Chapter 4
"An' you don't know how t' stop it?"
"No, as I said, whatever it is managed to get control over us."
"You sure its not a dream?"
"Yes."
"This seems l'ke it'll kill you all."
"I hope not."
The abbot and Rodney were talking about the current danger. Rodney didn't believe a word about it. Suddenly he heard a voice. It came from everywhere, and nowhere. "Believe..."
He tried to turn his head to see who spoke. It wouldn't move. Then it turned down to his sword. His paw picking it up, he realized what was going on. The others couldn't se his paw yet. He had no control. His sword came up to strike, and he spoke, not in his normal accent but in a clear one. "You will die, Vermin!" As his paws moved to behead the abbot, another sword came down and hit him. The pain was far away, but surged back. He regained control of himself, and stared fearfully up at the Abbot, who had the Sword of Martin. He spoke to Rodney. "Not your fault, I know. Sorry about the wound. You should go to the infirmary."
There was no Supper that night, as the abbots jubilee would be the next day. The abbot lay in his bed. He as pondering what to do about the situation. Soon he slept.
He had his dream again. He was attacking Redwall again. A ferret came up to him, and said, "Make me proud, my son." he said. The battle went badly Weasles, Stoats, Rats, foxes and ferrets died in the onslaught. Seeing his father go to surrender, he pulled a bow and arrow out. Lining it up on an old mouse he waited. "I am Abbot Coonlan. What is it you want." The leader, he thought, if he dies, we win. He fired. The abbot fell, and an otter pointed at him and said something. He felt five stones hit him, and the dream ended.
He woke sweating. Had he killed the previous abbot? Coonlan was the abbot before him. He was on this when there was a knock at the door. An old otter, named Greenleaf, came in. She kept to herself, and would be in her room for weeks, eating off supplies she got on her last trip out. "Father Abbot, sir, I know how to stop this. If you'll come to my room in a few moments..."
"I'll meet you there." He waited, thinking, then went over to her room. She was waiting.
"Sir, before we start..."
She saw something different about him. And then she knew: He looked like a real ferret, ready to kill. Picking up a dagger, he advanced.
"No..." She half whispered
He laughed, and grinned evily. "You know too much. For that, you will die." She hit the floor, the dagger still in her. The abbot chuckled, and went back to his room. He hit his bed, sobbing, and the door suddenly closed behind him.
Allayne was next door to the Abbot. She heard him sobbing.
Coming into his room, she asked, "Morty, whats wrong? Whats that Morty. Is-Is that blood Morty?"
He was still sobbing, but tried talking through sobs. "It-It made me kill her! I-I've killed Greenleaf!"
Allayne was about to try to comfort him, when something hit them both. They hit the floor, and stayed that way the rest of the night.
The abbot awoke. It was daylight. Something was nagging at him. It was important, he knew that. He looked at his paws. They were stained with blood. Did it have something to do with that? Suddenly he felt pain. He felt his head. Bleeding, almost as if somebeast had scratched it. He saw Allayne, and saw blood on her too. Her arm was rebroken, and bleeding. Had she fallen? Never mind, he thought, she needs to get to the infirmary. Then he saw how she as draped over him. He didn't want to hurt her more by moving her. He was near the door. He tried to yell for help, but pain shot through him, and no sound came out. Not a good sign he thought. He saw some paper and ink. He wrote: Please help. In abbots room.
He slid the paper out, and disturbed some blood so that it ran out. That should catch somebeasts attention. He was right. Skipper of Otters was across the hall. He was going to get some scones to eat, after washing. As he went to his door, he noticed blood coming through his door. He opened it, and saw the paper, in the abbots handwriting. Opening the door to the abbots room, he saw the situation. He said to the abbot, "Wait 'ere, mate. I'll go for Sister Lisa." And ran to the infirmary.
Sister Lisa was strict, but knowegable in the art of Healing. The squirrle was trying to get Cornelius to be quiet.
"Cornelius, I never thought you would stoop that low as to lie about something like that!"
"I'm serious! Martin came! He said save the abbot! He showed the abbot bleeding, and under Allayne, who had a rebroken arm!"
"Stop Lying!"
"'E' ain't lyin' sister! 'Urry!" Skipper came running in, and practicaly threw the Infirmary keeper out the door, as he grabbed a stretcher and a bag of supplies. They both ran flat out, and Cornelius limped behind them.
They reached the room, and Sister Lisa began questioning the abbot. "What happened?" She began to lift Allayne. "Morty?" He tried to answer, but just started coughing.
"Not good." Said Sister Lisa. "Skipper, help him to the infirmary."
The otter grunted, and helped the Abbot up, bearing most of the weight.
When they got to the infirmary, Lisa put Allayne on a bed. Binding the wound, and putting the cast back on, she told skipper to clean her up. She moved over to the abbot, and touched his jaw. It shifted, and he started coughing again, this time some blood coming out. Putting a cast on that would let him speak, She asked him again. "What happened?"
"I don't know. I woke up like this."
"You'll have to do better then that."
The abbot sighed. "I really don't know. Now, since there are no availible beds in here, I'd like to go back to my room."
Lisa gave the abbot a bell. "Ring this if you need anything. You'll be in bed all day today, but its not a full fracture. The cast can come off after tomorow."
The abbot sighed, now he would miss his jubilee.
Cornelius was watching over the abbot. He was busy cleaning up the blood when the abbot rolled over and groaned. "Are you allright?"
"Yes and no. Tell me the truth about when I first came to the abbey."
"You were a dibbun when-"
"Tell me the truth. I've checked the records. The battle was five seasons ago. The same time I became Abbot."
Cornelius looked down at the blood stained floor. "You were in the Army that attacked. Martin visited every abbeybeast, and said that a ferret would one day be abbot, after killing the old one. We saw you hit him during a parley. Skipper and four other otters hit you with slingstones. We went out there and grabbed you. Just before you passed out you told us that a mouse told you to kill the abbot. You said you wouldn't have otherwise. We knew then that it was you, but after you came to you didn't remember it. You were happy with the story we had given you, so we didn't say otherwise."
The abbot looked angry for a second. He tried to get up to look at Cornelius, but fell back. "I'd always prided myself as not being like those scum. Now I know my life was a lie."
Cornelius looked back down at the floor, still wiping up the blood. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Its not your fault." The abbot started snoring, the conversation had exausted him.
Chapter 5
Somethings happened. What was it again? I think it involved the abbot. He-My Arm!
Allayne awoke, in great pain. "Sister Lisa!" she gasped out.
Sister Lisa turned from what she was doing, and saw Allayne awake. "Whats wrong?"
"My arm." Her teeth gritted to keep her from screaming.
"Let me see it." She bent over. "The bleeding wased out the bandage." She moved over and got bandaging supplies. Slapping a poultice on the wound, she put cloth strips over it. "Feel better?"
"Yes. Just Stiff now."
"How did this happen?"
Allayne thought a moment. "I can't remember."
"Same thing the abbot said."
"I remember something important happened. I just don't remember what it is. Where's the abbot?"
"In his room, resting."
"I'd like to see him."
"You may visit him, but not for too long. Come back here when your done."
"Why can't he come here?"
"He was injured."
"Oh." Allayne moved out of her bed, and left.
"Cornelius? What are you doing here?"
"Watching the abbot. He knows."
"Why did you tell him?"
"He did his research. He knew the story we were telling him was a lie."
"Where did he get it?"
"Same way I found out you were a seer. Abbey records are not exactly the place to put personal information." The abbot was attempting to pull himself up.
"Oh! Your awake!" Cornelius said
"How do you feel?"
"Fine Allayne. Don't worry about me."
"Do you remember anything about last night?"
"No."
"Neither do I. But I know we just need to figure this out."
"An' you don't know how t' stop it?"
"No, as I said, whatever it is managed to get control over us."
"You sure its not a dream?"
"Yes."
"This seems l'ke it'll kill you all."
"I hope not."
The abbot and Rodney were talking about the current danger. Rodney didn't believe a word about it. Suddenly he heard a voice. It came from everywhere, and nowhere. "Believe..."
He tried to turn his head to see who spoke. It wouldn't move. Then it turned down to his sword. His paw picking it up, he realized what was going on. The others couldn't se his paw yet. He had no control. His sword came up to strike, and he spoke, not in his normal accent but in a clear one. "You will die, Vermin!" As his paws moved to behead the abbot, another sword came down and hit him. The pain was far away, but surged back. He regained control of himself, and stared fearfully up at the Abbot, who had the Sword of Martin. He spoke to Rodney. "Not your fault, I know. Sorry about the wound. You should go to the infirmary."
There was no Supper that night, as the abbots jubilee would be the next day. The abbot lay in his bed. He as pondering what to do about the situation. Soon he slept.
He had his dream again. He was attacking Redwall again. A ferret came up to him, and said, "Make me proud, my son." he said. The battle went badly Weasles, Stoats, Rats, foxes and ferrets died in the onslaught. Seeing his father go to surrender, he pulled a bow and arrow out. Lining it up on an old mouse he waited. "I am Abbot Coonlan. What is it you want." The leader, he thought, if he dies, we win. He fired. The abbot fell, and an otter pointed at him and said something. He felt five stones hit him, and the dream ended.
He woke sweating. Had he killed the previous abbot? Coonlan was the abbot before him. He was on this when there was a knock at the door. An old otter, named Greenleaf, came in. She kept to herself, and would be in her room for weeks, eating off supplies she got on her last trip out. "Father Abbot, sir, I know how to stop this. If you'll come to my room in a few moments..."
"I'll meet you there." He waited, thinking, then went over to her room. She was waiting.
"Sir, before we start..."
She saw something different about him. And then she knew: He looked like a real ferret, ready to kill. Picking up a dagger, he advanced.
"No..." She half whispered
He laughed, and grinned evily. "You know too much. For that, you will die." She hit the floor, the dagger still in her. The abbot chuckled, and went back to his room. He hit his bed, sobbing, and the door suddenly closed behind him.
Allayne was next door to the Abbot. She heard him sobbing.
Coming into his room, she asked, "Morty, whats wrong? Whats that Morty. Is-Is that blood Morty?"
He was still sobbing, but tried talking through sobs. "It-It made me kill her! I-I've killed Greenleaf!"
Allayne was about to try to comfort him, when something hit them both. They hit the floor, and stayed that way the rest of the night.
The abbot awoke. It was daylight. Something was nagging at him. It was important, he knew that. He looked at his paws. They were stained with blood. Did it have something to do with that? Suddenly he felt pain. He felt his head. Bleeding, almost as if somebeast had scratched it. He saw Allayne, and saw blood on her too. Her arm was rebroken, and bleeding. Had she fallen? Never mind, he thought, she needs to get to the infirmary. Then he saw how she as draped over him. He didn't want to hurt her more by moving her. He was near the door. He tried to yell for help, but pain shot through him, and no sound came out. Not a good sign he thought. He saw some paper and ink. He wrote: Please help. In abbots room.
He slid the paper out, and disturbed some blood so that it ran out. That should catch somebeasts attention. He was right. Skipper of Otters was across the hall. He was going to get some scones to eat, after washing. As he went to his door, he noticed blood coming through his door. He opened it, and saw the paper, in the abbots handwriting. Opening the door to the abbots room, he saw the situation. He said to the abbot, "Wait 'ere, mate. I'll go for Sister Lisa." And ran to the infirmary.
Sister Lisa was strict, but knowegable in the art of Healing. The squirrle was trying to get Cornelius to be quiet.
"Cornelius, I never thought you would stoop that low as to lie about something like that!"
"I'm serious! Martin came! He said save the abbot! He showed the abbot bleeding, and under Allayne, who had a rebroken arm!"
"Stop Lying!"
"'E' ain't lyin' sister! 'Urry!" Skipper came running in, and practicaly threw the Infirmary keeper out the door, as he grabbed a stretcher and a bag of supplies. They both ran flat out, and Cornelius limped behind them.
They reached the room, and Sister Lisa began questioning the abbot. "What happened?" She began to lift Allayne. "Morty?" He tried to answer, but just started coughing.
"Not good." Said Sister Lisa. "Skipper, help him to the infirmary."
The otter grunted, and helped the Abbot up, bearing most of the weight.
When they got to the infirmary, Lisa put Allayne on a bed. Binding the wound, and putting the cast back on, she told skipper to clean her up. She moved over to the abbot, and touched his jaw. It shifted, and he started coughing again, this time some blood coming out. Putting a cast on that would let him speak, She asked him again. "What happened?"
"I don't know. I woke up like this."
"You'll have to do better then that."
The abbot sighed. "I really don't know. Now, since there are no availible beds in here, I'd like to go back to my room."
Lisa gave the abbot a bell. "Ring this if you need anything. You'll be in bed all day today, but its not a full fracture. The cast can come off after tomorow."
The abbot sighed, now he would miss his jubilee.
Cornelius was watching over the abbot. He was busy cleaning up the blood when the abbot rolled over and groaned. "Are you allright?"
"Yes and no. Tell me the truth about when I first came to the abbey."
"You were a dibbun when-"
"Tell me the truth. I've checked the records. The battle was five seasons ago. The same time I became Abbot."
Cornelius looked down at the blood stained floor. "You were in the Army that attacked. Martin visited every abbeybeast, and said that a ferret would one day be abbot, after killing the old one. We saw you hit him during a parley. Skipper and four other otters hit you with slingstones. We went out there and grabbed you. Just before you passed out you told us that a mouse told you to kill the abbot. You said you wouldn't have otherwise. We knew then that it was you, but after you came to you didn't remember it. You were happy with the story we had given you, so we didn't say otherwise."
The abbot looked angry for a second. He tried to get up to look at Cornelius, but fell back. "I'd always prided myself as not being like those scum. Now I know my life was a lie."
Cornelius looked back down at the floor, still wiping up the blood. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Its not your fault." The abbot started snoring, the conversation had exausted him.
Chapter 5
Somethings happened. What was it again? I think it involved the abbot. He-My Arm!
Allayne awoke, in great pain. "Sister Lisa!" she gasped out.
Sister Lisa turned from what she was doing, and saw Allayne awake. "Whats wrong?"
"My arm." Her teeth gritted to keep her from screaming.
"Let me see it." She bent over. "The bleeding wased out the bandage." She moved over and got bandaging supplies. Slapping a poultice on the wound, she put cloth strips over it. "Feel better?"
"Yes. Just Stiff now."
"How did this happen?"
Allayne thought a moment. "I can't remember."
"Same thing the abbot said."
"I remember something important happened. I just don't remember what it is. Where's the abbot?"
"In his room, resting."
"I'd like to see him."
"You may visit him, but not for too long. Come back here when your done."
"Why can't he come here?"
"He was injured."
"Oh." Allayne moved out of her bed, and left.
"Cornelius? What are you doing here?"
"Watching the abbot. He knows."
"Why did you tell him?"
"He did his research. He knew the story we were telling him was a lie."
"Where did he get it?"
"Same way I found out you were a seer. Abbey records are not exactly the place to put personal information." The abbot was attempting to pull himself up.
"Oh! Your awake!" Cornelius said
"How do you feel?"
"Fine Allayne. Don't worry about me."
"Do you remember anything about last night?"
"No."
"Neither do I. But I know we just need to figure this out."