Chapter 5 - Left

Rhydian ran back out of the lift, the shop assistant from earlier was lying unconscious behind the counter. He ran out into the street, looking frantically for somewhere to go. One thought bulleted through his head, he had to get to the sanctuary. But how? It was never mentioned where it was in the books, and he had no way of attracting a mage. Something smashed into his mind. Book one; magical communities are usually hidden in bad looking areas and can sometimes be the safest places to be.  But he was on quite a well kept high street somewhere in central London, he was hardly near anywhere like that. In the end he just decided to turn left and run.

Rhydian was on the tube. It had made sense at first, he had money, and it was the fastest way to escape Cutler, but now he had doubts. First, he was trying to get to the sanctuary, and going to the end of the northern line didn’t really seem like the smartest way to get there. And second, he was leaving Missy to die. Of course, all these thoughts disappeared when the front of the train contorted into a monstrosity of tortured metal and body parts with a cry of tortured metal and hellish screams of agony. All the lights blinked out, and suddenly Rhydian’s brain reverted to animal survival instincts. He got up, the lights of a few fires flickered against the tunnel walls, the crying, the screaming, the loss. It tortured his mind as he and a few others just recovering from paralyzing shock ran over to the door and wrenched it open. Some of them turned around to help others, but he just ran. Left, of course. Smoke was already gathering, it curled up his nostrils, burned his throat. Soon he had left the train behind, looking for an access door or a station or something. He stumbled through the dark, the stench of burning flesh was still notable from here. Suddenly he realized that there was a small alleyway beside him. It had a dim strip light that gave off less light than a glow stick and an emergency phone. His heart leapt, he was saved. He ran up to it and picked up the receiver. He realised the line was dead, but before he could even put it down, he saw Cutler standing in the mouth of the alley. Rhydian brandished the phone like a club, and fell into the sort of fighting stance one would expect of someone using a phone attached to a cable as a weapon. “You call that an improvised weapon?” Cutler asked, grinning. “This, Is an improvised weapon.” (OVER 9000 house points if you get the reference. :)) Said Cutler, pulling out a phone box. Just kidding! He pulled out a crowbar. “D-Did you do that? With th-the t-t-train?” Rhydian was on the verge of tears, how did he expect to fight off this giant who had beaten a mage with actual weapons, and he was a mortal with a telephone. “Does it matter Mystery boy?” Asked Cutler, walking slowly and threateningly towards him. “Mystery boy? What?” Replied Rhydian. “The question without an answer, the boy who makes no sense. Surely you know?” He replied, the aggression in his tone almost replaced by curiosity. “No! I don’t know!” Rhydian was disoriented and scared, and now his would be assailant knew more about him than he did. “No matter, all I know is, you’re trouble. Kiss your life goodbye.” Said Cutler, as he leapt forward. He swung the crowbar over his head, and Rhydian tried to block it with the phone. The crowbar pushed the phone into his face. He stumbled back and dropped the phone. Cutler stepped forward, about to finish the job. Suddenly a slither of dark purple snaked around Cutler’s neck and slammed him into the floor. Trip Castalan walked down the alley, energy snaking back into his palm. “Need a hand?”

Cutler rolled onto his side and grinned. “Not one more step, Castalan.” He said through gritted teeth. Trip kept walking. A Vampire lept from the shadows, it’s white skin glowed against the dim light of the strip. Trip merely held out his palm and kept walking. The vampire’s neck twisted to an unnatural position and it landed abruptly and awkwardly, sliding across the floor, dead. A rod of energy appeared in his hand and he smashed it across Cutler’s face, then up. He took a step back and splayed his hand. Energy coated Cutler’s entire body, and he jerked his hand to the side. Cutler flew off into the shadows, and did not return.

Trip grinned. “Need a hand?” He asked. “I need seven.” Replied Rhydian shakily. Trip made five more hands of energy and offered his hand to Rhydian to help him up. Rhydian recoiled, his eyes full of fear and dread. “Who are you? How can I trust you?” He asked. “Trip Castalan, scottish sanctuary spotter.”

“But how can I trust you?”

“I guess you’ll have to take my word for it. I can get you out of here, away from the dark. The screams.”

“Fine.” Rhydian got up, and started following Trip.

Chapter 4- The Search

Trip sat at a coffee table. Others were probably hunting down great monsters and saving the world, but he was sitting at a coffee table. Then again, he had done his fair share of world saving, as had the person sitting in front of him. Dragona Pine had been kind enough to come all the way up to Scotland in his crazy shapeshifting Porsche machine, because he had wanted to ask some questions. In hindsight he could have just gotten a teleporter taxi down to him, but he was here now, sitting in a Starbucks drinking coffee. “Did I find a dead boy while walking in the forest this morning? No, no I did not.”

“Oh good.” Replied Trip, “That makes my job a whole lot easier. No wait, no it doesn’t.”

“Would you mind telling me what this job is, Trip?”

“Miss Evergreen, a sensitive, had two visions of a boy with the taken name Rhydian Saint. He seemed to hold some major significance to the world. Right up my street. One vision he was in a school and it got attacked by a big lad named Cutler. A girl named Miss Cain was there, she fought back. A girl named Kinsey was abducted by a vampire, then Cutler used some kind of magic and knocked them out. After that, they woke up in a library, and there was a letter. They had been ‘recruited’ by the english sanctuary. In the other one, he was camping, went for off for a pee, then got chased and killed by a vampire. You found him, and attended his funeral. Anyway, she asked me to find him. She didn’t actually specify dead or alive though...”

“You’re a terrible story teller.”

“No I’m not!”

“Yes you are. But how do you know that the walk was the one from this morning?”

“Your watch, it tells the date as well as the time, it was the first thing I checked in the vision.”

“Clever.” Said, Dragona, almost impressed. “And in the school? When was that?”

“In three and a half hours, so if you’ll excuse me, I must be off, I’d rather not have to use an attack on a school to tell me where to go.” Said Trip as he got up and walked out.

  After he had left Dragona behind, Trip picked up his phone. Even when you’re the most informed person on earth on anyone who’s anyone and run the largest spy network in the entire magical world, finding a single person in a world of 7 billion is still no mean feat. Luckily for him there had been a census a few years ago. (Anyone remember that? No? Just me? Fine.) There were hundreds of Oswins living in England. Unfortunately he had nowhere to work with, the vision wasn’t very helpful on places. So he had delved into taxes. Normally this information was top secret, but when you have technomancers, anything is possible. Several Oswins had recently bought houses. After that, he had run out of time, if Rhydian had died, it had already happened. Luckily that wasn’t the case, but he was still out there somewhere. He had left some of his best on it, and he phoned them up. “Please tell me you have some good news?” He said down the line almost as soon as it picked up. “Well, it’s gotten slower from here, but we managed to pull up some old estate agent’s photos of the houses, if you come back you can check which one matches the one in the vision.” Replied the voice on the other end nervously. “No time, send the photos to my phone with addresses attached, I’ll find it.” Said Trip as he got into his car. The call ended and a moment later the photos popped into his inbox. He scrolled through them, and quickly found the only one that looked similar to the house in the third vision. Manchester, thank god. two hour or so drive without traffic. He set off, heart pounding. He was going to find Rhydian Saint.

As Trip drove, he grew more and more uneasy. The problem with driving, was that when you do it for seventy years, you could get very good at it. It became something you didn’t have to think about, second nature if you will. So that gives a lot of time to just, think. His mind was on the matter at hand; Rhydian. The boy who makes no sense? The question without an answer? It reminded him ever so slightly of a certain Doctor Who character. He wasn’t pointing any fingers, but he knew that he wasn’t being told the whole truth. Miss Evergreen had ulterior motives, he knew it.

He pulled up outside the house exactly three hours after he had left. Damned traffic jams. he had twelve minutes to find Rhydian’s school and take him to Miss Evergreen. He walked up to the door and knocked three times. No one answered. No one was in. Trip’s heart skipped a beat, this wasn’t good. He had a backup plan. He placed his palm on the lock, then let the energy seep into it. Once it had taken the shape of the lock he solidified the energy, making a key. He turned it in the lock. As he opened the door he sent a massive burst of electricity energy through the alarm. It blew it’s fuse and didn’t go off. He quickly searched the house looking for letters or papers or something telling him where to find Rhydian’s school. Eleven minutes and  twenty-seven seconds later he found the letter, he scanned it and found the school’s address. He leapt back through the door, locking it behind him. He ran to the school, keeping a close eye on his watch. The school was quite far away for someone who had to keep checking a mental map of where to go. He checked his watch and swore, 3 seconds until Rhydian saw Cutler. 2... 1...

Chapter 3 - Town

*This is from Miss Cain’s pov (point of view), Ok? Cool, let’s begin*

I wander through the town, glancing at the shops every now and then. Rhydian manages to keep up with my long strides. I know instantly that he’ll be fun to work with, especially if he can keep up with me.

I make a sharp turn into a bookstore. I stroll through the shelves, browsing the titles.
“Why are we at a bookstore?” Rhydian asks curiously.

“Because I need more books,” I reply.
I turn and face him, a serious look on my face. He frowns.
“Shouldn’t we be going to the English Sanctuary or something?”
I shrug.
“I need some stuff first.”
The girl from the counter walks up, and taps me on the shoulder. I smile at Rhydian.
“Come on.” I say to him.
I follow the girl through to the back room of the store, Rhydian not far behind, where she points at a door hidden in the wall.
“There.” She then leaves us.
I navigate my way through the piles of books and boxes to the door. I place my thumb against the door. I grab Rhydian’s wrist as door sucks us both in.
And then we’re falling.

I whoop with joy, and flip in mid-air as I let go of Rhydian’s wrist. He is utterly terrified, the poor guy. Maybe I should have told him first…

I flip once more, then the hole we’re falling down narrows.
“Get ready!” I shout to Rhydian.
“For what?!” He shouts back.
I grin.
The hole then turns to an enclosed slide. I slide down, laughing. Rhydian gives a nervous laugh of his own. The slide finishes off and I land in a crouch. Rhydian stumbles a little bit, but manages to stay on his feet.

“Impressive,” I mutter.
A young man is standing in front of us, arms crossed. He doesn’t look happy.
“Miss Cain, how many times have I told you to use the elevator!” He says angrily.
I shoot him a smile. He sighs.
“And strangers. What have I told you about strangers?” He points at Rhydian.
“He’s not a stranger,” I reply. “He’s a guy who’s been recruited with me by this random Sensitive who is got talent like a-.”
“Language!” The man interrupts.
“So you want me to swear more? Cool with me. And I wasn’t going to say anything rude, I was going to complement the random Sensitive guy.”
“Shut up, Miss. Don’t be so damn cheeky.”

The man walks out of the room, and I follow, after motioning to Rhydian to follow.
“Language,” I mutter quietly, but loud enough to reach the man’s ears.
“MISS!”
I laugh.

Rhydian taps me on the shoulder.
“Who’s he?”
“Trent. He gives me cool stuff.”
“Like?”
“Weapons.”
We walk into a larger room, the wall’s covered with all types of weaponry. Bows, guns, spears, swords and many more glint in the light.
“Whoa…” Breathes Rhydian.
“It’s like that,” says Trent. He’s hunched over his desk in the corner of the room, working on something.
I lean over his shoulder.
“Whatcyha doin’?” I ask.
He turns to face me and I quickly move back.
“Advancing some of your weapons.”

He hands me my crossbow. I grin. The dark metal has been polished to a gleam, and the arrows Trent hands me next are shiny as.
He throws me my daggers, cleaned and ready, and I place them in the inside pockets of my jacket.

“OK, are you dealing with vampires?”
I nod.
Trent walks over to the firearms section of the wall, and smiles.
“Go ahead. Pick one.”
I grin so wide I might nearly swallow my own head. My eyes gleam as I pick a simple black hand gun off the wall.
“You know how to use it?” Asks Trent.
I nod. I’ve practised with firearms before.
“Oi, stranger,” Trent begins.
“His name’s Rhydian,” I point out.
“Rhydian, whatever. Pick out some weapons. Ones that you can use, preferably.”

Rhydian looks at me.
“What do I pick?”
I shrug.
“Beats me.” I say simply.

I look at a scythe on the far wall. I walk over to it and place a hand on it.
“You want to use a scythe, Miss?” Trent seems surprised.
“Yeah. Can I?”
“The stick bit becomes smaller and the blade retracts into it, so you can put it in your jacket.” Trent explains.
“Thankies!!!!” I exclaim.
I pull the scythe off the wall, and something in another room crashes.
“Ugh,” Trent walks off. “Damn boxes and stuff falling…”
I admire the scythe for a few minutes.
“Trent!” I call out.
He doesn’t answer.
I frown, and place the scythe on a table.
“Rhy, go to the elevator.”
“Why, Miss?”
I pause, thinking what to say next.
“Please, just in case.”
“Of what?”
I already walk off to the other room. Rhydian follows me.
“Of what?” He repeats.
I sigh.
“Don’t worry, it’s nothing.”
I open to the door, expecting for something to jump out at me…
But no, nothing emerges. Not even Trent.
Then I spot the large figure at the back of the room. And it is coming closer.
“Rhydian!” I yell.
Cutler emerges, his huge hands reaching out for Rhydian and I. I push Rhydian towards the elevator, and I grab the scythe from where I left it on the table. I blade is long and wicked. I swing it at Cutler’s head. Cutler grabs the handle just below the blade. My eyes widen.
I let go of the scythe and pull out my daggers as I roll back from Cutler. I throw all three, which he avoids easily.
I curse, and turn around to run for a sword on the wall, but Cutler grabs me from behind. He begins to apply a choke. Not one to kill, but to subdue. I struggle against him, kicking him in the legs and throwing my fists on his big arms, but nothing works.
“Rhydian… RUN!” I squeeze out.
Then the unconsciousness kicks in, and I fall to the floor.
Run… Rhydian, run…

Chapter 2 - The House

Rhydian Saint, walked through the woods. He was camping with some of his relatives. He was bored. They wanted to do stuff together. Are they mad? Rhydian prefered his own company. Rhydian told his dad that he was going to the toilet. Now he had at least two minutes to himself. He brought his torch with him. It was cold and dark. Rhydian was tall and slim and dark haired. He had pale blue eyes and his skin was fairly pale. He saw movement. He looked closer. Was it an animal? Someone having a joke?

"Hello?" Rhydian said. He didn't know what else to say. he looked closer. It was a creature of some sort. "What are you?" He asked. He looked even closer. He regretted walking alone now. Because this thing was the perfect killing machine...This thing was a vampire. Rhydian turned and run as fast as he could. He ran past hundreds of trees and he didn't recognise anything. He was lost...

The vampire was right behind him and Rhydian didn't know what to do. So he kept running, as fast as he could. Rhydian didn't know he could run this fast. He tripped and stumbled and then rolled down a small hill. Rhydian hit his leg on a stone and his leg started to bleed. Rhydian was at the bottom of the small hill and couldn't move. He cried for help but there was no one around. No one heard him. No one was going to hear him. Rhydian was going to die...The vampire came at him at an incredible speed. It lunged for him and then-

Later that night an Elemental called, Dragona Pine, went for a walk in the woods. And then he saw it. The body. Covered in dry blood. The eyes were still open. Lifeless. Lifeless and empty and looking up at the sky...This was a work of a vampire. The side of the teenage boys face was cut open and the blood dried on his face and on the leaves were he lay. Dragona didn't like vampires. And this was another reason to hate them...

Four months later Dragona visited the grave. The headstone read;

Lewis Oswin

Andrews

"Remember Me"

Trip Castalan, let go of Miss Elderflower's hand.

"What did you just show me?" He asked. Trip had heard that Elderflower wanted to meet him.

"Two possible futures. The first one was where he lived and his life changed. The second he died, bored with his life." Elderflower said sounding like she didn't care. That's what magic can do to you...It corrupts. Elderflower was a middle-aged woman with green eyes and her hair was starting to go grey. She was a small woman and wore a black Victorian party dress.

"So why did you want to show me that?" Trip asked.

"Every Sensitive in the world senses that I've discovered something. And I've had those visions of Saint. He must be important. I want you to find him." She said

"Why? Who do you think he is?" Trip asked. So many questions.

"He is, The Question Without An Answer. The Boy Who Makes No Sense" said Miss Elderflower.

"You had a vision of him, so what?"

"His fate will effect the whole world in some way. I don't know what will happen but I can sense it. Will you find him? Will you find Rhydian Saint?"

Trip made his decision. "Yes. And who were the other two? Miss Cain and Dragona Pine. Are they important?" Trip asked.

"They'll probably meet each other in the near future. But Rhydian's at the centre of these visions. The other two will bump into you probably, so you don't have to worry about them" She said. Trip left the old woman in her house and wondered where to begin.

Rhydian walked through the front door of his family's new house. It was huge. He was going to start at a new School soon. It was a new area as well. He rarely came to this part of Manchester. It was like a new life. The floor was wood and the door was wood and stain glass. The walls were a cream white. As they walked through the door they were in a hallway. To their left was a dining room and further up the hall still on the left was a living room. At the other end of the hall to their right was a small out cove that led to the kitchen that connected to a downstairs toilet. And there was a cellar opposite the kitchen door.

They walked up stairs to a huge landing. There was a small room directly to their right and to their left was a bathroom and another toilet and another bedroom. And then to the right was a huge room. And directly in front of them was a door that led to the third floor. They opened the door and walked up the narrow stairs. The stairs creaked as they walked up them. Once at the top of the stairs there was a window in front of them showing the neighbours balcony.

The turned around and there was three more rooms. A bathroom with a toilet to their left and to the right there was another bedroom. And directly in front of them was a huge room what Rhydian planned to be his new bedroom. The house was perfect. Rhydian smiled. His parents and sister could sleep on the second level, and Rhydian could escape everyone else and stay up here.

Chapter 1 - Rhydian

This is the first chapter and I hope you like it! The second chapter will be out soon!

Hide - Rhydian

(Rhydian's Dream)

Skulduggery Pleasant. The Lost Art Of World Domination.

Playing With Fire. Gold, Babies And The Brothers Muldoon. Myosotis Terra.

The Faceless Ones. The Slightly Ignominious End To The Legend Of Black Annis.

Dark Days.

Mortal Coil. The Wonderful Adventures of Geoffrey Scrutinous.

Death Bringer. Trick Or Treat. The End Of The World. What Might Have Been.

Kingdom Of The Wicked. The Button. The Maleficent Seven.

Last Stand Of Dead Men...

~8~

Rhydian Saint, opened his eyes. He'd taken that name so no one could influence him. His Given Name was Lewis Oswin. (Oswin Isn't My Surname) The first Skulduggery Pleasant book he'd read was called, The End Of The World. (True Fact) And then Rhydian read the rest of the series. It was real. Magic was real...He knew it. In most films about magic they have wands. It made no sense. In the movies they waved a stick about and said a made up word and magic will do the rest. Magic isn't a sentient thing.

In Skulduggery Pleasant when you click your fingers a flame is summoned. When you click your fingers friction is made. And friction can create fire. So it's logical. And when you're hot you use your hand as a fan you push the air towards your face. In Skulduggery Pleasant, Sorcerer's have a better manipulation of air. So the stuff in the books must be real. It's logical and so realistic. And Rhydian was determined to be involved in the world of magic...Whatever it takes.

Rhydian got out of bed and then he remembered...It was a School day. His last School blew up. Well the Science room anyway. Thirteen and starting a new School. Monday he had a half day and on Tuesday he had a family emergency. A relative had fainted. Wednesday he was sick and Thursday he had a whole day in. It was Friday. One more day to the weekend. It was a little bit strange...Not many thirteen-year-olds went to a new School.

~8~

Rhydian, walked through the corridor to his classroom. He didn't like School that much. The way the other teens thought they were better than each other. And the Teachers acting liked they owned you. Like they were untouchable. And some Teachers couldn't handle the kids. It was ridiculous. And Rhydian liked his own company. So when somebody tried to talk to him it lead to a very awkward conversation. Rhydian wasn't good with anything social. He was what they called anti-social. He didn't care. As he walked to his next lesson, he passed a number of pupils. And lest them to their snide comments and cruel whispers.

Every teacher who had taught him said he needed to get along with other people better. And they also said that he was polite and wasn't like the others. They said he didn't judge people like them. Rhydian didn't judge people by colour of skin or what clothes they wore or their religion. If any of them knew he had taken a name they'd think he was mad. nobody he met liked the same things as him. That's why he didn't bother to talk to them. What was the point?

The reason he took the name Saint, is because Saint's are much admired and are remembered. Even by Sinners. Your enemies admire your determination to stop them and they'll never forget that. Rhydian liked that. Admiration. He also liked the idea that he'd be remembered. The name Rhydian meant, dweller by the river crossing. A dweller is someone who thinks and talks and writes. He presumed it meant to do those things carefully. Which he did. And a river is part of the elements. That's why he took the name, Rhydian Saint. And he had no regrets about that name.

Somebody screamed ahead of him. She seemed to be running from something. And everyone else in the corridor turned and ran past Rhydian. What was going on? There was a bald man with a scar on his right cheek. Then there was a girl who looked about thirteen or fourteen. She wore a, black top, black pants, black boots, red jacket which ended at her waist. Her hair was a golden colour, and her eyes were a blue/green colour. Rhydian saw the fire alarm next to him. He smashed his elbow into it, and the fire alarm went of.

"EVERYONE GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!" The girl shouted.

"DO WHAT SHE SAYS!" Rhydian shouted, trying to help. The corridor was now empty.

She threw darkness in his face, and energy burst out of his hand and threw her against the wall, and then she kicked him in the stomach. The man doubled over in pain. Strong kick or something? There was another scream. Rhydian followed it and saw a little girl in a classroom. She must be in Year 7. Rhydian ran in grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the classroom.

"What's your name?" He asked

"Kinsey Lee" the girl replied "He wants me. He's going to kill me" She sobbed.

"He doesn't want you. If anything he doesn't know who you are. Run and find somewhere safe to hide. OK? I'll catch up" Rhydian told her. Kinsey nodded and ran off. Why would he want her?

The man pinned the girl to the wall. She head butted him. She ran towards Rhydian and grabbed his wrist and dragged him away from the bald man. They ran past a corner, and sprinted down the corridor and she let go of his wrist. Confident that he wasn't going to turn back and attempt to fight the man right behind them. They both ran upstairs and into a classroom, and the girl locked the door.

"What's your name? I'm Miss Cain. You can call me Missy, if you like" The girl called Miss Cain said

"Given Name; Lewis Oswin. Taken Name; Rhydian Saint. You a Necromancer? And who was he?" Rhydian said catching his breath.

"Yep, I'm a Necromancer. And his name's Cutler. Who was the girl?" Missy asked

"Don't know...She said he wanted her. Why would she think that?" He asked

"We need to find her! Now!" said Missy.

They unlocked the door and they both ran. Down the stairs and they ran down the corridor as fast as they could. Cutler was there. He smiled and the world became distant. Rhydian's vision blurred, and he fell. The last thing he saw was a pale man who seemed very graceful behind Cutler dragging Kinsey away...Poor Kinsey.

Rhydian woke up in the School library. Missy was there.

"You all right?" She asked.

"Yeah. Where's Kinsey? Was that a Vampire?" Rhydian asked

"Don't know, and yes that was a vampire. Well spotted...Rhydian Saint's, a cool name" Missy said.

"Thanks. What now?"

"We've been recruited. I received a letter from a Sensitive this morning and he said he saw us two running in his vision. And we were running a few minutes ago. I think that's what he saw. So he decided to recruit us" She said. And then she gave him a letter. Rhydian read it.

"This says we both need to go into Town. Won't the School tell my parents' that I've gone missing?" said Rhydian.

"The English Sanctuary are taking care of that. And no I don't work for them. The letter told me to come here and I did. And that creep started to attack people. So I fought back."

"Let's go to Town then." Rhydian said with a smile. Finally...His life had changed. And there was no turning back...