This was supposed to be the crummy short story, and 320 State Street was supposed to be my masterpiece. But it's turning out to be the other way around. Thanks for all your support!
This chapter was a reminder that I haven't written a whole lot of horror.
—
"Gone?" Astrid breathed. "You mean you're the only one left?"
The man nodded, sadly.
Astrid dropped into the chair, unable to comprehend this massive disaster that befell them.
"They all thought you were done for. Viggo was one of us. A resilient fighter, and a thousand years of fighting would make him a force to be reckoned with. We didn't think you'd make it. And even if you did…maybe you'd leave."
"I almost didn't make it," She agreed. Her gaze trailed around the dark room, a numbness setting into her bones. She noted the broken window facing the garden, and wondered if it had always been like that. "But I'm not going to abandon everyone." She sat up a little straighter. "Where's Hiccup?"
"I told you lass, he's gone."
"Where?"
Gobber gave her an incredulous look. "You don't mean to go down there and fetch him, do you?"
"What else?"
Gobber shook his head. "It's too dangerous. Things live down there, terrible, horrible things."
"Like Mildew?"
"Mildew is the least of your concerns. There are others."
"Then explain it to me," She demanded. "I'm going down there to get Hiccup and fix this. I am going to stop this curse."
Gobber could see the fire in her eyes and sighed aloud. "Alright, if you must." He stood, and began to pace the floor. "Mildew, Savage, Alvin, Dagur, and Drago. These 5 men were killed in the raid on the castle. At one time, they were part of us, part of our family…but after the curse, their souls were dragged back from the beyond and twisted into horrible monsters. Some would say demons. They guard the tower at intervals to keep mortals out."
"Question," Astrid interrupted. "If the only living person allowed in the tower is the Master Hofferson, then how come there's guards? What's in the Tower that would need guarding? Surely not the Vikings who have left?"
Gobber blinked, a thoughtful look on his face. "I've never actually been down there before. Not all the way."
Astrid furrowed her brow. "Then how do you know what's there? You said there's horrible things down there, but were you just talking about the guards?"
Gobber shook his head. "Astrid, there's a fire deep within the castle and I don't know where it comes from or how it burns. I can't give you any help, I'm afraid." He sighed. "Maybe it is just the guards…maybe it's something else. But no one knows."
Astrid frowned, her top lip scrunching up. "Well, I'm not just going to not go down there. What about you? Are you in?"
Gobber hunched his shoulders shyly. "Would if I could go with you, lass. But if I do, I won't come back. That tower is damnable. Only the chief and his son have successfully returned. Once they go down."
"Well, I guess it's me then."
"Not quite." He added, standing himself. "I'll go with you in spirit. Come with me."
Curious, Astrid followed Gobber out of the room and down one flight of stairs. Only the candle he held provided light. As they travelled, Astrid dared a glanced down into the darkness. It was just an unholy abyss.
They reached the second level, and Gobber went to a door. He held a finger over his lips, a gesture for her to keep silent. She nodded.
By the light of the candle, the walls sparkled strangely, and it took Astrid a moment to realize what she was looking at.
Swords, shields, spears, axes…an armory worth of weapons filled the room.
"So," he spoke quietly. "What's your weapon of choice?"
"Uh…I don't know if I have one."
"What do you usually fight with?"
She shrugged. "I don't really fight…I took some self defense classes, and I was in color guard and football…oh, and I'm pretty handy with a gun."
"You can't use a gun on a ghost." The man looked at her like she was stupid. "Well, what do you think you could handle?"
Astrid flicked on the light on her cellphone, and perused the walls until something caught her eye. "Can I try to lift that axe?"
"Go ahead."
The axe was smaller than a lot of weapons in the room, but it was still the biggest blade she'd ever seen. It had good weight, and took effort to hold, but it felt strong. She spun it experimentally, like she would a flag in color guard.
"You sure you haven't handled an axe before?"
"I used to be a flag spinner." She offered. "I think this will do."
Gobber nodded, a hopeful look on his face. "Good to hear, but please do me a favor and come back in the day time."
Astrid nodded in understanding. Together, they left from the room, and headed down one more flight of stairs. This time, the abyss had a very soft red light deep deep down.
They left the tower, and Astrid locked the door after them. Eret was still waiting in the East tower, his arms crossed.
"It's best if you stay out here with Eret, I think," She posed.
"Aye, I'd rather not be alone." He agreed.
"So what happened?" Eret furrowed his brows, seeing only Gobber come out.
"Everyone is gone."
"Gone? As in gone gone?"
"They all left. Hiccup watched Astrid get kidnapped from the garden by Viggo, and assumed…" He didn't have the words.
"Why didn't you leave?" Eret asked.
Gobber shrugged. "I must just be resilient."
Astrid looked at her phone, seeing it was just passed midnight. "Alright, I'm going to bed. I need as much rest as I can get, and then at sunrise, I'll set out."
Eret yawned. "Sounds good."
—
Astrid rose with the sun. It's light casting warm hopeful rays around the floor. She sat up, her body sore from her trial the day before. But she was wide awake. In her closet, she dug out a pair of hiking boots, jeans, kneepads, and her shoulder pads from football. And despite what Gobber had said, she took her handgun out of the safe and holstered it to her thigh. She probably looked a little ridiculous, but the more 'armor' she wore, the better prepared she felt. Finally, she clipped a cave flashlight onto her collar.
A specter knocked and then opened her door. He had brought a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. "Astrid? Oh good, you're up."
"And I'm ready," she nodded, determined.
After she had eaten, Gobber followed her down into the tower, and shook her hand as they stood at the black door.
"You sure you want to do this? You don't have to…"
"What other choice is there?"
Gobber gave the saddest smile she'd ever seen. "I had a feeling that the curse would never be broken. No one else agreed, but…I guess that's why I'm still here."
She clasped both hands over his, "I'm going to prove you wrong." She said simply.
"Stay safe."
"I promise." She smiled.
Inside, the statue of the 'druid' seemed to gleam in the sunlight. The glass windows at the top of the tower reflected colorful flecks off of every surface, which would have been beautiful in any other circumstance. Instead, she just took a deep breath and began her descent. Despite the huge chamber, there was no sound but the debris crushing under her feet.
With each floor, the light grew more and more dim, until she was four floors down, and could barely see the wall. She flicked on her light, and it illuminated the area just in front of her. It only made everything else harder to see. She walked carefully, taking soft steps to avoid making noise. She gripped the axe in both hands, prepared for any movement.
But as she paused for a moment, a iron door in front of her swung open slowly. Her hands tightened on the axe.
Long white spindly fingers stretched out and took hold of the door, soon followed by a bony arm and a ribcage. A creature emerged, one would hardly call it that. No, this was a demon, straight from hell. It's skull was covered in crooked horns, and it's teeth were long and jagged. A yellow light glowed from it's empty eye sockets as it's long snake-like tongue wagged.
"Mortal, you dare to enter this cursed place?"
Astrid didn't speak, remembering the warning Hiccup gave the last time they were here.
"Have you a death wish?"
She shook her head and raised her axe higher.
"State your purpose."
She hesitated, but finally said. "My name is Astrid Hofferson, Master of the Castle."
The demon slunk out from it's hiding place. "I know who you are. If not for the title of Master, I would have killed you by now. For what purpose have you entered alone?"
"Hiccup, your chief, is down there somewhere, and I need to speak with him."
The villain, in all it's foulness, crept closer, it's tongue reaching out and swiping across her neck. She slammed her eyes shut to avoid a reaction.
"What sort of things do you need to talk about?" He pried.
"He thinks I'm dead. I want to assure him that I'm not."
Mildew lowered down to look into her eyes, and she met them resolutely. "I see truth in your eyes. But not the whole truth, why else are you coming down here?"
It wasn't any of his business, but ghosts are tricky things. Especially one that could sense her lies. "Part curiosity, and I wish to break the curse on the castle."
He studied her for agonizingly long time. His piercing yellow eyes set a coldness in her bones and a lurch to her stomach. He circled her, like a vulture circles it's dying meal.
She just stood tall, trying not to show fear.
Finally, he pulled away and slunk back to his hovel. "Your honesty has gained my favor, and I will let you pass. Know that my brothers are not so easily dissuaded. You will find Savage next." Then he closed the door and locked it behind him.
Astrid let out a sigh. One down.
But the name 'Savage' didn't sound any less horrifying.
On she continued, she began to notice the faces of vikings watching her from their cells, blankly, hopeless. She smiled and waved pleasantly to them, but no response was ever made. Just empty eyes and sullen faces.
Eight floors down, she noticed paintings hanging on the walls. All of them looked regal and poised, and held an air of importance. Everything was finitely detailed.
She studied them as she walked around the tower level, looking for the next set of stairs.
But then she saw the first painting again.
"Huh?" She said aloud. She went to the railing and looked across the landing. There was no staircases. In fact, she couldn't tell which way was up or down. Darkness was in both directions.
"Is it night already?"
She turned back around to look at the paintings, but stifled a scream as the portraits now bore corpses with slashes over the necks.
Savage was here, somewhere.
She took off running around the landing, keeping her eyes on the paintings, searching desperately for a clue. But each and every subject had reached a horrible and gruesome demise.
All except for one.
Astrid came to a screeching halt when she came face to face with herself, as a portrait. Her blonde hair, that she usually kept up, was draped over her shoulder. Her neck was inclined, displaying her flawless white skin, and inviting a blade.
Astrid trembled at the sight. She glanced around the floor, and saw a figure several feet away. He was almost completely black, but in the light, his scythe shone.
Astrid glanced briefly back at the painting, but when she turned back, Savage was closer.
"Oh god please no." She whispered to herself.
She stared at the ghost, unwavering. Her eyes watering from holding back a blink. Still he did not move any closer.
"Well, I can't just stay like this…" she thought. "There has to be a way to stop him…"
Blindly, she reached out and touched the painting of herself. Vaguely, she felt fingers on her neck and shivered, but she did not tear her gaze away from Savage.
She lifted her painting off the wall, while keeping her axe firmly in one hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see something underneath the painting. With a great risk, she flicked her eyes over to it, only to see another painting. This one was of a man with dark eyes and a cold, tired frown. God help her if she was wrong, but Astrid swung her axe and embedded it into the canvas and clenched her eyes shut.
She heard a clatter, and then nothing.
Astrid pried her eyes open and looked to Savage. There was nothing there now, but his scythe laid on the floor, almost touching her. Just for a moment, she was frozen, adrenaline pumping through her. Then she exhaled, and her shoulders dropped.
The painting she destroyed had changed. Now the face on it was smiling ever so slightly and looked to be in peace. Her own portrait that she had released, was a blank canvas now.
Everything was still.
Behind her, the stairs to the next floor sat waiting.
With shaky legs, Astrid continued on, and glanced up to the tower above. The sunlight was back, but was growing dim. Evening would be coming soon.
"Alright." She whispered quietly, resolved.
The stairs between the landings seemed to be longer now. The wrought iron cases groaned under her feet as she took careful steps. It just seemed to go on and on and even though she was going down, her legs were tingling from exhaustion. And was she crazy, or was the Tower growing wider too? Maybe it was a trick of the light, or lack there of.
She had lost track of how many flights she had travelled. Everything just looked the same.
In the end, she just came to rest at the railing and turned her gaze upwards. She couldn't see the light anymore. The air down here was rank and stagnant, almost making it hard to breathe. She was thankful that her friends didn't have lungs, so they wouldn't be breathing this in all eternity.
"I can hear your heart beating…" A deep guttural voice spoke from the darkness.
Astrid swallowed. It had been a while since she saw a guard.
"It's so loud…it makes my head hurt."
From the shadows, a man hobbled toward her, his head nearly touching the landing above. Each step made the landing shake, and she feared he would break through. His beard was long and dragged across the floor, as his chained wrists swung back and forth rhythmically. His white eyes glowed in her torch.
"Your breathing, too. It sounds like nails on a chalkboard."
Astrid then realized that her breathing was haggard and hard. So she held her breath.
"You can't hid it. I heard you from the moment you walked in the door. I always hear you."
Astrid swallowed heavily, her throat suddenly dry.
The monster stood directly in front of her, towering above her like a mountain. "Are you afraid of me?" He asked.
Astrid nodded, terrified of his soulless gaze.
"Speak. What's your name?"
She whispered. "Astrid Hofferson." If he could hear her heart, she couldn't imagine how loud her voice was.
A pained look came over his face. "You're only a child…" His fists clenched and his shoulders heaved. "I can't kill a child…Don't make me kill a child…"
Astrid gripped her axe, ready for whatever was to come.
"Kill me instead."
"What?" Astrid asked softly.
"Kill me!" He begged. "Kill me now!"
Astrid stepped back, her calf hit the railing behind her.
"I want to die…please let me die…"
"I don't want to…" Astrid spoke, a little louder. "I'm not going to kill you unless I have to."
He grunted, the chains on his wrists clanking. He rolled his shoulders back. "Then I'm going to make you."
Astrid had just seconds to leap away before the ghost brought his fists down into the railing, crushing it like aluminum.
Her eyes widened, imagining her bones shattering under his fists.
The monster roared and swung his arms around, like a living wrecking ball.
Astrid ducked down to the ground, using her axe as a shield. The monster's arms careened into the wall, breaking through the stone with a bang. Astrid covered her face with her hands to protect from the flying rubble, only to miss the beast's next attack. He swung down, hitting her right between the shoulder blades. She broke through the aged floor, and crashed into the floor below and fell unconscious.
Several hours later, Astrid finally awoke. She grunted softly.
"Hush, be still." Fishlegs spoke from the dark.
"Huh?" Her head was swimming, as she felt something wrapped around her skull.
This time, Snotlout spoke. "Alvin attacked you, and you fell unconscious. You should be safe in here though."
"But just to make sure," Fishlegs interrupted before she answered. "You shouldn't speak. It's nighttime now."
The door on the opposite side of the room opened, and indeed, it was so dark, Astrid couldn't even see a silhouette.
"We found some extra blankets." Tuff said from the door. "They're pretty dusty though."
Astrid felt someone drape the blankets on her. The smell of dust was overwhelming, but she was too tired to care. Her stomach growled angrily, since she hadn't eaten all day. But there was nothing she could do about that now.
"Just rest for now, and in the morning, you can tell us all about what happened with Viggo," Fishlegs assured.
Grateful, Astrid closed her eyes to rest and soon fell back to sleep.