Part 3 – Death’s Door

Daphne watched as tiny fragments of what had just been a door handle, slipped between Kai’s fingers. Cold dread seeped inside her. She only allowed herself to watch the disintegrating handle for a moment. Behind her, was an entire house that played the part of a grandiose trap. One they had just been lured into.

In this particular rendition of the horrific production they found themselves inside, she and her friends had been cast. The role they played; the three blind mice, and the little girl outside was playing the role of ‘the cheese.’

Daphne couldn’t have been more disappointed in herself. In Ketros, she had planned and pulled off similar productions, though back then, they just called them cons. They weren’t particularly elaborate. A good con always came down to good casting.

She had been sloppy. She should have known better. A simple bait and switch like this one was the first con she had ever been involved in. Back then, she’d been given a Tinc for her brilliant rendition of ‘the cheese’. Still, it hadn’t been long until she decided that she could do much better than to play the role of a crying little girl.

There something about being reunited with Clio and Kai. With them she felt invincible. Almost like she didn’t have to watch her own back anymore. As she stared down the dark hallway before her, she knew that wasn’t true. If anything, now she’d have to be more aware. She had two more backs to look out for.

Daphne led them down the hall with silent steps. All three could see passably in the dim light. As they tread carefully, Daphne couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them from the shadows. Though even with her brilliant sight, she couldn’t locate the source.

The hall smelled musty. The scent followed them into a quaint entrance hall. At least, quaint by Ketrosi standards.

The room held a fireplace to their left and a large curving staircase that ascended on their right. Two doors stood shut on the wall opposite them. Judging from the layout of the house there would be one more room to her right. Though from where she stood, Daphne couldn’t see the door.

The tainted spared a quick glance over her shoulder. Clio had one hand on her amulet and another hovering over the short sword on her hip. Kai was staring at the ceiling runners.

When Daphne followed his gaze, she noticed the dark wood runner that decorated the join was carved ever so subtly. It was quite an intricate job. It featured countless screaming faces, writhing in a mass of torment and agony.

Kai met Daphne’s eyes. His face set into a grimace. Clio ignored them both and tentatively stepped into the entrance hall.

She hadn’t walked more than a handful of paces when they all noticed the lighting change. Ever so slowly, the room around them began to grow steadily brighter. The walls revealed their shade to be a warm cream, the ceiling runners, deep mahogany.

Daphne looked to Clio. The Dwarf didn’t seem to be the cause of the illumination. Confusingly there were no other sources of light to be seen.

“Clio. Is that you?” Kai asked, regarding the light.

Clio shook her head. “Four choices, friends.” She whispered.

Daphne stepped into the room and took another look. She had cased countless houses in Ketros. So much so, that she had developed a kind of sixth sense when it came to structures and layouts.

She often noticed discrepancies; a wall too thick, or a room too small which could signal the presence of hidden passages or doors. However, there was something about this house that hid outside her sixth sense. It irked her.

It felt like a house constructed for the Reaping Festival in Ketros. An attraction for children with cleverly crafted illusions. Floors felt slanted and walls seemed like they were closing in. That was, until you identified the illusion, and the house resolved itself to be no more than a parlour trick.

However, this house had none of those tell-tale signs. It just had an irksome ambiance that made Daphne feel like she was missing something. She had allowed herself to relax because her friends were by her side, but she couldn’t assume they were going to take care of her. She had to take care of herself.

Slowly, Clio opened a door that stood alone. It held a quaint sitting room, with another fireplace but little else of note. Only that the ceiling runners were also carved in the same motif as the hallway. Daphne could only guess that it was a running motif of the family, though she couldn’t begin to understand why.

On the other side of the entrance hall through the two doors was a dining room, a kitchen, and pantry. Daphne crept around all three rooms while Clio and Kai stood guard in case anything were to come down the stairs. When she returned to her companions she shrugged.

“No sign of anything. Not even the washing up after dinner.” Daphne said in a hushed voice.

“Any clue of what this beast could be?” Kai whispered.

Daphne shrugged. “Sorry. Not yet.”

The idea passed through Daphne’s head that just as there was most likely no Helen outside, perhaps there was no beast or mother inside. They had been lured into a trap by a little girl. Daphne was sure the little wretch would be getting a Tinc for her performance.

One thing was certain; magic was definitely in play. The doorhandle was evidence of that. Though perhaps this was all the girl’s mother’s idea of a joke. A village as gloomy as Bris was sure to warp a sense of humour. Though Daphne hoped, she knew the situation wouldn’t be so benevolent.

Clio looked toward the staircase. She looked back at Daphne and Kai. They nodded. Daphne stepped out in front of Clio and led the way up the staircase. Her footsteps were soft as kitten. Every muscle in her body and tail counterbalancing for soft, even pressure. She led the other two around where she was sure there would be creaks and groans in the stairs. For the most part; Kai was hard pressed to mask his heavy footfalls.

As the trio crept slowly upward, the second floor opened before them onto a small landing. They arrived to see the same cream walls framed with mahogany runners. Nestled between the panels were a handful of doors and a lone wooden mannequin wearing a suit of decorative armor.

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On its head was a bronze helmet fashioned in the old ways which covered the full face. It sported a high red and purple plume. Its chest was adorned with an engraved, bronze cuirass that matched the grieves and vambraces it was wearing. There was a short sword at its hip and a shield fastened on one arm.

Daphne took one quiet step onto the landing and without warning, the mannequin came to life. It took a heavy, creaking step off the dais on which it stood and drew its sword. Daphne sighed. She hated magic.

The mannequin’s sword flashed toward Daphne in a streak of bronze which she narrowly avoided. She circled a few steps to the mannequins left. It loaded up on another downward slash but not before Kai called on the weave.

He drew his wand from its holster under his arm. Then, he muttered a few words into his left hand while extending the wand in his right toward the mannequin. Frost formed at the joints of its sword arm, puncturing into the wood. Motes of white and blue light danced around the ice.

When the mannequin swung its sword Daphne could hear crackling and popping sounds as wooden joints strained against ice. Kai’s spell had slowed it down and Daphne had an easier time avoiding its attack.

Sword in hand, Clio charged. She shouldered the creature out of the way as she ran up the last few stairs. As it stumbled, she hacked at one of its legs, leaving a deep gash in the soft wood. Daphne drew her chitin rapier, a weapon of bygone days rarely seen, crafted from the spine of a giant insect. It wouldn’t be much use against a wooden dummy covered in bronze, but it was better than cocking her fists at it like a mad woman.

The mannequin slashed again, this time at Clio. Kai was already slinging more frost with his wand. He focused on the elbow joint of its sword arm, trying to slow it down. It was a near thing, Clio stepped out of the way as bronze sang inches from her face. She delivered a back swing in retaliation that bounced off mannequin’s cuirass.

Daphne landed a heavy front kick in the small of the creatures back. The mannequin lunged forward on unsteady feet before crashing into one of the doors. Seizing the opportunity, Kai tried to sling another spell but lost his footing on the stairs. His concentration faltered, and the spell failed, dissipating into the aether.

Daphne kicked out again, this time aiming for the lowered sword arm. Frost still hung heavily to the joint and when her foot connected, she heard ice shatter. The clattering of its sword falling to the ceramic tiles rung up and down the house.

Just as the mannequin was regained its footing, Clio feinted with an overhand strike. The mannequin raised its shield to defend itself. Clio grabbed the shield instead.

Grasping the edge of the wide bronze dish, she turned it as though she were helming a ship at sea. On anyone else holding a shield, the action would have hyper extended the tricep, leaving the arm useless. However, on the ball and socket joint of the mannequin, the technique was ineffective.

Nonetheless the creature was preoccupied. Daphne used the moment to her advantage. She grabbed the thing by the helmet and pulled with all her might. There was a tearing and popping noise as Clio held on tight to its shield until finally the head and helmet came free. The mannequin went limp. Wood and bronze clattered to the floor.

“Fucking hell.” Kai said, climbing the last of the stairs.

“That’s a neat trick you’ve learned. Slowing it down like that.” Daphne said to him.

“I think I like your one better.” He pointed between the women. “The one where you rip it limb from limb.”

A few more congratulations were passed back and forth. Daphne had been so concerned from the moment they stepped into the house that she couldn’t rely on her friends. She had told herself that she not only had to watch her own back but theirs as well.

Since the first time she had taken that Tinc so many years ago for playing the cheese in someone else’s con, she had told herself something over and over: No one was going to watch her back for her. Before that con, she had been a foolish little girl. A victim. Her life subject to the whims and passing kindnesses of strangers on the street. A beggar didn’t watch out for herself, not truly.

Watching Kai pat Clio on the back, Daphne began to think that perhaps she had it wrong. The three of them had been caught completely off guard and come away unharmed. None of them sported even a scratch.

This was the first time they had ever been tested. They answered the call like a band who had been fighting together their whole lives. Perhaps, she didn’t have to watch her own back anymore. Perhaps they could watch each other’s.

Clio stooped to pick up the creatures’ shield. “If I had known we were walking into something so dangerous I would have come better prepared.” She hefted the shield on her arm, feeling its weight. The armour was obviously far too big for her.

Daphne waited until Clio looked like she was ready to move on. “Shall we?”

The other two nodded and Daphne led the way. She felt a new confidence rise up inside her. She still stepped silently, still felt the eyes of some unseen thing watching her, but it bothered her less. She had the two most perfect companions watching her back. Together they would protect each other.

Daphne reached out for the first door on her left. The latch lifted silently, though the hinges squeaked as it swung open. A strange wind pricked up the hairs on the back of her neck. She couldn’t feel its source. Daphne took a few silent steps into a simple bed chamber when an anomaly in her vision made her blink.

A shimmer of mist appeared and started to take shape in front of her. Quickly the apparition became more visible. It was as though motes in the air, the very Weave itself were converging to form a strange humanoid shape. The shape kept becoming clearer until the Spectre of a maid stood before Daphne.

Clio called Daphne’s name. It was too late. Before she could breathe, the Spectre had covered the distance between itself and Daphne. It raked out at the Tainted with ghostly claws.

Incorporeal fingers buried themselves up to the knuckle in Daphne’s chest, and as they raked, it felt as if her organs themselves were being torn to shreds. Daphne tried to raise her hand in defence, tried to breathe, but she couldn’t do either.

Her vision tunnelled on the creature and continued shrinking until there was nothing but darkness all around her. She didn’t even feel her body hit the floor.

It had only been a few heartbeats since she opened the door into the Spectre’s room. She didn’t even have a moment to think of how foolish she had been. Silly little girl.

She had assumed herself safe because she was fighting side by side with friends. They were the thoughts of a foolish girl. A girl she assumed had been left behind on the streets of Ketros so very long ago. Now they were the thoughts of a dead girl.

*

Daphne blinked. She swore she had only blinked. She remembered her vision tunnelling. Remembered the blackness, but only for a moment. Only for a blink.

When she opened her eyes again everything was different. The room had been turned upside down. Literally and figuratively. The furniture was shattered, deep grooves had been cut into the dark wood floorboards. The bitter scent of ozone hung in the air. Daphne witnessed it all from flat on her back.

Had she feinted? No. She remembered those ghostly claws sinking deep into her chest. She remembered falling, but she had never hit the ground.

She looked for the creature. Looked for her companions. Clio sat above her rocking back and forth. She was bloody, it ran in rivers down the Dwarf’s forehead as she whispered a deluge of prayers to her Goddess. Daphne noticed Clio’s hand rested gently on her pink shoulder.

“She’s alive.” Kai said.

Clio opened her eyes. When she saw Daphne looking back at her she breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Thank Iros. Thank you.”

Kai didn’t look much better than Clio. He was nursing one of his arms and Daphne could see deep bruising on one of his legs. She still felt that illusive sensation, as though someone or something was watching her.

What she couldn’t feel was that strange air that blew from nowhere and held the hairs on the back of her neck to attention. She had felt it when she entered the room. Just before she had seen the spectre.

“Is it gone?” Daphne croaked.

Clio nodded. Kai was keeping one eye on the room and another out the door.

“What happened?” Daphne asked.

“We weren’t careful enough, Daphne.” Clio said after a heavy sigh. “You very nearly died.”