“Hello, Taylor. I’m glad to see you,” Jesse said.
I half smiled. “You came just in the nick—”
Jesse’s hands slammed into my chest and my body flew backward through the air, bursting through the trees and into the center of the stone circle.
My sword remained in hand and with the other I rubbed my eyes and looked into the snarling face of the HowlSage. The belt was still in its paws, but now an odd glow came from each of its jewels. A drip of saliva fell from its lips and I rolled to the side real quick to avoid the acidic liquid. I seized the moment and rolled to my feet, then crouched in a defensive position.
Jesse and Albert walked toward me. The HowlSage stood to its full height, nearly ten feet, its long arms bulging with muscle.
“Taylor, come with us. Join us,” a voice said. It wasn’t Jesse, Albert, or the HowlSage. “Your father is waiting for you.”
My dad?
“Yes, your dad. He is a prisoner, but we will let him go should you choose to join us.”
Was it possible?
“Indeed.”
It was hearing my thoughts.
I clenched my fingers around the cross wrapped around my sword’s hilt. I looked at Jesse, unsure of what he was doing. Why was he helping the HowlSage? And Albert was sliding sideways, making it difficult for me to keep him in my peripheral sight.
I started to back away. The HowlSage moved forward, Jesse and Albert continued to close in from their angles. I, their prey, was in the center of a triangle.
A scream resounded overhead, and I looked up to see the Raptoryx circling us. I felt an odd pain in my shoulders, sharp and numbing.
I slowly closed my eyes to the pain. “Please make the pain go away,” I prayed. “Help.”
A stroke of lightning blasted a nearby tree. I closed my eyes against the light as resounding thunder shook the ground. Albert, Jesse, and the HowlSage were swept off their feet and hit the wet earth. But I remained standing.
I opened my eyes and found three giant men standing around me, swords drawn before them. They moved forward, each advancing on my assailants.
A squeal came from overhead and I watched the Raptoryx bank into a dive, descending toward us. The three protectors moved back toward me and raised their swords over my head, pointed directly at the flying beast. The creature’s wings opened wide and it slowed, then began flapping and climbing back into the air. When I looked back to Jesse, he was gone, as were the HowlSage and Albert. Then, with another bright flash of lightning, the three swordsmen were also gone.
I was alone in the center of the circle. A terrifying thought crossed my mind. Jesse was awake and he’d joined them, which left in question the status of anyone at The Pink Hippo. Was anyone there hurt? Ike, Mrs. Riley, McGarrett…Melanie? If Jesse had attacked me, he may have attacked any one of them.
I spread the wings of the J-Pak. I had to get back to the others, no matter what.
I landed on a section of the old inn—the curved metal roof. Entering any other way would be too obvious if The Pink Hippo had been overrun. A small hatch atop the roof provided access to the seventh floor.
As I stepped down I saw the door at the center of the room. It was open and kneeling before it was Ike. He was alone and his shirt was torn; I could see three red streaks running across his back.
“Ike,” I whispered. “Ike, are you OK?”
He turned slowly to look at me; one of his eyes was black—he’d been punched in the face. “Is that you, Taylor?”
“Yes.”
“Do you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior?”
That was an odd question. Of course he knew I did. “Yes.”
I heard him sniffle; he got to his feet and hobbled toward me. “It’s you, really you.”
“What do you mean?”
He looked around the empty seventh floor. The skylight glowed with the early morning sun peaking over the horizon. “When I returned with Melanie, she needed to rest, so I showed her to an empty guest room on the fourth floor. I went to the workshop and not more than ten minutes later I heard lots of shouting outside. I came out to see Jesse and her running from the inn. The chief of police stumbled out the door, shouting at them, his arm bloody. He was passed by Mr. Frigg who charged after Jesse and Melanie.” Ike paused and took a deep breath. “Jesse turned and slashed at Mr. Frigg with his knife. I ran from the workshop and tried to jump Jesse from the back, but Melanie saw me and she shoved me to the ground. I fell on my face and then felt something sharp drag across my back, like fingernails.” He turned around and lifted his shirt, revealing the bloodied scrapes I’d already seen. “Then they fled together in McGarrett’s Rolls. But after the car had left the property I saw Jesse fly into the air. The extra J-Pak must have been in the car, I don’t know. But either way, I knew where he was headed—for you. I tried to raise you on the radio, but I only got static. So I ran past Mr. Frigg and Chief Rutledge, and as I passed Mrs. Riley I told her to pray. I headed straight for the seventh floor. I used the door to focus all my prayers on your safety. I knew Albert and the HowlSage were already there, but now with Jesse too, you’d need all the support you could get. This is where I’ve been since.”
It was a lot to take in. It didn’t give reason to why Jesse had betrayed us, how Melanie could turn him so quickly. “How did the HowlSage get the belt?” I asked.
“I planted it there in the circle. That’s why I knew you would find the beast there. They needed that, and I knew it was a sure thing. See, I discovered that the amulets are used to give form to the spirit of the BloodSage; each piece must be handcrafted and a ritual is performed over it, that’s why the stone circle and the Raptoryx are significant. Further, it is likely that Jesse and McGarrett were both put into The Dark Night, which is a curse of nightmares. The only way to bring them out is to kill the demon carrying out the ceremonies, in this case the HowlSage.”
I nodded. Ike had created the perfect opportunity for me.
Ike shook his head and looked at his feet. “I failed you. I hadn’t counted on Jesse’s actions.”
I did something I would have never normally done—I grabbed Ike’s chin and lifted it, looking right into his eyes. “No, you’ve done great, Ike. It was the perfect opportunity. I was seconds from making my strike when Jesse appeared. None of us knew, but I’m the one who should have sensed something was wrong. I followed him the other night; I caught him in the workshop with the belt, alone. At the time I didn’t think too much of it.”
“So what do we do now?”
I shook my head. “Is McGarrett awake?”
“No.”
“Well, let’s go check on the chief, then maybe we should get some rest. It’s been a long night, and tonight I have to hunt.”
We spoke with the wounded police chief in the infirmary. As Ike had returned and explained all he’d seen, the chief was sending patrols to the park to block any escape for Albert or the HowlSage. The night before, he’d been on the phone in the lobby when Melanie and Jesse stepped off the elevator.
When Chief Rutledge had attempted to approach the pair, Melanie ordered Jesse to attack. And before the chief could do anything, Jesse was on him, dagger out. The chief used his arm to fend off the attack, and Jesse ended his assault as soon as Melanie had exited through the front doors of The Pink Hippo. That was when Ike had come outside and seen the rest of the fight.
A patrol was sent to Melanie’s address to inform her parents that she was missing and when she was last seen she was exhibiting dangerous and violent behavior. Her whereabouts were currently unknown. The parents knew nothing of a friend named Albert, and there were only two Alberts registered in the school district, one a kindergartner, the other a fifth grader. Where had the cloaked boy come from? Was his name really Albert?
We decided that the first priority was to find Melanie and Jesse. They were in great danger, and we still had a few days to kill the HowlSage as well as stop the BloodSage from being summoned. It would happen on the full moon,
as Ike informed me.
I was to first check the canning factory and then the mines. But I was only to check as far as the entrances. The Swigarts were about to be freed from the tunnel, and my uncle and aunt would arrive sometime tomorrow. A snow plow had been dispatched specifically to bring them to Ashley Meadows. The police helicopter had been grounded at the chief’s orders due to the Raptoryx’s presence.
We hoped that together we might be able to come up with a search, rescue, and attack plan. Without discounting Ike’s or my abilities, we knew that the years of experience of my uncle and aunt and Ike’s parents would be valuable. The chief, while tactical and a believer, was not a demon hunter.
So after I checked the assigned locations, I returned to The Pink Hippo. We’d have to wait until tomorrow.
Chapter
Twenty-Two
October 27th—Friday
The mood was hopeful this morning. We’d gathered to pray in the lobby together. My uncle and aunt had been picked up by the plow and were making their way toward the bridge into town now. Their estimated time of arrival was only two hours.
After several more mechanical breakdowns at the highway tunnel, men had begun to remove the stone rubble by hand. A crawlspace large enough to escape through had nearly been dug. Our prayers were for strength of the supports and for protection of those who were trapped. We expected Ike’s parents to be free in a few more hours.
We prayed for Jesse, that not only could we find him, but free him of whatever might have possessed him. But praying together had helped keep me calm. If I’d been in my earlier state I would have felt totally lost.
But we would soon have a full team for the hunt and from there we could take on the multiple situations that had compiled. We were no longer only hunting the HowlSage, we were rescuing Jesse, awakening McGarrett, stopping a BloodSage from rising, and looking for a human who’d become power hungry. Neither Ike nor I would even pretend we knew how to deal with these things alone.
So while we waited, Ike and I checked over gear, fixed things that were broken, restocked supplies that were needed, and researched old maps of the mines. We wanted to have as much information as possible ready for Ike’s dad when he got back.
The rumbling sound of an old diesel engine signaled the plow’s arrival. I ran out of the workshop followed by Ike, and there in the rotunda was an old orange snow plow. Climbing out of the passenger side was my uncle Matt and my aunt Mary. They both looked weary, but when my aunt saw me a smile exploded across her face. She went straight for me and embraced me in a full hug.
“Taylor, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry you’ve had to face all of this alone,” she said. She released her hold and turned to Ike, embracing him. “And you, too. You’ve both been so brave.”
My uncle Matt came over and shook his head. “Taylor, I’m sorry as well. I’ve been racking my brain over all of this.”
“He has,” my aunt agreed.
“The chief has been updating me, and I believe that I know how all of this started. But I’ll explain that in a bit. First I want to know everything you’ve seen. It’s best we get started right away,” Uncle Matt explained.
Ike and I explained everything for my uncle. It took only an hour, but he needed time to think through all of it. He’d taken notes while we talked and was now at a large white board in the workshop. He was writing places, times, people, drawing arrows, connecting things.
We were briefly interrupted when Chief Rutledge arrived. They had begun bringing the survivors from the collapsed tunnel out. He offered to take Ike and I.
We rode with him and were there just a few minutes before people started emerging from the crawlspace. One by one they came out, but nearly fifteen minutes passed between each escape. We learned that Ike’s parents had chosen to be the last two out. Likely they’d figured should any demons reappear in the tunnel they should be there. While they weren’t hunters, they had a better chance than anyone to defeat the evil spirits. Ike had proven that when he rescued me from Swipe.
When Ike’s mom emerged, Ike ran through the police line and embraced her. Something tugged at my heart. A moment like that wouldn’t ever come here on earth for me, I’d have to wait until I crossed through the pearly gates. Mrs. Swigart was covered in dirt, but she was healthy and in good spirits. Mr. Swigart soon appeared, followed by two rescuers. They were all free. The reunion was cheerful to watch. Ike was so happy and his dad hadn’t been out for more than thirty seconds when he started to tell him everything about the hunt, his words flowing a mile a minute.
The entire ride back to The Pink Hippo Ike jabbered on and his parents listened. Every time I looked in the rearview mirror at the happy family, Ike’s parents were staring at him, huge smiles on their face. It was clear how worried they’d been when the news had come that the HowlSage had kidnapped Ike, but now he’d been returned. They’d gotten their son back.
At The Pink Hippo, Mr. and Mrs. Swigart went first to see McGarrett and Mrs. Riley. McGarrett hadn’t improved, but instead remained in a coma of sorts. My aunt had joined Mrs. Riley on the medical floor. But what had happened to McGarrett was beyond a physical ailment—this was deeper, and from what we understood only the beast being destroyed could free him, which was my goal. The HowlSage must be banished back to the underworld.
So to work we went. Mr. Swigart and Uncle Matt discussed and worked through the details of the previous weeks. Ike and I joined them as they filled us in on their theory of what led up to this.
“We’ve had time to evaluate what you told me as well as bring in the events that I believe started this.” Uncle Matt walked to the white board. He pointed to the word Egypt. Next to it was a date of September 15th. “It starts when we were still in Egypt. As you may know, a sarcophagus with Sage traces was recently transferred to a museum in New York. That’s where I’ve been. We’d gone to Egypt when a new catacomb was discovered by some archeologists. When we arrived, we ran into all sorts of issues.” Uncle Matt pointed to a list of bulleted items.
Passport revocations
Transportation breakdowns
License issues
Excavation restrictions
Weather delays
“Clearly, demons were at work trying to stop us from reaching the tomb.” He pointed to a last name—the Trundles. “A missionary family helped us work with the local politicians to secure the sarcophagus for transport.” Uncle Matt frowned. “Do any of you know a Melanie Trundle?”
Melanie? The girl who’d befriended me and then betrayed me? I nodded.
“She and Jesse became friends while in Egypt. I’m not sure, but something happened to each of them. Somehow, they’re under control of the Sage.”
“The HowlSage?” Ike asked. “I thought the HowlSage was being controlled by them.”
Uncle Matt shook his head. “No one can ever truly control a Sage. In the end, they control us. But no, I am talking about the BloodSage.” Uncle Matt paused for a moment and stroked his jaw, apparently deep in thought. “There was a night when Jesse and Melanie were discovered in the warehouse where the sarcophagus was being held. Melanie said she’d just wanted to see it herself. She’d asked Jesse to come along. I am sure he was taken by her, a bit of a crush. She’s a cute girl.”
I couldn’t argue with that or fault Jesse. I’d been taken by Melanie as well, so much so that I lost sight of the fight. How shallow had I been to be blinded by her beauty? Sure, I was a fourteen-year-old boy. But I wasn’t a typical one; I was supposed to be grounded, faithful to the Truth. I’d gotten to a place where the Truth was hidden from me, and it’d been because I’d stopped talking to God. I’d stopped listening for His guidance. That had all changed now; I was headed back in the right direction.
“I believe that Jesse and Melanie have been working together to raise the BloodSage. Jesse was the one to suggest that he come stay with you while we were in New York. And Melanie’s parents may have come here under their daughter’s control. Last I remember, they were commi
tted to Egypt for at least two more years.”
“What of the boy? Albert?” I asked.
“I do not believe he is a boy at all,” Uncle Matt explained.
“Then what is he?” Ike asked. “He sure looks and acts like a boy.”
“I believe he is a jinn,” Uncle Matt explained.
“A jinn?” I asked.
“Jinn are evil spirits who can take human form,” Mr. Swigart explained.
“And they are very dangerous. Regardless of what some cultures think, jinn are never good. They may act as such to humans, but only to get whatever it is they are after,” Uncle Matt added.
“So, you think that Melanie and Jesse planned all of this?” I asked.
“Not entirely, but I do think they were influenced by a jinn, one that is a subject to the BloodSage. I believe the gray mist that you have encountered is the spirit of the BloodSage,” Uncle Matt explained.
“I agree. Demons are evil, but they are not stupid. C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters displays accurately just how smart they can be. They are calculating, and they plot against us every day,” Mr. Swigart said. “The jinn would have known about the Etherpit here in Ashley Meadows. This would be the closest Etherpit to the BloodSage’s mummified remains, once transported to New York.”
“So all this time I’ve been fighting the wrong demon?” I asked.
“No, you haven’t been fighting the wrong demon. The HowlSage must still be defeated, and it has an integral part in all of this. The jinn is a master of trickery, but it does not have the magical powers needed to raise the BloodSage. That falls to the HowlSage,” said Uncle Matt.
“So how do we defeat the jinn?” Ike asked.
“There are two simultaneous steps that must be used to defeat the jinn,” said Mr. Swigart. “First, remove its cloak. This can—”
“Wait. I’ve seen this happen. At school with the maintenance guy. Albert had a pitchfork, and a ball of light hit him square in the chest. He disappeared, but his cloak remained. I went to look at it, but my hand burned when I tried touching it, and then the cloak deteriorated right before my eyes.”
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