“Precisely.”
Not that it’d do much good if I didn’t have a trail to follow.
“I’m going to contact the Global Guild,” Milo said. “Let them know we might get a location soon.”
“One can hope.”
I summoned a manifestation, an extension of my mind, and broke him off from my core self. He followed the tune of Theodore’s soft hum and disappeared into the psychic plane. With any luck, we’d find and retrieve Caleb and Tara before the new year.
I followedthe tiniest thread of psychotic energy. Theodore’s thoughts held a chaotic frequency, one of which I understood all too well now that I’d embraced his mind. The wicked musings called out with a soft echo, guiding my manifested self through the psychic plane until I reached a dark cavern.
This was where Tara and Caleb had been dragged weeks ago. I didn’t know this location. Was it underground? Was it some archaic temple? Was this ancient mystique merely an illusion meant to deceive those who entered this cave?
It didn’t matter. I needed to pinpoint this location, give Milo the destination, and then prepare for a war where I’d have no choice but to drag my other students into it in order to ensure all my students survived.
Twelve bound by fate, all because I had to change the life of one student. My interference in Caleb’s life that semester now linked all of them together on a mystical level I’d never comprehend. I wasn’t even sure Milo fully gleaned it, but he knew their futures held stronger together than apart. My homeroom coven was intertwined, and I had to make sure it stayed that way.
I wouldn’t lose Caleb to Hell. I wouldn’t lose Tara to her mother’s deranged obsession. I wouldn’t lose anyone to The True Witch or her Celestial Coven.
Skirting around the pillars, I carefully studied them. I only made a little sense out of the sigils, mainly from knowledge I shared with Katherine. My students had opened their minds to me, offering intel and insight where they possessed it. Katherine’s comprehension of enchantments far superseded the average witch. Hell, she excelled beyond most of the expert witches across the globe.
Most of that talent came from years of dedicated study, but part of her strength came from the memories of Moire she absorbed. While the vile grimoire controlled her body like a puppet, Katherine did her part to learn the wealth of knowledge that book contained. It helped ensure I didn’t trigger any of these traps.
The pillars and walls were soaked in protective magics that’d easily ignite even when met with the psychic projection. Carefully, I weaved around them, searching for an exit, for a distinguishable landmark, for a concrete location.
“I know you’re here, friend.” Theodore’s thoughts shuddered, filled with quaking anticipation.
I ignored him, making my way through this horrifying lair. Bones lay strewn throughout the cave floor. Were these victims of Grim? Former Celestial Coven members? Foolish witches who challenged The True Witch? Or perhaps sacrifices in some ancient blood magic ritual when witches still believed in such perverse forms of casting.
“Better hurry,” Theodore teased, his teeth chattering alongside his whispering thoughts. “Mommy’s casting a ritual to ship off my baby bro. I’d hate for you to miss the best part.”
The suddenness of his voice startled me, but I wouldn’t let his wicked words deceive me.
He was lying. There was no way Amara had opened the Gate of Hell already. Right? She mentioned requiring a celestial event, something to harness.
But if Theodore was telling the truth…
I couldn’t chance it. I had to know. On the off-chance Theodore planned on tricking me, I kept my guard up. Not that he could do too much to a manifestation, but I didn’t want to lose this opportunity to gain intel on their location.
Drifting through the halls of this ancient ruin, I followed the vibrations of Theodore’s guiding thoughts.
In the deepest depths of this place stood a ritual chamber with a large arched doorway. Like two pillars outstretched and twisted together at the tip. The top where they met held a flame. Many built-in torches lined the arch all the way to the bottom, but none were lit except for the flickering fire at the top.
Amara stood before the archway, chanting a spell.
Theodore’s mind opened to me, revealing this location, the meaning of the symbols on the pillar, the purpose of Amara’s ancient words.
This was the Gate of Hell. She was…she was opening it. But how?
Surrounding her were all three of her children. Tara was placed the furthest out, still within Amara’s sight, but far enough from any immediate danger that came with opening the literal Gate of Hell. A white barrier held Tara in place, blocking her magic despite the constant bombardment of strikes.
Tara shouted, screaming with a soft echo. I barely heard her behind the barrier containing her. Shadows and ice andcrackling screeches did nothing to break the white barrier holding her in place.
Directly behind Amara, Caleb sat on his knees, hands bound behind his back, and a chain around his neck keeping him completely centered with the warded pentagram he was bound within.
On Amara’s other side, opposite Tara, but nearly as far away, lay Theodore. He was bound with heavy shackles on his back within a similar pentagram to Caleb’s. Though Theodore’s held more binding sigils.
“How is she doing this?” I trembled in the presence of Hell opening before my eyes. “She needed a celestial event.”
