The Strangers Codex

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(NOT Edited)

Duvessa cried not because of the baby ripping her body apart, but the mere words he spoke many another piece of her die inside. The low cried of an infant told the rest of the house her daughter was born, Calem looked at the infant that resembled its mother. His hate for the child went away, if only a little. Not matter what he thought of the father to her, she still was Duvessa’s blood. Looking to Duvessa he noticed she’d gotten very pale, taking the baby once it was clean he ordered the maids to leave them.

Duvessa had given him authority over everyone in the house, it wasn’t nearly enough to heal his ego, but it was better then nothing. Helping her Calem placed the child into her arms, smiling at him she held her daughter close.
    “I have a gift for you Calem” Her words barley audible. Twisting his brow he watched her turn the infant, exposing her back. Two fingers touched the child’s tail bone, before she whispered a language Calem hadn’t heard in years. The deep green marking circled around, weaving a pacific patterned. Showing him Duvessa smiled at his confused face, it was the only other way to help him.
    “This mark, will follow my line. It will be a confirmation they are the one, I don’t know if my daughter will be able to return your power. Do you still have that charm?” Taking a deep breath, she could feel her body slipping away. Nodding Calem pulled out the stone, it never changed.
    “I’m sorry.” Calem nodded again, pushing the charm back into his pocket. Duvessa handing the infant back to Calem, allowing him to put the child in her cradle. When he turned back around Duvessa was white, her eyes closed hand resting on her heart. Picking up her hand he gasped, her once warm body was ice cold.
    “Duvessa?” Rubbing her hand, slowly her eyes lifted.
    “Forgive me Calem, I so loved you” Her free hand reached to touch his cheek, pushing his face into her, Calem kissed all over her.
    “Stop your apologues” He growled trying to fight off his tears, she was dying, and he could feel it.
    “I promise ye, you will regain your powers. That much I can be certain of” Calem shook his head, he didn’t care anymore. As long as she lived he’d be fine, hell the last few months being at her beck an call, had been his everything.
    “Enough, aye don’t care” Kissing her palm.
    “Yes you do, do not try to full me Calem. I will always be by your side, watching you move on” Calem shut his eyes, pushing the thoughts of her gone from his view out.
    “Ye will be fine, aye will fetch the healer” Duvessa snatched his hand, her head rocked a little.
    “A healer can do nothing, I am past my point.”
    “NO” Calem, growled pushing his lips over hers. Duvessa cried, all she ever wanted was a man like Calem. Now on her death bed she’d gotten to know the man better, feel his eyes always on her like the worlds best luxury. She loved the feeling of him close by, the way he brushed up against her when no one was looking. When he left flowers in her room for no reason, other then he could.

Duvessa hand dropped from his face, pulling his lips away from her cold one he screamed. Crying out her name till the maids came bursting in, his eyes watered dripping over her white gown. He shook her begging for her return, rubbing his face into her neck taking in the last of her scent. Guards peeled him off her body, dragging his screaming body out of the room. Calem felt numb as he sat in his chambers, she was gone, taken away to a place not even he could go.

Wrapped in the finest clothes Duvessa was lowered into the ground, Calem found it fitting for it to be raining. The same way he found her, just as beautiful as ever, he thought. Tullius stood fully armored, looking bored, while Calem’s heart twisted. Walking away before she was even fully buried, a maid walked away taking the infant with her. Calem stayed long after everyone had gone, staring down at the large mound of dirt. He’d wished for his powers, if only for one more cast. Calem would have grown a large flowering bush of lilies for her, they seemed to have been her favorites out of all the flowers he brought her.

Swiping a tear away, he had no reason to stay now. Without any personal possessions Calem walked away, taking only mere memories with him.

Years flew by in a blink of an eye, Calem had seen it all. Different ages came and went, like fades from a distance time. It had been the early 400 A.D’s, when Duvessa had passed away. Calem watched as John Sicco became the 141st pope under the name of John XVII, being the year 1003 A.D. Then another four centuries later he witnessed the San Giovanni Decollato being built. Every new place brought him little relief, wandering around with no really destination. He made sure to keep a watchful eye on the charm, but the stunning rock never once showed any sign of promise.

1797 Napoleon captures Rome, only resulting in a two year difference is he expelled from Italy by Austrians and Russians. The 18 hundreds flew past him, never looking a day over twenty seven. Though he was well over the legal age, coming to close for comfort. Clothing styles changed dramatically, so much so he found he needed to keep up with the times as to not stick out. Sticking out got you into trouble, trouble meant they would find out he didn’t age, and that was something he didn’t want to explain.

Calem found that drinking helped with the heart ache, along with the pain of revenge he still felt towards her for leaving him in such a state. Carefully stepping off the sidewalk, heading toward the local pub, he watched another contraption called a car fly by. If only Duvessa could see what the world had come to. Gone were the stars, replaced with electric powered ones. Smog filled the once clear fresh air, darkening the skies way before night hours came. Instead of his comfortable skins, he was now fastened with pants called jeans. They were tight, restricted but nothing compared to the horrible tight cotton shirt he was made to wear. If Calem thought the village people were strict about decency he was mistaken, in the new world clothing was not optional. You either wore it or were tossed into jail, for what the local police officer called indecent exposure.

He’d learned that police or cops, were what maintained the city streets. Keeping thieves and other horrible men in check, though he didn’t think they were doing a very good job. Several times he witnessed them showing up hours after the perpetrator was long go, leaving nothing for their large breed dogs to pick up. Picking up the whiskey bottle from the counter, he poured himself another shot. Calem had been well known around this part of town, people here seemed to like him. Maybe because he kept to himself, never bothering to interfere with others affairs.


Calem was pushing well over one thousand sixteen years old, he huffed tossing his head back sucking the golden liquid down. He looked better then most of the twenty year olds walking about the pub, woman flocked to him like bees to honey. None of which had the air about them that Duvessa had, she was in a legal all of her own. Woman now a days were wild, showed so much skin it left nothing to the imagination, not that Calem didn’t mind a look. But a look was all he’d do, never again would he be tempted to even think of a woman in such a way.

Tossing some money on the counter, the bartender waved him good by. There was one thing Calem was smart about, that had been making sure to have enough money. He never worked a day in his life, his skill record wasn’t something you put on a piece of paper. He invested then would invest that into something else, always upping his profit. Sitting a large sum of money, Calem didn’t even think about it, he’d be set for the rest of his life… however long that was. Residing in Virginia Calem had found a small house in the middle of nowhere, it was a short walk to the pub having him walk right through the heart of the small town. He smirked what was now considered small would have been a city when he was in his time, how things have taken a galloping turn.

Hands stuffed in the carhartt jacket, Calem passed the church never bothering to step inside of it. Sighing his hands slipped out pulling the corners of his collar upward, hoping to keep the chill off his neck. His instinctively went back into his pockets, only this time his left hand snapped out so quickly he thought a bee had stung him. Stopping on the corner he saw the chain to the charm hanging out of his pocket, pulling on it the stone dangled….glowing bright white.

His eyes widened looking around, most of the streets were bare as it was getting late. Holding the stone by the clasp he turned this way and that, watching as it brighten only to fade. Using that was his guide Calem headed back to the pub, one step after another he paused when the light suddenly faded out. Panic set in he needed to find this person, spinning around he panicked more when it didn’t brighten. It was almost completely dark, letting the street lights flicker on giving the sidewalks an eerie glow. Brick building lined the opposite side of the road, while torn and falling down building were on his side.

Calem nearly pissed his pants when a figure dressed him black ran right past him, coming out of the dark alley way. The stone hummed angrily at the figure, before Calem could register what was going on two more figures chanced after the first. Screaming at him they were gaining, holding a crow bar and bat in hand. Calem took off running after the three, one of them was who he needed. The cloaked first figure scaled a fence, dropping to the other side

    “Get back here you bitch!” The second yelled, his voice deep from running.
    “Shit, go around. Well cut em off” The third huffed out, Calem caught up to the two men, but the stone didn’t respond to them. Growling he needed that first person, and he needed to find him before these two did. Taking off a different way he hoped to cross paths with the figure, beating him to where ever he was headed. The stone started buzzing wildly pushing Calem to run faster in his worn work boots, turning a corner he slammed into a soft object. The stone in his hand shook just like it had before, grabbing the black hoodie he pulled the figure into the alley.

Kicking out the smaller man kept his face hidden, punching at Calem getting a few good shots off. Gripping his hand Calem pinned him to the brick siding, growling at him to shut up. In the dark shadows the two men from before ran right by them, never even bothering to check. He could feel the heavy breathing from under him, its heart beat like a mouse. Holding his hands with one of his, he tried to pull the hood off. Without a warning the figure kneed him in the groin, hissing a nasty swear while struggling to free himself.

Grabbing the back of the hoodie Calem was able to pull it off the figures body, when he tried to duck out of his hold. Long dark brown hair fanned up over the light skinned face, deep forest green eyes glared at him. Catching his breath Calem noted that this was no man, the figure was slender, built like….her. Clamping her fists together the little beauty readied herself to protect, Calem could only stair in a state of shock. It was like he was looking at Duvessa all over again, only subtle difference put them apart.

Her eyes were the biggest difference, being the wild forest green he remembered walking through. Instead of wavy tendrils, her hair was straight falling with only a curl at its ends. Skin a little darker then Duvessa’s, but it still had a glow from what he could see. This woman wasn’t like the rest he’d seen, she kept her body covered. The only skin showing was her arms, which would still be covered had he not pulled the sweatshirt off her.

Fists covering her face she stepped away from him, watching like a hawk. Calem tested her taking a step forward, she hissed at him letting her white teeth bare out. He wasn’t sure what to make of that, was she trying to intimidate him or act crazy to scare him away. Either way he’d found Duvessa’s heir and there was no way he was leaving without her, dropping the hoodie he snatched her wrist earning him a hard kick with her opposite leg.

    “Don’t touch me” She growled out, pulling with all her might against his hold. Even through the tough voice, he still heard the feminine tone she had. Calem had never hurt a woman before, and starting now wasn’t an option. Even though he had said he’d of killed Duvessa he’d wasn’t really sure how he’d of pulled that off, knowing it would of eaten him alive. Pulling her chest flush with his, bringing two fingers down on her neck pinching a nerve, he watched as she hissed out before passing out.

Scooping her up Calem grabbed her hoodie before walked out of the alley way, he’d need to make good time before those to morons came back looking. Luckily his place wasn’t that far from here, his eyes wandered a few times to the passed out girl. Her head was tucked into his arm, allowing all that glorious hair to sway with each step he took. Outside of the towns limits Calem found he was walking without looking, more focused on her then anything else.

Twisting the door knob he stepped in, kicking it closed making sure to lock it. He’d built a room just for this, knowing that in the future who ever was to give him back his power would most likely think him crazy. Opening a bedroom door Calem sat her in a chair, he didn’t want to do this, but it was the only way to insure she would bolt. Had he thought Duvessa would send him a woman, he’d of made this a little less harsh. Sighing his hand tightened the straps around her wrists, making sure she couldn’t wiggle free till he got to her.

Her head hung arms the only thing keeping her from falling over, she’d been swore when he let her out, which undoubtedly would piss her off. Walking out of the room he needed to fix himself something to eat, she’d wake up soon and without a full stomach he would be a bastard without trying.

Lilith came to her head pounded, causing her to become more annoyed. Tight restricting methods were used to bind her wrists, grumbling out a few swears Lilith blinked. She’d wanted to rub her eyes, clear the crap out of them. After blinking way more then she ever should have had to, Lilith took a good look around. The room was a decent size, no furniture only a black carpet. Frowning she wondered where the hell he’d taken her, and was that jerk anyways.

Scanning the low light up room, Lilith saw a long black mirror. She’d seen them before, only they were normally in a police station. Was this douche a cop? She doubted it, Lilith had known most of the cops, that’s to a certain ex of hers. The chair he sat her in was wooden, flimsy and uncomfortable. It wasn’t bolted to the floor, or chained up. Lilith wasn’t stupid either, she knew for a fact he was sitting on the other side of that glass just watching her.

It took all her will power not to curse out the window, proving her mad in some way. Though he might of saved her from her ex’s two stooges, that didn’t give him the right to restrict her movements. Thinking of a plan Lilith wasn’t one to just jump into something, she had always been a thinker, one to take it a little slower. She didn’t know a lot of answers to why this man took her, and frankly she didn’t want to know. To many bad possibilities were floating around in her pounding head, which would only prove to make it worse.

Calem had just finished eating his sandwich when she came to, her head rocked eyes blinking. Grabbing his soda can he stood up from the small table, positioning himself in front of the one way mirror. He was expecting her to burst out, into a fit of screams, cussing for him to release her. Not a peep came out of those lips, it was starting to worry him, had he pinched the wrong nerve. Sipping his soda Calem studied her more closely, she was built fair enough. Didn’t hold the air that Duvessa had, but she was the closest by far.

Sighing heavily he sucked his breath back in, when her eyes intensified to the mirror. Had she heard him? That wasn’t possible, he’d made this room for a reason. She didn’t break the eye contact, just sat very still watching his every move, or so it would seem. Calem was about to look away when a small thin smile trickled over her lips, his eyes thinned, she was up to something. He’d known that dark smile anywhere, Duvessa use to give it to him when she wanted to sneak away from some boring meeting.

Lilith was through sitting here, playing his puppet games. If he wanted to sit behind that glass and watcher her, she’d give him something to watch. The chair had a back rest, four thin beams held up the very top part. If she was going to get out of this, it needed to go. Twisting her feet she pushed up, it was awkward trying to stand with a chair strapped to you, but she’d make due. Lilith had been through much worse, she had more scars then most women her age, and they healed just like any mans did.

Picking the back wall from the door, she rammed the back of the chair as hard as she could into it. Calem’s eyes widened, was she crazy. If the chair broke, she’d get stabbed with the sharp edges.

Crack!