He approached, and I could see the extreme nervousness in his body language. He looked like he was ready to bolt at a moment's notice. His father's face was twisted in anger, and we both watched as he approached.

I think it was a fear of me and his father's wrath.

I suspect it was mostly me.

When within range, he received a slap across the back of his head from his father. He winced in pain at the blow. I could see that his father had not held back. I could see that Herbert was building up to a tirade, so I decided to step in once again.

"Well, this is unfortunate."

They both looked at me.

"Joshua Driver, do you know who I am?"

The use of his name caused him confusion and increased his fear. His father's anger had given way to fear as he knew what was coming.

"N-n-no." He stuttered under my attention. He was looking around at his father, trying to get some clue of how to deal with me. What he did see was his father's anger, but growing fear, and this further disturbed him.

I think it was finally settling in that he put his foot in it royally.

"Good. I am your father's employer."

He looked between the two of us again, confused, wondering what was going on and what I meant by that.

"Many years ago, before you were born, your father came to me and agreed to become my employee. He was bound to me by contract, and when he passes from this world, one of his descendants will be asked to take that contract up."

The boy was trying to process this, and I could see that Herbert was also greatly disturbed by the fact that I was just laying it on his son. I had often thought about this conversation over the last year or so, as I knew it had been inevitable, and decided to dive into it without any preamble.

I decided to give the boy a lifeline.

"You have questions, ask them."

He took a few seconds before asking the first, and it was ironically one that I expected him to ask. He looked to his father for support or permission, and he received a simple nod, indicating that he should do as he was told.

"A-are you a devil?" He's a bit more confident now that I've given him the freedom to ask any questions he wants. He still flinched, expecting to be hit, but was rather surprised when no blow came.

"I am to some but an angel to others."

I don't think I'll ever get bored with that line.

My answer completely befuddled him, and thankfully, I managed to keep a straight face while looking at his facial expression. A glare from his father got him back to asking what questions he wanted to.

"What is this place?"

"What do they say in town when you visit or go to school?"

"It's the Devil's Graveyard, and it is a place where the dammed live." He was glancing beyond me into the dungeon.

"That is somewhat correct."

My words cause his attention to snap back to me. It was time for the explanation.

"Heed my words, Joshua Driver. This place is called New Midian. It is the home of monsters that wear the faces of men. The brave and the desperate are called to this place to be tested. For those who complete the test, great rewards are given. For those who fail, a painful death is the most common result."

I had his complete attention now. His face had gone pale, and his eyes were wide.

"Your father serves me as my agent who acts abroad in the world. In return, I grant him great wealth. The land on which your home is built is owned by me. This forest that I know you and your father hunt in is owned by me."

He looked to his father for clarification, and all he received was a tight nod. I continued, and he drew him back to me.

"As his firstborn, you were always going to be the first told of the deal that your father made."

The boy was afraid and looked like he was about to run. I could see the concern in his father's face, but I knew I had to press on and drive home the points I was trying to make to him.

"In time, your brother and sister and any other siblings that might appear will be informed of the deal. As I told you when your father passes from this world, one of you must take up his position and work for me as my agent."

"I-i-it might not be me?" Fear was causing him to stutter again.

"It might not. The contract that binds your father only requires one of you to assume the role of my agent. That one will have full access to the home business and the surrounding land that your father enjoys. But you will not be forced; it must be a voluntary choice that one of you must make."

He goes silent for a few moments as he processes what I have just told him.

"What if none of us take up the role?" He asks.

"Then what I have given you shall be taken back, and you will be sent into the world alone and without my assistance."

"What of those who choose not to take up the role?" I was a bit impressed that he was asking some quite intelligent questions.

"My agent controls the finances, and it is up to you and your siblings to sort that out. But I will not tolerate discord or sabotage."

He goes quiet again as he thinks over everything I have just said to him. His face is contorted into an intense frown as he struggles with everything revealed to him and the possible fate that awaits.

Before I say something more, he speaks.

"Then I shall take up the role upon the death of my Pa." He looks at me, and I see a determination in his eye that was not there before, and again I am surprised.

"Joshua, you do not need to decide that right now!" His father exclaimed in fear and worry. But he doesn't move from where he is standing.

We both ignore him, and we lock eyes. I can see that he is trying to challenge me to say no. The determination is precise; he would do the job. Now I was the one who was conflicted and confused. Should I allow him? He was young, maybe too young to make this decision.

I decided to test him.

"I will ask you a question, Joshua Driver. Answer it truthfully, or I will know."

He doesn't break eye contact with me and nods in understanding. Damn, this boy's got some backbone. I think it is from his mother.

"Why should I take you over your brother or sister?"

His answer was almost instantaneous and was delivered with certainty.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"Because I am the oldest. I have to take this responsibility."

As far as I could tell, he was speaking the truth to me.

I took a few more moments looking at him to make my decision, and I extended my hand. He had not expected that and looked down at it.

"Take it, Joshua Driver. Take it, and the pact will be made. Or walk away and enjoy the rest of your childhood and make the decision in the future."

His father made to grab his son, but I motioned for him to stop.

"It is earlier than expected, Herbert, but this decision is his to make."

The boy looked at his father and then at me. With a deep breath released, he reached out and grasped my hand firmly, shaking it.

"Bargained well and done."

His father let out a sigh that was more akin to a moan, and his shoulders sagged.

"From now on, Joshua, you will accompany your father when he visits. You will learn what he does for me and will be expected to fulfil some roles and time yourself. You are never to speak of the deal we have made. If anyone asks you about New Midian, you will tell them that you are aware of it and will refer to it by whatever name the locals use at the time. Beyond that, you know nothing. Secrecy is paramount."

He nods in understanding, and I glance at Herbert. I'm honestly worried that man will break down and cry. He looks utterly defeated.

"Herbert changed the legal documentation of your will to make Joshua the sole heir to the family finances and is given full control of all land deeds."

Herbert had gone pale but nodded at my instructions. It looked like he had aged ten years in mere ten seconds.

"Now home with you both. Inform your mother of the deal you have made. But be warned, she will not be happy. With either of you."

I watched them as they walked away. The boy stood taller and seemed older. Childhood was shorter during this period, as life was much harder than the one I grew up in. However, I think it was more than just a decision; he was committed to standing by it. Today, his innocence began to fade.

His father looked like he had just lost the fight or had the wind knocked out of him by some terrible news, which was more apt, I thought. Out of the Driver family, the one who was going to cause the most trouble for me was going to be Amy.

Amy took the news as badly as I expected.

I had to endure a two-hour ranting and weeping session.

In the end, I'd put my foot down and remind her that her husband's deal required that one of his children willingly take up the position of my agent. The fact that her firstborn son had decided to do it was something she could not change. I admitted it was earlier than I had planned, but I had to work with the circumstances presented to me.

She left, and I felt a further growth in the divide between us.

That's the thing with such deals. You make them confident that the day that they need to be enforced or enacted will never come, or you delude yourself into thinking you can get around them. The problem is that the bill always comes due.

I wonder if, in the future, if you had children, Joshua, would you do the same?

This thought stayed with me until October, as the weather was now firmly changing, and things were moving in the world beyond my realm.

On October 20, 1894, Czar Alexander III was succeeded by his son, Nicholas II, to become the czar of the Russian Empire. The European powers send messages of condolence and congratulations to the new czar. His first proclamation was that he was expanding the deal with the German Empire to purchase more ships, which were to be assigned to the Pacific Squadron in response to the Japanese Empire's acquisition of British vessels. Many saw this as a direct challenge to the Japanese Empire, and they condemned it.

November saw elections in the United States. The ongoing war in Cuba and trouble with the working people of the United States saw the Democrats lose many seats to the Republicans. The Democrats do not lose control of the House, but their majority is significantly reduced.

Speaking of the war in Cuba, the end of the month sees the collapse of the Parlamentarios' last defensive strongholds, and they sued for peace. On December 1, 1894, President Fredrickson declared victory over Cuba and the annexation of the country to become the 48th state in the union after a period of reconstruction. All parts of American society welcomed the victory.

I had been keeping an eye on the casualties reported in the American press. I knew that they would be far more over time that only historians would be able to count, but I was sure that there were at least 14,000 American dead. The Cuban casualties were estimated to be roughly 20,000. From prewar reports, it was at least a third of their army that was dead.

How many more were wounded or lost to disease was unknown, and I would have to wait to learn those figures.

The United States had won, but it was not the short, one-sided victory that the President and those who backed him had claimed it would be. The Cubans were lacking in heavy ships for their navy and modern equipment for their army, but they had fought bravely and bloodied both services of their enemy.

I wondered how the other powers would view this conflict, let alone the US military. The torpedo destroyer had a profound impact in the one single major naval battle of the war. Few in number, they had inflicted the most significant casualties on the US Navy. Once the army had landed and was fighting an enemy with artillery and training, it made gains, but at a much higher cost.

Assaulting fixed positions had been brutally costly for the American army, and I wondered if the other powers would view it as a future strategy or just a price of conflict at the moment. I could remember the Great War from my world and the horrors of trench warfare.

During these months, Herbert had been visiting the dungeon, making his regular deliveries with Joshua now shadowing him. I had always met them at the gates, never letting them enter the dungeon itself. The boy was not yet ready to know more.

Snow was in the air, and I knew winter would soon be here in full force. The snow line on the distant mountains was something I could no longer see. The clouds above were heavy and dark, and I knew I would soon be cut off once more from the world.

I briefly thought about having a telegraph line run to the dungeon, but I realised that was a bit ludicrous.

On the eighth day of the month, the snow came.

1895 arrives on a cloudy day.

Heavy snow blankets the ground, covering all the pathways in the graveyard.

The only signs of life are the smoke coming out of the chimneys of the Hunters' lairs that possess them. Harrington had his put in late last autumn, and he rushed around for a few weeks collecting firewood before the snow arrived.

Now that the church is repaired, I don't have to worry about the inside being damaged by the weather. I use this time to reorganise the things in the crypt and lament my lack of new silver or gold coins. I found it odd that I had not received any from any of the recent kills.

The arsenal of guns I possessed were cleaned and checked for damage. I have acquired several new handguns and a variety of rifles over the last year. They were all properly stored now, along with the ammunition for them. After checking all the firearms, I moved on to the numerous melee weapons I possessed and performed the necessary maintenance on them.

I checked on the condition of the successful Challenger offerings and that my wealth was safely secured. The last thing I did was to polish and clean an old, used walking stick that was left to me by one cheeky bugger.

I didn't rush any of it, and this took me through several weeks. The weather had cut me off from the rest of the world, and I knew that contact would not usually return until mid-February.

It was near the end of the month when Harrington contacted me.

"Keeper, a word if I may." I heard his voice in my mind. It was the same method I used to communicate with them, but they rarely did it to me unless they wanted something.

"Of course. Where are you?"

"I am at my lair. I shall meet you outside." I had made sure that the Hunters knew that if they wanted to speak to me, I preferred face-to-face conversations outside of dealing with intruders. This seemed to suit them just fine, as having a telepathic conversation seemed to upset more than a few of them.

I made my way over to his lair. I found him standing outside, all bundled up. He held a cup and saucer in his hands and was drinking from it. The cold air made the steam coming off it more pronounced.

I summon my avatar before him.

"Thank you for taking the time out of your day, Keeper, to speak to me." He was still very chatty, especially for one of my Hunters, and was the politest.

"I had just finished up several tasks, so your communication was quite fortuitous."

"Good to hear." He took a sip from the cup before him. "I have been thinking about that group, the Way of Athamos. I must admit, they are an organisation I have not heard of within occult circles. That is not a strange thing, as there are many groups and cults out there in the world operating."

I nodded at his words, letting him continue.

"I have spent the last few months establishing myself here in my new home to think about this organisation. It was only a few hours ago that I realised that I might have an answer for you."

"Oh. Whether that be?"

"A contact of mine out east in New York is a collector of rare occult tomes. Early last year, I received a message from him informing me that he had recently acquired a copy of a very rare book, and he was most proud of it. Liber Societatum Occultaeum."

"The book of hidden… Societies?"

"Correct, Keeper." He smiled at my ability to translate Latin even as severely as it was. I was pretty surprised to be able to grasp so much Latin. "The book lists many hidden groups and cults. If this 'Way of Athamos' is a true society of the occult and magic, then they would be listed within it."

"Why is the book so hard to find?"

"As you would suspect, most groups like to remain hidden and mysterious. A basic guide to them all was not well-received. The author was slain and most of the copies destroyed."

"Will he part with it?"

"He might." He frowned at my question. "I had envisioned just asking him. I could send him a missive that he would respond to, and if the information were present, he would supply it to us."

"What would the cost be to acquire the book. Such a tome might be more valuable to us in the long run."

"I doubt he would part with it willingly or for a small sum." He continued frowning, thinking about the problem and any possible solutions. "I have some social leverage over him, but a financial incentive would be needed."

"When the snow clears, reach out to him and find out."

"I understand, Keeper."

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