that blasted castle by the cursed Bartlett clan. Had it not been for the ego of Max’s father, Conrad Bartlett, moving the castle to the United States, the Slaugh would no doubt have remained stuck within its walls, consigned to forever haunt the corridors of the family keep, Heaven and Hell both denied him. The longer he was trapped, the longer his precious Wild Hunt would remain locked away in a purgatory not of their own making.
Fate, however, had other ideas.
Now, finally freed from his prison, the Slaugh had a new body, this one young and strong, and perhaps of most importance, wealthy. Learning that, through his new host body’s remaining memories, the Slaugh now controlled a vast fortune that made accomplishing his goals easier. One thing that had not changed from the old country to this new land was the need for currency. Man was still obsessed with acquiring wealth. How typical. After all this time, they remained little more than mewling children in need of a firm hand to guide them.
He would be that guiding hand.
Now that he had a sense of the world, he found himself understanding it even less so than he had previously. The humans who infested the Earth seemed to make things far more complicated than they needed to be. Or so it seemed to him. The humans he had encountered these past few weeks as he explored this new world were so busy looking toward the future that they seemed not to notice the world around them. It had not been too long since the second of two wars had enveloped the entirety of the planet. It angered him that The Wild Hunt had missed that one. It was the sort of thing he and his brothers lived for. Thankfully, the near eradication of their race did nothing to quench the human’s desire for war. There seemed to be no end to conflicts cropping up all around the globe.
The prevailing feeling, especially in the young humans he talked with, was that their world was doomed.
He couldn’t agree more.
They didn’t know it yet, but it wouldn’t be nuclear weapons that would bring about an end to their world, as so many feared. The Slaugh would be the one to end their puny existence. The Wild Hunt would begin anew, with he at its head. There was much sin in this new world and sinners aplenty to keep the Wild Hunt fed indefinitely.
Once the hunt resumed, these pesky humans would bow before him.
But first…
There was a debt that had to be repaid. Hans Holzer had stood between him and his goals. The Slaugh could not let such an effrontery go unpunished. Before he put his final plans in motion for the planet, he would find his enemy and then Hans Holzer’s nightmare would begin. The Slaugh planned to dismantle Holzer’s life piece by piece until his enemy begged for death. Only then would he consider ending his enemy’s suffering. Only then would he allow Hans Holzer’s death.
That was why he had come to the city called New York.
His quarry was close.
Soon, Hans Holzer would be nothing but a memory.
The Slaugh flipped up the collar on Max Bartlett’s coat and walked through the snow deeper into the city. There was still much work to do before he could take his revenge. He laughed at the thought of what was to come.
Hans Holzer’s death would herald the end of the world.
It was time for the Wild Hunt to ride again.
And this world would burn.
Despite having a name that traced back centuries, McGinley’s Pub was little more than a downtown dive.
The Slaugh had been drawn to it. He wasn’t sure if it was the smell of stale Irish whiskey in the air that reminded him of his old stomping grounds or if it was the sensation of menace that radiated from the bar. Whatever it was that had attracted his attention, the beast wearing Max Bartlett’s body grew excited the closer he got to the door. It had been far too long since he had stepped foot inside a traditional Irish Pub. He couldn’t wait to see what debauchery awaited him inside.
The pub was not quite what he had imagined it would
Fate, however, had other ideas.
Now, finally freed from his prison, the Slaugh had a new body, this one young and strong, and perhaps of most importance, wealthy. Learning that, through his new host body’s remaining memories, the Slaugh now controlled a vast fortune that made accomplishing his goals easier. One thing that had not changed from the old country to this new land was the need for currency. Man was still obsessed with acquiring wealth. How typical. After all this time, they remained little more than mewling children in need of a firm hand to guide them.
He would be that guiding hand.
Now that he had a sense of the world, he found himself understanding it even less so than he had previously. The humans who infested the Earth seemed to make things far more complicated than they needed to be. Or so it seemed to him. The humans he had encountered these past few weeks as he explored this new world were so busy looking toward the future that they seemed not to notice the world around them. It had not been too long since the second of two wars had enveloped the entirety of the planet. It angered him that The Wild Hunt had missed that one. It was the sort of thing he and his brothers lived for. Thankfully, the near eradication of their race did nothing to quench the human’s desire for war. There seemed to be no end to conflicts cropping up all around the globe.
The prevailing feeling, especially in the young humans he talked with, was that their world was doomed.
He couldn’t agree more.
They didn’t know it yet, but it wouldn’t be nuclear weapons that would bring about an end to their world, as so many feared. The Slaugh would be the one to end their puny existence. The Wild Hunt would begin anew, with he at its head. There was much sin in this new world and sinners aplenty to keep the Wild Hunt fed indefinitely.
Once the hunt resumed, these pesky humans would bow before him.
But first…
There was a debt that had to be repaid. Hans Holzer had stood between him and his goals. The Slaugh could not let such an effrontery go unpunished. Before he put his final plans in motion for the planet, he would find his enemy and then Hans Holzer’s nightmare would begin. The Slaugh planned to dismantle Holzer’s life piece by piece until his enemy begged for death. Only then would he consider ending his enemy’s suffering. Only then would he allow Hans Holzer’s death.
That was why he had come to the city called New York.
His quarry was close.
Soon, Hans Holzer would be nothing but a memory.
The Slaugh flipped up the collar on Max Bartlett’s coat and walked through the snow deeper into the city. There was still much work to do before he could take his revenge. He laughed at the thought of what was to come.
Hans Holzer’s death would herald the end of the world.
It was time for the Wild Hunt to ride again.
And this world would burn.
Despite having a name that traced back centuries, McGinley’s Pub was little more than a downtown dive.
The Slaugh had been drawn to it. He wasn’t sure if it was the smell of stale Irish whiskey in the air that reminded him of his old stomping grounds or if it was the sensation of menace that radiated from the bar. Whatever it was that had attracted his attention, the beast wearing Max Bartlett’s body grew excited the closer he got to the door. It had been far too long since he had stepped foot inside a traditional Irish Pub. He couldn’t wait to see what debauchery awaited him inside.
The pub was not quite what he had imagined it would
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