A Boy Named Eto
Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to Garth Nix and whichever
company that also owns this material any characters you don't recognize
belong to me.
Author's Note: This tale takes place after the death of the Disreputable
Dog and the rebinding of the Destroyer.
Chapter 2:
Deception
Lirael eyed the two strangers warily before giving in to her pity for Gridol. "Yes, I will help you." Kirae grinned, though not necessarily in a happy way, and leapt to his feet. "On one condition," she firmly added.
"W-what's that?" the man asked fearfully.
"You are to show me your Charter Marks." She reached out with two fingers and touched the mark on Kirae's forehead, but her hand retracted quickly as though the Mark burned her. "A sullied Mark?!" she exclaimed, frowning deeply. 'How could they have penetrated the spells placed on this house?' she wondered. That's when she felt it. A tear in the protection of the house, like a crack in a great wall.
Kirae began to panic. She had found out! But before he could properly trap himself in a rut, Gridol lunged forward, grabbed the Abhorsen- in-Waiting, and was already halfway to the door. Lirael tried to shout for Mogget but found that her throat was filled with bile before she could even utter a word. The tang of Free Magic was now in the air stronger than ever before. She looked up at her captor and noticed that there was a lack of flesh (or anything for that matter) under the hood of his cloak and two glowing pits shone where his eyes would have been. He was a Shadow Hand, a strong spirit brought back from the Dead.
The girl let out a shrill whistle, the sound thick with Charter Magic. The melody that came forth was lighthearted and sweet sounding to her, but Gridol tensed his shadowy body fighting the weak imitation of Kibeth. His companion began to weave a spell made of the disgusting mockery of Charter Marks that the Free Magic beings used. The symbols glowed faintly in the air, twisting like worms. As he uttered the last words, Lirael felt her mind go into a hazy dreamlike state. A drunken smile smeared itself across her lips as she fell asleep in the Shadow Hand's arms.
"I can't make it," the Hand said in his crackling voice as they approached the stepping stones leading away from the river.
"Well give her to me!" Kirae shouted over the roar. Slinging the girl over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, the man leapt across the stepping stones as Gridol fought with himself. Suddenly, with a shriek, he disappeared from the platform and was returned to Death.
A pair of small, green eyes peered out of the Observatory window and watched the figures leave the House's boundaries. A silvery-skinned sending stood beside him, watching as well. The cat left the sending and trotted down into the study where Nick sat reading through several books about the Charter. He looked up as he saw Mogget.
"Where's Lirael? She was supposed to teach me about practical spells today."
"Lirael, the fool, has been taken captive by a Shadow Hand and a man known as Kirae."
* * * *
"I have another job for Eto," Cren said, seemingly satisfied at the moment. Eto looked up in both fear and hatred. "One of my scouts has managed to ensnare the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, and I want you to ensure that idiot doesn't lose her under any circumstances." Eto whimpered in assent, for that was the only sound he was allowed to make. He felt himself being thrown forward into the Gates as other spirits clung to him and eyed him enviously as he whooshed past. Up he was chucked through the Second Gate, and crashing he went through the First Gate, landing hard in the River. Cren shouted loudly at the Gates, "I'll be watching you!" With that Eto was left heading back towards Life, which he did in a most gleeful fashion, sprinting head-on towards the border.
A powerful warmth gripped his body as he stood slowly, moving his fingers and toes carefully. For the cold of Death had a habit of causing the body left behind to hibernate. Looking around, the boy noticed that he was not far from the Abhorsen's House as the waterfall roared loudly nearby. Cren's last words echoed in his mind as he set off for the road that picked itself up outside the tunnel. He knew Kirae would have to go around the cliff face, seeing as no sending (especially the Abhorsen's) would allow him through. Plus, he would be able to see them below, if they managed to get that far without aid that is.
Dusk was coming on and leaning against the cliff, Eto fell into a deep sleep which was something he always was denied in Death. It was one of the smaller perks of being alive again...
It was darker than usual as a small boy played outside with his friends. The boy's older brother had placed a spell on a rope so that it would swing itself around while all the children jumped over it. A simple game of jump rope that left them all chanting little rhymes of nonsense. A woman appeared in the doorway of the house behind them and shouted: "Eto, time for dinner!" The boy reluctantly left his friends and ran inside the house. "Now get washed up really well! We have a guest tonight who calls himself Cren. He says he can help your father!" The woman's eyes gleamed with tears of happiness, for seeing her husband well again was her fondest wish.
"Ever since the epidemic hit the village, my husband has been ill. We fear that it is a terminal disease..." the mother stated, her voice trailing off.
"Worry not. I shall be able to restore your husband and all will be well!" Everyone's eyes at the table brightened at this news. Only the guest felt the father's life snuff out just then. "However," Cren said, darkly, "such work does not come without a price."
"What price? I thought you would help us!" the elder of the brothers exclaimed.
Cren attempted to chuckle, but a slight cackle came out instead. "My dear boy, I said I would help you, I'm merely asking for compensation..."
"I'll give you anything to see him well again!" the mother shouted, emotion rising in her voice.
"Anything? Are you sure?" he replied, grinned evilly.
"Yes!" they all said, the little boy shouting it loudly.
"Very well then." He entered Death and muttered a spell of binding and darkness around the newly freed spirit of the father. Cren gave his instructions to the new slave and returned to Life just as a grunt was heard from another room. "Now I shall receive my payment and be off!"
"Of course!" she said excitedly, putting all the gold they had on the table.
"Oh no. I do not need gold or jewels. I think I shall take the boy." Turning to Eto, he picked him up by the scruff of his neck and dragged him out of the house. Cren paid no attention to the shouts and screams of terror the drifted from the house, his new servant fulfilling his orders as planned.
"ETO!!!" was heard as the man passed into Death, taking the live boy with him.
Eto awoke with a start, and remembered why he didn't like to sleep and why he never before missed it. The sun was just beginning to creep along the horizon. He heard a quiet string of curses come from below and a shuffling noise like someone trying to drag a large weight behind them. Peering over the edge, the boy watched Kirae drag the limp, sleeping body of Lirael down the road. He got to his feet and silently followed the two. He suddenly felt a pang of pity in his heart for her, for her fate would be the same as his: eternal servitude.
A/N: I would like to thank all of those who reviewed! That is all.
-Renegade
Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to Garth Nix and whichever
company that also owns this material any characters you don't recognize
belong to me.
Author's Note: This tale takes place after the death of the Disreputable
Dog and the rebinding of the Destroyer.
Chapter 2:
Deception
Lirael eyed the two strangers warily before giving in to her pity for Gridol. "Yes, I will help you." Kirae grinned, though not necessarily in a happy way, and leapt to his feet. "On one condition," she firmly added.
"W-what's that?" the man asked fearfully.
"You are to show me your Charter Marks." She reached out with two fingers and touched the mark on Kirae's forehead, but her hand retracted quickly as though the Mark burned her. "A sullied Mark?!" she exclaimed, frowning deeply. 'How could they have penetrated the spells placed on this house?' she wondered. That's when she felt it. A tear in the protection of the house, like a crack in a great wall.
Kirae began to panic. She had found out! But before he could properly trap himself in a rut, Gridol lunged forward, grabbed the Abhorsen- in-Waiting, and was already halfway to the door. Lirael tried to shout for Mogget but found that her throat was filled with bile before she could even utter a word. The tang of Free Magic was now in the air stronger than ever before. She looked up at her captor and noticed that there was a lack of flesh (or anything for that matter) under the hood of his cloak and two glowing pits shone where his eyes would have been. He was a Shadow Hand, a strong spirit brought back from the Dead.
The girl let out a shrill whistle, the sound thick with Charter Magic. The melody that came forth was lighthearted and sweet sounding to her, but Gridol tensed his shadowy body fighting the weak imitation of Kibeth. His companion began to weave a spell made of the disgusting mockery of Charter Marks that the Free Magic beings used. The symbols glowed faintly in the air, twisting like worms. As he uttered the last words, Lirael felt her mind go into a hazy dreamlike state. A drunken smile smeared itself across her lips as she fell asleep in the Shadow Hand's arms.
"I can't make it," the Hand said in his crackling voice as they approached the stepping stones leading away from the river.
"Well give her to me!" Kirae shouted over the roar. Slinging the girl over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, the man leapt across the stepping stones as Gridol fought with himself. Suddenly, with a shriek, he disappeared from the platform and was returned to Death.
A pair of small, green eyes peered out of the Observatory window and watched the figures leave the House's boundaries. A silvery-skinned sending stood beside him, watching as well. The cat left the sending and trotted down into the study where Nick sat reading through several books about the Charter. He looked up as he saw Mogget.
"Where's Lirael? She was supposed to teach me about practical spells today."
"Lirael, the fool, has been taken captive by a Shadow Hand and a man known as Kirae."
* * * *
"I have another job for Eto," Cren said, seemingly satisfied at the moment. Eto looked up in both fear and hatred. "One of my scouts has managed to ensnare the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, and I want you to ensure that idiot doesn't lose her under any circumstances." Eto whimpered in assent, for that was the only sound he was allowed to make. He felt himself being thrown forward into the Gates as other spirits clung to him and eyed him enviously as he whooshed past. Up he was chucked through the Second Gate, and crashing he went through the First Gate, landing hard in the River. Cren shouted loudly at the Gates, "I'll be watching you!" With that Eto was left heading back towards Life, which he did in a most gleeful fashion, sprinting head-on towards the border.
A powerful warmth gripped his body as he stood slowly, moving his fingers and toes carefully. For the cold of Death had a habit of causing the body left behind to hibernate. Looking around, the boy noticed that he was not far from the Abhorsen's House as the waterfall roared loudly nearby. Cren's last words echoed in his mind as he set off for the road that picked itself up outside the tunnel. He knew Kirae would have to go around the cliff face, seeing as no sending (especially the Abhorsen's) would allow him through. Plus, he would be able to see them below, if they managed to get that far without aid that is.
Dusk was coming on and leaning against the cliff, Eto fell into a deep sleep which was something he always was denied in Death. It was one of the smaller perks of being alive again...
It was darker than usual as a small boy played outside with his friends. The boy's older brother had placed a spell on a rope so that it would swing itself around while all the children jumped over it. A simple game of jump rope that left them all chanting little rhymes of nonsense. A woman appeared in the doorway of the house behind them and shouted: "Eto, time for dinner!" The boy reluctantly left his friends and ran inside the house. "Now get washed up really well! We have a guest tonight who calls himself Cren. He says he can help your father!" The woman's eyes gleamed with tears of happiness, for seeing her husband well again was her fondest wish.
"Ever since the epidemic hit the village, my husband has been ill. We fear that it is a terminal disease..." the mother stated, her voice trailing off.
"Worry not. I shall be able to restore your husband and all will be well!" Everyone's eyes at the table brightened at this news. Only the guest felt the father's life snuff out just then. "However," Cren said, darkly, "such work does not come without a price."
"What price? I thought you would help us!" the elder of the brothers exclaimed.
Cren attempted to chuckle, but a slight cackle came out instead. "My dear boy, I said I would help you, I'm merely asking for compensation..."
"I'll give you anything to see him well again!" the mother shouted, emotion rising in her voice.
"Anything? Are you sure?" he replied, grinned evilly.
"Yes!" they all said, the little boy shouting it loudly.
"Very well then." He entered Death and muttered a spell of binding and darkness around the newly freed spirit of the father. Cren gave his instructions to the new slave and returned to Life just as a grunt was heard from another room. "Now I shall receive my payment and be off!"
"Of course!" she said excitedly, putting all the gold they had on the table.
"Oh no. I do not need gold or jewels. I think I shall take the boy." Turning to Eto, he picked him up by the scruff of his neck and dragged him out of the house. Cren paid no attention to the shouts and screams of terror the drifted from the house, his new servant fulfilling his orders as planned.
"ETO!!!" was heard as the man passed into Death, taking the live boy with him.
Eto awoke with a start, and remembered why he didn't like to sleep and why he never before missed it. The sun was just beginning to creep along the horizon. He heard a quiet string of curses come from below and a shuffling noise like someone trying to drag a large weight behind them. Peering over the edge, the boy watched Kirae drag the limp, sleeping body of Lirael down the road. He got to his feet and silently followed the two. He suddenly felt a pang of pity in his heart for her, for her fate would be the same as his: eternal servitude.
A/N: I would like to thank all of those who reviewed! That is all.
-Renegade
