Chapter 81

“Let me get this straight. You want me to send my men out, with the ghosts, and have them switch every electrical appliance on in the community?” Seth asked Perl.
“Yes, the ghosts can’t manifest when near electrical currents. It keeps them weak. The stronger they become the more dangerous they will be. Hallucinations, attacks, and feelings that are not yours, they can play with your mind. They will trick us and make us kill our own,”
“And your absolutely positive of this?” he asked.
“She is right. We must keep the ghost weak,” Mary entered the room, she looked older, it was like the toll of the world had caught up with her.
“They want revenge, their leader is Jeanette, ruled by the darkest part of her soul,” Mary explained.
“Even in death that woman is wicked, and causes more problems,” Seth bellowed.
“I will send out the message,” Perl smiled and thanked Seth. Once the electric did its trick she would hunt for Ruby’s baby.
Her heart ached and she felt a sadness that rooted deep inside her. Could she go through with it? She had no choice. The world depended on her. She had to be strong and keep her emotions at bay. If not, she dreaded to think about the fate that would destroy them all.
“Did you locate the child?” Mary asked bringing her out of her thoughts.
“Not yet. I will break through her protection spell it is just a matter of time,”
“You forget. Time is not what we have. Our people are growing smaller each day. Soon there will be none of us left.” Mary had voiced the fear that she tried to push away. In the end will everything be for nothing. She had to hope that she could find the baby in time.
***
Crystal stared at yet another house that held a red cross. The cross indicated that the occupants were dead. Sighing she made her way inside and switched on all the lights and T. V’s. She looked around to see if there were any fans or anything else that used electricity that wouldn’t set the house on fire. She made sure all the plug sockets were switched on, and then made her way to another house. It was nightfall by the time that they had all finished and not one ghost could be seen. Perl’s idea must have worked. Dragging her feet, she walked slowly back to the manor. Her hair whipped around her as a gust of wind caused her to become breathless. “Cry….st…al.” Her name was whispered and her promise to Josephine came rushing to the surface. Maybe if she freed her aunt, she could hold answers to how to save her people.
“Don’t fool yourself child,” Crystal turned at the familiar voice.
“Margon?”
“Close your mouth, come give these old bones a hug,” Crystal did what she had been asked. Still in shock, from seeing the strange old woman, she wrapped her arms around her. Just maybe she could be the answer that they needed.
“Can you help us?” Crystal asked desperately.
“I am afraid not child. Even I can see no end to this madness,”
“I won’t give up,” Crystal said with determination. Even so her heart sank.
“I have no doubt my child. I believe in you and that you will find a way to save us all. But right now, these old legs need to rest, and I am afraid my home was destroyed when the worlds became one,” Margon lifted up one leg and Crystal chuckled.
“Seth will put you up.” Crystal linked her arm through her gran’s arm and led her to the manor.
When they arrived, she proudly escorted her to Seth’s study and smirked when Seth’s jaw dropped.
“Pick your mouth up or I may use it as a step,” Margon warned, and he chuckled.
“You’re crazy old bat. Trust you to survive the test of time,”
“You forget. I am an old woman with much knowledge,”
“Well, I hope that knowledge extends to a cure to the virus that is killing us all,”
“The virus is born from a demon’s magic. Only someone holding demon blood could reverse that spell. Let’s face it. No demon would do such a thing,”
Crystal’s heart raced. She was part demon. Her father was a demon.
“I can do it. After all my father was a demon,” Crystal said with hope in her voice. Finally, they may have found a way.
“Crystal, using demon magic will blacken your soul. A scar that can never be removed. It will call to you. Like a drug you will become addicted,” Margon warned.
“It is the only possible solution that we have,” Crystal whined.
“Then you should sleep on it. Think about what you are about to do.” Margon said and Crystal nodded. She was going to do it either way. She would stop any more deaths from happening. Her people could rebuild their population, under a new rule, with a new beginning.
***
“She’s planning on murdering my son. Perl you know,” Ruby told the lifeless young man who dangled from the chains.
“I will let you go. Only if you bring me her heart, I can trust you, can’t I?
Drake groaned and she smiled unbinding him.
“Run along little wolf, bring me the heart of Perl and you will be free. Fail and let’s just say your head will be mine,” she left Drake in a crumpled mess on the floor. Unknown to him she had marked him. He couldn’t run. She would find him. With one single thought she would travel to where he was. Why hadn’t she embraced her demon side before? She had no limits. Everything she wanted came to her naturally and she loved the fear she installed in the weak. The way their bodies trembled, and their eyes shone with untamed terror.
Clapping her hands, she laughed. Poor Perl. She would see her end. When she did, Ruby would retrieve her son and hand him over herself. She would become The Lady of The Forest’s most trusted solider. With her rise a new beginning and world would see the demon’s rule and the humans wither in pain.
***
Perl stayed on the path that spanned the forest either side of her. The electrical currents from the houses would only keep her safe and the Ghosts at bay for a short distance more. She would have to use magic to protect herself as she made her way to the city.
Using the amount of magic, she would need to leave her weak and defenceless. However, it was a risk she had to take. As she reached the gates that surrounded the community, she chanted a spell. On which would create a protection bubble around herself. Using a vehicle would get her into the city quicker; however, she didn’t have the power needed to protect the vehicle from the ghosts, so she had no choice but to go on foot.
When she exited the community, she began to jog. The quicker she passed the covens the quicker she would get to safety.
The wind whipped at her skin and her hair blocked her vision causing her to stop. Tossing her hair behind her and tucking it into her hood she prepared herself to run more, taking in big gulps of air a hand clamped over her mouth. Something sharp dug into her back causing her to stand still. She knew one move and she would be dead.
“Your life brings my freedom,” a gruff voice whispered.
“My death will bring the death of the last of the witches,” Perl answered with a shaky voice. She was flung around so that she came face to face with her attacker.
“Although I need my freedom, I cannot kill you, run and never look back,”
Perl stood frozen with her eyes glued to the knife the young man held.
“Who has sent you?” she asked afraid it was Crystal.
“Ruby. Now run!” he yelled, and she didn’t need to be asked twice. She ran down the long country road and past the rubble and destruction that was once home to her own coven.
So much had happened in a short space of time. Once she followed her mother and believed every word she said. Now her eyes had been opened to the evilness of her mother’s actions. Everything she had done was for power. Perl wished she had seen the wrongs beforehand. If she had, she wouldn’t be on her way to do the unthinkable.
She had to switch off her emotions, embrace her demon side if she was going to carry out the murder. It was the only way. Her heart would not allow her to do such a thing. However, she had to wait until she was faced with the task at hand. She needed her wits about herself. Finally, she came to the edge of the city. The lights were blinding yet memorizing as she slowly let down her shield and edged her way to the narrow streets.
Perl booked herself into the nearest motel. She needed to regain her strength and then she would have the power to search for the child once more. If she was close, then it would be easier for her to locate him. She only prayed that Ruby had not sent him to the other side of the world.
She would have to hurry. Ruby knew what she was planning and had already sent one hunter after her. She feared that more would come. She knew that she would never atone to the crimes and horrors she had been a part of. She just hoped that the remainder of her family would one day be able to forgive her.