Finally they were there
Anthony was pretty sure they were late and Raphael was probably waiting for them,worried. But it couldn't be helped. They were being followed for quite some time. It was like Angelica had a tracking device on her.
The old warehouse had been abandoned for years and no one came here anymore because of the instability of the building. Well,that and the fact a few years back he had threatened some thugs who decided that an abandoned facility for their "dealings". Unfortunately for them,anthony had arranged a meeting with raphael one such evening and the fools thought it would be a good idea to set an example out of raphael for "trespassing". Needless to say anthony gave them such a fright that after that night everyone called it "the haunted warehouse".
-We are here,said Anthony with a hint of anticipation while parking not far from the entrance. Raphael was waiting for them in front of the door.
-Oh good,you are finally here. I was starting to get concerned. Were you ambushed or something?
-Relax we just run into some old friends of hers,joked anthony pointing at Angelica as he always wanted to lighten up the mood to calm his best friend.
-My name is Angelica mister Raphael and i am very pleased to meet your acquaintance
-Oh nonsense dear,the pleasure is all mine. Truly. Anthony why are you staring like that?
Anthony was stunned. When had Angelica learned manners and no one had informed him?
- I dont know Raphael maybe because Angelica was being a pain from the first time i met her and now she is acting like a duchess in a royal gathering? Anthony said with clear annoyance and irony in his voice
-Anthony,please.
-Its okay Raphael. I actually enjoy his nasty little comments because when i introduce myself i will have many things against him,angelica pointed out with a smirk.
-Oh really? Well if you must know no one has the upper hand in an argument with Anthony ,his pride and confidence were clear in his voice.
- If you continue fighting then let me know so i can inform the Shadows not to bother with hunting her,her friend is taking care of that.
That comment came from a little girl no more than 10 years old with blond hair,pale skin and blue eyes. She was wearing a dress with flowers which was dirty with mud and dirt no doubt from inside the warehouse. She had been hiding behind Raphael.
-Ah,yes how inappropriate of me. This is Anna,unfortunately a few hours ago her family was hunted down and killed by shapeless shadowy forms. She managed to escape hidden inside a wardrobe. I feel responsible for her because these creatures were searching for something. This book.
The girl appeared from behind Raphael holding a leather book and she handed it over to Anthony
-It is the book i came here to buy. Her father practically gave it away saying it was "dangerous and unpredictable"
Anthony closed the book with force and anger
- And what does it say Raphael?
-Well i cant read it but im told that Angelica can...Anthony why are you looking at me like that? Raphael asked with distress in his voice because he feared Anthony would see him as the responsible of the murders.
- I am not an idiot and i centrainly dont like being fooled. You told me you came here to buy a book you have been searching for a time and now i am holding a book in a language i dont know and obviously neither do you,with a stranger i ran on the street that by chance is the only one who can read it and an orphan whose family was murdered for that book by the stranger's enemies and it seems everyone is well informed but me. I want explanations. Now
-Anthony,i know you are upset and i understand better than anyone your dislike at being kept in the dark. But i am asking you to trust me. I know i kept a secret from you and im deeply sorry for but i rarely kept anything from you and if i did,i did it because i thought you weren't ready to hear it. Please,my friend,said Raphael with a plead
The way Raphael said "my friend" had put warmth inside Anthony's heart and had melted away the anger
-Okay,but im an doing this for you and only you,said Anthony with a stern but also gentle voice.
-Thank you dear. Now i believe Anna wants to say some things to us.
Anna took the book from Raphael and handed it over to Angelica. She read some pages and suddenly her face became pale.
-This...isn't...possible,said with trembling voice
-What isn't possible girl? Start talking and dont start me on "later explanations",said Anthony with impatience
-Sorry to interrupt but i think it would be best if we were to continue this conversation somewhere else,i just gave Angelica the book because strictly speaking it belongs to her . We should leave now,we might be watched.
Anna was clearly worried
-Good idea we can go to my hotel ,agreed Raphael.
-Fine. Come on. I haven't parked far.
The road to the hotel was awkward,to say the least. Raphael sat in the co-driver's seat and angelica sat with Anna in the passengers' seats. Well,to be more precise,Angelica had fainted after reading two pages from the book. After that,anthony decided to enjoy the peace and quiet. That is,until they arrived at the hotel and Angelica still hadn't regained consciousness.
Raphael looked at him with an apologetic look:"Anthony,be a dear and carry her,will you?".
Anthony was about to protest but then he realised he would lose the fight in the end. So he sighed and said:"Yeah,sure. No problem"
The hotel staff was very polite. When they saw anthony walking in with a fainted lady in his arms they immediately asked if she required medical attention. They declined. Luckily a few minutes after they had arrived at Raphael's room Angelica woke up but she was still pale and in a disoriented state. Anthony didnt want to admit it but he was slightly concerned about her. As were all at that time. Raphael seemed the most worried. Everyone'concern was raised when Angelica started mumbling:"This is simply not possible. I was supposed to be the first. How a book like this exists?". Anthony and Raphael didnt understand much but Anna seemed more in control.
She sat behind her on the bed and started braiding Angelica's hair while telling a story:" You know, our human species is actually the second race of humans. The first humans were created billions of years ago. They were happy and peaceful. As their society evolved beings like yourself were born. They were many,so many in fact that they had to be separated into classes and all of them were girls. Everything was perfect until one day shadows emerged from deep within the universe made from cosmic energy. They were vicious and hungry. They hunted your ancestors like they were animals.They had built a shield of energy around the planet so powerful that no one could penetrate it. Humans tried to protect the girls but they were destroyed as well. Humanity was recreated but it was alone this time. You are the first to be created since before the creation of this universe. This book is the last one to survive from those times.
A few minutes of silence followed and Anthony was the first to break it:"If what you say is true then no one should know of this story. How a human like yourself has knowledge and items from that forgotten time?"
Anna explained tiredly:" Long ago a human woman was gifted with this truth through a vision . She became the first Priestess. Technically she had nothing to do except training her children,only the girls, to be Priestesses and so forth. I am the first Priestess to ever be assigned actual duties. And i will make my mother proud by honouring our family's duties and history and conducting my duties to the best of my abilities. Only then will her soul and my sister's rest in peace"
Anthony quickly asked:"What are your duties exactly?"
Anna answered with a calm face looking at Angelica:Protecting,guiding her and making sure she reaches maturity"
Angelica was confused:"I thought protecting and guarding was my job"
Anna,still sitting behind Angelica despite having finished with her hair, whispered in her ear:"With how you act right now you wouldn't be able to handle a broken tea cup argument,let alone support a bond on your own. Don't fool yourself. You are still a baby. And dont forget a bond needs thirty days to stabilise inside your body and only 10 days have passed since your merging. So keep quiet and let me do my job"
Anthony was starting to get annoyed:"What's wrong ladies? Are we interupting something? You want some tea to go along with your private conversations?"
Anna was used to his irony by now and so she answered with the same playful tone:"Oh you were just going through some technicalities. But tea would sure be nice"
Raphael had no desire in participating and decided to be the practical one:"So what do we do now? They will come searching for her and we cant stay here for long or else we are risking innocent human lives."
Anna seemed content that the subject of conversation returned to her most urgent matter and so she said:"I agree. We cant keep her in this universe at all. We need to leave here and go speak to the Queen."
Anthony opened his mouth to ask questions,again, but Anna interupted him with a wave of her hand and continued:"Yes,anthony,they are indeed other universes. Thousands of them in fact.What I described earlier happened only to our universe. But there is one that rules them all. The Queen. We must go to her. She is the only one that can help us."
Anthony was still not convinced and he pointed out:"How do we know we can trust her? And if she is the ultimate ruler,as you say, we cant exactly waltz into her palace can we?"
Anna answered with the certainty of an expert:"First of all,the Shadows are also her enemies so i believe she will want to help us. Also,as a Priestess i have free access to the palace. The book has a spell that will open a portal leading directly to the palace.
-Yeah but have you tried it before?
-No
Anthony wanted to protest yet again but Raphael put a calming hand to his shoulder and said:I know you are worried dear,we all are,but right now we have to trust her because from the rest of us she seems to know what to do. Come,you need rest,we all do.
"Luckily" the only rooms available when Raphael phoned to book a room had four beds. So,a few minutes later they were all laying in their beds. Anthony to the one next to Raphael and Anna to the one next to Angelica
Suddenly Angelica whispered to Anna:"I know you didnt tell us everything. There is more, isn't there?"
Anna was too tired to have a conversation in the middle of the night so she said'"Tomorrow,Angie,now sleep"
Angie? She liked that nickname
Soon enough everyone was asleep gathering energy for the next day which will certainly be filled with adventure