To Hex With It

by Constance Barker

  Lilith smiled. It made her happy to think of her father being happy. Yes he did some bad things before he died but her love for him would never fade. Just like her mother’s would never fade for her.

  “How are we going to do this Rose with so many people around?” Sir Kain ignored the view. He’d stood atop the Great Wall of China, so looking over a sprawling modern, smog covered city did nothing to impress him. Instead he noticed all of the tourists around them, taking pictures and selfies.

  “I can help with that,” offered Older Lilith’s Ghost.

  Shut up you.

  “Easy peasy Thomas. Are you guys ready?”

  “For?” asked Lilith.

  Aunt Rose smiled. “Magic. Ria tub ees yeht seye rieht ni. Ereht ton era seye rieht ni.”

  Sir Kain and Lilith didn’t feel any different. Both wondered what spell Aunt Rose just cast. She could see the apprehension on their faces.

  “It was a form of glamour spell. Not unlike what was used on the watch tower. They can’t see us. But they can hear us...” Aunt Rose stepped around a tourist who looked around trying to figure out where her voice and the sound of her footsteps breaking little branches came from.

  “Got it,” said Lilith. She looked around trying to find the invisible watch tower. “Now where is this tower?”

  “You’re not focusing,” advised Older Lilith’s ghost. It’s right in front of you but your eyes don’t see it. And it has nothing to do with the spell. It’s a flimsy one at best. Just focus little girl. Remember that you know it’s there and eventually your eyes, your abilities will adjust to see it.”

  It’s just that easy huh? Why do I not believe you?

  “Don’t you mean why don’t you believe yourself? I’m in this with you. Why can’t you see that?” Older Lilith Ghost had a point and was telling the truth. Only she didn’t tell her why they were in it together and what she was trying to prevent.

  Lilith sighed. Okay, I guess you have a point. Relax Lil, and just focus. She stared at the nothingness behind the Hollywood Sign. For a couple minutes she saw just that, nothing. Aunt Rose and Sir Kain both looked at her. They asked her if something was wrong but she tuned them out. All she focused on was seeing what was there.

  Gradually, Lilith started to see an outline of a ladder. But it wasn’t what she expected. She thought it’d be a static, rooted firmly in the ground, step ladder. Instead it was more like steep steps that were attached together and to whatever was above by ropes or cables. The steps swayed back and forth in the wind.

  “I am going with you,” insisted Sir Kain. He stepped in front of Lilith.

  “Hey, the more the merrier. Just don’t fall on me. I’d really rather not die next to the Hollywood sign of all places.”

  “Do not worry. I have an iron, no a stone grip,” replied Sir Kain with a smile. He was in full dad joke mode. Which was terrible.

  “After you,” Lilith held out her hand clearing the way for Sir Kain. She was in no hurry, honestly. The stairs didn’t exactly look stable and they looked like they went up pretty far, into the very clouds themselves.

  The way up was long and shaky. Lilith held on tight to the upsettingly loose cable railings. It being a windy day didn’t help. She tried her best not to look down but it was close to impossible. Everything was transparent at best, invisible at worst.

  How long is there to go? This thing never ends! Lilith looked up. Behind Sir Kain’s rear end, she saw that the stair ladder thing just kept going and going. Anyone who climbs this thing deserves the damn spell. This is getting ridiculous.

  “I think I see the entrance,” said Sir Kain. He stopped and looked down at Lilith who wasn’t far behind.

  “Really? That’s-” Lilith saw something above Sir Kain, over his shoulder. There was a person up in the clouds, maybe a couple minutes worth of climbing away. “Who’s that?”

  Sir Kain furrowed his brow. “Who’s, who?” When Sir Kain turned back up to look he was greeted with fast moving blue ball of pure soul energy. It hit him hard in the chest knocking him off the stairs/ladder.

  Lilith just barely dodged Sir Kain as he fell fast. She tried to reach out her hand for him to grab but he was tumbling down, unable to even see her attempt to save him. It was probably for the best. His weight would definitely pull her arm out of socket.

  “Sir Kain!” yelled Lilith as she could do nothing but watch Sir Kain’s rapid descent towards the Earth. She turned her attention back up. Anger built up inside of her. Whomever might’ve killed her friend was about to pay for the act.

  As Lilith rapidly climbed up to the clouds, all the while holding back the ghost of her older self, constantly offering her help. She resisted, though as angry as she was...those walls she built to hold it back were failing. That didn’t matter though. All that mattered was to make the person in the clouds pay.

  Be alert, on guard. This son of a...they might be waiting to ambush you. They’re probably waiting to ambush you. Lilith poked her head up into the entrance to the building in the clouds. She looked around. The coast seemed clear.

  The building was like the stairs/ladder up, everything was transparent. That made it hard to tell how big it was as it mixed with the clouds. Lilith climbed up into the building, into the top of the old watch tower.

  Making sure to watch her step and surroundings, walking slow, Lilith searched the building at the top of the watch tower. It wasn’t like walking through a hall of mirrors, she bumped into walls on multiple occasions eliciting some expletives. As beautiful as it was, walking among the clouds was very frustrating.

  Where did they go? I mean, where the heck could they hide up here? And do they have the spell? They probably have it. Otherwise, why are they here?

  Lilith kept exploring, on guard. She came across what looked to be a big room. The only solid, not transparent thing in it was a wooden box, a chest really. It looked like something a pirate would keep their booty in. Elevated on some sort of stand, it looked very inviting.

  Focused on the chest, Lilith walked forward, looking everywhere for the other person she knew was up there. Unfortunately she didn’t look down at her feet, where she was walking. Suddenly her heart was in her throat as she fell down through a hole in the floor.

  At the last minute Lilith grabbed the edge of the hole in the floor. She hung there, shoulder burning, grip slipping. Barely clinging onto her life, she heard footsteps.

  A woman with short slicked back blonde hair, clad in a black suit stood at the edge of the hole, looking down on Lilith. From her dress and demeanor, Lilith figured it was-

  Oh great! An inquisitor! There was literally no one Lilith would’ve been more disheartened to see than a darn inquisitor. The last run in with one of them ended with her in chains locked up under the Devil’s End Coven.

  “This is the time for me to take over.” OLG wanted to take the wheel. She knew that she stood the best chance against an inquisitor.

  No, not yet.

  “You can’t beat her. She’s an inquisitor and you, well, you just are not.”

  But you are?

  “I am.”

  Wait...really? We become an inquisitor?

  “I’m Inquisitor Talon from the Devil’s End Coven. You are Lilith Blackward. Why are you here Lilith Blackward? Weren’t you in the coven prison?” asked Inquisitor Talon. Her intense blue eyes jumped out against her pale skin and short blond hair.

  “Why do you think?” Even when she was literally holding on for dear life, Lilith had to be smart with the inquisitor.

  “The spell? Of course. I’m afraid I already have it. And I’m not going to give it up.”

  “Well, that sucks. Because I really need it. Just like I need a hand. Wanna maybe help me up out of this hole? I’d rather not fall to my death here.”

  Inquisitor Talon stared at Lilith. There was no sign of compassion or care that a human being was desperate for help in front of her.

  “She’s not going to help you. But I will! No more asking little girl
. We cannot die here!” OLG made her move.

  Lilith could feel the tingle of the beginning stages of possession. She tried her best to fight it but the ghost of her older self was not lying. There was nothing she could do to stop it.

  “No! I won’t let you!” yelled Lilith out loud.

  “Considering your position, I don’t believe you can let or not let me do anything.” Inquisitor Talon’s eyes began to glow. “I’m sure Mr. Essex and the high table will be thrilled to hear that you met misfortune out here.”

  Okay. I’ll stop fighting. Kick her a-

  OLG took over Lilith in a matter of seconds. Her first move was a pre-emptive strike on Inquisitor Talon. A strong blast of magic induced telekinetic energy sent Talon flying backwards.

  Instead of using her arms to pull herself up, Lilith floated up from the hole. But by the time she touched her feet back down in the large room, Inquisitor Talon was nowhere to be seen. This wasn’t going to be as easy as she hoped.

  “There’s no use in hiding Inquisitor,” said OLG as she controlled Lilith’s body. She floated around the watch tower searching for Inquisitor Talon.

  “You assume I’m hiding. I am an Inquisitor Lilith Blackward.” Talon stepped out from behind a wall that looked like nothing but clouds. She raised her hands. Pieces of the invisible walls broke off, becoming visible as soon as they were forced loose. “We do not hide.”

  Inquisitor Talon used soul magic to fling the piece of the wall at Possessed Lilith at a high speed. But they might as well have been in slow motion. OLG's power simply threw them away with a flick of her wrist. Talon was surprised but not deterred.

  Pieces of the floor curled upwards and turned from invisible to snakes made of wood and stone. They lunged at and tried to bite her, but Lilith had already cast a protection spell, creating a shield around her person. It wasn’t indestructible but was more than enough to block a simple transmutation spell.

  Possessed Lilith recited in her head, a spell so insidious that it was outright banned for witches and warlocks worldwide. It was another transmutation spell but instead of changing something inanimate into something alive, it targeted someone’s blood.

  Inquisitor Talon howled out in pain as she felt her blood in her veins get unnaturally thick. Possessed Lilith manipulated the blood she thickened in the inquisitor, changing the rate of flow and where it was distributed in her body. The agony was indescribable.

  “Stop it! You’re gonna kill her!” Lilith watched helpless inside her own body as blood pooled in Inquisitor Talon’s eyes. Her whole being twisted and convulsed.

  “What do you think she was going to do to us?” answered Older Lilith’s Ghost.

  “I don’t care what she was going to do. We don’t just murder people!”

  “It’s not murder. It’s just-” Before OLG could respond she was thrown backwards, hit hard against a wall. In that brief moment when her attention was divided, Inquisitor Talon cast a desperate spell to save her life.

  Inquisitor Talon, panicked and frightened, a rare feeling for someone of her occupation, made a run for it. She found a window in the watch tower building and jumped out.

  “She got away!” OLG was furious.

  “Good! She got away from you. Is that what we have become? A monster? What happened to you, to us?”

  OLG gave up control. She floated back into the background as once again, Lilith took possession of her own body. Even after powering down, she could feel intense energies flowing through her veins and skin.

  “How did this...what are you?” asked Lilith as she leaned up against a transparent wall, looking at her own hands that were seconds away from being soaked in blood.

  “I’m what’s necessary.”

  CHAPTER 7: INSURRECTION

  Deacon Thorne had been a prisoner of his own body for far too long. He’d suffered Amadeus Essex’s many humiliations. Ever since he lost control he tried his best to find an exit.

  I hate him. I truly, with all my heart and soul, hate him. With a tray with a glass of lemonade and a plate with a half eaten sandwich on top, Deacon stood next to the couch in the Blackward Manor living room. Amadeus laid on the couch with his cell phone held to his ear. Deacon imagined taking the lemonade off first, smashing that on the young psycho’s face then beating him to death with the tray. But he couldn’t do that, no matter how much he wanted to.

  Deacon wasn’t the only one in the room who was under Amadeus’ control and wanted to end him. The crazed Essex’s own mother, Lisabeth Essex stood against one wall, standing perfectly still. Tabitha Talon stood out in the hallway next to the bathroom where she held a roll of toilet paper. She was there in case Amadeus had to use the wash room and needed it.

  “You’re kidding me. Well, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I figured that’s what they’d do after they got away,” Amadeus spoke to someone over the phone. Deacon couldn’t make out exactly who or what was being said. “No, I...are they dead? What do I mean? Did you manage to kill them!? They’re fugitives, did you at least capture them? I don’t care how powerful she is! That’s some really bad news inquisitor. Real bad. Give me some good news dude.”

  That’s it you little bastard. Keep your attentions on that spell. Lose a little bit of your hold on me every day. Deacon kept working, chipping away at the edges of Amadeus’ control over him. All he needed was to open up a hole. Once that hole opened, he could reach into it and break the mad man’s grip.

  “Closer. Closer! Come on Deke, I’m feeling parched.” Amadeus had Deacon lower his tray so he could grab the glass of lemonade off of it. “No, I’m not talking to you. So? Did you get it? You did!? Awesome! That is good news. You’ve made me a very happy man miss, sorry Inquisitor Talon. Hurry up, get it back here. I’ll be at Blackward Manor. Bring it here, not the coven HQ.”

  I’m close. So close. Deacon slightly raised his hand. It wasn’t enough to be noticed but it was a step. His intention was to punch Amadeus in the face so the fact that he could budge, even an inch towards that end meant it was working.

  “Yeah, yeah, of course. No, I’m not worried about it. Just get here, fast.” Amadeus hung up the phone and tossed it to his mother who managed to catch it. Her reflexes were still there, despite her advanced age.

  “Good news sir?” asked Deacon. That last word felt rotten the second it left his mouth.

  “The best of news Deke. The best of news.” Amadeus shot up off the couch. “The end is nigh dude. Finally all of our hard work is gonna pay off.” He got in Deacon’s face. They were so close the tips of their noses almost touched. “You should be happy.” He pinched his cheek like a grandmother would do their grandson. “All that Cold Dawn business...that was your goal right? Extinguish the sun and bring about a long deadly winter for all those pathetic mundane souls out there. Right? Well, it’s finally gonna happen.” Amadeus danced his way out of Blackward Manor living room. There was no music.

  “Where are you going sir?” asked Deacon.

  “Preparations need to be made for the end of the world dude.” Amadeus stopped in front of his mother, Lisabeth Essex. “If Inquisitor Talon calls, be sure to give me a ring.” He left the living room and minutes later, Blackward Manor. Lisabeth Essex, Deacon Thorne and Tabitha Talon waited until they heard the car pulling out of the long driveway to make their move.

  “Do you have it?” Deacon hoped and prayed that Tabitha Talon was able to come through. She was tasked with somehow getting into the artifact archives in Talon House. It wasn’t that it was hard for her to get in there, after all, she lived there. But it was hard to do so without Amadeus noticing. All it took was for him to take a gander at what his puppet was doing, see through her eyes on demand, and he would’ve known. He was too busy with his grand plans, his schemes to notice.

  “I got it. And he didn’t detect it. Or, at least if he did, that overgrown brat didn’t do anything about it.” Tabitha Talon reached into her pocket and produced what looked like a simple crucifix. It was anything but.

/>   “And you’re sure that this is the right one?” Tabitha handed the crucifix over to Deacon who examined it. “It’s the old Witch Hunter General’s cross?”

  “Can’t you feel it? His grip on you...” Lisabeth Essex looked at and examined Deacon.

  “It’s...it’s gone.” Deacon couldn’t believe it. He was free. Stories about the Witch Hunter General and his crucifix was right. It not only protected the possessor from magical attacks and curses, it also nullified any magic already cast on them.

  I could just take this, go kill him myself. End this. Why not? Why waste anymore time? Deacon looked down at the crucifix and seriously considered it.

  “No!” said Lisabeth Essex.

  “No what?”

  “I know you want to just take it, find Amadeus and kill him. It won’t be that simple. He’s surrounds himself with those under his control that can and will stop you. This needs to be more subtle. More surprising.” Lisabeth had no qualms about someone killing her wayward psychotic son. She just knew it needed to be sneakier than just walking up to him and taking him out.

  “She’s right. We need someone he wouldn’t expect. Someone who would make him put his guard down,” agreed Tabitha. She looked around to make sure there were no servants or gargoyles around to eavesdrop on their conspiratorial conversation.

  “ Do think she’d do it?” Deacon, Lisabeth and Tabitha all had the same person in mind.

  RECOVERY IS A PROCESS. Though her outer wounds healed, Alizia Blackward still wasn’t one hundred percent. And it wasn’t just the internal damage that came from the witch hunter’s bullet. She was a woman mentally and emotionally torn.

  On one hand, Alizia’s dream, her late husband’s dream and the dream of the Cold Dawn was to purify the Earth, embark on a great culling of the mundane and create a new world from the ashes, one governed by magic. She would do whatever it took to make that dream a reality. At the same time, recent events had shown her, no, reminded her that the most important thing in her world, her universe, was her daughter. Though she’d like to have her cake and eat it too, there was a better than slim chance she’d have to choose.