FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

20th Dubhlem, Year 34 AF

My life almost ended this night. In my journey to collect ingredients for the cure, I was assaulted by the cloaked woman who pursued me last week, before I was deceived by the spider who claimed to come from the clinic, who forced me into a realm of nightmares where I met James Campbell, the saviour of my people! Or rather some cruel mimic of him that tried to lure me into his servitude and betray the secrets of my people. Banished I may be, but I must never reveal the secrets of the Art to others, and I am ashamed to admit I was almost tricked into doing such.

Thankfully I was rescued by a friend, from both encounters by Elliot who revealed his true identity as, shockingly enough, Gerald Campbell, the long-deceased father of my saviour. At least, that's what he claims, but he is not from the nightmare realm so he cannot change his form to trick me, especially when he resembles both James and his son Oddclaw with such startling similarity.

But with salvation he brought me terrible news. Andrieu's mother is dead.

"Mmmhh?"

The sound of the beast-child turning in his sleep would startle him as he closed his book. Growling in small fits Andrieu kicked against his blanket as James sighed and stared at the green ribbon on his desk. Once it had been a shining emerald tape, now it was burnt at its edges all frayed and tattered.

"You should tell him."

"WHU-SHHH!" he shushed lowering his voice. "Not when he's sleeping!"

"I meant when he wakes up." Gerald's head floated through the door. "You are going to tell him right?"

"When he's ready, just...give it a day, I have gifts for him it's his birthday!"

"Alright, I won't push it-"

"Are you going to come in or not, you're being very rude!"

"Oh, sorry." The raptor stepped inside melting through the wood. "Haven't really used doors since, well, it's sorta hard to remember."

"Just keep your voice down," James snarled, "be thankful he's a heavy sleeper. I will tell him, just give me a day or two."

"The longer you leave this the worse it'll get," Gerald shook his head with trails of white, "especially when there's not a cure-"

"You don't know that."

"Spider-man had a point, if the people in this world couldn't figure one oot for decades-"

"Nothing is incurable!"

"...hah. Hhhahahaha-"

"Wh-what, are you mocking me?!"

"No no, sorry," Gerald grinned rubbing his snout, "just...that's something my wife would say when she was alive."

"Really, was she a doctor?"

"Yeah, neurosurgeon."

"So...why are you not with her and haunting me?"

"I'm not HAUNTING you-"

"Well what do you call it?" James crossed his arms. "When you as a spirit continue to follow a person for some unfinished business?"

"That-...y-yeah, okay that is kinda haunting someone," he rubbed his arm, "but I'm not doing it to spite you, I really wanna help you-"

"I don't need help, and I certainly don't need to be the surrogate for your son, just accept your failure. I already accepted mine."

"I get that, but I really don't think you deserve this punishment-"

"Well it's not up to you!" the lemming seethed clenching his jaw. "It was my people's choice and I accepted that."

"Alright." Gerald put up his hands. "I can't change your mind, but you do have to tell him about his mom."

They looked over to the child rolling in his bed, mumbling soft nothings with his arm swishing lazily about as if duelling with a villain. James smiled without even thinking, a soft breath drawing from his lips.

"Awww."

"Wh-what?" he looked back to Gerald.

"Mary had that look when we watched our son sleep."

"Wh-what, no, what do you mean?!"

"Just seeing you care so much for him, it's...well, it's kinda sweet."

"Of course I care about him, what sort of person wouldn't?!"

"That's what I mean," Gerald put a hand on his shoulder, "you're a good person James...you don't deserve thi-"

"STOP it." James slapped his hand away. "Last warning."

"Alright, no more I promise," he stepped back with a faithful nod. "What do you plan to do with Andrieu anyway, you just gonna live here with him?"

"If I have to yes," the lemming nodded, "where else does he have to go, where else do WE have to go?"

"And what if they find him?"

"They will not, no one comes into my room, none of the nobles ever come down here and Andrieu never leaves."

"Alright," Gerald stroked his chin, "so when you going to tell him?"

"Let's say two days, after tomorrow I will tell him about his mother."

"Gotcha. If you want any extra help I can distract others, or disguise you both with my ghost powers."

"I would appreciate the help," James bowed to him, "thank you Gerald, but for now I need to sleep."

"You want me to keep watch?"

"I think I should be fine, thank you."

"Alright, goodnight James."

He stepped out of the room by fading through the wall as James put the burnt ribbon inside his diary, putting it back in its drawer before he went to sleep. His body felt numb the moment he hit the sheets, exhaustion overcoming from his multiple wounds still healing the best they could. Unbeknownst to him, Andrieu stared at the wall, clutching his blanket as the softest tears dripped from his snout. He fell back to sleep, the dreams of his high-sea adventures having gone into the abyss that formed in his heart.

"Goooood morning!"

He awoke a few hours later to the lemming's smiling face.

"Ready for breakfast?"

"Mmmm huh, i-is it morning?!"

"Well, technically no but also yes, you know how it is here. But it IS breakfast time and I thought to make you something."

"H-huh?"

He roused himself from his blanket, rubbing his eyes and gasping with wonder at the tray of food laid out before him on James' bed, with bacon rashers and fried eggs next to slices of toast and a glass of juice.

"Wh-wh...what?"

"Happy birthday Andrieu!" James cried.

"I-it...it's not my birthday."

"No but you said you missed it, yes?" he put a chair up to the bed. "Come on eat, it's getting cold!"

"You made this, for me?!"

"Well, it was a bit difficult managing to cook all this by myself, had to find a spare room to hide it from you until it was ready."

"Thank...th-thank you mister James."

His eyes twinkled with growing tears as he sat up to eat, trying not to sob into his breakfast as his tail swished faster from the heavenly taste.

"M-mmm, MMMMPH!"

"Hahah, is it that good?"

"Y-yes, it...t-tastes like...how mother made my breakfast too!"

"Well..." James patted him, "let's hope one day she can make them again but until then, I'll make it for you."

"Thank...thank you!"

Andrieu smiled with a hopeful look as he wiped his tears before finishing his food, his stomach become ravenous as he tried not to drool through his fangs before he licked his plate clean.

"Now," said James, "for your gift I have a friend of mine coming round, you remember the bard I told you about?"

"Mmhmm?"

"WELL!"

That was Gerald's cue to enter as the raptor opened the door with a sackful of treats and a pale blue robe returned to his body.

"Ho ho ho, merrry Christmas!"

"What, christmas?!"

"Hahah sorry I couldn't resist, I'm Gerald, it's nice to meet ya Andrieu!"

"Oh, h-hello sir!" he stood up with a fidget.

"Hey now no need to call me sir, just Gerald is good. James and I got you some gifts, here have a look."

"Really?!"

With a squeak he was offered the bag, inside which Andrieu found a thick coat, a smaller bag of candied sweets, and three books including one that he recognised the cover of instantly.

"AAAH! Th-the Dread Mountain Fiends, y-you found it!"

"Happy birthday," Gerald waved, "you should thank James, I got the sweets but he got everything else-"

"THANK YOU!"

He grabbed Gerald in a hug who smirked in surprise and hugged him back, his form turning solid enough to do so before the boy ran up to James and hugged him even tighter.

"Do you like books too mister Gerald?" asked the boy sitting up beside James.

"I wouldn't say no to one," the raptor grinned, "didn't have much time to read back home."

"Well Andrieu here is a budding writer!" the scribe nudged him forwards. "Speaking of have you written any more?"

"Ummmm...m-maybe?" he pulled at his ears. "It's not finished yet, but I'm going to write more!"

"Well I'd love to read it," said Campbell sitting on the floor, "what's it aboot?"

"A-AH, no spoilers!" James tapped his snout. "You find out for yourself, Andrieu show him!"

"Alright, yes!"

Shuffling over to his blanket he grabbed his book and handed it over to the raptor who started reading.

"Are you working today?" the wolfling asked James.

"Yes sadly," he nodded, "but I don't have a lot to do today, that's why I planned my journey yesterday so if I was late, it wouldn't be too much trouble."

"So...what do you want to do after?"

"Well I'd love to read your new books with you, I've never read Dread Mountain Fiends."

"Can we?! I-i want to read it with you, maybe you could...read it to me?"

"I..." James blinked with a a-aw, Andrieu would you like that?"

"Mmhmm!" the boy swished his rear as if ready to pounce.

"Alright then, yes, tonight we'll read!"

"Speaking of!" Gerald handed back the book. "That was a great story, you're pretty good at this!"

"OH, th-thank you mister!"

"I'd love to read what happens next, when you finish it promise you'll tell me."

"Alright!! Do you think, I could get it puh...p-puuuhblees-"

"Published?" James added.

"Mmm, puh-blissed!"

"I don't see why not!" Gerald grinned. "I've known kids become singers at your age."

"But that's singing, I-i can't sing."

"Aww you sure aboot that?"

The raptor pulled out his guitar from some mysterious space in his robe.

"You ever seen one of these?"

"Mmmm, no?!" Andrieu shook his head. "Where'd it come from?!"

"Ohhh I know a little magic," he winked, it's a guitar, from my home, I was gonna play you a song for your birthday if you like."

"OH, yes please I want a song!"

"But only if BOTH of you sing with me."

"S-sing?! But, I can't-"

"I'll sing with you!" James rubbed his back. "Come on, let's sing together, you help me alright Andrieu?"

"A-alright!"

Gerald started to play a gentle ditty, something lighthearted to keep the mood as Andrieu clapped to the rhythm of a modern country song. James tried to keep his face smiling against the impending threat of what he knew about his mother, his eyes darting towards the nervous but cheerful youth who in his own little world was also struggling to fight the shadows in his mind of fear and isolation. They both tried to empty their minds and let the song fill their thoughts, Gerald softening his voice with a tender gold like a lark in the spring that pulled at their hearts and brought a tear to their eyes briefly. Then they would sing, not as good as Gerald, but when all three of them sang together it didn't matter. Soon the melody would end, much to their applause as the raptor took his bow.

"That was great!" Andrieu clapped almost bouncing on the bed. "You're really good mister Gerald."

"Haha, thank you," he bowed again, "it took me years to get this good so what aboot you, what talents you have besides writing?"

"Mmmmmm...oh, I can do this!"

He rolled his tongue like a hot dog making the two adults chuckle.

"Wow that's great, even I can't do that!"

"Me neither," James fumbled with his tongue to demonstrate, "you're a skilled little lad aren't you?"

"And he wants to be a writer, isn't that WRITE, Andrieu?"

"SNRKhehehee!" he curled his lip into a beastly giggle. "I-i do, I love books and when I grow up, I want to be a writer like mister James!"

"W-wait...like, me?"

James blinked looking to him as Andrieu smiled.

"You said you liked my story, I wouldn't be writing it if you hadn't...said."

"Oh...Andrieu."

He suddenly turned away, feeling a knot in his heart as he struggled to hold back his tears.

"I-i do not know what to say I'm...h-hoh, I'm..s-so honoured to hear that."

"Why even wait until you're older?" Gerald shrugged. "You're already writing now, bet you soon after you finish it you can get it stocked in the library."

"That's a GREAT idea!" James pumped his fists quickly wiping his eyes. "I can get it copied, sneak one into the library and see what people think!"

"Y-you...you can do that?" the wolfling gasped clutching his face.

"I mean...well, I'm sure there's a whole process to go about being published-"

"Nah nah this'll be self-published!" the raptor waved his hand. "All you gotta do is sign your name on it, you're the librarian aren't you James?"

"Well that's true...I could just put it there and no one can stop me."

"But you have to finish it first!" Gerald wagged his finger. "Can't have a book in the library if it's not finished."

"Right!" he scooted off the bed pounding his feet. "I'm going to finish the story, and then people can read it, and I'll be a writer!"

"That's the spirit!" he winked to the lemming who rolled his eyes. "Anyways I need to head off."

"I must take my leave too," said James heaving up to the door, "enjoy your books and be safe, alright Andrieu?"

"Yes mister James!" he gave a salute with peeking fangs. "I'm going to keep writing, I'll finish it fast!"

"Don't write TOO fast, you only have so many pencils! The best stories are the ones we wait for."

"Heehee, alright!"

Heading up to the library, James kept working on a quiet evening whilst Gerald stayed hidden within the bookshelves watching over the lemming. The nobles were sparse, and the tables cleared giving James some relief.

"Damn there's a lot of books here," Gerald muttered, "how many of these you read?"

"I don't know," James sighed, "do you have to be here?"

"What, I thought we were friends."

"We are, but I still have to work."

"No you don't, there's no one here come on."

"Are you suggesting I slack off?!" he gasped. "They would beat me to a pulp if I did!"

"I'll keep a lookout, if you wanna take forty winks or something-"

"Were you this sloppy with your work in life?"

"Oh god no, I was a patents attorney," Gerald floated on top of the shelf, "suit and tie, straight-As, but now that I'm dead I just sorta stopped giving a shit and now after all that's happened I've never felt better."

"So I should just die then?" the lemming cocked his head.

"No no, NO!" the raptor waved his hands. "That's not what I meant, don't take that as the lesson for god's sake!"

"Then let me do my work."

"S-sorry...hey, you mind if I leave you for a while?"

"No that's fine," James looked up with a half-hearted grin, "will you be alright?"

"Yeah don't worry," he sat up cracking his claws, "just remembered something I gotta do, might be late though so I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright, take care then...thank you for helping."

With a kind wave the raptor leapt through the wall and disappeared into the snow, the howling blizzard hammering against the windows with claws of savage ice above the sounds of flicking pages and the shuffling of servants around the room. As he filed away books and volumes, James pondered through the old sanguine sections, struggling to piece together old vernaculars in some vain hope of a cure that generations of scholars had overlooked. Hours passed in frustration, and nothing would come as he went to find dinner for himself and Andrieu. Stepping into the lunch hall for servants, he grabbed what he could amidst the cluttered tables of hooded slaves shambling around playing card games and rolling dice.

"Arigh' there pal."

A cloaked figure he tried to avoid slinked up beside him.

"Hhhhello Kenneth," he tightened his fingers on the tray, "how are you?"

"Nae bad, wuz wonderin' if yer up fer cards later oan?"

"No thank you, I'm rather buried in some work."

"Awww thassa shame, cuz ah wuz feelin' rather lucky."

He slipped a finger in his cloak and pulled out a familiar-looking pendant, the lemming's face on one side and a reptile's on the other.

"But if you dinnae wan' tae-"

"No, I'm sorry."

"Pfft, c'mon pal you runnin' away everytime ya see me, ah beat yer arse that badly?"

"I am BUSY, Kenneth, some of us give a damn about our work."

"Whut you saying eh!?" he pushed James back who tried to balance his tray. "You think yer better than me?!"

"Clearly I'm not when I lost to you-"

"Aye, so DON'T get snippy wi' me you wormy bastard!"

"Scuse me Ken."

"Whut is i-DHHFF!"

A fist came out of nowhere, clocking him on the chin as he crumpled to the floor with none of the other servants even looking their way. Horsham stood above him much to James' shock as his friend bent down and lifted the pendant off his neck.

"Here, don't say anything."

"Wh-what, Horsham what are you-"

"JUST, take it." He slipped it round James' neck. "Never felt right abou' him takin' it from ya, wanted to clean his clock fer a while."

"I-i don't want to cause trouble, you shouldn't have done tha-"

"Well that's my problem now innit? C'mon let's get back to yer room."

The moment he felt the thread and the gentle pat against his chest, the lemming sighed with a soft peace returning to his heart briefly. Like a warm hug from an old friend he smiled a little more as they walked back to stand outside his room.

"I wuz really worried about ya you know, you didn't get back almost a whole day, thought you'd gone and licked the noose."

"I almost did," James sighed, "thank you but, what are you going to tell Kenneth, he's going to think I stole it-"

"Well...s'not really gonna matter much if you're out on the lam."

"What do you mean?"

"There...there's gonna be an attack." The servant rubbed his sleeve. "Sometime this week, rumours been runnin' round the halls, heard nobles talkin' about it."

"An attack, where, who?"

"On the castle. Church finally puttin' their gallies on our throats."

"What?!" James shook his head. "That's absurd, that would require a force big enough to mount an army, I know we're despised by the church but they would not risk-"

"It's no flam Jim," Horsham this place is lookin' a flash house an' it won't be pretty."

"But...wait." Something clicked in the back of his mind. "Where did you hear about this?"

"Friend o' mine's a powder keg, they-"

"Just got a shipment of guns to send to the church?"

"Yeah thas' right, h'ow'dya know?!"

"Beth told me yesterday, she has a friend whose son is in the workshop but are you certain about this?"

"Swear on me mum's grave," he kissed his hand and raised it in oath, "I might be nickey compared to you but I wouldn't blag ya, thieves' honour Jim."

"Alright, let me just put my food down and then we discuss what to do."

Heading inside quick as he could, he placed down the tray keeping Andrieu blocked from view and shushed him quiet with a soft wink. He handed him his portions and slipped back outside to speak with Horsham.

"What do you plan to do?"

"Get ourselves out," he cocked his hood, "before the screws turn in, just you an' me."

"Ah...alright, do you have your own horse?"

"Uhhh wuz thinkin' we could prig yours?" Horsham rubbed his neck.

"And how do we leave?" James rubbed his chin. "No one can leave without a badge and Madame Asquith hands me them."

"Youuu leave that to me, forgot I wuz a screwsman did ya?"

"If you get caught you won't survive-"

"IF I get caught." He tapped his head. "You just gotta be ready, an' promise to take me with ya."

"Right...I will."

For the rest of the night, James worried about the threat of invasion. A part of him wanted to warn his superiors in some vain hope that he would be given sanctuary if they managed to repel the assault, but that idea was soon silenced and discarded with an odd pang of guilt. Was he selfish to run away, after all the food and shelter they gave him? Was he being petty, after all the beatings from his superiors and the blood her Majesty had stolen? He then looked to Andrieu, and realised that he was neither. He traced a finger to his pendant as he watched the boy eat, Andrieu doing his best to be polite with his snout making him drool whilst trying to chew.

"How's the book going?" James asked.

"Good!" he mumbled through stale bread. "I, I think I might finish it!"

"How long do you think it will take?"

"Mmmmm, a few days?"

"Oh I can't wait!" he clapped his knees. "Gerald will be happy to read it too."

"Where is mister Gerald?" the boy looked round the room.

"He had some business, he'll be back soon but, actually I wanted to do something special for you."

"Ooooh, what special thing?"

"Well..." James scooted closer, "I wanted to take you somewhere, just to get out of this place for a while, it's not fair you're cooped up inside all this while."

"I don't mind!" he flattened his ears. "It's nice here, I get food and a bed, and be with you mister James."

"I'm glad to hear," he stroked the boy's head, "but a child should not be trapped in a house for weeks so tomorrow, you, me and a friend of mine are heading out to the countryside."

"OHH!" Andrieu clapped his snout. "A-are we going to the farm, and see the animals?!"

"Hopefully, if we find any! Just a nice trip out of the castle."

"I want to go, YES!" He hugged James tight. "This is the best not-birthday ever, thank you mister James!"

After they had dinner they would sleep, bracing themselves for the new day as James awoke with a yawn and a stretch, rubbing his eyes with a clench of his body expecting the world to have already burned down as he turned to see the wolf-child still writing away.

"OH, you're up early!"

"Mmhmm!" Andrieu grinned. "Good morning!"

"Haha, good morning, how is your story?"

"No peeking!" he covered up his book. "It's not finished yet!"

"Alright, I'll just get you some breakfast and when my friend is ready we shall leave."

"Does...do they know about me?"

"Oh don't worry he's very nice, he's my best friend in the castle, I've wanted to tell him about you before but he's very busy."

"Alright! You have nice friends, don't you mister James?"

"I like to think they are yes!" he grabbed his cloak and staff. "Now you should get your things packed beforehand so we can leave as soon as we can, alright Andrieu?"

"Yes mister James!"

Grabbing breakfast from the hall he feasted with the child who gathered everything in a bag, except for his book that he kept writing in, sitting up on the bed with his blanket stowed away imagining a picnic on the hills. James went to the library to complete his chores, putting away books and sitting down to read. A few hours would pass. Horsham did not come.

He's abandoned you.

He scrunched his eyes shut.

Even Gerald has abandoned you, you're all alone once again.

He clenched his book until it trembled in his hands.

There is no invasion, it was all a pathetic lie and you fell for it. Beth, Horsham, all of them just never want to see you again-

"NO!" He grabbed his pendant with tightening face. "I'm sick of this. I'm sick, of feeling sorry for myself, all I want is to keep Andrieu safe. I don't care how worthless I am, I don't care what happens to me, this is NOT about me. It's not too late...it's not too late, to make my life worth something."

Whatever the darkness in his mind would have countered with, did not matter when he heard the window explode. He watched in slow motion the glass trailing behind a black ball that detonated on the floor, chairs and tables sent flying across the hall as fire swarmed with perilous hunger towards the bookshelves. Servants hurried to douse the flames before another window burst in a showering of crystal shards that covered their heads.

"W-WHUT IN BLAZES?!"

"IT'S AN ATTACK, WE'RE BEING ATTACKED!"

"THE CHURCH, THE BASTARDS ARE HERE, BATTEN DOWN THE WINDOWS!"

"SOMEONE MUSTER THE KNIGHTS!"

By the time the third window shattered along with a fourth and fifth, James had leapt over the bannister and darted up the stairs to where Asquith was coordinating groups, along with Horsham much to his surprise as the flames started rising to paint the library walls a deep burning red.

"GET THE WATER, NOW, RUN TO THE KITCHEN AND START A CHAIN!"

"YES MA'AM!"

"M-MADAME!" James saluted. "Wh-what should I do?!"

"You wield arcane skills yes?!"

"Y-yes but I'm not allowed to-"

"I now give you permission, use what you can to put out the fire, NOW!"

"AT ONCE MADAME!"

Running back down to where the fire was strongest, the scribe summoned watery ice from his hands to slash down upon the roaring flames, churning the thick ashes of wood underneath as tables buckled from their weakening strength. Books started to crumple and fold within the fire, spines turning brittle as pages fell apart and trickled into dust much to the horror of the servants who tried to grab volumes closest to the fire and hide them from the growing conflict. The sounds of battle came from outside as roaring shots and barking orders came from the parapets, the knights and gunners standing abreast to bear down upon the invading horde of white-cloaked ministers who rode up on horses at the gate, dragging behind carts loaded with catapults and trebuchets that hurled flaming orbs and fired enormous arrows that crunched through the walls with crumbling debris that crushed statues and servants.

Across the dining halls and drawing rooms the nobles ran like headless chickens, grabbing whatever was valuable to them as they darted between rooms with flowing white cloaks like banshees adrift. The servants struggled not to trip them up or get in their way with buckets of water, some of them armed with swords to help assist the knights in resplendent dress armour as they braced beside the gate, whilst gunners above kept firing down on the churchfolk who guarded with shields and shot back with silver rifles, piercing bullets through hoods that sent poorly slaves falling from the turrets to crumple dead in the snow.

"O-OH, THE CLOCHES!" screamed a noble at the banquet.

"S-SAVE THE CURTAINS, E-EVERYONE PLEASE!"

"NO, THE TAPESTRIES, THE TAPESTRIIIIES!"

"ALL OF YOU FOLLOW ME!" Sir Crow stood at the door and beckoned them forth. "I shall lead you someplace safe, do not dally!"

"Y-YES, YES GOOD SIR PLEASE S-SAVE US!"

"BUT WHAT OF MY FAMILY'S PORTRAITS?!"

"YOUR LIFE IS MORE IMPORTANT, NOW HURRY!"

The knight marched them out into the great entrance hall, a grand glistening atrium of cold crystalline floor with sculptures covered in wax from the candles anointing their heads, almost forming the semblance of hair dripping over their faces. The giant stained glass from which the moon bore down upon the Y-shaped staircase turned the noble's faces to that of a ghostly pallour, their white makeup hiding their wrinkles as they sauntered down in buckled shoes and gusset dresses to where Sir Crow could take them. James and Horsham would pass them, a look from their superior stopping them in their tracks as he guided the lords and ladies to a secret door at the base of the stairs.

"This way, make haste!"

"O-OH, goodness how HORRID!"

"These bastard churchmice they make us scurry like rats!"

"Rest assured they will pay," said the knight taking a bow, "this is only a temporary measure for your safety."

Shoving them gently into the cellars, he turned to James and Horsham with a finger thrust at the entrance.

"If you have time to dawdle you have time to DIE!"

"Y-YES, forgive me sir!" James saluted. "We came to see if you required assistance-"

"I never require assistance. Is the library safe?"

"Yes, the fires are being kept under control."

"Then wait with the others at the gate," he walked back up the stairs with a sweep of his cape, "I shall protect her Majesty from the vermin who infest our home."

"Yes sir!" Horsham bowed. "C'mon Jim off with ya!"

Hurrying towards the central gate, where stallions stood waiting in shadows with their riders, men and women armed with rifles and spears waiting for the breach along with servants on foot shivering in the cold with lances and rapiers in wait. The castle thundered with a trembling fury as the portcullis shook from a hard crunch when James and Horsham looked round the corner. The guardians of the church brought forth with a mechanical battering ram, resembling a giant silver cannon as the sounds of crunching steel shook through the land, the grand imperator pulling back its piston with a shunting thrust that startled the horses, the iron bars visibly bending with each slam.

"HOOOLD!" one of the castle knights raised her hand. "We wait for the first five seconds, THEN we attack."

"Y-yes ma'am," whimpered a servant, "sh-should we take the cannon?"

"No, kill the ones operating it, let it rot outside with the rest of them."

As they mounted their defence, James was heading downwards to the dungeon quarters with Horsham behind stamping his feet to keep warm.

"You ready Jim?!"

"Not quite," he raised a hand, "Someone is coming with us!"

"Wot, who?!"

"A child, that I've been raising!"

"WOT?!" He grabbed James' arm to spin him round. "You...YOU BEEN, a-a wee mite, in this place?!"

"He escaped from the clinic during the Hunt," he explained hurrying on, "they were trying to cure him of his beasthood and they managed to save his mind from turning corrupt-"

"W-wait...wait this lad's infected too?!"

"HE'S NOT INFECTED!" James snapped. "He may look like a beast but he is a sweet and pure boy who does NOT deserve to be killed!"

"How long's he been 'ere fer?!" gasped his friend.

"More than a week! And no he has never bitten me once, his mind is as perfect a seven-year-old's can be."

"Ohhhhh Jim," he clutched his head, "I...I-i don't believe this, you been harbouring a BEAST!?"

"DON'T!" the lemming thrust a finger at him. "We are leaving together, that is final, Travers has enough space for all of us!"

"Righ'...just, that's quite a big thing to drop on me, yanno, moments before we desert."

"I wanted to tell you earlier, I'm sorry, a lot has happened in the past week."

"S'alright Jim," said Horsham tapping his arm. "I mean, you aren't human either an', you always treated me right so I should trust ya...like you trust me."

He pulled out from his pockets a familiar-looking badge that the lemming gasped at the sight of.

"I told ya I could, righ'?"

"Yes...you did." He smiled hugging him close. "Thank you Horsham, you remain a true friend."

"Heheh well, friendship's rarer than good blood round 'ere."

Handing the badge over to James they raced to the dungeons, heading towards the lemming's room as servants ran back and forth on their crooked legs desperate to hide, bolt themselves in their rooms or grab their belongings.

"ANDRIEU!" He kicked the door open. "IT'S TIME!"

"Wh-wha?!" the boy gasped shooting back against the wall.

"Time to leave, come on, before the gate closes!"

"The...th-the gate?!"

"Too righ', also uh, ello there!" The servant waved from the door. "You uh, name's Horsham, I'm 'elping Jim get out 'ere quick."

"H-hello, I'm Andrieu!" he waved back. "Nice to meet you!"

"Aww, thank ya! Got a li'l book there?"

"Mmhmm!" he clutched his journal tight. "It's my story, I'm going to be a writer!"

"You wot?! Cor, he can read an' write?!"

"Yes of course he can!" James shouted emptying his drawers. "Alright, are you ready Andrieu?!"

"Yes mister James!"

"Then let's go, stay close to me, do NOT leave my side we don't want to be late!"

Hurrying out the door stuffing things in his bag, James dropped a small green ribbon that the boy swiftly snatched up. His eyes widened with a withering gasp and a quivering lip when he smelled her scent with the burnt fabric.

"ANDRIEU?!"

"Y-YES, COMING!"

He stuffed the ribbon in his bag and ran out the door with his coat wrapped round him, his blanket bundled last as they suddenly fell from a shuddering earthquake. The castle gate above exploded with a crushing force, flying across the courtyard to shatter marble statues until the mass of pure steel fell above the dungeon, the weight of its hard metal causing the ceiling to collapse.

"RUUUUN!"

James grabbed Andirue and pulled him against the wall to avoid the falling debris, the sounds of servants screaming from their rooms as doors and walls would crunch in half. The slaves came running out of the lunch hall with shrieks of panic, falling on top of each other in a desperate scramble for the exit in a sea of cloaks.

"OH GOD, OH GOD I DON'T WANNA DIE!"

"IT'S EVERY MAN FOR 'ISSELF!"

"JAMES HURRY!"

The sodden winter path awaited them as they trampled out. But they also found their executioners from the church, two riders in robes that almost blended with the snow, their bronze helmets shining like gothic towers as they raised their swords to carve through the first servants to flee. Their screams rang through the crumbling passage with guttural thrusts of the sawing blades that tore their thin bellies apart, Andrieu covering his eyes shrieking in horror as James shot forth with a burst of wind to throw them from their horses. Horsham came running with a sword to cleave down on one of their heads, blocked by their blade before he was kicked back and the churchman leapt to his feet advancing upon him. The churchman's sword raised high upon the servant until a staff blocked his thrust, the lemming parrying fast and snapping it free into a vile whip that lashed upwards at the minister's face, cracking the helmet back and exposing his throat that James stabbed through with the bladed tip. Red misted over his eyes as the cleric screamed with gargling hiss, when his companion came from aside and slashed at James' head to knock him down on his back.

Much to the minister's surprise his arm was grabbed by a ragged limb who pulled the churchman back and tried to stab him with his blade. The brigand countered with a hard crack of steel as they clashed, but Horsham was far too weak to resist the impending force as he was thrown back before James leapt up to attack again, throwing his whole body to knock the brigand down as other servants ran past to escape. Some would survive hurrying between the statues for cover, whilst others were slaughtered in droves with howling screams from the castle as nobles were found and executed. James struggled to keep the cleric down but he was kicked hard in the chest and rolled off before the sword came down for his neck, blocking with the cane and slamming the side of the helmet to throw him down into the snow. In a surprising thrust the human slammed his head forwards to stun the lemming briefly, kicking him hard with a boot to the face to knock him down before turning towards Andrieu who cowered against the side.

"So," the minister lurched forth, "this castle IS unclean, even beasts find refuge here."

"N-n-no, pl-please, don't hurt me m-mister!"

"And they've learned mimicry?! Disgusting, all the better our crusade comes at hand before more of you vermin spread."

The child screamed as he lunged, driving his sword to plunge deep into the flesh. Red dripped down the sword of the executioner as Andrieu stared in shock towards the killer. Then he looked to the man that stood between them, and the sword that pierced out his back several feet from Andrieu's face.

" Gh-ghrrkh...god-bothering bastard."

"Wha-DAMN YOU, FILTHY CUR!"

" GAAAAARRRRGH!"

With a roar of defiance, Horsham shoved the man back with his body, grabbing the sword that plunged through his chest and exerting all his will to make him stagger back towards the crumbling hall of the servants' chambers. James stumbled onto his feet in time to see his friend as the dust grew around him, the roof falling down faster and catching up in an avalanche of stone as the cleric struggled to push back.

"HORSHAM, NOOO!"

" G-go." He smiled back to James. " Friendship...rarer than good blood."

"HORSHAAAAAAM!"

The tunnel collapsed in a fog of brick and mortar, the lights from the dungeon snuffed out as two bodies were crushed underneath in eternal conflict. The last of the servants who escaped went running past oblivious to his fate as James clutched himself.

"N-no..." he shook his head and fell to his knees, "H-horsham...Horsham, HORSHAM WHYYY!?"

"M-mister James!" Andrieu grabbed his arm and shook him. "I...I-i'm sorry, we have to go!"

"M-MY FRIEND, H-HE DIDN'T NEED THIS, HE DIDN'T DESERVE THIS!"

"I'm sorry." He rubbed James' shoulder. "I'm sorry. But, we have to go, th-they're coming!"

"Yes." He took a deep breath and forced back his tears. "You're...h-hoh Andrieu, I'm so sorry, I didn't think this would happen I didn't want to lie to you-"

"It's...it's alright."

The boy smiled his best, but James could tell he was trying hard with his pearly teeth pulling back. The fires started to burn licking across the windows, the sounds of shrieking death ringing from the rafters.

"We're not...coming back, are we?" he asked.

"No," James hugged him close, "no one's coming back here again."

"Where do we go?"

"I know a place, I promise you I will protect you. I...Andrieu, I'm a terrible person, but I will do everything I can to protect you, I promise you on my life."

"No." He pulled back with a softened grin. "You're not a bad person. You're...the nicest person I ever met."

"I...w-well," James rubbed his eyes, "we should...we should go."

Heading to the stables they avoided the onslaught of executioners, the church and its ministers tearing into the castle to slaughter all its inhabitants. With red-running carpets they decked the halls with headless corpses, falling down the stairs with crimson blade. Upon the roofs they saw Sir Crow battling against a man in golden robes, with flowing beard and a wicked scythe that he spun towards him, striking back with his parrying sabre before his opponent roared a deep breath of blood-choking mist, skulls forming from the smog as the knight swiftly raced around it to strike the man in yellow, who blocked him in turn with a long sinuous dagger. The sky turned to a molten blaze as Crow leapt back from the whirling sickle, the golden cloak like the wings of a bat as the cleric spun forth in a hurricane of silver strikes with dark streaks of sanguine flowing past. But down below the stable was burning, the horses without riders left tethered to their stalls as screeching neighs and panicking cries came from within.

"TRAVERS, TRAVERS NOOO!"

James gasped at the crumbling debris blocking their way in, fallen rafters forming a burning barricade as he summoned a fierce crystal wind. Blasted the rafters with an icy gale, he snuffed out the fires from the barricade efore he tried to kick it down with a whirlwind slam of his body. The wood splintered under his force. but not enough to break, the screams of the horses frightening them all the more as he kicked and wailed and pounded with Andrieu scratching his claws in the bark.

"H-HURRY, HURRY WE HAVE TO SAVE HIM!"

"I'M TRYING! TRAVERS HANG ON, PLEASE I'M-GA-AAAARGH!"

The cry of horses continued from the burning stable, the barricade refused to yield no matter how hard James forced against it. They then heard the trampling of hooves and he suddenly grabbed Andrieu to pull him away, the wood shattering apart to form a hailstorm of splinters that scattered to the winds as horses thundered out of the flames. The last of them was a dull brown mule with pale snout shimmering from the fire, a pale blue cloak rode upon his back when the horse reared in a shrieking neigh.

"TRAVERS!" Andrieu cried. "YOU'RE ALRIGHT!"

"WHO...wait, GERALD?!"

"NEED A RIDE?!" the ghost barked from the saddle. " HURRY, GET ON QUICK!"

They leapt on without question, James helping the boy up first as Gerald sat back to let the scribe take over the reins.

"Are you alright?!"

He patted Travers' neck as the horse snickered with a shudder of relief.

"I know. I thought I lost you too. Alright, are you ready to leave this place?"

The mule snorted with a desperate tremble in his heart.

"Is he coming with us too?" Andrieu asked behind James.

"Of course he is, he's our friend!"

"You know where we're going?" Gerald asked. "There's not many places left to hide from the church-"

"There is," James closed his eyes, "we...we're going...home."

"Home?" the boy shivered twitching his snout. "But...you said they banished you-"

"No." He touched his pendant. "My other home. Someplace I know you'll be safe."

With a snap of the reins he sent Travers bolting out the gate, tearing through the scene of battle between knights and clerics who locked against each other in vicious combat, swords and maces brandished in the light of the silver moon as James brought out the badge of his castle's sigil when they passed through the broken gate. He closed his fist as they darted past the battering ram where gunners of the church stood with rifles pointed.

"DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!"

"OPEN FIRE!"

Raising his hand the lemming blasted a shockwave of violent wind that knocked half the squadron down, the other taken care of by Gerald and his savage whip of flaming steel that lashed across their faces. Travers never stopped, turning the mountain path into a slalom as his hooves crunched into the snow and skidded over rocks with a hard screech before charging down the lane. Other horses came following, the remnants of the church support guard trying to flag him down as Gerald shot his chains back behind them to strike the riders from their mounts.

"S-STOP, STOP THEM THEY ESCAPED!"

"THEY'RE HARBOURING A BEAST, KILL THEM!"

"M-MISTER JAAAMES!"

"KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN!" he shouted. "STAY CLOSE TO ME, WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER!"

"HE'S RIGHT!" Gerald cried. "ALL OF US ARE LEAVING THIS DAMN PLACE!"

He swung a rippling lash of fire towards another rifleman, striking his gun upwards with a cracking snap to the shooter's face as he fell from his steed. Travers stamped through the village trying to dodge between peasants, some of the villagers trying to swing their scythes as James struck back with his cane-whip to shove them against the walls of their houses. The city tried to close its gates as the lemming shot one guard down and Gerald took the other, blasting the doors open as they barged through and galloped down the central street. The bells rang from cathedrals alerting the citizens to their fleeing presence, the mule dodging denizens for fear of retribution as James or Gerald would blind them with a scar of flame inches from their faces. Eventually they found the narrow street that led to the forbidden forest, squeezing themselves through with the stallion scraping his sides between the iron fence and crushing wall before they found the old locked door.

"FEAR THE OLD BLOOD!"

With a scream of the password the door would open before before as they left the city, heading out into the woods where silence suddenly deafened their ears. Travers slowed down his pace, trotting careful through the paths where ravens and serpents watched from afar with flickering wings and twisting tongues. The sun burned on their backs whilst the moon shone on their faces, the old windmill creaking with desperate groan as they passed over the bridge towards the deepening forest

"I think we're safe," Gerald looked back, "they stopped following us."

"They're forbidden from coming here," said James with a deep sigh, "we can rest for a bit."

"Where are we going?" Andrieu asked shifting between them. "Is...i-is it safe?"

"Safer than here yes, don't worry."

"...thank you." He felt the boy hug him from behind. "I...I-i know you're trying because mother is dead."

"H-how..." he looked back with a shock, "when did you-"

"I heard you and mister Gerald, I-i was pretending to sleep and...I'm sorry."

"No. I'm sorry. I should have told you, but-"

"You wanted my birthday to be happy."

"Yes. But it wasn't right of me to hide it, even though I just learned about it, I just wanted to give you some hope."

"Did you find a cure?" the boy rubbed his claws gently round the lemming's sides.

"I did not...and," he looked away to the front, "from what I have learned it seems very...unlikely that there ever will be."

"I...I knew it."

"But it doesn't matter. Not anymore, because your mind is still the same, you haven't lost your humanity right?"

"N-no...I am still me," the boy nodded.

"Then what is there to cure? You're still Andrieu."

The horse slowed down at the entrance to the college as James turned himself round to face the boy fully.

"You are the same dear harmless boy I would have known if I had met you before your body changed. If this society does not accept you for that, then it is not you who is the problem."

"It...it's not?"

"I understand that beasthood is a terrible thing. I understand you did not ask for this body. But your mind is the most important thing, it is where YOU live, your soul, your very being, what makes you Andrieu. It does not matter what body you have, so long as you are still you."

"But I'm sick," Andrieu whimpered looking down, "what if I...what if I hurt you?"

"You will not." He put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "If one day your mind goes then I will still keep you safe, I will make certain you not suffer and protect you the best I can."

"But, but...why?" He rubbed his claws. "Why would you keep me safe, if I turn bad?"

"Because I trust you. You trust me, even in the short time we have spent together, yes?"

"I do."

"Then I trust you as well." He took Andrieu's hands in his own. "I couldn't save your mother...but I can save you, and give you a good life. If you were going to lose your mind, it would have happened already and even if you do, some day in the future, I will NOT abandon you."

"...would...w-would you..." his claws squeezed his fingers, "would you be...my...f-family?"

James looked up towards Gerald behind the wolf. The raptor looked back at him with a growing grin as he shrugged whilst Travers perked his ears.

"Do you...want me to be, Andrieu?"

The boy nodded bashfully.

"Well...alright then. So, wh-what should I be, an uncle, a big brother?"

"I think if you adopt him that makes you his new dad," said Gerald.

"Mmhmm," Andrieu nodded again, "you...you would be my father, if...if you adopted me."

"...alright." He patted his head. "If that's what you want, and if we're going to be together, then I'll be your father, Andrieu."

"Th-thank you."

They hugged once again before James led Travers through, Gerald forcing the gate open with his chains as they entered the college grounds strangely devoid of monsters since their previous visit. Travers was nervous still as he crept into the garden and up the steps, turning to the doorway as they stepped inside and braced themselves for the abyss that took them to the old abandoned lecture building. The sound of his hooves echoed through the darkness, James craning his ear for the slithering students to find only silence awaiting them.

"Never taken a horse inside a house."

"I've known plenty horses in houses," Gerald shook his head, "it's so weird seeing other worlds with ferals like Travers."

"Fa, fair-rals?" Andrieu whispered looking back at him.

"It's...well, I'll tell you later," he rubbed his neck, "sooo I take it you're leaving this place James?"

"That's what you wanted yes?" the lemming rolled his eyes.

"I mean, well, whatever reason you have, you have everything you need right?"

"Yes, I have my ink, I just need a blank book with the right sort of resonance."

"Oh good, cuz I found a whole room full of books unused and unwritten back here."

"Really?" James turned his head to him raising his brow. "Is that why you left yesterday?"

"Preeetty much," the raptor twiddled his thumbs, "also clearing oot all the monsters was...kinda rough, and I also chased that spider-man away."

"Then I have all I need."

"What do we do now?" asked Andrieu between them.

"You stay close to me," James patted his head, "once we find a safe room I will start writing, and when I am done, we can escape from this place through a Linking Book."

"What's a linking book?" his eyes widened with intrigue.

"It's a special book. My people learned to travel between realms, by writing magic words in a book tempered to our use."

"R-really?!" the boy gasped cupping his face. "That means, you're a REALLY good writer, aren't you?"

"Hmhmhm, I suppose, yes.

"Could I be...as good as you one day?"

"Oh, Andrieu." He shook his head and stroked the boy's cheek. "You're already making magic with the stories you write, you're showing me a realm that only exists in your mind, that's already a wonderful thing. You don't need the Art. In fact, once we find our new home, I am never using the Art again."

"But...why?"

"Because the world we're travelling to is perfect. It has romance, adventure, friendship and safety. It's everything you could want, and everything I want to."

"Does it have...pirates?"

"It does," the scribe winked, "and the name of their leader is Captain Andrieu, the soon-to-be legend of the Schiserian seas!"

"Y-yes...YES!" the boy grabbed his waist in another hug. "Alright, let's go!"

With several blank books he obtained from the archives, James approached the door at the end of the hall with Travers, Andrieu and Gerald in tow. With a full pot of his special ink sealed in his satchel, he took a deep breath as they stepped through the darkness between the realms of life and death, to the world of nightmares on the edge of existence. The sky remained a bitter vellum, the call of pandemonium an endless scream from a thousand beasts in a twisted land. The stone elevator took them the quick way back to the tower, Travers stepping anxious on the platform that jolted underneath as James kept soothing him.

"You sure this'll work?" Gerald asked floating beside them.

"Positive," the lemming nodded, "I left something with Chanoch, that I can use to get back easier."

"Really, you had an escape plan all set up?"

"I was planning to use it to get back to him one day, in case something happened."

"Is Chanoch your friend?" Andrieu swished his tail.

"More than that, he's my lover."

"Ohh, is he nice?"

"Oh absolutely, he is the kindest, sweetest person I know, trust me he will love you. There are children your age too in the realm we're going to so you will have friends to make!"

"I-i just want to be with you, mister James."

"Haha, you still call me mister?" the lemming smirked.

"Um...I'm sorry, I should call you...father."

"You can call me whatever you're comfortable with Andrieu," he stroked his head, "alright, now we must reach that tower over there, it resonates strongest with my Art."

"If that thing comes back I'll protect you," Gerald floated in front and revealed his chains, "I just wasn't expecting we would bring the horse."

"Travers is our friend too!" the boy hugged his saddle. "Where we go, he goes too!"

"I mean hey he's a good horse I'm not saying no."

Travers snorted with a little boop of his snout on the raptor's chest, making him chuckle as he patted his head before they approached the looming tower. Past the poison pool of slithering beasts, they entered the grounds of the great pillar reaching to the sky as James felt a burning tingle in his mind. He started to write, pressing his book on the back of the mule's sturdy neck as the words came flowing to him swift, trying to parse the other realm beyond the mist as he focused his thoughts upon a specific realm, a world of friends he left behind, and a primal vista he had woken up to many days. The songs of raptors, the beating of leather wings, the roar of the ocean and the black mountain peaks split in twain. His pen scribbled over the pages, daubing green ink that shimmered with a spark through the air, swirling around James' hair and lighting up the murk of dismal weed that his locks had become. Gerald kept watch with his burning sleeves, traipsing back and forth as his eyes kept staring at the mysterious tower resembling a stretched roll of papyrus. It was only when James finally finished writing, and he saw the next page start to flicker with a small screen of something beyond, that a voice would come.

"So the coward returns accepting his fate."

They looked up with a start, searching every which way. A presence they felt from someone they could not see despite the voice being in front of them. Then they would blink, and suddenly the false saviour appeared before them, the raptor with eyes of jade and long scissors on his back.

"And you brought me a fresh book, with fresh ink for our new ascension-"

"SHUT UP!" James closed the book quickly and shoved it in his bag. "I know you are a fake, do not try to trick me again!"

"What, me?"

"Yes, you." Gerald stood in front of him. "You're not getting anything from us, we're leaving this place."

"There is only one place you can leave to," he wagged his finger, "and that is back the way you came, to a land blighted by accursed blood and savage deeds unrepaid."

"I DON'T CARE!" the lemming shouted. "I am leaving this wretched realm, you can stay here and rot for all I care!"

"But I care not to rot here, like the one who left an orphan."

"Wait...orphan?" Gerald shook his head.

"Oh...I did not mean you, but I suppose I could mean you, a sad little soul so desperate for validation to come to this place, and be part of a story you were never truly within-"

"SHUT YOUR DAMN FACE!"

He swung a savage chain as the fake raptor dodged swiftly.

"Maybe I'm only here to redeem myself, that's fine, but I'm still here to help him and this kid, and if you try to stop us then you're DEAD MEAT!"

"Dead?!"

The false Campbell smirked with a curious grin. Then he started chuckling. Then it became a laugh, growing louder by the second as he hunched over with a gasping cackle, rising higher in its pitch before he shrieked with psychopathic glee that echoed across the realm. They were startled for a moment, until Gerald felt a brutal fist crunch into his stomach and send him flying from an invisible hand, with James feeling something grab his throat and lift him off Travers who bolted with Andrie stillu in the saddle, the raptor's smile disappearing as he pointed at the hanging scribe.

"Do you think we are so weak as to be mortal?"

"GH-GHRRRKH!" his throat tightened as he kicked in the air.

"My machinations are timeless, James. Your life is not."

"GHRRRAAARGHKH!"

"LET HIM GO!"

The boy screamed from the horse as he grabbed the reins, charging towards the saviour with Travers thundering his hooves until something struck his side, a heavy swat of some unseen paw slapping him hard across the ground as the horse went skidding on his side and Andrieu rolling through the stones.

"A-ANDRIEUUUU!"

"You are in our prison, son of Winifred and Harold." The raptor snarled with devious grin. "As such, you will kneel to us. We will allow you to complete your story, but rest assured, your ending was already long written before you began."

"LIKE HELL IT WAS!"

The lashing crack of a burning chain scarred the air in front of James, a howling shriek from some giant shadow briefly seen as the false saviour recoiled in some semblance of agony. The lemming fell from the invisible grip, Gerald came running to his side but James charged towards to where Andrieu and Travers laid, the fake Campbell stepping in front with a swinging strike of his scissors that he clashed against with his staff.

Forcing all of his might against him, the scribe felt something flick against his head with a colossal punch hurling lemming back with his body scraping the earth. Gerald leapt forth with dual chains striking the invisible fist, a shimmering silhouette of six hairy knuckles from a ragged spindly limb the size of a crooked oak. The phantom slashed at the unseen hand revealing more of the giant's body lurching over the false saviour, who rushed with scissors out and tore through Gerald's essence with a fiendish cut, before the spirit was crushed by a heavy slam of an otherworldly fist.

"Why do you resist us James?" the fake Campbell smiled swinging his blades. "You desire freedom too, do you not understand our plight?"

"I know not what you are and I DON'T CARE!" James snapped. "I'm leaving this realm and YOU CANNOT STOP ME!"

"Which part of me do you mean?" the raptor grinned. "The one you see before you, or the one you felt in your dreams?"

"What?!"

"You are a selfish brat, unworthy of this name, escaping your punishment well-deserved for the savage murder of your alma mater."

"Hmph...you are right on that. At least, once you were." He limped forwards with his cane. "I was selfish, and I accepted that. But not here. Not now, I am not writing this book for you, nor for me."

"Then for what?"

"A boy, that I met."

He looked towards Andrieu slowly helping Travers on his feet.

"I did not plan to be with him...nor come so far to risk so much for him. He has no one left, and this realm, this senseless worthless realm with such accepted evils and corpses piled up in the street...he does not deserve this. No child does. I want him to be free, because he deserves to be, to laugh and to grow, and to LIVE and you will NOT STAND IN HIS WAY!"

"Even if it means your death?" the raptor sneered.

"IT ALREADY MEANS MY DEATH! I've almost died against you, the hunters and the church just to keep him safe and if I must die now so he may live free, THEN SO BE IT!"

"...Imbecile."

The false saviour suddenly cracked his neck hard to unhinge his skull.

"And here I thought you were a humble thing, like your dreams told me."

"Wh-what? Dreams?"

"Do you not remember me James? With eyes of flame, and jaws that bite."

Something lunged for his head as he fell beneath a swooping force.

"Who leaves you dead, and takes your head...and the moon's wrath shall outgrabe."

"No." He shook his head with trembling knees. "N-n-no."

The body of James Campbell twisted its arms until the bones suddenly lengthened, snapping out to twice their length as his claws became spindly talons crunching the earth. His limbs became like the branches of autumn trees, thin and reedy, his legs cracking as his body rose up with his chest breaking apart to form a gargantuan size resembling a spider where hairs of black sprouted between the scales of a thick bristling abdomen. Four more arms grew from his back to reach out across the sky, his tail like a twisting root that slipped round the tower's base as James the lemming felt his scream being stolen from his throat.

DID YOU NOT HEED THIS WARNING?

He saw its words carve into his mind.

WITH CLAWS THAT CATCH, AND VORPAL WORDS,

The creature smiled with nightmare's teeth.

I SHALL RENDER YOUR STORY UNTOLD, LITTLE JAMES.

Lurching above him, the face of his former saviour had grown many new eyes that crowned its scaled forehead, a grotesque amalgamation between raptor and arachnid with burning white pupils nestled inside a hive within its scalp. With looming jaws hung beneath its stretching snout that still retained its purple marks, the scribe's personal jabberwock came galumphing forth with a cruel face that paralysed James to the spot. His nightmare would end him, his eyes flickering with tears as he forgot everything in that moment. Until he heard a child's voice.

"FATHEEEERRRR!"

The sound of hooves came racing from behind as Travers charged between the monster's legs, Andrieu swinging out his hand to pull James up when he snapped out of his fear and hoisted himself onto the saddle before the crushing blow of a clawed fist could reach his head. With a roar it turned its head swinging its hand as James took hold of the reins, dodging with the stallion turning sharp to avoid its monstrous reach. The ground shuddered with its stomping feet, the stallion struggling to keep his balance with flared nostrils and trembling eyes as Andrieu tried his hardest not to look at the abominable beast in the centre of the tower's grounds. One fist came too close to almost crush Travers' back, but a lashing whirl of a burning chain struck against its hand and forced it back with a shriek as the ghostly raptor floated above them.

"WE HAVE TO KILL HIM!" Gerald shouted.

"HOW?!" James screamed.

"YOU KILLED OTHER THINGS IN THIS WORLD RIGHT?!"

"YES BUT THIS, TH-THIS IS NOT, I-I-IT'S NOT EVEN REAL, IS IT?!"

"THERE'S A SAYING BACK IN MY WORLD! IF IT BLEEDS, WE CAN KILL IT!"

COME TO MY ARMS, MY BEAMISH BOY.

"LOOK OUT!"

Striking back with his chains entwined, Gerald countered the ruthless claws as Travers kept circling around the "jabberwock" and its body. Gouging the earth it pulled a huge jagged line of rocks to throw behind itself and send a showering hailstorm that the phantom blocked with his burning whips, the stallion dodging the falling stones as he ran to the monster's tail where James pulled out his cane. With a gust of wind he snapped it open into a whip and shot it forth like a razor spear, severing through the bone and chopping through its anchoring limb as it screamed with shock, stomping its feet to cause a terrible quake that sent Andrieu falling off to hit his head on the tower steps.

"ANDRIEU, NOOO!"

Turning Travers hard he raced back underneath the monster's tail, The severed appendage smashing the ground and bashing the stony walls with the threat of crushing the child. Once its shadow loomed above him Andrieu darted for the side of the stairs before it crunched the steps in half like a wooden board, fuming dust around him as he coughed clutching his snout.

"JAAAAMES!"

"ANDRIEU, TAKE MY HAND!"

He slowed down the mule and grabbed the boy, a giant foot rearing back towards them ready to kick them into the abyss as the lemming screamed with a powerful burst of wind, forcing against the eldritch limb and causing it to divert its path with a hard slip that made it stumble onto its side. Gerald flew down to its head, spinning like a comet as his chains formed a savage tornado round his body before divebombing into its dozen eyes, drilling with a deep force that partly shattered the jabberwock's skull.

INSIDIOUS SPECK OF ASH.

It swatted him back with a roar before grabbing him in its other hand.

YOUR STORY ENDED LONG AGO.

With a strangling grip of his entire form it crushed Gerald in two hands, the raptor screaming from the inhuman force as he felt a deep pressure cracking his ribs and flattening his organs were he alive. In death it felt the same sort of anguish, but without its lethal prospect he felt more boldened to fight back as he shivered through his core to fire up the heat inside his chest, burning with the tightening clench of his heart like a reactor overheating until he exploded with infernal shriek. The monster's hands were forced apart as Gerald became a living flame, incensed by a powerful hatred that gleamed from his blackened eyes.

"My...my story may have ended. But James has NOT!"

Violent whips of superheated fire came striking down upon the creature's head, blinding six of its eyes with a double-slash as its skull cracked farther from the pressure, its head slamming into the ground from which Gerald could see a red viscous fluid come sizzling out.

"JAMES, NOOOW!"

Galloping towards its fallen head, the scribe pulled out his threaded cane and raced from the side with a spiral of bladed tips in the midst of a hurricane from his sleeve. Leaping off of Travers he thrust with a deep twisting rend into its scalp, stabbing through the other side while it screeched with unholy anguish. Forcing itself back up, the jabberwock swung with a backhand to strike Gerald down and start punching him with crushing fists, cracking his jaw and almost popping out his eyes as he started to bleed with a thicker whitened essence. One of its hands was suddenly gripped by the wrist with a steel vine as the lemming leapt back onto Travers and pulled with the horse's might, forcing it backwards to throw it off-stance to give Gerald time to recover, his roaring fist delivered with an uppercut to the creature's face that raised its eyes skywards before the phantom divekicked straight into its chest with both legs.

Rearing itself back to grab the tower and rebalance itself, the monstershook its head spraying showers of blood across the earth, standing up to its full terrifying height as tall as the tower itself before it pulled back four of its limbs to form two hammerfists. One aimed for Gerald, the other for Travers as the entire court shook with pounding slams as the phantom dodged between its powerful strikes, the stallion darting in a zigzag fashion to race underneath its body, giving James the chance to slash at its leg with a ripping gouge of his bladed whip. Red flew across his face, but it wasn't enough to stagger the beast whose thin pendulous limb twitched when James turned back round to scar the other leg, shanking deep as he could with rugged blade to try and saw through the bone when it finally snarled in a seething pain. With six thundering fists it came swinging down with a moon-crescent arc, like cannons shooting off in the distance as the ground violently cracked apart to form jagged hills that threatened to impale the horse.

"HOLD, HOOOOLD!"

The scribe pulled him hard as they found themselves in a deepening valley formed by the cruel hands of madness. The jabberwock loomed above them as it stomped and smashed its limbs into the earth making it sink, shards of stone rising above them as it grabbed both sides of the rift.

THE MOON IS BRIGHT, AND THE VALLEY IS LONG.

"HURRY, HURRY TRAVERS!"

YOUR DEATH MEANS NAUGHT WHEN WE DEPART.

Pulling the small canyon together, the monster crushed the walls behind them like a zipper through the earth with pebbles scattering on their backs in the rising flood of solid sheet encroaching upon Travers' legs, the jaws of death snapping closer with each passing second as they struggled to reach the ramp at the end. The claws of the creature appeared in front of them, threatening to close the gap before a shrieking line of flame tore in front of its hands and blocked its attack, Gerald's molten chains wrangling its wrists to pull them back and let Travers escape from the closing valley. The horror swung with half-a-dozen fists, the raptor dodging between its savage swipes before he rose up high and came swinging down with a monstrous arc of flame combined from both his chains, sending it staggering forwards as it grabbed the walls of the arena to brace itself.

"Thank you!" Andrieu cried. "Are you alright mister Geral-"

"I'm FINE!" He snarled through his clenching teeth. "Just...keep yourself SAFE!"

"BE CAREFUL!" James shouted. "I'll go for its legs, you fight the head!"

"Good," Gerald's fists shook with his body, "I'm tired of holding back, and this FUCK who thinks he can pretend to be my SON is going to SUFFERRRR!"

Turning back to the abomination, the raptor's spirit watched it force itself upright with hands braced against the walls. Then there came a light from its eyes, the myriad of pupils shining in every direction as it shot a piercing white beam across the yard that sang with an eerie song that made Travers shriek in a howling fright from its pitch. Dodging the laser that cut a serpentine path, it sliced through their bodies and they were surprised to find it did nothing to hurt them. Then they saw the explosions, following the same path the laser had went and rumbling towards them like a serpent hunting through the water, as they scarpered out of its path in a desperate flight before the cataclysm erupted behind the stallion and threw his back legs up. He feared he would fall and shatter his limbs until his rider summoned a powerful gust that gently lowered him back down to cushion the impact, landing on his hooves safe despite the blast scorching his locks.

The monster aimed towards them again with a pale light shimmering from its sclera, before Gerald shot himself forth like a bullet to crack through its skull, wrapping himself in chains to penetrate the bone and rip through its otherworldy flesh, trails of stardust fading behind Gerald as it reared back and staggered with stumbling legs. James saw his chance and guided Travers towards the fearsome feet, swinging his terrible whip of bladed teeth to come scarring further into the wounds he had made, Andrieu cowering behind him and using his robe to shield himself from the showers of crimson that painted the mule a lustrous chestnut. The jabberwock, through its blinding pain from the hole in its head, grabbed one of its own arms and violently snapped it from its body, cracking with the sound of lightning as more of its foetid ichor sprayed like a waterfall to drench the land beneath in pools of deep ruby.

"GET DOWN!"

James shouted before it swung its arm like a club, the sweep of its knuckles whiffing past his hair and almost throwing Andrieu off. Travers dodged as best he could, the blood under his hooves a constant threat as he tried not to slip and quickly fled out the monster's reach, the shadow of its mace reaching far before the horse leapt to one side in a diagonal jump to avoid the devastating crush, a tsunami of blood bursting from beneath to splash at their heels before it made a huge swipe that crunched against the tower's side with an echoing shudder across the realm. The monolith did not shake, nor did it collapse, resisting the creature's strength with surprising pallour as the jabberwock lurched forth in a stomping run like a spider in its web.

One of its legs was yanked backwards by Gerald floating behind him, the chains wrapping around the bone as it staggered and collapsed in a hard jerk of its goliath body, but not before it swung back behind with its severed arm to swat the phantom from the air and send him crashing down with its body. With desperate swipe it carved the land with its fleshy club, trying to crush the horse as James quickly turned him fast towards the fallen beast and evade its curling sweep.

"Hold these!" James handed the reins to Andrieu. "I'm killing this monster here and now!"

"Be careful!" he cried.

"Keep Travers moving as far as you can, move the reins where you want him to go, he's a smart boy like you!"

"Alright, GO, GO, COME ON TRAVERS!"

Leaping off the mule James rushed for the creature's head with cane-whip dragging behind as he summoned a hurricane to shoot forth at a blinding speed and lash across four of its eyes with a deep cut. Staggered with surprise at the ruthless scar, the jabberwock shook its bulbous skull with a roar of frustration before it pulled itself upright and stomped towards the tower to balance upon its spindly legs.

THIS DREAM...SHALL NEVER END.

The monster reared its head back as the clouds suddenly parted with its shriek to the heavens. The gods of this world responded to its call as the realm of nightmares shifted slightly around them in ways that James and Andrieu could not understand, but felt deep in the crevices of their mind. From the clouds there came a peerless moon, drenched in blood as the jabberwock screamed even greater. The moon started to melt, dripping its foul scarlet upon the creature's head and creeping over its body like poison ivy, crimson weeds that thickened its arms and legs to form a visceral exoskeleton.

WE...WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO AWAKEN.

"ANDRIEU LOOK OUT!"

With piercing howl it suddenly burst a devastating laser of sharp ruby glint that scarred through the land, before a shattering explosion followed after in glorious plumes of sickly pale cobalt. The earth itself broke in half, the tower shifting to one side of the courtyard as the jabberwock stomped its feet to snap the arena further with a monstrous eruption, a deafening volcanic crack as the creature kicked one side afar to send it drifting off towards the abyss. The tower grounds were now fully split in twain, with Andrieu, Travers and Gerald on one side, whilst James stood alone against the dreaded abomination.

"F-FATHER, NOOOO!"

"STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" he screamed back to the boy. "GERALD, KEEP HIM SAFE!"

"FUCK THIS, THIS MONSTER'S DEAD!"

The phantom still consumed in his rage tried to charge towards the monster's back, but much to his fury he found an invisible barrier that briefly shimmered by the light of the moon when he slammed into it. Roaring with lashing chains he tried to break through, the jabberwock staring briefly behind with a false semblance of a smile.

"GOD, DAMMIT NO, JAAAAMES!"

SHUN YE NOT, YOUR SAVIOUR OF DREAMS.

The cruel beast turned back towards the lemming as they floated on their island.

ALL WHO DREAM, MUST DREAM ALONE.

"I-i...I am not alone," James shook his head clenching his whip. "I-i was never alone...even when you tortured me in my dreams, there was...Chanoch, he always waited for me!"

AN ORPHANED HEART, ABANDONED BY YOU.

"BUT HE'S STILL THERE, WAITING FOR ME! I don't deserve to go back to him yes I know, I do not deserve someone as wonderful as him, but Andrieu deserves peace, he deserves love and hope, AND IF I MUST DESTROY MY DREAMS TO MAKE HIM HAPPY, THEN I WILL!"

WHAT INSPIRES SUCH SELF-DESTRUCTION?

"I LOST EVERYTHING!" James screamed with filling tears. "I LOST MY HOME, MY FUTURE BECAUSE I WAS CORRUPTED BY SELFISH DESIRES, BUT I WILL NOT LET THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO ANDRIEU!"

WHY PITY SUCH A WASTED BEAST?

"_HE'S NOT A BEAST! HE IS MY SON! _"

With desperate charge he dived under the sweeping strike of its broken limb, dragging its knuckles across the wall as the scribe burned a thickening flame through his staff and carved through the monster's jaw with a flaming lash, scarring its bone before he was kicked hard across the broken court with a giant jagged knee slamming into his face. Rolling fast he pushed himself back up with a burst of wind and shot forwards at the creature's head with a rending gale, punching its eye with a point-blank burst of fire from his fist to send it reeling back in surprise. Spinning his body fast in the air, James swung out his bladed whip to form a silver tornado that vibrated faster against the wind, trembling through the air until he snapped it fast with a shockwave that sliced through the jabberwock's mind, a sonic boom bursting its ears and popping one of of its weakened eyes.

The monstrous fiend countered with a shrieking beam of light, tearing through the sky with a thunderous pulse of brilliant white that James barely evaded before half his body was scarred with savage burns of blasphemous wroth, tearing apart the barrier of wind and sending him falling back to earth. The jabberwock lurched towards him with a swinging set of fists, three in a cycle that pummelled the land and cracked it upwards that James mostly avoided, but the sudden snap of the ground beneath sent him flying as the abomination plucked him out of the sky. The lemming shot back his steel whip to slash through its fingers and make it recoil in a start enough for James to land on the back of its hand. He ran up the bony limb before it could react and swung his threaded vine towards the creature's neck, wrapping under the jaw and tightening hard like a serpent's coil. While it did not choke, for this creature had no lungs or sense to breathe, it clutched at its throat in response from the cutting twist of the lemming's cane sharply digging its points into the flesh and scraping over the spinal column.

He climbed onto its skull, the meshwork of bone where a dozen eyes glared venomous from within as he wrapped the handle of his cane through the farthest hole he could reach and tightened the thread like a barb-wire noose, the savage jabberwock shrieking with agony in trying to grab the whip-cane too small for its fingers to hook. James stumbled to the top of its skull, watching his footing as he raised his fists high and with all his might summoned the coldest, greatest shards of ice that his body could muster. His fingers turned torpid, his breath shuddering frost and his robe collecting droplets of frigid snow. His hands came together to form an icy pick, a long crescent shape of a piercing white axe with sapphire tip that gleamed in the light of the bloody moon, slivers of ruby within the ice as he drove it down into the monster's scalp with ferocious cry. The jabberwock screeched, the moon trembled from its pain to send showers of scarlet rain across the blighted realm, forming pools reflecting the paper sky.

The monster staggered with violent throes of its head to try and dislodge its attacker, but James held on with a deathly grip, his hands frozen to the axe as he cracked and twisted deeper into the medulla, the rending tip of its heavy shard cleaving through its eyes and hooking against the mesh of its unearthly skull. Carving the fleshy lobes apart, he mined through its cortices and tore its synapses with fountains of blood spraying upon his face, crimson oil smothering his cloak as the creature screamed struggling to grab or punch him off its bleeding scalp, eyes burning with anguish upon the scribe who plucked them out like viscous bulbs and hurled them to the far abyss, ripping every single retina from the creature beyond.

"I AM DONE WITH YOU!"

He raised his red ruby axe high above for his final strike.

"_THIS, NIGHTMARE, IS OVEEEEERRRR! _"

Cracking the deepest core of its oblongata, the lemming burst its brain like a watery balloon before it shuddered with guttural rasp. The moon disappeared with the last of its thoughts, fading back to the other realm where the castle still burned upon its snowy peak. The jabberwock collapsed to its knees and slammed its head forwards, moments before its body was reclaimed by eternity in a soundless explosion, its form reduced to ashen smoke that drifted off towards the vellum sky. James collapsed onto his side in the burnt lines of the creature's shape, his lungs on fire and his hands trembling with ice.

"JAMES, JAAAMES!"

The voice of Gerald came calling as he floated over with the barrier now fallen.

"James are you...are you alright?"

"I'm...I-i'm not sure."

"Come on let's get you back, hold on."

With his spirit now calm and his burning rage ceased, the raptor solidified his form and carried the lemming back towards Andrieu and Travers still upon their half of the land. Placing him down upon the horse, Gerald sighed with relief as James managed to sit upright with Andrieu hugging behind him.

"Are you...alright, father?"

"Y-...yes." He sighed feeling his warmth. "I...I think we're alright now."

"Is it...is it over? Can we go?"

"We can. There's nothing left here...for us."

He opened his book. The words had been finished, and in the depths of its pages there lied a new world he had not seen since his exile. A sprawling prehistoric land where trees reached up to the heavens, grand beasts would roam as kings of the plain, and the ocean was vast in purest azure beneath a mirrored sky where all would roam free.

"Is...is that it?" Andrieu gasped.

"It is," said James. "All we have to do now is touch it, keep one hand on Travers since he's coming to."

"And then we...we're...we're home, father?"

"Yes Andrieu. Home, that you deserve."

"And I'm glad to hear." Gerald sighed patting the horse. "You take care of yourselves alright? I'm sorry aboot all the cloak-and-dagger stuff."

"You're not coming?" the wolfling asked.

"Nah, I've got my own family to go back to. I'll come visit if you want, I know where that world is."

"Alright." He reached out to hug the raptor. "Thank you mister Gerald."

"Heh...you're a good kid." He hugged him back before offering his hand to James. "Farewell James. May you find your love in the waking world."

"Hah...I hope you find peace too," the lemming shook his hand.

"Trust me...I have, thanks to you."

He stepped back from them as Travers twitched his ears, a soft flutter of his nostrils as the scribe patted his head and looked to Andrieu in turn.

"Are you ready to come home, with me?"

"Yes."

The child brought out the green ribbon as he wrapped it round his neck.

"Let's...let's go home. Father."

The moment they touched the page, with one hand still on Travers, there was a familiar sound that James savoured with relief as his soul unclenched for the first time in years. A gasping roar that trickled through their minds, wrapped round their bodies and sent them aloft through the abyss between worlds, that strange and wondrous dark which wrapped round him like a blanket. For a moment they felt a door, pushing against with their hands as something trembled with a burst of light at the end of the long tunnel, a blinding shock to their senses as they fell onto a cold stone floor.

" V-Vos in der velt?!"

A voice barked with surprise in a deep guttural snarl as Travers suddenly skidded to a halt, slamming against a wall with a shrieking neigh as James and Andrieu struggled to hold on with the lemming pulling the reins

"W-WOAH, WOAAAAH, TRAVERS STOP! Stop...it's alright."

He stroked the horse back down to a gentle state.

"It's alright...it's alright, be still, just-"

"J-james?"

He looked past the horse's head. Standing in the Roaring Caves, the old sea caverns with holes dotting the walls and the ocean churning far below on a clear summer day, was a tall naked lizardman of deep green scale and dark red eyes in a room within the cave. A a bed had been made with shelves carved into the wall, upon which many books were placed except one that laid on the floor. James would step off Travers and approach, limping with his cane.

"Chanoch? Is...is this real?"

The first thing Chanoch did was weep. Falling to his knees he clutched his head, shivering with a sob deep in his chest as he tried to keep his eyes on James. His hair was darker, longer with lifeless curls, his pupils sunken with a deepened sclera and his skin far more pale than it once had been. But then he saw the pendant in the crook of his neck, amongst the many scars and bruises that covered the lemming's skin.

"H-hoh...ohhh, meyn lib...m-meyn ziseh neshomeh."

"H-haha, I-i..." he stepped forth, "I still...did not learn much of your mother tongue-GUH!"

Chanoch grabbed James in a hug, fearing he would disappear in the next second as he clutched him tight with his body shaking harder from feeling the soft green hairs drip down his cheek. James broke down with him, a smile on their faces as they rocked each other gently for the next few minutes with stuttering sobs as Chanoch struggled to form his words.

"I...I-i knew you would come back."

"I...I almost couldn't," James gasped, "I...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry-"

"No, no no no, you do not be sorry. I forgive you. H-hoh I forgive you."

He wanted to argue, wanted to protest and admit his sins whatever they were. But the moment he heard Chanoch's voice whispering in his ear he felt his hatred slip away, that voice of doubt that had twisted his heart now fading from his memory, as if the strength of his love was banishing it from his mind as he felt Chanoch kiss his cheek.

"How did...you," he pointed to the cracked-looking cover on the floor, "y-you, came out, the book?"

"Yes," James smiled through his tears, "I found my way back, I knew that...you were always waiting for me, with that book."

"I knew you would. I kept it safe, for you, I promised."

"You did...thank you."

"What...happened to you?" his love pulled back standing up with him.

"It's a long story," James squeezed his hand, "trust me, I'll tell you everything but I have more important things."

"Like, the horse?"

"Not just him."

They looked towards Travers who shuffled nervous inside the cave, the light from the grand open sea somewhat soothing him as Andrieu slipped off the saddle fidgeting with his bag and the ribbon round his neck.

"It's alright." James beckoned the boy. "This is Chanoch. Chanoch...this is Andrieu."

"H-hello...Chanoch." The wolfling took his bow. "M-my name is Andrieu...nice to meet you."

"Ah...hello, Andrieu." The lizardman smiled kneeling down. "I am Chanoch. You are a friend of James?"

"I'm...James is...my father."

"F-fah...father?!"

"Adopted," James grinned, " I'm still rather getting used to it, again, long story."

"I...did not know you wanted a family." Chanoch put a hand to his chest. "I am...sorry I could not-"

"No no NO, no it's fine, I-i didn't plan to, it just happened!"

"Heeheheh!" The boy giggled showing his fangs. "Mister Ja-um, f-father's the best, h-he said I could live here safe, in a new home, a-and be a writer like him one day."

"You are a writer too?" said Chanoch shaking his head. "How old are you?"

"I'm, seeeven."

"Ahhh. Hah, you are a clever boy, like James."

"N-not really," James muttered rubbing his neck, "I didn't teach a lot to Andrieu to be fair-"

"But you did!" Andrieu gasped pumping his fist. "You told me how to write better, with good stories!"

"Oh, well, I suppose I did, I just...haaah."

The lemming fell beside Chanoch who grabbed him, almost picking him up in his arms before he stole a kiss on his lips.

"This is...real, yes?" James asked. "I'm not dreaming, please tell me."

"It is not a dream," Chanoch grinned wide, "it is real...ohhh, we have to tell Oddclaw, and Jeremy, they missed you!"

"O-of course, I have to um...w-wait, what about Andrea? The rest of the humans, they still banished me-"

"They are gone."

His eyes widened as the lizardman grinned.

"They went home, finally. I have much to tell you too."

"R-really?! Oh that's wonderful! I-i am so happy but, wait, you said Jeremy was here?"

"Yes, much has happened."

"Well, I guess we both have some stories to swap then!"

"Is this your home?" Andrieu stared around the cozy bedroom in the cave.

"Yes," Chanoch nodded, "I live here, do you like it?"

"It...it's really nice." The boy smiled swishing his tail. "Are you a writer too?!"

"No, but I love to read books."

"OH, I love books too! Wh-what's your favourite?!"

"Mmmm...Peter Pan." He looked towards James who hiccuped a brief sob. "It makes me think of...good times."

"My favourite's the Dread Mountain Fiends, do you know it?"

"No, do you have it?"

"Mmhmm!" He brought out the book from his bag. "Do you want to read it?"

"Yes. But, I think James should read it for us."

"Wh-what?!" the lemming sputtered.

"YES!" Andrieu grabbed his arm and pulled him to the bed. "You should read it, you have to read it too!"

"What now, we just arrived I-i-i have so many things to ask, friends to meet and-"

"Later." Chanoch slipped onto the bed and pulled them both beside him. "I want to hear you read."

"Pleaaaase father?" Andrieu prayed rolling on top of the lizardman. "I'm really tired, no more walking or fighting monsters."

"Hahahaha, but there's plenty of that in this!" James waggled the book at him.

"But, I'm not doing it, so I'm not tired if I read!"

"Hah...alright. But uh, OH yes this is Travers."

He pointed at the horse standing in the middle of the room.

"You want to read the story too?" the wolf asked him.

"Horses can't read Andrieu," James shook his head.

"That's why YOU have to read it for him father!"

"He is right," Chanoch nodded, "horses love stories."

"How do YOU know that?!" the lemming squinted at him.

"I have known horses, they are clever!"

"Travers is REALLY clever!" Andrieu patted the bed towards him. "Come on, come on boy, you want a story?!"

Much to their surprise Travers did want a story as he trotted over with a cheerful whinny, standing beside the bed and leaning his head over to sniff the book in his hands.

"I can't get a moment's rest with any of you," he shook his head, "alright, alright I will...read the pirate story."

"YES!" the boy threw up his hands. "Do you like pirates, mister Chanoch?!"

"I like stories about them yes," the lizardman smiled, "Peter Pan has pirates too."

"OH, do you have it?"

"I do, I will show you after James is done."

"You should call him father too," James nodded towards his lover, "no misters around here, if we're going to be a family."

"Wait, what?"

A gasp came from Andrieu as he stared at them.

"I get...TWO fathers?!"

"Thaaaat's right," the lemming patted Chanoch's chest, "since he is my lover, and you are my son, that makes him a father too."

"Is...is that true, mister Chanoch?"

The child pierced him with his eyes, a soulful look with a beastly snout twitching in excitement as his heart melted.

"Yes." Chanoch brought him close to smooch his head. "If James is your father, I am your father too, zuninkeh."

The boy broke into tears. For the first time in his life, he cried not in sorrow, but with joy as he hugged his two fathers tight as he could, with Travers sniffing over James to give him a soft lick of gratitude.

"Alright, a-alright alright I know we're all happy to be in a new house, but could we start the story now?"

"Yes!" Andrieu flumped against Chanoch's belly. "Story time's the best time!"

"Good. Chapter one...the night of the fiends."

For the rest of that afternoon, James would read the first two chapters until Andrieu fell asleep from exhaustion. Chanoch and James would take a moment to themselves and lead Travers out into the world beyond the cave where the stallion would gaze in wonder at his new home. Fresh rolling hills of splendid green, a perfect blue sky and a tropical breeze that filled their hearts and lungs with a tender peace. The mountains loomed high into the clouds, the sounds of raptors called from afar.

"I haven't felt this warm in years," said James.

"I know." Chanoch rubbed his back. "Thank you, for coming back."

"I'm sorry." He clutched his lover's hand. "I almost did not, I...I was trapped, I have no excuse for not returning sooner I-"

"No." He bent down to kiss the scribe on his lips. "Do not be sorry, James. All I want, is to be with you...and our new son."

"Hah...you took that really well."

"My parents, wanted me to have a family." Chanoch stroked his cheek. "You have given me that, and more...you gave me hope, and freedom. Even when you come back to me, you always give me more, than I deserve."

"...Chanoch."

He kissed him deeper as their breaths became thicker, a soft wind fluttering past their feet as Travers started to run across the fields close to the cave with a spring in his step and tears of joy before James called him back to their new home inside the well-lit caverns. Chanoch tightened his grip on the lemming's hand as they went to their bed, the child Andrieu still sleeping as they crawled up beside him and embraced him together. All three were smiling, until they would wake to begin their new life.

==============

Far beyond the world of Oddclaw, that Chanoch, James, Andrieu and Travers now lived for the rest of their lives, there was another house in the quiet eve under a different moon of golden hue. With pockmarked craters like patchwork and gleaming yellow like butter on morning toast, it shone upon a village where houses were shaped like giant turtle shells in green and red and blue. One such house had three visitors stand outside of it, who upon landing in the grass would not make a single footprint.

"Is this it?" asked Gerald.

"S'whut Kirie telt me," said Mary looking around, "least 'fore she disappeared, god it's awfy quiet innit?"

"This better be it," Charlie muttered haggard behind them, "I'm not cut oot fer flying."

"Aye, yer mair of a bomber than a jet."

"Well you know me, I don't come fast but I deliver a big load."

"PFFFFT HAAAH!"

"Guys, come on," Gerald sighed rubbing his snout, "could you not do this now?"

"Whut it keeps me spirits up!" his wife cried.

"Hah, spirits," the trike snorted, "damn you're on point tonight."

"An' yer oan three, whit's yer point?"

"Four if you count when I'm hard-"

"OKAY, we get it!" Gerald turned to grab their shoulders. "I've been waiting for this a long time, can we just not, please?"

"Right...sorry Ger."

His wife and friend looked to each other with a smirk before nodding as they approached the house. Stepping over the fence with a float, they stared through the window to where two creatures sat on a sofa in each other's arms. One was a brown raptor, with eyes of green and purple marks; the other a yellow-skinned turtle in a shell of green.

"Christ issat him?" Mary gasped. "Ohhh! Ohh he looks sae handsome!"

"Takes a lot after you," Gerald grinned, "god look how he's grown, he...o-oh god."

They turned away briefly to wipe the tears from their eyes, Charlie rubbing their shoulders with a gentle squeeze.

"He looks well," he said, "got a nice house and a good-looking guy."

"A turtle even," the husband shook his head, "your father woulda loved to hear aboot this."

"We can tell 'im can't we?" the wife looked up. "We got plenty tae tell mum an' him, an' Robert tae."

"Yeah...I like your brother a lot, I'm glad we finally met."

"I'm glad ah could see him again tae." They looked back towards their son with his husband. "God he looks sae calm, it's hard tae think of all the stuff Kirie said aboot him."

"Yeah, he definitely takes after you," said the trike rolling his eyes, "all the fights he's been in an' such-"

"Hey-ey Gerald's been in fights tae!"

"He punched one guy for sassing you!"

"An' he wuz mah knight in shining armour," she wrapped her arm round his, "James took thuh best from both of us, that's why he's found hissel' a good place tae be."

"I dunno aboot best from BOTH of us," Gerald rubbed his neck, "but he does look happy. I'm glad he is."

"Ah hope the day we see him is far off, when he's like a hundred-twenty."

"Yeah, what's important is he has a good life."

"Hallosh!"

They looked down at their feet towards a strange-looking beast that made them jump. A black iron ball with a chain trailing behind, smiling with a large maw of teeth and a panting tongue.

"Did that thing just talk?" Gerald clenched his teeth.

"Does that ball have a FACE?" Charlie blinked.

"Must be a local beast," Mary knelt down with a smile, "hi theeeeere, awww are you friendly?"

"Yush, I ish friend!" the ball wagged his chain. "Who ish you?!"

"See that raptor in the hoose?" she pointed at the window. "That's oor son, ahm Mary his mum, an' Gerald here's his da."

"OH! You ish daddy James' mummy an' daddy, waaaah!"

"Hahaha, ayyyye is he yer daddy?"

"Yesh!" the ball rolled on his back and then back on his front again. "Daddy James took me in with daddy Koopin, they takes care of me!"

"Sooo he's a pet?" Gerald smirked crossing his arms. "Well, that's good, what's your name li'l guy?"

"I ish Charlie!"

"Wait...Charlie?"

They looked towards the triceratops who stepped forth.

"Tha...th-that's my name, why is he, why are you called Charlie?"

"Ish my name!" the chomping little orb ran a circle in front of them. "Daddy James calls me Charlie, Chaaaarlie Charlie Charlie, waaaaah."

"He...he called you that?"

Charlie the ghost clutched his stomach, feeling his heart twist slightly in a shock of emotion he had not expected. His smile broke through and with it a soft set of tears came down his cheek.

"He...h-he remembered me. He remembered his uncle Charlie."

"Do yoush want to play?!" Charlie the pet gave a little bark.

"I wish we could but," Gerald waved his hand, "we're not here to stay, just wanted to drop a message to James, can you give it to him?"

"Yesh, yesh, ish from granny Mary an' granpa Gerald?!"

"Hahahaha, aye it is!" Mary petted him as he whimpered closing his eyes. "Alrigh', lessee."

In her pockets she brought out a small note of paper wrapped in a red ribbon that she put into his chains.

"Theeere ya are, now gies that to yer da, don't lose it!"

"I won'tsh!" Charlie wagged looking back at it. "But I wantsh to play with granny an' granpa!"

"Maybe next time," said the other Charlie stroking him, "you keep James safe, alright?"

"I protectsh daddiesh, okaysh Charlie!"

"Hah...good boy, Charlie."

The two raptors stepped back trying not to laugh, the trike smiling rosy from his horns as they took each other's hands.

"Goodbye Charlie," Mary waved to him, "tell yer daddy we love him."

"Okaysh!" the ball-and-chain wagged faster with a noisy bark. "Goodbyesh, you come backsh to play, okaysh?!"

"We will, take care now!"

"Goodbyesh, goodbyyyesh!"

"Charlie?!"

The voice of his owner made him turn as he saw James standing at the back of the house.

"Charlie you know it's quiet time when the moon's out."

"Daddy, daddy!" he bounced over with a louder yip. "I shaw granny an' granpa, waah!"

"Okayyy okayyy," the raptor knelt down not understanding a word, "come on it's time to sleep, let's go."

"But, granny an' granpa, they gavesh me shomething for yoush!"

"Huh? What's that?"

The mutt wagged his chain in front of him, showing the note that jangled with the sound of ringing as he plucked it free and took Charlie inside. Closing the back door of the house, he watched the chain chomp scamper towards the sofa as he opened the note. The first thing that made him gasp was the silver bell from a red ribbon that made his heart stop briefly. The second was the note, in someone's writing he did not recognise.

We're proud of you, James

"Hun?"

He looked up towards Koopin's voice.

"Is something wrong? Your eyes are fuzzy."

"Mmmm no, n-nothing." He wiped his eyes and put the note with the bell in a drawer. "Just uhh, night air, it's getting cold out there."

"Hmmm." The koopa nodded with a smile but chose not to ask. "Movie's almost done, you wanna go to bed after this?"

"Yeaaah," the raptor stretched his arms and flumped back on the couch beside him, "I got some stuff to do tomorrow so, might as well get an early night."

"You have Oddclaw to visit too next week," Koopin tapped his husband's arm, "you remember the gifts Jacob got him?"

"Yep, I got them over by the bed, you want to give him anything?"

"Nooo it's fine. I'm glad you're still seeing him."

"Yeah..." James sighed, "I'm glad it all went down well, his mom was really forgiving despite all she's been through."

"You're very lucky," Koopin squeezed his hand, "you know that right?"

"I do." He turned to him. "I've known that since the day I met you."

They both gave a kiss, the glow of the TV painting their faces in a pale gleam as they stared briefly at each other. For a moment the old lines of their crackling scales would fade, the crow's feet under their eyes would almost disappear in a brief reminiscence. Koopin laid his head against James' chest, their rings upon their hands shining with a star inside each.

"I wonder what's happening next week?" Koopin asked.

"No idea," James pulled him close, "right now I'm not thinking too far ahead."

"You never did, what's changed?"

"Hahah...well...I dunno. I just know that...tomorrow is another day."

They drifted off to sleep. Charlie curled up beneath their feet as the house became quiet. The sound of a bell briefly shimmered beside the bed, but nothing else would come. Nothing but peace, and happiness.

FINAL END