The Doctor soon found himself at the foot of Castle Adanc. A huge wall of stone, presumably the outer bailey or ward of the castle, spread out either side. Leading to the entryway, a portcullis poised ready to fall hung above it, there was a long stone bridge terminating at a short drawbridge. Picking his way carefully over the ice crusted drawbridge, the Doctor stopped to look up. The main tower stood some ways behind the outer wall, but from his position he could see the windows more clearly now. As before, they remained stubbornly devoid of life or activity. Stepping through the portal, the Doctor found himself in a tunnel of sorts, the end a way off but visible. Along the walls, torches were lit, lighting up the passage.
To his right, the Doctor noted a small side-passage. Craning his head in, he realised it was the chamber for the opening & closing of the portcullis.
"Looks like it hasn't been used in centuries." he muttered.
Turning back, the Doctor continued up the passageway. Emerging at the other end, he found himself in a vast courtyard, from which he could see the largest tower of the castle directly in front of him & the walls of the inner ward behind him. An uneven cobblestone path led it's way through snow covered grass, passing a fountain & leading to a set of stone steps. At the top of the steps stood two large, gothic, intricately carved doors. A pair of lighted torches decorated either side of the opening.
Marching as carefully as he could over the icy cobblestones, the Doctor stopped to examine the fountain. The centrepiece was of several troll or ogre-like creatures, standing in a circle facing outwards. They carried a large jug or vase from which water had once poured, but now only a large tongue of frozen water hung from it. Looking up & around him, the Doctor felt claustrophobic. The various towers loomed ominously above & he felt the various, ice encrusted windows watching him.
Shivering, the Doctor turned & made his way to the stone steps. The snow fell in thick flakes now, sticking easily to the Doctor's clothes, but the protection from the wind offered by the looming sentinels of stone was a small mercy. Reaching the door, the Doctor gave the carvings a cursory examination. Ghoulish & troll-like faces adorned it in various expressions of anger & malice. Unnoticed before, a set of large, heavy door knockers stood out to the Doctor as he reached the top step. Partially submerged into the door, they appeared from a distance, and through the snow, like they were part of the carvings.
Lifting one with all his strength, the Doctor let the metal slam back into the door. Waiting, he counted thirty seconds before knocking on the door again. After a few more minutes, he resolved to test the door. Surprisingly, given the size of the doors, they swung inward easily & the Doctor found himself in the entrance hall.
The sight that met the Doctor in the entrance hall was ornate & sombre. The hallway was large &, whilst drafty, a little warmer than the outside. To the left were two sets of double doors spaced several feet apart & on the right, there was a small nook with a round table, chairs & faded red chaise-lounge. Both wings of the entrance-way were wholly covered by a mezzanine which made up the first floor. A large red carpet stretched across the centre of the ground floor, which was open to the vaulted ceiling far above, & led up a set of grand-stairs, which split left & right on it's half-landing. Stained glass made up the three windows on the far wall, though the largest, which sat above the half-landing in the centre, was different from the two which flanked it.
The most odd aspect of the entrance hall was the myriad candlesticks, most partially melted so that they stuck to the ground, which littered the ground floor. The Doctor walked up to a conglomeration at the foot of the staircase & examined them. This collection was like a mini fortress of spires, the candle sticks having been bound together.
"New ones placed atop the melted remains of the old ones." he muttered.
Stepping past the melted husks & the towers of candles, the Doctor took the stairs two at a time until he reached the half-landing & examined the stained glass windows. The two either side of the larger held no interest, but the larger did. Once more the oddly familiar sign of a circle within a square within a triangle sat at the top of the glass with a set of swords crossed over the top, but this time below was the image of a man. There was something of the nobility about him. A long aquiline nose, firm set mouth, beady but intelligent eyes all ensconced within a leathery, slightly wrinkled face & long white hair held in a ponytail. Below him was the image of a man, kneeling before a woman laying on what appeared to be a wake table.
Outside, the wind no longer howled, but whistled eerily through the outer buttresses & against the windows. The Doctor suppressed the desire to call out "hello" or "is anyone home." Though he did wish to meet whoever owned this castle, there was a part of him that didn't. He could not reconcile these conflicting thoughts & promptly descended the stairs & headed for the duel set of double doors to the left of the staircase. The doors were unlocked, but pushing them open proved difficult. The doors hadn't been moved in some time & were also heavy oak.
Inside, the Doctor found himself in a meeting room of some kind. One large, circular table stretched out the length of the room with various dust covered books & candle holders placed haphazardly. At the far end of the room, many landscape paintings decorated the wall, the beautiful vistas & ancient buildings having long since faded. To the left of the gallery was two open archways leading to a balcony. Making his way over to the balcony, the Doctor clasped his hand over the brim of his panama hat to stop the gust of snow sprinkled wind that met him blowing it away. Straining his eyes, he saw the balcony looked out onto an interior courtyard. From his position, he could see only a few benches & what appeared to be another fountain.
Returning to the entrance hall, the Doctor made his way up to the first floor & turned right. On the right side of the mezzanine sat a lone door near the banister. Walking over, the Doctor lifted the circular handle, turned it & entered. Inside was a large study, faded, red damask wallpaper decorated the walls & bare wooden boards covered the floor. There were several empty shelves & book-stands at various points along the wall, but what attracted the Doctor's attention was the study table. Sitting underneath a snow covered panel window, sat a simple wooden desk atop which sat a scrap of paper. Walking over, the Doctor winced as a floorboard creaked but made his way to the table nonetheless.
The letter was written in a neat, round hand style of handwriting but at various points spots of something wet had landed.
15th of September, 1490
The building of the castle is complete & the builders adequately dealt with. The structure has taken twenty years to finish, but the tomb of the creature is safely protected now by the bulk of the new Castle Adanc. Now I can fear no interlopers or spies from the village as I set about the task of the ritual. They have accepted that I have no time for old stories or legends, but they are still wary. I shall have to do something with the forest that sits around Adanc.
The creature insists that the ritual take place upon the night of Samhain, a Celtic festival celebrated by the common folk of the island countries to the far west. I am ignorant to the custom & must elucidate myself on it, but gathering materials & info will take time. The ritual may have to wait until the following years Samhain
Anastasia is uneasy, though I cannot understand why. What we have sought is almost within our grasp & yet she talks of whether what we are doing is right. It is simply nerves, at least, that is what I tell myself.
2nd of November, 1491
The ritual was a success! It has taken a year to gather the necessary materials, but we gathered in the Deep Chamber & set to the ritual. He is free now, but greatly weakened. He cannot leave the Chamber in this weakened state & requires blood. It will be easy to acquire-
The Doctor read no further as the sound of the chamber door opening & shutting made him turn around. There, standing in the doorway was the man he had seen in the stained-glass window. He was clad in a dark green cloak which hid much of the rest of his clothes from sight. All the Doctor could see was a starched collar & a deep blue cravat. Bony hands extended out from the long sleeves. He now looked upon the Doctor with suspicion.
"It is customary, sir, to knock before entering a man's home." came the cold, gravelly voice. "It is also customary to wait by the door."
"I'm sorry." replied the Doctor, scanning the Baron's face for any hint of recognition. "I did just that, but no-one answered, I was worried this place had been abandoned."
The man scrutinised the Doctor for a moment, before sweeping forward, grabbing the paper on the study table & disappearing it into the folds of his cloak.
"Few come to Castle Adanc,sir, but those who do know perfectly well that it is, and has always been, occupied by the Baron's Rau." he said imperiously. "But, your garb is strange, as is your manner...Are you a traveller, perhaps?"
"Just that, I'm the Doctor." he said. Now within touching distance, the Doctor could see that whilst the Baron's skin was leathery & his hair white, there was a definitive air of youth about the man. Like a young man masquerading as an older one. "Well...not just that. You see, I've heard from the few travellers who have passed this way that there are many strange things to be seen. You could say that I'm something of a wandering scholar."
At this, the Baron let out a rich, velvety laugh which belied genuine mirth.
"A scholar you say?" chuckled the Baron. "And a Doctor? Well, it has been many a year since I had the company of a learned man, even one so strange as yourself. Now that you are here, you may dine with me, if it pleases you, as it is now nearing midday. We can talk of the stories that this part of the Carpathian's holds secret."
"I don't see why not." the Doctor said, feeling a little wary at the sudden outburst & offer.
"Come." said the Baron, whirling around. "The dining room I use is on the far side of Adanc."
Exiting the study, the Doctor followed behind the Baron who, upon exiting, reached for a nearby lantern & glided across the landing. Upon reaching the doors on the far left of the first floor, he produced a large key which he used to open the door.
"I must apologise for my servant, Urat." he said as they passed through the door into a lengthy hallway. "It is his responsibility to be aware of any who approach Castle Adanc. It is unusual for him to be so slack. He is eminently useful & loyal, but unfortunately lacks intelligence."
"Oh, it's not a problem." said the Doctor, examining the various portraits that lined their path. "Is it just the two of you?"
"Yes, I require only one servant to tend to my needs. Any more & they would simply hinder my work."
"Your work?"
"I too have...scholarly interests in this region." replied the Baron, lifting his lantern high to shine further up the corridor.
They walked on in silence, the only sound being that of the lantern, the squeak & creaks of the metal handle emanating as it swayed with the Baron's gait. The Doctor continued to scrutinise the paintings, slowly coming to a realisation.
"These are all landscapes." he said aloud.
The Baron halted in his path, turned around slowly & studied the Doctor for a moment before speaking, much of his face framed in shadow.
"Pardon?"
"I was just thinking, these pictures are all landscapes. No portraits of the former inhabitants of Castle Adanc, previous Barons..." the Doctor trailed off, looking of at something just over the Baron's shoulder
Turning back, the Baron continued on his way as he spoke, taking no notice of where the Doctor's gaze was directed.
"Neither my forebears nor I have had any interest in portraits. Their memory is in the very stone & brickwork of Adanc, in the many records & journals that have been left. What use is a painting, other than to study the physiognomic similarities of the men & women folk of Rau."
"...except that one." the Doctor finished, striding past the Baron & indicating the portrait of a woman with his umbrella.
The portrait depicted a sitting young woman. The woman's round features & high cheekbones were framed beautifully by her dark brown curled hair. A pair of violet eyes looked out upon the viewers with a soft expression. She wore a luxurious cream dress & a necklace depicting two crossed swords over the symbol the Doctor had previously seen before. Tilting his head, the Doctor had not heard the Baron move to his side. Watching him out of the corner of his eye, the Doctor noted that the Baron's face was unreadable as he viewed the woman.
"This is Anastasia Barbu...a woman the first Baron loved dearly." he said, his voice low & gravelly.
"Not a relation?" inquired the Doctor.
"No. She died." said the Baron, turning & resuming their journey through the gloomy halls. As he did, the Doctor noted an odd look briefly take hold of the Baron's features.
"Was that sadness or anger I just saw?" he thought.
Entering the Dining Room, the Doctor was pleased to find it somewhat more comforting in appearance. Thanks to the now heavily falling snow, a premature darkness had fallen & someone, presumably the Baron or Urat, had lighted the various candles & lamps that adorned the walls & tables of the room. A long walnut dining table sat at the centre of the room, already laid out for dinner. Three large pillars stood between the dining table and a fireplace, crackling & spluttering as they entered. Various suits of armour stood posed at the side of the pillars facing the table & the Doctor examined them. The Baron laid his lantern on a side table by a nearby window & doused the flame. Returning to the table, he sat at the head & indicated for the Doctor to sit to his right.
Seeing this, the Doctor took off his panama hat, placed it atop the suit of armour he was looking at & hung his umbrella on the crook of the armours elbow. Taking a seat, he continued to examine the room.
"Quite the place this Castle Adanc of yours, Baron." he said. "How old is it?"
"You mean to say that you did not read the paper in the study?" he asked, a malicious smirk on his face. As he spoke, he gave a nearby rope two sharp tugs, though no sound echoed as he did.
"My eyes may have...skimmed over it." said the Doctor, a small, guilty smile playing on his lips. "Building started in 1470 & finished 1490. Quite a time to spend building, but given the size of the place I can understand the long construction time."
"There were other problems than just general construction issues...so I understand." said the Baron, leaning back into his high-backed chair. "The local peasantry of the time were against such an endeavour, though they had no right to be."
"How so?"
"Castle Adanc occupies land that was given to the first Baron & is not connected with the land that...Singur sits on." replied the Baron, a brief hesitation & tilt of his head as he attempted to recall the name of the village. "Land that is owned by a Count who lives in Cluj-Napoca, I believe. I never bothered to learn the man's name. The Chapel sits on the boundary line between the lands. Regardless, the peasantry of the time had objections, claiming the land was the sight of a battle & a demonic creatures tomb. No Baron of Adanc has ever believed such a battle took place."
"But the contents of that letter-"
"Are a fiction a previous Baron was want to write." interrupted the Baron. "Playing into the superstition of the villagers for material gain but abandoned when convinced that the endeavour would interest little outside of the province, even among those who could read."
As the Baron finished, the door on the far side of the room from the one the Doctor & the Baron had entered swung open heavily. Thanks to his position at the table, the Doctor's view was blocked by a support pillar & so his first impression of the newcomer was of the sound they made. Ragged, aggressive breathing reverberated from the doorway & heavy, thudding steps accompanied the stertorous sound. A smell of carrion entered with the sound & soon the Doctor was able to lay eyes on the interloper. The muscular, heavy set figure that emerged from around the pillar was seven feet tall & wrapped from head to toes in bandages, save the mouth, eyes & scraggy hair. Atop these bandages was a long, dark blue coat, which hung at the figures knees. A wide-eyed, crazed set of red eyes glowed from the coverage of the bandages & the figure's mouth opened at intervals to let loose another laboured breath. To the Doctor's concern, he noted a set of savage & sharp looking teeth. The figure carried a large tray with various cloche-covered plates.
"Urat, there you are." said the Baron.
Urat, the Baron's servant, laid the tray on the table between the Doctor & the Baron. Observing him, the Doctor noted Urat's hunched posture & that the creature was staring at him.
"Surprised are you, Urat?" said the Baron, the malicious grin having returned. "Not as surprised as I when I discovered our guest in the Study."
The creature let out another rumbling breath & the Doctor had to suppress a retch. Even as he answered the Baron, his mad eyes were still glued to the Doctor.
"There was a prowler in the woods, my lord."
The Baron merely "hmmed" at this & waved a dismissive hand. Evidently, Urat's audience was at an end & the hulking figure turned to leave.
"Fetch a bottle of Grasa de Cotnari from the stores, Urat." said the Baron, suddenly. "Our guest & I shall sup together."
Urat, not deigning to turn around, tilted his head over his shoulder & grunted his confirmation of the order. As he did, his eyes alighted once more upon the Doctor.
"Your servant is...a little strange." he said.
"But very useful." replied the Baron. "I'm afraid the food is nothing more than a cold collation of meats, bread & cheese. I do not normally partake at midday, but today I find myself hungry."
The Doctor nodded & watched as the Baron removed several of the cloches. Now revealed were cold duck, roast mutton, cheeses of a few varieties & colours & stale looking bread. The Doctor watched carefully as the Baron took a slice from one of the cheeses, a lump of bread & some mutton. Taking only from what the Baron had, minus the mutton, the Doctor waited for the Baron to begin eating before he joined in. He did not trust that something bad wasn't going to happen.
"So, Doctor." said the Baron. "You say you are a scholar, what have you learned of this area?"
"A lot & not much at the same time." said the Doctor, chewing a bit of stale bread thoroughly. "Admittedly, what further spurred my interest to come here was an incident which took place last night, well, in the early hours of this morning."
The Baron did not interrupt, he simply stared at the Doctor, his expression unreadable.
"I was passing the chapel when I was set upon by things from the forest. I took refuge with the Father who explained that he had been suffering from hauntings for some time. The poor man was dragged through a window & is now most certainly dead."
"Evidently a bear." answered the Baron. "When those that awake early from their hibernation rise, their hunger & tenacity can be extraordinarily high. I was once told a tale ,by a traveller like yourself, of one such bear that awoke in the height of winter in a country to the far east. It broke into houses & slaughtered the inhabitants."
"I'm afraid not, you see the Father heard voices, as did I." said the Doctor, smiling.
"Bandit's then."
"You don't favour a supernatural or extranormal explanation?"
"Of course not, I am a man of science. I am not a backward superstitious peasant." said the Baron, calmly, though he spat the word "peasant" with obvious disdain.
Before the Doctor could continue, Urat returned carrying the bottle of wine he had been sent to fetch & two glasses. Laying them on the table, the Doctor felt the creatures gaze upon him. Whatever this Urat was, he most certainly wasn't a man.
"At least, not anymore." thought the Doctor.
The Baron poured the wine & raised a toast.
"To scholarly pursuits."
Raising his glass, the Doctor watched the Baron drain his before consenting to drink his own.
"There was another thing..." said the Doctor. "Wait a moment, I've just realised something. I know what that symbol reminds me of, the symbol the woman had on her necklace. Alchemy, that symbol is associated with Alchemists."
With a peel of gravelly laughter, the Baron smiled maliciously once more as the Doctor tried & failed to stifle a yawn.
"Yes, my family crest. We have been associated with alchemy & druids throughout history. I do also have a thorough knowledge of plant life & the use of. Such as those with anaesthetic properties."
Yawning again, the Doctor stood up, leaning on the table for support. The Baron remained still, watching him with a malicious gleam in his eyes.
"I...don't understand..."
"In the wine, Doctor. I have dosed myself with it so often that it effects me little...you on the other hand..."
Struggling to keep his eyes open, the Doctor slumped forward onto the dining table & crashed to the floor.
"He is unconscious, my lord." said Urat, appearing from behind a pillar & lifting the Doctor up with one arm.
"I am aware." answered the Baron, still seated at the table. "See that in future you inform me first of any movements on the grounds. It matters little anyway, take him to the dungeons."
Bowing his head low, Urat stalked off out of the room. Baron Rau remained where he was, un-moving as the door slammed shut.
He was bored. It had been some time since he had had a companion to join him & his latest landings in the Tardis had been relatively peaceful or non-starters. So, he had come to this world. A cosmopolitan world of 10 billion people. Something was bound to happen here.
Closing the Tardis door behind him, he sauntered off up the street, his umbrella slung casually over his shoulder & wandered past the many bars, food stands & hawkers plying their trades. Far above, hover cars flew by on their way, ferrying their cargo. The neon lights & signs, advertising Marsh-Minnows & beauty products, glowed their myriad shades & cast a warm glow on the city streets. Below, Shlangy cooks fried, Lurmen's tried desperately to sell their wares & Alpha Centaurian statesmen wandered the streets, on their way to their next meeting. He watched the Alpha Centaurian's thoughtfully.
"I wonder how Alpha Centauri is. He'll be getting on a bit now." he thought.
Overhead, a large transport ship flew in, the roar of it's engines deafening all else. Casting a disparaging look at the ship, the Doctor ducked over to a nearby food stand, this one manned by a human. As he took a stool, the ship carried on it's path, passing over the river & onwards to a large tower.
"What can I get you?" asked the human.
"Depends on what you have." he asked lazily as another ship passed overhead. "What's all this racket in aid of?"
"Big conference tomorrow night, lot's of important people arriving in those ships, or at least, that's what I'm told."
The Doctor smiled as he watched another ship pass overhead. He knew it in his bones, he'd picked right this time.
With a start, the Doctor awoke to find his head pressed firmly to a hay strewn stone floor. Silently cursing his sudden awakening just as he was beginning to remember, he raised his head & clutched it as a dull pain throbbed & pulsed.
"Anaesthetic...better than being koshed over the head, I suppose."
Sitting up, the Doctor took in his surroundings. A small, soiled bed sat to his left, his hat & umbrella perched atop it, & metal bars blocked further movement. He was in a dungeon. Beyond the bars, the Doctor could see a large, darkly lit room. A table with a pail sat atop stood near a battered wooden door, presumably the exit. Torches flickered & burned around the room, but did little to truly brighten it up.
"Well, it could have gone worse." he sighed.
Standing up, the Doctor walked over to the bars of his cell & was surprised to hear a voice, somewhere to his left.
"They say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness." came an elderly voice. "At least, that's what they say when I do it."
"It's also good for when you find yourself without intelligent company." said the Doctor. "To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?"
"Yetta. I was from Singur, many moons ago. Until I went a-foraging in the Adanc Woods & got spirited away by the Finder."
"I'm the Doctor. I take it the Finder is the big bandaged brute with the bad breath."
"That be him." said the voice.
As they spoke, the wooden door to the left opened with a bang & Urat stepped into the room. For a moment he stood in the doorway, his ragged breathing filling the air. Slowly, his head turned in the direction of the Doctor & stood for some few minutes simply watching him. All the Doctor could bring himself to do was to stare back.
Padding over, grabbing the pail as he did, Urat stopped close by the cell door.
"How did you get past me?" he breathed, a dangerous tone in his voice.
The Doctor brought out his red paisley handkerchief & pressed it to his mouth. The carrion scent had returned with a vengeance.
"I walked through the woods-"
With a sudden movement, Urat's free hand shot through the gaps in the bars & grabbed the Doctor by the throat.
"You had help!" he growled ominously. "Was it that hunter, the one with the plume? Did he get you past me?"
Unable to breathe, the Doctor nodded as best he could. In doing so, he shook free a strap of bandage & was shocked to see bloodied fur where flesh should have been.
Releasing his grip, Urat passed his long hand through the bars & grabbed a cup that the Doctor had not noticed before & dipped it into the pail. Offering the cup, the Doctor took it gingerly.
"I've had enough of your liquid refreshments." he said, a slight scowl forming on his face. "But I expect you're the sort one ought not to get angry. So, you & Martin have something of a rivalry, do you? I'll definitely have to have a word with him at some point."
Ignoring him, Urat passed over to the next cell & repeated his actions. With that done, he returned the pail to the table & left the room.
"A bit irritable, isn't he?" said the Doctor.
"You're lucky. I've seen him swipe a mans head off for spitting at him."
"What is he?" muttered the Doctor, more to himself than Yetta. "Can he be connected to the thing at the chapel?"
"What you be talking about?" said Yetta. "The Baron & his servant's are demons, nothing more or less."
"How long have you been here for?"
"No idea, what's time when you're in a dark cell. Days, months, lord knows."
"Well we can't just sit here. What are they going to do to us?" asked the Doctor.
"Perform dark rituals? Stick us in their soup? Your guess is as good as mine, young man."
"I'm not all that young." he said, a miffed expression on his face. "989, If I recall correctly."
"You're very strange. Noone that gets taken out of their cell returns, but I've heard the brute mumbling & muttering. Something about the catacombs."
"Catacombs?"
"Yes. You don't think a place as big as this wouldn't have some kind of under-keep for his Lordship if he came under siege? Or to store the bodies of his vaunted family? What's more, the poor soul before you in that cell claimed to have entered the castle that way. A thief, I reckoned, but he were caught quite quickly."
The Doctor remained silent for a moment. Briefly, he contemplated drinking the water from the cup, but his recent drugging along with the murky nature of the water made him think again.
"These catacomb sounds promising, only need to get out of this cell!" he thought.
Thrusting his hands into his pockets, the Doctor began to rummage.
"Must be something in here I can use!" he muttered irritably.
Failing to find anything in his main pockets, barring a teddy bear & a yo-yo, the Doctor began to fish around in his inside pockets. Suddenly, a perplexed expression appeared on the Doctor's face before it lit up with a grin. Slowly, he pulled free from his inside pocket the Sonic Screwdriver.
"I must have taken Nyssa's advice to heart about getting you repaired." he whispered to the screwdriver. "I must thank her one of these days."
Turning back to the cell door, the Doctor crouched & began to fiddle with the settings.
"Not so good on vibrating open the locks on cell doors like these, but It should work given time. Let's hope the noise doesn't attract unwanted attention." he thought.
Squeezing the screwdriver, the Doctor winced at the electronic buzz that emanated out. Pressing his ear to the lock, the Doctor could hear the squeak of the lock beginning to move.
"What's that noise?" came Yetta's voice.
"A little trick that might just get us out of here, now hush!"
A few tense moments later, the lock clicked &, careful of any sound, the Doctor slid the door to. Collecting his hat & umbrella, he exited, moved over to Yetta's cell & began to open it. The woman inside was somewhat decrepit, her clothes hanging loosely on her. Standing, she shuffled over surprisingly quickly & stared at the Sonic Screwdriver.
"What is that?"
"Never mind, just think of it as a get out of jail free key." said the Doctor as he set about opening the door.
In minutes, the Doctor had freed her & the two crept quietly over to the wooden door. Checking if all was clear, they passed into the inky blackness of the corridor & began their escape.
The flight through the dungeon corridors proved to be an ordeal in itself. No torches lit the way so at various points, the Doctor & Yetta were forced to stumble in the dark. Thankfully, at no point did Urat make his presence known, though the Doctor was sure that he would smell the creature long before he saw it. After what seemed like an age of stumbling in the dark & clinging to walls for support, the two escapees found themselves at a set of stairs. Light trickled out from the top & guided them up & into what seemed to be a kitchen.
Much of the contents had rarely, if ever, been used as evidenced by the large cobwebs which draped themselves over forgotten utensils or unused plates. Once more, no sign of Urat could they see & the Doctor & Yetta soon passed out of the mouldering kitchen altogether.
Entering a dimly lit corridor, the windows casting a murky half-light onto the stone floors, the Doctor & Yetta found themselves wandering for what seemed like an age. Every now & then, they would pass a door which, upon entering, proved only to be some forgotten bedroom or dust covered sitting room. After some time of wondering, the Doctor stopped by a window, looking out onto the snow covered forest below.
"This place is a labyrinth." he said. "It wouldn't surprise me if it had been designed that way to stymie intruders."
Very occasionally, the sound of creeking floorboards from the floor above them would make the two stop & look up. At other times, Yetta swore to having heard muttering behind a door or at the end of the hallway. The snow, blowing heavily once again, would claw at the windows they passed like spectral hands trying to find entry. If the Doctor heard or saw anything, he did not admit so but remained wary all the same.
After some time, however, the duo found the great library.
The library was a large oblong room with bookshelves lining every wall, stretching upwards to the ceiling far above in some cases. There were two floors, though the upper floor held much fewer books & seemed to be there only to allow access to the stained glass windows that overlooked the repository. There were so many books, that a large amount were simply piled up, one atop the other at the end of aisles or in the middle of the floor. The five desks which were situated at the opposite end from the windows were largely covered in books & candle wax.
"Never seen so many books in my life." mused Yetta as she examined the blank cover of a book. The dust was so heavily layered & caked on that even if there had been a title or picture, making out what was on it would have been difficult.
The Doctor took no notice, his attention had been grabbed by a wooden gothic book stand. So lacquered was it that it stood out prominently from it's surroundings. A sheaf of papers lay atop the stand, the writing standing out to the Doctor as the same hand as the previous paper he had read.
Resting his umbrella on the stand, the Doctor took the papers & began to read aloud.
19th of February, 1578
The men I hired to abduct travellers are incompetent bumblers, they have drawn unwanted attention! Not only were they seen in the forest & followed from the villages they stalked, but they were followed & observed using the exit from the catacombs! I have placed the least useless of the men as guards on the entrance to the catacombs in the study near the library, but something must be done. I mentioned my need of a more efficient cat's paw to the creature & he said to bring the fools to him in the Deep Chamber. I happily washed my hands of them. The next night, curiosity having gotten the better, I ventured into the chamber to see what had been become of the fools, though I know his methods well by now. The bodies of all but one of the bandits lay slain on the ground, roots & strings of sticky blood connected to them. The biggest & strongest was on his knees in front of the creature, whose long talons pierced the flesh of the man's head & seemed to be transferring something in to him. The bottomless black orbs of the deer head turned upon me as he spoke.
"He will become a loyal & far better servant soon." came the gurgling voice. "A true Zalasenda Hound would have been far better, but this will suffice."
The man, his name I did not recall but learned later as Urat, began to change before my eyes. What bulk he already had seemed to grow, the nails on his hands fell from their places as sharp claws extended out. Fur began to appear in places whilst roots tangled around his body in others. The head took the worst toll in the transformation, his head grossly warping & enlarging. His teeth, rather than falling out like the fingernails, changed shape before my eyes, becoming sharp & lethal. The change over with, Urat now appeared like some nightmarish mixture of wolf, man & plant.
A howl of rage shattered the silence of the library. Though it was somewhat distant, the sheer rage & animalistic fury made the Doctor look up from his reading & Yetta stir from her seated position.
"Oh lord." she muttered, making the sign of the cross.
"Well, it's as good a time as any to get going. I've discovered the entrance to the catacombs, all we need is a bit more luck."
Slapping the sheaf of papers back on the stand, the Doctor & Yetta shuffled towards the door. Peeking his head out, the Doctor checked all was clear before the two carried on up the corridor as fast as their legs would carry them. After opening & shutting a few more doors, the two soon found the study in question. Little effort had been made to conceal the fact that a passage existed. Beneath a large wooden desk, the floorboards of a darker colour to the ones around it lay in full view as they entered, a small circular handle protruding out from under the desk. Surging forward, the Doctor moved the desk to the side &, thinking again, shuffled it over to the study door.
"Might be a waste of time, but I'd feel exposed & foolish if I didn't at least try." he said.
Scurrying over, the Doctor lifted the hatch & peered into the dusty darkness that yawned before him. A set of misshapen stone steps descended in pitch darkness & a foul smell exuded from the hole. Hurrying over to a side-table, the Doctor picked up a lantern & lit it, before beckoning Yetta to join him by the trapdoor. With no small amount of trepidation, they descended into the dark, closing shut the hatch behind them.
The first sight that greeted the Doctor out of the darkness was of small recesses on either side of the path, where the origin of the foul smell became clear. Inside each of these depressions were bodies, in varying stages of decay & of various ages. As they passed on through the tunnel, it became more & more apparent to the Doctor that the bodies belonged to many different levels of the social hierarchy. Peasants, farmers, noblemen, priests, the catacombs, it seemed, was equal opportunities. It was also clear just what became of those who went missing near the woods of Adanc.
"But for what purpose?" he thought. "What's the point of all this?"
Reaching the end of the tunnel, the two escapees found themselves at a crossroads. Multiple paths led off into the darkness, but shining his light into each pathway, the Doctor could make out more body-filled recesses. For a moment, he debated with himself the correct path, starting on one only to second-guess himself immediately.
"What are we to do?" said Yetta. "We can't wander these tunnels, we'd be caught long before we escaped."
The Doctor, pushing the front of his hat up his head with his umbrella, fell into deep thought. A few seconds later he smiled & pulled out his paisley handkerchief, positioned himself at the centre of the crossroads & dangled the object in the air. From the northwestern path, a light breeze brushed the red handkerchief. Stepping forward, the Doctor sniffed the air before turning to Yetta & beckoning her to him.
"Come on, the air doesn't smell as foul this way. When in doubt, brandish your hanky & always follow your nose."
Walking on, the two found the path less populated this time, with many of the recesses empty. It was as they reached the half-way point that a resounding crash echoed through the tunnels & a great roar echoed towards them. Unsure what to do, the Doctor twisted his head to & fro, before suddenly remembering the empty recesses. Helping Yetta into one, the Doctor leapt into the one opposite her & pushed himself as far back into the cramped space as he could.
Minutes ticked by as silence descended upon the catacombs. Occasionally, the silence was broken by the errant drip of water from somewhere in the darkness & the occasional breath of wind, permeating from the exit, which groaned as it passed over the craggy walls. Just as the Doctor was about to stick his head out from his hiding place, the familiar, ragged breathing returned. Despite the kinder scent of this path, the foul odour was still faintly evident but became overpowered by the carrion smell of Urat. Slowly, the hulking figure edged into the Doctor's view & he saw that much of the bandages had been removed. Extending out from the arms of Urat's coat was no longer the bandaged bundles, but large, fur covered claws.
"Going to find you." he breathed. "Little man."
Stepping forward, Urat grabbed hold of the leg of a corpse in the next recess & hauled it out with a tremendous grunt. With a growl of frustration, he dropped the limb to the floor & continued up the tunnel. Craning his head out of his hiding spot, the Doctor watched Urat's back disappear around a corner & waited until the ragged breathing had receded an adequate distance away before leaping from the recess in the wall, helping Yetta out of hers & continuing their flight.
"Can't keep this up...too old...too old for running about." puffed the woman.
"Not far now." assured the Doctor. "The winds getting stronger."
As he spoke, the Doctor could see a glimmer of light at the end of their path &, with renewed vigour, hurried the old woman along. Reaching the light, the two found a rickety, wooden ladder extending skywards through the welcoming light, flakes of snow drifting in through as they looked on, & the Doctor pressed Yetta forwards.
"You first, I'll keep an eye on things, just be careful!" he said.
"All right, all right, too old for gallivanting like this." she grumbled.
Twitching his head from the ladder to the tunnel repetitively, relief swelled as he saw Yetta alight the ladder. Climbing up himself, a movement in his peripheral vision sent a shock of terror through him. Urat was surging up the tunnel, his red eyes wide & mad, the curtain of sharp teeth glinting from his flapping mouth. Frantically, the Doctor clambered up the ladder, his feet pushing rotten rungs out from beneath him as he struggled upwards. Erupting out of the tunnel entrance, the Doctor rolled down a gentle hill & looked up to see the towering bulk of Urat emerging. Scrabbling back a few feet, the Doctor looked on in horror as the hulking brute loomed over him, claws raised...
