Prologue

Look, look upon them with your sunken black sockets. Feel their treacherous sin seeping through the dry dusty cracks of your wrinkling skin. Shhh, do not part your lips, for you shall snap the fragile stitches that bind them. Taste the scarlet rivers, burrowing through your flesh, to become one. Listen carefully to the lullaby of their pained screeches let it soothe you to your own damned slumber. Rest. To be awakened by the scent of… love, rage and hunger. Calling your name, with thepromise of all they have to offer.

-Anonymous.

Four centuries ago, Vertou pinnacle.

She opened her eyes and sat up, to be greeted by the scent of a dying pure flame. Strange it smelled like…

“My goddess.”

Her gaze traveled to the floor. Upon one knee, an aged man—a child once, but always before her—addressed her head bowed. Behind him, were others, draped in grey cloaks as they kowtowed.

They were in a hollowed out cave. A gentle silver light, spilled onto her from the opening at the cave’s roof. Of course, the oversized boulder that hung in the night sky would fondle her alone. She rested on a raised platform, slightly higher than the uneven floor.

Runes climbed up the sharp cave walls. She could feel the pulse of a formation, spanning the forest’s size. It’s power flowed from the sloping mountain’s base up to its peak. Wisps of magic occupied the hollow cave, urging her to stand. They had forced her here.

“Our apologies,” The young man’s head burrowed deeper into his chest, he started with a low voice, “Had our magic been more powerful, you would be standing my goddess.”

He was right. The magic was sparse, with faint stagnant wisps like the muddy puddles of a dying river. To be summoned at full power, it had to be powerful enough to stifle a non wielder. The pure flame flickered once more, much smaller than when she’d first laid eyes upon it. Its strikingly pale yellow failed to illuminate the cave.

“The summoning was a success.” The young man announced.

An uncomfortable feeling settled on her chest, her eyes returned to the wizard. She couldn’t control the tightening of her jaw as moonlight draped itself upon her in a silver luminescence. She reluctantly acquiesced to the stone’s unyielding gaze. Her dry lips parted and her heavy shoulders slumped.

“ Prepare for death ,” she rasped.

The young man’s head snapped up. His face was painted with tattoos and runic symbols that disappeared into his cloak. In his inky sockets were irises the color of the dying pure flame. A large pointed hat with a bent top rested on his side. The other coven members mimicked his action.

“ Lurking among you, bidding its time .”

The young man’s wrinkled face frowned. His followers instinctively recoiled and his brows furrowed. He reached for the pointed hat.

“ In its misery… it is all it has .”

He fiddled with it. His forehead wrinkled once more, as he tried to decipher her words. Unable to control himself, his eyes glazed over like he was there and not at all. Shame, she had yet to learn the tongues of the modern crest.

Through the furrowed brows, clenched fists, jaws and trembling that filled the room. They must have understood it was a warning. Those were the works of the old tongue . Even if they’d forgotten it, instinct told them something was amiss.

She sighed, resisting the urge to crawl back into the half destroyed cocoon, that had once encompassed her present form. She couldn’t even go back. Repeating her words would take too much energy, and the young man, was still… lost. Drowning inside the curling waves that carried the meaning of her uttered syllables. He’d come thus far, only to die a mortal.

The grounds occupants gave her longing stares and silent pleading glances. They reminded her of a new born, whose bawling could only be soothed by nestling on its mother’s bosom.

It wasn’t long before they were yanked from their stupor. The earth quaked and the stone walls rumbled, small rocks rolling off them as cracks climbed up the ceiling.

“Attack! We’re under attack!” A witch sprang up and moved toward the center of the cave.

Others did the same, backs against one another. Another quaking succeeded the first, shaking the mountain and the puddle wisps stuck behind. Just like her. That seemed to snap the white haired, young sorcerer out of his mind.

“Prepare to defend yourselves.” A deep croak fell from his thin lips, as he ordered the group. The wrinkles painted by tattoos trembled with each word he uttered.

“Ready your defensive spells, and move forward. Offensive casters behind them.” At the sound of his voice the group moved like a unit, undeterred by the shaking walls and trembling earth. “Long range casters, in the air ready to aid any in dire need. Remember, we fight in pairs.”

His booming croak carried over the ceaseless banging. At the sound of his voice each witch and wizard steeled themselves. Through the enlarging cracks in the walls she could see faint strands of a vile magic seep into the hearts of the magic users, like a drop of water disappearing into a lake.

Soon, a defensive wizard faltered just as the wall was about to crumble. A miserable screech rang outside the cave walls.

“Cerci.” A witch whimpered with red rimmed eyes.

Another’s spell book nearly fell after her words.

“Stand tall.” The wrinkled sorcerer croaked. “And remember that, whether or not we fall today, our mission was accomplished and our coven shall never—"

The stone wall forfeited its strength, as filled the cave. Defensive spell casters began to chant, spell books afloat next to them. They lifted their wands and a thin transparent film surrounded the group. The flying rocks, dust and boulders merely brushed against the barrier. The offensive spell casters pointed their wands, combined the rocks and directed it to the entrance. The airborne witches and wizards threw their own spells at the ball.

The cave walls trembled and cracked as the spell expanded and gained power. At the forest and mountain’s base, tree roots delved deeper into the earth in search of shelter. Poor things without any legs they couldn’t run like the other forest life who’d left it empty. Her brow rose, the spell seemed powerful enough to level the mountain. The massive ball enhanced by magic flew through the air and stopped at the entrance, before turning to sand.

A gulp echoed throughout the cave. It was followed by the thump of a circular object rolling on the ground. A head. Precisely a witch’s head. Perhaps the one who’d screamed? Its wide eyes seared with fear, face painted in horror, with a gaping toothless mouth. Judging by her bleeding gums it was safe to assume that this was a new development. One wizard glared at the slow rolling head with a pulsing vain at the side of his head.

“Do not falter,” The wrinkled sorcerer ordered, pulling out a staff from his hat, just as the sloppy rolling sounds of two more heads followed.

It had arrived.

It carelessly skipped into the cave. One hand behind its back as it giggled.

“Whoops.”

It whispered apologetically and the group tried to hide their collective shudder. With a slight curl of its lips, it brought its index finger to its lightly thinned aged lips. It wore the face of a middle aged child, with faint wrinkles around her eyes and forehead, with smile lines around her mouth. It bowed one hand on its back, as it took off the pointed hat.

It had bright pink life less eyes, that scanned the room with raised brows. Feigning distress at the thought of disturbing the silence. It’s index finger was still placed on its lips, when it revealed an unnaturally wide grin. The group recoiled in disgust as it whispered.

“Shhhh, there’s a god over there,” It pointed at her, one hand still hidden behind its back, “You don’t want to make her mad.”

No one turned to look back, she wondered if it was out of disgust for the thing or fear? She gazed up, of course that dreary bare boulder would hide behind the grey clouds.

“Aww.” It frowned, like a petulant child it stomped its feet and crossed its arms. To reveal two horrified heads with gaping toothless mouths dangling from her hand. The groups rage filled gazes fell on the dangling heads of their fallen members.

“Oops.” It awkwardly covered its mouth, and added with a nervous chuckle. “You weren’t supposed to see that.”

Then it glared at them again and scowled, shouting. “You were supposed to turn back and then… I throw them at you and then you scream, and beg for your lives and then, and then, then I kill you anyway!”

Its pitch got higher and more disembodied, with each word its lips got pulled further back, teeth bare, eyes and veins bulged out. The pointed hat that once sat on its head rolled on the uneven floor, when it began to pull at its hair.

She leaned forward and carefully gazed at the scene before her. If only the platform was higher. It was a comical scene, if laughing wouldn’t have added to her exhaustion at least she’d have cackled.

“Disgusting.” A witch scowled at it, demanding. “What have you done to our mistress?”

“WHAT? Who me!?” The thing dared to look offended and threw the heads at them.

‘Well, she’s here. It spread its arms and motioned at the child it had possessed. So are the others.

It turned its back and pointed at the entrance. It pointed at the dismembered bodies laying there. A head with a face wrinkled in horror flew to its open palm. It tilted its head at the crew. “So is… Cerci?”

The glares must have confirmed its query. And a flurry of organs and body parts were thrown at the group.

An arm flew across the cave, and it gasped then stated. “But she’s also over there.”

Slimy intestines coated in fresh blood flew at the group, like the heads and rocks from earlier they were deflected by the barrier. One witch released the contents of her stomach right then.

“But she’s also right there.” It said, clutching it’s bloody hands, “Right next to you, right next to your heart.” It wiped off an imaginary tear, which left a streak of blood behind.

Without any inhibition, it sprang toward the crew. Right then, an invisible force bulldozed through the barrier. It rippled only for a tear to form. Unwilling to loose such an opportunity, the thing frantically scrambled to widen it. Just then another force fell upon the barrier followed by a blinding pale yellow light. The third blew the group and the last of the barrier away.

Those on the offensive didn’t get a chance to retaliate, before they found their bodies slamming on the sharp rock, or flying through the air. None of them did. Had their sorcerer not protected them with the light, most would be dead. They reinforced their protective spells, with spell books afloat at their sides.

It stood at the center of the cave, hands on its hips, a great frown painted its face. Seemingly displeased by the amount of children still standing. What a sight. To think it had all occurred within the blink of an eye. Even with his aged bones, the young man’s clearly had power. To deflect its forces was admirable. For it was clear the thing had long surpassed the level of a sorcerer.

“Why are you ruining the fun!?”

It whined at the sorcerer, while aggressively pulling at its hair. A thick clump came out. It looked at it as it fell to the ground. Suddenly it was on its knees sobbing as tremors wrecked through its body. The group took this as an opportunity to gather magic. Soon they’d combined their magic for a binding spell.

Strange glowing marks began to form on the creature’s body, floating on its skin. It realized that it could no longer shift its body as the groups chanting got louder. The symbols grew brighter, frantically shifting as the imprinted themselves on the things clothes. Soon the chanting slowed as it became a living statue.

A wizards head flew across the and landed on a flying witches hands. She was about to scream when the spark of life disappeared from her gaze. She limply fell to the floor. Many tried to run but it was a futile effort. They’d used up nearly all their magic to seal a being like it. After her summoning the mountain was bare. They’d had to dip into their life force.

It had sealed the entrance. Now they were like trapped rats scrambling for a way out. It mercilessly taunted them whilst eating their souls. Some tries to seek safety near the goddess, yet a barrier blew them away. It killed with an untamed glee. It attacked from all directions. No one bother to defend themselves, like the idea would be a useless kick of a dying horse.

During their last breath, they’d hopelessly cried out for mercy from their coven leader. Unaware it was he who they’d sealed with their lives

Drenched in blood it slowly stepped toward her. The wrinkly old tattooed skin of the young sorcerer changed. It’s features returned to that of the mistress’s middle aged round face with smile lines and slightly sunken cheeks. Strange, how long had it been since she’d seen death so close and so far at once. The ugly brick was still hidden behind the slow drifting gloomy grey.

“ What are you? ”

Its swirling empty pink stare locked on with her own. A disembodied voice echoed through the cave walls. “I think you’re supposed to be my meal.”

Her head crooked to her side, and looked at it. Not once have I seen such a pathetically… funny little thing.

She reached toward it gently brushing its bloody hair. “ What have you done to this child? ”

It understood some of her words, enough to make out what she said. It smiled when it felt her life force slipping through her fingers into its self.

“She is merely a vessel .” It confessed. It startled as if it had said too much. Then it gripped her hand tighter, drawing more of her life.

She could feel it slowly seeping out of her body, yet the flame wasn’t ready and she could not feel her legs. The small hand tightly gripped her arm. It was large yet significantly smaller than her true size. A pale vibrant yellow caught her eye.

“ Enough .”

She gripped its neck and dragged its struggling body to the edge of her cocoon. Fingers curling around its neck she’d decide the flame was useless. It would also have to do. The forest formation glowed as the pure flame disappeared into the runes, after she began her chant so did the vessel’s occupant.

When the formation was about to be halfway done with its seal. A strange power rippled from the child’s body. The wrinkles around her face cracked open to reveal putrid black goo, trickling down her cheeks. A disembodied voice that echoed through the cave walls sounded and she almost winced.

“Gods.” It stated.

“Ever so cocky, yet I’ve never met one I couldn’t kill,” It let out a slow chuckle, and reached up to caress her cheek.

“Wait for me.” It whispered.

The bright pink stare dimmed, and child’s body rotted, white beads grew on her flesh blooming into maggots feeding on her. She watched the small creatures helplessly wriggle on her hand and die, as the child became a pile of bones before her sight.

What a shame, for such an ample bosom to disappear under the jaws of worms. The formation was complete. She coughed up blood, snarling in disgust as the scent of rot and blood filled her nose. She lay back to rest again. Moonlight shone upon her as she began her slumber. Dreaming of the day she’d drag the oversized rock from the sky and slam it on the earth.