Silverstein didn’t break eye contact with the creature as it approached again. He tried to look deep beyond the frosty glaze that covered its eyes, but there was nothing but emptiness. It was as if the human mind had perished completely and churned up and out amongst the thick, foamy residue that dripped from its mouth as it snarled. Its skin was hideous with fluids leaking from its pores as its mouth widened and its body suddenly lunged.
It happened too fast. All he could see for that moment was white, then as he raised his hand and began to feel around his neck and face his sight returned and the Veilers were gone, retreating to the shadows from which they came.
“Leonard!” cried Magenta, who was followed by the team as they formed a protective circle around the wounded man.
He could barely hold himself up, but the pain was minimal now and he was just so relieved it was over, amazed in fact. In his mind he was certain he was done for, but fate obviously had other plans for him. He put away his dim lit wand and pushed himself up off the ground, taking a moment to find his balance as his head began to throb from the gouge along his brow.
They all had a look of horror on their faces as they cast their sights to Silverstein; especially Magenta as she trampled over the mass of bodies to get to him.
“Leonard!” She cried again as she threw herself around him, pressing her face against the damp crimson that had spilled on to his waistcoat and shirt. She had no care in the world for whoever’s blood it was, all that mattered was that he was alive - but he was badly hurt, more than he chose to believe as he placed his arm over Magenta’s shoulder, surrendering to his weakness.
“I’m okay. Honestly I’m okay,” he muttered, barely able to see from his left eye, “It’s all cosmetic, a few scratches, it's nothing. I’ll be ok.”
Magenta knew it wasn’t serious, but it did look nasty and certainly painful. His beautiful metallic coat was torn at the seams and various puncture wounds were leaking on to the fabric, but he still had a little fight in him, she could sense it as she looked up at him wishing he’d call it a day so she could take him away from the dangers that still remained in Shoulders Heath - but that was never going to happen.
“I wish there was a spell for situations like this,” she remarked, wiping the blood from around Silverstein’s eye.
“Well there was in the war. The great Morient war of eighteen seventeen. It was seen as a way of cheating death. So to make life more difficult, it was made obsolete by the Prime of the Celestial Institute. No wonder mad men hunt this god damn Phoenix,” explained Grimtale, making his way over to assist as Lillian and Robin stood at a distance, processing the sight of slaughter laid before them.
“What were those creatures, Grimtale?” asked Robin, staring at the Veiler body parts, detached and scattered amongst the fallen Enforcers.
“We’ve always called them Veilers - but they’re Human,” he explained, stood with severed arms and teeth beneath his boots.
“The mutation hides their true identities but they were once all like us until the Count got his hands on them. You’ve encountered his repossessed clowns and now you’ve seen what happens when you oppose him, when you stand your ground. Brave souls, the lot of them.”
While Magenta helped Silverstein over the bodies, the Slitherback gills continued to flutter, casting a wave of piercing deterrent across the open plain, having already forced the Veilers away to their hives, it was a reliable call, and it had saved a vital life.
As time passed, the land had fallen silent. It was peaceful as Grimtale pulled Robin aside and took a step away from the others.
“It wasn’t ever going to be pleasant,” said Grimtale, ushering Robin along, “- there’s no way of preparing anyone for a job like this. Just remember what you’ve learnt. Your wand is the most important tool you have to hand.”
Robin reached for his wand and drew it from his pocket.
“Unless it fails you,” he replied, watching the Luminous green running within the core of the wand.
“That wand will never fail you, Robin. It’s just getting to know you again, the new you.” explained Grimtale.
“I guess that could take some time.”
“Perhaps. But then again, do we ever trust anyone completely?”
Robin reached back in to his pocket and pulled out a small photograph. It had a crease down the centre where it was folded in two: he opened it up and his eyes fell glassy at the sight of his family.
“I trust, Kirsten. I’d trust her with my life.”
His eyes were glued to the photograph, a sharp reminder of how much he missed home. He had only been gone for a day - not even that - but jumping between the two realms was like being on a completely different planet. There wasn’t any certainty that he would even see his family again, not after what he had just witnessed, those bodies slaughtered amongst monsters. All he had to do now was survive the night, bring back the Phoenix and hope a normal life was still on the table, one without danger to those he loved.
There was a quick fasten of his mustard frock coat, then he climbed aboard his Slitherback, reuniting with the group who were ready to set off, heading east, back to the lake at the foot of the black mountain.
The returning journey was met with no further threat. The path ahead was clear and Silverstein had begun to feel far better, given time to calm himself from the pain and panic. He just felt numb now the bleeding had stopped.
“I’ll be ok...” he whispered, reassuring Magenta who still looked traumatised by the sight of him, covered in his own blood - a rare turn of events for the both of them.
Even Robin had a rush of concern as he slumped back in his harness, his eyes were fixated on Silverstein, he was staring at the blood-stained silver coat. The fabric was shredded and cotton strands were dancing in the cold winter wind as they rode along the dark canyon route.
There was an unspoken realisation, they had barely even arrived and it seemed as if there was already an ever looming defeat. Even if Silverstein denied it and told them otherwise, it was a blatant state of fact that they were damaged, and working any less than one hundred percent was going to hinder the next step, indefinitely. But with the odds against them, as a team, they pushed on, watching over their shoulders for hostiles and keeping their eyes peeled for the beautiful lake that was sat a little further ahead, sparkling under the glow of the moon that had climbed high, peering down over the landscape.
“Was that the worst?” asked Robin, leaning over to Grimtale who rode beside him.
“Potentially,” he replied, with a comforting twinkle in his eye as he glanced high to the disfigured rocky shapes that lined the very top of the mountains around them.
“If the Count shows, he won’t come alone. And his men are strong, they’re precise - unlike the Veilers. They’re just savages, now.”
Grimtale met Robin's gaze for a moment before glancing at Silverstein, just to make sure his attention was far from the two of them in tow. Grimtale quickly made a swooshing gesture with his hand and pointed to Robins breast pocket.
“Take out your wand,” he muttered.
Robin glanced to Silverstein, then back to Grimtale with a look of confusion.
“Why are you whispering?” asked Robin, backing away from the others in front.
“I never showed you what Professor Yuri did to your wand,” he explained, as he sunk in to the black sheep skin of his coat, relaxing as they dropped back a few lengths.
Robin whipped out his wand and held it to his right hand side, down beside his thigh.
“He said he was mapping something to its core, something that had to be kept to myself?”
Grimtale smirked beneath his thick bushy beard.
“It’s not been field tested, but I can assure you it works. If things get out of hand and you feel it’s necessary to protect yourself, you have a means of defence that Silverstein and Magenta do not.”
Robin's vision suddenly became washed by the deep red hue of Silverstein’s jacket. He didn’t under
stand why there had to be a divide that was costing people’s lives.
“This could have all been avoided if he had what we have!” said Robin angrily.
“Perhaps I was wrong. But I must follow my gut feeling, Robin. The majority have agreed, until we return, we must be weary of those who are involved with the Morient Defence,” explained Grimtale, pushing aside the overwhelming sense of guilt as his eyes kept falling on to the back of the limp and wounded Silverstein.
“Shielz-ignite. Remember those words, they will activate the defensive charm that may be essential to saving yours or someone else’s life.”
Grimtale looked away and glared towards the open ground where the vast waters of the lake began, washing gently on to the dark, damp gravel beneath the patchy snow. He was undoubtedly conflicted, but lives had already been lost to no fault of anyone, except that of the evil that they had come to suppress. If there ever could be peace, there wouldn’t be a need for such extreme measures of protection; however the world had grown dark and cold, and only a small minority of the towns in the Morient realm remained enchanted by the joys of life and the love their communities had to give. Shoulders Heath had become something sinister in the human world, but further beyond that, on the other side, the Heath was known as quite the opposite. Some would say a hidden paradise, others thought of it as a target for those who yearned to steal all that paradise had to offer.
As they neared the foot of the lake, Grimtale's Slitherback pressed on towards the front of the group, moving in position to bridge the passage to their next location.
Lillian had already arrived and was sat patiently by the water while Magenta and Silverstein carefully manoeuvred beside her as they waited for Robin, who was plodding along extremely slowly.
“Sorry guys, not quite got the hang of this yet,” he remarked as he neared.
“Lucky for you, the next part is on foot,” grunted Silverstein as he leaned forward to pat the neck of his Slitherback. Their long snake-like necks were thick and heavy, with hard scaly skin which shimmered as it caught the moonlight. Thankfully they seemed to be unfazed by the sharp stench of fresh blood, soaked deep in the fibres of Silverstein’s coat. Being somewhat peaceful creatures, their training allowed them to keep a calm and collected attitude, even when their heightened sense of smell detected the concentrated levels of iron radiating from the silver man and the land from which they came.
Their tongues flickered and their black, beady eyes followed Robin as he arrived beside them. In an attempt to fool their judgment he smiled, stemming an unbalanced flood of emotion. No one expected it, as it was rare enough for any of them to be afoot in Shoulders Heath, which meant none were familiar with the entrance that Grimtale had chosen to open, but he was the most frequent visitor to the land and knew it like the back of his hand - his judgment was trusted by most. He remained mounted as he reached for his cane and pointed it towards the water ahead of him.
There was a gentle rippling motion, then as the bulbous handle of the cane began to glow, a tiny pit hole emerged in the water and then it churned as if pulled like a drain as the lake water rushed down around the oval opening as it widened, until it was large enough to fit a Slitherback.
The water at their feet suddenly began to push apart, forming a path that ran along the bed of the lake, directly to the edge of the opening. Ready to re-enter the Morient realm. Grimtale rode his Slitherback on towards the opening. Robin watched cautiously as Grimtale faded, then disappeared beyond the dark veil.
One by one they entered, until finally it was his turn. None of the others had batted an eyelid, but now he was sat over the dark mass, he felt somewhat anxious, staring aimlessly, waiting for that kick of courage he needed as precious time ticked by. The mounted Slitherback was growing restless and was eager to climb down, knowing its home was waiting on the other end, but it could also sense that Robin was worried, it could smell the nervous sweat as it looked back at him, curiously mapping the expression on his face; but before it had a chance to aid Robin, its gaze was distracted as it noticed movement along the mountain in the distance: There were dark silhouetted figures climbing down towards them, they wore familiar metal half masks hiding their faces and gauntlets covering their hands that sparkled as they crossed into the path of moonlight.
Without a second thought the Slitherback turned to the lake and leapt for the void that was still being held open by Grimtale’s cane, disregarding Robins discomfort. He yelled as his head was forcefully thrown back, trailing his body as it was led away, and even though he’d done it twice already, this time felt different, it was just as bizarre but before he knew it, in the blink of an eye he had arrived and the gaping void had closed behind him. It kind of made him feel silly as he rubbed the ice from his brow and looked around in amazement at the new world that was waiting to be discovered. Whatever was lurking down the mountain side, back on the human side of Shoulders Heath, it was no longer a threat to them now.
The Slitherback had done them all a favour and wasted no time to warn Sachester, it’s beloved keeper who was already at its side with her long dark hair held up in a messy bun as she caressed the creatures chin.
“You understand what it’s saying?” asked Robin, looking down in fascination.
“Of course. I’ve raised them since birth, trained them. This is Edmund, he says you were being followed...”
“We were? I was too caught up with my own demons to even notice,” said Robin as he climbed down from Edmund, the Slitherback.
“It sounds like Reapers,” Sachester added as she turned to Grimtale, “- You suspected they wouldn’t be far behind, if not already a step ahead.”
Now dismounted, Grimtale made his way over to Sachester and Robin, leaning heavily on his cane.
“They missed their opportunity. They now have no other means of gaining access,” explained Grimtale, “- we exhaust their advances, then the upper hand resides with us, my dear.”
Sachester was glad to see them all, especially Grimtale who never failed to make her blush as she greeted him with a smile. There was a charm about him that kept her heart burning, a growing bloom of love buried deep within her chest. He wasn’t what most would consider the common kind of heart throb, but he had style and a powerful presence that overshadowed those around him. He was perfect for Sachester, she realised that more deeply every time she saw him; it was rare, but she sometimes caught him smiling behind his black wiry beard as he turned his attention away.
“What on earth happened?” she asked with her eyes wide as Silverstein staggered forward, holding on to his rib cage.
“Veilers, that’s what happened,” he replied abruptly.
“But I don’t understand... the call of the Slitherback was proven effective?”
Sachester was confused. The sight of Silverstein with bloody stains drying against the threads of his coat had shaken her. She may have never liked the man, but he was the last she ever expected to see in such a rough state.
“Well I was stupid enough to return on foot. But if it wasn’t for your creatures, I wouldn’t be here. I would have died with the twenty Enforcers who were pulled apart.”
Magenta placed her hand on his back as a sign of support. They were all stood in a ring, facing one another as the Slitherbacks wandered aimlessly around them, exploring the hillside they had arrived on.
The grass was frosty green and at the bottom of the hill was a town, similar to Vinemoore but far larger with rivers streaming as far as the eye could see. It was still night time in the Morient realm so the town was quiet from the outset, but the buildings were vibrant and unlike anything Robin had ever seen. The others had seen it all before but for Robin it was another pleasant surprise that left him speechless.
There was something quite abstract about the landscape and the metal plated tiles that sat tall and piercing along the rooftops. But as Robin's curious eyes strayed from the architecture, he noticed a chunky figure staggering towards them, climbing the path that led from the town to
the hillside.
“We need to get you seen to, Leonard,” said Sachester, dismissing the sight of a seventh figure.
“No,” he replied, “it’s just blood, a few scratches. I’m fine.”
Sachester looked to Magenta who gave a nod of her head.
“He’ll be ok. The wounds aren’t fatal,” said Magenta as the pink fur of her coat continued to ruffle in the gentle breeze that swept across the hillside.
Lillian suddenly turned as she felt the ground beneath her feet, shift.
Robin hadn’t taken his eyes off of it as it arrived beside Sachester, much to the surprise of everyone as they noticed. It was a tall copper man - or machine. It rattled and creaked as its body came to a halt. Its head had two luminous green eyes and a heavy jaw with a protruding under-bite that looked to be riveted into position against the sides of its head. It looked aggressive as it towered over them, but Sachester seemed somewhat relieved to see it, and the Slitherback creatures were completely oblivious to its arrival - it couldn’t of been a threat, most concluded as they stared high into the green of its eyes.
“There’s no need to look alarmed. it’s merely a mechanical man; plenty of cogs and rivets. I was toying with the possibility of housing a consciousness within him, giving the deceased a new means of living. I just never got around to it, call it a hobby of mine.”
Everyone seemed fascinated, and no one denied it being a good idea as Sachester explained what she wanted to achieve some day, in the convoluted future that laid ahead.
“Does it have a name?” asked Robin, who was met with a look of alarm from Magenta.
“What?” he asked, taking a step closer to the bronze bodied man.
“We just call him Coggo. He runs off a charm that keeps him ticking, but one day I shall give him real life.”
The Professor and the Starlight Phoenix Page 18