The Witch who greeted Seth and Amber didn't look to be quite middle aged; Seth put her around thirty years. They sat in the back of a Jeep, driven by Kristin's personal driver. They were driven to the outskirts of the woods to meet up with the others.
"So, Seth Smith was it?" Asked Kristine, crossing one leg on top of the other. "I have heard a great deal about you, your superiors have given you an exceptionally high rating in your Craft."
"If you're referring to Captain Lykos or Gloria, they both give me too much Credit." Seth said politely, trying to humble the Compliment.
Kristine smirked, "I have known Gloria for many years now. She hardly gives undo credit." Her eyes shifted. "I'm sorry I don't believe we have had the pleasure, I'm Kristine Goldshire."
Amber nodded with a smile, "Amber, I’m Gloria’s daughter."
Kristine’s eyebrow shot up, a look of amusement over took her prior 'politely lazy' gaze. "Gloria’s daughter? I didn't think she would allow that." She put her finger to her chin, "If I remember correctly you are almost of adult age, and have been quite the Rebel to your mother’s attempts to install the White Mage customs."
Amber nodded, than shook her head. "I have no intention of being what she thinks I should be."
Kristine laughed. "Then maybe you should attend the Black Mages summit in a couple of weeks with me."
Amber looked at Kristine, a faint hope in her eye.
"It would be wonderful if you spoke as a Black Mage who belonged to a White Mage family... It would give some very good insight as to how people choose their own ways, and shouldn't allow their families to do it for them... And by the way, how is your future husband taking it?"
Amber blushed, and then her let out a faint sigh. "I'm not following the Family tradition; I have no intent to marry him."
Seth cracked his neck than looked at Amber to explain. But she looked out the window, any attempt to get the information he sought would be futile and he knew it.
"I see..." Kristine pressed her lips together and the cab went into an uncomfortable silence.
After what felt like hours of waiting, they had all finally arrived on the outside of the forest. Seth noticed the Sun was starting to set, and the trees starting to cast elongated shadows over one another.
The driver opened the jeep doors for everyone to exit from, and they came upon a small camp with two women poking at a newly born fire.
"Alex, Maria," Kristine called walking up to them. Seth and Amber followed; Seth looked at the forest, his eyes searching for any sign of disturbance. "This is the Spector Seth Smith, and Gloria’s Daughter Amber." Kristine introduced.
Seth bowed his head slightly. "This is Alexis and Maria Chang." Kristine smiled.
The first, Alex, was a smart looking young woman, very thin and tanned, with obviously dyed red hair. Her cloths were unorthodox to Seth, but he hadn't visited many pagan villages to cast too much judgment. Her skirt looked as if made by fine and well-designed tanned cloth with a black zig zag pattern running a few inches above the hem, which stopped at her knees. Her shirt, if you can call it that, was a fur that hugged and covered her breasts and an inch below, past that she was exposed, save a loose white vest that hung openly around her body.
The Second, Maria, was of obvious of Asian decent. Her clothes represented a Chinese back ground: A red silk dress with two threads on her right shoulder, and sage green pants that were tighter than Seth thought the human body could stand. Her feet were rather small to fit into the jade green shoes she stood in, and her hair was slicked back into a tight ponytail that braided down to her knees.
Alex greeted with a sophisticated smile, while Alex only let out a friendly grin. They and Amber shook hands. Seth declined; he didn't like being touched more than need be. The Spector heard the four women converse around him, but a strange feeling started to creep into his body. The feeling as if he were being watched.
Seth looked into the forest, into the trees. He could feel something was there, something he couldn't see. His eyes scanned the woodwork but he could not find what he was looking for. The feeling turned from cold do numb as it trailed up his lower back, It started to drift up his spine numbing his body as it crept. His thoughts started to blur, he lost all train of thought and his concentration was broken. 'What was I looking for again?'
The world around Seth started to fade and he felt his mouth open slightly, and lost all feeling in his body below the neckline. His eyes glazed over. 'What was I doing here again? Where am I?' Seth felt his head become light, 'why can't I think? Why can't I remember?'
"Seth? SETH!" he heard, snapping out of his trance, Seth shook his head and everything came back to him at once. He looked to find Amber rubbing her right palm, than the pain finally sunk into Seth’s cheek. "You have been standing with that blank look on your face for ten minutes. Are you ok?"
'Ten minutes? It couldn't have been longer than two.' Seth rubbed the cloth on his cheek and adjusted his glasses. "Yes, I’m fine. I must have zoned out for a minute."
"Well don't do it again. You were like a statue, it's creepy."
"SETH! AMBER!" Called Alex running to the duo, a look of panic about her. "Come quick, Maria is acting strange."
Seth and Amber followed Alex to find Maria sitting in a tent, rocking her head back from side to side. Her face bore a blissful smile and happy eyes that held no care in the world, her glazed over eyes gazing into space, What Seth noticed the most was she was humming a happy tune and writing on a piece of paper what looked like the same thing over and over again.
"Maria?" Alex said kneeling down and cupping Marias cheek. Maria jumped up in surprise.
"Alex? Please do not ever sneak up on me again." Maria scolded before she looked down at what she was doing. She saw the blue pen in her hand, and the words on the paper made her wide eyed. Only five words...
Get away while you can
Over and over. "I did not write that." Maria announced. Her head shaking and she looked at Alex, "Did I?
"Were you just possessed Maria?" Alex asked kneeling down.
"No, no, I could not have been. I would have remembered allowing the spirit in." Maria hugged Alex and started to sob into her shoulder, mumbling something neither Seth nor Amber could make out. They both decided that the two needed to be alone and zipped up the tent.
Kristine wondered into the camp holding a large case. "Alright, I think the Vamp is out there combing the forest somewhere." She put down the case and unbuckled the straps. "And if he did finally track him down, than I finally have a reason to test this bad boy out."
The Black Mage pulled out an unnecessarily large gun, Seth would have called it a cannon had it not been for the fact she was holding it like a rifle. The silver and black weapon had a two inch chamber, with an elongated handle and what looked like a built in scope and bullet counter. It was a masterpiece of sculpture, the front of the gun, under the barrel held a sickle that, if thrown at the right angle, could cause some serious damage. What's more was it was Demonsteel. Seth’s Angelsteel blade didn't do the kind of damage Demonsteel could but, Demonsteel was far less durable. Seth's only question was if it was cursed to do the same as his weapon.
"You two should see the looks on your faces." Kristine was wearing a shit eating grin, the kind that almost made Seth kick babies. "Well except for you, I can only imagine what your face looks like behind that mask." She teased.
Amber let out a sigh, "Yea the tricky part is getting him to take it off, but what exactly is that?"
Kristine cocked the cannon as if it were a shot gun, and aimed it up in the air. A massive beam of light emitted from the chamber bright enough to make Amber squint, and shot up into the sky puncturing a darkened cloud as it went up. After a few seconds the light dispersed and Amber looked back to see a bullet shell the size of her hand, fell out and hit the ground with a thud.
"This ladies, is a weapon capable of blasting pure Light Magic Dust." Kristine's eyes became lazy again and she held her head high in arrogant confidence. "Pretty impressive huh?"
Amber stood with her mouth open. She couldn't believe what she had seen or heard. Magic dust is not only rare, but acidic to touch, even for the most resistant metals and magics. "How on earth? Not only did you break one of the most sacred of our traditions by mixing Magic and Science, but you created a weapon that could use pure Light Magic Dust?"
Kristine scoffed. "Forget your stupid 'Traditions’ man. I have no interest on letting others tell me how to live my life. Besides, I’m making a pretty silver coin off this puppy." She caressed the gun. "This thing will solve all of my problems. It will kill that 'thing' and then make me rich. The weapons trade has been abuzz ever since the war in Heaven started. Everyone wants a way to defend themselves from Demons if they take the opportunity to invade Earth uncontested."
"War in Heaven?" Seth asked almost snapping his neck.
"Yea," the Black Witch gave a thumbs up pointing to herself, a wild smirk exposing her bright white teeth. "I know a guy on the inside, if you know what I mean."
Seth found the concept entertaining and intriguing, but pushed it off as a joke. How could Heaven be at war within itself?"
The sun was gone now, only a hint of twilight remained in the distance. The five of them gathered around the campfire to eat the freshly cooked pork stew. Seth sat on his own log while, while Amber and Kristine shared on and spoke softly, and Alex attempted to comfort the now nervous Maria.
The light from the flames danced on the trees in front of Seth, he couldn't tell if the trees were moving or if it was just an illusion perpetrated by the camp fire. Seth heard a twig snap behind him and he jumped, drawing his dagger and his elbow making contact with a black mass. The mass was humanoid, and held his assault. The Spector followed through with his attack, slicing the air between his knife and the things black head.
"SETH STOP!" he heard Kristine command.
The Spector ended his assault by letting his armed hand rest inches from his opponents face. He felt a dull pain poking at his stomach, and looked down to see a black skinning blade pointed directly into his kidney. "I guess it would have been a draw."
"Hardly." it spoke retracting its knife from the Spectors stomach, and walking by, Seth turned to see him pull something out of the air right above him, a black painted spear was at rest inches from Seth’s head.
"Harold you're finally back." Announced Kristine stuffing her face.
"Yes." he said, his voice muffled by the pure black helmet. He looked towards where the sun had set and took it off. Flowing, long brown hair emerged from the darkness, accompanied by paper white skin and sunken in cheeks, his face was flawless. His black eyes shot from Amber to Kristine and then he looked back to Seth and smirked. "New arrivals?"
Seth cracked his neck. "You were expecting some one else?"
"Hmph," The Vampire smirked. "I was hoping for some one better."
Seth couldn't explain why, but that stung him far more than he would have liked to admit.
"Oh my." Harold stopped and looked at Amber. "And who might you be?" His slight British accent was soothing to Ambers ears.
"I'm Amber. Nice to meet you." She gave the biggest smile Seth had ever seen.
Harold took her hand, "I'm Harold," he kissed the top of it lightly, "Harold Vonder."
Amber smile widened and he cheeks shamed a tomato in color. She offered the assassin a seat next to her, and they conversed about movies and people Seth cared nothing for. He felt that twinge of jealousy he hated so much when Harold kissed Ambers hand. And he logically took himself threw the steps to explain to himself why he shouldn't be. And then went through the steps to figure out why he was jealous in the first place.
After a few minutes of thought, he finally admitted it wasn't a logical issue; it was an emotional one. To clear his mind, the Spector walked away from the camp.
The Spector walked along the forests edge, never drifting too far from the camp just in case they needed him, but he was glad he finally had the chance to look into the forest without the light dancing caused by the fire. Seth peered into the forest, all sounds and distractions out of his mind. He scanned the clear night, to find a peculiar sight; there was a puff of mist moving through the forest floors. He watched as it spread closer to where he was, but not too far from side to side. Almost as if it were coming for him.
And behind the puff, he could make out a tree dancing in the wind, only problem was... there was no wind. The more the Sergeant stared, the more he began to realize that it was not a tree. Whatever it was, it was tall, and had very long legs. Seth squinted to see its face, 'perhaps that's a Giant spider?' he thought? It came closer still, to the point where Seth could distinguish it was not a spider, but had a humanoid form. Its legs and Arms were long, much too long to belong to any human. Seth could make out there was a bit of white on its chest, but it was still too far away to draw anything conclusive.
Suddenly the cold feeling at the bottom of his spine was back. Seth knew what it was this time, and made an attempt to fight it off, but something about the creature that was still hundreds of feet away, made his thoughts of fighting disperse and give way to fear. '"What?" he barked attempting to move his legs, but they were already numb. His arms were next, and he tried to stress and relax his muscles in order to fight the coming overtake of his body, but once the thing came close enough Seth could make out its disturbing movements, the fear in Seth had over powered any will power he once held. , Seth’s thoughts started to go fuzzy. 'Where am I?' his arms drew down to his sides.
'What is that?' The creature drew nearer and nearer. It couldn't have been more than fifty feet away now, 'how is he moving so fast?' Seth's legs were starting to get wobbly, he didn't know why anymore but he was afraid, and that thing was had a great deal to do with his fear, 'why can't I move?'
"God damn it, SNAP OUT OF IT!"
Seth snapped from his trance and shook his head, trying to regain his composure to face the creature that came. But it was gone, the fog, the cold and numbness was gone as if it had never been there.
"Fucker, this is my property, you hear me!" The voice echoed in Seth’s mind.
"What happened?" Seth asked silently, hoping the familiar voice would give him answers.
"Oh now you hear what I have to say? Don't give me that, I have been yelling at you for hours!"
Seth grabbed his head, "You’re the man from the mirror aren't you?"
"Damn right, and I have been trying to get you to listen, that thing. It invaded your mind, I’m not sure how or why, but it seems to want to mess with your psyche. Your dumb ass is lucky you have me to keep the vermin out."
"What is that?" Seth whispered to himself.
"Fuck if I know, but it didn't like you."
Seth rubbed his temples. "That thing, its aura... I have never felt anything like it."
"Yea well no shit. You have been alive for what? 23 years?"
"Piss off, but whatever that was, I’m certain it's responsible for what happened to the Phantom Research Team." Seth took a moment to stare out into the Forest again. Just one last sweep to make sure it was gone.
"Yea? Gee, what ever gave you tha- NO SHIT SHERLOCK!"
"Do you think you could do that again?" Seth asked turning to walk back to the camp.
"What? Did I not say it loud enough for you the first time?"
"No, I mean keeping it out of my head?"
"Of course I will, it's in my best interest that you translate the damned scroll. And how can I do that if you're dead?"
"Fair enough." Seth growled right before he rejoined the camp and ate after everyone else went to sleep, leaving him as first watch.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Darkness. Only darkness. Seth stood in a black room, looking in one direction… There he was. The thing he saw in the forest. Right there, watching him. Not moving, not saying anything, not even visible. But Seth knew he was there. 'What was it doing? Why is he just standing there?' Seth gritted his teeth. 'Come on, come and get me, fight me damn it do something! Don't just stand there, kill me!' Seth was taken aback by the words that just exited his mouth... 'Kill me?' he repeated in shock.
The Spector turned around to see it was in directly behind him, its body illuminated by an invisible light, and it's head darkened by an invisible obstruction. Standing 3 feet over Seth. He quickly observed the black suit and tie that the thing was wearing, separated by a white collar shirt. In that moment Seth knew what it was. He remembered reading about 'Him' on an old book they had on the internet while he was looking for creatures that he wanted to study up on. The thing they called "Slender Man." Seth couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it before...
The missing people, especially children, tall treed forest, people acting in such fear of its presence; to the point of insanity? It all made sense now. But knowing what it was, only affirmed the deepest fear in Seth’s heart, he did not know its weakness. He didn't know if it even had a weakness to exploit, and worse. Now Seth could not move.
The Slender man’s arms wobbled without impedance, as if boneless. And black tentacles sprouted from its back.
Seth was truly afraid, what would happen when it killed him? Would he go back to Hell? Would this 'thing' claim his soul for its own? He didn't feel particularly fulfilled in the accomplishments of his second life. 'No I can't die. Not yet, I haven't earned my place, I don't want to go back!'
It bent over; it's face directly above Seth. Seth’s eyes twitched up to remove any doubt this was the Slender man, he saw only white, no features, no mouth, no eyes, no nose no ears, nothing. The creatures black and silent tentacles started to surround Seth in a wide circle constricting smaller and closer.
'God damn it.' Seth growled, unable to do anything but watch as his impending doom continued to close in around him.
Seth couldn't see the smile, but he knew the Slender Man was taking sure delight in the torture he was putting the Spector through. The tentacles started to contract against Seth’s body. 'This is it, he's going to kill me, he is going to crush me like a twig. I can't believe I'm going to end like this.'
"You again?" He heard the familiar demonic voice bellow.
Seth sat up from the ground; he was met with the morning sun and drenched in sweat. 'Oh, it was just a dream.' Seth fell back to the ground, 'it was only a dream.' The Spector rubbed the sweat from his brow, and took a few calming breaths.
"You alright Seth?" Seth looked over to see Amber standing a few feet away.
'Yea I’m fine I just-
Ambers form ripped apart emerging from it the black suite and white faced entity charged at Seth, it's tentacles like spikes piercing threw his chest.
Seth's eyes opened with a gasp. He looked up to see Amber kneeling down to him, her hands on his shoulders. "Seth wake up!" Daylight shining into her face.
Seth pushed her off, and checked where the Slender Man's tentacles had pierced his body. No holes or blood to be found. "It was a dream, Am I awake this time?"
Amber stood up and brushed off her hands. "Seth what was happening to you? You're soaked in sweat."
Seth put his hands over his eyes... '"Yes you are awake now; I didn't know he would be so persistent with you. Can't you do anything to keep him out, oh and he decided to leave us a little present."
Seth mumbled his conformation, and looked back up at Amber. "Have you ever heard of the Slender Man?"
Amber let out a sigh. "Seth, the Slender Man is a myth. He isn't real."
"My dream, I saw him." Seth replied
"You have been reading way too many articles on the internet. Slender man was not even conceived of until that "Something Horrible" thread came out a few years ago." Amber replied, patronizing the confused Spector.
'Was she right? Was the dream just my own manifestation of what I thought I saw? Was it my projection of what I wanted it to be? Using the Slender Man only as a face to put to that which I had not yet seen?' Seth pinched the bridge of his nose. "I just had a bad dream." A terrifying dream is more like it, and with a false ending? That was the worst.
"You dreamt about the Slender Man? I thought you were tougher than that." Amber teased with a playful smirk.
Seth couldn't stop shaking. Why was he still so terrified? He's awake now; he pinched himself to be sure.
Amber’s playful eyes turned into concerned ones. "Seth, did it really freak you out that badly?" Seth’s glasses covered his widened and paranoid eyes, his thoughts still lingered on Amber being torn open and the Slender Man jumping at him.
"JESUS CHRIST CALM DOWN MAN! I have removed all traces of him from our mind, the only one making you crazy right now is you. Relax damn it!"
Seth started to calm himself down, he was awake now. There was no point in being afraid. "You said you removed all traces?" Seth whispered.
"Yes, there is nothing of him left here."
The Spector took a couple of deep breaths and the shaking had stopped.
"Keep it together; he won’t need to drive you crazy if you do it to yourself!"
Seth rubbed his shoulder where the Slender Mans first tactical had struck, feeling the dampness of the sweat that covered his body. He was literally soaked. He collected his thoughts from last night and saw Amber standing before him. He remembered his encounter with the Vampire Harold, and the betrayed feelings he had because of Amber’s instant acceptance of him.
Seth remembered he convinced himself he shouldn't care, but now he can't remember why or how he did it. He only felt betrayed by her, and embarrassed by him.
"Seth?"
"Shut up." Seth blurted removing his hand from his eyes. "Do you know how annoying you get sometimes with your asinine questions?"
The young Witch's expression turned into a grimace at her friend’s outrageously insensitive comment. "What the hell man? That was rude."
"Oh blah blah blah, wah wah wah. Do you even hear your sel-" Seth cut himself off. What the hell was he doing? Granted telling her off was making him feel good inside, but he knew it wouldn't accomplish anything positive, and on top of that, why was he feeling good about this? He never wanted to hurt her feelings before now. "I'm sorry; I'm in no mood to be bothered right now." Seth turned his back to the dumbstruck young woman and walked away.
'What the hell is going on with me?'
"Jealousy is a powerful emotion; it has led many down the path of ruin."
'Oh so now you decide to respond to my thoughts instead of me speaking to myself like an idiot?'
"Hahaha, Careful Spector, You're almost starting to sound more human."
'I do hope you're wrong.' Seth protested the thought of becoming so emotional over the most trivial of things, yet there he was an obedient slave to his own emotions. 'We will discuss it later. Right now we have to-' there in the trees, he saw it. Seth caught it in the corner of his eye, the long sickly arms and legs, the black misshapen suite. He looked but it was gone.
Seth dismissed it as his own paranoia and found Kristine and Harold, his helmet back in place, pointing to a map on the table with a few black "X" marks in different portions.
"Oh Spector, good." Kristine called him over. "We were going over the Coordinates that we were given from the Radio Transmission, I’m sure you heard it?"
Seth nodded and looked down at the map. "What are the X's for?"
Kristine clapped her hands and rubbed them together manically. "Traps I’m setting for Him. Her eyes went wild for a moment and as if she were thinking about something that made her feel disturbingly joyful. "But before we can do anything like that, we need more details."
Harold leaned over to Seth and Spoke. "I don't think this one is all there in the head. She is talking about setting up traps in random areas, and is convinced they will be effective."
Seth raised his eyebrow and turned his head, not at the notion that he was explaining the madness that was Kristine Goldshire, but the fact that the Vampire was acting as if nothing had happened last night, and they were... 'How do people say; buddies?'
"I'm just letting you know, she might be a little crazier than you think." Harold finished with a shrug and stood up again.
"ALRIGHT!" Both men flinched at the sudden outburst of Kristine. "We move out in 5 minutes. Best grab your gear and get some left overs in your stomachs boys." Her face fell into an awkward "oops" stare as she eyed Harold. "Yea, sorry about that Harold. I wasn't thinking."
Harold shrugged. "Don't worry about it, I drank pretty good last night, should last me till tomorrow."
"You brought blood packets?" Kristine’s eyes looked skeptical.
"Yea. I don't think anyone here would be too happy to have me feed off of them." He finished his statement and wondered back to the Camp to collect what Seth figured would be his weapons.
Kristine slammed her fist on the map glaring where he was. "I really hate that blood sucker." her eyes traveled to Seth, he gave a polite nod and retreated away as well.
"A little bit crazy, that one is."
'What gave it away?' Seth replied, 'The fact that she started out cool and sophisticated, than turned arrogant and rebellious for no apparent reason? Or that she seemed to be having a civil and polite conversation with myself and the Vampire and went bipolar proclaiming her hate out of nowhere?"
"That could be her at the time of the month, but she seems to be a little... schizophrenic?"
Seth couldn't help but grunt at the irony. 'Coming from the guy who is talking to another guy in his own head?'
"Not the same thing and you know it."
Alex came out to inform Kristine of Maria's condition. She claimed she would not leave Maria here alone.
"I'll look after her." Amber offered. Seth looked over to see her eyes were reddened and puffy.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Alex asked eyeing Amber, her face turning skeptical and her eyes jittering in thought on occasion.
"Yea, I can take care of her; I’m not too keen on being her any longer than I have to be." Amber sniffled and smiled. A fake smile that anyone who held an ounce of emotional intelligence could see threw.
"Alex, we need your ability to communicate with the Spirits to help us find this thing. Amber can look after Maria." Kristine stated putting her back pack on. "Alright ladies, we're heading in. Let's go."
Alex bit her lip, hating the fact that her time for thinking was up. But she agreed to let Amber look after her friend and put on her shoulder bag and followed Kristine into the forest. Harold wasn't too far behind; a narrow sword lay on his back and two pistols on either side of his waist.
Seth grabbed an apple from a nearby cooler and started to follow, when he stopped in place and turned to Amber. "I'm sorry about this morning. You didn't deserve what I said to you, and I didn't mean a word of it." Before Amber could answer the Spector was on his way with the rest of the search team.
The four had walked about thirty minutes in, everyone was silent. The only sounds to be heard were the rustling leaves and the occasional bird chirping.
Harold’s head was continually looking from left to right, trying to identify any possible threats. Kristine kept her eye on the map and trail to make sure that they were on the right track to the fallen camp site.
Alex was looking forward and down, Seth didn't even need to see her blank face to know that her head wasn't in the task at hand. But then again neither was his. 'Hey MIM.'
"MIM?" it replied sounding offended and confused.
‘Yea 'MIM' Man in Mirror.' Seth explained. 'You said that the creature left us a present. What did you mean?'
"Alright, A. Never call me that again, I will screw up your thoughts and dreams MUCH worse than that thing ever did, if I ever hear you refer to me like that again. and B. It's some kind of, and follow me on this, some kind of Beacon."
"Beacon?" said accidently said allowed.
"Yes Beacon, I’m not sure exactly how this works but whatever put it here has a link to it, the first time I found it had grown and spread. This thing is what caused its influence on you."
'Can you get rid of it?'
"I've tried. But it's around, and keeps reinstalling the thing after a few minutes. I cannot count how many I have already destroyed, only to find another one a few minutes later. It's freaking annoying."
Seth was about to retort, when he noticed a clearing ahead. The closer the group came, the more excavation equipment that came into view. There were tables, trunks, some tracking, audio and video equipment; and some erect tents that look as though they had not been touched for days.
"Intact?" Kristine said looking around puzzled.
Seth remembered the audio they had played for him back at the mansion. It sounded as if the whole excavation team was slaughtered in a fashion that would have left unprecedented amounts of destruction. But, as they all examined the camp site, the areas where that destruction and gore could show up was shrinking by the second.
Alex exited one of the tents, as Seth took his head out of poking in one. They both looked at each other and shook their heads; indicating neither of them found anything. Kristine and Harold started shifting threw paperwork, all of it clean and tidy. "You guys heard that audio too, right?" Kristine asked looking around.
Seth nodded his head, and Alex answered in the Affirmative. "Perhaps the audio was tampered with?" She suggested, attempting to find the radio in the camp. "Or, or maybe it was made from another location." Kristine found the Radio on a brown fold up table under what looked like the primary camouflage canopy, which was nestled between two tents.
The Witch undid her trench coat and pulled out a pair of head phones from her inside pocket. "Well, nothing here to indicate any kind of struggle, not to mention the massacre we heard take place." She plugged in the head phones and started to tamper with the Machine.
"Well, the camp might be in order, but the Team sure as hell wasn't." Seth declared pulling a piece of paper up from one of the tables.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
May 20th,
0538
Gregory O’Donnell, Staff Sgt.
Report journal: # 14
Jose has been acting stranger than usual. In confidence he informed me he had seen some kind of thing in a black shrowed. He kept going on about "There's nothing there." I'm not sure what he means by it, but he looks as though he has not slept in days.
Vixon is starting to become annoyed, but everything annoys her. Though, I do have to admit something seems off about this place. I can't explain it other than the trees; it's got something about them. I know it sounds crazy Gerard, but these trees are unnatural, most of the surrounding trees have lower hanging branches, but ones around us don't. The branches are just not growing, I’ve checked and they haven't been cut or anything it's just... no branches are there.
That's all for now.
Greg.
Seth set down the paper and picked up another one, hoping to find more clues as to what had happened and why the camp was set back up as well as it was. Or if it was ever torn down to begin with.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
May 22nd
Lt. Colmes Personal Journal
Marcus has been missing for the better part of 18 hours. He was rather unresponsive when I attempted to speak with him when he walked out of the Camp. He didn't even acknowledge me when I shoved him in the back. He just kept walking, mumbling to himself about "nothing" I’m guessing he was still upset about Jose's disappearance yesterday. But it's not like Charlie to be as reclusive as he was.
The thing appeared in my dreams again last night. But I can't remember what it looked like; all I remember was waking up in inexplicable fright. I knew it was there, I knew what it was. I just can't put a body or a face to it yet. I was hoping writing this journal early and starting out with something else would help the memories of the nightmare to come back. But no luck today, perhaps tomorrow.
5 days in.
Richard, Colmes. Lt.
Seth placed the letter back onto the ground, he noticed one journal that stood out from the journal, it had a much finer handwriting that the Spector could read without much difficulty.
--------------------------------------------
Executor Vixon.
23rd, May. 1200
Marcus and Jose finally returned to Camp this morning at approx. 0745. They both looked like hell, their uniforms were unkempt and both of their eyes were red and had a glazed over apparel. They didn't say anything upon my confrontation, they just walked past me. I could understand that from Marcus, he never listens but Jose never disregards me. I'm having Colmes and Daniel keep a close watch on them.
I don't know what is here, when I spoke with the people from the town about the missing persons, they were very reluctant to speak with me. The few who would actually give me more than rude dismissal would give me sound bites that didn't make sense. 'The ghosts of the woods must be appeased' or 'the Indians are taking their revenge.' Our Intel had initially informed us that these cases were linked to an ancient Indian burial ground that resided in these woods. But no tombstones or marks of any kind can be found.
But with the mental well-being of my team in jeopardy, it is only a matter of time before the physical is called into question as well. Colmes has informed me that Marcus and Jose are not doing any of their work. They are merely sitting at their stations and staring off into the woods. Whatever is out here, it has mental capabilities far beyond anything I have ever seen. My theory of an: Encantado, is still the strongest perpetrator for these recent events.
Unfortunately we have yet to find any conclusive evidence to affirm my suspicion. But after only 6 days in this hole, and my own team turning incoherent, I can't say it's unreasonable.
Vixon Romonoffe.
Everyone had investigated the camp and surrounding area. Seth collected swab samples from the trees that had low hanging branches, and those that did not, placing them into separate baggies. After he collected leave samples from both tree types as well.
Everyone else conducted investigations of their own. He saw Kristine with oversized head phones on, looking intently at a small monitor. Harold was poking around some manila files, and staring intently at two pieces of paper that he held in either hand. While Alex stood silently with her eyes closed.
Seth dismissed it as channeling the spirits of the animals in the forest, seeing if they could provide her with some kind of clue as to what might have happened.
"Seth, Harold!" Kristine barked calling the two over to her. "I need you two to come check this out."
Seth stood beside Harold in front of the command tarp. She plugged in another pair of oversized head phones and turned the monitor for the two to see. The video started playing and opened to bright and vibrant woodland containing a few long trees and leaf covered dirt. Nothing seemed particularly worthy of note, until the video violently shook and the audio had a moment of static.
The video cut to night. And the night vision activated dousing everything in a green lenses. Kristine started to Fast forward the tape, and played it at normal speed after twenty three minutes in. Seth observed a crow fall onto the floor of the forest. 'Thing probably died of old age,' The Spector thought immediately, but then another fell right next to it. And then another and a fourth, than two fell right after. The six presumably dead birds lay on the ground; on their backs and their wings stretched wide.
Seth noted a twitch from one of the birds and squinted to see if it moved again. The birds black wing had moved again, Seth thought it wasn't dead, and was going for a desperate attempt to stand up and not die. But the wing didn't flap, it was twisting. Seth heard Harold clear his throat and his cloths rustle from changing his stance.
"Not getting cold feet on me, are you Harold?" Seth mocked crossing his arms.
"I happen to have a predisposition for crows Good Spector."
The cracking of the crows bones were amplified into the Audio. It sounded as if the microphone was right next to the wing, but it had to have been a good thirty feet away. There should be no reason to hear the bone crack at all, much less with such clarity that you could almost hear the veins pop with it.
As the wing had broken the crow regained consciousness and cawed in pain and fright. It struggled against the invisible torment, letting out blood curdling caws of pain. Seth didn't know a crow’s caw could be that high pitched. He saw Harold shaking now; he wasn't just uncomfortable watching this clip. He was either: afraid, angry or both.
The wing ripped away from the crow and flew off screen. Seth noticed Harold release a quick and angry shot of breath as the wing came undone. Whatever was torturing the thing wasn't done with it yet however, the crows body was lifted, its head up in the air, with its body dangling a few inches off the ground. Seth squinted again, trying making out small details of what was going on now. The camera went blurry for a split second and a dark eye came into view, Seth could only guess the camera had zoomed in on the poor birds face. And what happened next was the most disturbing thing Seth had ever seen.
The bird’s small body contracted, causing its caws of agony to muffle. Its eyes started to budge and its mouth opened wide. More cracks slipped from the ear phones, presumed to be the birds ribcage until a thick pink and red paste like substance oozed out of the birds mouth, ending the aggravating torture.
Harold punched the monitor, his fist mark leaving a cracked and sparking monitor face up on the table. "I'll fucking kill it. There is no justification, No reason, I’m going to mutilate... I just!" Harold threw away everything that wasn't his necessities and jumped into the air. He landed on a tall tree branch and with a yell of rage leapt from the branch out of sight.
"Mental note: Don't harm crows around him." Kristine said pulling the monitor forward again. "Damn, freaking Vamp trashed it; there were more than a couple of crows dying on this tape." Kristine put her head in her hands and let out an aggravated sound."
"What's worse, Mr. Fondle has gone as well." Seth looked after where Harold had stormed off. "No bodes found, no damage seen, and no sign of any struggle at all, who knows what; whatever it is out here, could do to him on his own."
"He'll be fine," Alex said timidly, finally coming out of her trance. "I have spoken with the spirits of the woods. They are not too keen to speak about what had happened here, but they have informed me that what had done this is not in these woods anymore."
Kristine’s eyes and mouth shot open. "It's... It's not here?"
Alex pressed her mouth and shook her head.
Kristine kicked over a table and threw a tantrum that Seth could only describe as 'Beyond enraged.' She shouted obscenities and cursed everything and one she could find in the immediate vicinity. The Witch started casting random spells at trees and bigger rocks.
Seth jumped out of the way of a flame stream and turned his head in time to watch the inferno devour some audio equipment. Seth ran at the Mage and jumped on her back, pinning her to the ground, ending the magical assault, but not the verbal.
"GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME YOU RECHID TAUK!" Kristine yelled attempting to free her pinned hands. Seth felt his body starting to rise under her body, and quickly chipped at a vital on her neck. The Witch let out a grunt and fell unconscious, he head tilted to the left.
Alex crawled out from under a table and shot glances back and forth between the Spector and his opponent. "Is she?"
"No," Seth interrupted knowing her last word. "Just knocked out, we already have one nut job on the loose, we don't need another." Seth stood up and grabbed some extra string hanging from a tent post. He proceeded to tie up the witches hands, behind her back, and tie her arms to her sides. "I don't get any kind of enjoyment out of this, but I too am a bit disappointed." Seth proclaimed starting to tie the unconscious woman’s legs together next.
Alex let out a breath, "I know, I’m not suggesting anything, but why are you disappointed?"
"Good," Seth finished the last knot and used Kristine’s own bandana to muffle her mouth. "I have had a feeling ever since I had arrived here. A feeling that something was in these woods that wasn't supposed to be here. I guess my feeling was incorrect."
Seth couldn't tell if she was incorrect, or if the MIM was. Could everything he had said been a lie?'
"Hey to hell with you bitch. I'm not lying, your dumb ass is wrong."
'I hope your right' Seth responded. 'For your sake.'
IS THAT A CHALLENGE?!
Seth carefully lay Kristine on well-made cot.
Alex sat down at a new monitor and started an older recording. "Perhaps, the spirits of these woods aren't behaving as they should, so it is possible that something is forcing them to be silent." She played back an older recording from a week ago and stared at the monitor with the oversized ear phones in place.
Seth looked up at the noon sun. The trees shone brightly in some areas, and darker in others giving a time warp effect between day and night, he first dismissed it as his imagination, but the more he looked on; the more he couldn't help but notice that the shadows that covered the first floor were... wrong and heavier than they should have been. 'It's still here.'
Ya don't say?
'Reasonable suspicion, she is a Shaman after all at least from what I’m told.'
Oh yes, she is a Shaman. A powerful one at that, her Aura is overwhelming.
Seth shook a little, he hadn't noticed but he was doing that a lot lately and sat down to listen to some Audio recordings. There were quiet conversations between two men that Seth had I identified as Colmes and Marcus. Seth didn't know if he could take Personality traits into the investigation process, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to know a little about the two.
Seth would never have guessed that the two were actually comedy personality types from the letters. They were making jokes and grumbling about why they had to be in "this stupid forest." Colmes would make the cleaver comment about Marcus' mother, and the two would have a back and forth of playful insults and over dramatic exclamations.
Seth turned up the volume when the two went quiet. Marcus asked Colmes if he had heard the sound that had just passed. Seth guessed he must have verbally responded, and he heard their footsteps walk towards him. Seth concentrated until he heard breathing, but the two weren't close enough to be heard breathing into the microphone yet. Seth held his breath to get the best sound quality he could. The breathing stopped.
Loud yelling came from the earphones and Seth jumped in surprise. He heard the two laughing, Marcus genuinely, and Colmes nervously. Marcus was mocking Colmes for being so afraid of a little lizard, and Colmes protested stating the lizard was not what he had seen. The two started to walk away, evident by the quieting crunching of leaves and the dead silence of the audio.
Seth took off the head phones and decided to look threw a few more journal logs and papers.
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Cpl. Marcus
May 21st - 01:12
I saw it again, I can't describe what it looks like, but I saw it, I know it was there. Or was it? What is this? He came, and he watched me, he stood behind me, like he did the night before. He is there right now, those things waving around his body, the darkness he wears. It's not black... Not even the darkest shade of it. It's darker, much darker.
The others can't see him, no matter how hard I try whenever I bring it up! He always disappears when I point to where I saw him. But he's there, I can't see him now but I know he's there. There's nothing there, but him.
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Seth picked up another.
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Cpl. Marcus
May 22nd 13:56
you know, I can't remember too much anymore. I know it may sound strange, but it's like I’m forgetting important things I shouldn't ever forget. There are these two faces that appear to me in my dreams, they are on his body, but there are two of him.
But the first is this kind hearted looking man, his brown eyes have a gentle twinkle and his crooked smile is genuine and sincere. The woman, she had long flowing blond hair, her beautiful blue eyes showed love and compassion. I don't know who these people were... they just kept calling me "son," but I’m not their son, am I?
But then the woman raises her arm and touches my face with her palm, only it's not a palm she has, there isn't even a hand. It's a black long tentacle, with smaller tentacles coming out of it. They both stand there; repeating the word: "son" over and over while those disgusting things roll across my cheeks.
Then I can't feel them anymore. I close my eyes and tell myself there's nothing there, but the word they repeat over and over, it starts to mutate. It doesn’t change, that would sound somewhat normal, but the word mutated, "Son, bon, born." they said born a couple of times and then it became "burn."
Over and over, their voices became one, no longer two separate voices of one male one female. But something else, something dark, angry and sinister.
I open my eyes and there he is both of his hands over my cheeks, those things, those... Would-be fingers wrap around my head like snakes, until the "index finger" pokes into my ear. It slithers its way past my ear drum and goes into my brain, all the while my eyes are transfixed on its head. God it, I can't even remember now. But the only thing I could feel was fear.
On a side not, I don't remember writing past the second paragraph
Marcus.
Seth saw a bit of scribbling at the bottom of the vanilla parchment, he had to squint to make out what it read, but he was short of breath when he did.
"Mine now"