve eagerly. Nope, not really, replied Jon casually. Didnt really do anything of interest. Just traveled around a bit. You know found myself. I hadnt left the Mansion for a bit, so it was good to get out and about. Besides; tempers were running high when I left. So it was best that I was scarce for a while. Steve nodded. Are you going to help? asked <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Suddenly. Everyone jumped and looked at him; He hadnt spoken since Jons arrival. He seemed to have shocked himself by speaking so. Ben smiled briefly, then remembered himself and force his face straight again. What? said Jon absently. Before <st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City> Could reply, Jon made to continue his conversation with Steve, but <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, gaining strength in himself, cut him off. Are you going to help? he repeated. We have the little matter of the giant boulder that came bowling out of one of our doors, and all thats happened since then. Jon gazed appraisingly at him for a moment before answering. Of course Im going to help, he replied coldly, meeting <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s eyes unwaveringly. The table was awkwardly silent now, and no one seemed to want to speak. Well thats good, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, seeming to lose some of his assertiveness. Were in quite a bad situation as is. Jon looked at him sternly for another moment, and then, with a practiced condescending air, turned from him and returned his attention to the table at large. Im tired, he announced. I think I might go to bed. Ive been traveling. Let me help you take your things to your room, said Steve, rising at once. No, thats alright, he said, getting gingerly to his feet and peering imperiously around the table. Ill see you all later. And he stalked off. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Gave an involuntary shiver. Steve sat back down, and they resumed their meals. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> How do you feel about this? asked Dan worriedly. He and Ben had retired to Bens room to have a drink and talk in private after dinner. Well, said Ben, pouring himself a small glass of gin. Can I pour you anything? Oh, um Ive got it, he replied distractedly, walking over and preparing himself a drink. But really, how do you-? I feel ignorant, replied Ben, cutting off his repeated question. I dont know where Jon was, I dont know what he was doing. I only know why he left, and that he was unwilling to fill in the blanks. Before we continue this, will you take some precautions to make sure we arent overheard? he asked, looking around suspiciously. Of course, said Dan. He broke into a spell, a slow, mournful hum whose sound, Ben felt, seemed to wrap around him, dulling his senses and his perceptions. Then the sound stopped, and he felt his sensory abilities return, but he knew that his room was now proof against magical espionage, except by a sorcerer considerably more powerful than Dan. Were set, said Dan, sitting down and reclining comfortably, sipping his drink. Anyway, continued Ben. We dont know who he saw, or well, anything. And I for one do not like being in the dark. Especially because Jon is an owner. The very fabric of the Mansion will reply to his desires, even if they happen to be inimical to our own. Not that I necessarily have any real suspicions he might be disloyal, said Ben hastily, as Dan raised his eyebrows at the implications of Bens words. But, my point is we dont know . I feel uneasy about this whole thing. I never really trusted Jon in the first place, and I never understood why he was made an owner. When Sparticus was made an owner when the last generation left, he made some pretty random people owners. I mean, they were a high powered group, sure but Jon and Sparty never really got along well in the first place, so I suspect it was one of Spartys eccentric decisions. But thats really neither here nor there, because my feelings about Jon then arent really playing in here. I have problems with him now, just from that brief meeting. I know what you mean, said Ben, nodding. He was playing the crowd, sort of. And did you see how hard he wanted to avoid the topic <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"> Gary </st1:place></st1:City>brought up? I did. Though, I suppose, hes logically probably touchy about it out of shame. You know, he left at a crucial moment. I dont think he really understood the idea of the Mansion when he became an owner. He didnt understand the magnitude of the power he was dealing with, and couldnt believe that something so mysterious would happen. Jons some sort of sorcerer though, isnt he? asked Ben. Hed know Jon for a fairly long time, and he knew that Jon had some magical skill, but he had no idea was measure thereof or in what way. I think he was specialized in magic affecting the mind, said Dan thoughtfully. Sort of like me, but hes certainly no bard; You can always tell, even though Ive never seen him cast anything. Yeah, I thought it was something like that, said Ben. Maybe thats why I we never got along. My mind isnt really open to that sort of magic, so any advantage he might have in conversation with me is gone. He was always very useful in any negotiations, because he always seemed to know exactly what to say. But Ill say one thing. Jon didnt really seem all to in tune today. What do you mean? Well, you can usually tell when someone is hearing thoughts. Well, thats not really the right word. People who are skilled in that sort of thing can sort of pick up on the echoes of thoughts and feelings. They dont get specifics unless they cast a spell, but they usually know enough to give themselves the edge in conversations. But Jon just wasnt acting like he was hearing echoes or anything else for that matter. What does that mean? I suppose its possible he was just tired, cause that can interfere with someones ability to hear thoughts. Or maybe I just was missing the signs. Who knows? They sat in silence for a few minutes, mulling in their own thoughts. Though they did not know it, there were many others deep in thought that night. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Lay on his bed. Though one would not have known it by merely watching him, he was in a much different mental state than during his weeks-long depression. He was going over the events of the evening many times, examining every word, every facial expression. He still could not understand what had happened. He and Jon had never really gotten along in the first place, but at least before he could understand his motives. Now he was in the dark. He had understood why he had left, and he could only assume that what had driven him away had been resolved in Jons head. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Come in, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Called, sitting up, but the door swung open before he had said anything. In stormed an angry Laura. What the hell are you doing? she said, a dangerous edge to her voice. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Warily brought his hands up to his face, as if to ward her off. Im not moping! he said hurriedly. Laura did not move further forward, but waited for <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> To explain. Im just thinking. Jon came back tonight. The angry frown melted off Lauras face. He came back? she said, coming and sitting next to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> On the bed. Yes, he did. I dont feel good about it either. How do you mean? Well, I should probably feel relieved, because he is an owner, and we need all the help we can get right now. But I just cant bring myself to be happy about it. Are you still angry at him for leaving? Yes, of course. But thats not it. I just have a niggling feeling in the back of my head Well, maybe the time has come to ignore niggling feelings, and go with something you can concretely touch. I know Bri needs help down in the tunnels. Why do you take up a post down there with her. Im sure shed love to have some experienced company watching her back. You know, I think thats actually a good idea, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, brightening up. His concerns about Jon were pushed to the back of his mind. Now, he had an opportunity to do something. Ill talk to Sparty about it tomorrow! Good for you! said Laura, smiling. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Beamed back brilliantly. Well, its late, Im gonna go to bed. Night. Night, Laura. Thanks a lot. Sure, she said, as she pulled the door shut behind her. Chapter 12<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I think were landing soon. There was a rush to get back into the seats and buckle up before that fateful event could happen. Sure enough, not five seconds after Drew had said that, they felt the belt cut into their laps as they plummeted down. Ten minutes later, they were in a crowded <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City> Square, with their bags draped precariously across their backs. So um where now? We need to find a hotel, said Brady. Preferably a nice one. But first, I need to call and check in with Sparty. Its early in the morning there. Are you sure thats wise? asked Courty, checking her watch. Sparty never sleeps, its fine. He pulled out his phone and called. Hey Sparty. Howre things there? He came back ? Oh, wow. Anyway, we ran into some trouble in the Vatican. He briefly recounted their story. Yes, were in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City> Now. No, we can find ourselves a hotel, I know the city fairly well, thanks. Ok, well call you. Bye. He hung up. What was that? asked Brian. Jons come back, apparently. What? Really? When? Why? I dont know, I dont know, I dont know, and I dont know. I only got the basics. Lets find a hotel, and then we can talk about what we need to do. They spent the next hour finding a hotel, and then another half an hour checking into rooms. Courty got her own, Brian and Adam were to share one, and Brady and Drew. Since they had not showered since leaving the Mansion what felt like ages ago, they all did so, all glad to be in comfortable accommodations for once. Two hours later, they were all clean, rested, and refreshed, and they gathered in the lobby to discuss their next course of action. Well, I guess we need to get to researching, said Brady. Really, do we have to? asked Courty. I havent been to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City> In ages. Yes, we do. Well have time to enjoy ourselves later. Lets get going. They walked outside and started walking, and within thirty minutes, had arrived in what seemed like a fairly bad neighborhood. It was a cool, cloudy day, and the street was abandoned. Row homes dominated their vision on either side, and many were boarded up. They all unconsciously drew closer together. Finally, Brady stopped directly in front of one house that looked particularly run down. Im pretty sure this is it, said Brady. They walked up the six stairs to the door, and Brady knocked twice. Immediately, the door swung open, though no one was behind it. Come in! came the call from further within the house. They all exchanged nervous glances, and then Brady led them inside. The house was completely bare. There as no furniture, and dust several inches thick layered the floor. Back here, came a call, reaching out from a door leading into what they presumed was the kitchen. They exchanged glances again, and Drew motioned to Brady to let him take the lead here. They switched places, and continued on, slowly. Dont be shy, came the voice. It clearly belonged to someone very old, but it was inviting enough. Finally, Drew stuck his head around the corner, and not seeing anyone, stepped in. He immediately vanished. Drew! cried Courty. Without another thought, she threw herself through. The others looked at each other, then followed suit. For one moment, they all felt their stomachs roil violently, and they felt nothing but emptiness. Then, suddenly, their feet collided with hard ground, and their senses reoccupied their bodies. They opened their eyes, and their mouths dropped. They were in what appeared to be, for lack of a better word, a very old fashioned apothecary. They were standing in a small front area, with a table and a desk. Further back were rows and rows of books. The floor was hardwood, and everything had a hand made sort of aura to it. There were small windows lining the walls around seven feet up, through which poured pleasant light. Further back in the stacks, Adam thought he caught the glimpse of magically sustained light, crackling merrily like flame. Off in one corner, a old fashioned fire place was home to a live, delightful fire. At the table, Drew and Courty were sitting with a stranger drinking tea, looking as comfortable as though theyd lived there their entire lives. Come in, dearies, come in! said the stranger happily. Let me pour you some tea. Do you all take milk or sugar? The stranger was clearly the voice they had heard, and she was indeed old. Not only was she old, she appeared to be the most ancient thing any of them had ever seen. Her face was so wrinkled it was almost impossible to fathom what she must once of have looked like, though she moved, they saw as she got up to rush behind them and push them towards the table, with a fluid grace that belied her clearly incredible years. They looked questioningly at Drew and Courty, who just smiled happily. There were no other chairs. The woman, clearly noticing this, clapped her hands once, and with a small pop! Three chairs appeared out of thin air. They were scrubbed wood, and they creaked delightfully as they gingerly lowered themselves into them. So, dears. Sugar or milk? she said persistently. Already, Brady understood why Courty and Drew looked so happy. Wherever they were was so overwhelmingly inviting and cozy that Brady was already feeling at home. The woman, though strange, old, and mysterious, was simply bursting with charisma, and though he did not know for sure, Brady had a definite inclination to think she must have been breathtakingly beautiful in her time. On the table was a tea tray, and she began bustling around, making three more little settings. Um, Ill take milk I suppose, said Brady, still a little off guard. The woman nodded, and Brian and Adam called out their preferences. Ok, loves, one moment and youll be all set, she said, and sure enough, they had cups of piping hot tea set in front of them seconds later. Now, sardines, crackers, anything at all? Yes, please, said Brady, now happily, and he helped himself. The woman resumed her seat. And sipped her own tea. So, said Brady, after taking a bite of a crumpet. How long have you been down here? Oh, about half an hour. said Courty. What? How is that possible. Oh, time moves strangely between here and up there, said the woman dismissively. Its always so fussy. Brady looked alarmed, and the woman laughed lightly. Dont you worry yourself about it. Its not a bad enough difference that youll loose any part of your life. Certainly not as bad as the warp in that Mansion of yours. How do you know about the Mansion? asked Adam curiously. He seemed to still be warming up to the place, as was Brian. Dear, Ive been alive a long time, and Ive seen lots of things. I had visited that Mansion of yours a dozen times before your grandparents were even an urge in their parents loins, she replied, smiling widely. Adam chocked on his tea, and spluttered. The old lady, who was sitting next to him, thumped in on the back with considerable strength for someone so frail looking. Thanks, he said, coughing. How old are you? he asked when he could breathe normally again. Why, she said, acting offended, it is rude to ask a lady her age. She pressed a hand to her chest to affect being insulted. Adam made to apologize, before he noticed that all the others were laughing. Dont worry, dear. Lets just say, Im old enough to know whats what. And I know that there is something terrible rising up in your home, something that could consume us all. Its brave of you to make an attempt to stop it, but I would be very careful. Come now, she said, as her guests seemed to wilt with anxiety. Dont worry about that now. You have time, and youre safe down here. So lets enjoy ourselves, and then well see about getting you what you need. I knew you were coming, so I picked some things out for you ahead of time. Brady seemed to hesitate, but he relaxed, and for the next hours, they passed the time in delightful conversation. The womans name was Helen, and she was some sort of sorceress, although she didnt make much of it and refused to speak in depth about it. Magic, she said, was a way of life, a part of a person deep inside, and not a spectacle to be explained or bragged about. She and her husband, who was off in the back somewhere reshelving, had lived in this library for at least three times as long as any of you have been alive. When asked what sort of things the library specialized in, she replied airily: oh, a little of this, a little of that, and again refused to go into more depth. About an hour into their conversation, a man dropped in to take out a book on griffin husbandry. She asked him what breed he wanted information for, and then spent fifteen minutes explaining to him the differences, and gave him four books on griffin history, biology, magical properties, and training techniques, then another two on their husbandry, with directions to a breeder who she assured him would be able to answer any questions the book was vague about answering. He staggered out, looking frightened. Which they then laughed about. About half an hour later, he husband, named Gaelin popped out from the shelves to say hello, and he greeted Courty by kneeling and kissing her hand, which made his wife giggle uncontrollably and caused Drew to scowl, which made his wife laugh even harder. He was just as nice as she was, and sat with them for a good three quarters of an hour before returning to work. Brady, Courty, and Helen dominated the conversation, with the other three looking on with rapture, and occasionally piping in their own bits whenever they had something to add. Courty and Helen broke into a long conversation about cute boys, with the apparently uncouth old lady making less than subtle references to Drew. Bradys jaw dropped when she made a particular comment, and she just told him it was rude to sit with your mouth open, before breaking into a cackling laughter which Courty and then Brady and the others joined. Eventually though, Helen steered the conversation back to the real world. Now, dears. Id love to stay here and chat the year away with you. Having people as young and delightful as you for company has been one of the highlights of my decade, I assure you. But now, we have more serious matters that deserve our attention. With that, she had walked into the back, motioning for the others to follow. As they walked, she would point out a book here, a book there, and one of them would grab it. More than fifteen minutes later, they emerged with at least six books each, or, in the case of Drew, eleven. Ok, dears. You all stay here and look through these, Im going to go get dinner started. She walked over an apparently solid wall, and vanished behind it with a flair of magic that only Courtney and Adam perceived. Immediately, they began pouring through the texts, many of which were in dialects that required Bradys and Drews expertise to read, as Courty had exhausted most of her spells for the day (having cast a considerable number of divination spells while working back in the Vatican library, to unveil hidden text and learn the history of a particular tome), and would need, at the least, a brief nap before she could cast much more. Within an hour, they had found more information on the GovMansion then their entire time at Bradys library and the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Vatican</st1:place></st1:country-region> Combined. Nothing amounted to more than a few pages, and most of the information was really just a footnoted reference that led to some older text which Brady had to call Gaelin to help him find. One thing of interest kept coming up, however. Over and over again, there was reference made to the three enemies of the GovMansion; From what they could tell, it made reference to three, very powerful sorcerers and sorceresses who had entered the GovMansion over the last thousand years of history. Each time, they had risen very high up in the Mansion hierarchy, only to be revealed as dangerous traitors. Each time, the other residents had managed to destroy them, but not before they caused considerable death, destruction, and misery. They did not have names, either, only covert titles. There was Giancarlo a sorcerer, Nikola, a sorceress, and Hidden Fear, the most recent of the three, also a woman, and perhaps the most fearsome of the three. She had slain two of the then-owners before she had been stopped. Brady noticed something else of interest about them. They each had dates listed for when they had entered the Mansion. And each of those dates were three hundred and thirty three years apart. Further, they had each resided in the Mansion for thirty three years before being discovered and destroyed. Brady brought it up to the others, who only shrugged. It was yet another mystery to be resolved, though only Brian thought it had anything to do with the current situation, though he did not know how or why. It was just a feeling. They had been researching for almost two hours when a bell rang from somewhere, and Helens voice called Dinner!. They needed Adam and Courtys help to find the door way, and when they walked through it, besides for a momentary shiver, it was like walking through any other door. They emerged into a small, cramped kitchen. Another small, circular table stood in the center, and it was now creaking under an incredible variety of food, all of which smelled absolutely delicious. There were two large, roasted chickens that reeked of garlic, with roasted shallot and peppers spread around them. There were boiled, baked, and roasted potatoes, and a Yorkshire pudding with béarnaise sauce. And there was an exquisite bottle of wine, which was easily fifty years old. They all washed up and sat down, and Gaelin arrived a few minutes later to join, them. They all ate more than they thought they had ever eaten before, and then desert was served, fresh éclairs, and home made gelato to make up for their not having been able to try any during their disruptively brief foray into Italy. It was perhaps the best meal they had ever eaten, and when they told her so, Helen launched into a nostalgic remembrance of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Paris</st1:City></st1:place> During the 20s. When they had finished, Brady, Drew, and Gaelin tackled the dishes, and when they were finished, they all sat around and talked for a while. Finally, Helen let out a great yawn. Oh, what a bore I must be to all of you, she said. Youre all young, why dont you head on out to the local pub. Its really excellent. I remember when they first built it So, after Courty took a brief nap to replenish her spells (they were wary of further assassination attempts) they said goodbyes, with promises that they would visit before they left London, and when they walked out of the front door of the house into the chilly night, it felt like they were leaving the place they had been looking for all their lives. Half an hour later, they had not yet found the pub, and Brady was slowly coming to terms with the fact that they were lost. Suddenly, they heard a scream. Its coming from the alley way! shouted Courty, and they all broke into runs down a dark alley way. Suddenly, fear surged through Brian, and it gave him a burst of speed. He tackled Brady just as an crossbow bolt thundered into the wall directly where his head would have been. They lay panting on the ground, before Brady turned to Brian and gave him a desperate, back breaking hug. Thank you! he sobbed. Brian, how did you know to do that? asked Courty. Adam had already cast an arrow ward over them, and was now standing with his scythe drawn. I dunno. I just had a feeling, and I went with it. Unfortunately, itll be the last feeling you ever have. Besides a little more fear, of course. The voice came from a nearby shadow. They all jumped at the sudden noise. Step into the light, and face our wrath! shouted Drew, his twin swords drawn and ready. Out of the shadows stepped not one man, but three, and Adam suddenly became aware that at least a dozen more were hidden in the alley way, and he could here more footsteps around the corner. There are just thugs, whispered Drew. Nothing we cant handle. No, theyre not, replied Adam, not bothering to whisper. He knew it wouldnt matter. These were not thugs; They werent even human. He could feel the undead spirit inhabiting their bodies, hungering for life. These are vampires. Like, wooden stake vampires? asked Brian nervously. Yes, answered Adam, casting a quick spell so they could communicate telepathically. The vampires were stalking in, looking hungrily at them. They eyes Adams scythe warily. They could feel the magic dwelling there in, and they noted all too well that the end of it was wooden and sharp, and their by inimical to their continued existence. You can only kill them by cutting off their heads, or by magic or a wooden stake, said Adam in their heads, and he could feel the fear welling in each of them. There were too many, they knew, and they would die here. At least until the next night, when their bodies would rise as more vampires. With that thought, Adam leapt into action, Drew following suit, as the others took advantage of the movement to draw whatever weapons they had. Courty took up a protective stance in front of Brady, and began barking out a spell. Brian drew his sword waited for an opportunity to do something. Adam came out swinging with the scythe, cutting a wide arc towards one vampires, the leaders head. He ducked, so Adam reversed the motion of his swing, cutting back at his feet. He leapt into the air and somersaulted over Adams head. Adam, simply turned and thrust out with the wooden point of his scythe, and felt a satisfying resistance as it plunged into its heart. The leader gave a moan, then collapsed to dust. The other vampires paused with shock, and Drew took the opportunity to lop off out of their heads, and Courtys spell finally finished. An arc of lightening leapt from her outstretched hand and struck one, two, three vampires, all of whom burst into flames and then screamed, collapsing to the ground in dust. As if leapt to the fourth, however, it grunted, and its innate resistance to magic stopped the spell. He rushed at Courty, but found himself being clothes lined in the throat by Brians sword, and he gasped wordless as his body returned to the earth. The battle was on in full now, and Brady had picked a bow out of his pack, and had fired, and missed, several times. Courty was singing another song, and suddenly a pack of a dozen six inch wide balls of fire erupted for her hands, actually hitting and destroying eight of the vampires, with the other four missing and setting fire to trash laying about. The flickering light gave the alleyway an even eerier quality. Drew was flowing from attack combo to attack combo, but the vampires dodged with preternatural instinct. He had only destroyed three, and even with those Courty had taken out down, there were still another three dozen fighting. Courty cast another spell, raising a protective shield around she and Brady, so that they need not worry about a vampire breaking through and having his way with them, for even Courty was powerless at close range. Adam leapt into a crowd of vampires taking off three of their heads with a single, long swing. He then turned and staked another, finishing his spin with a flying crescent kick with took a fourth off its feet. He dived after it, staking it before it even hit the ground. Another group stepped into have their way with him, and suddenly, he heard Drew scream behind him. One of the vampires had circled around back, and had grabbed him, sinking his fangs into his throat and draining blood. Adam ran and staked that vampire, dragging the now unconscious Drew to the wall and pressing a handkerchief against his bleeding throat. Courty screamed, and made to dismiss the barrier to help Drew. But Adam shouted No! Thats what they want you to do, and Courty understood that she was no good to them dead. Instead, she opened her mouth and screamed. The noise that issued from her was so horrible that her friends pressed their hands to their ears in pain. But the vampires heard a different sound. They felt their bodies being heated by the noise, and several of them burst into flames. Finally, one of them had the presence of mind to pick up a rock from the ground and throw it at her. It passed through the barrier, which was meant to keep out living (or undead) adversaries, and it struck her in the head, and she dropped to the ground, the noise ceasing. The barrier also feel, and Brady grabbed her still form and rushed to stand by Drew, behind Adam and Brian, who were now facing over twenty vampires by themselves. Adam was about to rush into the throng in a suicidal last attempt, but then a sound began. Soft at first, it grew louder and stronger. A pure note, which then broke into a trill. Adam felt his foot tapping with the sound, and suddenly, all around small bits of discarded wood, broken beams, and other sharp wooden objects, rose into the air of their own accord, and began attacking the vampires, managing to stake three of them before the others even knew what was happening. Adam did not wait for an explanation, leaping in with abandon. The song, which came from a flute, broke into a new sound now, a marching tune, and several of the vampires found themselves collapsing into dust, as the demonic undead presence that animated them was dismissed, sent to whatever hellish afterlife awaited them. The battle was resolved in a few minutes, and Adam collapsed to the ground, exhausted and panting, at the mercy of whoever had saved them. The flute now changed songs again. This time, it was a healing tune, and Adam felt the magic in it still his heart, restore his energy, and he watched as Drews wounds closed, and though they were still serious, he was no longer in danger of bleeding out. Courty regained consciousness, and sat up, looking for the source of the flute. Finally, the person playing it stepped out a shadow, and Courty leapt up with a cry of joy and rushed to embrace him in a vicious hug. Part III<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Chapter 1<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Patrick! Hi Court. I cant breathe, can ya let me go? She put her feet back on the ground (for she had had to jump to reach his neck to fling her arms around it), stepped back, and stared up at him, positively beaming. Then, without warning, she flung her arms around his midsection and planted her face in his chest and squeezed him in another hug. He waited patiently this time until she released him. Then she just stared at him again, not speaking. Finally, Brady coughed behind them. Um, Courtney. Yeah, hi, um we need to take care of Drew. Oh! exclaimed Courty, the seriousness of the situation rushing back to her. She ran over and knelt by Drew, pulling a jar of cream out of her bag and slathering it on the wounds on his neck, singing a healing tune all the while. When she finished, she felt his pulse, timing it on her watch. She then quickly checked him for other injuries, before pulling out a rag and wiping off the cream. The puncture wounds were healed shut. Ok. I think I have a solution to stimulate the creation of blood. Very high in iron. It should take care of the anemia which hell be suffering. After a few minutes of fussing around in her bag, she finally found it. She pulled out a bottle which Adam saw glimmered with residual magic, and was filled with a thick, brown fluid. Gently, Courty placed her hand under Drews head, tilted it, back, and pushed his jaw open, before she turned the bottle upside down, uncorked it with her thumb, and let the thick goop drip into his mouth. After a couple seconds, she pulled it back. That should be plenty, she said, smiling. Itll take affect in a minute or two, and he should regain consciousness then. So are you going to introduce us? asked Brian sarcastically. Yes! exclaimed Courtney, jumping to her feet and running over to pull the stranger into the circle. He was tall (not as tall as Brady though), and quite handsome, with fairly wide features, and a mop of brown, shaggy hair on top of his head. His skin was deeply tanned, but he did not bear the features of someone who spends a huge amount of time in the sun. His shoulders were very broad, and his chest quite deep. He wore well a pair of worn out jeans, a plain t-shirt, and a jacket. His hands were firmly entrenched in his pockets, and he looked quite uncomfortable standing as though on show in front of four strangers. This is Patty. I mean, Patrick, she said, correcting herself. Patty is fine, he said, smiling a little. His voice was very deep, and he had a good bit of a Southern accent. Patty and I trained to be bards together when we were younger, explained Courty, beaming. Now she turned to Patty. So what the hell are you doing here? she asked happily. Ive been living here for a while now, said Patty. He waved his hand around vaguely. Here in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City>, I mean. I like it a lot. What are you doing here? Oh, its such a long story, she replied, sighing. So youre not just wandering around <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">London</st1:City></st1:place>, looking for vampire gangs to demolish then? he asked, smirking. Oh, God no. That was just an unfortunate coincidence. Speaking of, thanks for the save, said Adam, walking forward and extending his hand, which Patty shook solidly. His grip was tight. How did you find us? I was in the neighborhood, he said, nodding. I heard Courtys voice, and came running. Who can ever forget those pipes? Courty blushed, then started making introductions to hide her embarrassment. Patty, this is Adam, she said, pointing. And thats Brady, and a Brian, and there on the ground is Drew. She smiled fondly as she looked down at his unconscious form, which suddenly coughed. Oh! Drew! said Courty, leaning down. He coughed again, and his eyelids flickered open. What happened? he said. You got bitten, she replied gently. I remember, he said, sitting up suddenly. He tried to stand, but lost his balance. Adam caught him, and propped him back to his feet. He swayed for a moment, then stood steadily. Whos that? he asked, when he had regained his bearings. Oh, this is Patty. Our rescuer, said Court, standing aside so they could shake hands. That they did, but when their hands and eyes met, Courty had the strange impression that they were somehow competing with each other, and she saw their arms bulging. It appeared they were trying to crush each others hands. They stood for several seconds, gazing intently at each other. Finally, Brian said something. Ok then, shall we be going? As he said it, they both let go suddenly, staring at their hands as though burned. Courty looked around at Brian, but he merely stood there, looking around at the others. Yes, lets, said Brady eagerly. He wanted to hear more about Patty. Shall we see about finding that pub? I think I know the one youre talking about, said Patty. Come on, Ill take you to it. He led them further down the alley, walking confidently. Finally the emerged on the opposite street, and he turned right. They followed, and within a minute, they were standing outside a small, cozy looking pub. Ok, well, it was nice seeing you, said Patty, and he turned to leave. No! said Courty, grabbing him by the arm (for she couldnt reach much higher). You cant just leave. You need to at least have a drink with us! Yeah, come on, encouraged Brady. Only Drew seemed indifferent. Alright. I guess Ill stay for a little while, Patty conceded. Brady led them into the pub, and they found booth, and crammed in. Patty, Courty, and Drew sat on one side, Courty in the middle, and Brady, Adam, and Brian sat on the other. A waitress appeared at the table. What can I get you? she asked, looking around at them. Ill have the house beer, said Drew. That sounds good, said Brady, nodding. Brian and Adam ordered beers as well, and Courty ordered a white Russian. Water is fine, said Patty when it was his turn. Courty looked at him curiously, but said nothing. So, Patty, why are you living in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City>? Well, I needed a city with a good underground. You know, our type. Well, any large city has that. Why <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City>? I dont know, its always had a certain allure for me, I guess. I mean, a lot of bardic history took place in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">England</st1:place></st1:country-region>. And it has such a magical background? Where are you living? asked Brady. Oh, I have a flat a few blocks from here. Its plenty cozy for me. Now, tell me what you all are doing here. So Brady and Courty told the story in tandem. They told of the problems of the problems in the GovMansion, and the expedition there, and about the mystical assassins that seemed to be gunning for them. When they part of the story about their time in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Vatican</st1:country-region></st1:place>, Patty started chuckling uncontrollably. Whats so funny? asked Drew, the first time he had spoken. Sorry, just the image of you all being chased by those Swiss Guards in their ridiculous outfits. He laughed again, this time harder, and the others joined in. It really was funny. Why are we laughing at this. We couldve died, said Drew angrily. And you should be happy we didnt, said Court. Its just a joke Drew, relax. Drew fell silent, but he looked disgruntled, and when Courty tried to meet his eyes questioningly, he avoided her gaze, staring taciturnly at his hands. Everyone stopped laughing, and the awkwardness was palpable. Suddenly, the waitress appeared with their drinks, which broke the awkward silence. Cheers, said Brady, raising his drink. They all did the same, even Drew, and drank deeply. To <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">London</st1:City></st1:place>? asked Brian. To <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">London</st1:City></st1:place>! answered the others Three hours, seven rounds, and countless bowls of peanuts later, only Brady and Patty were still coherently conversing. Drew was staring off into space, with Courty dozing peacefully, her head on his chest. Adam and Brian were off somewhere talking to the patrons, playing drunken darts, and otherwise enjoying their inebriated state. So what did you do then? Well, I cast this spell that made his mind wander. It actually has a nice bit of musical theory behind it, and- Why are you so tan? interrupted Brady. Patty smiled at his drunkenness. Um, I dunno. I guess just genetics, or something like that. Your hair and your skin are almost the same color. Brady noted, slurring slightly. Yeah um, I guess they are, Patty replied uncertainly. He was suddenly aware that their faces were very close together now. Brady closed his eyes, and Patty almost unwittingly did the same. Hey guys, whats up? said a voice. Patty jumped, sitting upright, and Brady slipped forward, his head smashing into the table, where he lay in a dead faint. At the sudden crash, Courty jerked awake, and Drew blinked twice and looked around, his eyes not quite focusing. Patty looked up at Adam, who had spoken, Brian standing behind him. Their hair was ruffled, and Patty could faintly see a hickey forming on Adams neck. And that, friends, is our cue that we should be going. He slapped the money for their drinks down on the table, and slowly but surely led his quite intoxicated companions out of the bar, Drew almost physically dragging Courtney, and Patty literally carrying Brady across his wide back. Adam and Brian were lagging behind, giggling stupidly. Drew, where is the hotel? Oh, um I cant remember. Heres my wallet. With his free hand, he chucked his wallet at Patty, hitting him the face. He almost overbalanced, but managed to not do so. He shifted Bradys weight (he weighed surprisingly little) and bent down, picking up the wallet and opening it, all with one hand. He found the room card. Ok, the hotel is around a dozen blocks from here, he said, checking the street name. Lets get going. Three quarters of an hour later, they staggered into the hotel, Pattys legs and back aching under Bradys weight. Finally, he got them into the elevator, and into their rooms. He chose to sleep on the floor in Courtys room, and when he finally lay down, his eyes closed almost instantly, and sleep overtook him. Chapter 2<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> He crept silently through the tunnel, hand resting comfortably on the hilt of his magical blade, which was hung snuggly in his belt. He reached out with his senses, feeling for the presence of others. He heard nothing. He moved on, operating quite easily in the total darkness that marked this particular stretch of passageway. The last time he has seen a door mustve been nearly an hour ago, though he had been making fairly rapid progress. He wondered how far behind him the rest of the patrol was. A fair ways, he knew, for he could no longer here the echoes of their footsteps bouncing against the rough, unhewn stone, nor feel the vibrations of their breath in the air. He came to a corner, and stopped. Pausing to ensure that he could feel no one in the area, he stuck his head around the corner, almost expecting (and even hoping) that some deadly beast lay in wait just behind the edge of rock. Understandably, he jumped about half a mile when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Without thinking, he drew his sword, spoke the command word to activate its blade of light, and thrust out behind him, straight back under his arm. The blade did not connect with anything, and instead he found the back of his neck and his elbow locked in the grip of two fearsomely strong hands. He slipped out of their grasp, and dove into a roll, coming to his feet facing his opponent. Who just so happened to be Bri. Are you ok? she asked, sounding concerned at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place>s violent reaction. No Im not ok! he exclaimed angrily, now putting away his sword, panting. How the hell did you get so close up behind me? I used this nifty little teleportation thing that Sparty gave me. Hes so thoughtful. Its really useful for escaping dangerous odds. And for sneaking up on your friends and provoking an attack? <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Snarled. Well, that too I suppose, said Brianna thoughtfully. Anyway, I thought you should know we found something. Ten minutes later, they arrived at the intended passageway. Bri had sent a group of four off to explore a fork in the path, and they had come back with startling new. So, who dya think these belong to? asked Bri, gesturing to the pile of obviously human bones piled on the ground, with a steel object lying next to it. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Knelt down and examined it with professional interest. It was sword metal, though it had long since rusted solid, indicating that it had not been magical, or was very, very old. For some reason, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Was inclined to believe the latter. At any rate, whatever magic that may have once sustained it had fled, longer ago than <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Could guess. I dunno. But they have certainly been here a terribly long time, replied <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, not looking up. He was deep into this mystery, the feeling of being an active participant in the GovMansions defense once again bringing back old memories. Im curious to know myself. Lets take a bit of the bone and some of the blade up to Sparty, and see what he can make of it. Good. Im not a huge fan of these mysteries. I like the part with the weapons, said Bri, smiling. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Smiled back. Well, Bri, he said. If things continue as they have been, youll be seeing a lot more of that part before long. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> What have you got to show me? Well, I made up some basic plans. Its pretty unspecific, since I didnt know exactly what wed be up against. But these will act as preliminary plans, at least. I suppose that is about the best I could have hoped for under these conditions. I confess that I am not pleased with how things are going. Why is that? asked Steve. He thought he already knew the answer. We have operatives overseas, and they have yet to find anything, except a great deal of trouble at the hands of mystical assassins whose origins are dark to me. We have a upsurge of activity here, and the more I consider things, the more I think we are hurtling towards some sort of terrible battle, and I just cannot see how it will end, replied Sparty, showing uncharacteristic tiredness. Well deal, said Steve reassuringly, leaning forward and placing his hand on Sparticus shoulder. Sparty looked up, his eyes sunken beneath the mask he wore. So, what else have you? Well, said Steve, smiling despite himself. I have an inventory of our supplies, and I suppose we should take note of what we do know so far. Basically, in terms of magical power, we have you, Courtney, Dan, Adam, and thats about it, unless Im forgetting something. Oh, yeah. Jon. Im not used to his being back. For fighting, we have Ben, Adam again, Gary, Bri and I. I think thats about it as far as real fire power goes, though we have the militia as well. And we really know nothing, except for what that angel being told Ben. Which means very little to me. The pillar of your salvation is already among you. Find your enemy and defeat them. Or something like that, he finished, with uncharacteristic vagueness. Youd think a higher being would have his number agreement sorted out, remarked Steve wryly. Yes, one would indeed. We dont know what Brady is going to bring back though, commented Steve. This is true, conceded Sparticus. Who knows what hell have for us then. * * * <o:p></o:p> Ben, are you ready to go? asked Dan. Almost. Let me get a few more rounds in with the sword. But Ben, were hungry, whined Hilary. She and Dan were sitting bored on Bens bed, waiting for him. He had continued training voraciously since returning for the airport several days earlier. Hilary was currently visiting for several days, and she and Dan were getting along famously. Almost better than she and Ben, when he got to working like this. Why are you working so hard? asked a voice at the door, as it swung open without a knock. Ben stopped moving, and Hilary sat up and joined Dan and Ben in staring, shocked, at Jon, who had just entered the room. Almost unconsciously, Dan and Hilary drew closer together defensively, and Ben stepped in front of them. Thanks for knocking, said Ben coldly. He walked to the edge of the training floor and sheathed his practice sword. Lets not be stupid, said Jon vitriolically. Im afraid youre in danger on that count, said Ben. His body language was threatening. Nothing that had been verbally communicated so far could explain his reaction to Jons presence. Seriously, though. Do you really believe all this about a big fight? Some of us, Jon, have more important things to do than to look for ulterior motives in our friends actions. I dont see ulterior motives. I see Sparticus misguiding everyone. I had thought you would not be so unfortunate. Get out, said Ben, sneering. Fine. Just remember, though. Im still an Owner of this Mansion, and just because you all are stupid enough to believe the Masked Wonder, it does not mean that we I am. And he turned and left the room. In one lightening motion, Ben picked up his practice sword and hurled it. It flew true and pierced the door, and Ben heard Jon laughing from down the hall. He turned angrily, and stormed into the bathroom to shower. Hilary shivered involuntarily. Chapter 3<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Brady awoke to a splitting headache, what he recognized instantly as a somewhat terrible hangover. He only wished he could remember the events that had caused it. He wiped the drool from his mouth and sat up. His surroundings were unfamiliar. Who was lying in the other bed in the room? It seemed he was in hotel. He groaned. These things always turned out as terribly expensive affairs. Squinting against the viciously bright light streaming in through the thin white curtains, he dragged himself out of bed, and glanced down. He was naked. Damnit, he said viciously, looking around for clothes. They were no where to be found. On the other hand, there was a suitcase lying open on the dresser. He walked over, and saw that it was, indeed, his. And, thankfully, therein were contained his clothes. He dressed as quickly as the pounding in his head would allow, packed up his suitcase, and traipsed into the hallway. As he walked down the hall to find an elevator (the sooner he was gone from the scene the better), but something in the hallway stirred his memory, and suddenly part of the blank spot in his recollection of the previous evening filled itself in, and he stopped, cursed angrily, and walked back to his room. He checked the clock. It was one thirty in the afternoon. They had wasted half a day sleeping off (partially) alcohol. He glanced over at Drew, who was sleeping soundly, curled on his side and hugging a pillow. Brady smiled at this. He walked back into the hallway, and banged on Brian and Adams door insistently until Brian answered it, looking very unhappy. His hair was pressed up violently on one side, and he wore only pajamas. Brady distinctly caught a whiff of vomit from the room. Lets go get breakfast, he said as cheerily as he could. Brian slammed the door in his face, and Brady recoiled suddenly. Or not, he said gingerly to himself. He knocked next on Pattys door. Patty answered almost immediately. Oh, hi, he said, grinning somewhat awkwardly. Brady did not understand the strange pique of color now appearing on Pattys tanned face, but ignored it. I take it you slept in here? Oh, yeah. I just grabbed the other bed. Wanna grab some breakfast? asked Brady. Sure, said Patty quickly. Come on in, and Ill get ready. Thanks, said Brady, entering, and sitting down on the bed, while Patty sat to fuss with his flute, which was quickly disassembled. Is the flute enchanted? asked Brady with interest. What? asked Patty distractedly from the floor, now polishing the instrument quickly. The flute, repeated Brady, nodding towards the case. Oh, yes, said Patty,. I got it from my and Courts teacher. Before he died. The flush reappeared on Pattys cheeks. Brady knew better than to pursue the subject. So, it is magical? How so? Well, you wont be able to see it. Or, wait. You dont know any magic, do you? said Patty, beckoning Brady down next to him to see the flute, which he pulled back out of the case, and reassembled quickly. Anyway, even though you cant see it, you should be able to feel some of it. Put your finger here, he said, pointing to a part of the flute near the mouthpiece. Brady complied. He was shocked, for the metal seemed to be simultaneously colder than ice and hotter than a stove. He withdrew his hand rapidly. Patty laughed. See? he asked, grinning. Yes, I guess so, said Brady, gazing disconcertedly at the flute. He looked at, noticing that Patty was smiling directly at him. Brady met his gaze, which was not broken for several seconds. So, shall we get going? Oh, said Patty. He seemed to be snapping out of a stupor. Yeah, I guess so. They rose, and walked towards the door. As soon as Bradys hand was on the knob, however, he paused. Wheres Courty, he asked, confused. Oh, she was already gone when I woke up. I figured she had gone out to check out the city. She used to leave all the time without telling anyone. Alright, said Brady, opening the door. He and Patty started talking, and he put Courtney from his mind. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> When Courty awoke, she could see nothing but the covers that she had apparently pulled over her head, and could feel nothing but the nauseating pounding therein, as well as a warmth that tugged at her, urged her to return to sleep. She really was divinely comfortable. But as her body pushed her back towards unconsciousness, her mind registered that she was not alone in the bed. Her heart leapt into her throat, and she could feel it pounding there menacingly. She forced her eyes open and, hardly daring to believe it, looked down, and saw the muscular, masculine arm draped across her bare midsection. She sat up violently, the covers flying from her form. She jumped to her feet, drawing the sheets around her, and turning. She felt her heart calm as she saw that it was Drew to whom the arm belonged. But simultaneously, thoughts sprang to mind. What was she going to do? What had they done? Did she regret it? As the thoughts swirled dizzyingly through her head, she felt her legs go weak, and she collapsed forward onto the bed and sprawled there, her knees resting on the harshly carpeted floor. Then, her heart skipped a beat as she saw Drew stir, and she flung herself backwards, so she was sitting helplessly on the floor, looking like a mountainous heap of sheets with a human head. Drews eyes flickered open, and as they came into focus (which took some time), they widened. Courty? She didnt answer, not knowing what she might possibly say. What happened? Courty just shook her head, and she herself did not know if it was in denial, confusion, or simply lack of anything else to do. Did we-? The question went unfinished, though Courtney was fairly certain she knew the answer. We were drunk, Drew rationalized, sitting up. He looked around for someway to cover himself, finally reaching over to Bradys bed and tugging the neatly made sheets from it. He stood up, swaying briefly before he walked to his suitcase and started digging through it, not to look for anything in particular, but to mask the terrible swirl of questions in his head. He did like Courtney, but Really, really drunk, affirmed Courty, speaking for the first time. The words felt wrong to her, but she knew that no one could know about this. Well just pretend it didnt happen. Her voice was peaking with suppressed emotion, though Drew, in his own turmoil did not notice. He dropped the sheets, and Courty averted her eyes reflexively, as he pulled on undergarments. Lets find your clothes, he said. His voice sounded harsh to her, but she ignored it. She started looking, and they slowly pieced together all what she had been wearing, finding articles scattered to various corners of the room. He went into the bathroom, and Courtney heard the shower run. She dressed quickly and left. When Drew emerged from the shower, he glanced around as though he expected Courty to still be there, but when he did not see her, he made no further attempt to find her. Still, he felt the disappointment sharply. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Courtney returned to her own room, using the card from her wallet (which has still been in her pants) to open the door. She went quickly into the bathroom, and composed herself, taking no more than five minutes. As she stared at her face in the mirror, she noted its unusually pallid tone, a product of her hangover, and suddenly, without understanding the feelings behind it, she started sobbing violently. After a minute, she drew herself together, washed her face, and walked out, building a story in her mind all the while. She walked to the elevator and pushed for the first floor, feeling distinctly hungry, a strange counterpoint to the vague nausea she felt at the back of her throat. She walked into the café of the hotel a few minutes later, and she heard her name being called. She looked around and saw Patty and Brady sitting at a table covered in breakfast treats. Forcing a smile onto her face, she pulled up a chair and sat down. Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling across her skin. Sleep well, Court? asked Brady. Alright, yeah, she answered absently. Can I-? she asked, looking towards the food. Oh, yeah, sure. Go ahead, answered Brady. Before he was even done speaking, Courty had grabbed a scone and poured herself a glass of orange juice, and was now attack them both voraciously. So, did you have a good time? asked Patty, staring intently at Courty. Something felt wrong to him. Hm? grunted Courty, not looking up from her food. You went out prompted Patty. Oh. I was on the roof, just looking out over the city. I figured Id wait for you all before going out. Oh, alright, said Patty. He tried to meet her eyes, but failed. When she finished the scone, which took a startlingly short amount of time, she grabbed a croissant, which was still hot, and broke it open, smothering it with fresh strawberry preserves. All the while, Patty and Brady looked on amazed. Finally ripping their eyes away from the unfortunate sight of Courtney gorging herself on breakfast pastries, they continued their conversation. Anyway, how drunk were we? asked Brady, smirking. It did not escape his notice that Courty paused from her feast when she heard the question, nor did the flush which had reappeared on Pattys face. Pretty drunk, said Patty. It was a real pain getting you all back here. Took a long time, he said, attempting to smile, and coming up instead with something of a grimace. Mustve been fun for you to watch though, continued Brady. Eh, it was interesting, Ill say that much. He turned as Brady suddenly stood. Drew! Over here! he heard Courty choke violently on her meal below, and Courty thumped her once on the back as she groped around blindly for her juice to clear her throat. Drew came over, and to Pattys surprise sat as though the thing he most desired was to be nowhere near Courty or Patty, seeming to choose the former as the more pertinent to avoid. Consequently, he sat opposite Courty, pushing his chair as close to Brady as possible. Brady and Patty simply stared at him. Morning, he said gruffly, roughly shoving a muffin almost fully into his mouth. Good morning, Drew, said Brady confusedly. He was shocked by both his and Courtys strange behavior, and suddenly Courtys story began to ring as potentially untrue, though he put that down to his own occasionally suspicious nature. So, I figure we can afford to spend one more day here, said Brady to no one in particular. Then where are you all off to? asked Patty. Well, I figure weve found about all were going to outside of the Mansion, not that any of it was particularly useful. And besides, Id rather we not expose ourselves to further assassination attempts. So, I think well be going home. Home? asked Courty suddenly, looking up from her food. She set down her silverware. Brady noticed that she was looking directly at him, and no one else. Well, yeah. I mean, unless you have anywhere else youd like to go, that is, he said, staring at her inquisitively. No, no. Thats fine. She looked back down at her food, but did not continue eating. She now felt rather ill again, and a new measure of disconcertion had entered her mind and face. So, I figured wed explore the city a bit, he said, looking hopefully at Patty. Maybe with a guided tour? Absolutely, affirmed Patty. He looked forward to spending a day with the companions. Itd make a nice change of pace from his normal day studying and working odd jobs, and maybe And then, tonight. We can have some fun. Some sober fun, clarified Brady. Drew looked a little green, and was staring absently off into space, every few moments showing another bite of food into his mouth. In truth, he was eating just to give himself something to do, and, like Courty, he felt somewhat unwell. Brady rolled his eyes, and glanced back at Patty. So, if youll keep these two company, Im going to go try my hand at waking up Brian and Adam. If Im so fortunate as too succeed, Ill return shortly, and well set out. Alright then, replied Patty, smiling at Brady, who returned the expression. A minute later, Brady was slamming his fist against the door behind which Adam and Brian slept. When Brian answered the door, looking unwell, Brady swept past him, ignoring the overwhelmingly awful assault of smells that rolled from within the room. He opened the window, and turned on the fan in the bathroom, taking care to not look at the floor. Get up! Now! cried Brady, sounding angrily, though he was smirking. Adam was lying prostrate beneath the covers. Brady went into the bathroom, and filled the complimentary mug with cold water, then walked out and unceremoniously dumped it over Adams head. He sat up with lightning speed, as Brian steadied himself against the door. Were leaving quite soon, said Brady, his voice ringing in their aching ears. I want you ready to go. Might I suggest a cold shower and a large quantity of water? Ive found them affective in treating hangovers. Ill see you downstairs in ten minutes. And he left, finding his three companions waiting still at the café. None of them seemed to be talking, though Drew was staring with a measure of hostility towards Patty, who looked markedly uncomfortable. Theyll be down soon, said Brady, sliding into his seat. Patty nodded nervously. They sat in awkward silence, for over twenty minutes, when they heard a great commotion in the lobby. Brady rushed out to find Brian and Adam dragging a great pile of suitcase out of the elevator. Were not leaving the hotel, he exclaimed, as the other patrons stopped their activities to stare on unabashedly. Were just going out for the day. Without a word, Brian and Adam turned and carried themselves back into the elevator, returning five minutes later to find Brady, Courty, Patty, and Drew waiting for them. They left, and spent the day shopping, exploring, and otherwise experiencing <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City>. Patty would show them his favorite spots to eat, or to shop, or otherwise live in the city, speaking mostly to Brady and Courty (Courty could not have her eagerness to explore the city entirely suppressed by her troubled soul). Drew was mostly silent, and Adam and Brian were perpetually lagging behind the others. After several hours, it was getting dark, and Brady and Courty were both carrying countless shopping bags, filled with clothes, local art, and other souvenirs upon which they had spent a somewhat egregious amount of money. They arrived at an outdoor restaurant and sat down exhaustedly. Courty rushed to the bathroom, while the others waited, only Patty seeming to be fully energized. When she returned, she plopped down into a chair. So, lets have a quick dinner, said Brady. Then what, asked Patty. I wanna go dancing, said Court. Much of her troubles had been temporarily wiped away by a day of shopping and stupid fun, and she though that losing herself in dance sounded delightfully numbing. Ah, I thought you would, said Patty. I know a good place. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> ID please, said the bouncer at the door, standing to bar their path. Thumping disco music poured from the doors, and brightly colored lights could be seen spilling from within. As Brian and Adam reached into their pockets to find their IDs, Patty simply smiled, and gestured briefly with his hand, whispering a word under his breath. The guards eyes crossed, and then refocused. He blinked. Ok then. Go ahead, he said somewhat dazedly. He stood aside, and they entered. As the entered the retro club, Courtys eyes lightened, and Brady audibly exhaled. Courty turned on heel. Everyone stand in a circle and close your eyes, they all complied. And Courty began weaving a spell of concealing, of disguise, and she let the magic overflow into the circle. Open your eyes, she said, smirking. They did so, and were shocked (except Patty) to find themselves wearing classic disco clothes. Brady looked down at his own bellbottoms, and felt his own hair. Though he knew it was illusory, it felt real enough, and he smirked as he thought of those back at the Mansion seeing the brilliant afro which now adorned his head. Lets go! he exclaimed. He grabbed Courty by the breast of her white leather vest and dragged her bodily into the crowd. They danced for what seemed like hours. Patty, in his tight white pants, cut an impressive figure on the floor, and even Brian and Adam managed to find themselves dance partners, though they looked somewhat awkward. Only Drew managed to ruin the mood, heading as he did directly for the bar. It was quite late before the five friends, clutching at their sides in laughter, stumbled off of the dance floor and found themselves a table around the edges where they could rest. It was not long before a young man pulled himself out of crowd and asked Courty to dance, which she accepted, rising before any of her friends knew what had happened. Soon after, Brady received a similar invitation, and was likewise gone in a flash. Patty stared almost longingly after him, but even when a very attractive young girl invited him to do likewise, he barely paid her any attention, turning her down before hed even considered her offer. In the crowd, Courty and her partner were dancing wildly, and so they had almost no warning when Drew came plunging into the crowd, and shoved the man with whom she had been dancing hard on the shoulders, sending him sprawling. As he went scampering away, the crowd parted around them, and the song, which Brady, who was watching from the newly formed sidelined recognized as belonging to ABBA, was suddenly starkly visible. He stared on with interest and worry, ans Patty, Brian, and Adam suddenly appeared at his side. Courtys temper flared up at once, though through her anger she noted the strangeness of the scene: they were the only ones standing on the dance floor, as the disco ball lights flashed around them, alternatively lighting up their faces with an eerie glow. In the background, the music was blaring: Theres that look in your eyes, I can read in your face that your feelings are driving you wild. Ah, but girl youre only a child. What the hell are you doing? she screamed, grabbing his shoulders. He struggled out of her grasp and stepped back. His words were slurred. You danced with him! he exclaimed drunkenly, glaring angrily at her. And that gives you the right to do this? Courty bellowed back, her eyes widening with emotion, and her face blushing brilliantly red. We were together! he shouted, some of the slur leaving his words as anger overpowered him. The next thing he knew was dizziness, as Courty stepped forward and punched him full in the face, an impressive feat for someone who stood almost a full foot shorter than Drew. He stumbled back, and before he could respond violently, Courty had him locked in a spell of immobility. He struggled wildly against it, but Courtneys anger gave her strength, and the spell held. What gives you the right to do this? Do you think this is easy for me? she hollered at his frozen face. He mouthed soundless curses at her, but could do no more. She released him from the spell, and he went scampering off into the crowd, almost throwing a poor fellow out of his way. Courty stood staring after him, tears of fury and sadness pouring down her face, as a new ABBA song played: So when you're near me, darling can't you hear me? SOS. The love you gave me, nothing else can save me, SOS. When you're gone, how can I even try to go on? When you're gone, though I try how can I carry on? The next thing Courty knew, Brady and Patty were beside her, and were steering her off the dance floor, as she cried uncontrollably. Chapter 4<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Brian sat still. Beads of sweat rolled down his face, as he stared intently, more intently than he could ever remember staring at anything, at the bottle of water that rested beside on the shelf beside his bed. On the bed next to him, Adam slept soundly, and the occasional snore escaped him. With every ounce of concentration he possessed, he focused on that bottle, trying to make anything happen to it. He wanted it to move, or rattle, or explode even. Finally, he gave up in frustration, flopping down onto his bed. It had happened several times now, and others had noticed, though he doubted they had made much of it. The branch cracking back in the forest before Ben and Laura had found him, knowing to warn Brady about the arrow. They werent coincidences, he knew in his heart. There was something happening to him. It could not be magical, because then Courty or Adam would have detected it. It was something else. It was not just those either. During the shouting match between Courty and Drew earlier, he had felt their emotions. He did not fully understand at first, because he himself had a stake in the argument, because Courtney was his friend. But he quickly realized that he was not feeling his own thoughts, he was somehow sensing what they were feeling. He decided to try again. He sat up, and attempted to empty himself of all emotion. He concentrated on the bottle again, but quickly grew frustrated. This time, frustration turned to anger, and he swore violently under his breath. He concentrated on the bottle again, and almost screamed in exultation when, finally, it moved. Just a little, but it moved nonetheless. With renewed determination, he set about to attempting it again. Recognizing the connection, he attempted to make himself angry. He thought about every time he had been wronged, rolling all his spite together into one ball of fury inside his mind. His eyes snapped to the bottle, and he imagined it moving, just a little. Something went wrong, however, when the bottle flung itself across the room, smashed into the wall, and shattered violently, showering the floor with broken glass. This time he did leap to his feet as Adam stirred, but then just rolled over. Apparently, there was more to it than unrestrained emotion. Bursting with excitement, but at the same time feeling somewhat afraid, he went to his suitcase for a new object to practice on. Something not fragile this time. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Sparty, do you not like having Jon back? I am quite unaffected. It is certainly something we need, because as an Owner, he does exercise a measure of control over the Mansion. In a fight, that sort of mastery could come in useful. What does that mean? Youve said similar things before. Sparty gazed at Steve for a minute, before answering. Honestly, I do not understand it fully myself. Before any of you arrived here, I was made the sole Owner, a position a held for a good stretch of time before I saw fit to extend that title to others. But when I was made an Owner, I was told, without explanation, that we, that is, we Owners, have a measure of power over the Mansion. I did not understand it then, but I think I am beginning to. So, we have some sort of control here? Over what? I am not sure. They sat in silence for sometime, simply staring at each other. After a few minutes, Sparty spoke. I think, perhaps, that we must return to Bradys library. Why? We didnt find anything last time, protested Steve. We might have been looking in the wrong places. I think, perhaps, we should find the memoirs of past Owners. I know they exist, but I have never seen them. They might hold some clues as to our present problem. Which problem? The upcoming battle against whoever, or us not knowing exactly what powers we have? Sparty smiled. Yes, he answered simply. Steve stared at him, then started laughing. Alright, he conceded, when the surprisingly strong bout of laughter had passed. Who do we need? Ben and Daniel certainly. And Hilary. I believe shes staying here at present. She can help as well. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> May remain on patrol with Brianna. What about Jon? He could definitely help. I would prefer that we left him out of this. Alright, said Steve. He stood up, and walked to the door of the Control Room. Before he left, he turned back to Sparty. Well meet at Bradys place in half an hour? Yes, replied Sparty. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> So, well head down here next? We havent been there yet? We have, but there was that one fork at the end we didnt explore yet. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Thought back, and vaguely remembered the fork. They had no continue through it, for they had already been out for hours, and did not have the wherewithal to continue into new, and probably hazardous territory. Hello, said a new voice. Bri and Gary looked up to see Jon standing beside their table, looking at them expectantly. Can I join you? he asked. Sure, answered Bri. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Shot her a glance, but she ignored him. So, what are you all working on? he asked. He flagged down the bartender shouted his drink order. Planning out next expedition, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Shortly, looking back at his papers. Ah, of course, replied Jon, smirking. Whats so funny? asked Bri teasingly. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s eyes remained resolutely downward. Nothing. Just that Sparty has you doing all this for him. What are you getting in return? Were protecting the Mansion residents, replied Bri, as though it were manifestly obvious. Yes, but does it really do anything? I mean, you all are down there for hours everyday. Do the demons stop coming? No, of course not, said Bri, not following his logic. Then what good is it doing? Well, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, speaking at last, but keeping his eyes down. Any one of those creatures could venture up here and wreak havoc. And were stopping them. Besides, theyre vicious and bloodthirsty. Evil in its purest form. Is that was Sparticus has you believing? Jon asked disdainfully. Thats the way things are, said Bri. She seemed to be rather enjoying this conversation, and was obviously flirting with Jon. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Felt ill, but said nothing. What else would you have us doing? Id be enjoying what the Mansion has to offer. I mean, theres magic in the air. He made a motion with his hand, and little beams of electricity crackled between his fingers, casting a flickering shadow on the table. We have everything you could ever want to live the perfect life here, and instead you waste your time fighting monsters. We need to defend that way of life. Besides, Sparty says that the Mansion might not be so magical for long. Im just as much a magician as he is, said Jon, still teasingly. And I feel no disruption at all. Sparty says theres something wrong, and I trust him. Then youre a fool, said Jon. His facial expression and body language changed in an instant, and Bri straightened herself up to her full height, and <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Raised his eyes. That may be, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. But at least were not deserters. Maybe you should try leaving here sometime. Makes a nice change from Sparticus insufferable tyranny. Bri stood suddenly, and half drew her sword. Jon rose at the same time. Youll get your comeuppance for slandering me, Little Gary, he said menacingly. Bri drew her sword the rest of the way. Leave, she growled. Fine, have it your way. Youll probably end up just like those bones you found. A relic for future explorers to fuss over. And he turned and left. Bri sat down and slammed her fist down on the table, sending a crack through the hard wood. Whyd you get so angry all of a sudden? asked <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. I didnt like the way he was talking about Sparty, said Bri, panting. She was not looking at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Spartys twice the sorcerer that fool is. I hope so, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Under his breath. Ok, said Bri. Lets finish this. And they returned to their planning. Even as they discussed, however, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s mind kept replaying the encounter. How did Jon even know about the bones? <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Half an hour after they parted, Steve arrived outside of Bradys apartment. The door was ajar. He walked in, and saw that the bookshelf was likewise hanging open. Just as he walked over, Ben, Hilary, and Dan entered. Lets get cracking, said Ben sarcastically. Hilary and Dan looked disgruntled. What a way to spend time, said Hilary. You dont have to do this, said Ben, almost scornfully. Hilary recoiled. I have to. I feel like I need to help, she amended. Bens expression softened. Lets get going, called Steve. He was already inside. They walked into the library, and felt the familiar feeling of awe come over them. Six hours later, that awe was gone, replaced by a numb buzzing in their heads. Sparticus had found the memoirs, which could have been more correctly labeled as diaries. It seemed as though every Owner for the last millennia had kept daily records of the most mundane things. They had gone through chronologically, with Hilary, Dan, and Steve starting with the most recent records and going backward, and Ben and Sparticus doing the opposite. The records were hardly easy to read though. Until very recently, it was rare for any two of the Mansions owners to be from the same country, and they almost always wrote in their native languages, some of which (for Sparticus and Bens) were no longer spoken, and require magical translation or painstaking work with Bradys extensive listings of grammars from almost any language or dialect one could imagine. They had each made about two hundred years of progress, with over six hundred more years left between them. Finally, Hilary broke the silence. I feel disgusting, she said, rising. I need to shower. Use Bradys, said Steve, as Sparty looked up scornfully. Its too far to go anywhere else. Ill get you set up, said Dan. He and Hilary walked back into the bedroom, and Dan found Hilary a towel. She closed the door, and he heard the water begin to flow. Dan glanced around the empty room, and his eyes fell on the bed. It called towards him inexorably to lie down, to rest, to succumb to sleep. He obeyed, and fell face first into the bed. He was about to nod off, when a delightful sound met his ears. It was a singing voice, coming from where? He reached out with his hearing, not daring to stir lest he somehow disturb the voice. It was inexperienced, but clear and pure. He realized it was coming from the bathroom. Was Hilary singing? He waited patiently. Ten minutes later, the door opened, and Hilary came out, dressed again, her long, reddish brown hair curling gently about her shoulders. Was that you singing? asked Dan forcefully, rising from the bed. Yes, said Hilary hesitantly, put off by the sudden questioning. Are you sure? asked Dan. He was quite serious. Yes, of course. Who else could it have been? Why, was it bad? she asked, afraid of what he might answer. No. It was wonderful. Have you ever considered training as a bard? Hilary stared at him. Forty five minutes later, they strode back into the library, Dan almost jogging, and Hilary lagging behind nervously. Where the hell have you been? exclaimed Steve when the reentered the reading circle. I have to show you something, said Dan. He motioned Hilary forward. Show them. She stepped forward. Steve stared on angrily, with Ben and Sparty looking curious. Dan stood behind her, expectantly. Softly at first, then, more strongly, she began singing. As she did, Sparty felt a tiny flicker of magic rise in her voice, and watched with awe as one of the books started to rise slowly, shakily off of the table. But, suddenly, one of Hilarys notes when slightly awry, and the spell ended. She looked shocked at what she had done. You taught her that in the time you were gone? asked Sparty. Yep, said Dan proudly. Good, huh? Indeed. Youll keep teaching her? Of course I will. So much promise! Wait, whats going on? asked Ben, looking puzzled. He looked to Hilary, but she merely shrugged, apparently, quite as lost as he was. Hilary will begin training as a bard, said Sparty. You shall have to take up a room here. Apart from Bens, he continued, cutting off the initial thought. His room is much too noisy with all that infernal training he does, and youll need quite to practice. I believe the room next to Dans is open. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 5<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Courtney woke the next morning peacefully. As she opened her eyes, she felt only the calmness of a warm bed, and for the next several moments she was happy. Suddenly, though, as though some sort of flood gate had opened within her, the memories of the previous day and night flowed violently into her mind, filling her with a tragic, hopeless suffusion of depression. The assault of emotion affected her immediately, and her body tensed and tears began to flow silently from her eyes. She made no noise, however, and merely hugged her blanket violently, trying to gain some measure of comfort as a wall against the onslaught of her recollections. After some indeterminate stretch of time, Courtney stilled her sobs of grief (and something else she could not quite identify, and wiped her eyes on her hands. Sitting up, she gazed around the room, almost expecting to see someone (oddly, not Drew), sitting there, against, the wall, or walking out of the bathroom and saying good morning in a cheery fashion. No such thing happened, of course, and Courtney seemed to simultaneously take comfort and be driven to greater heights of sadness by virtue of it. She stood, and went to the bathroom, she quickly washed her face, and performed necessary ablutions before tearing open her suit case slowly, and dressing in an uncharacteristically subdued style. She wore a muted earthy brown t-shirt, and worn out blue jeans. Wanting some distraction against her own mind, she grabbed a book she had brought to read on the trip and went downstairs to sit in the hotels café. She read, immersing herself as fully as she could. Twenty minutes later, Brady came downstairs, looking worried. Courty looked up at him, as composedly as possible. Seeing the shadow on his features, she cocked her head. Whats wrong? she asked. Brady jumped when she spoke, as though he had not seen her. What? Oh, nothing, he said, waving a dismissive and unconvincing hand in an airy fashion. He sat down opposite her. Ready to go? he asked, with forced calm. Yep, she said colorlessly. She turned back to her book. Brady took advantage of her inattention by allowing his face to resume its worried posture once again. He gazed compulsively at the door. A few minutes later, Patty arrived at the door looking tired but awake. Brady almost jumped to his feet, and rushed over to him to begin whispering quickly to him. Courtney ignored it, staring intently at her book, though a careful observer would have noted that her eyes were stationary. Patty and Brady walked over, neither of them speaking. They sat down, and both seemed afraid to say anything, which only made Courtney feel even more distraught. She knew why they were hesitant to speak in her presence, and understood, but such knowledge helped nothing. A little while later, or a few hours, or a few days, for Courtney had long since lost track of time, Brady stood up. Ok, we need to get going, he announced to the open air. Courtney looked up, and started as she realized that Brian and Adam were now sitting at their table. She had not noticed their arrival. Adam looked his normal self, but Brian looked exhausted, but exhilarated. He seemed to contain a great force, and Courtney envisioned him splitting down the middle as the energy tore apart his form. She blinked, returning her sight to the real world. She looked up at Brady. Itll take me a few minutes to pack, she said balefully. A look of annoyance flashed across Bradys face, but he did an admirable job of concealing it, managing to turn it into a vaguely paternal (but not condescending) gaze. Well, hurry up, he said. Courtney nodded but did not speak, and rose to leave, Brian and Adam almost leaping out of their seats to let her pass. She did no hurry, and it was nearly twenty minutes later that she ambled out of the elevator, dragging her original suitcases, as well as another she had certainly not had before. Patty jumped forward to help her, not even caring to guess how she might have gotten them to the elevator. Outside, two cabs were waiting for them. Courtney piled into one, with Adam and Brian getting into the backseat of the other. Brady and Patty finished loading the suitcases (mainly Patty), and before they separated, they stood gazing at each other for a moment, before one of the taxis blasted their horn, and the moment was broken. Patty turned away, and, his head down, got into the backseat of the cab with Courtney. Brady stood for another moment before glancing around once more, and getting likewise into the other. They arrived at the airport in fairly little time, and were checked in and ready to go more than an hour before the flight was even scheduled to begin boarding. So, for over an hour, they simply sat in awkward silence, no one speaking. Brady and Patty seemed to be looking around constantly, both looking at everything but each other. The first boarding call came, and Brian and Adam stood. Brady held out his hand. We should wait till the last one. Why? asked Brian curiously. Just because, Brady answered dismissively. They sat back down, and finally when the cries of final boarding call came sounding in a <st1:place w:st="on">Liverpool</st1:place> Accent over the PA, Brady rose, and the others followed him up to the flight attendant. Well, I guess this is goodbye, said Patty awkwardly, standing with his hands in his pockets and somewhat hunched over. Courtney looked up at him, and suddenly, embraced him in a hug which he returned whole-heartedly. He seemed to be struggling with himself over something. He shook hands with Brian and Adam. They gave their tickets, and Brady motioned for the others to go on ahead. He waited behind, ignoring curious glances from the others. He stepped up to Patty. Ill see you around, he said haltingly. A lump was rising in his throat despite his best efforts to banish it. Ill call you all sometime, said Patty. His southern accent somehow seemed to intensify in that moment. Yeah, Id like that, said Brady. His voice was unusually high. They shook hands, and grasped for a few moments too long. Suddenly, the heard the sound of running feet and jingling luggage, and Drew arrived, looking very flustered, very hung over, and very disheveled. The handshake was broken, and Drew quickly nodded hellos without making eye contact. He handed over his ticket, and walked without a word onto the plane. Brady made eye contact with Patty for one more moment, then turned and followed Drew. He ran to catch up with him, and grabbed his shoulder. What the hell is this? he asked aggressively. What is what? asked Drew, a dangerous edge to his voice. You were charged with protecting us. What would have happened had we been attacked during your little spree of absence? But you werent, said Drew shortly, and he turned. Brady grabbed him again, more forcefully. This is not about you, and despite whatever happened between you and Courtney, youre playing with the lives of everyone back at the Mansion, and maybe a lot more than that, if this turns out to be as serious as all signs point to it being. What do you know? sneered Drew. I know that you hurt her badly. And I know that she cared for you. Shes only known you three days, and youre the first person shes met coming out of the Mansion after whatever drove her there. And I know that if you do anything else to her, itll be the last thing you ever do. What are you going to do? he asked. He attempted to put on a hard face, but Brady could tell he was affected. Perhaps there was hope for him yet. Im not the one you have to worry about, he said shortly, and stepped past Drew. Drew waited, standing dubiously for a few moments. They arrived on the plane, Brady just in front of Drew, and found their seats. Courtney swallowed convulsively, but otherwise gave no other sign that she noticed either of their presences. Brady sat next to her, and Drew sat across the aisle. The plane was nearly empty. They sat, Courtney in her preferred seat next to the window. She rested her head against the cool glass, wishing it were night time, staring at the green landscape the surrounded the airport. For the next six hours, she scarcely moved, watching the <st1:place w:st="on">Atlantic</st1:place> Beneath them with uncharacteristic stoicism. The plane was almost silent; The only ones speaking were Adam and Brian, all the other passengers being several rows away, and elderly at that. Brady pulled out a book, and began reading, while Drew extracted the ancient tome from his bag and took to studying it. He did not raise his eyes from it even once. Finally, when they pilot announced they were going in for their final approach, Brian sprang up to use the bathroom, as Drew gave up, and finally moved, returning the book to his bag. As he closed it though, Brian caught a glimpse of the words. He stopped when he caught sight of them, for they caused something to stir in his memory. But then the book was gone, the passing familiarity with it, and he shook his head and walked on. Some time later, they were in the airport, finally. After getting through customs and retrieving their luggage, they sighted Ben waiting on the other end of the room, and they waved to him. He met their glances, and began fighting through the crowd. Drew, without a word, turned to leave, his duty discharged. Suddenly, he fell forward, curling in a ball as though punched in the stomach, with a cry a pain escaping his lips, and drawing the attention of them all. They turned to see an arrow protruding from his stomach. Courtney dived towards him, while Adam reacted instinctively by drawing his scythe with a single motion. Drew! she cried. She turned him on his back, and cradled his head. Suddenly, his hand shot out and yanked her down by the hair. She squeaked in pain, and then fear, as another arrow shot over her head. Brady dropped to the ground defensively, and he saw Ben was now running, with weapon drawn, searching frantically for the attacker. Then, Brian stuck out his hand and shouted out in anger, and Ben saw the attacker. He was standing in the center of a luggage carousel. Then, some invisible force seemed to strike him from the side, and he fell over, tumbling down the carousel, and Ben stepped forward and sliced down with his sword at his head. He risked a glance as his blow fell, and saw Brian topple to the ground, his nose bleeding. Unexpectedly, though, the attacker blocked the slice with his bow, and kicked straight up over his head, catching Ben in the chest and sending him stumbling backwards. Courtney stood, Brady now tending to Drew, who was still bleeding profusely. Her eyes were flared with rage, and she was muttering cold words under her breath, her face dark and furious. Suddenly, her mutter became a scream, and she stuck out her hands towards the attacker, who was now standing and going towards Ben with a bastard sword he had drawn from nowhere. From her hand erupted a stream of crackling black energy, so dark that it seemed to be a space of nothingness. The darkness slammed into the man, and before their eyes, his eyes grew wide with terror, as he felt his life essence sucked from him. Before their eyes, his hair turned gray, and he dropped to his knees, prostrate before the murderous Courtney. The assault continued, and his skin shriveled, and sloughed from his bones, leaving a pile of dry bones lying in a pile with a bow and sword slung across them. All this had happened in the space of about four seconds, and now the screaming started. The crowded airport was suddenly panicked as well, and people were screaming and running, and utter confusion prevailed. Ben quickly fought his way to the others. Is that it? he asked quickly, glancing around. Courtney kneeled and was singing a healing song over Drew, who was unconscious. Brian was sitting up, pinching his nose and looking faint. Just then, he dove to the ground, as a spinning blade flew over his head. He dove into a quick roll, and pulling a dagger out of his shoe, threw it as he came up towards the figure who had launched the weapon towards them. It was humanoid, but obviously not human. Its skin was gray and mottled, and its build was that of a bodybuilder, but impossibly large. It was as though one had taken a man, and inflated his body, paying disproportionate attention to the chest. It was standing at the next floor up, balanced precariously on the railing that surrounded the upper floor of the airport. On either side of him, there was an escalator, and people were pouring up and down them in panic. It didnt even blink as the dagger flashed towards it, but merely stood impassively. When the dagger was about to strike, it struck some barrier, which crackled into invisibility as it repelled the weapon. Bens eyes widened, but he did not pause. He ran and leaped onto the railing of the escalator, and with incredible dexterity, ran nimbly up it, and stepped onto the railing where stood his opponent. He shimmied forward and lunged, his sword slicing towards the opponent, who batted the strike aside, and stepped in and smashed its huge fist down on Bens shoulder, dropped him to his knees. It lifted its leg to drop kick him, but Ben rolled sideways off the railing. Standing quickly, he roundhouse kicked at the beasts legs, sweeping it. It fell on its back, and Ben quickly reversing his grip, made to stab it in the throat. At that moment, however, a bolt of electric energy smashed into Ben from behind, and as he felt his joints pop, he was launched by the bolt into the air, and drove him up over the railing, to be driven into the ground below. The marble floor cracked with the force of his impact. He stood shakily, dusting himself off. He could not survive another strike like that. That lightning bolt had been cast by a powerful magician. He hoped vaguely the electricity had caused no permanent damage, though he knew that his impact had broken at least one rib. He looked up in time to see the gray thing give a masculine grunt and jumped down. The ground shook when it landed, and it strode forward menacingly. Ben halfheartedly thrust his sword out to meet it, but it stepped past the weapons with remarkable dexterity, and punched out straight, smashing Ben in the chest, and launching him back a good ten feet, and leaving his sword clattering on the ground. It picked it up, and walked forward, a condescending smile growing on its face. Ben stared helpless up at him. Who sent you? he asked defiantly but weakly, blood bubbling up at the side of his mouth. The one who helped bring the Guardhouse to its knees, it said in a grunting voice, before the sword arced in. It was met, amazingly, by another blade, held by Drew. It stared amazedly at him, before launching a backhand slash. Drews other blade shot up to block it, but the force of the blow sent him skittering backwards. Just then, a form leapt through the air over Bens head, slashing down with a red bladed weapon. Adams slice was easily sidestepped, the thing grabbing his wrist and shoulder and tossing him through the air. Drew stepped in to resume the attack, the monster ably avoiding his strikes and thrusts, and Drew narrowly evading the returns which came with masterful skill and inexorable strength. Adam did the same, recovering quickly, and together they pressed the attack. Together, the proved equal to the monster, and blades flashed with such speed that the ring of weapons was a continuous whir. Ben lay on his back, feeling consciousness ebbing from him. He dimly registered a song in the background, though the truth of it did not strike him until he felt a wave of healing energy wash over him. He did not feel well, but he felt able to enough to join the battle, and a new flame entered his eyes. Suddenly, Drew had a small success, managing to disarm the beast. Bens sword flew up into the air and landed point down, driving into the hard marble floor and quivering there menacingly. As he rose and yanked out, he registered a new sound, a communal chanting, coming from the second floor. He looked up in time to see large stones forming from thin air above their heads, to rain down as a deadly weapon. He raised his arms to cover, but the stones suddenly stalled, and flew back up towards the voices. He saw Brian reaching out his hand the pain and anger of battle etched on his face. He did not look so young anymore. Courtneys eyes were pitch black and pupil-less now, as she channeled magic into her song with voracious strength. Chanting continuously, she rose up into the air, a strong wind whipping up out of nowhere and flinging her hair out around her. When she was around twenty feet up, she could see clearly the source of the magical attack. A circle of red hooded monks stood in a circle, their heads down, chanting another spell. Panicked people still ran crazed around them, which somewhere in Courtneys mind rang out strange. Was something keeping this people from leaving the area? Courtney unleashed a lightning bolt from her hands, only to have one of the monks make a brief motion, which somehow repelled the bolt and sent it flying back towards Courtney. It smashed into her, sending her flying backwards and screaming in pain. Somehow, she felt, they were all casting one spell, lending strength to each other. Courtney paused and listened to the chat. It was a calling she felt. But what were they calling to? Her questions was answered a moment later, when suddenly the monks cried out as one, and a burst of blue fire erupted from them, instantly killing all those within ten feet of their circle. Before their bodies could hit the floor, though, they began rising again, animated with undead spirits. At least thirty of them began walking towards the escalators. Ben! Drew! Adam! she called. You have trouble. Down below, the three stepped off the attack for a moment, glancing at each other briefly. You go, said Ben. But- protested Drew weakly. Ive got this, said Ben, a glint in his eyes. They both ran towards the escalators, meeting the first of the undead as they just ambled onto the moving conveyances. As they ran up, the escalators stopped, and Drew looked back to see Brian straining with concentration. So, what is the Guardhouse? asked Ben conversationally as he and the gray monster circled each other. Do not be foolish, it said, and Ben lunged again. It made to step inside again, but Ben dove into a sidelong roll, drawing the blade across as he did, and cutting a deep gash in the creatures arm. Smiling he came back to his feet and rushed in. He twirled the sword lightly about his head, the slice deceptively angling up. The monster stepped in close, to close to strike, but just before his fist smashed into Bens face, it was met with a strong resistance, which Ben knew was coming from Brian. He shimmied back out of range. Considering his course, he paused. He glanced around. Courtney was trading blows with her enemy spellcasters, and Drew and Adam were making slow progress. He needed to finish this. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he stalked in once more. This time, he darted and pranced this way and that, always moving, circling, flowing from one attack combination to the next, never ceasing. Soon, blood was dripping from a dozen small wounds. Ben leapt into the air, and kicked straight out, taking the monster in the face hard and forcing it to step back, he land nimbly then stepped in and stabbed out, his arm straightening like a snake to its full extension. This time, the monster, dazed by the brilliant display of swordplay and the kick did not manage to react, and the sword pierced easily through its sternum and plunged into its heart. Ben withdrew the sword with a tug, and then, as the monster stood their dumbfounded, Ben did a spinning kick, to its head, and was satisfied to hear its neck crack, and watch its form topple to the floor. Just then, he heard a shout, and turned to see Courty dropping like a stone out of the sky. Running, he caught her in his arms, her light form feeling like nothing. They knocked me down, she said, shocked. Im out of firepower. Can I lend you some, asked Brian, who had come up unexpectedly. What do you think you could do? asked Ben skeptically. He can, said Courtney, smiling now. She jumped out of Bens hold, and clasped hands with Brian. Ready? she asked. He nodded. Suddenly, the rose into the air again, and Courty felt a surge of remarkable power. Shaking his head, Ben ran to help Drew and Adam. He got to the top of stairs just as they finished cutting down the last of the undead. Then, Adams eyes fell on the hooded monks, and he flashed back, back to the night of his horrible nightmare. He staggered backwards, dropping his scythe. Adam? asked Drew worriedly. But Adam could not speak, and just stared on helpless. Suddenly, a force gripped their bodies, and they could not move. A great sense of fear rose in them, for they were at the monks mercy. In the stillness, Ben noticed that the area was finally clear of tourists. Without warning, they felt their limps released, and they looked up to see Courty chanting, as Brian floated wordlessly next to her. Adam felt the destructive magic rising in Courtys voice, felt the power flowing from Brian. He looked to Ben and Drew. Run! he shouted. He flung himself over the railing, landing hard and diving into a roll, with the other two right beside him. They ran, and pushed through the door, Drew grabbing his pack as he ran. None of them stopped to pause, because Adam was still running. Where to? panted Ben. We need to get the car, said Adam. Excuse me, do you have a pa- his words were cut off as Ben backhand him without slowing down, launching him through the air. They reached the parking lot just as a blue limousine zoomed out. Need a lift? asked Brady, rolling down the window. They dived in. Back inside, Courtney felt the power of the spell gathering in her. It frightened her, and as it mounted, she let it rush from her in a roar of destruction. It manifested as a vague shimmer in the air, rushing towards the monks hungrily. One of them made to ward it off again, and it almost was repelled, but then the resistance snapped, and the spell hit. Suddenly, the entire second floor collapsed inwards, and Courty and Brian floated towards the ground, their power spent, just as they felt the building shake. They ran out of the doors, supporting each other, and pretty much falling into the car, just as a large plume of dust erupted from the doors as the entire airport collapsed in on itself. Chapter 6<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> More than five thousand miles away, Helen was woken suddenly by a piercing pain. She sat up in bed, clutching her hands to her head in agony, her mouth open in a silent scream. At the same time, Patty, who had been quietly playing his flute in his <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City> Flat, dropped his instrument, and fell prostrate to the floor, curling up in a fetal position, whimpering suddenly as torment wracked his body. The same thing happened all the world over, as everyone connected to the web of magic the suffused the earth felt a ripple of magic shake the web of reality itself. Powerful magic. Finally, the pain stopped. Courtney? asked Helen and Patty aloud, simultaneously, to no one in particular. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Adam? asked Brady frightfully. Whats wrong with him? exclaimed Drew, staring at Adam, who had inexplicably dropped to the ground. At that moment, there was a pounding on the window. It was Courtney, and she was supporting Brian, who appeared to be unconscious. The door opened, and they tumbled in. Drive! she screamed. As she spoken, Brady felt the ground tremble, and in the rearview mirror, he watched a crack in the earth extend towards the car. He floored it. Courtney threw herself across Brian to keep his limp form from being flung across the limo floor. Ben groaned in pain the G forces pressed into his broken ribs, which suddenly smarted much more sharply. As the limo sped down the empty parkway, Brady peered off into the distance, where he saw a potential problem. Court, he said shakily. She appeared at his shoulder. Several miles away, there was a police blockade waiting for them. Without another word, she broke into a casting. You dont have the energy, Court! said Brady worriedly. She ignored him. Her eyes were pitch black now. She started shaking with the exertion, and a cold sweat broke out over her body. Suddenly, relief reached her as a pulse of energy provided by Adam, his outstretched hand crackling with charge as it poured magical power into Courtys shoulder. She extended her hand towards the rapidly nearing line of cars, and suddenly, the spell triggered. As though a giant, invisible battering ram had struck, the cars were suddenly strewn across the highway, leaving a break in the line through which Brady sped. Those cars that had not been pushed off the road took up chase, their sirens blaring gratingly. Courtney swooned and collapsed backwards, and Adam caught her. Drew gave him a look, then continued tending to Bens wounds. We need help! screamed Brady wildly. Adam lay Courtney down as gently as he could before groping for the phone. Sparty! he shouted into the receiver. We need help now! Suddenly, everything went dark. In another instant, the light returned. They were right outside the Mansion. Brady pulled right up to the door, and Dan, Laura, and Sparty poured out. Brady himself sprung out of the drivers seat, as the side door opened. Get them inside, said Laura, speaking briskly. Ill handle it, said Sparticus. He made a brief gesture, and the forms of Courtney, Brian, and Ben floated side by side out of the limo, and onto the waiting stretchers within the Mansion. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Whats that noise? Shhh youll wake them up! What are you talking about? Youre barmy, and youll get us all killed with this stupid tirade. Sitting upright in his chair, Brady blinked away the sleep that had been threatening to overtake him. It was late, well passed midnight, and he, Dan, and Laura were all gathered in the makeshift hospital that had been set up in the main lobby of the Mansion. The lights were dimmed, and Brady stared out across a sea of beds just visible in the twilight towards cracked door leading off to a hallway filled with rooms. Light filtered in through the crack, casting shadows over the sleeping figures in the Lobby. Now, the door opened, and two figures quarreling in hushed tones swept into the room. I will not have you impeding my authority in times like these! exclaimed Sparticus. Just seal the bloody lower chambers! hissed Jon vehemently. No one lives down there anyway. Insanity, proclaimed Sparty dismissively. We give ground, and then when whatever is down there gets powerful enough, it bursts in on us with our pants down. Do you really want to be caught so unawares? You-, began Jon, but Laura cut them off. -both need to be quiet, she finished for him. She stood as she said this. In the silence, and injured soldier stirred. Laura stared frightfully, but the man simply rolled over and lay still. Casting a vitriolic look towards Sparticus, Jon turned and strode quickly from the room, him shoes clicking loudly on the marble floor. Sparty merely snarled a curse under his breath, before walking into the control room and shutting the hard metal door behind him. Laura, Dan, and Brady each breathed sighs of relief. Behind another door leading off from the lobby, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Stood unheard and unnoticed, his ear pressed against the door, listening intently. His breath did not suggest relief. Chapter 7<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Brian found himself in a pure white expanse. A brilliant light seemed to suffuse the place, so bright that is almost felt like it took up space. Besides for the light, the room, or whatever it was, was empty, and did not appear to have any borders, stretching on into infinity as far as he knew. He was sitting on the ground, with no recollection of where he was, or how he had gotten there. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and he leapt to his feet, the sound of his shoes on the floor strangely amplified. Am I dead? he thought aloud. No, answered a voice. Brian spun quickly, his heart leaping into his throat. There was no one there. Who are you? he called wildly. No name I could tell you would mean anything to you, the voice replied. Are you friendly? he asked, seizing on a hope that whatever was speaking was not malevolent. To some. To others, I compose the substance of their most buried night terrors. It spoke without feeling or inflection. Are you going to hurt me? Brian called, a waver now entering his voice. I might. I could destroy you. Or I could leave you unharmed. That is for you to decide. You mean if I displease you, Ill be destroyed? No, your actions are of little consequence to me. My mind is made up, has been made up since before the first human roamed the Earth. And what did you decide? You shall never know for sure. You must merely chose whether you trust or not. Brians mind spun. Whatever this thing was, it could end him. He never thought to question it. He knew without a doubt he could not escape. So, really, his fate was chosen. He would be destroyed or not, so he might as well Alright then, he said, the waver gone. I trust. As soon as he spoke, the brightness seemed to coalesce, gathering in one spot an indefinite distance away. Brian had to look away as the glow grew too bright to behold. When the light faded, he turned back. Walking towards him was an androgynous, pure white form, obviously humanoid, but without a doubt inhuman. It stopped at arms length, and stared directly at Brian, who stood stock still. I know you, said Brian dazedly. As we know you, replied the figure. Brian did not see its mouth move. Things are going to get bad, arent they? The figure nodded. Why am I here? Because this is where you already were. A bit of you was left behind. It still is. Brian nodded thoughtfully. He did not know, consciously, what the being spoke of, but he understood. What do I need to do? You know, it said. The pillar of our salvation is already among us? asked Brian quizzically, responding to a stirring within his own mind. It has been all along, said the being, nodding. I thought you couldnt help us, asked Brian. Being told the truth is a privilege everyone deserves. Wasnt there another truth? There are many. The one of which you speak is that the nature of evil is to be discontented with its path and place in the world. Find our enemy and defeat it? Not it. Them. Chapter 8<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Courtney sat up suddenly in her bed. It was dark, and she did not know where she was for a moment, and panicked. An instant later, she realized she was in the lobby, which eliminated her worry, but piqued her curiosity. The last thing she remembered was smashing the police cars. She could hear voices, coming from the control room. She gently placed her feet on the floor, goosebumps rising on her legs as her skin met the cool tile. She stood, and had to catch herself on the bed as she momentarily lost her balance. She was not well yet. Taking a moment to gather her strength, she walked gingerly, slowly, across the hall, pausing at her intervals to regain her bearings. Finally, she reached the door, and pulled it open silently. Standing in the doorway, she saw Sparty, Ben, Steve, and Brady sitting around in a circle. Ok, lets get started, said Steve, sounding impatient. What are we starting? asked Courtney casually, taking another couple of steps towards the center of the room. Ben and Steve both jumped to their feet, and had their hands on the hilts of their swords before they saw who it was. They visibly relaxed. Court, you should be in bed, said Brady sternly. I feel fine, really, she said earnestly. How long was I asleep anyway. More then a day, said Ben. And you all are only meeting now? asked Court, not shocked at all that she had been unconscious for a full twenty four hours. I only felt well enough a few hours ago, he replied, gingerly rubbing his ribs. Well, lets get too it, said Sparty. Courtney, pull up a chair. Ive got it, volunteered Steve, leaving the circle and returning a moment later with a chair for her. She thanked him and sat down. We need to discuss several matters. First and foremost, what did you all discover on your trip to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">England</st1:place></st1:country-region>? Brady told the story of their work in the library, and told about the only thing of interest they had found: the accounts of the three traitorous owners, and the curious confluence in the years separating them. Sparticus did not react. Then, Ben told of their fight in the airport. When he mentioned Drews name, he looked at Courtney guiltily. She blushed and looked away. When he finished the story, Courty spoke. Where um where is Drew now? she asked, hesitating. He left right after we got back to the Mansion, replied Brady gently. Court nodded as stoically as she could. The next matter, continued Sparticus. Concerns J- Suddenly, the door swung open, interrupting Sparty. Adam stood there, looking excited. Guys! Brians awake! They all glanced at each other, then rose and stormed out of the room, Sparty taking the lead, and Brady staying behind to help Courtney. They gathered around his bed, paying little heed to the amount of noise they were making. Brian! How do you feel? Do you know where you are? What happened? Can you talk? SHH! it was Dan, returning from his bathroom break. Guys, quiet! he hissed, looking startled. Without waiting to see if Brian was ok, they ushered him off of the bed, despite Dans protests, and dragged him into the control room. Before any of them could continue clamoring, he cut it. Ok guys, I have a lot to say, but first, something needs your attention <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Having just finished a late night dinner with Laura, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Walked briskly down the hallway towards his room. Unlocking the door, he entered, and pushed the door shut behind him without looking backwards. He paused when he did not hear the door close. He turned, and saw, unexpectedly, Jon standing in the doorway, casually leaning against the jamb. What do you want? A lot of things. Right now, I want to talk. Fine, talk. Jon did not reply immediately. Instead, he entered the room, and began examining things idly, slowly. You know, I never really liked you. He said carelessly. Yeah, I got that. I mean, I never thought you were worthy of being an owner. Youre weak. Thanks, replied <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. He did not understand the purpose of this visit, but he was on his guard. I was weak too, but I didnt know until recently. That, however, comes later. Anyway. When I first arrived at the Mansion, I was just learning about magic. I had stumbled across it quite by accident. Now he stopped, and looked wistfully into the past. I didnt understand it, he continued. It was a way for me to become powerful, I knew that much. I dont think I ever really believed though. But I came here. And over time, I began to accept the way things were here. I began to think that maybe there was something other then power. That maybe there was some higher something , to be pursued here. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Sat down on his bed, and watched Jons private tirade warily. When this whole little incident began, I thought it confirmed what I had thought, and it scared me. I thought it was proof that there was something higher. I was wrong. What do you mean? asked <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, speaking for the first time in what seemed like forever. His voice was strained. There is nothing higher. There is only power. Those who have it, and those who dont. How did you deduce this? <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Asked sarcastically. When I left the Mansion, to do some soul searching, I traveled pretty far. I was gone only a short while, but it seemed like longer. I encountered things, and those things taught me that the boulder wasnt really anything on its own. It was a display of power. I am not weak anymore. I have seen real power. Jon, are you insane? asked <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. He was frightened now, and began plotting his escape from the room. He was unarmed, and his weapons lay across the room. Jon now has a manic expression on his face. My masters understand true power, and they know what they have to do to get it. Even what they have now is only a taste of what awaits them. So they summoned the assassins. They knew that you lot would stand in our way. Then, when you defeated what we sent at you, they came themselves. They were unwise to underestimate you so. Or, should I say, underestimate Brian. Who could have foreseen such power? No matter, hell be the next one to die. So youre going to kill me now? asked <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Skeptically. Why of course, replied Jon, totally serious. You are too nosy for your own good. You shouldve known youd have to be eliminated. As he said this, he reached out towards <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Suddenly, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Felt a magical force grip his throat and squeeze, like an invisible and unthinkably strong extension of Jons hand. It lifted him up into the air. He could not breathe. Jon stepped forward, drawing a knife from his belt. With a motion, he caused <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> To be lowered onto the bed, where he lay, on the edge of consciousness, still struggling. Dont worry about a happy afterlife awaiting you, said Jon, as he raised the wickedly sharp knife, which was forged from what <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Recognized as a unicorn horn. Because whatever heaven might have been will be no more when the last Guardhouse falls. With the word falls, he stabbed towards <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s heart. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s eyes widened with fear. With a bang, the door behind Jon exploded inwards, and by magic Jon was tossed over the bed onto the floor. He rose and started hissing a spell, but a ball of force appeared out of nowhere around him, holding him still and suspending him in the air. Finally free of the spell choking him, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Looked towards the door. As the dust cleared, he saw Courtney and Sparticus standing at the front, both of them wide eyed and furious, their eyes pitch black with magic. Behind them were Brian, Adam, Brady, and Ben, looking shocked. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Scrambled off the bed and rushed towards his friends. Sparty and Courty stepped forward. Lets see what we can learn here, said Sparticus in a colorless voice. Courtney nodded silently. Together, they reached out telepathically towards Jons mind. However, as soon as they attempted to enter, they felt themselves lifted off of their feet and thrown backwards through the air to smash into the wall, leaving deep indentations in the drywall. The spell was broken, and Jon was free. Before either of them could react, Brian stepped forward and extended his hand. Jon himself was tossed backwards, smashing into the opposite wall, and landing on his feet, with a spell already forming on his lips. Adam took a single step and hurled his scythe. It tumbled through the air, and before Jon could dodge or move, it had cut straight through his neck (leaving his severed head free to fall to the ground) and lodging itself firmly in the wall behind him. Chapter 9<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Before the head had even hit the ground, it and the body both burst, seemingly of their own accord, into hungry black flames, which rapidly consumed them both, leaving nothing but a smell of brimstone and the faint echoing screams of a torture victim. After a moment of shocked silence, Ben and Adam rushed to see to the health of Sparticus and Courtney, who were shakily getting to their feet. Brady looked shocked. Are you all ok? asked Ben, checking Courtneys pulse. She pushed his hand away. Fine. Im fine, she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Just a little dizzy is all. Whatever was guarding his mind was more powerful then Id care to guess at. And they certainly wanted whatever secrets he knew going to the grave with him, said Sparticus. Well, they got their wish then, said Adam. That bastard is as dead as anything. Are you ok, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place>? asked Brady softly. Yeah, just great, he replied. He actually managed a smile somehow. Now, let us return to the control room, and hear what Brian has to tell us, said Sparty. Five minutes later they were gathered again. What do you have to say? asked Sparty. Very little, replied Brian. You said you had a lot to tell us. I do. I just cant quite verbalize it. Its well complicated. You mean, youre scared? No! said Brian forcefully. He looked shocked at the suggestion. His face softened. No, he repeated. Not scared. Fine. Is there anything you can tell us? asked Sparticus impatiently. Yes. Its going to get bad. A lot of us are going to have to make hard decisions. Not just for ourselves, but for the whole Mansion. Silence greeted his words. Can you tell us more about these powers youve discovered? I can tell you some . Not a lot, as I dont understand it well myself. I can move things. I get little premonitions. Occasionally theyll go so far as me having views of whats going on in other places for a little while. I hear thoughts some times, just for a bit. I havent really figured out how to control all of it. I guess Ill be working a lot on that for a while. Gary, Adam, you two really should get back on patrol. Why? exclaimed Adam. Did something happen? asked <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Nervously, jumping to his feet. Oh, no. I just figured that theyre going to need you, and Im alright here, so you dont need to worry about me. Alright then, said Adam. He glanced at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, and they saluted Sparticus and then left. Before they had gone far though, Sparticus called out suddenly. Please tell Brianna that I would like to see her! They all stared at him for a moment. Brian, I am sure you would like more rest, he continued. Brian nodded, waved his goodbye, and headed out. He went to his own room this time. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> After Brian left, Brady was alone with Courtney, Steve and Sparticus. So, any theories on what the hell happened to Jons body? asked Brady, trying to sound casual. The entire Jon affair had actually disrupted him greatly, and he was quite unsettled. Several, none of which are ready to go, said Sparty slowly. He and Steve seemed to be lapsing into one of their silent shared reflection periods, and Brady was altogether too wired at the moment to join. He nodded to them both (neither returned it), and walked out, Courtney following him. In the Lobby, they switched into very quiet tones, and both jumped when a loud BANG cut through the silence. They both looked towards the front doors, the source of the noise, and were shocked to see a very tired looking friend coming towards them. Patty? said Court in delighted amazement. Sure enough, there was Patty, dragging two very large (and overstuffed) suitcases into the Lobby, and looking around guiltily at all the sleeping patients. I didnt think your house would look so much like, well like a hospital, he said awkwardly. Brady had not yet said anything. What are you doing here? asked Courtney, helping him drag his suitcases into the Lobby. Well, um he scratched his head. I guess Im gonna move in here, if theres room. Of course theres room! exclaimed Courty as loudly as her whispering voice would allow her. Brady, why dont you help Patty drag his luggage into the elevator hallway, and Ill go find a spare room thats convenient. She grabbed Patty in a huge hug. Im so glad youre here, she said, her voice muffled due to her face being pressed against Pattys chest. Im glad to, Court, he said, smiling at her. She beamed back at him, then skipped merrily off to the control room to see Sparty, her hair bouncing behind her. There was an awkward silence. So, I guess we should get going, said Brady finally. Yeah, said Patty, awaking as though from a stupor. They each picked up a bag (Brady had to struggle with his) and in a couple moments they had them both in the hallway. They pressed the button for the elevator and waited. So, why did you come? asked Brady. You all needed help. And I missed being around people that actually care about me. Fighting demons for a while was great, but Dont you doubt that youll be fighting your fair share here, said Brady, smiling. We seem to have a surplus. Well, as long as I have friends fighting by my side. Just friends? said Brady, before he could stop himself. Patty stared at him. He had a curious expression. They were still staring at each other when the elevator arrived. A moment later, Courtney bounced into the hallway. Come on guys, she said, looking back and forth between them. A knowing grin crept onto her face. They both started. Patty, youre gonna be in Room 34. Its open. Ok, then, said Patty. What kind of room is it? Who knows? says Court. You never know until you get there. But itll be just right for you. Is this what living in a magical house is like? Patty asked Brady as they stepped into the elevator. Just the beginning, he replied. After a couple moments, the elevators dinged, and they stepped out onto Pattys floor. Ok, said Court. Its right down here. After a brief walk, she stopped suddenly in front of Room 34. She took a deep breath. Ready? she asked eagerly. Sure, said Patty, wondering what could be so great. She opened the door, and his jaw dropped. It was like walking into a beautiful house. The black hardwood floors, traditional incandescent lights, and stone walls gave it a beautiful touch. The door opened into a small sitting room, with several sofas arranged so as to provoke conversation and a coffee table. Leaving his bags, Patty eagerly set off to explore, while Brady and Courtney stood in the entrance, smiling knowingly. Patty ripped through the apartment, all of which had the same traditional (yet simultaneously modern) décor. A door way leading off from the sitting room revealed to him a beautiful kitchen with an island. Going out the other side, he found himself in a small bedroom, most of which was taken up by the bed, with four doors leading off of it, including the one he had just come through. A large salt water fish tank filled an entire wall, with a stunning array of fish and coral. Through another door, he found himself in a small study/library, with a desk, fire place, and a sizable collection of fiction. Heading back into the bedroom, he went through the next door, and found himself standing in front of an Olympic sized swimming pool. He rushed back through the other door, and found himself in a hallway with a variety of doors leading off of it, including his bathroom, as well as a guest bath, a couple of closets of the walk in variety, and a spare bedroom. Visibly exuberant, he headed back into the sitting room, and grabbed Courtney in a hug, lifting her off her feet. Its amazing, he said thankfully. Thank you so much. Your mind created it, said Courty, chuckling. Brady looked amused. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Ok, try again. Taking two deep breaths, which she let out to the count of ten, Hilary struggled to clear her mind of all extraneous emotion. In order to channel magic into her voice, emotional interruptions were not acceptable. Only the most powerful bards could use emotion to strengthen magic; For most, it was a hindrance that made it more difficult to cast at all. Finally, she started humming, a deep hum. Unnaturally loud, it reverberated throughout the room. But all the power of the sound was focused at a small blue crystal sitting on the table in front of her. The noise seemed to grow in intensity, until it no longer seemed to be issuing from her vocal chords, but rather originating in the room at large. Youre losing focus. Back on the rock, said Dan pedantically. Hilary nodded. She focused all of her concentration on the rock, and the noise seemed to reach out and wrap around it. Finally, the stone cracked with a satisfying noise and split down the middle. The noise stopped. Good, he said, smiling and clapping once. Hilary was sweating. You know, she said. I could do this more easily with my cello. As Ive explained to you already, you need to start with vocals. The voice is the basis for all bardic power. When youve mastered humming, youll move onto to vocalizing, and then onto words, which are as close to emotion as most bards ever come in their music. From there, youll start using instruments, and believe me, your cello will be just one of them. Anyway, how do you expect to use a cello during battle? Who said I was going into battle? asked Hilary, raising one eye brow suspiciously. Thats our primary intention, said Dan. To get you ready for the battle. Were gonna need all the firepower we can get. Ive never been in a battle, she said skeptically. Her mind flashed back to her practice matches with Ben. How long ago that seemed. Youll be fine, said Dan, patting her on the shoulder. We wont be working independently. Well probably be working in a circle with Courtney at the lead. Will I be ready for that? asked Hilary. I hope so, he replied. Dan sighed, then glanced around the room. It was circular, and the walls were lined with shelves, reach up at least forty feet. The only light came from a candelabra set on the small, wooden table set in the center of the room, so the ceiling was masked by shadows. He found it interesting that Hilarys mind had built this particular room in her flat, but then again he had not known about her cello playing before hand. Every shelf was filled with page after page of sheet music for every conceivable instrument from every source and genre one could imagine. Ok, he said finally, turning back to her. Once more Chapter 10<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> You wanted to see me? Yes, I did. Bri sat down in the chair across from Sparty without being asked, and stared expectantly. Sparty said nothing. So, what is it? she asked finally. Oh! Yes, Im sorry. I wanted to talk to you about your work? My work? she repeated. Why, is something wrong with it? Goodness no! he said hastily. I was just wondering if you were happy. Well, yeah. Reasonably happy, I guess. As happy as one can be when youre watching new friends get killed everyday. She smiled slightly. That is well. Do you feel you all are making headway? You should know the answer to that, she answered suddenly scolding. Sparticus seemed to retreat (as much as one can without leaving ones seat) and Bris expression softened. You know what I mean. Of course were not making headway. Theres something down there, lots of things, more then we could ever fight. But its worth it. Why? Because if we didnt fight them, theyd be hurting someone else. Maybe theyd escape from the Mansion, and make their way into a big city, where theyd hurt someone who never even knew that those sort of things existed. We all know the risks we take by living here. Not everyone has made our choices. I happen to know that most major cities have their own problems with demons, said Sparty dryly. Trust me, I know, she replied. She looked irritated. Look, she said. Why are you asking me all this. Youre the one who asked me to do this job. I was just rolling through. I suppose he stopped. She got the expectant look on her face again. I suppose it is because I well, I worry about you. Often, he said, hesitatingly. I wonder if Im doing the right thing by letting you go down there. Its not your choice, she said gently. He shrugged his shoulders. Slowly, she stood up, walked over, and stood in front of him. She leaned, and pulled back his mask, before kissing him gently on the lips, fleetingly. Leaving the mask perched on his forehead, she walked out of the control room, leaving Sparty to stare after her, wonderingly. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> As she had done with uncommon frequency in the days she her return to the Mansion, Courtney was in her flat, alone. At this moment, she happened to be lying in bed, not sleeping, but staring wistfully at the wall, with such intensity that one might have imagined it was liable to spring to life at any moment. She felt, at that moment, an internal battle between helpless restlessness and a startling torpidity which threatened to prevent her from doing anything productive at all. Finally, after some indeterminate length of time, she rose, silently, and walked into another room. She was wearing pajamas, which happened to be powerfully magical. She could feel the power coursing through the threads. She had made them herself. Rather, Laura had sewn them, and she had enchanted them. She had once taken great pleasure in creating things with her magic. It had been a long while since she had crafted anything. She entered into a rather queer room. This one was small, about ten feet square, and the walls and ceiling and the floor were crafted out of what was unmistakably the purest ice. Her breath fogged as she sat down on the floor, cross legged, and closed her eyes. Suddenly, without any noise or obvious action on her part, there was, in front of her, a large, stone bowl, obviously heavy, and inscribed with odd runes. Next to it was a crystal decanted, elegantly but simply shaped, and filled to the brim with cold, clear water. Without a word, she lifted it, and poured it gently into the bowl. It did not splash or behave at all as one might expect water to have done; Rather it was still and ripple-free almost instantly. Courtney dropped the decanted back down, not reacting at all when it simply melted into the air. She waved her hand once over the surface of the water, so slowly that it was quite odd that it created a wealth of ripples. But it did, and these did not vanish as the others had. The twisted and crossed on the surface of the water, and slowly but surely coalesced into an image. There was no sound, but Courtney grasped both edges of the bowl, and slowly lowered her head until her face was submerged. She could now both see and here, and watched intently at what was shown her by the scrying bowl. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Still not fully comfortable in his new home, Patty sat nervously on the sofa in his sitting room, staring at the spread he had laid out before him. He had made tea, all sorts of little snack foods, some of which hed never heard of until his time in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City>. Now, though, they were intimately familiar to him. There was a knock on the door. He rose, took a deep breath, and almost checked his appearance in the mirror on the wall before silently scolding himself, forcing a smile, walking to the door, and answering it. Hi, said Patty. Brady smiled back at him, not looking nearly as nervous. Hi, he said. Can I come in? Oh, yeah, said Patty, standing aside. Have a seat, relax. Did you make all this? asked Brady, impressed. Uh, yeah. A little skill I picked up in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City>. He sat down as well, and made quite a show of flattening out a crease in his pants. May I? asked Brady, motioning to the spread and smiling. Of course, go ahead, said Patty hastily. I guess it might be a little more then youre used to, he said. Brady coughed and spluttered on his tea. When he finished coughing, he broke into laughter. What are you laughing at? asked Patty self-consciously. Nothing, just that you think Im American? Well, yeah, said Patty, as thought it were axiomatic. Arent you? Oh dear. Well, no, actually, Im not. Canadian. Really? said Patty. Thats er wow. Interesting, he finished lamely, taking a sip of his tea to compensate. Dont sweat it. I hear it all the time. Now, relax. You cant have fun at tea if youre so worried about saying the right thing. I guess youre right, he replied, and forced himself to relax. They chatted for some time, laughing and sharing stories, Patty enjoying the sobriety as a counterpoint to their last private conversation. They chatted for some not saying anything of particular importance or meaning, and being all the more happy for it. Each of them were revealed to be idle and frivolous with someone else, since the last good stretch of time for each of them had been filled with hardship of one sort or another. Finally, in the blink of an eye, two hours had passed. In the middle of a laughing fit, Brady looked down at his watch, and noticed the time, which stifled his chortles quickly. I have to go, he said, smiling guiltily. Thanks a lot for all of this. Really, thank you. Sure, said Patty, obviously disappointed. Can I walk you out? Yeah, said Brady, standing. A nice end to this little whatever it was. Do you not want to call it a date? said Patty, showing uncharacteristic forwardness. He grinned at Brady. Alright, conceded Brady. Lets call it a date. Will my oh-so-handsome companion for the evening walk me to the door? He will. Lets be off. He linked arms with Brady and walked together in configured pompousness the five feet separating them from the front door. There, Patty stepped back with unnatural posture and opened the door, giving an excessively flamboyant bow. When he straightened up, he found his face all of three inches away from Bradys, and he sobered immediately. Thank you, Brady murmured, and they kissed gently, their eyes trustingly closed. Finally, they parted, and Patty audibly exhaled. Goodnight, said Brady, and he turned and walked off, leaving Patty to lean against the wall as though exhausted. After a moment, though, something piqued his attention. He walked back inside and looked up at the ceiling, where his senses told him to look. Back in her room, Courtney let out a gasp as Patty looked straight into her eyes. He had noticed the sensor created by her spell? She focused again on Patty and saw him smiling. She fell back from the image, and the bowl shattered as the spell broke, the pieces vanishing without a trace into the ice and the water turning into a thin fog that rolled across the surface before it too faded into nothing. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Courtney leapt up from where she had been sitting and shut the solid stone door that enclosed the room of ice, locking it by tracing mystical symbols on the threshold with her finger. Finally, just as the visitor began to knock again, the door opened on Patty, standing in the doorway smiling. Can I come in? he asked. A minute later, he and Courty were sitting in her living room in two chairs opposite each other, in silence. Patty twiddled his thumbs idly, looking around the room. Courtney merely stared. Im sorry, said Courtney suddenly. Would you like some tea or something? Oh, uh, no, replied Patty. I just ate. As you saw, I guess, he said, with mock scorn. After a moment, Court allowed herself to smile. So, what brings you up here? Well, you were scrying me, so I figured something must be up, said Patty knowingly. Is everything ok? Yep, everything is just swell, she replied with mock gusto. Patty nodded. Ok. He was silent a moment. Whats Drew up to? Well, he, uh she closed her eyes for a moment. He left right after we got back to the Mansion. Whered he go? I suppose he went back to that uh organization that he worked for. I hate calling it that. He never told me what it was called. Its some ancient guild devoted to beating back the forces of evil and what not. Why do you assume he knew what it was called? Or that it even has a name at all? I guess youre right, said Courty. They fell silent again. But youre alright? said Patty quickly. Yeah, said Court, nodding. I think I am. Patty nodded. So. You and Brady? She smiled crookedly at him, and he responded likewise. I guess so. Its a little weird though, isnt it? Oh, I dont know about that. Compared to some of the things we see here, that weve all seen, its really nothing at all. Hell, a little more love around here cant hurt, even if its not Christian Americas picture perfect view of it. They smiled at each other. So, is he the real reason you came? Totally, said Patty mockingly. And, of course, watching your back. I think you mean you were scared and knew that only I could protect you from the forces of darkness. Yeah, Court, thats it. Hit the nail on the h- He paused. What was that? It had sounded like the front door smashing open. Both forming spells on their lips, they moved in silence towards the front. They found Ben standing there, looking hassled. Guys, we need you in the control room immediately, he said looking curiously at Patty, who hed never met, then turning to leave. What is it? called Court after him. A shadow passed over Bens face. Its Drew. Chapter 11<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The city in the trees, where Drew made his home, was not outdoors per se. Rather, it existed within its own pocket dimension, and was only reasonably well accessible by magic. Certainly, one could walk there, but it would require a great deal of power to simply cross the border separating the city from the forest at large. In addition, it was protected by a great deal of powerful magic. Thus, it was more then a little surprising when, on one overcast late afternoon, a slightly built, dark haired woman came striding down the center avenue, looking intent on something. As was standard precaution for unknown visitors, a high level official was called. In this case, it happened to be a warrior, by the nickname of Goliath, who had risen through the ranks of the organization, which happened to be called The Last (after the assertion that when the entire world had fallen to evil, they would represent both the last bastion of hope for innocence and freedom, and that they would be the last creatures to resist giving into temptation, even in the face of overwhelming odds), over many years, and was now enjoying a quiet leadership role in the hub of the guild itself. He did not seriously expect any trouble, but he was watched by many eyes when he arrived from apparently no where and stood in front of the woman. She paused and looked up at him coolly. Excuse me miss, can I help y- his words were cut short when her fist erupted from the back of his throat. She extracted her hand, and stared impassively at him as he gazed at her in amazement, his lifeblood draining rapidly from his torn windpipe. Before he could fall, she grabbed him by the front of the shirt and the quadriceps and threw him through the air, where he bowled over a bunch of armed guards who had been sent to take her down. She merely stood and waited as they came on, more then a little cautiously after having seen what quick work she had made of a seasoned veteran. Finally, a particularly brave knight thrust forward with his sword. She spun inside his attack with remarkable speed and backhanded him across the face, launching him backwards through the air to land unconscious on his back. With this, the melee erupted in full. She ducked a sword swing by leaning backwards as it passed harmlessly above her, then kicked out with one of her legs to catch an oncoming knight in the chest to send him sailing backwards, and grabbing the hand of the knight wielding the sword, and ripping his arm savagely off, then using it to bash in the skull of another, before taking the sword from the severed arms grasp and throwing it at random into their throng, where it ripped through the throat of another soldier. Now surrounded by dozens of soldiers as well as off duty agents who were attempting to fend off the intruder. Screams of terror and anger were filling the entire city. Leaping into the air and spinning as she did so, she delivered one, then two kicks to the heads of rushing fighters, dropping them, then landing and continuing her spin to sweep the legs out from underneath three more soldiers, then with startling rapidity stepping in and snapping each of their necks in turn, all the while dodging sword thrusts and arrows fired from above. One soldier was lucky enough to get in close behind her and stab out. She launched into a back flip over his head, her hands reaching out as she soared over him, grabbing his hair, and as she landed, throwing him bodily backwards over her to fall to the ground right on his neck. With amazing speed, she cut a swath of death and destruction through the city, making her way slowly but surely to an ancient, enormous oak, at least four feet in radius and hundreds of feet high, which she somehow knew to house the most ancient secrets of the order, as well as their wealth, and at present most of their most powerful leaders. Having defeated every one of dozens of soldiers to come at her, she finally walked unmolested up the final path to the great oak, and stood before the great door which allowed entrance. Sealed as it was by great magic, it was no mean feat even for her to batter down the fortifications. She wailed away for some time, delivering blow after blow upon the door. Finally, the entire, huge door itself crashed inwards, leaving the way wide open for her, her path barred only by a single, slight male figure within. You, he gasped. It was the wizard who had rescued Drew. The woman grinned. At that moment, though, she turned suddenly. While she had been distracted by the wizard, one final soldier had snuck up behind her, and had fired and arrow right at the small of her back. She caught it, though, and before the soldier could ever register what had happened, he found himself gurgling for air as the thrown arrow pierced his throat. As she made to turn back towards the oak, a great force collided with her, throwing her back well away from the oak, where she crashed into a tree with such force that the truck snapped, and then fell, directly on her. For a moment, he dared to hope that would be enough. But it was not, and the tree rolled over as she rose, and gazed back up at him where he stood, his raised hand wreathed in the remnants of the crackling green energy he had tossed at her. He cast another spell, this one to enhance his strength, speed, and skill. Feeling the power coursing through him, he charged. As he reached her, he swung out with his arm. Ducking forward underneath it, she kicked him in the face. He grabbed her torso and tossed her through the air. He stalked back in, punching straight forward. She caught it in her hand though, and squeezed, crushing his fist, then pulling him in and head butting him right in the nose, blood exploding everywhere. Somehow, he had the presence of mind to grab her head, and elbowed her across the face, sending her sprawling. He kicked her in the stomach, sending her skidding back across the forest floor. Flipping herself back onto her feet, she launched a barrage of blows, which he blocked as best he could. But the last one slipped through, a roundhouse punch to the side of the head which knocked him to his feet. She grabbed him, picked him up over her head as he kicked and struggled, and tossed him back through the door. She ran and met him as he rose, pressing the assault viciously, driving him backwards. Several minutes later, he was tossed through the doors leading into the main council chamber of The Last. Sitting behind a long table at the opposite end of the room were the eldest sages, scholars, mages, warriors, and other leaders of the organization, not all of them human. Some of them rose, shocked that an intruder could get so far, some in fear for their friend, who now lay bleeding on the floor, not getting back up. Then, she entered. So, said one of the elders, a robed man so old that his face seemed fractured. You have intruded upon this most holy of locations. How dare you c- He stopped speaking and fell forward, dead, an arrow protruding from his back. Ive been waiting a long time to do that, said a voice from the back of the chamber. They turned, to see a young man walking towards them. Traitor! cried another council member. Yep, he said, fingering the edge of his knife with careful delicacy. Just think. I, a nobody, managed to bring you all to your knees. After thousands of years of fighting, this is what all your efforts come to. Murdered in the council chamber, most of your followers slaughtered. This is where your goodness has gotten you? Was it worth it? he grinned viciously. Suddenly, he found himself gasping, as a death spell cast by one of the elders hit him full on in the chest. He dropped to the ground. Well, said the old woman, turning back towards the intruder. To the death. She was the first of them to die, though not the last. But as they fell around her, not one of them felt the slightest bit of regret. Except, maybe, that they could not have been one of the soldiers outside. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> In the control room sat everyone of importance. Drew stood in the middle. He seemed to be on the verge of tears. In his arms, he held a large leather portfolio, and on his back, a pack heavy with books and other items. Drew, go ahead. What is your news? He gathered himself for a moment before speaking. The Last has been completely destroyed. All the members murdered, and the vaults and archives destroyed. A ripple went through those present. Those who did not understand were quickly edified. And the field agents? asked Steve. Um, most of them are dead. Those who arent are probably in hiding. I couldnt reach any of them. Here I am though. I brought what I could find. There were a couple vaults whatever it was couldnt get to. How did you access them then? asked Sparticus. One of the elders had enough life left in her to tell me. I arrived just after whatever it was pulled out. She told me that the Hateful One had done this, and told me how to get into the vaults that were left. Do you know what this means? asked Sparticus, to the crowd at large. No one answered. All the resources, the people, the seers, the magic that has been lost. How could we have let this happen? A great clamor broke out. It was prophesized, said Drew softly. No one heard him. It was prophesized! he repeated, shouting this time. The room grew quiet. Excuse me? said Steve. One of the scrolls I got. It prophesizes the fall of the Last. Alright, well ok, said Sparty. No one had ever seen him so distraught. You can all go, except for Ben, Brady, Courty, and you Drew. Weve got a lot of work ahead of us. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, you as well please. Once everyone had gone, he turned to them. I will not pretend that this does not distress me greatly. If this being could take out The Last, I do not know what chance we have. We need to get to work translating this scrolls, I can say that much. And we need to coronate a new Owner. He turned to Ben suddenly. Ben, will you accept the position? Me? he said, taken aback. Why would I-? Ben, youre the man for it, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Hes right, said Steve. We just know. So your coronation will be tomorrow, first thing, said Sparty. Is coronation really an appropriate term? It is, said Sparty. Youll see. Chapter 12<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Why does this seem so familiar? What was that, Court? Oh, never mind. It was late, and once again, a group of people were gathered in Bradys library, working. This time, though, there was an edge to their efforts, and the mood of the gathering held none of the skepticism of the last. Each of them knew that the stakes had been raised, and they understood now the consequence of failure. Ben and Brady were working together, attempting to translate the remainder of the text predicting the fall of the Last. They were together at a table, hunched over the ancient, crumbling scroll, wearing rubber gloves, and surrounded by piles of volumes and references. They were quietly debating the implications of a particular turn of phrase used in the prophecy, which was written in more then a dozen languages, not all of which were human. At least, they didnt think it was. Sparticus was sitting, paging through a book of magical theory, occasionally having to reference two other texts of quantum mechanics and number theory. Drew was off in the stacks, and Courtney was flipping through a Sanskrit text Drew had found, scanning for something of importance. She had encountered references to numerous events of the 20<SUP>th</SUP> Century, including, she thought, the events of World War II. Finally, she came across a word she did not know, and after referencing it in several grammars she had with her, she knew she needed more sources. I need to go find another book, she announced. She stood up and stretched, her figure casting a flickering shadow in the candlelight of the Library. Have fun, said Brady under his breath. Courtney stalked off. She searched for a few minutes, finally locating a text that might be able to help her. She started walking back, and turned the corner around a shelf and collided with something in the semi darkness. It was Drew. The pile of books he had been gathering tumbled to the floor. He bent down immediately to pick them up. As he gathered, he looked up at her. Hi, he said. She turned away for a moment, then bent down to help him. Hi, she replied without meeting his eyes. How are you holding up? he asked. They were whispering. Well enough, I guess. Honestly, Im a little scared. Why? Well, I though that was pretty obvious, she said, raising her voice slightly. My whole life and everyone I care about is in danger, and the only help I can offer is a knowledge of Sanskrit. Im not even sure that was Sanskrit I was reading. Everything is going to be fine. You have some of the greatest minds working on this problem. He finished picking up the books, but did not rise. This isnt the sort of thing we can just logic through, and hope it goes away, she said impatiently. A clear mind always helps. Maybe in the normal world, but our lives are different from other peoples, arent they? Most people dont have to worry about an ancient evil destroying their homes. And if they did, they would probably be destroying in English, not a demon language spoken by ice monsters from Antarctica. Drew smiled in response to this. Lets get back, he said. Courtney snorted, stood, and walked off. Drew shook his head. When Drew arrived back at the circle of chairs, Courtney had just returned to her work. He sat down, and did likewise. A few minutes later, Ben stood up. Im tired, he announced. This is going nowhere fast. Come on, Ben, said Brady from his seat. Were almost there. Brady, we just spent thirty five minutes debating the meaning of a single word. And it turned out to be an archaic form of the. Doesnt anyone think there should be a better way to do this? he asked angrily. Brady, who had been about to speak, closed his mouth and looked put out. Youre not wrong, said Sparty, finally looking up. While this is fascinating, I dont feel that were getting anywhere. It seems fruitless. We should all sleep, since we have the coronation tomorrow. Ben sighed in exasperation. Another thing to worry about, he said angrily. A stupid king making ceremony. It is not stupid at all. It is of enormous importance. You have no idea of the inheritance it is. The responsibility is ancient. Yes, yes, I know. Cataclysmic consequences and epic effects and all that. And all that, repeated Sparty, nodding solemnly. So, I shall see you all bright and early tomorrow morning in the Lobby for the ceremony. Grumbling, everyone stood. Courty stormed out before anyone else had even moved. Ben and Drew followed her a couple moments later. Sparticus glanced once at Brady, then left. Brady stood alone in the candlelight for several minutes, thinking. Finally, he blew out the candles, and walked through his library, which he knew so well, in the darkness towards the door that led back to his small bedroom. * * * <o:p></o:p> Brian woke suddenly, and for no particular reason he could discern. It was still quite early; The sun had yet to rise, and the coronation was still several hours off. He lay in bed, soaking in the silence of the predawn Mansion. Then, he rose, obeying some deeper impulse he did not understood. Putting on the robe he had hanging from his door, he walked slowly down the dark hallway towards the elevator, meeting no one along the way. He arrived in the Lobby, stepping out into the semidarkness of the make shift hospital. Laura and Dan were snoozing quietly in their chairs, their chins resting against their chests. All of the patients were sleeping as well. As though dreaming, he wandered, seemingly haplessly through the sea of hospital beds, towards the large, imposing pillar which dominated the center of the room. An inconvenience for any ceremony taking place in the Lobby, the pillar had been a source of annoyance to Sparticus for many years. He had brought in architects to see about having it torn down, but they had all told him that it was impossible, as it was the primary support of the Mansion. Further, they could not discern the material of its composition. More curiously, it was covered in runes and carvings, which seemed to be intentional, but were not written in any language he could discern, magical or mundane. Brian had never paid it a drop of attention before. Now, though, he stood at its base, looking up at it. The runes reminded him of something he felt sure he had encountered before, though he could not place where. Running his hands over it, he felt the interplay of the material (whatever it was) and the magic that suffused every inch of the Mansion, and gave it so many of its exceptional properties. Suddenly, he heard a noise behind him. Reacting on impulse, he turned and pressed the knife that had appeared mysteriously in his hand against the throat of Dan, who was standing two feet away from him. Dan threw his hands into the air and stood completely still, his eyes wide. What are you doing? he whispered, sounding frightened. Brian released his held breath when he saw who it was, and lowered his hand. Dan stepped back. What was that for? he asked, rubbing his throat. He looked down at Brians hand. The knife was gone. Howd you put that knife away so fast? Brian looked down at his own hand. I dont know, he said. Then it hit him. The knife wasnt real. It wasimaginary. I mean, I thought it into existence. Its gone now. So, does that mean it couldnt have hurt me? asked Dan, intrigued. No, I suspect the psychic force that made it up held a sharper edge then any normal metal. Dan gulped. Whend you learn that? Didnt learn it, it just happened. That was the first time. Im glad I helped you discover a knew talent then, he said. Brian chuckled. I guess so. Thanks, he said. So, said Dan, relaxing. What were you doing here anyway? I dont know. I woke up, and I guess I felt like a stroll. To the pillar? asked Dan skeptically. Just a thought, said Brian. Like the knife? asked Dan, raising his eyebrow. I suppose so, replied Brian. He was looking at the inscriptions again. How do they make you feel? asked Dan. Calm. Well, sometimes. The longer I think about it, the more I wonder. He fell silent. They make me feel relieved, said Dan finally, when Brian failed to return the question. Why? asked Brian. He did not particularly care. Because it reminds me that even with Sparty and Courty around, there are still some mysteries left around here. More then youd ever know, said Brian. Without another word, he turned and walked off, Dan staring after him. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> On the table lay three weapons. To the right was a hammer. Its enormous, silver head, and thick, leather wrapped handle gave an impression of great force. In the center was an enormous broadsword, four feet long at least. Obviously intended for use by two hands, its blade was fairly dull, as it was expected that its arcing cut would be made with great force. Finally, to the left was a thinner sword, more appropriately called a rapier. It blade was thin and lightly arcing, with a delicate basket guard protecting the hilt and the hand that was meant to wield it. More important then the type of weapons was the magic that flowed through the metal and wood that made up each of them. It was not merely a trace of magic; Each arm was redolent with a power that seemed ancient, though Adam knew instinctively that they were very new. Further, he knew that he could use them all effectively, but felt, with the same instinctive sureness, that these blades were not made for him. They had owners, though he got the impression that they did not yet know about them. Feeling deeper into the workings of the blade, he felt the tug of familiar magic. Finally, he recognized it. As the moment of recognition hit him, his gaze looked up, away from the table, to the figure that was standing over it, as though watching over the weapons. Adam sat up in his bed, breathing as though he had just run a marathon. He remembered the dream. Courtney? he spoke aloud, to no one. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> The Coronation did not take place in the Lobby, as Ben had thought it would. Rather, he found himself being sent to change into some very voluminous ceremonial robes, then led outside by Courtney when he had returned wearing them. As he followed her, the robes, which were a shade of deep, earthy blue, billowed out beneath him, and as they stepped into the brilliant desert sun, he immediately felt uncomfortably hot. Courty, who was dressed in jean shorts and a t-shirt, seemed less out of place. Their short walk ended in a crowd of people, who were circled around Sparticus, Steve, and Gary, who were each wearing identical blue robes. Theirs, however, were each adorned by a special symbol, traced in gold on their chests. Sparticus did not wear his usual mask. The symbol, two crescent moons overlapping and facing the opposite directions, was also visible on each of their foreheads, painted there in gold. In the sand, which had been slightly dampened, the same symbol was etched. The crowd parted to allow Ben a clear path to the Owners, who stood between the two crescents. Are you ready to begin? asked Steve. He and Gary both looked somewhat uncomfortable in their current attire. Sparticus seemed perfectly at ease. I guess, said Ben nervously. Kindly step into the rune, said Sparty. As he said this, he and the other two stepped out. As Ben gingerly came forward, Sparticus made a quick hand gesture. With a crackle, thick metal chains appeared, harnessing his hands and feet to the ground, as the chains appeared to sink into the sand. Ben instinctively pulled at them, but found them inexorable. Now more then a little frightened, he stared wide-eyed as the ceremony began. There was a great deal of chanting involved, much of it in languages other then English. As it progressed, he noticed the chains binding his hands slowly shortening, so in time he was lying flat on his back. He lost track of time, simply staring up at the bright sky, sweating in the heat. Finally, he got bored, and raised his head to look around. He was shocked to discover that the crowd, Sparticus, Gary, Steve, and the Mansion itself, had vanished. It was simply him, lying alone on the sand in a vast desert. He rose, hardly noticing that the chains had likewise vanished. Hello! he called into the abyss. It was very hot. Suddenly, without warning, he was struck in the face, and found himself soaring backwards. Rising with a groan, he saw, an indeterminate distance away, a being which seemed to be composed of equal parts blinding light and darkest shadow. They were not static, though, flowing freely into and through each other. It was vaguely man shaped, though this was not consistent. You would chain me? it called to him in a voice which Ben heard simultaneously in all of the languages he knew. I just want to get back to the Mansion, said Ben cautiously. Without warning, the being was in front of him. You never will, it said, as it grabbed his throat and lifted him bodily into the air. It was crushing his windpipe, and he struggled vainly against it. Finally, in the moment of clarity before he lost consciousness, he noticed that he still had the metal bands around his wrists and ankles. Staring at them, the Sanskrit inscriptions there told him what to do. With his left hand, he grabbed the creatures right hand, which was grabbing him. At once, a second metal band appeared, this one around the creatures wrist, with a chain linking the two. Its flesh hissed as the metal touched. The creature dropped him, and Ben threw a punch with his right hand, which the creature blocked, to find the same thing happening to its other hand. Ben kicked it in the shin, and then the other, until all four limbs were attached by short lengths of chain to the beings limbs. As the chains shortened, Ben felt his matter begin to lose its defined shape, and he joined bodily with the being. As his face plunged into the darkness, he found himself lying again on the ground, with Sparticus standing over him, drizzling dyed yellow sand on his chest, tracing out the symbol. We coronate thee, he said distractedly. Thou hast been chained in body, in mind, and in soul, to this, the most sacred of locations. Thy will be its will, thy thought and deed its thought and deed. The chain, the crown, is thy own. In the balance, thy soul is weighed. With a sudden pain, the sand seemed to heat to incredible temperature. Ben felt it burning through his robes, though his skin, splitting him apart. Then, just as suddenly, the pain and the chains were gone. He sat up, noticing that it was suddenly dark. He was naked, and curled up in a ball. He looked down at his chest, to see a faint scar traced there in the shape of the symbol. He looked around. It was night, and he was alone except for Gary, Steve, and Sparticus, who sat nearby. Well, congratulations, said Gary, smiling. Why did you burn me? asked Ben, shivering. Its not visible to anyone but you, said Steve. You can see magical fields now, and the scar is just that. A magical representation of your connection with the Mansion, explained Sparticus. Where are my clothes? Where is everyone? We have clothes for you, said Gary, throwing him a pile. Without shame, Ben stood and dressed, eager to be warm. It has been several hours since the ceremonys end. Everyone else has gone inside. So, now what? asked Ben. All evidence of the ceremony was gone. You get some rest, replied Steve. Gary returns to the lower levels, I return to the Control Room to plan, and Sparty continues work in the Library. Life goes on. Oh, heres your key, said Gary, tossing him a rough silver key. Ben could feel the magic in it now. Is there anything else to tell me? asked Ben, stifling a yawn. He was tired. No, said Sparticus. I think that will come to you in time. Without another word, they went inside together. Chapter 13<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Adam was in a hurry. Having spent the last two days debating his course of action, he now was filled with a burgeoning sense of urgency. He entered the Control Room to find Steven and Ben pouring over tactical papers, each of which were crisscrossed with dozens of lines, each representing potential paths an attack might make, which allowances made for different sized enemy forces, in addition to enemies that could teleport. All in all, it was mostly guessing which of hundreds of different events were most likely to occur, and at what time, without any sort of clue as to their timing, or even the identity of the enemy. Guys? he said. They both looked up. Neither answered, but rather both stared expectantly, looking irritated. Adam merely stood silent, waiting for an answer. Well? Ben snapped finally. What is it? Dyou know where Courtney is? Oh, replied Ben, his face falling. Shes with Dan, Patty, and Hilary in one of the private meditation chambers. I dont know which. But he was already out of the room. Youre welcome! Ben called. Shaking his head, he and Steve returned to guessing. * * * <o:p></o:p> Dans tenor rang out first, filling the small room with a low note, slowly oscillating. The note held for several seconds, before changing, rising higher and now joined by the hum of the flute. They joined together harmoniously, and wove harmoniously by themselves. With a crackle, a tiny ball of fire sprung into existence between them. Now, Courtneys brilliantly clear voice added itself, above Dan or Pattys flute, louder too, preternaturally so. The fire began to rise in intensity, growing hotter and seeming to strain at its edges. Soon, it was visibly larger, and filled the room with intense, white light. Now, Hilary added in her voice. Less sure then the others, it filtered in among them, causing the fire to oscillate in shape, and reach out towards them in turn as denoted by the notes she sang. They all began to smile at the success of the spell, especially Hilary, as it was her first successful group casting. They were all impressed with her progress, but their optimism was tempered by knowledge that soon their skills would be put to use for something rather different from the simple pleasure of creating light. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and Hilary lost her concentration, her voice going awry and causing the spell to spiral out of control. The ball of fire erupted and went out with a loud bang, and in the silent darkness left by its absence, they all stood in a shocked state. They each felt at their hair to find its edges singed. Damnit! screamed Courtney. She felt for the door and flung it open. Light poured into the room to reveal four very angry musicians all glaring at Adam, who stood, his hand poised in midair to knock again. Courty? he asked hesitatingly, almost cowering before her anger. Yes? she hissed. Can I talk to you? Alone? he pleaded. Fine. She tossed out her hand behind her, and a ball of light burst into existence in the middle of the room. She turned to her Hilary. Meditate until I get back. Focus on your diaphragm like I showed you. Then to Dan and Patty, she added, Just go over the music again, but dont disturb her. They both nodded, and she walked out, slamming the door behind her. Courtney crossed her arms and stood, waiting. Adam gathered himself together, and then spoke. I had a dream about you, he said at all once, rushing the words. Courtney raised her eyebrows in response. I mean, you were in a dream I had. Ok well, if thats all and she made to turn around, but Adam grabbed her shoulder. No! he said. Please, its important. Fine. Are you going to tell me what the dream was about? It wasnt about anything. I was in a dark room. Or, well. I wasnt there , exactly. I just sort of saw it, if you know what I mean. Anyway, he continued, swallowing compulsively. You were standing over this table, in this dark room, and on the table were these three weapons. And they were enchanted. I could feel it. And I recognized the magic. It was yours. He stopped. Ok, she said, nodding. So, you had a dream about some magic weapons. Whats your point? Well, I think it was more than a dream, if you know what I mean. I think youre supposed to create them. Well, how am I supposed to know what youre talking about? You dreamed it, not me. I can show you, he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her down to the floor with him. He muttered a few words under his breath, then touched the floor. There, like a flickering three dimensional shadow, appeared a tiny image of the dark room, with the table, the weapons, and Courtney standing guard over her creation. I know its not much to go from, said Adam, as Courtney stared intently at them. But its the best I could- No, interrupted Courtney. Her voice had a strange quality to it. I see them. Well, yeah, theyre right in front of you, said Adam, not understanding. No, no. I see them. Theyre mine but theyre not. Theyre not meant for me. I know, acknowledged Adam, letting her think. Ok, she said finally. She dismissed the spell (that Adam had cast) with a wave of her hand. Adam looked down at where the spell was, surprised. Howd you d-? Never mind that. You had a dream, about weapons that I could make. So what? I could be intended to make these now, in a year, or in another decade. Thats assuming, of course, that Im really meant to make them at all. Look, he said, grasping her shoulders. You just need to trust me on this. I know that you need to make these weapons. Courtney stared at him, then brushed off his hands, and rose. Ok, she said, turning. Lets say, for a moment, that Ive made these weapons. How are we supposed to know who theyre for? They already have owners. Well, is there anyway of figuring that out? Not that Im aware of, Well, can you make them anyway? And just assume that whoever they belong to is just going to wonder into the Mansion and say, Oh, heres my weapon, I knew it would be here? Yes. I had that dream for a reason. Can you physically create them? Do you know how? Well, yeah, I suppose. Bu- Then please, just do it, he implored her. She sighed. Itll take about a week, she said. Adam looked up at her hopefully. Ill need to be alone, and itll be very expensive. Im sure Sparticus will fund it, he said, his eyes shining. What elsell you need? Well, said Courtney thoughtfully. She leaned against the wall. Ill need the weapons, of course. Theyll need to be made by a real master. I dont know how could do- Steve, said Adam assuredly. Courtney raised an eyebrow. Hes amazing. He made my scythe, before Sparty enchanted it. Alright then. Ill need the weapons, and a bunch of supplies that Sparty will probably have available. Ill need to start meditating now, though. Bring me the weapons yourself when Steves made them. Im sure itll take him a few days. And she turned and walked off. Adam stood in the hallway staring after her, almost sweating with relief. Suddenly, the chamber door slammed open behind him. He turned to find Patty standing in the doorway. Is Courtney coming back in anytime soon? Adam couldnt reply, and merely shrugged apologetically. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> So, we havent really had a chance to talk. Well, no. I suppose we havent. Tell me a bit about yourself then. Ok, said Patty. He smiled across the table at Ben. They had bumped into each other heading into the restaurant, and had decided to eat together. Well, Im from <ST1 North Carolina. I started playing flute when I was a kid, and it turned into a general love of music. Then, a little later, I guess I discovered the , I guess I discovered thewell, the underworld, as Ive always called it in my head. He gave a little chuckle here. You know what I mean, though, he said, and Ben nodded. Our type. Anyways, I started teaching myself magic, and I discovered that there were lots of other people just like me. And at some point in there, I met Courtney, and we attended a school for bards. Theres a whole big story, but that can wait till later. And then, continued Ben for him. You went to <st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region>, to pursue your helplessly romantic goal of being a rogue demon hunter in the bowels of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City>? Uh yeah, said Patty. He smiled meekly. Ben nodded back, and they merely sat there, staring. Ben knew hed be the driving force in this conversation. So, anything else? Then I moved here, said Patty shortly. He did not seem to not want to speak; Rather, it just appeared he was very economic with his words. And how do you like it? I like it plenty. Its great here. Im back with Court. Its been a few years. Shes really grown up. She was just a kid when we met, like thirteen, I think. Been alienated from her home, and she had nothing to work with but a voice and some spirit. Poor thing. I was a bit older sixteen maybe? Seventeen. That sounds better. Anyway, I didnt have quite her talent. Ive heard that youre pretty good with that flute of yours, said Ben, grinning widely. Patty grinned at the innuendo, quite despite himself. He was being teased, but he couldnt help but like Ben. He felt that they were much alike in some ways. And, truthfully, Ben liked him too. There was a sort of mutual, unspoken agreement between them already that they would be great friends. Maybe not as great as some others, though So, said Patty, finally taking the initiative in the conversation. Youre a fighter type? Yeah, said Ben. I guess Im that. What sort of fighting? asked Patty eagerly. Physical engagements had never been his forte, despite his imposing size. Er Chinese, for lack of a more appropriate term. The stuff you see in the movies, that sort of thing. And it works, does it? I guess it must, cause I havent died yet. I spent a long time in training somewhere in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>, so I guess Im hardly your average case. They fell silent. Finally, a grin came to Bens face. So you and Brady I hear? he said impishly. Patty immediately blushed. I um dont know what youre talking about, he said, coughing. Ben smiled even wider. Come on, said Ben. I know Brady, and I know somethings different. I know when hes got a connection to a particular topic. So, what does he think of me? he blurted involuntarily. Are you that interested in knowing? Ben asked, raising and eyebrow. With that eyebrow raise, Patty felt the weight of the question land squarely on him. If it were anyone else, he answered slowly. I dont know that I would. But yeah, I actually think I do. Ben nodded understandingly. Ok then. Well, it seems to me that you all have something. I dont know what, or how itll work out, because of you know. But What? prompted Patty urgently, forgetting pretense. I think youd be good for him. He gets lonely around here sometimes. Patty smiled, and his face relaxed. The rest of the conversation passed casually, maintaining itself as banter, unlike the one with Brady, which was tinged with meaning and greater depth. Talking to Ben was just fun for Patty. Finally, when the last dish of their meal was cleared, they both felt at peace with the world, and neither much felt like returning to the tasks to which they had been assigned. So, said Ben, in a subconscious attempt to stall. What do you have planned for tonight. Well, fun story, said Patty with a smirk. I was planning on going back to my room and sitting alone staring at the wall until I go to bed. Well, heres a revolutionary idea, said Ben. Why dont you come with me and help me with whatever Im doing? You can be my little helper. Alright, but, lets be honest. Youd definitely be my helper. Sure said Ben, as they rose from the table. And you can tell you helper all about your date with Brady. Patty punched him in the arm at this point. They strolled back to the Control Room, entering to find Steve about to fly into a tantrum over his work, which was apparently causing him a great deal of frustration. You ok, Steve? asked Ben slowly. No, I am not ok, he replied, breathing hard. This is futile. Were getting nowhere, because surprise, we know nothing about whats going to attack us, or how, when, or anything. At this point, a somewhat frantic looking Adam entered the room. Steve, can I talk to you? Sure, why not? Its not like Im doing anything important, replied Steve. I need you to make some weapons for me, said Adam, slowly this time. Isnt your scythe enough? snarled Steve. Theyre not for me, explained Adam. Theyre for Courtney. Shes making some magical weapons. This is really important, and I knew you were the only one who could make weapons that were high enough quality to be enchanted like this. Stoking Steves ego turned out to be a wise course, for his face calmed. What kind of weapons are they? he asked. Youll do it? exclaimed Adam excitedly. I suppose so. Oh, but wait. Whos going to continue this? motion vaguely to his papers. Steve, interjected Ben. We werent getting anywhere. You said it yourself. If Courtney wants to enchant these weapons, I believe that its important. Why dont you go make them, and Ill go back to translating? When we know more, well come back. Oh, alright. Well, Adam. Show me what were working with. Adam smiled broadly. He and Steve left the room together, Adam explaining rapidly about three weapons, with magical fields of Hows your translating? asked Ben. Not terrific, but I have some spells. And if Courtney is out of the picture (and she will be for a while if shes really making three weapons), youll need someone to help you. Where is this translating going on? In Bradys library, said Ben teasingly. Patty gulped. Oh, dont worry, Ben assured him. Hell be much too busy to pay any attention to you. Chapter 14 <o:p></o:p> With Courtney in a state of deep meditation and Steve working hard at a forge that no one else seemed to know existed within the Mansion, the next several days seemed to drag along in a rather sickly manner. Despite the relative quiet (except in the tunnels below, where Brianna and her militia fought a nearly constant guerilla war against seemingly innumerable enemies that by all appearances came from nowhere), the entire Mansion was gut-wrenchingly tense, the side affect of knowing that at any moment, a cataclysmic battle could occur, and further being aware that they did not know their enemy. As it turned out, Ben was correct. Brady could spare no more attention for Patty then he could for much more mundane chores, like getting the requisite number of calories per day necessary to remain healthy. He, Ben, Drew, Patrick, and Sparticus worked virtually non stop. Ben and Brady were still making slow (very slow) progress on the front of translating some of the prophetic texts Drew had succeeded and salvaging from the wreckage of his life, and Drew himself was working on the book he had been given, and was making no progress. He supposed that he should be working on something that was already known to make reference to the Mansion, but he could not ignore the fact that he had been foreseen with the book. Sparticus was busily cross referring and searching for some sort of clue as to whom their mysterious antagonistic monks were, and in the back of his mind replaying the story as Ben had relayed it. One word stuck in his head: Guardhouse. On the third day of their self imposed seclusion, they were surprised by a visitor to the library. Brian? asked Brady, looking up and blinking twice. The silence, which before had been punctuated by the riffling of pages and occasional snorts of frustration, was now complete, as the sleep deprived scholars glanced up from their pages towards the lonesome figure of Brian, who was leaning against a precariously overfilled bookshelf, with a blank expression on his face. Hey he said, letting whatever thought had prompted him to speak trail off into nothing. Is there something we can do for you? asked Brady. Drew and Sparticus looked irritated. Well, no. I was actually wondering if you all wanted some help. Do you read any languages other than English? asked Ben. Well, not really. But Im sure youve gotta have some books that are just in English. Its just that, well, with Court and Steve busy, and Adam, Bri, and Gary in the tunnels, I dont have anything to do. I thought you were going to spend time practicing, said Sparty, through his teeth. I have, said Brian quickly. Its about all Ive been doing. Well, lets see you move something then, said Patty eagerly. The others looked at him, and he crumpled under their gaze. I just thought itd be neat, he said apologetically. It doesnt matter, Im past that, said Brian. He wove his hand, and the entire bookshelf behind him rose into the air, books flying everywhere. The others dived for cover frightfully, to avoid the deadly cascade of books soaring their way. Before any book could come close to hitting the ground though, as they were caught up in the flow of Brians psychic energy, and floated with a dim hum, as did the monumentally large bookshelf behind them. With another wave, the mass of wood plummeted back to the ground, but landed silently. All the books simultaneously floated back into their positions, and aside from the five grown men cowering on the ground, it was as thought it had never happened. Shakily, they got to their feet. Ok, so if youre not practicing that, what are you practicing, asked Ben. All sorts, said Brian. Ive been working on things like control over the properties of matter, heating and cooling things, and so on, causing them to expand, contract Theres a lot of physics involved, so Ive been reading a lot. Ive also been working on mental things, like attacking minds and such. Well, we dont need a demonstration of that, said Drew quickly. He did not like the idea of his psyche being attacked. He unconsciously reached down and ran his hand over a page of the book. Brian glanced down at the motion, and immediately gave a jump. Whats that? he asked, rushing over to looking at the book. Drew looked wary. Why? he asked suspiciously. Brian was now gazing intently at the symbols. They look so something, he said vaguely. The others now seemed to be losing their patience. So what? asked Drew. Well, I dont know. But they just attract my attention is all. Like something Ive seen in a dream. Just like that. Ok, said Brady, moving out from behind the desk. With unusual grace, he grabbed Brian from the shoulders, and unsubtly swept him from the room, assuring him as he steered through the shelves that they did not need help and that he had more important things to do. As his voice trailed off, the others sat back down with disgruntled sighs and returned to their work. Brady soon came back and did likewise, and they all forgot the incident as they immersed themselves in research. All except Brady, who was now, in the back of his mind, suffering second thoughts. He leapt up suddenly. Ben looked up. Something wrong? he asked. Can you handle this by yourself for a little while? inquired Brady. Sure, but wh-? But Brady had run off into the stacks. A few minutes later, he returned with a large volume of Mansion history, and started flicking through the index. When he found what he wanted, he sat down and began reading. Ben sighed. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> The figures face was concealed by a metal welding mask, and his thick shape cast large shadows against the wall in the light provided by the flailing, crackling sparks of the furnace he was using. Prodding the coals with one gloved hand and grasping a long metal pole which he was subjecting to the intense heat with the other, he bore the uncomfortable temperature stoically. A true test of his talents, this assignment bore an enormous degree of importance, and he could not afford to falter due to heat. Withdrawing the pole and prongs and placing the latter down carefully, he picked up a small, precisely weighted hammer and turned, laying the glowing hot material against a large anvil, and hammering down on it. The metal, already vaguely blade shaped, began to take on more defined features, and in less then a minute, it was distinctly recognizable as a weapon. Suddenly, with practiced motion, he plunged it into a nearby vat of water, a plume of steam erupting violently from its surface. He pulled it back out, and examined its now gleaming surface. After another hour of hard work, the blade, devoid of hilt, handle, or sharp edge, was ready for the next step. Steve stepped into another room, relieved to escape the heat of the furnace, and tore off his face mask, gloves, and other protective devices, and withdrew a large metal file from a nearby cabinet. Plopping down a large tin of cold water on the work desk, he started sharpening the blade, working it tirelessly for innumerable minutes, until finally the blade itself was finished. It was late, and he decided to leave the finishing touches, as well as the other parts of the weapon, for tomorrow. He stood up and, carrying it gently, like a small child or a large porcelain statue, laid it down next to another weapon, this one a very heavy hammer, and totally finished. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> In another room, not so far away, a much smaller and curvier figure sat in a similar state of concentration. She was still, however, her efforts focused internally. In her mind, she moved and rearranged parts of a machine, notes in a song. It was monstrously complicated, and had more pieces then the most challenging jigsaw puzzle, more movements then the longest song ever written. But it was not just music in the song; It was love, binding, containment, restraint, peace, calm, anger and a dozen other things that Courtney was ordering together. Though she knew logically that it should be three spells building in her head, the more she tried to separate them into pieces, the more it became patently obvious to her that this was not doable; These weapons were meant to be created together. They would not be three separate armaments, exactly, but more precisely three branches of the same tree. And what was more, she knew in her heart that she would never again match this creation. It would be her greatest achievement. And so, expecting a let down, she continued to choreograph the movements of the dancers twirling in her mind and soul. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Down in the tunnels, a great battle raged. The enemy this time, amphibious demons who dripped slime that could corrode through anything, including stone, metal, and human flesh, if given time, were spread throughout a rather large are in groups of four or five each. Bri and Gary, having about forty people under their command, were charged with seeking out about five such groups, with Adams slightly smaller force of thirty five seeking out four. Because of the sizes of the tunnels at this depth, only fairly compact forces could travel together, and so only a fairly small portion of the militia was present. Which Bri fully regretted now. As she turned from her kill, she immediately was forced to give into a roll to avoid a swinging blow by one of the creatures. A drop of its secretion landed on her cheek, and she ignored the burn as it carved a scar into her face. Coming up and pulling her sword across, she swiped upwards at the demon, and cursed violently as it turned aside, avoiding the blow. Following the upward momentum, Bri performed a daring stunt and ran up the creatures front as though it were a wall and flipped over backwards, kicking it in the face and sending it staggering backwards, trailing slime, before she landed stably on her feet. Stepping forward immediately, she stabbed out with her sword and felt a healthy measure of relief as it plunged into the creatures chest. Yanking it out with a grunt, she withdrew a rag from a pocket in her armor to clean off the sword before the slime was able to destroy it. Likewise, she cleaned off her shoes before straightening up and looking around. Three of the demons lay dead around her, though she heard more battles elsewhere in the tunnels. Keeping her sword out and propped over her shoulder, she set off, moving silently. After several minutes of following echoes, she turned a corner and collided hard with Adam, and almost ran him through before they recognized each other in the dim lighting. What are you doing here? she whispered harshly. Were fleeing, he replied, his voice shaking. Why? asked Bri defiantly. Because there are too many. We need to get out of here. ALL of us, he added pointedly. There were only around twenty that we left to you. If you cant handle it- You dont understand, he said, cutting her off. There were a lot more than that, and there might be an even greater force somewhere down here. Alright. Well, since youve planned this flight, did you plot the shortest way back? she conceded. Yes, but you wont believe this. The shortest way according to my map is almost a week long journey. How is that possible? she asked angrily, not believing him. Weve only been down here two days. Well, whatever we did, were deep down. I think wed better not tell the others, or theyll panic. Lets just get the hell out of here. Youre right. Well meet back here in two hours with everyone we can find. If you cant find them, then theyll have to find their own way back. Sure, said Adam, and he turned and fled, vanishing into the darkness. What was that about? asked <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, stepping out of a nearby tunnel. Bri turned to him. Were leaving, she said. Adam says were outnumbered, and somehow, were almost a week down. What! exclaimed <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Bri sushed his quickly, glancing around. What? he repeated more softly. I dont understand it, but Ive seen the map. We need to get going. Were meeting back here in two hours, gather everyone you can. And she stepped into a passageway and was gone, leaving <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> To wonder for a moment, then do the same. It was a mark of his conviction that he did not doubt it for a moment. Chapter 15<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> In the Mansion itself, the next period of days, which seemed to lack any definite time of their own, passed about as uneventfully as a period of time can within a community preparing for war against an unknown enemy. To that end, Steve, who had finished creating the weapons and delivered them to Courtney in a fashion that suggested he was dubious as to whether he had created the correct items, spent the bulk of his hours training soldiers. Though comprising a pretty small proportion of the Mansions population (which Sparticus was never able to keep exact count of), the force was a fairly large one, but Steve knew for certain that it would not be enough. Still, he maintained his usual stoicism. He had conceded that continuing to create battle plans was useless, since they could no more narrow down their options then he could fly by waving his sword rapidly through the air. The researchers researched, making almost nil progress, and Laura continued to treat the wounded that were still occupying the Lobby while Dan schooled Hilary. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Left or right? What the hell? Left or right? There shouldnt be a left or a right here! The map shows a straight path! And does that change the situation at all? Left or right? Oh, I dunno. Should we ask Adam? Maybe he has a spell or something. Alright. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Went skipping (for lack of a more accurate phrase) through the huddled ranks of the soldiers, to the back where Adam brought up the rear. Already on the third day of their journey back to the Mansion, they had made little progress, and their estimated time of arrival still stood at a week from when they left. Unless they kept meeting dead ends like this, in which case itd be longer. As he moved, he noted again the nervous, borderline fatalistic feel of the troops. Since they started back, they had had several of their number picked off in ambushes and while relieving themselves in an out of the way cave. Besides knowing what consequences arriving back at the Mansion too late would hold, they all knew that their own deaths could be very close by indeed. Finally, the soldiers became more scattered, and finally there were none. He leaned against a wall, and waited. A moment later, Adams shape emerged from the darkness, loping and fluid, but crushed by fatigue, sleep deprivation, and nerves. His face wore a visible hardness to it, acquired in large part during the previous three days. He glanced up at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Without pausing, then lowered his eyes and continued walking. We have a problem, whispered <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. He did not want the others to hear. Whats new? responded Adam in a monotone, not bothering to control his volume. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Jogged to keep up with him. Weve met a fork, and we dont know which way to go. Adam grunted his noncommittal reply. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Waited patiently before continuing. We thought you might have a spell, he prompted. Do you? Adam nodded blankly. Why dont you go on up ahead then, and Ill stay back here? Adam didnt answer, merely increased his pace slightly. Soon, he was out of sight. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Shook his head. This would be a long trek. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 16<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Were almost there. Well, thats funny, because I definitely feel like were pretty far away. I can feel the air lightening, cant you? Bri looked at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> With a crooked glance, then lifted her gaze to the cave ceiling. She sniffed the air once, then lowered her eyes back. Nope, still feels pretty heavy to me, she said derisively. Trust me, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, nodding earnestly. Were close. Suddenly, they heard a scream echoing up from further back in the tunnels. Without a pause, Bri had broken into a sprint back down through the tunnels, waving to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> To wait behind. After running in an unbroken line for several minutes, she finally spotted Adam, in the center of a throng of soldiers. He was trying to calm them, obviously. Bri stopped, panting, sweat dripping down her forehead. She fought her way through the crowd after her pause, finally reaching Adam. His toughened look was compromised, and he seemed quite well frightened. What happened? asked Bri out of the side of her mouth. One of the soldiers managed to get into a door. A door? You know, said Adam shortly. One of the doors. He gestured briefly, and suddenly Bri understood. One of the doors was unlocked. What does that mean? she said, a waver entering her voice for the first time in a long time. It means that it was unlocked, said Adam. They were speaking face to face now, in hushed whispers. How is that possible? she asked. I really dont know. But we need to get out of here. Now . Ok, well. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Said he felt the air lightening. Does that mean anything to you? Adam was silent a moment. It might mean, he said. That were close enough to the surface for me to try a communication spell. Can you do that as we walk? Maybe. As he spoke, an extraordinarily deep, feral growl issued from further back in the tunnel. It was the most frightening sound Brianna had ever heard, and it filled her with a burgeoning sense of panic and hopelessness, and she knew that if whatever made that sound caught her, it would destroy her completely, worse than dead, if such a thing existed. Can you do it as we run? she asked. As she spoke these words, most of the soldiers were already milling further down the tunnel. A few had broken out into panicked dashes. Another growl sounded, and the rest broke rank and ran. Bri and Adam exchanged glances, then did the same. As they ran, they heard the being from which they fled break into a similar run, and could make out the enormous size of its loping stride by the amount of time between footfalls. Adam cast one had out backwards as they ran and muttered a quick spell. Into existence sprung a wall composed of pure magical force, indestructible, and completely barring the passageway. For a little while anyway. They were now nearing the slowest of the soldiers, gaining quickly on them. Run! screamed Bri. If you value your life, run! And they did, quickening their already blistering pace. We cant be that far Bri muttered to Adam between breaths. Adam remained silent. Suddenly, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Came into view in the dim magical lights that provided visibility in those shallow tunnels. He was waiting for them. Guys, what-? Run! they barked in unison. Another growl came from the passage way behind them. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Broke into a similar run. It mustve gotten through the wall, said Bri, a tinge of hopelessness in her voice. Weve got to stop, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. The others arent going to be able to keep running long enough, we need to slow whatever it is down. But- protested Bri weakly. She knew he was right. They ground themselves to a halt. Adam touched his throat, then spoke, his voice magically amplified. Run! his voice boomed. Do not stop until you reach the Lobby. Ok, he panted, turning back to them. Are we ready? Yes, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, a blade of light leaping into the air from the hilt he held. Bri drew her sword. Adam wearily pulled out his scythe. Can we do this? asked Bri, her voice shaking. Of course, said Adam, with false confidence. Theres three of us, and only one of it. Right? I hope so, said Brianna under her breath. They stood and waited for several minutes. During that time, Adam tried to reach Sparticus telepathically, but the link failed. He had not told the others he had been trying, so as not to worry them. Suddenly, into the dim light at the edge of their vision stepped a foot. It was indistinct, because it was the same color as the darkness. Following the foot stepped a body, or what looked at first glance to be flesh. All three quickly realized their mistake. Its form was fluid, and seemed to be composed of flowing liquid of the deepest, shadow black. Standing nine feet tall, it compromised a hunching figure in the tunnel, and seemed to take up an enormous amount of room. Its face was bestial, if that is possible for a being, and reminded Bri of a rabid wolf and a hyena simultaneously. A sense of overwhelming despair emanated from it, and as soon as it was entirely visible, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Felt a familiar pang of hopelessness. I know you, he said aloud. The being glanced at him, and its flowing, fanged mouth turned upward in a grim parody of a grin. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Was filled with rage, which overcame the despair. Hefting his sword, he charged. Barreling forward, he came with a swipe at the creatures midsection. It never made contact, though, as the being seemed to discorporate into a gaseous substance just as the blade hit, and it passed right through. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Stumbled forward, and found himself being struck by a resounding back fisted blow, which sent him sprawling to the ground and sliding across the hard stone. He felt his nose bleeding freely from where his face had smashed into the rock. Shaking with rage and fright, he forced himself to stand up. He motioned to Bri and Adam, making sure they understood his intention. They did, and he nodded. Suddenly, all three of them charged. Gary cut in with a powerful downward slice; Bri stabbed straight out towards its belly, and Adam, in a demonstration of remarkable agility, leapt up the wall to the opponents left, kicked off the wall to turn, and came slicing in hard towards its neck. Disastrously, the being reacted with stunning alacrity. First, one of its hands shot up and caught Adam by the throat, holding him dangling midair as it squeezed the breath out of him. At about the same time, another the other hand shot up and seized <st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City>s wrist, stopping his attack cold, and then it twisted, shattering <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s arm. He screamed, then screamed again as the demon nimbly twisted to avoid Bris stab, which went right past him and sliced deep into <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s gut. His voice died, and his eyes widened as he toppled to the floor. Bri leapt back, horrified at what she had done, and was unable to move, at least until Adam smashed into her, having been thrown bodily, sending them both to the ground, Adam unconscious and not breathing. Bri pushed herself backwards along the ground, helpless. Her sword was abandoned and she was struggling to fight off tears. Her body was shaking violently against her will. At that moment, she made a conscious decision that she would not die like this. Gathering her strength and calming herself best she could, she rose and stood proudly, her head up as the beast stalked forward, clearly enjoying the carnage. Bri kept her eyes open, and was prepared for the killing blow, when suddenly, with a flash of light, three figures appeared between her and the shadow. Ben, Sparticus, and Drew immediately leapt into action. Ben and Drew ran forward and immediately cut into the creature, before it could process their being present. It howled, and back handed Ben across the face, sending his smashing into the rock. He shrugged it off, then leapt into the air and stabbed out. The creature avoided his blow, simultaneously parrying a double sword thrust by Drew, but when Ben landed, he was already launching into another vicious attack routine. He and Drew leapt and spun, attacking opening after opening only to find them closing before the attacks were really approaching in earnest. The held it off, but only just, and they were both tiring already, their energy sapped by the entropic field it seemed to exude. Sparticus, meanwhile, poured a tiny bottle of healing potion on <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s stomach, though he was still not sure hed live, and had managed to revive Adams breathing, but his pulse was shallow and likewise jeopardized. He pulled them bodily over to Brianna, then launched into a spell. This created a bolt of pure destructive energy which flew unerringly towards the shadow, striking it and launching it backwards. In a flash, Ben and Drew were linking hands with Sparticus, and in a moment they were back in the Lobby. Immediately, Laura and Dan were present, working viciously to revive Adam and Gary, while Ben lead the shell shocked Bri to a bed, and dodged out of the way as she violently vomited onto the floor. Sparticus has gathered around him now all of his apprentices (save Adam of course), and they were working hard in a group casting, Sparticus speaking rapidly and without pauses in tongues. A small brazier was on the ground in front of him, and various disciples were throwing things into it, and it changed colors regularly. As the spell reached its crescendo, the doors leading to the lower quarters were suddenly launched inwards, ripped totally from the hinges by some tremendous force. Screams went up from all around the Lobby, as numerous people ran for cover. Laura and Dan began evacuating injured soldiers, leaving the precariously stabilized Adam and Gary with an apprentice while they oversaw the larger task. From the throng emerged Patty, already stepping forward with his flute at his lips, with Ben and Drew beside him. Brady was helping Brianna, but Brian was nowhere to be seen. Patty began to play a tune, casting some spell or another, but cursed violently as he realized that the dust from the door was choking his flute, and it would not play true until cleaned. He started singing, but at that moment, a bolt of dark energy shot out of the cloud and collided with Ben, Patty, and Drew, sending them flying backwards. As the dust cleared, the shadow monster, now seeming much larger, stalked forward towards Sparticus and the others, who continued their casting. As it reached out towards them. It found itself thrown backwards with a loud bang as a monumental force hit it. Brian was standing in the entrance way to the Lobby, his eyes blazing. He held out his hand, and the beast was forced backwards towards the shattered threshold. It would not fit, or would not have were it not for the fact that it found itself shrinking, its being collapsing in on itself. It roared in defiance, but seemed unable to work against it. For the moment, at least. Finally, the spell ended, and a bolt of green lightening erupted from the brazier and crackled into the threshold. Thick, wooden vines began to grow up around it, and barred the entrance way. The creature, now free from Brians power, attempted to work against them, but found itself powerless against the vines. Its energy spent, the brazier melted into a puddle of molted metal, and Brian collapsed into darkness, exhausted.


	It would be better if i was in it


	Section III Chapter 15<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com ffice ffice" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> In the Mansion itself, the next period of days, which seemed to lack any definite time of their own, passed about as uneventfully as a period of time can within a community preparing for war against an unknown enemy. To that end, Steve, who had finished creating the weapons and delivered them to Courtney in a fashion that suggested he was dubious as to whether he had created the correct items, spent the bulk of his hours training soldiers. Though comprising a pretty small proportion of the Mansions population (which Sparticus was never able to keep exact count of), the force was a fairly large one, but Steve knew for certain that it would not be enough. Still, he maintained his usual stoicism. He had conceded that continuing to create battle plans was useless, since they could no more narrow down their options then he could fly by waving his sword rapidly through the air. The researchers researched, making almost nil progress, and Laura continued to treat the wounded that were still occupying the Lobby while Dan schooled Hilary. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Left or right? What the hell? Left or right? There shouldnt be a left or a right here! The map shows a straight path! And does that change the situation at all? Left or right? Oh, I dunno. Should we ask Adam? Maybe he has a spell or something. Alright. <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com ffice:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Went skipping (for lack of a more accurate phrase) through the huddled ranks of the soldiers, to the back where Adam brought up the rear. Already on the third day of their journey back to the Mansion, they had made little progress, and their estimated time of arrival still stood at a week from when they left. Unless they kept meeting dead ends like this, in which case itd be longer. As he moved, he noted again the nervous, borderline fatalistic feel of the troops. Since they started back, they had had several of their number picked off in ambushes and while relieving themselves in an out of the way cave. Besides knowing what consequences arriving back at the Mansion too late would hold, they all knew that their own deaths could be very close by indeed. Finally, the soldiers became more scattered, and finally there were none. He leaned against a wall, and waited. A moment later, Adams shape emerged from the darkness, loping and fluid, but crushed by fatigue, sleep deprivation, and nerves. His face wore a visible hardness to it, acquired in large part during the previous three days. He glanced up at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Without pausing, then lowered his eyes and continued walking. We have a problem, whispered <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. He did not want the others to hear. Whats new? responded Adam in a monotone, not bothering to control his volume. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Jogged to keep up with him. Weve met a fork, and we dont know which way to go. Adam grunted his noncommittal reply. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Waited patiently before continuing. We thought you might have a spell, he prompted. Do you? Adam nodded blankly. Why dont you go on up ahead then, and Ill stay back here? Adam didnt answer, merely increased his pace slightly. Soon, he was out of sight. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Shook his head. This would be a long trek. <o:p></o:p> Chapter 16<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Were almost there. Well, thats funny, because I definitely feel like were pretty far away. I can feel the air lightening, cant you? Bri looked at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> With a crooked glance, then lifted her gaze to the cave ceiling. She sniffed the air once, then lowered her eyes back. Nope, still feels pretty heavy to me, she said derisively. Trust me, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, nodding earnestly. Were close. Suddenly, they heard a scream echoing up from further back in the tunnels. Without a pause, Bri had broken into a sprint back down through the tunnels, waving to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> To wait behind. After running in an unbroken line for several minutes, she finally spotted Adam, in the center of a throng of soldiers. He was trying to calm them, obviously. Bri stopped, panting, sweat dripping down her forehead. She fought her way through the crowd after her pause, finally reaching Adam. His toughened look was compromised, and he seemed quite well frightened. What happened? asked Bri out of the side of her mouth. One of the soldiers managed to get into a door. A door? You know, said Adam shortly. One of the doors. He gestured briefly, and suddenly Bri understood. One of the doors was unlocked. What does that mean? she said, a waver entering her voice for the first time in a long time. It means that it was unlocked, said Adam. They were speaking face to face now, in hushed whispers. How is that possible? she asked. I really dont know. But we need to get out of here. Now . Ok, well. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Said he felt the air lightening. Does that mean anything to you? Adam was silent a moment. It might mean, he said. That were close enough to the surface for me to try a communication spell. Can you do that as we walk? Maybe. As he spoke, an extraordinarily deep, feral growl issued from further back in the tunnel. It was the most frightening sound Brianna had ever heard, and it filled her with a burgeoning sense of panic and hopelessness, and she knew that if whatever made that sound caught her, it would destroy her completely, worse than dead, if such a thing existed. Can you do it as we run? she asked. As she spoke these words, most of the soldiers were already milling further down the tunnel. A few had broken out into panicked dashes. Another growl sounded, and the rest broke rank and ran. Bri and Adam exchanged glances, then did the same. As they ran, they heard the being from which they fled break into a similar run, and could make out the enormous size of its loping stride by the amount of time between footfalls. Adam cast one had out backwards as they ran and muttered a quick spell. Into existence sprung a wall composed of pure magical force, indestructible, and completely barring the passageway. For a little while anyway. They were now nearing the slowest of the soldiers, gaining quickly on them. Run! screamed Bri. If you value your life, run! And they did, quickening their already blistering pace. We cant be that far Bri muttered to Adam between breaths. Adam remained silent. Suddenly, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Came into view in the dim magical lights that provided visibility in those shallow tunnels. He was waiting for them. Guys, what-? Run! they barked in unison. Another growl came from the passage way behind them. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Broke into a similar run. It mustve gotten through the wall, said Bri, a tinge of hopelessness in her voice. Weve got to stop, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. The others arent going to be able to keep running long enough, we need to slow whatever it is down. But- protested Bri weakly. She knew he was right. They ground themselves to a halt. Adam touched his throat, then spoke, his voice magically amplified. Run! his voice boomed. Do not stop until you reach the Lobby. Ok, he panted, turning back to them. Are we ready? Yes, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, a blade of light leaping into the air from the hilt he held. Bri drew her sword. Adam wearily pulled out his scythe. Can we do this? asked Bri, her voice shaking. Of course, said Adam, with false confidence. Theres three of us, and only one of it. Right? I hope so, said Brianna under her breath. They stood and waited for several minutes. During that time, Adam tried to reach Sparticus telepathically, but the link failed. He had not told the others he had been trying, so as not to worry them. Suddenly, into the dim light at the edge of their vision stepped a foot. It was indistinct, because it was the same color as the darkness. Following the foot stepped a body, or what looked at first glance to be flesh. All three quickly realized their mistake. Its form was fluid, and seemed to be composed of flowing liquid of the deepest, shadow black. Standing nine feet tall, it compromised a hunching figure in the tunnel, and seemed to take up an enormous amount of room. Its face was bestial, if that is possible for a being, and reminded Bri of a rabid wolf and a hyena simultaneously. A sense of overwhelming despair emanated from it, and as soon as it was entirely visible, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Felt a familiar pang of hopelessness. I know you, he said aloud. The being glanced at him, and its flowing, fanged mouth turned upward in a grim parody of a grin. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Was filled with rage, which overcame the despair. Hefting his sword, he charged. Barreling forward, he came with a swipe at the creatures midsection. It never made contact, though, as the being seemed to discorporate into a gaseous substance just as the blade hit, and it passed right through. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Stumbled forward, and found himself being struck by a resounding back fisted blow, which sent him sprawling to the ground and sliding across the hard stone. He felt his nose bleeding freely from where his face had smashed into the rock. Shaking with rage and fright, he forced himself to stand up. He motioned to Bri and Adam, making sure they understood his intention. They did, and he nodded. Suddenly, all three of them charged. Gary cut in with a powerful downward slice; Bri stabbed straight out towards its belly, and Adam, in a demonstration of remarkable agility, leapt up the wall to the opponents left, kicked off the wall to turn, and came slicing in hard towards its neck. Disastrously, the being reacted with stunning alacrity. First, one of its hands shot up and caught Adam by the throat, holding him dangling midair as it squeezed the breath out of him. At about the same time, another the other hand shot up and seized <st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City>s wrist, stopping his attack cold, and then it twisted, shattering <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s arm. He screamed, then screamed again as the demon nimbly twisted to avoid Bris stab, which went right past him and sliced deep into <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s gut. His voice died, and his eyes widened as he toppled to the floor. Bri leapt back, horrified at what she had done, and was unable to move, at least until Adam smashed into her, having been thrown bodily, sending them both to the ground, Adam unconscious and not breathing. Bri pushed herself backwards along the ground, helpless. Her sword was abandoned and she was struggling to fight off tears. Her body was shaking violently against her will. At that moment, she made a conscious decision that she would not die like this. Gathering her strength and calming herself best she could, she rose and stood proudly, her head up as the beast stalked forward, clearly enjoying the carnage. Bri kept her eyes open, and was prepared for the killing blow, when suddenly, with a flash of light, three figures appeared between her and the shadow. Ben, Sparticus, and Drew immediately leapt into action. Ben and Drew ran forward and immediately cut into the creature, before it could process their being present. It howled, and back handed Ben across the face, sending his smashing into the rock. He shrugged it off, then leapt into the air and stabbed out. The creature avoided his blow, simultaneously parrying a double sword thrust by Drew, but when Ben landed, he was already launching into another vicious attack routine. He and Drew leapt and spun, attacking opening after opening only to find them closing before the attacks were really approaching in earnest. The held it off, but only just, and they were both tiring already, their energy sapped by the entropic field it seemed to exude. Sparticus, meanwhile, poured a tiny bottle of healing potion on <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s stomach, though he was still not sure hed live, and had managed to revive Adams breathing, but his pulse was shallow and likewise jeopardized. He pulled them bodily over to Brianna, then launched into a spell. This created a bolt of pure destructive energy which flew unerringly towards the shadow, striking it and launching it backwards. In a flash, Ben and Drew were linking hands with Sparticus, and in a moment they were back in the Lobby. Immediately, Laura and Dan were present, working viciously to revive Adam and Gary, while Ben lead the shell shocked Bri to a bed, and dodged out of the way as she violently vomited onto the floor. Sparticus has gathered around him now all of his apprentices (save Adam of course), and they were working hard in a group casting, Sparticus speaking rapidly and without pauses in tongues. A small brazier was on the ground in front of him, and various disciples were throwing things into it, and it changed colors regularly. As the spell reached its crescendo, the doors leading to the lower quarters were suddenly launched inwards, ripped totally from the hinges by some tremendous force. Screams went up from all around the Lobby, as numerous people ran for cover. Laura and Dan began evacuating injured soldiers, leaving the precariously stabilized Adam and Gary with an apprentice while they oversaw the larger task. From the throng emerged Patty, already stepping forward with his flute at his lips, with Ben and Drew beside him. Brady was helping Brianna, but Brian was nowhere to be seen. Patty began to play a tune, casting some spell or another, but cursed violently as he realized that the dust from the door was choking his flute, and it would not play true until cleaned. He started singing, but at that moment, a bolt of dark energy shot out of the cloud and collided with Ben, Patty, and Drew, sending them flying backwards. As the dust cleared, the shadow monster, now seeming much larger, stalked forward towards Sparticus and the others, who continued their casting. As it reached out towards them. It found itself thrown backwards with a loud bang as a monumental force hit it. Brian was standing in the entrance way to the Lobby, his eyes blazing. He held out his hand, and the beast was forced backwards towards the shattered threshold. It would not fit, or would not have were it not for the fact that it found itself shrinking, its being collapsing in on itself. It roared in defiance, but seemed unable to work against it. For the moment, at least. Finally, the spell ended, and a bolt of green lightening erupted from the brazier and crackled into the threshold. Thick, wooden vines began to grow up around it, and barred the entrance way. The creature, now free from Brians power, attempted to work against them, but found itself powerless against the vines. Its energy spent, the brazier melted into a puddle of molted metal, and Brian collapsed into darkness, exhausted. Chapter 17<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Brians eyes snapped open, and he found himself as fully awake as though someone had poured freezing water on him. He sat up suddenly, taking in his surrounding in a blur of indistinct shapes as his eyes focused and blinked sleep away. He was, predictably, in the Lobby, and he looked around at the dozens others occupying beds in the large chamber, which had taken on an appearance that would not seem out of place in a war zone. Large portions of the usually spotless marble floor were covered with a choking dust, which Brian could feel in the very air around him, somehow. Everywhere he looked, there were people rushing busily about, tending to a patient here, frantically administering first aid there, and all of them with the dirty, frazzled appearance of fugitives who might have been rolling around in a sewer or large plot of mud for a period. Closest to him were some those he knew best, and whose hearts seemed to beat in rhythm with the very life and soul of the Mansion itself. They were the most connected, they gave the most of themselves to the collective essence of the place, and they also happened, on this occasion, to be some of the most seriously wounded. Adam and Gary lay in the two beds to his left, parallel to his and separated by several feet on either side. They were both unconscious, their faces ashen and almost lifeless, their chests rising and falling only slightly with their shallow breaths. They were not wearing shirts; Only hospital sheets tossed with careless urgency over the lower halves of their bodies, and their partial nudity revealed wounds more garish then Brian had ever witnessed. Garys belly was brutally split open, and though it was bound up by stitches and covered in what he presumed was some sort of magical cream, it was purple, black, and blue, the result of immense bruising. To further exacerbate his problems, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>s nose was obviously and grievously broken, and covered in caked blood. Adam was not doing much better. Deep puncture wounds and scratch marks marred either side of his muscular neck, and his windpipe did not appear to be regularly shaped. To the other side were Drew, Patrick, and Ben lay, none of them looking nearly as poorly off as Adam or Gary. They were, however, unconscious, Ben and Patrick bearing scratches and bruises from a battle, presumably with the creature that had caused as this. Brian thought back to the battle, or at least to the very small part in which he had participated. He had felt the creature even before it burst through the double doors leading down into its hellish origins. Its presence had screamed to him, and now that it was safely locked behind the vines of Sparticus spell, he realized that it had comprised a grating, strident background noise for his mind since his return to the Mansion, and maybe longer. Like a persistent itch or buzzing sound, it had hovered just below his consciousness, just distracting enough to cause discomfort, but not specific enough to draw any real attention. When it had approached the doors, however, it became a screaming, a burning fire in his throat, a rising sickness, and he had known namelessly, wordlessly, and without detail, what it was. Rushing into the Lobby, he found himself inundated with by mental insinuations, urging him on to all variety of terrible things; Hate, fear, bloodlust and others found place in his mind, and he had had to fight through these to reach a point of focus to attack it. Without warning, his senses, all five and then some, awoke to the approaching presences of Dan and Laura, who seemed to be rushing about the room supervising various medical happenings. Within a moment, they had swept in upon him from either side, examining him while speaking frantic, worried nothings extolling his braveness for doing that, and cursing his stupidity for doing something apparently closely related but also quite different. As he absently assured them that he was alright, and that there was nothing to worry about, his eyes fell, as thought by divine providence, upon the rune carved pillar that loomed in the center of the Lobby. At once, his attention focused fully upon it. Dan and Lauras fussing was only dimly registered. He looked at the runes, stared at them, wondering why they looked so familiar. Only, this time, he figured it out. The only sound reaching his ears was the beating of his own heart, now accelerated, and certainly louder than any heart had a right to be. His eyes dilated, and his rose from his bed, his gaze not leaving the pillar. Walking as though in a trance, Dan and Laura pausing to watch him confusedly, he walked through the sea of beds, and they seemed to part before his stride as he touched the pillar with his right hand. What is it? asked Dan, finally. Brian blinked. Well? prompted Laura, when he did not answer. Get Sparticus, he said. I think I know how to find out who are enemy is. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> And you think this will work? asked Sparticus skeptically. His mask was absent, and he gazed with raised eyebrows at Brian, who despite his collapse seemed not only well, but persistent and active. Im sure it will, he replied, with absolute conviction. And what will this accomplish? asked Steve, who had not yet spoken in this conversation. I thought I made that clear, said Brian, exasperatedly. Itll- You do not need to explain again, said Sparty, rubbing his forehead. He looked up at Brian; His eyes were sunken with exhaustion, and his features weighed down by a great stress, as though pendulums hung from every bit of skin. I will try it. But tomorrow, he said. Brian began to object, but Sparty raised a hand to cut him off. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> The Lobby found itself changed yet another time. In preparation for the ritual he would perform, Sparticus had ordered its evacuation of the injured. Now, devoid of the beds that had given it a semblance of movement and meaning, it seems stricken and empty, for dust still lined the floor. As if to complement this vision of destruction, the vines which barred the door to the lower quarters had a wild, uncivilized feel to them. To make matters worse, from behind it issues a consistent, horrifying wailing noise, as though of thousands of torture victims and the mother of murdered child, all rolled into one spine chilling noise which made the Lobby inhospitable towards any who were not already terribly wounded. The air was cold there, and Drew shivered briefly. He could not express the feeling the noise gave him, beyond to say that it was terrifying in a base, primitive sort of way, and did not seem out of place in the despair and destruction of the Lobby. He wore a jacket, and along with Ben, was in a wheelchair off to one side of the Lobby, with Patty standing close behind them, looking over them towards the center of the room with anticipatory nerves. Brady stood next to him. His teeth occasionally chattered. They did not understand what was going on, exactly, but they understood its importance. Somewhat awkwardly, Steve stood off to one side, quite apart from them. In the center of the room was Brian, staring intently at the center pillar. As they were standing there, Sparticus emerged from the Control Room. He paused, glanced around through the holes in his mask, then walked towards the center of the room, the sounds of his hard leather shoes falling on the marble tiles strangely muffled, and further masked by the horrible wailing. He tapped Brian on the shoulder, and he turned, with a tiny jump as though being woken from a stupor. Ready? asked Sparticus. Brian nodded, and went and stood next to the others. Sparticus watched him, then knelt down in front of the pillar. He was carrying an enormous book, which Brady and Drew recognized at once as the book Drew had been given. Drew wondered how Sparty had gotten the book. Leaving the book closed, and laying his right hand on its fine, thick cover, Sparticus began a slow chant in a deep voice. Drew motioned for Patty to kneel down to him. What is it? he whispered in his ear. Patty cocked his head, listening closely. Some sort of anchoring spell, he replied hesitantly. Something to root someone in space. I wonder what hes rooting, said Drew under his breath. His question was answered next second, however, when Sparticus other hand shot towards the floor, his fingers pressing themselves into and through the marble. Immediately, from his hand, a crackling wave of blue energy spread across the floor, to the walls, and up the ceiling, leaving behind a light blue tint and a charged feeling in the air, and a tingling sensation in the feet of the others. The room seemed glow now. Now Sparticus began humming softly, tracing complicated symbols in the air with one hand, the one that he has just withdrawn from the floor. Slowly, but surely, the tune struck a familiar chord in Brians head. As was becoming usual for him though, he could not place it. Then, slowly, as though a wave of honey were flowing towards them, a ripple appeared in the air around Sparticus, slowly expanding, smoothing out the very fabric of reality they experienced. Curves they had not perceived were eliminated, and when the ripple passed over them, they felt more compact and concentrated then they had ever felt before. It might be described as feeling rather like a very strong bit of tea. Sparticus opened the book. He began chanting in Latin, and Patty immediately recognized the spell. Hes using a translation spell, he whispered up to Drew and the others. Drew frowned. But he knows those dont work on that book, he said, somewhat disheartened. If its not working on the book, its definitely working on him, said Brady, gesturing towards Sparticus. The others looked and noted that the pace of the spell had slowed, and that Sparticus was looking faint as though he might collapse. They stared on in fascination, and just as he gave a particularly low swoon, he stuttered over a word, and grew silent. An instant later, though, he head snapped back up, straight, and his hands flew out. One entered the book and pierced it, his fingers diving into the material as though it were water. The other plunged into the material of the pillar, parting it similarly. He began chanting again, with sharper annunciation, and at breakneck speed. The others faces were drooping in surprise and fright, as the runes decking the pillar began to swim and churn. Finally, as the Latin reached a crescendo, there was a great clap of sound, and a flash of blue light, and Sparticus was flung backwards to collide with the wall. He slid down and sat up as well as he could, breathing heavily, his attention fully focused upon what was unfolding now in the center of the room. The pages of the book were ruffling wildly as a mighty, cyclonic wind whipped itself into existence around the pillar. Strangely, the dust on the ground was not disturbed. Suddenly, a small black object was ripped from the book and caught up in the vortex. Drew cried out and made to step forward, but he found himself facing a wall of psychic energy, put up by Brian, who seemed wholly intent upon the whirling cloud of letters. For that is what they were individual runes were somehow being swept out of the book and forming a black cloud around the pillar, growing thicker every minute. Then, the book snapped shut, and the vortex started to contract, pulling the spinning runes closer into the pillar. Suddenly, with a grating shriek, the first one made contact, and instantly, the pillar began glowing in a white hot light. The rest of the flowed into the pillar as well, slowly but surely disappearing into the white column. When the last one entered, the light began to cool, and when it dimmed entirely, a process that took several minutes, it was revealed that letters were flowing upon its surface. They were no longer obscure; They were letters from a dozen languages, all flowing past one another. Suddenly, like a wave breaking, the plunged down into the floor and spread out. In a minute, they covered the floor, and then all was still. Hesitantly, Brady stepped forward, and bent down to examine the symbols now engraved, as though they had always been there, in the floor of the Mansion. The runes seemed to be filled with a black stone, perhaps onyx. Though the letters all formed a jumble, Brady looked out across the room and saw a pattern emerging. He could translate this, if he had a few hours in which to sort out of the pattern. He saw bits of Latin, Sanskirt, Greek, and Hebrew, not to mention a dozen more obscure languages. Now, they might get some answers. Chapter 18<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> In the beginning, there was a great void. In came to be that there existed within the void a presence, an awareness. Over time, that presence splintered into three aspects. One of those aspects was composed of all things Evil, and exemplified destruction, hate, anger, and a dozen other attributes of darkness. Another, the opposite of the first, was a being of pure Good. Finally, there was a being in the center, devoted to Balance. As suits the exemplar of Evil itself, the presence set out immediately to destroy the force of Good, and the force of Good set out to destroy the Evil, such that it might not plague whatever creation was to come. The Force of Balance stepped in between to stop the battle, and the colliding powers caused the void to splinter into innumerable Worlds, and caused each of the three presences to likewise splinter, each having an aspect in each of the newly created dimensions. Each World had a polar nature, caught as they were between Good and Evil, yielding a Balance. In each of the new Worlds, Evil would attempt to play its cards such that Good would be forced into confrontation. One of them would destroy the others aspect in that reality. In such a way, Balance would slowly be destroyed, as World after World fell to Good or Evil in its turn. When all the dimensions had been conquered by one side or another, there would be nothing to stand in the way of a Final Battle, which the Good force knew would destroy all of creation in the onslaught. It could not let this happen. In each world, the force of Balance manifests in a different way, intent, as its aspects are, to preventing Good and Evil from battling unchecked. Scholars throughout the eons have spent lifetimes trying to identify their physical manifestations. They have deemed such places Guardhouses. Guardhouses are always intensely magical locations, with a host of special properties relating to their being perched on the precipice between Ultimate Good and Ultimate Evil. In many worlds, powerful individuals discovered ways in which the power of a Guardhouse could be harnessed and controlled by mortal beings. Such beings could affect the fate of the entire universe. For betteror for worse. A silence followed. Thats pretty intense, said Adam weakly. His windpipe was not fully healed. What does it mean? asked Steve, somewhat confused. What does that have to do with us? Were the Guardhouse, muttered Ben. They all looked at him. This is the Guardhouse, he said, more loudly. They all blinked. Sowhat does that mean? prompted Steve. That we are in grave danger, answered Sparticus. His head had been resting in his hands. Sparty, what-? We are living on the edge of Reality. I should have seen it before. So? I dont understand. This entireEverything that has happened has been connected, in ways we did not know. The strange weather, the boulder, everything, is connected. Something has enabled the Evil to attain some sort of advantage. I cannot guess what. Is there more in the book? asked Brian, suddenly. I hadnt even thought about it, replied Brady. He looked down at the sheet he held with his scribbled translation. It was only the next day, and he was tired, having stayed up all night translating. I guess theyre might be. We are missing a piece of the puzzle, agreed Sparticus, nodding. Do you think you can translate the rest of it now? Sure it should be fairly easy. Good, said Sparticus. However, we should note that the why is a rather academic point right now. We now know who our primary antagonist is, and we may only now be able to guess how this battle might take place. What about the monks? asked Ben. Drew and Adam nodded fervently. I suppose we will look into them, said Sparticus. They seem to have become a rather trying enemy for us. I suspect they are connected, and I would not be surprised if they ended up fighting us in the upcoming battle. I still am not seeing the big picture here, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, speaking up finally. I mean, its all great that we know about this Evil thing, but what good is that? We know nothing about it. We dont know how were going to fight it. And what about all the other strange stuff? That thing we fought in the tunnels. The strange overflow of demons. And what about these weapons Courtney is forging? How does this all fit. Theres a lot we still dont know, said Brady, who seemed strangely calm. But were working on it. Theres a lot we can all do to help. Yes, there is, said Sparty, nodding. He sighed, and pulled off his mask. He looked around the room. Adam, Brian, Drew, Patty, Gary, Steve, Ben, Brady, Bri, and himself, all lay about. Adam and Gary were still in wheelchairs, Ben and Drew resting themselves on canes for a little while longer at least. Bri and Patty had not spoken yet, though everyone could tell that they, newcomers to this world of intense magic, were somewhat overwhelmed. Still, steely convictions dwelt in their eyes. Rubbing his eyes, Sparticus continued, I fear that however terrible the past few weeks may have been, the most difficult time is yet to come. I trust you all. We must solve this problem. More than just our livelihoods depend on this. Responsibility for our very souls, and perhaps even the fate of the world at large, rests squarely on our somewhat burly shoulders. I do not think the world could be in better hands. For once, a smile broke across his face, as he stared around at those he loved. Now, he said, his manner suddenly brisk. There is much to be done. Steve and I will be responsible for calling in outside assistance. I have a feeling our militia is not going to cut this one. Drew, he said unexpectedly. Drew gave a start. I need you to do everything in your power, using Courtneys magic to help you if possible (here, Ben, Brady, and Patty each shifted uncomfortably), to track down any living members of the Last. Get them here, if you can. Drew nodded curtly, then set off. He had much to do. Bri, I want you to start organizing the military aspect of things. We are going to need every soldier (and as many others as possible) outfitted, armed, and fed. Work with <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Ben, Adam? You two are responsible for training. Train each other, train yourselves, and get to training our militia. They will not be fighting humans out there, and they will need all they can get. We have very limited time. Brady, you know what you need to do. Brian, if you could wait with me please? Courtney, said Brian, suddenly, turning towards the door. In stumbled Drew, carrying Courtney in his arms. She looked exhausted, pale, and thinner then she had been, but was beaming. Im finished! she announced merrily, sounding hoarse but perfectly thrilled. Drew looked frightened. Come on up, everyone! she cried. Come on Drew, carry me back up! At that Drew turned and stumbled back out, Courtney laughing madly. Well, that wasnt scary or anything, said Ben sarcastically. No one laughed. Without saying a word, they followed her, a parade of characters cluttering into the elevator. Drew had taken the stairs apparently. When they got to Courtneys apartment, the door was ajar. Come in! came her scratchy wail. They stepped in, exchanging glances. Following Courtneys voice, they found themselves in her old workroom. Only Ben and Brady had ever seen it before, and not in years. Lying on a table across the room were three weapons. Courtney, having been put down by Drew, had apparently carried herself by sheer force of will over to the table, and was standing behind it. Adam recognized that scene from his dream. Dont be shy, she said, leaning on the table for support. They all stepped forward hesitantly. Suddenly, Ben, Gary, and Steve each felt something pique up within them. Theyre mine, they each said at the same time. The looked around at each other frightened. Then, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Stepped through the small crowd, with Ben and Steve following. They each approached the table, and stared down at the weapons. This ones mine, said <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, picking up the rapier. It was now enclosed in a fine brown leather three-quarter scabbard, and the end of the blade gleamed as he hung it from his belt. When it was secured, he drew it with a flair and twirled it once. He had never felt a weapon so masterfully crafted. It was clearly made just for him. The balance was unspeakably, supernaturally perfect. He had handled magical weapons before, but nothing like this one. It made his hands tingle. Steve picked up the heavy broadsword without speaking. It covered by a harder, black leather case, and he strapped it silently across his back. He did not need to handle it to know that it would be the most marvelous experience of his life to twirl it, to feel it swing in his hands, to cut down vicious creatures with it. Ben stared at the hammer that was left. It was not his primary choice of weapon, but as he looked at it with his vision, enhanced to see magic since the coronation, he noticed something strange. Other magic weapons he had seen seemed enchanted. This one, on the other hand, and the others, seemed to be almost sources of magic in and of themselves, much like the pillar in the Lobby. As he reached for it, Drew piped in, Um, you cant lift that, its too-, but his voice was cut short when Ben easily hefted it from the table and held it out, examining it. Ok, never mind, Drew muttered. Guess this one is mine, said Ben. He sounded stunned. He had not dealt with such a weapon in ages. Adam was in for some great sparring matches. Chapter 19<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Ben leapt into the air, his legs tucked tight in underneath him, giving him the appearance of a bird, with his hands both over his head holding a huge hammer. As he came down, he smashed down with the weapon, and Adam was forced to throw himself into a sideways roll to avoid being crushed. As Ben landed, the hammer came crashing down, stopping just before colliding with, and plunging through, the floor of Bens apartment. Before Adam could get the offensive, Ben reversed the motion of his hammer, having paused for a fraction of a second, and swinging it round his head. He changed the arc of the motion deceptively, and Adam saw through it just in time, jumping over the low swipe instead of going for the feint and ducking low. He spun as he leapt, kicking out with snapping Ben in the face. Ben stumbled back, and Adam pressed the charge, cutting in with one slice, then whipping around and attack from another direction. Each time, Ben managed to put the head of the hammer in line to block just in time, and the enchanted weapons rang out sweetly as the metal collided. Adam got cocky, and came in with a sidelong slice at Bens chest, which Ben leaned straight backwards to avoid. Adam continued the motion, coming full circle. He was now facing away from Ben, and, reversing the direction of flow, he stabbed out backwards under his armpit at Ben with the wooden stake. Ben twisted aside and delivered a stunning blow to Adams back with the hammer, sending him sprawling forward. Cast a spell, wizard! hissed Ben, and he stepped forwards and aimed a drop kick at the small of Adams back. With great speed, Adam rolled over and caught the kick with both hands, pushing the leg upwards violently, such that Ben was forced to go into a back handspring to avoid breaking his neck. He came up just as Adam, who had flipped himself to his feet, launched a magical missile of force at Ben. Though normally an unerring spell, Ben came across with a sidelong smash, making contact with the bolt of energy in midair and sending it crashing into the ground, where it burst into flames. He looked at the hammer in amazement, as Adams jaw dropped. What the hell? exclaimed Ben. Howd you do that? Adam wondered aloud, staring at the marvelous weapon. That shouldnt even be possible. Apparently, it is, said Ben absently. What else could this mighty hammer do? Ready? asked Adam. Before Ben could reply, Adam stepped in and swung his scythe with both hands towards Bens head. Ben ducked under it, and Adam followed through with a high round kick. Ben answered by blocking the kick with his left hand and thrusting out with his hammer in the right, catching Adam in the chest and expelling his breath. He stumbled backwards, croaking a spell. With a flash, a creature materialized between them. It appeared to be composed of swirling cloud, and electricity crackled without its black, ominous form. Ten feet tall, it towered above Ben. No fair, cried Ben, as he rolled aside, a bolt of sizzling lightning setting fire to the floor where he had been standing a moment before. He came to his feet. No summoning. Sorry, said Adam, smirking. With that smirk, he too moved in on Ben. Ben ducked under a nebulous strike from the summon monster, and parried a cut-stab combo from Adam, before delivering a backhanded blow to the monsters form with the hammer. As it made contact, the creature froze, and suddenly, it began shrinking, its form vanishing. It became a point of light hovering in midair, before it vanished, diving into the metal and sinking beneath its surface. Ben and Adam merely stared, dumbfounded. What did I do? asked Ben slowly. You you bound it somehow, said Adam, not understanding. He had recognized the magic, but it was more powerful then he could guess, both because it could contain such a large monster, and because it was contained within a weapon. Let me see that, said Adam. Ben handed it out to him. Adam grasped it, but as soon as Ben let go, the hammer plummeted towards the ground, dragging Adam with it. It was incredibly heavy; He could not even begin to hold it. Whoa! he exclaimed, as the metal clanged to the floor. As it made contact, the ball of light exploded outwards with a flash, and suddenly, the cloud monster was back. Adam clapped his hands, and dismissed it. What was wrong? asked Ben, looking concerned. How did you lift this? asked Adam, gesturing towards the hammer on the floor. What do you mean? said Ben nervously. I mean, it doesnt feel like it was designed for a human. I dont see how you can carry it, let alone fight with it. I dont know, said Ben uncomfortably. Anyway, can you tell me anything about it? Adam bent down and laid his hands on the metal, concentrating. Ben fiddled awkwardly. Finally, Adam straightened up. It feels, honestly like pure magic. It doesnt have much trace of metal left. And the magic seems to be pretty much binding energy, for lack of a better term. Its like a perpetually cast binding spell, but really, really powerful. I wouldnt have guessed any mortal could cast like that, let alone Courtney. So, if a mortal couldnt cast it, then what could? asked Ben. Well, therere a lot of things out there that arent mortal, he answered significantly. What is it for? You mean what are they for? There are three of them, after all, and Id be willing to bet theyre all enchanted just like this one. To answer your question though, I couldnt even guess. Id say binding something. Ben thought about this, then voiced the question that was on both of their minds. What would need this weapon to be bound? <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Ok, youll need to be at the airport by four thirty. You can not be late. I pulled strings to get you this flight. Wha-? No, you dont need to bring food. Yes, yes, bring weapons though. Alright, bye. He hung up. Jesus, youd think they were never flown in to fight an apocalyptic battle before. He smiled disarmingly. Courtney did not return the sentiment. No time for jokes. We need to get this done. Alright, whos next? Fine, be serious then, Drew answered. Its not going to make this go any faster though. She scowled at him. Next is an friend from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Morocco</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Hed been stationed there for years, and I got wind of a rumor last night that he might still be alive. Check the usual spots? she asked, preparing ingredients for another spell. No, he wouldnt have gone underground. Hes more of a in-broad-daylight type. Hell be hidden well, though. Ok then. Lets get on this. And she sank into a meditative trance, reaching across the ocean. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> What have you found? Well, basically, the entire thing is just one prophecy after another. One of them, though, seems to be about the Mansion. It talks about three great powers that would rise throughout the Mansions history. And that after they had all come and gone, there would be some sort of battle. It makes reference to this great Evil were fighting. It said that they would be manifestations of its being. I mean, I think thats what it said. It was somewhat archaic. At any rate, theyre pretty much pure badness, and the battle seems to be against them, or the evil thing, or both. I dont really know. Does it say who wins? asked Brian. No, it doesnt go that far. It does talk about great destruction though. The monks, said Sparticus. They all looked at him. They brought this on. They are some sort of apocalypse cult; I have seen such things before. So, well definitely be dealing with them, said Steve. What about our monster behind the vines? That must be the Evil things physical form, said Brady. We have to destroy it. How? asked Steve. That thing nearly killed five of our best. We dont have to kill it, interjected Brian. Sparticus nodded. In fact, we cannot. It would be catastrophic. They all looked confused. You see, if it falls, then this world will be lost to Good. Well, isnt that what we want? asked Brady. No, answered Brian. We want Balance. The more worlds that become Good or Evil, the closer the entire universe is to the end. Were just one world, but we do make a difference. So, we need to do what? asked Steve. Capture it? I know of nothing that could contain such a beast. It will destroy anyone who goes against it. They all fell silent, thinking. Ive got it, said Brian suddenly. Get everyone here, right away. Twenty minutes later, they were all staring at Brian with dumbfounded looks on their face. All except Courtney, who was beaming. Its wonderful, she exclaimed. Do you all think itll work? asked Brian, unsure. I think its lunacy, said Drew derisively. But since I cant think of anything else, why not? When do we do it? asked Ben. Do we just keep the vines there until everything is ready? Im afraid that the vines will not live out the week, said Sparticus. I checked on them earlier, and they are being worn away by something. Cant you recast them? inquired Bri. No. That brazier was older then I can guess, and I doubt I could attain another in such a short time. We have a time limit imposed upon us, and we shall have to work with it. Can we be ready in time? asked Steve skeptically. He was running numbers in his head. We can, said Adam. Everyone is ready to fight, and the last few soldiers are getting out of the hospital ward today. Were stockpiled, said Bri. I still have more to do, said Brady. But I think itll be ok. The others all nodded their accord, their faces ashen. Brian gazed intently at the floor. Alright then, said Sparty, looking around. Lets get ready. * * * <o:p></o:p> Patty was sitting, staring at his flute, trying not to vomit. He was frightened, and understandably so. Never before had so much rested on his shoulders. He could only imagine how Courtney could handle it. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Swallowing compulsively, he rose to answer it, and found Brady facing him. He swallowed again. Can I come in? asked Brady. Sure, said Patty, standing aside for him. He walked in, turned around, and faced Patrick. How are you holding up? he asked, as Patty closed the door. Alright, I guess, said Patty uncomfortably, placing his hands inside his pockets out of habit. What about you? Im panicking, said Brady, a shiver passing through him. He turned suddenly, and started pacing. Im afraid about whats going to happen. I cant stand the thought of something terrible happening to Courtney, or Ben or you. He now looked straight at Patty. Itll be alright, said Patrick, in his deep, calming voice. How can you say that? asked Brady, speaking rapidly. Were fighting some ancient evil, and Brian is the only one that seems to really understand whats going on, and Courtney and Bri are obviously crazy, and I get the idea that Sparticus and Steve dont even give a damn about what happens to us either way. How are we suppo-? But he was cut off at this point, as Patrick, following a whim that he neither had foreseen nor understood, grabbed Brady and locked him in a passionate kiss. Brady did not struggle, melting into Pattys arms. What are you doing? he gasped breathlessly. Patty did not answer. Instead, he kissed him again, pushing Brady insistently but gently back towards the sofa. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Are you busy? I can spare a moment, answered Sparticus, looking up from his work. They were alone. I need to tell you something, she said, entering. Whatever Sparticus was expecting to hear, it was far from what came out of Bris mouth. I think Im in love with you, she said. His jaw, freed from its usual confine of the mask, dropped. What? he stammered. You heard me. Ive known it for a while, but I figured, since we may all die tomorrow, that I should let you know. Sparticus did not answer. Nor did he admit aloud that he had played out this scenario in his mind dozens of times over. Well? she said, looking at him hopefully. His heart was in his mouth, he could feel it pulsing. I I love you too, he managed. She looked for a moment as though she could not believe her ears. What? she asked, standing up. You heard me, said Sparticus, rising as well. Before he was on his feet, Bris mouth was on his, and he felt himself toppling over backwards, followed by a spectacularly unfamiliar loss of control. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Are you ready? Courtney looked around to see who was addressing her, but she knew who it was before she laid eyes on him. Yes, she said, dignified, her voice cold. He flinched, as though hurt by the noise, which somehow inspired sympathy in her. Yeah, she repeated, more softly. I think I am. What about you? I dont have much to do, do I? he said, chuckling. But he grew serious again quickly. Yes, I am. You have plenty to do, she said grudgingly. Without you, the whole thing would be a bust, you know that. I dont have even half as much as you do, though. Yeah, well. Just admit it, she said. He looked at her inquisitively. Im just prepared to handle more than you are. He grinned, and she returned it. Sure, you go on thinking that, he said. Laughing quietly, he turned to leave. Suddenly, though, he felt a arm on his shoulder, spinning him around, and next second, he found Courtney literally leaping into her arms, and embracing him. Stumbling slightly, he returned her frantic kiss. She leaned her weight backwards, and flinched slightly as she felt her back collide with the wall of her apartment, Drew pressing against her, his smell filling her nostrils. Chapter 20<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Morning dawned usually early with a rising sense of horror. Just after dawn, Brady was outside of the Mansion (Patty have gone off to attend to his own myriad of chores), tending to the lush, productive gardens, always out of place in the harsh desert surrounding the Mansion. This morning was different, though, for none of the usual sounds of birds chirping nor of insects busily buzzing could be heard, and an unnatural silence pervaded the natural beauty of the gardens. Though it was quite warm out, Brady shivered once. His attempt to maintain the health of the gardens seemed a mockery to him, with the end of the Mansion seemingly so close. Not just the Mansion, he reminded himself. The entire world stood to be destroyed if the plan did not work. And Brady was unable to see how it even might work, with so much left unknown. He did not even fully understand the plan himself. Reentering the Mansion, he found the Lobby full of bustling activity, preparations still underway for the battle which was to begin within two hours. Before, Brady had noticed that the Lobby seemed larger. Now it definitely was larger, and significantly so. If before it had been huge and capacious, it now seemed gargantuan. In every dimension it had swollen, as though being filled with a fluid, its walls rubber barriers about to burst. The pillar, covered with runes just as cryptic as before, even though their meaning was apparent, seemed to glow now with an internal light. The runes that now patterned the floor seemed to pulse in rhythm with the beating of that light, though it was not exactly clear to Brady how. Sparticus entered the Lobby, seeming almost to idle by. Hey, Sparty! called Brady, jogging to catch up with him. It took a few long moments, but eventually he reached him. Is it just me, or is the Lobby bigger? It is not just you, said Sparty, looking around impassively. The Lobby is swelling like a grape fruit being pressed in upon from both sides; The Good and Evil are crushing it, and the pillar is glowing, I assume, as a response. But if the Lobby is getting crushed, then shouldnt it just expand but get lower? I mean, the ceiling should be lower. Yes, that would be the case, were the compression taking place in three dimension only, said Sparticus cryptically. Brady did not pursue the point. Sparticus nodded once, and then walked away, with something of a spring in his step, is Brady was not mistaken. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Soon afterwards, the group was all gathered together, for what they knew may be the last time. In a small sitting room, located in one of the myriad of hallways the crisscrossed the first floor, they stood in a circle, gathered haphazardly, each of them armed and armored as suited them. After a brief, wordless moment of recognition, they lowered their heads and exited, leaving Courtney, Patty, Dan, Hilary, Drew, and Brian. Are you sure we dont need a bigger armed guard? asked Drew nervously. Courtney shook her head. I told you. The spell is so powerful that itll establish its own sort of boundary. Nothing should be able to penetrate it. And let me tell you, if anything can, then we have an entire other set of worries, she answered, with reassuring calm. She and Brian seemed so confident. He did not understand. He walked close to her. Whatever happens, he said quietly, so that only she could hear. Remember that I love you. I know, she said. I think I love you too. She turned abruptly. Alright, she said, with awfully finality. Shall we begin? Opening invocations? asked Patty, somewhat skittishly. You know it, replied Court, smiling fiercely at him. They sat down in a circle, each holding a variety of magical items. Patty held a length of metal chain, which he placed in his lap, such that he might be able to hold his flute. Hilary held a branch from a Methuselah tree, in this instance the oldest one. Dan held a bottle of colored sands, from which he removed the cap at this point, as he stood and poured a very large circle around them, encompassing Drew, Brian, and the Circle, as well as a puffy chair, in which Brian now sat, engrossed in his own meditations. Courtney held, a huge, perfect diamond, cut in a flawless carbuncle, its brilliance unmatched by anything any of them had ever seen. Drew, unable to relax, paced frantically. Taking a deep breath, Courtney began. Goddess Hecate, she incanted. We invoke thee <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> In the now mammoth lobby, so large that it seemed to stretch for miles, a whole other scene was playing out. All along the walls of the perfectly square room, platforms, twenty five feet high, had been constructed, and these now housed the archers, hundreds of them, in neatly organized rows. On the stretch of platform exactly opposite the horribly wailing vines, was Sparticus, surrounded by a circle of lesser mages of various powers. There were also wizards and other spellcasters scattered throughout the ranks, wearing the same uniform so as not to draw fire. Also on that stretch of platform stood Laura, who was commanding the archery units. She was precariously perched on the very edge of the platform, crouched on her toes like a wingless angel, overlooking the empty floor. Also surrounding Sparticus were Steve, Ben, and Gary, each clutching their new weapons, as well as Adam, who was in charge of the forces as a whole. He stood next to Laura, relishing the feel of his nearly flawless balance. He held his scythe casually in one hand, carelessly hanging down. Are we ready to begin? he asked, not bothering to turn. In his head, he heard Bri reply, though the psychic link that connected them all, Lets DO this! Drew said, Courtney has just begun, and Brians meditating. I say go. In that case, said Adam, aloud, and through his mind. Let us begin! Instantly, a fire roared into existence in the center of Sparticus Circle. He began the casting at once, speaking over the crackle of flames, as his apprentices threw ingredients into the inferno. Laura stood now. Archers, ready! she boomed, her voice echoing across the great hall to everyone within it. As one, every archer stood to attention. Nock! she cried, and every archer in the front line withdrew and arrow and readied it, holding their aim towards nothing with uncanny precision. Hold! she said, and they waited, with horrible tension, for the vines to fall. As Sparticus spell reached a terrible crescendo, they did just that, dissolving into nothing more then mist, with none of the ruckus general associated with the breaking of a mighty spell. They had been worn thin. The wailing stopped, but now a horrifying darkness, almost as unsettling as the wailing, seemed to psychically pour out of the new hole. A distant rumbling arrived in their ears. It grew louder and closer, eventually reaching a roar. Suddenly, like a great wave, demon swept, in terrible numbers, into the Lobby. Instantly, fires and crackles of electricity, as well as bursts of acid and frost, exploded into life as a plethora of magical traps were set off by the demons, killing dozens in the first few seconds. More kept coming, as more and more traps were set off. Soon, the hall was almost inundated. At that moment, a whole variety of plants seemed to grow out of nowhere, forming a writing mini jungle on the floor, the plants, all of which were magically animated, attacked demons with ferocity, tearing them limb from limb. Adam smiled grimly as Bradys plants did their gruesome work. Soon, though, the plants were destroyed by the masses, even as more poured in each second. Archers, fire! screamed Laura. Instantly, a hundred or more arrows flew into the hoard. Almost all of them found a mark, and a great number found that mark in a throat or other area that marked instant death for one hideous monster or another. For a moment, their ranks seemed diminished, but they all knew that was only a temporary arrangement. Bri, your turn, said Adam aloud, and through the telepathic link. Smiling fiercely, Bri hefted her sword high over her head. For the Good! she screamed, somewhat anticlimactically, but one never would have known from the vigor with which every soldier, of the hundreds that were there, answered that call, hefting their own swords in response. Bri started the charge. Leading one of eight contingents of soldiers, located in each of the eight main hallways leading off of the Lobby, she was the first of many soldiers to enter the fray. Instantly, the melee was on in full, and Sparticus was casting a spell, as Laura commanded a reload. Steve, Ben, Gary and Adam, each exchanged glances, before hefting their weapons and leaping with abandon into the fray below, turning a somersault in the air, and each of them bringing their weapons down and completely destroying whatever demon was unfortunate enough to find itself below them. The brilliance of the plan was revealed at once, as the newly arrived army cut through the opposing forces with a ferocity that was almost unbelievable. Then, when the tide swung back against them, they had the opportunity to fall back into easily defensible positions, which they had been rehearsing ad nauseam from some time, and the battle progressed as such, at least for a while, with the demons flowing rabidly towards the lines of soldiers and universally finding themselves impaled or otherwise incapacitated. Those demons that could not reach the main lines found themselves being incinerated by bursts of magic from above, or by soaring arrows. Then, however, the battle changed. With a loud crack, numerous hooded figures materialized from nowhere among the throngs of forces. Then, a bolt of lightning erupted from them, to incinerate three soldiers who happened to be caught in the blast, their eyes exploding within their heads. At about the same time, a great wind sprung up, like an intense, miniscule tornado, which went ripping along the platform, tossing several archers down into the crowds below, all of whom were ripped apart before they could draw out swords. When it approached Sparticus group, however, it dissipated into nothingness, repelled by the defensive magic Sparty had prepared. Easily the greatest sources of carnage were Ben, Gary, Steve, Adam, and Bri, each of whom soon found themselves surrounded by a great pile of demon corpses. Of course, they knew that those demons that had entered the Lobby so far had been the cannon fodder, the pawns, and that the higher up demons, those who commanded a much greater measure of power, would be arriving in short order, their coming heralded by the arrival of the monks. Sure enough, with another loud crack, dozens of teleporting demons arrived, and began wreaking havoc among the archers. Adam looked around, and without a moments hesitation, ran through the crowd, and with a great leap, scaled the wall and joined the new melee on the platforms. Casting a dimensional anchor to keep them from moving, he mentally commanded Laura to get as many of the archers prepped for melee as he could. A good number of them had already drawn swords, and were beginning to form a defensive line against the ravenous demons. They had the appearance of low slung apes, but thinner, and with much finer features then a human or ape. Their eyes glowed blue, and a crackling charge could be felt in their presence. The moved with remarkable speed, and would often attack from one direction, before vanishing and rematerializing a moment later to attack from the other. With most of them prevented from teleporting, Adam leapt into the middle of the largest group, and with a single swing of his scythe, decapitated four of them, before turning and encountering a dozen others. He made fairly quick work of them, and spent a moment reorganizing the archers, before leaping back down to the ground level. Meanwhile, a great magical battle was going on between Sparticus circle and the monks. Both sides were completely engrossed with each other, devoting their entire efforts to destroying the other. Sparticus circle created a great thunderstorm on the ceiling, and began directing lightning bolts down towards the monks. The bolts were repelled, and instead, crashed into walls, sending chunks of hot electrified rocks falling down onto human and demons alike. The storm was then dispelled, and the monks cast a spell to send those same falling rocks through the air, to pelt down upon Sparticus, whose defensive shield annihilated the projectiles with a flash. The problem, of course, was that the mages could not devote their magic to slaughtering the vastly outnumbering demons, so slowly but surely, the human lines began to thin, albeit imperceptibly so for a while. * * * <o:p></o:p> The spell was now on in full. So far, three demons had managed to escape from the Lobby and somehow find their way there, only to meet the shield established by the spell and discover their bodies disintegrating into nothingness. The harmonious singing went on and on, with the participants fully engaged in the spellcasting. Not one note wavered, nor did the song stop. Drew was getting anxious. Brian, meanwhile, sat cross-legged, his eyes shut, his breathing very, very slow and deep. He almost seemed to glow with his own internal light, which, had Drew been in the Lobby, he would have recognized as mirroring that of the great pillar, which now seemed to almost hum with energy. * * * <o:p></o:p> For Brady, situated among the archers, the scene below was like a nightmare. Great piles of demon corpses lined the floor, creating a macabre labyrinth of paths, through which soldiers had to navigate should they want to move. The defensive positions had yet to truly falter, and the six independent fighters were doing as much damage themselves as every other soldier together. Below, Ben spun and drove his hammer into the skull of one demon, before reversing the flow, parrying a kick (and breaking the opposing knee at the same time), before thrusting out behind him and crushing a sternum, then doing it all again. He was no longer moving, and instead settled into a comfortable pattern as demon after demon came to him, and found themselves soaring backwards through the air, or on the ground in pieces, as Bens inexorable circular dance steadily demolished them. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, on the other hand, found himself moving constantly, darting this way and that, ripping out a throat here, before cutting a hamstring there. Leaping and spinning, he traveled through the crowd, turning and flourishing his brilliant rapier, which almost seemed to twirl and flicker of its own accord. Kicking out with his foot, he leaned backwards and impaled one demon through the chest, before withdrawing his blade and swishing a quick circle about his head, cutting open the faces of two others, before spinning himself horizontally in air like a log rolling in water, kicking out with both legs, then landing, already on the move again. Steve shrugged off a heavy blow, his thick armor clanging heavily, before lopping off the opponents head. He merely wadded through the battle, mercilessly cutting down all in his way. Scarcely bothering to block or parry, his shield became a weapon in and of itself, knocking demons hit with it into the air, or impaling demons who met the spikes the ridged the top. Like an unstoppable force, all fell before his twirling broadsword. Bri, observing the battle out of the corner of her eye as she spun with abandon, realized that the wellspring of these demons, further down in the tunnels, were a necessary location in an attempt to stem the flow. Thus, in an impetuous move, she cut her way towards the opening, looked back up once at Sparticus, miraculously meeting his eye, and then disappeared through the door. Sparty, his eyes widening in horror, immediately changed the pace of his spellcasting, coming back at the monks with a newfound ferocity born of fear and desperation. Bri found herself in a landscape only somewhat reminiscent of the tunnels she had grown familiar with. It was dark, of course, but she had no problem seeing, owing to a peculiar variety of lights that were pouring out from the doors, all of which were open, and seemed to be disgorging demons with regularity. Bri tried to close one after cutting down the demon emerging from it, but found herself being thrown against the wall as soon as she laid a hand on the knob. Shaking her head, she moved on. The demons were thinner in the tunnels now, most of them arriving from the upper doors. Still, she was constantly battling, and she felt a new glimmer of energy as a spell, cast by Sparticus hit her, healing her wounds a little. Smiling fiercely, she battled on, moving deeper and deeper through the tunnels. * * * <o:p></o:p> Back in the Lobby, the lines finally began faltering, and the defensive positions began to disappear, as the soldiers began to break file and the fight became wilder. When Adam saw this, he commanded the archers to draw melee weapons, and then cast a spell to summon ladders for them to climb down. Laura herself remained above, shooting down enemy after enemy even in the vast confusion. The more powerful demons were now present in the hall, most of the weaker ones having been killed by spell, plant, or sword. Adam was battling against one in particular, who was gaining the edge on him. A back handed blow made him stumbled, and though he managed to block the next one with the shaft of his scythe, the force of the hit was such that he had to roll to absorb the impact. He came to his feet and cast a quick spell, launching a magical lasso towards the monsters feet. It tripped him up, and as he fell, Adam lopped off his head. Sparticus was making no progress with the monks, and in fact, one member of his circle had already been killed from the effort. Suddenly, Sparticus got word from Laura that at least ten more monks had appeared, and he swore silently. The monks, gathering their strength, unleashed a spell in the form of a bolt of inky black energy, designed to drain the life force of its target. Sparty quickly had his circle counter, launching their own explosive energy beam, this one the brightest gold, and containing an unbearably lively power. The two spells met in midair, colliding violently, and sending bolts of electricity crackling along the ground, leaving deep marks in the marble. Like two high powered water steams, splashes of energy flew from their meeting point, either healing those it touched or sending them to the ground, their forms crumbling into dust. The beams met continually, both sides on the ground taking cover for fear of death, the battle temporarily halted. Adam and Ben found themselves jostling for cover next to the platforms, Adam screaming out a shielding spell, as they huddled in the masses. Steve and Gary likewise ended up next to each other, Steve using his enchanted shield to ward off what he could. A bolt of electricity struck down next to them, frying a demon, just as a splash of the inky blackness drained the vitality out of a soldier. Shuddering briefly, they began to work their way around, Steve whispering to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Something about attacking the monks directly. Just as they pulled up even with the circle of monks, who were now gathered together, one particularly brave soldier made a break for it, rushing towards the center. As he approached though, a seemingly blasé hand motion from one of the monks in the periphery of the circle caused him to ignite. Finding himself instantly covered by crackling blue flames, his body and equipment was quickly consumed in totality. The black bolt slowly pushed closer and closer to Sparticus, with the golden energy getting more and more splayed. Another of Spartys attendants slumped to the ground, dead, and the bolt pushed ever closer. Soon, it enveloped them, their repelling force only just keeping themselves from being annihilated. Suddenly, with a brilliant crackle, another figure appeared, floating in mid air alongside Sparticus. Landing in the center of his circle, and somehow bypassing his wards with apparent ease, she, for it was a female, raised her hands high above her head, and almost writhed in exultation as a familiar golden energy enveloped her, flowing from her frail form to feed Sparticus faltering offense. The meeting point was instantly pushed back along the arc of magic, until the situation was reversed. Then, the resistance of the monks broke, and they found their physical forms being ripped to shreds, exploding into nothingness. The energy stopped. An awed silence pervaded the room. No one moved. Then, suddenly, Ben, Adam, Gary, and Steve exploded into motion, just as Laura took the opportunity to fire three, four, five arrows into the enemy ranks, taking down five demons in half as many seconds. The others likewise immediately amassed a pile of dead around them. Then, however, the ground shook. Laura, perched as she was at the edge of the platform, toppled right over, and almost hit the ground, before being caught at the last moment by a spell cast by Helen, who had come to their rescue, and who was at the moment still floating serenely. The ground shook again, and this time, it was accompanied by a palpable thickening of the darkness pouring out of the great, shattered doorway of the Lobby. At the same time, the Pillar began to glow and hum more violently yet, as thought reacting badly to some presence. A moment later, an enormous black foot appeared in the doorway. The rest of the great, hulking figure, having to duck to get through the doors, stepped out a moment later. It was the same monster that had almost killed them in the tunnels, but it was larger. Evil incarnate, it appeared, fed off of death, and the Lobby, now a chamber of death itself, seemed to lend vitality to it, and it appeared to grow slightly larger as they watched. Even the demons themselves almost seemed to cower. After a pause, it began walking forward, and a moment later, five figures were suddenly standing before it, their eyes defiant, proclaiming a duel. Instead of stopping, Evil sped up, breaking into a gallop that seemed altogether too smooth for such an enormous, hulking beast. Easily fifteen feet tall, the would-be heroes attempted to bar its path, Sparticus casting a spell even as the others hefted their weapons. But it merely swept aside Sparticus lightning bolt as though it were nothing, and simply swatted aside the other four in two great extensions of its overlong arms. It plowed through, crashing through a door on the opposite side: the door that led to Courtney and the others. As it ran, an enormous sword, itself composed of the same inky blackness that defined the material form of Evil itself on earth, formed from nothingness in Evils grip. In its wake, however, came another flood of demons, and the five heroes were left to worry in vain as they sank into the flow of battle, the circle itself dissolving into so many individual casters. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Dancing a never ending circle of death, Bri barely noticed the passage of time down in the tunnels. She was in her element. Swinging wildly, taking hit after hit, and parrying twice as many, she quickly lost count of the death toll her fabulous sword wrought. She was not even tired yet, and continued moving deeper into the tunnels. The hellscapes she witnessed through the doors were getting more and more frightening now, and the demons getting more and more virulent. She had encountered demons wielding all manners of weapons, harnessing magical power and all variety of things that she had never encountered before. In her eyes, she was the very embodiment of Good, or one aspect of it at any rate, and, subconsciously, she knew all along that she would never again see sunlight. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Well before it arrived, Drew knew that something terrible was approaching. Not understanding what might have gotten through the forces arrayed in the Lobby, but having some inkling of an idea, he steeled himself. Even so, Drew could not have been more unsettled had he witnessed the world itself ending when Evil incarnate pounded through the door, its very figure seeming to disperse shadows and bring with in an overwhelming sense of despair. For a moment, he considered deserting, before he realized that leaving the shield would only result in a more assured death. Then he felt like crying, before that impulse was swept away, in just a brief instant by a resigned, protective bent. Drawing both of his enchanted swords, he stood ready. The beast, which was holding a wicked sword, which seemed to drip black ichor, hefted his weapon, and struck at the barrier it seemed to realize was there. Lightening crackled into life, spreading along the edges of the shield as its strength was tested. Still, it held, and Drew breathed a silent sigh of relief. Behind him, the casters seemed unaware of the danger now facing them, and Brian was still silent, though he seemed to almost be on fire now, so much energy was building within him. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> In the Lobby, the intensity of the battle was now waxing, with more demons then ever filling the chamber. At the same time, Sparticus and Helen, fiery beacons of death and hope, spread magical destruction all around them, hurling massively powerful spells without the slightest hint of effort. All around them, they saw humans being dismembered, even as demon blood stained the marble floors, creating a slick, sickening sensation as they walked across the floor, their hands and mouths never ceasing. So intent upon spellcasting were that that they never thought about the blood, nor did they have to tread carefully so as not to trip. Their powerful minds, both ancient, in their own way, carried them along flawless, as magic poured from their veins. Sparticus cried out, and a rose into the air, surrounded by a great maelstrom of rapidly swirling winds. Demons beneath his storm found themselves ripped apart by the violent tempest. Sparticus hands, wreathed in black, billowing clouds, released bolts of blue lightening every few moments, scouring the room. Meanwhile, great hail stones fell beneath him, crushing heads. Pointing her hands towards the great doors, Helen threw a bit of dust into the air. As it settled, a terrible shaking swept across the floor. Next to the door, the ground split open, and was suffered a violent upheaval, as a localized earthquake sundered the area. Demons were tossed into the air, fell into the huge crack, and were tossed to the ground by the shaking. After a minute it receded, and the ground healed itself, crushing an untold number of demons who had been caught in the crack. Still, the demons came on. Helen, seeing what was happening, teleported back to the platform. Surveying the scene, she nodded once. Thinking loudly, she reached out with her mind, and spoke to Brady, Courtney, and Drew. You promised to visit me before you left, she said sardonically, and each of them started. It has been an absolute pleasure to be able to encounter such delightful folks as yourself, and if you are ever so blessed or cursed to be as old as I am, you may, if youre lucky, understand how and why thats so. For now, however, dearies, I need to say goodbye. Make me proud. With this, she raised her hands above her head, speaking words that even Sparticus would not have recognized, had he lived and practiced magic for another four decades. Stepping off the platform as she spoke, her feet seemed to tread on some imperceptible staircase, only made visible by the fiery footprints she left burning in midair. As she walked, her form caught fire suddenly, a pure, golden fire. She burned intensely, not seeming to be harmed by the flames, as she continued chanting. Setting down on the ground, every demon she walked past caught fire and exploded, while every human found his wounds instantly healed, and his morale and fighting spirit renewed. No one seemed to notice the incredible frail, ancient woman, ambling slowly forward with impeccable posture, chanting while burning violently, except for Sparticus, Gary, and Adam, who stared on in horror. As she reached the center of the room, she gave one last, terrific cackle, so loud that many had to cover their ears, and that was heard far beyond where such a sound should have been, before her form immolated completely in a miraculous terrible explosion of golden fire. Roaring over the entire lobby, filling the very air, washing over every being, before pouring out through the great doors, it had an amazing effect. Every demon touched found themselves instantly disintegrated, their bodies ripped apart by holy fire, while every human felt healed as their friends earlier had been. When the fire cleared, Helen was gone, except for a residual echo of her laugh, somehow pervading the room over the sounds of the flames. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> At the exact moment of Helens death, the shield shattered. Drew stepped forward just as the great being swung its sword down towards Courtney. Raising both blades to block, he formed an x-shape with them, hoping it would be enough. He did not even register as the blade sheared right through his swords, then down through his head and then his body, leaving his shattered corpse to fall into two halves, and leaving him a direct path to Courtney. Courtneys eyes shot open, and fires swelled within them. Still, she kept the spell going, seeming to grow angrier all along. Evils sword fell towards her, but was stopped suddenly, the monster tossed backwards through the air. Brian was conscious, and as Courtney looked at him, her sight magically enhanced by the power of the song she sang, he barely seemed to have a physical form at all. To her, he appeared to be a great blob of golden, fiery, human shaped energy. To the others, he glowed brilliantly, as though he were filled with some great force. Then, before Courtney could understand what was happening, Brian looked at her once, the energy of his body somehow making eye contact. She heard his voice in her mind find your enemy and destroy them, right Court? His body seemed to swell with energy, and great bolts of golden light shot from his eyes, as the energy poured over. He extended his hands, and focused the energy into the manifestation of evil itself. Then his form exploded, as the massive energies ripped him apart in a glorious finish, and shot into the evil figure which roared. Finding itself inundated with energy, it exploded into three separate pieces itself, lacking forms, merely black blobs of energy, which flew with breathtaking speed through walls and barriers of the Mansion, in a straight line, then into the Lobby and through the double doors, deep into the tunnels. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> In the Lobby, Laura and Adam had quickly ordered the remaining soldiers, and most of them were remaining, into defensive positions, even as Sparticus reformed his circle. Just as the next enormous wave poured into the Lobby, three inky black blobs of nothing soared, in a flash, over them and through the doors. Looking up, and then at each other, Ben, Steve, and Gary began running towards the double doors, prepared to fight through the great, onrushing army, and through the doors into the tunnels. At that moment, however, a terrible noise reached their ears. A scream, more horrifying and all consuming then anything they had ever heard, a shrill shriek of shock, anguish, grief, anger and terrible revulsion, it filled their very beings. At the same moment, the pillar began to glow even more fully, and a beam of purely destructive energy shot out from within in, and into the oncoming demon army, simply destroying those it touched. Then, above them, a figure materialized in midair, and the screaming grew louder. Simultaneously, three other figures appeared, them forming a triangle around the first. They were singing, the sound of their songs somehow weaving into the center figures terrible wail. Ben looked more closely, and saw that it was Courtney. But it was not Courtney as he knew her. Her hair was whipping around her head violently, as though a great wind surrounded her. She looked crazed, her eyes wide, pitch black, and horrifying. Finally, she stopped screaming, and resumed singing, this time in a fast pace, violent way, every word firing from her like an arrow. As she sang, she began disgorging bolts of lighting with angry fervor, crashing into the demon army. Seeing their chance, Ben, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place>, and Steve ran, and each stole one more glance at Courtney before they slipped into darkness. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Bri ducked instinctively as the black blob passed above her. It came to a stop, though fairly close by, as it crashed into a wall. When she moved forward to investigate, she found a sleight woman, little more than a girl, really, with dark heavy feature, but undeniable beautiful. She was dressed all in black, and as Bri approached, she stirred. Are you alright? asked Bri. She bent down to help. As she leaned forward, the girl sprang into consciousness, kicking out with one foot, and launching Bri a dozen feet back to land with a groan. What was that for? she asked angrily, spitting blood. I was trying to help you! she exclaimed. The woman was on her feet now, and Bri stepped forward and sliced in at her with a downward angled cut. The woman turned and flung herself into a back flip over the blade, landing with horrible ease and kicking out as Bri, overcome with momentum, turned too far. The force of the kick sent her stumbling into the wall, only just stopping herself from smashing face first into the rock. She kicked out backwards immediately, catching the young girl in the stomach, and breaking her foot in the process, and the girl proved to be more solid then rock. She grabbed Bris foot and spun her, shattering her knee in the process. Bri tried to stand, but failed, and fell back down. The girl extended her hand, her features locked in a vicious smile, and gripped in midair. Instantly, Bri felt her air supply cut off by an invisible hand. It lifted her into the air, and as she dangled there, immobile, Nikkola, for thats who the young girl was, approached her. It watched her with interest for a moment, just mere inches aware. Then, suddenly, her hands shot out, grabbed Bri head and turned, in one violently fluid motion. Bris neck, twisted all the way around, cracked sickeningly, and toppled to the floor. As it fell, Nikkola found herself being smashed in the face with a greater force then she had experienced since the sundering itself, eons ago. She flew backward, and crashed into the rock, leaving a great hole. Rising, she saw a man, a boy really, holding a large, too heavy hammer, and smelling very much like a protector of the guardhouse. His face was pale with fright, his dark features set with determination. He stepped over Bris body, and walked forward. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>, running through the tunnels, somehow seemed to just know where to go. Still, it took a fair while before he arrived at his intended location. There, in the small chamber, was a familiar, dark cloud of nothing, and familiar hopeless feeling. It stirred as he entered the room, and his rapier seemed to hum. Seeing no other solution, he stepped into the cloud, and felt a falling sensation. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Steve experienced something rather similar, up until the point where he entered a chamber, where, he supposed philosophically at the back of his mind, his destiny awaited him. He was surprised to find a small, white hair man sitting comfortably on a rock, his thinly bearded chin resting lighting on his hand, itself propped on his knee. He looked up when Steve entered, looking wholly unsurprised. So, he said, in a calm, mild mannered voice. You must be Steven. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Ben ducked under a punch that left a hole in the wall behind him, stepped to the side, and swung at her head. It smashed her hard, sending her head flailing sideways. Instead of falling, though, she merely took that momentum, and came around in a full circle with a spinning back kick, which caught Ben across the chest and sent him flying backwards, gasping for breath. She hardly seemed injured whereas he was panting, and hurriedly getting to his feet. She stepped in, and before he could react, smashed him across the face with a punch that snapped his head to the side. He caught her with an uppercut from the hammer, rising at the same time from his knees. It sent her soaring and crashing into the rock ceiling, and as she fell, Ben swung the hammer once around his head and smashed her sidelong with it as she fell, sending her skidding along the floor with a great clanging sound. She flipped back to her feet, and then rushed at Ben. Running towards him, she changed directions suddenly, and ran quickly up the wall, leaping into a spinning kick that caught Ben across the face. She was on him in a flash, with a brutal attack routine. Ben managed to parry most of the blows, but each block left his arms tingling, and the punch that got through crushed his nose, the kick breaking two or three ribs. Ben thrust out with the hammer, to find it batted aside hard. He used that momentum to spin, and smacked her across the face with a back fist that snapped her head to the side. Continuing the motion, she launched an downward angling blow from the hammer. She stepped inside the blow, however and punched him straight in the chest, fracturing his sternum, and sending him flying straight back into the rock, where he collapsed to the ground. Breathing sent waves of agony through him, and he knew that he needed medical attention soon. He stood up, and took on a defensive posture. What are you doing, Court? He though to himself. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Found himself in a desert wasteland. It was night, and strange sounds surrounded him, filtering through the total darkness to torment him with images of snakes and other creatures slithering about. Forcing himself to concentrate, his focused his senses. Suddenly, the sword hummed violently, and found himself being knocked off of his feet as a bolt of blackest energy smashed into him. Leaping to his feet, he started tracing defensive patterns in the air with his sword, following the strange impulses the rapier sometimes sent him. Suddenly, on instinct, he spun, and felt the sword cut into something almost solid. With a shrieking hiss, like that of a giant insect, he heard many feet scuttling away. The sword glowed now, just enough for him to be able to see immediately around him. The moon, though present, seemed to provide no light whatsoever. Suddenly, he felt something grip him as the light of the rapier waxed strong. A iron-tight, claw like grip, lifting him into the air from behind, and cutting into this body, crushing him. Struggling to turn his head, he saw that he was, in fact, being held in the claw of an enormous scorpion, easily twenty feet tall. Reacting quickly, he drove the rapier point first into the claw, but it was repelled. He smashed it again at the same spot, and a hole appeared in it, cracks running along the hard exoskeleton. Finally, a third time, it plunged through, in the soft flesh below. The scorpion gave a shriek, then dropped him. As he fell, he suddenly was not in the desert any longer, but in a tiny enclosed space. Using the swords light, he ascertained that the space was about five feet long, three feet wide, and two feet deep. Instantly, he felt his heart rate explode. The swords light died, and he was panting violently as sweat broke out over his body. He considered flailing about, as though that would help, but knew it would make no difference, somehow. Laying flat, he frantically began thinking of a way out. A moment later, he reached what he felt to be an inescapable solution: he was going to die there, and there was nothing else to it. Hidden Fear would rejoin with Nikkola and Giancarlo, and together they would destroy the earth, and all of his friends. There was nothing to be done, and he started to cry, his breath rattling, as he felt the air begin to thin. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> Who are you? said Steve. You know who I am, said the man. He rose, wearing a simple set of work robes, like those Sparticus usually donned. Giancarlo? Precisely, said the man, looking around impassively. Suddenly, he turned back and flung out his hands, as bolts of green energy shot towards Steve. As they hit him, his body arched and writhed with pain, and he found himself rising into the air. Then, with a jerk of his hands, the man tossed him, hard, into the wall. Now, where was I? he said. He reached out again, this time conjuring a length of chain to enclose Steve, and simultaneously summoning daggers from nowhere, which proceeded to cut shallowly into Steves flesh. One of them after dangling teasingly in front of his face for a moment, slowly, then more insistently, cut into Steves left eye. He screamed. Ah, yes, thats right, said Giancarlo delicately. Steve writhed, releasing his hold on the sword. As Steve rolled around on the ground, daggers slowly inflicting horribly painful wounds, Giancarlo stepped forward, and picked up the huge sword as though it were nothing more then a toy. He examined it slowly. So, he said slowly. This is what you all dreamed up to bind us with? This this flimsy thing? He spat the word flimsy. You all think, do you, that you can somehow contain us? He was screaming now. Weve existed since before your race even existed and you have the gall to try to contain us with this. Finely forged weapons will not hold the essence of all Evil in this world, young man. Why, is it even magical? Of course not. Why I could snap this like a twig, and he proceeded to attempt to do so. But as soon as his flesh touched the blade, he found great blisters, apparently severe enough to give pause to the essence of all Evil, springing up where he touched it. He dropped the sword, and screamed. Steve rolled in agony as the scream cut into him. He felt like his brain was being ripped totally out of his skull, his ruined eye bleeding profusely. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> At that moment, however, in the Lobby, Courtney stopped singing. In the absence of the noise, all of the battles participants froze, staring up at the ceiling in wonder. Then, her head shot straight up, just as a beam of light shot out from the pillar to encompass her. The brilliance grew greater and greater until it began to be clear that the Lobby was not a good place to be. Great arcs of lightning began shooting from Courtney, destroying anything they touched, human or demon. The demons, sensing the end nearing, began fleeing recklessly towards the double doors, with Laura, Adam and Sparticus ordering everyone out of the Mansion into the open. As they poured out the doors, Adam looked back to see Courtney and the others, linked by a great light, just as three particularly bright bolts shot out, one each from Hilary, Patty, and Dan, through the double doors, and deep down, where three fierce battles were raging. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Ben found himself dangling upside down, Nikkola clutching his foot with one hand. With the other, she gestured briefly, and a small, wicked dagger appeared in her hand. Twirling it briefly, she stabbed Ben in the stomach, ripping up through his diaphragm. He could not even scream, and merely writhed in wordless agony. Just then, however, a brilliance filled the chamber, and he found himself falling. When he managed to raise his head, what seemed like hours later but what was in reality only a brief matter of moments, he saw Nikkola lying some dozen feet away on the ground. She was standing, but so was he. The hammer was in his hand, glowing with a fierce internal light. He was aware that he was bleeding, but he moved not of his own accord, but that of the weapon, which, he sensed, contained a portion of the essence of every owner the Mansion had ever had. He stalked forward, and moved in for the strike. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> As he lay, shivering, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Suddenly found himself blinded by a great light, and then, he was standing back in the chamber, in front of a small girl, who was crying on the ground. Her blond hair was stained with blood, and she was very pretty. The weapon pulsed with anger, and he pulled back to stab. <o:p></o:p> * * * <o:p></o:p> One moment he was rolling in agony, the next, a bright light filled the room. His bounds were gone, and he found that he could deal with the pain he felt. Rising, he gripped his sword, feeling it pulsing in encouragement. Giancarlo was lying on the ground, his robes smoldering, his eyes furious. In vain, he tossed a spell at Steve, but Steve merely cut through the bolt with amazing speed, the sword shearing magic itself. He stepped forward and stabbed straight up. Giancarlo raised a hand, just as Nikkola and Hidden Fear did, but in each case, the weapon continued on as though no resistance had been put up. The rapier and sword pierced deep through their hearts, as the hammer crushed in her chest. They did not move however, transfixed in space. The ground shook, and they felt themselves slipping out of consciousness. Each of the three manifestations of Evil was slowly being absorbed, falling into the weapons, and then all was dark. Afterward<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> From outside the Mansion, all looked calm. After the great rumbling passed, it seemed, for a moment, as though all had returned to normal, as though nothing had been wrong in the first place. Brady noted that the birds were singing again, emerging from wherever they had been hiding in the dull roar before the battle. The sun even looked brighter. <o:p></o:p> When Sparticus felt that it was safe to return, he gathered around him Laura, Brady, and Adam. Brian, Drew, Ben, Bri, Steve, and Gary were not among those outside the Mansion, but Sparticus hoped that they would all be found safe inside, along with Courtney, Patty, Hilary, and Dan.<o:p></o:p> Wordlessly, he led the three of them inside. There, scattered around the central pillar, which was now back to its normal, not-glowing self, lay Ben, Steve, and Gary, each bleeding from various wounds. Approaching them, Sparticus was shocked to see that Steves eye was completely gone. Looking around, he quickly spotted Courtney, who was the only conscious person found in the room. She was on the ground, sobbing quietly. Brady ran to her and bent down to comfort her, not knowing exactly what was wrong, but noting clearly the destroyed bent of her features and remembering well the sound of her wail.<o:p></o:p> Patty, Hilary, and Dan were alright, suffering only minor injuries, but not remember anything that had happened since they began casting. The funerals for Drew, Bri, Brian, Helen (whose husband had insisted upon her memory being put to rest at the Mansion), and somewhat belatedly, Jon, were held the next week. All the Mansion residents in attendance bore remnants of the terrible battle. Steve wore an eye patch, and would until Sparticus and Courtney could fashion him a new eye. Bens torso was heavily bandaged and drawing breath was a laborious activity. Adam had suffered a concussion, and then a further shock at losing his best friend.<o:p></o:p> And the three weapons. Each of them had been fundamentally changed when they had been set to absorb and bind the shattered manifestations of Evil incarnate. They each turned black, and continuously dripped vile black fluid which smelled of death and betrayal. Courtney and Sparticus set them deep within a vault, buried beneath metal and magic, with an unspoken fear at the back of their minds about what would happen should they ever be uncovered.<o:p></o:p> Though cliché, it can be said that, in a sense, those in the Mansion lived happily ever after. It would be more realistic to say, however, that they lived well enough, each having had more than their share of personal tragedy, sadly suffering that particular consequence of being alive with some degree of frequency until their own deaths. Each of them had known, from a fairly early age that a great destiny awaited them. And they had been right about that much, at least, which, for some, was the only contentment they ever truly found. <o:p></o:p>


	Hehe amusing and dont put on a towel when you run out of the bathroom yay gary in a bathrobe >_>


	Action-packed! I can't wait for more.


	Roans not mentioned


	It's good. Nice description, good character development (which is helped by the fact that I know all the people, but it's still well done )


	Hmm, not bad, but don't forget to add Davo in there somewhere, oh yeah AND ME


	Quote: : It would be better if i was in it Yeah...


	Quote: : hmm, not bad, but don't forget to add Davo in there somewhere, oh yeah AND ME It's actually funny you mention that, because I was vaguely toying with the idea of having Davo calling over from the GT Bar to wake Gary up instead of Jon, but I changed my mind.


	Welll keep it going, and don't forget me.


	Good writing. How many chapters are you planning on doing?


	Quote: : Good writing. How many chapters are you planning on doing? I really don't know. The story is only forming in my head as I write it. I have only vague ideas where it's going, but I could see quite a few before I'm finished. I see it ending in an epic type battle, and I'll be drawing off Christian, Buffy, and other mythos, I think. Anyway, here is chapter 2. Chapter 2<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com ffice ffice" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> We need to evacuate the Mansion! This is the end of everything! I always knew something like this would happen, and now it has. Throughout the crowded lobby, numerous voices were calling out, some fearful, some with grimly knowing tones, and some in pure hysteria. Some, like Jon, however, were calm. Please, quiet down everybody! he called, his voice magically magnified by Sparticus. We need to begin. The room quieted slowly but surely, all those crowded into the large, plush lobby taking seats that had been conjured earlier that day. The appearance of the boulder was only some thirty six hours past, but to Jon it already seemed surreal. It had been Saturday, and though the day had started out normal enough, it had quickly shown itself to be averse to normality of any kind. A report reached Jon via his cell phone that satellites had picked up an enormously powerful storm system, developing as if from nowhere immediately over the Mansion. Jon thanked his informant, but assured him that they were prepared for everything, only to receive another phone call soon after. Jon, its tornadic. You all need to take shelter! Jons face turned white, and he walked over to the window of the Control Room. The storm which had sprung up outside was vicious, pounding the Mansion mercilessly, but the building could handle it. However, in the distance, he saw a cloud which appeared to be rotating, and suddenly the rain stopped, and the clouds took on a sickly, greenish appearance. Thats when he called <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com ffice:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City>. Before <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:City> Could arrive however, Sparticus walked into the room, carrying a bag of spell components, foci for his powerful incantations, and strode to the door. He paused, and turned. Youve seen the storm? he asked, his voice obscured by the mask he wore. Yes, replied Jon darkly. Im going to go stop it, raise a shield over the Mansion. Keep everyone inside, he sounded dubious, as though not sure of himself. Before Jon could reply, however, he has swept out the door. At that moment, however, something happened that drew Jons attention away from Sparticus. The Mansion shook violently. Jon, fearing that the tornado was already upon them, ran to the window, and saw Sparticus chanting and moving his hands rhythmically, in the throws of spellcasting, with a funnel of dark clouds swirling towards them menacingly. The Mansion shook again, and Jon ran into the lobby, where a chandelier had fallen, scattering shattered shards of glass around the marble floor. Just then, the first residents started pouring out the stairwell into the lobby. Just then, Sparticus stumbled back in the door, looking faint. Its done, he murmured weakly. He then collapsed. Adam, a resident and a member of the Mansion militia, rushed forward, catching Sparticus and carrying him over to the corner. Steve ran over to help as well, and within a moment they had Sparticus awake and resting. Sparticus waved his hand briefly and muttered a word in a language no one could identify, and a table sprung into existence among the hysterical crowd. Jon and Sparticus clambered up, just as <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Walked into the room. The next day, they had called a mandatory meeting of all residents. So, we have called you here today to discuss the events of yesterday, said Jon, nodding around to the other owners who were assembled on the raised platform. There was Steve, who was looking grim. Sparticus, who was still faint, was sitting closed-mouthed on a chair. And there was Gary, who somehow seemed cheerful despite the gravity of the situation. Suddenly, a girl with a small frame and long, brown hair stood. We want to know everything. Dont try to hide facts from us, she proclaimed, sounding strained yet intent on ensuring that they knew what was going on. Jon stared her down. Courtney, rest assured that you will all know exactly whats pertinent to the situation, he said, though he last words were drowned out among a chorus of shouts of protest. A tall boy stood and spoke in a Northern accent. Shes right. Full disclosure is a must. Why should we trust you all to decide whats best for us? he said fairly. Courtney flashed him a brilliant smile, before turning to hear who else was speaking. I think we should let them manage the situation as they see fit, said the boy, who was quite short, though had fairly mature composure to him. Theyve managed to keep up out of trouble for this long, why should nt we trust them? This met a chorus of agreement from some, who had rallied to Jeff, the speakers, side, which was quickly drowned out by more shouts of displeasure from others, particularly the females of the Mansion. In the back of the room, Ben and Hilary were sitting with a fairly short boy, with brown hair and a bemused look on his face. They were conversing in rapid, hushed tone, glancing around at the chaos that was breaking out around them. They looked unsettled. Finally, they stood up. Ben, the tallest, peered over the crowd and caught Sparticus eye, and mimed to him that he would like to speak. Sparticus, nodding curtly, cast a spell to magnify Bens voice. LISTEN! he boomed, stunning Hilary and Daniel, who was the boy sitting next to Ben, his deep, resonating tones echoing around the room. The clamor died down, and Ben strode quickly to the platform and jumped up to speak. Jon blocked his way. What do you think youre doing? he said sternly. Commanding the audiences attention, a task at which you seem to have failed spectacularly, responded Ben disdainfully. Jon, let him talk, said Steve, jumping up at once. Ben nodded his thanks. He might have something important to say, and, after all, hes your lieutenant. Which is exactly why he needs to fall in line and sit down , he snarled menacingly, reaching to the sword at his waist, which everyone knew produced a blade of light which cut though all but the finest forged blades. Everyone also knew that Gary and Sparticus wielded similar arms, and Ben was familiar in their use. Ben stepped back, drawing a finely forged dagger from the small scabbard he carried. He knew it would be little use against Jons wicked saber if they came to blows, but he hoped it would give him enough time to get some help before Jon ran him through. The crowd as one leaned back in fright and amazement. Immediately, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gary</st1:City></st1:place> Jumped to his feet, pulling out a his sword, which buzzed menacingly, and Sparticus stood up smartly and clapped his hands together with a resounding bang. As though an explosion had taken place, Ben and Jon were both thrown backwards, landing on the floor fifteen feet away looking livid. They were both held down. Sparticus spoke. Jon, calm down. This is not the time. Let Ben speak, this was met by a chorus of boos by those Jeff was sitting with. Finally, Steve spoke, his voice also magically loud. Enough of this, he said, his voice calm despite its fantastic volume. This is not how we handle ourselves. Peace, he looked at Jon, who nodded his resentful assent, and at Sparticus, who was nodding. Straightening himself up, Ben resumed his place, and began to speak. Courty, Brady, Im with you, and I think most of the owners are as well, more or less, he said, glancing pointedly at Jon, who was glowering. And so, Im going to tell you what I know, and the owners can then fill you in on the rest. The shaking was caused by a giant boulder which was ejected from the end of my hallway, by all appearances. It crashed into the wall at the end, and began to fall through the floor. It was monstrous in size, and Im not sure how it didnt cause more damage than it did. The walls all along the hallway to the right of my apartment were torn down, though to the left they were left unscathed. The boulder looked like it might have caused structural damage, he paused. The crowd was silent, and looked fearful. Even Jeffs crew was sitting stock still. Ben took a deep breath, then continued. As I was fleeing, I noticed that the boulder had words carved into it, he stopped, as though unable to continue. Courtney stood. What were they, she said gently. In the back, Hilary looked worried. Ben signed again. Id rather not say, he murmured, his voice weakening for the first time. Steve rose. Thank you Ben, he said. Ill take it from here. Ben returned to his seat, Hilary gazing at him with concerned, questioning eyes. Steve took the floor. Residents, he said calmly, I wonder whether any of you have noticed the weather of late. How it has been growing progressively worse. Of course weve noticed, said another speaker, Laura, who was sitting next to Courtney. How could we not have noticed? Are you saying that these events are connected? Steve chuckled. I am going to tell you he said. Yes, honestly, we do. Sparticus in particular has concerns, which the owners have discussed at length, with Ben who was witness to the boulder itself. We have theories, which I will expound upon briefly now. We do thing there is a connection, but it runs deeper than you might imagine, touching upon a basic aspect of the Mansion to which few of us pay any thought. As you all know, this House is powerfully magical. We believe that these occurrences have something to do with a disruption of the magical fields which surround and infuse the Mansion. Sparty can continue here, where I am afraid my expertise is quite limited. Sparty rose and limped to the front. Yesterday, the House sustained serious structural damage, he said blankly. Titters broke out throughout the crowd. I cast powerful magicks yesterday to rebuild the most severely strained sections, and support the building as a whole, for your safety. What concerns me more, however, is the overall pattern of destruction that has been increasingly commonplace within our residence. As some of you may know, immediately before the Incident occurred yesterday afternoon, the House was under imminent threat from a powerful twister which had sprung up, as if by magic, around the Mansion. I cast a shield to protect us from that danger, only to find yet another within the walls. And I wonder whether any of the guards have noted the increasing incidence of unnatural evils without our walls. Adam, a captain of the Guards, nodded thoughtfully, thinking of a particularly nasty incident several weeks earlier in which he had nearly been killed by what seemed to be a mere shadow. He was beginning to piece things together. So, this is what I believe, continued Sparty. I think that there has been a base disruption to the magic of the building, which has caused all of our problems. The nasty weather, the monsters, and our mysterious boulder. Could it be another wizard? said Court, sounding fearful. Chatter broke out. No, it could not, said Sparty. I am constantly on the lookout for magical infiltration and attack, as is Adam, and my other apprentices. What I think is that our problems are from within. That there is some sort of problem within the Mansion itself. I wonder, Ben, he said, addressing the back of the room, whether there has been anything strange occurring with the pocket dimension accessible through your room. Ben rose, amazed that Sparty could have known. Yes, he said. Oddly enough there has. And it was yesterday, immediately after the Incident. And now that I think about it, there was a particularly vicious dust storm going on within it, more violent a tempest than I have seen since I took up residence in the room. Which confirms both my thoughts, said Sparty, nodding. The danger is both to the actual magical foundations of the House and is coming from within. Ben, what room is located at the very end of your hallway? Well, everyone knows that, said Ben dismissively. Its room- it struck him suddenly, and he understood. The message on the boulder suddenly made perfect sense. Yes, affirmed Sparticus, nodding. Our problem is coming from Room 666, the very End of the GovMansion.


	Beautiful, I speak for everyone when I say we want more!! Thanks for incorporating me in the chapter and my magical skills, lol very appreciated. You should make this story really long, with lots of details so nothing important is left out.

Discussion Title: GOVMANSION STORY LAST CHAPTER
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