"He did." Aerin found her hands squeezing her dress into tight balls as her gaze fell toward the ground.
"Well." Ambriel suddenly stood. "It has been a pleasure conversing with you, Aerin. But I must take my leave." He said with a bit of a frown. "Do take care of yourself; it is a dangerous world we live in."
Before Aerin could say anything, the man was gone, almost in a flash. She looked all around for him, but Ambriel had vanished. She felt bad that she didn't get another chance to thank him for his kindness, but there was nothing else she could do about it. She stood, having no reason to remain, and began to walk through the market once more. Her gaze dropped to the cobbled ground below as her thoughts turned toward things more important, like supplies and how she would go about acquiring them. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the soldier right in front of her, and she collided right into his side, staggering them both.
"Watch it!" The man shouted as he caught his balance and turned to face her.
"I'm so sorry." Aerin steadied herself and stood up straight to face the man. Suddenly she froze. She knew him, she had seen his face. He was there at the marketplace. He was there the night Isaiah died. It was him, Isaiah's killer, the Captain.
"Wait a minute..." He spoke slowly as his eyes narrowed and he examined her up and down. "I... know you." With those words, Aerin's heart stopped.
"I... you... I'm afraid you have the wrong person." She stammered. Her mind was hazy, and she did her best to control the swirling emotions inside her.
"Your clothes, you aren't from around here." He stated as he thought. "No, you were there. I remember you. In the market three weeks ago. I saw you." He slowly inched closer toward her.
"I don't think so. I, I have to go." She almost shouted as she turned to run.
"Wait!" The soldier called out. He lunged forward, grabbing hold of the fabric covered treasure that dangled from Aerin's shoulder. The covering tore easily, but held on just enough to stop Aerin in her tracks. However, with its veil torn, the book was exposed completely. The man's eyes widened, the very thing he had been searching for was within reach. "Oh... you must be joking." He said with a crooked smile. Aerin spun around in an attempt to free herself, but the crusader gripped her arm tightly and drug her into a nearby alley. She wriggled as hard as she could, but the man's grip was stronger than she could break. He suddenly rushed her, pinning her to a wall with his right forearm while he held the book with his left hand. The pressure against her throat choked her, and she coughed in an attempt to get air. "Isaiah gave this to you, didn't he?"
"Go... to... hell..." Aerin forced the words out, only to receive more pressure as punishment. The commotion had drawn some attention and soon more soldiers arrived to back up the Captain.
"Do you know how long I searched for this?" The Captain asked, his question only met with a glare. "You know, girl, you're a criminal. An enemy of the state. Do you know what I do to those that steal from the church?" He leaned in far too close. "I kill them." The words resonated within Aerin's very soul. "But I may have... other uses for you." He said with a horrible smile.
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." A voice came from the far end of the alley. Aerin turned as best she could to get a good look. To her surprise, Ambriel stood behind the soldiers, his confident green eyes staring down at the Captain.
"You stay out of this, old man!" The Captain shouted down the alley toward Ambriel. As if on command, the other soldiers drew their weapons in preparation. "This is strictly church business!"
"You see." Ambriel spoke as he took a few steps in. "That's where you're wrong." He smiled. "That book." Ambriel pointed toward the book that still clung to Aerin's neck. "That doesn't belong to you, or to the church."
"Is that so?" The Captain questioned. "Well then, enlighten me old man. If it doesn't belong to the church, then who?"
"Me." Ambriel replied.
"Kill him!" The Captain commanded.
Two men rushed the old man with swords raised to attack. With speed that shouldn't be possible for one of such age, Ambriel sidestepped the first blow and delivered a quick open palm strike to the soldier's side. The attack staggered the man, and with another strike, he was knocked to the ground. As the second man swung his sword, Ambriel seemed to dance around behind him, moving with quick precision. A swift jab to the neck, and the armor clad warrior was down as well. Another rushed him from behind and Aerin watched in horror, expecting to see him cleaved in two. Ambriel turned on his heel and swung his leg up quickly. His boot connected with the man’s head and sent him spinning down to the ground.
While Ambriel dealt with the foot soldiers, Aerin had been focusing. Her mind went back over everything she had read throughout the past few weeks. She finally felt a connection, they weren't mere words anymore. She could feel the energies swirling around her; all she needed was to tap into them. She suddenly clapped her hands together, an action that garnered the Captain's attention, but by then it was already too late. A brilliant light flooded the space between them, and dazzling blue disks floated neatly between her hands. She had created her first Cyphers, but she wasted no time ogling her accomplishment, and quickly thrust it into the soldier's chest.
An explosion rang out with great magnitude between them. It sent the Captain backward through a wall while slamming Aerin hard against the one she had been pinned to. The Captain fell to the ground as a crumpled, lifeless mess and Aerin dropped to her knees. Her vision began to fade as all the strength in her body left her. The last thing she felt was the dirt.
Some unknown time later, her senses rushed back to her. The popping sound of a campfire brought Aerin back to consciousness. She sat up, an action that caused her head to throb more so than it already had been. Rubbing it, she surveyed her surroundings. She was on the ground. And by the dim light of the fire, she could see a few trees here and there. She looked around, the town was nowhere in sight.
"Finally awake?" Ambriel's voice broke the, otherwise, silent atmosphere. He sat across the fire from her. In his hands, he held the book. He flipped through its pages before snapping it shut. "Interesting thing, isn't it?" He asked. "A Grimoire, a collection of magical knowledge. Powerful, only this one is different. It contains a grave amount of darkness. Far too much for humanity to control." Suddenly he tossed the book across the fire to Aerin. She hadn't expected it, and she caught it hard as it hit her chest. "Your friend, Isaiah, he saw it for what it really was. And he did everything in his power to keep it out of the wrong hands." Ambriel stood and clasped his hands together behind his back as he turned away. "We have the same goal in mind, you and me. I believe it would be in our best interest to work together."
"Who... Who are you?" Aerin asked while looking cautiously up at Ambriel.
"Ambriel." He answered with a smile. "Just as I've told you."
"How do you know about Isaiah?" She glared up at him as she held the book tighter. "Do you... Do you really expect me to trust you?"
"Make no mistake,” Ambriel began. "I am on your side." He stated. "We share the same goal."
"How do I know you're not just someone from the church?!" Aerin demanded.
"I see." Ambriel rubbed his short beard. "No other way to convince you then."
Ambriel closed his eyes and in an instant, two brilliant white wings burst forth from behind him. They stretched out toward the night sky and towered over the small campsite. Aerin's eyes grew wide at the sight.
"You're... an Angel?" She asked.
"I am." Ambriel replied. "I am Ambriel, Angel of the low order, at your service." He said with a small bow.
"O-okay..." Aerin stammered for a moment, struggling to find words. "You want to travel together? What help could I ever be to... to an Angel?"
"It's simple, really." Ambriel smiled. "You have an affinity for magic, you showed me that today." He held his hands out and Cyphers appeared in each one. "You will become my Slayer. I will give you my power, and I will train you in the arcane arts. You will fight
by my side, against all forms of darkness and corruption."
"H-How?" Aerin was taken aback by the turn of events.
"Give me your hand, and I will show you."
Chapter Nineteen
John leaned back and rested his head against one of the many shelves that ran the length of the seemingly endless bookshelf behind him. It had been some time since his consciousness had returned to him, but he had yet to speak. His fingers ran across the book he held in his hands, tracing each indention and protrusion as he thought. He went over the events he had experienced over and over again in his mind.
Across from him, Meredith had been waiting. She sat beside another bookshelf, a large stack of books of all shapes and sizes resting beside her. Her legs were crossed and she stared toward John as she waited for him to speak. On her face was a very patient expression, something that struck John as incredible. He had experienced weeks’ worth of memories, and there was no telling how long he had actually been under. The fact that she was still sitting in front of him, patiently waiting, was something else.
“So…” John spoke up. His words broke the silence that filled the void around them. “She was a Slayer.” He stated. “Like me?”
“Yes.” Meredith replied with a gentle nod.
“And she was human, but…” John tried his best to piece everything together in his head, but it still wouldn’t click. “She’s an Angel. How is that possible?”
“Everything moves in a cycle.” Meredith stated. “You’ll come to understand soon enough.”
“It’s just…” He rubbed his head feeling overwhelmed.
“Is it really so hard to believe?” Meredith questioned with a slight tilt of her head. “Look at yourself.” She motioned toward him. “Not two months ago you were just an ordinary human, now look at you. Look around you.” She held her arms out wide, motioning at the vast expanse around them. “You’ve brushed off the details easily enough so far, why get caught up in them now?” She said with a slight smile.
“I… I guess you’re right.” John glanced down at the book in his hands. He studied its cover once more before setting it aside. “So if she was a Slayer… then how did she become an Angel?”
Without speaking, Meredith stood and walked over to the bookcase behind John. She thumbed over the many tomes that were held there before she retrieved the one she was looking for. She handed it down to John, and he took it and began to inspect its cover. It was in much better shape than the last book. It was covered in less dust than the first, but showed signs of wear. The spine was cracked from having been opened many times. The book had been taken care of, but it had seen its fair share of use.
“Keep reading.” Meredith instructed as she returned to her seat.
John slid his thumb under the cover of the book and cracked it open. The words leapt off the page at him, painting a vivid story that danced before his eyes. Visions of places and people he’d never seen before filled his head as he felt himself moving quickly. His consciousness was plucked once more and placed into a body that was not his own. He felt heat as the sun beat down upon his face.
Aerin stumbled again as the hot stones that covered the ground shifted once more under her weight. With a quick thrust of her arms out around her, she caught her balance again, but not before letting out a long, exasperated groan. She looked ahead to see if Ambriel would turn around again to check on her, but he had stopped doing that hours ago. Aerin was like a child to him now, and he was the disgruntled guardian pulling her along. She sighed again, quietly to herself this time, and continued on.
She reached up and wiped the sweat from her brow once more. It was hot. The tan robe and scarf Ambriel had given her a few days ago had done as he said; they had protected her from the sandstorms that kicked up from time to time and from the bright sun that scorched the earth around her, but unfortunately they also made her feel heavy, only adding to her suffering. She thought to ask “are we there yet?” but she had tried that line already, many times in fact. The first time Ambriel had answered with a smile, stating that they were close having finally reached the desert, but now he only answered with a calm “not quite”.
As she pressed forward, she began to reflect on the past few weeks in an effort to take her mind off of the terrible death march she was experiencing. She was now a “Slayer”, as Ambriel had called it, but in all honesty she hadn’t felt any different. She had a neat little necklace that hung from her neck and a new title, but other than that she felt the same. Every night when they would make camp, Ambriel had been instructing her on proper magical techniques, but even still she felt just as she had before she had met him, though, the loneliness she had felt before had long since faded.
She glanced down at the book that hung by her side. No matter what she thought of it, she always managed to open it each night after her lessons. Ambriel didn’t approve of her continued reading, and perhaps he was right, but she would still find herself going through its pages after he had turned in for the night. By the dim light of the campfire she would trace her fingers across the diagrams and Cyphers lain out along the grimoire’s many pages. It had a strange allure about it that she just couldn’t resist, and she didn’t know why.
Having been lost in thought, she didn’t even notice that Ambriel had stopped just ahead of her. She bumped headlong into his back, knocking her off balance one more time. He turned around quickly to watch as she regained her footing before he motioned ahead.
“Found our camp for the night.” He stated.
There was a large hill just up ahead with a few trees atop it. Trees in the desert meant water and water meant survival. After a short hike up through the rocks they came to a shaded overlook. There were a few trees and a bit of grass that grew alongside a small pond, much to Aerin's surprise. Water had become a scarce sight in the desert and she was overjoyed to see it. She rushed forward, fell to her knees and drank deeply from the oasis. Ambriel smiled at her display as he began to set up camp.
Another while had passed and Aerin sat up, proud of how much kindling she had scavenged for the fire. The pit was ready for cooking, but the sticks were still bare. She glanced over at Ambriel, who sat atop one of the rocks that bordered the small pond. He had taken a thin limb from one of the trees and a spool of thread and created a makeshift fishing pole that he had promised to use to catch their supper. That had been some time ago and the sun was beginning to set in the distance. Aerin's stomach groaned as she made her way over to Ambriel's side.
"I thought you said you were good at this." She stated impatiently.
"That's no way to speak to the man that plans to feed you." Ambriel smiled slightly without taking his eyes off of the water.
"Why don’t you just use magic to catch some?" Aerin asked as she crossed her arms.
"Fishing is more complicated than that." Ambriel answered. "It is a test of patience and-"
"Sounds like excuses to me." Aerin declared, cutting him off.
"Well." Ambriel seemed to take offence to her statement. "I'd love to see you do any better."
Without hesitation, almost like she’d been hoping the moment would come, Aerin clapped her hands together. As she pulled them apart, a small spell formed between her palms. She took it into her left hand and fed more mana into it, making the spell larger. Before Ambriel could protest, she thrust her left hand towards the water, releasing the spell. There was a huge splash of water as the spell exploded inside the pond. One by one, a dozen fish floated belly up to the surface. Ambriel turned slowly to face Aerin, a large grin on her face. He wasn't sure whether to scold or praise her.
"Looks like supper." Aerin smiled as she turned and walked back to the fire pit.
Ambriel sat atop the rock in silence for a good while before he waded out into the pond to collect Aerin's bounty. Aerin stoked the fire she had built with more twigs, building the flames up higher; and when Ambriel arrived with a shirt filled with fish, it took them no time to cook. After watching them sizzle over the open fla
me for what felt like forever, both Aerin and Ambriel dug into their small feast. One fish disappeared after another as they ate, but still there was a large pile beside them.
"Thanks to your excessive nature..." Ambriel glanced over at the pile of fish beside him. He took a few and speared them on sticks and sat them over the flames to cook. "We have far more than we can eat... rather, than we should eat." A small smile crept up onto his face while he rubbed his stomach. "I've salted the rest, and I'm drying them out, so we might have food for a few more days out here."
"You're welcome." Aerin said, fishing for praise that would never come. Instead, Ambriel only shook his head and sighed. In response, Aerin laid down, resting her head against the warm cover of the grimoire. She lay there for a while, staring up at the sky that was slowly filling with stars. "So, Ambriel…" She suddenly spoke again. "I know you're an Angel, but what exactly do you do?"
"That's a very broad question." Ambriel retorted.
"Okay, do you just wander around helping people, or...?"
"I see." Ambriel sat forward. "Protecting humanity from the forces of darkness is our main goal, but everyone knows that." He smiled. "I'm a relic hunter- or rather; a guardian would be a more fitting term."
"A guardian?" Aerin echoed.
"Yes, a guardian over relics of immense power, ones too powerful for humanity to control." He motioned towards her. "Like that grimoire of yours."
"And that's why you want to take it back to the temple?"
"Indeed." Ambriel affirmed. "That is my true goal, this is my life's work." He stated, leaning back against a rock as he gazed up at the sky. "We have a long day ahead of us, Aerin. Better get some rest."
Aerin's eyes closed and she shivered as a cold wind blew across her. She rolled over, facing the fire in an attempt to warm herself. Her mind began to drift from the warmth her head rested against. Visions of sand and rocks danced through her head as her mind faded away.
Slayer: A Demon Hunter's Tale Page 37
