Disclaimer: The characters within are used without permission for the sheer non profit enjoyment of fans of the Gabriel Knight genre. Part 2
An eerie breeze fluttered through the ancient oaks leaves rustling anxiously. Some bird of prey swept out of the night to scoop up a rodent, it's startled cry ripped the night and fell silent. The clopping of hooves on soft earth rhythmically lulled Kail's senses as he sat on his mount in silent contemplation, his uncle Reinhold in the lead.
They had been traveling for a good four hours at a fair pace but finally they had slowed the pace to compensate for the overgrowth of the path they chose. While not the safest road to Rittersburgh, it was certainly the quickest and speed was always important to Reinhold. Passing by another branch he was forced to duck, Kail suddenly stopped his mount the hairs on the back of his neck rising with his awareness.
"Uncle..." He began but Reinhold put up a gloved hand.
"I hear it lad." He whispered harshly, dismounting from his horse and drawing his sword.
"Best hop down. There'll be disadvantage with the steeds in this mess a trees."
Kail climbed off his horse and drew his own blade his eyes darting about, squinting against the blackness of night. The breeze died down and they were left in near silence-- The rustling of their horses and the beating of their hearts pounded painfully in their ears... Eternity in waiting.
It happened all at once and they were given just enough time to fall back to back to face the opponents. Garbed in black with drawn masks at least four men darted out from the path with blades brandished silently charging to attack.
Reinhold pressed forward blocking a swing and countering with a pommel strike to the man's face. As his first victim fell back with a sickening crunch, he swung the sword wide, the blade biting deep into the brigand's side. A gurgling cry exploded across the night as he ripped the sword away and the dead man fell to the ground.
Kail danced aside a thrust and chopped a vicious wound to the man's arm, turning just in time to parry a swing aimed at his head. He kicked his opponent in the gut forcing him back several paces spinning with a low swing to behead his other victim.
As Kail faced off with his other attacker, he heard a strangled cry rip into his soul and a glance told him that Reinhold had fallen. Desperately, he pressed a frenzied attack against the man, disarming him and thrusting his sword deep into his chest. Pushing his body from the blade with his boot, he turned to see the last of the four brigands holding his stomach as blood pumped from an open wound-- Reinhold's last act.
Setting his sword down beside his uncle he lifted the aged man into his arms and examined his wound. It was a deep cut in his chest, near the heart but he still lived. Reinhold's eyes fluttered open, breathing rasped and wet. Exploring his nephew's face a moment he spoke slowly.
"Kail... We... won."
"Aye we did at that, uncle." Tears welled in his eyes and he bit his lip. His breathing became shallow his heart in his throat.
"You... must..." Reinhold closed his eyes to contend with a rush of pain before continuing. "Take the Talisman... You're... the Shattenjager... now."
"Uncle, no." Kail shook his head the tears freely falling.
With great effort, Reinhold pulled the Ritter family talisman over his head and pressed it against Kail who tentatively took it. "You've trained... well... Kail..." A fit of coughing cut the statement short the blood ran from his face. "Serve the family well..." A bout of pain racked his body-- Trembling then tension... then silence. Reinhold was dead.
Kail took a deep breath and almost fell to total grief but then he noticed something... The rasping of the last brigand. Eyes full of hate Kail set his uncle down, sliding the talisman over his head. Lifting his sword, he approached the last man, stopping a moment to look into his eyes rising the sword back above his head...
Cold skin tingled painfully... Aching head flopped back against a soft cushion drawing a wince from handsome features. The world's worst hang over... He tried to bring his arm up to rub his neck but found himself restrained, palms down on the arms of a chair. Eyes blinked open, squinting through the haze.
A hotel... It had to be. Drab furniture, a cheap television set, bent up venetian blinds along with a beige blanketed bed. Gabriel frowned and examined his bonds feeling ill from the pain in his neck. His hands were tied down with leather straps, firmly secured somehow below the arms of the chair.
Glancing about, he saw the old man in a similar situation though he had yet to recover. He glanced down quickly, the glint of the talisman caught his eye and he sighed with relief. What the hell was happening? Awareness quickly returned to him as self-preservation kicked in.
"Wake up!" He rasped leaning toward the old man. You wake up!"
The aged head stirred and he leaned back against the chair and moaned pursing his lips. His breathing was slow and his eyes remained firmly shut. "Hey!" Gabriel whispered again. "We're in a lot of trouble here! Wake up!"
Gray hair obscuring his eyes he looked over at Gabriel and blinked awake. "Where... where are we?"
"That's what I'd like to know." Gabriel sighed and tested the strength his bonds. No breaking them. "I was hoping that you'd have some clue."
"I have none." His raspy voice broke on the last word. His lips were cracked and he looked incredibly malnourished. Under the more distinct light of the room, Gabriel was able to see just how ill the man really was.
"What's wrong with you?" Gabriel was in no mood to mince words. "Don't take this the wrong way but you look really awful."
"'Tis to be expected." His voice took a cryptic tone. "I've been running for a long time."
"Mind giving me some answers now?" Gabriel was starting to get angry. "Why are we in this predicament? Who's after you?"
"They are after us both, Gabriel." He looked at him with tired eyes. "They are murderers... A sacred order. Ages old, they have hunted our-- your kind for generations."
"Our kind eh? Who the hell are you? Stop being evasive!"
The old man slumped his head forward, his breathing erratic. "Stay with me!" Gabriel cried but it was no good. He had fallen unconscious. "Damnit!" He looked around the room frantically, his mind working quickly. Examining the chair, the bonds were placed on the arms, which cut at an angle to meet with the base. He wouldn't be able to slide the straps off the chair.
He took a deep breath and tried to move forward but he was too far back in the chair and he couldn't get any real footing. 'Way easier in the movies.' He complained taking a deep breath as he scanned around for another alternative.
A familiar voice resounded in the hall, quiet at first but becoming more and more distinct each moment. Muttering... though more like personal conversation. Mosely! What the hell was he doing there? It mattered little...
"Mosely!" Gabriel yelled as loud as he could, his voice rasped by the strain. "Mosely! Over here!"
"Gabriel?" He heard his friend's voice call confused. "But yer supposed to be in room 209! What're you doin in--"
"Help me man!" He interrupted. "I'm tied up!"
He heard him curse as a somewhat powerful leg struck the door. A crack, a tremble but the door still stood. Another strike and Gabriel heard it complain further, the upper hinge's snapping out of the wall. Finally, with a third powerful blow, the door flew open, hanging by one Mosely stood at the door, gun drawn.
"What the hell's goin on here Knight?" He asked, cautiously moving through the door eyes alert.
"I got attacked in the garage. Help me outta this." He strained at the straps a moment to emphasize his need.
Mosely gave one last look around before putting away his weapon and pulling out a pocketknife. "Seems that you get into the strangest trouble these days..."
"Better than demonic transference, eh Mostly?" Gabriel tried to be light but in truth his heart was pounding. He was quite ready to leave.
"Yeah," Mosely shook his head. "I don't even want to THINK about that again, Knight." He finished with the first bond and handed Gabriel the knife. "You take care of the other one... Who's this?" He beckoned to the old man curiously.
"I'm not sure but he's the reason I'm here I suspect. There was someone after him." Gabriel finished cutting his other bond and pushed himself from the chair to start cutting the old man's bonds. "Unfortunately, we don't have time to talk about it now, Mose... Can we go to the station maybe?"
Mosely shrugged. "Sure. I don't see why not. Probably be safe enough 'til we figure out what the hell's happening."
Gabriel finished cutting the leather straps and glanced at Mosely. "Help me out here." They lifted him together, draping an arm over their shoulders and heaving him out. "I suspect you brought a car?"
Mosely nodded and grunted. "Sure did. This guy is heavy!"
Kail leaned against a tree head bowed in prayer. The sun was shedding its light from the Eastern horizon the damp morning air a visible mist stretched as far as the eye could see. Birds chirped their melodies a strange offset to the graphic scene that decorated the path.
Kail looked up into the sky tears trailed down his cheeks, the talisman glimmering on his chest. He looked down at the bodies of the fallen and frowned ripping a small broach from one of their cloaks. It was a strange design, a humming bird surrounded by a laurel. He dropped it into his pocket and mounted his horse Reinhold's body was tied on to his own mount. He looked down at his mentor and felt his chest constrict. They had traveled long together and everything he knew, he had learned from this man-- this dead man staring lifelessly up at him. He hurried off, leading the horse behind his own as he continued the journey to Schloss Ritter-- and a bitter homecoming it would be.