Aetheric Elements: The Rise of a Steampunk Reality

  Amarilly Belladonna Nicolai Diary - Harton 19th

  I have been sleeping in shifts, making sure I am awake for breakfast, and again for dinner. But I am sleeping more in the day, and looking around the town at night. I do this in secrecy, not wanting the superstitious villagers to suspect me of illicit activities. In the nine days since I first arrived I had not seen anything that would make me suspect something was amiss. Until last night. All my skills and gifts were tested.

  I supped with the crowd in the inn, and excused myself for the evening to retire to my room. I had a brief nap and woke an hour before midnight. I freshened up, and donned my night clothes, but not the nightclothes most wore. I put on dark clothes, and in men’s fashions. Black trousers, with a dark blue blouse, and my corset over it. I also wore knee boots, gloves, and a scarf around my face. I completed my preparations by braiding my hair and dropping it down my back. I didn’t want to be seen on my nightly rounds. I also added a stiletto to each boot, one of silver and one of iron, another of each on my hips, and my corset held a brace of throwing knives. I have trained with each of these for years, and kept them all in fine condition, cleaning and checking them weekly.

  Over the past nine days, I have established a search pattern inside the village. I leave by my window, move along the rooftop of the porch, and drop to the ground. I return that way later, shimmying up the post to the roof. I circle around the village, and check the outside perimeter. It is odd doing this to protect a town. I had done it before with my people, as we checked a settlement for quick routes to get away in case something happened, or in the few times they planned an actual robbery. But now I was using these same skills to watch for intruders.

  I pay particular attention to the smithy, town hall, and inn, because those are often the gathering place for people. If these crimes were being done by a person, it is likely they would be there at some point. If it is not a person, then my next stop should be useful. I check the well, church, and graveyard. I do these rounds ever two hours or so. After doing my circuit I climb to the highest point I can find, and watch over the village. In this village, as it is in most, that is the church bell tower.

  It was just after midnight when I saw movement. Something was making its way along the side of a building. I watched a huge creature on all fours leap up on the roof of the porch of the inn, and it stopped and sniffed at my window. This beast had the look of a jackal of some sort, though much larger. Its hind legs were shorter than its front legs, and the head was box shaped with a squat snout and no ears. It raised itself to stand on its rear legs, as a man would, and I could see it sniffing the air. I couldn’t help but wonder if it smelled my trail leading away from my bedroom window and was searching for me.

  It dropped to the ground, sniffed about, and appeared to shrug. It loped off to the rear of the building. I slid to the ground using the downspout of the church gutter and followed as quietly as I could. When I leaned around the corner of the inn, I saw it standing on its hind legs again, and prying a window open with clawed fingers.

  I have heard of and dealt with many things in my time. Lamassu, ghosts, undead, werewolves, (such as what Elizabeth, Zachary, and Suykimo had dealt with four years previously), and more, just to name a few. Often something in one country is called something different in another, and I can cross reference research to discover what I am dealing with. Many times, it is just a man playing at being a monster. People are most often the true monsters. But this, I had never encountered, or even heard tales of this creature.

  The window slid up, and I thought it would be best to confront this thing before it entered the chamber. I drew three throwing knives from my corset and threw them in quick succession. My aim was true, and thrice I struck it in the barrel of its chest. The beast screamed and turned towards me. I dropped into a crouch, drawing my iron and silver stilettos from my boot sheaths. The monster’s eyes narrowed, and it pulled the knives from its ribs and licked each one in turn, staring at me as it did.

  A woman’s scream came from within the room with the open window, followed by shouts of a man. The creature looked inside, leaning towards the sounds of frightened prey, its hunter’s instinct taking over. I charged. I came in low, slashing at its legs and belly, staying in a crouch to make myself a smaller target, and ready to spring into a roll or dodge if it lashed out. It was taken by surprise and stumbled backwards. It dropped my knives, and turned to run. I leapt at its back, slashing again.

  It moved away at an incredible speed, and as it did so, its body contorted. Changing shape as it moved, it became smaller, sprouted wings, and took to the air, now appearing as some misshapen, giant crow. Within moments it faded from view, but not because of distance or gaining the cover of a building or trees. It just disappeared.

  I watched for it, slowing my breathing so I could hear better. Light flared within the room, and angry voices shouted, coming closer. I sheathed the stilettos, scooped up my throwing knives, and ran to the front of the building. I tossed the weapons to the roof, not wanting to put them into the place on my corset, and climbed to the roof. After gathering my knives, I reentered my room through the window.

  Within ten minutes half the village had gathered within the inn below. I changed my clothes and joined the villagers. I listened to their wild tales, accusations, and fears. I asked a few questions, though not too many. They know I am here to help, but small town people still never trust an outsider, even if my friends did save them years ago. They seem to think it is a vampire, and I didn’t tell them they were wrong. But, it is not. I am not sure what it is.

  I telegraphed my friends, the very same people that were here a few years ago, as well as some others, and am trying to learn what I am dealing with. I have pored over my books for hours, and I only have a guess. I will have to wait for more information.