Primalcraft: Crimes of the Father (Book 3)

Chapter 21

Blake glanced at the dark figure carrying an old fashion oil lamp used by miners in the old day. The long black robe seemed to shift like smoke and no face could be seen under the hood. The hand that was holding the lamp was human though it was miscolored like a corpse.

He could feel the reaper's glance at him as he moved closer to the box touching it. "Sinohphis erevlospa!"

He could feel a burning sensation as the symbols on his hands started to glow, then he felt a jolt go through him making his breath catch in his throat. He didn't know why first, but then he realized it. The soul inside the chest was struggling like mad. Trying to stay where it is.

"It doesn't want to be siphoned," Blake groaned, wanting to let go.

"No one wants to be siphon. This is why siphoning can be described as a tug-of-war. You will need to pull harder than the life force you are trying to drain," Pyramus said. "Focus all your willpower, and pull."

Taking another breath, Blake did just that. With all his mind he reached out and pulled. Groaning as visions and memories flooded him.

"Until we are sure it is safe, no one will get close to the site..."

Whispers, different voices from different times came through.

"Who are you suppose to be?"

"The girl's guardian."

Gunshots and water running. Blake grimaced and pulled once again.

"Don't do this, Amos."

"I have to."

"Why?"

"Because that is what my family do. It is too powerful to be in the hands of mortals. We need to protect the world from its power."

With a shout Blake made a final pull, feeling the soul give after. A male voice came through, his voice filled with sorrow.

"I knew I raised you well."

The soul let go, flowing out from the chest and floating in the air. Before it suddenly took the form of an older man. His face stoic, a few wrinkles adorned it with deep blue eyes and greying hair. He was handsome and familiar.

"Grandfather?" whispered Leon, frowning at the man who looked harrowed by time and grief.

"Do what I did not," the man said. His shape became distorted as the soul slowly was absorbed into the reapers lantern. "Give it back to her. I should never have taken it."

The last of the man was gone and only silence was left as the reaper vanished into a puff of smoke.

"Who was that?"

"My grandfather, Amos Graycrest. He was the one who retrieved the khadga after accidentally stumbling over it in India. He had been gone for years, and suddenly came back but my mother said he was never the same. There were rumors of him having a lover in India who he abandoned. I thought he died soon after coming back but I guess-" Leon swallowed, staring at the chest, now opened and showing the obsidian moon-shaped sword. "He sacrificed himself to guard the khadga."

"That isn't the worse of it," Blake muttered, starting to realize the gravity of what they have done. "I felt his will. Your grandfather would never have let anyone take the Khadga. Including your mother."

The rest of them was silent before Leon finally broke it with uncertainty written across his face. "That means..."

"Even if your mother had wanted to use the Khadga, she wouldn't have been able to," Alex's face was grim. "At least not until now when we have broken the seal."