Haunting Ground Chapter 11
But, I don't want to stop
Skirt an enemy's defenses. Appear where he least expects you; slip in where he is empty; strike where he is void
-Ts'ao ts'ao
155-220 C.E.
Hours earlier
Riccardo let out a smile, lowering his flint lock to my eye level, "we're alike, you and I."
He said. My arm, I couldn't move my arm, then he fired; a spray of dirt splashed my face.
Then everything went black.
Ren woke slowly; his entire body felt like it had been picked up and slammed in to a wall. The blood he had lost and the bullet wound had put his body through over time.
As he moved, the pain slowly began to focus on his right shoulder; he put his arm on it, touching some fabric. He looked down at a white cloth that was wrapped around his arm, a red blossom forming, blood, his blood. Ren slowly lay back down; he was in a dark room on a soft bed, the feather mattress almost pulling him back in to a deep slumber. "shit where am I? Why am I here?" "I was shot..." Ren thought rubbing his cold brow. "By Riccardo, Fiona run! I told her to run." He remembered Riccardo talking to him, he had slammed his foot in to his arm and he had blacked out from the Pain.
"Fiona...!?!" Ren sat up a new pain surging through him, she's alright, she has to be, She Ran, "RIGHT?" his mind raced trying to put together sounds and pictures. Outside the moon was high in the sky, but it wasn't rising it was setting. "How long was I out?" Ren said his eyes adjusting to the low light quickly. He looked around, applying pressure to his arm, he was definitely back in the castle, and the fresh bandage on his arm told him someone was caring for him. His eyes locked on the grandfather clock, just after midnight. He lay back down; he had to have been out for at least a day. The guest room was dark, but he could see the door was closed. He put on his boots and was about to stand when the door opened, he froze.
Debilitas, stepped in with a tray, he looked to Ren, a smile came across his face.
One of pure relief, Ren froze not sure if he could trust the towering giant. Debilitas walked towards him setting the tray down, two steaming bowls of stew on it. Ren's stomach let out a roar, as Debilitas handed him a bowl. His arm no longer in the sling. Come to think of it the torn fabric and the bandage looked a lot like the sling he had made. Ren smiled lightly. He could move his arm, the shot had gone below the bone and above the artery, lucky for him, and it felt as if it had gone through his armpit, harmlessly passing through. He would have lived without the caretakers help. 'But thanks all the same,' Ren thought. He still felt weak from that blood sucker, but after the night before He considered himself at 100 percent.
Debilitas reached forward and slowly went to work changing Ren's bandage, he must have done the stitching job too. Ren smiled, it was good for both of them that he was out, he and needles didn't mix. A figure also stepped in the room, Ren sneered at Daniella. "She Fix you," Debilitas said. Daniella nodded to him. "Did you bring me here?" after a second Debilitas shook his head, "brothers." Ren looked up "Brothers? You mean those other people here," the caretaker pointed to the door. "They are throughout the castle." Daniella replied. Ren took the bowl that was handed to him.
Though extremely hungry Ren ate slowly, letting the food travel in to his waiting stomach, not wanting to throw up due to it being inactive for so long. Ren swallowed the broth, placing the empty bowl in his lap. Not expecting him to answer, Ren spoke. "How do I get to the mansion?" Debilitas looked at him he shook his head, Daniella stepped up to him, a fresh burse on her face. She handed him a letter.
To you Ryu
I Riccardo have entrusted my servants to give you this letter, I have seen you, and.
Though you are everything you're Uncle and I expected and more, you will not fit in to my grand plan. I thank you for your time, and for the protection of Miss Belli.
You are welcome to the Relics of your grandfathers past.
I have no use for them.
The homunculi will allow you to retrieve these items and head for the door, but any attempts to move deeper in to the castle, they will kill you.
Enclosed is a key to the castle gate, once you have gathered your things I expect you to have vacated the area, if you are not gone I will take matters to see that you are removed once and for all.
Signed
Aureolus 'Riccardo' Belli
Ren looked down at the pure gold key, inside the envelope. It made Ren sick to his stomach; this man brings me here tries to kill me, holds an innocent girl and now wants me to walk, like its nothing. Ren crushed the paper in his hands, an un-natural heat boiling up inside him. Ren stood up dropping the piece of paper to the ground, a burn mark in the shape of his hand imprinted on the sheet, just then Debilitas reached for his arm, Ren turned to face him. Debilitas pulled his arm back, good thing too, Ren felt like tearing it off.
He headed for the door, Debilitas grunting and wailing. Ren ignored him. No bow no knife. He had nothing. He stopped he could feel 2 heat sources standing outside the door, probably two of those manmade humans. It went against everything he was taught, but he knew it would be simple to kill them both. But Ren held off, they looked inside allowing him to leave. Debilitas, Daniella and the two homunculus, followed, he felt his anger building and building. He headed to the yard towards the tower, he knew they were following him but he didn't care. The groundskeeper followed him up the spiral steps to the door that would lead to the mansion. He pulled on the lock, slamming his shoulder in to it until it was red. Debilitas stood behind him; Ren slammed his fist on the door leaning his head on the frame. Ren couldn't think of any way through, the door was reinforced.
Defeated for the first time, Ren slowly turned his back leaning up against the door; he slowly fell to the ground. The two homunculi grunted at him, forcing a bag in to his hands and Grunting for him to follow. He had no idea what to do, his bow and all his weaponry were gone. Debilitas and Daniella slowly followed behind, looks of gilt and sadness in their eyes, 'Who knows what Riccardo is gona do to them,' Ren Thought. He noticed about 3 other manmade's Hanging out in the castle. Something in the back of his mind screamed for him to kill them both, Kill them all, he knew the voice well, it existed as another part of him, a part of him that he was always struggling to restrain, "please let me out!!!" it roared. The two manmade's stopped, allowing Ren to continue. He walked off, the halls where lightly lit. He finally found himself inside the secret room, the white gold dragon statues staring down at him; he felt like he was looking in a mirror, anyone walking in, with those statues above would be extremely intimidated. But Ren seemed comforted by them, "to Io the creator, I pledge my flight," he said to the dragons. Debilitas had stopped following him a while ago; he could see Daniella standing at the end of the hall where he had just come, so he was alone.
Ren looked at the painting of his Grandfather; they did look a lot alike. Unlike all the painting of the castle lords, who were so serious. His Fore fathers always had a light determined smile. "Flidais, with her by my side, I will rise." Ren looked his at Grandfathers painting. He closed his eyes, "what can I do?" when he opened them his eyes met his grandfathers. "What would you do?"
"Hey tell me!?!" He called "WHAT WOULD YOU DO!!??!!" his voice echoed through the castle... I could leave and send for help, Ren shook his head, it's hopeless... I would need proof. Ren breathed in lightly allowing his head to clear, he closed his eyes. "Lorenzo had to be getting around somehow." he remembered Riccardo telling him that there where all kinds of secret rooms throughout the castle and surrounding area. 'There has to be a door... and when one doesn't exist...' Ren's determined smile crossed his face, "I can always make one." A friend's voice echoed. Ren nodded to his Grandfathers painting, the same smile spreading across Ren's face. Ren turned and ran out the door nearly crashing into Debilitas, he jumped back, Debilitas backed up, he stared down at him for a second, Ryu turned looking in to a mirror across the hall, but what he saw, it was like he was almost standing next to it, his eyes focused like a pair of binoculars, He had a unique calm on his face; his eyes appeared Gold instead of Blue. Ren smiled, he had a euphoric feeling like when you wake up from a dream, and you smile at the fact it was only a dream. Ryu "Ren" Hamilton, for the first time since he was eleven years old, felt Reawakened. as the man-made's came forward slamming his hand in to Ren's chest, Daniella came forward, "your Job is to escort him away, not hurt him." the man made grabbed her, striking her in the face. Ren Cracked his neck, He was tired of being pushed around. "I don't know if you understand me, but that could have been a big mistake." Ren growled his eyes mow seemed to glow even in the shadows. Ryu smiled, they had no idea how close to death they were, he growled, his skin already hardening, his nail's growing in to points. His body temperature rising to compensate for the energy loss. Ryu knew that the voice was once again a part of him, but Ryu didn't force it back, and wasn't sure why... why he would ever want to. Pointing to the bag the man made let out a grunt, Ren grit his teeth he was actually sick of being pushed around. The homunculus turned his back on Ren, Dire Mistake, he thought. "Ok" Ren said UN zipping the bag, he slammed the bag over the one homunculus's head, Debilitas screamed with worry, Ren wasn't sure if it was toward him, or the homunculus. Ren hoisted himself up slamming his boot in to the second man-made's chest, throwing it away from Daniella. it spun landing on its face, Ren ran forward and landed knees first on its kidneys, the creature's head trusted up, it screamed as Ren grabbed its chin and the back of his head, it was followed by a sickening crunch of the homunculus's neck, as Ren spun and landed on all fours, his eyes where now glowing. The man-made's head all the way around. Ren's fingers seemed to be digging in to the stone floor.
Ren stood, the last homunculus looked in horror at its comrade, his attention turned to Ren as Ren Backed up and literally disappeared, the man made let out a cry of confusion.
"Fear the Night... and Pray for dawn..." the man made heard from all around him as something grabbed his arm, He was spun around, before his head was slammed in the wall his head crushed by an unknown force, Ren re-appeared removing his elbow from the homunculus's crushed skull, blood trickling down his arm. Debilitas and Daniella stood there in absolute horror, Ren turned and slowly approached His murderous eyes starred down his former stalkers, his irises where now an un-natural gold, four K-9 teeth had formed. Walking passed the two, his eyes where normal again like it had never happened, Daniella not sure if she imagined it. Out in to the east garden, and up to the lab. Ren went to work rummaging through every shelf. Ren was sure something had to be there that he could use, Riccardo needed powder for his gun. And a lot of alchemistic tests needed fast heat. Ren finally hit pay dirt, but it was like Christmas morning and the biggest gift is all yours, it wasn't gun powder it was better. It was a large jar filled with a yellow powder. On the tag TRINITROTOLUENE, (TNT). 'Nuff said.' Perfect for making things that are there, disappear. Ren knew that the hall that had connected the south and east wings, and where Fiona had stuck her arm in that hole. Was what Lorenzo had to be using to get around. The holes in that wall would make bringing down the wall, a snap. Ren looked around; I need test tubes, casings, fuses, anything. Ryu headed back in to the castle, dodging the man-made's as much as he could.
It was staring at a wall, all around it where plants of magnificent colour. But it could not see the colour. All it saw was an ugly gray.
Its job was to guard the east garden from the intruder. But it just stood and looked at the flowers unable to understand them.
It didn't notice the figure jump from the upper balcony. He moved slow not wanting to arouse suspicion. But it sat there still staring at the flowers, it backed up bumping in to the well, it let out a surprised grunt. Both it and the intruder locked eyes.
They both didn't move. It was about to make out a call when the intruder sprung forward.
It felt a pain in its chest. It looked up and swung at the intruder, but the intruder ducked, causing it to spin. It felt the intruder grab his arm and pull it towards him. Then something struck its neck and its whole body went numb. It fell against the well only able to see around it. Then it was falling, water splashed around it and it began to sink, after a minute it knew no more.
Ren headed back to the lab, he had managed to find, 5 shot gun shells and two dozen glass and plastic tubes. A few hours passed, when he was done he had fourteen charges', he had used the rest to make a new type of arrow head. By taping a bullet tip arrowhead to the shotgun's shell priming tip, then replacing the gun powder with the yellow stuff, and capping it with a test tube. Ren got a pretty powerful explosive arrow.
Ryu headed for the area where he and Fiona first encountered Lorenzo. To his surprise the grounds keeper and Daniella were waiting. They didn't say much as Ren went to work placing the charges, one in each hole, with 7 of the 14 charges in place, he prepared the fuse. Ren lit it, dropping it to the ground; he looked up at Debilitas and Daniella. "Now I'm no bomb expert, but I think we should probably get the hell out of here." he and the grounds keeper ran, the maid calmly walking out, Ren ducked for cover, just as. KA-WOOOM!!!
Rocks and debris showered the three, the remaining man made's were more than likely on they're way. Ren sat there waiting for is hearing to come back, as the smoke cleared, he headed down the hall, he looked at Debilitas, who's eye's where wide. Ren gave a thumbs up. "I think we should not have used so much" Daniella whispered, Debilitas stepped in and cheered happily the wall was completely open, Ren looked inside. It was an air duct; he slung the bag that had the other charges over his shoulder.
Debilitas lit a lantern and handed it to him, Ren smiled. "Thanks for all your help. Look I know you might say were even, but I still owe you. And I never forget a debt." nodding to the maid, Ren turned and headed down the dark hall. Debilitas watched his friend disappear in to the dark, when he was out of sight, Debilitas and Daniella turned and left.
