The Damned Soul: Light Within

Chapter 9: A Few Hours Ago

Raveinant lead me down in the gardens where a stone in a shape of a heart lay hidden in the bushes. Not one of those typical hearts that appear on Valentines day cards. It resembled the shape of a biological heart. 

She turn it counter clockwise and a secret stone wall opened. We walked through, deeper into a separate garden that had been untouched. In the middle of all the over growth, there looked to be an ancient tome laying on an old stone pedestal.

She took my hand, and I felt a sudden pulse. "As an Elder, I give you permission to read this book. But only once will it available to you, until you become a full elder."

She motioned for me to take the tome and read from it. It looked so delicate and withered, but the script was still legible. It was in Latin, which translated to "Accept who you are, what you do, and be most loyal to those who created you." At the bottom was a faint scribble which looked like a signature.

I looked at Raveinant. "I don't know what this means."

She sat me down on one of the stone benches before she spoke.

"The first Elder made a deal with the devil to become the most powerful vampire on earth..." she said. "... to become that of what he wished, he needed to accept who he was, what he did, and be loyal to those who created him."

She stood up and started pacing. "He accepted without hesitation, blinded by power, not thinking of the consequences. Centuries past and being the most feared, he became lonely. He stopped feeding on fresh human blood, started to gain their trust and practically turned his back on the deal he made."

The world of the Elders started to make sense as I pieced everything together.

"This made the devil angry, but with every contract known to man and vampire alike, the fine print had consequences, if the deal was ever broken." she continued. "The Elder started to become hostile and rabid, unable to control himself, becoming the monster he was, only worse. Before he truly turned into this form, he begged the devil to help him. The devil explained that he had given him the power to walk in the sun, the strength to move the biggest of mountain, and the gift to bear children. He also reminded him the rules of the deal."

That was why family was so important to them. He had to accept who he was, a vampire. Accept what he does, drinks the fresh blood of humans. Be most loyal to those who created him, the devil himself.

Raveinant started to cry. "This is what will happen to Callidora if she doesn't come home to us willingly." she sobbed. "She will become the apocalypse in the flesh."

The color had drained from my face. I needed to get Calli home as soon as possible.