Warning: the following content contains mentions of violence and inevitable fighting. In the meantime read and review, it helps my morale.
Nugget's ears pricked up. Tink sat straight up and looked at the high window. In the shadows, Janner could see cold fear on his brother's face. Leeli cried out and Podo held her and Nia tight. Elisheva whispered a prayer as she straightened up.
"Your grandpa's being in tighter scrapes than this." Podo said to his grandchildren. "Remember, ships and sharks."
"There's always a way out." Leeli added, trying to be brave.
"When the time comes, crouch down, scoot back and stay out of Grandpa's way." Nia instructed.
Podo hid the dagger, "Try to look upset."
"I am upset." Tink replied.
"Shh, here they come!" Elisheva whispered.
Far away, coming nearer by the heartbeat, was the sound of hooves and the crack of a whip. The Fangs outside called out and cackled. The sounds of hoofbeats and whip crack were joined by the rattle of harnesses, the creak of iron wheels, the flapping of black wings, and the croaking of crows. The Black Carriage had come.
The cell door opened and one of the Fangs sneered. "A pity we have to break such a cozy little rat's nest."
Soon enough the group was lead out of the jail out towards the infamous Black Carriage.
Elisheva swallowed. This brought back unpleasant memories.
Four sleek black horses were harnessed to the carriage, their eyes like empty graves. The steeds' nostrils flared as they pawed at the ground and whipped their manes and tails. Sitting atop the carriage was a ghostly, hooded figure in a long black robe that swayed like a banner in a slow wind. A crow perched on its shoulder. The Fang, or man, or ghost, or whatever it was, sat looking forward with the reins in whitish, bony hands. The bowels of the carriage were fathomless, and around the doorway were slick black stains that ran down like dried blood. A chorus of flies buzzed in and out of the carriage door and the occasional whitish worm wriggled forth, plopped to the dirt, and was gobbled up by one of the many crows hissing about.
Podo went first and the others filed after him, hands behind their backs. All the Fangs were outside, lined up in two rows that formed a sort of corridor that led to the open door of the Black Carriage. Even Podo shivered when he saw it.
Yeah, it's probably not the same one that took her father and little brother, but this sure looks like something straight out of Alvin Schwartz's 'Scary stories to tell in the dark' books.
Commander Gnorm stood on the porch, a smirk on his saggy face. The Fangs jeered and hissed at them as they inched their way toward the open carriage door.
"It's your last chance to bargain." Gnorm sneered, "Tell me where all those pretty jewels are."
"I say it's a fine day for a ride through the country, eh lads?" Podo quipped.
For a split second, Gnorm lost his smile. Most prisoners were either unconscious or hysterical and had to be forced into the carriage. The Fangs weren't used to prisoners making jokes or keeping a stoic façade as they approached it.
In a blur, Podo broke loose and punched out two Fangs. "Run!" he shouted.
Nia broke free, the children did the same, Elisheva struggled but managed.
"After them!" Gnorm snapped.
Podo held the dagger Tink had found and picked up a Fang blade. He hit one Fang with the blunt end and struck one unconscious. Commander Gnorm might be heavier and more corpulent than the other Fangs, but he could still jump. This was evidenced when he took a sprinting leap four feet into the air and landed in front of Podo, bearing his reptilian teeth.
One Fang took advantage of the sailor's surprise by hitting him behind the head.
"No!" cried Janner. His yelp made the rest stop in their tracks.
"Stop!" Nia shouted. Her voice made them all turn to look at her, including Gnorm. "If you strike him, I swear I will take my secrets with me to the grave." Nia said sternly.
Elisheva spoke, "That goes double for me!"
Gnorm growled in his throat and shot a look to the Fang that was about to strike Podo. The Fang sheathed its blade and forcibly pulled Podo to his feet.
"Nia, no." Podo grunted. "Tell them nothing."
Nia gently placed her hands on her children's shoulders in reassurance then took Tink and Leeli's hands in hers. Elisheva gasped lightly, but followed them to the Carriage, not wanting to leave the Igibys alone. She could only hope and pray her family would understand.
It took four Fangs to lift Podo and hurl him into the waiting mouth of the carriage; he landed with a damp-sounding thud.
Gnorm motioned for Elisheva to follow. Swallowing, Elisheva stepped slowly to the open door. A sickening smell, the smell of dead and rotten things, oozed from the carriage, and she could hear Podo moaning and retching from within. With a last look at the others, all of whom were pale and trembling, Elisheva stepped up into blackness.
The Fang at the doorway took Nia's right hand to pull her in, but the woman coldly tugged her hand back. She'd rather go in herself. She took one step but before she was able to go in fully, there was a shriek.
It sounded like a giant eagle, or a soar of giant eagles screaming all at once.
What was that? Upon seeing the confused look on Gnorm's face, Elisheva turned away her head to see a white-haired blur streaking towards them from Vibbly way.
To their astonishment, Peet the Sockman bounded forwards like a leaping jaguar, mouth open in a vicious cry, wildness in his eyes. The Fangs watched him come, unable to understand what they were seeing, too shocked to react. Peet leapt into the air with an animal-like grace and spread his socked arms wide, his screech still filling their ears, the crows scattering before him.
Peet fell on three of the Fangs nearest to him in a fury of talons and shrieks. The shocking part was that instead of regular hands, the man had three long talons like a bird of prey.
"Mr. Peet!" Leeli gaped.
Elisheva was amazed. That's why he always wore socks on his hands?
The Fang company stood motionless as their fellow soldiers crumpled to the ground, sliced and bleeding from a hundred wounds. Peet wasted no time. Slashing and spinning, his talons now covered in green blood, he felled two more Fangs before any of them had the sense to draw a weapon.
Gnorm and some of the Fangs were momentarily shocked, before growling deeply. Nia rushed from the carriage to herd her children to the porch. "I need to help Papa." She said to them. "Protect each other, hide if you can."
They nodded as did Elisheva. Nia ran to the carriage and picked up a Fang blade, she opened the carriage door and handed the weapon to her father. "Thank ye dear."
A Fang lunged but she knocked it out by using the door.
Peet had begun swiping at the Fangs, noticing Elisheva and the children, he yelled at them: "Get out of here!"
Brak noticed. "Where do you think you're going?"
"None of your beeswax!" Elisheva responded, picking up her fallen manacles and intending to use them as weapons.
Janner had picked up a blade and held it front of him, trying to protect his younger siblings. Peet shrieked hitting Brak with his feet from behind and making him fall forward—right on the sword Janner was holding. The sight made Elisheva and the three children grimace.
Nia had picked up another Fang blade and wielded it. Nugget saw a big burly Fang come up, and began barking and snarling incessantly before jumping up to attack. Tink had picked up a crossbow and it accidentally released an arrow into a Fang's thigh. This had the creature snarl, then go up to Tink, Janner blocked it with a fallen blade. But the Fang held his hand back easily, this had Elisheva use the manacle chains to hit the Fang with them like they were nunchucks.
Elisheva's unexpected attack with the manacle chains caught the Fang off-guard. It stumbled back, giving Tink and Janner an opening to strike it with their weapons. The Fang snarled in pain and then lunged forward, but Nia was ready for it. She deftly dodged its attack and then swung her blade in a swift arc, slicing through the Fang's neck.
Podo engaged in sword fight with another Fang which he defeated. At that moment, Commander Gnorm pulled out a blade of his own and charged. Both ex-pirate and Fang Commander clashed blades and began to fight.
Peet bounded from opponent to opponent, attacking with his talons, one Fang snuck up…
"Behind you!" Leeli warned.
Peet quickly elbowed the Fang in the neck. Podo and Gnorm continued to battle then the Fang Commander slashed at Podo's midsection – it was only a flesh wound but enough to draw blood, making Gnorm smile like a crocodile. He chuckled wickedly then leapt forwards, intending to swing his blade down on Podo. The peg-legged man held up the blade in time, trying to keep it from cutting his neck. However Gnorm soon knocked the blade away.
Elisheva beat back another Fang with the chains, then noticed this. She gulped as she picked up a blade, blessed herself then charged with a yell – her adrenaline going wild. She kicked at Gnorm, knocking him away from Podo.
Her sudden attack caught Gnorm off guard, and he stumbled backwards, momentarily stunned. But he quickly regained his footing and turned to face her, a sneer on his face.
"You think you can take me on, little girl?" he growled.
"Don't!" Podo grunted to Elisheva.
Elisheva didn't respond, but instead raised her blade and charged forward again. Gnorm swung his own blade at her, but she deftly dodged, using her chains to distract him. However, it was clear that she lacked experience in sword combat, and Gnorm easily dodged her attacks.
Using the blade, Elisheva swiftly uses it to keep herself safe from Gnorm's swipes. Gnorm's teeth were bared and oozing venom. He snarled and thrashed Elisheva, who was trying to hold him back, avoid his fangs, and draw Gnorm's sword from its sheath. They struggled in the dirt while Peet fended off the surrounding Fangs.
"Elisheva! Grandpa!"
Gnorm was so consumed with fighting Elisheva that he didn't notice Janner behind him, lunging for the Fang Commander's dagger. Janner gripped the hilt, cold in his sweaty hand, drew it out, and ran it deep into Gnorm's side. The fat Fang spun around, his eyes wide with shock and rage.
"Boy…!" Gnorm gurgled, before he fell over. He was dead.
Janner looked at the dagger he'd used and found it covered in dark blood. The sight made Janner feel sick to his stomach. He had never killed anyone before, and the fact of what he had just done hit him hard. He stumbled back, dropping the dagger and then fell to his knees, his whole body shaking.
Elisheva rushed over to him, putting a comforting arm around his shoulders. "It's okay," she whispered to him, even as she felt as shocked as he did. "You did what you had to do to protect yourself and your family."
But Janner couldn't shake the feeling of guilt and horror. He had taken a life, and he wasn't sure if he could ever forgive himself for it.
Then Elisheva looked around at the Fang corpses, wincing a little when she saw the bodies shrivel to dust. She whispered a prayer, feeling a sense of sorrow and unease. She knew that they were dangerous, and had threatened so many, the Igiby family and herself included, but they were living creatures too.
Podo, Janner and the others looked almost just as stunned as Elisheva did, watching the Fang's bodies turn to dust.
Peet kept at a distance, hiding his taloned hands behind his back, shuffling his feet. Finally, Nia looked over at him. "It's all right, Peet," she said.
He stopped fidgeting and looked at the cluster of Igibys. Tears filled his eyes, and he looked down at his talons, covered with Fang blood. He wiped them on his shirt as if to make himself more presentable.
"Hey, you alright?" Elisheva then questioned gently. "Thanks for your help, you pretty much saved our butts tonight."
Peet the Sock Man stared at her, eyes wide and shining. He tried to fix his wild, white streaked hair and stood erect as he inched closer to the family. Peet reached out to hug them, still unsure of himself. He looked down again at his strange, clawed hands, a look of anguish passed over his face. His gaze then met Janner's. The large, teary eyes moved from Janner to Tink, where they lingered long as well. The Sock Man dropped to one knee and looked lovingly at Leeli, who smiled.
As they were all registering what just happened, there was a whistle. Then the Black Carriage's driver, appeared to awaken as if from sleep, then began driving away.
"Stop him!" Podo cried.
Right there, someone had thrown a rock, hitting the driver and making the carriage stop. They looked up to see one of Mayor Blaggus' sons on a rooftop, holding a slingshot. The boy made a saluting gesture.
"Well flung, lad!" called Podo.
"Thanks, kiddo!" Elisheva waved. She then saw Peet looking a little lost and addressed him, "You okay, man?"
Peet looked at his arms, hugged himself a little before nodding quietly. Nia then walked over and gently placed her hand on his arm kindly.
"Is anyone else hurt?" Podo asked.
The Igiby children went to hug him. Then Leeli remembered she hadn't seen the family dog in the last two minutes. "Has anyone seen Nugget? Nugget!"
There was a whimper nearby. As the dust from the Fang's bodies faded away, Leeli spotted her injured dog lying on his side. He'd been jabbed at by a Fang spear. She went to him, "Oh Nugget, please be alright!" she pleaded pulling her dog into her arms.
Peet slowly walked over, knelt down and held his hands out for Leeli. He was silently offering to tend to Nugget. Puzzled but trusting, Leeli handed her dog over to him. The man nodded gently before hurrying away into the mist, with the dog in his arms.
Then Janner asked the question on everyone's minds. "Where's Mr. Reteep?"
Something had to have gone wrong. The plan must've gone awry, the old bookseller could've been caught or worse.
So the Igibys and Elisheva all went to the bookshop, aside from the little bell ringing everything was dark and quiet.
"Mr. Reteep?" Elisheva whispered.
"Mr. Reteep, are you here?" Janner glanced around.
They walked inside, searching among the dark bookshelves for any sign of Oskar. As Nia and Leeli passed one dark corner, there was a pained moan. And a dark figure shambled out, touching Nia's shoulder making her and the others gasp.
For a split second, Elisheva thought it was a zombie. But as the figure stumbled into the silvery moonlight, they were shocked.
Oskar N. Reteep had appeared with a bleeding wound in his chest and he fell back into a sitting position, panting and moaning from his injury. He was pallid and feeble, his glasses hanging askew on his round face. He coughed.
Podo knelt at Oskar's side and grabbed his limp hand.
"Tink, run to the inn and fetch the Shoosters. Quickly now!" Podo ordered, the boy swiftly did as he was told.
Nia tore a piece of cloth to try to tend to the fallen man, "Oskar, can you hear us?"
"What happened?" Elisheva was horrified to see the kindly bookshop owner wounded.
"Zouzab… Zouzab tried to stop me from going to the wagon. We had a scuffle, and the creature stabbed me! In the words of Chonk," Oskar breathed, "'I should've known.'"
"He betrayed us to Gnorm!" Janner said.
"I threw a rock and broke his nose." Elisheva said darkly. She felt a sense of satisfaction, knowing that she had taken revenge on the traitor.
"And well deserved too!" Podo nodded, then he addressed Oskar. "Don't worry man, we'll take care of you."
"No time!" The bookstore owner shook his head. "The ridgerunner whistled a message to Fort Lamendron, the whole garrison of Fangs is coming! You have to go hide… run!"
His words made clear the danger they were all in. Elisheva felt a chill. Tink then returned with the innkeepers, the Shoosters, to help Oskar. Nia asked Addie Shooster to look after him, Addie agreed.
"Thank you old friend, heal fast." Podo said to the bookstore owner. "Addie and Joe will look tend you."
Janner looked upset. He couldn't imagine leaving his mentor to die. His mind was a flurry of memories of old Mr. Reteep, who had taught him to love books, who had given him his first journal. Tink stood quietly behind Janner and bowed his head.
"Don't worry, young sir. To paraphrase, 'My middle section is likely to mend'."
"Goodbye Mr. Reteep." Janner tried not to cry. Tink look just as doleful.
Elisheva somberly spoke. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Reteep. You've been more than kind to foreigner like me."
"Stay safe, young lady." Oskar said to her.
"May the Lord watch over you." Elisheva added.
"Run!" Oskar breathed, his weak eyes pleading with them.
Elisheva felt a sense of urgency and fear as she heard Oskar's words. She knew that they had to leave the bookstore and flee from the approaching Fangs as quickly as possible.
However as they all went out, they saw a crowd of Glipfolk with Mayor Blaggus gathered at Oskar's back door, and no one looked happy. There's not much the Glipfolk can do. Either they fight or they run. Even if they had weapons, the townsfolk wouldn't have much of chance against a regiment of Fangs. Especially without any modern-day ingenuity, etc. They'll have to run. The roads to Torrboro should be clear enough, yet. They can hide there, and by morning the Fangs will find Glipwood as empty as a ghost town. Maybe there was a chance it won't burn. Perhaps after the dust settles, the townsfolk might be able to come back.
"What's going on in there?" Shaggy questioned, he was more genuinely curious than anything else.
Podo responded. "Oskar was stabbed by a traitor: that ridgerunner Zouzab."
"I'm SO glad I broke his nose." Elisheva grumbled.
When the bartender asked if Oskar will survive, Podo confirmed it. Podo held a calming hand out to them, but the people were pushing forward and getting louder by the second.
"Why did you attack the Fangs?"
"Exactly! What were you thinking?"
"What do you mean, bringing this trouble down on us?"
"You Igibys and that stranger will bring the whole army down on Glipwood!" Mayor Blaggus accused.
"They started it." Elisheva said darkly.
"If you'd had gone in the carriage with the outlander, they'd have left the rest of us alone!" A woman sneered.
Elisheva was growing increasingly frustrated with the Glipwood townspeople. She knew that the situation was dire and that they needed to work together to survive, but the people seemed more interested in assigning blame than in finding a solution.
"We can't fight the Fangs army by ourselves!" one of the townspeople shouted.
"What do you suppose will happen to this town now you've gone and killed a passel of Fangs?" another person asked, their voice laced with anger and fear.
The townspeople continued shouting unfair accusations, which made Elisheva's temper hit the roof.
"And what if Gnag, or one of his minions, ordered you to sentence every baby boy to a watery grave?" she snarled. "Or what if he demanded you send one of your daughters to his domain to espouse? Would you do it?!"
Some of the naysayers yelped or gasped in dread when her questions sank in. Her harsh comeback was enough to shock the townspeople into silence.
Many of the townsfolk were quite perturbed. Behind Elisheva, the Igibys had varied reactions. Nia looked as though the first person to agree with such ghastly demands would be pushed right off a high cliff. Podo had his hands on his hips sternly, waiting for a reply from the townspeople. The Igiby children were unnerved by the thoughts Elisheva's challenging questions brought on.
"W-what's espouse?" Leeli asked.
"We'll tell you later." Janner replied to her behind his hand.
Mayor Blaggus, who had been one of the loudest voices against the Igibys and their allies, looked as though he had been punched in the gut.
"What?!" he exclaimed, his face turning red with anger and embarrassment. "How dare you even suggest such a thing? We would never even consider doing something so heinous!"
"Then why are you so quick to accuse us of bringing trouble on Glipwood?" Elisheva shot back, her voice laced with righteous anger. "We did what we had to do to defend ourselves and our loved ones. And if you're not willing to do the same, then you got no right to judge us."
"The lass is right, we didn't mean for any of this to happen." Podo spoke up. "And if you wanna blame someone, blame Gnag the Nameless. Blame the Fangs. There's nothing for it now but to run and fast. We plan to be long gone before any of these critters arrive."
The wind moaned in the treetops. Podo waited for a challenge to his verdict, but none came. The people saw the truth of what he and Elisheva had said. Wordlessly, they dispersed.
Janner felt the scorn of people who had only ever smiled at him, and he wanted nothing more than to make things right. But how? What was done was done, and there was no undoing it.
Shaggy remained, his arms folded. "I'm staying put. No lizard's gonna run me from my home." he nodded and tipped his hat politely to Elisheva, then began to walk away, "And bibes are free for all who stay." He then went to his tavern and plopped into a rocking chair on his nearby front stoop and lit a pipe.
A scraggly old man approached the bookshop, big tears running down his face and into his jowls.
"Buzzard Willie," Podo nodded in greeting.
"Oy, old mate. I never told you proper I'm sorry I stole Merna Bidge- holler from ye back when we was lads. Been meanin' to tell ye that fer years, you rascal." He sniffed.
Podo chuckled uncomfortably and clasped his friend's shoulder, embarrassed about the many, many garden thwaps he'd dumped in Buzzard's yard.
"Merna? I tell ya, Willie, I'd plumb forgot about that. Mostly, anyway," he added under his breath. "Water over the falls, that's all it is. Water over the falls. Now you get on to Dugtown and stay with yer grandkids, eh? I'll see you one of these days, ol' mate."
Buzzard Willie wished him luck before handing him a suitcase.
"It's just a theoretical question, right…?" Janner then asked fearfully, he remembered one of Elisheva's aggressive questions to the townspeople. Would the neighbors and others he knew be capable of such things just to avoid vengeance from the Fangs?
Leeli again questioned. "What does espouse mean?"
Nia raised her eyebrows at Elisheva, who briefly clapped a hand over her own mouth. Whoops, that question was meant to shame the townspeople but now it just had the youngest Igiby child curious.
Elisheva bit her lip a little uncomfortably, then mimed taking someone's hand. "Erm. It means to marry. I was basically asking a rhetorical question to the townspeople what'd they do if Gnag gave out orders for them to send their daughters to his lair just so he can choose a bride among them."
Leeli shuddered. "That's a scary thought."
"I'm just glad no such orders were issued." Elisheva agreed. "Can you imagine if they had the town spinsters married off to their commanders?"
"Are you trying to make us feel better, or make us sick?" Tink grimaced.
"You don't want to think it about too hard." Elisheva held her hands up, waving them with a nervous titter.
They heard a few murmured words, before Podo and Nia embraced their friends and neighbors, each in turn.
Ferinia then showed up, driving a wagon. She smiled at the group. "Got you a ride out of town."
Then in silence, the group rode briskly out of the township of Glipwood, where for a thousand years people had come for the Dragon Day Festival and been glad. It was hard to believe that in a matter of hours it would be rubble.
Elisheva already her possessions with her – she'd recovered her necklace before they'd left for the bookshop. The Igibys allowed her to come along, feeling it best she remain with them.
They just needed one more stop: what was left of the Igiby cottage. The children were aghast at what had become of their home as Nia went inside to fetch some bundles she did not disclose about.
Finally they were unloading what they'd needed onto the wagon – Janner and Elisheva gently helped Leeli up, the little girl didn't even protest. Tink had been taking one last look at the place that was once his home.
As Elisheva turned back around to call him, she saw something that made her cry, "Look out!"
Podo had placed the suitcase Buzzard Willie had given him for last when he heard Elisheva's shout and the unmistakable hiss of a Fang.
"I knew you'd bring them right to me." Slarb held Tink and a blade to the boy's throat. "Everyone laughed. Told me I was crazy, but who's laughing now?"
Janner and Leeli watched in fright as did Nia.
"Don't hurt the boy, we'll give you anything you want."
"I want whatever's in that box." Slarb said. "And if I want to hurt the little toad, I'll do that too."
Podo calmly picked up the suitcase and brought over, setting it down on Slarb's instructions. The Fang then tossed Tink to the ground, placing a clawed foot on the boy's head.
"And now we'll see these jewelsss that have caused so much trouble." Slarb smiled a wide, sickening smile as he lifted the lid.
Thirty of the angriest, hungriest garden thwaps ever to breathe the air of Aerwiar poured out of the box like a furry plague. Tink wrenched himself away and tumbled to the ground. The thwaps covered Slarb from head to foot, chattering and squealing in such cacophony that Janner and Tink held their ears. Slarb looked like a giant furry burble doll careening about, crashing into walls, lunging to and fro.
Elisheva watched in amazement as the thwaps swarmed over Slarb, their tiny claws and teeth tearing at his flesh. The Fang howled and thrashed, but the thwaps held fast, biting and clawing with fury.
Tink hurried to the wagon while Podo intended to go after Slarb to eliminate him, but Nia's voice called him back: "Papa, stop! We have to go, now!"
Nia pointed in the distance. Elisheva looked to where she was pointing and her own heart nearly stopped.
Over the horizon, there was the orange glow of hundreds of torches. Maybe thousands, of torches in two columns snaking off into the dark distance, moving toward Glipwood from the east—from Fort Lamendron.
Without much time to spare, Podo got to the driver's seat and snapped the reins for the horse to run. The children took one last look at the Igiby cottage. Leeli began to cry, Janner and Tink were sorrowful at having to leave behind their home and the memories there with it. Elisheva stared sympathetically, then gently patted their shoulders. Nia went to hug her children, before pulling Elisheva into her embrace too.
"Stout heart, lad. Stout heart." Podo patted Janner's head.
As they rode through the night, the glow on the horizon grew brighter and more ominous. But Elisheva refused to look away. She would face whatever came their way, with courage and determination.
To be continued…
Author's note: And thats chapter 8, chapter 9 and 10 is being written and revised.