( New York City, One Year Ago )
Home to billionaire, the met gala and the amazing couture house. New York City is an amazing place for tourists, people who lives there and everyone especially to Amaranth Forrest.
After running away from his hometown in Southampton, United Kingdom which he ended up after he escaped a witch persecution in his home country of China somewhere in town of Zhuji. He finds himself in New York City.
Living inside a messy and unliveable abandoned apartment building the young witch is a freeloader. But it his by his choice that he decided to live there to avoid any law enforcement.
Dressed in red suit with snake motives leather coat, Amaranth practice his magic by creating melee weapons using his magic also use it to make him superhumanly agile, He spent months in the street as a hired hitman and stealing something for money.
His activity was stopped when he broke in into a penthouse of a rich man to steal some expensive jewellery where he almost got busted by one of the guard there who attack him with superhuman abilities that turns out to be Pietro, Amaranth with his magical push managed to send him few feet away which Pietro took it as a challenge and when he is ready to fight again he sees Amaranth hanging on the balcony.
"Nothing personal." Amaranth winked and jump. Escaped him.
***
"What you got there?" Pietro walks to Amaranth who is holding a red google," I see you still have those goggle, still thinking about returning to the live of cat-burglar?"
"Just feeling nostalgic." He replies then he put the goggle back into the box and smile at Pietro," Are you alright?" Pietro kneels in front of him and grab his hand while his right hand caress Amaranth's cheeks," Do you think that whatever this war that is coming is real?"
"I really don't know Pietro." They were interrupted by the sound of the door knocking," I'm gonna get it." Pietro stand up and walk to the door.
"Gemma, What are you doing here?" Pietro asked with a surprise reaction," And how did you know where we live?"
"I'm a witch and tracking spell is an easy spell. Anyway, Is Amaranth here?" Gemma asked.
"Come in." Pietro welcome Gemma into their apartment and Gemma sees Amaranth standing at the dining room in front of their bedroom," Gemma? How's Cole?"
"He's fine, the potion you gave him cure him at fast rate but not as fast as that lead the doctor suspects and the memory potion work like a charm." Amaranth nods," So, What are you doing here?"
"Miranda told me that you own Isaac Lacey's research book on Supernatural being?"
"Yeah, Isaac left it to me before he went away... Why?"
"Can I borrow it? I need to research on something." She explains.
"Sure, the book is in the Apothecary— I am just about to go there."
"Come, I'll drive you. I need to get to the construction side either." Pietro stated as he grabbed his jacket.
Later that afternoon after dropping off Amaranth and Gemma, Pietro's truck slowly approaching the construction site only to find the workers gathering around at something. Curiosity swept through Pietro; he at immediately leave his car and walk his way through the crowds.
"Holy shit!" Pietro cursed as he look up to see a death tree grows over night at the side of the church," It wasn't there yesterday." One of the worker commented.
"We found something." Pietro heard the sound of a worker in the corner who is working to create a road for the church. Pietro alongside the other worker rush to the sound of the worker that points at something and he go there he look with his own eyes there is a door that lead to a room underneath.
"What is that?" One of the worker asked. Pietro grab one of the helmet that have a flashlight on it and walk into the door," Don't come in, the site might be unstable." Pietro then look closely at the door.
Ideo dabo ordines ad sepulcrum ut fecit usque in diem tertium ne forte veniant discipuli eius et furentur eum, et dicant plebi: Surrexit a mortuis: et erit novissimus error peior priore. Pietro trace the latin phrase carved on the door located around the door.
"Matthew 27:64." Pietro muttered. He then saw a hieroglyphic symbol of human man wearing a goat skull. Pietro touch the head and an opening appears from the middle of the door. Pietro push the door open," Oh God!" He gasped as he look what is behind the door.
***
"Here you go, Mr Isaac Lacey's journal and his research." Amaranth handed a box full of leather books and large book much like a bibliography.
"That's a lot of book and who still writing on a leather book." Gemma commented.
"It's human skin, made for him by the indigenous tribes of the Amazons in Peru. They believe that the dead shall..."
"Protect the secret." She continued," Anyway, I've heard so much of this Mr Isaac Lacey, who is he?"
"Black Hill is not just a common town, it is also for those who seeks new life and hope. Mr Isaac Lacey is a complicated fellow, In truth he help me and Pietro at our lowest town— provide us with house we live in right now, a job and a place to call home. We owe him much... I owe him much."
"You speaks highly of him." Gemma answers.
"Mr Isaac Lacey's real name is Antoine Pierrot de Bardot. Born in Calais, He was not a witch but a scholar. He always have fascination with our kind that he given everything in his pursue of knowledge." Amaranth walks to the counter and handed Gemma an old portrait of an old man and a boy," 1956, Cairo."
"The boy is Mr Lacey, and that man is John Alton Forbes your grandfather." Gemma looks at the portrait," Can I keep it?"
"It is not mine to keep." He lower his head and walk to the backroom but before that he stop on his feet," I am at the backroom if you need me." Amaranth said over his shoulder before leaving Gemma.
Amaranth are now at the backroom that looks like a small study room with a comfortable cushion and televisions also computer in it. As Amaranth ready to relax his eyes, his phone rings.
"Hello." He pick it up.
"I am looking for the Crimson Viper." A man voice with New Jersey accent is on the other side.
"You got the wrong number." Amaranth ready to hang up when," Wait... wait, I got your number from Corsetti."
"I don't do that anymore, I am going straight and retired."
"Don't be like that, just listen to me— one more job 150K."
"Tempting but no thanks." Amaranth hang up the phone and then he phone ring again this time it was text message,
The Offers still stand, call this number if you change your mind
- U.Sforza
Gemma is still spending her day on the floor of the closed Apothecary going through books and journals when she heard a knocking on the glass door and saw a familiar face, Cole Wilson.
Putting everything on hold, she rise from the clean floor and unlock the door," Cole, What are you doing here?"
"I was gonna get some lunch when I saw you here, What are you doing?"
"I..." she try to come up with excuse," Helping Amaranth sorting some stuffs so, how are you feeling?"
"A bit sore but anything else I am fine. Do you wanna grab some lunch?" At the corner of her eyes, Gemma saw the Fate triplets watching them across the street.
"How about you tomorrow at Moonlight?" She said to Cole," Sure, I'll see you around then." They parted then Gemma walks toward the sisters.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Watching you." Suddenly Louise Fate suddenly felt sick and her sisters immediately help her," Lou." Satine try to help her.
"What's happening to her?"
"Someone open the tomb." Satine replies as she began to feel suffocate.
"Tomb? What tomb?" Gemma wondered suddenly everything turn red and Gemma is now standing alone like in her dream. The picturesque town turns into a hellish version with flickering light she raise her hand and a realise that falls from the sky wasn't snow or hale, it was an ashes.
"No, no wake up." Gemma try pinching herself but it won't work when suddenly in the corner of her eyes, a woman walking towards her wailing. She is wearing a teared dress that of a people from Salem during the witch trial complete with a blood spattered white apron and coif. She looks gaunt and skinny almost inhuman with every step she took the sound of bone breaking and rotting smell follows her. There is a strange symbol around her neck. A three headed goat.
Before she can reach Gemma she suddenly burst in flame and let out a painful scream. Gemma slowly take a step back when she hit something on her back. She turn around and she is now in what looks like a catacomb, a 7 ft width tunnel with human skull decorating the wall around her. The skulls have pentagram symbol written on it's forehead.
A bright red eyes gaze upon Gemma from the dark depth of the catacomb but before she can see any clearer, Something or rather someone pull her back into the reality.
"What are you doing here?" Gemma look around and saw Pietro. She is laying on the doorstep of the catacomb.
"I don't know." Panic, Gemma try to walk away ignoring Pietro's call as she go up to the surface she saw the church being built and then she look up and saw the death tree that looks exactly like her dream.
"Gemma?" Pietro rush to her," Something evil is coming." She said before she slip out into darkness.