FicWad

On a mountain he sits, not of gold but of shit;
Through the blood he can look, see the life that he took;
From the council of one he'll decide when he's done with the innocent;
On his face is a map of the world



"Whaa!",


"Oops, sorry", Leah grimaced sheepishly as she let the sword come to rest at her side. Ray's eyes were wide


"Caredful, you almost took my head off!",


"Err... Ray...", Abbie coughed as she pointed to the floor. A severed curl of black hair lay there, dead.


"Sorry...", Leah apologised


"It's okay, it'll grow back", Ray shrugged as he brushed a hand through the mane of hair still connected to his head, "Just don't mess with the 'fro' again!", He chuckled


If the house had been described as 'full' before, then that was nothing to how it was now: More and more people arrived at the house, keen to help. Many had spilt into the back garden, some had left the home and decided to return later on when the hour of action returned - 11:00 pm. Tomo, Ray, Abbie and Leah were locked inside Shannon's bedroom. Leah and Ray sparring with swords, whereas Abbie and Tomo had chosen five foot wooden poled. Mikey and Frank were going through the plan with the mass of people downstairs.


"Are glorified sticks really going to help against vampires?", Abbie asked as she parryed a blow from Tomo


"Decapitating a vampire should kill it, according to the book", Leah replied, slightly breathless for she and Ray had continued their mock fight.


"Yeah, but can you decapitate something with a staff?", her eyebrows were raised, "Besides, I doubt there are enough Katanas for everyone here!",


"You never know what you may find in Bartholomew Cubbins' prop room...", Tomo shrugged. Leah paused deep in thought


"I'll be back now...", and with that she bolted from the room, butting here way through the roaring sea of people.


"What's she up to?", Ray asked scratching his forehead


"It's best not to ask, we'll find out soon enough".


They re-sheathed the swords, and carefully placed the weapons in Shannon's wardrobe, until they were next needed before the trio went to down to find Mikey and Ray.


They were both sitting in the Leto's dinning room with six other people, all nodded in welcome as Tomo, Abbie and Ray entered the room and drew up chairs. The book lay open in the middle of the table, surrounded by maps and papers of scribbled notes orbiting it like plants around the sun.


"How's it going guys?", Tomo asked


"We've decided to take a list of everyones names", Mikey pointed to a long list of people, "and that only those over 16 should be allowed to fight, we don't want people getting hurt",


"So far there are 92 names... that's a lot!", Frank elaborated.


"Hang on... how on earth are we going to transport 100 people across L.A without being noticed? If we just march though police will think we're rioting, and we can't exactly say: 'Don't worry we're just off to defeat some vampires!'",


Mikey sucked the tip of a pen, "Abbie has a point... any ideas?", He asked hopefully around at the half a dozen people, each wore an equally blank expression on their faces, shaking their heads.


"Well you're lucky you're in the presence of Raymond Toro then, aren't you!", Ray declared with false bravado, "It just so happens that I know a few truckers who really owe me one - long story, don't ask," He added in response to Tomo's raised eyebrow.


"Brilliant, that's sorted", Frank chirped inking a note down onto an already long list as Ray took out his phone and walked off to pursue a quieter location.


"Have you got anything more on destroying vampires?", Tomo asked

"Yeah-", Mikey was cut off by Abbie


"Wait a minute... Where's Leah!", Almost as soon as the words had left her mouth a cry of "TIMBER!", filled everyone's ears. Followed by a series of creaks and then an almighty crash.


"What in the name of red vines was that!", Frank exclaimed. It only took them to run outside for an answer.


Leah was stood proud over the felled body of a tree, axe in hand and foot on trunk.


"Leah... What have you done?", Abbie asked, mouth open slightly


"Well, we're fighting vampires! We need wooden stakes for about 100 people and I saw this big tree out here earlier so...", She looked confused by Tomo's mix of expressions: Halfway between horror and laughter, "Jared is going tokill you", He giggled


"Kill, Why?", She asked, laying down the axe and climbing the steps leading to the raised decking to join them and the waching crowd.


"Yeah, that was Bruce!"


"Bruce?"


"Bruce?"


"Bruce... The Tree?" Leah repeated slowly, her eyebrows raised in amusement, "Jared names trees?..."


"Well not all, he ...'rescued' this one as a little sapling he - ah - 'raised' it here after taking it from France six years ago..."


"Please tell me he didn't sit on a plane with a tree between his legs!"


"He tried to", Tomo barked in laughter


"He's nuts", Abbie chuckled shaking her head


"But if it saves him he won't be complaining will he?", Leah defended with her arms
crossed.


"You never know with Jay...", Tomo mused, "So Mikey, will staking a vampire work, or is it just movie shizz?"


Mikey frowned, "The book said that it can vary, it would severely injure them in any case, but decapitation seems to be most prudent"


"Nice...", Abbie grimaced


"Caspian's gonna get more than his head chopped off if he dares hurt Shannon!... Or Jared and Gerard, of course...", Leah coughed. Abbie smirked at her and winked. Leah's cheeks blushed a fierce red.


"I thought Shannon was receiving 'vibes' off you in the library, you couldn't take your eyes off him", Tomogrinned, "look's like he's got an admierer", she punched his arm lightly.


Leah coughed again, "Yeah, so -er- we'd better get back to training". Ray strolled in at that moment looking smug.


"All sorted, and yep, we should get back to training, just this time try not to take my head off!"


"Will do", She laughed as they went back to retrieve the swords from Shannon's room. Abbie and Frank followed, leaving Tomo and Mikey on the balcony. The tree was now being carved into dozens of lethal looking stakes by two burly boys, dressed in barely more than loincloths and caked in mud, whilst many of the other people talked in groups, quite oblivious to the struggles that were occurring mere miles from them, deep underground.


Tomo sniffed in the crisp night breeze, "When do we depart?"


"Ray said the trucks will be here around 11:00pm. You okay?", he asked patting Tomo's leather clad shoulder. He nodded slowly, "It's just... This is all mad, I mean yesterday I thought that Shannon had been hit too hard around the head and now there are 100 kids about to fight to get my two best friends back", Mikey nodded, "And the worst part is not knowing if they're okay", Tomo continued, "What if something's happened to them and I don't know?"


"We're doing everything we can Tome. They'll be okay... They have to be okay!", Mikey's hand slid off his shoulder as he turned to leave.


"Mikey, do you really think Caspian gave us that book?",


Mikey shrugged, "Dunno, but I found a name on the inside back cover: Garward... Must be Caspian's nickname or something", He laughed


"Yeah... Must be...", Tomo breathed as he turned back and looked up. Night had pulled its ebony curtain over the sky, suffocating the sun. Little jewles peered through the oblivion, defying the darkness, shinning pin pricks of light guiding those on earth. Guarding like billions of heathen Gods. Tomo smiled and closed his eyes. He would get them back. He just had to believe.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Caspian's heavy, booted footsteps echoed off the silent stone catacombs. Any life form shrinking in submission at his shadow. Only the gentle padding of Kirus' paws mingled with the noise.


"Are you sure about this, brother?", Kirus asked looking harsh


"Yes of course!" He replied tersely


"They are one of us now, though..."


"They will never be one of use, they are just vital for this stage of the plan, after that... They become disposable",Caspian's head was high with contempt.


"Yes, but they plan is not yet complete! And by killing him -"


"- It will not kill him", Caspian interrupted


"It did the four others", Kirus was becoming annoyed by his brother's arragance.


"If you do not wish to be present, then please leave, go and check on the other one... I want to know what he is up to",


"If you had stuck to the plan! It was foolish letting him go last week!", His hackles were rising.


"I was hoping he would bring back the third one on a rescue mission"


"And how did that one work out for you?"


"Please Kirus! I am in no mood to argue", Caspian waved his hand. The dog huffed before trotting off in the opposite direction.


Noises, voices, lights, all began seeping through the gloom as the tunnel widened. Soon, Caspian stood at the threshold of a large cavern. Many people, or rather creatures, seemed to be living here.


Holes had been cut into the rocks, little beds and homes for the creatures to sleep. Even a well had been dug in the center of the large, rocky room. A gathering crowd encircled a pile of animal carcasses that had been taken from the forest, the more human-like creatures ate with rudimentary tools, whereas the beast just used snouts and claws.


All manners of creatures resided here. Some would have been instantly recognisable from legends and literature. Vampires and unturned werewolves, barely distinguishable from humans if not for their pallid complexion. A large winged dog touched down from flight, spikes protruding from its black flesh like a stegosaurus, it also seemed to be exhaling smoke. Gargantuan forms swooped overhead, some a mismatch of animals: Gryiffins and the likes and others seemed part human. A large bird glimmered gold as it shot through the air, a trail of fire in its wake.


A child ran in circles through the crowd, feathered wings sprouting from her naked back, zooming past a dignified horse that pawed at the ground. Exept it wasn't a horse, A spiralled azure horn adorned his forehead. He looked up with pride and grace in his turquoise eyes. The mane and tail was a mass of not hair, but fire, blue fire that danced off the horse. It was a truly breathtaking creature.


Caspians presence brought instant hush from the hubbub. All heads turning to him.


"We are close now, close to our revolution and then my friends you shall hide no more! We will be free." Most cheered at this. A lion-like creature close to Caspian thudded its tail in approval.


"How will we do it?", asked the young auburn child


"All will be revealed soon... In fact, Dustin", Caspian called. The teenage looking vampire steeped out, reluctantly, from the crowd, "Ah, perfect, come with me please", Dustin followed Caspian as he crossed to the other end of thecavern. They took the furthest left of three possible options at a fork. It was the least welcoming.


"Sir, why do you want me?", Dustin asked, his eyes wide and burning in the low torch light.


"I have another subject for the test", Caspian grinned, whereas Dustin was horrified, "But-"


"Silence! Or it shall be you next", He ordered.


They were back in the den's dungeons. Caspian withdrew his keys, sobbing was coming from behind the door they stood at, the door that was inscribed with a '10'.


"Sir?", Dustin was scared and confused. Caspian smirked at him before opening the door.


Jared's eyes were red and swollen with the tears falling down his cheeks. He was paler, if possible, than before and looked completely distraught. Dustin turned his head to see what Jared was staring at. His brother, Shannon, was slumped against the wall only held up by his arms that were tied to the wall. He was still, completely still. Unmoving, eye's closed and body bathed in sweat and blood. Unconscious or worse:


"What happened? Is he..."


Caspian only grinned maddeningly in answer.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Quarter to eleven. Six people stood waiting in the front garden of a house on an uptown street. They were allabsurdly dressed and talking anxiously. No neighbours took in any of their frantic conversations for they ignored them: Many strange events had occurred with the Leto family; they ignored them just as they ignored the mass of people that had marched up the street and just as they ignored the dark shadow that has padded up the street and now lingered within a bush.


It sat with its eyes narrowed, drinking in the human's conversation. Once it had its fill, Kirus' eyes were wide. He sprinted back through the street, desperate.


"Are you sure they're coming, Ray?", Frank asked as he peered down the street on his tip-toes.


"Definatly", Ray gave a stiff nod, "we just have to wait".


"Right... So Me, Abbie and Tomo will go to find Jared and Shannon. Mikey and ray will try to find Gerard and Hayley.", Leah recited the plan, "And Frank and half of the army will go in before us to create a diversion. Then, Lilly and Johnny will go in ten minutes after with their team." Tomo nodded, "We just hope that it's that simple"


The front door swung open and out walked two teenage girls, one, Lilly, had electric blue hair and Johnny with long dark hair.


"Hey girls", Tomo greeted


"Hi", They both replied, smiling


"You guys know what you're doing?", Mikey asked.


"Of course", Johnny replied in a thick Norwegian accent. Many Echelon had traveled to America from all corners of the globe once they had heard the news that shattered them.


"Oh, hang on", Lilly began to pat down her pockets, "damn, I've left the map inside"


"No bother", Mikey smiled as he reached inside the drawstring satchel he wore around his shoulders and withdrew a copy of the map showing the Den's many twisting tunnels.


"Thanks", Lilly beamed


"Has everyone who needs one got a stake?", Frank asked the girls


"yep, we've given them to everyone over 16"


"And anyone younger will stay here just in case"


"Yep, and all leaders will have 'walkie talkies' so we can communicate if needs be."


They stood in silence for a few minutes, their anxious faces illuminated by the moon's secondary light. The windwhipped their hair and clothes, the cold burrowing down, slicing their skin and inhabiting their bones causing them to ache. The roar of large engines shattered the silence and reached their ears before they saw two monstrous trucks lurching up the street.


An eagle screeched from in high, it's small shadow briefly extinguishing the stars as it tore through the infinite sea above.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Jared was scared, more scared than he had been perhaps in his life. All he could do was pray and beg the lifeless form of his brother to wake up. Shannon was not moving, barely breathing, if breathing at all.


The door gave a metallic scream as it opened, but Jared paid it no attention, he just kept staring straight into the skin that blocked the hazel eyes. Caspian's goading voice was the only thing that made him look round.


"Thank god he's stopped screaming at least!", He chuckled, "Well this is a pathetic sight, afraid that 'little Shanny's'dead are we Jared?", Venomous hatred rose inside Jared. A caged snake fighting the restraints, wanting nothingmore than to sink it's fangs into it's victim.


"Untie me and face me like a man so that I can rip your fucking head off!" Jared screamed as his body twisted andstruggled to free himself, "You bastard!"


Dustin watched horrified, but fear of repercussions prevented him from aiding Jared.


The dog flew up the street, panting. Paws barely touching the ground


"Calm yourself Leto!", Caspian raised his hand, "God you are so protective of each other... He is not dead", Jared stopped struggling, the smallest trace of a smile on his lips. Even Dustin looked relieved and stole another glance at Shannon.


"He's not?", Jared's eyes closed and let out a shaky laugh of relief, "But... you, your dog, Kirus, poisoned him!"


He had reached the old industrial site. Muscles burning with effort, but he did not slow down. This was urgent.


"It was not poison. He is merely in a deep sleep, his body exhausted."


"Then wake him up. Please"


"I will, do not worry. However, it is probably better for you if he remains asleep", Confusion dropped Jared's face


His furred body was behind the warehouse, at the hole that Shannon had uncovered. He allowed himself an iota of time to stop and breathe as the full moon escaped the cluthces of the clouds, then jumped


"Don't you remember when you first turned? The violence, the rage, you could not control yourself. Now tell me. Do you really want him to wake up?"


"Sh-Shannon... He would never... why do this to him?"


"Oh, he isn't a vampire, Jared", Caspian purred


Plunged into darkness, through the tunnels he tore, a black hurricane. Barely distinguishable from the surrounding darkness, save for the ghost of wind left in his wake.


"Th-Then...what?", Jared's eyes were huge


"Can't you guess?", Caspian smirked


"Werewolf...", Dustin breathed. Caspian nodded, Jared gasped in horror. From an inside pocket of his trench coat Caspian withdrew a small glass syringe filled with a heliotrope coloured liquid.


"Caspian, please, you'll kill him", Dustin begged, Caspian ignored him and pierced Shannon's arm with the needle and pushed the liquid in. Almost immediately Shannon's eyes flickered open. Dustin shot Jared a melancholic look.


"Leave him alone!", Jared cried


Caspian stood up and walked to a point furthest from the door before stretching to full height, standing on the tips of his toes, arms raised. His hand easily touched the low ceiling and dislodged a camouflaged panel in the rockyceiling, sliding it open, exposing a long shaft that went up to the surface. It allowed a trickle of white light down to the dim room


"Lucky it's a full moon, eh?"


Kirus was shooting through the tunnels like a bullet. He was fast approaching the large cavern. His breath sharp in his chest.

Shannon roared with pain as the light hit him. His body shuddering and muscles contorting, growing, fighting the restraints of skin. With each second he became less of himself, physically and mentally. Thick brown fur covered his once pale skin. He had pulled himself free of the chains with his rippling muscles.


Faster, faster. Denying his body of the rest it screamed as he maneuvered through the crowd of creatures.


Shannon was now completely unrecognisable. What had once been man was now caught between the boundary of man and canine. A wolf that stood upright, far removed from Kirus' appearance, who was almost exactly like a dog. The beast paused, breathing deeply through its soft nose, examining its paws. He was almost twice the size of a normal man, his clothes lying in tatters.


"C-Caspian", Dustin shook fearfully as the yellow, inhuman eyes stared straight at him. Jared was cowering in fear. Caspian, however, did not share in the anxiety. He calmly withdrew a gun-like object. Shannon raised a clawed paw, ready to strike Dustin, who was frozen in fear, dead. Caspian walked up to the back of the werewolf and placed themuzzle of the object to his skin. The effect was instantaneous. Shannon's body gave a massive lurch and shudder before slumping to the ground, paralyzed. Dustin breathed a small sight of relief, Jared opened his eyes.


"I'll be back...", Caspian purred before exiting the room.


"What is going on?", Jared demanded


"I-I", Dustin's words died, unwilling to form.


"Dustin, please!" Jared urged. Unable to look at his brother's new, terrifying form, lying on the cold ground.


Dustin took a deep breath, "Caspian's a dirty hypocrite! For all this talk of 'freedom' and 'rights' he carries out experiments on creatures... or to be more exact, he captures humans and turns them first. For months now he's been trying to create the 'ultimate' creature. And I'm afraid that you're... you're his next 'subject'", An iced hand gripped at Jared's heart, winding him. Shannon was still unmoving when Caspian reentered the room with a length of chain. Only his wolfish eyes could move, they swivelled furiously in their sockets.


Kirus was almost at the other tunnel when he collided, full force, with a large furred creature.


Caspian had restrained Shannon with the thick chain placed around his neck. Another does of an unknown substance had reversed the previous' effects; Shannon's wolfish form was struggling against the chain that both Caspian, and now Dustin, held.


"OI! Carefull!... Oh, it's you Kirus, sorry mate" The bear-like creature gruffed as Kirus got to his paws, swaying.


The large shinning orbs of Jared's eyes were screaming, pleading his brother to stop. Jared found himself in the position he had been with Hayley, but this time it was worse, much worse.


"Shannon, please! Shannon! I'm your brother! Please remember! Please Stop! It's Jared! Jay...", Jared cried. Shannon remained quite indifferent, unknowing. There was no recognition in his cruel, animalistic eyes. He had no idea what he was doing, nor to whom as his jaw hung open, revealing a perfectly sharp set of teeth, and that scared Jared most.


Kirus could hear screams coming from the tunnels, he shot down them, ignoring the throbbing in his head and side.


The teeth were mere inches from Jared's torso, the hot, sticky breath tingling Jared's skin. His chest rising and falling frantically. A cornered rabbit in the jaws of the hunter.


"Don't worry Jared, this won't hurt a bit", Caspians words sickened Dustin as he watched Jared who could only whimper useless pleas to the brother who was lost to the moon.


"This is wrong!" He shouted


He was so close now, the cells in reach. He had to stop Caspian.


The wolf-man was pulling on the chain, desperate to lurch forward and sink its teeth into the writhing flesh below. The cold metal at its neck prevented it.


Nearly there. Number 10 was in sight, door open.


Caspian looked into Jared's tear filled eyes, a sadistic smile on his lips. He slacked his grip on the chain


BAM!


Followed by a scream.


A large, hairy bullet shot through the doorway, colliding straight with Shannon


"They're coming!", kirus barked, "Their friends have prepared and army, they're coming now!"


Caspian froze, the moon light threw his features in to rare relief, his green eyes held a trace of fear.


Dustin shook his head. Shannon had been thrown against the wall, Kirus was now untangling himself from the furry heap. The large blow to Shannon's head seemed to have returned his mind to normal, dazed, but thekindness had reappeared in his eyes. Caspian's eyes snapped back into focus.


"They cannot stay here!"


And for the first time they all looked at Jared. Kirus was too late. Fresh blood gushed from a large bite wound that had broken several ribs. His skin looked paler by the second and little beads of sweat continued to emerge.


"Caspian! You know the blood of a vampire and werewolf should NEVER be mixed", Kirus growled.


Shannon was still struggling to digest the scene, the voices were echoed and sounded like and poorly tuned radio, his vision blurred.


"He's dying!", Dusting gasped as he looked at Jared's helpless form, "Just like the other poor people you did this too!"


~~~~~~~~~~~~~