Word of warning: This chapter slightly bends towards horror themes. However, this is probably a very rare occurrence. I promise you that my next few chapters aren't as dark and scary, so you can skip this chapter - you're not missing much. :)
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Chapter two
"What?!" James looked a little dumbfounded.
"Doctor, I don't understand." Esme said, she too had not heard this titbit of news, "When you said we must protect them, I just assumed to give them a place to be, well, themselves."
"Well, yes," Niccolo replied, "that, and the bloodthirsty cult I just mentioned is out to capture them. Your uncle, blessed be, and I have been investigating this cult as well as searching for these adolescents for a while now."
"What does this so called 'cult' do, doctor?" James grimly spoke up.
"Glad you asked, good sir. Around half a year ago, I was looking into a peculiar case of a death of a young man in Russia. He was found dead on sacred ground, in an Orthodox Church no less. His body was bled to the bone, skin completely peeled off and branded with several demonic-like insignia. Have a look at the photograph in that envelope." He pointed to the one James had previously wrestled out of his sister's hands.
Esme gasped as she peered over her brothers shoulder at the image. The humanoid form of the boy was barely recognisable - limbs twisted at unnatural angles and neck snapped to the point where he was far better off decapitated. Even through the grainy black and white photograph there was no mistaking the grotesque sight of his broken jaw, open and silently screaming, oozing the blackest of blood. Several markings were clearly burnt into his flesh - the most prominent - a crucifix intertwined with what appeared to be letters.
By now the siblings had paled considerably, James was trembling. He looked at Esme and and a silent exchange passed between them.
"This is abominably awful, Doctor," Esme spoke for the both of them, "why would this...these... mongrels do such a thing to an innocent man?" She placed a comforting hand on her brothers shoulder - only she knew how squeamish James really was.
The doctor gravely took the photograph from James's shaking hand, "I happened to be searching for this very boy when I received news of an unusual death, and believe me when I say unusual." He pointed at two deep lacerations on the boy's back, which was facing the photographer. "If you look here, these cuts are dissimilar to the other engravings. When I arrived at the church, the first thing I noticed were feathers. Yes, feathers," he pointedly added at the Lord's perplexed expression.
"The whole prayer room was dusted in inky, black feathers. At first I assumed I had arrived at the wrong crime scene, that of a vandalism, but then I saw the boy. His corpse was strewn out on the alter, just like that image. Around him were even more feathers - all in different sizes - and upon looking further it seemed they were all of the same species, or maybe the same bird. I had thought to myself: how curious, this must have been a giant bird, prehistoric even. Then, as I inspected the boy, I saw those cuts. They weren't normal cuts I tell you, my Lord and Lady. You cannot see it in this picture, but it was definitely a sight to behold. It appeared as though the young man had extra bones growing out of his back. There was clearly a large joint inside each of those gashes, and upon further examination, they had been sawed at. The marks on the bones could only have been made by very sharp toothed knives. If anything, these ...extensions shall we say, reminded me of my cook when she was preparing the poultry. I had looked around and saw a collection of blood crusted bones neatly stacked on the floor behind the altar, placed together almost strategically in the shape of wings. Only then did it occur to me that this boy, had wings. If you were there, you both would have seen it. Imagine this large skeleton of a pair of wings, similar to that of an eagle's, covered in the most beautiful of black feathers on a fit young man. He would've looked like an angel - a dark angel. He couldn't have possibly been more than 18." Niccolo finished his description with a sad tone. The room was silent for a moment as they all studied the photograph.
"Where are you getting at, Doctor?" James finally asked.
"Ah, I am not finished just yet. I know it is very late but I beg of you listen a little longer," he looked at the siblings, who in turn had their full attention on him.
"This murder, as it turns out, was only the first of three. I did not have the time nor the resources to go to Norway then Hungary, but the other two cases were eerily similar to that of the boy's," he tapped at the photograph, "this boy clearly had a gift that was physical. He was an orphan and was said to be able to fold his wings back into his back, so he was able to deceive others into thinking he was very much human. I made several inquiries around the town and it was reported that he was missing for a few days before this murder. Only his best friend knew about his wings, but a few days before his disappearance she had noticed a few strange men following them on their outing, whom she had lost sight of and thus thought nothing of it, until Romain, the boy, disappeared. She told me that she felt someone watching her and her friend when they were playing in the woods -apparently Romain felt it too and assumed it to be mountain wolves. At that point they were too far into the forest to leave quickly, so Romain flew them out. From this particular point onwards, assumptions must be made carefully."
Niccolo placed the picture down on the tea table before continuing. "The next murder was also in a Church, reportedly in a small village in Hungary. Images of a young woman, nude, tied upside down on the main crucifix were shown to me and the case file indicated there was glass shattered every where: the windows, the crystal chandelier, everything. The villagers reported hearing deathly screams coming from the consecrated grounds, the sounds were high pitched and debilitating. Those who lived in a ten kilometre radius had witnessed varying degrees of damage, mainly to their glassware and ear drums - all of these caused by banshee-like wails. The girl was found to have nails driven through her wrists, ankles, groin and throat. She also, was almost completely without blood, as if it were drained from her body. The main connection however, was a brand. Burnt into her naked torso was the very same brand on Romain's chest," Niccolo pointed at the crucifix insignia. By now, both James and Esme were rapt, eyes wide with attention.
"You, sir, are a very good story teller," James remarked and Nero gave him a wry smile.
Esme continued, "What of the third death, Doctor?"
Niccolo took a deep breath before continuing, "Out of the three, this one must have been the most disturbing to hear of. About a week after the murder of the banshee girl, another was found in Norway. This time in an old Scandinavian ruin. From reports, the place was for pagan rituals and sacrifices, but had not been occupied or used for several hundred years, presumably lost with time and the tide of Christianity. This girl was known to have been a kind and helpful girl. Her town loved her; she was the local healer's apprentice and was missing for a few days before they found her in what was the altar room of the old Viking hideout. They saw her head first, sticking out of the ground, eyes wide open and dirt spilling out of her mouth. Whoever did this also ripped off her hair- literally, peeled off her scalp skin with her hair to the bone of her skull. They unearthed the unfortunate soul and found that her hands had been cut off and that very same insignia marking her abdomen. She was also bled dry, however they noticed that the soil around her was unusually damp, damp with her blood. These monsters, they buried her alive."
The room was stiflingly silent before James spoke up, "What was so special about this one? Why would they target her?"
"Ah yes. She was very special. The townsfolk had named her Dronning av avlingen, Harvest Queen. You see, in Norway it is incredibly difficult to maintain crops over the months. This girl however, had the ability to manipulate plants. She knew: which herbs to use for healing and medicine; when the crops would grow and if not, with just a whisper into the wind and a hand on the ground, a while seasons worth of crops would grow. Her talent was outstanding. Yet look at what has happened to her."
"What about the insignia? What does it mean?" Esme asked thoughtfully.
"That, my dear Lady, is still a slight mystery itself. The only thing your uncle and I have managed to find out is that this cult calls themselves Purus Anima, and they're out for blood - figuratively, and quite possibly literally. To be more specific, they're hunting people like us. Those with capabilities and traits that make them almost, well, superhuman. It is most unsettling that nobody has managed to name culprits of this crime as of yet." Niccolo picked up the discarded envelope and took out a few papers and handed them to James. "You will see in this document why I am here."
The siblings quietly read the will together, still mildly shocked from Doctor Biochetti's retellings.
"Uncle wanted us to go with the Doctor and find these people before Purus Anima finds them. Why us?" Esme questioned softly.
"My lady, excuse the forwardness, but whenever his lordship would speak of you two, it was always about your consideration and kindness and Lord James's noble nature. I myself would be honoured to accompany you and your brother if you choose to accept your Uncle's dying proposal."
Again, the room became silent before James harshly spoke up,
"Esme, accept the proposition."
The pair looked up at him, a little startled, for James had not spoken for some time. The Lord was struggling to keep himself under control, avoiding the watchful eyes of his sister before shakily heading towards the parlour door. He stopped and tilted his head to the window, watching the pale sunrise over London,
"For what is left of today, we recuperate. I shall have to go to the company to organise some deals. We embark within a week. Be prepared."
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ITS CHAPTER TWO FINALLY. Writers block sucks.
So sorry the ending is a little rushed, hope y'all enjoy :D