Chapter 19
The druids observation tower is a simple round structure which towers over the mansion, a narrow stone staircase winding its way up inside and ends in a trapdoor. The observation deck is a flat open space with no buildings or any kind of shelter. As Eva emerges from the trapdoor the cold icy wind hits her, the drizzle instantly dampening her hair. She breathes a sigh of relief as she finally finds Jason, sitting alone with his arms wrapped around his knees and staring off into the distance at the ruined city. He is soaked through and shivering, but seems unaware of it. Eva makes her way over and sits down next to him. The cold and wet quickly sinks in. She tries to think of something to say.
"I once believed in a happy afterlife, a beautiful land full of trees and flowers, sparkling streams and snow-capped mountains. It was always sunny, never too hot or too cold."
Jason made no reply, he just kept staring towards the ruins on the horizon.
"I know what you're going through, I went through it too. Woke up in the ruins, met this crazy preacher man who kept convincing me this was Hell! I wouldn't listen so in the end I got stabbed for my trouble and was left to bleed to death."
A muscle twitched in Jason's jaw but still he didn't respond.
Eva shivered violently as a cold gust blew through her robe. "You know you'll end up dying of exposure up here, let's go in and we can talk this out."
"Ha! I can't die. How can someone who is dead die again?" Jason jumped to his feet and walked towards the edge of the tower.
Eva quickly scrambled to her feet, ready to grab him in case he tried to jump.
"I was gutted like a pig, I should've died of blood loss long before we reached this place. You should've too!"
Eva put a hand on Jason's arm. They both stood and stared at the city.
"I know I should've but Tiberius thinks time moves differently here, the dying process takes much longer. It could be magic from the demons that rule this world."
Jason waved a dismissive hand at the city or maybe at this world in general.
"Demons, magic, death, it's all meaningless here. I should've died you know. The book was quite clear that the spell would end my life."
Eva stayed quiet, now that Jason was talking she didn't want to interrupt him.
"I didn't mind though, I had seen enough of this world to know I don't want to stay," Jason spread his arms wide as lightning flashed repeatedly. "I should've died yet here I stand, the whole of Hell spread out before me and this is where I am damned and this is where I will spend eternity!"
"No, you're wrong," said Eva. "There is a world much worse than this, if you go there then you will never leave, it is a place of final death and punishment!"
Jason turned to face Eva, it was the first time he had truly looked at her. Being caught in battles and nearly dying didn't really give you a chance to look at people. Jason was struck by just how beautiful Eva was, her dark eyes were big and full of emotion. Pale skin and long raven hair gave her a gothic look. Of course the black robe added to that look. She was no taller than Jason and she wasn't afraid to look him in the eye.
"How can any world be worse than this?"
"There is a cold, grey world, a land of shadows and misery, no sun or moon shines, the plants all grow pale and in autumn colours."
"Helheim!" Jason grabbed Eva by the shoulders and stared into her eyes, "is that it?"
"I don't know its name, neither does Tiberius." She shivered violently again, "we need to go inside now, we can sit and talk this all-out."
"No! I just want to be left alone," said Jason as he turned away from Eva and stared out at the ruined landscape again.
"I am not giving you a choice here, you are going to come inside now!"
"What if I don't want to? Are you going to fight me?"
"No, but I'll send the keepers up here and get them to drag you in!"
Jason turned back to Eva again. Why did she care so much? None of the others seemed to care. Tiberius had patched up his wounds and then pretty much ignored him since. Cassie was his best friend, yet even she was keeping her distance. She spent more time with Alexia than anyone else. Jason stared into Eva's eyes again. There was such passion and concern in them and underneath was clearly a stubborn streak. She stood with her hand outstretched and clearly wasn't going to take no for an answer. Jason gave in and took her hand.
***
The dining hall was a huge room. Rich tapestries depicting fierce dragons hung from walls, high arched windows let in the stormy light, unlit torches carved in the shape of dragons lined the walls. A large stone fireplace stood at the far end of the hall. A roaring fire providing the only warmth. Keepers were silently moving across the polished wooden floor, bearing trays of food and drink towards the oak dining table in the centre of the room. Twelve chairs lined each side of the table and two elaborately carved chairs stood at the head of the table. All twenty-six places were set but only three were occupied.
"So, is this all tinned food then?" asked Cassie. She gestured with her fork at all the piles of steaming potatoes and vegetables in front of her.
"Obviously!" replied Tiberius. He sat opposite Cassie and gave her a strange look.
"I just wondered if any of it was fresh, you know if you grew your own or anything?"
"Don't be absurd! Nothing grows in the land of the dead and no the meat isn't fresh either!" Tiberius began piling vegetables on his plate in fast motion.
"Where do you get all the tins from?" asked Alexia. She was stabbing moodily at a potato on her plate. Thoughts of the supermarket on her mind.
"When I first moved here, I had to make supply runs into the city but now there is a group of keepers that do it."
Cassie frowned at one of the keepers. It was piling more plates on the table. She didn't like them or really know what to make of them, with their hoods hiding faces and gloves covering their hands; their unnatural silence. They were very creepy.
"Aren't you worried about stocks running out eventually?"
"At first I was but somehow the shops restock themselves. It's a strange magic and it only seems to work on tinned stuff."
Tiberius smiled at the uncomfortable look on Cassie's face. She still refused to believe in magic's existence, even with all she had seen so far. Finally, he decided to ask the question that had been burning inside him for nearly three days now.
"How did you two arrive here? What about Jason? It seems that something big must be going on in the living world for three of you to show up in such a short space of time?"
"Witch hunts," said Alexia in a small quiet voice. Tiberius looked at her and arched an eyebrow waiting for her to continue. It was Cassie who took over the story.
"Christianity has made a massive comeback. It's stronger than at any time in history. They claim that there is an error in the calendar and that the year 2020 A.D will be 2000 A.D and that is the year of Jesus's return. They are trying to rid the world of all non-believers before it happens. Either you are one of them or you are a heretic, a witch or a devil worshipper. If found guilty the punishment is public execution."
Alexia winced at the word and went very pale.
"I see," mused Tiberius. "So, that was yours and Jason's fate?"
Cassie bowed her head and took a deep breath as the memories of her final few days came crashing back.
"Yes... Jason never even got a fair trial. He was the leader of a devil worshiping cult so he had to die, had to be made an example of."
"Devil worship?"
Cassie barked out a harsh laugh. "It wasn't really anything of the sort, we worshiped the old Norse gods. As I was second in command I had to go too."
Tiberius steeples his fingers, his heavily lined face wrinkled in thought. Keepers silently came and cleared plates then more returned with bowls of fruit and custard. Cassie turned her nose up at her plate. "More tinned food?"
Tiberius gave a small nod then asked, "Okay so you and Jason are leaders of a devil worshipping cult who understandably had to die, but how does young Alexia fit into this? Surely, she wasn't part of it? Or did you kidnap her and do horrible things to her?"
Cassie was about to explode with rage at the accusation but then she noticed the smile beneath the old man's beard and the way his eyes were alight with amusement.
"No, she wasn't part of our group and we certainly didn't kidnap children! I don't know her story. We only met up in that nightmare city a few days back, after she saved me from those things."
Cassie turned her attention to Alexia, who was stabbing moodily at a piece of fruit. Tiberius also sat waiting for her to speak. Reluctantly she began.
"It was just a stupid story."
"Go on..." Tiberius urged.
"It was a short story... homework for English..." Alexia stabbed down so hard on the fruit it smashed the bowl.
"The story could be about anything we wanted. There were no rules or restrictions, so I wrote about a wizard and a dragon. I love dragons, always have," Alexia stopped and looked longingly at one of the tapestries. It depicted a large dragon spewing fire at a knight, desperately trying to hide behind his melting shield.
Tears began to spill down Alexia's cheeks as she went on. "When I got my homework back it was given as ungraded. No teachers would speak to me and then...The witch hunters showed up, they dragged me out of school."
Cassie gasped in horror, she knew first-hand how inhumane those witch hunters were. Tiberius closed his eyes and massaged them with his fingers. He could see the whole thing clearly and didn't need to hear the rest of the story to know what was coming. Quickly shifting the topic, Tiberius asked, "you like dragons then?"
"Yes, they have always fascinated me. I think they are so cool and would love to see a real one."
Tiberius smiled, "well I can't show you a real one, but there is a really big statue of one in the courtyard, how about we go check it out after lunch?"
Alexia instantly brightened, her interest clearly on her tear-streaked face.
"It's part of a large fountain which no longer works," said Tiberius with a big smile on his face. "If only there was someone with magic and skill in the element of water maybe it could work again."
Alexia looked at the old druid a broad grin breaking out, "I can fix it! I can do magic with water!" "Oh please!" protested Cassie. "Let's not start with the magic stuff again!" Alexia jumped out of her seat, all thoughts of lunch forgotten. Tiberius got up and led her out. After a few moments Cassie got up and followed, not wanting to be left alone with the creepy keepers.
