"Gregory!" "Have mercy!" "Release me!" "Gregory!" "Come back!" "My power returns with the rise of the blood moon." "Hell awakens." " Is Master Gregory here?" " Partially." "Master Gregory, do you not hear the bells?" "The bells are ringing in my ear." "In the village in the old church, there is a child no more than ten years of age." "She is... infected." "You may note, I'm not presently dealing with, the otherworldly." "On your feet, sir." "Seems you're requested for duty." "My only ought is to this stool." ".. it is an oath I intend not to break." "The mark on your hand tells me you're a knight." "Have you no honor?" "This man says an innocent is at risk." " And you do nothing?" " On the contrary." "I'm doing my best to ignore him." " I beg of you, do not do this." " Don't worry boy this won't be an execution." "Merely an education." "Fill it." "I was begging for your life." "Not his." "The trick is not defeating him with a cup." "The trick is not to spill." "Thank you!" "Mr. Bradley, why did you not tell me the bells are ringing?" "Apologies, Master." "Come!" "Quickly!" "Hatchet." "Silverbane." "Longbow." "We'll need the silver net." "Please, save her." "Nothing else would hold her." " How long has she been like this?" " Since last evening." "Come to me." "Come to me!" "You must've known - when you put me in that hole   you couldn't hold me there forever. Gregory." "If it is really you, show yourself." "Leave this innocent child!" "Mommy!" "What happened?" "God bless you." "Did you miss me?" "You have, haven't you?" "Don't try to deny it." "I can see it to your soul." "Oh!" "A boy..." " I like boys." " Shut your eyes." "Come here, boy." "Do not be in awe of her [...] power." "William!" "You know something, Gregory?" "I missed you too." "Now!" "Shoot!" "Net!" "Well done, William!" "We will work together!" "Let the silver do it's work!" "Can you feel it?" "She's weakening!" "Fight well, William!" "Now!" "I'm sorry, Master." "Lethimgo ." " Why would I?" " Master Gregory!" " [...]." "Don't expect sympathy from him." "His heart's blacker than mine." "You're with me now." " Let him go!" " I can feel the dark." " NO !" "." " I cannot stand it." " Let him go, or I'll burn you!" "Master Gregory!" "MASTER GREGORY !" "Time has made me stronger." "I'm no longer as easy to contain." "Ten damn years wasted." "I'm coming for you, Malkin!" "I am coming for you!" "Tom!" "What is it, Cate?" "You are supposed to be minding the pigs." " You've never hit one." " No, but I'm getting closer." " You're not a hunter, Tom." " I'm not destined to spend the rest of my life feeding pigs." "I'm gonna get outta here, Cate." "Gonna leave this place soon, I just ..." " ..." "I know it." " Tom, you are shaking." "Go get Mom, Cate." "Go!" "Mom, it's happening again." "Tom." "Tom!" "Go catch those pigs, or your father will have you for dinner." " Yes, ma'am." " Come on." "The Ward residence ?" "Who is asking?" "I understand there is a seventh son of the seventh son - that lives here." "Do not say there is not, for I know that there is." "I'm in a hurry." "Bit hungry as well." "My compliments to the cook." "You're welcome." "So ..." "Which one is the seventh?" "What is your name, boy?" "Thomas Ward." "He is strong." "Does a lot of work around the farm." "So, the deeming has begun." "That's the man... from my visions." "It's too dangerous." " He is a Spook." " It is a noble profession." "And your last apprentice, and the one before him?" "What happened to them?" " And now you come here for my son?" " I'm supposed to go with him." "He's a bit scrawny for a seventh son." "I dreaded the thought of this day  but I knew it would come." "Then you understand." "I know you better than you think I do, Tom." "Be wise." "Be careful." "Remember - all you ever need, is inside you." "Just don't be afraid to look." "Your pendant." "No, no, I can't..." "Wear it." "Always." "Keep him safe!" "Alas, good lady." "That is a vow I cannot make." "My Queen." " At last, you have returned." " The Spook." "What has he done to you?" "Not just me." "All of us." "Burned." "Starved." "And forced into hiding." "The Spook has no mercy." "My spy follows him." "You need not fear Gregory any longer, my beautiful sister." "Thank you, my Queen." "Make way." "Make way!" "It is near impossible to battle demons with wet feet." "Here." "This is to beat your boots fixed." "I will pick up provisions." " Provisions?" " Liquids." "Need it to ward off evil spirits." "Fermented liquids?" "If I forget, pick up grease, salt, flour and bacon." "I'm starting to wish I was the sixth son." "Burn that witch!" "Have you burnt a witch!" "Wait!" "If she is a witch, then I will deal with her." "And who are you?" "!" "I am Master Gregory's apprentice." "It's true, I saw The Spook going into the tavern." "And in my expert opinion she is extremely dangerous." " Shall we fetch your master?" " No, no." "I can take her away and dispose of her." "But I'll need salt, flour and grease!" "And throw in some bacon as payment." "So what are you going to do with me, Mr. Apprentice?" "I'm not sure yet." " You don't believe that I'm a witch?" " You don't look like a witch." "Do you really think you'll make it as a Spook?" "That's the idea." "You seem too nice." "You know that all of his apprentices were killed, don't you?" "What's your name?" " Tom, what's yours?" " I'll tell you next time." " Next time?" " I read fortunes." "We will meet again." "Just don't tell your master about me." "Why not?" "You don't like secrets?" " Close your eyes." " Why?" "Just... close your eyes." "Mother?" "Yes, it's me." " How is it possible?" "You look ..." " Is this your daughter?" "Are you a loyal girl?" "Like your mother?" "So this is your spy that follows Gregory." "I like her shoes." "A human father." "Lizzie, you surprise me." "Help yourself to the blood cakes, little one." "They give you strength." "Soon the blood moon will be full." "And as it grows stronger, so do all of us." "We must call the others." "Pendel Mountain welcomes you, brothers and sisters." "Your Queen has returned." "Do not dally, Mr. Ward." "What kind of forest is this?" "When you address me - address me as Master Gregory." "So, um..." "Master Gregory... if, um..." "if I'm your new apprentice  what happened to the old one?" " Wrong question." "Wrong questions, get wrong answers." "So he's dead." "It's just a Gast." "Level six creature." "These woods are filled with them." "Try not to upset it, it should leave you alone." "What do you know of what a..." "Spook actually does?" "You kill creatures of the dark." "Your answer... it fills me with confidence." "We tend the creatures of the dark." "Some are less harmful, such as Gasts." "The most dangerous, such as witches, we trap or kill." "My last apprentice wrote this all down." "Yeah, he's dead." "Well, I" " I'm just saying, maybe he didn't do everything right?" "William Bradley was the finest apprentice I've ever had." "He died at the hands of Mother Malkin." "The Witch Queen?" "Thought she was just a legend." "You live in the world now, where legend and nightmare are real." "Malkin is alive." "We journey to her fortress in Pendel Mountain, where she no doubt hides." "Mr Ward!" "You passed out." "You've spells, boy." "What kind?" "Sometimes I I see things." "Things that haven't happened yet." "Could be useful." "Not the passing out part of course, but the visions." "Perhaps." " What is that?" " You mean "who"." "This is Tusk." "As loyal as he is ugly." "These things that you see in your visions   can you alter them or are they fixed?" "I..." "I don't know." "I am merely trying." "With a little help... most of life's curses can be a gift." "Here are my beauties." "Returned, as I knew they would." "Tend to them, Tusk." " What is this place?" " Home Sweet Home." "This is incredible." "We must arm ourselves for the journey to Pendel Mountain." "Come, Mr Ward." "The Falcons." "An order of noble knights who dedicated to combating the forces of darkness and responsible for passing their knowledge and skills to other seventh sons of seventh sons." "It... it says here that there are a thousand of you." "That is a very old tapestry." "They all died or returned to darkness." "When you deal with dark, dark gets in you." "So... you're the only one left?" "So you are the only one left, Master Gregory?" "Thank you... for reminding me." " How long is this apprenticeship supposed to last?" " Ten years." "For my last apprentice." "But with you, I have less than one week." " Why so short?" " That is when the blood moon will be full." "Happens once a century." "The last time, it was followed by years of war." "Witches laid waste to cities." "The world is still recovering." "If we do not stop Mother Malkin, before the next red moon sets..." " How can we... possibly..." " Enough." "No more questions." "We leave at dawn." "Stay in your chamber." "Master Gregory, If you want me to learn, you have to explain things." "No time." "We must get to Pendel Mountain before Malkin assembles her minions." "There are witches that need killing." "F*cking witches." "Help me." "Help." "You were told to stay in your chamber!" "That was your first test, Mr. Ward." "And not surprisingly, you FAILED !" "Test number two:" "The Rowan staff." "Cut by the first Falcon-Knight." "Finest fighting staff there is." "Master it, and can you master any weapon." "Show me what you are!" "I paid good money for you." "I think your father deceived me of your worth." "Are not you the seventh son of a seventh son?" "!" "You ought to be seven times as strong as a normal man!" "Your Mom... she did not put up much of a fight to keep you, did she?" "You're worthless." "There is not enough time." "You'll be dead in a week." "Good aim." "I was aiming for your head." "Missed." "Teach me." "Please." "To the blood moon's rise and Malkin's arrival the creatures of the dark will be more frequent and more powerful." "These are her lieutenants." "This is Radu." "He has an army of assassins." "Throw the knife." "Go." "Salt." "And iron." "They are crucial." "Salt burns, iron leads away the strength of any creature of the dark." "Tincture of copper, for flesh wounds." "Silverbane, repels witches." "Ogre scrotum." "For your own enjoyment." "Follow." " Stone chuckers, they are not to be confused with cattle rippers." " What's the difference?" "Stone chuckers chuck stones, cattle rippers rip cattle." "The names are fairly self-evident." "Verbanum." "Good against spells." " That is disgusting." "What does that kill?" " Cowardice." "Sarakin, takes the form of a leopard." "Virahadra is the king of swords." "You consistency is admirable, Mr. Ward." "Of all of them, Malkin is the strongest." "She is the Queen." "You know, I've seen..." "Mother Malkin in my visions." "This gonna take a lot more than... salt and iron to defeat her." "You leave Malkin to me." "Continue your studies." "My Queen!" "A gift to commemorate your return." "My finest assassins." "Radu... you spoil me." "You must keep your gifts." "You will need them more than I." "Have you forgotten?" "There are Spooks buried all over this mountain, who thought they could slay me." "When the blood moon if full, Gregory will be the next." "Did you look at me?" "Never, never look at me." "Your finest assassins?" "You may keep them." "Mother." "She is dangerous." "She is my sister." "She healed me, Alice." "By the time the moon is full, she will rule this land." "And we will be there by her side." "No hiding from men." "No more fearing them." "Just fearing her." "I would never let her hurt you." "Now go." "Keep an eye on that Spook." "What are you doing here?" "Swimming, in moonlight." "Turn around." "What was that?" "It is said that when a witch first touches by moonlight... the man with whom she's meant to walk hand in hand  there is a blue spark." "So you are a witch." "My father is a gypsy, and my mother is a witch." "So that makes me a witch." "She is all I have." "We're not all evil, you know, that's your master would have you believe." "Some of us are good." "Some are bad." "And the rest are simply unaware." "And what kind are you?" "So where are you headed?" "To Pendel Mountain." "Why do you want to be like him?" "He treats you worse than a dog, calls witches' abominations." "Have you been spying on us?" "Yes." "For whom?" "Someone who calls people abominations." "What is that?" "That... is Tusk." "He's having a bad dream by the sounds of it." "I wonder what monsters have nightmares about." "Humans, probably." "Have you been writin' down what you have learned in your journal, as I have instructed?" " I've a good memory for facts." " Do you now?" "You remember the difference between a Ghost and a Gast?" "A Ghost is a full spirit, a Gast is a fragment of a spirit that has moved on." "Correct." "Tusk." "Aim, Tusk for god's sake." " What is that?" " The Bell." "I'm being summoned." "Tusk, best make yourself scarce." " Are you Gregory?" "!" " That depend on who's inquiring." "You are cordially invited to the Walled City." "The Inquisitor has instructed me to return you there, now." "That will cost us two days' journey." "If it is anything less than a Boggart, we are on our way." " What is a Boggart?" " You do not want to know." "The devil is upon us." "There will be slaughter." "The signs of evil are everywhere." "And now we have this beast." "Unlike anything we have seen before." "No priest dares go near it." "I thought perhaps you might... better protect us." "Flattery is fine, gold is finer." " It feels a bit light." " You'll get the rest when the job is done." "Of course!" "Malkin's most bloodthirsty lieutenant." "He has killed more of my kind, than all the rest altogether." "His name is Urag!" "It took three regiments to secure the creature." " I was the only one to survive." " Leave us." "Secure the doors!" "I fight him alone." " Why?" " Ancient code of honor." "More importantly, I prefer not to split the reward." "You've chosen the wrong profession, boy." "The cage!" "Grab onto the cage!" "Jump!" "Silverbane!" "We are not finished." "Oil!" "We must kill him for good." "Move the cauldrons!" "Do it." "Unless you prefer to eat his heart?" "I can't do this." "I'm not like you." "Not yet." "But you will be!" "Clear them off." "I am training you to kill witches!" "If you cannot do that, you are useless to me!" "Yes, that's right." "Go soak, boy!" "Hold!" " My Queen." " Sarakin." "Virahadra, King of swords." "Strix, my brave warlock." "Good." "Now all are here but Urag." "Where is he?" "Where is your Master?" "What's wrong?" "I can't do what he does." "Good." "Is it?" "To be no good at something bad, is good." "It's not that simple." "I looked it up in an old spell-book about the blue spark." "Sometimes it's about destiny." "Sometimes it's just.. dust on witches' fingers." "So it... didn't mean anything?" "Your Master was in love with a witch once." "When he was very young." " We all have secrets." " What's yours?" "Close your eyes." "Close your eyes." "I want to stay here forever." "A failed Spook and a Half-witch?" "What would we do?" "Well, my Mother taught me how to steal." " I'm rather good at it, when I want to be." " I bet you are." "Don't laugh." "What would you have us do?" "Let me take you away from here." "Somewhere safe, somewhere  somewhere none of this even matters." "That sounds nice." "But there is no place like that." "I have to go back to him." "I don't wanna leave you." "You can't hide from destiny." "I too was once young." "Did not listen." "Was arrogant, like you." "I once loved a witch." "Yes." "Malkin." "She was not always evil." "Fear and hatred created her." "She grew into what she was perceived to be, deadly." "Once she... discovered that I had married ... she could not endure my happiness." "She... murdered my wife in cold blood." "I captured her." "I was clever." "Lied to her." "Told her I still loved her." "I... had my chance to kill her, but I showed her mercy instead." "Tricked her." "Locked away in a cage buried under ground." "I thought that prison would hold her for eternity." "But I was wrong." "Now, everyone she kills in her wake is my burden." "I want you to meet my wife, Mr. Ward." "This... is Rebecca." "This... is why I've been so hard on you, Tom." "Do not... make the same mistake." "If you see a witch... kill it." "My daughter has spotted them." "They are moving closer." "You may do as you wish, with the boy, my darling..." "But I want Gregory." "Alive." "Beyond the forest" " Pendel Mountain." "We have three days." "Tusk!" "Dependable as death you are!" " What the hell is that?" " A Boggart." "Subterranean beast, nasty temper." "Blind as a bat." " How do you fight a Boggart?" " You don't!" "You run!" "Tusk, run!" "Follow!" " I thought you said Boggarts are blind?" "!" " Their sense of smell!" "Extraordinary!" "Jump." "We seem to be having a Boggart problem." "Much thanks!" "Don't worry." "We're safe now." "Boggarts." "They hate water." "Mr Ward!" " Mr. Ward!" " [...] beginning to find you a tad unreliable." "Tom!" "Alice has no place in your thoughts." "Your master wants to hunt us, burn us, eat our hearts." "How about I feed you your own?" "The Stone." "It belongs to my Queen." "How did you get it?" "Don't get up." "I'm fine." "I'm fine." "I was just killing these enormous... scary... monsters." "You do not die easy, do you, Mr. Ward?" "And you slay the unslayable." " Where did you get that?" " My mother gave it to me." "What's funny?" "You, Mr. Ward." " What's this thing?" " That thing?" "The Umbranstone." "The witches' most sacred talisman." "It strengthens their powers." "Makes their illusions seem more real." "Why would my Mom have it?" "Mother Malkin." "She had the stone once." "In her hand it has tremendous power." "But it was stolen from her by another witch." "Only then was I able to defeat her." "To trap her." "Are you telling me that my mother is a witch?" "So that is what you are." "A witches' son who is a Spook's apprentice." "Now that's funny." "Must have [...] your visions." "Come on." "We have a job to do." "What happened to Urag?" "He burned him alive." "I'm sorry you had to witness that." "Spook is a cruel man." "He would do the same to you, if he had the chance." "So would that... apprentice." "Tom is good." " Such a shame he will die." " I don't want him to die." "We could save him." "Tom loves you." "Your mother saw it in his heart." "Even a Umbranstone cannot hide such thing." "Your mother found it." "Around Tom's neck." "Get back what was stolen from me." "And your boy will be spared." "How do I know you are telling the truth?" "Get it back." "Let us show them what we do to the cities that burn witches." "We will avenge our brother's death." "Let us give the world a taste of what is to come." "Mum, what's that?" "Hell!" "Is here!" " I'm going back." " No!" "Keep her safe." "Mam!" "A witch defend this city." "That witch." "Traiterous thief." "You abandoned your people while we were being destroyed." "And for what?" "They will hate you once they know what you are." "You gave away the one thing that could have saved you." "And that gift will be the death of your son." "You are a slave to darkness, Mother Malkin." "Not it's Queen." " A little something for the pain." " No." "Make it more human." "We've lost all our possessions, but somehow you still have that." "Just good luck, I guess." "You must never have more than one sip of this a day." " Why not?" " Because it is mine." "Resilient as you are ugly, old friend" "What?" "What is it?" "Something's wrong." "Stay here, we will look ahead." " Come on." " I have to stay here, they'll be back soon." "I've changed my mind." "Let's run away." "Do you love me?" "Yes." "Mr. Ward, go gather wood." "We're going to have a fire." "Tom, please." "I said, gather wood." "Stand back, sir." " Don't make me do this." " She's a spy." " She is not the enemy." " We have a mission, Mr. Ward." "This is your most important test." " Right now." " Don't hurt him!" "Run." "Damn it, boy!" "The Stone!" "She's stolen it." "Now tell me she is innocent." "I cannot lose this one." "Tom, [...]" "Sadly, Gregory, my orders are to deliver you alive." "Mom ..." "I don't understand." " How can you be here ?" " I'm not, Tom." "I passed on from this world." "I stood against Mother Malkin." "And I failed." "But you will not fail." "You're a seventh son, Tom." "But you are also the son of a witch." "There has never been anyone like you." "Only you can wield the Umbranstone and end her reign of darkness before it begins." "Empty your heart of grief." "Fill it with courage." "You're ready now." "Go." "Find the Stone." "Fight." "You don't die easy, do you?" "We have the Master." "Where is the apprentice?" " Dead." "Smashed on the rocks." " What?" "I told them to follow you." "You would never do that." "I did it for you." "Look at your Queen, and find peace." "Gregory!" "Tonight  his reign of terror ends." "Join us." "You and I will rule this world." "United... for eternity." "Look... at me." "Look at me!" "The darkness is in you now." "Join us." "For a worthy enemy now honored and welcome." "The war is over." "Now we are together." "Traitor!" "Don't kill her." "Please!" "Mother!" "Where is my stone?" "I lost it." "I took it to protect you." "You fight me as a dragon, not as a man!" "Have you no honor?" "You know nothing of dragons." "Nor true honor." "Should have stayed a dragon." "What have you done?" "She's everything to me." "I thought betrayal was a sin only committed by humans." "Alone..." "I do this alone." "I was a fool." "You tricked me." "So you could trap me in that hole." "You made me believe that you loved me." "I did love you once." "That is still there?" "Gone." "As my hatred is." "I... will... haunt... you." "In the old days  there was a ceremony." "Flags, magnificent horns." "Could be a bit silly with just the two of us." "Did it hurt?" "No." "So you choose this life?" "It chose me." "And the blue spark ... it was just dust?" "Do what you will." "I know how you feel." "We will meet again." "Time has come, Mr. Ward." "Goodbye, Tusk." "Forgive me." "Perhaps I was not clear." "It is I who ride." "This is now your home." "I trust you will take care of it." "And Tusk." "Yes, old friend." " Where will you go?" " Wrong question." "Wrong questions get wrong answers." "Tusk, give us a hand." "You remember all I taught you?" "Ignore it." "The rules, Tom." "Do not be bound by them." "Use them in your own way, live your own life." "Your destiny." "© 2015 Victor Vacendak"