Their disposition agreed upon, Stanislav stays behind with Katherine while Amaya, Luther, and Oukonunaka go out to explore the town, heading first for the Honin Stone. Walking north along the road from the cobbles soon give way to packed earth. The Pallaver house is the first of several farmhouses north of town, and folks can be seen hard at work in the fields that line the road. After another two miles the kept fields give way to brush and light woods, the trees bright green with their new leaves. The road also develops a notable decline, and a half mile later it evens out just as the woods on the west side of the road end, revealing Lake Honin.
The lake stretches 5 miles long roughly north/south and 2 miles wide, with Helorus nestled between it's eastern shore and the mountains. Despite the recent storm the water appears quite clear, and several small boats dot the smooth water: fishermen out for the day. It appears that most of the shore is wooded, though directly ahead is a stretch of clear, pebbled shore some 100 yards long. Three townsfolk are gathered in front of some sort of stone monument on the shore that stands nearly six feet tall - no doubt the Honin Stone.
Two of the men you don't recognize - one is obviously a farmer and the other is dressed in more professional attire. These two are engaged in a debate of some sort, the farmer visibly upset. The third person is Ernest, the young gravedigger from the doctor's funeral; he's on his hands and knees with a brush and bucket scrubbing at a large, flat rock on the ground in front of the Honin Stone.
Ernest is scrubbing away what appears to a letter "A" messily written is some dark medium.
Amaya finds it a little difficult to keep up with Luther and Oukonunaka as they make their way out of town. She feels that her short strides in heeled boots must be a comic contrast to the easy gait of the engineer and the organic movement of the Indian over the earth. The more they leave the cobbled town street behind, the more Amaya's mind wanders to the other errands of the day.
I hope that the postmaster has some information about the arrival of some of the books... if not, I suppose that I might contact the lawyer that read the will for more contacts at the library at Washington. Oh, and I don't know what I hope to find at the mausoleum―though it can't hurt to look and maybe I'll get lucky and find something useful for that cypher.
Amaya only notices the descent toward the lake well after it has begun, having slipped into absently following the others as they walked over increasingly rural paths. Upon arrival, Amaya expects Oukonunaka to hasten to the fresh tracks that interested him at supper, but instead finds that the party has slowed to a halt within sight of the Stone. I suppose that he may yet bolt off into the woods, she thinks, looking at the young Indian.
And, it looks as though Luther's fish is gone, recognizing one of the men near the Stone from the burial at work cleaning something. Perhaps they have both lost interest.
She is glad that at least one of the three at the Stone seems to be neither a farmer nor a gravedigger. Before she gets within earshot of the townsfolk, she begins, "Well," glancing at her companions, "I suppose that I'll go chat while you all satisfy yourselves." Then, more quietly, while looking ahead toward the lake, “give me a high sign if you―” she pauses and looks sidelong up at Luther in lieu of a shrug “―need anything.”
Amaya straightens her back, collects her thoughts, and strides purposefully toward the three men at the Stone. "Good morning!" she begins, taking in the view of the lake and then letting her eyes fall upon the Stone―upon the upper portions of the structure, as if unaware of Ernest's labors on the ground. "I just heard of this monument yesterday and had to see it for myself during my visit. Are you folks also visitors?"
Upon seeing the Honin Stone, Amaya suddenly realizes the likely origin of the town's name. At her greeting the two men stop their argument and look to her and Ernest throws her a smile over his shoulder, but doesn't stop his work.
"Morning, ma'am," the better-dressed man drawls, tipping his hat to Amaya. He has a trimmed beard and mustache, his face handsome but lined and weathered for his twenty-some years. "We're just clearing up a small bit of business. Nothing to worry yourself about. Ain't that right, Karl?" He looks to the exasperated farmer.
"No, that ain't right, Sheriff! You can take your damn 'reasonable' and choke on it!" The farmer storms off down the down the coast of the lake to the west, cursing.
The man sighs and shakes his head. "I must apologize for Karl's rude behavior; he's got some silly notions in his head that've got him upset. But where are my own manners? I'm George Schultz, Helorus Town Constable. Welcome to town. You're here for the Pallaver funeral, aren't you?" He holds Amaya's eyes with a steady blue gaze.
While Amaya engages the Constable in conversation, Oukonunaka begins investigating the Honin Stone searching for any tracks.
Ah, the Helorus monument. Surely not older than the colonies...
Amaya is relieved and strengthened by the civil greeting from the constable. She subtly allies herself on George's side of the group so that she might share George's questioning look at the farmer.
Karl?... Karl Weber, who found it, I suppose.
Amaya smiles understandingly at Schultz's comments about Karl, then extends her hand to shake at his introduction. "Thank you. Yes. My name is Amaya Harvey. I knew Professor Pallaver from conferences and universities, but this is my first visit to his home. I believe that he cared for this town a good deal and I'm happy to be able to see it."
Clark pauses to take in the scene for a moment, then follows Amaya down to the Stone. Well, look at that. And this precarious stack of stones has stood for centuries? A marvel, indeed.
He arrives as the farmer is storming off and Amaya is introducing herself. He smiles a greeting to Ernest and the remaining man, and introduces himself to the constable. "Morning, gentlemen. I'm Luther Clark, another friend of the family in town for the funeral."
He looks after the departing man. "If I may say so, it does seem that fellows run a bit hot around here."
"Constable, regarding the 'bit of business' -- may I ask you about this? One of the others in our party is a doctor, and suggested that it may be the work of a diseased and potentially dangerous animal. If this is the case, it would be a good idea to find and destroy the animal. I wonder if I might I have a look at the remnants to evaluate this possibility?"
Constable Schultz shakes Amaya's hand with a smile. "A pleasure, Miss Harvey."
He nods to Luther at his introduction. "Not as a matter of routine, Mr. Clark. It's when their routine's broken that they start to get a mite irritable." He turns his eyes back to Amaya. "I hope y'all haven't had any more problems from Gustav..?"
From his accent, you'd guess George is a second or third generation Texan of Southern heritage.
"No, no." Amaya dismisses the concern with a slight shrug and a smile. "I don't think―" she looks up with a measure of innocuous inquisitiveness, in case that invites an explanation from Schultz "―that they had anything against us visitors; rather, simply some water not yet gone under this town's bridge. The older generation certainly has my respect," Amaya smiles, "though they sometimes do not have each other's.” Then, while heavily exhaling as a cover to become loud enough for Ernest to overhear, “Now that the professor is laid to rest, I'd expect everyone to move forward."
Still, I might probe a little. Amaya begins again, more quietly, "Really, I felt bad for Katherine." Amaya leans in and lowers her voice, though still audible to Luther, "Have those folks ever made trouble for Katherine or the Pallaver property before? This constable cannot have arrived here from Texas too long ago. I wonder what he’ll volunteer. "How have they taken to a younger man in your position? Hopefully not as disrespectful as we found them to be."
Really, I felt bad for Katherine...
Clark nods, and joins in softly, "Yes, that poor girl. She has been through a lot already. These men seem for the most part like ordinary, good folk...I have to say, I don't understand this treatment."
Oukonunaka surveys the stony ground around the Honin Stone carefully, moving around and between people as needed without a second thought.
The stones attempt to hide their recent past, but your eyes are too keen to be fooled by their stoic silence. The rains have washed them clean of any activity before two nights ago, but since then two animals have been killed in front of the stone where Ernest now scrubs, one each day. From the contents of his bucket you can tell today's animal was a chicken.
Since Sunday night six people have tread near the Honin Stone, not counting you and your companions. One visited the stone four times, three of them visited twice, and two of them visited once.
The farmer Karl visited four times. Both yesterday and today he arrived from the western shore, departed along the road, returned from the road, then departed along the western shore.
Constable Schultz and Ernest have both visited twice: once yesterday and once today. Both times they arrived and departed along the road. Yesterday they arrived separately, and today they arrived together. Given the arrangement of tracks, you believe that a scene similar to today's between these three men played out yesterday as well.
The fourth individual to visit the stone more than once came once yesterday and once today, likely in the wee (pre-dawn) hours on both occasions. Both times they arrived along the eastern shore and departed along the western shore. Whomever this was most likely killed the animals.
The other two visitors came yesterday, arriving and departing by the road.
There are no signs of any (living) animals passing near the Honin Stone; whomever killed the animals must have brought them on their person. There aren't even any droppings or other signs that birds have been on the Honin Stone itself since the rains.
The Honin Stone is unfamiliar to you - you have never seen anything like it among the Iroquois people.
"Not a lot of love lost between most folks and old man Pallaver, I'm afraid. Too much bad blood. Now not many hold it against Kathy - not her fault who her daddy was. They's real understandin' that way." It's hard to tell whether his last remark is serious or in jest. "The occasional exchange of words was had between the old man and some of the older folks in town - usually Gustav - but nothin' more serious than that. Pallaver mostly kept himself to himself. Now that he's gone I reckon the matter's laid to rest."
"How have they taken to a younger man in your position? Hopefully not as disrespectful as we found them to be."
"I think I took some gettin' used to, for sure, but all in all they put up with me just fine, Miss Harvey. I prefer dirty looks to bullets." He smiles. "Course, it don't hurt that that the mayor's my cousin." His eyes turn to Oukonunaka as the man squat-waddles past with his eyes on the ground.
"Beggin' your pardon, Miss, but you folks don't seem to be out just for the mornin' air. Anything I can help you with?"
"Constable, regarding the 'bit of business' -- may I ask you about this? One of the others in our party is a doctor, and suggested that it may be the work of a diseased and potentially dangerous animal. If this is the case, it would be a good idea to find and destroy the animal. I wonder if I might I have a look at the remnants to evaluate this possibility?"
"I assure you I'm lookin' into the matter, Mr. Clark. It's been two dead chickens; I figure it's one of the boys playin' at spookin' folks on account of Pallaver. I wouldn't worry yerselves about it."
"Beggin' your pardon, Miss, but you folks don't seem to be out just for the mornin' air. Anything I can help you with?"
Amaya had been ignoring Oukonunaka during the conversation but now slowly lowers her eyes at his mention. She exhales.
"Really," she begins, looking back up at Shultz with an exasperated smile, "we are just walking about. Katherine said this Stone was the talk of the town—we all have our own way of taking in the sights. We are running some errands while Katherine is resting." She then jovially exclaims, "next stop, post office!" with a smile and a wave of her hands in order to draw attention away from Oukonunaka. "I think that we'll get to meet your cousin there. Mr Vernor Schneider?"
***
She reaches out and lays her right hand on Shultz's arm. "I'm glad to hear from you that Katherine has nothing to worry about. I certainly didn't expect there to be so much fuss at the professor's passing." She removes her hand and sighs, looking over at Luther as if to ask "Wouldn't you agree?"
"Oh, pay no mind to my man here. He's ... well, you know." Clark gestures vaguely toward Oukununaka as he prowls about the scene. "This monument is rather unusual, isn't it?" He examines the Stone, assessing its structural qualities. "It may well be centuries old."
"I'm glad to hear from you that Katherine has nothing to worry about. I certainly didn't expect there to be so much fuss at the professor's passing."
Clark nods to Amaya. "Indeed, that is a relief. It's never an easy thing."
He ponders for a moment. "Constable, I must admit that this whole affair makes me a bit uncomfortable. The hostility in the town here; the unusual circumstances around my friend's passing...it would put my mind at ease if I might discuss this with you in more detail at some point. And, I should say, some of my fellows are folk of some skill and experience -- perhaps we might be of some use to you, or assist you in your investigation? I plan to be in town for a few weeks."
George politely listens to Luther's requests and gives a nod, then turns to Amaya.
"If y'all wanted to pick my brain I'm free after-hours. Maybe you'd like to hash it out over dinner at the Lakeside tonight?"
A thin smile grows on Amaya's lips as Shultz offers his invitation. Finally, a civil opportunity in this town.
Amaya smiles more openly and looks at Luther. "My word, Mr Clark," she begins, and soon looks back to Shultz, "it is refreshing to have a civil conversation at a civil pace. It would be our pleasure to continue it with you at the Inn."
"Another colleague of ours is a doctor and currently looking after Katherine. He may join us as well. What time may we meet you there?"
***
"I look forward to meeting your cousin in the meantime."
"Glad I could oblige y'all. I'd say seven o'clock ought to do." He looks back up the road towards town. "Cousin Vern's a stuffy sort, but he means well. No doubt he'll appreciate the opportunity for bein' civil as much as I have."
He tips his hat in farewell. "Miss Harvey, Mister Clark; until this evening." He then strides over to Ernest and inspects the young man's work.
"Very good. Until then. Good meeting you, sir." Clark gives Shultz a slight bow and then turns to Amaya as the man walks off.
"Well. Shall we see what's got him all riled up?" He takes a casual look around the scene and then walks over to join Oukonunaka, stepping carefully so as to avoid disturbing the area that the young man has not yet examined.
Led by Oukonunaka the trio heads east along the rocky shore. Unfortunately he loses the trail after 100 yards, even with Luther's attempts to help. The two men set to scrutinizing the shore for any signs of passage while Amaya patiently waits, and after an hour they hit upon success, following the trail along the lake for the better part of a mile before it veers onto the dirt road.
From there the trail continues eastwards along the road. Little more than a dirt track at this point, the road runs northeast/southwest at a rough parallel to the lake for another mile before it splits. The beaten track continues due east, while a disused and overgrown path heads due north. The tracks continue along the northern branch...
Clark pauses and grows quiet as the tracks split off from the dirt trail. Brushing his coat aside, he pulls his revolver from its shoulder holster with a practiced motion and makes an unnecessary check that it is fully loaded, before replacing it.
Perhaps unconsciously, he hunches down a bit into the cover of the underbrush as he resumes moving along the overgrown path.
You continue to follow the tracks to the north along the overgrown trail, and soon a hill looms ahead of you. A crumbling stone wall can be seen running around the top of the hill, and the scorched remains of the upper floor of a tall stone building can be glimpsed behind it. There seems little doubt where the tracks lead; indeed, they follow the disused path as it circles the base of the hill and leads up its northeastern face to the remains of the Helorus Catholicon.
The path leads to a metal gate set between a pair of square stone columns in the crumbling, ivy-covered wall which encircles the hilltop. The wall itself is 10 feet high and crowned with wrought iron spikes. The gate hangs open, creaking softly in what wind touches the ruined bars, through which you can see a three-story stone building loom in the center of the grounds. Ivy and moss cling tenaciously to the walls, the shingles of the roof often missing entirely to expose the charred wooden rafters of the upper structure to the sky. Here and there, beatific stone cherubs perch on the eaves, once functioning drain spouts and decorations now standing silent vigil over the sanitarium's decay. Many of these stone decorations have crumbled away and lie in ruined piles on the soggy ground below. Windows in the building’s facade are narrow and blocked by grills of rusty iron bars. Stone columns support a slumping wooden balcony over the building’s wooden front doors, both of which hang askew and reveal dark glimpses of chambers within.
An unnatural quiet surrounds this place, the sounds of chirping birds and buzzing insects having faded away to leave only the faint rustle of the breeze through the ivy.
Seeing the drawn pistol, Oukonunaka gives Luther a nod, a grim smile, and draws his blackened 14 inch Bowie knife.
"Shall we go forth?"
Clark struggles against a growing sense of of dread as the three follow the trail closer to the ruined hospital. He pauses as the darkened remains of the building come into full view, and his eyes linger on it.
Here it is, and here we are. Where first the insane and then the innocent were abducted and tortured by Foramen. Where dozens burned to death. And where my stalwart and learned friend, believing some new evil had taken up residence, was slain in terror.
Shall we go forth?
Clark checks the cylinder of his revolver an additional time, looks briefly to Amaya, and then nods. Will we fare any better? Surely, he was not less prepared...
He responds in a low voice, examining the ground. "Perhaps. I had been envisioning sneaking in by night, after some additional research and preparation. But it may be just as well to use the light of day -- some comfort, at least."
"Did you notice any other signs about? or just the one fellow we have been following?"
Amaya follows the men as they search for tracks and inch eastward along the shore. She trails them by only ten feet or so as they move at a slow but steady pace. Amaya is mildly fascinated by their efforts, often taking her own look at a piece of ground after Luther and Oukonunaka have conferred over it and moved on. But, she notices nothing remarkable when she inspects these spots and so she eventually settles into an absently pensive stroll. Suddenly―from Amaya’s perspective―the men cease making progress and double back several times to the ground on which Amaya is treading.
Oh, dear. Have I walked into their work? But they seem no more interested in her location than others.
For some time, the group does not move along and Amaya eventually seats herself down by the trail and opens up her folder. She has nothing to write down―simply leaning over her notebook serves to compose her thoughts. She considers the day so far and the future errands into town. Eventually, she does jot a few notes.
Helorus monument. chicken sacrifices.
George Shultz―Vernor Schnieder.
As the men’s tracking takes them along a rougher path, Amaya is forced to pay attention to each step rather than to follow without attending as previously. The men seem to her to be slowing―not because of the difficulty of their task but because they are tense. She notices for the first time that they are moving with their knees bent, looking not only at the ground at their feet but also up into the woods at times. Amaya instinctively glances around, spending more time looking to her left and right than straight ahead as she walks. When the trail begins to pitch uphill, she looks ahead for the first time in a while and is somewhat surprised by the sight of a building atop the hill.
Oh! After viewing nothing but woods and trails, Amaya is not initially prepared to capably inspect the ruin. The sight of the scorching on the walls rights her mind. My word. The Catholicon!
She looks down in order to mention the building to Luther and Oukonunaka. Just as she opens her mouth, she notices them crouched at the sides of the trail, Luther with a gun drawn and Oukonunaka with a knife.
Goodness gracious! Amaya unwittingly moves to the side of the trail. She looks from one man to the other, sometimes at their eyes, sometimes at their weapons. The two men exchange words, but Amaya is not listening.
Amaya has enough wits about her to whisper loudly rather than shout: “What is going on?!”
Clark turns to look at Amaya. "To be honest, I do not know. But our friend may have been killed here."
He turns his eyes back to the ruin, scanning for motion, and continues softly over his shoulder. "I think we must have a look around this place at some point, if we are to understand what happened. But I have not been looking forward to it. We might convince Schultz to gather some men and come with us?"
He pauses for a moment, considering. "...but we might not, and I can't shake the feeling that some catastrophe is immanent, if we do not act quickly enough to forestall it."
He shakes his head. "I don't know. I think we should have a look."
Amaya―eyes wide, lips parted―leans her head forward to listen to Luther. When he turns away to look at the Catholicon, she does as well.
...have a look around this place at some point...
You haven't seen anything there?! This is a look around? Questions well up in Amaya but she contents herself with silently manufacturing an understanding. She exhales; more incredulous and helpless than frightened.
The professor died there. Amaya presses her lips together. Alone and at night: though, I cannot begrudge these men their preparations. Amaya looks again at their weapons, then looks down at herself and realizes that she is tightly clutching her folder to her chest. She relaxes and looks at the folder, then up toward Luther.
"What should I do?"
Oukonunaka scans for tracks, then turns to Ms. Harvey and whispers, "Ms. Harvey, stick close to me. Keep your senses sharp and listen for instructions if a fight ensues. If there is any gunfire take cover immediately. I will protect you in any melee."
He then turns to Mr. Clarke, "You have seen combat before. I did not bring my bow. Can you provide cover fire if necessary? Also, do you have a light source that Ms. Harvey could wield for us? "
"We should advance quickly using whatever cover we can until we reach the building. Once we enter we go slow and careful. Do you agree?"
Amaya looks to Oukonunaka as he speaks. He affects Amaya with both a calm and an intensity.
"...stick close to me..."
Amaya bends her knees―this time more consciously as she studies how the two men are holding themselves. She barely listens to the rest that is said.
Senses. Fight. Gunfire. Cover. Melee. Combat. Wield. Advance. Cover. Quickly. Slow. The ideas wash over her and are palled by her self-comforting incredulity.
"Do you agree?"
Amaya looks up, thinking that she has been addressed. She sees Oukonunaka looking at Luther and looks to him as well. She shifts her weight in order to follow Oukonunaka when the time comes.
Luther listens intently. The most words he's spoken since we've met him...
He gives Amaya a quick nod of approval as she crouches.
"Good. Yes. I'll watch as you approach, and follow once you've reached the building. Let's go."