Luck Of The Claw - Episode 8.

- Episode 8 -

The very ground itself shook as Baron Samael's voice echoed like thunder. "What do you mean you didn't bring me everything you fools?" He was genuinely furious, so much so that the stone tower was threatening to come crashing down. All his plans, all those years of carefully positioning everything could be ruined.

"Tell me again, you ignorant wretches, what is the fate of the key? Where is it right now?" the Baron asked them while still rubbing at his forehead.  Sheepishly, Thatch was the first to open his mouth. "Uhm, gee Baron, there wasn't any keys that we found. I looked over everything real good, and I couldn't find anything that looked like a key at all."

After a moment Cobble decided to add to the explanation as well. "Yeah, Baron, we did toss a few pieces of junk out for you though. But it was only a blank old book and some other stuff that we left in the woods. We figured you would be proud of us, wasn't that smart of us? Huh, Baron?" Before the Baron could even turn on his heel to gaze at his blundering minions, Thatch had already nudged Cobble for mentioning it.

"A book you say? You complete blunder-heads! Was I not crystal clear? Did I not give you the utterly simplest of instructions? You were to go there and recover every single thing and return to me with all of it. And what of my crow? Why wasn't I even informed to expect your return, as instructed?" By now even Thatch and Cobble could feel the power that was hanging in the air as it built upon the Baron's rage.

"It was killed by a starving hunter, Baron," Thatch scrambled to explain. Cobble opened his mouth to protest but Thatch quickly stomped on his foot to try and mask his cohorts objection. "After we obtained your items we were set upon by an armed hunter who took us by surprise. We barely made it out of there with anything but he managed to strike the bird with a lucky arrow." Desperately Thatch prayed the Baron believed the tale, that and that Cobble had just enough sense left to keep his own mouth firmly shut on the matter. This could very well be the only chance they had to not end up as specimens in a jar, or worse.

The Baron's mind raced and riddled over his next course of action. These two might have just completely destroyed all his plans in a single moment of stupidity. But then again, he had chosen them for the task but he was never one to let blame set on his shoulders. There was always the chance that this whole matter might still be salvaged. Perhaps the book was still safely setting within the forest and had yet to be found by anyone else.

"I shall spare your miserable lives but know this; your fates are now bound to my plans. Should they fail me even in the slightest the both of you can be assured to feel the full measure of my displeasure." A voice from deep with Baron Samael warned him that this wasn't a good idea. Both Thatch and Cobble had screwed things up terribly so far, odds were they would only make matters worse.

However, he really didn't have too many other disposable assets to send forth at the moment. Plus, only these two maggots for brains knew where they had left the book. A second thought occurred to him before sending them on their way. "Do make certain that should the book not be where you claim then it might be wise to not return until you locate it. And if it has fallen into another's hands, then do whatever necessary to recover it."

Emerald flames burned behind the Baron's eyes as he peered straight through Thatch and Cobble. "Bring back that book - no matter what it takes!" Neither of the two waited to be asked if they understood, it was obvious to them both. They both scurried down the tower as fast as their feet could carry them.