Chapter #5
Jack awoke later with the odd feeling someone was watching him. The feeling crawled up his spine, and into his skull, until he was forced to look up. He didn't see who it was at first, for the person there was in a shadow, but the memory of the elf, hidden in a shadow mind you, flashed through Jack's mind until he was sitting up in a panic.
"Do not be afraid. I'm here to help." The voice was male. This too was an elf. His voice was reassuring, and Jack soon realized he meant what he'd said. "Where is the Wolf you spoke with yesterday?" Jack stared at him.
"What Wolf? Do you mean the portrait?" The elf's voice suddenly got cold.
"No. I'm talking about the ink on your sleeve." Jack involuntarily glanced at his sleeve to see if something was there. As far as he saw, there was nothing except the black and white pinstripes. "No!! No no!! Of course I mean the portrait! Who else?"
Jack flushed. The elf suddenly laughed, aware of how utterly odd it was to see a skeleton flush red in his cheekbones. This made him watch Jack more closely, and he even started to show hints of wanting to be friends. "I'm Clarion. And I take it you're the famous Jack Skellington." He bowed before Jack in a way that made him smile.
"Everyone seems to know me. The Wolf told me part of my fortune, some of which the elf queen never told me... And what's the riddle mean?" Clarion smiled.
"You will have to figure that out yourself. Perhaps you already have?" Jack shook his head. "No? Wasn't there a name on the stone behind you? Something about Otis Andrews? I know you saw it Jack. Jack turned around. Sure enough, the memory flooded back to him.
"I'm sorry, I don't remember anything right now... Can you explain something to me? Why is everyone so interested in what is to happen to me? It's my future after all. Why does anyone care? What is supposed to happen to me?!" Clarion grimaced.
"Everyone here knows what is to happen to you Jack, and no one speaks for your own safety. When your time comes, you will know. That's all I can tell you. And when this occurs, you will wish you never stepped foot in this begotten place. The Town of 1,000 Sorrows is a cursed land, and few ever find it. But you... You're in the historical archives, and the prophecies! I don't understand how that is possible, but you had best get out of here as fast as you can, or else you're going to fall into a large hole, and you can't climb back out."
Clarion's example gave him chills. Again. Jack was so used to hearing this by now, that he knew whatever happened to him here, it wasn't anything good. So why dwell on it? Because he wanted to know exactly what, that's why! Clarion was no real help at all, and Jack was getting to be a little frustrated. However, an idea came to him. What if Clarion came with Jack to do some things, and get him out of here?"
"The portrait is in the hallway. I'll take you." Jack said, getting back on topic. "But first, you have to help me find the second part of the riddle." Clarion smiled devilishly. He knew Jack's plan. He was an elf, not a dwarf. He was a little smarter than that.
"Sorry Jack. I know where the Wolf is, you just need to come with me." He got Jack around his shirt collar, and dragged him out of the courtyard, away from the fountain, and into the hall with the Wolf on the wall. The Wolf wasn't in the picture. "Where are you?" Clarion boomed. "I know you're in there you scoundrel! The queen has words for you!"
The first thing that ran through Jack's mind, was that the Wolf had been caught by the queen and punished for telling him a little about his future. The second thing that came to mind, was that maybe the Wolf escaped the picture, and fled. Both of these evaporated when the Wolf came back into view, with a sleeping cap on his head. Much like the one Jack used.
He gave a mighty yawn. "What?!" He roared. Clarion glared back up at him. The Wolf looked back down. "I didn't do anything Clarion, so... Why is Jack with you?" The Wolf gave a startled yelp at seeing Jack so close to this maniac. "Get away from him!"
Jack stared in disbelief, as Clarion took a knife to the portrait. It struck the canvas, only inches from where the Wolf was really standing. He moved aside just in time to miss a rip in his chest. Clarion smiled grimly. "He's coming with me. You know the rules, Wolf. You speak to no one. Not even your own mother. And since you broke that rule, you will be punished. However, not by me." The queen elf stepped out of a shadow behind Jack, foreshadowing him, and making him part of her.
"Hello my friend." Jack backed up against the wall where the Wolf's portrait was. The Wolf gave Jack a mournful look, and bowed his head in shame. Jack looked sympathetically up at him. His punishment would be great. But not as bad as what would happen to Jack. At this point, he didn't even realize what would happen, but the Wolf did, and that's why he was too busy worrying about Jack than himself.
"I should have said nothing..." Jack put a bony hand where the Wolf's heart would have been if he were a real live Blade Wolf.
"I'm glad you told me what you did. Trust me." The Wolf smiled a little wolf smile, and watched as Jack's expression turned sour. He turned back to the queen elf. "What do you want from me, and what do you plan to do to him?"
She chuckled. "Do you not know my name, Sir Skellington?" Jack shook his head, and put his hands to his head. He didn't want to know. "Seralicore. Queen Seralicore." Jack removed his hands. He'd heard, even though he didn't want to. The name! Ser-al-i-core... What an awful sound that made...
"I don't know what you plan to do to me, but..." His words were cut off as the castle in which they stood began to quake, and break apart. Debris fell from the ceiling, and the walls began to crumble. All Jack saw of the Wolf portrait, was a large chunk of steel slice it down the middle.
