Highfield Academy - Revenge of The Crows

From a distant observation point, Merlin watched the two brothers as they entered the Brent community and were recognised and greeted by a group of armed reed dwellers.

“We seek sanctuary,” cried out Frank’s as the local peoples watched them enter their village, which was a selection of Reed built huts on stilts and lifting the buildings some height above the water.

All around them were carefully constructed walkways and a docking point for larger boats from the sea and for their coracles used as everyday transport in the local waters of the levels.

Almost everywhere Frank’s and Dent’s looked, dead wild fowl hung from posts, while fish was smoked and stored for use at later times. Wildfowl and fish provided the staple diet along with rodents like water rats and other vermin, it had become not only sustenance, but a stable form of trade for those tall ships needing fresh meat and clean drinking water.

Dogs barked and ran excited warning the community of the approaching visitors, and herons flew from their high nesting points. The huge Brent Hill towered over the lower encampment and at its height, the leader of the village lived with his generals and families which eventually filtered down to the less important workers who lived at the base of the hill and amidst the reed beds.

As the coracle hit the side of a walkway both Frank’s and his brother were taken to the leader of their community, where Frank’s explained they sought sanctuary, and eventual passage further away from the area, possibly towards Devonshire or even Cornwall and offered what stolen jewellery they had acquired as payment.

Merlin smiled knowing the fate which awaited these two individuals, as once the tall ships arrived the leader would allow the two brothers to explain what had happened, and Merlin would observe the interaction. It would at the very least lead him to whom else was involved in trafficking and take him one step closer to reaching his goal.

It was now only a matter of waiting until the next shipment of slaves was due for Bristol and the tall ship birthing at Brent to collect their cargo and exchange for fresh provisions.

As the crow flew away to join its companions, Merlin transferred his avatar to a heron which was nesting in a distant tree and from its vantage point it had a view across the levels to the inlets along Brent Sands. In the distance as the early morning sun started to lighten the new day’s dawn, a sailing ship was found to be docked and a large row boat was making its way to Brent village. Merlin quickly gathered his various avatar’s and positioned them to observe through their eyes all that was to transpire.

An old frog quietly sat beneath the docking point and relayed all that was spoken, as did the various water rats and four legged vermin who had the freedom to roam unseen and undetected by the innocent villagers.

Captain Granger of the White Bounty sailing ship walked into the leader’s home where he received his usual greeting, his crew were carrying various cargo which was brought from far off lands to trade for fresh food and water and to receive any captured slaves due for transport to Bristol.

It was then a conversation with Frank’s and his brother started and Merlin listened with interest, and quietly also observed all that was happening from the eyes of the house dog which Merlin had shanghaied into his service.

“Honestly Captain Granger we had no choice other than to leave immediately, the operation had been compromised and the King’s soldiers were on route. The Abbey guards had arrested poor Lewis Armitage and he had been violently beaten, also his tongue was missing preventing him talking, but the Abbey guards would still torture him to try and extract any information and send a message to our kind.”

Captain Granger looked wide eyed as he realised his little operation had possibly been exposed, and the news disturbed him, as this meant he had to carry this knowledge further to those who had engaged his service.

“I take it you and your brother want passage away from here, you can come aboard our ship and we will drop you off as we pass Cornwall on our return trip from Bristol.”

Frank’s and Dent were pleased and accepted the more than generous offer, then later as the various trades were concluded Captain Granger returned with his crew to the White Bounty and set sail for Bristol on the oncoming high tide.

Frank’s and Dent were pleased of the ride and to leave the immediate mainland and escape from the king’s soldiers. Also, Aldridge Simonds scared the two brothers as they were uncertain as to what it was, but Aldridge had a strange ability to appear from what they had thought was previously empty space and his temper could match his rather unique abilities.

As the White Bounty sailed into Bristol, Frank’s and his brother Dent’s found themselves suddenly awoken, and they were violently beaten and bound and later brought before two gentlemen sitting in the Captains room.

“Tell your story to these two guests and ensure you leave nothing out, they will know if you are lying and each lie will cost you a finger, from there we can start with your toes and whatever else takes our attention.”

Both men swallowed as before their eyes a third person materialised before them, it was Aldridge Simonds and from his expression, he was far from pleased. Then he did something which threw the men into a panic as his human form changed, and before them stood a huge Sylph, and he was the largest the Merlin had ever seen.

Frank’s and Dent’s eyes widened as they realised not only was Aldridge Simonds a monster of a human, he was also Fay born and evil at that, as his skin colour started turning a shade darker than coal with protruding veins of Red.

Both Frank’s and Dent’s fear grew as they tried to back away, only Aldridge momentarily ignored them and went to one knee bowing and humbling himself before the two guests in Captain Granger’s room.

“My Lords forgive your humble servant, what these two humans have told you is in part true, however, I bring evidence it was these two fools who alerted the Royal Counsel of our actions as it would appear they or Higgins had started taking additional slaves, and unbeknown to us, making extra income on the side, only the fools captured our kind thinking them human and now we…”

But before he could finish talking, Merlin had seen enough knowing he needed to rescue Frank’s and his brother and question them himself. Quietly as Aldridge was talking, both Frank’s and Dent’s simply vanished from sight and strangely at first their exit went unnoticed until Aldridge finished talking and looked towards the direction Frank’s and his brother had been standing. Aldridge blinked pausing as he glanced around the room “Where are they? I saw them for myself as I entered” he said.

Merlin laughed as he held the two brothers suspended between dimensions in his room which was situated near the Tor in Glastonbury, and overlooking the Abbey and its grounds, only the two guests in the Captains room conferred with each other stood up and readied themselves to leave.

One turned to Aldridge and extended an arm towards him. As his hand mutated into a demonic claw and gripped the Fays throat, “It would seem you either tried tricking us or your incompetence has exposed our kind and involvement, either way, you signed your own death warrant. And at that, he snapped his claws tightly shut breaking the neck of Aldridge decapitating his head and allowing it to roll onto the floor. Then they simply walked out and instructed Captain Granger to dispose of the mess in his room.

Merlin had various Gulls and vermin ready to follow the two demons as they vacated the ship and made their way through the docks, and eventually entered an area of Bristol where only the wealthiest of families could afford to live.

Without delay, they entered a grand house five stories in height, and taking up at least three plots of land. It had gilded railings surrounding it, and which stood some twelve foot in height, and had spikes atop and uniformed guards patrolling the grounds.

One of the gulls landed atop the gate lintel while another perched on the roof of the grand building, and as the two visitors entered, a Moth quietly flew behind them and gently perching on the back of the last one to enter the building.

A servant greeted them, “My Lords your master is awaiting your arrival in the study.” As the two visitors entered the study, Merlin sensed a barrier of incredible power shielding who-so-ever was inside, immediately he positioned the insect on the doors lintel and quietly observed all he could before the doors were closed.

At least now he had followed the link to those in charge and had learn of the involvement of not only sections of the Fay, but also their bitter enemy the Tebard’s, a race of allegedly mythical beings who were thought to supposedly have been brought to extinction in the great Fay wars, only the Merlin now knew that was not true, and that some had survived.