Bastion strode down the cobbled street in the drizzling rain. Hr flitted from shaddow to shaddow avoiding
the orange patches of accusatory light from the street lamps. His path seemed a random one and not at all steady, weaving
past street lamps, skipping over the rivers of autumn rain and sail boats of amber leaves. Bastion moved down the darkened
street like a ballet dancer possessed.
Abendigo watched as Bastion was let into the second hand bookshop by Bastion's servant Wilbur. Abendigo
felt his lip curl. He didn't understand how someone could keep a servant in this day and age. He was more appalled by Wilburs
docile nature. Abendigo had asked Bastion once when all this started why he kept Wilbur. Bastion had replied "It helps the
economy. It's my civil duty, if well off people did everything themselves how would the needy people survive?"
Abendigo had interviewed Bastion five years earlier. Bastion a rich aristocrat was known for his nocturnal
studies of the stars but most suspected alchemy. A suspicion that had proved true. As Bastion had sat enthroned in the wooden
chair opposite Abendigo answering questions politely. With his cold grey eyes never leaving Abendigo's, watching his
every move, the makeshift observaory on the other side of town, Bastions base had caught alight. Chemical compounds that had
no reason to be there had been spilt and mixed tgether. The rest of the town on the southside was soon consumed. Ofcourse
as soon as the news spread almost faster than the flames the interview was terminated. Abendigo had run towards his home,
towards the flames. Bastion had caught a boat.
Abendigo had traced Bastion to this gray damp country. It had been easier than he had thought Bastion was
very distinctive. Once in the town it had become harder, the cobbled streets all led into one another. Abendigo began to compare
the town to a labyrinth in which a rat may run and never find the cheese. Luck had been on his side he had overheard some
school children talk about a bookshop where the owner with cold grey eyes and pasty skin only came out at night. They giggled
nervously as they spread rumours of vampires and mad scientists into the night. The very same rumours as the children
of Abendigo's home town had spread five years earlier. They had led Abendigo to the shop door and had dared each other to
play knock down ginger whilst Abendigo had lurked in the shaddows.
Abendigo crept forwards towards the door arming himself with an obliging brnach from a tree. He put his
hand up to the door and with the slightest push it swung inwards. Forgetful Wilbur hadn't even closed the door properly. All
he had to do now was to confront this monster. Stairs at the back of the the shop led to the living quarters. Abendigo had
tried not to make a sound as he climbed up towards the door. He could hear the undistinct sounds of Bastions deep barritone
and Wilburs quiet reply. Abendigo reached the top stair that creaked loudly beneath his foot. The voices stopped. For what
seemed like an age the three people in the building didn't move each straining to hear any unnatural sound. Eventually
Bastion and Wilbur began to mutter to each other. Abendigo siezed the moment put his hand on the door handle and pushed. Nothing.
It was locked. Abendigo glared at the offending object and kicked out savagely at the old rotting door frame.
As the door gave way Abendigo charged into the room not really knowing what he would do. He raised the broken
branch above his head and came face to face with Wilbur. Poor Wilbur cowered before him with his eyes almost lost in his wrinkled
face. Abendigo could see the branch reflected in the hazel eyes that begged for mercy, when the tongue had swelledand frozen
in fear and anticipation. Abendigo lowered the branch.
"I'm not going to hurt you. Where is he? Where is your master?"
Wilbur looked at the open window and coughed nervously, his face telling what his words would not.
"He's not at home at present . Is there anything I can help you with?"
Abendigo flashed a withering look as he dashed to the window and glared out. If this was a cartoon
Abendigo would have seen the tail end of a coat as Bastion disapeared round a corner. Abendigo saw rain.
"I want your master to pay for what he's done!"
"what has he done?"
" The town of Lempast. The night he skipped town, It burnt to the ground. It was his doing. It's time he
owned up and faced the consequences of his actions. People died. People died Wilbur."
Wilbur looked at him with a mixture of silent fear and pity.
"I know my master knows of the fire" he gulped "but he wont acknowledge it was his doing. The master has
very little recollection of Lempast or the fire or even the work that was lost. He couldn't tel you the name of the town or
even the street where we lived. He has no memory of these things he is fixated with his studies. You wouldn't get any satisfaction
from him. He has gone to his boat but he will have left by the time you reach the docks. You see he's shy of strangers at
present and your creeping around on the stairs spooked him. I can't even tell you where he's going." Wilbur called after Abendigo
who was heading down the stairs.
Abendigo turned to face the old man "You can try." He's hand instictively tightening on the branch.
" I receive my instructions by post. Go home. Go and mourn your family."
"
