Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification
Chapter 24
__________________
Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast"
Chapter 8- "The woods III"
__________________
"In this jungle there are always two kinds of animals. There are the predators and the prey. The ones who will eat and the ones that will be eaten. Those who would kill and those who would be killed. Which one of them are you?"
~ Lycan's words to Hunter during their first meeting.
His response:
"Like moths to the flame, my prey dance to my hand...and to their deaths."
_________________
30th April, 1886.
23:41
Outside the Screaming Woods.
_________________
"Beware" said the danger sign at the entrance to the woods.
A short man stood before the sign, staring at it with an abnormal intensity.
There was smoke billowing out of the woods at night. And when there was smoke there was usually a fire. This kind of smoke however , belonged to a campfire.
Campfire meant people. And they weren't far away.
"The woods to the east are supposed to be off limits."
These words have been said so many times they don't need to be. The Screaming Woods, the long stretch of forest between Weidson and Rimus were known far and wide for the mysterious bone-chilling screams that could be heard from within at the dead of night.
Nowadays the screaming woods have stopped 'screaming', but the danger still remains. Whoever steps foot inside, doesn't come out.
"Strange things lurk inside this place. Many people don't believe in them; and not too long ago, I was one of those people. Until these strange things start to happen in town, make you wonder...what the hell is going on?"
"It wasn't just the Bloody hill."
Shaun turned to look at his deputy. Mrs.Reinhard. She wasn't smiling back. Instead she looks worried.
'For my sanity? No. Worry about the city first.'
'The city has changed. We didn't just find that girl's body, we found mutilated body parts of all sorts of people. At least twelve people died that night, they're remains too bloody that they can't be identified. They had families, and friends who will suffer too as they have passed. And that's all just the beginning."
'There's also these people.'
Shaun looked to his right, his eyes spotting three men dressed in military attire. These men were resting in different positions close to the woods, but outside it.
One of them had a bandaged stump of an arm- his hand was probably lost in a battle, the man might've been a genuine war veteran. This veteran was sitting in a comfortable position on a bench to the side of the fence. However he didn't look comfortable, instead he looked rather upset. Angry.
'I wonder why..'
Looking closely, under the dim moonlight, he saw what appeared to be some kind of mischievous grin on his face. It appeared that he wasn't angry at all, more that that expression was either permanently plastered into his face, or he was just born with that kind of murderous glare. Either way, the end result was a strange cross between an expression of extreme anger and an expression of genuine delight.
'Masochist. He might not be a war veteran after all...'
To the left of the so-called veteran was someone who he could only call lazy. Shaun didn't know the man, by any chance, but he looked so comfortable that he might've been at some swimming pool and he would still have the same expression on his face. No worries, no problems.
He wasn't even sitting down like normal people. No. He was almost lying down, using his hands to support his head and reclining to the bench. His legs weren't touching the floor. His gun was rested on the side, far away from him.
That stupid chubby soldier was smiling. And he even had a cigarette in his mouth and Shaun could've sworn that that silhouette he saw partially hidden behind him, was a bottle. Most likely wine.
These were the kind of people Shaun despised the most. The kind of working class men who would sleep on the job.
Thankfully, it seemed the party of military men were not complete nutcases. The thid member wasn't sitting down, he was standing upright and looking at the smoke.
"What is your rank again?"
"It's Captain. I'm nothing but a common captain, Sheriff. Nothing more."
"But you're not, and you know it. You're company is of the highest rank. Why, you report directly to the queen, esteemed Captain of the Royal Knights Ferdinand Willford."
"You know your stuff."
"Why? Why are we gathered here?"
"The strange things you were just rambling about. I'm a believer." The big man said as he flashed a smile.
"What do you mean?"
"Let's just say, we have mission. And our mission involves whoever is inside that forest."
Shaun looked confused after he said that.
"What cap here means..." one of his subordinates interrupted."..is that the Queen said it's okay to come here and kill him. So that's what we're doing."
The sherrif took a good look at the military man. He had one of his arms bandaged in such away that he appeared to be missing a hand.
"Ross, this isn't the time or place for your stupidity. Relax."
The trashy one said.
"What are you calling stupidity, you swine!" Permanent scowl retorted.
"The still act like children most of the time. It must be nice to be so young." Ferdinand thought aloud.
'What children are you talking about? They are both adult men. They are the Queen's soldiers on top of that. They should have a sense of responsibility and..forget it. Maybe I'm the strange one here.'
His subordinates glanced at him for a moment and went back to trading insults.
The two of them looked as though they were about to kill each other. And they probably would've tried if Ferdinand didn't step in and pull them away from each other.
"Your words don't mean shit, Captain Ferdinand. The city is still crap, and trusting whatever people say has never been my mode of operations."
"You want to see it? You want proof. But why?"
"It's all I ever do in those job; search for the truth, and handle weaker less competent subordinates who sometimes get the idea that they're better than me. Keeping them in line is secondary, though."
Ferdinand frowned and buttoned open his shirt. Inside was a complex voodoo symbol drawn with blood.
".. what am I looking at?"
"The reason we're here. You see, one of those 'things' inside did this to me not long ago. I just want to wait for them to finish up whatever they came here for. It doesn't matter who wins at the end, whoever's left will be vulnerable to my gun."
"I don't suppose you can divulge more information?"
"No, you don't have the clearance to know the details, sherrif."
'That's a detail in and of itself, captain. Thanks a lot for all this valuable information. I have now pieced together that assuming all your words are true- one or more supernatural thing is tied to this forest. These supernatural entities are freely able to move to and fro the woods. They are inside right now and this matter is of so much importance that even the Queen knows about this.'
'No, the Queen is probably very involved in whatever is going on. And finally, these events are directly tied to the mutilations that happened on the 27th of April.'
'Supernatural beings, Howard? Since when did you start believing in that?'
But the Captain had more to say.
"Though, there was one thing the queen said we should tell you."
'A messenge for me in particular? They've been here for more than a few minutes, how forgetful is he?'
'More importantly, why would the queen want to talk to me?'
"What is it?"
"The Queen wanted you to know that, there will be blood." Ferdinand said it straight and simple. As if it was something he said all the time.
__________________
1:07
Inside the Screaming Woods.
__________________
She wasn't feeling okay.
She was completely fine, health-wise. No kind of ailment or sickness was capable of bringing her down.
It probably wasn't something emotional either. It wasn't something she had felt before so she didn't understand it at all.
But she wasn't focused on what this feeling was. Instead she was trying to understand why this feeling was bothering her. Her of all people.
The darkness didn't bother her at all.
The eyes that watched her every move, hidden in the shadows, weren't the cause of that abnormal feeling. That kind of piercing, searching gaze was something she dealt with almost every day. From both humans and otherwise. Everybody seemed to have that idea about her. It was her image. They had different views on who she was- sometimes even *what she was- but they all had the same eyes. They all wanted or expected something from her. Some had wanted her to save them. Some blamed her for all their problems. Others simply looked up to her. A few even worshipped her.
'But this feeling was never present before.'
Fortunately, this feeling was accompanied by a familiar one. It was a sense she had honed to the near perfection, as not doing so would have cost her her very life.
It was a sense of danger. Something or someone here could hurt her.
"Valkyrie."
The voice regarded her with awe. One of the pesky followers.
Valkyrie wasn't her name. It was just one of the many names other people called her by.
"I can't believe it's really you... you're one of the.."
"Enough."
The full grown woman gave her a look that practically screamed; 'She talked! She really talked!!'
The woman didn't say that though. Her mouth was gaping wide and her eyes were...
'Unique. Those eyes aren't normal. Golden...Her attire is that of a paladin, how did I not recognise it? Could she... could she be the source of that feeling?'
"My lady, I apologize for my rudeness." She bowed her head so much so that her waist made a ninety degree with her legs.
Still bowing, the female paladin continued.
"How can I be of any assistance to you?"
"What are you doing here?"
"Hunting demons, ma'am. The Wolves and the Mages, ma'am." She raised her head. She sounded like an overexcited teenage girl in love.
'But she isn't.'
"What is your name and rank?"
'Not like I would know what those ranks mean. But this child piques my interest. I want to know more about her.'
"Ashley Greystone, ma'am. I am one of the Thirteen."
'The Thirteen. The highest rank? I understand that one at least. If memory serves me right, that means that she posseses a Blessed Name. But she appears to be in her twenties. She's still young.'
"Ashley, you were sent here to kill the Mages?"
'The High priests had decreed that the purging would occur in the winter. Months from now. Could it be that those old men want it happening now?'
"My Lady, I was..." She looked and sounded guilty.
"You weren't sent here."
"No ma'am. I just..wanted to."
"You are under no obligation to tell me anything. Do whatever pleases you. I shall be on my way."
'It's not her. She's not the cause of the strange feeling. Something else is...'
Valkyrie turned her back to Ashley and started away. The darkness parted away as she walked, as if it was afraid of her.
"Wait, my lady!"
She turned around.
"I...I think we should go together. My blessed sight allows me to see the innocent. There are seven innocent souls inside this forest, suffering unbelievable torture. Please help me."
She was shaking.
'Fear?'
"I can't do it alone, ma'am. The moment I stepped in here I realised that I was in over my head. The things that are inside are too powerful for me. But I can't just leave either. We're the only ones who can help those people.."
'She is... afraid.'
'That strange feeling. I recognise it now. I sense it from others but I have never felt it myself.'
It was the feeling of dread.
'Why? What could I possibly be afraid of?'
The Valkyrie turned her head towards the direction of the fire. She felt something tingling in her bones.
'It's that Mage.'
________________
4:02
Screaming Woods
________________
Lancaster was grinning. He was standing upright with his arms spread out.
Jordan was tucked in his sleeping bag. Fast asleep.
The campfire was still on.
'The stage is set, isn't it? Demon?'
The time has not yet come. But yes, the odds appear to be in your favour. Also, I would appreciate it if you don't refer to me as demon. It's getting annoying.
"I'll keep that in mind."
You're having fun, right?
"Yes, I'm thrilled."
Don't have too much fun now.
_______________