"Sir Faulkner III: Totentanz" by LJ TheTowerSentry Jackson

Chapter Five: Totentanz

[And when do we get to eat?] asked Seheir as he flew above his master Arch.

"Be patient, Seheir," said Arch Edgewood. "There are some fruit trees up ahead. I will stop to munch on those and you can go hunting. Just make sure you keep aware, because we are very near Macabre Village. Strange things are known to happen around these parts."

The UeHuman was on the Signal Trail that branched off the Herald Road. The sun was lighting the Trail as the white haired man and his falcon were soon upon the fruit grove. Farther down the path, huge pine trees shadowed the end of Signal Trail. Darkness hung among the boughs, and a great iron gate stood cold at the end. It was the only entrance to Macabre Village. The village was known for taking in travelers that never left.

Arch sat under the arms of apple, pear, and orange trees. He feed himself with the sundry fruits as he watched Seheir fly high in to the air. The bird of prey began to circle the area. Soon voices drew the falconer's attention from his falcon and to the person coming up the Trail. A delivery lad came in to view, lugging a large crate behind him. The wooden box left tracks on the ground and growled when ever it came across a dip on the path or an obstacle embedded in the dirt.

"Now, now, there Jxar," said the boy as he pulled on the rope attached to the crate, dragging it noisily behind him. "We are almost to the Macabre. There you will be received to your new home, and I will go back to my own village to receive money for you delivery." Arch listened to the words the boy spoke and watched his progress with interest. Since the delivery boy was not from Macabre village, there was a chance he might not be returning home as he thought.

I wonder what the villagers of Macabre are snatching people for?, thought Arch, They could be a settlement working for Rainne, taking people for experiments. They might not be kind to visitors with out a purpose for coming to Macabre Village. I should use this lad to get in side... Soon the boy got the crate stuck in a hole he could not pull it out of. The Jxar creature in the crate growled and scratched at the in side of the wooden cage.

"Jxar!" whined the lad. "Settle down, gosh!" Arch stood from his nest amongst the fruits and strode over to the lad. "Good day, mister."

"Hello there. I was watching from the grove," began the keen eyed falconer. "It looks like you could use some help. Do you mind if I helped out a bit?"

"Oh! Thank you sir! This box is quite heavy," said the boy. "And I was a little scared of entering that dark village by myself... My name is Reinhold. And you are?"

"A falconer."

"Okay, Mister Afalkner. You can take that end of the crate and push. That will help me out a lot," said Reinhold. Arch looked up at the sky, and saw Seheir descending.

[People are still assigning name to you, eh?] said Seheir as he landed on his master's shoulder. [You should be glad I had already spotted a tasty quail on the way to the grove. Otherwise I would still be hungry. You are cutting lunch too short.] Arch only patted the bird on the head as he complained.

Father Totentanz entered the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent and headed for his chambers in the back of the church. His head was capped with grey hair, and his pale skin contained many wrinkles. His robes were of a dark grey, and his small blue eyes were dark with secrets. Father Totentanz fingered the nor-rosary that weighted his pocket as he made his way to his room. He had just received word that the creature he had ordered from Khav Village had arrived and he needed his clerical scarf from his quarters. He did not want visitors to see him with out his display of titles.

A few minutes later Father Totentanz was standing in the main square of Macabre Village. Two attendants stood with him. Reinhold and Mister Afalkner, as the delivers had been identified as, were lugging the crate over to where Father Totentanz stood.

"Ah... My Jxar is finally here!" exclaimed the priest of Macabre Village. He stood before the wooden box and undid the wires that held the lid closed. He opened the crate and pulled out a jxar. The species was similar to tigers, but had longer fur, a shorter tail, and no stripes. Father Totentanz held the jxar before him and examined it. "You delivered him in an excellent condition."

"Oh why thank you," said Reinhold. "Usually I am the one picked to deliver living packages. Can I get an affirmative?" The priest motioned for one of the attendants to come forward. Father Totentanz took some parchment from him and rode up a letter to Reinhold's employer notifying that he received the jxar in perfect condition. He signed it and handed the affirmative to the lad. Reinhold nodded to the old priest. "Now I shall take my leave."

"Oh, do wait. There is no hurry," said Father Totentanz as he held the jxar under one arm. The animal began snarling for no apparent reason. "Why do you not stay for a bit? Come to the chapel, and refresh yourselves with a meal and day of rest." Reinhold appeared hesitant. He had heard terrifying things associated with the Macabre Village.

"Well I--"

"There will even be transportation readied for you, if you stay."

"Okay! I take your offer," said Reinhold. He had come from Amiabulburg, which was a two day journey on foot.

"What about you, Mister Afalkner? You have been silent. Will you stay for rest?" asked the priest to Reinhold's helper.

"Why yes. I guess I shall accompany Reinhold," responded Arch. Father Totentanz told the blue suited attendant, Gottfried, to take them to the hall in the chapel were  they would be feed. Reinhold and Arch trailed behind the attendant. Seheir shifted on Arch's shoulder.

[We had better discover the secret of this village soon. This place is very unsettling,] spoke the peregrine falcon. He had been speaking of all the images of skeletons that seemed to on every thing in the square. Every shop sign was  embossed with them, and every statue was in a bony form.

"Did you stay behind for me?" asked Reinhold.

"If you would like to believe that," said the UeHuman. He then lowered his voice to a whisper. "But I am really here to find out why so many people go missing when they come to Macabre."

"Really?" said Reinhold, "So the rumours are true. So that means we might go missing from being eaten by Macabre's Dragon?"

"Dragon? What dragon?"

"There is a rumour that Macabre Village uses its captives to feed their Dragon."

"Then why did you agree to stay?" asked Arch. "You could get hurt."

"I know... but their invitation if transportation sounded really inviting..."

"Here we are, gentlemen," announced Gottfried. "Take a seat and await your hot meal." Arch found himself in an unmarked room with a high ceiling. A long wooden table took up the floor, and two benches flanked either side. The table was supported by carved headless horses instead of normal legs. Once Arch and Reinhold took a seat, Gottfried let the room.

"This place...is very creepy," spoke Reinhold. "Did you see all the death symbols they have here?"

"Macabre Village...?" said Arch as he plucked Seheir off his shoulder.

"Oh. Yea." Reinhold looked at the falcon that was perched on his companion's fist, and then back at his companion. His eyes flicked back and forth between them until Arch spoke.

"May I help you?"

"I was just thinking... this set up is familiar... Are you the Sir Faulkner III? No way... are you?" asked Reinhold.

"No my name is not this 'Sir Faulkner III'. I am the man whom this name is attributed to. No one knows my name," explained Arch Edgewood.

"But I thought you said--"

"What I said was 'a fal-con-er'. Hence the falcon."

"Ohh. Now I get it. Sorry. So what am I supposed to call you? Falconer?"

"Yes. Perfect."

[Hmm. Do you see what I see, Arch? On the wall to the left, there is an out line of what appears to once have been a window,] observed Seheir the peregrine falcon. Arch turned his head to look at what the falcon had pointed out.

"Interesting. Very interesting. Keep an eye out for any other things you see like that. They could prove useful," responded the UeHuman.

"Who are you talking to?" asked the inquisitive lad. "Your falcon?" Arch nodded.

"Reinhold, have you noticed how long we have been in here?"

"Uhm. They are taking a long time with the food," said the delivery boy.

"Probably because they do not plan on bringing any. I think maybe it is time for you to leave, dear lad. Forget the lure of transportation. We do not want you to get hurt."

"But I do not remember the way out of this church... What if I am seen?"

"Do not worry. My falcon remember the way out. And I have these leaves called Invisi Herbs. Once eaten, you turn invisible," informed the grey eyed Arch. "I will accompany you out of the chapel. Once you get out side, do not run, or some one will hear you even though you are invisible. Just walk normal and leave Macabre through the gate. Once you get off of Signal Trail, think of your visible self, and the herb will wear off."

"Oh, thank you Falconer. You have been so kind," said the lad. "But what will you do?"

"I am going to invisibly explore this Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent. I have to find the reason for the disappearance of innocent people. I have to find out the truth behind the rumour of Macabre's Dragon," spoke the UeHuman. "Do not worry. I will be okay." Arch brought out two Invisi Herbs, one appearing on each hand. He handed on to the lad and instructed him to eat it. Soon the two were invisible. Seheir flitted back to Arch's shoulder, using his own abilities to remain unseen.

"Lead the way, Falconer," said Reinhold. "I will stick close behind." Arch left the room and followed the directions Seheir spoke in to his mind. Ten minutes later, Arch was watching from the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent as Reinhold crossed Macabre Village's main toward the main gate. He passed through the gap in the open gate, and disappear down Signal Trail.

[Let us hope he returns home safely,] said Seheir.

"He will. He is a strong lad. Fear of what could have happened to him hear will keep his feet moving," spoke Arch to the bird. "Now it is time for a little exploring..." The UeHuman turned back in to the church and made his way past the pews until he found the door by the huge organ that led down stairs. 

[Wait, do not go down yet,] said Seheir. [I want to get a look at some thing.] The bird of prey took off from his master's should and took one flight around the high ceiling of the large room. He landed back on his favourite perch two minutes later.

"And what have you found, my dear peregrine falcon?"

[This is not a church to Heimdall.]

"Oh? How so?"

[Let us move out of the door way. Some one is coming. Take a seat on the pew for a few minutes.] Arch did as he was told, and a few seconds after he moved, the door by the organ flew open and Gottfried rushed out of it. [He is probably leaving to report to the father that you and Reinhold are missing.]

"Then let us hope that they do not look out side of the village for us. Let us hope they believe we wandered off in the chapel some where," said Arch. "And you were saying about this church...?"

[Yes. It is not for Heimdall. The tiled floor caught my interest, fortunately. I was trying to figure out what pattern the colours were placed in,] explained Seheir. [And then I realized that the whole floor was a big picture. And when I flew up to see what it was, it was not an imaged of the blessed Heimdall. It is a dancing skeleton.]

"Wow... And I bet all the villagers know this too. This whole place is macabre. I guess that is the explanation for the name of this settlement. But I wonder how this place came in to being," responded the white haired UeHuman. "This place might not be attached to Rainne in any way. This village could just simply be a fraction of the dark sides of humanity."

[Maybe... But wait here a bit more. People are coming in the front doors.]  Father Totentanz walked through the front door, followed by Gottfried.

"Father Totentanz, I looked for them, but could not find them," reported Gottfried.  Totentanz?, thought Arch. He laughed inwardly to himself. How unexpected. I bet that is a title handed to all priest of the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent.

"Well you should not have taken so long in preparing their meal," accused the priest of Macabre. His jxar was still under his arm. "And do not tell me you ran out of the Eternal Sleep potions. I have told you many times to always keep a surplus in stock!"

"I am sorry, Father. I shall heed your word this time," said Gottfried. "In fact, I shall go to replenish our store of Eternal Sleep potions now." Father Totentanz's attendant hurried off out of the church. The priest moved to the door by the organ.

[Let us follow him, dear master,] said Seheir upon Arch's shoulder. The UeHuman rose, and began to silently trail behind the unknowing priest.

After passing through two floors of empty halls and closed doors, Father Totentanz reached the third and final basement of the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent. The walls here were of dark stone, and the only light emanated from torches along the walls. At the end of hall, was a single, solid wood door. the priest entered and Arch followed.

The room behind the door was a large circle chamber with pale concrete walls. The other attendant that had been seen with Father Totentanz was sitting on a metal stool near the object at the center of the room. He was busy utilizing the digital notepad that was hooked up to the mirror. The object was a tall mirror-- in the shape of a red dragon. The priest stepped forward to admire it.

[Macabre's Dragon. How creative,] commented Seheir to Arch in his mind.

The glass in the mirror was dark, and waves traveled along the mirror's surface like ripples in a pebble disturbed pond. Arch stepped from behind the priest to look further around the room. Behind the mirror was a heavy iron cage that was bolted to the ground and fastened with a padlock. Research consoles sat at one end on the circular room. Wires ran from the machines to Macabre's Dragon. A red button next to the front door activated a ladder that was retracted in to the ceiling.

[Ooo, emergency exit. We might have to use this,] said Seheir. [Hey, look at those people over there.] Arch turned his eyes toward the left region of the room. A large, not so heavy duty cage sat against the wall. In side was a little girl, an old man, and a dog. Arch decided to take a seat on the floor on the left side of the room to listen to what ever discourse that might occur between the priest and Ruprecht. He needed to know more information about the dragon framed glass before him. Suddenly Father Totentanz spoke as he stepped back from gazing in to the glass.

"Ruprecht, did you know we lost two prime test subjects for the mirror?" asked the priest of Macabre.

"Serves you two right!" interjected the old man in the cage. "It is not right for you to kidnap countless innocents and force them through the mirror! It is inhumane! It is--"

"SHUT UP!" barked Ruprecht, his voice the sound of whip lashes. "It is RESEARCH! Now... to answer the Father's question: no. I have been in this room since they were brought in and you know it," said Ruprecht.

"Do not talk to me that way," said Father Totentanz as he adjusted his clerical scarf. "I am Totentanz."

"I do not care. I do not believe in any of that religion stuff you are associate with. I am only here to do research on this mirror."

"Hmp. You know you are only allowed to speak to me that way because you know the most about this thing."

"Yes of course. I expect you will be wanting the report on that lady I sent through who had the inactive Ue gene."

"Yes? What happened? She is the first to be send in with a Ue gene, correct?"

"That is right," said Ruprecht. "And the results were quite interesting. It seems that the mirror reacts to Ue genes. The eyes of the dragon on the frame actually lit up with fire. The body of the dragon was warm, and the scales moved. But it only lasted for a minute. I took all the readings in the world, do not worry. I am still sorting out all the individual reactions the mirror made, physical, mechanical, and internal."

"Good job, Ruprecht. Test one of these subject here. I want to see what the mirror will do after having a taste of the Ue gene," said Father Totentanz.

"Okay. I will try the little girl." Ruprecht stood and made his way over to the cage. Arch saw him move and made it to the cage before the researcher. He put a hand through the bars and touched the girl's arm. She became invisible from contact with the UeHuman. Arch put a finger to his lips when he saw the child about to speak.

"Shh..." he whispered in the lowest audible tone he could manage. "I am here to get rid of these mirror. I will help you evade its embrace." Ruprecht soon stood before the cage.

"She is not here," announced Ruprecht.

"Hah hah!" laughed the old man. "Maybe she had powers and flew away! At least she was able to get away."

"What? Another one of our test subjects gone? How is this possible?" asked Father Totentanz. "She was here when I came in! I saw her! Climb in there and check around, good Ruprecht."

"No."

"Do it!"

"NO! Do you expect me to put myself with in the reach of my enemies? That old man would strangle me for being 'inhumane' and destroying the lives of 'countless innocents', as he puts it," said Ruprecht. "You climb in the cage and see if she is still in there." The priest straightened his scarf again. He was remembering his oh so high titles.

"That act is beneath me," said Father Totentanz.

"Ah. So I assumed."

"What about the old man? Why do you not try him?"

"The mirror does not react to people over the age of forty. I figured that out with the second to the last old subject we had. This guys is the last one. And he will not shut up!" Ruprecht slammed that bars that were in front of the old man. "And I cannot just let him go, because he will leave Macabre Village and tell some one what is going on out here. I guess I will feed him through the mirror some day when I am bored and need some entertainment."

"Ah, yes. Good idea. Do get rid of him some time. What about the dog?"

"Oh. That is Keiko. He is in there because he is my pet. I do not like to have him running around the floor. He might decide to leap at the mirror and get sucked in side," explained the researcher. "And I do so love to hear the dog bark with that magical voice of his. Right Keiko?" The little brown dog barked in response, and the sound of falling silver and a soft moving stream could be heard. "See what I mean? Magical. And an animal that transcends through the mirror would of no use to us, now would it?"

"Heh heh, you do know every thing, do you not, Ruprecht?"

"Of course. I know all that I need to know. Is that not why you hired me?" said the researcher. "And I do love my job. So do not try to fire me, which you never will do because I just know too much."

"Seheir," said Arch in the lowest audible tone he could, "I want you to revert to your larger form, and use your Attomos ability to get her out of the cage. Keep her invisible with you. I need to confront these two before one of them decides to leave." Seheir did as he was told, and soon the girl was clinging to the peregrine's back. Seheir stood in an empty spot of the room so no one would bump in to him.

"Well I should be going," spoke Father Totentanz as he turned to leave. But what met his eyes made him step back in fright. Arch Edgewood was standing in front of the door, his eyes blazing gold. Fiery suns gazed deep in to the soul of the priest of Macabre.

"Ack! Ruprecht! It is an UeHuman! This is that 'Mister Alfalkner' that was with Reinhold!" exclaimed the priest.

"Yes. I can see that," said Ruprecht. He was turned around in his stool, his eyes of the digipad in front of him. There was hardly any thing interesting that went on in Macabre Village, so this was some thing he did not want to miss. Little did Ruprecht know that he would be targeted next.

Arch reached out a hand took a firm grip on the priest's shoulder. He squeezed it until pain was seen on the Father's face. He wanted the man to know that he could easily hurt him if he did not cooperate.

"Hello Father Totentanz," said Arch the UeHuman.

"Hey! How do you know my name? I never told you...," said the priest. His eyes fell to the hand that was wrinkling his clerical scarf. Arch shifted his hand over a bit. "Oh, why thank you."

"No problem. Now, priest. I want you to answer some questions for me," said Arch. He made sure to keep himself situated in front of the main door and the emergency exit. He kept on of his eyes on the researcher at all times. He did not want either one of them to escape before he had a chance to question them both. "Please do explain this little set up here. Tell me what your goal is with this mirror."

"Well... It is nothing important you see..." said the priest. Pain flew down his shoulder and in to his arm. "Ah! No, no! We are just testing this dimensional mirror here. We send people through and see what happens. No harm done."

"Yes, no harm done by you. Any damage to the test subjects is the mirror's fault," said Arch.

"Yes! That is it exactly!" The priest hoped the UeHuman would let go soon. Part of his left arm was starting to go numb.

"And your goal? What is it exactly that you expect this mirror to be able to do?"

"Ah, well... You know, there is this absolutely spiffing tea shop--" Father Totentanz's speech cut off as more pain raced down his arm and across his back. He was an old man. He was not used to treatment like this. "Alright! Alright! The mirror is said to take the people who go through the glass to another dimension where a day there is a minute here. There they are 'consumed' some kind of way, and if the 'dragon' of the other dimension likes his 'meal', then the person is sent back transcended."

"Sounds kind of shifty to me. Shifty and rehearsed. Where did you get that little spiel from?" inquired the UeHuman with fiery suns as eyes.

"There is an inscription under the base of the mirror."

"Hm. I bet the literal words have other meanings."

"They do," assured Father Totentanz. "Not enough research has been done to uncover all of the inscription's meanings."

"I see. Well done, Father Totentanz. You seemed to have answered all my question truthfully," said the white haired UeHuman. He turned his gaze to the researcher. "Your turn."

"Can I go? I have other pressing business to attend to," said Father Totentanz. 

"Why of course you do," said Arch as he left go of the old man's shoulder. The priest of Macabre massaged his shoulder as he hurried out of the circular concrete room. "Hello there Ruprecht. Will you answer me directly, or shall I destroy the consoles over there with fire, one by one until I get the truth?"

"No need for that, good man," said Ruprecht.

"Put the digipad down or I will burn it in your hands." The researcher put the digital notepad down as he was told. "Now it seems that you have some more in depth information on this mirror than the old priest did. Come. Tell me about it. Give a general overview of your findings."

"Ah, well, it seems that old people--"

"Yes I heard that."

"Hm. Well then I know that the mirror takes its test subjects to a dimension of fire of some sort; some times when people go in, I can get a small glimpse of the realm that they are entering." 

"Tell me about the words on the bottom of the mirror."

"Well, I did not tell Father Totentanz yet, but I will tell you since you threaten to destroy my work over there," began Ruprecht. "I believe that the people who go through the mirror are sent to some kind of structure in the realm of fire. The structure could be in the shape of a dragon, like this glass. People have no choice but to go through the structure, which I think is due to the environment of the place. Going through the structure changes the test subject, for better or for good. The only test subjects that come back are the ones that have transcended, which means they are carrying what I have labeled as the Kiev gene. So far, only two people have came back transcended, but did not live past two days. I took as many tests as I could. Would you like to hear the results?" Ruprecht was getting in to the mood of taking about his work, which he loved to do. He was beginning to forget who he was talking to.

"Why yes. Tell me, Ruprecht."

"The Kiev gene is very similar to the Ue gene. It gives powers and fantastic abilities to the holder. But the powers given by the Kiev gene is no where near as strong as the natural abilities of the Ue gene," informed the researcher. "The Kiev gene is corrosive, though. That is why its holders die. Though there was one case where a Kiev gene holder lived... only because he had a dormant Ue gene in side of him. So imagine what would happen if some one with an active Ue gene went through the mirror! Hah hah! I would love to analyze the results of that, yes I would."

"Oh I am sure you would," said Arch, and he decided to ask a question he already knew the answer to. "Who is this surviving Kiev gene holder?"

"The beloved Master Rainne of course! He gave this mirror to Macabre Village for them to study. They all believe that to reach the halls of Heimdall at death, one must first be transcended."

[So that is why Macabre Village supports Rainne. He gave them the device that tied in to their beliefs about Heimdall and his halls,] commented Seheir to Arch from his spot at the other side of the room.

"I see... So do you have any idea, Ruprecht, what happens to those who did not receive the Kiev gene on their journeying in the fire realm?" inquired the UeHuman.

"I actually have no idea. I am working on that now, so..." Ruprecht's voice suddenly trailed off. "I have spoke too much, have I not?"

"No, no," responded the golden eyed Arch. "You have told me mostly every thing I wanted to know. Except... how to destroy the mirror. And what will happen if I do."

"I do not know how to destroy it. I just know that there is a special method to, written in this old Book Master Rainne gave to Macabre Village along with the mirror," informed the researcher.

"Where is it?"

"Father Totentanz knows. He also has the key to where he locked it up. He never let me look at the Book. He keep it for himself," said Ruprecht, "Which is not fair. It could aide me in my studies on the mirror. That Book--"

"Okay that is quite enough," interrupted Arch Edgewood. "I shall take my leave of you now. You have been quite cooperative. Do you think the mirror will be moved now that I know its location?"

"Probably not. It is very heavy. Rainne had to bring the mirror down here himself; no one else could bear it."

"Hm. Thank you, Ruprecht. I will be visiting again. And I think I am going to take this old man with me."

"Ergg... now I shall have to collect more test subjects." Ruprecht picked up the digipad and preceded to continue his work. Arch broke the lock on the cage of captives, and put the old man on the back of Seheir.

"I think I can Disperse us out of here. My strength in Dispersing is heightened by the sea faring wind power I received from the Dove," spoke Arch to the bird. Ruprecht looked over to see the UeHuman speaking to thin air and the old man disappear from view. He told himself not to waste time asking and turned his eyes back to his work. 

[I hope so, Arch. I do not want you to hurt yourself Dispersing this many people,] responded the peregrine falcon.

"I can do," said Arch. "Get ready..." A small wind kicked up in the concrete room as the golden eyed UeHuman Dispersed to the main square. Once there, he let the old man and the girl go. The old man said he would return the girl to her mother, and Arch left them with parting words to be careful, and left Macabre Village.

[Where are we going, Arch?] asked Seheir, back in his smaller form. The grey eyed man was walking down Signal Trail. Soon he left from the darkness of the pine trees at the front of the entrance to Macabre Village.

"Oh, some where close. Just back to the fruit grove," answered Arch. "I need to think."

 [I see. Yes, the information you have learned back there does require thought. It would not be good to rush in to things,] agreed the bird of prey. [And, if you are absent from Macabre for a while, maybe Father Totentanz will come out of hiding.]

"Let us hope so," said the white haired man. "I really do not want the whole village to know I would be looking for him. They all seem to support their sick and twisted priest and every thing dark that goes on it that place." Arch found the grove, and climbed up in to an orange tree. He leaned back against the cool bark and closed his eyes."Keep an eye out for a bit, Seheir." The bird flew up to a high branch and took a perch, his far seeing eyes keeping watch for miles.

Father Totentanz found his way back to his chambers. He accessed a communications device and brought up Ruprecht on a channel in the third basement. He soon had his researcher on the view screen.

"The UeHuman is gone, right?" asked the priest of Macabre in to the comde.

"Yes, Father," came Ruprecht's voice through the device.

"Good. What did you tell him? You did not run on about your work, did you?"

"Uhm... Maybe?" Father Totentanz's face soon was covered with an expression of anger.

"Now he knows every thing, you fool!" cried the old man.

"He threatened to destroy my work! I had to protect my research! At least you still have the Book. He does not know what information lies in side. Hey, even I do not know what is in the Book," spoke Ruprecht from his stool in the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent's third basement.

"That is how it will remain," said the old man. "You did not tell him about the Book, did you, Ruprecht?" The research was silent. His eyes darted to the floor. "Arr... Ruprecht... If you were not my main researcher..."

"Yes, yes. I would be dead," said Ruprecht. "Okay, I am signing off now. Good day." The screen of Father Totentanz's comde went blank. He set it aside and thought to himself. He was going to have to hide from the UeHuman. That fool Ruprecht probably told him enough for him to know to come after me, thought Father Totentanz. I guess I am going to bring out the Chucks to deal with him. I had better put the village on notice. The old man picked up some paper. He began to write a short broadcast for the village to be aware and report sighting of a young, white haired man.

A light wind blew past Arch Edgewood. His eyes fluttered open and he found himself still in the orange tree.

[Did you get a good rest?] asked Seheir from his spot in the highest branches of the tree.

"Does it matter? What happened while I was gone?" asked Arch as he looked up at the sun's position in the sky. He did not mean to sleep for so long. Evening was nigh upon them, and he needed to find Father Totentanz before night fell. Once the darkness covered every thing, who knew what evil things would go on in Macabre Village.

[Two hunters from Macabre left the iron gates, caught three gazettes from the surrounding woods, and returned with the meat,] reported Seheir.

"Hm? What is wrong with that?"

[The gazettes were all old. The meat on a gazette would have to be of a young animal if humans were planning on eating them, so that the meat would be tender enough to digest. Those gazettes were for an animal to feed off it,] explained the peregrine falcon.

"Oh? Maybe there is an actual creature..." Arch sat in silence thinking for a minute. "You know the best time to visit Macabre Village? When Rainne's minions decide check up on this place and its usage of the mirror, Macabre's Dragon."

[Yes. Too bad we do not have the luxury to sit around and wait for them,] began Seheir. [The sun descends quickly here. Already it is night in side Macabre Village. Make your move. Go in and investigate or wait till the next morning.]

"We go in of course." 

[Be prepared for opposition. I can feel an evil stirring just beyond the gate.] Seheir flew down to Arch and perched up on his left shoulder. Arch climbed down from the tree and called forth an Invisi Herb. Soon he was unseen and began to make his way up the gate of Macabre.

Arch stood visible in the middle of Macabre's main square, facing the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent. The air was dead and heavy, and darkness dwelt in every corner. No people were around, and every thing seemed lifeless and abandoned.

"Hm. I guess I did not need that herb to get in unseen, Seheir," spoke Arch in to the dead calm.

[Yea. I guess not.]

"So where is this evil you spoke of?"

[Close by... in side the church...] Seheir's words drifted in Arch's mind just as the doors to the chapel burst open. The white haired man's eyes immediately turned gold as he took a defensive stance. Three seven foot skeletons emerged from the church's open doors. They all wore armour and wielded wicked looking swords. Their bones were blood splattered and their armour creaked with every move.

"We are Chucks," spoke the first bone warrior in a raspy, airy voice. "We have been called from the grave to kill you. May you join us in our dance of death." Arch extended his hand and the Materia Blade appeared. Seheir flew off Arch's shoulder and took to the sky.

[I will watch your back from up here, dear friend,] informed the bird of prey. [I will be useless in this battle other wise.] The three Chucks raised their blades and rushed down to meet their adversary.

Father Totentanz was sitting back in an easy chair, sipping on a glass of serport. He was in the public safety room in the chapel's second basement. The room was filled with computers, monitoring and broadcasting systems, and other sundry equipment. From the public safety room, the village of Macabre was monitored at night, when strange creatures were known to walk the roads of Macabre. Presently, the monitor system was active. Father Totentanz along with the three public safety officials were watching the UeHuman in his battle against the Chucks. They were there for a show, for the UeHuman would not have just those three Chucks to fight. Gottfried and two other minor clerics were in the main sanctuary, nested between some pews. There they were in control of the Spawn Machine, which called forth skeletal being from the realm of shadow to fight. The supply of Chucks would be endless.

"That UeHuman does not know what he got himself in to," spoke the old priest of Macabre as he clapped his hands together. "I wonder how he even found out about the mirror... Ah, well! His end will come today, and I shall not have to worry about him any more."

"But is not this UeHuman the same one that opposes Master Rainne?" asked a public safety official named Cabela.

"I think it is," responded another official named Chaegyung.

"Father Totentanz," addressed the third official Charlie. "If this is the UeHuman that opposes the master mind, then will he not find a way to defeat the enemies that you send upon him?" The Father remained silent for a pause as he took another sip of his serport. He was starting to hear doubts in his mind about the ability of the Chucks to destroy the UeHuman and the success of his plan.

"Well, er... At least he will be damaged. Then we can send in our best warlock to finish him off," responded the old man.

"Sounds like a plan to me," agreed Chaegyung as he turned his eyes back to the monitoring screens.

Arch's blade clashed against Chuck1's sword. Sparks flew from the lightning of the Materia Blade and the violent matter began to surge and grow in the heat of battle. Arch had been on the defense, warding off attack and laying some of his own, but he soon discovered that the bone warriors did not die as easy as cutting them to pieces. Their bones reformed themselves to be whole again. Arch summoned fire and lit Chuck2 with the greedy red tongues. The bone warrior seemed not to notice the conflagration upon him, and continued to advance on the white haired Arch. Arch kicked Chuck1 to the side as he parried a slash from Chuck2.

[Behind you! Turn with an upward slash!] instructed Seheir from his watch from above. Arch did as he was told, and sliced the rib cage and skull through with one move. The bones reformed themselves, but the battle helm that had sat up on the Chuck's head was cleaved and thrown high in to the air. Chuck3 screamed a deathly howl, and seemed to grow in to a rage as it viciously drove at Arch with its blade. The golden eyed UeHuman parried Chuck3 and Chuck1. The heat from the flames on Chuck2 grew in intensity, and some of the armour on the bone warrior began to melt.

[That is it! Strike the armour! When it is damaged, so are the Chucks! I bet the life force of the bone warriors comes from their armour!] Arch pointed the Materia Blade at the sky, and a great vortex of wind descended from the darkness. It hit the ground with a loud thundering as lightning began to ride across the sky. Huge lightning bolt flew to the vortex as it spun waiting for its master's command. The violet matter that revolved around the Materia Blade left the sword and combined with the wind vortex. The wind column began to cry a lamentation as Arch sent it upon the Chuck around him. Six more Chucks emerged from the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent as rushed in to the battle. The empowered sea faring wind ripped the armour from the bone warrior as its summoner's command. Lifeless bones fell to the left and right. Soon all nine Chuck lay in piles and the wind vortex lost its power. It faded away as the lightning it had up held fell to the ground. The violet cosmic matter returned to Mystin Sky's sword. Arch flicked some bone dust off his clothes.

"Well, I must say I have remained relatively clean in this battle," said Arch. "Though I have a feeling that it is not over yet. These Chucks are not exceptional fighters... there strength must lie in numbers. I wonder what portal in that church is summoning those beings to this plane..."

[Why do not you go in side and find out?] suggested the bird of prey even though he knew that is exactly what his master would do.

"Seheir, Seheir... You know that is what I am going to do," said Arch as he sat Mystin Sky's sword up on his shoulder. "You know me too well, dear falcon." He strode toward the open doors of the chapel.

Father Totentanz was sitting up straight in his easy chair, stiff as a board. His knuckles were white from tightly gripping his mug of serport, and his face was in shock at how quickly the UeHuman had discovered the secret to dismantling the Chucks. Charlie, Chaegyung, and Cabela were applauding.

"Encore! Encore!" cried Charlie. "I have never seen a show this good before. If only this could be turned in to a theatrical production for people to learn about the conquests of the Great and Golden Eyed UeHuman!"

"Go, UeHuman, go! Send out more Chucks for him to obliterate!" cheered Cabela. Father turned to sweep a cold glare at the public safety officials.

"Just whose side are you on?" asked Father Totentanz. "He is our enemy!"

"Ours, or yours?" responded Chaegyung. Father Totentanz straightened his clerical scarf.

"How dare you speak--" began the old man.

"Oh, just shove it," said Charlie. "Your name means nothing when there is entertainment to be had. We root for the winning team. You would be better off if you followed our example." Father Totentanz fumed. His face turned red with embarrassment. He took another sip of the serport.

Just went do my subordinates think they can talk back to me?, thought Father Totentanz. I am the head of this village! Though I have to admit things have been changing. The people have been demanding to see the fruits of the mirror, but I have not been able to show them any results. They must be being to lose faith in this church... They need an example to prove to them the mirror works. The UeHuman will be caught! He will be! And he will go through the dragon's glass! Father Totentanz growled so fiercely he scared the public officials from starting a little cheer for the victorious UeHuman. The old man grabbed a communications device off a console near his easy chair.

"Gottfried!" barked the old man harshly. The blue suited man picked up through his own comde in the sanctuary.

"Yes, Father Totentanz?" replied Gottfried through the communications device. "Eh? What has happened to you, Father? Your face is all red--"

"Never mind my appearance!" snapped the priest. "I want you to send all you have got at that UeHuman! Every thing! Send as many Chucks as possible! And do not recall them until you seethe UeHuman defeated and bloody upon the ground of Macabre!"

"Uh, yes! Yes, Father Totentanz!" replied Gottfried. "I just reloaded the Spawn Machine for another round."

"Good! Now send them out before the UeHuman gets inside the chapel!" commanded the old man. "He is nigh up on you!" Gottfried quickly signed off to followed Father Totentanz's bidding.

Arch barely had one foot on the first step of the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent when Seheir's voice rang in his head.

[Get ready! Here comes ten more!] warned the bird of prey. [If my eyes are seeing what I think they are, then the bone warriors are coming from some kind of black box in the main room. That blue suited Gottfried is hiding there with two others!] Arch stepped back from the church as ten Chucks leaped out from the chapel.

"Join our dance of death!" said all the Chucks at once. "Join us!"

"How about...no," replied Arch as he sent a heavy wall of fire at the new bone warriors. The Chucks like torches blazed bright light upon the dark Macabre Village. The Chucks scattered to surround the UeHuman, but Arch was too swift and too smart to stay in one spot. He cut armour from the thin bones on which ever Chuck fell upon his eye. He moved through the bone warriors, diminishing them to lifeless bones. The violet cosmic matter around the Materia Blade left the sword, and turned itself in to the form of a white tiger. It raced behind the lightning quick Arch, its jaws ripping armour from the Chucks here and there. All ten of the Chucks now lay mixed in piles with their before defeated friends.

[End this now, Arch. If you allow them to keep sending out the Chucks, you will tire soon, and slow to a point where the bone warriors will get the better of you,] spoke Seheir from high in the sky. [Destroy the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent. When it falls, so will the major crux of this dark village cease to be. Every thing evil about this place emanates from the church. When it falls, so will all the darkness.]

"Sounds reasonable," agreed Arch. He put away Mystin Sky's sword, and leaped up in to the air. He activated his Vlucht ability and the wind seemed to catch him in the air. He flew above the chapel, and began to slowly circle the church. Seheir flew over to him, keeping pace with his master's movements. "Hm, I guess I should warn the people in side that I am about to bring the place down." The golden eyed Arch put a hand to his chin as he thought of some nice words to say that would be a fitting end for such a shadowed and evil church.

Down in the room for public safety, Cabela, Charlie, and Chaegyung were oohing and aahing about the UeHuman's flight abilities. Charlie sat at a console manning a camera, so that they could watch him circle the building.

"Wow, will you just look at that?" exclaimed Chaegyung. "He can defy gravity!"

"But gravity is a force that cannot be denied!" said Cabela. "How can this be?"

"He is an UeHuman," answered Charlie. "He is over us human beings. That is how he can fly. It is only common sense." Cabela and Chaegyung nodded in agreement.

"Give us some close ups!"

"I want to see his falcon!"

"What is he doing now? What is he waiting for?"

"More Chucks! More fighting! Go, Gold Eyed Demolisher!"

"Oh, SHUT UP!" cried Father Totentanz. "Even if you are rooting for that UeHuman, do so not in my presence!"

"Some one needs anger management..." whispered Chaegyung.

"Maybe he has his scarf too tight..." murmured Charlie.

"Hark!" commanded Cabela suddenly. "He speaks! Turn up the volume!" Father Totentanz and the three public officials stared at the center monitor view screen as Arch smiled at the old priest whom he knew was watching.

"Greetings, Father Totentanz, and who ever else that can hear me," began Arch Edgewood as his voice came through the monitor system. His voice echoed like thunder so that every in the building could hear him, even those in the basements. "I am hear to say my final words. I am hear to announce not my end, but the end of this church, the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent."

"Ooo! This show just keeps getting better and better!" interjected Cabela. Charlie immediately shushed him.

"I am sure this church was once grant, a bright symbol for all the people of this village. But then the church fell under the influences of the master mind, and the church grew dark with all the blood it had spilled upon its floors. This village changed its name to Macabre, and shadow moved in to make a comfortable home here. Ever since then, no thing has been the same," Arch paused to let his words sink in. "Tonight, I will do you all a favour. Tonight will be a beneficial changing point in the history of Macabre Village. I will destroy the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent. I will bury it in to the ground to be lost forever to human kind." Arch took a slight bow in the air.

"Look! He bowed to us!"exclaimed Chaegyung. Charlie hushed him too.

"I will first call a great wind to break down the building. You will be able to see it. When the column is fully formed, I will set it up on the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent. You have until then to retreat from the church," informed the blazing eyed Arch. "Thank you for listening."

"Wow..." said Chaegyung. "Do you think he will really do it?"

"There! The wind vortex is gathering strength already!" said Charlie, who had brought the camera angle around to show the growing wind vortex.

"Let us get out of this building then!" cried Cabela. He darted from the room, followed swiftly by Charlie and Chaegyung. Father Totentanz watched them go. He drank the last of his serport. He would have left too, but there was one thing he needed to do first, and that was to visit the third basement where Macabre's Dragon lay.

Arch raised his arms as great winds flew around him. Lightning sparked from his fingers as fire began to flick off his hands. Bringing down the entire church and all the basements underneath was going to take the strength of all his powers. He drew the Materia Blade. Arch could use the aide of the violet matter too.

Down below, Seheir could see people who had worked in the church exiting the doomed chapel. They began to retreat back to the safety of the stores and shops that bordered the square where the church stood at one end. They wanted to be away from the destruction, but they could not help but watch. Seheir saw many other heads pop out of windows and doors to watch the biggest event since first Rainne's coming to their village with the dragon mirror.

"Well, I say this tornado has reached its height," said Arch. The wind column slowly began to move. "I think I shall add some special affects to it, just to buy any stragglers some time." Seheir flew around to face his falconer.

[Do be careful of your surroundings. There are many spectators here,] informed the peregrine falcon.

"Thanks, Seheir. I shall keep that in mind," said the UeHuman. "Some times I do forget what is around me when I have to demolish things this large."

Meanwhile, Father Totentanz had reached the third basement. He entered the circular concrete room and found Ruprecht frantically downloading all his word to the digital notepad.

"Father Totentanz!" exclaimed the researcher. "What are you doing down here? There is not much time left! You have to get out!" Ruprecht finished the transfer and tucked the digipad securely under his arm. He grabbed the old man by the arm to lead him out the door. "Come on, let us get out side..."

"Unhand me, Ruprecht!" said the priest of Macabre. "I am not leaving. I am going through the mirror."

"No! You cannot! I told you it does not work on people your age!" reminded Ruprecht. He ran to the door. "Let us go now, or I will leave you!"

"Go now," said Father Totentanz. "Leave me be!" Ruprecht dashed out the door and did not look back. The old priest moved to stand in front of the dragon glass. He reached out a hand and touched the frame.

"You have failed me, Dragon," spoke the old man to the mirror. He stared at his miserable reflection. "I put hope in you that you would make this church great...but it seems in the end the UeHuman was right. This village fell with the anointing of the first Father Totentanz and the renaming of the village. The people fell to the master mind's plan. We should have known any thing from him would have only resulted in sorrow." The beaten priest fell to his knees. "Oh, Heimdall... What have I done? I ordered the deaths of so many through this mirror... Why did I not see what I was doing...?" Father Totentanz ripped the scarf from around his neck and threw it to the other side of the room as tears began to fall from his eyes. "If only we had known," the old man sobbed. "If only..."

Arch Edgewood watched as Ruprecht darted from the building. No one else came behind him.

"He was on the lowest level," spoke Arch. "I guess that means I can let this tornado rip." His golden eyes fell on the wind vortex that was glowing violet now with fire and electricity. He lowered his arms, and the wind vortex fell upon the Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent.

The wood of the church was tore, and the whole structure soon began to collapse. Arch carefully controlled the debris with in the wind column so no spectators would be hit. Seheir took his familiar spot back on his falconer's shoulder. He did not want to end up being sucked in to the tornado's powerful grasp. The building was burning and twisting as it fell to the ground. The basements began to fall in each other.

"Now to stir this mix up and sink it in to the earth...," said Arch. He called upon lightning, and great jolts of electricity fell from the sky. They hit the decimated church and the earth around it. The ground began to break up, but Arch was careful to keep the destruction to a restricted area. The earth started to open its mouth wide before the villager's eyes. Arch called on fire, and it flooded the gaping earth in its molten magma form. Soon the church was a soupy mess, burning in fire and sparking in electricity as the wind controlled the destruction and kept it from the villagers. The violet cosmic matter descended deep in to the ground to break down the chapel's foundations and basements.

Soon the magma receded, and the violet matter returned to the Materia Blade. Lightning flew back to the sky, and the earth began to close its mouth. The sea faring wind gathered are remaining debris and deposited it in the closing earth. Every thing began to settle, and the wind died down. The Chapel of Heimdall Transcendent was now just a flat plot of soft land.

[Good job,] commented Seheir. [You cleaned it up very nicely.]

"Why, thanks, dear friend," said Arch Edgewood. "Our job here is done."

[Look, the sun's waking from bed,] said the peregrine falcon. Arch turned in the air, and saw the rays of the sun reaching for Macabre Village. This was the first time in many years that the sun was able to lay its eyes upon the village. [How about you fell some of these gruesome pines before we go?]

"Great idea," said Arch as his eyes moved to pick our which trees needed to go the most. He called about the lightning, and cut down the tallest and darkest pines. The sun continued to climb its ladder in the sky as it looked down upon the village. Arch smiled on the new changes the villagers would have to deal with. "I know that they will be in better hands now, since the Father is dead. I hope he realized his wrongs in the end... Come! Let us not dwelt on the past. I am sure these villagers will not." Arch flew over the village and back to Signal Trail. He felled some pine trees at the entrance, and landed there. He walked over to the fruit grove and laid down amongst the fruits.

[Now you will need a good rest after exerting all that energy,] said the peregrine falcon as he landed on a nearby branch. [I will watch the path.]

"Oh why thank you, Seheir," said Arch as his gold eyes faded back to grey. "You are a good friend..." His body fell to slumber as the villagers in Macabre looked up at a bright sun most of them had rarely seen.