The Wrath of Lilly

by J Middleton

  The old woman eyes start to dilate. Her hands start to tremble.

  “You have to go, now, hurry.” She said as she rushed them out the door. “Listen.” The woman froze in front of Victoria. “The dark being has awakened and with it the hell was unleashed. You must never speak your name to him, for then you will belong to him.”

  “I don’t understand.” Victoria nods confused about who she was talking about.

  “Names are of great importance. They hold more magic than any witch could hope to wield in a lifetime. They define who we are and who we will become. Their magic may be turned against us.”

  “It’s just a name— “she snapped.

  “All of your fears and desires are forever linked to the names of those you or encountered. A spoken name by a witch holds more power than all the grimoires in the world. But it is not enough for her to read a name on parchment or hear it spoken by a simple acquaintance. The name must be willingly given by you to the dark one or your closet family. Remember what I said. Do not deviate from the path. Stay on the right course and stay away from the dark being. Don’t give him your name?”

  Victoria started to reply, until she felt the night breeze fresh against her face.

  Glenda turned and looked at Victoria.

  “She knows something about the man in the stone building.”

  “Yes she does but she isn’t saying.” Victoria said as they walked down the sidewalk pushing against the wind. “There can’t be anything to what she had said. I gave him my name but I don’t belong to him. He can’t be the one she is talking about.” She thought. It took them a little longer to get back fighting the harsh winds.

  Chapter 12

  Loud rolls of thunder rolled through the sky, sending vibrations through the structure of the house. For a second when the sky was bright, Glenda swore she saw something moving at the end of her street. Closing her door, she went to the window and glued her eyes to glass. Waiting for the next flare of light. She didn’t have to wait long when she caught a glance of a dark figure standing in the door way of the stone building.

  “Victoria is this who lives at that building.” She asks.

  Victoria moved to the window, watching and when lighting flared again she saw his form. A cold damp shiver went down her spine.

  “Yes.” Victoria nerves twitched at just the site of this figure.

  “Oh it is a person.”

  “Yes from what I could tell.” She paused looking over at her.

  “Where have you been?” Jessica stormed in the room.

  “To see someone.” Glenda said.

  “I need to show you something.” Jessica hurried to the kitchen as they quickly followed.

  The lights were dim as the crystal was shining red orange and blue colors though out the room.

  “See it?” She pointed to the stone building.

  Eerie light flashes over the structure creating weird short-lived shadows that were quickly swallowed by the darkness.

  A few seconds later came the crackling roll of more thunder. There stood the dark figure standing in the threshold. The figure seems to be over six-foot-tall, and his shoulders looked about four feet wide, beneath and long black coat. When he turned his head his eyes were dark red. His long arms were extended before him, his huge hands groping at the air as if searching for something. In that instant, some small birds flew circles around him until he disappears. Dark shadows moved quickly away as a thick fog covered everything until it all disappeared in darkness. The glow everything was gone, they could see nothing.

  Glenda jumped expecting the figure to reappear but nothing all was dark.

  Victoria turned and looked at Jessica.

  “The evil is here.”

  “I don’t think the evil ever left, it has been compressed.” Jessica said.

  “It would appear that way.” As Victoria stared into the ball.

  Sudden there was a thump from the front of the house. Footsteps followed and then stopped. They rushed out the room, there was a hooded figure that appeared in the doorway.

  “Leave you are not welcomed here.” Jessica yelled as she raised her hand to the ceiling, letting a bright glow circled around her. At that moment, the figure disappeared.

  “What was that about?” Glenda said as she closed the door and locked it behind her.

  “Warning to let you know there here and they are preparing for battle. That is a visit from her to scare us so we will surrender to her.” A red head woman said as she moved closer to them.

  “I will never surrender to her.” Glenda snapped.

  The woman stared at her for a moment before she spoke.

  “We have a meeting tonight. We must go.” She said.

  “Why can’t we have it here?” Jessica asks.

  “Because that is what they want us to do so they can get us all in one spot.”

  “I don’t like this but I don’t have a choice do I.” Victoria answered.

  “No you don’t.” the woman answered.

  “Come on Victoria lets go.” Glenda touched her arm.

  Glenda followed the line of witches down to a three-story building not far from her house. It was the tallest skyscraper in the city, visible from almost everywhere. Per the high priestesses the reason they occupied the highest floor is because it was the closet to the spirts.

  Getting to the building was relatively easy, there was nothing on the streets. They could take the alleys right up to the building itself with being noticed by the dark shadows.

  They stopped when the silence around them was broken by sound of shattering glass. Victoria looked back at the tower just in time to see a body plummeting from the top. It fell halfway before it turned to dust, the momentum spreading it wide and casting it down like confetti. With her heart racing and her pulse beating hard she froze.

  “What was that?”

  “A dark spirit trying to get in.” Glenda said.

  They sped toward the clearly broken window at the dozens of dark spirits appeared on the edge of the building and leaped off, swords appearing in their hands as they drove toward them. Just then and arm flexed out of nowhere and tossed Jessica forward smashing her against the wall. She could see the welling up in her eyes, as she was gasping for air.

  Victoria looked up as dark shadows shot through the window of the building, endless stream of darkness. She couldn’t use her powers; they were too fast.

  A massive shout sounded behind her, turning quickly a demonic roar of anger came from no were as the shadows went back in the building.

  “Let’s get out of here!” Glenda grabbed her hand and followed everyone down the alley. Stopping only to catch their breath. Jessica opened the door and they followed in behind her.

  “How many more building have they took over?” Jessica asks.

  “I don’t know. From the looks of things, they have started at the end of our road. It is only a matter of time before they make it to us.” Glenda jumped in the conversation.

  “It has begun.” Victoria answered Glenda.

  Victoria felt a chill as soon as she heard them words, a reaction she had never experienced before. A moment later, her entire body began to tingle, every nerve ending reacting to something she couldn’t see or sense. She hurried up the stairs as her steps were growing lighter and less energetic, her tired body and soul felt like it was lifted and held by an unseen hand.

  Opening the bedroom door, she sat down on the edge of the bed. Breathing deep and even, letting her mind go. She needed to forget about the chaos swirling around her and find some way to defeat the evil within.

  Chapter 13

  The wind rushed through the trees, as Zac froze, his eyes glaring into the near darkness. He was certain he had heard his name. It was just a whisper. His eyes went wide as he stared into the darkness between the trees, but the natural sound of the forest around him made it hard to pinpoint. Zac listened, but this time the wind came, it was the sound of thousands of branches moving together. The sound was loud
and came without warning, and when it spoke his name. For a moment, there was only silence, and then the wind came again and pushed through the trees. He looked in the dense trees that had twisted and slithered around each other at some indeterminate time in the past. He noticed a break in the tangle limbs, and with his curiosity he moved on.

  “He has to be here somewhere.” He thought.

  The more he looked at the tangle branches, the more he was sure there was a path behind it. The ground was bare and well-trodden, the leaves and limbs pushed aside.

  A voice deep in his mind asked him why there were no signs of any such structure to led him in the right direction. It looked as if this place had fallen victim to the power of Mother Nature are it could be something else. Zac knew that time was running out.

  He heard his name again this time clearer. He walked towards the sound and ignored the sharp pain as the overgrown branches and thorny bushes grabbed at his clothes as he pushed his way through the tangled foliage. The source of the sound was hard to pin point, seeming to come from every direction at once. He was lost and all he could see around him were immense roots and moss-covered trees saying and dancing in the wind.

  Zac stopped in front of a huge tree. It was long dead and no more than a partially rotten shell covered on one side by spongy looking brown mushrooms. A huge cavity had been carved out of the middle of the trunk and inside, was a wooden crucifix surrounded by long dead flower petals. He reached down and grabbed the crucifix. It was rough to the touch, and although it had obviously been made by hand, there was no pride apparent in the workmanship. It was an object hat looked to have been created not from love of the craft or the joy of creation, but out of need or necessity. There was no reason for it, but some deep part of him wanted to set it down and wash his hands. He knew it could be valuable at some point.

  He walked in silence for a while lost in the wonders of the forest. Looking down at the ground he noticed a perfect circle of grass. It was as if someone had sliced a huge circular chunk out the forest. He saw no evidence of a recent fire. In fact, the place had a vibe to it which made him uncomfortable. Goosebumps prickled on his arms, and he felt as if there were thousands of pairs of unseen eyes watching him. Something was bothering him as he was thinking what it could be, the answer came to him.

  “Clue’s to his brother.”

  He felt a shiver caress his neck and the feeling of being observed washed over him again. A strong gust of wind rocked the top of the trees. He shook his head and thought that the events of the day had begun to play tricks on is mind. He was sure that he’d heard his name whispered in the wind, and even though he knew it was quite impossible It still gave him the creeps. He decided that he’d stared out into the darkness for long enough so he sat down beside an old hollow log. He could hear the wind rustling in the treetops. It reminded him of being home with Victoria. He allowed his mind and body to rest for just a short time. The trees sounded like they were talking among themselves, holding secret conversations not meant for human ears.

  As he sat in the dark, listening to the branches as they were tugged this way and that, he could almost imagine that they spoke to him alone.

  His heart pounding thickly in his chest. He was exhausted, but knew he had to push on. It was so hard to see where he was going, as the night was dark and the woods were inky black and treacherous. However, he was not entirely unaided. There was a pale-yellow moon that gave just enough light to see where he was going.

  Taking a deep breath, he started walking again, his foot snagged on an old root. He was certain that he was about to fall, but he pin-wheeled his arms and somehow managed to remain upright. He knew that he was almost out of time and, lowering his head, he increased his speed.

  He stopped suddenly as a dim light was seen between some trees. Slowly he walked down a narrow path. Just a few feet away sat an old run down house barely standing. He stood there listening for anything that might seem out of the ordinary. It was nothing but utter silence.

  He steps on the porch as the wood creaked and groaned. Before he could put his hand on the door it opened slowly. With his hand on his sword ready to draw, he heard a voice from the darkness.

  “Can I help you?” A man asks.

  The house was like an abandoned shell and more than a little unsettling considering where it was at.

  “Yes you can.” Zac replies as he tosses the man a coin. The man catches the coin and looks at it dumbfounded. The coin had a gold color with a blue symbol engraved on one side.

  “How did you- “

  “Where’s my brother?” He interrupts. “Take me to him.”

  “Of course, right this way.” The man goes lights a small candle and motions him to follow.

  “You haven’t changed Zacchaeus.”

  “Don’t call me that!” Zac snapped, as he follows him down a hallway and stops in front of a wood door.

  The man then sticks a black key inside the door knob and turns it. The door opens in the other direction as a hallway is revealed.

  Zac looks inside and there was nothing but another extremely long hallway with door on each side.

  “I don’t have time for this, where is he?”

  The man never answered just pointed down the long hallway.

  “My coin, give it to me?” Zac asks holding out his hand.

  “Never was yours.” The old man says as he walks back to the front of the room leaving him standing in the door way. Zac continues before it shuts behind him.

  “Seems like he upgraded from the old subway.” Zac thought to himself. He continued to walk. forward until he saw a door that looked out of place, larger than the rest. Reaching for the knob, but it started to turn by itself. The door opens with a white glow behind it. Zac covers his eyes to adjust to the light. A few steps inside he adjusts to the brightness as he sees wooden carved weapons covering the walls.

  “What do you want Zac?” A voice came out of the corner of the room.

  “I need you help brother.” Zac answered.

  Sindle throws a stroll at him.

  “Read it and then ask me.”

  Zac picks it up and opens the scroll and starts to read.

  “Every culture over all time periods possess spirits that roam the earth. This constant inhuman civilization leaves no room for doubt on the presence of spirits of the dead coming back to the human plane as an ethereal existence. Their method of interacting with te human world differs from spirit to spirit as well as their intentions, however. Some are evil, some are benign. Some are indifferent. The manifestation of a spirit who wishes to do harm to the living or is intentionally bing a bother to living humans does happen from time to time. At the worst it can lead to outrageous fear and trouble, or at least annoyance to the humans the spirit chooses to haunt. Her is a list on how to get rid of any spirits that you wish to leave you alone.”

  Zac skimmed down the list, dismissing the more unlikely entries such as holy water and healing herbs, and his attention was grabbed by an and entry labelled “Banishing Ritual”. He read on.

  Chapter 14

  The idea of a banishing ritual is seen throughout history and across the world. Any culture that has a strong belief in malicious spirits and their ability to interact and affect the living has a type of banishing ritual. Spells that banish a vary greatly even from person to person. Yet, they can be relatively simple. The easiest way is to write down the problem on a piece of paper, being as concise and specific as possible. After focusing deeply on the problem written on the paper, you must burn it. Most people prefer to burn using a white candle or by lighting the paper and placing in a white bowl to allow it to burn in a controlled setting.

  Zac looks up at Sindle.

  “This has nothing to do with my problem?” Dropping the paper down on floor.

  “It has a lot to do with it. You fight evil don’t you.”

  “Yes, but this evil has been gathering souls for years and now it is among us. We have sent her back to the ground once and she
has returned. I don’t see were this spell will work. Besides she has an army of dark souls that are gathering for the eve of Halloween to march.”

  He watched Sindle’s face as he got up from his chair and moved to a small window that was covered in cob webs and dust.

  “You have got weak brother.” He said without turning around.

  Zac was frustrated. He knew the longer he stayed here the more danger his family was in.

  “If you are not going to help me tell me. I will find a way.”

  Sindle turned around as he narrowed his dark brown eyes.

  “I can’t help you fight you know that. My wars are over. This one you must do on your own.”

  “I didn’t come here for you to tell me no!” he snapped.

  “Look Zac, I don’t know why you came. You know that my days of a shadow hunter is over. I can’t interfere with you quest!”

  “You have wisdom, in lighten me then.”

  Sindle giggles, “Wisdom, don’t insult me brother. You are a shadow hunter, you can and will defeat her. Use your powers and knowledge. She can be defeated. Have you done got weak in spirit mixing with the witches.”

  “I dare you say such a thing! They have helped defeat her.” He snaps back.

  Sindle laughs under his breath as he walks to the door and opens it.

  “You are running out of time, you must go. The war is going to start soon and if you are not there they will die. Zac, know this, there is a stronger force of evil there don’t awaken it. His powers his stronger then hers.”

  “What do you mean a stronger force? Her army.”

  “No, it works alone. Use it for your advantage. Stay away from it. Now go.”

  “I have come here for nothing, wasting my time. You tell me that there is more evil yet you don’t want to help. Why brother do I ask for your assistance!” Zac turns and hurries to the door before he took a step out in the hallway. Sindle grabs his arm.

  “Here.” He said as he gave him a dark blue ornament. “It will increase your powers, only use it when you get close to her. It will weaken her and you will be able to kill her then and only then. It can be used to stop the evil entity that also lies in the darkness. Be careful they are strong.” He pauses for a moment.” When you kill, her don’t put her ashes anywhere she can draw strength from.”