The Malevolent Witch: The Book of Khayin Volume 1

by Matt Gross

  “Hey, Snuggly Bear. What took you so long? You hookin' up with that foxy witch? You need to go for that honey or I will. You two would be great together.”

  “Codex,” Kira whimpered.

  “You could be like Batman and a really hot Robin, though you two look nothing like those two, but still. I called to check in and give you an update of what I found out. Sorry it took so long, I am soooo swamped and Tao has been demanding more attention, which I only allow her to do. It is kinda sexy letting her be all alpha.”

  “Codex,” she said a bit more loudly.

  “Those Chicago punks have been asking around about you and your girl. Oh, I should be a bit more respectful. My mother tells me I can be so disrespectful sometimes and I told her I would work on that. Like whatever. How is Kira anyway, I hope you are being a gentleman. Why do men find it so difficult to be gentlemen? They all demand respect, then they treat women like meat, but I know you wouldn't do that. I...”

  “CODEX!” Kira screamed.

  “Kira, darling, why are you answering the phone? Where is Khayin?”

  “I killed him,” she sobbed.

  Chapter 19 The Calling

  Kira started to hyperventilate. The events over the last few days were overwhelming, the total recall of the death of Quinn her first love and now Khayin. The slaughter of her entire tribe, oddly became second to the death of Khayin. She felt strongly for him, but really hadn’t realized it until she saw his lifeless form. She wanted to meditate, but she had Codex on the communicator.

  “Whoa! OK. What happened? No never-mind. If it was intentional you wouldn't have picked up the phone. OK, don't panic.” Codex tried to calm her.

  “Don't panic? I killed him. My only friend in the fucking world and I killed him,” she shouted.

  “Breathe, Kira,” Codex said with a soothing voice.

  There was silence for a minute. “I killed him,” she whimpered. Her voice was so low it could barely be called a whisper.

  “OK,” Codex began, “Kira, I need you to listen to me.” Kira said nothing. “Good. Now I can help you, but you have to trust me. Can you do that?”

  “Yes,” she whispered and nodded.

  “Good. What actually killed him?”

  “What?! Why does that matter? I...” Kira was in shock.

  “Kira!” Codex snapped. “You said you'd trust me.”

  Kira sniffled. “He was impaled by a wooden stake.”

  “How large was the stake? Did it pierce his heart? Or is the heart completely gone?”

  Kira was aghast. “Codex!”

  “Kira,” her voice was smooth as silk.

  “Sorry,” she replied. “The stake was about three inches in diameter. Without digging around in his chest,” please don't ask me to do that, “I can't say for certain, but at the angle of the stake and where it exited I'd say there was some left. Does it matter?”

  “A little, just on how long it will take.” Codex said.

  “How long what will take?” Kira asked in confusion.

  “How long it will take for him to resurrect.”

  “Resurrect? On his own? How is that possible?” She was even more confused. “My sister Brianna was the only one of us in over a century that was blessed with that gift, but she wouldn't have been able to do it to herself. She could only bring others back from death. How is this possible?”

  “Very good questions, darling. I'm going to let Khayin answer those.” Kira's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and questions. “I do ask one tiny favor from you, darling, and I'd hate to do this to you, but there's only one answer I'll accept.”

  “OK,” Kira said with hesitancy.

  “Can you keep a secret?” Codex asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Keep this one. You are among a very short list of people who know this about Khayin. A vindictive god once sealed him in a tomb for years without food and water. He died and came back many times over before he freed himself. There are worse things than death and Khayin has made more than a few enemies in his life.”

  “But, how? How does he resurrect?” Kira was fascinated, which made for an odd pairing with the grief.

  “He's cursed,” Codex said plainly.

  “Cursed? Who cursed him?”

  Codex sighed. “Khayin is very old. And these are things I'm sure he'll be happy to fill you in on, but right now is not good. The juice on that phone isn't going to last and I still need to talk to him. Also, it needs to get the two of you back here. I'm going to have to say goodbye for now, OK?”

  “OK,” Kira said.

  “Kira?”

  “Yeah.”

  “It wasn't your fault. Shit happens. He'll understand.” Kira could tell Codex was trying to reassure her.

  “OK.”

  “Khayin will probably be out for an hour or so, give or take. If you have to go do something, don't feel bad leaving him. He'll be fine. Just leave the phone on him. I'm usually the first person he calls when he wakes after dying. I've got to go.”

  “Bye, Codex.”

  “I'll see you soon, darling.” The line went dead.

  Kira placed the phone onto Khayin's stomach. She stroked his arm gently and then she rose. Tears and soot smeared her face. She wiped her nose with the bottom of her shirt, took one last look at her friend and marched off into the woods.

  The cave to the Dragon-Mother wasn't far and she ran into more than a few dead. Seems my sisters tried to stop Brianna. The cave’s mouth was a clutter of corpses. It took effort to tiptoe around them. The causes of death seemed to be more of the same she had seen back in the village: burnt, mutilated, and some just shot from bow, dart or bullet.

  The bodies became fewer the further into the cave she went. She bent down and plucked a torch from a corpse and lit it with a little firestarter cantrip. The torch lit up in a bright blue flame illuminating the cavern. She got a sense of deja vu. Kira hadn't been here since her Gnoxel and back then she was dropped into a random cave in the dark. The familiarity didn't stop the tinge of fear that crept up her spine.

  The cave was more linear than she remembered. Is the Dragon-Mother leading me? What did mother call her? Lilith? The path led her to a chamber, and she realized she remembered this from her Gnoxel. The high ceiling had the same luminescence from the moss and plant life. She heard the faint sound of dripping water and an old musty smell. She walked further in.

  The blue flame of the torch revealed more of the cavern than she had seen on her last visit. On the far side she saw a pool of a black tar-like substance. The pool started to bubble before something began to emerge. First a human head rose from the depths, as shoulders followed, and then a female torso, until the whole being was hovering above the pool. The inky, black liquid dripped from the naked form of a woman. Her eyes opened.

  The glowing yellow eyes stared straight through Kira. She recognized those eyes. The woman remained silent and the two of them kept their gazes fixed. Kira was nervous. She felt the tiny hairs on her arms rise. She could feel the power radiating off this woman. This was Lilith, the Dragon-Mother.

  “Kira'Tal,” the voices purred. “Have you come to subdue me, or are you here to sate mine hunger?”

  “I know your name,” she said confidently ignoring the question.

  “I've had many, of which do you speak?”

  “Lilith.”

  “Ah, yes.” She paused, as if in some deep thought. “Are you the last?”

  That stung. Am I really the last?

  “You truly are, daught'r of the dragon.” The voices were soft. “The unforeseen has happened.”

  “And you did nothing. You hid in your hole and ignored the slaughter of my sisters? What kind of monster are you? You let your followers meet their end. Why?” Kira was angry and that fueled her courage.

  “My time is done. Yours is anon. You will lead thy sisters to a new age.” Lilith floated to the ground before the pool and touched softly down. Her slick body glistened in the torch light.

  “Didn'
t you hear me? Everyone is dead. You said it yourself. There is no one to lead anywhere.” What world is this thing on?

  The Dragon-Mother was silent for a while. “Recent events have changed the fortunes. What lies ahead is yours to forge.”

  This isn't making sense. Why would mother send me here? This being is so far gone, I don't even think she knows what plane she is on.

  “The Fates have decid'd. Thy sisters have outlived their usefulness. You will choose a new path. What will you choose?”

  “I don't understand. What do you mean?” Kira was nearly pleading.

  “This is a new age. The old gods have returned to find their people scattered and worshiping new gods. Thy sister Brianna aligned herself with these old gods for power at the cost of her people. You have prevented that from coming to fruition,” she explained.

  “How did I stop it? What am I supposed to do?”

  “You are alive. The deal she struck requires you dead. You can run, or you can face her. The choice is yours. How shall you choose?”

  “I can't run.” Her words were spoken to the floor.

  “Then come. Wade in my pool. Wade in the blood of chaos and be born anew; be born the Dragon-Mother.” Lilith waded into the pool. She stopped in the middle and turned to face Kira.

  “One last bit of counsel. The one you travel with. He is crucial to thy success. You need to convince him,” Lilith said.

  “Khayin? What do you know of him?” Maybe I can get answers from her?

  “He is old. He has the means to kill gods. He will be invaluable.”

  “But, what do you know about him?” She wanted answers.

  “Enough to know you can trust him and he has nay love for the gods. The rest you will have to find out on thy own. Now come.”

  Lilith raised a hand, the nail on her index finger grew into a talon and she slit her own throat. Her blood flowed freely like a rushing river. Kira gasped, watching in horror as the life drained from Lilith and into the pool. She felt Lilith's magic pour from her veins and merge with the black liquid in the basin.

  By the goddess what just happened? She called me the Dragon-Mother and killed herself. I don't understand.

  “Come,” came the voices of Lilith in her mind.

  She hesitated, not entirely sure what to do. Am I to become the Dragon-Mother? This doesn't make any sense.

  “Come,” came the voices again, but this time she didn't hear Lilith. She heard the voices of her ancestors.

  Kira stripped her clothing. She stepped into the pool and completely submerged herself. She heard voices, many voices. Too many to count. Too many to understand. Her blood began to run hot. The magic pumped through her veins. She could feel it course through her, revitalizing and consuming her. The power was almost too much, and she felt as if she were going to lose control. Her ancestors pulled and tugged, trying to drag her further in. She could feel hands groping, nails biting into her flesh. This was the test of the Crone she realized, but something more, much more. These weren't just souls of initiates, they were powerful souls. Souls that would have become the Crone. She started to panic, trying frantically to swim to the surface of the pool; she tried to break free from the grasping hands.

  Is this what Lilith did? Does she consume all of our unworthy? Will she consume me? No! This will not happen to me.

  She stopped her struggle, calmed her breathing and meditated. She was stronger than the magic. She was the Crone. She was the Dragon-Mother. She would prevail. She realized in that moment that the magic wasn't trying to subdue her, but strengthen her. Her ancestors had accepted her. The energy and power was bright, a display of colors and of none. It was loud, as if all the creatures of the island cried out at once, and it felt cold and hot at the same time, but Kira remained in control.

  Kira awoke lying in the fetal position naked and clean at the bottom of a dried basin. Her breathing was slow and her skin tingled with magic. She could hear her ancestors in the depths of her mind. Kira sensed the whole of the island, and felt as the animals slowly returned to their homes. She could sense no other human life, not even Khayin. She should have been overwhelmed from her new sensations, but she was somehow content.

  She climbed out of the basin and redressed. Kira could see clearly now, like a dozen torches lit the cavern. She noticed a nook in the far wall, and closer examination revealed another room. A real room. It was totally furnished, as if it was in a wealthy nobleman's home. She stepped inside.

  In the room's center was a circular bed. On three of the four walls hung elaborate tapestries with images of wars, dragons, and humanoid beings with wings. Half of the winged people had wings of feather while the other half looked like a bat's. The fourth wall had a mural that depicted a garden. It was the most beautiful garden she had ever seen. Two people, a man and a woman, stood in the garden next to a large tree that seemed to be the focal point of the mural. She stood entranced. It took her a few moments to pull herself away.

  She walked around the room and found a door behind one of the tapestries. In the second room were several tables. Each table had a different set of tools--tools for all known magical talents. On one wall she saw a large book case. She looked over the books and found that most were books of history and lore. Others she found were old journals of Lilith's.

  In a display case next to the book shelves was a large opened book. The pages were yellowing with age and the text was written in a language she didn't understand. Khayin's glasses would help right about now. She opened the case. She was half afraid that exposure to the air may cause the book to fall apart, but the other half was too excited to care. To her amazement the book did not disintegrate; in fact it looked and felt very sturdy. She picked it up. The cover was made from some sort of skin, of what she wasn't entirely sure and part of her didn't really want to find out. With the book in her hands the script became legible. She started to read.

  This is Lilith's grimoire.

  Chapter 20 The Curse

  Nothingness. A void. Complete utter darkness. Silence. Khayin couldn't even hear his own breathing. Was he breathing? It was disorienting, floating in the emptiness, no up or down. If he were alive he'd be vomiting from the dizzying sensation. But no, Khayin was dead, again. The curse. An event to relive again and again, only to forget upon resurrection, for eternity. No way to grow numb.

  A room slowly took shape around him. He awoke and was tied tightly to a chair. Khayin's weary eyes took stock of the room he found himself in. There was only one large room with cloth that partially segregated a bed. He sat facing the bed. There was a ladder that led to a small loft. In the corner was a stove and table. Fruits and vegetables hung from the ceiling. Chests rested at the foot of the bed and under the shuttered window. The room was sparsely decorated. Two paintings hung from the walls, one depicting the landscape and the other of his family--he, his wife and their daughter.

  Shock and panic overrode him when he finally realized he was in his own home. He fidgeted, trying to get his hands free. That was when he realized his feet were tied to the chair as well. He began to sweat. There was a rag or something in his mouth, and he tasted blood. His muscles tensed and he began to shake. What is happening? He struggled, and with more tugging at the ropes around his hands, pain shot through his arms. The ropes dug deep and started to tear and burn away flesh. He screamed, but it only sounded like a whimper.

  Khayin smelled rosemary and sage. His wife Rebekah loved the scent. There were candles aflame, illuminating the shuttered home. Rebekah and Adelaide were at the market; Khayin was alone. He had been attacked in the garden, but by whom? With a swift blow to the head, he was out before he could see his attackers. The front door of his home crashed open, a flood of blinding sunlight assaulting his eyes. A group of men entered, all armed with clubs and knives made of wood and bone.

  There were six that he could see and a seventh that stayed in the shadows and out of full view. Their clothes were dirty and their faces haggard. One had a scar across his left cheek. The
y rooted through the kitchen and began to pour themselves mugs of his mead. A few sat around his table. They were waiting. Waiting for his family to return.

  Panic rose again. He twisted and pulled against his bonds, only to result in making him bleed even more. He ignored the pain as his adrenaline started to pump through him. A short stocky man approached him and hit him hard in the nose. Blood flowed immediately, and Khayin stopped struggling.

  The door opened again and Rebekah was the first to walk through. The large man with the scar violently grabbed her arm. She yelped in pain as Scar dragged her to the bed. Her struggles only made it worse. She tried to pull herself free, ripping the sleeve of her dress in the process. That's when she caught Khayin's eyes. They were pleading with him. She opened her mouth to speak, only to be slapped hard across the mouth. She cried out and fell onto the bed; blood trickled from her lips. Her eyes only briefly left Khayin as she recoiled from the blow.

  Adelaide ran into the house closely behind her mother, her blonde pigtails bouncing. “Mommy!” she cried. She was eight and their only child.

  The stocky man blocked Adelaide before she could reach her mother. The little girl screeched when she saw Khayin, her tiny hands covered her mouth. The stranger knelt down and tried to grab the girl, but she wiggled free and ran for Khayin.

  “Papa!” she cried. She almost made it to Khayin, but was intercepted by the stocky man who moved faster than what Khayin would have imagined. Khayin tugged again, drawing more blood and pain.

  “Adelaide!” Rebekah screamed. “Leave my baby alone.” She sat up to get off the bed and was slapped again. Her moans on top of Adelaide's cries were too much for Khayin to bear.

  He struggled in his chair, trying to pull his arms free. The bonds just seemed to get tighter. Scar leaned in over Rebekah, tearing her dress and exposing her breasts. He lifted her skirt. She barely moved, nearly unconscious from the last blow. Khayin could see her breathing had slowed. His heart pounded and his stomach churned for what he dreaded was about to happen. Scar loosened his breeches and let them drop to the floor. Khayin closed his eyes.