The Lady and the Hound- Divination

by A M Nixon

  She made her way through the castle to the library, where she met with Syx and Isadore. Mary told them what happened in her dream. While Syx flipped through pages of the legends book, looking for images of what Mary described, Isadore had an epiphany.

  “I know what he is and who he is. His name is Belastor, he is one of the Dark Spirit’s henchmen. When you said he wouldn’t leave until his masters will is satisfied, I knew. It seems Haden has broken his own covenant without realizing it. Now he will have to give back the bones. If nothing else he is a man of his word.”

  Mary was curious who Haden was. “When I’m in the Otherworld, I call the Dark Spirit Haden, that’s his true name.” Isadore said.

  Mary worried about Margie. “It appeared to be holding the soul of my friend Margie, not allowing her to move on.”

  Syx found the image in the book. “His kind is a cross between a satyr and an imp. He brings sadness and despair to those who are vulnerable. When he has brought them to their lowest point, he can manipulate his victims into killing themselves and takes their soul immediately upon death, before the Divine Ones can intervene. They like to kill animals for their blood and for sport.” Syx said.

  Isadore, standing and looking toward the light room. “Belastor, the bringer of sadness and despair and why he was sent to the Otherworld. The Divine One’s gave him a reprieve as long as he remained there. He broke the covenant with them. But what is rewarding is that the Dark Spirit will retrieve him for us for fear that the Divine One’s will cease his own existence. I know we can get the bones and our essence back now. If I can convince him he will suffer the Divine One’s wrath. I will need an Archangel to travel with me to add influence on my words.” Isadore said. Syx told her she will send a message to Archangel Michael.

  Syx went into the light room, more of an atrium. It stood twenty foot high with an all glass ceiling. The atrium held a large alter with candles and an aged copper dish with herbs in it. Syx walked up to the alter and lit the candles and then took one of the candles and lit the herbs in the dish. She said a prayer and the wind outside the atrium shook the windows. “That is the power of his wings, he has come from Oapuzi to help.” A large white glowing figure, at least eight foot tall, came through the top of the atrium, through the glass as if it didn’t exist. The tops of his wings larger than his height. Syx spoke to him in Enochian. Mary guessed she was asking him to help, and that Isadore needed him to confront the Dark Spirit.

  The Archangel approached Isadore, and they began speaking to each other using telepathy. This time Isadore wanted Mary to go with her. “I know I’m protected but remember what Joseph said about the two of us being in the Otherworld at the same time? What if this is some kind of elaborate trap? Everything; the death of my friend Margie, the animals, knowing how I feel about them. If you don’t sense it’s a trap, I certainly do. It’s not the first time I’ve been tricked, if you know what I mean.” Mary referring to Famous and his disciples.

  Isadore looked to Archangel Michael, speaking to him again with her mind, “You may be right, Mary. It all seems so easy. The only way the Dark Spirit would risk breaking the covenant and suffering final death is if he had a good plan to get the both of us in the Otherworld at the same time. He knew we would act, but he won’t count on Archangel Michael arriving with us. Michael rarely appears when called unless it’s with the Divine One’s unanimous approval. That is rarely given, especially for an escapee of the Otherworld.”

  Mary, sure it was a trap, but knew Isadore was right. Nothing can defeat Archangel Michael. She wanted to see the Dark Spirits face when the powerful Archangel appeared before him. Mary left the crystal pendulum with Syx for safe keeping before they left, she didn’t want to take any chances.

  When the trio arrived in the Otherworld, Mary was surprised that it wasn’t dark and desolate. When they walked into the Dark Sprits castle, it was so immaculate and excessive. For Mary, all the gold fixtures and detail on the furniture was too much for her. She did love the skull chandeliers and the tapestry though. Isadore led them to the Dark Spirits chamber. There were many impish creatures wandering in and out as well as souls that had been there since the beginning of the Otherworld’s existence. The last soul Mary expected to see was Major Kemp. He must have stayed with the Dark Spirit instead of being drawn into the pendulum. He could have been at Oapuzi if he had allowed himself to leave with the others.

  “I see you weren’t so special. You didn’t have the strength to take me into the pendulum as easily as you thought.” Major Kemp said. Smiling at Mary as if he were about to let out an evil laugh.

  Mary wanted to have Archangel Michael banish him to Roger’s planet and see how long he would last there. “Sadly, you missed out on being able to go to Oapuzi. You should have seen the white light come down to take those souls. Each one given a reprieve from their dirty deeds in this life. I hope you remember that, every day you’re here, since it’s nearly impossible to leave.” Mary said. Looking at the Major with a smirk. The Major’s smile of triumph disappeared from his face, he looked down and walked off, as if he understood the true meaning of the opportunity he’d lost.

  Inside his chamber, the Dark Spirit sat on a throne of dark marble and carved wood and there was an identical one beside it. Mary assumed that was reserved for Isadore. The chamber was the only area of the castle that resembled what Mary assumed a Dark Spirits lair should look like. The walls were dark stone blocks and the banners a velvet blood red color. The Sigil was of a lion’s head with a hand in its mouth. Mary remembered what the Major said about a ring with the same symbol.

  Isadore walked up to the Dark Spirit, “Haden, you know why we are before you. First, I want you to call Belastor to stand before me. Then I want the bones and the essence you took.” The Dark Spirit leaned forward on his throne, in his human form, still wearing his all black ensemble. “Belastor acted on his own. The fact that he wanted to please me is no fault of mine, my Queen. Therefore, no covenant is broken; there will be no bones for you to retrieve.” He laughed, deep and guttural, not realizing what was about to happen. Until this point, Archangel Michael looked like a large white glowing mass, clearly the Dark Spirit didn’t recognize him in his true form.

  Archangel Michael transformed into a man wearing a simple brown tunic, short curly brown hair, and a belt around his waist. His height increased to ten foot. The Dark Spirit shifted in his throne, as his eye’s widened at the realization that Archangel Michael had come to the Otherworld.

  The Archangel loomed over the Dark Spirit. “I have been summoned from my many tasks of the Divine One’s to do what you refuse. This angers me and will not be tolerated. I will have my way without discussion. Bring the imp before me this once.”

  The Dark Spirit left his throne and placed his hand over an area of the stone floor and the imp known as Belastor appeared.

  The Archangel walked to the wall behind the Dark Spirits throne and used his fist to make an opening large enough to fit several entities. The portal led to the outer universe filled with stars and galaxies. The Archangel picked up Belastor by his one remaining horn. Belastor began punching and kicking at Michael, yelling, “I’ll be back,” as he was thrown into the abyss. The Dark Spirit backed away in fear. “I was told to dispose of the imp named Belastor for breaking the covenant with the Divine One’s. For your part, you have been judged. You did not close the portal, and that led to a life being taken. Her soul has been delivered to Oapuzi. You also allowed the imp to kill defenseless animals, all of which you are responsible. You can enter the portal and cease to exist as Belastor has, or you may remain here, without your powers or the ability to change into the Dark Spirit until we decide to restore you. You may have one minute to choose.” Archangel Michael said.

  The Dark Spirit took the full minute. When his time was up he walked over to Isadore and kissed her. “Your bones are in the wardrobe of the anti-room. I must go but I will return, for I will not be kept by the Divine One’s to be ordered about this way. I
would rather be in the abyss then rendered powerless.” With his last words still in the air, he walked to the portal and flew out.

  “He’s gone, just like that. It can’t possibly be that easy. I don’t trust it.” Isadore said. She ran to the wardrobe worried Haden had lied. When she opened it, the coffin with the bones were inside, but the stone with their essence wasn’t. “I knew he was planning something. There was no way he would give up so easily.” Isadore said.

  Archangel Michael proclaimed her covenant with the Dark Spirit was no longer valid. His leaving was an admission of guilt, in that he ordered Belastor to commit those crimes. “There is no more for me to do here. When he returns, you may summon me if the Divine One’s approve.” Michael spread his immense wings, taking flight. Lamps and candles in the chamber fell over from the rush of air as he made his way up and out through the ceiling. The portal sealed itself as he left.

  Mary and Isadore returned to Zropu and took the bones to the cavern. Mary didn’t like the uneasy feeling of not knowing where the stone with their essence was or who had it.

  “Isadore, we need to be thankful the bones are back where they belong.”

  Isadore didn’t look like someone who’d won a great victory. To Mary, she appeared preoccupied. “I’m not a mind reader, especially not for an immortal, but I sense you’re worried about the stone.” Mary said.

  “I am. I wanted to be free. As long as our essence is out there, we aren’t free to enjoy our success. He will return and have his power restored one day because dark energy remains on earth. It will eventually rise to the point where he will be called again. It will be a beacon that the Divine One’s, not even Archangel Michael, can stop.” Isadore said.

  “I was thinking about what the Dark Spirit, or Hayden as you call him, said at the stones. Is it true that he would have inherited the earth if he had been successful?” Mary asked.

  “It is the will of the leaders of all the stars and planets, not just the Divine One’s section of the universe. If Earth gets too dark, there must be a powerful being to end it. It can’t be changed just because humans are thought to be special. Earth is the only planet with human kind and all the cosmos are watching the experiment with anticipation for a kinder evolution. That is why Michael didn’t throw Haden through the portal. He didn’t have the authority, he just let Haden think he did. Haden knew he would return. As long as one evil soul resides on the planet, he can come back. With our essence he can use it to come through another portal if he chooses.” Isadore said.

  “So what do we do for now?” Mary said.

  “It will take him some time to get his bearings out in the cosmos. We originated there, so he is still an active spirit. But once he left through Michael’s portal, He has to go through a few steps to get back to this realm. It won’t be for many moons though, so you can relax for a bit. I need to go to the Otherworld and do my duty, now that I’m in charge for a while.” Isadore transformed into her Bat persona and flew out of the cavern.

  Mary walked to the stairs of the cottage, exhausted and ready to take the break she wanted when she first got back. At least for now, she could relax knowing there wasn’t a satyr imp torturing and murdering little animals. That Margie was safely in Oapuzi. That Roger was a kind alien who meant no harm. She wondered if she’d see Juan at Zropu the next time she went back there.

  Mary needed to think about building up her finances now that the monetary system is back online. Maybe she would put her new psychic abilities to work or go back to doing readings using the crystal pendulum. For now, she’d gather her babies onto her squeaky comfy bed and sleep in tomorrow.

  Contact Information:

  Thank you for reading my first fictional story that I decided to have published. I hope you enjoyed it.

  Please leave a kind review if you liked it.

  Web www.amnixon.com email Contact@amnixon.com

  My site has some interesting information about how I came up with the names for Zropu and Oapuzi. Yes, I really use a pendulum to connect to my guardian angel.

  I am half Mexican and half UK, but it doesn’t pin point exactly where in the UK at least that’s what’s on my DNA profile.

  I’m married with four fur babies, and yes, they are my babies.