Ichabod Crowley series 3 The Thorn Tree

Chapter 9

The Temple of the Western Most Pillar

The intercom let out a pretty musical chime and Ichabod stood back, waiting for some kind of response when Vhen squeezed his arm again.

"Could you not?" he complained.

"You have to sell it," she muttered back, kissing him on the cheek.

A retort died on his lips when the earth beneath their feet began to rumble, a pile of dirt rising upwards behind the gate and taking the shape of a bison. Raising its head to the heavens, the new elemental animal let out a grand bellow before stomping its hooves against the ground.

"Good afternoon Locario," December bowed down and the bison followed suit.

"Ah, Master Roc," it tilted its head to the side, "You look very different, if you don't mind my saying."

"It's December now."

"Oh, then you have my apologies for the offence," it raised its head, turning its attention to Vhen, "And to you as well my Lady, I beg you forgive the difference of this one to acknowledge an old friend in favor of his honored guest."

"It's fine Locario," Vhen chuckled.

Ichabod watched the elemental beast exchanging pleasantries with the other and had to blink several times before his mind could finally process what he was seeing.

"Huh, you wouldn't think talking animals would be such a mental block for me," Ichabod muttered, then flinched when the bison turned a withering gaze his way, "Uh, hi?"

"And...this one..." it rumbled, "Is your guest I take it."

"Well, I like to think that we're a little more than that," she leaned closer and he awkwardly returned the hug.

"Yeah, we're, um, we're getting married," Ichabod feigned a smile and tried to his best to effect a charming voice, "What is it um, is it, is it this week? Next week?"

"As soon as possible," she grinned back.

"Then congratulations my lady," the bison dipped its head again, "Shall I lead you inside?"

"I'm good where I am."

"Hmm," Locario snapped its head around and the iron gate dissolved, "Then you will follow me sir."

"Yeah," Ichabod and the rest fell into step behind the bison, "So he's fun."

"He's not dangerous, just...territorial."

"I'm going to be getting a lot of this aren't I?"

"Probably," Vhen admitted.

Following the bison across the empty yard, the group, Medea, December, Vhen, and Ichabod, entered the main building. A pair of automatic doors opened, allowing them into a large arid temple area surrounded and hedged by massive columns made out of artfully decorated granite cubes. The centerpiece to it all, an altar, ominously tall and in the shape of a pyramid, loomed before them and the bison dipped its head before dissolving into the floor.