Read Online The White Fox by James Bartholomeusz - Free Book Online
Authors: James Bartholomeusz
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moonlight. Threaded around Alex’s neck was a small angular crystal, seven sided and pointed like Jack’s with a different minute symbol engraved on it. “You’ve got one too.” He reached under his school shirt and pulled the crystal from around his neck, holding it out.
Alex’s eyes widened slightly, and he breathed in to speak but suddenly shifted his eyes to look back up the street. Jack followed his gaze, but through the fog he could still see nothing but the tops of buildings, rising like murky willows in a swamp.
Alex raised the gun again. Both of them listened intently. Footsteps could be heard, echoing louder and louder as they came closer. Alex reloaded the gun and motioned Jack to the wall.
A figure emerged from the darkness. Jack squinted at it slightly, then recoiled in surprise. It was wearing a dark hooded cloak that hid its entire body, including the face, just like the ones had been at the train station and in the orchard. It seemed to hover above the mist, floating like some faceless phantom towards them.
Alex had made no attempt to hide. He was standing full on, aiming the gun’s barrel directly into the figure’s hood.
“Impressive,” it said in a deep, rolling voice. “You seem to have disposed of my scout. I commend you. Not many of your kind could face such a beast.”
“On your knees,” Alex said calmly, his voice completely at odds with what he was doing.
“What possible leverage do you think you possess? That archaic weapon is nothing—”
“I
killed
the hellhound
.
Just do it.”
The man paused, then raised his arms. “Now, is this really wise? If I do not return, the remaining members of my Chapter will inevitably discover what has become of me. And they will find you. Do you really want to take that risk with your friend here?”
Jack flinched, but Alex did not seem perturbed. He pointed the gun more forcibly.
Slowly, the man sunk to his knees.
Cautiously, Alex stepped over to him and pushed his hood back.
Jack ventured closer and got a good look at him. He appeared about fifty, with short dark hair and a full, grey-brushed beard. He was grinning menacingly, showing one or more teeth to be blackened or missing.
“You are unwise, boy.”
“Shut up.” Alex’s voice was poised with detectable venom, his face contorted into a snarl. “Why is the Cult here?”
The man’s grin faltered. “To absorb this pitifully antique world into the Darkness, of course.”
“No more games. I want the real reason. This town—this
planet
—is completely defenseless. You could have killed every living being here by now if you’d wanted to. This is easy pickings for your Darkness. No fires, no alchemy, no demons stronger than a hellhound, not even a Dark Eye. What’s going on?”
The man’s grin returned. “Oh, I assure you there will be an Oculatrum of sorts within the next few minutes. And as for stronger demons … you have no idea.”
“Where?” asked Alex fiercely, shoving the gun into the man’s temple. For the first time, Alex seemed a little shaken.
“At the orchard. I would hurry if I were you. The ritual is almost complete.”
“What ritual?”
“You’ll no doubt find out when you get there.” His smile widened and his eyes gleamed. “Not that you’ll be able to prevent it.”
Alex removed the gun from the man’s temple and half-turned to Jack. “Come on.”
“You fool. You actually believe—”
Alex whipped around and batted the man over the head with the gun. He crumpled to the ground, his body disappearing under the screen of fog, just as the hellhound’s had done.
“You didn’t need to do that,” Jack said, taken aback. He crossed over to where Alex was waiting. “Is he … ?”
“No, only knocked out. He’ll come round soon with one hell of a headache.”
“Are we going to the orchard, then?”
Alex considered for a moment. “Yes. We’ll take the bait. Oh, and that.” He pointed to the crystal Jack was holding in his open
Alex’s eyes widened slightly, and he breathed in to speak but suddenly shifted his eyes to look back up the street. Jack followed his gaze, but through the fog he could still see nothing but the tops of buildings, rising like murky willows in a swamp.
Alex raised the gun again. Both of them listened intently. Footsteps could be heard, echoing louder and louder as they came closer. Alex reloaded the gun and motioned Jack to the wall.
A figure emerged from the darkness. Jack squinted at it slightly, then recoiled in surprise. It was wearing a dark hooded cloak that hid its entire body, including the face, just like the ones had been at the train station and in the orchard. It seemed to hover above the mist, floating like some faceless phantom towards them.
Alex had made no attempt to hide. He was standing full on, aiming the gun’s barrel directly into the figure’s hood.
“Impressive,” it said in a deep, rolling voice. “You seem to have disposed of my scout. I commend you. Not many of your kind could face such a beast.”
“On your knees,” Alex said calmly, his voice completely at odds with what he was doing.
“What possible leverage do you think you possess? That archaic weapon is nothing—”
“I
killed
the hellhound
.
Just do it.”
The man paused, then raised his arms. “Now, is this really wise? If I do not return, the remaining members of my Chapter will inevitably discover what has become of me. And they will find you. Do you really want to take that risk with your friend here?”
Jack flinched, but Alex did not seem perturbed. He pointed the gun more forcibly.
Slowly, the man sunk to his knees.
Cautiously, Alex stepped over to him and pushed his hood back.
Jack ventured closer and got a good look at him. He appeared about fifty, with short dark hair and a full, grey-brushed beard. He was grinning menacingly, showing one or more teeth to be blackened or missing.
“You are unwise, boy.”
“Shut up.” Alex’s voice was poised with detectable venom, his face contorted into a snarl. “Why is the Cult here?”
The man’s grin faltered. “To absorb this pitifully antique world into the Darkness, of course.”
“No more games. I want the real reason. This town—this
planet
—is completely defenseless. You could have killed every living being here by now if you’d wanted to. This is easy pickings for your Darkness. No fires, no alchemy, no demons stronger than a hellhound, not even a Dark Eye. What’s going on?”
The man’s grin returned. “Oh, I assure you there will be an Oculatrum of sorts within the next few minutes. And as for stronger demons … you have no idea.”
“Where?” asked Alex fiercely, shoving the gun into the man’s temple. For the first time, Alex seemed a little shaken.
“At the orchard. I would hurry if I were you. The ritual is almost complete.”
“What ritual?”
“You’ll no doubt find out when you get there.” His smile widened and his eyes gleamed. “Not that you’ll be able to prevent it.”
Alex removed the gun from the man’s temple and half-turned to Jack. “Come on.”
“You fool. You actually believe—”
Alex whipped around and batted the man over the head with the gun. He crumpled to the ground, his body disappearing under the screen of fog, just as the hellhound’s had done.
“You didn’t need to do that,” Jack said, taken aback. He crossed over to where Alex was waiting. “Is he … ?”
“No, only knocked out. He’ll come round soon with one hell of a headache.”
“Are we going to the orchard, then?”
Alex considered for a moment. “Yes. We’ll take the bait. Oh, and that.” He pointed to the crystal Jack was holding in his open