The Phenomenals: A Game of Ghouls Read Online Free Page B

Manufactory.
    Leopold Kamptulicon was feeling many things, but mainly frustration. ‘I am a Cunningman!’ he declared to the night. ‘A master of the Supermundane, a manipulator of the hidden
realms. Leucer does not pull my strings. But without an Ergastirion I am hindered, restrained in my powers.’
    Indeed, that was the very reason he was in this desolate place, seeking out somewhere to set up a new workshop of evilry. He had fled his Ergastirion under the oil shop when Vincent had stumbled
across it. For now, Edgar had allowed him to store his paraphernalia in a small unused storeroom at the Capodel Manufactory, but it was far from ideal. But this place would not do either, he
decided.
    The thwarted Cunningman returned to his black mare and rode off. At the broken archway of the Degringolade gate, an indication that he was almost back on the Great West Road, a thought came into
his head. ‘What about Degringolade Manor? Could that not serve as an Ergastirion?’
    Excited at the prospect, Kamptulicon pulled on the reins, wheeled his horse round and started up the overgrown driveway to the derelict building, only to give up shortly after. The overgrowth
and undergrowth were impenetrable. It must have been fifty years since Lord and Lady Degringolade had passed on. He hadn’t been in the city when they were alive (but he like everyone else had
heard the rumours of their eccentricities) and it looked as if no one had gone up to the house for decades.
    Suddenly something small and fast dashed out from the long-thorned briars and ran right between the horse’s legs. Startled, she snorted and danced about nervously, nearly unseating
Kamptulicon. He managed to calm her, but as she settled he became aware of a strange noise, gathering rapidly in volume, apparently coming from the trees and bushes. It was a growing cacophony of
scrabbling and scratching and squealing and hissing. Kamptulicon lifted his lantern and watched in amazement asa horde of four-legged animals of all shapes and sizes burst forth from the
undergrowth and raced away like a moving carpet. At the same time above and all about his head he could hear and feel the flapping of scores of pairs of wings. He put his arms up to protect himself
and could just see the silhouettes of perhaps a thousand birds in panicked flight. His horse became more and more agitated. Foam flecked her nostrils and the whites of her eyes were visible. He
struggled to control her. His lantern swung at such an acute angle that it quenched itself, leaving the Cunningman effectively blind and fighting to stay in the saddle.
    The ground began to shake. The mare reared and Kamptulicon was thrown violently to the ground. He heard the beast galloping away and he lay where he fell, winded. The earth’s tremors went
right through the soft marrow of his bones. Unable to stand, he clutched at his protective ring and shouted out harshly, over and over again, a virtually unintelligible sequence of words in
Quodlatin.

C HAPTER 5
K ATATHERION
    In the middle of the black lake the Lurids huddled in uneasy anticipation. Above them the moon was now in its perigee phase, nearing the earth, and although men might gaze upon
it in wonder and awe the Lurids feared the silvery disc, and its ever-closer presence caused them pain.
    But the moon’s increasing proximity was just one reason the Lurids were unsettled. The earthquake had greatly added to their agitation. And it was not only those who dwelt above the
shifting ground who had been disturbed, but also those below. Somewhere deep in the subterranean realms of the salt marsh, in a damp and pitch-black cavern, a creature of horrific appearance was
shaken and stirred by the earth’s seismic shift.
    It was a devilish beast, no doubt about that. It could be likened to a dog, if a dog had scaly skin.. It had jaws like a dog and it opened these jaws in a huge yawn, drawing its lips back from
its yellow fangs and exposing its darkly red