Witches (The Order)Revised

Chapter 76

Merianna

My blood ran cold as despair slowly crept over me. Jasnine, kind and gentle Jasnine. Motherly and cheerful Jasnine. Was staring at me with the blackest eyes I had ever seen in my life. There was no way to differentiate between Iris, Pupil or white of her eyes. It was all black, like she had black tourmaline spheres for eyes.

"My Lady!" I suddenly heard Hezerial call out as my hearing returned again.

Even though my emotions were in turmoil, I had to do whatever I could to throw her off me. It felt so terribly wrong to try to attack Jasnine, but she was clearly not herself right then. I threw a punch into her face that made her head jerk sideways with the impact, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect on her. Her grip merely intensified on my shoulders and her face turned back to glare at me.

It was so odd to see Jasnine's face making that kind of expression. Even when fighting with the Nirns on her bounty last time, she never made this kind of face. It was eerie and sent shivers down my spine.

Jasnine's head suddenly jerked up, and she was lifted off me within a second. Completely taken off guard, I stared at Jansine, and then noticed Ela pulling her away from me by her hair. I couldn't help but notice that I was forever getting saved by everyone over here. Was I just in the way?

"You alright there, squirt?" She asked as she easily pulled Jasnine's arms behind her in a lock hold that prevented her from doing anything.

I couldn't help but grin up at her as my body twitched with another set of spasms. "I guess things could've been better. What's wrong with Jasnine?"

Ela hummed as she also gave me a once-over. "She's been possessed. At least it seems that she's been taken over by a lesser demon instead of those monsters over there." Ela said nonchalantly as she nodded her head towards where Zerial and Jernok were still fighting furiously. Zerial seemed to catch his breath as he glanced my way and saw Ela by my side.

I turned back to her with a struggling Jasnine in her arms. "So this is what it looks like when someone's possessed?" It was certainly a first for me. Book descriptions couldn't really do justice to the sight in front of me. She almost looked like she had gone feral and struggled so hard that I could hear one of her arms dislocate. I raised my eyebrow at that, while noticing that she didn't seem to feel the pain.

"Well, depending on the demon, it can always either be worse or less than this." She commented dryly while tying a long purple dyed rope around Jasnine's hands and elbows behind her back.

"Shouldn't we ... exorcize her?" I asked hesitantly. This was completely new and uncharted territory for me.

Ela chuckled as she threw Jasnine onto the ground and proceeded to tie her feet and legs together too. "This rope of Arasule's will keep her contained for the time being. We will drive the demon out later. When Jasnine turned around and attacked Arasule and the others in their group, Arasule threatened to make the demon possessing her into an elixir or weapon when she can get her hands on it. So for now, I think this much is fine."

I took a second to try and process that thought. "An elixir?" I asked, just to make sure I heard right.

"Indeed. Something that would boggle the mind of every living and non-physical being in this entire realm. If she does manage to do it, I doubt any non-corporeal being would ever want to come near her again." Ela smirked as she hauled an incapacitated Jasnine up under one arm, making her look like a sack of potatoes.

"We should get out of here quickly. I don't know for how much longer this cave is going to hold now that the barrier is broken." I said as I grabbed her outstretched hand. The integrity of the cave was being tested every single time Noch and Dermon dealt a blow. They didn't even need to touch the walls to make the surrounding area shake anymore. The stalactites were already falling from the ceiling, ready to impale anyone who might accidentally pass by underneath.