by Logan Jacobs
“Excellent,” Headmistress Theodora responded with a proud grin, but then her features faltered, and her smile turned into a small frown. “Now, for the actual ritual. Cole… are you ready? Obviously, once we begin, we cannot turn back.”
“Yes,” I said without breaking eye contact with her. “I’m ready… can you please let the others know where I’m going? I don’t want them to worry… or try to find me.”
“Of course, Cole,” Theodora responded as she continued to stare deeply into my eyes. “Crimson, will you please retrieve the blade?”
Without a word, Professor Crimson waltzed over to Theodora’s desk and pulled open one of the drawers. I was surprised when the redheaded professor retrieved my bonded weapon, and when her bright red eyes met mine, her lips curled up into a small, knowing smile.
“We took the liberty of taking your weapon,” Crimson explained as she returned with the blade, placed it carefully into my hand, and took a small step back. “You’re going to need it for the ritual.”
“Cut as deeply as you can into the palm of your hand,” Theodora instructed. “You need to draw as much blood as possible.”
“Yes, Headmistress,” I said before I pressed the tip of the blade into my skin and dragged it across. I winced as my flesh split open, and deep warm blood began to drip down my wrist and spill onto the floor.
“Perfect, now keep the weapon on you… ” Crimson said as I tucked the blade into my waistband, “and squeeze your hand tight. Try not to waste a drop.”
I nodded and closed my hand while Theodora retrieved the book from her desk and returned to face me.
“Now, please stand in the middle of the room,” Theodora instructed before her eyes landed on the cluttered, bloody desks. “Oh, one moment, please.”
As Theodora stared at the messy furniture, all the desks suddenly shot toward the walls to create a wide-open space in the middle of the room, but when I made a move to step toward the center, Theodora grabbed my arm to stop me.
“Just one more second, Cole,” she muttered. “Hos parere imperio!”
I watched as a giant cloud of purple smoke erupted in the middle of the room, and when the mist cleared, a three-horned goat was standing in its place. It was a well-fed creature with gleaming deep brown fur mixed with a few small black patches on its hide and legs. As it stood there, dumbfounded and confused, its black eyes wandered curiously around the room before it bleated and tossed its head back, as if to ask what the hell it was doing here. As the animal grew more nervous, I noticed that no matter how hard it tried, it couldn’t move its hooves, so I assumed it was placed under some kind of spell to keep it in place.
“Alright Cole, now before you take another step, please take off your shirt,” Theodora ordered. “Once you do, kneel in front of the goat and remain completely still.”
“Yes, Headmistress,” I answered as I quickly began to unbutton my shirt.
Once I finished fumbling with my buttons, I quickly tossed the blood-stained shirt aside, but I couldn’t help but notice the women’s eyes trailing down my body, and it sent a pleasant shiver down my spine. As much as I relished in their apparent appreciation for my half-naked physique, I had more important things to concern myself with, so I quickly shook my head and focused my attention on the task at hand.
“Alright,” Theodora breathed as she looked away. “Cole, please do your best not to move once we begin the ritual… you must stay as still as possible. One small twitch of your hand or even a parting of your lips could ruin the entire ceremony. Understood?”
“Yes, Headmistress,” I said as I neared the goat. “I’ll be as still as a statue.”
“Excellent,” Theodora commended, and she gestured for me to step near the trembling animal.
As I situated myself in front of the terrified, crying goat, its black eyes stared deeply into mine before it tossed back its head and bleated so loud, I thought the entire castle would hear.
“Filthy animal,” Professor Crimson sneered as she regarded the small beast with nothing but utter contempt.
“Don’t worry,” Theodora muttered. “We’ll be rid of it soon enough. Now, let us begin… time is of the essence.”
“Yes, Headmistress,” the redheaded professor answered with a small bow.
I remained as still as stone as I watched the two women approach the quivering beast with cold, calculated eyes, and I barely breathed as Professor Crimson neared the screaming animal. I watched with morbid fascination and a tint of arousal as the gorgeous, bright-haired professor pulled out a sharpened dagger from her long, red sleeve and held it with such a firm grasp that her knuckles turned white. Meanwhile, Theodora flipped through the ancient book in her hands, and as she began to recite the incantation, Crimson placed the knife under the animal’s throat, and before it could cry out one more time, she sliced the three-horned goat’s throat with one quick and precise slice.
The defenseless beast barely had time to jerk as the blade cut deeply into its flesh, and when the blood spurted out like a red fountain and coated my entire face and upper body, I didn’t budge an inch. I watched as the goat dropped dead to the floor while its tongue lolled out of its mouth, and blood continued to pool around my knees, but still, I didn’t dare move.
“Et suscipe benedictionem hanc sanguinem, dominus tenebris,” Theodora chanted as the room quickly darkened and grew ice cold. “Hoc incolumi anima primo gradu inferiori!”
A gust of violent wind swept through the room, and it nearly knocked me off my knees, but I managed to keep myself upright. As the sinister chill crept up my spine, I fought against the icy, invisible fingers that curled around my throat and threatened to choke the life out of me. The sensation was overwhelming, but I used all my strength to fight against it and stayed still. I knew if I even coughed or sneezed, I could destroy the entire ritual, and I refused to falter now, even if every bone in my body was begging for warmth.
“Totum lumen ad suos amores infernales,” the beautiful headmistress continued in a voice that didn’t sound like her own. “Non est alienum in magna potentia Dei!”
A shrill, high-pitched scream echoed through the dark classroom, and when I lifted my eyes to look at Theodora, her eyes went completely black, and a green glow was emitting from her skin as she continued to chant in a deep, echoing voice. Professor Crimson was fighting against the wind that swept through the room, and her bright red hair was flying into her face as she struggled to remain on her feet. As she did her best to stay upright, I noticed her red lips had turned a pale blue as her teeth violently chattered, and her body trembled from the unforgiving cold.
“Unum erit omnibus nobis!” Theodora’s commanding voice echoed. “Exaudi preces meas tenebris et clamat!”
As the headmistress continued to spurt the unholy words of the ritual, the floorboards began to shake, and the walls were trembling as the room grew as cold as death. I could feel furious shivers running up my spine, and it took all my willpower to not react to the violent cold.
“Nunc accipere eum in tenebras brachium tuum!” Theodora’s sonorous voice bellowed before the entire room vanished from view, and I could feel myself twisting and turning through unknown realms.
As soon as I was thrown into a vortex of the unknown, I could feel my chest tightening and hot bile rising up into my throat. The feeling was incredibly different from mere shadow porting, and this ritual was far more violent, demanding, and unpredictable. For a moment, I thought I was going to pass out before I even arrived in hell.
Which was something I never thought would cross my mind.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I came to an abrupt halt and landed with a painful thud against something that felt like grainy powder. My entire body ached with terrible pain, it felt like my skull had been split in two, and I could taste metallic blood in my mouth. It took me a long, grueling moment before I found the strength to slowly sit up and open my eyes, and then, when I did, I found myself sitting on a stretch of black sand. There were
ebony grains for as far as the eye could see, the sky above me was a deep shade of crimson, and the clouds were as dark as the earth beneath me. Small bolts of lightning lit up the sky, but there was no trace of thunder or rain.
In fact, there was no sound at all.
The air was incredibly still, silent, and unnervingly calm, and I wondered for a brief moment if Crimson and Theodora had sent me to the wrong place. I looked down into the black sand, and my stomach coiled with concern as I searched for any signs of life.
“Hello?” I called out. “Is anyone there?”
When nothing happened, my concern intensified as my throat tightened, but then I thought I heard a rumbling echo in front of me, and I watched with fascination as the sand rose from the earth and began to construct a solid black door.
I winced as I reached behind me to grab my wand, which was tucked safely next to my dagger, from my waistband, and as I took a couple steps forward, I made sure to keep my weapon aimed true and steady. Wherever this door may lead, I knew unwavering danger and darkness lurked behind it, and as crazy as this whole idea was, I also knew I had to keep a calm and level head. If I showed any ounce of fear or doubt, I knew I’d be dead within a matter of seconds.
Go inside, the woman from my dreams suddenly urged. You have no other choice, Cole.
“Easy for you to say,” I chuckled aloud. “Have you ever been to hell?”
That’s a discussion for another time, her soothing voice resounded inside my head. Just trust your instincts, Cole. They’ve gotten you this far, haven’t they?
“I don’t even know how far I’ve really gotten,” I replied as I reached for the sleek, black door knob but hesitated. “Death may be behind this door for all I know.”
That is true, she answered, but you have faced that many times before.
I took in a deep breath as her wise words rang through my head. She was right, I didn’t have another choice, and I’d already come this far.
The time to act was now, and there was no more time to waste.
I took a deep breath and reached for the door again, but when I touched the doorknob, the metal quickly scorched my skin. I instinctively flinched backward, and when I looked down, my entire palm was bright red and already covered in boils and scabs.
“Fuck,” I growled. “What the actual fuck--?”
Before I could finish my thought, a shrill chorus of giggles filled the air, and even though the sinister sounds should have sent shivers up my spine, all I could feel was my blood boiling.
“Oh, you think this is fucking funny, huh?” I snapped as I clutched onto my burned hand. “Let’s see who’s laughing once I get inside.”
Another round of high-pitched laughter filled the air, and whatever invisible entities were watching, they were clearly fucking with me. My patience was wearing incredibly thin, and I wasn’t in the mood to play any more games.
“Fuck this,” I growled as I stared at the knob.
Since there was no way I could physically touch it, I decided on pursuing another course of action, so with all my willpower and internal fervor, I summoned my inner darkness and narrowed my eyes at the fucking door. I willed it to open, and even though anything could be behind it, I refused to let any ounce of fear seep into my mind.
I was going to walk through the door, and not even Satan could stop me.
Modus antiquorum.
In moments, the door burst wide open, and the doorknob shattered into a thousand shards of metal. I took a small step back, and once the air settled, I stared inside the opening.
To my surprise, there was only darkness within, and a cold numbing breeze blew into my face when I slowly stepped inside the void.
But when my foot passed the threshold, I found myself falling deeper and deeper into the unknown. I was so shocked by the sudden sensation, I didn’t utter a word, and as I continued to fly downward, darkness enraptured my entire body until I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the end.
Chapter 19
My body continued to descend into darkness, and as I fell, it felt like nothing else existed except me and the empty void that was swallowing me whole. I surrendered myself to the black nothingness, and the further and longer I fell, the more I was willing to accept I might never stop falling. The sensation prickled at my skin and made my chest swell while my stomach churned, but there was nothing I could do.
I simply had to await my fate.
As I drifted downward, I thought of the woman from the painting and my dreams. I thought about her soothing voice and her constant companionship, and I wondered if she was with me right now.
Of course, I’m with you, she answered, and her voice was as clear as day. I wouldn’t leave you now. Not when you’re about to venture into the unknown. We’ll get through this.
The sound of her voice was instant relief, and I clung onto it like a lifeline as I fell through the empty, dark oblivion.
Then, finally, I thought I saw something within the darkness, far down below. When I strained my eyes, I realized it was a patch of bright red ground, and it was coming close and fast. So, before I landed in what I could only imagine was the first pit of hell, I braced myself for impact, squeezed my eyes shut, and prepared to hit the ground with a painful and possibly deadly thud.
But instead of breaking all my bones against the hard earth, my body stopped midair and hovered above the ground, like I suddenly had a pair of invisible wings to support me.
“What the fuck?” I muttered when I opened my eyes, and I found myself staring down at a patch of shimmering, red soil.
It’s alright, the woman from my dreams muttered. You’ve made it… now be wary. Danger lurks all around you. Do not be deceived by the stillness… it won’t last for long.
My body then drifted onto the soft, warm ground, and I waited for something to happen, but nothing attacked me. My wand had landed a few feet away from me, and as I began to move my body, a black skeletal hand shot up from the sand and wrapped its searing hot fingers around my neck.
“Shit!” I cried out in shock and agony as the scorching digits pressed tighter against my throat, and I struggled to breathe as it tried to drain the breath from my body. I wriggled and thrashed, but its grip was made of metal, and I knew if I didn’t do something soon, I was going to choke to death.
As the hand tightened its hold on me, and the world grew dizzy, I tried to use my free hand to retrieve my bonded weapon from my waistband. It took me a moment to reach behind and curl my fingers around the leather hilt, but when I did, I pulled the blade out, and with one quick and brutal slash, I cut the bony hand from its skeletal wrist, and its grip immediately loosened.
Well done, Cole! the woman in my mind praised as I quickly stood up.
A painful screech echoed around me, and the sound was so high-pitched, I could feel my eardrums vibrating, and I knew they were on the verge of splitting open. As the sound continued to ring through the warm, thick air, I pressed my hands against my ears and took a quick step back while the severed hand fell away from my throat and down into the red earth. Then I watched in horror as another skeletal hand dug itself out from beneath the soil and started to swiftly crawl toward me, like a giant bloodthirsty spider. I took several quick steps toward my wand, and before the limb had a chance to spring up into the air and latch itself onto me, I snatched up my wand and aimed it at the animated limb.
“Glacio!” I cried out.
A blast of cool blue light hit the skeletal hand right as it was jumping toward me, and the screeching died as soon as the limb turned into a block of black ice. The frozen hand landed by my feet, and without hesitation, I stomped on top of it with my boot and crushed it into hundreds of frozen shards.
“Fucker,” I growled before I took a small step back and caught my breath.
That was only the beginning, the woman’s voice reverberated inside my head. Be on the lookout, Cole. I can feel them... they can sense that something or someone has crossed into their world.
“I
know,” I whispered. “I knew this wasn’t going to be easy.”
Then my heart suddenly jumped, and my skin prickled when a chorus of high-pitched laughter and music echoed all around me. It was a fast, heart-thumping melody followed by a choir of giggles and long, loud, satisfied female moans.
The chaos of mixed noises sent a violent shiver down my spine, and I could feel a light film of sweat covering my entire body as I stood my ground. I’d been so focused on the deadly limb that I hadn’t even had a chance to study my new surroundings, and as I stood in place, I could feel hundreds, if not thousands, of haunted souls surrounding me.
Sweat continued to drip down my forehead and sting my eyes as I clenched my jaw, tightened my grip on my weapons, and then tried to take a deep, steady breath. As grueling seconds passed by, my heart thumped painfully against my chest, and my instinctive fear was causing my stomach to coil into aching knots. I wanted to keep staring at the red soil and pretend like this was only a nightmare, but I knew I had to look up.
There was no other way around it.
When I finally lifted my head to absorb my surroundings, my entire mouth fell open, and I nearly dropped my weapons.
Welcome to the first realm of hell, Cole, the woman inside my head said in a bitter tone, and for a moment, I really did believe I was in some kind of dream.
I found myself standing in a massive, crimson-hued banquet hall that was ten times the size of the Scholomance dining room, and the entire chamber was packed with gorgeous half-naked women, vile demons, and imprisoned men. Giant balls of fire spurted from every corner of the hall and covered the entire ceiling, and the air was so hot and thick, I found myself struggling to breathe.
My mouth hung open as I continued to take in the chaotic vision before me, and when I tried to figure out where the music was coming from, I noticed a band of horned, naked women in one corner of the grand hall. They were playing a cluster of bone-like instruments, and as they played, their fingers bled onto their instruments, but it didn’t seem to faze them. In fact, they laughed maniacally as they performed with all their fortitude and fervor.