Witches of the Elements - Book 12: Red Ruby, Part 1

Episode 53: Followers of Emais

THE STAIRS TOOK them down into a drafty cavern lit by torches. The path started out narrow, but opened up the further they explored. Mira had stopped them as her ability informed her that there were two hooded individuals around the corner. Zac used the warning to his advantage and crouched forward. He stood up and picked up speed when he turned at the corner. Zac punched the first guy quickly in the throat and as he grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed the guy's head against the rubble wall which knocked him out. The other hooded figure was also completely thrown off guard as Zac slammed his foot into her leg that made her kneel over. Zac grabbed her head and kneed it which knocked her out as well. Lori located a ladder nearby and upon their descent, they started to hear faint sounds from a balcony.

"We have all gathered here today in hopes of bringing forth the Demon of Dreams into our reality," said the leader upon the removal of his own hood.

"Huh? Mason Callahan?" Syd uttered into a whisper from the balcony above the meeting place.

"You know him?" Zac asked.

"Sort of. He went to our school, but disappeared two months ago," Syd clarified. Mason displayed having dark hair that was actually blue tented. His chiseled jaw made him a rather handsome guy and with such a deep voice the people around him listened for it commanded.

"We his loyal subjects will reap the benefits and shall rejoice in his greatness upon his arrival," In the midst of Mason's speech he had removed a tarp that revealed a standing mirror, held by two dragon-like claws. Zac gripped the edge of the balcony from the numbness he abruptly felt as demonic energy swept by from within the mirror. Red fog constantly swirled about from within the mirror and reflected no one's image.

"This does not feel right," Syd admitted. Either Syd's magical sensitivity had gotten better just in this short amount of time or the demonic presence was strong enough for a novice to sense something wasn't right about what they were witnessing. It was only then was Mason able to pick up on Syd's uneasiness of her uncontrolled senses that kept flaring up for him.

"Hmmm. Looks like we have unexpected guests. See to it that they are well welcomed into our fellowship," Mason ordered and looked straight up in the direction of the balcony where they hid.

"Go! Go!" Zac ordered as the Followers of Emais quickly spread themselves out. All five of them made their way back up the ladder, passed the opening, through a lounge, and back to the narrow pathway toward the iron staircase. Back up and outside of the mausoleum and closed it right back up when they pushed the tomb back into place. As they exited the mausoleum, Syd turned back around and removed her chain belt from her pants.

"Ak, alma, hitala!" she casted and threw the chain forward. In midair the chain glowed orange and bursted into a web of chains which barricaded the entrance just like the bars had done. As soon as they got on the main pathway, they proceeded for the exit to the cemetery.

"C'mon, this way--" Mira paused mid sentence as her feet slid hard on the ground. Mason stood in front of where they needed to go in order to leave the cemetery. Zac was able to makeout a splash of purple paint that covered a section of his face where his dark brown eyes were stationed.

"Leaving? And yet so soon," he asked them.

"Mason it's me, Sydney from school. What do you think you are doing?" Syd was the first to ask him as she helped Mira up.

"Sydney? Ah yes, I thought you looked familiar. And the others...it's all coming back to me now. Who would have imagined that the people I had gone to school with would show up here, tonight of all nights. Classmates with magical signatures at that," Mason picked up. His gaze moved from person to person and halted at the sight of Zac who he was unfamiliar with.

"You! It must have been you who had freed Emais," Zac blurted.

"Freed? That is currently in the works as I only need four magical signatures such as your souls to sacrifice in the name of the Demon of Dreams to bring him forth into our reality. My question for you is how exactly do you know of that name...Emais?" Mason queried, curious more than anything. His eyes remained mostly on Zac as his magical signature stood out the most from the other four. It blazed like wildfire that housed an inner power greater than anything he had ever encountered before.

"Nevermind that," Zac quickly covered. "I won't let you bring him into our reality again."

"Again? You make it as if I have done this before. Then I would suggest that you hold onto your dreams tight for he will be freed tonight. If you live long enough, you and I must continue this conversation later," Mason threatened. He extended his brown leathered gauntlet and released both a mystical fog and smoke that merged into a purple smog that engulfed all five of them instantly. What started out as a starry night sky turned into something dark, heavy, and thick as they were pulled and transported into Mason's pocket dimension.