The Shadowed Manse Read Online Free Page B

rolled away, fought back tears, and clutched at his chest. Hot blood trickled out between his fingers. He tried to hold back his tears … to not show any weakness. He expected another attack, but Derek just stood there … like a statue … with its mouth hanging open.
    Was Derek even breathing?
    Something was wrong. Arthur got up onto his knees and glanced around, confused. The rest of the world around him seemed normal, though it was eerily quiet.
    The air shimmered, and a young woman appeared — hovering in the air — shining radiantly. Arthur gaped stupidly and fell back onto his bottom. The woman was transparent, as if she were a hologram projected from … somewhere. Hauntingly beautiful, she had burnt-orange skin, slanting emerald eyes, a stirring dress of white silk, and flaming copper hair that fell past her shoulders and curled up on the ends. She looked … not quite human … like an angel, maybe. Her image flickered, as if the signal was barely getting through — maybe the reception was bad?
    Derek must’ve given him one super-nasty concussion. That was the only thing that could explain this.
    The angelic girl faced Arthur and spoke. Each syllable of her mesmerizing voice was like the ringing of a clear bell. Unfortunately, most of her words didn’t make it through to him.
    “Arthur Primus … at last … Lady Ylliara … Herald of the Aetheria.”
    “Um … hello.”
    “Cloaking device … broken … fulfill your destiny … become … Multiversal Paladin.”
    “You want me to become a … what?”
    Her eyes flared like miniature supernovas. “You … not know?”
    “I don't have a clue what you're talking about,” Arthur replied. “And your signal is weak.”
    “Trans-Multiversal projection … outside Manse … vast amount of energy … quite …”
    This was all absolutely insane, and Derek still wasn't moving. This couldn't be actually happening. It just couldn't.
    “Are — are you real?” he asked, timidly.
    “Of course. Manse … on its way … first you … answer the Call.”
    “The Call?”
    “Everyone … choice. You could … but … doom your universe and mine.”
    “You need me to agree to become a … whatever it was you said. Is that it?”
    “Yes,” she said, with a hint of desperation in her voice. “No others left.”
    Regardless of how nonsensical this seemed, in his gut it felt real, more real than anything else in his life. And he knew — knew in his bones — that if he agreed to what she was asking, his whole life would change. A sudden panic gripped him … but that was what he wanted, wasn't it? A purpose. A meaning to his life.
    Maybe this was what he was missing.
    Arthur shook his head. Keep your wits. Don't fall into the rabbit hole. You're just dazed. Probably knocked unconscious and dreaming.
    Ylliara stared at him with a pleading expression that tugged her lips into a frown. “Please … desperately need … no others left …”
    Well, what could it hurt to go along with a hallucination?
    “Okay, sure. I'll become the next … Multiversal Paladin.”
    “You have … wisely … find the Manse.”
    “The Manse?”
    “Nearby … probably a cottage … only a few … away. Be careful … broken device … enemy can find … Interfacer assassins … warlocks … shades … every world … if they —”
    Ylliara jerked her head up.
    “Shades … already found … run … Arthur.”
    “What?” he asked her.
    “RUN NOW!”
    Ylliara vanished. Derek shook his head and blinked his eyes, as if he had been in a trance. He stepped awkwardly toward Arthur, but then stopped and squawked out something unintelligible as he stared off to his right.
    Scrambling to his feet, Arthur followed Derek's gaze … and then understood his fear.
    Shadow men! Five ahead and six more to the left — as dark as starless night and shaped like skinny men with absurdly long necks, arms, and legs — but without eyes or clothes or faces. They had no features at all! Then Arthur