The Waystation Ch.38 (Patreon)

Chapter 38

Buried, Burned, and Bloody. I

Bell watched Bert nervously. He had been very quiet and withdrawn since they left the new town and its weird cult-like people. He had barely eaten or slept. All he did was sit and stare ahead as the Waystation rolled its slow way across the scrubland.

Even irritating him didn’t seem to get her anywhere. She had seen this kind of thing before, and it scared her. She drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair and tried to decide what to do. She had tried all the usual things. Even the pit trap hadn’t gotten a reaction. He simply walked around it.

There was nothing for it. She was scared, and she needed to stop this now.

It meant doing what a pixie hated most, but she had no choice.

She had no choice.

She was desperate.

She would… be open and honest.

Bell shivered. It just felt wrong.

“Bert?” She called quietly.

“Yes, Bell?” He said dully.

“I’m scared.” Her voice came out small and shaky. She hated that.

“Why?” He leaped up, looking around. “What’s wrong?”

“Ummm, you are?” She said, surprised at his sudden energy.

“What?” He looked at her, confused.

“You just sit and stare out the window; you don’t eat or sleep.” She felt herself getting angry at him. “You are acting just like the last Caretaker did!” She yelled at him.

“Oh. Sorry, Bell.” He looked distant again for a second. “I’m just sad, that’s all.”

“Why?” Bell asked.

“I tried to help those people, well more Martha, but still.” Bert shrugged. “And now it’s all turned to shit.”

“And that makes you sad?” Bell asked skeptically.

“Yes,” He laughed. “Bell, I never wanted to make some big difference in this world, just see a bit of it. Now I’m worried that I’m going around making everything worse.”

“Are you going to leave?” Bell asked.

“No!” Bert looked shocked, “Why would I leave?”

“But you said–” Bell started.

“I did some stuff trying to help; instead, it may have made things worse. That’s sad. Mostly I’m disappointed, I guess?” He looked out the window again, “I wanted to help someone. That seemed to help a bunch of people, but I worry they are worse now than they would have been if we never went by.”

“But what are you going to do?” Bell asked.

“Nothing,” Bert shrugged. “I did what I thought was best at the time. I can’t change it now and didn’t know better then. I’m sad, frustrated, and disappointed. I guess I’ll be sad about that for a bit, but it will pass.” He smiled at her. “Sorry if I worried you.”

“But, aren’t you going to obsess over it for years or something?” Bell asked.

“Nope,” Bert said. “I did what I could, and it ended up fucked. That’s just what happens sometimes.”

“Oh, Okay.” She said eventually. “Bert?”

“Yes, Bell?”

“Can you not go all silent and that next time?” She said.

“Yes, Bell.”

They drove in silence for a little while.

“Bell?” Bert called.

“Yes, Bert?”

“Pit traps are not a good way to cheer people up,” He laughed.

“Well, it’s not like you fell in,” She giggled.

They sat in a more comfortable silence then. Time passed as the two of them watched the scrubland go by.

“Stop!” Bert yelled, leaping to his feet.

“What?” She asked.

“Come and see this!” Bert grinned and dashed for the platform.

========

“I don’t get it,” Bell admitted eventually.

“This is the wagon!” Bert said, pointing excitedly at the remains of a wooden wagon lying on its side. “This was where I made my first real outfit! And my first shield!” He looked all misty-eyed.

Bud and Bell shared a look.

“So?” Bud asked.

“Oh, come one!” Bert laughed. “It is so cool to see this place again.” He clicked his fingers. “And this is the first time I ever saw a Gnork Skeleton! It was in the wagon!”

“Really?” Bud asked. “That’s not possible; I mean, is it?”

“Why?” Bert asked.

“The only Gnorks around here came from the ship, remember?” Bell said.

“There is nothing here now,” Bud said as he poked around a little.

“You probably imagined it,” Bell huffed. “Can we go back in now?”

“Hah!” Bert chuckled. “If I imagined it, come and see this!” He led them over to a crude grave. “Explain that!” Bert said triumphantly.

“So you buried your imaginary friend?” Bell giggled. “That’s so fucked up.”

Bert gave her a look, and Bud interrupted before it became another bickering match.

“What happened?” Bud asked.

Bert proceeded to tell them all about his time in the wagon. About the skeleton in the corner and how he always managed to scatter it when he slept. He had to wipe a tear from his eye, remembering his first helmet made from an old pot.

“Umm, Boss?” Bud said once he had finished.

“Yes?” Bert asked.

“I think you buried one of me,” Bud said. “A few did try and go get help.”

“But it didn’t move or anything,” Bert noted. “Even when I talked to it.”

“Away from the ship's power, it could only have moved under the moonlight,” Bud said slowly.

“Yeah, of course.” Bell giggled. “Everyone knows that.”

“But it was always scattered every morning!” Bert said.

“It probably tired to kill you or sneak past, only to get flattened by your fat ass every night!” Bell cackled. “You were so fat!”

“But-but- I buried it!” Bert said, stunned.

Bud and Bell both fell about laughing as he dashed over to the dried ground and started to dig frantically.

“Bert!” Bud called. “It’s not aware!”

“What?” Bert hesitated.

“It doesn’t… think. Not when it has no mana!” Bud calmly pulled him away from the grave.

“So I didn’t leave it trapped down there in the dark?” Bert asked in horror.

“No!” Bell giggled. “Well, yes. But it doesn’t know that.”

“Yet,” Bud chuckled. “Can I dig it up?”

Half an hour later, the three of them gathered around the skeleton as it lay inert on the floor. Bert looked at it, remembering chatting to it when he was lonely. It seemed a long time ago.

“So, what next?” Bell asked.

“Well, now one of us claims it as a minion,” Bud said.

“Do you want to?” Bert asked, noticing how tense Bud seemed.

“Yes, but….” He trailed off.

“But?” Bell prompted.

“This is a minion,” Bud said carefully. “If I have a minion, that means I am no longer one.”

“It won’t kill you, will it?” Bert asked.

“No,” Bud shook his head. “But it is only done to free a minion. The master has to gift me with a minion of my own. It… It severs the minion bond between us. Permanently.”

“But it’s safe for you, I mean?” Bert asked.

“Yes.” Bud nodded.

“Cool, well, go for it then.” Bert grinned and waited.

“You have to present it to him, idiot.” Bell groaned.

“Oh, right.” Bert coughed in embarrassment. “Bud, old friend, please take this minion as your own.” Bert said hesitantly, “Is that right?”

“That’ll do,” Bud said, reaching down to touch the skull. “That’ll do.”

Light flared in the eye sockets of the skull, and the bones rolled into a pile. Slowly, a skeleton formed and rose to its feet. It turned and looked in wonder at Bud, lights flaring in recognition of its new master.

Then it saw Bert.

It threw itself at him, boney fingers scrabbling at him as it tried to choke him to death.

“Aww, he’s adorable!” Bell said happily as Bert held the homicidal little creature away from him. Giving up on reaching his neck, it started to kick him in the shins.

“Ow, fuck!” Bert dodged backward as Bud and Bell laughed. “Get off, you little bugger,” Bert ran in circles as it chased him.

After a few minutes of laughing, Bud called the little minion back to him. It stood at Bud’s side and glared at Bert.

“I think he remembers me,” Bert chuckled awkwardly.

“Oh, he hates you so much!” Bell giggled.

Bud proudly took his new minion on a tour of the Waystation, especially his own quarters, which seemed to be a point of real pride for Bud. Bert and Bell were about to leave him to it when Trav came over to complain.

“He’s kicking me out!” Trav whined, pointing back into the gatehouse. “Bud says I have to move out!”

“Okay,” Bell shrugged. “So?”

Trav gaped at her.

“I’m sorry, Miss Bell, but you may misunderstand me. He wants me to move out so he can have more room for his new minion!” He sounded insulted.

“So?” Bell said waspishly.

Trav hesitated.

“Why not pick your own room out in the Bear’s Fall,” Bert suggested. “You spend most of your time there anyway.”

“Well, of course, if it pleases you both,” Trav bowed. “I just thought kicking me out for a mere minion was rude.”

“You’re a mere minion,” Bell said. “Remember that.” She smiled nastily. “Or would you like to leave?”

“No! No, Lady Bell.” Trav prostrated himself before her. “I am honored to be a minion of the Fae.” He scrambled away and dashed for the Bear’s Fall.

“Minion?” Bert asked, cocking an eye at her.

“Well, so what?” Bell giggled. “His whole race is creepy.”

“Still, though.” Bert laughed.

“If it helps, I kind of see all of you as my minions.” She grinned.

“I had a hunch,” Bert laughed.

“Look out, your biggest fan is coming!” Bell giggled as the little Gnork Skeleton scrambled across the ground and threw itself at Bert again.

“For fuck sake! Bud, a little help here?” Bert called as he once more held the little skeleton at bay.

“Sorry, I only left him for a minute!” Bud came dashing out the door of the gatehouse. “Timothy! Get back here!” The skeleton froze in mid-lunge. “Bad Timothy! Heel!” It slinked back across the floor and took its place next to Bud.

Bell was still having fits of giggles.

“So, any idea why he hates me so much?” Bert asked as he shoved his shield back into his storage.

“Yeah, I asked him about that,” Bud shrugged, a very expressive motion on a skeleton, “It turns out he might not have been entirely asleep before you buried him.”

“What?” Bert said weakly.

“Yeah, a bit of residual charge. Not enough to move, just enough to be awake while you got ready to bury him.”

“Fuck, that’s awful,” He looked over at the glowering minion, “I’m so sorry, Tim. Really, I am.”

It hissed at him and made several rude gestures.

“It may take a while,” Bud chuckled, “But he will get over it.”

“Are you sure,” Bell giggled, “because I love this!”

“Fuck sake, Bell!” Bert sighed.

============

Bud locked Timothy in his room for the night. He was sure he had never been so difficult when he was a minion. No matter how often he told Tim to stay, the minion followed him.

There was a crash of breaking glass, and Bud dashed out of the gatehouse and ran after the rapidly fleeing figure. It was making a beeline for Bert again.

“Tim! Heel!” Bud yelled, and again it froze in place and then skulked back to his side.

Bud looked down at the ground and tried to figure out what he was doing wrong. He had been unequivocal in his orders. Tim should be doing as he was told. Was it him? Did he just not have what it takes?

“He’s lonely,” Sal’ali said from her perch up on the wall. The orcs had taken to patrolling the walls of the Waystation whenever he didn’t have them training. He hadn’t told them to do it but let them anyway. He liked them showing initiative.

Well, if he was honest, he preferred if they only did as he told them, but Bert had always encouraged initiative in him, so he figured it was important.

“Lonely?” Bud asked, “Why would he be lonely?”

Sal just shrugged. “We never had a minion, but we did have warg pups. They would often ignore orders just to get attention.”

Bud turned to look at Tim. The minion was picking at his ribs as he waited for his next order.

“Tim?” Bud called, and the minion looked over to him, “If I let you stay with me, will you behave?”

Tim nodded excitedly.

“Okay, follow me, but no more attacking Bert.” He said.

Tim hissed but nodded again.

Bud walked back to the Gatehouse, Tim following meekly along behind him. This time he didn’t send Tim to Trav’s old room. Instead, he let him follow along inside as Bud got out the bundles he had brought in the City of the Dead.

He didn’t need permission anymore. He could do this any time he wanted to. Tim reached for the bundle, and Bud gently pushed the minion’s hand away.

He still wanted their permission… but he didn’t need it anymore.

No time like the present.

“What’s up, Bud?” Bert asked as he came into the Barn carrying the bundles. Tim trailed behind him, shooting furious glances at Bert but staying in place.

“Can we get Bell for this?” Bud asked.

“Sure,” Bert shrugged and focused for a second. “Way Way says she’s on her way.”

“Thanks,” Bud looked nervous.

“You called?” Bell said as she flew down from outside.

“I have something to show you both,” Bud said and unrolled the bundles. The parts clattered onto the table.

“Is this another minion?” Bell asked. “It looks bigger.”

“This looks like the stuff the bone carvers and flesh shapers made,” Bert said, looking closer.

“It is,” Bud nodded. “I brought myself a new body!” He was slightly giddy but also somewhat terrified.

“Is it safe?” Bell asked, now examining the bones in more detail.

“Will they work?” Bert asked. “With you being Fae?”

Bud grinned, “That is why they will work.” He took a deep breath, “Percy checked them over for me and made sure it would work.”

“What are these bits?” Bert asked as he picked up some shards and curves of bone.

“They make my skull bigger, so I don’t have to replace it,” Bud said.

“Okay, sounds good, as long as you are sure they are safe.” Bert shrugged.

“Why didn’t you show us these before?” Bell asked as she slapped Tim’s hand away from her wings. The little minion had been entranced as Bell fluttered around.

“I wanted to wait until I didn’t need permission,” He admitted guiltily.

“We would never have stopped you, Bud,” Bert reassured him.

“But we could have, right?” Bell put her hands on her hips, and Bud suddenly felt very small.

“Yes,” Bud admitted. “I wanted it to be all my choice.”

“Okay, well, we will talk about that later,” Bell said in a hurt voice.

Bert coughed and changed the subject quickly.

“So what happens next?” Bert asked.

“I activate the change, and we see what happens?” Bud said. “It should be fast.”

“Hmmm,” Bert said.

“What?” Bud asked nervously.

“We need a bit more pomp and circumstance,” Bert said thoughtfully.

“What?” Bud asked as Bell cheered.

“Give us a few minutes to prepare a fitting stage?” Bert asked.

“Umm, okay?” Bud said, now thoroughly lost.

“Wait here!” Bell said, and they both dashed out the door, leaving a confused Bud behind.

Twenty minutes later, Bud heard a knock. He opened the door to the barn and found the orcs standing on either side of the door; they each held a sword over their heads, creating a pathway with a steel roof.

“Attention!” Bell called, and the Orcs all saluted with their free hands. “Girls?” Bud watched as a dozen Multi-Bells appeared, lifting the bundles and carrying them down the pathway as he walked along it.

At the end of the pathway, Bert found a stone platform ringed with shining crystals that caught the sun's light. The Multi-Bells delicately placed each bundle on the platform and then flew to take up places around the outside of the crystals.

Bud didn’t know what to do… it was too much.

Bert walked up beside him and led him forward onto the platform. He patted him on the back and whispered, ‘Proud of you, Bud,’ before stepping back and taking a place at the platform's base.

Finally, Scruff came forward, holding a bundle of vines which she placed at the front of the circle before clicking her tongue. The vines unrolled and wound themselves amongst the crystals before putting out delicate purple and red flowers.

Bud looked around at the Waystationers as the Orcs took up positions behind Bert and dropped to one knee. He looked at his friends, family, and everything and felt pride well up inside him.

His fears fled as he turned and held out his hands, the bundles unrolled, and light flowed from each of his bones, pouring into its counterpart on the floor. One by one, the old bones fell away, turning to dust. Eventually, only his skull remained. It burst into separate parts with a flash, the individual bones hovering in the air as the new pieces flew up and hovered in place.

A few breathless seconds of silence followed as everyone stared at the floating pieces of his skull before they snapped back together. The additional bones now enlarging the skull. With a clatter, the skull dropped onto the pile of bones, and he heard Bert yell out before the clattering, grinding noises began again. From the pile of bones rose a new figure. It was taller, with thicker bones and a vaguely metallic sheen. The figure bowed once, then threw its arms wide as the fae mana channels were burned into the new bones.

Bud gasped, drawing in a deep breath, and turned to find Bert holding Tim back. The little minion had fought to get to him, bless.

“Bud?” Bert asked.

“The one and only!” Bud said, looking Bert in the eye. He didn’t need to look up anymore.

Cheers rose around them as Tim came forward and poked at the bones making up his master’s new body.

“You kept the horns!” Bell said. “I’m pleased.” She was crying. “Look, Bert, our boy’s all grown up!”

“You're the same height as me!” Bert said as he hugged him.

“Watch this!” Bud said, giddy with joy, and summoned his own armor set. He had the City of the Dead craftspeople alter it for his new body. It was something they were very good at. They also engraved a storage system into the bones.

Bert cheered and congratulated him.

“You look just like Bert, only deader!” Bell giggled. “Just what I always wanted!”

They all celebrated that night, with everyone telling their favorite Bud story and the orcs telling everyone a highly exaggerated version of them being recused by Bud.

As the last of the party died away, Bert, Bud, and Bell retired to the control tower, where Bert adjusted Bud’s chair to fit his new form. It was the perfect ending to Bud’s day.

Bert looked out over the land ahead of them and shuddered. Bud went and stood with him, not seeing anything.

“What is it, Boss?” Bud asked.

“The grasslands ahead of us….” He shuddered again.

“Nothing to get Tic’ed off about!” Bell giggled.

Bert groaned, and Bud just shook his head.

With these people with him, he feared nothing.