Chapter 8-The Ankou

This is a sample Chapter of the new book The Necklace Storm. The full version of the book is available at Amazon. Just Search The Necklace Storm in Amazon books

The Ankou

The Ankou had always been and will remained the legend of death. It was the controller and collector of the dead, and unfortunately there was more than one representative of the Ankou. It, or he, commonly rode a charcoal two-wheeled funeral cart with a languishing black horse to gather the eternal and lost dead spirits. These were the spirits of the insane, the murderers and criminals who had no destination, so the Ankou collected them for his ever-widening control and influence. These were future ghosts for wreaking fear upon men. He commonly wore a hooded black cloak over his skeletal body and often carried a scythe. In many places, he was called “the grim reaper” or just “death,” but in these parts, he was known as the Ankou. Sometimes he had a thin layer of skin, as did the one on this night. Death didn’t talk; he simply stalked the aimless and near dead. He was usually lifeless and hunched over driving a black canvas cart with its haggardly, slow, lifeless hoof-dragging horse. The covered hearse was also broken, the wheels wobbling and squeaking at every turn. The Ankou often guarded cemeteries beyond the reach of a church, and he was rarely seen in daylight and never on holy ground. Anyone who saw him prowling had to flee, or the reaper of the dead may collect the not-quite-expired too. And only the bravest of holy men would ever confront the Ankou. Legend had it that when the Ankou came, he would not depart without a soul. He would often recruit other empty vacant souls to assist him in his biddings. He could even petrify the weak and sickly to join his deathly caravan. But this night, he had a special request from Ullr. A request he was sure to heed.

Amadeo and Otto collected their limited belongings and stayed on the path as they traveled back toward Mannheim. The moon shone brightly on their route, but in the distance, the road became stark black within the dark forest and cloud cover. They had been walking for a quarter of an hour when they heard a lethargic creak and a slow clip-clop of a horse dragging its hoofs on the road. There was also an eerie feeling of foreboding in the air. They stopped to listen more closely, and the creak and clip-clop then also ceased. Otto began to growl as he felt something lurking in the distance. The squeak of metal on metal began again as wagons wheels began to slowly churn. The moon, which was behind some clouds, began to shine as the veil cleared. It startlingly shone on the road and exposed an Ankou aiming his deathly stare directly at Amadeo and Otto. The Ankou stared down upon them speechlessly, tracking their every move with his skeletonized, hollow eyes and mouth agape. He had clear, thin, torn skin, which gave him some expression. It was a cold and chilling experience to see and feel death actually moving. Amadeo’s heart began to thump erratically, and his palms began to sweat. His internal organs even moved inside in fear. Otto too began to back up, barking and growling wildly. The horse awoke from its listless pace as the herbivore began to look upon the two as prey. The Ankou reached for his scythe as the moon slowly disappeared again behind the clouds and all became pitch black. Otto decided to approach the horse on the road, and Amadeo ran for cover behind a tree. The horse began to rear up but Otto’s growl kept it at bay. This left Amadeo to confront the skeletal death alone. He couldn’t see him but felt him creeping up as he heard dried leaves crackle and twigs snap. Amadeo hastily took his shoe off to use it as his only defense, and just as he raised it, he heard a hollow groan like air being sucked. The Ankou was right there in the darkness, preparing to strike with his scythe in his attempt to kill the living. Otto turned away from the horse and leaped toward the cloaked skeleton of a man, knocking it to the ground. The situation was very bleak, as they both were defenseless in the Ankou’s world. They had no weapons against this bedeviled creature.

In the distance a man was anxiously calling, “Amadeo, Amadeo, are you there?”

The boy was stumped as to who may be out there in the night looking for him. The moon broke through the clouds again, and just down the path on a wagon was Father Apsel galloping toward them.

He stopped his wagon and, with eyes wide open, almost gurgled, “Aaagh, it’s the Ankou!”

The Ankou turned away from the boy, as he recognized his normal adversary, a priest. He quickly began marching in wide, leaping strides toward the holy man, while raising the scythe with a shriek. This reaper had only one act on his mind: death.

Father Apsel courageously hurdled off the wagon to meet him in kind, yelling, “Stop, you evil devil!”

The father had a wand of holy water called an aspergillum, and he began casting it to release raindrops of blessed water into the air. Once the holy water touched the Ankou’s cloak, it began to steam and sizzled. It cowed and gave out a muffled hiss. Otto, now confronting the horse, had it backing up on its hind legs. The Holy Father trudged forward again undauntedly, tossing more and more water, while raising a cross with his left hand at the skeletal beast and his canopy wagon. Several dead spirits began to swirl about, crying in fear. Their leader was in retreat. The Ankou scurried back and, reaching his wagon, angrily shrieked again. He was no match for holy symbols. He grabbed the rebellious horse’s reins and charged directly at the priest, who began to pray aloud while vigorously directing more holy water at the deathly beasts. The horse veered away galloping, while taking its master in tow, charging up the road. The death wagon showed the most life it ever had as they disappeared in the distance under the moon’s shadow with a piercing shrill. The villagers who heard it shuttered their doors and windows as all lights and candles were extinguished. Death had come up empty-handed this night.

Father Apsel, who was still praying aloud, embraced Amadeo and Otto as they thankfully watched the thing flee. The boy was ghostly white and shaking and the dog was panting hard. The sudden attack just after meeting Odin was distressing. They had not had a moment to understand their challenge. They gradually gained their composure as the priest pulled them toward his wagon and they all climbed aboard. They wished to move quickly out of the Ankou’s ire. The rescuing priest rapidly turned the wagon toward Mannheim town to the church grounds, as death would stay far away from anything holy. They had survived another mythical encounter and learned more of the ice royals’ reach.

After Amadeo felt somewhat secure he asked, “Father, how did you know where we were?”

The father replied with a smile, “Amadeo, you concerned me a great deal with your tale, and then I heard the howls of the hounds, so at that moment I knew the event was coming to pass. I rushed and collected my holy weapons and followed the sounds until they stopped. I was certain it was you they were after. I was not expecting to see the Ankou. After I saw him, I realized that the harvester of death would be a likely character to join in the ‘Wild Hunt,’ as they both look to recruit sinful and sickly souls. I trusted my feelings, as you will need to do as well. Let’s head back to the church; you will be safe there, and you can stay tonight. We can prepare and plan for what may lie ahead tomorrow.”

They arrived at the church in one piece thanks to the priest, and on the way, Amadeo told the father about the meeting with Odin to the parishioner’s astonishment. Their introduction to the world of myth and legend was terrifying and unsettling. The pursuers were not just criminal men and thieves, like the two in Bruges, but now supernatural legends with powers and abilities beyond imagination. They had been summoned from another world by self-centered evil gods. The road ahead seemed daunting, but at least tonight they were safe on hallowed ground.

Amadeo had a sleepless night pondering his godly ultimatum. He awoke early and informed the father that he must continue his journey.

He said, “If I don’t press forward then unscrupulous men or Ullr and his evil clan will find me eventually. I have this jewel necklace that everyone seems to want. I thought to just bury it or destroy it, but I believe Ullr and Skadi would still pursue me until I was dead and they acquired what they were’ after. I can’t even give it to anyone, according to Odin. It seems to be a solo quest for me and a terrible burden. I tossed and turned last night and I have come to the conclusion that I must accept this challenge from Odin to its, or my, end. I may be killed shielding it, but I surely will be dead if all that I know turns to ice. You believe me now, don’t you, Father?”

“Yes, I do now, my son. I have witnessed the Ankou for myself and I heard the hound’s’ howls that the villagers have long spoken of. I now fear the wrong outcome that Odin relayed to you. I wish to help on this journey as much as I possibly can,” the father replied.

Amadeo appreciatively looked at his new friend and said, “Would you help me get to Strasbourg? I must find a boat captain there. I don’t know what I will find or what is there, but that is where I must go.”

Father Apsel clenched his fist and pounded on the table, affirmatively saying, “Yes, absolutely. I will accompany you. I will take you myself to Strasbourg and beyond if I have to. If this tale has become true, then mankind and my flock are in great danger from a world controlled by evil and seeking to slake only its own thirst. Such an outcome cannot come to pass. My purpose is toward the word of my god and to protect the flock. That I shall do!”

Otto thought to himself that a great ally had been found. They loaded up the covered wagon early the next morning for the almost two-day journey to Strasbourg. .....