Book 3: Chapter 30
A/N: Hi! Today’s update was late, so here’s today’s and tomorrow’s chapters! I hope I can squeeze out the editing for a third one!
Zayde
“Lord Gulteer… you’re here.” Said my mother. She bowed, and he petted her head.
“I felt an anomaly. It sparked my curiosity.” He said casually, sitting in the bleachers with her.
“I intend on making the mortal boy one of us proper.” I said starting the first part, the summoning. I was the only one in the center of the room… Casey and Micael were off to the side.
I made a protection bubble around the two lovers…. I knew this would work, though, I may have to keep him confined a day or so…. I need to gather more ingredients. Human hearts, more blood, dealing with the demon I summon…. That’s going to be ‘fun’.
Currently, I told both our familiars to go with Tiffany, and hide unless they’re needed. They won’t be with father around, and mother is fine with both their familiars lurking in the corners of the ritual room. I bet mom didn’t know either. As a man, I won’t feel right knowing that I’m here and Tiffany’s halfway across the world… Father likely feels the same, mate or not.
I summoned a wand I’d made a long time ago. Unlike staves, this one does not store or amplify magic, it only compresses it into a beam. I let Hellinia keep the Staff of Purple Diamond. I felt it was only fair since she was its new leader… I used my small wand to activate the right runes on the floor, and cut my hand with a claw.
The black blood that spilled made the runes glow a deep purple, and the torches flickered until they matched in color… Someone important was listening…. Someone in addition to the Horned One…
[I, Zayde Yoltier, Son of Alteer, Leader of Yellow Diamond have a new mortal to add to the fold. Hear me High Demon Lords and send me…. A whelpling for my whelpling. I will hold responsibility, as a whelp myself until I fully conquer the beast within. I, he who defeated Crackle, requests another, for I have a worthy soul to add... though he is weak and fresh. I must guide him.] I said in the highest demonic I could…. Maybe I shouldn’t have?
With a red pulse came the urge to kneel, or run…
This one was old…. Completely decrepit. He emerged and stretched to stand a little upright, though he needed a cane to walk.
But I also wasn’t stupid. None of us really age; that was a visage he chose.
“Gulteer, old friend…. And you, little whelpling.” Said the demon… “You don’t remember me, but I recognize you. You nearly got yourself killed when I sent Crackle.”
He held a human form. He looked like a Middle Eastern… male baba… a hag. Interesting. His robes were as void black as his eyes. Honestly, those eyes were the only thing that would alert anyone. All parts of it were a glossy black.
Other than that he looked like an old man, a breath away from dying of old age….. His silver hair was pin straight, and ended about to his knees, along with a long beard that reminded me of depictions of wizards in mortal books.
Yet, I knew it was a farse… I could sense I was no match for this one… Even if I was, he would likely topple the castle, since these demons never stop growing. I did not know this one’s name, but there are 4 important, impossibly large ones. This had to be one of them.
“Lord Haru, what brings you here? Does the master know of this adventure?” Asked Gulteer.
“If the master looks my general direction, it would be a compliment. Now…. why did you summon me?” He demanded turning to me. “Is that a fucking *mortal*?” He inquired angrily.
“I summoned you High Lord for my charge’s sake. Micael Jekel is only an eighth witch I believe, but he is one of us.” I said truthfully. “He has magic and more importantly, the master’s mark. I mean to show the world that the master does not care of bloodline.”
“You contradict yourself. That is still a Jekel, no matter how small…. Even if he is mortal, there will be many who claim he achieves such gravitas because of the high house he comes from.” Lord Haru said with crossed arms. “I suppose I can lend you a littler one… Your cause is to praise the master. That *cannot* be ignored….Lord Of Yellow Coven, the master’s newest project.”
….Well he was pretty forward about doing this to make himself look good….
“What trial would you task of me?” I asked with a bowed head. When I rose, I could see his crooked smile.
“I will give you the smallest of my pack to defeat….You may not use your power. Not even magic.” He snapped his fingers, and an 80 foot tall, dragon winged behimoth appeared. He was lean and sleek, unlike my heavily muscled form.
This one was a little grayer than my form… but all I had was my fists. Lord Haru ruled the territory I took mine from… They don’t ‘die’ either, so I assume when I initially cast the summoning circle, his subordinate complained to him.
[You disrespectful little shit!] Snarled the behimoth. [I am Arkain, youngest son of Retagaal. You will know pain the likes of which no mortal has before!] He roared.
It was a boom that shook the stone underfoot, but I was not intimidated. When he slammed his claws down, I did not dodge. I arrogantly held both my hands up, and stopped his slam.
[You have two options: Willingly give your heart that you may leave this world, or I will rip it out, and feed some of it to the boy.] I snarled in demonic…. I didn’t intend on doing so. [Your house is not as high as you think.] I growled. I’d never heard of him or his bloodline. He was too proud for my taste…
He didn’t remove his hand. He was trying to squish me, and it pissed me off. I broke his finger, and he snarled in pain.
[Ah! I will do no such dishonorable thing!] Arkain roared. [Disrespectful witch!]
He went for the boy. “You speak of honor, yet you charge at a sleeping boy and a woman.” I hissed.
It came out like one of them… I did not *want * to shift. Lord Haru never appeared to me before, at least not that I remember. I’d never seen such a high demon besides grandfather’s. The process was dulled in my memory to be fair…. I knew there were about 100 or so ridiculously massive ones… with the tallest 4 being over two thousand feet tall….
Lord Haru was called ‘lord’ by Gulteer too. He was likely a former colleague.
[Melt!] Arkain breathed lava breath at me instead of fire. Shit. I had to pick up the boy, while Casey ran behind me. The lava flowed about as fast as running speed, which made it hard to dodge it.
“Can you carry him?” I asked once I’d avoided a clawed swipe from the massive claws of the beast. He was pretty fast… I’d have to keep Arkain away from them until I get his heart.
To be honest, the ritual needs hearts to complete the magic. The price of so much power is the lives of others. It’s a matter of how far is one willing to go in order to have it…. We use a portion of their essence to become the beast we kill. The human hearts are offerings, as well as a way to aid in taming our inner fire.
Many don’t know details about this, but I do since I learned from Typhen techniques to handle myself.
“I don’t know.” She panted. She was already tired… hungry for blood.
“He’s mortal enough that you’ll get some nutrition. Drink from him and Run.” I warned. “You won’t be able to go out the barrier like Lord Haru, but I’ll have this demon focused on me.”
“… I don’t want to… but I know Micael wouldn’t want to die either.” She said as her fangs came out. She still had little control over it, but I had bigger worries.
[Stop running!] Arkain growled.
He opened his maw wide to try and snap me within it, but with a punch, I made him slide across the circle… He bounded to me in pure anger, though I was starting to see red myself.
I think I understood why I was told not to shift. I felt… I almost felt drunk. The more I fought, the stronger I felt… the more I was changing into the beast without my say so as well…
----Tiffany-----
“With the scaffolding, you should finish the first tower soon. Will it be enough to accommodate the coven?” I asked.
He chuckled. “No, but I understand your concern.” Said Velimier. “Beast magic is… fickle. I half imagine you know since you were raised with shifters; the concept is almost the same. The difference is that there are many who have less control over themselves… that carnal nature is perfect out here.”
“I don’t sense a single human yet either. Hopefully we can get this project finished before the Church starts sniffing around.” Said Alteer.
“What do you mean *start* brother? This area’s holy magic has been dispelled. The alarm is already tripped.”
“At any rate, keep up the good work, and keep the better attitude. We are the royal family of the dark witches. It is unbefitting that we squabble over silly things like past grudges or bravado.”
“It’s true… Having my head turned ‘round the wrong way gave me about 19 hours to think about it.” Velimier rubbed his neck. “Plus… As much as I hate to admit it… father’s right. The master would not have made you tow coven leaders, and elevate you both with ample magic and opportunities to grow…”
“I accept your apology lord Velimier.” I said seeing him smile lightly.
“I rather miss being called Velly-melancholy but I’ll take it.” He patted my head.
“At least she didn’t call you Nissan Altima.” Alteer complained. I snorted a laugh. “If you do it now though, I won’t hesitate to give you a wet-willy.”
With our pleasant goodbyes, we left, but I would ask one last question. With a teleport, Alteer had us outside stairs that went to the basement. He’d looked at his phone a couple of times while we were at Yellow Diamond, but he didn’t say what it was that he was looking for…
“Velimier is trustworthy right?” I asked. “Like he isn’t just pretending…”
“Aye. The combination of curse hives and being eaten alive by flies changed his tune. Only a fool would anger the master though… But anyway, follow me. I came down here for a reason.” He smiled. “I hope we don’t miss it.”
“Miss what?” I asked.
“Just be patient.” He smiled.
The deafening boom of a roar caused wind to rush up from the stairs… it was then that curious eyes appeared, and there were quite a few who wanted to see as well. We walked inside with the small crowd. Many were beast magic casters.
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