Chapter 34
A Goddess's Resolve
~They were Goddesses part 4~
"Who's gonna save the world?"
~Swedish House Mafia~
The ringing startled him, making Exsavior fumble with the object that was in his pocket. Isabel had given him David's cell phone, a device used for communication purposes, just in case they needed to relay any information as soon as possible. At first, it was hard figuring out how to work the tiny machine—there were no buttons to experiment with like a lunatic, but after remembering what Isabel told him, Exsavior found it easy to adjust to it.
Apparently, the phone was 'smart', capable of deciphering its owner's wishes. All Exsavior had to do was put the sleek screen to his ear and speak—or so that was what Isabel told him to do if it rang.
"Hello?" he asked the object, unsure whether or not if it worked.
"Exsavior? Oh good, I was calling to speak with you anyhow. Where is David and why do you have his phone?"
It was Lily calling, and the sound of her voice soothed Exsavior somewhat. Lily was a safe haven, much like Mia had been before she was thrown into the mess of things. She knew nothing of what he was dealing with, and sometimes, it was refreshing to speak with someone that had no idea of his true identity.
"Um, David is on his way home. He was at Isabel's apartment; um he gave me his phone because he thought I would need it just in case." Exsavior found that lying was easiest when he bent the truth in his favor—doing so avoided him from having to work hard at creating plausible stories.
"Oh that's good, I'm glad you boys are getting along. Anyway, I need to speak with you young man." The slight change in her tone indicated Exsavior that she was trying to be firm. "I received a call minutes ago from the school. Apparently, one of my sons hasn't attended class once the past four weeks. Care to explain?"
Exsavior felt esteemed when Lily referred to him as her son. He did not think that she'd go so far to welcome him into her home, and due to this, he smiled into the phone. "Uh, I have no excuse. I'm sorry for disappointing you." Somehow, the change he was exhibiting did not frighten him, nor did he loathe it. Before, apologizing would not have come so easy to him, but as he gained more human characteristics, the words came as second nature to him. An earlier Exsavior would have scoffed at the thought, but now, he indulged in it. Exsavior was becoming more human, and he did not mind it.
"You didn't disappoint me sweetheart. I just want you to take your classes like any regular student. If not for me than for Margery, okay?" Lily said, the traces of severity gone.
"Okay, I promise. I will be good for the both of you." Maybe Melisse wasn't wrong about love stricken men giving off more estrogen than the norm. He was definitely being very affectionate at that moment.
"Good, oh David just got home. Now, be home no later than eleven p.m. Have fun honey, love you." The words came out nonchalant, but Exsavior did not know how to react to them, and before he could, Lily hung up the phone.
He stood dumbfounded atop of a tree, one of the highest in the forest behind the football field of the academy. Exsavior held the phone in his hand, pondering over Lily's words.
'Had she meant it?' he thought to himself, unable to figure out whether it was common for humans to drop words like that or not.
In any case, he was overjoyed, but cautious. Giving it more significance than what it really had was something he did not want to do, so he pushed it aside for the time being.
Exsavior was about to venture into the school, knowing full well to be alert since they were already calling Lily in wonder over his whereabouts, when the phone rang again. Fumbling with it seemed to come natural to him, and Exsavior almost cursed out loud when the device almost fell from his grasp. David would never let him live it down if he destroyed the contraption.
"Hello?" he said again, feeling annoyed at having to do so.
"Where are you? Did you find Terry?" It was Isabel.
"No, I was about to enter the school when you called," Exsavior said, in tired a voice. He wasn't too eager over the practicality of the phone. Sometimes doing things his own way was better than having to report to someone.
"Hey, don't take that tone with me. I need to check up on you just in case you do something stupid."
"I'm flattered at how much you trust me," Exsavior said with a sigh.
"Well look who learned sarcasm...anyways, listen. David is getting dressed and he's gonna meet up with you after he gets his mom off his back. Also, Mia called." Isabel paused when she said the name.
"And...? What did she say?" he felt anxious at hearing her name.
"A lot...first off, she's going to catch up with you at the school as well. I already told her everything, and she had some pretty interesting information." When Exsavior's silence indicated Isabel to continue, she told him everything that Mia learned from the woman named Daisy.
During their date, none of that came up. He did not know what happened with her trip, and it was the same for Mia in regards to his own. On some levels, it was better that they didn't ruin the night by speaking about pending issues.
"So it's just like we thought, Terry might be in danger." Exsavior concluded.
"Yeah, according to Mia, Daisy said that Savants are targeted by the Covenant to do their bidding. It may be possible that the bald Paladin Melisse mentioned was at her home searching for Terry."
"What about the artifact?" Exsavior asked, remembering the object of Ezekias's desire as he swooped down from the tree and proceeded in entering the school's premises.
"I don't know what to make of that. In any case, the Covenant is in possession of it now, so maybe we won't have to worry about it. Besides, I'm more concerned over Ezekias's power Melisse described." Isabel said, letting Exsavior know how she drifted into thought over the notion.
"The telekinesis thing, why?"
"Because, witches only have one Active Power, during our encounter with Ezekias, he exhibited a totally different one from what Melisse mentioned." Her explanation made Exsavior realize why she was worried. Ezekias might be hiding something else—another trump card.
"But wait, didn't you say that witches also had a Defensive Power? Maybe the force field was just that, it did act as such..."
He could hear Isabel think over the idea. "I'm surprised that you even remember that, but I thought about that possibility. It just seems too obvious to believe something like that. I mean, if anything we've learned so far, that bastard always has something else in play."
"I think you might be overthinking things, Isa," Exsavior said. "I mean, is it even possible for a witch to possess more than one Active Power?"
"No, but...Damn, I don't know! It just seems sketchy." He knew where she was coming from. Isabel was trying to be on top of things, so that nothing would slip her.
"Just take it easy, Isabel. Right now we need to focus on Terry. I'll talk to you later." Exsavior was about to hang up, or put the phone in his pocket seeing as how he did not know how to end the call, when Isabel stopped him.
"Wait! I've already took care of Melisse; she's heading out now and she wanted to thank you before she left. I'm putting you on speaker." Exsavior was about to ask what that meant, but he was interrupted by Melisse's voice.
"Exsavior hi, um wow this is a little awkward but..." There was pause on her side.
"Just say what you feel. This might be the last time we ever speak to each other," he said, trying to ease her discomfort.
Fortunately for Melisse, his words did the trick. "I don't know how it is you do it wolf, but you have a way with words." Somehow, he knew she was smiling, possibly on the brink of tears. Her voice seemed to be etched with emotion. "Anyways, I just wanted to thank you for everything you did. I mean, you may have forgotten but the day you defended me from that boy..." she trailed off, unable to complete her thoughts.
Exsavior knew what she was trying to say, so he helped her along. "It was nothing, but I think it's me who should be thanking you. We now know that this Conan fellow is involved with Ezekias because of you."
Melisse laughed at his praise. "Yeah well, who knew getting attacked would have its benefits, right? In any case, take care of yourself Exsavior, and please..." Again she paused, but this time, she found the resolve to continue after a short while. "...take care of Terry when you find him. He's a very fragile boy."
Her plea created a strong determination within Exsavior, he knew now that he would stop at nothing to avoid Terry from falling into the hands of the Covenant.
"Rest assured, he will be safe," he said.
"Thank you; tell him I love him, and that this is goodbye." There was a muffle, and he realized that she was crying.
"I will." After the silence fell, Exsavior noticed that she had hung up, making it her final farewell.
When Melisse finished telling them the story of her run-in with Ezekias, Isabel, David and Exsavior talked it through. It was then that Isabel told them of her research over the Anima, and how there existed an all mighty book that could tilt the war in Ezekias's favor, but chances that the item Melisse had was connected to the book were slim. At least that was what Isabel said. She denied any ties to it, even though she never saw the relic herself.
Exsavior sighed over all the possibilities. One thing was clear, however. Finding Terry for Melisse's sake was their task at hand, and the only thing they could do for now. Also, it became a mutual understanding amongst the four of them that the succubus could not remain in the city. Exsavior would not ask her to stay and join their plight, not after learning of her weakened condition. Aside from that, it was obvious that Melisse was not a fighter. She was too kind and lacked the will to take a life. Then again, how was Mia a better candidate than Melisse?
Stopping before the door that lead into the school newspaper's computer room, Exsavior shook his head. He would not think about Mia as the weak type, especially since he did not have much choice but to accept her involvement. The girl would never agree to stand down.
One knock on the door came with silence, making Exsavior unwilling to waste more time. He barged in, but he never moved past the entrance as something cold washed all over his body, drenching him in some unknown liquid. It burned his skin and made his vision blurred, causing nauseating waves to strike him until he was out cold.
Exsavior did not know exactly how long it took him to wake up, but when he did, he found his arms scorching and bound behind his back. He was sat tied to a chair in the middle of the newspaper room. There was no lighting, and under any normal circumstance, that wouldn't have made a difference due to his keen sight. Nevertheless, he soon realized why he could not break the ropes that tied him and why it burned his skin, rendering his sight inoperable under the darkness.
"Wolf's...bane..." he choked out, feeling more uncomfortable under the wetness of the poisonous plant.
"I didn't know whether it would be verbena, wolf's bane or lavender, so I threw it all into the concoction. You really are a werewolf then..." The sound of the familiar voice let Exsavior know who his captor was.
"Terry...thank god you're alright. Listen, your sister—" but Exsavior was unable to finish his statement.
"Shut up! I don't care about her—she's a demon, a spawn from hell!" There was silence on Exsavior's behalf, allowing the boy to continue with his rant.
"And you! I knew something was weird, but I just didn't want to accept it. I liked you a lot...," Terry said the last part with a low voice, making Exsavior realize the change in his tone.
Focusing his mind on Terry and not the painful water, Exsavior remembered how the boys accustomed to speak in the academy, and he tried his best to mimic the jargon. "Dude, you're cool too. I mean, them drawing skills are boss." Exsavior felt ridiculous speaking like that, but he almost sighed in relief when he heard Terry laugh.
"You really are a dangerous being. I mean you can copy the looks and gestures of a human with so much ease that it's frightening." The response was not what Exsavior was hoping for.
"Look Terry, I know you must think I can't be trusted but hear me out please."
"I'm listening..." he said, quietly.
"When have I ever tried to hurt you? When has your sister ever tried? If we wanted you dead, we could have a long time ago. There were so many opportunities, but instead, Melisse opted in raising you." Exsavior tried his best to get through to the boy.
"I know all that." Terry's words confused Exsavior. He spoke them with a calm air.
"Then why are you holding me hostage?"
"Because I need you to turn me into a werewolf," Terry said.
During their conversation, the water that had wolf's bane mixed in, started to dry up, granting Exsavior's vision again. It was then that he saw Terry's expression. He was wearing a navy blue sweater and khaki cargo pants—all adorned with his usual round glasses. The boy was so very normal to Exsavior, how could even consider turning him?
Of course, that was the idea the first time he met Terry, but it was more insurance purposes for the upcoming war. In addition, Exsavior thought differently now—he did not have it in him to go against Melisse's wishes and turn the boy even if that was the most logical and secure thing to do.
"You can't be serious. How will that fix anything?" Exsavior asked.
"Oh stop!" Drastically did his emotions spike, as Terry's face furrowed into a scowl. "I don't need to hear all that bullshit about being normal is a gift. You don't know what it's like to be a pathetic human that can't even defend himself against his own kind!"
At first, Exsavior ignored the faint smell that started up, but when it intensified, he could not overlook the tears that began to fall from Terry's eyes.
"You have it good you know...you're handsome, strong and everyone either wants to be you or with you..." His voice had died down considerably, as his shoulders slumped with his gaze to the ground. "You don't know how happy I was when I saw someone like you defend me that time. It was as if I was finally being acknowledged by someone who is someone."
Exsavior heard each word he had to say intently. He knew how evil humans could be towards each other, and it sickened him. Werewolves were much different; it made his heart laugh at how wrongly stereotyped his kind was. To the humans, he was nothing but a savage beast that killed for sport, but reality was, Lycans were loyal, strong, majestic beings as opposed to the humans, who were more petty, insecure and selfish. Of course, not all of them were like that, and it almost made Exsavior smile at the thought of Lily.
"Terry, I may look like I have the ideal life in your eyes, but the price that comes with being an Immortal is not worth looks and strength." Exsavior began, but Terry's determination to get his way, interrupted his reasons.
"I don't care what I have to go through. It's all the same, there's always a price. The one who does the turning always says the same cliché lines; trust me, I've seen all the movies and it won't change my mind."
"Movies—you think this is some kind of fantasy?" Exsavior's voice was starting to become loud. If there had been any remote possibility of Terry getting his way before, it was killed the instant he spoke those words. "I have lived for more than a hundred years, and fifty of those were spent imprisoned at the sight of my family's grave! I watched my sister die in front of me, and no amount of 'looks' and 'strength' helped me save her," Exsavior said with a scoff towards the words Terry used to compliment him, all the while trying his best to control his anger.
"Tell me, how is that the ideal life. Immortals live for centuries, but you know what they spend all that time on?" he asked the boy, who watched him quietly. Terry nodded in a negative response, almost as if afraid.
"Surviving...humans outnumber us Terry. You, more than anyone, should know how cruel they can be."
There was a short silence that fell between the two. Terry was at a loss for words, and he found the floor more interesting than Exsavior. He knew that it was what the child needed to hear, but after watching him, Exsavior took a deep sigh and continued to speak.
"Terry, I don't mean to sound so dramatic, but it's the truth. The burden Immortals carry is a heavy one."
Terry sniffled, but eased slightly upon hearing Exsavior soften. "I just...I'm tired you know? People are always picking on me, and stepping all over me." Audacity took control of Terry at that moment, as his teary vision clashed with Exsavior's brown orbs.
"I just want to be able to do things—simple things like go to a party or talking to people—without having to be afraid of being mocked or bullied," he cried his reasons, and Exsavior tried to understand. From the little he witnessed, he knew that it must be difficult to attend an institution where the majority was always against you for no particular reason. It was as if he was the outcast in a pack.
"Terry, I don't know much about humans or their ways, but I do understand that having no one to confide in can be excruciatingly painful. Trust me..." Exsavior paused, his eyes gleaming with the words he said. He meant them, from the bottom of his heart. Having to endure silence for fifty years created a horrible void that was fueled by a lingering dread of facing solitude. Exsavior never let it show, nor did he ever tell anyone, but deep down, he feared that someday the people around him would either die or leave, and he would be alone once more.
"...but you can't let those fears dictate your life. If you do, you're letting them win. Everyone who has set out to destroy you will win every time you refuse to do something you want. And you will never find someone to trust if you keep hiding," Exsavior tried, using his own experience to persuade the boy.
"But that's why if I was a werewolf, I wouldn't be afraid to do those things!" Terry countered.
Exsavior shook his head at his words, this time keeping his anger in check. "That may be true, but you'd be using a permanent alteration to solve an ephemeral problem."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you can be who you want to be without the need of becoming an Immortal, and if you need someone to help you, I will be here. You just have to trust me," Exsavior reasoned.
Terry hesitated, but made no move to release Exsavior.
"I just..." he started but trailed off.
Exsavior was about to speak when an odd sensation washed over him. He felt a strong sense of turmoil boil within his inner wolf.
'She's in danger.'
It was Ara speaking to him, but Exsavior did not know whether to trust him or not.
'If you don't heed my words, she'll die.'
'Mia, this feeling...she's frightened.' His brown pupils widened in shock, realizing the bond he created with Mia was warning him of some ongoing event.
Isabel said that Mia would meet up with Exsavior, so it was very possible that something might have attacked her on the way.
"Listen Exsavior, I—" Terry was about to approach him, but immediately stopped in his tracks when Exsavior lifted his now blood red eyes in his direction.
His face started to change as the fur began to rupture through his skin, making his mouth grow into a ferocious muzzle adorned with large powerful fangs.
"Get out of my way!" Exsavior seethed with rage, breaking through the now feeble constraints as he zoomed passed a fully horrified Terry.
The boy lost his balance and fell to the hard floor in shock over the werewolf that whisked past him. He was left alone to his thoughts, but it was just the one. The picture of a human transforming into a beast would forever be etched into his mind.
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"Isaac, wait! I tired!"
"Caris, it's I'M tired." The blonde haired boy turned to smile at Caris who panted hard with fatigue.
They ran about on the streets adjacent to Oakhurst Central Park, in search of their other friend.
"Sorry, English is hard," she said with a frown, but it just made Isaac's grin bigger.
Caris tried to seem annoyed but she failed miserably, what with the blush that captured her face. He was too boyish and everything about Isaac made her smile, even when she didn't want to.
"Come on, Cassius is probably waiting for us and he wants to talk about my eye of Horus." With his bright blue eyes staring at her, Isaac smiled once more and grabbed Caris's hand so that she wouldn't fall behind.
"Just memories..." Caris said to herself as she sat down on one of the benches near a bus stop. The afternoon light was starting to fade and it gave the streets a beautiful glow. A part of her was envious of how unchanged the park was, like it was suspended in time where she was not.
"I turned to the sky to search for something I couldn't find..." During her short time sitting there, Caris reminisced fondly of her childhood. She was an escaped witch slave that was brought to the western side of the hemisphere. Lucky for her, she was able to meet other orphan children, and if it wasn't for Isaac and Cassius, she would have never learned to speak the language or even survive. "It's not yet winter, but the white has me blind." Isaac was the one who taught her the language, and after learning it, Caris practiced it with literature.
She wrote, and recited poems, searching for witty rhymes to expand her vocabulary. Throughout the years, it became easier to create poems off the top of her head, especially after all the heartache.
Caris sighed; another limerick popped into her head when the sight of all the passersby captured her attention. "I turned to the crowd, searching for a face."
"Hey! Finally, I found you." In one instant, Caris was startled out of her own trance.
It was a somewhat familiar voice, and when she shifted her gaze to the side, Caris saw Joseph—the boy from last night. Instantly her mind was flooded with amorous images that she shared with the young man.
"What do you want?" her voice came out harsh, but Joseph ignored it as he sat himself down next to her.
He was a good looking man, tall and lean with bright green-grey eyes covered behind his jet-black glasses, and scruffy blonde hair that was now styled neatly into a spike. The layers he wore along with the scarf made him appear bigger than the norm, and it was then that during her scrutiny that Caris noticed the similarities the man shared with Isaac.
"You left without any warning. I thought that maybe we could get to know each other or something," he smiled sheepishly, making his fuzzy chin wrinkle.
Caris shifted her eyes from Joseph and stared at the park. "Why would want to do that now? You had a good night, leave it at that."
Joseph scratched the hairs on his face unconsciously, as he thought about what she said. "Well, I guess that's to be expected from a guy right?" he laughed, making Caris look at him through the corners of her eyes.
Also turning his stare away, Joseph continued to speak. "I'm not like that though. What happened last night is not something that usually happens to me," he said.
Before her words could formulate, a sneeze overpowered her speech. It made Joseph smile a bit. "Bless you, you're gonna catch a cold in those clothes." The way he spoke to her—with the underlying caring emotion—it both sickened and warmed Caris.
Nevertheless, it was true. Caris wore short ripped jeans that reached up to her knees and a loose long-sleeved shirt; the attire did nothing to keep her warm during the cold weather.
"I'm fine," she said simply, but before she knew it, Joseph took his scarf and wrapped it around her neck.
The gesture shocked Caris, and as she was about to threw it into his face, Joseph spoke one more time. "C, I, O...what does that tattoo stand for?" he asked, referring to the initials on her neck.
Unconsciously, Caris touched the tattoo that was now under the scarf with her hand. It brought the memories back, vivid and strong. "Names...they're the initials of some dear friends of mine." At first she didn't think she'd talk to the guy, but when he asked, Caris blurted out her response without realizing it. It was nice having someone to talk to now that Anise was gone.
Joseph's expression died slightly. "Oh, they must have been amazing people."
"How do you figure? You didn't know them..." Caris spat.
In a sheepish gesture, Joseph lifted his arms slightly and spoke. "I'm sorry, I just thought that to put their initials on your neck must mean that they were great people," he paused, shifting his gaze to the ground. "...assuming that they're not with you anymore..."
Silence fell over them. It calmed Caris when she heard Joseph's assumptions, and after a while of debating with herself, she addressed the boy once more. "They were...look, it was nice chatting with you, Joseph, but I need to leave now."
Standing up, Caris turned to take her stride elsewhere—a destination she knew was unavoidable.
"Wait, can I get your number or something? Maybe we can hang out again?" he tried, stopping her in her tracks.
Caris tilted her head slightly back in his direction, her Egyptian blue eyes stern but curious.
"I don't think that would be a good idea."
"Why?" he countered, standing up as well to tower over her.
Taking the time to really look at the guy, Caris's eyes remained plastered on his.
'Would you have changed much if it were you I was staring at now?' The thought ran rampant in her mind, as she lost herself in Joseph's green eyes.
"Because, I'm not the typical girl who goes on dates," she said.
"So what, one night stands are more your cup of tea?" he retorted, angering Caris.
"No, and I don't have to explain myself to you." A part of her wanted to kill him on the spot, but she knew it was just the anger fueling her.
"Ok, I'm sorry! I just don't understand what type of girl are you?" he called back to her.
Without turning to look at him, Caris stopped her advances once more. She took a deep breath and spoke, finding no other way of losing Joseph. "There are other more important things pending in my life right now—trust me, you would be a lot better off not knowing me." Ezekias's face plagued her thoughts when she said the last part.
"I don't understand," Joseph said with a scowl.
"That's all I can say."
"Wait, at least tell me your name." he called out to her once more.
"It's Caris." Not waiting for a retort, Caris quickened her pace and left the boy to his thoughts.
'Had my life been any different, maybe...just maybe Joseph,' she thought, as her hand grabbed the scarf she took with her.
There was a part of Caris that wanted to run back to Joseph and indulge in his affection, but the strongest side of her controlled her actions. She could not leave things the way they were; it was a debt she owed to Cassius and Isaac.
They came first.
When Caris was at a good distance from any onlookers, she immediately took flight. The skies were darkening enough to conceal her body somewhat, and it gave her enough confidence to hasten her levitation. The school awaited her, as well as Skylar's key. It was her and her sisters' main objective, and she believed that some of them were already wreaking havoc on the academy.
It wasn't long after Caris arrived at the institution. Some of the teachers were still present, working after hours and tutoring other students. On one side, it was better that way since she could blend in easier, but then again, she would not be able to search for the key as freely as she would have liked.
"Hello, how can I help you?" A soft cheery voice caught her attention.
It was the secretary at the front desk that spoke to her. The one that Caris assumed was in charge of dealing with parents and students when they came in. She was a young woman, her skin almost flawless and her black curls cut in a bobby hairstyle.
"Um yes, I was wondering if it would be possible for me to look around the school," Caris tried, approaching the secretary.
The woman never stopped smiling, a gesture that irked Caris. "Our open house isn't scheduled until next month, maybe you can come back then?" she offered.
Caris shook her head. "That's a shame, but I really need to take a look now." Her voice came out forceful, and it startled the secretary.
There was a stare down between the two females, until Caris took action, giving the secretary no other choice but to allow her to pass. It was fortunate that no one was present to see Caris's bold move, but either way, she would have dealt with anyone in the same fashion had they intervened.
Shortly after, Rose's powerful mana erupted and invaded Caris. She followed in suit of it only to arrive at a door that led to the outskirts of the parking lot. Pushing the enormous aluminum-like door, Caris peered in to see her sister levitating midair. Her eyes cackled with the rawness of her Active Power, and when Caris's eyes fell to those that opposed her, she felt pity.
"Excuse me, I need to get through!" An exigent voice called her attention from behind, as she felt her body being shoved.
It angered her, but when she refused to move, her eyes locked with his.
'Cassius...?'
Eyes wide, heart beat frantic and the rush of the situation overpowering her made Caris block the entrance to the boy's destination. "Get out of my way lady!" he yelled.
"I can't let you pass," she said, the nervousness etched in her soul.
"Who are you? Do you work for that old man? You're not going to stop me from helping my friends!" The demand brought an idea to her head, and as she stared at the uncanny boy that looked so much like Cassius, Caris agreed to let him pass.
She saw his bewilderment, but when she surpassed it, his hands hastily went for the door. It was then that Caris put her plan in motion. With the palms of her hands, she plunged them into his back and cast her Defensive Power.
"Somnus." A mind numbing wave spread from her hands and into her target, inducing an instant sleep. The boy fell to the ground, and Caris wasted no time in taking him away from the scene.
She laid his body on the benches found in the locker room for the boys, having no other place she could take him. When Caris did this, she sat herself next to the unconscious boy, watching him carefully.
"This is for your own good." Her hand grazed his hair, marveling over just how similar he was to Cassius.
"You must be David, Cassius's little brother," she paused, thinking how ridiculous she must have seemed to be speaking alone. However, when else would she have an opportunity to be this close to David? The ties she had with Cassius were long broken, and Ezekias made sure that it was nice and buried, especially after what he did.
"There's so much I wish I could tell you, but it's best that you remain ignorant." Caris laughed, remembering something of her past. "Cassius would be so mad at me if I involved you." At some point she hadn't realized that the tears were splashing over David's face.
A sudden power surge shook the school, rattling her posture slightly. She knew that it was her sister Rose taking care of the other two. Had she not been there, David would have been the target of those attacks as well. It made Caris thank her luck for the first time in a long while. There was little she could do for her friends now, but this made her feel closer to them somehow, as if she was taking care of their business.
"Well, I guess all I can say is that, Cassius would be so proud to see you become such a strong willed man—one that wouldn't turn his back on his comrades." Not holding back, Caris lowered her face to David's and kissed his forehead tenderly. "He was the same you know." Lifting her gaze to the door, she felt a presence watching them. It was not the hostile type that characterized her sisters, so she spoke her last words to David and took out a Traveler's potion.
"Be safe, and know that Cassius loves and watches over you," she whispered, as the smoke consumed her until she vanished.
The potion did not take her far, for she intended her destination to be where she met the secretary. Wiping the tears off her face, Caris's demeanor went stern as she went around the desk and grabbed the unconscious woman by the hair.
"A key posing as a doll that poses as a secretary. Good work Margery, but not good enough." With that said, Caris lifted the body and put it over her shoulder as she broke another Traveler's potion—this time, her destination being much farther than before.
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'I don't know where I'm going, or what life has in store for me, but I guess I'll start at the end.'
It was what Melisse told Isabel after departing. Something she thought that wouldn't happen did; she cried, and it even softened the witch up enough to shed some tears. Of course, it was empathy, losing your home and forced to run for your life all at the same time was not something you could turn a blind eye to.
Now, as she stood over the debris of what used to be her living room, Melisse could not help but laugh in tears at how cruel life was. Never in all her years of immortality would she have believed that one day she'd leave Terry in such a manner. Though as painful as it was, it was the right call. If Terry was linked to her in any way, the Covenant and the old witch would catch wind of it. She was now on both their hit lists.
Sniffling back her sobs, she grew frustrated at having to be so emotionally defeated, at having her life turned upside down due to the greed of others. It just wasn't fair.
But that was how life functioned.
With a heavy sigh, she walked around the large crater where the witch was pummeled into, and made her way towards Terry's room. It brought the possibility of the witch's demise to her head. Maybe the Paladin's final attack was enough?
Nevertheless, Melisse pushed away those hopes and found the dirty letter she had written under her brother's bed. During the ruckus, it must have flown all over the room, but as luck would have it, Terry's room being unscathed was enough to preserve the letter.
Not wasting any more time on the issue, she crumbled the sheet of paper, and proceeded to replace it with another she had written.
'Dear Terry
My sweet baby brother, my one and only family, I wish I could take you with me. I wish I could be there to see you grow and love—to see you graduate and have all the friends in the world that you deserve. Unfortunately, there are evil things in this world, things that you may not understand, and because of that, I am sorry. Sorry for not being strong enough to preserve our family. I just want you to remember one thing, no matter what life throws at you, lift yourself up and try. Please Terry, try for me. Don't be afraid of those who put you down, because you are better than them. I guess...this it...this is goodbye. I love you so much that I could never imagine a life where you aren't with me, but here we are. Here I am... goodbye.
Love your sister,
Melisse Bleu Thoreau
She kissed the paper and put it on the dusty nightstand in order to avoid shedding anymore tears on it. Taking one final glance at the room, Melisse closed her eyes and left it. Carefully, she walked around the crater once more and as she was inches away from it, something paralyzed her.
The floor shook violently, and in one instant, her fear stricken eyes shifted behind her to see the form of a swooshing figure flying overhead.
It was the old man.
His skin was glossy like platinum and his white hair was slightly longer. The clothes on his back were mangled, and one gold spectral-like chain dangled from his chest where his heart was located.
The undying witch known as Ezekias Halder scoffed at her, grabbing the chain and yanking it away from his body until it disappeared.
"I've finally adapted to the powers of those wretched Templars," he spat, twisting his neck to each side. "Behold the evolution of a perfect being," he bolstered his new appearance to her.
"Now, let me show you what happens to those who interfere with me."
In a sudden rush of adrenaline, Melisse conjured up all her strength and released her true form, but Ezekias was too fast. He lifted his cane and sent it flying to impale her body. It pierced her abdomen and fired the energy from before, destroying her insides. Her blood red eyes, losing its flare, stared at the wicked man. It took all of her fleeting strength to grab hold of the stick, as the blood rushed out of her mouth.
Slowly, Ezekias flew down to meet her dying gaze.
"I just wanted to see the look on your face. To see how death claimed that beauty of yours." He reveled in her pain, and surely enough, Melisse coughed out her last shred of life, as her body gave out.
She fell limp to the ground, with her darkened eyes and her withering horns. Like any other Immortal, her body turned to ash, and Ezekias smirked.
He then knelt down to pick up his precious walking stick, but refrained from doing so. In anger, his eyes widened—the smirk turning into a scowl. The cane was coated in Melisse's poison, eating away at its structure until it was one with her ash.
She may have died, but her last attempt was to rid of Ezekias's cane that consumed the energy of any Immortal it came in contact with.
"Damn it to hell!" His voice boomed throughout the night, and as Caris watched from a far, she felt the anticipation eat away at her.
Would she be able to do what she set out to do? Even the succubus gave it her best.
'I guess this is for Cassius and Isaac. I'll see you both on the other side.'
She knew it may have been futile, but she would not die without trying.
Author's Note:
So, I want to thank the few fans that have been following this book up until this point. Thanks you guys, even if you are the silent ones, the votes let me know that my work is being appreciated. It means the world to me. I also wanted to say that I have put in tremendous effort on this book, and I have all the ideas planned out. The end will be around chapter 45 or possibly 50 since I'm trying really hard to move the plot. As you can see, it's not that easy when your cast involves thousands. The book is slightly an epic noval, since I'm trying to give all my characters their moment to shine. So please bare with me, and hopefully I haven't tired any of you! Read, Rate and Review! Love you guys.
~Sirius.