Bram's Hollow

The moon drifted slowly across the night sky as Tobias and his father made their way through the tall tree forest and back toward Bram’s Hollow. Jerome decided it would be better if he flew back above the treetops so the others wouldn’t have to worry about keeping the candle lit as they walked. Tobias had little trouble negotiating the rough terrain in his pseudo Wolfkin form. Even the darkness was no trouble for him, his eyes instantly adjusted and every rock and patch of grass appeared as clear as it would in the day. As they walked toward town Lance clutched the amulet of Rymun that he now sported around his neck.

“Can I ask you something” Tobias said.

Lance displayed a half smile for his son. “Toby, you can ask me anything.”

“Well, why didn’t you tell us where you were going all those years ago?”

“It wasn’t easy tracking down and taking the amulet. I had dealings with some unsavory characters and had my life endangered more than a couple of times.” Lance held the amulet around his neck as he talked. “It may sound odd but I thought it better you thought I was a no good runaway dad than finding out that something terrible had happened to me. So I guess I did it for you.”

Tobias didn’t know how to respond, so he said nothing. He tried to put himself in his father’s shoes and wondered if he would have done the same thing to see his dad. He didn’t know. Tobias grew up missing his father and was ready to do almost anything to see him. Now that he knew that his father actually was doing almost anything for his dad, it made his anger toward Lance all but disappear. It made him feel better.

“When did you plan on resurrecting your dad?” Tobias asked.

Lance tucked the amulet under his dirt smeared shirt and sighed. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to.”

“Why not?”

“Unfortunately the amulet has a price for it to work.” Lance said sadly.

“The life of a human.” Tobias finished the thought.

Lance nodded in agreement. “As much as I would love to see my father, I couldn’t take an innocent life for it.”

It didn’t take the group long to emerge from the forest and into the clearing by the lake. The street lamps in the town could be seen off in the distance, across the lace. Lance stopped and took the sight in. It was obvious from his thin frame and tattered, dirty clothes that he had a rough time on his quest to resurrect his father. But as Tobias watched his dad look out over at the lit up streets of Bram’s Hollow, he could see the same wonder in his eyes that he must have had when he first saw the town almost a week ago.

Lance smiled the most honest, joyful smile Tobias had seen on him. As he turned to his son Lance said. “If you knew how many times your mother and I watched the lights of the town from this very meadow.”

Tobias returned the smile and thought of his first time in the meadow with Isabelle. He turned and looked at the pool of collected water where they first saw Bibby and hoped he made it to his home safely. Tobias felt bad for getting Bibby in a situation that could have gotten him hurt. He felt responsible since it was Tobias that Richter was after. That reminded Tobias of what Richter said about Count Orlok, and how he wanted to keep him from getting resurrected. As cruel and manipulative as Richter seemed, even he thought Orlok was too dangerous to come back.

The question of who would possibly want to see Orlok’s return began to bounce around in Tobias’s head. It was pretty clear that the undead guild wanted nothing to do with him, or at least their leader did. Tobias tried to think of why anyone would want Orlok returned, he didn’t really know anything about him. There was that book at Rotigan’s house but all the information on Orlok was removed. Tobias decided to ask his father. “Jerome said Count Orlok was a Tyrant. What did he do exactly?”

The question caught Lance off guard. “You don’t know?”

“Well, there was a book at Rotigan’s but all the pages about him were missing.”

“I see.” Lance thought of the most concise way to tell the tale. “Honestly the long and short of it was the Arcane Chamber. It was formed to keep the four guilds safe and apart from the human race. Pretty much a live and let live sensibility. On the other hand Orlok felt that the guilds were superior to mankind and as such should rule them. And with the vampires at the top of the food chain, under Orlok’s rule of course.” Lance thought for a second. “In fact I think that would make Richter a suspect since he was Orlok’s successor.”

“He’s not behind this.” Tobias said while scratching the fur on his left forearm. “He thought I had the ashes, he was trying to stop Orlok’s resurrection.”

“Well, if it’s not Richter then who else do we got?” Lance asked as they began walking toward Bram’s Hollow once again.

The lights from the town seemed to be glowing brighter as they trekked ever closer. Tobias walked and wondered if his mother was doing any better and thought about whether he would be able to visit her so late at night. Lance looked over at him and placed his hand on his son’s fur covered shoulder. “You alright?” Lance asked.

“Yea, I was just thinking about mom.” Tobias looked off toward the increasing glow of the town. “I’m really worried about her.”

“I am too Toby.” Lance said quietly. “But you know what? We shouldn’t be.”

His father’s words surprised Tobias. “What do mean we shouldn’t worry?”

“Your mother is a fighter, she always has been. Besides Wolfkin are known for their ability to heal quicker than most. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Lance wrapped his arm around his son for a walking half hug. “When she’s feeling better I want you to tell her I’m sorry for everything.”

“Why can’t you tell her yourself?” Tobias was confused.

“I’m still exiled from Bram’s Hollow. When we get close to town I’ll have to let you go and bring your friend back for me to talk to.”

“So you can’t come back at all?”

“Not without a pardon from the Arcane Chamber. I’ll face execution if I go back. That’s why Henry has to bring his daughter outside of town.” Lance stepped in front of his son and looked him in the eyes. “It’s alright, after almost fifteen years I’ve grown used to it. Besides, whoever stole the ashes can’t resurrect Orlok without the amulet, and I have that. Not to mention he would need a human to sacrifice, and Bram’s Hollow is a little short on those.”

Both Lance and Tobias walked along the lakeside marveling at the view of the lit streets of Bram’s Hollow. It was quite a scenic place with the lights of Main Street fading up the hillside into several residential streets. Tobias could tell by his father’s face that he missed the place and felt sympathy for his time away from his hometown.

The lake curved toward town and the father and son duo followed it until they spotted two figures drenched in shadow, eclipsing the lamps from the street. They walked closer and to Tobias, something felt off. One of the two shadowed people was undoubtedly Henry, but the other couldn’t have been Isabelle. They were too tall and had too short of hair and ears. This gave Tobias an uneasy feeling that was justified when the closed in the distance and heard the voice of the second person.

“Stop right there, come no closer.” Said the unknown but unquestionably male voice. The final steps around the lake literally shed light on the identity of the speaker. When Tobias realized that he was looking at one of Docherty’s bodies standing beside Henry, his stomach fluttered and sank.

“What are you doing here?” Tobias asked one third of Docherty.

“This isn’t a Q and A.” The partial Triune said forcibly as he gave Henry a shove. “We’re going to the shifter’s house, now get moving.”

“Now you hold on a minute.” Lance objected. “You’re not going to just us anywhere you want.”

“No, no, no.” Docherty waved his index finger back and forth as he spoke. “You don’t understand, the rest of me is already at the house and if you don’t do as I already told ya, then the mutt’s little girlfriend is going to get her throat slit.”

Henry was doing his best to hold back his sobbing, all he could do was softly mutter. “Please don’t let my family die.”

“You wouldn’t Docherty.” Tobias said desperately.

“I can see in the house right now.” Docherty said cold and calmly. “I have a knife from the kitchen up to her neck. He mother is crying but Isabelle, oh how she trembles in my arms.”

Tobias’s eyes were blurry with quiet rage. He felt fur stand on end and his fangs grow slightly. Docherty again shoved Henry and he started walking back toward Main Street. Lance followed suit forcing him to reenter Bram’s Hollow, to a death sentence. Tobias gazed into Docherty’s eyes as if he were trying to kill with a look. He followed his father leaving Docherty to watch the captors from the rear of the group. The streets were all but empty save for the four walking by the closed shops. Tobias glanced at the bakery where he and Isabelle visited shortly after first meeting, the doors were shut and the lights extinguished.

The group made their way up the twisting residential streets up the hillside. Docherty, either out of boredom or a desire to annoy and infuriate talked to Tobias from behind him.

“Looks like you mutt blood is showing.” Docherty said in a dismissive tone. “The other Wolfkin will never accept you like that.”

“What do you know of it.” Tobias said back.

“Look at you, not Wolfkin or human. Just some sort of crossbreed freak. Keep moving.”

Henry approached the front door of his house and stopped, scared of what he might see inside.

“Open it.” Docherty commanded.

He did what he was told and slowly creaked open the door. Docherty ushered them inside. The house was disheveled, the coffee table turned over, bookshelves emptied onto the ground and branches torn off of the tree that grew inside the house. The door closed behind Tobias as Docherty pushed him in toward the dining room. It was there that he saw Isabelle in the back of the room with another of Docherty’s bodies holding her with a kitchen knife to her throat. On the opposite side of the cleared dining room table was the final member of the Triune trio.

“Why are you doing this?” Lance asked through clinched teeth.

“We are bringing in the dawn of a new era.” The voice caught all Lance and Tobias by surprise. This one was deeper and emanated from the adjoining kitchen. Everyone turned toward the door and watched as Bethany, Isabelle’s mother, walked out into the dining room. She was visibly shaken and looked to have been crying for quite some time. She wasn’t alone either. Guiding her into the room was a grey and red bearded, burly man. His gruff voice danced down Tobias’s spine as he spoke.

“This night has been a long time coming.” Rotigan spoke as he shoved Bethany face first onto the dining room table. “All I need now Lance, is your amulet.”