The Soul Quest ( #YourStoryIndia #Wattys2016)

Chapter 10

Kelly and I spent the rest of the afternoon at my place feverishly looking for answers in my Dad's books. My emotions were in a turmoil. I knew I had to put an end to this tonight one way or another. I just didn't know if I was ready for it. If we didn't find a way to save Kelly's soul I had to kill her. Despair gripped my heart at the thought of losing her. With renewed determination I started looking through the books.

"Jared I might have found something." Kelly said.

"Where? What is it?" I grabbed the book from her hand excitedly. There was a passage about ancient runes.

"The origin of runes is as old as the Hunters. In fact the tattoo marking them is also a rune. The diamond symbolizes the cold and strong nature of the Soulless. The crack in the diamond symbolizes the Hunters because they destroy these creatures. In my travels and studies I have collected and learnt about several runes. Some of them have mundane uses such as increasing the potency of potions whereas few others have the power to do both great and terrible things. One such rune is the rune of Curationum. This rune can be used for healing wounds of not only the body but also the soul. However the Soulless have also discovered the power of this rune and use it in a different manner to destroy bodies and souls."

I felt my hope deflate like a balloon. I wasn't sure if this might work. It said healing not reversing of souls. Still it was better than nothing.

"I am not sure about this Kelly. Let's keep looking. I will memorise this rune though to be safe." I told her.

We resumed our search but soon Kelly had to leave in case her Mom started worrying.

"Be ready by 10." I reminded her. "I'll be waiting outside your house."She nodded blankly and left.

I tried to fight the feeling of dread that kept increasing as the hours passed by. Soon it was time for me to leave. I faked a cough and informed my Mom that I was sleeping early tonight and went up to my room. I took a backpack and packed all of my father's books and the diamond pen. Quietly I snuck out of the window and ran at my superhuman speed through the shadows. Within minutes I was at Kelly's house. She was already waiting for me. We reached Emily's house and encountered her protective barrier.
Pressing the tattoo on my left forearm I thrust it into the barrier. With a faint pop it disappeared. Taking Kelly's hand I rushed into the house kicking open the door. There was no point in keeping quiet now because as soon as I destroyed the barrier I knew Emily would be alerted to our presence.

We entered a corridor which split into two passages.

"You take the right one and I'll take the left. Shout if you find anything." I told Kelly and ran. No sooner did I complete my search of that side when I heard Kelly shout my name. Within seconds I was by her side. She was standing in front of a door that looked like it led down to the basement. Kicking it open we ran downstairs and found Emily in a trance like state sitting cross legged on the floor with her palms turned downward and an aura of darkness surrounding her. Paula was lying in front of her whimpering unconsciously. There was a thread as black as death connecting Paula's heart to Emily's palms. Whatever it was I knew I had to break that connection. Pressing on my tattoo I summoned a spear marked with foxes and threw it at the thread. With a deafening explosion the thread broke and Paula was thrown backwards. She hit a wall and lay alarmingly still.

"Kelly go check on her." I commanded staring murderously at Emily. The aura of darkness surrounding her had disappeared and she was looking at me with anger and hatred.

"So you finally got the courage to face me Jared? Ah don't look so surprised. I knew you were a Hunter as soon as I saw you. But I also knew you wouldn't have the guts to destroy me because of her." She said pointing at Kelly contemptuously.

"I am going to kill you." I snarled at her and attacked.

I grabbed my spear and rushed in aiming for her heart but she ducked and was behind me in an instant. I turned around and stopped her kick just in time by grabbing her foot. I pulled her closer but before I could get close enough she retaliated with a punch to my gut. Before she could land another one I grabbed her fist and threw her across the room. She tried to stand but I was on her in an instant with my spear and I was ready to pierce it into her heart when Kelly's scream stopped me.

"No Jared. Stop! You have to save my soul first." She screamed.

I had to use all my willpower to control my instincts from taking over and killing her on the spot. Instead I summoned a rope using my tattoo and bound her with it.

"Is Paula okay?" I asked Kelly turning around.

"Yes. She is alive but unconscious." She told me. "Jared let's try the rune and see if it works."

"Oh it will work alright." Emily said in a scathing voice. "But that is not going to save your Kelly. Others of my kind are going to come after her. She will never be safe." She laughed derisively.

"Why?" I asked confused because the Soulless rarely target one specific soul. "Tell me now." I commanded her.

"What makes you think that I will tell you?" She asked scornfully.

"This." I said grabbing her and throwing her across the room. She screamed in agony as her head hit the wall and started bleeding. "Tell me or I will continue to torture you." I said ruthlessly.

" Okay. I will tell you. It is because she has HER soul. Alison Lancaster's soul. She escaped from Hell eighteen years ago and entered into this girl's body. For eighteen years all the Soulless have been searching for her all over the world. I was the one who located her and that is why I stole her soul. When you came in I was contacting my Father to deliver her soul to him so that he can imprison her once more. He would have rewarded me with so many honors." She sobbed.

To say that I was shocked with this revelation would be an understatement. The legends were true then. The Devil had fallen in love with Alison and now her soul had escaped and taken root in Kelly's body. But she was a part of Kelly's soul now. If saving Kelly's soul meant saving Alison's soul too and fighting the Soulless for the rest of my life to keep her safe I would do it. Taking out the pen from my backpack I walked towards Emily. Her eyes widened when she saw it.

"There is one more thing I have to tell you Jared. It's about your Father." She smirked.

"What do you know about my Dad?" I asked her stopping in my tracks.

"Oh nothing much. Just the fact that his death wasn't an accident. He was murdered. By me." She laughed.