Disclaimers:  Adventures of Sinbad characters and concept are property of their creators.   The following story is exclusive property of the author.

Things That Go Bump In The Night

©, Mrinda

Sinbad looked up at the sky and groaned.  Rain poured down and soaked his face.  He could hear Doubar cursing behind him and Bryn mumble something very unladylike to Dermott who clucked in agreement.

"Ok," Sinbad said.  "I know!  I should have listened to that old man and we should have waited to leave till tomorrow.  But it was sunny when we left."

Bryn refused to look at him.  Doubar and Rongar glared and Firouz's unspoken 'I told you so' just hung in the air before him.

Sinbad shook his head and looked around for some sort of shelter then he saw it.  Just coming into view on the margin of the hill was a large stone castle.  "Look!"  He pointed.  "We can take cover there."

"Do you really thing that's a good idea?" Bryn asked hesitantly.

"Do you really want to spend the night out in this storm?" Doubar asked.

"Actually, no," Bryn answered.

Dermott clucked and flew to set on a large gnarled tree on the edge of the road.  The crew started off towards the dark castle.  Dermott cocked his head and chirped to Bryn.  She looked up at him.  "I know, I can feel it too. Something just isn't right there."  She shook her head and followed after the men.

The crew slogged through mud and puddles till they reach the out skirts of the castle grounds, they passed through the remains of a small village.   A low wall lay in disrepair.  Tiny wattle huts lay flattened and moldy.  Other larger wooden structures looked charred and broken.  This place has been abandoned a long time.  There wasn't even the trace of recent traffic this way.  They hurried their way through this desolate place.

As they drew near to the castle, they saw it hadn't been spared the damage the village had.  A great gapping hole showed in the large curving turret. Shutters hung at odd angle from the windows.  Great tangling, trailing vines of ivy and woodvines traced their way along the rough hewn stone walls.

As the neared the door they saw deep groves and charring on the massive wooden door.  Doubar grabbed the oversized knob and gave it a wrenching turn.  The door swung open ponderously, the rusted hinges shrieking in anguished complaint.

They poured into the hall, and stopped.  Sinbad let out a low whistle. Rongar shook his head.  Bryn's eyes went wide.  Firouz stared and frowned.

"My, isn't this a cheery place," Doubar said.

Cobwebs crisscrossed the hallway in curtains.  Dank air stirred the webs and sent them fluttering.  Dust lay thick on everything.

"Well, at least it's dry," Firouz said optimistically.

Bryn gave him a scorching glare and brushed past him.  She walked through a doorway and disappeared into the darkness beyond.

"Hey," Sinbad started after her.  "Where are you going?"

"Sinbad!  I found a fireplace," Bryn called from the gloom.

Firouz looked at Rongar and his shrugged and they followed in after them.

A short time later, they had a roaring fire going in the worn hearth.   They had spread the sodden blankets from their packs out in front of the blaze to dry.  Boots were lined up against the fender of the fireplace.  Five pair of feet and one feathered body was stretched out before the warmth of the fire.

"See," Sinbad said.  "This isn't so bad after all."

Doubar glared at him.  "We're soaked to the bone, the food is wet, and blankets smell funny from the rain.  Oh, this is very nice."

Suddenly, there was a loud thumping noise from the room above.  Something rasped and then thumped again.

"What the devil?" Doubar was on his feet.  All sort of creatures rampaged through his mind.

Firouz looked up from the pack he was digging through.  "Sounds like a loose shutter.  I noticed several on way up to the castle.  From the way the draft on the fire is acting, I would say the wind has picked up and is making the shutter slap against the window in an upper chamber like that."

The thumping sound settled into a dull rhythmic pattern and Doubar sat back down.  "I guess you're right."

They sat quietly for a while.  A wail cut through the stillness and Doubar was on his feet again.  "What in the world?"

Firouz looked up from the boot he was relacing.  "My best guess would be a hoot owl.  They often take abandoned structures to make their nesting sites in."

Dermott squawked and fluffed his wings.  "Yeah," Doubar said and sat back down.

Sinbad stifled a snicker and threw a blanket at his brother.  "This place giving you the willies, Doubar?"

Doubar glared at him and huffed.

Bryn tried to smother a giggle in her blanket and her shoulders shook.   Rongar hid his smile behind his hand.  Doubar grunted rolled up in his blanket, turning his back on the others.

The crew started to settle down for the night.  The fire burned low on hearth.  A low rustling sound slowly began to become heard through the stillness.  A sharp metal clank brought Doubar sitting bolt up right.  "What was that?"

"Sounds like rats in the basement, Doubar," Firouz said sleepily.  "They like cold, dank places like that."

Doubar glared at him.  "Shut up, Firouz."

Suddenly, ghoulish laughter brought them all to their feet.  It echoed through the empty halls and rooms around them.

"That was no rat!"  Doubar growled.  "Or a hoot owl," he added, glaring at Firouz.

Sinbad began to pull his boots on.  "I think we'd better check that out."

The rest of the crew quickly pulled their boots and grabbed their swords.  Firouz dug in his bag and pulled out a couple of candles.  They lit them and started out into the corridor.

"Firouz and Rongar, you head that way."  He motioned off to his left.  "Doubar and Bryn, we'll go this."  Sinbad started off to the right.

They pushed their way through the cobwebs sending up clouds of dust behind them.

"Ugh."  Bryn said wisping cobwebs out of her hair.  "This is disgusting."

Sinbad made a face trying to shake the webbing off his hand.  "No one has been through here for a long time."

Doubar stomped on the floor.  "Did you see the size of that thing?"

Sinbad caught a glimpse of the spider and shuddered.  "I've seen bigger."

The corridor separated into two chambers up ahead.  "Doubar, you and Bryn take the on the left.  I'll take the on the right.  Holler if you see something."

"You think that's a good idea?" Bryn asked.

Sinbad shrugged and started off into the right chamber.

Doubar shook his head and turned to Bryn.  "Ladies first."

"Are you crazy?"  She gave him a shove.

*

Sinbad used the tip of his sword to push the door open.  Cautiously, he edged his way into the chamber.  He quickly looked around.  The only thing moving in it was the fire blazing in the hearth warming the empty chamber.

"Empty," he cursed.  Then oddity of the fire registered.  "What the..."

He turned back around and froze.  In front of him stood a young woman. Her long raven black hair hung in cascades of tiny braids.  Her while gown flowed around her as if stirred by a breeze in still room.

"Who are you?  How did you get in here?" he asked.  He tightened his grip on his sword.  His body tingled with danger signals.

"I am Fendara.  Another unlucky traveler like yourself," she said placidly.

"Did you get caught in the storm as well?"

"Something like that," she answered cryptically.

Sinbad started to question her again, but she held up a hand to silence him.  "Time is short and you are in great danger.  You must listen to me.  The evil that inhabits this place seeks your soul and those of your companions."

"What?" Sinbad started.

Fendara ignored his question and continued.  "It seeks to use the unbeliever to do its bidding.  He must not enter the forbidden room."

"The unbeliever?"  Suddenly he understood.  "Firouz."

The inventor's rational mind could never truly believe in ghosts and other such things.  Not until it was proven with out a doubt not be something explainable, and sometimes that wasn't enough.

"His disbelief is his strength, but his weakness.  The evil of this place feeds on your fear.  Do not let it grow any stronger."

Sinbad nodded.  Firouz didn't believe in it, so he wouldn't fear it.

"What happens if he enters the 'forbidden place?" he asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"The darkness which inhabits this place will be released."

Suddenly, the floor began to quake beneath their feet.  Dust showered down and cobwebs broke loose.

"It is too late," Fendara said sadly.

Sinbad turned back to look at her, but she was gone.  The room was dark and cold.  The fire had winked out and the only light came from the single candle he clutched in his hand.

Sinbad ran into the corridor.  "Doubar!  Bryn!  Where are you?"

Doubar and Bryn hurried from the chamber they had gone into.

"Sinbad, what happened?" Bryn asked, her eyes wide in terror.  She bit her lip.  "There is something here, something evil."

Sinbad sighed, "I know."  He quickly told them about Fendara and her dire warning.

"Leave it to Firouz to open some Pandora's box of trouble," Doubar growled as the hurried down the corridor the way they had come.

They quickly passed the chamber they had spend most of the evening in and picked up Firouz and Rongar's trail in the dusty floor.  They went around a turn on the corridor and nearly tripped over them.  The two men lay stunned on rough stone floor.  Rongar had a sizable knot on the back of his bald head.   Firouz had a bloody nose from were he had landed on his face in the corridor.

Sinbad dropped on his knees beside the two fallen men.  Firouz stirred and moaned.  Sinbad helped him up and dug a rag out of bag.  He handed it to Firouz and he began to wipe his nose.

Rongar struggled to sit up.  Doubar helped him up and leaned him against the wall.

"What happened?" Sinbad asked the inventor.

Firouz sniffed.  "I'm not sure.  I just started to open that door when something hit me."  He looked at Rongar.

The moor nodded slowly and winced at the movement.  He gestured something with his hands.

"You heard something?" Sinbad interpreted.

Firouz blew his nose.  "Yes, a noise.  That's what drew my attention to the door in the first place.  It was like a scratching noise."  He shrugged.

"Um, Sinbad.  You may want to have a look at this."  Doubar said.  He was standing at the door Firouz was talking about.

Sinbad stood and walked over.  Doubar held his candle up closer to the door.  Deep etched grooves scored the wood.

"They are a warding spell."  Bryn said.  "They are meant to keep something in."

"And it just got out."  Sinbad finished.  He sighed, and turned.  "We had better head back to the other room."

Doubar nodded.  He helped Rongar to his feet and Sinbad helped Firouz.  They started down the hall.  Firouz stopped.

"My bag."  He turned.  "I'll be right back."

He hurried back down the corridor and stooped to pick up the bag.  He looked in the open doorway and the blackness beyond.  A red glow filled his eyes. A cruel smile curled his lip.

"Firouz, hurry up."  Sinbad called.

Firouz blinked and the glow was gone.  "Coming."  He turned and started back down the corridor.

*

They regrouped in the main room.  Doubar built the fire back up and the room filled with its light.  Sinbad paced around the room.  Bryn sat next to fire.  Even up close to its heat, she couldn't seem to get warm.  Doubar sat drumming his fingers on the floor.  Rongar and Firouz wandered the room exploring.

"What have we gotten into?" Sinbad finally asked.  "What was it that got out?"

"A demon?" Doubar suggested.

"Some sort of monster?" Firouz added.

"A lost soul," Bryn said quietly.  "A lost damned soul."

"Bryn?" Sinbad knelt down beside her.  "What is it?" he asked gently.

"I don't know."  She hugged her arms around herself.  "Just, I feel great evil here.  I thought I felt something wrong before, when we first saw the castle.  I just wasn't sure."

Firouz wandered over to listen.  He stopped next to Dermott.  The hawk hissed and hopped away from him.  Firouz frowned at the bird and Dermott flew out of the room.

Sinbad looked up.  Firouz shrugged innocently.  Bryn frowned and eyed him curiously.

Rongar waved a hand at them to get their attention.  "What is it?" Sinbad asked.

Rongar brought over a small worn book.  Firouz took it, but Bryn snatched it from his hands.  Sinbad looked at her, but something in her eyes stopped him.

Bryn leaved though it.  "It's a journal."  She flipped though the pages.   "Wait, this is odd."

"What?" Doubar asked.

"It is the journal of a young woman.  She was on her way to meet her betrothed. She had just arrived at his castle.  And, hold on...

"'We arrived just as the sun sank into the west.  The sunset gave the castle such a warm glow.  Words can not express my joy.  I am to be married to my beloved tomorrow!  We shall be so happy.  My life could not be more perfect.'

"Hmm, this next part is hard to read.

"'I have just read my last entry.  How much more wrong could I have been.   Married only four days and my life is over.  My beloved is not the man I fell in love with all those months ago.  This place has changed him.  There is a darkness to this land that has poisoned his soul.  He frightens me.  Some dark force has stolen his soul.  Oh, what am I do to?  What?'"

Bryn looked up at Sinbad.  "There is only one more entry.

"'My hand trembles as I write this.  I have found out what the darkness is that has poisoned my beloved.  Oh, that I had never knew.  He has sold his soul to a demon.  He has betrayed any love we have ever had for the dark blessing of a foul spirit.  He tells me I am to be wed to this beast tonight.  I shall never allow that to happen.  My mother taught me a small amount of magic.   Magic is strong in my family.  I shall place a spell of warding on my beloved's chamber and then I shall hurl myself from the top of the battlement, so no force shall be able to force me to break it.  I write this last entry as a warning to those would find this cursed place.  Whether from curiosity or storm or chance you find yourself in this place, leave.  Leave now, lest the evil here curse you with its foul stain.  Fly from this place.  Be gone!"

Bryn closed the book.  "I would say we're in trouble."

"Definitely," Sinbad nodded.

*

Sinbad stood in the corridor trying organized his thoughts.  He rubbed his face.  He felt a presence and looked up.  Fendara stood there, a soft glow filled the dark hall.

"You."  Sinbad said.  "That was your journal wasn't it?"

Fendara smiled sadly.  "Yes."  She closed her eyes and looked back up at him.  Tears stained her cheeks.  "The darkness claimed by beloved.  I tried to warn you, but it has been released.  You must destroy it."

"But how?" Sinbad asked.

"You must destroy it.  Like I had to destroy my love when it claimed him.   You must destroy it."  She began to fad from he sight.

"Fendara, wait!  How?"

"You must destroy it."

*

Bryn sat by the fire with the journal in her lap.  She suddenly felt a coldness enveloped her.  She hugged herself for warmth and then looked up.   Firouz stood over her.  Something didn't look right about him.  She studied his face for a moment, then it hit her, his eyes.  Something evil was looking back at her through Firouz's eyes.

She shook her head, that couldn't be right, but she looked again.  Then she began to scream.

*

Sinbad ran into the room as Bryn began to scream.  Doubar and Rongar lay on the floor, unconscious.  Firouz stood with his back to him.  Bryn cowered in the corner, the journal clutched to her chest.

"What is going on?" Sinbad started, but his words froze as Firouz turned to look at him.

The face that turned towards him wasn't Firouz, it was something evil.   Something so vile it defied words.  Fendara's beloved stood there before him.

Her word echoed in his mind.  'You must destroy it.  Like I had to destroy my love when it claimed him.  You must destroy it.'

But how could he destroy the evil, without also destroying Firouz?

Sinbad slowly inched himself between the abomination before him and Bryn. &bsp; He backed towards her.  "You okay?"

Bryn nodded.  "That's not Firouz."

"I know, it's Fendara's beloved.  We've got to stop him."

"But how?  How do you do it with out harming Firouz?"  Bryn gripped Sinbad's arm.

Sinbad sagged.  "I don't' know.  I don't think we can."

Bryn's eyes widen in horror.  "Sinbad, you can't."

Sinbad tightened his grip on his sword.  "I'm going to have too.  Firouz wouldn't want me to let something like this loose."

Sinbad got to his feet.  He started to circle the demon.

The thing inside Firouz laughed.  "What you going to do, Sinbad?  Destroy me.  To do that, you're going to have to sacrifice your friend here."

Sinbad clenched his jaw.  "I know.  Firouz, forgive me."  He lunged forward.

Suddenly, the door to the corridor blew open.  A blinding white light flooded the room.  The demon cowered before the light.  A shimmering figure walked into the room.  Long raven hair flowed around the blinding face like a halo.

"Leave this mortal, my love.  He is not of our kind.  Our dance is not theirs to follow.  We learned that so long ago from Fendara and her beloved.  Our dance is in the sky.  Come."  She held out her hand.

A darkness drained from Firouz.  The inventor dropped onto the floor in a limp heap.  The darkness started to form into a shape as hideous and misshapen as the vision of light was beautiful and graceful.  The twined forms and lightening flicker at their touch.  Wind began to swirl the room, dust and cobwebs danced in the whirlwind.  Sinbad and Bryn tried to shield their eyes from the flying debris.

The two forms of shining light and inky blackness rose into the air and disappeared.  Sinbad slowly got to his feet and helped Bryn up.

"What was that?" he asked.

Bryn shook her head.  "I have no idea."

*

Light began to fill the hall as the dawn crept up over the horizon.  Sinbad sighed and pulled Bryn a little closer.  He looked over at Doubar.  The big man was checking on Firouz.  He had feared the worst when he saw he and Rongar laying unconscious on the floor the night before.  They had some bumps and bruises, but nothing serious.

Firouz was still asleep.  He was exhausted, but otherwise seemed fine.   He would let him rest for a bit longer before they headed for port of Kenten and the  Nomad.

Bryn shifted beside him and laid her head on his shoulder.  She started flipping though Fendara's journal again.

"Sinbad, look," she said.  "There was another entry in here.  The pages must have stuck together last night.

'Joy!  My beloved is at last free.  The darkness that has so long enslaved him is gone.  The creature of darkness released him.  From what my beloved has told me, he had tried to rid the world of evil by capturing the spirit, but something went terribly wrong.  When he separated the darkness from the light, he disrupted the balance.  But now, after all this time, the balance has been restored, and my love has returned.  He is free, as is the other.'"

Bryn looked up at Sinbad.  "You don't think...?"

Sinbad just smiled.

The End

Email the author!
OXBastetXO@aol.com

'Adventures of Sinbad' Fanfic Index

Back to Main Library Index         Back to Main Fanfiction Index

Adventures of Sinbad   ~~~     Andromeda   ~~~     Angel   ~~~     Babylon5   ~~~     BeastMaster: The Series   ~~~     Beauty & the Beast
Buffy the Vampire Slayer   ~~~     Charmed  ~~~     The Crow: Stairway to Heaven   ~~~     Crusade   ~~~     due South   ~~~     Farscape
Gundam Wing   ~~~     Highlander: The Series   ~~~     Miscellaneous Fiction   ~~~     Mortal Kombat   ~~~     Mortal Kombat: Conquest
Poltergeist the Legacy   ~~~     Raven   ~~~     (TSAo) Jules Verne  ~~~     The Sentinel   ~~~     Stargate SG1   ~~~     Star Trek: Voyager

I can't fix it if I don't know it's broken, so if you see anything wrong,  please let me know.  Thank you and enjoy your stay!