Blind Faith (Book 1)

Chapter 52

Melissa

"And now my acolytes, it is, time!" preached Father Thomas.

Melissa snarled and spat, the leather clasps around her wrists itched and her head burned, the oak strips of wood cut into the leather of her binds felt like hundreds of small pins dipped in salt water that endlessly punctured her skull.

She used all her inner strength to stop screaming out in agony and plead for mercy. The crystal smouldered against her breast, a gentle reminder of her dormant power, the energy leaking into her chest, trying to ease some of the pain. She grimaced through clenched teeth, impatient for her return, it has been way too long already.

So close, but I must not reveal myself too soon...

For Father Thomas to use oak against her, did expose the truth of who and what she was and Melissa cursed and spat on the floor in fury. It boiled her blood that the conceited fool had the audacity to capture her and have her beaten, blinded and imprisoned.

The two Daemon jailers behind her had not been gentle when they strapped her into the chair, nor had their groping and fondling. They would be the first to die when her brother returned.

She could feel the corruption seeping from the two animals, her crystal fed from it, pulling in all the corruption around her, hidden under her gown, it throbbed, smouldering between her breasts, burning a warning.

"-so who is with me!"

Father Thomas was firing up the chamber, riling the gathering below the dais. She could feel the evil essence increasing like a virus, working its way around the chapel. The Holy soldiers unbeknown were being infected and changed into husks of hell. Empty vessels of evil. Some already coughed and spluttered between chanting hymns and listening to the High Priests waffle.

The source of evil was the large silver font that had burnt her earlier today. The golden lid had been removed, and her nose twitched, as smoky fumes from the fonts, wafted into the room, reeking like a sewer pit, the scent of hell, though it also served Father Thomas, as a purpose to entice and attempted to trap her mind.

She shook her head and risked another quick search of the room, blinking to reveal the dim chapel. Melissa still hid the fact that she had regained her sight and the necklace, because each second that passed hidden, was a step closer to retaining her full strength, and together with her Brother all would see what power really was.

Melissa paused her thoughts and closed her eyes and let the crystal reach out for him, she held her breath, for one, two, or three seconds, then her heart faltered as his merged with hers.

He had come... her brother had come. She opened her eyes and caught the entire room standing like statues frozen in time. Silence smothered the chamber and the air in the room crackled and pulsed with dark energy. She risked another glance in the direction of her brother's heartbeat and she grinned as he stared down at her from the upper floor balcony, eyes of pure ink black, face void of all emotion.

The crystal rejoiced and ignited against her skin, and in reply, a mischievous grin slipped upon his beautiful face, but the eyes did not mirror his grace. He jolted forward as if struck from behind and with a swift twist of his body and reaching back, he threw a blue-cassocked figure over his shoulder, and with the same momentum slammed his foot down hard onto his assailant. Without hesitation, he leapt over the railing and down upon the unexpecting Gabriel soldiers below.

Now the blood of the damned will truly flow...

Screams of terror echoed through the chamber as her brother ripped apart all who opposed or attempted to flee him. Melissa giggled unable to contain the euphoria as she pulled the energy of the crystal within her and let it wash over like a cold shower, shocking but invigorating her all at once.

It is time...

Her own vision flickered and heightened as she too revealed her true self, and just as she sensed movement from the two guards behind her.

Not letting the pair have the chance to grab her, Melissa snapped free of her leather oak bonds, shouting out in agony at the action and flung her body back through the chair, shattering the wood. Ignoring the pain, as some of the panels punctured through her skin, she spun and leapt at the left Daemon first, his red feline eye alarmed as her hand latched onto his neck and squeezed, her grip crushing his windpipe as her right foot swung up and connected with the temple of the unexpected second Daemon.

Clenching her hand in a fist Melissa pulled it away and ripped out the first Daemon's throat, black blood spurting up like a fountain of crude oil as she rolled past and on top of the seconded Daemon, cushioning her fall, flipping over behind him and pinning him in a headlock, forcing his gaze up to watch his friend stumble and fall to his knees clutching his throat. Melissa leaned in and put her tongue in his ear.

"Be still! My perverted little friend or you're next?" she whispered and the Daemon stopped struggling under her iron grip. Her arm pressed harder against his throat.

Melissa glanced past the dyeing Daemon towards Father Thomas and caught him surrounded by his personal guards. All weapons were in their hands, staring down into the pit of death, her brother was creating. She narrowed her gaze to her left towards the corrupted smoking font on the altar, finally understanding what the liquid was, and that she wanted it, needed it, even more than she needed her brother. The power of the dark liquid possessed her, clouding her mind and pulling her closer.

"Let's get up and have a look at that bowl, shall we," she whispered in the Daemon's ear pulling him up from the floor. His great size was no hindrance to her small frame, the power of the crystal flowed in her veins making the Daemon like a babe in her arms. As she shuffled across still holding the Daemon, the sound of death in the room cut off like a sudden knife and Melissa followed the room's gaze up to the balcony, as a new presence entered the chapel.

She couldn't help but laugh at who she saw, the sudden sound of her voice making all eyes in the room spin towards her.

"Oops, my bad!" She said.

Melissa had no choice now, but to get to that font. With her cover broken, she snapped the Daemon's neck and dropped the body, lunging for the blood of Azrael.