An Evil Spring

1206, Spring

From where they were they had a clear view of a woman racing pell mell toward the path down from the upper village and then spilling down it at breakneck speed. Etienee wasn't sure at this distance, but it looked like it might be Katerina, the wife of Paolo the fisherman.

Etienne began to run toward the woman, sensing something was wrong.

Phillipe followed him, and more slowly Antoine began to come along. They met the woman, and it was Katerina, just at the foot of the path to the upper village. "My baby!" she cried. "He took my girl, my Elsabetta."

"Who?" cried Etienne shaking the woman hoping to evoke clarity. "Who took Elsabetta?"

"The horseman, the horseman in black!" she cried.

Etienne called out to Phillipe, "Send word to the covenant." He ushered the woman over to Antoine, "Take care of her." The fisherman called out for Alain as he hurried to run up the hill.

Antoine nodded, "Philippe help me with her. We must go to the cave." The trio moved toward the cave with the Hermes Portal.

Sitting at a small table just outside his cottage, Alain worked with quill and paper. It had been too long since he had worked on any sort of music and he found it difficult still to hear the notes and transcribe anything to paper. He thought of the poets and singers he had heard in Constantinople. Even before he spoke any Arabic, he had understood their meanings. He longed to express his own heart as easily as they...

Alain heard Etienne's call. Quickly, he stoppered his ink well and slid his writing kit back into the box.

"I am here!" he shouted in reply. He got to his feet as Etienne raced into view. "Where is the trouble?"

"It is Katerina, her daughter has been taken by a horseman in black," Etienne said hurredly as he raced toward his cottage to gather his arms.

"How long ago?" Alain asked. "Unless it was minutes, we will not catch them on foot. Do you have a mount?"

Etienne was unable to hear as he was soon out of earshot.

Alain let out a sigh. Old habits die hard, so he was already wearing his broadsword. It took only a second to grab his new kite shield. Adequately armed, in his own mind, he sprinted after Etienne.

Alain began to labor up the switchbacks to the Upper Village behind Etienne. When he reached the top, he saw Etienne racing up the valley toward his hut. On the lake, the fishing boats seem to have realized something was wrong and were pulling in their nets.

Lilia and Leporideas were in the kitchen having a little lunch and talking about their plans for the upcoming season when Phillippe Charpentier burst into the kitchen, surprising them since he did not have access to the tunnels. In a blurt he told them that Antoine had brought him through the magic gate and sent him ahead. "A horseman in black has stolen Elsabetta the daughter of Paolo the fisherman. Etienne and Alain are in pursuit in the upper valley!" he concluded.

Leporideas glanced to Lilia, "I will inform Terrus." In an instant a brown hare was hopping out of the room leaving Lilia with a pile of clothing beside her.

Leporideas' halted outside the carved symbols marking Terrus' sanctum and resumed his human shape to call out. It was not Terrus but Frederic who answered, which was not a surprise given Terrus' legendary reclusiveness.

Not shamed by his nakedness at all, Leporideas spoke with a bit of concern in his voice. "Frederic, Master Terrus needs to know that a black horseman has been seen in the village and he has stolen a child, Paolo's daughter."

Leporideas' words were familiar to Frederic as expressions of seriousness and anger filled his face. Frederic nodded to Leporideas, and said "Again," as he turned back into Terrus' lab. He quickly began to gather his casting tools, as he warned Terrus, "Master, today is the anniversary of my birth." He grabbed his sword belt and began to wear it, "They have come." He turned to rush out the door, where he found Leporideas still waiting.

Leporideas stood there and asked, "Is Master Terrus coming? Should I alert the others?"

Frederic looked back into the lab, to see if Terrus was following.

Terrus didn't seem to be in any rush. He waved Frederic on, "Go, I will follow."

Frederic would not patiently wait for his master; for the young Virditius, his enemies were here. "Show me where they were seen," Frederic said impatiently, "or many more may suffer."

Lilia had, meanwhile, sought out Osprey and he told her he would come. Osprey floated up the spire toward the lake surface, as always more comfortable airborne than on the ground. Lemain was nowhere to be found, presumably he was walking the lower tunnels as was his wont. The Twins did not respond to a call outside their Sanctum, whether they were ignoring it or were elsewhere, Lilia did not know.

Leporideas and Frederic made their way to the Hermes Portal, where they found Lilia and Tanya waiting. All four passed through and then began to make their way to the upper village.

Etienne came out of his hut, buckling his sword belt on, to see a huge bird swooping down to land. The shape of the bird blurred and Osprey stood naked there before him asking, "Where is the rider and the baby?" Osprey cast a spell as he listened to the answer and by the time Etienne had finished answering, Osprey was clad fur and leather. At the same time, Alain joined them.

Etienne shivered ever so slightly at the manifestation of Osprey before him. "Over there," he pointed toward Paolo's hut, "it is from where the mother came frantic with the news."

"Where did it go? Up the valley? I'll go see." Again Osprey's form shifted and the bird took to the air and began to fly up the valley.

After a few moments, Osprey returned and landed. A perfectly intelligible human voice issued from the bird's throat. "I found him and watched him for a few minutes. There is something unnatural about him and the horse, they rest on a ledge I do not think a natural horse could reach. They are waiting there, the baby seems unharmed."

"Now that we know what we are against, should we wait for the others to catch up with us?" Alain asked. "Or shall it be just the three of us to face this creature? Etienne? Osprey?"

"I defer to you, the professional soldiers," said Osprey. "But Frederic is the only one with experience with this ... creature."

Etienne took in Osprey's words. "I know not about a creature that can perch on rocks where others cannot. If the baby is unharmed, then perhaps we should wait for Frederic."

"Perhaps we should wait for his arrival before confrontation then. I think it would still be a good idea if someone where to keep an eye on it while we wait," Alain said. "Frederic seemed an enthusiastic sort. I'm sure he will be along immediately."

As if on cue, Frederic, Tanya and Leporideas came up the last switchback and ran up to join the other three, Lilia had stayed behind to go seek Katerina. Osprey told them what he had seen up the valley.

Frederic asked, "Are there any magics that will retrieve the baby before the demon sees us coming. I do not believe it cares for the infant's life, but is merely using the child to draw us out. It may just be waiting for our approach, so that it can drop the baby, for the soul purpose of ensuring our witness as a means of torture. They seem to enjoy killing those around me."

Osprey shook his head, "Nothing certain in my repertoire."

"Nor in mine," echoed Leporideas. "Such a task would require precision, I possess not such refinement."

Etienne asked Frederic, "You are familiar with this beast then. It can climb where horses cannot, how can we fight it?"

Frederic responded, "True it is not an easy task. My family and I feld the first time, when I was very young. Recently, Katerina was devising weapons against the demons, but alas was unable to finish them. I was hoping, if my status here can become magus, to have a laboratory of my own in which I could continue her work. But for now, I am not sure. It is interesting, though, the more I think of it, that there is only one of them. Normally, the village would be in flames by now with riders in black everywhere."

Alain, Etienne, Osprey, Tanya and Leporideas looked at each other for a moment. Finally, Osprey spoke. "We either go forward, or we abandon the child to the rider."

Leporideas looked to the others, "I will go and watch him." With that, the young man became a hare and hopped off.

Etienne spoke the obvious, "we cannot leave the child."

"I agree, we must try to save the child," Alain said. "What avenues of approach are there to the creature's position?"

"The creature was on a ledge on the left side of the valley," said Osprey. "Only six or seven feet up, but the slope was steep. I could approach from above, of course, but otherwise the only access is from below. I saw no avenue of escape save back down the slope off the ledge."

Frederic humbly spoke to the group, "I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to join whomever confronts the... black rider."

"If it is you that he wants, is it wise to allow you to be seen?" asked Etienne. "Unless you believe that by seeing you he may charge and make himself vulnerable."

Frederic responded, "Truth be told, if he had not an infant in his grasp, I would already be charging to him. They have caused much pain and have received no justice in return. Shall I lead the way, then?"

"Lead on," offered Etienne. "Leporideas is somewhere out there and can maybe help us if a surprise is needed."

The fivesome set off.

In the lower village, Lilia found Antoine and Katerina in the guest house, praying. They rose when she entered.

Lilia found Antoine and Katerina in the guest house, praying. They rose when she entered.

"Katerina," said Lilia, taking the woman's hands in her own. "This is a terrible thing. The men are following Elsabetta and her abductor now. First, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Thank you, mistress. Nothing unless you can save my baby!" she said.

"The more we know about the black rider, the better chance we have of saving your daughter. Where were you when he came? Where was Elsabetta?"

"Elsabetta was out front, I was too, heating water for washing," she said. "The rider came down the valley. I was frozen with fear! He scooped up the babe and remounted. I ran at him but he was gone.

"Did you notice anything about the rider? Anything strange or striking?"

"He was horrible! His face, his face was like a skull!" Katerina dropped her face into her hands and sobbed.

Lilia put her arms around the poor woman and rocked her like a child. The rider hadn't appeared out of nowhere, nor flown in from the skies. He hadn't ridden a winged horse. But still, a demonic face and an evil bent. She prayed Frederic would be able to help the others to vanquish his pursuer... Or at least get Elsabetta home safe to her mother.

Antoine began to murmur another prayer.

In the upper valleythe sharp-eyed Osprey halted the group and pointed out the ledge while it was still a good quarter of a mile away. More carefully they approached.

Frederic looked about, hoping to find a hidden approach. There was nothing that provided enough cover on the ground. There might be some way to get closer from above, he thought. The rider had seen them, for he raised an arm high and from it dangled the baby by one foot. At least, that's what it seemed like he was doing from this distance.

Frederic stopped in his tracks, for fear the knight may drop the baby should he approach any further.

The rider raised his other arm and made a sweeping gesture, inviting them closer.

Frederic began to slowly move forward, but looked to his new found friends with uncertainty. The demon wanted something this time, and Frederic needed to find out what. He proceded on with caution.

Tanya followed cautiously, alternately watching the knight and the hare.

As they approached, they saw a rabbit hopping unconcernedly near a rock some fifteen paces from the rider. As they got within fifty paces or so, they began to see what Osprey meant about the unnatural nature of the beast and rider. The two were perched about seven feet up a slope which looked far too steep for a horse to climb, on a ledge too narrow to allow it to turn around. There was no way it could have leapt to it's current location.

The rider had a face like a grinning skull, a fearsome mask that promised only death. He carried the baby easily in one hand, holding it upside down by a leg and ignored its cries and wails. As they came, he drew a sword with his other hand, and watched them come.

Frederic made his best attempt to stare back at the Rider without fear. But in truth, he could feel that his hand wanted to shake nervously, despite the weight of the sword. He gribbed the sword hilt as tight as possible for an apprentice. He waited for the rider's next move.

A voice seemed to whisper in Etienne's ear, "This thing is evil, an abomination. It must be stopped."

"It can drop the child at will," Alain whispered. "Does it taunt us now or is it trying to keep us occupied?"

Frederic nervously scanned about. Alain's words struck in him the fear that perhaps more riders laid in ambush, waiting to ride a flanking assault.

"Evil makes its own laws while here on earth, it is not to be understood," Etienne whispered back to Alain. Slowly Etienne fanned out and whispered a prayer for guidance.

Meanwhile Leporideas inched along the rocky crevices spying out succulent grass and keeping an eye on the rider. Were he to drop the baby, he hoped that he might be able to revert to his human form and catch her.

The rider spoke, in a voice like the grating of bone on bone. The language it used was a Latin purer than any the assembled had heard before. "Welcome, magi of Lakehome," it said. "You have cast your lot with Frederic the Damned. You shall share his fate."

Etienne could not follow his speech other than the proper nouns, but the creature's actions were clear. The rider raised the sword and with no great haste, chopped the baby in half lengthwise so that the child's right side fell to ground and rolled down the slope.

Tanya gasped and unconsciously crossed herself.

"NO!" screamed Etienne charging forward. "Strike out at me, beast and accept your fate!"

Having witnessed his worst fear, Frederic charged the rider in anger. All fear in him seemed to have diminished. He yelled as he ran forth headlong, sword raised.

Tanya immediately went on alert. Perhaps Frederic's headlong attack would distract the knight and allow she and the others an opportunity to strike a good blow.

Leporideas winced at the brutality and crept closer.

Frederic and Etienne closed in, and as they did so the rider spurred his mount which leapt clear of the ledge in a leap so prodigious than any question about whether the beast was natural was settled. Casually tossing aside the remaining half of the dead child, the rider charged the two.

Cursing softly, Osprey limped after his comrades.

As the rider closed, so fearsome was his aspect, that Etienne who feared no man, found himself veering off and almost frozen with terror. Frederic felt the chill, too, but his rage and the knowledge that the fear was being forced on him unnaturally propelled him forward. He ducked beneath the rider's blade and landed a blow on his leg as he raced past. The rider laughed and began to wheel his horse around.

Osprey shouted out arcane words and pointed at the rider and a bolt of lightning shot from his hand passing above the rider's head.

Frederic turned around and squared off for the next charge. He stood their huffing with breath. A smile could be seen on his face despite the cruel laugh from the knight. He seemed apparently proud he was able to land a hit on the first charge.

The rabbit hopped a few feet closer to the fray and shifted form into the naked figure of Leporideas who was casting a spell as soon as his forepaws became arms. Vines shot up the ground beneath the rider. The rider spurred the horse which leapt clear as the vines sought to entrap them.

Alain ran next to Tanya, sword and shield at the ready forming a a defensive line between the rider and Osprey. The rider wheeled and charged at Frederic again.

He came in more carefully this time and parried Frederic's attack before lashing back with one of his own. Frederic confidently swung his sword up to parry and was horrified when the blade looped over his block opening a huge gash in his forehead and sending blood spilling over his face.

The rider wheeled to face the others, missing Leporideas who had resumed rabbit form. Osprey took careful aim and sent another bolt of lightning at the rider, this time catching the foul creature full in the chest. The rider flew off the horse and landed on the ground a smoking ruin where his chest had been.

The devil horse turned twice and then raced off up the valley.

Whatever hold the creature had on Tanya and Etienne vanished as it fell to the ground. Etienne approached carefully and poked the rider with a sword. It moved not even slightly. If it had lived, it was now dead.

Alain came up to where Frederic stood, weaving on his feet and bleeding profusely. He began to staunch the flow of blood with the nearest object to hand, Frederic's already ruined shirt.

Frederic remained still as Alain applied his healing abilities. Despite a headache that began to grow, Frederic asked, "M-more demons? In the v-village? Someone should check."

"And you should hold still while I try to stop your bleeding. Please forgive me if I pass up the part where I praise Allah. I don't think my Christian tongue can wrap around the sentiment." Alain smiled at Frederick. "You do realize the difference between reckless abandon and stupidity, don't you?"

Frederic returned the smile. But that effort only brought forth more pain from his head wounds. He responded to Alain's words, "Yes, I think I am beginning to... feel the difference. Just seeing it cleave that poor child, brought forth a sudden flow of all the past horrific memories from when my childhood village was wiped out to the present day. All at once, I felt their evil and I raged. I selfeshly needed to destroy it. Please forgive me for bringing this upon you and your village. I would understand if you wished that I move on."

Alain's smile turned fatherly. "I am a man of No Land. I have wandered for too many years seeking answers to questions no man should have to endure. In my time, I have learned that all men must face adversity; to see the face of evil in their own way. It is how we forge our souls. That creature did nothing any worse than my kind have done before. The only difference is that it had the nerve to wear its evil openly instead of hiding it behind the cross of a Crusader. All the same, I think it wise if you tell no one in the village that the creatures were out to cause you hardship. These are matters beyond the ken of normal men and women."

Etienne walked somberly over to where the remains of the child lay. He fell to his knees and began to pray. In his ears, a voice only he could hear prayed with him.

Tanya, unscathed at her skin but considerably shaken in her soul, instinctively moved toward Leporideas. She avoided looking toward the places where the baby had fallen.

Leporideas hopped over to meet Tanya and assumed his human form. "Frederic mentioned the village. I must go and see if the others are safe." Once again, before her eyes the young man became a hare and hopped off turning to glance back and twitch his ears.

With Frederick tended for the moment, Alain went to where Etienne knelt. He waited patiently while the man finished his prayers. "Do you wish to tend to the remains of the child or would you rather see Frederick back to his chambers?"

Etienne looked into Alain's eyes, "I will, I must, tend to the child. Etienne removed his shirt and carefully picked up what remained of the child and went off for the rest.

Tanya stood by, unsure what to do. Without Leporideas, she felt out of her element, among strangers. Finally, she went to Frederic's side, knelt and tentatively touched his hand, hoping to comfort him.

Osprey watched the others then walked to the fallen rider. Even his usual cheerful nature was dampened by the events. He threw his hands into the air. "I will go and tell Antoine that he will be needed at the cemetary and get word to Terrus." He stripped off his outer clothes and let them fall, he limped a step or two down the valley then spread his wings and in his bird form leapt into the air. He circled the companions once and then sped off down the valley.

"Etienne, it is best that no one sees the child," Alain said. "Frederic, is there anything we should do with the creature's remains?"

Frederic responded, "Not to my knowledge. I suppose burning it may be prudent."

	*		*		*		*

Katerina burst into shrieking wails.

Tanya and Alain helped Frederic to his feet and began to walk him back toward the village, following Etienne.

As they left, a rabbit hopped toward the fallen rider and it's form became fluid and shifted to the naked figure of Leporideas. Had anyone been watching, it would have seemed that he was spell casting.

Etienne walked somberly toward the cemetery, his blood soaked shirt held to his chest. He softly prayed knowing that the baby's death was punishment for his own iniquities. As he reached the village, the fishermen, Paolo among them, had come in from the lake and watched him approach.

All the men seemed to know what Etienne carried and each began to look for his children. In moments, they knew which one was missing. Paolo moved toward Etienne who shook his head and moved toward the switchback down to the lower village. Paolo and some of the others began to follow, questions dying on their lips.

A few stopped, seeing Alain and Tanya coming down the valley supporting Frederic. They went to join them.

As a result, it was a long procession with the entire population of the upper village, such as it was, trickling down the trail. At the foot of the trail, Lilia and Katerina waited, and the wails of the bereaved mother echoed off the valley walls. Osprey and Antoine were limping together up to the cemetary, the fat and the lame.

Etienne gently handed the deceased to Antoine and went for the shovel that was unfortunately left for such a task. Such was his despondency that he did not realize that a hole had already been dug and when he returned with the shovel, there was nothing to do but wait.

The other villagers and covenfolk arrived and Antoine began to speak. "It is not given to us," he said, "to understand the ways of the Lord. Why did he choose to take this child?" Overhead clouds began to gather, as Antoine spoke. He told of God's mercy and his plan, and how though it might seem hard now, the death of this small child did not harm her, for she was now beyond all pain, and those who remain must not despair. The wind freshened and a light rain began to fall. Lilia noted a look of fierce concentration on Osprey's face throughout. Antoine took note of the rain and commented that the saints weep in sorrow for our pain and in joy to welcome a new soul to salvation. With that he concluded and gently laid the body to rest.

Etienne stepped up to take the shovel. Steadily he began to upend the soil to inter the body. Paolo took it from him and as the first crack of thunder was heard, he filled in the small hole as the rest of the inhabitants worked their way down to the village, leaving only Paolo, Katerina, Osprey, Lilia and Etienne.

Alain and Tanya had meantime taken Frederic to the guest house, since they dared not take him into Terrus' sanctum without leave. There Frederic collapsed while Alain considered his next step, which was to sew the wound shut.

Lilia put her arms around both Paolo and Katerina briefly, then stepped back, taking Katerina's hands in hers. "I will bring you supper. Is there anything else I can do to help you?"

"No, mistress," Katerina managed to stammer out. Paolo tugged his forelock briefly then gathered his wife and began to return to their home, rain pattering down around them.

"Perhaps Lemain could make a stone for her," said Osprey to Lilia after a moment.

Antoine moved to Etienne. "My son, Osprey told me. There was nothing you could have done."

Etienne thrust the shovel into the mud. "For how long must that be an excuse?" he asked. "Why could I not, why could not any of us been able to stop such a senseless slaughter. Why Antoine why?"

"You ask questions that have baffled the greatest thinkers of the Church for centuries. I do not know," said the priest sadly. "I know only that God's mercy comes in unlooked for ways and at unlooked for times. But comes it does, at death if not before."

With this cold comfort, the pair began their descent to the village.