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It recognized me.
Like we were linked, and it was calling out to me. The feeling grew stronger the further around the prison I traveled. But then when the thundering in my heart started to beat to a quicker pulse, I knew the book was crying out for me. As if it was being abused and knew I was its savior. Or perhaps it was the souls that were all linked to it that did that. The ones that had their lives stripped bare and were forced to become nothing more than a malevolent puppet.
Well not for much longer.
Not if I had anything to do with it!
I ended up finding what I first thought was a dead-end because nothing but a wall of smooth, pale stone faced me. But then lines of glowing green lights appeared from behind it, as if the wall was becoming transparent, like clear water, rippling and unable to yet show the whole picture.
“What the…?” I muttered as I stepped closer, before placing my hand flat on the wall. Something that caused me to suck in a startled breath as I felt the rush of power flow pass into me. Like some kind of ghost had just floated right through my body and left behind the essence of magic.
Strong magic.
After that, the image no longer wavered but became a solid, clear picture of a door, one glowing green and urging me to enter. A large symbol appeared at the center, glowing brighter than the edges did, and I didn’t know how I knew what I was looking at, but I did. I knew that it was a summoning circle and that the Demonic symbol at the center would change depending on which Demon you were trying to bring forth. The ancient runes on the outer ring told of the Summoner, markings given to each to distinguish their rank, how many souls collected and how many years they had held such status.
But how would I know this?
Right now I couldn’t answer this internal question, only that I could once again assume that my connection with the book was why. It was also why after taking a cautious moment to listen to see if anyone would be behind it, I finally opened it, feeling the same veil of power flow through me once again. It was as if this was a door only ever intended to be used by one person.
A Summoner.
“Well okay then,” I muttered to myself again, seeing as I now seemed to be one big walking, talking key. Which was why I quickly slipped inside and soon had to hide my gasp of horror the moment I saw what was happening… And what had no doubt become a daily nightmare for Jared to be forced to go through.
My instincts had been right…
This was an arena.
Only now it looked as if I had just caught the tail end of what that bitch, Niniane, had clearly planned to be the final act.
And it was worse than I could have ever imagined!
“Oh no,” I whispered as I took in the impossible odds four men were being forced to battle against. Because there, in the centre of an army of souls, was a horned Demon I didn’t know, but who he was with was what had my heart in my throat. Orthrus, Marcus, and Jared looked as if they had been fighting tirelessly for hours with no end in sight. Because I may not have been an expert on this whole Summoning business, but even I knew that these souls couldn’t be killed.
Which was when my blood started to boil at just the thought of what the bitch had put them through and for how long. But my eyes focused on Jared, and I had to force myself to stay where I was and not just go running toward him!
I swear, my heart could barely take it. Just the thought of what he must have been put through all this time… I could see from the state of his clothes that he had just been tossed in a cell since the day I last saw him. And after seeing the cells for myself, I knew the conditions he had been forced to endure.
Which was why I could feel my fists clenching as my anger started building. But then I watched from behind a pillar, one covered in what looked like a thick, burnt vine that not long ago would have framed the walls of the whole arena with life. Although from the looks of some of those thorns, most of which were bigger than my legs, then I would say it wasn’t the type of life you wanted anywhere near you. Making me wonder what had happened here to cause such destruction?
From where I was standing, I watched as the one responsible for it all made her way down from the platform she had been enjoying the show from. She had obviously used a door behind her as she disappeared for a few seconds before she then remerged from a portal she must have created. Just like I had previously seen her do on Jared’s stage, making me wonder if I would have the ability to do this at some point.
Of course, I had no clue how any of this worked and, to be honest, I didn’t exactly feel much different to how I did before I took hold of that book. Other than having this ‘feeling’ that seemed to be trying to tug me closer to it, it was like I said before, it wasn’t as if I felt like some damn superhero. Pity, but at the very least I knew that it had worked once, so in theory, if I could get close enough to the book a second time, then I should be able to take her power and with it, control over the souls she commanded.
Well, here was to wishful thinking, or this was going to be a pretty crappy rescue. Because there were only two ways this was going to play out, and I was going to either end up running into Jared’s arms, or I would end up in some cell right next to him.
But then, on reflection, I didn’t think the bitch would be kind enough to do that. Maybe stick my head on a spike right outside his bars, perhaps. Either way, I knew this was my one chance because if I didn’t do something now, then I would be forced to watch as those I cared about fell in battle.
The moment she emerged, I watched as she started walking closer to the four men who were valiantly standing their ground, despite knowing what was coming. She started clapping, making me grit my teeth as even more anger coursed through me. A feeling that only managed to intensify that of the book because it seemed to be still trying to pull me closer. Something I could finally do now, seeing as Niniane wasn’t worried about someone taking it from her.
Assumption was, after all, the mother bitch of all fuck ups.
Something my uncle always used to tell me… well, perhaps in not so many colourful words, but I preferred my version because it was most definitely more fitting right now.
At the very least, her ugly approach was making her army float back and giving the men some space. She looked like some evil bird queen, with her flowing gown covered in shimmering gasoline green feathers. It was a mermaid style, with the longer feathers saved for the bottom of her dress, making it flare out around the floor. The top section was covered in an intricate woven pattern of much smaller feathers, each fixed tight to her slim body before arching outwards over her breasts. This made it look like a green wave crashing up against the rocks with her body caught inside the swell.
As for the crowd, they all looked to be on tenterhooks, waiting for what was clearly going to be her last command, and whether or not what came with it would ultimately be…
Death.
