I saw Andrew charge his two opponents, his movements were crisp and clean. He severed the arms off the first and then took the legs off the second. Two more had come on land and he turned to face them.
I dashed forward, knowing I could not wait any longer. The SwampSage’s tongue flicked from its lips and then disappeared. It clasped its hands together and a burst of murky water shot forward. I dove right and rolled. The ball of dark liquid hit the island and sizzled. This was not water you wanted to swim in. I stood and charged at the creature.
My sword cut through the air in an arc and came down on the creature’s left arm, separating it. It swiped at me with its right hand; its long yellowed claws ripped across my chest, but did not pierce the armor I wore. With my other hand, I pitched the salt I held at the spot of the severed limb. The small clear crystals made contact and a nasty green flame erupted and sizzled from the exposed wound. The creature screeched and fell forward, writhing in agony.
One down.
I looked at Andrew; several SwampSages had been injured around him, some legless, some armless, a few limbless. He was parrying against two others who held long staffs. The weapons appeared to be a combination of vine and driftwood.
Phillip hovered over the water, but I saw no J-Pak on his back. He was slashing at three SwampSages who were attempting to capture the cloak. The creatures opposing Philip were submerged deep enough in the water that he could not get at their limbs, and you never wanted to decapitate a SwampSage. This only caused them to multiply. In this way, they were like the Hydra. Thankfully I hadn’t had to face one of those yet.
The final three Sages were coming for me. They climbed from the water and stood together. I lifted my sword and charged them. In sync, they clasped their hands and a trio of murky water orbs flew at me. I ducked and then leaped back as the water crashed at my feet. The rocks sizzled and cracked as the acid melted them. I started forward, but the creatures blasted a volley of water at me again, forcing me to roll to the left.
I popped up and launched myself at the one on the left flank of the three. I swiped my sword down and threw a handful of salt at the same time.
It worked.
The SwampSage’s right leg dropped to the ground and the salt made contact with the open wound. It sizzled and green flames burst from the wound. The SwampSage’s green scales shimmered from the firelight. It dropped to the ground and disintegrated.
The remaining two turned to face me. But I was too quick and slashed at the center SwampSage’s arms, removing them quickly with two sweeps of my blade. I launched salt at its face and caught it with its eyes wide open. It sizzled and fell to the ground in a pile of green ash.
I was on a roll. I swept across the remaining creature, but in my excitement I lost my accuracy. I’d gotten cocky. My sword swept through the SwampSage’s neck, sending its head to the ground. It was too late; the damage was done.
I was amazed how quickly the new SwampSages formed. Not even a second remained to strike the severed parts of the original Sage. I was surrounded by two new SwampSages. Its head had rolled behind me, while its body fell before me. You can imagine how dangerous these creatures could be. A hunter could quickly find himself surrounded if his attacks were not accurate.
“Taylor, jump!” Andrew yelled.
I obeyed and propelled myself into the air. Two orbs of acidic water collided right where I’d been. I landed hard on the ground a few feet away.
Andrew called for my sword and I tossed it to him. He grabbed it out of midair. With two blades, he spun and in an instant split each of the Sages in half. “Salt!” he called.
I undid a pouch and threw salt on the upper torsos of the injured Sages. They sizzled and deteriorated.
“Now take care of the rest!” Andrew ordered. “I will help Phillip.”
He tossed my sword back to me and I made quick work of the many injured SwampSages. Most were now defenseless, but left to themselves too long and they’d get back into the lake where they could regenerate. I’d just finished when the two men floated down, landing next to me. Where had these hunters come from? I’d thought that our forces were spread too thin and no help could be sent.
“I am sorry, Taylor; I have failed you,” Phillip said.
Andrew shook his head. “It is not failure, brother. All has been decided. It is part of the plan.”
“Yes, brother,” Phillip said.
“The cloak escaped. A SwampSage retrieved it and disappeared beneath the waves,” Andrew said. “We must go and so must you. Return to the workshop; your uncle and Mr. Swigart are nearly there.”
The two men bowed and then flew into the air like rockets without the fiery trail.
I stood for a moment in awe. Who had they been? Hunters? Angels?
My radio buzzed to life, and brought me back to the task at hand.
“Taylor, come in,” said Mr. Swigart’s voice.
I lifted the radio to my mouth. “It’s me.”
“Where are you? Is everything OK?” he asked.
“I’m fine. I just finished fighting SwampSages,” I explained.
“SwampSages? But we didn’t see any on the island when we left. We saw you blast off,” he said.
“No, I never left. The moment you rowed away, the fire went out and Albert appeared,” I said. “He tried to convince me to join him again. That my father was still alive.”
“Taylor you know that—” Mr. Swigart started.
“My father isn’t alive,” I said.
“No, I was going to say that…we have reason to believe he is,” Mr. Swigart said.
My heart skipped several beats and my mind began to spin.
“I told you he was,” a voice said in my mind. A searing pain shot through my head. I braced my skull with my hands as hard as I could. “You could have—” it began.
My limbs started to go numb, the pain continued in my mind.
My vision started to blur, I felt my body dropping to the ground. It was all happening in slow motion.
There was only one thing I could do. I cried out, “In the name of Jesus, leave me!”
The last thing I felt was the cold gravel against my cheek.
I woke to the clock tower bells chiming nine o’clock. I opened my eyes and saw Ike sitting in a chair at the end of my bed. Sun was shining through my windows. Was it morning? I looked at my alarm clock for confirmation.
My eyes felt thick with sleep; I rubbed them clear and looked around. Ike was not alone, his mother sat next to him, as did my Aunt Mary.
“You’re awake!” Ike cheered.
Mrs. Swigart patted his leg. “Give him a moment,” she said sweetly.
“What happened? How did I get here?” I asked.
My aunt looked at me very seriously. “We aren’t exactly sure, but Theodore heard you banish something in Jesus’ name. They went back to the island when you—”
“I went too!” Ike interrupted.
“—didn’t respond,” my aunt finished.
“And yes, nothing could keep Ike from going along,” Mrs. Swigart explained.
I didn’t remember exactly what had happened, only that I’d learned my father was still alive. A smile crossed my lips; I watched as my aunt’s and the Swigarts’ expressions changed to that of curiosity.
The world looked different to me. At the moment I didn’t even care what I’d banished, only that my dad, one of my parents, was still alive.
“Thanks for being there, Ike,” I said.
He nodded and tried to look tough. “No problem.”
My stomach felt empty. “So what’s for breakfast?” I could feel an uncontrollable grin on my face.
My aunt and Mrs. Swigart laughed.
“Typical teenage boy, always hungry,” Aunt Mary said.
And then I felt something in the pit of my stomach. “Aunt Mary…” I started. “How is…how is Jesse?”
She frowned, but recovered with a forced smile. “He has been better. He’s upstairs under supervision for the
time being.”
I knew that meant he was restrained. Demon possession was a very serious thing. And while most times prayer could help to lift the hold the demons had, I knew this was different. Jesse had called to the demon, he’d been in league with a jinn. He would have to ask for cleansing, his heart would need to change. The battle was his.
“He’ll be OK,” Mrs. Swigart said as she slipped her arm around my aunt. “I heard you say you were hungry and I think The Gathering has cooked up something extra special this morning in celebration for this morning’s victory.”
“Victory?” I asked.
“The rescue of Jesse and Melanie, the defeat of twelve SwampSages, and the arrival of the Angels,” my aunt explained. “We’ll give you a minute to change. Meet us downstairs when you are ready.”
The two women and Ike headed for the door.
“Aunt Mary?” I said. “How is McGarrett?”
She sighed. “Nothing’s changed yet. But there is still hope.”
I nodded and the three left.
I quickly changed and headed downstairs. When I stepped out of the elevator, I was greeted with cheers. I smiled and was offered several handshakes. The Gathering was growing; there were several more townspeople than before.
Three long tables were set up buffet style. There was so much food. I filled my plate at least three times. I was hungrier than I’d been in a long time. Ike sat across from me, eating. He hadn’t said much, but I wondered if he knew about my dad and if he was waiting for me to mention it.
“Ike, did you hear?” I asked.
His wide smile gave it away.
“Of course you did,” I said.
“Your dad is alive.” His eyes were bright with hope and excitement.
I nodded. It was so comforting to see that I had a friend who was as excited for me as I was.
The door to the dining hall opened and in walked Mr. Swigart, my uncle, Chief Rutledge, and another man. I recognized him instantly. It was the monk who’d told me I had the gift. The one who’d said I’d feel no fear. He was the overseer of Legion der Dämonjäger. I knew his presence signaled that our battle was the most dangerous, the most significant one the society was currently facing.
The four men sat at a separate table. They were deep in conversation, but I saw the monk eye me several times.
I finished my meal and Ike and I excused ourselves from his mom and my aunt. I wanted to tell him about the entire battle and I knew he was eager to hear about all of it.
We made our way to the largest library, but found it occupied by several praying men. We went to the second library. It was empty. We sat across from each other and I began to explain the entire battle. Before I knew it, I was on my feet reenacting my attacks for him. Ike sat still, mouth open, watching my every move.
After I’d told him the story for the third time, he asked how I felt about the news of my father. Of course, this conversation made me feel more alive. What could I do but be happy when something I’d lost was found?
Which for some reason reminded me of one of the pastor’s sermons, the very same ones I thought were boring. The pastor had once said, “Our Lord is like a shepherd; when one of us is lost, He searches for us, and when He finds us, He rejoices.”
“I’m going to find him,” I said. I waited for Ike to tell me I was nuts, that I couldn’t do that.
Instead he nodded. “I know.”
“You don’t think I’m crazy?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No, but I do think it will be dangerous and I can help. I’ve—”
I held up my hands, “Wait, Ike, it’s too dangerous for me to ask you to come. My father’s being held somewhere in the depths of the Earth.”
Ike nodded. “I know.”
The door to the library swung open. In walked the monk, unaccompanied.
“Greetings,” the monk said.
“Hello, sir,” Ike replied.
“Hello,” I said.
The monk crossed the room and bowed his head slightly. “Ike, may I speak to Taylor alone?” he asked.
“Of course,” Ike said, and in a second he’d left the library. I heard the door close.
The monk wandered to the dark fireplace. He stood and admired a small statue on the wide oak mantle.
I wandered over and stood just a few steps away.
“Are you ready to follow?” he asked.
“Where?”
The monk twisted the statue and I heard the sound of rusty gears trying to move. A moment more and the sound of stone grinding across stone resounded in the hearth. What had appeared to be a brick wall started to move backward.
The monk ducked into the fireplace and stepped through the new doorway. He wiped cobwebs away from an area of the old brick and then pressed a small black button. I heard the buzz of electricity zipping through old wiring. Several dusty light bulbs illuminated in sconces that lined the passage ahead.
The monk started down a long spiral staircase of cold gray stone. I followed.
The air was cold and musty. We were soon standing next to a waterway of sorts. An old wooden vessel bobbed up and down in the water, but there were no openings for the boat to escape from the chamber through.
“At midnight on Monday meet me at this boat. You will not hunt again until then,” the monk said.
“But sir—” I started.
The old monk held up his hand. “Trust,” was all he said. And then he started back up the stairs. I looked at the boat. It rocked back and forth in the water, creaking each time it bumped the stone wall of the canal.
We’d come down the staircase to see the boat and for him to say one thing to me; it seemed a waste of time and effort. But over the last months I’d learned to trust as the monk commanded and also begun to painfully develop patience. I wasn’t a pro at either, but I was learning.
Chapter
Twenty-Four
October 29th—Sunday
We had just two days to go, but we couldn’t hunt today, nor tomorrow, according to the monk. Today was our day of rest, but it was also to be a day of prayer and fasting. We knew that the battle ahead was great and to win we would need a fleece of prayer. Prayer was like a shield, and we wanted it to be as strong as it could be. Fasting would not only strengthen our focus, but would cleanse us.
Believers had gathered from all over town. Most didn’t know the details about the hunt. Most had answered the call to pray for Mr. Riley, the community, and our country.
The Gathering had grown larger every day since McGarrett had come down with his illness, as we preferred to call it. Now The Pink Hippo was filled with prayer warriors. The inn had never been so full in all my time here. I doubted very much it’d ever been this full since the mines had shut down back in the 1800s.
Chapter
Twenty-Five
October 30th—Monday
I woke and looked at the alarm clock. The red numbers glowed 1:00 a.m. The bright moonlight from the nearly full moon shone in through the window. It almost looked like daytime. I rolled over and looked toward the fireplace. It was dark and unlit. I should have been hunting right now, but instead I was in bed and supposed to be sleeping. And today I had to go to school. I couldn’t believe it, but it was the monk’s orders.
I knew that I had to obey, and indeed I trusted that he was wiser than myself.
I never did get back to sleep, but climbed out of my bed when my alarm went off and made my way to the seventh floor to pray. When the elevator doors opened, I was surprised to see Ike. He was already dressed for school; I could only imagine what time he got up or if he’d ever actually gone to sleep. I was sure he was feeling the same anxiety I was.
“Good morning, Taylor,” Ike said cheerfully.
“Morning,” I said. I looked at the old elevator buttons, the number seven was lit up. Ike must have had the same idea I had. “Heading up?”
He nodded. “I wanted to pray before school.”
“Do you mind if I join you?” I asked.
We rode to the seventh floor. It was empty, but I could feel the presence of prayer. I knew in my heart that members of The Gathering were praying this very moment everywhere throughout our town and members of the society were praying all throughout the world.
After breakfast we were off to school. There were a dozen people willing to drive us, but in the end it was my uncle Matt who took us.
“Taylor, I wanted to let you know that the sarcophagus I’d been analyzing in New York has disappeared.” My uncle turned the car out of the driveway and onto the pavement leading toward Ashley Meadows. “This only makes your mission that much more critical. Of course we’ve suspected for some time that it would eventually be brought here.”
Then I remembered the argument between Melanie and Jesse. “That’s right, Melanie had mentioned the HowlSage was bringing some sort of cargo here.”
Our eyes connected in the rearview mirror. “Why didn’t you mention that before?” he asked.
“I don’t know, I must have forgotten,” I said in a defensive tone.
He shook his head. “You must remember to tell me everything. I must have every fact to use in making the decisions we face,” he said. His voice was stern. “Is there anything else?”
I shook my head. “Not that I can remember.”
“Well, try, and when I pick you up from school I want you to tell me anything you haven’t so far,” he said, but it was more of an order.
We rode the rest of the way in silence and he dropped Ike and I out front of the school. Uncle Matt forced a smile as he pulled away and Ike waved. I didn’t. Who did he think he was?
And as if Ike could read my thoughts, he said, “I know he comes across hard. But I can’t imagine someone better in charge of this hunt.” Ike looked at me seriously. “Your uncle has more experience than any other hunter alive.”
“Really?”
HowlSage Page 20