Wild cards
Chapter 16
…
He awoke with a start, sitting straight up on the floor. It was dark, silent and still. There was no light. He could see the windows, the darkness moving outside, but there was no light.
He looked off to the side and found Andrew, a barely perceptible lump.
A distant rumble drew his attention back to the window. Thunder. A storm would explain the darkness. He stood groggily and shuffled to the door. He had to tinkle. He didn't know where he was going to do it but that didn't alleviate the problem so off he went, fumbling in the dark.
There was a solid wind blowing when he found his way outside. Despite the clouds the outside was still more illuminated than the inside. He spotted a nearby bush and scampered over to it. He hoped no one would think him rude for watering the foliage in the middle of the night.
The wind continued to pick up and another rumble of thunder rolled across the sky before he was done. He was about to head back in when a flash of lightning shattered the darkness. For an instant he thought he saw something moving near the trees.
The darkness had returned before he could make out what it was. There had been something strange about it though, like it was hovering off the ground. It hadn't been big, maybe the size of his head. He was also certain it hadn't been flying, the motion was too smooth especially with the wind.
Probably nothing, just his tired brain playing tricks on him, he thought. But at the same time, he couldn't stop staring into that patch of darkness. The trees shook and waved, taunting him, beckoning.
His curiosity got the better of him. He walked over to where he had seen it, just outside the tree line. The ground was shifty gravel, perfect for catching tracks. There was nothing. He looked around, hoping for a glimpse of something.
A chill entered the wind that raised the hairs across his entire body. The air grew thick with moisture and the threat of rain. Harry shook his head and rubbed his arms for warmth. Just his imagination, he told himself, and headed back inside.
Now awake he took notice of the large main room he'd passed through on his way out. He'd never seen walls like these, in the darkness they looked like the houses skeleton. He couldn't see any reason you'd want such thin walls, no privacy at all.
As his eyes wandered he came to the center of the room. There were eight odd lumps laid together in two neat rows. He approached on feline feet, intent on investigation. His heart nearly flew through his chest when something touched his shoulder.
"Harry."
Harry stared up at Andrew from his place on the floor, "Andrew!"
"Did I scare you?"
"Yes!" what a stupid question.
"Well that makes us even" he said, "I wake up and find you gone, I nearly had a heart attack."
"Sorry" he wasn't used to people caring where he was.
"You alright?"
"I think so" he said picking himself up.
"What's this then?" he asked gesturing to the lumps on the floor.
"I don't know. They weren't here when we came in?"
"No" said Andrew suspiciously.
He approached the nearest lump and gave it an experimental kick. Nothing. He knelt and poked it. It was covered in cloth, something solid beneath. He gave it a shove, flipping it over. Harry gasped from behind him at the sight. The lump was a person, or had been.
"Where's his head?"
A good question, Andrew thought as he went around and flipped over all the others.
"Isn't that the lady who invited us in?" Harry asked as the last body was overturned.
"Looks like it" said Andrew.
"How… I mean why, why are their heads gone?" Harry didn't want to cry, and it was only Andrew's stoic calm that kept him from doing so.
"Because they got up and left."
"What?!"
"Here, the neck, there's no blood, no sign of a cut" he said.
"Then what, they just fell off?" it sounded preposterous but Harry found he like it better than the alternative.
"I don't think they were ever properly attached" said Andrew, "come here, touch this."
Harry did not want to do that. It was only a flash of lightning and the accompanying thunder that got him next to the headless body. He reached out a trembling hand and touched the corpses skin. Only it wasn't skin, it was hard and smooth like polished…
"Wood!" he exclaimed.
Andrew nodded.
"So, they're fake. But, why dress them up like this? And why no heads?"
"They did have heads, you saw hers."
"But they're just wood. I may have been falling asleep but I know she didn't look like wood before."
"No, she didn't 'look' like wood. Some sort of illusion probably."
"Life is an illusion."
Both jumped this time as they came face to face with their hostess. She wore an elaborate multilayered kimono in vibrant orange and gold tied off with a crimson sash. Her head sat perched in its proper place but the rest of her body was another story. It was clear this was not flesh nor anything more solid than a thick mist. It glowed eerily, casting a gothic pallor across her all to solid face.
Harry had no words and Andrew just stared grimly so it was left to the disembodied woman to carry the conversation.
"I had hoped you would remain asleep" she said calmly, "It would have been so much easier if you'd not been awake."
"You meant to kill us" Andrew accused.
"We mean to kill you" she stated without hesitation.
"Why?" Harry cried.
"Do not think ill of us" she said, "Our master commands, we can naught but obey."
"Who is your master?" Andrew demanded.
The ghostly woman shook her head, "The master commands. So sorry, but you must die. So sorry."
The two took up a defensive position but the ghost woman made no move to attack them. Not that she needed to. The wall slid open and a demon entered the room.
That was Harry's first impression. The mask had clearly been crafted to create such an effect. If he looked carefully he could just make out the head behind it. It fit perfectly in the helmet of the strange armor that glowed from within, filled with ethereal fire instead of a proper body. That was less of a concern than the sword he was carrying.
"Harry, you got a weapon in your deck somewhere?"
"I think so."
"Now might be a good time to pull it out."
Before he could the warrior raised his sword and charged. The two humans split up, Harry going to his board while Andrew engaged the swordsman. Harry flew through his cards looking for a means to help. He was sure he had a sword magic card in his deck but it refused to surface.
Out of nowhere he was knocked to the ground. He looked up to see a hooded cloak floating in midair. Ghostly hands gestured at him and he felt a sudden dread. Acting on the feeling he threw himself to one side just in time. The bolt of lightning left a smoking scorch mark and sent Harry scrambling for cover.
The cloak moved to follow but Andrew danced in front of it still dodging the swordsman. The disembodied spellcaster turned to follow the larger target.
Harry took the opportunity to finish rifling through his deck. The two bodiless men had nearly backed Andrew into a corner when a brilliant flash lit the room and a shimmering sword slammed into the floor between them.
"Does that help?" Harry called out, drawing their attention to himself.
Smiling, Andrew dashed forward, grabbing the sword and taking a swing at the swordsman. The swordsman took the hit and toppled over into the cloak.
"Harry, come on!"
The boy hurried over to his friend and they ran for the doors. Throwing them open Andrew was forced to block a flurry of fireballs. Harry spotted the floating lanterns responsible and the human head inside the largest one.
The storm had picked up and the wind howled savagely. The lantern appeared to be fighting the wind, so Harry picked up a rock and flung it at the floating head.
The wind threw off his aim and he took out the wrong lantern. He ducked and rolled under the return assault, giving Andrew a chance to jump up and club the head lantern with the flat of his sword. The head reeled and then flew off into the trees, carried by the wind.
Both were shocked when one of the trees reached out and caught it. The human head attached to the long twisting branch explained it. The unnatural locomotion it displayed in its roots tore them from the earth and lifted the tree out of the earth.
The warrior chose that same moment to rejoin the fight. There was a massive gash on the side of his armor but he didn't appear to notice.
"Damned undead" Andrew cursed.
That wasn't the end of it however. The dragon statue chose to animate itself as well, a human head visible inside its mouth. The pond in the garden rose up, took a humanoid shape beneath the real human head and advanced on them. Sand and stone moved and shifted, dragging itself under the direction of yet another bodiless head.
"Andrew!"
"It is too late."
Harry looked at the dead woman who gazed on impassively.
"He will die" she stated, "then you. The master commands it."
Harry stared, horrified. The seven heads and their abnormal bodies had his friend surrounded. Even with the sword he couldn't fight them all. He had to do something.
He grabbed his deck and fumbled. The cards scattered across the porch. The wind snatched them up, throwing them against the walls. One looked to be headed in the opposite direction but Harry snatched it out of the air and slammed it onto his board.
The summoning was a brilliant strobing light that brought everything to a screeching halt. They looked at Harry, at the star tipped rod in his hand.
"Harry?"
Before he could answer the spellcaster threw a lightning bolt at him. The wand in his hand shot up and intercepted the attack. The lightning coursed through the rod, then into Harry. His eyes began to glow, and he leveled a glare at the hooded cloak.
The spellcaster looked ready to try again when Andrew took it from behind, slashing through the cloak and slicing an ear off the head. It shrieked and toppled to the ground. Andrew looked up just in time to see the lightning bolt fly past him.
The armored head of the warrior was blasted clean off by the attack, the armor falling empty to the ground, the sword landing just in front of him. Andrew saw this, realized what had almost happened, and took the brief lull in the fight to get out of the circle.
He snatched up the fallen sword as he passed then turned to face his enemies. It was a calculated risk showing his back to the innkeeper, but she'd shown no overt hostility so far. Harry was there as well so he felt adequately protected.
"You with me Harry?" he called over his shoulder.
When no reply came he hazarded a look. Harry was there, but he wasn't sure he was 'there'. The rod was surging and his eyes were turned up to the sky, glowing a vibrant green.
"Harry!"
There was a flinch, his head tilted down, but he didn't look at Andrew. He lifted the rod, pointing it accusingly.
Andrew turned back and saw it. Mounted on a flashing black steed with eyes glowing like hot coals. It wore armor like the warrior but more ornate, the helmet, and its head, held in one hand.
"Dullahan!"
"Master" the undead woman bowed.
"Oh great" that explained everything.
The Dullahan drew its long, curved sword and began a slow measured trot toward them. The other undead cowered like cravens and scurried out of his way. Harry continued staring with blank glowing eyes while Andrew shifted his stance and prepared to charge.
Still out of reach the Dullahan lifted his sword and threw a powerful downward stroke. A wave of dark energy surged from the sword and Andrew dove to avoid it.
The Dullahan charged before he could recover but Harry was there, swinging the rod like a tennis racket and bombarding the Dullahan with little exploding stars. The Dullahan was forced to block with its sword, giving Andrew time to regain his feet and press his offense. The Dullahan proved it skill by deftly deflecting his attacks and reeling his steed around for another pass all while holding his head without dropping it.
A bolt of lightning split the sky as the Dullahan charged again. Andrew met the attack but it was painfully clear who the superior warrior was. Andrew lost his scavenged sword in the clash and only just avoided losing the hand thanks to Harry's timely interference.
The Dullahan rode on then turned, the horse rearing up. Pointing his sword to the sky an orb of black energy began to grow. Lost in the surge of power Harry could still feel the threat building. Raising the star rod to the sky's he felt an irresistible pull and a long streak of lightning reached down from the clouds.
His mind went blank as his body exploded with power manifesting in a near blinding aura. The Dullahan focused on him and hurled the now massive orb of pulsing darkness.
Harry reached back with the rod and prepared to swing for the fences. The swing started slow, like he was moving through the worlds thickest pudding. The star glowed brighter and brighter with every inch till at last the resistance gave out and the rod slammed into the orb.
The two forces collided and detonated. Andrew thrust his sword into the ground and used it as a shield and anchor as waves of energy rolled over him.
When it cleared Harry remained untouched. He still glowed if faintly, mostly in the eyes. He pointed the rod at the Dullahan, a clear challenge.
The Dullahan surveyed the battlefield and his scattered minions. He looked at Harry, glowing with power, and made his decision. Sheathing his sword, he reached out his hand. Eight heads flew to his hand. Catching them by the hair the Dullahan turned his horse and rode off into the darkness.
Stillness followed the undead's exodus. The wind howled quietly overhead and thunder rolled gently through the sky. Andrew stared at Harry whose glowed had ebbed with the flight of the death knight.
"Harry?"
The boy turned woodenly at the sound of his name. His eyes were hollow. The rod fell from his hand and disappeared into sparkling dust.
"Andrew" he whispered.
Like a puppet without its strings he fell, the lingering glow vanishing as the ground rose up to meet him. He stopped inches from the merciless earth, caught in the strong arms of his friend.
Andrew couldn't help but stare at the unconscious boy in wonder. Who was this child? He'd seen many great feats of magical power before, but this.
He shook his head, picked the boy up and headed back into the now abandoned inn. He stopped a moment when he saw Harry's cards fluttering about on the porch.
A flick of his wrist and the cards flew into his hand. Taking the one off the top he spoke a few quiet words and a pair of Obsidian Gargoyle came into being.
Without instruction they set themselves up on either side of the door. Andrew walked inside and slid the doors closed just as the rain began to fall.