Chapter 32: The Beast
Billie opened her office door late one blustery morning to find the Outsider perched behind her desk, hammering away at a typewriter.
"What are you doing?" the question slipped out of her mouth, prompting the deity to pause in his task and look up.
"I am your assistant am I not?" he replied cheekily. "I am assisting you."
Billie sighed as she shed her greatcoat and hung it up on a hook, and after a beat shoved her pistol into its pocket. "But with what?" she pressed. "I doubt you are typing up my notes."
"Emily has encouraged me to make files on certain people after they kept catching my notice," he answered loftily. "Perhaps she was tired of hearing about them frequently; though it is rather amusing to see the schemes of Westley Morgan come to naught. And she did laugh at poor Illya Chekov's ill-fated move to plot against the High Judges."
Billie immediately grabbed a couple folders and some blank forms, her bemusement disappearing as the Outsider talked. "I thought Westley Morgan was only a threat in corporate matters, and I have never heard of Illya Chekov. Why am I only hearing about them now?"
The Outsider plucked the blank forms and folders from her hand and levitated a small stack of folders over to her. "Old habits die hard Lurk. Information has the power to warp matters, especially when deposited to the right person. I might be a busybody, but I do not talk to just anyone. I keep many secrets, and it feels strange at times to share them; like I am interfering overmuch."
Billie took the stack from the air, the weight of a thousand leafs of paper pressing down heavily on her hands. In the warm light of the electric lamp she flipped through the names: Westley Morgan, Illya Chekov, Dante Marsochi, Blaise Depasqual, Trevor Underwood, Lena Renly, Betsy Hrothgar, Grace O'Malley, Claire Voltaire, Emilia Borgia, and Pavel Chopin. Some names were completely unknown, others were thin files before, their folders now bursting with information. One folder was entirely new, yet the name is familiar.
"Why did you make a file on Pavel Chopin?" Billie asked, holding the folder up. The Outsider finished typing, and removed the paper from the machine.
"Because he is the High Overseer," he answered plainly. "Every Spymaster should have a file on the most powerful people in the Empire, friend or foe. Corvo remembered that for a while- after all, he and his beloved were betrayed by those he thought were friends."
Billie nodded, embarrassed she did not think of such a thing earlier. It took a lot to keep tabs on the already massive file collection, adding to it was not something she wanted to consider deeply. But it was certainly necessary. Perhaps she should look into expanding her staff, or pressing the Outsider to actually act like her assistant rather than popping in randomly and soaking up her free time through training. At least he seemed to be improving in that regard.
As she was putting away the completed files there was a rapping at the door. She glanced at the Outsider, and saw him materialize glasses. At ease she yelled:
"Come in!"
A slim, bespectacled older man opened the door. Billie recognized him as one of the housekeeping staff, a Robert Asher.
"Begging your pardon Spymaster, but there is something most frightening and curious in the throne room, and we would like for you and your assistant to take a look at it."
Billie and the Outsider shared a bemused look, and she put down her files while he got to his feet.
"Alright, lead us to whatever it is," she made sure to grab her pistol on the way out.
When they arrived in the throne room Billie was struck by the tense atmosphere, and an underlying metallic smell she just could not place. There was already a small crowd of guards gathered around a dark corner of the room, just nearby the throne. The Outsider shivered, a worried look on his face.
"Something lurks that should not be here," he murmured. "But I cannot see it from here."
Mr. Asher gave the Outsider a frightened look, and came to a stop just outside the circle of uneasy guards. "It is over in that corner." He said, his voice quavering.
Billie pushed her way through the guards, the Outsider close behind. She did not see what it was at first. Not until the great thing shifted, its dark coat shimmering a muted rainbow as light hit the fur. Beholding the beast, a wolf-like creature with six legs and no mouth, she was overcome with a feeling of dread and doom. Beside her, the Outsider gasped, the blood draining from his face as he brought a hand to his mouth.
"This… this cannot be," his voice trembled, hushed.
"What is it?" Billie asked, surprised by how calm and even her voice was. What could be this creature that it so frightened the Outsider himself?
Instead of answering, he turned around to the guards, his expression distressed. "We need chains and a strong net, NOW!"
The guards looked startled by his command, likely surprised to be ordered about by someone like him. A rumbling snore came from the creature, much like a dozing hound. A sense of urgency suddenly pressed upon Billie, and she grabbed her pistol, eyes on the animal.
"Do as he says, get the bloody net and chains, pronto!" she snapped, keeping her voice low. "We need this animal trapped before it can cause any damage."
That finally set a fire under their useless asses. Four guards ran off, presumably to fetch the required materials. Five remained, hands on their pistols. The Outsider turned to Billie, his face bloodless and unnerving in his fear.
"Keep this beast here until I return. Whatever you do, do not agitate it until you try to contain it. Do not attack it. If you must shoot it, aim for the eyes and only the eyes. Do not let this beast escape."
"Got it," she replied, trying not to let her worry and the pervading sense of doom get to her. He nodded, and immediately ran off. The other guards blanched at his words and nervously regarded the sleeping animal. The six of them spent a tense ten minutes waiting for the return of their companions. Finally the four returned, two with chains, one with a heavy net, and the last with the clever addition of an overlarge hound crate, helped by an extra guard. Billie immediately took charge.
"Set the crate down over there" she pointed to where the beast's muzzle was pointed, off towards the door downstairs. "Grab something to use as shields and stand atop the crate, we are going to use the net to corral the beast in there. Dacey, Morrison, Beauchamp, help Bush with the net. Rogers, Tiller, use the chains to bind the crate when we have the animal inside. Smith, Wessen, you stand atop the crate. Ortiz and I will be back up."
Like the professionals they were, everyone got into position, the crate against the wall, the net blocking all routes of escape. Bravely the four guards with the net marched forward, Billie behind Bush who stood by the crate, and Ortiz behind Morrison who stood by the wall. Gently, they nudged the sleeping creature into the crate, inch by inch. Just as it looked like they were able to get its head in, the beast awoke.
Six blue eyes, the color of whale oil with the pupils of a cat, stared back at them. Everyone froze. A warning hiss, much like a snake's, filled the air. It got to its feet, four on the ground, two curled by the side, and it then puffed up a frightened cat, bending its body away from the crate. Its fear gave Billie an idea.
"Scram!" she cried, taking a sudden step forward, arms raised to make herself look bigger. The creature stumbled back into the crate, its large mane inflated as it bowed its mouthless head and hissed. Everyone with the net took step forward, and the animal shrunk further into the dark crate, its bright eyes narrowed.
"What is going on?"
Billie turned around to see Corvo entering the room with Emily and a short-haired Oracular Sister close behind. Much to her relief, the guards stayed focused on their task, heading even more of the beast into the crate. Billie walked away from them, approaching Corvo and Emily.
"We are working on containing a strange beast," she answered. "Something about it spooked Owen, and he rather firmly told me to have it contained and leave it until he gets back."
Curiosity bloomed on Emily's face, and she approached the guards. Only the front legs and head were out now, much to Billie's relief. It should not be long before it was contained.
Then she saw its nose twitch.
The creature fell quiet and froze, all six of its eyes gazing upon Emily, who seemed stricken. A low growl began to fill the room, and Corvo ran forward to pull back his daughter, who stumbled like a child unable to walk. The Oracular Sister, silent and still until now, ran forward and took Emily's arm.
"Come, you and I need to go to the Chapel, now."
The beast's growl deepened, and its face split open to reveal a jaw of muscle, teeth and bone. A long forked tongue lolled out its mouth, and then launched with amazing speed forward toward Emily, brushing her cheek. Emily just stood there, catatonic. Corvo pulled a blade and cut off the tongue in mid-air, a furious look on his face. He immediately turned to the Sister.
"Get her out of here, now!"
The Sister nodded and picked up Emily, disappearing in a flash of light.
The beast screeched, the noise reverberating through the room. Billie ran forward to force it into the crate with one last push, but it was too late. The creature suddenly grew, its dark iridescent hide falling off like a handkerchief atop a slippery table. It knocked everyone back with a sweep of its front leg, now nothing but sinew, bone, and blood. Blue eyes peered from all angles as the beast screamed. Before Billie and Corvo could do anything, it bolted for the door.
"By the Void it's after Emily," Corvo whispered.
Getting to her feet, Billie snatched one of the chains from Rogers. "Then let's stop and kill it before it can kill her."
Corvo was certain he was going to go deaf from the beast's screaming. The foul creature howled and shrieked the moment it lost sight of Emily, which meant its journey across the Estate district was spent announcing its arrival to the frightened civilians. Billie went ahead to try and stop the beast while he took the extra moment to command a couple guards to warn the City Watch. Thank goodness the Outsider had seen fit to give him the ability to Blink again! He greatly doubted he would have been able to catch up to the beast without it.
But stalling such a thing was easier said than done. He was armed with only a pistol, a few stun mines, one springtrap, and a slew of normal bolts and sleeping darts. Billie was armed with less than him, as she could see her Blinking ahead of the beast and landing a few shots from the buildings above.
"Bullets aren't affecting it!" Billie reported when he joined her. "We need something with stronger firepower!"
The Beast took a sharp turn, sliding down a street then barreling towards Kaldwin's Bridge. That gave Corvo an idea.
"Lurk, there should still be several arc pylons lying about the north end of the bridge, as well as a wall of light. See if you can get those turned on, and warn the watch officers that are there."
She gave him a thumbs up and disappeared, leaving Corvo behind to try to slow the Beast. The stun mines and spring razors were probably the most effective weapons, however the streets below him were far from empty. The Beast's screeching drew people from shops and restaurants, curious heads poked out of windows. Corvo wanted to yell at them to stay inside, but he never was the yelling sort. Besides, how would they be able to hear him over the horrendous din? In any case, if he wanted to use his mines and spring razors, he would have to be a lot smarter than he was being right now.
He blinked to the ground, causing several people around him to gasp and scream. They screamed even louder and had the good sense to flee when they saw the mountain of bone and muscle barreling down the road, foaming at the mouth. Blue eyes stared at him, no, past him as it screamed, claws shredding the pavement. Corvo took out the stun mines, then the spring razor, counting down. Five, four, three, two, one.
With practiced ease he threw the mines and spring razor into place, then Blinked down to the end of the street, at the foot of the bridge. From there he saw blood splatter, flesh fly, and the creature collapse. Mentally, he cheered, but experience had him cocking his gun, and taking aim. There was little chance that thing was down.
With a howl which curdled his blood it sprang forward, many blue eyes bulging amongst bloodsoaked muscles, gaping maws shrieking in chorus. Frozen, he felt frozen on the spot.
"Attano!"
Billie's voice spurred him into action. He retreated, Blinking onto the nearby roof where she stood.
"Everything's in place. The Watch has been warned, and the bridge is being lifted as we speak."
"Good," his eyes were fixed on the Beast, as it plowed down the main street.
"I'll keep an eye on it," Lurk said. "I suggest you get to the other side of the bridge and talk to the Watch and the Overseers. They are beginning to gather at the other side."
Corvo gave her a nod, and swiftly made his way to the southside gate. The wind blew sharply through the metal bars, and Corvo was strongly reminded of when he was sent to kidnap Sokolov. Only this time, he did not have to skulk around, and he was going in the opposite direction. He shook his head. Time to pull himself out of the past, he was needed now.
"Protector Attano!"
It was High Overseer Chopin, running onto the bridge. At least 10 Overseers followed him, their hounds at their heels.
"Our Sisters reported that there was an arcane and terrifying beast hunting the Empress, and some saw it headed this way," Chopin's voice was somewhat muffled behind his mask, a strange bronze compared to the silver of the usual Overseer mask. "We have come to offer assistance."
"Thank you, I have a feeling we will need it."
A shriek sounded from across the bridge, echoing in Corvo's ears. The hounds growled and whimpered. He could see someone run out of a side street towards them. It was Billie, her eyes wide and face ashen.
"It just ignored the arc pylons, ran through the wall of light, and just fucking made the jump across."
Corvo felt his jaw drop open. "But how…"
"I don't know maybe your stun mines made it immune to electricity or something," another, louder shriek had everyone looking down the street, wary.
"What do you suggest we do?" Chopin asked, his voice soothingly even.
"We have to tie it down," Corvo said, glaring at the edge of the street. "We have to bind it and wait for Owen Pharmakós."
"Owen Pharmakós?" Chopin's icy eyes locked onto his, a glint in them that Corvo could not place, yet made him shudder. "Do I know the man?"
"He's the Empress' lover and knows what the damn thing is as well as how to get rid of it. He told me and the Tower guard to lock it up and not provoke it but here we are," Billie snapped. "Do any of you have nets of chains?"
One Overseer tapped his buddy's shoulder. "We'll go down and borrow some nets, I know a fisherman who keeps his nets nearby."
As Chopin set about ordering his men, Corvo continued to stare down the road. Something was not right, why couldn't he see the Beast?
"Lurk, I thought you said it made it across."
The woman gave him a blank look. "It did make it across."
"Then why do I not see it?"
As if summoned, the thing appeared with an unnatural howl, moving far faster than before. Billie pulled out a length of chain, putting a thought into Corvo's head.
"If we can get that through its mouth, perhaps we can slow it down."
"It's worth a shot," she replied grimly. "Get ready."
As the horrifying mess of bone and muscle bore down upon them, Corvo flexed his hand and made the move.
It turned out to be surprisingly easy to Blink upon the beast's back and force the long chain through its mouth. But it turned out to be for naught as the beast could not be swayed from its path, nor its pace slowed. It bowled down the street, knocking people aside, screaming all the way. Atop its back, slick with blood, the only option was to try attacking it up close. So Corvo sunk his knife deep into the creature's neck.
Immediately teeth appeared around the blade, clenching it as horrified Corvo tried to yank it out. He heard Billie yelp from somewhere around the beast's rump.
"Do mouths and eyes appear wherever you make wounds?" she yelled, sounding horrified.
He was about to reply when he heard the sound of shattering glass.
Emily felt her head clear when she and Bernice arrived at the Chapel. The Sister was pulling her along, panic coming off her in waves.
"Bernice what is going on?" she asked, thinking of the strange beast with dread.
"You are being hunted Empress," Bernice replied seriously as they walked through the halls. "By what I don't know. All I know is it is after you."
With a twist of a door knob and a shove the two entered what looked like a gymnasium and armory. Emily looked around and saw Hope, Greta, and Sister Delly, all three sparring. They stopped with Hope caught sight of them.
"Bernice? Empress Emily?! What are you both doing here?" she cried.
Bernice tapped her eyes, prompting the three women to put on their blindfolds.
"A beast is hunting Emily. I don't know why, but we need to get Elanor and mobilize the Order, quickly."
"I'll let the others know!" cried Greta, running out of the room, mace in hand. Hope and Sister Delly immediately ran over to Emily.
"Please Empress," said Sister Delly as she shepherded Emily over to the enormous stockpiles of weapons. "Avail yourself of as many weapons as you may like."
"Thank you very much," Emily immediately took of wristbow, with as many explosive and electric bolts as she could. Already she had her knife and a pistol on her, as well as a case of bullets.
"Are you all set?" Bernice asked anxiously. Hope stood nearby, her face grave as she sheathed four pistols into their harnesses. Delly had put aside her mace, and was now wielding a strange weapon that seemed to combine gun and pike. Emily nodded at Bernice, putting aside her fear and letting adrenaline flow through her body.
"Alright, we need to stop by the cloister before we head out," Hope informed, leading the small group out of the room. "It is the best place to inform everybody and set the plan into motion."
"Plan?" Emily asked, confused.
"You'll hear it with the others," Sister Delly soothed. That did not ease Emily one bit.
On their way to the cloister they were joined by a flood of sisters, and even a few Overseers were present. Sister Delly lead them threw the small crowd, all blindfolded. Emily recognized many of the sisters as those who helped retake the tower from Delilah, all of them dressed to fight, grave expressions on their faces. Emily was pulled up to stand by a fountain, as Bernice stood atop it and clapped her hands to get the attention of the room.
"Everyone!" she cried. "Some of you have seen it, others will now just hear about it, but we are gathered her for one purpose- to stall a beast until Elanor arrives!"
There was a murmur in the crowd, fear appearing on many faces.
"Those of you unskilled in the way of battle will focus on calling Elanor, in case she did not hear our summons. The rest of us will attempt to waylaid or even kill the beast as it hunts Emily. Greta, Hope, Sister Delly, and myself will be accompanying Emily to make sure that the beast does not get close to her. Understood?"
"Aye!" yelled the crowd.
Immediately the Overseers ran out of the room, clearly to inform their brothers of what was happening. The cloister emptied quickly, leaving only the skilled Sisters behind. Sister Delly looked up at the glass ceiling anxiously.
"We should get moving," she murmured. "I can feel in my bones that this is a bad place to stay."
"So where should we go?" argued Emily. "People are going to get caught in the crossfire if we stay in Dunwall."
"We can't leave the city, unless we get a boat or something," Greta said. "and what if the beast can swim?"
"I would rather us get away from innocent people and chance the beast being able to swim," Emily said, commanding. "So let us get to the river and fetch a boat."
Hope looked somewhat uneasy, but Bernice and Greta nodded firmly.
"As long as we do not say here a second longer!" fretted Sister Delly.
Her fear, whether it was a prediction or a jinx, did not matter. What did matter was a heartbeat later the beast fell through the roof.
Greta could not help screaming when she saw the thing. It was massive, just bigger than a railcar, and riddled with more mouths and cold blue eyes than any creature ever needed. Even with her eyes covered she saw it clear as day, and the more she looked at it, the less she could move. The less she could think.
"Greta look out!" It was Corvo, holding on for dear life as he buried his knife deep into the beast's muscly neck. To her left she could see a many-clawed hand swiping towards her.
Suddenly she was pulled back into the hallway, slipping and skidding as she tried to find her balance. Emily flexed her black-wrapped hand, pointedly looking away from the mind-melting beast.
"Are you alright?" she asked, worried.
"Don't mind me, let's get out of here!" Greta cried, making a run for the Chapel exit.
Their feet hit the ground as the quartet rushed out into the abandoned street, the screams of the beast ringing behind them. Instead of getting quieter, they picked up. It was following them.
"Roofs or sewers?" cried Emily, leading the pack.
"Sewers!" yelled Hope, running with her guns drawn.
Stretching out her left hand, the manhole cover shot off and Emily leapt into the depths below. Greta went next, then Bernice, with Hope and Sister Delly bringing up the rear. They landed in a room with four large pipes, and a healthy amount of fetid water.
"So, where do we go from here?" asked Bernice, her nose wrinkling as they stood ankle deep in sewage.
"Forward, I think," proposed Emily, leading them all down the tunnel that all the water seemed to be flowing down.
Greta wrinkled her nose and prayed that they did not get lost.
It felt like they had been underground forever. The foul smell was making Emily want to throw up, overriding her oh so helpful bonecharm. While safe, she knew that the four of them were hopelessly lost.
"Hey, I think we have walked past this doll three times now," commented Hopewith somewhat forced levity.
"We have taken all the available paths," Bernice groaned. "How are we not in the bloody river by now?"
Sister Delly nodded, opening her mouth then closing it. The first time they passed the doll she loudly proclaimed that she had no desire for her words to jinx the group again and will keep silent until the beast was slain. So far she kept her word.
"Maybe we need to get out of the sewers and try another route," Emily suggested tiredly. She wished the Outsider was here, he would know what to do.
"Is it worth the risk?" Greta said, worried. "We might be going nowhere but at least we are safe."
Sister Delly gasped, causing the group to turn around and face her.
"Let me guess," drawled Hope. "We need to get out of here now because Greta jinxed us."
The brawny woman nodded violently, shaking Emily out of her tired stupor and running towards the nearest exit she could remember, the four Sisters in hot pursuit. Just as she leapt out of the manhole she felt the ground shake. She could smell the blood, and feel the gaze of its blue eyes. It was right there, and she could not turn around. What she could see was Eileen running full tilt towards her, eyes blazing behind her purple blindfold.
"GET THE FUCK DOWN" she screamed. Immediately Emily ducked, seeing Bernice, Greta Sister Delly, and Hope drop down beside her. Eileen vaulted over them, and moments later there was an explosion. There was an intense ringing in Emily's ears when she opened her eyes and looked, around, the ground covered with debris. Before them was a straight path to the docks.
Emily picked herself up, determined not to look back, and sprinted forward. Behind her she could hear the muted firing of bullets, the yells of the fighting men and women. How cowardly it felt to run away! How horrible it was that they were all putting themselves in danger for her. Reaching out she pulled herself into a dark and quiet ally to take a breath. Where was the Outsider?
"Emily!" She turned her head to see Greta join her, worried. "Are you alright?"
Emily nodded, feeling shaky the longer she stood still. "What exactly happened back there?"
"The City Watch dropped a bomb on the beast, Eileen shielded us from the debris with her gifts," Greta explained. "Pretty much everyone is attacking it right now, so I think we can get a boat in peace."
"Alright," Emily agreed faintly. "Let us go then"
They ran down to the docks, and found an empty little skiff with a full tank of fuel. Quickly she hopped into it and took the rudder. Greta kept her eyes out, staring at the smoking street above them.
"Do you think it is dead?" she murmured as they pulled out into the river.
As if fate wanted to rub their false hopes into their faces, an enraged, mind-burning scream pierced the air, and the beast emerged from the smoke and dust, running down the street, down to the dock, and at their boat. Emily froze, her hand gripping the rudder tightly.
"When I die can you tell the Outsider I love him?" she whispered as the beast pushed off the dock, immense and terrible in the bright winter sun.
"Emily, you think I'm getting out of this alive too?!" Greta squeaked.
It was strange to be at peace with your impending doom. Emily closed her eyes and prayed the end would be swift.
"Eja, Eja, Alala!"
A foreign, undulating scream in a familiar voice prompted Emily to open her eyes again, just in time to see the Outsider launch a tiny horned whale into the neck of the beast. The long, spiraling horn pierced the muscle, and all of the beasts blue eyes bulged, its many mouths open in a wordless scream. The Outsider darted forward, yanked the whale out before kicking the Beast down in to the water, furiously screaming:
"Érchomai, áneukhrmato!"
The splash and spray of blood and water hit Emily across the face and shook the skiff wildly. Greta yelped and nearly fell off the boat, barely managing to keep her balance by waving her arms about wildly. The Outsider dropped the whale into the river and dashed over to Emily, pulling her into a strong embrace and burying his face into her shoulder. Overcome with relief and love, Emily hugged him back with all her strength and burst into tears.
"I am so sorry for taking so long," he said, his own voice thick with tears. "I am so sorry for leaving you in danger."
All Emily could do was shake her head and sob. The utter fear of being hunted by something so persistent was finally allowed to be expressed now that the beast was gone. All she could do right now was hold on and have herself a good cry.