Chapter 43

Conjuura

        In the midst of their battle, Blessure and Balooda suddenly stopped fighting. Their instincts told them that their mistress was in danger. Zedda’s enemies would be upon her if they didn’t move fast.

        Still in their monstrous forms, they dashed back into Balooda’s office through the hole in the wall, and up the hall to the ruined front desk. There they saw the townspeople flowing up the stairways.

        With a bound, they both leapt up and landed on the second floor balcony, before any of the townspeople reached the second floor. There they separated, and moved to block both stairways.

        As the fearlessly insane citizenry reached the top of the stairs, the two Morrtogs tore into the onrush, ripping them to shreds, not allowing a single one to pass through. The stairs ran red with their blood. Bodies, body parts, and gore began to litter the foyer below.

        “They’re not getting through!” Egann shouted.

        “At this rate, we’re gonna run out of townspeople real fast.” Ray said, “Then what?”

        “Maybe I can help.” a voice said.

        Zedda returned from her room.

She did not look happy.

        She had always understood that her thrall over Murgent would not last forever; that at some point the status quo would break apart, and she would have to move on to something else. Still, the shock of how after so many years of near omniscience to the goings-on all around her, she had been so easily blinded, chilled her to the marrow.

        It was the girl, of course; Mr. Blessure had been right about that all along.

She walked into her divination room, and found Callie waiting for her there, alone.

        “Are we finished already?” she asked.

        “Yes.” Callie replied, “I think we are quite finished here.”

        “Oh?”

        “It’s over Zedda.” Callie said, “I think you know this.”

        “Really?” Zedda said. Her voice was calm, but it was a deceptive calm; Callie could sense the fury and fear bubbling underneath it. “I think I’ll be the judge of that.” she said.

        With a gesture from Zedda’s hand, Callie was shot into the air, smashed against the wall, and held there.

        Callie felt pressure crushing her lungs. She struggled to breath and couldn’t. Nor could she move a muscle.

        “I decide when things are over.” Zedda said.

        She pushed Callie slowly up the wall.

        Callie began to suffocate.

        Egann, Ray, and Edward turned to see Mike, Jon, and some kid sprint towards them. It was the unknown kid who had spoken.

        The six met.

        “Who are you?” Egann asked the stranger.

        “I’m Sparo. I was the monster in the box.”

        “Don’t ask.” Mike said to Egann.

        “Okay, how can you help?”

        “Watch.” Sparo said.

        He walked to a position between the stairways and lifted his hands, palms up. Into both appeared a translucent blue glowing sphere; each about the size of a tennis ball.

        He hurled one, then the other, at Blessure and Balooda.

        Blessure got hit first. The sphere hit him in the chest, and burst on impact with an explosion of force that blew Blessure back and through the wall behind him; into the empty room beyond.

        Balooda got his a second later, to the same effect.

        This was all the townspeople needed; they pushed forth into the second floor. Blessure and Balooda recuperated quickly, and tore into the mob again, but too many had crowded into the second floor, and many made it past the two.

        “How did you do that?!” Egann asked.

        “You guys need to get up to the third floor to help Mike’s sister.” Sparo said, ignoring Egann’s question, “There’s not enough townspeople left to keep the Morrtogs busy. I’m gonna have to draw them down here. When they come down, you go up.”

        “Shouldn’t they be coming back to life again?” Edward asked, pointing to the bodies and body parts of the townspeople that littered the foyer.

        “That spell is over.” Egann said, “The eggs are broken.”

        “Then why are YOU guys still alive?”

        “I’ve been wondering about that myself.” Egann said.

        “Because Zedda herself is the final egg.” Sparo said, “Your life force is tied to hers. While she lives, the children of Murgent live.”

        “And when she dies, we die.” Egann nodded, “But to be rid of her, every child of Murgent would gladly die.”

        “Not so fast!” Sparo said, “If we’re lucky, there might just be another option. But first things first...”

        He raised his hands again; palms down this time. Twin streams of fire sprayed out from them and engulfed both Blessure and Balooda.

“GO NOW! RUN!” he shouted.

Unable to avoid the fire, the two enraged Morrtogs jumped to the ground floor, to meet Sparo head on; as Mike, Jon, Edward, Egann, and Ray bolted up the blood-drenched stairs with the last of the townsfolk.

“Fight me, girl!” Zedda taunted the helpless Callie, “Or have you accumulated nothing?”

Callie tried, but could not loosen herself, nor could she affect Zedda. As her vision began to blur, she caught sight of Zedda’s marble Seer’s Basin, and sent it flying into her as hard as she could.

It hit Zedda on the side and knocked her over.

Zedda shouted in pain and surprise, and Callie fell to the floor, coughing and heaving great amounts of air.

Through glassy eyes she saw Zedda get up. Her dress was all wet with the basin’s luminescent water.

“I must say you disappoint me, Callie.” Zedda said, “You’ve chosen to challenge me much much too early; you must know that. On your first day!? Really? Are you kidding me? Who do you think you are?”

Zedda floated up into the air.

“Fine,” she said, almost sadly, “Let’s do this.”

Callie felt an invisible hand tighten around her throat. She was levitated and brought right up to Zedda; face to face.

“Anymore tricks?” Zedda asked, “Because now is the time.”

She put her hands on Callie’s shoulders.

“No? Too bad. I was hoping you’d be a little more powerful when it came time to do this, but beggars can’t be choosers.” she said, “What a waste. Goodbye, Callie. Enjoy being a vegetable.”

Zedda’s eyes grew large and hypnotic.

She initiated the Malignium.

From below there came a sudden clamor, as the townspeople that had gotten past the Morrtogs bashed and scrabbled against the closed and knobless door; trying to get in.

The noise startled Zedda. Her eyes stopped their trancing effect and the grip around Callie’s neck loosened.

Callie saw her opportunity. She moved her head back and head-butted Zedda as hard as she could.

Both yelped in pain, and both fell screaming to the ground.

Callie wasted no time getting up. She made to run for the door, but Zedda grabbed her ankle and tripped her.

Again came the invisible hand of Zedda’s power. Callie was lifted off the ground. Still on her back, Zedda sent Callie up to the ceiling, and slammed her up against it hard.

The two Conjuuras looked at each other across the vertical span of the room. Callie tried to focus on something to launch at Zedda, but Zedda lowered her a bit, then slammed her against the ceiling again, making her see stars.

Then, the door opened wide, and a contingent of mad townspeople ran into the room, along with Mike, Jon, Egann, Ray, and Edward, who had opened the door for them.

They saw Zedda on the floor, and threw themselves upon her.

Down on the first floor, Sparo faced off with the Morrtogs.

He chucked a blue sphere at Balooda, and struck him in mid-leap; the one in his other hand he grew and thinned out into a shield-like shape that repelled Blessure backward, and sent him crashing into the section of the front desk that had remained standing.

He summoned two more blue power spheres into each hand, but this time he elongated them into two long thin blue cords that coiled, whiplashed, and stretched themselves like living tendrils.

Balooda and Blessure attacked from opposite sides. One cord snapped at Balooda’s face, impaled him in the forehead, and passed through to the other side of his head; while the other one wrapped itself around Blessure’s neck, and tightened mercilessly.

“Now,” said Sparo, as he flattened his cords to a blade-like width, “Let’s see what you two are made of…”

Forgotten by Zedda, Callie began to fall.

She summoned forth all the power she had accumulated from the Malignium and halted her descent about halfway down.

She was levitating.

Wow, I AM a natural! Callie thought.

She looked down and saw the townspeople tearing at Zedda with their bare hands and teeth. Some pulled her hair. Some kicked at her. Two or three had knives and sliced at her most incompetently.

Zedda managed to throw some of them off, but they would only get up and attack again. One of them was sent flying with such force, that he hit Callie in midair and sent both crashing down on one of the tables. The table turned over and spilled the two to the floor with a crash.

Callie got up and recognized the one who hit her; the old man they had run over earlier: Merro Lhaisuber. The fall seemed too much for him; he did not get up again like the others.

Zedda somehow got to her feet.

She was a bloody mess. Her hair had clumps missing, some of her teeth had been knocked out, her dress was in tatters, her nose was crooked, and one of her eyes was sealed shut with blood. She had deep bleeding gashes on her arms, legs, and body, where some of the townspeople had hacked at her; inexpertly perhaps, but with cumulative effect.

Yet she still stood.

The townspeople also got up, and went after her again.

Callie limped over to Mike, Jon, Edward, Egann, and Ray; who were all still standing at the doorway, watching the spectacle.

Mike saw her, and the two hugged.

Though the last several hours had not been the longest the two had ever been separated; in a way it was.

“You okay?” Mike asked.

“I’m okay.” Callie said, her voice hoarse.

“It seems Zedda’s goose is cooked.” Jon said, sidling up to give Callie a hug as well.

“Oh how I wish I could believe that.” Callie replied.

No sooner had Callie spoken, when Zedda lifted all her remaining attackers into the air…and tore them all in half.

The bloody halves fell to the floor with gruesome thuds.

Zedda turned and faced Callie and the others.

“Is that it?” she asked mockingly, “Is that all? Was that the extent of your rebellion?”

“You haven’t reckoned with me yet, Zedda.” a soft voice spoke.

Sparo Ivinic entered the room.

Fear crept into Zedda’s face.

“Your Morrtogs are dead, Conjuura.” Sparo said, “I left them in pieces.”

“Are you sure you’re up to fighting me, Nurrek?” Zedda asked, “You are so very young, and have developed only a fraction of your powers. It must have taken much effort to kill my Morrtogs. You must be so tired.”

“You’re not fooling anyone, Zedda.” Sparo replied, “It is you who are tired. Your spells are broken, your protectors are dead, and you’re bleeding out all over the floor. How long do you think you can last this way?”

“I still have POWER!!” Zedda shouted.

She lifted her hands high and every table, every sculpture, every large object in the room, floated up into the air and was sent hurling towards Sparo and the others.

Sparo instantly created a shield, as he had before, in his fight with the Morrtogs; only now, the shield grew large and covered him and the whole group standing around him.

The projectiles smashed against the shield, and were repelled violently enough to smash them to pieces. Zedda even had to deflect some large pieces of shrapnel that flew back at her. And with every contact between object and shield, Sparo grimaced with exertion.

“Were you trying to piss her off?!” Jon asked.

“Actually, yes.” Sparo replied through gritted teeth.

At last the barrage stopped, as Zedda had nothing more to throw at them. Sparo wasted no time; his shield disconnected from his hand, flew at Zedda, and was upon her faster than she could react. Still connected to Sparo’s hand through a blue cord, the shield encircled her and encapsulated her, like an oblong bubble; trapping her within.

Zedda began to scream as the bubble changed color from blue, to a sinister red.

“What are you doing to her?!” Edward asked.

“Don’t worry, I’m not killing her.” Sparo said, “I’m just draining her of power. A suitable punishment, I’d say; though not as gentle a procedure as the Malignium.”

When he was finished, the bubble dissipated away into nothing, and Zedda was revealed; on her knees and hunched over, with her head in her hands. She looked up at Sparo; defeated.

“What will you do with me now, Nurrek?” she asked him, “I know you won’t kill me. The children of Murgent will all die if you do that. But a living Conjuura, even powerless, is not without recourse; and still quite dangerous.”

“Give her to me, I’ll kill her myself!” Ray said, “I die, but with a smile on my face.”

“No one need die today,” Sparo said, “For there is another option; one you created yourself, Zedda.”

Zedda’s eyes widened.

“Ah, you know what I’m talking about! The very cage you constructed to hold me will hold a Conjuura as well; easily. There, the children of Murgent will make sure you live a very…long…time.”

“I should have killed you when I first saw you.” Zedda said, “I see that now. I could’ve, you know. You were powerless then.”

“I was,” Sparo said, “Then.”

“Sooo sorry, though…” a thin voice added; and suddenly all eyes fell on a figure that had somehow crept behind Zedda unnoticed.

It was Merro Lhaisuber, who had not been killed by his fall after all, but merely stunned. In his upraised, upswinging hands was a butcher knife that had been dropped by one of the now-dead townspeople.

“NOOO!” they all screamed, as he plunged the knife with surprising force, deep into the small of Zedda’s back.

Zedda turned, grabbed Merro by the neck, and snapped it with a powerful squeeze.

She released Merro, and he dropped like a sack. She turned back to the assembled company, gurgled something unintelligible (yet still somehow mocking) then fell forward and facedown with a horrid THUMP.

Upon that instant, Egann, Ray, and Mike, along with all the other children of Murgent scattered throughout the hotel (most of them hiding from the chaos), fell to the floor...dead.

Chapter 42

The Time is Now

        Callie had faced the well of Jon’s memories, and was not swayed.

        Jon’s re-entry into her life, after she thought she might never see him again, had an effect far beyond Zedda’s surmise.

        Callie found herself again.

        Instead of draining Jon, she communicated with him. From her own memories, she had shown him what had transpired since her arrival in Murgent with Mike and Edward.

        If we are ever to get away from here, she had said to him mentally, It has to be tonight. Tonight or never.

        What do you suggest? Jon had sent back.

        I will have to take on Zedda, Conjuura to Conjuura.

        There is no way you are ready for that, Jon said.

        I’m not fighting to win, but to keep her busy, Callie said, You, Mike, Edward, and whoever else you can recruit will have to find some way to deal with Balooda and Blessure. This isn’t so much a plan, you see, as a shot in the dark. I’ll give you as much time as I can, before I challenge Zedda. After that, things will happen quickly; either for us or against us. Time is of the essence; so work quickly, my love.

        “That’s a dangerous game she’s playing.” Egann said, when Jon finished his description of the mental communication he had just had with Callie, “Zedda’s has years of power stored up, she’s gonna squash your Callie like a bug. However, I may just know a way to even the odds a little, thanks to your friend Edward.”

        They exchanged information, and split up.

        Jon went downstairs to get Mike out of the basement.

        Egann stayed on the third floor. 

        He turned the corner and sprinted up to Zedda’s private room. He said the magic words as he traced the circular seal with his finger, and the door opened.

        He wasted no time; he flicked the lights on, and went straight for the painting. He opened it. When he saw the eggs, he realized he needed something in which to carry them. It would not do to just sneak a few away in his pockets, he needed all of them. He needed to destroy them all, preferably at the same time, before Zedda figured out what was happening and tried to stop him.

        He was not sure they were even breakable; and even if they were, he had no means of doing it quietly here.

        A bold stroke was needed.

        Egann looked around and saw a small end table with a decorative tablecloth. He removed the items on the table, and then removed the tablecloth. He laid the cloth out on the floor, went over to the shelf, and started taking out all the crystal eggs. He put them all on the tablecloth, and picked up the ends; creating a sack. He tied the corners and cinched them tight.

        He went to the window, and opened it. It was heavy, and did not go up easily, but he forced it.

        Egann poked his head out the window, and looked down. Below him, three stories down, was a semi-circle of lush lawn.

        “Damn,” he said, “This is gonna hurt.”

He lowered himself out of the window, grabbed the sack, and let go; pushing against the wall with his feet. As he fell, he tucked the sack of eggs to his stomach, and hugged it to cushion it against impact.

        There was a muffled thud, then no other sound. Egann lay sprawled on the lawn next to the bag of eggs, unmoving.

        Mike’s enemy loosened it’s last bolt. It darted across the basement, struck the wall, and ricocheted off; leaving behind a gash mark.

        The crisscrossing bands of iron collapsed in a heap of metal.

        The beast was free.

        It shambled forth, towards Mike. As it passed beyond the confines of the box, it blurred out of coherent vision. Only when it stopped right in front of Mike, did it clear up again.

        Only now, it wasn’t a monster at all. It was pallid, frail-looking boy of about eleven or twelve; with dirty clothes and unkempt hair.

        “Hello Mike,” he said, “I’m the Nurrek.”

        Edward and Ray started to sweat in the dark confines of the broom closet. Balooda was still in his office, and didn’t seem likely to get out of it any time soon.

        Edward could resist temptation no longer and took out the crystal egg from his pocket. It was too dark to see, so he brought it to where the single sliver of light coming from the small crack in the wood of the door could hit it. When it did, the egg glowed with a bright light.

        “Oh…” whispered Edward, as the glow got brighter, and illuminated the broom closet.

        As Edward and Ray stared at the miniature Sarrgoset Hotel with rapt attention, they saw a tiny facsimile of Mr. Blessure look out the third floor window and up at them.

        “It’s happening again.” Mr. Blessure said, looking out the window, “We’re being watched.”

        “Can you get them yet?” Zedda asked.

        “Almost…”

        The glow of the egg was so bright, light shone out from under the door. Mr. Balooda saw this light, went to the broom closet, and yanked the door open.

        “WHAT EES THEES?!!” Balooda yelled.

        Edward was so startled that he dropped the egg. The egg’s glow shut off, and rolled to a stop at Balooda’s feet.

        “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HEER?!!” he bellowed.

        Balooda saw the egg, and picked it up.

        “THEES BEELONG TO ZEDDA!” he roared, and held it before his eyes to confirm that it was indeed Zedda’s.

        “GOT HIM!!” yelled Mr. Blessure, and with his mind, PULLED.

        Balooda looked into the egg for just a second---but at the worst possible time. His eyes suddenly bulged outward in a grotesque fashion, and he screamed a bone-shattering scream that could be heard in all of Murgent.

        In the tightening death-grip of his hand, the egg shattered.

        Outside, in the town of Murgent, Balooda’s scream shook the townspeople from their lunatic endeavors, and united them in purpose. For the spell that had for so long protected the Sarrgoset Hotel and its surroundings from their violent intentions was broken; and they now hastened in their shambling way towards that edifice.

        At long last, it was time to settle unfinished business.

        Though Balooda’s scream could be heard down in the basement, the two down there barely registered the sound.

        “Nurrek?” Mike asked.

        “That’s Zedda’s little joke at my expense.” the boy replied, “My actual name is Sparo Ivinic. Anyway, you gave me quite a battle there, pal. Then again, considering the box’s illusion spells, how could you have done otherwise?”

        “What ARE you?” Mike asked.

        “You’ve heard of the Ma’jai, right?”

        “You’re a Ma’jai?”

        “Don’t sound so surprised, Mike. You’re one too!”

        “Wha—WHAT!?”

        “Guna shaal isanno a’dahj, Mike. You are one of us. Do you think you could have fought me the way you did if you were just an ordinary person? Or see me now so clearly in the dark?”

        Before Mike could formulate a denial to Sparo’s incredible assertion, there came the sound of the basement door being unlocked and opened.

        “MIKE! You down there?” shouted a voice.

        It was Jon.

       

        Egann awoke.

        He picked up the bag of eggs, and ran to the front of the hotel.

        Once there, he saw them.

        There were about forty to fifty townspeople facing the hotel, looking up at the third floor window. Egann recognized Merro Lhaisuber, the old man Mike and Callie had run over, among them. More were coming. When the right critical mass was reached, they would strike.

        “The time is now.” Egann said.

        He smashed the bag of crystal eggs against the concrete sidewalk.

        Edward and Ray covered their ears with their hands to shut out Balooda’s loud screaming. Before their eyes he doubled in size and transformed into the gargoyle-like thing with cracked crocodile skin. In it’s talons, the shards that had once been a crystal egg fell.

        The thing that was Balooda began to claw at it’s eyes.

        Unable to exit the room, Edward and Ray backed themselves back into the broom closet, as Balooda thrashed against the walls of the office like a wild animal in a panic.

        “GOT HIM!” Mr. Blessure had said triumphantly; but triumph had turned to horror as his head exploded in size.

        ”NOOOOO!!” Mr. Blessure screamed.

        The shape of his head fluctuated wildly, as if some feral animal was trapped inside, trying to tear it’s way out.

        “WHAT IS IT!? WHAT IS IT?!” Zedda yelled.

        Blessure bent over, hands on head, perhaps trying to contain its contents; perhaps trying to flush it out. From his eyes, copious amounts of vile-looking sludge poured.

        Callie (who was between drainees) and the other kids in the room watched with horrified fascination.

        At last Blessure seemed to rid himself of his burden, and his head shrunk back to normal size; but it was now a messy and disfigured version of what it had once been. He straightened up and looked at Zedda with his broken face and gunky eyes.

        “It was BALOODA!” he said, his chest still heaving.

        “What?!” Zedda asked, “How can that be? Morrtogs cannot betray their Conjuuras!”

        “It was a mistake, not a betrayal. Two of the boys, Edward and Ray, stole one of your Sarsarin Eggs. He discovered them, but looked into the egg at the wrong moment.”

        Rage bubbled up inside of Zedda; someone had dared to trespass into her private room, and had stolen her property!

        Along with the rage, however, arose fear. She had been so focused on Callie, it had distracted her from keeping an eye on the goings-on in the hotel. How could she be so blind?

        Only now, as she opened her mind to the psychic stream, did she sense its chaotic vibrations. Things were wrong on multiple levels. 

        A Sarsarin egg had been stolen, but which one?

        She had to go see.  

        “Go get the boys that did this, Mr. Blessure. An especially harsh example of them must be made! Bring them here and wait for me; I have to go check my room.”

        “You.” she said to Callie, “Continue.”

        Both she and Mr. Blessure left the room.

        Callie turned to the remaining kids left in the room with her.

“Go.” she said.

“But…Zedda said…” one of them protested.

“GO!” Callie shouted, “Things are about to get noisy and unpleasant around here.”

Balooda finally stopped slamming himself against the walls of his office, and fell in a spread-eagled heap.

He remained, though, in his monstrous form.

“Is he dead?” Edward whispered.

“I don’t think so.” Ray whispered back, “He’s still breathing. We should try to get out of here before he gets up again.”

“Okay.”

As quietly as they could, Edward and Ray walked out of the broom closet, and made their cautious way past Balooda. The office was in a shambles and any careless move might make a noise loud enough to wake him, so they had to take it slow.

They were almost at the doorway.

Balooda opened his eyes.

“YOU!!” he bellowed.

“OH SHIG!!” Edward shouted.

The two made a run for it, but Balooda jumped to his feet and grabbed them both.

“STOP!” a hard voice commanded. It was Mr. Blessure, standing at the hall entrance. He looked messed up.

He walked down the hall to the office, and faced Balooda.

“Zedda wants them!” he said.

But Balooda was beyond the niceties.

“You!” he seethed, dropping Edward and Ray (who both scurried to a corner of the room to get away from what was coming). In his monster form he towered over Mr. Blessure.

“It was a mistake.” Mr. Blessure said, “On both sides.”

Though his words were conciliatory, the undercurrent of threat in his voice was unmistakable. It said: you do NOT want to mess with me right now.

“MEESTAKE THEES!!” Balooda shrieked, and struck Mr. Blessure with an upward swing of his talon that sent him flying backward across the hall, and crashing through the front desk.

Blessure got up, and within a second, transformed into a beast not unlike Balooda, only meaner-looking. He galloped down the hall, launched himself at Balooda, and slammed into him hard enough to smash him against, and through, the wall of his office. The two actually ended up outside of the hotel. Before Balooda had a chance to get up, Blessure jumped on him and commenced pounding his head side to side with his talons; ripping deep gashes into the sides of his face.

Edward and Ray looked out of the hole in the wall in both horror and wonder, then at each other in disbelief at what they had just witnessed. Then, they sprang out of the office and ran up the hall. Behind them came the sounds of an infernal wrestling match as Balooda knocked Blessure off, and the fight between them was on in earnest.

“We have to find Egann!” said Ray.

“We have to go get Mike!” Edward countered.

There came then a crashing sound from the front of the hotel. Edward and Ray ran through the ruins of the front desk in time to see the front door wrenched open. From outside flowed in a mass of Murgent’s mad townspeople; and with them came Egann.

“EGANN!” yelled Ray.

Egann turned and saw them. 

He ran over to them as the townspeople spread themselves inward.

“What’s this?!” Ray asked.

“This is the end, Ray!” Egann said, “It all ends tonight! Zedda is no longer protected by her spells!”

At that, the townspeople started rushing up the stairs.    

Chapter 41

The New Arrival

        “I’m looking for my friends, Mike, Callie, and Edward.” Jon said, “That’s their car parked right over there. Are they here?”

        “Yes, they are,” said Egann, “Come on in.”

        From where they watched and waited, Edward and Ray saw Egann walk in from the hall, followed by Jon. Edward had to suppress a squeal of joy when he saw him.

        “What is it?” asked Ray, “Do you know him?”

        “It’s my friend Jon!” said Edward.

        “Don’t be too happy,” Ray said, “He’s now stuck here too.”

        Edward smiled wide. “Ray, the chances of our getting out of this hell-hole just got a little bit better!”

        “Speaking of chances, there goes Balooda. Let’s go!”

        “Ahh! A neew guest!” Mr. Balooda said, arriving, “Eeegan, who ees our neew friend?”

        “I’m Jonathon Grash,” Jon stepped forward and said, “I’m looking for my friends. I’m told they are here.”

        “Friends?” Balooda asked.

        “Our previous guests.” Egann replied.

        “I see!” Balooda said, and turned to Egann, “Take him to Zedda.”

        “You’re…not taking him?”

        “No need.” Balooda said, “Hee’s nothing special---just another toureest.”

        Balooda turned back and headed for his office.

        Tourist was Balooda’s euphemism for those poor, unfortunate outsiders who still blundered into Murgent, from time to time. The adults would be driven bonkers by Zedda’s still operative insanity spell, and would join the rest of the crazy populace. If there were kids with them, they would end up joining the hotel workforce.

        That was much too fast, Egann thought, If Edward and Ray aren’t out of Balooda’s office with the egg by now, they’re screwed.

        There was nothing for it, but to continue onward.

        He turned to Jon, “Follow me.” he said.

        Ray had stayed near the entrance of the hall as a lookout, while Edward had gone into Balooda’s office to get the egg.

        Edward crouched down low and extended his arm to reach under the desk. He caught the egg with his fingertips, but the egg skidded further away. Edward groaned at his own incompetence, got down on the floor and crawled under the desk, over to the egg, which was now under Balooda’s chair. Edward stretched out his hand and grabbed the egg. He was getting out from under the desk, when Ray came to the door in a panic.

        “He’s coming!” Ray hissed.

        “I’ve got it!” Edward said, getting to his feet.

        “Let’s go!” Ray said, but upon turning saw Balooda’s shadow enter the hall before him.

        In a flash, Ray entered the office, grabbed Edward, and the two slipped behind the wall before Balooda could see them. They now had seconds, before Balooda entered the office.

        “Wadda-we-do? Wadda-we-do?” Ray muttered under his breath, looking around in a panic for a lifeline.

        His eyes fell on the small broom closet, and the two slipped in there right before Balooda stepped in.

        It was dark inside, but in the quick second they had opened the door for ingress, light had spilled in and shown a small empty space with some pails, sponges, and such; tucked neatly aside. There were no actual brooms in the broom closet, thankfully. There was just barely enough room for the both of them.

        They heard Balooda enter the office.

        A small sliver of light from a crack in the wood of the door (probably from when Balooda slammed Mike against it) provided the only illumination in that dark confined space.

        “What now?” Edward whispered.

        “We wait.” Ray whispered back.

        Mike got down to the basement in time to see his body start work on the last magic circle. The final, desperate, and most intense phase of their battle began.

        Despite Mike’s renewed energy, the beast in the box still had the advantage of time.

        And bit by bit, that last circle became less and less.

        Egann and Jon stood in front of the door to Zedda’s divination room. Egann made to knock, but the door was opened just then as Alixa shambled out; her face a blank.

        She looked at Egann and Jon. “Another one.” she mumbled, then continued on her way.

        “What’s wrong with her?” Jon asked.

        “You’ll see shortly.” Egann replied.

        They stepped inside.

        Inside were eight kids, still waiting their turn. Callie was working on a girl named Connie. No longer able to just watch, Zedda had taken the next kid in line; a boy named Daniel.

        “CALLIE!” Jon cried out, upon seeing his beloved.

        He ran over to her, but Mr. Blessure stopped him before he could reach her.

        “Callie, it’s ME!!” he yelled, struggling against the unmovable hand at his neck, “Let me go, damn you!”

        Callie did not even look up from her labors. She was so deep into Connie’s memories, his voice did not penetrate.

        That something was wrong with this town was something Jon had realized the minute he had entered Murgent (and the crazy townsfolk wandering around in the night like a horror show was a big hint too); but worse than all that was the realization that something was terribly wrong with Callie as well.

        What the hell was happening here?

        Mr. Blessure brought Jon over to Zedda.

        Egann followed close behind.

        Zedda finished up with Daniel, and shoved him aside. “Is this our new guest?” she asked.

        “Yes.” Egann answered.

        “Why didn’t Mr. Balooda bring him up himself?”

        “Mr. Balooda figured he’s just another tourist.”

        “Oh, but he’s much more than that, isn’t he? I distinctly heard him call out Callie’s name.” Zedda said, “Release him, Mr. Blessure.”

        Mr. Blessure did as commanded.

        “Why are you here?” Zedda asked Jon.

        “I came to find her,” Jon said, “Callie, and my other friends.”

        Callie finished with Connie, and pushed her aside impersonally, not unlike Zedda had just done with Daniel.

        “This should be an interesting reunion then.” Zedda said, “Callie, dear! Someone's here to see you!”

        Callie turned, and at last caught sight of Jon.

All the color drained from her face

        “Jon?”

        “Callie!” Jon said, and ran to her.

        They embraced.

The hunger tried to cajole Callie once again, but was trodden down under foot by Jon’s voice, Jon’s touch, and Jon’s kiss. Jon’s very presence rendered it small and mute.

“Ah…so it’s the boyfriend.” Zedda muttered.

From where she sat, she could sense the diminution of the hunger that had bound Callie to her up to now; but Zedda was not troubled. She knew of a way to turn the boyfriend’s freeing effect against itself; cleaving the hooks in even deeper.

“I hate breaking up a lovefest,” Zedda said, “But I think it’s time for Callie to return to her new vocation.”

“I’m not returning to anything.” Callie said, “I’m done with this.”

“I’m afraid you are mistaken about that.” Zedda said.

Jon suddenly felt himself forced down into a kneeling position, by an invisible hand that could not be resisted.

“Not only are you returning to your duties,” said Zedda, “Boyfriend here is going to be your next drainee.”

“What? NO!” Callie said.

“If you don’t, I’ll have Mr. Blessure rip his arms and legs right off in front of you. He’ll live, of course, but it won’t be a pleasant sight.”

Zedda let Callie think on that a few seconds.

“Mr. Blessure, if you please---“ Zedda said.

“NO! STOP!” Callie said, “I’ll do it.”

She stepped over to Jon.

“I’m sorry.” she said.

“It’s not your fault.” Jon replied.

“Oh Jon, but it is.” she said, and began.

The battle was over, and Mike had lost.

The last magical circle of containment finally eradicated, the beast released Mike’s body and returned to it’s own; it no longer needed Mike for what was left for it to do.

Mike floated toward his body, and crammed himself into it. It felt weird and cumbersome at first, like a fat suit; but he acclimated to it enough to sit up and scootch himself over to the wall, facing the cage. It would be a long time till anyone came down for him anyway, so he figured he might as well stay and see what the boogey in the box would do once it freed itself.

Though the basement was now in total darkness, he was amazed that he could still see; his spectral vision had not departed with his return to his body. Mike wondered how long that would last.

A sudden metallic clank startled him.

One of the bolts that secured the metal bands to the wooden box had popped off, hitting the wall a few feet above his head, before ricocheting off to the back somewhere.

Mike watched and winced, as other bolts unscrewed themselves, popped off, and hit the wall all around him like shots fired by a blind man; yet not a one hit him.

Why doesn’t it just bust through the box? Mike wondered, It certainly looks big enough to accomplish that.

Whatever the reason, it would soon be free nonetheless.

All Mike could do now was watch and wait.

She was done with him.

At Zedda’s call, Egann helped the zoned out boyfriend up to his feet, and walked him toward the door.

“I’m ready for more.” Callie said, her face unreadable.

Young love dies hard, Zedda thought to herself with self-satisfaction. She nodded her approval, and allowed Callie to continue.

Egann and Jon exited the room.

“I wish I could have warned you,” Egann said, “But I couldn’t risk Zedda finding out.”

“Find…? What…?” Jon mumbled.

“Me and your friend Edward, along with a friend of mine named Ray, are trying to find a way to end this situation.”

“You…friend of Edward?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“Good.” Jon said, straightening up, “I don’t have to act loopy any more, which is a relief. So, where can I find Mike and Ed?”

Egann was caught by surprise. “She didn’t drain you, did she?”

“No.” Jon answered, “She has other plans.”

“What other plans?”

“We’re taking down Zedda tonight.”