by Diane Nortje
I wave my hand over the book, silently repeating a revealing spell, hoping it would be easy to bring forth the information it is clearly hiding. But nothing happens. I need to be absolutely sure that this book holds no information. I bring the book up to my nose. To a normal person it looks as if I’m sniffing an old worn out book, well I am. But she can smell things a normal person can’t.
I allow her, the ancient being that resides inside of me, to come forward, but not allowing her control. I have to keep control. Always have control. I take another sniff and wait for the smells to make its way through our system. Hopefully she can tell what magic was used on this book.
I wait for a few moments when she whispers back to me. “Blood magic.” Its smells old, very old, almost ancient. I could take the chance, use my blood to reveal the book, and a world of hell could pour from its pages. I’ve just got to have a little faith that I’m not being screwed over by Evelyn and this is indeed the book that holds the prophecy.
I would never consider doing this, if someone got hold of my blood for whatever reason, they could do things with it, bad things, if they knew what they were doing and what kind of power my blood holds. But when you have been forced into a tight spot, you have limited options left on your side.
I grip the knife that is strapped to my back and pull it from its holder carefully. I bring it round and take a deep breath for what is about to happen. I’m no chicken, but I know this is going to hurt like a bugger, and it gets me every time. But don’t get me wrong, I’ve had to slice heads off monsters before, but that does not mean I enjoy doing it.
I watched Jacin doing it with his beautiful smile on his face, bare hands, taking out hearts as if it was something so simple. Whatever those people did, clearly didn’t have their survival as a priority, or maybe them surviving was pointless. Whatever the case, whatever Jacin does, it’s my survival that it comes down to. And I’m dam well want to survive, at all costs.
The blade slices through the palm of my hand with ease, and I watch the blood start to pool in my palm. I watch as it starts to run down my wrist and disappear into the black long sleeve that covers my arms. I take in a deep breath, once my blood touches the book, I’m not sure how it’s going to react. I go to place the book on the hard-tiled floor and take a step back from it. It’s now or never.
I hold my sliced palm over the book and let my blood drop onto it. I watch the blood start to pool on the warn cover and then it slowly starts to seep into the book. Nothing happens as I continue to let my blood drip onto the cover, once I’m sure I’ve given more than enough blood, I watch the pooled blood seep into the cover.
I wait a few moments and watch as the small book starts to repair itself. Slowly the stitching starts to re-stitch itself into place, the leather cover starts to repair itself from its cracked surface to a new polished one, the pages of the book start to flatten out and become white. As I watch the book become like new again, a noise from the other side of the library brings me back to my situation I’m in. I drop to the floor and slide under the bookshelf, with the book safely tucked under me.
I watch as several sets of feet walk by the bookshelves nearest to me. My first guess that it would have been Jacin and his men finally got inside. But I watch as these footsteps come closer and realize there is no grace to the way they are walking, they are not gliding, they look as if they are battling to walk on the two feet they have.
I watch the slow way these people are dragging their feet behind them, barely lifting their feet off the ground before placing another in front of it. I look back to where I was standing and throw my magic out to cover the little pool of blood that I made while trying to open the book. I mask the scent of my blood with the magic I throw out, I just hope it was strong enough for these guys not to smell through my magic.
I watch their feet round the bookshelf I’m hiding under. They make no noise as they walk by, they smell of nothing, the only sound coming from them is the constant tap, tap, tap of something coming from the bookshelves. They are back. The magic that is supposed to be with me inside the library has yet to appear. Finally, I know why. Demons from hell have come to earth.
And what am I doing? Well I’m hiding under the bookshelf hoping beyond hope that they don’t notice me and my hiding spot. I didn’t bring any weapons with other than the knife that is strapped to my back, and the useless flashlight that doesn’t work. I didn’t expect to be attacked by demons, what I had on me was going to be enough to protect me from most.
I know if I let her out, I won’t be able to get her back easy. She has been itching to get out, to get free, and she will hold on to control with everything she has got. But what choice will I have, I either die by their hands or fight back and I’m going to need her to fight with what little I have got.
Tap, tap, tap. Is all I hear as they make their way past the bookshelf I’m hiding under. All five of them, make the same tap noise as if they are communicating with each other in some sort of Morse Code. I watch the five of them. I don’t breathe, I don’t move until I see them dragging their feet on the floor on the other side of the library.
I roll out of where I was hiding from under the bookshelf. I keep myself low on the floor, I need to keep stock of where these creatures are at all times. I look back down to the book that is supposedly causing all these problems in my life. It’s now or never.
I open the book and start to flip through the pages, nothing jumps out at me. I skim past the words on the paper, and it does seem like it is a book on water myths. Then why did it need my blood to revive the dam thing. Nothing is making sense.
I check on the creatures once again, I don’t want to lose them. I watch the dragging feet moving in the far corner of the library. They are at least far away from me to hear or see anything. I just don’t know what I need to do next.
I try think back to the conversation with Evelyn, and nothing she said to me comes to my mind. I have no idea what to do now. Maybe I should have just let it be and waited on what Bishop came back with. Clearly Jacin trusts him enough to deal with this. But I know my life was in danger, now I’m not so certain. With Jacin I never am. I just find it awfully easy to sleep knowing he is just on the other side of the house. When it shouldn’t. I shouldn’t be comfortable there.
It’s clear I’m starting to lose my shit. I need to get a grip, I need to find a fucking light, so I can see a bit better on what I’m reading, maybe then I can understand what to do. Light, a fucking light, the elements. I need fire, blood and fire. Blood for revival and fire to reveal. Fire is opposite of water. God, I hope I’m right. Just now I burn this fucking place down.
I say a silent pray to anyone who is listening, luck hasn’t been on my side lately, so I’m praying someone is out there, watching my ass. Because right now I need all the help I can get. I run my hand over the page I’m on, my eyes trying to take in everything that is on the page. Nothing important, so I’m sure it will be ok if I happen to be wrong and burn this one page.
I whisper the spell of fire, and run my fingers on the page I’m on, hoping that the page is the only thing that alights. I watch the fire come to life on the page, burning the page slowly. I watch the fire itself start to be swallowed by the book, until the fire is within the book.
Small fire letters start to rise from the pages of the old book I’m holding in my hands, I can’t make out what they are saying. The letters feel like they are burning the back of my eyes the longer I look at them, but I can’t look away. I feel like I’m the deer stuck in the headlights of an oncoming car. The more I look at them, the more I feel the burn in the back of my eyes.
I don’t feel myself collapse to the floor, but I feel the cold hard surface beneath my face, but I still can’t look away from the letters coming from the book. The heat then grows, a larger flame coming from the corner of my eye but still, the magic is holding my sight steady on the letters, until all at once the floating letters fall, back into the book that I’m still somehow holding.
>
I look down to the book from where I have collapsed and try to make out what has changed. Burn marks run the length of the pages of the book where the letters lifted off from the pages. My eyes are trying to adjust to the darkness that has now returned after the flames have receded. But I still can’t read the pages. There isn’t enough light.
I get to my feet, crawling at first to the book, but the light is barely lighting my way. I make it to my feet with some effort. Whatever happened drained my energy a bit. I look around me, the moonlight is spilling in from one of the high windows and casting a small light on the next bookshelf.
I check once again for the creatures that are walking about in the library and I see them still hovering over the back end of the library. I still have time before they start to make their way back this side. I move to the next bookshelf to stand under the moonlight. I look down to the book that is in my hands, and I realize they were not burn marks on the book but actual letters that formed words. The words I’ve been looking for. I slowly read through the passage, I need to memorize the words on the page before Bishop gets here.
When darkness is upon us, darkness will save us.
Black wings on a dark knight, he will find his strength and make the darkness his own.
Though darkness cannot exist without his light.
This light will be his weakness,
The light will shine through his darkness, dividing his black soul.
Though she is of light her Raven soul was granted a favor.
A debt is now owed.
The Summer will be taken by the Winter.
The Day will eternally sleep at the Night.
They came to aid, now they must be repaid.
For a Favor given to the Raven soul,
Is a debt owed by the Darkness itself.
What the hell is it on about? Is this the prophecy and are they calling my soul fucking dark! Hell, I know I’m not miss innocent but I’m neither evil. Jacin, I can see him having a black soul. That man is all kinds of naughty. I want to giggle to myself at that thought, but I need to remember I went against his orders, he doesn’t seem to like that very much.
I read it over and over until I memorize the prophecy. Not that I would ever forget the fire letters burning my eyes like it did. It wasn’t such bad news, I guess. So, I’m his weakness, he knew that. That is why he was after me in the beginning, so something has changed for him not to be after my life anymore. But I have no clue what the prophecy is talking about, I will need to ask Jacin about it. So, all in all, this was a complete waste of my time. I could have let them deal with it and be done with it.
I close the book. It starts to crumble in my hands as it turns to ash. I look down to the floor to see the small pile of what is left of the book on the floor. I guess it must have been the fire it consumed. I move away from the ash, I need to check on those creatures, I need to get back up to that window. I just hope Tray and the rest of them are still there waiting for me and not more of these creatures are outside with them. I didn’t see them carrying any weapons.
I crouch down too look under the bookshelf. I don’t see any feet where I last saw them, so I start to scan the library, looking for any movement, I see nothing. I let my senses out. I scan the room and nothing, not a sound, not a smell and no tap, tap, tap.
“Mistress ruuunnn, we cannot hide you, we cannot help youuu. Master won’t make it in time.” The shadows hiss out at me.
Oh fuck.
The shadows. They are too late.
I look above my head, when I hear the tap, tap, tap. I fucking hate that sound. I see the five creatures that don’t belong on this earth, three sitting and the other two standing on the bookshelf I was looking under. I didn’t hear them move, how the hell did they get up there when they could barely walk. It’s clear now it was a trap, to fool me into false safety. Fuckers.
I watch them, that night in the car coming back to me like it was a nightmare. I don’t think I’m going to be as lucky as I was before and have what I assume are the hounds of hell, come to my aid. No, I’m alone. Jacin did warn me, he warned me the threat to my life wasn’t over. And I refused to listen. And knowing me, if I survive this, I’m not going to listen again when he tells me. Me and my stubbornness.
Their red eyes watch me, waiting for me to move. I don’t move, I just watch them. The knife that is strapped to my back is burning through its holder. But still I don’t move. And then the fucking tapping starts again. The creatures mouth’s open and close as if they are talking, nothing but an empty shell with razor sharp teeth move with the tapping.
“Mistress run, Master can’t hear you, we cannot help you. You need to ruuun.”
I hear the shadows whispering to me, but I know I won’t make it. In the corner of my eye, I can see the window I need to get to. But I won’t make it. It’s too far, there are too many of them, they will be able to stop me without much trouble. I’m well and truly screwed. If I’m going to get out, I will have to fight my way out. I just can’t give them my back.
I slowly move my hand to my back, if I can get a grip on the knife, I will at least have a fighting chance of getting out of this. My slow movements don’t go unnoticed by the creatures, three of them track my hand while the other two watch me. I reach the knife and unclip the button that closes my holster, I know I won’t be able to take them on at once, I will have to wait until they get impatient with me and waiting.
I don’t wait long, when they start the tapping again and then all at once it goes quiet, deadly quiet. The one standing on the far right moves, and my eyes move to watch him, which was my mistake. The middle creature launches itself at me and lands square on my shoulders, bringing me down with the force and weight of its body. I manage to bring my hand holding the knife to the front.
The creature that has pinned me down by my shoulders slowly lowering itself closer to my face, the pressure is becoming unbearable, it feels like my shoulders are going to pop from their sockets. I can’t throw the creature off me, my struggles would be useless, and I know better. I’ve been here before. I know I need to keep my energy for when I need to strike.
Once the creature is close enough to my face, I strike, I don’t think, I don’t second guess it. I lift the knife and run it through the creatures throat. The creatures dark blood pours from its neck running down onto me, spilling onto my face and chest. I shove the creature off me, which it still looks as if it is shocked I’m capable of doing something like this. I watch it take its last few breathes and goes still. Next.
The other creatures which are still perched on the bookshelf look to their fallen companion. They let out an ear-piercing scream. I drop to my knees and cover my ears, there’s no point, all I can see now is the exit. The door to the outside. Fuck it if I’m going to set off whatever alarms this place has. I need out. The sound is never ending, the scream is causing violent reactions within me, blood comes pouring from my ears and eyes, and I can vaguely make out the monsters. I see them move, but I’m helpless to even fight them. The scream has left me numb.
I know there is no other way, I know if I don’t act fast, I will be like the fallen creature and take my last breathes here. That cannot happen, I can’t die like this. I’ve been through too much, not too see this whole thing through.
I whisper under my breathe, they won’t hear it. And even if they did and could understand me, they won’t expect her. Me. The other me. My other half. My darkness.
I need you. I think to myself. To her. To whoever is listening to my thoughts.
I feel her stirring inside me already, there was no need to coax her from her slumber. I’ve let her see what is before her. And she fucking smiles from within me.
“A challenge.” She whispers to me.
“I need you.” Is all I can whisper back to her. I see the monsters have left their perches and are slowly making their way towards me. Time is running out.
“Glady.” Is all she whispers back.
I feel the darkness sl
owly slip into vision, I know this feeling, I’ve lost control, I’ve given it to her. What she does with it now, I will never know. She has me, there is no going back. I’m lost to her now, I’m lost to the ancient being that resides within me.
Chapter Twenty-One
“The monster is me.” – Natalie
~The Ancient Being~
I have gained control once more. I will destroy everything in my path that seeks to harm me. To harm us. How dare they!
These demons screams have no effect on me. My power shields me from most, they will die for making my host bleed. We are one, though we don’t work as one. One day. One day. When she is ready. But today, they die. They have wronged me, now I return the favor, and then to their master. I will find him. I will end him. How dare he send them after me.
I smirk at the four demons left sitting like crows on a telephone wire, screeching and screaming for their fallen companion. I feel nothing for them. I ignore them, they don’t know who they are dealing with. I look down to their fallen companion, and I watch the blood pool around the demons body. Dark blood, that shines black in the moonlight slowly starts to spread along the floor.
I crouch down and retrieve the knife that lays on the floor, blood still coating the blade. I smile, she is not as weak as she seems. Good. I grasp the handle of the knife and bring the blade to my lips. Blood. And I taste. I learn. Ghouls. I will end them with ease. Their magic tastes weak, unworthy, useless to me.
I will coat this room in their blood, a reminded to all who I am, that I am still here. Just as powerful as I always was. I look back to the four demons who haven’t stopped shouting. Their companion is dead, gone from this world, back down to the underworld where it will serve its sentence.