Chapter Three: Ritualis Interruptus
Dr. October drove his panel van to the east while Dot Morgan, after some seat adjustments, drove her 4x4 SUV to the west, each on their way to another Breacher ritual. Dr. October had to quickly adapt to this new magical Breacher sight. Focusing on driving, especially in this snow had to be his main priority. He knew the direction he needed to go and did his best to ignore that beacon-like light and focus on what was actually in front of him. The first time he ran a red light and almost hit a car with a family of five gave him a moment of clarity.
Dot had fewer problems. She had a good idea where the tracker was taking her, so she could focus on staying on the road in the heavy snow. She had grown up in northern Minnesota, so driving in snow was nothing new to her. A lot of people, though, seemed to have forgotten how to drive in the snow since the last time it snowed last winter.
Weaving through what little traffic there was, she approached the location of a Breacher ritual. Her four-wheel drive SUV handled well in the snow and ice. She wondered if her perception and reflexes had been improved by the bonding ritual as well. A warehouse similar to the one she worked at loomed in the near distance. According to the tracker Dr. O had given her, this was the place.
She parked a block away to not give them advance warning of her arrival. Creeping through the snow in her longer, slender legs was a cakewalk. She could get to like this new body. Not sure what she'd do about the gun barrel sticking out of her wrist, but she could cross that bridge when she came to it. For now, she needed that sucker.
One of the loading bay doors stood open, letting some cooler air into the warehouse. Dot crept inside, impressing herself with how quietly she moved. She could hear guttural chanting ahead, similar to the one she heard while unwillingly participating in a similar ritual.
Dot crept along the rows of stacked warehouse goods, moving toward the sounds. She slowed as she neared the end of the row and peeked cautiously around the last crates. Her jaw dropped when she saw an eight-foot tall Breacher, gray skin, goat horns growing out of a balding head. It was dressed in a tattered three-piece suit. Two humans were holding the legs of a large, muzzled dog that struggled weakly against its captors.
Dot wasted no time, but raised her left arm, pointed it in the direction of the Breacher and willed it to fire. A blast of green energy shot from the barrel in a wide arc, striking both the Breacher and its minions at the same time. The Breacher dropped the ceremonial knife and folded into the spot the beam had struck it, disappearing as if being pulled through a wringer.
The two humans screamed as their scalps tore open where the beam struck them, the insides of their heads pushing out through the hole. Dot turned away and retched, not prepared to see them die in such a horrible manner.
The dog had jumped off the table as soon as the humans had let go. It ran past Dot towards the open door, not looking back even once. "You're welcome!" she yelled after it.
Not wanting to approach the table, but feeling that she needed to, Dot circled around to minimize the sight of the dead minions. Nothing special caught her eye, except the ceremonial knife. She pocketed it, looked around once more, then decided to head to the next ritual site.
Dr. October had difficulty focusing on the road with the green beacon shining in his vision. He realized it was going to take a lot more practice to get used to his new eyes. While it was ultimately a boon, it had almost gotten him in three near-miss collisions so far.
He knew he was running out of time but didn't dare go faster than his sight could take him. The snow stopped falling, but plenty still covered the streets, and he wasn't making good time.
Dr. October arrived at a former elementary school, long ago emptied, most of the windows broken out, but his new sight assured him a Breacher was inside. He grabbed his Vortex Pistol and hopped out of the van.
The snow crunched lightly as he stalked towards the schoolhouse. One of the main doors stood open and snow had drifted into the hallway. Dr. October moved with caution through the school until he reached the gymnasium. Peering through the door, he finally saw the Breacher he had been stalking. A dwarvish figure covered in red hair and minimal clothing. It had the ceremonial knife over its head, poised to kill a motionless dog on the table. Dr. October could see no minions.
As he reached towards the door, the Breacher drove the knife into the dog. "No!" Doctor October screamed. The Breacher locked eyes with him and its face split into a horrendous grin.
Doctor October slammed the door open, eyes focused on the Breacher. Two human minions jumped him from behind, tackling him to the ground. "Got ya!" one of them hissed in his ear. "Too late, Doc-tober."
The Breacher raised its hands over his head, completed its chant and a ray of blackish-red light burst forth from its chest and shot towards the center of Midnight City.
Dr. October got his legs under him and shoved the two minions off his back. He fired his Vortex Pistol at both of them, the magic turning them inside out. He spun towards the Breacher and fired. The spell bolt struck the Breacher in the middle of the forehead, causing the collapse back through the void. It screamed as it was pulled through. "I'll be back, Doctor! You can count on thaaaaaaaGGGHGHH!"
And it was gone.
Dr. October stared at the spot where the Breacher had stood. A sudden tremor shook the school. Dr. October spun around. He faced the direction in which the beam from the Breacher had gone, and was nearly blinded by the intense light from another Breacher in the distance.
"That can't be good."
He ran for his van.