Post by Lorpius Prime on Nov 14, 2007 3:52:18 GMT -5
Jack watched the twisted silver dagger glitter in the torchlight above him and waited for it to fall, to open his throat and spill his blood into the cauldron before him. The girl lifted the knife high in her alabaster hand and Jack smiled in joy for her as she prepared for the strike.
And then all the lights went out from the hall for just a moment as the torches died. The air turned to ice and a great wind howled out from deep within the cavern towards the entrance. The girl’s hand faltered.
Thunder boomed and rolled through the hall over them, and the Mountain King stood up from his throne in alarm. Jack frowned and looked over his shoulder to the doors.
The inlaid silver trees tarnished and darkened before his eyes. Then the thunder sounded again, and this time Jack saw the great wooden doors bow inward at the noise. They splintered and broke from their hinges to collapse, leaving the mountain portal open and unguarded.
A man stepped over the wreckage and into the hall. He was straight-backed and tall, and his black clothes melted into the shadows of the cavern. The wind rushed by again and lifted the man’s cloak about his shoulders like ghastly wings.
Jack whipped his head back around as the tiny girl let out an unnatural shriek of rage. She charged past Jack at the intruder, swinging her dagger like a demon all the while keeping up the terrible banshee wail.
The stranger didn’t show the slightest bit of concern, but swatted the girl aside with a single backhanded blow. She flew in a tangle of white clothing and golden hair to land in an unmoving heap far to the left side of the hall.
The Mountain King hissed furiously. He stamped a little booted foot several times on the stone dais, and the hall echoed sympathetically. He pointed a crooked, accusing finger at the intruder.
“You are not welcome here, old man!” his voice had become a high-pitched whine.
The stranger continued his calm march towards the throne platform. Jack watched the scene, entranced. When the stranger came close enough, Jack could see that his face was young, if pale, and he wore a pointed mustache and beard which made him look like some Romantic’s idea of a dashing pirate.
He paused in his approach a few feet from Jack and smirked up at the Mountain King.
“That was careless of you, Stilzchen. Your impatience astounds me.”
The little man at his throne recoiled and wailed, sounding remarkably like his daughter. But he recovered from his terror quickly and glared down at the intruder again.
“This is mine now! Mine!” he stomped his foot again. “You can’t stop it anymore!”
The stranger was silent for a moment and Jack found himself shying away from the dark figure. Something about his eyes was breaking through Jack’s aura of calm and filling him with dread.
“Very well,” he said at last. The wind once more filled the intruder’s cloak and he lunged towards the little King who cowered and shrieked before his throne.
Jay shifted his weight uneasily. He couldn’t understand any of hushed conversation around him and he was starting to fidget. Nothing had changed outside the window, the silvery pale trees still presented an eerie scene; bare branches floated on an invisible breeze and moonlight lent the bark an ethereal glow. Jay didn’t know how long he’d been standing there watching. He dug in his waistcoat for his pocket watch but it had stopped, Jay had neglected to keep it wound.
Sighing, he twisted the tiny knob between his fingers and looked around. The soldier whom Jay had fought with earlier was staring like him silently out the window. Three of the inn guests were huddled together a few steps away, murmuring to one another in their incomprehensible guttural language.
To Jay’s right, the innkeeper and oldest of the strange men were waiting by the front door out which the Baron Münchhausen had disappeared some time ago. Jay stopped winding and frowned at his watch, he’d have to ask someone the proper time so he could reset it. For now, he replaced it in its pocket.
Turning around, Jay found the last of the small company of… whoever they were still seated at one of the bar tables; and the boy was looking straight at him. Jay blinked, then frowned. Jay was confident he’d never seen the boy before, and he was frankly becoming irritated by the number of such people who seemed to recognize him.
His frown turned lopsided as he recalled the way his mother had managed to turn him into a minor celebrity back home, and completely against his will. But this was different, Jay knew for a fact that the Times didn’t get much circulation out in the backwoods of Bavaria.
Without realizing it, he found that he’d crossed the distance to the little table, and the odd young man was now looking right up at him. Jay shrugged, then sat down.
“Hi,” he said. It seemed like the safest way to begin. Jay leaned back slightly in the little wooden chair.
The boy seemed somewhat on the short side, although he was sitting, and burly. He remained silent for a moment, then laid thick arms upon the table and nodded.
“You are Mr. Blake,” Jay couldn’t place the accent, but it didn’t sound like any of the other locals.
“Figures,” Jay sighed. He wished he had a beer to sip, but didn’t favor his chances asking the innkeeper for one.
“‘Figures’?” the boy asked, and raised a curious eyebrow.
“That you know my name,” Jay really wanted that beer now. “Just about everyone has me at a disadvantage now, it seems.”
The boy nodded reasonably, “Well your picture was very good.”
Jay blinked again, “Picture?”
“Yes, the army is looking for you,” he inclined his head towards blue-coated Bavarian who had carried him in. “And quite anxiously, too, for them to have the flyers out so fast.”
Jay turned towards the soldier himself. “Yes, well, I suppose they caught me,” he said darkly.
The boy shook his head, “No, I believe the lieutenant is one of ours. Otherwise the Baron’s pet would not have permitted him entrance.”
“Um…” Jay wasn’t sure how to respond to that.
But he didn’t have to, for the boy suddenly smiled and held out a hand, “Theodore Eremitas, Mr. Blake. I think we can spare formalities at the moment,” he winked. “I was pleased to see you survived.”
Jay snorted, “Yes, well, so was I.” He clasped Theodore’s hand and tried not to flinch at the boy’s powerful grip. “Even so…” Jay’s voice failed him and he trailed off, “I just--I wish…”
Jay gritted his teeth and looked down. Theodore nodded grimly, and neither of them spoke for a minute or two. Jay wondered what he was doing here, in a seedy bar in the middle of an unfamiliar country surrounded by strange people who seemed determined to either kill him or drive him insane. And he had to admit it seemed like they might be succeeding: reality looked to be coming apart just outside the window and now he was talking to some boy who had to be ten years younger than himself, and he was breaking down about having just watched a man get shot and killed running some damfool errand for a lunatic old hermit.
He took a deep breath and tried to contain his thoughts. “So, Theodore,” he started, “I don’t suppose you can tell me just what is going on?” Jay gestured with a hand towards the others standing by the front of the inn.
Jay watched the boy’s eyes light up, but he waited a moment before speaking again. “The mundane order is receding. You can see it breaking down,” he nodded towards the window. “It has been a long time since--”
He was cut off by the shriek which pealed through the open window and filled the bar. It was the most dreadful sound Jay had ever heard, a cry of pure, animal terror. It curdled Jay’s blood and very nearly sent him diving from his chair to cower behind the table in mortal fear.
But he couldn’t flee, his eyes were fixed on the forest from which the noise came. Each of the ghostly trees blackened, and their branches curled in on themselves like claws clenching up in death. The trees shrank before his gaze in a matter of moments then turned to dust or ash to fall and reveal the familiar sight of the dark dirt road.
Jay could see the others in the inn shuddering as the horrible sound faded. Then they all jerked in shock as the door to the inn burst open with a wooden crack. In through the opening stepped a dark shape which only vaguely resembled a human figure, it was much too large and strangely proportioned.
Then Jay snapped to his feet because it was two humans. Baron Münchhausen carried an ashen, bleeding Jack Duggan on his shoulder.
Book One, Chapter:
-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-
-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31-32-33-34-35-36-37-38-39-40-41-42-
-43-44-45-46-47-48-49-50-51-52-53-54-55-56-57-58-59-60-61-62-
Appendix: -A-B-C-
And then all the lights went out from the hall for just a moment as the torches died. The air turned to ice and a great wind howled out from deep within the cavern towards the entrance. The girl’s hand faltered.
Thunder boomed and rolled through the hall over them, and the Mountain King stood up from his throne in alarm. Jack frowned and looked over his shoulder to the doors.
The inlaid silver trees tarnished and darkened before his eyes. Then the thunder sounded again, and this time Jack saw the great wooden doors bow inward at the noise. They splintered and broke from their hinges to collapse, leaving the mountain portal open and unguarded.
A man stepped over the wreckage and into the hall. He was straight-backed and tall, and his black clothes melted into the shadows of the cavern. The wind rushed by again and lifted the man’s cloak about his shoulders like ghastly wings.
Jack whipped his head back around as the tiny girl let out an unnatural shriek of rage. She charged past Jack at the intruder, swinging her dagger like a demon all the while keeping up the terrible banshee wail.
The stranger didn’t show the slightest bit of concern, but swatted the girl aside with a single backhanded blow. She flew in a tangle of white clothing and golden hair to land in an unmoving heap far to the left side of the hall.
The Mountain King hissed furiously. He stamped a little booted foot several times on the stone dais, and the hall echoed sympathetically. He pointed a crooked, accusing finger at the intruder.
“You are not welcome here, old man!” his voice had become a high-pitched whine.
The stranger continued his calm march towards the throne platform. Jack watched the scene, entranced. When the stranger came close enough, Jack could see that his face was young, if pale, and he wore a pointed mustache and beard which made him look like some Romantic’s idea of a dashing pirate.
He paused in his approach a few feet from Jack and smirked up at the Mountain King.
“That was careless of you, Stilzchen. Your impatience astounds me.”
The little man at his throne recoiled and wailed, sounding remarkably like his daughter. But he recovered from his terror quickly and glared down at the intruder again.
“This is mine now! Mine!” he stomped his foot again. “You can’t stop it anymore!”
The stranger was silent for a moment and Jack found himself shying away from the dark figure. Something about his eyes was breaking through Jack’s aura of calm and filling him with dread.
“Very well,” he said at last. The wind once more filled the intruder’s cloak and he lunged towards the little King who cowered and shrieked before his throne.
* * *
Jay shifted his weight uneasily. He couldn’t understand any of hushed conversation around him and he was starting to fidget. Nothing had changed outside the window, the silvery pale trees still presented an eerie scene; bare branches floated on an invisible breeze and moonlight lent the bark an ethereal glow. Jay didn’t know how long he’d been standing there watching. He dug in his waistcoat for his pocket watch but it had stopped, Jay had neglected to keep it wound.
Sighing, he twisted the tiny knob between his fingers and looked around. The soldier whom Jay had fought with earlier was staring like him silently out the window. Three of the inn guests were huddled together a few steps away, murmuring to one another in their incomprehensible guttural language.
To Jay’s right, the innkeeper and oldest of the strange men were waiting by the front door out which the Baron Münchhausen had disappeared some time ago. Jay stopped winding and frowned at his watch, he’d have to ask someone the proper time so he could reset it. For now, he replaced it in its pocket.
Turning around, Jay found the last of the small company of… whoever they were still seated at one of the bar tables; and the boy was looking straight at him. Jay blinked, then frowned. Jay was confident he’d never seen the boy before, and he was frankly becoming irritated by the number of such people who seemed to recognize him.
His frown turned lopsided as he recalled the way his mother had managed to turn him into a minor celebrity back home, and completely against his will. But this was different, Jay knew for a fact that the Times didn’t get much circulation out in the backwoods of Bavaria.
Without realizing it, he found that he’d crossed the distance to the little table, and the odd young man was now looking right up at him. Jay shrugged, then sat down.
“Hi,” he said. It seemed like the safest way to begin. Jay leaned back slightly in the little wooden chair.
The boy seemed somewhat on the short side, although he was sitting, and burly. He remained silent for a moment, then laid thick arms upon the table and nodded.
“You are Mr. Blake,” Jay couldn’t place the accent, but it didn’t sound like any of the other locals.
“Figures,” Jay sighed. He wished he had a beer to sip, but didn’t favor his chances asking the innkeeper for one.
“‘Figures’?” the boy asked, and raised a curious eyebrow.
“That you know my name,” Jay really wanted that beer now. “Just about everyone has me at a disadvantage now, it seems.”
The boy nodded reasonably, “Well your picture was very good.”
Jay blinked again, “Picture?”
“Yes, the army is looking for you,” he inclined his head towards blue-coated Bavarian who had carried him in. “And quite anxiously, too, for them to have the flyers out so fast.”
Jay turned towards the soldier himself. “Yes, well, I suppose they caught me,” he said darkly.
The boy shook his head, “No, I believe the lieutenant is one of ours. Otherwise the Baron’s pet would not have permitted him entrance.”
“Um…” Jay wasn’t sure how to respond to that.
But he didn’t have to, for the boy suddenly smiled and held out a hand, “Theodore Eremitas, Mr. Blake. I think we can spare formalities at the moment,” he winked. “I was pleased to see you survived.”
Jay snorted, “Yes, well, so was I.” He clasped Theodore’s hand and tried not to flinch at the boy’s powerful grip. “Even so…” Jay’s voice failed him and he trailed off, “I just--I wish…”
Jay gritted his teeth and looked down. Theodore nodded grimly, and neither of them spoke for a minute or two. Jay wondered what he was doing here, in a seedy bar in the middle of an unfamiliar country surrounded by strange people who seemed determined to either kill him or drive him insane. And he had to admit it seemed like they might be succeeding: reality looked to be coming apart just outside the window and now he was talking to some boy who had to be ten years younger than himself, and he was breaking down about having just watched a man get shot and killed running some damfool errand for a lunatic old hermit.
He took a deep breath and tried to contain his thoughts. “So, Theodore,” he started, “I don’t suppose you can tell me just what is going on?” Jay gestured with a hand towards the others standing by the front of the inn.
Jay watched the boy’s eyes light up, but he waited a moment before speaking again. “The mundane order is receding. You can see it breaking down,” he nodded towards the window. “It has been a long time since--”
He was cut off by the shriek which pealed through the open window and filled the bar. It was the most dreadful sound Jay had ever heard, a cry of pure, animal terror. It curdled Jay’s blood and very nearly sent him diving from his chair to cower behind the table in mortal fear.
But he couldn’t flee, his eyes were fixed on the forest from which the noise came. Each of the ghostly trees blackened, and their branches curled in on themselves like claws clenching up in death. The trees shrank before his gaze in a matter of moments then turned to dust or ash to fall and reveal the familiar sight of the dark dirt road.
Jay could see the others in the inn shuddering as the horrible sound faded. Then they all jerked in shock as the door to the inn burst open with a wooden crack. In through the opening stepped a dark shape which only vaguely resembled a human figure, it was much too large and strangely proportioned.
Then Jay snapped to his feet because it was two humans. Baron Münchhausen carried an ashen, bleeding Jack Duggan on his shoulder.
Book One, Chapter:
-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-
-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31-32-33-34-35-36-37-38-39-40-41-42-
-43-44-45-46-47-48-49-50-51-52-53-54-55-56-57-58-59-60-61-62-
Appendix: -A-B-C-