The Grimm Brothers Part II

“Reginald Bluthund, I see” Aether pronounced, attempting an intelligent voice “No actually, I don’t see at all, someone explain to me?”
“I do believe” Interjected Garmand, annoyingly “That this fellow would request your patronage”
“Yes, thank you Garmand” Nether replied coolly, He had had quite enough of the prude financier. “Well then Aether, I suppose we pay him a visit.”
Nether strode out of the building, not feeling a need to acknowledge Garmand, Aether followed quickly behind with a chirpy “Seeya!”

Nether waited until they got in the car before he spoke.
“Aether, This could be one of two things, either our big break, or, More likely, a trap.”
“But brother, What makes you think it’s a trap?”
“Simple, people haven’t seeked us out before, and we haven’t done anything to make them start now.”
“Ooh, what if this man was related to one of the Black Hound Bandits? And he’s like, seeking us out to enact his revenge?”
“Either way Brother, it would be a trap.” Nether looked in the rear-view mirror, dirt smeared his face,  fleck of splattered blood showing that he was dirty from a fight, not just some kind of tumble.
“Although, we do need to clean up a bit beforehand, if this fellow is as fancy as his card suggests” Nether shuddered at the thought, he disliked anyone who thought money gave them power, especially if they did nothing to earn the money.
“That’s true brother, you do look like crap” Nether turned to look at him and shook his head, Aether laughed.

They drove out of the darker suburbs, and into the nicer parts of town, manicured lawns, neat gardens, uniform houses. They came to a high rise apartment block, sticking out like a sore thumb in the crowd, it was first of many planned. They parked in the underground car-park, got out and took the elevator to the top floor, on the way, Aether chatted at Nether about how he liked Elevator music, Nether looked at his brother and smiled. He never stopped amazing him, between them they had killed scores of men, their deaths fuelling their own necromancy, and they had seen horrors committed while hunting down murderers. Yet here was Aether chatting away about elevator music.  Nether laughed to himself. Noticing this, Aether questioned him “What’s so funny Brother?”
“Nothing Little Brother” Nether replied with a grin.
Aether thought to himself, “My brother can sure be weird sometimes.”

They reached to top floor, and stepped into a narrow corridor, furnished with bare cream walls and lush Blood-red carpet. Opposite them was a massive door, their front door.
“After you” Aether motioned to his brother with a grin. They never got tired of their door, custom made and magically sealed, only two necromancers could open it.
Nether pulled out and extended his staff, the blades glowing black as the shadowy tendrils fell from them. He spun around, spinning the staff around him and plunged it into a slot in the door, Behind him, Aether unhooked his crossbow, and fired a shadowy bolt directly at his brother. Halfway before impact it split, into twelve smaller shards, embedding themselves into the door, the same positions as a clock. Nether twisted his staff and the door swung open.

Aether turned to his brother. “I love our door” He said, a huge smile spreading from cheek to cheek. They both walked inside and collapsed on the couch inside their luxurious apartment with a sigh. Then suddenly, Aether jumped up, running into the bathroom shouting “I call first shower!”

Nether smiled, that boy will never get any older. He looked around him, taking in the apartment. The same red carpet from in the hall could be seen here, but the walls instead of the cream as outside were painted a deep complimentary brown, with the trimming on the few windows a rich gold. Their hardly used kitchen was spotless, as usual, its marble benches gleaming. Nether felt pride as he looked around, he and his brother had worked for the money to pay for this.

- Tyler Morrisson 31st March 2011

The Grimm Brothers Part I

Nether pulled his staff from the final bandit, frowning as it got caught on his tough leather armour.
“Well that was fun” His brother chirped in.
“You might call it that.” Nether responded, looking at his brother and retracting his staff and sliding it onto his belt. He knelt down to retrieve something from the body and wrapping it in a fold of dark cloth he pulled from one of his many pockets. “Let’s go” He said turning to leave.

“Hey Brother?” Aether said, always inquisitive.
“Yes Aether?” Came the reply.
“I was thinking, when are we going to get out of this contract work, I mean it’s just too easy.”
Nether turned to look at his brother, covered in blood and sweat from their fight he looked horrible, his jet black hair even messier in his ponytail than usual, yet despite all this, that same quirky grin he had always had was fixed on his lips.
“Only you Brother, Would want to quit a job because the work is too easy”
“Y’know me, always looking for a challenge, up and ready for a fight” At this, He ran up beside Nether, miming a fisticuff with an invisible opponent. This managed to cause Nether to crack one of his rare smiles.

“How did I ever get stuck with you?” He asked.
“Well you see,” Aether eagerly responded, raising up his two pointer finger to act as puppets. “When a man meets a woman, and they love each other very much…”
“Alright alright, I get it.”
By this time they had reached Nether’s car, a black 1960’s Corvette, in perfect condition. He looked at it admiringly, as he did every time he saw it; they walked up and got in. They drove in relative silence, with Aether humming a small diddy. They passed through the countryside, And into more populated areas, until eventually they were back In Dublin. Nether drove carefully, as he always did, Down some less respectable streets in the darker parts of town, or that is how they seemed to those not in the know. In reality the streets were filled with mages, and all kinds of creatures, cloaked by magic. They pulled up outside a no descript brownstone building, the only markings a small brass sign saying is cursive script:

Garmand and Co

To outsiders, this building is known as the home to the rather unsuccessful Lawyer’s Firm, Garmand and Co, However it is actually the least known, but best, mercenary trade-post in Dublin. The Grimm Brothers entered the building, the door opening with the jingle of a small bell. Upon arrival they were immediately Greeted by Mr Edmund Garmand, Financeer and Owner, as his nameplate so proudly proclaimed.

“You have returned, and so fast I might add” Garmand said to the brothers, his slight lisp irritating Nether, as it always has.
“We have indeed, Here is the proof of contract” Nether said handing him the clothed wrapped package. Meanwhile, his brother casually wandered the foyer, examining everything as if he had never been here before, despite this being his 50^th visit exactly.

Garmand un-wrapped the package revealing strip of leather the size of his palm patched with the initials of B. H. B. on a ribbon, with a black furred wolf backing it. It was the insignia for the Black Hound Bandits, now all deceased.

“I see, thank you very much” He said, pocketing the insignia, and opening the nearby briefcase. “So that was £2000,” He said, handing a wad of cash to Nether, “It has been a pleasure doing business with you both”“Are there any other contracts?” Nether asked, hating to be left with nothing to do.
“Not at the moment, a man by the name of..” At this he paused checking his ever present notebook “Vicarius Splay, just picked up my last one, However this did come for you” He told Nether, Pulling a Thick black envelope from an inner pocket in his coat and handed it to the older Grimm Brother.
At this Aether’s ears perked up and he dived for the envelope, intercepting it and tearing it open, from inside a Black business card fell out. He picked it up, on it was simply written in fine gold print.

Tyler Morrisson Sunday, 26th March 2011

Thought I would begin

Today, I plan to start my Skulduggery Pleasant Short Story, It shall be a tale of two necromancer brothers, Nether and Aether Grimm.

Nether is, contradictory to his name, a very serious fellow, With short dark hair, a stern mouth and a level head, he is the older of the two brothers with his necromantic powers imbued in a Extendible Blade-staff.

His brother is practically his polar opposite, Wielding a collapsible crossbow, he is constantly happy, always making jokes, and playing the optimist, His keeps his long hair back in a loose ponytail, and is rarely found without some kind of grin on his face.

Despite their personalities, they are closer then many would think, always watching each others back, they have been working as mercenaries ever since they both left their Temple, some 40 years ago. Both are very competent necromancers, wielding their imbued weapons with a long accustomed ease.

Sound good?

-Tyler