by J Middleton
“Victoria.” a voice whispered near her ear.
She paused and a shiver fled down her spine. Whispers began from all around, growing in a crescendo until her ears filled with a hiss of noise. Most of the words were barely distinguishable but she caught the odd, disjointed phrase.
“You said your name, your name.”
Victoria shook her head and pressed her hands to her ears but the voice didn’t dim. She started to jog through the maze, hoping she could outpace the whispers but they only grew louder as she moved. Turning down identical corridors at random, becoming disorientated inside the labyrinth.
“You heart belongs to him.”
She met a dead end and backtracked, sprinting back down the passage.
She emerged in the center of the maze, a towering square with no other exit but the one she entered through.
Words were painted on the walls in what looked like blood, the wetness of the red liquid apparent by its sheen. Drips ran down the stone as if they had been written just moments ago.
The voices began to repeat the words that were on the wall.
“You gave me your name Victoria, Victoria, Victoria, you belong to me.”
She was struggling to keep herself grounded feeling fear creep into her chest. It was if the maze itself was making he feel vulnerable.
“It’s just words,” she said out loud and the whispers stopped.
Victoria closed her eyes and reopened the as her breath caught in her throat. A large, circular hole appeared directly in front of her, so close that the tips of her shoes hung over the edge. She stumbled backwards and eyed the endless abyss that dropped away before her.
“Victoria.” the whispers came again.
She was alarmed as she recognized the voice, leaning forward and swaying as gravity tugged at her.
“Victoria.” the voice echoed up from the bottom.
A shrill scream rang up from the depths of the dark hole, making her stiffen in fright. She shuffled around the rim, frantically searching for a way down. The walls of the hole were perfectly smooth. She could see know foothold. Her pulse thumped loudly in her ears as she stared down into the black pit. Breathing out through her nose, focusing on slowing her accelerated heartbeat.
“Victoria!”
She wasn’t afraid of heights but the thought of what she was about to do made her instincts scream at her to stop. Victoria jumped forward into the what seemed an endless abyss. Air rushed past her ears and she let out a scream of fear as she hurtled down. She reached out her hands, trying to grip the walls but they slipped down the smooth stone. She gasped as something jagged sliced the skin on her palm. She landed in a tight, rope-like net and flew back into the air as it flexed from her weight. On the second bounce the net vanished and she cried out, her arms flailing as she plummeted toward the ground.
She hit the stone floor hard. Shaky breaths escaped her lips as she mentally assessed the damage. Standing up blood was dripping from her laceration on her palm. She looked up taking in the square room, she swung around, blinked in realization. She was back in the center of the maze and a new exit had appeared opposite from the one she had entered through. The words on the wall had vanished. She hurried forward through the exit and heard a rumble of noise as it closed behind her. The corridor stretched into the distance. It was a narrow alley of dark, dewy walls, and a damp floor that was colored a deep red. There was no fire lighting the space, only a milky glow of what she assumed was moonlight. Panic flooded through her. She rubbed the sweat from her brow and resolved to continue. As she stepped forward, a noise was heard somewhere ahead. A long scrape followed by a clack.
It grew closer, as she shrank into the shadows to conceal herself. Taking slow shallow breaths, her heart was pounding hard. She spotted an opening along the corridor that were barely distinguishable in the gloom.
The noise grew closer and a disturbing figure emerged out of a door several feet away, swathed in darkness. The figure was tall as it moved closer to her. Victoria’s heartbeat quickened and sweat gathered in her palms, stinging the small wounds. She hurried forward and darted in a doorway on the right away from the sound of the terrifying shadow.
Meeting a dead end, spinning around in panic. desperately wanting to put as much distance between her and it as possible. She walked toward the exit then stopped dead as the sounds of the being approached once more. Backing up against the wall and pressing a hand to her mouth to silence her erratic breathing. The sound grew closer and she watched the space intently, expecting a shadow to cross her path at any moment.
The noise set her nerves on edge. She stopped breathing as the figure appeared in the exit and paused, lingering in the doorway as if searching for something. Waiting for it to move. seconds stretched on until her lungs burned for air.
“Victoria.” A raspy voice sounded, making a chill run through her body.
The shadow turned slowly, its chin upwards so the hood fell back off its head. She was suddenly face to face with it. A skeletal form that looked as though it was decomposing, its blood red eyes glaring at her from its oozing sockets.
“Stop.” Her voice quavered as she spoke, fear inching into her body like needles. Lilly stepped towards her, as Victoria spotted the bloody outline of her body, making her stomach churn.
Sidled along the wall in panic, unable to take the black slime on its bare bones and remains. Tissue hanging from her face made bile rise in Victoria’s throat and sweat stream down her back rivulets. Clawing her fingers into the cracks of the wall as she moved along it.
A gurgling sounded from Lilly emitted from her mouth.
“I am coming for you my child.”
Victoria formed an orb of red and rushed towards Lilly with a wave of relief that spread through her entire body as she pushed the apparition forward. As the mirage disappeared, she sighed heavily as she found herself back at the start of the maze. Quickly she moved towards some large double wood doors, and pushed them open. There in the darkness a figure sat in a corner.
She felt weightless for a moment then her feet collided with uneven ground and she fell backwards onto her knees. Scrambling to stand up. There was a crisp chill in the air and her breath came out as a puff of vapor.
“I can save you Victoria.” the voice whispered as an echo slowly faded away into silence. The voice was different than Lilly’s to the point where she could not fully recognize it. Thinking about it caused her head to spin as she froze where she stood feeling its hot breath against her face. Her body convulsed violently as her eyes rolled up into her head.
Victoria awoke a few hours later as the day seemed to be night. Straining to listen and recognize the voices coming from the room.
“Your hand is bleeding” Glenda said, looking at the deep gash on the inside.
Victoria was shocked, “was it a dream are real.” She thought.
“Her voice drifted to me on the howl of the wind. When I heard her, I thought sleep had finally found me and that she was but a dream. Then I found myself in a maze and she was there calling to me.” Victoria rumbled.
“Lilly!” Glenda asks.
“Yes” her eyes scanned the dark room around her. Silence responded. “When her voice came again it seemed to reach from all around me, yet nowhere in particular. I had no choice but to follow the voice. I pushed out into the cold dark maze until I found the end and then I woke up pouring sweat. It seemed so real.”
Glenda’s face went pale knowing her wrath was soon to come. Victoria jumped as Geneon dropped some chest armor on the floor.
“Put these on, we have to prepare for battle.”
Victoria stared at the thin silver looking vest.
“What about Vince?”
“He is protected by the shield, when the war is over he will be released.”
Victoria turned and looked at Vince as he was standing against the shield, his narrow eyes filled with rage.
“Victoria, here.” Glenda said as she handed her a vest.
Chap
ter 23
Thunder cracked in the distance followed by a web of lightning that reached across the sky. Minutes later another rumble filled the skies. The wind howled in defiance as viscous clouds suffocated the sun.
Lilly laughed as she continued to roll the cloud with more lightning.
The warmth of her fire called out to her and she went to her favorite chair. She watched the flames dance over the logs and lost herself in the steady hiss and rasp of the hearth. The room was dark beyond the glow of the fire. Flickering shadows licked at the darkness, but one shadow seemed more intense, brighter than the others, and it seemed to be moving strangely. Lilly was accustomed to the way the shadows moved, the way the flicker of the fire made them dance over the walls, but this shadow didn’t dance. It had a movement all its own. She watched it for several seconds, although to her the time seemed longer. The shadow seemed to be growing darker, and more solid, until she could make out a shape of a human form. Although her eyes were adjusted to the darkness she could still see the outline.
Its face cloaked beneath the shadows of a dark hood. Its clothes draped across it in such a way it made her heart quicken.
“Reveal yourself!” She commanded, doing her best to stay in control. “Speak are die” she ordered.
A loud laugh rang in her ears. “Die that is a strong word!” A deep male voice spoke.
“You!” She took a step forward growing anxious. “Come to join me?” She giggled.
He nods his head, with a slight grin.
“No.” he answered.
Lilly glanced up at him as her eyes became red. Her breath formed a fog trailing down her body. She leaned against the wall and ran her hand through her long stringy hair.
“Why you are here?” Her voice rose in a pitch.
“Make sure you stay out of my way. You would be better off not here.”
Lilly laughs, “I assure you I have no intentions of backing down.”
“Very well, the battle will decide your fate soon enough. If there is truly blood in your veins, you will pay with it.”
Her glare found his, as the two pairs of red evil eyes continues to stare at one another.
“As will you.” She concurred.
Flames from her hand leaped high in the air, glowing orange and red. During the turmoil, screams could be heard from the glowing flame.
“This will be your end?” she giggled holding the flames higher.
The smell hit him at once, the thick scent of decay wormed through the air and landed upon him. He took a step back.
“Leave or we will have our battle here” she ordered letting the flames die down as a trail of smoke rose to the ceiling.
“That will be a battle you will surely lose.”
The floor began to shake and the walls trembled it felt as if a storm was under his feet. Yet there was no rain fell from the skies. The rumble and roar of the wind and thunder rolled across the sky.
“Is that all you have witch?” He snickered. Feeling eyes all around him but he couldn’t see them. If he listened close enough, he could even hear the breathing. Tiny little breaths, unwilling to give up their position. He caught a glimpse of one of them duking out of the way. A shrill cry pieced the silence, he knew it was out of frustration rather than pain.
Lilly threw a large fire ball towards him. He held up his hand and it busted into ash.
“You will never learn witch. You cannot destroy me. Your magic isn’t going to work on me.” Frustrated and enraged.
“What do you want?”
Wind howled with the voice of death, and she clutched her hands against her body. She took a step backwards as the wind blew against him angrily. His coat fluttered at his back but he never moved. She opened her mouth and a sound escaped unlike any he had heard.
The scream of a thousand souls at a pitch that burned in his ears. The sound ripped through his mind. Then all went silence.
“Enough of you squalling like a pig. Is that all you got. This is and will be my last warning to you. Do not force me to fight. I will destroy you and this time you will not return.”
“Kill him!” She orders her servants to attack. The shadows stayed in the darkness.
She yells again, “Attack him!” Still the nothing never moved.
“Come out of the shadows and show yourself.” He ordered. The shadows move slowly towards her and stood there waiting for another command.
“What? I don’t understand! Attack! Attack!” She yells again. The shadows remained still.
“I told you I control all. No one comes against me.”
“No! Kill him or go back to the grave in which you came.” She yells as she blasted fire all around them.
The dark shadows disappeared as she stood in rage.
“I won’t let you get away with this.”
“Now that is worthy of discussion, for let me tell you again nothing you can do will stop me.”
“Leave now!” She yells.
“Remember what I said, you will not harm Victoria or you will die!”
“What? Leave now. Are I will--”
“You will what. You will do nothing.” He laughs as he disappears in front of her face.
She screams as the window scattered across the floor.
“I command you rise to fight with me” she summons the dark souls again to rise.
Shadows filled the room, one by one the poured in until there was nothing but pure darkness.
Raven appeared in his candle lit room as he stood there looking out his window he could see Geneon forcefully walking against the wind. He was only a few yards from his building. Raven raised his arm to the ceiling as he watched the wind stop blowing around him. It looked as if it parted so he could continue his path. Moments later he entered his foyer.
“What?” Geneon says frustrated.
“I have done what you ordered.” He spoke as he bowed his head.
“Good, what about the boy.” Raven asks.
“I have him in a shield, he is a loose cannon.”
“He has his father’s blood in him I see.” A slight smile came across his face. “Where is this role model father?” He asks as he poured him a glass of red wine.
“He should be here soon. He received a stone from his brother, his power has increased.”
“Oh has it. Well he will need it.” Raven laughed as he took another sip. “Is that all?” He stared at the hood that covered his dark skeletal face.
“Yes, lordship”
“The war will start soon protect Victoria at all cost.” He ordered.
“I will try but the other warlocks are getting frustrated with her there.”
“I don’t care how frustrated they are getting, if any harm comes to her. I will destroy them all, is that clear?” He snapped. “Now leave!” He pointed to the door.
Raven watched as he quickly made his way back. He turned his head as flames engulfed a building next to Lilly’s.
Raven felt a rage beginning to build within him. An old arcane rage he had not felt in some time. It made him excited. He stiffened his body like a tiger about to pounce and expelled the buildup of energy through his mouth. A lighting blast emerged, vaporizing the building that was engulfed in flames.
He watched Lilly stand in the door way of her building.
“Damn you!” Lilly yells.
His eyes met hers and they briefly shared a look of engagement. Raven flashed her a dark glace. The look on his face was something she had not seen before. His eyes had a brighter glow to it as the stare pierced through her. Watching her go back into her building, he watched the skies getting darker. Lightening shots formed from cloud to cloud. Closing his door, he poured him another glass of red wine and sat at his table with a view of window.
“Let the games began. Let’s see what you have dark one.” He lifted his glass in the air followed by a hearty laugh.
Chapter 24
The building cracked, and a huge chunk of the ceiling came loose, dropping to the floor. A wave of panic rep
laced the calm defensiveness. They began moving toward the gathered army. A chill came with the rising of the full moon, that was covered by darkness. They could see the evil beings emerging from the shadows. Victoria breathed deeply allowing her eyes to scan for targets. Her dark hair streamed in the wind. Victoria dealt out blows of magic orbs to the enemies foolish enough to stumble into her path. A fireball flew towards her charging straight at her but missed. One look was enough to motivate all but the most obtuse to clear her path, those who didn’t move quickly enough became the next object lesson for those further along the way. Victoria scanned the area trying to find Lilly through all the dark creatures. Finally, she seen her dark decayed image as
some beings dropped their lower jaw and its mouth hung open, exposing sharp, jagged teeth. From the mass of dark figures one stepped forward. The murmur among the flock fell silent as it walked to the center of the lighted fire that was in the middle of the street.
It stopped in front of Lilly, and spoke with a voice that rumbled through the night like the deepest sound of a violin. Lilly face twisted into an insane grin as long stands of her hair hung over the corners of her smile. Her red eyes flashed with excitement that could barely be contained, and a low, demented laugh escaped from her throat.
Lilly stood above her army with her black robe and white hair blowing wildly. Beneath her robe, her body glistened with oil that had given her the power of flight. She opened her arms and welcomed in a small portion of the moonlight, as the darkness embraced her. She could feel its breath against her ear as it whispered her daughter’s name.
