HUNTED

Part 3

Part III

Braxton, Isabel, and Camryn stood in the town centre late in the morning as Mariann's wrapped body was burnt on a funeral pyre. Most of the small community had gathered to pay their final respects.

A quick poll was taken and the tavern was given to the shapely bar maiden that had served Braxton the night before. She and the other bar maidens promised to do their best to live up to Mariann's meat legacy.

Everyone was given a traditional 'meal of mourning' for lunch consisting of sourdough, baked beans, rice, and a shot of strong brandy.

Izzy wiped her mouth on the back of her leather gauntlet and looked up at her family castle.

"I'm going to put a stop to this now," she said with a resolute nod.

"We're coming..." Cammy started to say, then stopped and looked at Braxton. "Well, I'm coming with you. Braxton, you're welcome to come with me if you so choose."

Braxton nodded and stood.

"This is the reason I am here."

Izzy scowled a little.

"That and the reward money."

Braxton nodded again.

"Not important!" Cammy declared and linked arms with her sword sister. "We've been visited by evil. It's time for us to pay it back!"

Izzy scowled again and wriggled free of Cammy's grasp.

"Let's just get this over with."

* * * * *

Baste Castle loomed large as the small party of adventurers approached. Even in the bright light of day, something about it seemed sinister.

"I sense evil," Cammy said under her breath. "Izzy, was it always like this? I can't imagine it was like this when your ancestors lived here."

Izzy shook her head.

"I don't know. My grandparents never spoke of it before they passed. I know my family abandoned it when my mother was a child, but she doesn't know why. For whatever reason, she doesn't want anything to do with it, so it falls to me."

"Any manner of creatures could have taken up residence within its walls if it's been abandoned since your mother was in small clothes," Braxton said.

"Perhaps," Izzy responded with a far away look. "But, my family usually takes precautions against foreseeable circumstances like that."

A tall iron fence - nearly completely obfuscated by overgrowth - ringed the grounds of the massive structure. Izzy used her sun sword to burn and hack her way to the front gate. To her dismay, something had knocked the gate from its hinges.

"Not a good sign," Cammy observed.

The front courtyard was similarly overgrown. Several minutes of hacking later, they arrived at the massive front door.

Braxton stepped forward and pushed to no avail.

"It is solid," he said with a grunt.

Cammy slashed at it with her blade. A field of magic shimmered at her strike and no damage was transferred to the door.

"Magically sealed," Izzy said with a nod. "I expected this."

She inspected the front lock and noticed a sharp bit of metal above a tiny circular receptacle. She pressed her thumb into the sharp bit and a bled into the receptacle. The door slowly began to open on its own with a loud scraping sound.