Chapter 16
The grip on my throat tightened, and it felt like my eyes were going to pop out of my sockets. Whatever this pale, faceless entity was, I didn’t think the others could see it since no one stirred in their sleep or even opened their eyes. The entire tent spun, and I couldn’t move, breathe, or think. All I could do was stare blankly at the ghost above me.
Samara says she can feel the life draining from you, the shadow remarked in a cold echo in my head, and its blue eyes burned like the sun. She says she can’t wait until the other women wake up and find you cold and lifeless in their arms. But don’t worry, once they do… their hearts will also stop.
The idea of my coven dying made my blood boil with rage, and I desperately wanted to fight back, but my body was paralyzed. In the back of my mind, I tried to reach for the woman in my dreams, but I couldn’t feel her presence. My head was a clean slate, just an empty void begging to return to life. Blood filled my mouth, and all I could feel was myself fading away, like mist in a summer field, but there was still a flame of fight left within me. With all my willpower, I focused on the flicker of fire still alight inside my soul, and I searched for something in the back of my mind. I needed to fight back somehow, and that was when I thought of my shadow.
I swiftly pictured his overwhelming presence, his unwavering strength, and I remembered every detail of his tall, shadowy frame. He was a red, dim reflection of me, and his supremacy was mine. His magic belonged to me because we were the same, and I knew if I tried hard enough, he would hear my pleas and come running to my aid. So, with everything I had left in me, I forced myself to close my eyes and focus on his red, wispy frame and long red horns. I thought of his glowing yellow eyes, broad chest, and the same facial features we shared. I even considered his deep, echoing voice, and I mentally imagined him inside the tent, ready to tear this mysterious entity into shreds.
My vision was blurred, my head pounded with agony, but I pushed it aside, and when I could feel Satan’s power surging back into my bones, I closed my eyes and uttered the curse to bring my twin back to my side.
Ego in vtero producite.
Suddenly, a violent wind whipped through the tent and sent the covers and blankets flying everywhere. The atmosphere quickly shifted, and the dusky angel above me turned its head around and stared at the red shadow hovering behind us. Then, before Samara’s servant knew what was happening, my other half soared toward it as quick as a spell and gripped its wispy white neck by his long red talons. My crimson, devilish double bared his dagger-like teeth, and he growled as he fiercely yanked the angel of death backward as hard as he could.
The holy creature’s searing blue eyes widened with realization when it knew it had met its match. Both beings were made of smoke and ancient magic, and when my shadow pulled the angel off me, he sank his wolf-like fangs deep into the shadowy white neck and gnawed. The mysterious ivory obscuration let out a petrified scream that sounded like the highest-pitched cry I’d ever heard. My eardrums felt like they were going to pop, and I covered my ears until my shadow cut its head completely off.
Then all was silent.
When the angel was dead, all feeling suddenly returned to my body. I greedily gulped for air and shot up before I stared at my double with awe and appreciation. That was when my coven all jerked awake, and their eyes widened when they saw my shadow holding onto a white, bloody, and faceless head. Then they turned to look at me, covered their mouths with their hands, and suppressed their terrified screams.
“M-Master!” Akira breathed, and her black eyes were fixated on my throat. “There’s a deep red handprint on your neck, and you’re bleeding! What happened?”
“I-I’m fine,” I grunted, but when I touched my skin, it was hot and searing with pain. “Samara tried to kill me…”
“What the hell is that?” Circe gasped as she pointed to my shadow and the severed head.
“I have no idea,” I replied, and my voice was low and hoarse. “All I know is it was sent by Samara.”
Master, this was a spirit of retribution, my shadow explained as he held up the bleeding head, and its eyes were now dim, lifeless, and gray. It was designed to serve as a faceless servant and obey an elder’s bidding.
“A spirit?” I repeated aloud.
“Is that what your shadow said?” Morgana asked in a faint voice. “That it was a spirit?”
“One of retribution meant to serve an elder master,” I reconfirmed. “At least that’s what he told me.”
“How could he even rip its head off?” Circe asked. “It looked like it was made from smoke?”
Before I could answer, my shadow’s voice popped into my head.
Because only a shadow can kill another entity made from smoke or darkness, he said, and now that it’s dead, the others can see it, too. You are all safe for now. Is there anything else I can do for you, master?
“No,” I answered, and I still sounded rough, “but thank you, again. If I require your assistance, I’ll summon you.”
Thank you, his voice echoed before he offered me a low bow. Until then.
We watched in silence as he disappeared from view, and when I looked toward the slivered opening of the tent, I realized the sun was about to rise. A bright orange glow was seeping inside, and the coolness of the shadow’s presence was quickly thinning. The night hadn’t been as peaceful as I hoped it would, but it didn’t matter.
The eve of battle was upon us, and it was time to move and face Samara.
“Master,” Beatrix said like she could read my mind. “The horizon is burning. Perhaps it’s time to get up…?”
“I know,” I sighed before I slowly rose to my feet. “Let’s get ready.”
No one said a word as we garbed ourselves in our cloaks and boots and then slipped out of the tent. The morning air was brisk, and the fields were glowing with vigor, but I could feel thick tension all around us. Vanessa was already awake, and she was seated on the grass with Isobel’s head on her lap.
When the professor heard the rustling of our boots against the greenery, she slowly turned around and flashed us a strange smile. It appeared forced since the corners of her lips were upturned, but her eyes were furrowed and filled with concern, or perhaps even sadness. It was difficult to tell with her, and I knew better than to ask.
“Today is the day,” I said as I took a step closer toward the beautiful professor.
“Yes, I suppose it is,” she said in a soft voice before she looked at each of us, but then her eyes narrowed at my neck. “Cole, what in hell’s name happened to your throat?”
“I was attacked by a spirit,” I explained as calmly as possible. “A spirit of retribution sent by Samara.”
“Well, are you alright?” the professor asked in a surprisingly gentle tone.
“I’m fine,” I replied with a dismissive wave of my hand. “I handled it, we just need to be on high alert for the next attack.”
“As long as you’re fine,” Vanessa sighed heavily before she turned over her shoulder and looked at the tower in the distance and then back at us. “We’ll need your abilities. So… is everyone ready?”
“Yes, professor,” we replied at the same time.
Vanessa nodded deeply before Isobel raised her head and allowed her master to stand up. The other familiars were also awake, and when Alexander perched himself on my shoulder, I could feel the stiffness in his body.
Are you ready, Cole? he asked in my head.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I said before I held my head higher and made sure I had all my weapons tucked safely in my waistband. Then I stared ahead at the tower and took a long, deep breath. “Let’s fucking do this.”
The others nodded in agreement before we quietly headed toward the holy pillar. We walked in silence, and I knew everyone was ready, but still, I knew all their nerves were shot. Finally, after a couple of hours, we were only a few acres away from the tower, so I stopped in my tracks and scanned the area. The tower seemed vacant, and there was only one wooden door. There didn’t appear to be anything guarding the pillar in sight, but still, I knew better than to just rely on eyesight. I needed to take another precaution, one more powerful and reliable.
“What is it, Cole?” Vanessa demanded in a concerned voice as she looked around. “Do you see something? Has the compass changed?”
“No,” I said since the compass was steady against my chest, and there was nothing visible in sight. “I just… I want to see if I can sense anything before we cross over to the tower.”
“Ah,” Vanessa responded in a faint whisper. “Well, you can try, but I’m not sure it will work here. Samara’s magic is too powerful here so close to the heavens, and there has to be some kind of barrier around the pillar, even if we can’t see it.”
“Still.” I shrugged. “It might be worth a shot.”
“I agree,” Akira said before she looked at Vanessa. “We should try it if our master says so.”
“Fine,” the dark-haired professor sighed after a long pause. “Go ahead, Cole… but please, be careful.”
I nodded, took a small step forward, and closed my eyes. Then I inhaled sharply and raised my hands into the air before I uttered the ancient spell.
Periculum.
When I uttered the curse in my mind, it felt like my body was about to jerk backward, and I feared my guts were going to spill from my mouth. A sickening sensation settled in the pit of my stomach, my tongue tasted like blood, and my body trembled violently. There was a deadly presence in the air, and I knew it was ready to swallow anything deemed unholy. I couldn’t see a clear picture of it, but I knew it was watching us and prepared to kill us. I tried to keep still as its presence seeped into my entity, but its force felt like a violent storm, and I nearly fell backward.
“Master!” Revna cried out before she ran over and tried to steady me. “What did you see? Your face is paler than snow.”
“It’s not about what I saw,” I muttered before I pressed my fingers against my throbbing temples. “It’s what I felt.”
“Well, what did you feel?” Vanessa asked in an impatient tone. “Anything specific?”
“No,” I sighed with disappointment. “All I can tell you is what we already know. There is a severe danger lurking here, and it’s hiding in front of us… just waiting for us to approach the tower.”
“So, let’s get this over with,” Akira said before she threw back her shoulders, and her eyes were glistening with bloodlust. “I’m tired of waiting.”
“Me, too,” Circe said before she gripped her wand with all her might. “Let’s fucking do this.”
The other women began to nod their agreements, and I could feel a shift in the air. The tension was melting away and being replaced with something else. The women’s eyes were alight with fire and passion, and I could feel their hearts pounding against their chests, but not with fear. They were ready to fight, and it made my heart swell with pride and fire as they stood by my side.
“No matter what happens, we’ll fight with everything we have,” I said in a firm voice, and Alexander’s talons flexed like he was also prepared to take off and fight to the death. “We’re stronger than Samara realizes, and together, we’re more than a family. We’re an army, one that is both unholy and powerful, and together we’re unstoppable. So, let’s find the third artifact and force Samara to return to her roots!”
The women all raised their wands in the air and let out a simultaneous, fierce war cry. Then we marched toward the pillar together, and when we reached the light-colored tower, we stopped in front of its plain wooden door and studied the narrow, tall structure. The entire base was made from silver and pale stone. Each rock was shaped differently from the other, and it was so tall it surpassed the clouds. Satan only knew just how far it went and how long it would take to climb each step.
“Unholy fuck,” Circe whispered. “That’s going to be one hell of a walk…”
Before anyone could offer another comment, a deep rumbling sound echoed in the air and washed over us like a giant ocean wave. At first, I thought it was thunder, but when I strained to listen, I realized it was someone cackling, but the laughter was so loud and powerful, it felt like an earthquake.
“Shiiiiiiiiit!” Nyx cried out before she put her blue hands over her ears. “What the hell is that?”
“Fuck if I know!” Akira shouted back.
“Be quiet!” Vanessa demanded in a firm voice. “I-I think I heard something.”
No one said a word, and through the fierce grumbling, I thought I heard a deep voice trying to break through the rumbling echo.
“You are either incredibly brave,” a thick, masculine voice eerily rumbled, “or entirely foolish.”
“Show yourself,” I demanded as I tightened the grip on my wand. “Let us fight, man to man, or are you a fucking coward?”
“Ah, but I am no man,” the voice responded. “Like you, filthy Wicca. However, if we are to compare ourselves to one another, I’m far more powerful and glorious than any mortal being or witch alive.”
“If you’re not a man, what does that make you?” I shouted into the tense air. “Still a fucking, holy coward!”
“If we’re introducing ourselves, I’d say I’m an angel of sorts,” he chuckled, and the earth shook again, and this time, it nearly made me fall over. “You do realize I can’t let any of you live? You will never be able to pass through my doors and enter the kingdom of heaven, you foolish, reckless Wiccans.”
“We’ll see about that,” I grunted. “Now, once again, I demand you show yourself! Unless you’re a weakling who’d rather hide beneath an invisible façade? Is that what angels and holy servants are made of? Cowardly hides?”
“Very well,” he responded after a long moment. “I’ll show you my face, but it does not matter if you can see me or not. I will end you and yours soon enough.”
“We’ve heard that before,” I muttered as my blood boiled with rage. “Stop wasting time, and let’s get this fucking over with. Show yourself!”
A cloud of silver mist erupted from nothingness and hovered in front of the wooden door in seconds, and when it finally evaporated, a tall blond man with silver trimmed gold wings stood before us. His eyes were milky blue, and his skin looked as white and as sharp as a marble statue. When he smiled, his teeth shone bright, and two dimples appeared from the sides of his strong jaw. He was a muscular man, garbed in a white robe with a golden rope tied to his waist. He wore leather sandals and had a sword by his side, but it was protected by a tan leather sheath.
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” he said as he followed my gaze and patted his sword. “I won’t be using weapons on you. This is a fight of pure magic, and we both know who’s more powerful.”
“Yes, we fucking do,” I growled before I raised my wand and swiftly flicked it in his direction. “Dissulto!”
A blast of intensely bright light soared toward the elder angel, but with a smile on his face and one small wave of his hand, the light flipped upward and went flying back in our direction. We dove out of the way, but unfortunately, Beatrix wasn’t fast enough. The light hit her in the stomach and sent her soaring back. She screamed as her body tumbled backward, and the others all struggled to get back to their feet. Circe and Marina ran back to help the light-haired brunette, whose lips were bleeding, and a fresh bruise was forming around her right eye.
“Your wand is quite powerful,” the elder remarked. “Perhaps when you are dead, I will seize it and bring it to Samara as a gift. She is strong enough to mold it into something beautiful and holy… all I have to do is pry it from your cold, dead fingertips.”
“You fucking bastard,” I spat before I narrowed my eyes at him and willed all of Satan’s glory to rush to my aid. “Secare!”
As soon as the curse left my lips, a flint of golden yellow light exploded from my wand and flew toward the elder’s perfect face. He moved his head, but still, my spell grazed the edge of his cheek. When he realized he’d been hit, he chuckled in awe and swiped at the trickle of blood with his fingertips.
“Interesting,” he said as he studied his red-stained finger. “No witch has ever made me bleed before--”
“Glacio!” Penelope screamed before he could finish his train of thought, but he raised his hand and smiled.
The air instantly became chilly, and when I looked around me, all the women and familiars were frozen in place. Their eyes were all wide with surprise, and their lips were parted open like they were about to scream. They looked like beautiful but terrifying ice sculptures placed under the sun.
Cole! Alexander called out. My familiar was high in the air with his wings spread out and ready to attack, but I waved him off mentally.
Not yet, I said as I studied the frozen women. When I looked closer, I could see the ice sweating, and I knew if I didn’t defeat this holy worshipping bastard soon, they would turn into puddles of water.
“What pesky little women,” he chortled before his eyes focused back on me. “Now, as you said, let’s fight man to man, just you and me. Agreed?”
“You son of a holy bitch,” I growled. “No one touches my women and lives.”
Before he could respond, I stared down at the ground directly beneath his feet and willed the earth to split right open and swallow him whole. Then I imagined the fiery depths of hell devouring his body and clawing his blue eyes out. Blazing blood rushed through my veins and made me tremble, and when the elder looked deeply into my eyes, I knew he could sense my unwavering magic.
“I can see what you’re trying to do,” he chuckled in a mocking tone. “Try all you want, but it’s useless. Samara’s power is unbreakable. Even your magic won’t surpass me or her barrier.”
I ignored his remarks and closed my eyes, and then I tried to push out the holiness with all my might and replace it with my beloved darkness and pure evil. My bones trembled as I focused, and my lips tightened into a thin line. I could feel Samara’s presence trying to seep into my psyche like a knife trying to cut through glass, but I refused to let her in.
I was the one in fucking control.
That’s it, Cole, the woman from my dreams urged, and it was a relief to finally hear her voice once more. Keep focusing! Don’t stop!
“I won’t,” I whispered, and it was like a dark cloud was burning inside my soul.
“Enough of this,” the elder sneered, and I could hear the sudden fear and awareness in his voice. “Displodo!”
Even though my eyes were closed, I could still see a bright-blue light spurt from the palms of his hands, and it quickly soared in my direction. In my mind, I pictured a thin, red barrier of smoke, and I willed it to surround me and stop his magic from penetrating my heart. His spell was seconds away from striking me, but right before it could do any harm, a wall of fire exploded up around me and swallowed his curse. I opened my eyes as my fire of fortification destroyed his spell, and just beyond the dwindling flames, I could see his face fall into a deep, concerned frown.
“H-How is this possible?” I heard him say, and by now, his cool demeanor had faded and was replaced with fear. “It can’t be… I won’t allow it!”
I saw him raise his hand to try and throw another spell my way, but again, my fiery wall shot up and protected me from any curse he could utter. He continued to try and kill me, but no matter what spell he spilled, I was able to destroy it with my mind.
Now do it, Cole! the woman from my dreams urged. Let hell’s fury swallow him whole!
“With pleasure,” I whispered, and this time, my voice emerged as an echo and caused the ground to shake. I could feel my mouth forming a smile right before I uttered the ancient incantation, the one to bend everything to my will and submit my victims to complete darkness.
Modus Antiquorium.
Suddenly, the pale blue sky turned a deep shade of crimson, and the white clouds emitted lightning that broke across the sky. The elder’s face was swollen with fear, and his palms were lowered as the ground shook underneath me. My grin broadened when I glanced down at his sandals, and I saw the grass was slowly starting to split apart. A glowing red light burst from the opening, and the elder swiftly lowered his eyes and tried to use his abilities to bring the opening to a close, but it was apparently too challenging for him. Thick beads of sweat dripped from his brow, and his eyes were glassy with tears as he muttered the same incantation over and over again under his breath.
But it was useless. The more he tried to defeat my power, the more energy he was using up, and it was beginning to take a toll on his physical features. His marble skin was turning pallid and shriveled like fruit left under the sun for too long. His burning blue eyes were fading like a dying sunset, and his muscles were deteriorating into ash and bone.
“Nooooooo!” he cried out, and his voice was broken and hoarse.
I watched with pleasure as multiple hands burst through the cracked earth and started to grab him by the ankles. He thrashed his body as he tried to escape the claws of death, but the more he moved, the more determined the hellish hands grew. I smiled as his great, magnificent wings began to break from his shoulder blades, and as he screamed in pain, the hands started to claw and scratch at his skin. Then blood spurted into the air as one wing completely fell off, and his cries of agony and terror grew even louder. He fell down to one knee, and the hands from hell grappled him even tighter.
“Enjoy your time below,” I chuckled as they tore into his robes, skin, and eventually pulled him waist down inside the earth. “You’ll be there for a long fucking time.”
“Wait, pleeeeeeease,” he begged, and the voices from hell cackled loudly before they reached for his skull and eyes. “Nooooooo! God save meeeee!”
Long nails plunged into his face and began to rip his skin and completely pull it off. He was still begging for mercy as muscle and bone shone through his tattered skin, and his eyes were pulled from their sockets. Finally, he was sucked into the opening and completely gone from this world, and the sky turned back to blue as everything became still and calm.
When it was over, I released myself from the searing concentration that overcame my mind. Then I took a deep, soothing breath, and I could hear the other women breathing as well.
“Master!” Nyx’s voice was the first to shout. “What happened to the elder?”
“Hell has him now,” I growled, and it felt like my head was going to split in half, but now I was determined to get through this wooden door.
“Well done, master!” Beatrix gasped. “What would we have done without you?”
“How did you summon hell when we were so close up to heaven?” Marina questioned with awe and amazement.
“Because he’s our master,” Akira reminded her, and she flashed me a haughty smirk. “He can do anything.”
“Satan, can everyone shut up?” Vanessa sighed before she placed a hand on her forehead. “My head…”
“Will you be able to keep going, professor?” Morgana asked in a soft voice.
“Of course,” Vanessa snapped, but then her defensive eyes softened, and her voice lowered. “I’m sorry, Miss Morgana. I didn’t mean to be impatient. Yes… I believe I’m ready.”
“Let’s do this, then, master.” Akira grinned before she turned to regard the others. “We’ll kill whoever is in our way. I just hope this time, we’re awake for the fight.”
“You will be,” I said in a firm voice. “Trust me… we’ll all have a part to play. I can feel it.”
“And we’ll have your back, master,” Circe added in a stern tone. “No matter what.”
I nodded in agreement before I reached for the doorknob, and when my hand grasped the cool metal, I thought I could feel Samara’s presence in the back of my mind. I knew she was dying to push through my subconscious, but I remained as firm as iron and forbade her from slipping into my head.
It felt like she was crying out in a storm-like fury, but I silently vowed to myself that the next time we spoke, it would be in person. All we had to do was pass through the golden gates of heaven.
The gates no Wicca has ever passed before, the woman from my dreams reminded me. Tread carefully, Cole. You’re not there just yet.
“I know,” I replied in a steady voice before I turned to carefully observe the others. “Come on, let’s go.”