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Castian followed Ashiya, as his magic moved rings and locked pieces into places. He didn’t look at the two golems as they slowly faded when he said. “I’ll take it from here.”
They said nothing in reply as they disappeared.
The walls rushed towards him before stopping a hand width from his face only to fall away once completed. He solved each puzzle or problem at the speed of light, he was the center of the chaos. Master of It all. As the room turned on its head, it appeared to his mind’s eyes like flipping pages. His smile grew more and more maniacal.
Suddenly with a clapping sound he was surrounded by nothing but darkness.
A single circle of light flickered ahead. Taking a step forward, he spotted another one. He followed them hoping they were guiding him toward what he was looking for. He came to a stop in front of a three-story high tower. The carved-out steps glowed a soft white.
These steps had been climbed by many ancestors before him.
When Castian had first come here, he’d been ready to take the mantle of Lord Napier. He’d been proud to perform the ritual before the other families of the Syed. Like, now he’d climbed the steps one at a time. Eager to take the full weight of his father’s last name.
When he reached the top he stared into the night sky above and pulled his staff out. Then he hadn’t known that someone had buried human bodies on their property. And that the words on the altar had been changed to work a forbidden magic that would damn him.
Now he walked towards the center of the nine pillars in fear that his plan wouldn’t work. That he wouldn’t be able to change things. These fears were cast aside when Ashiya released a pained roar.
He continued forward; he would return things to what they should be. Reaching the center, he summoned all his magic and softly said, “Ashiya, rise.”
With another roar black lights shot out from his body. Followed by a hand covered by a sticky black residue, then a pair of horns appeared from his chest and soon followed by Ashiyas head that rotated before he yanked the rest of his body out from Castians. Castian widened his stance, bracing himself as he clenched jaw against the bone crushing pain tearing him up inside.
Ashiya staggered forward, his legs shaking as he grew accustomed to having his own body. It didn’t take long for him to return to his former glory as his black wings exploded from his back. He flew into the air and turned around to face Castian.
Ashiya no longer looked like a demon but a fallen angel. His eyes were covered with dirty bandages, as was the rest of his body. Some of the bandages were loose enough for Castian to see that Hebrew words carved into his pale skin.
He flashed his sharp teeth at Castian when grinned.“What is it you seek from me, warlock?”
“A pact.” Castian brought his staff before him and lifted it above his head. “I command thee, Ashiya, Demon of Babylon and child of Lil. Keep thy promise with the blood Napier.”
“Come then child and show me this blood.”Ashiya’s voice rang out all around Castian.“And so, shall our pact be formed.”
Castian brought the staff down slamming it into the stone floor in front of him. Spikes sprouted out from it and pierced his hand that still held it. He held back his cry of pain as his blood flowed from his hand and dripped down onto the dug runes that covered the floor. The red blood spread out from beneath his feet. Triggering the magic there to come alive, the light was pure white nearly blinding him.
“Proof has been given.” He panted out, glaring up at the large demon above him.
“Indeed, and I’ll now call you Master.”Ashiya lowered himself until he was at a similar height to Castian and placed a hand over his wounded one.
Castian tensed as power like he never filled his veins. Ashiya’s figure was slowly absorbed into the staff. Time slowed, Castians head rolled back. At some point he fell to his knees, his grip still on his staff. He didn’t let go until the last drop of Ashiya essence entered him. The spikes slid out of his hand and Castian immediately let go. He watched as the wounds healed.
He’d done it, he’d reversed the assimilation.
Laughter bubbled up inside him, he’d done it. He’d turned the tide in his favor and now he could wreak havoc on those who’d done this to him. No more nights of going nearly insane. His powers were firmly back in his hands. He reached out and summoned a mirror. Grabbing it out of the air he looked at himself. The mark of a demon was completely gone, his blue eyes and blonde hair were reflected at him.
After looking at himself for the third time he changed his appearance back to having brown hair and brown eyes. “That’s better.”
He vanished his mirror and stood up grabbing his cane as he went. With a snap of his fingers his surroundings changed, and he was once again in the library.
Seeing that everything had returned to its place, Castian exited only to meet a familiar pair of moon-lit eyes. Lips he had a fascination with pursed, the skin that had appeared like star dusted obsidian now appeared like smooth mahogany.
Oye was still the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Even as she glared at him fiercely, her hands on her hips.
“Explain.”
He couldn’t help smiling, and he saw the confusion flicker in her eyes. He stepped forward, and without a word he wrapped them in a flash of shadow and the two of them disappeared from sight.
With his demon now dealt with, Castian was free to do what he wished, and his first wish was to kiss the woman in his arms once more.
OYE
