Chapter 18: The White Flyer
The following day, Aonghus, Matthias, and Gavin set off to Mann Manor. They approached the area deliberately slow so as to not draw attention to themselves, but had their weapons drawn in case they encountered any straggling Zombies, or even Merasmus. A quiet wind blew through the empty sheds, and yet the air felt heavy. Matthias was the first to approach the front door of the mansion, and was surprised to find it locked.
"Our mates must've gone in here," Matthias said, turning the handle vigorously.
"Hopefully, none of the ghosts lurking inside killed them," Gavin said, clenching his Jag Wrench tightly.
"It's not the ghosts we should be worried about," Aonghus said, causing Gavin and Matthias to turn to him. "Don't forget the Headless Horsemann haunt this place as well."
"You mean those bloody pumpkin-heads with the big axes?" Matthias exclaimed.
"Aye, same ones."
"Dagnabbit! We should've come here sooner!" Gavin cursed, and was about to smash the locked door when Aonghus held him back.
"Don't get too cocky, lad," Aonghus said, even as Gavin struggled. "If we make too much noise, the wizard might find us here."
"He already has," Matthias said grimly, pointing to a darkly-clad figure standing near the clock tower.
Gavin and Aonghus looked at the figure Matthias pointed to, and they both became stiff with fear.
"Do you think he's seen us?" Aonghus asked.
Matthias shook his head. "I don't think so, otherwise he would've attacked us by now."
"Then let's attack him while we can," Gavin said, grinning.
After they came up with a plan, the three mercenaries snuck around the buildings between the mansion and the clock tower while trying to stay out of the wizard's line of vision. Once they got to the base of the cliff the clock tower stood on, they slowly made their way around to the back of it, and climbed the hill till they were behind the shed next to the clock tower. Matthias looked past the shed, and when he saw that the wizard still hadn't seen them, he waved Aonghus and Gavin forward to attack. But just as Aonghus and Gavin raised their weapons, the wizard turned around, his face obscured by a dark hood, and waved his left hand at them. Gavin's Jag Wrench flew out of his grasp, Matthias' Sniper Rifle misfired, then Aonghus' Eyelander sword burst into flames, causing him to drop it.
"Ach, was ist los (Gah, what's the matter)? You should never attack a wizard from behind," the wizard said, holding up his other hand which held a Freedom Staff. "That is where they are most expecting an attack to come from."
"I recognize that staff," Aonghus said, not believing what his eye saw. "Gerald? Is that you?"
"Jawohl (Yes sir)!" The wizard removed his dark cloak, revealing that it was Gerald, but he had no beard, and wore a pure white robe and hood. "I no longer go by Gerald the Red, but you may call me Gerald the White."
"Now I've seen everything!" Gavin remarked after picking up his Jag Wrench a few feet away.
"Well I'll be stuffed!" Matthias said, lowering his Sniper Rifle. "We thought you were dead."
"Aye, what happened after you fell into the chasm?" Aonghus asked. "How are you standing here before us?
"All in good time, kamerads (comrades)," Gerald said, approaching the three. "I want to hear about what's happened to you first."
"Your story demands more of an explanation, doc," Gavin said. "People don't just die and come back to life, unless you're a Zombie Spy that was sent by Merasmus to fool us."
"I am nothing of the sort," Gerald said, slightly offended. "To tell you the truth, I don't fully understand what happened to me, either."
This surprised all three of the mercenaries, who now looked at Gerald with genuine wonder.
Reluctantly, Gerald cleared his throat and explained, "While I still retain the knowledge from my previous life, my memories of the chasm at Double Cross are blurry. After I let go of the bridge, I remember falling down a long ways. I somehow managed to regain my Freedom Staff during the fall, and used what magic I had to attack the monster, even when we reached the bottom. I was never able to retrieve my Medi Gun, or the Syringe Gun for that matter, but I managed to hold my own as I fought an ongoing battle with the Bread Monster.
"While most of the fight took place in the chasm, a flash-flood occurred at some point, and that's where my memory gets hazy. I know I defeated the Bread Monster eventually, and it went careening off a waterfall, but I somehow managed to avoid the same fate. Everything went black afterwards, and I was standing at the gate to the Underworld. Then something prevented me from entering, and before I knew it, I was alive again."
All three mercenaries looked at one another, and then Aonghus said, "Alright, Gerald, if you really are a wizard now, then tell us where Mickey and Patten are."
"Oh, they're alive and well," Gerald said casually. "They are currently with Silas, a Horsemann who has taken an interest in them."
"But isn't that dangerous?" Matthias asked. "What if he decides to kill them?"
"I don't think he will," Gerald said, which made the three mercenaries give him confused looks. "Ever since Mann Manor was abandoned, the Headless Horsemann became somewhat inactive. They are no longer interested in pointless killing, and have instead taken to watching the ghosts that have become restless due to the recent grave robberies that Merasmus has committed to build his Zombie army."
"That doesn't assure us that the Scouts are safe," Gavin responded. "Even if the Horsemann are no longer killing mercenaries, they're still dangerous."
"I will not deny that they are capable of violence," replied Gerald. "But the person they hate the most right now is Merasmus, because his disturbance of the natural balance between life and death has forced the Horsemann out of their peaceful retirement in the Underworld. But they don't know what to do about it, and the two Scouts are going to help him decide. That might also explain why I was brought back to life."
"Well that's fine and all, but we've come all this way to look for those Scouts," Gavin said, though he was clearly confused by what Gerald just told him. "Don't we at least deserve to see them?"
"I understand your concern, Gavin," Gerald said, putting a hand on Gavin's shoulder. "You feel responsible for their capture at Hydro, and want to be forgiven."
This made Gavin flinch, and look up at Gerald. "How did you know about that?"
"Forgive my prying, but I just want to reassure you that the burden you carried this whole time no longer needs to be carried. You can let go now." As Gavin suddenly began crying, Gerald silently embraced him. After a while, Matthias and Aonghus joined him in a circle, and then when Gavin was finished, Gerald said, "You have done your part, but now the tide is changing, and we must be off to Rottenburg to deal with King Terenti."
Gerald then broke away from the small circle the mercenaries formed around Gavin, and sent a chirping whistle to the winds that blew above them. At first, the three mercenaries were perplexed, and then they saw four large European Robins flying towards them. They were slightly smaller than Archimedes, but big enough for one man to fly on each of them.
"Holy Dodgy! Those are mutated Red Army Robins," Matthias said, recognizing the birds instantly. "Unless this is some kind of illusion."
"This is no trick of your eyes, Matthias," Gerald said, standing back as the head Robin, which wore a bandolier of golden bullets around its body, landed in front of him. "These birds are as real as the Sniper Rifle you hold in your hand."
Not believing him, Matthias approached the Robin that was closest to him, and touched it. The Robin flapped its wings defensively, but it didn't fly away. Amazed, Matthias backed away.
"They will take us to Rottenburg much faster than on-foot, especially this one, whose name is Krasnoye," Gerald said, stroking the neck of the Robin with the bandolier. "He is the Red Army Robins' leader, and is the one who is keeping the other three Robins grounded. On his command only, they will fly with him."
So each mercenary took one Robin, then after Gerald sat on Krasnoye's back, he gave the same whistle. Immediately, the Robins took off, forcing the mercenaries to hold onto their necks to keep themselves from falling off. They were flying towards the mountains at a quick but steady speed, and it was only a few hours later that they saw the red-painted roofs of Rottenburg, the capital of the Alpine environment.
End of Chapter 18