The Ouiums Journey: Hell Broke Loose (book 1)

Chapter 1

It started just like it had always done with the darkness swooping in, engulfing me as I tried my best to fight it. It was only a memory, a recollection of a past deed, but it always felt as if it was something happening in the present. It was a memory of my past, the actions I took and the things that resulted from my choice.

I walked into the village, but I was not the one standing where I stood. It was my body, and the magic was that which I had summoned, but it had locked away my mind. I watched what was about to unfold right before me. I was about to witness first-hand what comes of dark magic. It wasn't as alluring as it had seemed to me at first, and even though I had dived in knowing full well what might happen, this was not exactly what I wanted. It was as if I had opened the doors to Hell and let out a bloodthirsty demon.

"You are stronger than this, Esa," I said to myself. "You can overcome this."

The words were to reassure myself that I was in control, but it was futile because my body was entirely ignoring my words. I knew at that moment it was useless, as it had taken over me and I was nothing more than a rat struggling in the paws of a cat.

"Are you alright, my friend?" A man asked.

The eyes are the window to the soul. And even though I had not thought that statement to be true, I realised as he stared at me that it was true. For he recoiled in fear as if he had come in contact with an abomination and judging by my present state, that was definitely what I was. Walking through the village, heading towards the tavern, I sat down and watched everyone going about their business. What the magic wanted precisely was not clear, but I knew that it was looking for something.

"So, who do we have here?" Three men approached me.

It was clear that they were thugs looking for trouble and if I were myself, I would have let them run their full course, but the dark magic that had taken over my body wasn't human and did not operate with human logic.

Barely had the words left the mouth of the one who spoke when the three of them doubled over in pain, which drew the attention of everyone around. Their bodies boiled from the inside out as their veins turned black, skin becoming paler. This was the magic in me at work as I could feel the traces working around the men. I hadn't released the power, and it was acting of its own accord, showing how screwed this situation truly was.

"What's going on?" someone asked.

"What is he doing?"

"The aura from him is not a good one."

"I think he is a demon or something."

Words were flying all around me, and I knew that they were already aware of the fact that I wasn't an average human. If I could take control of my body, I would warn them to get out of the village, leaving me alone for when this magic ran its full course. The three men were still in pain as they screamed and rolled on the floor with others coming to their aid, trying to determine what was wrong with them. It was too late for those three men, but if the villagers could move far away, then they would be safe from whatever was about to happen.

"He is one of the ghouls from our nightmares!" A maid pointed at me.

"What have you done to them?" A man asked as he placed his hands on my shoulders.

That was when I realised exactly what the magic wanted, and at that moment, I became terrified. I never fully understood the price for dark magic, but it came at the cost of a life or lives, as I was about to realise. I could feel the magic in me move at the man, sucking out his spirit, and yet it screamed for more.

"More! I need more of that!" The screech echoed in my head.

"Stop! Let me free," I yelled, trying to get control back.