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Creative Projects / Re: ___/The Writer's Apprenticeship\___
« on: April 30, 2014, 04:20:45 am »
I ended up continuing on that idea I had a few posts above. Warning: Much longer than the last one. It took a weird turn that I wasn't expecting about halfway through.
Spoiler: Coffin: Chapter 1 (click to show/hide)
It took him a few moments to realize he was conscious again. The line between wakefulness and rest was a thin one for a creature like him. Normally, it would take a lot more than a frying pan to the head to knock him out. Of course, normally this wouldn't be a problem at all. He did not fight, as a rule. He had minions to do that for him. Or at least, he used to. The last time he had actually taken a blow like that was…
He bolted upright. Where was he? He should be dead, or at least close to dead. He looked around. Those same walls. Still in the house? Why? Usually, when he woke up losing a fight, he found himself in some unusual spot. Frequently, he’d fine himself buried under six feet of sanctified earth, with his throat slit and a chunk of wood through his chest. He wondered if he’d be able to survive that sort of treatment in his state. Nothing had gone right for him since he had woken up. He felt unusually… mortal.
He got up and took a look around. It looked like a spare bedroom of some sort. No windows, but there was a door on the far wall. Locked, of course. Evidently his host thought he was more valuable alive. He noticed a mirror in the corner of the room. He examined himself: He hadn’t really had a good chance to examine himself since the awakening. He tried to remember… It had been a very long time since he had been human. Had he always looked like this?
A cursory glance revealed nothing unusual about him. He was average height, maybe a bit on the short side, with straight black hair that ran ragged down to the shoulders. His skin was pale, but not unusually so. A thin trail of dried blood ran down his forehead, probably from his wound earlier. His features were a bit pointed; in a way that made him seem intellectual, or so he liked to think. His clothes were in a bit of a state: A ragged black cloak, missing its hood, with the clothes beneath similarly colored and worn. He didn’t look fearsome or predatory. He looked like a delinquent.
He looked away. He had more important things to do than admire his looks. Chief among them: Leaving. He had no intention of staying here any longer than he had to. Carefully, he examined the lock. It wasn’t a complex lock, as far as he could tell, although it seemed well crafted. Perhaps there was something around he could fashion into a lock pick.
A voice came from the other side of the door. “Are you alright in there?”
He stayed silent.
“I could hear you moving around in there, I know you’re awake.”
Eventually, he replied, choosing his words very carefully. “…I have no quarrel with you. I merely wish to leave.”
“Sure. I’ll open the door, and you’ll try to kill that arm thing again, and then I’ll hit you with this pan again.” He heard a noise that sounded like a large metal object being tapped against the door.
“…It wasn’t going to kill you. I merely wished to render you unconscious for a few hours.”
There was a pause. “I thought so.” she replied. “I’ve seen what it looks like when you kill someone. And you didn’t apologize then, either.” There was a sigh from behind the door. “Why don’t you tell me who you are and why you are in such a hurry to leave?” Another pause. “Oh. And give me something better to call you. ‘Baroth Lanius du Vanthael’ doesn’t really roll off the tongue. How about ‘Lane’?”
He scowled. “You may call me whatever you wish. As for what I want… I see no reason to spend my time here in a small dilapidated home when I have far more important concerns to worry about.”
“Concerns like…?”
He thought for a moment. Perhaps he should just go with honesty here. It’s not as if giving this girl information was terribly dangerous. She didn’t seem the type to leak secrets, and in a worst case scenario he could always just crush her mind. “I am a supernatural being, a creature that you humans might call a Demon.”
On the other side of the door, Anna rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I guessed that much when you stumbled out of that pentagram-shaped bonfire covered in black flames. Speaking of which, didn’t that seem like overkill?”
“…The ritual only requires an invocation and about a pint of blood. Your friend apparently didn’t think that was flashy enough for his tastes, so he ‘enhanced’ it a bit.”
“Well, it did look pretty metal.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind.” She sighed again. “You’re avoiding the question! Just what are you planning on doing after you leave.”
He thought for a moment. “While I may have once been human, I have no intention of staying on Earth any longer than is needed. I desired to leave and reclaim whatever remains of my old territories in the Outer Planes. However, it’s becoming apparent that I’m simply too weak at this point in time to accomplish that. My minions and servants, if they have survived my downfall, will not even recognize me in this state My former power should have returned once they sensed the presence of their master, but clearly this has not occurred. It may be that I have to start from scratch.”
“Start from scratch?”
“I only have a tiny fragment of my full strength. That is all I need. Fueled by blood and souls, I may yet rekindle my former power. Whatever remains of my kingdom, I will take it back. By tooth and nail if need be.” He smiled to himself. “Blood magic is only one form of power. Domination over lesser beings. The will to lead armies and legions. Powerful supernatural servants. Wealth. All of this may be needed. I will gather all that I need from here, and then retake my lands by fire and storm.”
“That's one hell of a plan.” Anna smiled, and leaned against the door. “Alright. I want in.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------
“You....What?”
“You heard me.” Anna grinned. “I want in on this. I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not.”
For the second time since he had awakened, Lanius was completely speechless. He tried to think of the last time he had heard of such a foolish request. “And what, pray tell, makes you think you can enforce this demand? How exactly do you intend to force my hand here? With the skillet?”
“No. I won't need to. Because you need me more than you think you do. How long do you think you've been asleep?”
Lanius thought for a moment. He wasn't sure. Were they still using the Julian Calendar? He could ask. No, better not. The less she knew the better. “...My memories are hazy, but I would believe it to be at least 500 years.” he bluffed.
“And you think you can just walk out there with no knowledge of anything, and still expect everything to go your way?” She chuckled. “Not a chance. Maybe a few hundred years ago you could get away with that, but not now. Too much has changed.”
A few hundred years? What did she mean by that? Did something happen? “And you're saying you think you can help.”
“Well...” She faltered for a moment. “I mean, I'm not exactly an expert. But I can show you around, help you get back on your feet. And then, who knows? I mean, it's not like I'm doing much right now.”
Ah. So that was her game. Lanius grinned to himself. This was becoming interesting. “I understand now. You're alone, aren't you? Bereft of purpose, empty, desperately clinging onto anything that gives you meaning. You want to come with me for the sake of making yourself sleep better at night because you've accomplished something. As long as you're helping someone, you have purpose. You're bored and alone and scared of being redundant, returning to the normalcy you hate. Is that right?”
There was no response.
“A demon does not keep companions, miss 'Anna'. If I require your help, I will ask for it. Now open this door, and let me leave.”
There was silence for a second. And then she replied. “But you still need me.”
“Ah, now who's avoiding the questions?”
“Quiet, you! Do you even know what country you're in?”
Lanius had to stop and think. The architecture was different than anything he'd seen before. What remained of his powers allowed him to understand the language fluently, but he didn't recognize what it was. He made a guess. “Obviously, it's a European country of some sort, though I'm not certain which.”
“Not even close. We're in northeastern United States, in America.”
Damn it. America? The name was unfamiliar, but he understood where she was referring to. Why here? And why were they speaking such an odd language? “It doesn't matter. All I need is a secluded place. The geography doesn't concern me.”
“And where are you planning on finding somewhere secluded?”
This he hadn't thought of. “I don't suppose I'm lucky enough to have a cave nearby?”
“There's one, but it's a tourist trap.”
Lanius wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but he got the gist of it. “Alright. An abandoned building will do nicely, then.”
Anna thought for a bit. “There's an abandoned office building on the outskirts of town. You'll probably get arrested for squatting if anyone sees you hanging around, though.”
“If you're trying to dissuade me from something, Anna, I hope you can find a better argument than sending the constabulary at me. At any rate, it's only temporary. The mortal mind is more weak and pliable than you would imagine. Once I regain a fraction of my power, it should be an easy matter to convince the local authority into granting me a parcel of land.”
Anna chuckled. “My uncle works in construction. There's no way you'll be able to do that without someone noticing. The
zoning laws are awful in this city.”
“Fine. I'll take it by force if I have to. This isn't a large city. I can't imagine anyone mustering a standing army here, of all places. Easy pickings.”
“That will just attract more attention. Unless you're planning on fighting the army?”
They would send their entire militia in defense of one tiny town? Surely not. But then, so much else has changed... “Fine, then. I hardly need the whole town. Surely there's some reclusive citizens around that won't be missed. I am not above killing a few nobles if that's what it takes.”
“Yeah, good luck with that. There's a couple of rich families that live downtown, but it's not like you can just take over their place and expect no one to ever call or send them mail?”
“Is nothing easy anymore!? Fine! I'll live in the wilderness if I have to, until I can arrange a more suitable dwelling.” He was starting to get annoyed. His patience with this girl was rapidly wearing thin.
“That could work. Or, if you're that desperate to find a place, you could stay here, in the spare room.”
“You insolent cur! Do you not understand me? I do not want your help! Nor do I need it!” Lanius slammed his fist into the door. The hinges shuddered, but remained sound. “If I must, I'll tear this door apart and you next!”
“Are you really that full of pride that you won't let someone help you? You said it yourself, you need every advantage you can get!” Anna kicked the door. “No wonder it took so long to bring you back. Who would want to bring back someone like you, anyways?”
Lanius paused for a moment. Who indeed? The summoning ritual could be performed by anyone. It was not a complicated spell: Merely a section of his soul which lay dormant on earth, ready to be awakened with nothing more than a few spoken words and suitable gestures. And the relics he left behind contained a nasty secret, a compulsion to complete the ritual. It was designed to trigger within months of his death, and the enchantment would grow stronger with every passing day.
But it hadn't triggered. Countless years had passed since the day he fell, which meant that the compulsion must have failed Why? No, more importantly. Why now? Someone still decided to complete the ritual, without any magical prompting. Unless...
Someone else wanted him to return. Not the boy who completed the ritual: He had read his mind before consuming his soul. He truly had no idea what he was doing. Some third party was trying to arrange the return of Lanius.
And they knew where he was. Suddenly, everything clicked into place. The kid was just a pawn. His role ended back at the ritual site. And the girl was innocent too. She had her chance when he was unconscious.
He had been unconscious! “Anna!”
“Oh, now you want to-”
“Shut up. How long was I asleep?”
“Uh. Only about three hours. Look, are you willing to discuss this reasonably or not?”
Lanius ignored her. Three hours. If someone was tracking him, that was more than enough time to pick him out. His missing strength would hide him for a time, but not long enough. Enough of his powers remained to sense the movement of supernatural beings, so he would know if something was trying to enter the house.
Unless it slipped in while he was asleep.
The lights flickered. Just for a moment. Not long enough to be noticeable by anyone who wasn't looking for them.
“Get away from the door.” Lanius spoke calmly, but firmly. There wasn't enough time to explain.
Anna stepped back, raising her skillet. “Don't you dare, I won't let you get away like-”
The door exploded. The skillet was knocked out of her hand by something too fast to see, and suddenly Lanius was standing next to her. Anna reeled back, confused. “How did you do-”
“We have to get out.” Lanius looked around. He was in the hallway, past the living room. There was a window at the far end. He walked to it, and peered through.
Anna followed him. “You can't see anything. It's too dark outside.”
“Anna, there was a full moon when we left that place. Where did it go?”
It suddenly occurred to her that she couldn't see anything outside. Not the moon, not the stars, not the streetlamp. Even the lights from the city were gone. She felt an awful sinking feeling, the sort you feel when something is terribly wrong and you haven't quite figured out why.
“Whatever it is, it's in the house, and it's hiding from us. Sinking into the foundations, waiting. Don't try the doors.” He noticed “It's taking over from the bottom up. Are there windows upstairs?”
Anna faltered for a second, and replied “Yeah, the one in my room is closest.” She suddenly realized it was very warm in the house. How long had it been that warm?
“Keep up.” Lanius moved, faster than she could have expected him to. He dashed up the stairs, almost seeming to glide up while hardly making a sound. She followed him, but halfway up the stairs she heard something. A sharp crack, like splitting lumber. The lights dimmed.
Anna turned around, and she saw something. The stairs were opposite the door into the living room, and she could see something was standing there next to her couch. She got only a quick glimpse of it, and it was gone.
And then the first floor of her house caught fire.
It wasn't normal fire, that much was certain. It was deep blue, and seemed almost aggressive in the way it sought out anything flammable. The chairs were engulfed in only a few seconds, and the couch lasted only moments longer. The heat was unimaginable.
Suddenly, as if it had a mind of its own, the fire surged towards the stairs. The first three steps were engulfed in a heartbeat, and the next followed suit moments afterward. Anna was only on the sixth step. There wasn't enough time to run. There wasn't enough time to do anything.
And then a hand grabbed her roughly by the back of her jacket and lifted her up.
She almost seemed to have been flung through the air by how fast she was moving. She came to rest roughly on the ground, and looked up to see Lanius slamming the door to the stairwell behind them. He turned angrily to her. “I said keep up!” he shouted, and then was gone again, down the hall and into the first open room he saw.
Anna picked herself up and followed him. He had entered her bedroom. She looked inside and saw the unusual sight of Lanius holding a chair, with her bedroom window shattered. Shards of glass littered the floor, and a chunk of the chair had broken off and landed neatly on her bed.
She looked out the window. It wasn't dark outside. Something was covering the window, a sticky black tar that moved like it was possessed. A trickle of it ran down the wall, and pooled onto the floor and Lanius' boots.
What had he said? 'From the bottom up'...
“The attic!” Anna didn't stop to explain, running down the hall to the far end. Lanius followed, watching her pull a cord
attached to the ceiling. A set of stairs dropped down, as if from nowhere. He didn't stop long enough to be impressed by the trick: Anna had already started up the stairs. He chanced a glimpse behind him as he followed her. He turned around just in time to see the door to the stairs shatter. The flames billowed out, and surged down the hall after the pair. Lanius turned and ran.
He looked around quickly as he emerged into the attic. It was cluttered with old boxes and possessions, but he ignored them. There was one window, on the far side of the room, and he could see the light of the moon in it. Anna was already making her way towards it. They would be out in seconds.
But they didn't have seconds. The crackling of the fire below intensified.
Lanius ran. He didn't break stride as he grabbed Anna by the neck, hoisting her onto his shoulder. His arm reached out towards the window, and he focused. Energy cracked through his arm, tiny points of light that grew to great shimmering bolts. There was a sudden flash, and a very loud noise.
The side of the house suddenly exploded, and two figures tumbled out onto the grass of the lawn. Behind them, the dark tar that had engulfed most of the house surged forwards over the new hole, covering the house in its entirety. A shimmering blue glow could be seen through the gaps in the tar, and a great creaking noise could be heard, like the very foundations of the house were in pain.
An hour later, there was nothing left of the house but a few pieces of charred debris.
And the two figures were gone.
He bolted upright. Where was he? He should be dead, or at least close to dead. He looked around. Those same walls. Still in the house? Why? Usually, when he woke up losing a fight, he found himself in some unusual spot. Frequently, he’d fine himself buried under six feet of sanctified earth, with his throat slit and a chunk of wood through his chest. He wondered if he’d be able to survive that sort of treatment in his state. Nothing had gone right for him since he had woken up. He felt unusually… mortal.
He got up and took a look around. It looked like a spare bedroom of some sort. No windows, but there was a door on the far wall. Locked, of course. Evidently his host thought he was more valuable alive. He noticed a mirror in the corner of the room. He examined himself: He hadn’t really had a good chance to examine himself since the awakening. He tried to remember… It had been a very long time since he had been human. Had he always looked like this?
A cursory glance revealed nothing unusual about him. He was average height, maybe a bit on the short side, with straight black hair that ran ragged down to the shoulders. His skin was pale, but not unusually so. A thin trail of dried blood ran down his forehead, probably from his wound earlier. His features were a bit pointed; in a way that made him seem intellectual, or so he liked to think. His clothes were in a bit of a state: A ragged black cloak, missing its hood, with the clothes beneath similarly colored and worn. He didn’t look fearsome or predatory. He looked like a delinquent.
He looked away. He had more important things to do than admire his looks. Chief among them: Leaving. He had no intention of staying here any longer than he had to. Carefully, he examined the lock. It wasn’t a complex lock, as far as he could tell, although it seemed well crafted. Perhaps there was something around he could fashion into a lock pick.
A voice came from the other side of the door. “Are you alright in there?”
He stayed silent.
“I could hear you moving around in there, I know you’re awake.”
Eventually, he replied, choosing his words very carefully. “…I have no quarrel with you. I merely wish to leave.”
“Sure. I’ll open the door, and you’ll try to kill that arm thing again, and then I’ll hit you with this pan again.” He heard a noise that sounded like a large metal object being tapped against the door.
“…It wasn’t going to kill you. I merely wished to render you unconscious for a few hours.”
There was a pause. “I thought so.” she replied. “I’ve seen what it looks like when you kill someone. And you didn’t apologize then, either.” There was a sigh from behind the door. “Why don’t you tell me who you are and why you are in such a hurry to leave?” Another pause. “Oh. And give me something better to call you. ‘Baroth Lanius du Vanthael’ doesn’t really roll off the tongue. How about ‘Lane’?”
He scowled. “You may call me whatever you wish. As for what I want… I see no reason to spend my time here in a small dilapidated home when I have far more important concerns to worry about.”
“Concerns like…?”
He thought for a moment. Perhaps he should just go with honesty here. It’s not as if giving this girl information was terribly dangerous. She didn’t seem the type to leak secrets, and in a worst case scenario he could always just crush her mind. “I am a supernatural being, a creature that you humans might call a Demon.”
On the other side of the door, Anna rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I guessed that much when you stumbled out of that pentagram-shaped bonfire covered in black flames. Speaking of which, didn’t that seem like overkill?”
“…The ritual only requires an invocation and about a pint of blood. Your friend apparently didn’t think that was flashy enough for his tastes, so he ‘enhanced’ it a bit.”
“Well, it did look pretty metal.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind.” She sighed again. “You’re avoiding the question! Just what are you planning on doing after you leave.”
He thought for a moment. “While I may have once been human, I have no intention of staying on Earth any longer than is needed. I desired to leave and reclaim whatever remains of my old territories in the Outer Planes. However, it’s becoming apparent that I’m simply too weak at this point in time to accomplish that. My minions and servants, if they have survived my downfall, will not even recognize me in this state My former power should have returned once they sensed the presence of their master, but clearly this has not occurred. It may be that I have to start from scratch.”
“Start from scratch?”
“I only have a tiny fragment of my full strength. That is all I need. Fueled by blood and souls, I may yet rekindle my former power. Whatever remains of my kingdom, I will take it back. By tooth and nail if need be.” He smiled to himself. “Blood magic is only one form of power. Domination over lesser beings. The will to lead armies and legions. Powerful supernatural servants. Wealth. All of this may be needed. I will gather all that I need from here, and then retake my lands by fire and storm.”
“That's one hell of a plan.” Anna smiled, and leaned against the door. “Alright. I want in.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------
“You....What?”
“You heard me.” Anna grinned. “I want in on this. I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not.”
For the second time since he had awakened, Lanius was completely speechless. He tried to think of the last time he had heard of such a foolish request. “And what, pray tell, makes you think you can enforce this demand? How exactly do you intend to force my hand here? With the skillet?”
“No. I won't need to. Because you need me more than you think you do. How long do you think you've been asleep?”
Lanius thought for a moment. He wasn't sure. Were they still using the Julian Calendar? He could ask. No, better not. The less she knew the better. “...My memories are hazy, but I would believe it to be at least 500 years.” he bluffed.
“And you think you can just walk out there with no knowledge of anything, and still expect everything to go your way?” She chuckled. “Not a chance. Maybe a few hundred years ago you could get away with that, but not now. Too much has changed.”
A few hundred years? What did she mean by that? Did something happen? “And you're saying you think you can help.”
“Well...” She faltered for a moment. “I mean, I'm not exactly an expert. But I can show you around, help you get back on your feet. And then, who knows? I mean, it's not like I'm doing much right now.”
Ah. So that was her game. Lanius grinned to himself. This was becoming interesting. “I understand now. You're alone, aren't you? Bereft of purpose, empty, desperately clinging onto anything that gives you meaning. You want to come with me for the sake of making yourself sleep better at night because you've accomplished something. As long as you're helping someone, you have purpose. You're bored and alone and scared of being redundant, returning to the normalcy you hate. Is that right?”
There was no response.
“A demon does not keep companions, miss 'Anna'. If I require your help, I will ask for it. Now open this door, and let me leave.”
There was silence for a second. And then she replied. “But you still need me.”
“Ah, now who's avoiding the questions?”
“Quiet, you! Do you even know what country you're in?”
Lanius had to stop and think. The architecture was different than anything he'd seen before. What remained of his powers allowed him to understand the language fluently, but he didn't recognize what it was. He made a guess. “Obviously, it's a European country of some sort, though I'm not certain which.”
“Not even close. We're in northeastern United States, in America.”
Damn it. America? The name was unfamiliar, but he understood where she was referring to. Why here? And why were they speaking such an odd language? “It doesn't matter. All I need is a secluded place. The geography doesn't concern me.”
“And where are you planning on finding somewhere secluded?”
This he hadn't thought of. “I don't suppose I'm lucky enough to have a cave nearby?”
“There's one, but it's a tourist trap.”
Lanius wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but he got the gist of it. “Alright. An abandoned building will do nicely, then.”
Anna thought for a bit. “There's an abandoned office building on the outskirts of town. You'll probably get arrested for squatting if anyone sees you hanging around, though.”
“If you're trying to dissuade me from something, Anna, I hope you can find a better argument than sending the constabulary at me. At any rate, it's only temporary. The mortal mind is more weak and pliable than you would imagine. Once I regain a fraction of my power, it should be an easy matter to convince the local authority into granting me a parcel of land.”
Anna chuckled. “My uncle works in construction. There's no way you'll be able to do that without someone noticing. The
zoning laws are awful in this city.”
“Fine. I'll take it by force if I have to. This isn't a large city. I can't imagine anyone mustering a standing army here, of all places. Easy pickings.”
“That will just attract more attention. Unless you're planning on fighting the army?”
They would send their entire militia in defense of one tiny town? Surely not. But then, so much else has changed... “Fine, then. I hardly need the whole town. Surely there's some reclusive citizens around that won't be missed. I am not above killing a few nobles if that's what it takes.”
“Yeah, good luck with that. There's a couple of rich families that live downtown, but it's not like you can just take over their place and expect no one to ever call or send them mail?”
“Is nothing easy anymore!? Fine! I'll live in the wilderness if I have to, until I can arrange a more suitable dwelling.” He was starting to get annoyed. His patience with this girl was rapidly wearing thin.
“That could work. Or, if you're that desperate to find a place, you could stay here, in the spare room.”
“You insolent cur! Do you not understand me? I do not want your help! Nor do I need it!” Lanius slammed his fist into the door. The hinges shuddered, but remained sound. “If I must, I'll tear this door apart and you next!”
“Are you really that full of pride that you won't let someone help you? You said it yourself, you need every advantage you can get!” Anna kicked the door. “No wonder it took so long to bring you back. Who would want to bring back someone like you, anyways?”
Lanius paused for a moment. Who indeed? The summoning ritual could be performed by anyone. It was not a complicated spell: Merely a section of his soul which lay dormant on earth, ready to be awakened with nothing more than a few spoken words and suitable gestures. And the relics he left behind contained a nasty secret, a compulsion to complete the ritual. It was designed to trigger within months of his death, and the enchantment would grow stronger with every passing day.
But it hadn't triggered. Countless years had passed since the day he fell, which meant that the compulsion must have failed Why? No, more importantly. Why now? Someone still decided to complete the ritual, without any magical prompting. Unless...
Someone else wanted him to return. Not the boy who completed the ritual: He had read his mind before consuming his soul. He truly had no idea what he was doing. Some third party was trying to arrange the return of Lanius.
And they knew where he was. Suddenly, everything clicked into place. The kid was just a pawn. His role ended back at the ritual site. And the girl was innocent too. She had her chance when he was unconscious.
He had been unconscious! “Anna!”
“Oh, now you want to-”
“Shut up. How long was I asleep?”
“Uh. Only about three hours. Look, are you willing to discuss this reasonably or not?”
Lanius ignored her. Three hours. If someone was tracking him, that was more than enough time to pick him out. His missing strength would hide him for a time, but not long enough. Enough of his powers remained to sense the movement of supernatural beings, so he would know if something was trying to enter the house.
Unless it slipped in while he was asleep.
The lights flickered. Just for a moment. Not long enough to be noticeable by anyone who wasn't looking for them.
“Get away from the door.” Lanius spoke calmly, but firmly. There wasn't enough time to explain.
Anna stepped back, raising her skillet. “Don't you dare, I won't let you get away like-”
The door exploded. The skillet was knocked out of her hand by something too fast to see, and suddenly Lanius was standing next to her. Anna reeled back, confused. “How did you do-”
“We have to get out.” Lanius looked around. He was in the hallway, past the living room. There was a window at the far end. He walked to it, and peered through.
Anna followed him. “You can't see anything. It's too dark outside.”
“Anna, there was a full moon when we left that place. Where did it go?”
It suddenly occurred to her that she couldn't see anything outside. Not the moon, not the stars, not the streetlamp. Even the lights from the city were gone. She felt an awful sinking feeling, the sort you feel when something is terribly wrong and you haven't quite figured out why.
“Whatever it is, it's in the house, and it's hiding from us. Sinking into the foundations, waiting. Don't try the doors.” He noticed “It's taking over from the bottom up. Are there windows upstairs?”
Anna faltered for a second, and replied “Yeah, the one in my room is closest.” She suddenly realized it was very warm in the house. How long had it been that warm?
“Keep up.” Lanius moved, faster than she could have expected him to. He dashed up the stairs, almost seeming to glide up while hardly making a sound. She followed him, but halfway up the stairs she heard something. A sharp crack, like splitting lumber. The lights dimmed.
Anna turned around, and she saw something. The stairs were opposite the door into the living room, and she could see something was standing there next to her couch. She got only a quick glimpse of it, and it was gone.
And then the first floor of her house caught fire.
It wasn't normal fire, that much was certain. It was deep blue, and seemed almost aggressive in the way it sought out anything flammable. The chairs were engulfed in only a few seconds, and the couch lasted only moments longer. The heat was unimaginable.
Suddenly, as if it had a mind of its own, the fire surged towards the stairs. The first three steps were engulfed in a heartbeat, and the next followed suit moments afterward. Anna was only on the sixth step. There wasn't enough time to run. There wasn't enough time to do anything.
And then a hand grabbed her roughly by the back of her jacket and lifted her up.
She almost seemed to have been flung through the air by how fast she was moving. She came to rest roughly on the ground, and looked up to see Lanius slamming the door to the stairwell behind them. He turned angrily to her. “I said keep up!” he shouted, and then was gone again, down the hall and into the first open room he saw.
Anna picked herself up and followed him. He had entered her bedroom. She looked inside and saw the unusual sight of Lanius holding a chair, with her bedroom window shattered. Shards of glass littered the floor, and a chunk of the chair had broken off and landed neatly on her bed.
She looked out the window. It wasn't dark outside. Something was covering the window, a sticky black tar that moved like it was possessed. A trickle of it ran down the wall, and pooled onto the floor and Lanius' boots.
What had he said? 'From the bottom up'...
“The attic!” Anna didn't stop to explain, running down the hall to the far end. Lanius followed, watching her pull a cord
attached to the ceiling. A set of stairs dropped down, as if from nowhere. He didn't stop long enough to be impressed by the trick: Anna had already started up the stairs. He chanced a glimpse behind him as he followed her. He turned around just in time to see the door to the stairs shatter. The flames billowed out, and surged down the hall after the pair. Lanius turned and ran.
He looked around quickly as he emerged into the attic. It was cluttered with old boxes and possessions, but he ignored them. There was one window, on the far side of the room, and he could see the light of the moon in it. Anna was already making her way towards it. They would be out in seconds.
But they didn't have seconds. The crackling of the fire below intensified.
Lanius ran. He didn't break stride as he grabbed Anna by the neck, hoisting her onto his shoulder. His arm reached out towards the window, and he focused. Energy cracked through his arm, tiny points of light that grew to great shimmering bolts. There was a sudden flash, and a very loud noise.
The side of the house suddenly exploded, and two figures tumbled out onto the grass of the lawn. Behind them, the dark tar that had engulfed most of the house surged forwards over the new hole, covering the house in its entirety. A shimmering blue glow could be seen through the gaps in the tar, and a great creaking noise could be heard, like the very foundations of the house were in pain.
An hour later, there was nothing left of the house but a few pieces of charred debris.
And the two figures were gone.