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It was a dark and stormy night in Scallsburg. Lightning flashed over the horizon, and the wind pulled chickens along with it. Through it, a figure cloaked in black marched up to the main gate of the keep. There were only two guards at the towers, and they were mostly focused on the houses to see if someone would try to break into them.

" Edwin!" the figure screamed the password to the guard at the gate that led into the keep itself. About a minute after, the iron bar port callus slowly lifted off the floor allowing the figure to enter. Immediately, they went into the great hall and took off their dripping cloak to reveal the head of a black pelted wolf with blue eyes and a red mane. He collapsed in the chair at the end of the long table and sighed. " Finally, I'm home."

As he settled in, another Awek wolf entered the hall. This one had creme colored fur, and was missing an eye. The black, red headed wolf sat up and said, " What brings you here?"

" Not much, a hunting shortage of sorts."

" Oh, a famine, eh?"

" Yes, and it's getting worse. The potatoes became mush!"

The black wolf widened his eyes and said, " Jesus, must be this rain."

" Yes, the deer have been hiding as well."

" And the livestock?"

" A lot of them drowned in the rising waters."

" What about the fish?"

" No one wants them."

" Are they the bad types?"

" Yeah. That and they stink."

" How far up is the water?"

" About 6 feet."

" So, I take it the mountain is safe. Would I be correct?"

" Yes, yes it is."

" Then, the farms and stock can be moved up here."

" Yes, but what about the people?"

" If they can, they can also come up here."

" I can try to get them up."

" Good, the more help, the better."

" I will go right away, Milord."

" Sounds like a plan."

The black wolf watched as they ran back out into the rain mixing with snow. When they were gone, he stepped off his chair and shook himself to help the drying process along. After he finished, he heard an organ playing where he remembered the raid bunker was. The thing was, he didn't own an organ.

So, he went out into the hall rounding the corner towards the main kitchen. If there was one thing he remembered, it was the secret hall between there and the tower resting behind the hall. He looked at the cooks and guards, all Awek wolves, as they stood watching him. He watched as they jumped when thunder roared right outside.

When the thunder dissipated, he heard the music crescendo. So, he turned to face the wall next to the kitchen door, backed away from the kitchen and reached for a wall sconce for a torch. He grabbed and turned it to the right like a lever, and the wall opened to a tunnel. He ducked inside and pulled on a switch inside, which made the wall close behind him.

Now, the music was so clear that he could almost hear the keys being pounded. He also heard another sound; footsteps. There was a rhythm to these footsteps, almost like dancing. He booked it for the room at the end of the tunnel right across from the passage to the tower. Then, as he faced the entrance of the room where he conducted various tests, he heard what sounded like footsteps right behind him. He immediately took out his knife and spun around to face the intruder.

Darkness was what met him, nothing more. He put his knife away, turned around and went into the room. By now, he was thinking that he was beginning to go mad. As he did, he saw wisps floating around him. While watching them, he couldn't help but wonder what was going on here in his castle while he was away.

Then, he noticed that the organ noises had stopped and were replaced with humming. However, the steps were still present. He lifted one of his ears to pick up the location of the sound. Unable to detect the location of the noise, he pulled a switch, and the wall opened up to a dark stairwell.

He went down and rounded two corners until he came across an iron door. This was the door to the bunker where he would hide in case a siege became out of control. The door seemed to be unlocked, so he opened it and squinted his eyes. He saw a bright light shining, and further adjustment revealed what appeared to be a fireball.

Immediately, he ducked down as it was fired from the room. He stood up after the ball exploded, ignoring the smell of burning fur, and entered the room. He heard laughter, and he shouted, " Alright, who the hell found out where my secret passage is, and who the hell is trespassing?"

When his eyes adjusted, he opened them to find a room full of ghosts, which seemed to be screaming. He could see some of them appearing to be taking lashes to the back. With no moment's notice, he backed out of the room and slammed the door shut. His heart raced as he ran up the stairs, through the testing room, through the tunnel, then yanked on the switch and leaped out into the main hallway. He looked up to see other Aweks staring at him. " Ghosts in the bunker!"

" Ghost," asked a skeptical Awek. " Go ahead, see for yourself. I left the entrances open."

As a few of the Aweks present went down into the tunnel to look, the black wolf went back to the great hall and stopped upon seeing a familiar face. He recognized the Awek's gray fur with streaks of darker gray here and there, and the white eyes. Emily Scale. " Been a while, eh?"

" That it has. There are ghosts down there, is there not?"

" Definitely. Do you know where they came from, because I know when this castle was built, and I didn't find anything on the site."

" There was a torture chamber down there."

" How do you know?"

" I've heard stories."

" Well, do you suppose the ghosts will come up into the main part of the castle? Or, would that require some, ah, ectoplasm?"

" I wouldn't know, but give it time."

" Ok."

He looked outside as lightning flashed and continued, " Well, I think I know one thing I missed."

" And what is that, that you missed?"

" The Western Washington type of flooding."

" Oh yes, or near the Susquehanna River areas."

" Bless you."

" Yes, Yes. Many are dying badly."

" Hopefully, they should be coming into Scallsburg soon."

" Yes hopefully, if that does just happen."

" How many boarding houses do we still have?"

" About four"

" Hopefully, we can manage."

" Yes, hopefully. Worse comes to worse, we cram them all in."

" Yeah."

The black wolf was Emily's father, James Scale. He was born on Terra in a nation known as the United States, and he left a couple years after a nuclear war. He wandered from world to world for some time until he finally settle down in High Vatharvis.

Just recently, about a decade before, a race known as the Aweks came to Vatharvis and set up their own kingdom known as new Awekamp. As soon as he heard of it, he signed up to become an Awek Earl and has, since then, built up a holding that consisted of two castles, each with an estate of farmland. One of them was owned by his son, Wilhelm.

While in one of the worlds, a kitsune manifested itself by taking control of his body. Even after the kitsune was long gone, it had left a mark on him. Due to this, along with his dragon blood, he knew to expect a long life.

He grabbed his cloak and wrung water out of it leaving a pool at his feet." So, have there been any attacks while I was gone this time?"

" No, no there hasn't ."

" Good."

" So, what have you been up to?"

" Oh, just trading and travelling."

" That must be fun. I've been just taking care of the place here."

" Ah. So, when did the ghosts start showing up?"

" About 10 years ago."

" Guess I didn't really notice until now."

" Yeah, same here. Calla's cousin came to me to tell me."

" They older?"

" Ah, yes. He's about 32."

" I see."

He took his tail and wrung more water out of it. As he did, a gray and white bird came in, and Emily said, " Oh, hey Harold!"

" Is this Calla's cousin?"

" Ah, yes."

Harold bowed, and James said, " Nice to meet you."

" Nice ta' meet ya too, I'm the blacksmith 'round here."

" Are you, now?"

" Ah yes, I've been building your gates for the last 15 years. Maybe, 6 of them under apprenticeship."

" Good to meet you in person."

" Yes, and good to meet ya milord."

" So, what brings you up here?"

" Emily just paged, me my good sir. She told me to explain the ghost."

" Oh yeah, the ghosts."

" Well, it was about 2 years ago when I first noticed the activity..."

James sat down in his chair to listen, still quite wet from the rain." It was only small things at first, maybe a loose chain here and there. Then, the doors I put in were knocked out, and the organ sound played...." *Harold started*

" And, we don't own an organ."

" I know that. And then, the horrid, horrid scream."

" Screaming, eh?"

" Oh, yes, a torturous scream."

" Anything else you've noticed?"

" Yes, that they flock in that one area."

" Do you know if they can be heard in the don jon, or the spire?"

" Oh, yes."

" Must be pretty hard sleeping through that."

" Trust me, it is. I had to move out."

" You mean you were living here?"

" Yes. Up in the spire I was."

" During my absence I take it."

" Yes. I left soon after though."

" Do you think providing something for them to possess could help with that?"

" I don't think so."

" Have you tried it?"

" No."

" Worth a test, eh?"

" Yeah, it is."

He sat up, reached in his pocket and pulled out a vial. Inside it was a white plasmic substance floating in the small space. " What is that?"

" Ectoplasm, fresh from a haunting."

" Wow, you sure that's gonna help?"

" I think so."

" Well let us go and try it!"

" Alright. First, we'll need a plan."

" And what kind will it be?"

" We can start by trying putting a hint of ectoplasm on something."

" Yes, like a chair."

He jumped to his feet and walked along the table. Once he found a chair he felt suitable, he opened the vial and tipped it over the chair. He put the cork back when he saw what looked like a drop vanish into the chair. He put the vial away in his pocket and waited. After about a minute, James thought he could see something occupy the chair. He squinted his eyes to get a better look. Within seconds, the apparition became clearer. " What the hell is that?"

" Looks like a manifestation."

" Yeah, I can see."

" Well, now we know it works."

" Yeah, I wish it wouldnt. I didn't believe them as real."

" How long are we expecting this storm to go on?"

" Another three weeks."

" Damn. Ok, are you able to handle a downpour like this, or do you think you'll need to spend a couple weeks here?"

" I think I will have to stay, I can't fly in this."

" Understood."

" Yeah. You know how it is being a bird."

" Oh yeah, I know."

" Soak to much water and ya crash."

" Well, if you want, you could sleep in the spire, or the kids' room."

" Oh, thank you sir."

" Any time."

" So which room is it?"

" The kids' room, or the spire bedroom?"

" The kids. I like having a heated room."

" Right across from the arcane elevator."

" Okay. Thanks."

" Sure thing. Eh, do you need me to show you how to use the arcane elevator? Then again, there's always the secret passage on the first floor."

" I can use it, I also do maintenance."

" Alright."

As Howard headed towards the kitchen, where there was a ladder down into the wine cellar, James went to the end of the hall, where there was some strange mechanism on a platform. He stepped on the platform and was immediately sent floating up through the shaft. He grabbed the top of the doorway to the second floor and pulled himself inside using his red draconic wings to propel himself. James turned towards the stairway leading up and approached it passing his office along the way. Through the windows, he could see the wrath of the landscape raging outside.

He went up the stairs, turned left and went down the stairs leading to the spire. He took a deep breath and climbed the stairs up to the second level of the spire. Immediately, he was battered with heavy winds and sheets of rain. He kept climbing until he reached the top, where his bedroom was. He saw that curtains had been nailed to the windows, presumably to keep the rain out. He looked at the clock on top of one of the bookshelves barely able to hear it ticking over the wind outside howling like a banshee screaming that a loved one would die soon.

" Midnight," he muttered to himself as he untied the collar of his robe. As the clock kept running, he pulled his robe over his head and pulled his arms out of the sleeves. After he took his robe off and threw it on the ground, he looked to see something pink on the bed. He lifted the blanket to find Calla, an anthropomorphic bird he met during his travels.

He shrugged and sat on the other end of the bed. He thought he could hear chirping coming from the bird but shrugged it off. He carefully yanked the blanket over to his side. As he was about to settle in bed, he sat up to hear a thud. He looked at the other side of the bed to find Calla wasn't in bed anymore.

He looked over the edge to find her on her back with her legs sticking up still asleep. He laid down and looked past a curtain. Rain tore at the landscape like shovels being used to dig mass graves. It was to this imagery and noise that James fell asleep.

Calla was the first to wake up, with the windows still covered by curtains. As she removed the nails from one of the curtains, a mixture of rainwater and wind poured into the room right in her face. This was enough to awaken James, who sat up and looked in the direction of the noise. When she was thrown towards the other side of the room, James jumped out of bed, went into a prone position and crawled towards the nails on the floor using his wings to keep the water off him. He grabbed them and stood up making sure he was at the side of the window. " Why did you think they were nailed to the walls," he shouted over the howling and battering of the storm. " I don't know! I just wanted to see if it was over!"

He reached up and grabbed a corner of the curtain, then held it to the wall. Then, he jammed a nail in and used the palm of his hand to drive it in. As he grabbed the other nail and reached for the other corner of the curtain, Calla pushed herself from the wall and rapidly flapped her wings. When he was sure the nails were not going anywhere soon, he turned to Calla and said, " Let's go."

James quickly donned a cloak and went down the stairs. As Calla followed, they were immediately battered by high winds and sheets of rain. James could see her gasp, grabbed her wing and dragged her down the stairs towards the first level of the spire. It was when they were in the windowless first floor that he could hear her screech. As she flapped furiously, he grabbed both of her wings and said, " It's over, for now."

" Oh."

He let go and headed down the stairs into the hall. The don jon was right across the hall from the spire, there was just a stairwell and a left turn. So, he went to check on it. He could sense that Calla was lagging behind and turned to see her with her legs crossed and shaking. He sighed and said, " You can go in the floodwaters."

* * * * *

The weather that morning was not much better than the night before. As a matter of fact, it seemed to be getting worse. " All livestock in with the people!" James shrieked so loud that he felt a sting in his vocal cords. He ran to the steep end of the mountain and stopped before he could fall into the flooded river below.

He could see that, in the town of Crawdad's pasture (named for the abundance of crustaceans), all buildings that were not on hills were gradually being swept away. The hovels with dirt walls were swept away faster than those of wood and stone. He could see that the doors to the underground houses were sealed off and hoped that the chimneys would provide enough ventilation for whoever was down there, and that they had a steady supply of food. " Gods, that is horrible."

Without another word, he slid down the side of the mountain into the water. As he flew into the flood, within a moment, he changed himself into a massive leatherback turtle. As he broke the surface, he felt pressure on his back, yet he swam to the remains of Crawdad's pasture. " Tell them I'm here to relay people to the mountain. Make sure they have light loads."

" Can, do James!"

She made an attempt to fly and was immediately thrown back on his back by the wind and rain. James crawled towards the remnants of a house, then up the hill. " Everyone, over here!"

The company inside a barn emered into the storm, and he said, " On my back. light load, please."

He felt pressure as someone got on his back. He could barely feel their sack of belongings, most likely clothing.

" Calla, watch the rest while I'm gone, ok?"

" Can do James!"

As she got up on what was left of the hill, James turned towards the mountain and paddled through the floodwaters. As he did, he tried to keep as much of his head above water as he could. Finally, after what felt like an hour, his paws touched land. He looked up to see a spot where the people to climb up the side of the mountain.

Women helped children up the slope, and one yipped, " Thanks!"

" Of course."

As the last person got off his back, he turned and kicked the earth behind him so that he would float back to the hill, where there were new born pups crying and Calla, apparently ready to scream. " Next wave!"

He saw some women and children climb on his back leaving three men left. " Everything alright, Calla?"

" Yeah."

He could see her eye twitching and asked, " Is there something wrong?"

" Annoying pups."

" Oh. Well, you'll have to put up a little longer until everyone's safe."

" Yay! I will at least try."

With that, James turned and paddled back towards the mountain to get the people to safety. Once he was there, he watched as they got off his back and scrambled up the side of the mountain. Then, he turned and paddled back towards the hill where the remaining houses of Crawdad's pasture were. He couldn't see who got on his back this time, only felt their weight. " Anyone else waiting?"

" No, sir."

" Good."

He turned, kicked the hill and paddled to the other side of the flooded river. Eventually, he felt the earth and pulled himself towards it. He felt the earth soften and pulled the part he was holding on to. " Quick, before the place caves in!"

As his load lessened, he looked up to see them scrambling up the face. No sooner did they make it up than the side of the mountain fell into the water. James swam away from the mountain as it did paddling back towards the hill. When he arrived, he grabbed onto the slope and changed back into a half Awek, half dragon hybrid. " So, how'd it go?"

" They made it before the side of the mountain came down."

" That's good. Even though I hate them annoying pups."

As the floodwater came up, James tried climbing up the hill through the muck. He saw Calla trying to fly with soaked feathers. " Calla, stop!"

She stopped flapping and descended. He saw her fall towards the water and caught her with his right wing. "Thanks!"

" Any time. Think I could fly in this?"

" No. You can try if you want."

Instead, he, once again, transformed into a leatherback turtle. He felt her weight on his back and slid into the water. While in the water, he searched for an alternate way up the mountain. To his dismay, there wasn't a clear shot what so ever. He dragged himself on an elevated area and changed back to his original form. " Damn it all."

" Agreed. Maybe we can-Wait, I can't transform like you."

" No, but I might be able to transform you."

" Okay. I was going to say become a pterodactyl and fly out!"

" That might work."

He put a hand on her wing and let an incantation flow in his head, flowing better than most of his thoughts. Calla started to grow larger and grew membraned wings as her face elongated. Upon seeing this, he removed his hand and took a couple steps back. Her head elongated as well. Her beak became a bill, and her eyes narrowed. Her body remained feathered, and her wings stayed bare. James knelt down so he wouldn't get knocked into the water. She spread her wings and lofted into the air. As she did, James grabbed one of her ankles. " Up and out?"

" Or, in this case, up and in."

" Well either way!"

" Post haste!"

She flapped her huge wings fast as she could, and found that it was easier to fly in this form. " Flying seems smoother! Still can't see through this rain!"

" Need my eyes?"

" Yes look away!"

James changed into a bat and scanned the area. Within moments, he saw the barbican, pointed and shouted, " That way!"

" Thanks!" she shouted flying in the direction he pointed. As they came closer, the keep came into view. "Home!"

" Yes, wait!"

He saw a pair of red eyes through the storm within the second gate. When Calla landed, James put a hand on her wing and repeated the incantation. As he did, the red eyes vanished, and a figure in black came out into the rain. The figure darted between James and Calla, and a pair of wings herded them inside.

When they were between the great hall, the gate and the hallway to the rest of the keep, the figure screeched, " Edwin! Shut the gate!"

As the gate lowered, James changed back into his original form and looked at the figure's face to find that it was another bat. " Ryo? How did you find my password?"

" Eavesdropping. Are you two alright?"

" Yeah. A little weather beaten but fine."

" And the people?"

" Uh, Ryo, I don't think I can trust you with knowledge of the well being of the people."

" Yeah, I kinda agree!"

James looked at Calla and said, " You met him before?"

" Yes, but once or twice."

" And were either of them during one of his er, feedings?"

" Once. That one just got weird. They were biting each other!"

" Who was he with?"

" I don't know. Another bat presumably a brown colored one with grayish markings."

" Oh, yes, quite a night, that one was."

" I wanted to die...."

A bat who matched her description walked past. " Speaking of which..."

" In here to get outa the rain," asked James. "Yes father!"

James froze at the word father. She looked just like the bat Calla mentioned. But, why would she call him father? Unless...

" Emily?"

" Uh, yes?"

James was taken by surprise by this. Nevertheless, he took a deep breath and cleared his throat in an attempt to stay calm despite believing that she was dating Ryo. " So, how is it as a bat?"

" Oh, it's pretty good. Its rather fun."

" I'll bet, being able to fly and use echolocation and seeing in the dark."

" Yeah, and it's rather fun to party as a bat, and go flying!"

Ryo went next to Emily and looked into his eyes. " Is something on your mind, James?"

" Oh, it's nothing."

" Whatever you say."

Emily tried not to look at Ryo while she was clicking into space. Ryo turned to Emily and said, " Are you sensing something?"

" Yes. Yes I am. Father is going to snap within 3 minutes."

" What do you mean snap? And, how did you detect something like that?"

" Trust me... And I can see into the future!"

" Then, how about we go to the spire?"

" Yes! Let's go!"

Ryo and Emily darted into the shadows of the hallway as James went into the great hall.

As he sat down, one of the servants said, " Is there anything you would like?"

" Just some mutton, and a drink."

" As soon as possible, sir."

While the mutton cooked, James thought out loud, " What the hell is going on here? Calla?"

Calla entered the hall and said, " Yes James?"

" What exactly did you see them doing?"

" What boys and girls do. There was lots of bitingl and screeching, though, I couldn't see through their wings."

" They could've been doing anything; mama birding, kissing, chattering..."

" Emily was making weird noises though."

" What kinds of weird noises?"

" Moans, and screeches."

" So, more signs are pointing to them being together."

" Yes, most likely, and in all ways."

He crossed his arms on the table and buried his head between them. A plate of roast mutton and a horn of mead were sat down in front of him, and a voice asked, " Sir, is everything alright?"

" Yeah, it's just my daughter."

" What about her?"

" I think she's doing it with a vampire."

The servant widened his eyes and gasped. As soon as he did, Calla fainted. After a couple seconds, he saw the servant turn and walk into the hallway silently praying. James tore part of his mutton off and nibbled on it while thinking of the situation. Eventually, his thoughts came to what could happen, and he got up from his seat and began pacing around the room. When Calla woke up, she could see James pacing. "James you okay?"

" What'll happen, will he make her one? make her-" he stopped himself and took a deep breath. " Ok, I know Ryo well enough to know that he won't do any of that."

"I'm sure..... So just calm down."

He went back to the end of the table and sat down. Calla sat next to him with a bottle of whiskey in her wing. "Or it can be bad."

" Calla, please don't get me paranoid again, ok?"

" I won't, sorry sir."