“You...you…,” A faint voice said behind Lucuris.
Lucuris could barely hear the voice calling out. It was so low and faint, but it also made his skin crawl. He turned around and saw a lady just standing there, in front of him, just standing with her head cocked to one side. She seemed to be hurt, by the way her clothes were cut. Blood was dripping down her arms and legs, bruises were all over her. But all she was doing was staring into Lucuris’s eyes as devilish smile began to cross her face.
“Hey lady, you ok?” Lucuris asked the lady as he started walking closer to her. He could feel something was off, he didn’t know if this lady was homeless, or if she was high off some sort of drug, or just unstable. He didn’t want to just grab her, and probably startle her. But he also didn’t want to get hurt himself by a mysterious woman, but she looked badly injured by whatever happened to her.
“You...You,” The lady said as her voice started to become higher and more aggressive.
Lucuris kept walking closer, and closer to the lady, and once he got an arm's length to her, the lady began to shiver. She began to whale in a high pitch scream.
“Lady, what is the matter with you. I just want to help you,” Lucuris said to the lady as he grabbed both of her shoulders and tried to calm her down.
The lady then stopped screaming abruptly and looked Lucuris dead in his eyes. Her eyes turned crimson, and her skin was starting to grow warmer and warmer, as fangs started to appear out of her mouth. Her tongue slithering out of it every so often, looking at Lucuris with a wicked smile. “You shall die tonight boy,” The lady said as she made contact with Lucuris’s neck and bit through his skin as if it was nothing.
Lucuris could feel the pain of her teeth, each and every one of them chomping through his skin. It was a pain that he never felt before, and without meaning to he kicked the lady off him. “What the hell are you?” Lucuris said to the lady as he knelt down, placing one hand on the open wound, trying his hardest to stop the bleeding.
“What am I? Boy… I am queen of the damned, the shadow of chaos. I am the woman in pitch black...I have been many women in my time on this plane. But if you truly must know, my name is Amethyst” Amethyst said as the blood on her started to fade, and her cloths began to transform.
“Wait, what is going on? I didn’t do anything,” Lucuris said to Amethyst trying to save all his energy. Lucuris was not able to get up and was hardly able to speak. He could feel his life force slipping away slowly, he didn’t want this to be his last moment, but he couldn’t fight, not at all.
“You have caused trouble for the master...Yes. I came to have some fun. I love the taste of you though, so delicious,” Amethyst said to Lucuris as she began licking her lips tasting his blood.
She wore plain blue jeans and a leather jacket; her hair was spiked and the color red. She looked like an ordinary person, but she was evil, pure evil. Amethyst started to approach Lucuris and then crouched down to his level, examining her work. “So sorry...sometimes I just can’t help myself. You see I’m no demon boy, and you’re no ordinary human,” Amethyst said to Lucuris as she started to dig a finger deep in Lucuris’s wound.
Lucuris could not contain the pain it was so sharp. It felt like knives going thru his muscles and touching his bones. “What do you want?” Lucuris said to Amethyst trying not to cry and beg for mercy.
“Want? I want nothing you see I’m a blood sucker. Made a deal with the master long ago to let me live forever, never thought he’d allow me to cut loose,” Amethyst said to Lucuris as she continued to dig her finger in his wound. She started to laugh and mocked him in his pitiful condition.
Lucuris didn’t want to take this anymore, he couldn’t move. He felt completely helpless. He wished Abigail was here with him, but he was so far away. “I’m sorry...I’m sorry Ab... Abigail,” Lucuris said in a small whisper as he was starting to lose consciousness from all the pain.
“Leave him alone you witch,” A voice said from behind Amethyst, but before she could turn to see who it was, her face connected with a staff.
Lucuris could barely keep his eyes open, but he knew who that was, from that voice. It was Joey, he felt relieved to see him. He wished he could say sorry a thousand times to make things right, but he couldn’t, but here Joey was, saving him once again.
“Don’t worry Lucuris, we’re going to get you out of here,” Joey said to Lucuris as he was dodging Amethyst’s attacks.
“You think you can save this world Mage? You think your magic can stop us. You have no idea what is about to happen, to your world, to your dimension Black Mage,” Amethyst said to Joey as she started to laugh maniacally.
Joey could see that Lucuris was bleeding out, he didn’t have time to fight her. But it seemed that he was on his own. “Just hang in there Lucuris. I’ll take care of this beast and then seal off your wound,” Joey said to Lucuris as he was preparing an attack.
“Wait, Joey...you can’t do this on your own. I can still fight,” Lucuris said to Joey as he was trying to stand up, but then stumbled to the ground feeling lightheaded.
Joey knew that Lucuris was hurt but he didn’t seem to have any other way. He knew that Abigail and the rest of the group should have come with him. But he felt that he could take care of this problem by himself. Joey knew he had to save Lucuris, but the only way he could think of was something maddening, something he never tried before.
“Hold still beast. Light is your weakness, let it in case you,” Joey said out loud as he pointed his staff towards Amethyst and a white light beamed from it. The light prevented Amethyst from moving, and also encased her in an invisible room. She pounded the walls trying to get out and screamed loudly. She was yelling at Joey, telling him all the things she was going to do to him.
Joey knew that his time was limited, and that he only had one shot at this. He needed to save Lucuris since he wasn’t only bleeding out, but the bite mark was infecting him with some sort of curse. “Dammit, she really did a number on you Lucuris, I wasn’t expecting her kind at all,” Joey said to Lucuris as he was placing his hand over the wound.
“Man... I feel sleepy Joey. Feel like resting...sorry man, sorry for being weak,” Lucuris said to Joey in a small whisper as a tear left his eye.
“I’m the one that has to be sorry Lucuris. I never trusted your friends, but I see now this evil, whatever it is, is bigger than me. I have brought you this burden, and I’m not sure how you will carry it,” Joey said to Lucuris as he reached for something within his robe.
Joey then brought out a black crystal in front of Lucuris to see. “This was my fathers. It was one of many that he owned. He always liked to carry spares,” Joey said to Lucuris as he placed the crystal in Lucuris’s hand and helped him hold it shut.
“What’s going on Joey? It feels warm inside my hand,” Lucuris said to Joey as he tried to stay awake.
“You have been thru a transformation my friend. I’m sorry it was so painful for you. But you passed that test, as I’m sure you will pass many others. Come with me my friend and let us fight these demons together. Not as friends, nor brothers...Let us destroy this evil as Black Mages,” Joey said to Lucuris.
At that moment the crystal that was being held close to Lucuris was warming his body up. The black crystal was glowing brighter and brighter. The power of the crystal was intense, it pushed Joey back, away from Lucuris. It then started to let out a black mist that surrounded Lucuris in a shroud of darkness.
“A new era has begun...He may not be as ready as I was to dawn the staff, but he will do,” Joey said to himself as he started to get up with a big smile on his face.
The mist then started to fade from Lucuris. His body no longer injured, no longer bleeding. He was covered in a black trench coat, with a Mage cap like Joey’s. His hands covered in black gloves, and a veil to cover most of his face except revealing his eyes. Lucuris felt like he was dreaming, he could feel the pain go away almost instantaneous. “The power inside me, feels like it’s growing,” Lucuris s
aid in a whisper to himself.
“It was the only way to save you Lucuris. I’m sorry I did it against your will,” Joey said to Lucuris as he started to charge his staff and try to contain Amethyst longer.
“Against my will? No Joey...it is what I always wanted. To be part of something bigger than myself. I may not know much about The Order, or Mage’s, but there is one thing I do know. I must protect this plane, we must protect it,” Lucuris said out loud as he stood up. Lucuris then reached his arm out with his black crystal in hand. The crystal itself was steaming and still letting out black mist.
The crystal itself sprayed out more mist with every passing second until it covered Lucuris’s hand completely. Without thinking Lucuris grabbed within the mist as if he was digging into a cloud. He couldn’t understand how this was possible. “I don’t get it...it’s like I am digging thru nothing but space. Like the crystal opened some portal,” Lucuris said to himself softly as he dug deeper into the portal that was covering his hand.
“You have to find it my friend. Without finding your staff, to harness your crystal, the power of the Mage will not come to you completely. You have to find it Lucuris,” Joey said out loud as the light coming from his staff started to diminish.
“Oh, power running low? hahaha, you think you have this so won. You a Mage who is getting weak, and him the boy...A new Mage, and no way to control himself,” Amethyst said as she started to bang on the invisible walls that were keeping her captive.
“I can’t find anything Joey, all I can feel is nothingness,” Lucuris said out loud turning towards Joey and then seeing him struggle with the barrier. He could see that Joey was giving it his all, and that he was losing.
Joey’s power was fading and quick, he knew that this might be it for them. That the beast, who some refer to as Vampires, or blood suckers would plague the world. Joey could not let that happen to earth, he could not let the evil come forth into the light and reveal itself to the people. “I will not let you leave here alive beast. I will not let evil win over good. You think that we are just puny beings, who fail to see our flaws. But it is you who are blind, who doesn’t see your own flaws,” Joey said to Amethyst giving the barrier all that he had left in his body.
The Crystal in Joey’s staff was starting to fade, and the energy it was outputting was growing weaker. Amethyst was starting to make cracks inside the barrier. She was hungry for blood, and angry that she was captive. “Oh, soon you will be mine Mage, soon you will all die,” Amethyst said to Joey as she slammed her whole body towards one side of the barrier. With her impact and the barrier growing weaker she broke out of it and was falling to the ground, and before she landed face first, wings started to poke out from her back. Dark black glass like wings, the edge of them sharp as razor teeth. Her eyes red of blood, and ready to eat. Amethyst flew towards Joey as fast as she could, with her fangs chomping getting ready to bite down on Joey. “I told you, you were going to die Mage,” Amethyst said out loud as she was charging towards Joey,
Before she could reach Joey though, a large ball of lightning shot out and landed in her chest. Amethyst fell to the ground hard, with parts of her wings shattering. “Wha...What the hell,” Amethyst said out loud looking to both sides of her seeing how damaged her wings were. “My wings, no no no, why them. Who the hell did this to my beautiful wings?” Amethyst said snarling and growling, looking towards Joey’s direction.
“You really should learn to know your enemy,” Lucuris said to Amethyst as he walked past Joey holding his staff out. He could feel the power inside him building, growing stronger. The power that was yearning to get out, and to be unleashed. He could feel the pain and hurt that he had been holding back for all these years, and for the first time he was not weak and looking for help. This time he felt that he was the protector, and he was going to protect everyone.
Chapter 17
The power that was pulsing thru Lucuris’s body was immense. He could feel his muscles tightening, and his energy skyrocketing. “So, this is what I have been missing huh Joey?” Lucuris said to Joey as he looked at Amethyst holding his staff out in front of him.
“Don’t get cocky now Lucuris, the fight has only begun,” Joey said to Lucuris as he was trying to retain some of his energy. Joey knew that he would be useless and could not fight anymore. But he had to guide Lucuris, and make sure he got out of this encounter in one piece.
“You think this is funny? My fucking wings are gone! I will eat both you, your friend, and everyone in this mud ridden town. I will feast upon their bones, and devour them limb, from limb,” Amethyst said to Lucuris as she was getting up from the ground.
Lucuris knew she was serious. He could see the hunger in her eyes, sensing the heat coming off from her body, she was angry, and she wanted him dead. “Come here and take on the main course Amethyst,” Lucuris said as he began to run towards her, holding his staff to the side. “You want to rid us so bad, then do it. Don’t just talk, do something about it,” Lucuris said as he was about to attack the wretched beast, but before he did Amethyst was already behind him.
“Illusions, you think you are my first prey. You don’t know anything about my kind, you Mage,” Amethyst said to Lucuris. She then took her right hand and slashed thru Lucuris’s back with it, imprinting him with her claw marks.
As soon as the claws sank into his skin and tore it in places, he never had pain in, he fell to the floor. “Tricks of the eye…,” Lucuris said to Amethyst trying to get up, and to also forget about the pain in his back.
“Lucuris you have to focus, you can’t just go in there blind,” Joey said to Lucuris as he was crouched down still trying to recover. He knew the kind of monster Lucuris was facing. That the only way to truly beat them is to sharpen your senses, and to not just trust your eyes. He knew the mystical powers that these blood suckers had.
Lucuris went frantic with his attacks swinging his staff trying to connect with her chest or wings, but to no luck. Every time he missed an attack Amethyst took her chance at clawing at him again, and again. She was too quick for him, and he knew it. But he had to keep trying, he had to keep pursuing her. “I don’t care how old you are, how much combat you have been thru. I will never give up,” Lucuris said to Amethyst as he stopped dead in his tracks.
Amethyst saw this time to really attack him. She saw that he was just standing there with his staff in hand, and just concentrating on something. She felt this was foolish that he had given up so easily, and just laid down to die like some sort of run-down dog. “You know your place now huh Mage? You know you can’t beat me. Give in to hopelessness, give in to despair,” Amethyst said to Lucuris as she was cutting the side of Lucuris’s face slowly. As blood started to run down his cheek, she lowered her head down and licked the blood before it hit the ground.
“Within Despair one fines hope. But what do you find? Nothing but darkness, nothing but emptiness,” Lucuris said softly to himself. He then took his staff and put it over his head locking Amethyst’s head close to him. “If you wanted to be so close to me babe, you just had to ask,” Lucuris said to Amethyst as he turned to her, giving her an air kiss.
At that moment the both of them were struggling with each other. Amethyst was clawing at Lucuris trying to bite him anywhere, but she couldn’t get close to him. He knew that he had to do something stupid, he didn’t even know if it would work or not. But he knew that he had to try.
“Lucuris don't worry I’ll end her,” Joey said to Lucuris trying to charge up energy in his staff but getting nothing. He was completely shot and didn’t know what to do. He then grew confused by what he saw, he could see the cuts around Lucuris and the blood coming out, but what he found strange was his friend was smiling. “This isn’t a joking matter brother,” Joey said to Lucuris.
“Sometimes you gotta fall before you learn to fly,” Lucuris said out loud, still keeping Amethyst within his clutches. Lucuris then did a little squat and as he rose, he rose with immense power. He shot out into the sky with Ameth
yst.
“What are you doing, trying to fly? You can’t fly, you know when you fall you will die too. You’re fucking crazy,” Amethyst said to Lucuris as she was trying to break free from him hold.
“That’s the plan beautiful...I’m not going to fly, but neither are you. I’m going to smash you into the ground,” Lucuris said to Amethyst with a smile on his face. He kept rising through the clouds, seeing the buildings within his city growing smaller, and smaller. He felt like he was in a dream, seeing the world in this perspective for the first time. It felt relaxing to him, he felt right being in the sky. But he knew that his time in the sky must also come to an end, for what comes up, always has to come crashing down.
Lucuris began falling from the sky as fast as water flowing down a stream. He didn’t stop or try to slow himself down, he just flew down with no objections. “You know… I kind of lied to you. I can't fly, but I can float,” Lucuris said to Amethyst still holding his staff tightly to keep her from getting free.
“We’re going to die, both of us...You don’t have to do this...Please just let me go. I’ll leave your town, I won't return,” Amethyst said to Lucuris begging for mercy.
The Book of the Magi Page 12