DISCLAIMER I OWN NOTHING
When he drove into downtown Boston, the crystal around his neck began to float. Ben Ravencroft had spent the better part of 2 days driving around following the finding spell, when he first cast it before leaving Oakhaven the crystal released a beam of energy that shot off into the western sky. After that the crystal would begin humming if he was going the right direction, then, if he was lucky enough to keep going the right way it would begin blinking.
Several times he'd been driving down the highway, only to be forced to pull off when the humming stopped. But now, he was close enough that the spell was drawing the crystal to it more forcibly. Night was beginning to fall as the crystal began moving around until it was pointing over top of his shoulder.
Turning as soon as he could, Ben felt a wave of nausea begin to rile his stomach, dark magics were at work back in Oakhaven. He barely pulled over and opened the door before violently puking up his half digested dinner on the road.
"Oh God, that was awful," he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "If I can feel that all the way from Oakhaven it must be something truly awful."
Shutting the door, he continued driving, following the corkscrewing crystal as it jumped back and forth in front of him. Finally, outside the city museum, the crystal gave a bright flash of light, causing him to cover his eyes. He pulled into the almost completely empty parking lot, save for a red jeep and a van painted blue, green and orange.
He opened the door and climbed out, he put the crystal under his shirt and shut the car door before heading towards the main door. To his surprise, it was unlocked. Opening it slightly, he listened as screams of terror drifted through the air from other parts of the museum. Stepping inside, Ben shut the door and quietly made his way through the dark and quiet.
Ben froze when he reached an intersection, cocking his head to the side he could head the sound of running feet getting closer and closer. Glancing up, he saw the bulk of a chandelier up in the darkness. Moving over to the wall he pressed himself against it as two forms, one of them a large dog, hurried by. Behind them came the heavy footsteps of armored men.
"Fall," he called, his magic slipped from him and shot up into the darkness. A loud snap filled the air and the large light fixture dropped down just as two more forms, vastly larger than the first two passed him by. The chandelier dropped onto them with a loud crash, sending glass and metal flying.
Within mere moments the lights came on and the hallway was full of people. Ben took notice of them all, a tall blonde man dressed in white and blue, a redhead in purple and green, a mousy brunette in a large orange sweater and thick glasses. A lanky teen in a green shirt came back down the opposite hall with a large Great Dane beside him.
"Good work Shaggy, you got em!" the blonde said, patting the skinnier man on the shoulder. In the wreckage of the chandelier two armored vikings lay trapped under the fallen light fixture.
"Like, we didn't do anything, Fred," Shaggy replied, pointing up to where the chandelier used to be. "We just ran through here, like, the chandelier fell on its own."
They hadn't noticed him yet, a small concealing spell. His stomach was beginning to turn again, more dark magic. He waited for the felling to pass, before making his decision.
"I'm afraid that I will have to take all the credit," he said, chuckling as he stepped away from the wall. "Though, in trying to find a light switch I accidentally unleashed the chandelier."
Immediately, the brunette's eyes widened in surprise.
"You're Ben Ravencroft! I can't believe it!" she exclaimed, her face already turning red. "I've read all your books and-"
"There ya'll are!" a pretty dark haired woman dressed all in red came running down the hallway behind Ben, followed closely by a small bald man in a suit and several security guards. "Is everyone okay?"
As she passed by, Ben noticed a cat head medallion around her neck, a feint waft of magic was coming from her.
"We're fine, Lena," Fred said, as the dark-haired woman hugged and kissed him on the cheek. Ravencroft took notice of the redhead rolling her eyes in disgust. "I've forgotten my manners, Mr. Ravencroft, I'm Fred, this is my wife Lena, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby Doo."
"A pleasure," he said, his smile sliding off into a somber frown. "Although, the reason I came to find you is not a pleasure in the slightest."
"Like, what do you mean?" Shaggy asked, as he began to shiver.
"I need your help, Mystery Inc," he replied. "There's a witch problem in Oakhaven."
xxxxXXXXxxxx
"So the white wizard seeks help," Luna laughed, as the three witches watched from the roof as Ravencroft exited the museum, followed by a group of people and a dog. "You think he knows we followed him?"
"Does it matter?" Dusk asked, stamping out her cigarette. "He can't stand up to our powers."
Thorn leaned against the wall, down below she watched as the group split up, the blonde and the black-haired woman pulled out in the jeep, Ravencroft and the girl in glasses left together, leaving only the redhead, the lanky guy, and the dog in the van.
"Thorn, lets just kill them now," Dusk said, engulfing both her hands in green fire. "Let's make an example out of them."
The Master had told them of Ravencroft's plan, he had spoken through Thorn's mirror, telling them where to go and what Ravencroft was planning. They had followed him all the way here, flying high up in the clouds, watching as the white wizard left Oakhaven and flew after him all through his drive to get here.
"Hey Daph, like, can we stop to grab a few pizzas?" the lanky guy asked the redhead. "Me and Scoob are starving after all that running."
"Reah, Rarving!" Thorn's eyes widened in surprise at the dog speaking, she then began to smile.
"A familiar," she said, turning to the other two witches who were both looking surprised at the talking dog. "He must be powerful warlock to have a talking familiar."
Luna looked at her, her eyes widening.
"Does that mean he's more powerful than us?" she asked.
Dusk scowled, she raised both of her hands and began channeling magic between them, after several seconds a large green ball of energy was pulsing in the open space between her hands.
"Not anymore!" she exclaimed, raising her hands over her head and preparing to hurl the magical bomb.
"Stop!" Thorn grabbed her by the arm and yanked Dusk towards her. Almost immediately with the blonde's concentration gone, the green ball of magic vanished in an instant. "Are you completely stupid?!"
Dusk yanked her arm free and crossed her arms.
"If we kill him and it turns out he's one of The Morning Star's disciples we're screwed!" she exclaimed. "No more contract, no more magic, and most likely we get dragged down to hell to suffer forever."
Dusk began to pout.
"I still wanna kill him," she mumbled.
Thorn rolled her eyes.
"I said he might be, that doesn't mean he is," Thorn replied, turning back to look at the van pulling away. "Once we find out, we can decide on whats to be done with him."
"So, what do we do now?" Luna asked. "Go back to Oakhaven?"
"Yeah, lets go pay Missy Dandrige a visit," Thorn replied, she took a running start and jumped from the roof, rocketing up into the sky, in a flash of dark energy the witch was replaced by a vampire bat. Quickly, she was joined by a large raven and a horned owl.
The three quickly vanished into the darkness.
xxxxXXXXxxxx
Alcott wiped the sweat from his brow as he made his way down the corridor towards the waiting group of people, mostly orderlies and several guards. he'd not expected to be called to Cold River so late at night, but; under the circumstances he didn't really have a choice to be here or not.
"You're sure?" he asked one of the orderlies, stepping up to the door and opening the viewing window. Inside the darkened room he could barely make out the hulking form of Karl Dael stretched out on his cot. Pressing the switch beside the door, Alcott felt his stomach sink as the tiny room filled with light. "God in heaven above."
The walls were covered in bloody pentagrams and other disgusting drawings. Most had turned black from age, while more were slowly turning brown, several looked to be fresh. Karl was stretched out, his feet dangling over the edge of his small cot, not breathing.
"Come on, we have to be sure," he said, swallowing the lump in his throat. Behind him, he heard the sounds of nightsticks sliding out of their holsters. Opening the door, Alcott let the guards move in first, standing shoulder to shoulder as to block the door. Stepping in behind them, he swung the door shut.
They approached the cot slowly, warily keeping a slow and steady pace. Alcott felt his heart begin to hammer in his ears as the guards shuffled aside to let him past. Dael had carved some kind of black magic circle that went from his chest down to his navel. Alcott noticed that the muscled chest didn't move at all.
Reaching out with his hand shaking like he was about to defuse a bomb, Alcott placed his fingers on Karl's throat, before grabbing his wrist in his other hand.
"Nothing, he's really-" Alcott's words died in his throat as Dael's eyes snapped open. The doctor jumped back as the massive albino jumped up, seizing the closest guard by the wrist as he drew back his nightstick and twisted, snapping it. Grabbing the nightstick out of midair, Dael smashed the second guard in the head, sending him flying into the wall with a loud crunch, snapping his neck. Alcott scrambled back to the door and began pounding on it, behind him he heard the last guard begin to scream. "Open the door! Open the bloody door!"
He looked back over his shoulder and felt his blood run cold. Karl Dael was kneeling over the last guard, his face buried in the man's chest. His head jerked up, a large chunk of meat clenched in his teeth. The albino locked eyes with him, the usual red and pink eyes had changed, they were now turning green and yellow.
With a flick of his head, Karl flipped his grotesque morsel into his mouth and stood up. Alcott was vaguely aware of the door opening as the albino stepped over the dead guard and came towards him. He felt a hand seize him by his collar and jerked him through the door. Alcott watched as the orderlies slammed the door shut and began to lock it.
Inside, Karl began to moan as the sounds of bones snapping began to fill the air. Something heavy slammed against the door. A second time made the steel begin to expand out slightly, after several more blows the door began to cave outwards.
Alcott felt something warm sliding down his leg as the door finally burst from the wall with a loud crash. What emerged from the room was neither man or beast. White-yellow fur covered the thing's massive body, the massive hands ended in large, razor sharp claws. The head, dear god the head was worst of all.
A great snarling wolf looked down at him, its yellow-green eyes seemed to be looking into his soul. Its lips curled back to reveal two rows of gleaming white fangs. Alcott closed his eyes and began to prey as two massive weights fell onto each shoulder, the claws digging through the flesh like knives through butter.
END CHAPTER 4