Reapers - Master of Souls (Reapers Chronicles Book III)

30 - Requirements (3 of 3)

I can feel your breath.

I can feel my death.

I want to know you.

I want to see.

I want to say hello.  

30 - Requirements

For a couple minutes, Belial closed her eyes in silence, her brows slightly knitting every now and then. It was only when drove past the primary school did she open her eyes.

I slowed down, unable to resist the urge to stare at the so-called hospital.

It was large, imposing and looked relatively new, perhaps from renovation. The Victorian style grayish-white architecture must have been preserved: three stories with two staggered four-story wings arranged in an echelon. The black roof had two small windows for each triangle, making it look as if the building had eyes. Behind the tall metal gates , it was nothing short of a horror house.

The second the vehicle was parked, Kyoshiro jumped out into the parking lot, his jaw slightly opened as he looked up at the building.

I put on my jacket and ran after him.

"They call it 'State Hospital' but it's a mental asylum; did you know?" he said.

It started to make sense that the fences were really high. It wasn't to prevent intruders, but to discourage escapees.

"Why am I not surprised?" I replied dryly.

I twisted, looking over my shoulder to see Belial staring up at the almost-full moon instead.

"The eclipse, you say?" I could tell she was still talking to everyone in the Link, but she said it aloud for my sake. "It's a requirement for the Summoning. All they've gotta do is get the Beast and the Woman in one place during the eclipse, make a sacrifice and say the words. Then, the beast will be Bound to the Woman. Forever."

My blood had seemed to turn into ice, sending shivers down my spine.

"That's why they lured us out of Halja," I choked out.

Kyoshiro tilted head to the side. "Let's get a move on."

He took the path along the fences. It was impossible to tell if the asylum was still operational, but I could tell he didn't want any trouble just in case we bumped into a guard. We were both wearing Nysmic jackets, but Belial wasn't.

Upon reaching the rightmost part of the building, he began to scale the fence. In a few swift moves, he landed on the other side without so much as a sound. Belial undid the loops of her braids, cast it to the fence. It caught on one of the metal spikes that jutted on the top and she used it like a harness as she 'walked' up the fence.

I backed away and ran, leaping as high as the momentum would allow me. Then I grabbed onto the bars and launched myself over the fence. As I hit the ground on all fours, Kyoshiro and Belial had already made a head start to the back of the building.

The yard was spacious, flat and normal-looking, probably suitable for games, exercise or gardening. When we reached the cemetery, though, what caught my eyes were the grave markers. There were no names. Only numbers.

I couldn't help but wonder how these patients died. Or if they were all patients.

I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice the enemy approach until a dagger was already aimed at the back of my neck. On instinct, I flicked my hand.