Chapter 16-5

Chapter 16-5

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The wagon was heading down the old dirt road towards the old farmhouse Jeff could see the burst of light from the town as he and his men are riding hard towards it. When they reached the bend of the road they could hear people shouting. The crowd is wild and out of control. Jeff and his men pulled into town as someone comes down from the stables shouting. “The monster is loose!” People screamed in terror in the streets nearly trampling each other. Trying too find safety, locking their doors and windows, putting furniture against the door. Boarding up windows with whatever they can find in the house.

Jeff and his men slowly ride in as people scream about them heading towards Doc’s office to find Nathaniel in hopes in of finding out what’s going on. Finding the way is blocked by the Mayor himself and his Deputies. Jeff slowly climbed down from his horse orders men to search the area for the henchman, as he walked over to the Mayor. “Sorry son, Doc said nobody except the wounded until he gets back.”  The Mayor replied.

Nathaniel sees Jeff. “Its alright Mayor, he’s looking for me I believe.”

Mayor looks at Jeff and the sword by his side. “Not so fast son!” pointing to his sword. “I don’t know you well enough so if you wouldn’t mind.” Jeff sighs unbuckling the sword and handing it over and his knife.  The mayor stepped aside watching him closely as he walks down the row in the corner where Nathaniel is.

“Are you..?” Jeff looked around for listening ears.

“I am fine thanks to you Jeff and Lenny, and the Whitmore’s.”

“I brought you the help you might need, they are searching for that...“Whispering, “henchman now. I understand he got loose,” Jeff replied.

The Mayor walks down the row to where they are having the conversation. “Mayor this my friend Jeff Mandon. I sent a letter to him requesting some help for Sheriff Whitmore. In hopes of training your boys in hand to hand combat in case they ever need it. You see that monster of yours and the other two I killed and that one hanging on the wall in the Halloween custom have similarities infighting skills in which I can teach these men. That is if you are interested.” Nathaniel could see in his eyes he was indeed interested. “Of course these men must be willing to work hard as I would bring more men in from all over with families to help save this town creating a bigger committee and stronger one.

“These lands needs its farmers, but it also needs soldiers to protect their families, bonding them as one. No longer can we sit by and watch these beasts storm into our town because we are easy pickings for them. Tearing the heart of our lands as we feel that there is nothing we can do. Doc told me before he left. Look to your friends, they are most important as you carry them with you as we grow old. Well, I chose you Mayor to be my friend for there is always will be room for one more in my house.”

Doc walked in the backdoor of the building finding Mayor sitting on the bed talking with Nathaniel and Jeff. The mayor stands gripping Nathaniel's hand looking him into his eyes nods pats him on the shoulder without saying a word.  Hands back Jeff’s sword and knife leave's to guard the door. Doc watches his old friend look out upon the streets puts his arm around him. “It’s that kinda night I say.”  Doc looking at the moon over in the sky.

“Yep he’s right, we are just being foolish if we don’t listen, because if we don’t. I would hate to even think about what that storm could have been, and then those lizard men killing are people. Face it Doc, we need help the whole world needs him. I’m just glad he chose me to be his friend,” Brad replies as he looked across his town.

“Jeff you are not going to find him so stop searching for him my friend, but thanks for the effort, now ride on back and take Lenny with you. I’ll be fine, just leave your men here with me for now. You don’t belong here, the boys are counting on you and Jaydan is expecting you to be back at that camp, which now doesn’t have a commander. That’s where you are supposed to be, now ride to the old farmhouse up the road take Lenny with you.”

Jeff sighed picked up his sword buckling on the belt, slipping the knife through the belt. Turns and leaves nods to Caption leaving him in charge here to take orders from Nathaniel, climbed on his horse and galloped out of town.

Jeff traveled a half mile up the old dirt road turning around the bend seeing the old farmhouse located in the trees just quarter mile. All that is on is one lantern light, but very faint as he goes around the house knocks on the backdoor. Everyone freeze’s inside the house as Lenny carefully slides the curtain back daring not to breath as he preparing to let loose a fireball. Lenny takes in a deep breath before opening the door letting Jeff in closing the door locking with the deadbolt.

“Lenny, Nathaniel said for us to head back to the camp,” Jeff replied sternly.

Lenny slowly looks at the Whitmore’s hangs his head high. “I can’t and won’t. The Judge himself gave the orders before coming back, placing me in their hands as their teacher. I go where they go.” Rena and Kollie nod, “but you can give a message to Jaydan.” handing him a sealed envelop. “In this, he’ll find a spare key to my library where he might be able to find what has been lost through the ages of time.

“It may help or may not but it would be a good place to start and he’ll find other books on chains and lures of shadow magic, I also have this one for you, Jeff. Just be careful with the knowledge you gain when your not ready for it. It tends to harm you setting you back more than you know. As I was saying I’m not going with you, but I can speed you on your journey. Oh thanks for the horse, Mr. Whitmore will needing one in the morning, shall we?”

Lenny taking his staff pushing it towards Jeff as the wind push him off through space in mere seconds in the wind circling about him as it lowers him to the ground of the camp. Jeff found the camp empty as if has been in a battle, tents tore to shred. A few men down with three Darzzee face down in a puddle of green blood. In the distance he could hear riders with horses charging, fighting. A gate opens with more men on the other side of the ridge. Jaydan is leading them to the south, Betty coming in from the west chasing another bunch of Darzzee as they leap off the hillside.

Another group of men chasing ten more through the encampment as Captain Freeman quickly grabs Jeff swings him up on his horse. “Some party hey? That old grandma found a whole nest of them back there. By the time we got them tied up nice and pretty like... one of them slips out. Lead us to a whole slew of them hiding in the hills. Ready to pounce down on us when we weren’t looken.  The only thing that saved us was dividing the company as you did or we would have been goners for sure.”

Jaydan catches up with Freeman with Betty by his side. “Looks like we found or lost sheep, sir.”

Jaydan smiled. “Depends what you call lost……”