What Lies Beneath

Chapter 6

My heartbeat pulsed in my ears like the percussion of a drum on the battlefield. The strong pound of the mallet rolling across the grounds, perforating the silence that hung over the helmets of soldiers like an ominous, gray cloud. While the army shuffled around, murmuring prayers and whispered reassurances, gripping their gun like a lifeline in cold pale hands. A stillness lingering over them until the trumpets would ring out and the lush grass would be trampled under their boots, as they ran at the enemy head-on, determination emanating from their every stride.

I wished I was as brave.

For the longest of moments, the air between us remained silent and unwavering, punctured only by the sound of blood roaring in my ears. Ms. Violet's beady scarlet eyes feasted on us as we stood frozen, clutching her cursed blade. Her thin, blue-tinged lips were curled into a nasty, satisfied smile. The tips of yellowed fangs stuck out of her mouth, looking almost eager to sink into the first living thing that came within range.

The skin of her face had been forcibly pulled taut, giving her the appearance of not belonging in her own body. My eyes reluctantly trailed down, my heavy breath tumbling from my mouth and clouding my eyes with mist-like vapor in the chilly, dry air. Her stubby fingers had elongated into bony grayish claws. Her disheveled brown hair had traces of inky black snaking up from the front, like an infection that was slowly spreading through her body. And around her bare feet, two serpents made of dripping, reforming darkness hissed through angry jaws we could just barely see.

I felt Ariel start to spasm uncontrollably beside me, her pupils dilating as her breathing grew quicker as if she had just run a marathon. I grasped her left wrist in a vice like grip, tethering her to reality, while my other drew the makeshift flash bomb closer to my chest. Ms. Violet extended a knobbly hand, and started to walk towards us slowly, eyes glinting with desire. Her two serpents slithered alongside her, like two loyal guard dogs who feared nothing but their master.

Finally the silence was broken as Ms. V spoke once again, in a voice she should not have possessed. "Surrender my blade, and all will be as it should," she purred in a voice that sounded like the silkiest whisper, and the loudest of screams. The smallest movement of her mouth made sharp noises that sounded of nails scraping slowly against metal. The snakes snapped and hissed in agreement. I stared back at her intently, my voice coming out much bolder than I felt. "And why would I do that?" She remained stoically silent. Then I remembered something. "Fine then, at least answer me this.  What was that book you tried so hard to give me??"

The stoic expression slipped from her face and she growled in frustration, emitting a din of metallic grinding. She was losing patience rapidly. "If you must know, that book was intended  to keep an eye on you, so I could learn your traits, your weaknesses, your motives." She chuckled wistfully, "Then I would be able to merge with you, and take control of you and all of your raw, wasted power."

If I  wasn't thoroughly perplexed before, I was now. "Why would you want control over me? Of all people?" I asked. A sound suddenly burst from her that may have been laughing. "Don't tell me you actually do not know..." she jeered. l shook my head in confusion. She laughed derisively, "Sooo....that old bat, Merlin, really didn't tell you. My, my, I almost want to keep you alive now to see how this little reunion plays out." Suddenly one of the serpents shuddered with delight, and lashed out, stretching up into the foliage above. And with an alarmed series of caws, a small songbird was dragged out from its hiding place in the leaves, and into the depths of it's black jaws. The winged creature fell silent with a sickening crunch. Ms. Violet licked her lips, staring dead into my eyes with a wild hunger. "Almost."

Ariel shuddered visibly, her voice shaking as she whispered, "What are you?" The two serpents rose up unanimously, holding their heads high with a threatening air of superiority, as if on cue.