Bram's Hollow

The tension in the disheveled dining room was palpable. Tobias, still in his half wolf form, stood frozen to the floor with his eyes fixed on Isabelle and the glinting metal knife that was being pressed against her throat. A tearful eyed Henry reached out for his wife who was sprawled out on the dining room table. Her eyes stayed locked with his as Rotigan and one third of Docherty tied her down to the table with four small lengths of rope. No one moved, for it was Isabelle’s life that was on the line.

Rotigan finished securing Bethany to the wooden table, his eyes looked cold and determined. It was a look that Tobias had not seen in him before. The look filled him with unease and the pit of his stomach sank. “It was you that attacked my mother and Arthur, wasn’t it?”

The question stopped Rotigan in his tracks. He slowly approached Tobias examining his current state of pseudo lycanthropy. “Look who sprouted into manhood.” Rotigan said with harsh sarcasm. “Your dirty, mixed blood has once again made you a disgrace.” He scoffed at Tobias’s half Wolfkin form. “It was your mother’s infatuation with the Dampier that made you this, bad blood will out.”

“Answer the question, Rotigan.” Lance’s ire matched his son’s.

“Had to be done I’m afraid.” Rotigan said with vile pomp. “We are on the dawning of a new age for our kind. An age of purity and leadership is required for that transition.” One of Docherty’s bodies handed the familiar looking silver urn to Rotigan. “One who can sweep Bram’s Hollow clean of impurity, and can guide us to the level of worldwide renown that we are rightfully entitled to. We are the dominant force on this planet and we should refuse to live in hiding any longer.”

“That is insane.” Lance said desperately to Rotigan. “The human will panic. It’ll start an all-out war. Millions could die.”

“Absolutely, but why are you saying that like it was a horrible thing?” Rotigan glared at Lance as if he had already proved his point. “You should consider yourself lucky, in a matter of minutes you will bear witness to the resurrection of our Lord Orlok, who will abolish the Arcane Chamber and lead us to a better tomorrow. You will all be dead by that point though of course.”

“But why did you try to kill my mother?” Tobias asked insistently.

Rotigan’s raspy voice became colder than before. “Arthur had discovered that Richter was behind the zombie attack after all and came to my home to tell us. It gave me the perfect opportunity to cause the distraction necessary so Donavan here could snatch Lord Orlok’s ashes for me. Poor Arthur never saw the attack coming and fell without much of a fight. Vivian on the other hand was quite vicious and almost gave me a run for my money. After she was dealt with it was only a matter of placing the blame Lance here. Lycos has such hate for him. I knew he would take the bait, leaving me one of the blameless victims.”

Tobias suddenly recalled literally running into Docherty in the castle. He was holding something. It was clear to him now that it was the ashes they had and were making their escape.

Rotigan’s attention was turned to Henry who had been crying out for his wife on the table.

“Let her go,” Henry pleaded. “She has nothing to do with this.”

“I understand your sadness, I really do.” Rotigan said insincerely. “But Bethany here is the guest of honor. She is an important part of Orlok’s return.”

Henry’s sadness slowly morphed into anger, he understood what he meant. Understood that was required to resurrect a vampire with the amulet. “If you don’t release her this second I will take your-“

Henry’s threat was sharply interrupted by the back of Rotigan’s hand. “That will be enough of your useless prattling. Don’t you forget about your daughter over there. If you force my hand I will not hesitate to have her throat slit.” A tear rolled down Henry’s cheek as he looked at Isabelle, her neck already nicked and bleeding from Docherty’s unsteady hand.

As Tobias and Lance watched the horror before their eyes, they were once again the target of Rotigan’s attention. As he spoke to Lance with his gruff voice Tobias looked at Isabelle who kept eye contact with him as if she were begging for him to help. Tobias wanted nothing more on this earth than to oblige.

“Now, in order to get the festivities underway, I am once again going to have to ask for the amulet of Rymun.” Lance stared hard into Rotigan’s eyes, he didn’t move, he didn’t respond.

“I don’t think you grasp how little of a choice you have right now Lance.” Rotigan said sternly. “There is nothing you can do but whatever I command you to. Because if you don’t, I will make you watch as I kill Henry’s and your children.”

“Just give him the amulet please.” Henry begged Lance with deep desperation. “For our kids.”

“If I give him the amulet they’re going to die anyway.” Lance replied. “You heard him, a world of purity. Both Tobias and Isabelle are mixed blood. This amulet is a death sentence for all of us including your wife.”

“Perhaps.” Rotigan confirmed. “But you cannot stop Lord Orlok’s coming. Dead or alive, you’re giving me that amulet.”

Tobias watched, as his father slowly and regretfully removed the amulet from around his neck and hand it over to Rotigan. With his goals nearly complete Rotigan laughed like a madman. He slipped the chain around his neck like it were a ceremonial occasion. “And now, the resurrection can begin.”

Each body of Docherty watched with trepidation as Rotigan removed the lid from Orlok’s urn and gently poured the ashes on the writhing body of Bethany. Henry was quivering with anger. Tobias looked at his father who in turn nudged his head toward Isabelle. The knife was away from her neck, Docherty was too fixated on the macabre ceremony. Isabelle watched Tobias as he carefully and subtly fluttered his hands like a bird.

With everything set for the sacrifice, Rotigan transformed into his Wolfkin form. “It is for the future that I bring you back Lord Orlok.” He raised his hand and extended his claws ready to strike them down on Bethany.

“Now!” Lance shouted.

Richter’s grip on Isabelle was lost as she shrank down into the form of a robin and fluttered about the dining room. Richter’s three bodies were all turned toward the airborne, flailing bird.

“She’s loose.” One of the bodies said with the other two responding. “Get her.” “Catch her.”

Rotigan shrugged of the momentary distraction and once again readied the killing blow. But with Isabelle’s distraction and his focus on the ceremony, Rotigan did not notice Henry who himself transformed. Only it was a grizzly bear that now stood before the Wolfkin. Swinging his massive clawed paw Henry swatted Rotigan away from Bethany. Tobias and Lance quickly rushed the three Rotigan bodies.

The dining room was now crowded with fighting and fluttering and clawing and scratching. Tobias waist tackled one of Docherty and easily pinned him down. His new found strength and dexterity proved to be quite useful against the Triune. His father was also able to restrain one of his own. But it was the third that was the real problem kicking Tobias off of one of the others. The two then ran from the house leaving the third behind. Tobias was quick to his feet and about to give chase when the crashing sound from Rotigan and Henry’s brawl slammed into the table causing it to tip with Bethany still tied to it spilling Orlok’s ashes in the process.

Tobias ran to the flipped table and began untying the ropes keeping Isabelle’s mother attached. Isabelle reverted to her normal appearance and aided him. They feverishly untied the restraints as Rotigan and Henry fought tooth and claw only a few feet away.

“Mom, are you okay?” Isabelle asked as Tobias freed Bethany from the last rope.

Both Tobias and Isabelle helped Bethany out of the room ad Lance ran to Henry to help with Rotigan who was getting the upper hand in the battle. The Wolfkin slashed his clawed hand at the bear’s face causing Henry to bellow a painful growl. Lance grasped Rotigan around the waist bat was delivered a sharp elbow to the back from Rotigan. Blood from the cuts on his face blinded Henry who swung wildly at Rotigan. They seemed easy for the wolfkin to dodge kicked the bear in the stomach to back him away.

Lance Got back to his feet and dove at Rotigan, his fangs grew as he readied himself for a chance to bite. He found the opportunity and clenched his pointed teeth into Rotigan’s shoulder. While Rotigan cried out from the pain Lance was able to pull the amulet free from the Wolfkin’s neck and toss it out toward Tobias.

The amulet landed a just out of reach. Rotigan grasped Lance by the throat and tossed him to the other side of the room. Tobias locked eyes with Rotigan, he saw the terrifying look of psychotic determination in him and knew he couldn’t let him retrieve that amulet. Quickly Tobias pounced for the amulet, Rotigan broke away from his attackers and charged at him. Tobias just barely reached his goal first and grasped the amulet chain and ran for the front door. With Rotigan in chase, Tobias did not bother with the knob and instead rammed the door breaking threw it almost effortlessly.

Tobias ran into the front yard with Rotigan right behind him. A few steps into the open air Tobias saw a wall of dark figures standing on the outskirts of the light from the house. It was a scene that confused Tobias before his vision became dark and overwhelmingly grim. Tobias fell to the ground and shook with fear and despair. It was a feeling that was familiar but far more intense than when he first encountered his great uncle Jerome. The sense of extreme dread faded fast as the dark shadows of the phantasms passed over Tobias and encircled their prey just past the front door.

The ring of dark figures made no visible movements and said nothing. They only stood there as Rotigan screamed in agony. Tobias could not see past the phantasms but imagined what Rotigan must be experiencing. What Tobias received was only a small taste of the mental torture they were enacting on Rotigan.

“Tobias.” A low voice called out from behind Tobias’s shoulder.

He turned as saw Jerome standing by one of the street lanterns that Tobias and his father admired from the lakeside. He pulled himself away from Rotigan’s mental punishment and approached his great uncle.

“I guessing that was your doing?” Tobias asked.

“I saw them take you to the house.” Jerome said emotionlessly. “When I flew to get a closer look I heard Rotigan and rushed right off for aid.”

“Are they torturing him?” Tobias asked as he watched the front yard.

“They are merely holding him at bay until more corporeal reinforcements can arrive.”

From the back of the house, Isabelle ran over to Tobias and Jerome.

“What’s happening?” Isabelle asked.

“Have no more fear young lady.” Jerome said. “The interloper will soon be dealt with.”

“Are you alight?” Tobias asked as he inspected the small cuts on Isabelle’s neck.

“I’ll be okay, but my parents need some help.”

“Help is already en route.” Jerome informed Isabelle in his ancient voice.

“How’s my dad?” Tobias asked.

“He seems alright. He’s keeping a hold of the remaining third of Docherty so he won’t escape.”

From down the cobblestone street Dr. Donovan and several others from all guilds ran for Isabelle’s house to help with restrain Rotigan and attend to the injured.