Horsey

Chapter 14: The Mansion

Aby streaked across the highway, the rain is pouring down heavier than ever, the susmobile's heater was on full blast yet the cold was still beginning to creep in, bit by bit. She had bandaged Horsey's wounds as best as she could with some cloth and moved him to the backseats, where he could at least lay down.

She thought back to the previous events in a daze, if they had bought the nuclear grenade with them, could they have won, how could they have been so stupid as to forget? What was she even thinking, letting Horsey go in that dangerous situation with a broken sword? Oh, he also had the weird sphere...

Wait.

She looked around, the sphere wasn't anywhere to be seen, she thought Horsey might have instinctively tucked it in but quickly knew better then to rely on that slim hope.

Which meant the figure had it.

Which probably ISN'T a good thing, she doesn't know how the object worked or if anyone other than Horsey can control it, but she knew letting such a dangerous weapon, even a non-working one, into the figure's hands was a very risky move.

She sighed, they were going to have to worry about that later.

Aby took a left and drove down a steep, fancy-white stone path, invoking a satisfying crunch along with the background of water splashing, the weather was as bad as ever, but she hoped that they would be able to take refuge up ahead.

Suddenly, the treeline faded back abruptly as a large mansion came into view on top of a grassy hill up ahead. The white rock path changed to a smooth brick layout with intricate patterns, and the grass was immaculately maintained.

The mansion itself was a beautiful work of architecture, white marble blended immaculately with dark gold inlays, Countless statues of borzoi dogs sat on parts of the walls like gargoyles, silently judging the ground below. The mansion seemed to have a glow to it, a glow that persisted despite the dark weather.

A borzoi dog with a matte black umbrella rushed to meet the incoming vehicle, Aby rolled down her windows.

"Who goes-Ah, Miss Aby, what fair wind brings you here?" The dog asked politely, the stern expression replaced with a friendly and welcoming one, it must have recognized her. "Visiting the master, perhaps?"

"Ahh, yes, the baron, we are indeed seeking shelter in light of...recent events..." She gestured at the backseat, where Horsey was still sleeping, A few raindrops were beginning to fly onto him. The borzoi took in the blood-soaked bandage and nodded seriously. It pulled opened a folder that it took out from a bag and began to rapidly sign off papers, before giving it to her.

"Your signature here please, forgive us for the holdup, Miss Aby, we live in difficult times." Aby smiled an understanding smile, signing off the paper and giving it back to the borzoi.

"Just follow me into the garage, please, we'll enter through the side door, the front door is in for repairs."

The borzoi ran along the path, rain soaking on its fur, Aby drove after it slowly: "I could have sworn this place has gotten fancier since the last time I saw it..." She rolled her eyes.

The borzoi used a key to open massive steel shutters on the side of the mansion, and walked down the slope into the parking lot. The place was massive and surprisingly well-lit for an underground parking space, fancy patterns were painted onto the walls, there seemed to even be a gas pump fitted in here. But there were only  five other cars here, all white and gold, and all parked neatly on the far side of the wall. Aby subconsciously looked at her own car, which was covered with mud and grime, soaked with rainwater, and had dents and paint chips all over because of the wise and mystical forest. The borzoi did not seem to mind this at all.

"Just right here, please, Miss Aby."  he gestured to a slot right next to a revolving door, Aby could feel the warmth coming from inside the mansion. She turned off the engine and got off the car, raindrops flying as she slammed the door.

"And for poor Horsey...looks like we'll have to get a stretcher for him." He pulled out an iPhone 21 and dialled a few numbers, the phone must have been immediately answered because he spoke into it.

"Hello, sickbay? Yeah, we have one patient, yes," He paused and looked at Aby, "What type of injury?" He whispered to her. "It's like a large cut wound, he's been cut with what seems to be magic energy." 

"Yes, no, large cut wound, possibly worsened by magic, on the patients head, yes, we'll need a stretcher immediately down at Carpark no.1, patient has a bandage, Apud Baronem Nomen*, you too." 

*In the baron's name

Aby opened the back car door, Horsey was still unconscious. "So how did he get injured, Miss Aby?" The borzoi said, concerned. 

"We tried infiltrating the threat to wattpadland's lair, in the wise and mystical tree HQ, but she managed to overpower us, and injured Horsey, we don't know how bad the wound is. The borzoi sighed thoughtfully: "What weapon was she using?"

"It was like this...pink shape that she can mould into any weapon, first she used it like a gun, and Horsey was injured by the sword form."

"Interesting..." The borzoi said, it seemed to be drifting into thought before snapping back. "Well, we are glad and very lucky to have you and Horsey safe, the threat is dangerous, you shouldn't have gone in there without a clear plan."

"Well, we did have a nuclear grenade...but we kinda forgot to bring it." The borzoi nodded. 

"If there is one thing to remember, it's this, never, EVER underestimate the threat, she is not someone to be messed with."