The painting was so skilled and accurate that I almost thought them real enough to touch. I shuddered at the idea that this could actually be based on a truth. An unknown war that humans were utterly oblivious to. The shiny floor looked like liquid and the reflection of the painted heaven gave the marble a bluish tinge making it resemble a lagoon.
Finally, once I had finished looking around my magnificent surroundings, my eyes fell on the imposing figures that were stood around the room like a secret cult meeting. Each one was clothed in red robes that matched Hell’s representation they stood by. My mind counted seventeen red bodies draped from head to foot in blood velvet then followed on as the next set of six bodies wore purple with thick gold symbols at the bottom.
This reminded me of a strange display of the signs of the zodiac combined with ancient runes. These weren’t quite the same as the men who had taken the girl but I soon came across them. My gaze rested at the top of the circle these robed beings had created by where they stood. At the top was a huge stone slab that acted like an altar and it too was covered in carved symbols that matched the robes.
I could feel my sweaty hands slip from the smooth cold marble that I tried to keep hold of. I was far too close now and knew this was very wrong, but my will to turn away, wasn’t half as strong as my will to stay. I bit down on my lip and rolled it back and to, through my teeth. If I hadn’t been here witnessing this cult based nightmare, then I’m sure I would have felt the pain I was causing myself.
Instead I focused all my attention and energy onto the scene that was being played out in front of me like a sadistic opera. The group was clearly waiting for something or more likely someone and I had a sick feeling it was the girl who I had made it my mission to save from her cruel fate.
I didn’t have long to wait for the crescendo as a huge, tall cloaked figure walked out through what looked like a series of guards who bowed respectfully as their Master passed. He dominated the room and like a Mexican wave at a football game, all the robed cult followed suit and fell to their knees. They started the mind numbing chant again, forcing me to place my shaky hands over my ears.
The deafening beat rattled my mind like thousands of war horses charging into battle and I could feel my courage getting beaten with every step. I looked on through a watery glaze and held on with shaky limbs. They all started to sway as the momentum increased into a powerful finish and as before, a great roar projected off the domed roof and echoed about the room, creating a deadly silence that followed. I peered round again to see the leader of this demonic choir hold up his hands as he commanded the rest to stand once more.
His imposing figure wore a black robe that draped long over his face. It was decorated by one large gold symbol, positioned over his chest. It was the same circled symbol that mirrored the stone altar he stood in front of. It reminded me of the different moon cycles all intertwined around a circle with one prominent symbol in the centre. Then it hit me where I had seen that symbol before. I looked down at my palm and saw the half-moon with a V shape attached to it, only now on the altar and robe the V was upright.
The skin had dried blood around the edges but the deep red shape could easily be seen. It was unmistakable. The same symbol was not only on my hand, thanks to that strange vine entrance, but it was also on the back of my neck, under my hairline. Hiding there like a dark secret, waiting until this moment to make its reason known. A birthmark that sealed my fate and brought me here to find my true path. That thought terrified me far more than the Demons before me. I was in no way part of this sick and twisted cult! I wouldn’t allow myself to think it. Then it suddenly hit me…
What if the man in black was Lucius?!
What if this had been his plan all along, to get to me? First to control my dreams and then to play on my insecurities. Surely, if he’d had access to my mind then he would know my past. Then all that was left to do, was to make me hear the girl’s cries and I would come running. Just like he said,
“I will not have long to wait and you will soon come to me”. I started to shake yet again at the thought.
The man terrified me to my very core and to make it even worse, I was also a little bit fascinated with him. Lately, I had been trying to reject the idea and banish it from my mind like some law I was breaking. It felt against nature thinking about him but in some sick twisted way, I was drawn to him like bees to pollen. This forced me to be more afraid of myself and my own irresponsible actions. I didn’t know what I would do when faced with the man who haunted and consumed my dreams but when I thought of him and his lips to mine, it made me quiver with both revulsion and a burning hunger.
I tried to put it all down to his powerful mind control and wished more than anything that I was strong enough to push him out and once again gain control over myself.
I started to look at the black figure a little closer and the size of his frame matched that of Lucius. He was tall, with squared shoulders but I couldn’t see any of his features as most of his robe covered his body and face. My mind raced with thoughts and ways that he could have penetrated the fortress that was Draven’s home.
NEW
I shook my head at the possibility of Draven being hurt but I doubted very much that he knew what was going on down here. Which had me questioning the reasons why he would keep something like this from me? Why wouldn’t he tell me but then I ended up answering my own question with one simple fact…he was protecting me from his world.
Well little good that protecting did me now I thought wryly. As I knew the smartest thing to do right now was to get the hell out of here but then…what about the girl? What if someone could have saved me but decided not to out of fear, was I really prepared to be that person now? No! I had to at least try or I would never forgive myself.
I looked around the gigantic space hoping to see something that could at least help me to fit in and I let out a sigh of relief when I found what I was looking for. So, taking one last look to check I wasn’t being watched, I sneaked back the way I had come and found a row of cloaks hanging like limp ghosts. I picked one up, throwing the red material around my shoulders, cursing my small height. The robe was so long it was like a wedding train behind me and I kicked out the front so that I wouldn’t trip. I then raised the hood so my face was hidden.
Creeping back up to the next pillar I spotted a hidden room off to the side but it was too close to the top altar than I wanted to be. But, I also knew that if there was one place in this huge circular room that they would keep her, then my first guess would be in there.
“I guess that’s where I am heading then…stupid Keira…very stupid.” I muttered under my breath, knowing that in reality this wasn’t just stupid, it was closer to bloody suicidal!
Walking closer and keeping a hawk eye on the chanting bodies around the main focus of the room, I continued to make my way towards the ornate door. It had a scalloped arch that reminded me of the shape of a shell, and at each point that hung down it held a golden ball adorned with precious jewels. Ancient symbols I had no chance in this real-life Hell of deciphering were painted up the sides in their own gilded border.
The closer I got I realised that it wasn’t a door at all but just an arched opening but more surprising still was to find it unguarded. But then when I checked one last time I realised they were all waiting for something to happen.
Their heads all turned to one side of the hall to an opening that at first was invisible but only when a snow white woman emerged could the entrance be seen. A bright light behind her just made her glow like a Heavenly entity but when it faded back to where it came from, the features of an old woman could clearly be seen.
She had long white hair that flowed around her as though each individual strand was controlled by an unseen force. The long dress she wore did the same as it wrapped in and out of her tired looking legs. The sleeves opened up into a V shape and the tips came down to the floor reminding me of Robin Hood’s Maid Marion. Her face looked kind, despite its numerous wrin
kles and her soft light eyes could even be seen from the side where I stood.
She reminded me of what Mother Earth would look like if she was in a human form. I felt connected to her through my love for all things pure and natural. This was how I knew this woman was most definitely an Angel. It was the same feeling I felt around Vincent, when I first saw him in his Angelic form.
They had a pull towards them and I could imagine that it was probably the same that evil people had towards Demons. Something in our genetic makeup was forged by the same hand. We were undoubtedly connected to these creatures and throughout history, even though our beliefs had never been proven, they had never faltered. Now, of course, I knew why.
I watched as who must have been Lucius, held one hand out towards the old lady and motioned to take her hand, which the woman looked more than delighted with. She gracefully floated over to him and placed a frail, wrinkled hand in his. He bowed to her and led her to one side of the altar.
Something in me told me this was my one and only shot at getting the girl. So, I slipped into the arched doorway unseen. This was when it became clear the reason she had no guards and unless I had some heavy-duty bolt cutters hiding down my pants, the girl and I were going nowhere together.
She wasn’t just chained to a wall, she was also suspended from it and those chains weren’t just attached to her wrists but were wrapped all around her body. I looked up at her with regret, not knowing where I would even start.
I thought about trying to maybe find someone to help but from the sounds of the chanting out there, I didn’t think I had long. Her head lay limp and if I didn’t know any better I would have said she looked dead already. But then she would slightly twitch her fingers and I knew this wasn’t the case.
I looked frantically around the room for anything that may help when I could barely believe my luck. Hanging on a hook by the opening was a heavy set of keys and I muttered my thanks to anyone looking down at me now. I grabbed them and started to try every key on the many padlocks that looked as old as this place. Finally, one by one I was managing to get them open and just as the girl was coming around.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t a quick process but even more unfortunate was the unexpected landing she had to fall on. I tried to catch her but we only ended up more in a pile of limbs as I became her somewhat softer landing. She moaned and tried to grab me as I pushed her body off me.
“Don’t worry…I am going to get you out of here.” I told her as she groaned again. Once all the chains fell away from her, clattering to the floor I knew there was a high chance of someone hearing. I didn’t know what to do next, but looking down at myself covered in robes like the rest I cursed myself for not picking one up for the girl.
“I will be right back.” I told her before I raced back to the doorway and looked out to make sure I wasn’t just about to walk into someone. Thankfully the ceremony was still in full swing and everyone’s focus was still on Lucius and the woman in white.
I looked left and right once more before taking my chances again. I picked up my long red train so as not to trip up and walked towards where the long robes hung down, intending to grab one. Then I turned quickly and a thundering voice stopped me in my tracks.
“Daiva!” (“Demon” in Ancient Persian) Lucius shouted as he pointed one long velvet arm out for the guards to his right, who were now on their way to retrieve the girl.
“Shit!” I hissed trying to think what I could do but I was running out of time as they were nearly at the door. The only thing I could think of was to cause enough of a distraction that they would chase me instead. That way maybe the girl would have a chance to get away. It was a long shot but it was the only one I had. I was just about to scream my lungs out when suddenly a hand clamped over my mouth from behind…
I had been found.
After this everything went to shit very, very quickly. The guards disappeared through the doorway and one came out again in a rush to tell his master what had happened. I watched frozen as the guard got Lucius’ attention and then told him in hushed tones what he and the other one had found.
The rest of the people in robes all started whispering in hushed tones, ones that caused the man in charge to get angry. He slammed his fist down on the altar, and an almighty crack travelled down its centre as if it had been hit by lightning.
“PRODITOR!” He roared (Means ‘traitor’ in Latin.) and the room went deadly silent.
“Bring me the traitor!” he commanded in a booming voice and I shuddered knowing exactly who he was referring to…me. The person behind me let go of my mouth and gripping my arm tightly, started dragging me to the front of the altar.
“No…no, don’t…don’t do this.” I whispered to the person at my back, whoever they maybe. But then when they stopped dead, I knew that they had recognised my voice.
“Keira?” as soon as they said my name I too recognised their voice and I prayed it was all just a bad dream.
“No…it…can’t be…tell me it’s not you Zagan?” I said wondering how this could have happened…when and how had he turned to the other side?
“How did you…?” he started to say, letting me go in his shock. I stumbled back a step and then another one, shaking my head in my disbelief.
“Is this the Traitor!? Bring them to me!” Lucius demanded in his demonic voice and I spun around to see others coming at me from both sides. I made a dash to one side but then got cut off with others blocking my path. I was trapped. Two men grabbed me either side, digging their fingers into the tops of my arms. This was when Zagan turned cold but not towards me.
“Get. Your. Hands. Off. Her!” His voice was like a deadly weapon, one took seriously enough by both men. They let me go and Lucius’ interest was piqued the second he heard it.
“Her?” he questioned and for the split-second I thought I was hearing things…it wasn’t Lucius’ voice…was it?
“Yes, my Lord,” Zagan said, solemnly lowering his head with regret. What was going on? I looked back at the man in charge to see that he had now swiftly jumped over the altar and was storming his way over to me. I cried out in surprise and stumbled backwards a step as I tried to put more space between us, space that he was quickly cutting down.
“I…no, I…please…” My words of protest mumbled out of me in a pathetic attempt to stop him but it was no good. The man’s actions looked half controlled by a demon possessed. He reached me in no time at all and just as he was about to make a grab for me I made one last attempt to get away. I turned to face Zagan and ran towards him thinking he was the only one who seemed to still care about what happened to me. But then I saw him nod to the cloaked man behind me and knew I had made a mistake.
He grabbed me before I had time to change direction and I struggled against him.
“Let me go! You…you don’t have to do this, Zagan!” I told him but then he gripped me a little harder and spun me round to face my fate. Then he lowered his lips closer to my ear and whispered his reasons, reasons that broke my heart,
“I have no choice, for he is my King.”
My breath caught as realisation started to take hold and my biggest fears came to light with one simple motion,
A hood removed and a King emerged…
Dominic Draven.
Chapter 21
Hitting Demons and Understanding Angels.
Book 2
NEW
I couldn’t believe it. I just couldn’t! I felt Zagan pull my hood back on my robe so that now my identity could be revealed as Draven’s was. His eyes widened in utter shock and for one small moment I felt like running into his arms just for a single second of comfort I needed right now. But then I remembered what role he played in all of this and I couldn’t do it.
The Forbidden Chapters Part 1: Afterlife Saga Page 22