WBM
Chapter Eleven
The Dread Bandits
~SV~
Lake Bled Ramblers, After 2 am, 677, 29th, October
Sidonia’s Dream-Vision of the Lake Bled Ramblers. The Wolf comes forward growling at her, Lady Leticia is scared, yet asks, “Why did you murder your leader?” The Warg Wolf snarls. Now angry, she fumes, “I liked and respected Grigori. Tell me why you killed him, he was a good man!” Krist snarls, she asks, “Explain what happened, why you did it. I want to understand your decision. I hoped you would shift to a man, and have a good reason for killing.”
She sighs, “At least show some regret.” The Warg’s eyes glare, Leticia states, “You are forcing me to guess. Fine, your snarls feel like loathing, is your fury with your clan or with me? Perhaps it is both.” Daring to step closer, she says, “I see the yellow mist, at least I know I am speaking to a shapeshifter.” As the brown Wolf comes nearer, Leticia gasps, “I see the green mist B on your left cheek, you are Krist, and it means that Grigori banished you.”
Lady Leticia admits, “I have guilt for caring for one who acts so savagely! Maybe I deserve to have your Wolf rip me to pieces. It almost seems better than being alone. I feel you no longer care for me, as you have chosen hate over my love. It is likely you never did feel love, you were just lonely. I want you. I will leave here for you. I am pouring my heart out in a way I have not done in centuries; I have not said what I desire for so long.” The Wolf growls.
Leticia pleads, “I am saying it to you, here, and now.” The Wolf’s snarl, feels like hate. She fumes, “This is a betrayal that stings me; still it is far from as bad as the old betrayal that cut me so deep, it caused me to be unwilling to love. I know you, Krist you were helping me, it is no longer a raging pain. I doubt the hurt Nicolas caused will ever heal completely. Still, you were a balm to ease my wounded ego, hurt pride, and the terrible loneliness.” Softly, Leticia states, “Last chance or I say goodbye.”
~*~
Kolo’s Catacombs, After 2 am, 677, 29th, October
Kolo says to Richard, “For now, we will let her stew, over what is to come. Carry me back to my chair.” The cousins can hear Nepathi’s screams, they imagine Kolo’s threat of beetles eating her slowly. Richard sets him in his seat, Kolo pours another drink, staring at the two Witches. The Queen worries Kolo will blame her for not finding Lola. Samala now gasps, “I swear, they said Lola was in her grave!” He nods; the Rambler hisses at the Mad Queen, “You are a gutless filthy rat.” Finishing his drink, Kolo pours another.
Kolo now asks, “Tell me of the spell!” Darciana rests back on her chair, “I was maybe ten, when I watched my ma create the potion, I wrote it down in my grimoire. Still, I did check it against her book-.” Nodding, Kolo cuts in, “Let us assume for now, that it is recorded correctly. Go on.” She says, “Ma told me while she was helping a female client, contact her loved one, the Spirit’s wife found out. She broke into the room, swinging an iron fire poker.”
Kolo chuckles as the Rambler tells him, “The wife hit her husband’s Spirit, it scattered his soul about our home.” Kolo urges “And?” Darciana states, “Ma feared that having his essence remain around her rooms, could bring a bad energy to her spells, readings, conjuring and the like. Worse, he might blame her and begin haunting her as soon as his essence was whole. Ma made a spell to clear the Spirit, Energy, and Essence that would have remained.”
She finishes, “The intent of Ma’s spell was to collect and remove it from her rooms. I think it is why she had to call a Death Reaper, and using the grave dirt, might cause the Reaper to put the Ghost’s collected essence in his grave. Ma said once the Spirit was whole, his Death Door should come. She felt he was likely to take it this time. Ma wanted him to go to the Shade Realm, so he could not haunt her.” Kolo pulls the dagger from the Rambler’s impaled hand.
Darciana asks, “I assume she was not in her grave, since you do not have Lola?” Nodding, he snorts. She acts unsure, “If it was Lola’s Grave Dirt, that you gave Nepathi, Lola should have been in her own coffin, unless her Death Door came and she took it. Was it Lola’s Grave Dirt?” Kolo frowns, “It was just the catacomb dirt, where I bury the January women, after Lola burns them out-.” His eyes widen, commanding Richard, “Get Tad, Luke, and Turley!”
As his guard turns to go, Kolo shouts, “And bring your shovels. Run!” Richard rushes out the open exit. Kolo comes to threaten Darciana, “If Lola is not here-.” She cuts in, “I promise, Lola must be where you got her dirt, or where she was destroyed at Blackstone Castle. They are the only likelihoods left, that I can think of.” The guards come in with startled gasps at the captive witches. They follow Kolo, as he opens the catacombs; going in. Darciana states, “I wonder what else is back there.” Samala says, “I hope I never find out, as it seems it is a burial ground.”
~*~
Dark Elf Castle Garden, After 2 AM, 677, 29th, October
Anthony waits until Vanna appears calm before becoming solid and approaching her, “You seem more frightened than before, when Haldir was willing to execute Alrod. Has he threatened you?” The Light Elf Queen finds she is now too humiliated to admit it and cannot look him in the eyes. Vanna scoffs, “You blame him? I fear you are not much better, after last time with me, here in this garden.”
She storms off; Anthony is suddenly before her. He whispers, “Remember.” She gasps, and Anthony states, “I only drank to learn what else was happening, and I was glad when it confirmed that you were not involved with their plan.” She glares and he sees she wants to be furious. Anthony does not blame her; he blames Haldir and Bailey, for they are responsible for her grief.
~*~
The Warg Wolf snarls at Lady Leticia, she says, “I am done pleading with you, Krist. Either speak to me and if your reason has merit, I will protect you. Continue to refuse me and I shall leave you fate to your clan.” He growls then turns, running off. Krist leaves Leticia feeling stunned and disappointed, yet knowing it is what she deserves for being involved with him. Sighing, Leticia knows she had not treated Krist like an equal, nor one she wanted to live with.
She behaved nearly as poorly as Nicolas had in his treatment of her this last century, only flying over, not caring to ask how she is doing. He only wants her to keep his country castle, flocks, herds, cattle, and people well. She blurs out of the forest and stops outside the Rambler camp, waiting. Seeing their Lady, Xiko comes to her, as Leticia keeps her distance this time. Once near enough, he bows his head, saying, “My Lady.” Xiko senses more than sees her distress.
Leticia sighs, “Kristopher chose not to speak to me. I accept your ruling; I will not intervene.” Xiko is relieved, and yet sad at what he must do. Leticia adds, “You are in charge, I am leaving, so your duties now include the castle. If it becomes something you cannot handle, you know where Nicolas is. Go to him for help.” He is stunned into silence. Yet, he had felt that things would not go well.
~*~
Kolo yells, “Lola! Are you here Lola?” Hearing a muffled cry, deep in the ground, Kolo pleads with the guards, “Tell me you can hear it this time?” The four men stop to listen, nodding as Richard says, “It might be a moan.” In the Craftroom, the two Witches hear echoes of shovels hitting dirt. Samala asks the Rambler, “When that grim skull of blue mist hit Kolo, and turned going into the Catacombs, is that when the Reaper put Lola there?”
Darciana nods, “I think so. I believe the reason it entered Kolo, is due to Lola spending time in him. Yet she was not finished binding to her soul, and could not rest in him, so the Reaper took her to the dirt.” Samala chuckles, “Stupidly, Kolo gave Nepathi dirt that covers the January Women, for the spell! It is high time things went badly for them.” Agreeing, the Rambler feels Kolo’s obsession with Sidonia and the book, caused the twins to get what they deserved.
~*~
Xiko replies to her shocking decision, “Yes, I will take care of the castle too. I am sorry this happened.” Leticia says, “I just do not understand why Grigori felt the need to interfere. What I do, is never any of his nor your concern.” Xiko sighs, “He feared Nicolas’s anger with us, if he were to learn of it.” Leticia sneers, “Grigori should have been having this conversation with me, first!”
Leticia wants to burn it all down, seething, “Since he foolishly chose not to involve me, I shall now discuss it with, you.” Xiko nods, “I am listening.” Leticia asks, “Have I ever miss-stepped where your clan is concerned?” Quickly, Xiko answers, “Never. You have given us all, for which we respect and appreciate you. I have no complaints and had not heard Grigori express any either.”
Their Lady adds, “I have managed this whole place on my own, alone for centuries, without Nicolas. What on earth made Grigori think I am suddenly incapable of making a decision about my own personal life? How dare he get involved with whom I decide to show affection; that is why he threatened Krist, am I right?” Xiko nods, “Yes partly, yet not all of why he confronted him, my Lady.”
Leticia huffs, “He never should have interfered!” The new leader had not considered it her way, either. Sighing, Xiko says, “Regrettably, it is easy to forget you have wisdom, strength, and knowledge beyond our understanding, when you look like you are only twenty-five and, dare I say, fragile?” She gets a slight grin, “You are a charmer.” He bows, and hopes to change her mind.
Xiko offers, “Kristopher’s job was to watch for wolves, yet he failed to be there several times, leaving the shepherd boys and flocks at risk. It is a habit with Krist to hide, not do his share, and cause fights. Grigori sought him for not watching for wolves, yet he suspected Krist was seeing you, and expressed concern of it angering Nicolas. His reason for worrying about you is that Krist cheated-.” Seeing her expression, Xiko recalls the tales of Nicolas’s women.
Carefully, Xiko adds, “-on Mercia, one in our clan. It hurt her badly. Krist proposed, she accepted, and was actively planning their wedding, when men from town came to harm Krist. They accused him of giving-.” Leticia is furiously drumming her fingers on her arm, Xiko hesitates hurting or angering Leticia. Yet he believes he owes her an explanation, so she knows that Grigori’s reasons for banishing Krist, were just. Xiko asks, “Do you prefer I not say?”
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~*~
Kolo calls, “Lola, I am here. Did I hear you? The Witches did not tell me the spell sent you here.” Lola’s declaration of war against the ghosts, sends more into the light of their Death Doors; no longer fearing it as much as they fear her evil threats. Lola cries out in terror, as she nears the dark gate and sees shadows coming to the Gateway. She senses and fears they are coming to take her.
The guards hit bones; they kneel wiping the dirt away. Kolo peers in, his voice quivers, “Lola are you there?” He apologizes, “I am sorry. I came as soon as I realized where you were.” Just then, Lola thinks she hears the sound of Kolo’s voice. She feels it is too late, as she is pulled toward her dark Death Door. Kolo begs, “Lola, please answer me! Give me some sort of sign, that you are here!”
~*~
Leticia states, “Go on.” Xiko finishes, “They came because of his attention to their married women. But Krist hid, it angered the towns’ men into threatening all of us, in front of the women and children. Fortunately, there were enough men in camp at the time, that it forced these men to only give us a warning, not to come to town as we were now unwelcome.” Leticia stiffens at this.
He adds, “When Mercia broke it off, he would not let her go; he threatened her, even after Grigori warned him to leave her be. Instead, Krist left dead animals on her step… it got worse, even though Grigori gave him a second warning. At the next gathering, Mercia left us, to go home with another clan more than a few weeks’ ride from here. Mercia is Wirf’s sister and only family; it caused his anger with Kristopher, and it is why he vented his feelings to you.”
Xiko sighs, “Krist’s past actions is part of why Grigori felt Krist would hurt you.” Leticia groans, Xiko says, “My Lady, I regret I did not advise him to bring his concerns to you first. He told me of his intentions; he was just going to talk to Krist. I offered to go with; he believed it would anger Krist. Where he warned him many times about those several problems, and Trina said Krist chose not to agree to do better, I am unsurprised Grigori felt he had to banish him.”
Sighing, Xiko says, “Grigori did tell him it was up to you if he was still welcome here. Grigori honestly felt banishing Krist was best for our clan, Nicolas, and you. His wife Trina, received a vision of Krist stabbing Grigori in the back and becoming a Warg. She told us where to find Grigori. I admit I still worry about Nicolas-.” Tired of hearing his name she fumes, “Nicolas? Nicolas! Why did Grigori, you, or anyone else even consider, what he thinks?”
Leticia releases her frustrations, “Has Nicolas spoken to any in your clan within the last century? I am here daily. Have I not responded to all concerns, doing what is needed, promptly? It is not Nicolas who is here for you, it is I! Clearly, the Lord does not care about any of us. Grigori should have spoken to me first!”
~*~
Lola is trying to move upward, rather than downward into her dark Death’s Door. It seems hopeless as she enters further into the ominous feeling of darkness, and sees the shadows coming for her. Lola is screaming with terror, as her twin’s next words are, “Come to me Lola.” His request somehow has power, as his call compels her in his direction, away from the darkness and angry shadows below her. It now pulls her up, towards her twin brother.
Kolo fears his third attempt is also failing to find Lola, and that this is not where she is either. He is ready to give up and go torture the Witches, when he sees a slight glow. It is getting larger, giving him hope, as Lola slowly comes up from among the bones of their victims. Kolo gasps, “Lola! Let me apologize, I had no idea you were here-.” His apology is too late, as she flies at him, Lola enters her brother, seeking safety, and without his permission.
Once there, she takes over Kolo’s body. Lola forces the Evil One to hit himself with his own hands. His guards step back in horror, yet are relieved Lola did not possess one of them. Kolo screams trying to run away. As he begs her, “Stop, I found you. I brought you back!” Kolo starts crying because she is breaking open his healing face and hands. She moans, “You let me die!” Kolo pleads limping in a circle, “I am sorry. Please, listen to me Lola!”
Going in a circle to get away from Lola, Kolo realizes he is trying to get away from himself. Commanding the Guards, he yells, “Hold my arms down, before she kills me!” His men grab and hold him; Kolo fumes at her, “I went to the graveyard seeking you! We opened your coffin, I called to you.” She is frustrated that she can no longer hurt him. Lola comes out yelling, “You caused my torments.” She leaves, Kolo yells, “I went to the Well, and looked down in it.”
Lola exits the burial ground, going toward the Craftroom. Her mind is too unfocused, to hear what Kolo is saying. He shouts, “I stared at the bottom of it, calling for you! I faced that horror for you!” Since she cannot punish him, and she knows he had help, it means there are others to blame for what happened to her. Nearly invisible, Lola groans, ‘Making Kolo hit himself has weakened me.’ Kolo angrily tells his men, “You can see she is gone, let go of me.”
~*~
Leticia admits, “I now see why Grigori was concerned, even if it was unneeded on my behalf. I appreciate you informing me, of his concerns for the clan.” She clenches her teeth adding, “I did not know Krist was failing to do his duties, or be at his assigned post. I admit I never asked him about it. I was also unaware, Krist handled his previous relationship so poorly. It is a valid concern.”
Xiko asks, “Please forgive us and stay.” She sighs, “I do forgive you.” He begs, “Please stay.” Leticia shakes her head, “I cannot, Grigori has laid his and Trek’s deaths at my feet. I can only regret it; Grigori was such a dear man. I do not know why Krist chose to kill him. Krist should have come to me at nightfall and spoken to me about Grigori’s ruling.” Xiko says, “I am sorry.”
She huffs, “It appears, even Kristopher has underestimated my ability to deal with difficult situations.” Xiko offers, “Krist has a tendency to act first and never accept the blame later.” She sighs, “Thank you. Your insight and honesty have helped to alleviate much of my anger. Yet, all I have is sorrow and regret.”
~*~
Warlock Camp, Witch-Shade Fight, After 2 AM, 677, 29th, October
Rorik sees the fighters enter the ring, with their jars and gasps, “Did he say with Shades?” Grinning, Crimson guesses, “Yes. You were too intoxicated to accept a fight you know nothing about.” Rorik shrugs, “I did not notice at the time. I guess these drinks snuck up on me.” The Goth laughs, “What would you do if you won?” Rorik just shrugs. Crimson asks, “Do you even practice magic?”
The Goth sees his reluctance, and asks, “Have you ever taken in a Spirit who is willing to fight with you?” Twenty-three-year-old Rorik admits, “No. I guess I only asked about the first fight, not realizing if I won, I needed to be possessed and use magic in the last bout. I have heard the stories of Necromancers and Warlocks being possessed by Ghosts as they go into battles. I never heard of Goths doing it, nor about anyone in these fights being possessed.”
Crimson mocks, “The Ringmaster did say it several times. Maybe your wolf would be enough to win; however, a wolf is more likely to want to kill, causing you to be sentenced. You are one crazy Rambler.” The reminder of his mum going insane, makes Rorik angry. However, he tries to blow it off, accepting the Goth is right; it was stupid to drink something unfamiliar and fight here. Rorik asks, “How did you know that my Charm would help control my shift?”
Rorik smiles, as the Goth admits, “My mother was a Rambler, before she met my Goth father; then she converted from Rambler to Goth. She has told me many stories of her childhood and their ways. I also spent time with my grandparents, who continue to live in Ramblers camps. My favorite tales at the campfire are about the curse, and the clans that were turned into shifters because of it.” The crowd’s cheers get their attention back to the starting match.
The Ringmaster shouts, “Fighters are you ready?” The crowd steps back, at their nod, the stone is put back into place, connecting the five stones so the green mist flows up becoming a dome over the two fighters. The Ringmaster shouts, “Our second fight this evening is the Necromancer challenger Rot with his Shade, Death!” The crowd roars loudly, the Ringmaster yells, “Versus Fury, our reigning champion Warlock, with his Shade, Slaughter!”
The crowd is even louder as they yell, whistle, and clap. The Ringmaster shouts, “The betting is closed. Fighters, open your Spirit Jars!” The crowd watches as the Warlock opens the lid. Before Fury can start his spell to Master Slaughter, the Shade rushes into Fury’s open mouth, possessing Fury. Slaughter entering this way, causes Fury to start choking. Fury coughs and gags with surprise, unable to say his spell to stop the Shade, Slaughter is now in control.
The dark blue mist form of Slaughter’s Shade comes out over Fury. The vicious Shade flexes his muscles for the excited fans, and the crowd roars. Loudly, the Spirit boasts, “It is I Slaughter as Master, using my Warlock Fury, for his body.” Slaughter says in a demanding tone, “I am the Champion! I am the one that you all came here to see! Not this puny Warlock and his weak magic.”
~*~
Blackstone Castle’s Front Gate, After 2 AM, 677, 29th, October
Captain Tik recalls his fatal mistake on Skull Island.
Sidonia struggles to get away, Tik insists, “I am saving you from the hail! I will protect you from everything.” Entering the cell, he lets go of the Dark Princess as she warns, “No! ‘The Dread Bandit’ hawks are territorial and very deadly!” Tik enters the cell, growling, “I will just get rid of them.” Sidonia flees back to the others on the path, saying, “Run! There are too many birds, we must leave Tik, or share his fate!” Hearing Tik’s shrill scream, they run.
A dozen red hawks fly at Tik, he shrieks, expecting them to be dove sized, not listening when she said Hawks. He tries to block their hits, as the males defend their home and family. He tosses the birds to the ground, and against the walls, stunning them. Feeling like he is winning, and impressing himself, Tik shouts, “See I am mightier than these puny birds!” Grekan stops Sidonia, “It is best to seek shelter with Tik.” Grekan is wailing with the pain, of each hit from the large hail; she eases Grekan’s pain by lifting his hood up.
The Princess pulls him away from the danger of the circling birds, which Grekan cannot see due to the hail and dark. The Red Bandit Hawks keep to the building’s edge, as their numbers grow to a hundred. Tik rushes around the cell, yelling at the birds, shattering their eggs, and shouts his triumph, “It is safe, they have all gone, and the birds have no reason to return!” Grekan shouts, “We need to seek shelter with Tik!” She insists, “Tik has only angered the birds!”
Tik has assumed his plan is working, until Sidonia does not enter the cell, he goes out seeing the Princess is gone. Just then the mother bird, black feathered with red around its eyes comes out of the dark. The Captain goes towards the path, yelling, “Princess, stay with me! You need to let me protect you from the hail!” Tik’s back is to the mother bird. Grekan assumes he knows better, trying to pull away; holding tighter Sidonia screams, “They will kill you!”
Lightning brightens the area, Andre points, yelling to Tik, “Look out!” Patch warns, “The bird is coming for you!” Tik scoffs, “I killed them all.” The Bandit Hawks have longer, sharper beaks, for fighting and spearing fish. It attacks Tik’s neck first, blood is spurting out, as the force of it knocks Tik to the dirt. Grekan is in shock, seeing as Tik rolls over, the female instantly lands on his gut. Andre groans, as the furious mother gives another piercing blow.
Her beak pierces Tik’s heart, with one thrust he is dead. Tik shudders, coming out of his dark memory, of his death by the Dread Bandit bird. Captain Tik realizes he cannot stand to be here without Sidonia, and fears Anthony’s anger at Donatello’s death as well as his missing daughter. Tik decides what to do now, going in the bunkhouse, he wakes Whitey, “I need you to cover my night-shifts.” Mostly asleep the Guard asks, “What?” Tik scowls, “I am going.”
He adds, “After Princess Sidonia.” This wakes Whitey fully, he gets up, nervously, Whitey asks, “Why?” Tik sneers, “So the High Lord does not blame us for all of this!” Tik wakes Andre and Patch next. Captain Tik orders, “Get a carriage ready, we are going after the Princess.” Andre asks, “Are you telling Captain Heg that we are going?” Tik lies, “I left him a note.” They dress, as Whitey debates telling Tik, that he hired men that are looking for Sidonia.
Yet how can he, it will expose the fact that he is willingly helping Kolo. Whitey debates leaving too, but is too exhausted. Captain Tik wakes a few more human guards. Whitey watches the men saddle their horses. Andre and Patch are driving the coach, as Tik enters the carriage, he orders them, “We head to Seaport.” Whitey yells to the Guards at the Castle’s Front Gate, “Open it, and then secure it after they leave!” They take off for the ocean.
Whitey scoffs to Jasom, “You are in charge, I have got to get some sleep.” Their acting Night Captain sees his annoyed look and says, “After working a full dayshift, I need rest. But, wake me if you need to.” Jasom nods, yet has disapproval for him and Captain Tik.
~WBM~