phoenix-kia got it right XD mwuahaha enjoy the chapter.
XXIII
"Dante I can explain!" I manage to speak. His grip is getting tighter.
"Do you think I wouldn't notice? You'd have to do better than changing your hair color." He throws me to the other side of the tent and I end up outside rolling on the ground.
I stand. "Dante please. Just please listen to me."
Want to know what's wrong with him?
Enlighten me.
A warlock has been naughty.
Just tell me what's happening. Don't sugar coat it with talk like that.
Here is the deal Christopher. We need you to find the next candidate. Until you do so and until that candidate becomes the ruler of all creatures on this earth. You will have your beloved Dante back.
What did you do?
I didn't do a thing. I am not the only one that wants this. A powerful warlock has taken over Dante's body and mind. He will only give it back once you complete this task.
How long have you known?
Not long. The day you arrived to the battle.
Why didn't you tell me this then? Why watch me suffer?
Aw Christopher, I am dead. As I said before, it's more entertaining this way.
I look up at Dante. I walk towards him and I place a kiss on his lips. He looks shocked.
"I love you Dante. I love you with every fiber of my being." I give him on last passionate kiss, "but I won't do what they want me to do. I control my own life. I'll find out a way to get you back." His eyes widen and two emotions cross through them. He growls and hits the side of my face.
"Do it! You have to do it!" I hold back my tears.
"No I don't."
"You will do it!" He growls and Merek grabs his shoulders and holds him back.
"Where I had the meeting for the battle, go there for now. Joseph is there will Ael. I'll come get you once he's calmed down." Merek tells me. I nod and sprint to the tents.
You are making a very big mistake Christopher.
No, you won't use me anymore.
You can't do this! I am your creator! You are my creation. You cannot fight me!
Watch me.
Christopher!
"Joseph." He looks up and stands from his seat.
"Why haven't you healed yet?" I ask him with a raised eyebrow.
"They used poison to get answers out of us." I nod looking at Ael sleeping on the bed.
"Is he okay?"
"No."
I walk over him and I run my fingers though his hair. He instantly shoots up; pushing my hand away.
"For now give me your hand." I tell Joseph, leaving Ael's side.
"May I ask why?"
"What? Do you think I might hurt you?" I smile amused.
"No..."
"Then don't ask questions and give me your hand Joseph." He hesitates then holds his hand out. I grab it and his whole life floods into me. Once I open my eyes his wounds are healed and he has that same look in his eyes as the soldier from before.
"My king." He looks confused as to why he said that. It's quite entertaining.
"Joseph what happened during your stay with the lycan's?"
"They interrogated us at first, separately. After a few hours they introduced us to the other soldiers. They beat up Ael all the time. Tried going after me but I fought them off. It was just a routine of training, eating, and sleeping."
"How did you two get caught?"
"Ael caved in and told them everything. Their king sent him to his commanders and they did things to him. I was sent to get tortured for more information."
"Should I erase his memory of it all? He didn't want to go in the first place."
"It's his choice."
"Does he only talk to you?"
"Yes."
"Talk to him about the matter. Ask him if he wants me to do it or not."
"As you wish."
"One more thing, the lycan's... Do you know about a spell they had, a sort of weapon?"
"No I don't." He replies. I nod and look around the tent for clothes. I find black jeans and a long sleeve shirt with a grey sweater. I change into them. Mostly everything fit except for the jeans that sagged a bit.
The clothes smell like Merek. "Alright. Talk to Ael, and tell Merek I borrowed his clothes. I'm leaving for a bit."
"May I ask where you're going?"
"I'm going to meet with a certain lycan." I walk out and suddenly in front of me the soldier from before is on his knee bowing.
"My king. I apologize for this sudden... Position. I- from now on I will serve only you."
"What made you come to that decision?" I ask truly intrigued.
"You are our rightful king." He states.
"No, Merek is."
"He is but you are our true king. I will serve and protect my true king. I will risk my life for you."
"Are you free?"
"Yes."
"Perfect. Take my hand." I hold out my hand. He takes it and we leave and appear on lycan territory.
"You lycan's don't take well to company. That much I've noticed." I look around me. Elijah hisses at them making it very clear not to come any closer.
"I need to speak to your king." A lycan tries attacking me but Elijah grabs him and throws him across the field before he got to me.
"He's occupied at the moment."
"Oh really?" I start pacing slowly, "well how about this, if you don't make him come out, after every minute that passes I kill one of you. Does that sound fun?" I look at Elijah, "tell me when a minute passes." He nods.
The lycan's look hesitant. I see some looking around, maybe communicating with each other? Can they do that? I won't really know unless I read their minds.
"One minute has passed." I nod and sprint to the closets lycan, before he finishes his gasp I already have his heart in my hand.
"How many more seconds till the next minute?"
"30 sec... 26..."
"The clock is ticking. What will you do. There's a dozen of you, one here is bound to be the smart one."
"5-4-3-2-1"
"You are all so loyal but also quite stupid." I sprint to another one but this time right before I tear through his heart a hand grabs my wrist. The recent events with this man resurface as he continues to touch me. I don't like it.
"Finally, I've come to speak with you."
"Our species are at war. You shouldn't come here."
"I don't care about this petty war. No one will win in the end. What I do care about is something you have that may be useful to me."
"And what might that be?" He raises his eyebrow.
"Mind if we talk privately?"
"No I don't. Come with me." He guides me and Elijah through the soldiers and into the tent from before.
"When you talked about a spell-"
"I won't tell you what it does." He states.
"I'm not interested in what it does. I'm interested in the witches you will use to do it. I need their assistance."
"With what exactly?"
"I'll only tell you if you agree to lend me the witches."
"As long as you don't use them against us you can have them."
I nod. "My lover, he is being possessed by a warlock. I need the witches to extract the spirit of the warlock out of him and add a sort of protection against other spirits from doing the same thing."
"Ah... The human that I killed. He is a lycan now correct?" He asks.
"Yes."
"Why is the warlock possessing him in the first place?"
"The dead witches on the other side are upset and now want me to find them their new candidate but I won't do it."
"Candidate for what?"
"A human that will rule the world and all its beings." I dramatically inform him.
"That's going to be difficult."
"How so?"
"Witches communicate with each other, dead or alive. If the dead want this to the point of possession then don't be surprised the ones alive know about it as well. They probably won't help you."
"There are other ways to persuade than simply asking." I smile.
He laughs clearly amused. "Just don't kill them. I'll need them for later."
"Where do I find them?"
"Right this way." He takes us further into his territory. We walk side by side and Elijah follows a few steps back.
"How much land do you have?" I ask, our walk seems never ending.
"Not much. The witches just prefer to be away from my lycan's." I nod.
Feeling like I'm being watched I look at Nathaniel. "What is it?"
"Where did they take you after we were separated?" He asks.
"Another village far away. The witch never told me where she took me so I don't know the name of it."
"I thought you were killed. The witch told me you were."
"In a way yes I was but it doesn't matter now."
He grabs my arm and we stop walking. "Yes it does. I had nothing else to live for. You were my anchor. You kept me sane. Without you I was nothing."
I pull my arm away, "well now you are something. You're a king."
"Christopher you... Not until you said my name did I know it was you. I had a sudden attraction towards you the moment I set my eyes on you and now that I know that you are you I won't every let you go. Not again."
"The only reason I'm here again is because of Dante, the only man I will ever love. What happened before- everything that happened before- is in the past."
"I won't accept that."
"I don't know what else to tell you. Dante is my soulmate. I chose him and I won't stop choosing him and I will never stop fighting for him."
"What happens if the witches can't help? The warlock won't stop possessing him and he won't stop trying to push you away. You won't be able to fight for something that you can't have for long."
I glare, "I won't stop fighting for him. If that ever happens it'll be when I die." His eyes widen and he clenches his jaw.
"We're here." He announces without looking away from me.
We stop in front of a small cottage. "They don't like company. They'll have a protective barrier around the house. It'll kill any uninvited- wait!" He tries stopping me but it's too late. I break open the door and step in. All I feel is a sting but it's nothing deadly, at least for me.
"Who are you?" A girl shrieks making my eyes ring.
"I'm surprised you didn't see me coming." I comment.
"We aren't oracles." Another woman much older comes out carrying a basket of herbs.
"Mama!" A little girl comes running after the woman.
"Elisa stay in your room." The woman orders her.
"Nu I want to see the vampire!" she runs up to me and grabs both my hands.
"You're so pretty! Grandma was right." She smiles.
"Grandma?" I ask the mother.
"Your creator. Elisa calls her grandma."
"Then I suppose you know why I'm here."
"Yes we do. Claudia here was just acting stupid." She looks at the shrieking girl. "Anyways let's cut to the point, we won't help you."
"Why not?"
"Because we can't. You are a puppet and it's your job to do as they say. There is no point in fighting it, in the end you will do as they say."
I sprint to her and grab her by the throat. "I am not their puppet." I hiss. "Make a spell that will get rid of that warlock and protect Dante from any other possessions."
"And I-If we don't do as you sa-" I tighten my grip.
"I'll kill your daughter."
"That's enough." A young witch walks out into the open.
"And you are?"
"The only witch that will ever help you." I let go of the woman and she gasps for air.
"Will you do it?"
She nods, "that and more."
"Sarai don't do this."
"You have an obligation to them, I don't."
"They'll find a way to get back at you."
"And I care because? I'm already living my hell."
"How is it that you are the only one that can help me?"
"I wasn't born a witch nor am I human."
"Then what are you?"
"Do you want my help or are you just going to keep asking questions."
"Alright then enlighten me."
"In what way are you connected to him?"
"I marked him, we are connected by blood."
"Perfect. Makes my job easier. I'm going to chant a spell and through you I will send it into his body. And before you say anything, it's not as easy as it looks. I'll be using my magic and your natural power to make it work. After this you'll be the closet thing to human anyone can become."
"How close?"
"You won't be able to heal right away, it'll take time... Your strong body will become weak and vulnerable. You probably won't even have the strength you have now."
"How long will it take to get back to normal?"
"Depends on the one possessing the body. If the spirit is strong it'll take more power out of us. If that happens it can last from one week to a month or more."
"If I would be injured enough to kill a real human will I die?" I ask curiously.
"I don't know so be careful." She reaches for my hands and rubs herbs on them. She then grips them tightly and that's when the pain starts. My legs weaken and I fall back but Nathaniel holds me up.
All you can hear in the room are my cries of pain and the witch's chant.