Hallowed Kaline (1) (MANUSCRIPT)

Issue # 18 Taken Pt. 2

                            Max opened his eyes. Around him, rows and columns of white candles began to light themselves. Vast darkness. Simply immense emptiness filled his environment, save for the orange flicker of the flame. 
                As he went to move his right arm, he noticed his legs were tied together. Upon further inspection, the young Kaline gasped as he saw that his whole body was stuck to a cold floor. 
              "I do hope you find our accommodations suiting, de'Navra." 
              Max looked up quickly, clenching his teeth. "What are you... talking about?" 
             The dimly lit stubble of Cardinal Shinnaffray came into view in the seemingly endless matrices of votive candles. "Masquerading as a hunter has finally caught up with you." Shinnaffray laughed as he then kicked Max across the face. 
            Max spat out blood and coughed. "What's going on? T- Tori! Where is she? Where are... Natalie and Aubrey?" 
           Shinnaffray blinked twice, then sighed. "So you really don't know what I'm talking about then? Fine." the Cardinal shrugged his shoulders. "Maximus, I guess the rough road won't do well with you. That's unfortunate. Usually it's a last resort, but with you it's a failed retort. Hmph. I'll have Lector Ruthven explain." 

          Max couldn't brush the dark red hair from out of his face as he watched a slender man come into view. A dark cape christened an individual with long silver hair. Suddenly, the concrete floor shook and all the candles went out. Vast emptiness. 
          As darkness swept the area, the sound of an organ could be heard crawling along the air. As the notes tiptoed right along, the silver-haired man illuminated the hollow environment with just the clap of his hands. A blue light hovered below the grown man's chin. 
          "Good evening, Maximus D. Kaline. I've heard so much about you in such a short amount of time... and yet a rumor says a thousand words. I wanted to see you in the... flesh." the adult spoke in a thick Romanian accent, his Rs curling at the ends. "Are you aware of what you are?" 
         Max clenched his teeth some more. "I'm a hunter!" 
        Lector Ruthven stared at Max, then began to laugh loudly as his chest puffed out. "Mwah-Ah-Ah-Ah-Ahhh! What a funny little kindred you are, Maximus. You are the host for the de'Navra." 
         Maximus's chest began to pound as his right eye turned yellow. "Wh- wh- what's happening to... me?" 
        "An exorcism. We're going to bring it out of you." Shinnaffray glared at Max. 
        Maximus's neck lunged back as he growled. "I... want -- Natalie, Tori -- to... know... where- what do you think you're doing?" Suddenly, purring and soft hissing sounds carressed the concrete body of construction around the three men. 
        "Hm. So it is true what the little birdie said." Lector Ruthven licked his top teeth. "Maximus is being possessed by him." 
        The lips on Max's body went up on their own. "I'm sorry... is something the matter, Cardinals? Oh. Shinnaffray... you haven't aged a day over fifty. Mhmhmhmhmhm." Dark laughter bellowed inside the young hunter. 
         "Lector. Get the rosewater." Shinnaffray pointed to a tray of cups which was illuminated by the blue light from the Lector. 
         "Oh? So you're using rosewater now to purify humans who have faeries inside them? Mhmhmhm. Ahahahaha. AHAHAHAHAHA!" 
         Damn this bastard soul. Which one of the de'Navra is possessing Max? Shinnaffray bit his bottom lip. 
         The tall and lanky Lector returned with a round bowl, perhaps the perfect size which could wonderfully acquaint a fish, and glared into Maximus's yellow eyes. "This might... burn... a little bit." 
         "Cardinal Malcolm might want to see this too, you know." Shinnaffray chuckled as he turned his head towards Ruthven. 
        "Indeed. How silly of me. Malcolm was your predecessor, after all." Ruthven licked his lips. 
       Cardinal Shinnaffray nodded. "Hmph. A good man, he-" 
       All the candles melted down to the floor. Lector Ruthven's blue light evaporated away. The angry sound of hissing filled the wide room. Emptiness had a new friend. 
       Shinnaffray turned and saw the silhouette of three men, a green fire snapping to life underneath them. 

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