Future Warnings from Midnight

Chapter Fourteen: The Dukes

In the heart of the forest was a set of wooden cages dangling from the tree above. Edgar peered up at the cages. As he saw them in the bony figures of the trees, Spindle called for the smaller of the cages to be let down. There inside of the wooden cage was a spider. It looked like any other spider in the world he had seen. Edgar did not want to dare a closer look at it. But Spindle called for his closer view. Edgar shuttered and drew the cage closer to his view. The spider inside had a marking on it. It was faint as first. But as Edgar drew up his lamp he saw the outlines of something. It appeared to be a skull with the markings of flowing water behind it. The spider clawed about mindless in the cage. It was almost as it was dead. But as Edgar lowered his eyes to get a closer view of, the thing leapt toward the lamp. Edgar fellow back. The spider within made a cry of distress. Spindle jumped from the duke's shoulder and climbed on top of the cage. The spider within went back to a dull state. Edgar shouted, "What was that!?"

"It seems that someone has placed a Gag Spell on this Royal Guardian!" Spindle said in horror. Spindle turned to Edgar, "A Gag Spell can rob a being of all thought and voice. This spider is indeed one of ours! Oh dear!"

"Shouldn't you release it?"

"No, no. You do not understand!" Spindle took its head. The other spiders drew closer. Spindle peered into the cage, "Those taken into a Gag Spell cannot speak or act with logic anymore. They can be wild or crazed, if one is not careful. Oh that poor Royal Guardian. You must take him to Sir Styx. He will surely know how to handle this."

"Okay," Edgar answered as the small wooden cage was released to him. He pointed to the other cage, "May I see that one?"

"Yes. Of course!"

The secondary cage was steal shut with webbing across the wooden cage. Edgar came closer to the cage. He held his lamp over to the dark space. Before the lamp lit up the cage two yellow eyes stared out at Edgar. They were sharp and fearsome. Edgar backed up for a moment. As the creature sprang out its hand a claw hand with scales. The being within made no sounds as the lamp light glittered on it. The creature had a tail which swayed about. It was unsettling. Edgar braced himself with little bravery he had left. He raised the lamp light and found the scale had melted from sight. It was human. Edgar moved closer and found Fred. In the light of the lamp, Fred clothing had been roughed up and he had scratches.

His brother calmly smiled at him, "Edgar! Are you okay?"

"Oh Fred I am glad you are here! I ... I ... I don't understand what is going here," Edgar shivered as Spindle climbed back onto his shoulder. He said to Spindle, "Is this another spell?"

"We have been tricked by someone! We thought him a monster!" Spindle huffed angrily, "Who does this to a mortal!? What sick game is this to play on the Watchers of the Threads!"

"Watchers of the Threads?" Edgar echoed.

"Yes, we are the Watchers of the Threads. We make the threads of fate here! I cannot believe someone would send a mortal to wreck our home as he did!" Spindle shook its fists at Fred.

"Hey, Edgar, can you do your brother a solid and let me out of here?" Fred said to Edgar. He paused at Spindle, "Beg your pardon?"

"No beg your pardon!" Spindle crept close to Fred, "You appeared from nowhere and went about clawing and ripping at our webs! The only person besides Watchers to touch the webs are Dream Weavers! The amount of damage done here was great!"

"I was not aware of such wrong doing!" Fred pointed out, "The last thing I knew I was in the forest and some witch sent me to this place. I was fighting off a horde of monsters to save myself from death!"