End times: a Gabriel Knight mystery
Chapter 7
by AGM, published on March 19, 2002
Gabriel drove his rent-a-car right up to the gates of the monastery and got out.
It was an impressive site. And it had an even more impressive history. While Gabriel had been flying out there he had used Sidney to check out information on the structure and the place where Grace had been staying.
The monastery was an ancient structure. It had stood for three hundred years and apparently had been used as protection in all sorts of sieges, wars, and asylum for all sorts of denizens of the law. Also, its reform record for these people was amazing as almost all criminals who came seeking refuge either joined the order of the monks there and became one of them, repented for their crimes and went to face their punishment, or went back into society totally different citizens, with true purposes.
And of course, that purpose usually always led to demon hunting.
That was the other weird thing about this place. It was practically a Schattenjäger training ground. They somehow were able to teach people how to combat evil such as this without conventional means, weapons, or techniques.
Gabriel could see how Grace would have definitely ended up here. This is the kind of place he knew she would have forced him to go if she had stayed with him. She’d have given him a whole big speech on how it would help him, and make him a better Schattenjäger, and that he had to take his role as one seriously now. Thinking about that just made him annoyed as it always did.
But it also made him miss it like hell.
The first few monks he encountered he questioned about Grace but they didn't seem to speak English.
“Gotdammit!” Gabriel said venting. “This damn compound is huge. Sooner or later someone will inquire with the upper ups about a crazy white male looking for an Asian female but this is damned ridiculous. Where the hell is she?”
He walked around some more slowly getting more and more lost as he traversed the grounds.
Eventually, tired from trying to make people who spoke no English understand him, getting pointed by those same people farther and father away from the main building, and finally exhausted from just walking he sat down on the ground under a tree next to a sleeping monk.
No sooner did he sit the monk eyes opened and looked at him. They looked him up and down his body before coming to rest on Gabriel’s talisman.
“You see the woman Grace, do you not?” The monk asked.
“Yes, how did you know,” Gabriel asked astonished at the dumb luck of finally finding an English speaking monk in the middle of no where. “You wouldn't believe the afternoon I've been having. I've been looking everywhere! And I think she may be…”
“In danger? Yes, so I've heard. Miss Nakimura’s encounter has caused quite the uproar in our little community. Many of our Western guests have decided to leave and return home. I do not blame though. This is a bit more “knowledge” then they hoped to attain in their first pilgrimages.”
Gabriel nodded and tried to cut the man off. “That’s great….Mr…whatever your name is. But I need to find Grace, if you could point me too her, or tell her Gabriel is here or…”
“Chadrel!” A voice called. “I didn't see anyone down by the road. Are you sure you didn't…”
Gabriel’s head snapped immediately and he stood up.
The voice was Grace’s.
She walked up slowly over the hill, looking back and forth surveying the area. Her head also snapped towards Chadrel and Gabriel when she saw that Chadrel wasn't alone.
She squinted her eyes and brought her hands up to block the sun from her eyes. The blond hair, the awkward stance, and the glint coming from his chest. A glint that could only be from one medallion…
But there was no “Gone with The Wind” type moment. No running into each others arm’s to share a passionate embrace. Just silence. A long, awkward silence, in which neither of them knew where to begin.
There was so much Gabriel’s had wanted to say to her. Like how he’d missed her, like how she had hurt him so badly, and how he had been lost for months without her in that big, lonely castle.
And she wanted to say much to him. To say that she missed him, and Gerde, and Mosely and wanted to help them again and be with them. So she could feel safe again.
Gabriel cleared his throat and steeled his nerves. He flashed Grace a nervous smile.
“Hiya Gracie,” he said. “Read any good books lately?”
She smiled back at him, and then fell into him crying. He hugged her close and began to pat her back.
“I know Gracie. I know. I missed you too.”
Last update: October 24, 2007
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