Immortal Stonekeeper

Chapter 4: Strange Company

Jonathan had no idea what to expect when he stepped into the rectangular portal, but this was certainly not it. For one, he did not fall through it. In fact, it just felt like he had taken a single step forward and found himself in a different place. And for another, the room he was now in, looked like it was plucked right out of a mediaeval movie set.

The spacious hall was constructed entirely of stone bricks, from the surrounding walls down to the floor where he stood on. Each and every one of them was even and square, a testament to a kind of work ethic reminiscent of stonemasons of the past.

But not every part of the room belonged to a Shakespeare play, though. Modern day light bulbs hung on the walls in place of where fire torches should be, properly illuminating the dark wooden doors that fitted snugly in the walls. A large desk presented itself from the end of the hall with its regal red colours. A brunette man behind it stood up and brushed by it, walking towards a gawking Jonathan.

"Welcome to the Immortal Paranormal Association." He stretched out a hand. Jonathan shook it absentmindedly, still wondering how that man had hair locks so perfectly coiled.

"Maximus, at your service." The man pointed to himself. "Well done, my associates."

"Aww... the poor boy looks so confused," Lucy's sultry voice tickled Jonathan's ears. He turned back. His two escorts were standing behind him, and the rectangular portal had already disappeared with nary a trace.

"Introductions, everyone!" Maximus boomed in a rather lively tone. "It's so nice to see our ranks increasing so quickly."

"He already knows our names..." Duncan mumbled. "Whatever, let's get this over and done with. Ahem. Duncan Ward, last living witch doctor in the world. Born in 1384 AD."

"Oh me next, me next! My birth name is Lucy Carpenter, and I'm a vampire born in 1019 AD."

"And I have been known as Maximus Augustine Lopez for about a century. Please do not question me about my birth name, for I have long since forgotten it. I was born in 1676 and I'm the founder of this organisation."

"Jonathan Warner. Born in... 1979, I guess? Is this some kind of joke? Do you really expect me to believe vampires and witches are real? What is going on?"

"You doubt? Oh, I'm so hurt." Lucy pouted before grinning, revealing fangs extending slowly from her mouth. She looked up slyly at him as a small red glow flickered in her irises. Jonathan trembled in fear and backed away, until a click froze him in his tracks. He spun around, coming face to face with the barrel of a gun. Maximus pulled the trigger.

Shock kicked his senses into overdrive, and Jonathan watched the world move in slow motion again. He plucked the bullet from the air, moving so slowly it almost seemed stationary. A second gunshot rang out while he examined the bullet, and he felt a small disturbance in his hair. A crushed bullet bounced off the floor.

"Did... did you just shoot me?"

"So powerful..." There was an unusually warm smile on Maximus' face. Jonathan stared blankly at him and turned to Duncan and Lucy, who also had an equally confused look on their faces.

"I'd like to offer you a job," Maximus said. "As immortals, it is imperative that we keep a low profile. However, there are paranormal forces that threaten to reveal our identities to the world at all times. Our mission is to maintain the paranormal stability that keeps us hidden."

"Woah woah. Can we just pause for me to ask, like, several hundred questions?" Jonathan spluttered. "What happened to me? How are all of you immortal? How did you find me? Why am I here? How is all this even my problem?"