Blizzards rocked the Dungeon almost back-to-back over the next few weeks.

  The snow globe effect of my spatial folding was entertaining to watch to a point. The snow was being blown in all different directions by the winds and the effects of passing through the bubble. I watched the strange weather patterns with some interest.

  Over time, the weather calms, and the seasons roll on.

  The spring eventually arrives, and the snow retreats, revealing new green growths dominating the landscape. Travellers are back on the road, coming and going.

  It became apparent that the numbers heading to Crossway were increasing again. Many more wagons carrying settlers were heading to the town while traders and other travellers were heading in the other direction.

  The vegetation was growing over the path again; I would have my hunters go and cut it back again. I told them of this, and they went out a few nights later. I was looking over some statues added to the Dungeon with the last level-up expansion. They were all hooded and a mixture of angels and people. Like the others, they were slightly disturbing to look at and not the source of solace they were meant to be.

  I was near the gates and noticed my hunters returning. They were earlier than expected and had several horses with them. They were dismounting and carrying… bound figures and dropping them in the courtyard.

  "What is this?"

  I shifted over to the gates as the hunters were arguing.

  "I should have her." McGregor was arguing with the others.

  “No, gringo the se?orita is mine.”

  "Ya both foolin, my wife's coming with me."

  They were all tense, with an air of danger between them. I looked over the three hog-tied and gaged figures on the floor. Two men and a girl around fifteen were in my courtyard, and I looked out to see three horses. They showed signs of being ridden hard.

  The three figures were all scared and looked at my hunters with fear. As the argument started to escalate, the hunters became more aggressive. They wanted the girl, and I quickly devised a way to deal with the situation.

  "Having a party and not inviting me. I am hurt."

  I summoned my avatar and spoke as soon as I could. The three hunters suddenly went silent and stood rigid. They usually knew of my presence but were too focused on the girl to realise I was there.

  The looks of fear turned to terror as I suddenly appeared from a light black smoke. I had learned of the summon effect after asking Rodriguez one day what he saw when I appeared. I was learning to use it for dramatic entrances and exits. Young Augustus was one of my best attempts. I am still proud of that one.

  The hunters looked at each other. They were all thinking the same thing. Would I be angry? They had all seen what my punishments looked like with the spirit and they had become more formal and respectful of me after it. They had discovered that I, too, had a nasty side and could hurt them without the danger of being injured in return. I never told them I hated having to use my punishment ability; it gave me the threat I needed from time to time, like now.

  I walked through the group they had formed and over the bound individuals. I walked up the threshold and looked at the horses. It was all theatre, but I needed time to think.

  "I seemed to recall saying, clear the vegetation, not to go on a shopping trip."

  My tone was light as I quipped. Turning back to them, I looked at them with the unasked question. The three hunters looked at each other and tried to get each other to speak.

  I waited for a few seconds, but it was Rigger who spoke.

  "Ya see, Keeper, we were clearing like ya wanted. When we worked, we saw these two riding down from Crossway." He pointed at the two men. "They not seen us as it was dark. We noticed the girl all bound and tied up when they got closer. Well, we thought, why not grab them and bring them here!"

  I looked down at the three. It sounded like a kidnapping. Examining the two men, I picked out the mentally weaker one. It was the larger of the two, as the other still glinted with anger and intelligence in his eyes, the other with terror. He was trying to figure out how he could get out of this.

  "Lift that one."

  I pointed at the one I was going to interrogate. Did I know how? No. What experience did I have? None. But I had a few ideas.

  Rodriguez was on the other side, so the other two lifted him to his feet and held him in place.

  "Rigger, please collect a deck of cards from storage."

  He was confused but did as I bid. He left quickly, wanting to be back as soon as he could. They all enjoyed watching prey squirm before the kill.

  "Please remove the gag."

  The gag was pulled out of his mouth. The babbling started as soon as it was clear.

  "Please, God, don't kill me; I don't want to die. I….” The words poured from his mouth.

  The slap was loud. I had hit him across the face with my open palm. Silencing him.

  "No babbling, please. I would like concise answers to the questions I am about to ask. Do you understand?"

  The strike had left a red mark on the side of his pale face. The hunters were all grinning. For them, this was entertainment. He nodded that he understood.

  "Excellent. Now, from the situation described to me, you and your colleague were kidnapping this young lady."

  "Yes. Please, we meant no…."

  The second strike was to the other side of his face.

  "Where is she from?"

  "T-the northside of Crossway. The Gilbert farm." He stammered. It seemed he had learned his lesson.

  "What was the purpose of the deed?"

  "She turned down Alberts trying to court her. He wanted to elope and have her marry him." The man was trying to hold it together, thinking answering my questions would get him out of the situation.

  "And how did he plan to do that?"

  This made the man stop and think for a moment, and it dawned on him that he did not know how. I did; social conventions of this time meant a "shotgun wedding" would be preferable to the stigma of being a rape victim.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  "I don't rightly know." The man finally admitted.

  "How long before her family realises that she is gone?"

  He looked to the sky, and I had my answer.

  "Not long after dawn, then. Replace the gag and drop him."

  I turned and looked back out through the gates. I was thinking about this. Did this affect my plan? Not really, but it will likely create additional complications. Dawn was two hours at best away. The impact of his body was more brutal than it should have been, meaning my hunters were having some more fun. I knew they were enjoying his whimpering.

  I stood with my hands behind my back, looking at the trees and pathway leading to the road. This was mainly for effect. I knew what had to happen.

  I turned when I heard a noise. Rigger reappeared, breathing hard from running to the storage mausoleum and back. He was carrying a deck of playing cards. I held out my hand, and he placed them on it. I fanned the cards out face down.

  "Pick one. The highest gets the girl. Aces are low."

  The three hunters understood straight away, and each pulled a card. The girl was now screaming in fear through her gag. She was struggling again but was too well bound to escape.

  Rigger pulled a two of clubs. Rodriguez, a ten of diamonds. McGregor, a queen of hearts. He smiled, knowing he had won.

  "My lucky card!" He exclaimed.

  "Kill these two, then do the normal to get rid of the bodies and loot the horse's saddle bags."

  The other hunter grumbled but went to work.

  [A Hunter has made a Kill]

  [A Hunter has made a Kill]

  The men's throats were sliced open, and I left them to their work. McGregor carried the weeping girl away.

  Did I feel bad?

  Yes, but I was the one running this place and was not eager to have my Core destroyed for not doing my job. Keeping the hunters in line was part of it, and having them compliant through their free will over me and dominating them made my life easier. It was a clear sign of my changing attitude to all of this.

  I returned to the top of the bubble and looked around. In the distance, the sun rose, and the day went on. It was cloudy and was getting denser as the day wore on. To the east, much darker and heavier clouds were coming this way.

  "Look like a storm. A big one at that."

  The sky over that way was dark due to the clouds blocking the sun and ready to pour rain down. I suspected that I was in for another lightning show. Over the ridge came a large group of riders moving fast.

  "Now, that is odd on a normal day. Today, they are expected."

  I counted a dozen riders moving down the road and started crossing the river at the ford. I knew what I was looking at almost straight away. I reached out and connected with the hunters. "

  We have a dozen-strong search posse on the road. If they are tracking the girl, they will be here soon. Be ready."

  I watched them until I lost them through the trees…

  I should have seen them pass by now.

  Looking at the path from the road, I saw a man leading the group on foot, looking at the tracks on the ground. Well, here we go.

  "They are following the tracks. We are about to have a lot of visitors."

  I move to the gates and start to plan fast. Am I close to panicking? Hell yes!

  A dozen men will overwhelm the hunters at my disposal. Looking up, the storm clouds are rolling over the Dungeon, making everything darker. Inspiration driven by desperation gave me an idea, but would it be dark enough?

  "I have a plan, but it will be a close-run thing. Stay hidden until I give the word."

  The riders were at the gates now. Three had dismounted and were standing at the gates.

  "I don't care, Joshua! If my girl is in there, we must get her!" An older man was nearly yelling.

  "Matthew, I know you're afraid, but the tracks show that they were ambushed on the road by three others and brought here. We all saw the cut vegetation clearing the path. You know where we are!" Joshua was a tall man who was well-dressed and groomed. On his chest was a silver star with the word "Sheriff," and he was looking into the Dungeon with trepidation.

  "Dear God, do you think I wanted to find out she was brought here, but we need to get her!" Matthew was all worked up. Fear was hitting him from different directions right now.

  Looking over the other riders, I could see their conviction draining away. These were local men who had all heard the stories about my Dungeon. This was a good sign for my plan.

  Above us, the wind was picking up, and the storm would be here within the hour. Over the last few years, I have gotten good at predicting the weather.

  "Forester, what do you say?" Joshua asked the third man. Forester had the dress and look of a frontier man. He lacked the heavy use of hide and leather clothing but still carried the air of rigged survivability—a man in his late forties with a greying beard and weather-beaten face.

  "Got blood in the area ahead of us. At least one person died there. She might be still alive, but it's hard to say." His voice was low, and his eyes showed intelligence. He was the sort of man educated in the world and not in schools. That made him the most dangerous of all of them.

  I had forgotten to clear that blood up!

  "In God's name, man, Joshua, we need to go in!" The father, Matthew, was getting more worked up.

  "Patience, Matthew." Joshua snapped. He turned back to Forester. "You think they killed the girl?"

  "No. They were travelling along the road when three men jumped them. It was them that brought the girl and the two men here. If I were betting, I would say the blood belongs to Albert and Frankson." Forester was looking at the blood on the stones in the courtyard.

  Sheriff Joshua took a deep breath, thinking about what must be done. I could not blame him as the last Sheriff who visited never left. Sighing, he made his choice and turned to the other riders.

  "You two guard the horses and the entrance in case they try to flee." He pointed at two men. "The rest of us are going in. I want this done before the rain comes."

  His orders got them moving. The horses were tied up away from the gates. The two men set up a canvas lean to protect them from the weather if the rains came before they were finished with the search.

  The ten men entered the courtyard, all armed and tense. They spread out after Forester, who was looking at the few signs of movement left by my Hunters.

  "Which way?" Joshua asked. "Hard to say. They seemed to stick to the paths." Forester said, not looking up from where he was kneeling.

  This is where I needed to guide the group. I moved away and threw a stone, causing it to clatter about. This put the group on alert. I returned to catch part of the conversation.

  "…. definitely to the north along the path leading that way." One man was saying. He had a deputy badge.

  "Did you see anyone?" Asked Joshua, as the group were all looking in that direction now.

  "No, just heard what you all did." The Deputy said.

  "Forester?" Joshua asked.

  "Might have been someone. Hard to say." He was suspicious. I noticed he was taking longer to look around. He was taking the time to see what was here.

  "Let's start the search northwards, then." Joshua decided.

  "Should we split up?" Asked the deputy.

  "No, we heard the story of what happened last time." Josuha walked along the path flanked by Forester heading north.

  [Alert! Intruders are not recognised as Challengers.]

  "Yes! They fell for it!" The first part was happening. They were going north, and now I had to hope the weather would cooperate. I shifted to the top of the bubble. In the distance, there was a flash of lightning; I counted. When the boom arrived, it worked out only a few miles. This is coming together! "We have a big storm about to arrive. Head to cover."

  I connected and informed my Hunters as I returned to the group moving along the path. Come on, rain!

  "What is it, Forester? Your head is turning around so much it might fall off." Joshua asked in a low voice. He was concerned at the other man's actions. He remained silent, looking around, but then answered in the same low voice.

  "This place is….. wrong" Was what he said.

  "That I already figured. You heard what happened to my predecessor here." Joshua quipped, trying to lighten the mood.

  "No, Joshua. I mean, this whole place is wrong!" He was more insistent.

  "What do you mean?" The sheriff was now getting more concerned. He was looking around, trying to see what the older man saw.

  "Things are subtle but are there." The older man tried to voice what was disturbing him. "Look at the gravestones, blank."

  This was the first thing he could point to, drawing Jousha's attention to them. Joshua looked and realised what he was missing, which was what Forester had seen. The gravestones they were passing while overgrown were all blank.

  "Next, the statutes. They are all not looking at anything, or they are covering their eyes. It is like they cannot stand to witness what happens here." Forester indicates to one as they pass. Joshua looked at the statue and saw the angel weeping with a hand covering its eyes. It was unlike any statue he had ever seen. Joshua could not explain why, but he was disturbed by this.

  As they walked, Joshua noticed other things. There are faces on some of the walls they pass. The faces are of cherubs and devils. They were sneering or grinning evilly. This added to the uneasiness that they were experiencing on a subconscious level.

  The sky above them was dark with rain, and the wind was blowing a damp cold.

  "It's about to rain. We need to get to cover." Joshua looked above.

  "We can use that mausoleum." Forester points to the nearby building.

  "It's not right to take cover in a tomb." Joshua

  "Are they tombs?" Forester asked. He went over to the building and opened the doors. He walked in, and the men outside heard Forester moving around inside. He then emerged. "It's empty."

  As he spoke, the skies rumbled again, and the rain started. The downpour was heavy and intense, ending any problems with avoiding the rain by sheltering in the building. The men piled in, and one lit their lantern to light the room. Along the walls were graves that should have bodies within them. One was open and showed that it was empty.

  Joshua told them, "We wait here and continue when the rain ends." Matthew complained but was headed off by the sheriff.