Chapter 6
It felt like only seconds passed before we landed safely in the comfort of our bedroom, but I was quick to notice none of the others had returned yet.
“Where is everyone?” Della asked as she looked around the room.
“Surely it wouldn’t take them that long to find the artifacts?” Astrid frowned. “They only needed to find one each.”
I clicked my fingers to change our outfits back to our original uniforms, and then I collapsed down onto a couch as I recalled everything that had happened in Goshotha. The issues we faced with the objects made sense, because they were hidden for a reason, but I was able to touch the rocks when the others couldn’t, yet I couldn’t touch the Urn to begin with.
“I think the creators of the artifacts placed the block,” I muttered. “They didn’t want anyone to find them, so it makes sense they’d place a barricade around the artifacts.”
“But we retrieved the Inscriptions without any issue,” Faye replied.
“Not really,” I said with a pointed look. “Not only did the mountain collapse, but then we had to release the Inscriptions from inside the cement. They could have placed any of those hurdles in our path, so who knows what they’ve done to the other artifacts.”
“That’s true.” Akira nodded. “We’re lucky we had the Dark Lord with us, but that can’t be said for the other groups.”
“Then what do we do?” Della asked.
“There’s only one thing we can do.” I smirked. “In order to break the blockages, we’ll need to gather as many witches as we can.”
Nothing was going to stop me from having all five objects in my power.
As I thought through my theories, I found myself peering at the artifacts we’d collected, and then I compared them to the pictures in the book. The drawings had aged over time, and they were only in black and white, but I noticed the distinct similarities between the two. The slab of concrete where the Inscriptions laid had rows upon rows of various words and markings, which matched what was in the picture, and the same markings were found on the Urn, too.
Some of the markings looked like stars, some were more square in shape, and there was one that looked like an upside-down ampersand. Perhaps I would research the markings once the Elder Lord was dealt with, but I was so concerned about destroying them all that translating each individual tile wasn’t at the top of my to-do list.
However, it was a relief to see we had the real artifacts in hand, and we hadn’t gone through the entire process for a fake. I wasn’t sure if it was possible to make fraudulent duplicates of the artifacts, but regardless of that, I had the most powerful two in front of me, and now I just needed the remaining three artifacts to take their rightful places beside the Urn and the Inscriptions.
But that was where the real issue was found.
I was powerful enough to destroy the block placed around the Urn, but if I hadn’t been there, the chances of the women breaking the barrier alone were slim. I couldn’t be in three places at one time, so if every artifact held the same blockage, then it was going to be incredibly difficult for us to retrieve them.
But before I could plan my next move, I needed to know how my coven fared and see if they’d been as successful as we had been.
“Move these safely out of the way,” I said as I motioned toward the artifacts. “I can’t risk them getting damaged.”
Akira and Astrid each picked up one artifact and took them over to the side of the room, but they never said a word, or asked what I was up to. And instead of filling in the blanks for them, I stood from the couch, pushed the center table out the way, and then clicked my fingers.
A thick, purple cloud appeared in the middle of the room, which opened the vortex to the other realms. Slowly but surely, the rest of my coven began to return, and Nyx, Vesta, Freyja, Circe, and Samara arrived first.
“Damn, I thought we were going to be stuck in that snow forever,” Nyx chuckled as she brushed white flakes out of her blue hair.
“I’m so glad to see how warm it is here,” Vesta laughed along with her partner.
“Yeah, laugh all you want.” Akira rolled her eyes. “We were stuck in the middle of the desert, under the blistering sun.”
“I swear I’ve got sand in places it shouldn’t be.” Astrid squirmed around like she needed to use the bathroom.
“That wouldn’t surprise me.” Faye winked. “But I don’t regret what we did on the sand…”
I found myself thinking back to the positions my women were in, the noises they made, and the sensations of their pussies milking my cock of every last drop of cum.
But before I could get too distracted by my memories, I sensed more women arriving through the portal.
Vanessa, Cleo, Beatrix, Revna, and Remy came through moments later, and Remy and Cleo landed hard on their back sides. The two women let out pained groans as they stood up, and just as they cleared the space, the final group arrived.
Marina and Morgana were a little wobbly as they fell through the fog, but Theodora and Lilith looked as if nothing phased them. Although it had been a sudden transition, and they hadn’t been made aware the portal was about to open, the women took it relatively well. I also noticed Theodora and Vanessa had bags with them, but Nyx’s group had arrived empty-handed, which wasn’t a huge surprise to me.
“Dark One, what’s the matter?” Theodora asked with one hand on my shoulder.
“I need to discuss something with you all,” I said to the room.
I motioned for everyone to take a seat, and then I stood in front of the large windows as I took in my audience. The light of the sun created a shadow of my body across the carpeted flooring, and I found myself staring at my shadow form while I thought about what I was going to say.
“First off, I want to thank you all for going on that journey, and if it was anything like our mission, then I can imagine the challenges you faced.” I paused for a second. “Now, secondly, I need to know who managed to retrieve their artifacts.”
I noticed two bags, but someone could have had the third object hidden in their cloak.
“We did, my lord,” Lilith said as Theodora held up the bag. “We’ve brought you the Cylinder of Sight.”
“Very good.” I nodded my head once. “And who else? Who was triumphant in their challenge?”
“We were, my lord,” Vanessa replied. “As you said, it wasn’t easy, but we managed to retrieve the Tiara of Corruption.”
“Anyone else?” I asked.
“No, master, I’m sorry,” Nyx said with her head hung low. “We did everything we could, and the Diabolic Headstone was right there, but it was almost impossible to get it.”
“So, we have the Headstone still to recover,” I explained as I began to walk back and forth in front of the window. “Like we’ve already mentioned, these challenges aren’t easy, and even my group struggled with the final task, but I think I know the reason behind that. Whoever hid the artifacts doesn’t want anyone else to find them, so they’ll do whatever they can to keep us away.”
“As well as the Elder Lord,” Lilith said.
“Exactly,” I replied. “He’s as desperate for them as we are, but if we can get the Headstone before anyone else, then we’ll hold more power than we already do. But the Elder Lord will also do whatever he can to make sure no one else gets their hands on the artifacts.”
“That’s why my wand wouldn’t work!” Circe sighed. “It was like the damn artifact had a charm around it, and every time I cast a spell, it would ricochet and shoot right back at me.”
“That sounds like us and the Urn,” Akira said with a raised eyebrow. “Even Cole couldn’t touch it without getting a painful shock, and I almost thought we weren’t going to break the blockage in time.”
“It definitely makes sense for them to be that difficult to retrieve,” Theodora replied. “Decoding the riddle is only half the battle, but then you need to fight against the added obstacles that the ancient witches who hid the artifacts placed in your paths.”
“And we definitely met our fair share of challenges,” Astrid scoffed.
“Those fucking snakes.” Faye scowled. “How dare they strike at me, don’t they know I’m carrying the Dark Lord’s child?”
“Hey, I’d take a snake over the snowstorm we had to endure.” Nyx shrugged. “I swear it was like an actual monster, with a fucking face and limbs.”
“Okay,” I said as I ended their conversation. “We can discuss all of this once the final artifact has been recovered.”
I then asked for Theodora and Vanessa to place their items beside the others at the back of the room, and once they were on the table, I managed to get a proper look at them. The Cylinder of Sight looked about the same size as the Urn, and it had been painted entirely in gold, with a few markings etched around the bottom of the tube and a vibrant, red eye in the center of one side. The image had black lashes that curled up, and the lashes reminded me of a spider’s legs. The white of the eye was bloodshot, and the deep, black pupil made it seem like it was staring straight into my soul.
The Tiara of Corruption, however, was much more delicate and smaller than the other items. The silver of the base had aged slightly over time, but the various gems and diamonds glittered brightly in the light of the room. The middle of the headpiece traveled up in a pyramid-like shape, and there was a beautiful mix of diamonds and sapphires intertwined in the pyramid. Then, from the base of the Tiara, three single rubies hung delicately on diamond-laced chains, and I could just imagine how they would sit across a person’s forehead as they wore the headpiece.
“What are your plans for them now?” Theodora asked. “Are you going to demolish them straight away?”
“No,” I said with a shake of my head. “I want to have them all together before I plan on how to destroy them.”
“Just as long as you destroy them for good,” Vanessa snickered. “Once they’re gone, they need to stay gone.”
Then Vanessa and Theodora headed back to their original seats, but as I watched them walk away, I spotted Lilith headed in my direction.
“They’re simply beautiful,” Lilith whispered as she took in the objects.
“They are,” I agreed. “But they’re also incredibly dangerous.”
“Which is why we’ll get them back,” my mother said comfortingly. “The Elder Lord may think they’re his to collect, but it’s now time to show him who’s really in charge.”
“And I will.” I grinned.
Then I returned to my spot by the window as I thought through my next plan. We had to constantly be one step ahead of the Elder Lord at all times, and that didn’t just mean collecting the artifacts. He could have attacked at any moment, so I needed to make sure my army was as strong as possible. It was going to take a lot of work and effort, so I couldn’t allow myself to get sidetracked just yet, but I’d return to it once the coven had been given their next orders.
“We have one item remaining,” I said. “Now, you said you had the Diabolic Headstone in sight?”
“Yes.” Nyx nodded. “It was right there in front of us, but we didn’t have the power to break the enchantment protecting it.”
“And would you remember where to go to find it?” I asked.
“I don’t think we could forget it,” Freyja laughed. “Honestly, my lord, it was torturous.”
“Especially when we couldn’t use any sort of magic during the journey,” Circe sighed.
“And did your wands work once the object came into sight?” I asked.
“Yeah, it was the strangest thing.” Nyx shrugged. “It was almost like the realm was telling us we couldn’t use our advantages while we located the artifact, but then the magic appeared again when it came time to break the hold around the damn Headstone.”
“The charms placed around these artifacts are exceedingly powerful, but with the right amount of people, it’ll be easier,” I said. “So, instead of splitting you into three groups, you’ll all return to Yiasilas together to retrieve the Headstone. But Lilith, I want you and I to stay here.”
“Of course.” Lilith nodded.
“Are you not coming with us?” Samara frowned.
“No, I’m going to do something else while you’re away,” I replied.
“What are you going to do?” Vesta asked.
“You’ll see when I return.” I smirked. “Now, go! Locate the final artifact and bring it back to me before the Elder Lord can get his fucking hands on it.”
I spotted the wicked grins that crossed my coven’s faces. I clicked my fingers, and the witches instantly vanished into thin air.
“My lord,” Lilith said as she placed one hand on my shoulder. “What are you planning inside that brilliant head of yours? I know there is something going on in there.”
I crashed down onto the empty couch as I let out a deep sigh, and Lilith gently sat down beside me. She had a slight look of concern on her face, but she held her emotions well. Lilith never spoke a word, and she kept whichever questions she had at bay until I was ready to explain my thoughts and theories to her.
“We’re well-aware of the Elder Lord’s powers, but I think we need to be a bit more prepared,” I explained. “Right now we’re obtaining the artifacts, but what happens after that?”
Lilith paused for a second, as if she was working out whether or not the question was rhetorical.
“You will do whatever you think is right, my lord.” She smiled. “Our army will follow on behind you, as you are aware, so whatever moves we make will be down to you.”
“Yes, but are we ready for a battle of that strength?” I asked. “It’s clear the Elder Lord isn’t planning a regular battle like we’ve witnessed in the past. This will be something totally brand-new, and if the hidden artifacts are anything to go by, then we’ll need to increase our numbers in order to defeat the Elder Lord and his fucking army of holy followers.”
“So, what do you plan on doing?” Lilith frowned.
I scratched a spot on my right arm as I hesitated to answer. I was sure Lilith had plenty of ideas in mind, but I doubted any of them matched mine.
Then I looked up at my mother and gave her a wicked grin.
“I plan on reaching forces far greater than any we can find on land,” I said. “My idea is to gather numbers from much further away. A place I used to call home a long, long time ago.”
Lilith was silent as she took in my words, and then a sly smile curled across her lips as she understood what I meant.
“Hell?” she asked. “My lord, do you plan on returning to Hell?”
“I do.” I nodded. “The creatures I’d find down there are like nothing the Elder Lord has ever witnessed before, and that is exactly who I need in my army. And I plan on bringing them up here.”
Lilith’s sly smile quickly turned into one of pride, and it was clear she’d support me in every decision I made. Not a lot of people had that potential, and not a lot of them could tell me what to do, or what not to do, but Lilith was different. It felt right to follow my mother’s advice, and to take her word, but her simple look of pride and adoration told me she was just as keen on the idea, and that she’d assist me if I needed it.
“Then to Hell you must go,” Lilith said. “Return to your former home, Dark One, and do whatever you need to do in order to save the worlds from the Elder Lord. But, I must add, are you aware of the challenges you’ll face?”
“I am.” I nodded. “I know it isn’t the same as shadow-porting to another realm.”
“No, it isn’t,” she replied. “It’ll take an extreme amount of strength to open that particular portal. You’ve made the trip to the first couple rings of Hell, but it’s far more difficult to get deeper into the pits.”
“Which is why I asked you to stay back,” I said. “It’ll take two of us to keep the portal open, and then you’ll need to keep it open while I’m in there.”
Shadow-porting to Hell was a difficult move to make, and it held many risks, but they were risks I was willing to take. All it took was for the link to break, and then I’d be stuck in the fiery pits. I’d eventually find a way out, but we didn’t have that kind of time, so Lilith needed to keep the portal open while I was gone.
“I must be honest, this isn’t a spell I’ve channeled before…” Lilith paused for a second. “But I’ll do whatever I can to assist you, and oddly enough, I’m slightly excited to get started.”
“Then let’s go.” I smirked. “There’s no time to lose.”
I stood up from the couch and waited for Lilith to join me, and then the two of us left the room and headed in the direction of the library. I didn’t know this incantation off the top of my head like I did with every other spell, but I knew which book held the instructions we needed. I also knew we needed a lot of space around us, and we’d need a cauldron far bigger than the one which sat in the bedroom.
“Vanessa’s classroom should be empty right now,” I said as we descended the final set of stairs. “We can use that room to channel the spell, and it’ll give you enough space to work with.”
“Whatever you think is best, my lord,” Lilith replied.
“Right now I don’t know what’s best,” I scoffed. “But I’m going with my gut.”
“It’s often the right choice to follow your gut.” She nodded. “If you think this is what you need to do, then chances are you’re correct.”
Lilith and I arrived at the library, and then I took us straight to the back of the room where the book was kept heavily guarded in a small, square, glass cabinet. This book held every dark spell in existence, and like with the artifacts, a lot of damage could be done if the book ended up in the wrong hands.
Thick, iron chains had been wrapped around the glass cabinet, and there was only one way to release the chains. It involved nothing but my blood and the power that surged through my body.
A steel strip ran along the top of the clear box, and a singular hole had been formed in the center. In order to open the cabinet, I had to prick my finger and place a droplet of blood on the steel, and then I needed to slot my wand directly in the hole. No amount of force could break the glass, and no spell would ever be strong enough to release the chains. It also needed to be purely my blood, so no relation of mine, be it Lilith or future children, had the ability to open the cabinet.
I used my dagger to cut my finger, and then I followed the instructions. The pool of red blood appeared to darken in the dim lighting, and as I slotted the tip of my wand into the steel hole, an electric shock danced up the wood and into my hand.
“Fuck,” I hissed.
But then the pain subsided, and I noticed how the chains began to slither like serpents. The sharp sounds of the iron scraping against glass caused me to wince, but fortunately it didn’t last for long, and once the chains were released, the lid of the cabinet sprung open. A musty smell blew from the box, which told me just how long it had been since it was last opened, but at least that gave me confirmation that the spell worked, and only I could release the chains.
The book was thick, at least five hundred pages, with a maroon cover which had become wrinkled and warped over time, and there was a picture of a cauldron and a poison bottle in the center. The spine of the book was black, with the same cauldron and bottle printed at the top.
“Apart from yourself and Theodora, no one else can touch this,” I said as I brought out the fat book. “Once the portal has been opened, and Theodora has returned from Yiasilas, you must give this book to her to place back in the cabinet.”
“You have my word.” Lilith nodded.
With the book safely held in my arms, Lilith and I left the library and headed toward the Blood Magic classroom. I would always remember the first time I’d entered this space when I met my original coven for the first time and realized what I’d gotten myself into. It was crazy to think back to my preschool days, and at the time I had no idea what was going on, and I certainly had no idea I was Satan reborn. I always knew I shared a special connection to Scholomance, but it took a while to understand the history behind it.
As we arrived outside the classroom, I spotted the quote scribbled in red above the door.
The feral she-wolf emerges at night, with only the moon to guide her way. Hide the lambs, the children, the weak - because she will only leave blood and bone in her wake.
“That was the first thing I noticed when I came here, too,” Lilith laughed as she saw me staring at the quote. “I think every Scholomance student would say the same thing.”
“I remember having no idea what it meant,” I said as I pushed the classroom door open. “Vanessa mumbled it when I first arrived here, so that was even more confusing.”
“Yes, I can imagine it was.” Lilith smirked.
As expected, the classroom was completely empty, which gave us the room to work in. Lilith ordered the desks to clear with a flick of her wrist, and I set the ancient book down on Vanessa’s desk and skimmed through every page until I came to the right one.
“Aha,” I said as I found what I was looking for.
A Mortuis - From The Dead.
“What does it say?” Lilith asked as she came to stand beside me.
I glanced across the page briefly and picked up on a few vital words.
“It says here only those who are worthy can channel the vortex into the underworld,” I explained and then looked further down the page and read aloud. “The A Mortuis spell allows the Dark One to return to his place of peace for a limited amount of time. But in order to return, the Dark One must rely on someone equally as worthy to keep the portal open. Those who do not share the Dark One’s blood do not carry the ability to conjure up the portal.”
“Does it say how long you have down there?” Lilith asked.
“Um…” I mumbled as I searched the page. “It says I have an hour.”
“I know time runs differently in Hell,” Lilith said. “But do you know how long an hour is down there?”
“I’m almost certain it’s the equivalent of a full day,” I replied. “However, without knowing for sure, it’s best I get the job done as quickly as I can.”
“Not that anything will go wrong, but should it occur, and should this portal close, is there another way for you to return?” Lilith asked.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I assume there’s a way, otherwise I wouldn’t be here right now, but it might take me some time to find the solution. Perhaps you’d need to wait until my children are old enough to assist you.”
I wasn’t being serious, and Lilith seemed to realize this because she cracked a smile.
“Well, you won’t need to think about that, because nothing will go wrong,” she laughed humorlessly. “Right, shall we get started?”