We teleported in the similar fashion as we had done before with the background fading into nothingness and the melting into a new surrounding.
We arrived at at the grand gate of the mortuary where the words Morningside were also written on the archway above.
He opened the gates but the moment I reached the other side I heard the firm banging clang of the gates shut behind me.
I felt my stomach sink and my heart become so still I almost thought it had stopped beating altogether.
Perhaps it was just my imagination.
I went blindly to the gate and grasped onto the icy bars.
They were solid steel.
I nearly jumped a whole foot in the air when I felt a firm hand touch my shoulder.
There was this dread that I felt in the pit of my stomach and sad remorseful pang in my heart that told me I would not be leaving this place for quite a while.
"You're awfully jumpy today. Are you quite well? Oh I see you want out of here. You'll get out soon enough but first follow me. I wouldn't wish for you to get lost".
"Get lost. How big is this place anyway? I will not get lost. I've never been lost ever in my life. I have a excellent sense of direction thank you".
I grumbled after him but still I followed him in the house.
The oak doors led to a marble hallway where rows upon rows of names stretched up and beyond, names of dead loved ones.
Behind every name was a stone slab that slid out the wall and on every slab was a coffin.
So I was looking at rows of coffins encased in their own individual tombs.
There was a great whirring scream that died the hallways.
It sounded like a million drills were turning and twisting. The chorus of drilling screams became louder and louder.
Then I saw thousands of those silver sphere with blades and drills at the ready all pointed at me.
"Silence. She is a guest."
"He dismissed the silver army with a wave of his hand.
"This is the security system I was speaking of. It is quite efficient".
"Yeah a little too efficient. Those things can cut, slice, dice, and drill right through people. They could probably kill someone".
"Yes yet only by my command. I'm afraid their killing days are over sadly.
They are very idle these days. Oh well it was fun while it lasted".
"Ah yes the good old days where have they gone?"
I was being sarcastic but it was then that I heard him laugh for the very first time.
"You are quite amusing for a human. I must admit I don't care for humans much but I like you. You're different".
"I'm glad you find me so entertaining. I don't usually entertain people in fact normally I'm pretty serious. Now that I've made it in alive I think I'm brave enough to venture to this lab you were speaking of".
"Very well.We shall go. Follow me."
I followed him to the end of the hallway where a green door appeared out of nowhere on the wall ahead of us.
"See this is why you could get lost. The doors tend to change and at times they disappear altogether. It was meant to be confusing. I designed it that way. It's a rather a long story. I'll tell it you later if you wish".
Inside the door I had to close my eyes for a few seconds because the room was filled with blinding bright overhead lights and the walls were white and the tiles on the floor were lively cream color.
There were all sorts of medical equipment on silver wheeled trays. Scalpels, drills, saws and syringes were meticulously layed out on these trays.
Bottles of formaldehyde and other labeled chemicals were placed behind green cupboards that lined the walls.
The place reeked of death.
Then my stomach did a backflip when I saw a long rectangular metal slab with metal clasps and metal safety bars and leather straps no doubt used for holding down and restraining unwilling victims.
This was a real bad dude.
He was a killer. He wasn't joking about the slaves. He used to kill for sport himself yet again I made yet another idiot decision to come here into this house of horrors.
Then again I came across my first monster when I was 5.
So what was I so worried about?
He's just another monster you have to face Magenta.
I remembered my first encounter with a monster. He was your average boogyman, they live off of fear but they rarely hurt anybody let alone a child. They might look fierce but they are relatively harmless.
Instead of running from him or screaming for help I talked with him eventually I made friends with him.
He was over 6"3 and he was at first rather frightening with his unnaturally long finger
nails that were sharp as butcher knives and his terribly jagged teeth that reminded me of a shark.
At first I frightened him. I looked him straight in the face and my fearlessness absolutely terrified him.
Yet had I really unlocked his own fears.
Was it really my mind that had sent him running?
He couldn't have been that traumatized because he came back the next night.
I told him I was sorry for scaring him.
Then every night I would talk with him. I would talk to him until i was too sleepy to talk anymore.
Eventually he gained back his courage and he began to actually start talking back until we had actual conversations.
His name was Baron as I remember and he was quite charming however since Boogymen live off of fear, fear must have been very scarce in those days, so one day he disappeared into the woods and I never saw him again.
He was my best friend and I was very sad to see him go.
The very trees in those woods were alive with burning hatred. Those trees tend to move from place to place in the darkness.
I could hear angry throbbing hum echo from those woods and could hear the thundering splinters of the trees as they would shift from side to side.
Sometimes I would see them march and sway, dancing to a silent unseen drum.
However as much as they all hate humans they leave them alone for the most part.
A occasional death occurs. Bite marks are found on the neck, a few houses hold a ghost or two. Some of the gargoyles at the library I've seen blinking a few times, stretching their wings and yawning in boredom.
There was even said to be a witch who lives in a abandoned trailer park.
I've actually met her a few times. She cast a few curses if I recall but she soon reversed them after I spoke with her.
There were a few people that wanted to run her out of town but I stepped in and convinced the crowds that it was a coincidence and that there was nothing supernatural going on.
She since then been forever grateful to me.
Elsa Greenwood was her name.
One time during a visit she offered to have my fortune done and since I didn't want to be rude I accepted her offer.
She was a good woman and she usually meant well despite her practice in the dark arts.
Anyway she told me I had a fearsome power living in my veins.
"It's simply not human that is. It's not human I tell you! You have the mark, the mark of the Schlanker Mann.
When your 28th moon passes you will remember who you are. When that day comes the moon shall be darkened and you shall become one with the Schlanker Mann.
You must leave. Do not bring that evil here.
Begone from this place. Begone!".
I wonder what she meant by that.
I'm not evil. I'd like to think myself to be a good person.
She must have forgotten to take her medicine that day.
She had enough pills lying around to run her own pharmacy.
She was a kind woman with a good heart but her mind had seen better days.
She had a short temper at times and yes she was quite eccentric but she was usually never this abrupt and erratic.
Perhaps it was too many late nights reading magic and probably too many drugs in the 60's.
She probably had no idea what she was talking about, the poor thing.
Yet she was eccentric not crazy.
So why did she act like that?
"You're awfully quiet all of sudden. Is something wrong?"
Jebadiah's voice tore right through my thought process
"I'm just thinking. Reminiscing. After all I have a big brain so I gotta use it sometime. Just getting the old noggin ready ready for the race."
"That doesn't awnser the question".
"Good point. Well uh why-why does that table thing with the metal stuff over there have straps and bars on it?"
"It's a embalming table nothing more."
"That doesn't awnser the question either"
I challenged him.
"Very well If you must know live subjects have been put there before but very rarely, most of them aren't even awake during the process in fact most humans that are brought here are usually already dead".
"I'm sure it's more fun for you when they're awake."
"No quite contrary. It proves to be more difficult when the subject is conscious.
You must think really think I'm a monster.
When you get to be my age you don't have fun anymore. When I was younger I admit I delighted in making people suffer but I've since learned there is so much more to life than having power?"
"Like what for instance?"
"Hope, trust, loyalty and love."
"So you were a killer once but you're reformed now".
"No I never said that".
"You have murder in your voice but your eyes tell another story. Admit it You gave up that life."
"You remind me of someone". His eyes became sad and lonely.
"I remind you of her? The one you lost".
"She wasn't the only one I lost. The point is I could have brought her back. The first died however there was another. She left. She learned of what I was capable of,she learned of my past. She thought I was monster just like you do".
"Wow. That's personal. Why are you telling me all this? I thought you wanted to kill me now suddenly I'm your confidant."
He chuckled a little bit.
"I only said those things to test you. I wanted to see if I could scare you yet you proved to be far braver than I anticipated. What is that human saying? Honesty is the best policy".
"What about talk about you ripping my brain out? Was that just a bunch of bullshit?"
"Yes indeed it was. That dream you had, with me walking into the forest, I put it there. I gave you that dream so you would come to me."
"I knew it. I knew it. So you lured me away to the woods for what? A roommate, a friend, a confidante, a therapist?"
I was pretending to be insulted but inside I was laughing.
"None of those things. I needed that antidote. I was rather desperate. The broken ribs, the crushed windpipe, the other injuries I've suffered never truly healed.
The regeneration process isn't working quite like it used to. Regeneration is slow. I've been starting to become...well more like a old man. It took me nearly half of my energy just to bring you here. Unfortunately I won't be able to teleport for quite some time".
"Great. So I'm stuck here."
Then I noticed something strange. His usual pale complexion was beginning to turn a sickly blue. His hands were twitching slightly.
Why Was he shaking?
"Are you alright? You don't look so good. You almost look like you have hypothermia".
"I am strangely cold. So very cold."
He was just about to fall over but I sped over to him and steadied him with my shoulder.
"Thank you. You're very kind."
"Well you're dying. Shouldn't I care for someone that's about to die? I mean seriously I would be a real heartless piece of work if I didn't have any sympathy for you...right now. So what else can I do to help?"
"I need to be warm. The cold it can kill me. The cold is my only weakness. So I need something hot. Something really hot".
"Okay. Any ideas?"
"Bring me a sentinel!"
"What on earth is a sentinel?"
"The spheres. It's what I call the spheres. Bring me a sphere".
"Those things could kill me. How do I bring one without being sliced to pieces?"
"Simple...just give it an order. If it doesn't obey, Run, it will be sure to follow you".
"Out loud or in my mind?"
"They respond better to telepathy but I suppose you can try whatever suits you. Hurry".
"I'm okay...don't go anywhere I'll be right back."
I practically threw the door open of it's hinges and raced down the hall. I thought a little warm up would do since I was probably going to have to outruns those little demons.
So here I was racing down a Marble hallway for magical spheres that would probably kill me.
I waved my arms like one of those white nerdy guys dancing at a nightclub.
The master has need of you.
I projected through my thoughts from my brain.
The Master has sent you?
There was crackly metallic voice that answered back.
Yes he did. Look he is sick. He's dying. He needs help. There's no time. You must come now.
Where is the master?
The sentinel asked robotically.
He's in the lab. Please Hurry
You wish to help him?
The voice this time almost sounded human.
Yes of course I want to help him!!
There is only one way.
Yes I know he has to get warm.
Are you willing to do whatever it takes to help him?
Yes of course. We are wasting time. He needs help now.
There is only one way.
Then tell me what it is dammit!
Telepathic connection.
What? What are you talking about?
You must make a telepathic link with all of us.
How the hells bells am I supposed to do that?
Hold out your hand.
I'm supposed to be ordering you around not the other way around.
It is a miracle that you have not been terminated. Hold out your hand.
I'd rather you chase me.
If you run I shall eliminate you.
Okay fair enough. Could you please explain to me what making a link to all of you is going to help him?
I cannot explain.
There is no time. The connection must be made. It is also matter of safety. You could be killed at anytime.
Meanwhile this particular sentinel was was circling around me like a bee examining a flower.
Is this going to hurt?
Pain will be minimal.
You may experience slight dizziness, nausea or a minor headache.
The sentinel I noticed for the first time was not silver but gold.
The sentinel hovered down into the palm of my hand.
Hold on with both hands.
The sentinel urged me.
Now what do I do?
Now Take me to the master.
When I finally arrived back to the lab.
There was a tiny click and and a stream of hot air and smoke came from the sphere in my hand.
I handed the now burning object to him.
When I looked down to my horror both my hands were bleeding and they were tight and sore.
I realized I had burned myself.
Yet surprisingly they just stung slightly.
Why hadn't I cried out?
These were some pretty severe burns. How could I not have noticed that my skin had nearly been melted off the bone?
Okay it wasn't that bad but still it would take at least a month to recover from these nasty wounds.
I was becoming very dizzy, so dizzy in fact that I felt I was going to collapse.
I felt like I was was falling.
"Here let me help you".
Jebadiah offered in a smooth silky voice.
I felt someone very strong support my weight.
The firm hands kept me upright.
"What is happening to me?"
"The sentinels made a mental bond with you. Normally they would attack then ask questions later.
You had a actual conversation with them.
They must like you. They don't usually offer mental bonds with just anybody. Yet don't worry it only hurts the first time after that they will no longer burn you when you touch them. I'm sorry I should have told you, warned you at least but I did not know that you're kindness would go this far. I was not myself but I feel much better now. It is such a pity that it drained too much of your energy in the process yet thanks to your energy I am renewed and I have fully regenerated."
"So you knew this would happen. So you planned all of this. You purposefully brought me here so you could drain me so I would have no choice but to yield to your control.
I would rather you kill me".
"I don't want to control you, you foolish girl.
What happened was completely unplanned.
I had no intention of draining your life force.
Besides you are more valuable to me alive and in complete control.
Now you have control over my sentinels. That is no small feat. Only someone extremely intelligent and immensely powerful especially in the mental region could have done such a thing.
You are far from ordinary Magenta"
"Enough with the compliments. What exactly do you want from me?"
"Well since an antidote is no longer required I want you to unmask this criminal. I want you to help me stop monster from killing anymore people. I want to know his motives, his reasoning, his logic.
I want to see into his mind. I want hold his mind in my hand. I want all his secrets to belong to me. I want to know his past his future and most importantly his identify.
Help me and I will never ask again."
"Alright, alright I'll help you. Just don't let anything like that ever happen again or I swear will twist your flipping arm out".
"Agreed".
