The Depths of Darkness

by Laurie Bowler

  “She came round the house a few days ago,” she answered her head switching to my father worriedly. “Is there something wrong?”

  “No,” I replied smiling bravely, “nothing at all.”

  I stayed with them for as long as I could, conscious that Zanda was due to arrive soon. The unknown smell, which I guessed to be his, was already filling the air and the unknown scents of whoever he was bringing with him. I felt nervous, meeting a head coven leader was another dramatic change in the realm. It was supposed to be the high witch that met with such dynamic and strong characters, not a desk witch like me. In actual fact, most of the things that had happened lately weren’t supposed to happen to someone as low down in the ladder as I was.

  “Excuse me a minute,” I smiled brightly, “I have to go and get Luke.”

  My parents remained in the blue room and for once they felt my nervous energy and thought better of following me for their good. I heard the commotion down the corridor before my parents had. The sound of laughter and nervous stilted conversation was heavy, Luke stood by the door watching closely of the actions of the new arrivals, and who I presumed to be Zanda and his followers.

  “Hi,” I croaked behind him. “Who’s that?”

  Before Luke could answer, Zanda turned to me. His smile quickly faded and he was standing in front of me before I could utter another word.

  “I’m Zanda,” he said, “you must be Patty,”

  I nodded, swallowing nervously.

  “I’m sure on any other occasion we may have met under different circumstances but I need to know why my son’s life was so important to you that he enrolled on your crusade today,” he began. “Because,” he continued, “I’m sure he wouldn’t have wanted to end his life and have it taken away by the demons. What have you got to say for yourself?”

  “I-It was his choice,” I managed to squeeze out, willing my parents to remain where they were. “I didn’t know who he was or why he was here. I went after Lilly.”

  “Ah,” he muttered circling me. “I have heard she is quite something, isn’t it true she is the killer of Matace?”

  “Yes,” I whispered, “she is.”

  “In that case,” he said, “you don’t have long to kill her, do you? Two days to be exact, and in that time I will be alongside you to make sure you finish the job.”

  He stopped and sniffed the air, heavily pulling the air back into his lungs, and then he smiled. It was the smile of a true immortal killer; he knew my parents were here.

  “I see you have brought us a snack,” he said and signaled to his two followers to join him. “Where are they?”

  “They aren’t here for you,” I replied sternly standing my ground against him in the aim to protect my parents. “Leave them alone.”

  “I can’t stop the thirst Patty,” he said, “especially when they have come willingly into a vampire’s house. I’m sure Luke is thirsty as well.”

  He nodded towards Luke, who had walked a few yards away from me. I thought it was to give me space to conjure my shield, but I turned to look at him and I wished I hadn’t. His own thirst was taking control and I wasn’t sure he’d be able to control himself; his eyes had turned into a peculiar colour and I didn’t recognise him anymore.

  I ran before they could move, and I made it back to my parents first and there I stood with them behind me, facing hungry vampires who had surrounded us. Their teeth bared ready for the feed; it felt like being locked inside a lion’s den with hunger surrounding me.

  “They’re not food,” I yelled searching for Luke hoping he would have changed, “Luke!”

  At the mention of his name he seemed to shake himself back into a sensible vampire and stood guarding all three of us, his hissing was loud enough to warn the others. Darcy now stood beside him having quickly followed suit.

  “Back off Zanda,” he seethed.

  Behind me I was vaguely aware of my mother’s whimpering, and my father’s shocked expression. My shield stood as a barrier protecting me and them from the wall of vampires in front of us; it wasn’t something I wanted my parent to be privy to, but it had been taken out of my control.

  “What’s going on?” my father whispered gently touching my shoulder with his hand.

  “Not now dad,” I snapped, “in a minute.”

  Luke forced the others back into the other room. Zanda was seething with anger and indignation; his calls to his family were loud enough for me to hear. The same conversation spent between him and the other two that had come with him. Obviously he didn’t understand how and why two lowly mortals meant so much and he had commented on how freakish Luke had become since meeting me.

  “Thank you,” I mouthed to Darcy who nodded in recognition and left the room to join the others.

  “You have to leave now,” I turned to my parents, “and I mean right now.”

  “Tell us what’s going on with you?” My father pleaded. “We can take it, just be honest.”

  “I can’t tell you Dad,” I replied sadly. “But do not trust Lilly, whatever you do and no matter what happens, do not trust her. If she comes around again tell her to leave and don’t let her back in. You have to forbid her to enter the house, do you understand?”

  “Oh,” my mother moaned, her hand flew to her forehead dramatically. I rolled my eyes in exasperation; she was never the type of person to cope with something like this.

  “Come on Mother,” I said, “I’ll make sure you get home safely. Dad, help her with the other arm please.”

  For the first time in my life I opened a portal of transportation for my parents and stepped into it behind them, to make sure they got home safely because it was too risky to walk the few miles home.

  “What is this?” Dad gasped.

  “A portal Dad,” I misled reassuringly, “you remember I’m a witch right?”

  He nodded.

  “Well,” I smiled again, “this is something else that I can do. And right now,” I said, “I want to make sure you get home safely ok?”

  “Ok,” he said confused and unsure by my answer, “will it hurt?”

  I choked back my laughter, “No.”

  We reached my parents home without any further disruptions or vampires trying to have them for lunch. Unsurprisingly my mother went upstairs to have a lie down almost the instant we arrived. sShe’d always been weak when faced with subjects that were beyond her imagination, and even though she knew the realm existed and everything involved, she still hadn’t been faced with a life or death situation.

  “Do you want a drink?” my father asked quietly. “Alcohol? Tea? Coffee?” he asked pouring himself a whisky.

  “Nothing thanks,” I smiled. “Is she going to be alright?” I asked, my voice leaked concern.

  I honestly felt my mother was a little dramatic and incredibly weak, and I couldn’t understand why they’d been chosen to be my parents, we were the total opposite.

  “She’ll be fine,” he smiled warmly, “so...” he cleared his voice, “they were vampires huh?”

  I nodded, and sat down at the table and watched my father quietly.

  “Would they have really eaten us?”

  “Most likely,” I admitted, “but it didn’t happen so you have nothing to worry about.”

  His hand tightened around the glass, turning his knuckles white. wWhen I looked into his face, his expression was tight and grim; there was something bothering my father.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked. “You seem jumpy.”

  “Jumpy,” he muttered, “I nearly got eaten by vampires. How long are you planning on working with the realm? Is it really necessary to carry on? We can give you everything you need; I don’t want anything to happen to you. Although you’re not our natural child, we love you as if you are.”

  “Dad,” I sighed, standing up to walk over to him, “I enjoy my job at the realm. This thing that’s happening wasn’t supposed to have happened. Lilly is...well..,” I hesitated, “consumed entirely with hate, but I don’t know why. Sh
e wants me dead, and I can’t allow her to carry on the way she is. I love you and mother like you’re my own parents but I can’t leave the realm. I’m sorry if you don’t agree with my choice but that’s the way it’s staying.”

  He looked at me with sorrow and pain filled eyes and his next words hurt me beyond belief.

  “Then I’m sorry Patty,” he whispered, “but you can’t come and see us. There’s too much danger chasing you and I can’t let your mother get hurt; she’s frail.”

  Tears pricked the back of my eyes, and gently I felt them as they began to spill over my lids. I saw my father turn away from me and he gripped the edge of the cabinet, his head was bowed down and his drink in his other hand. Without a word I turned and left their home. I wasn’t able to summon a portal and for once I wanted to be human and walk without the need to be transported.

  The fresh air wrapped around me; it felt refreshing but I was confused. My jumbled thoughts spiraled out of control and now my parents disowned me, leaving me alone again, the exact way I’d been born into the world. Nothing seemed to be going in the right direction and the feeling of defeat crept closer; Lilly was winning. Her ploy had been to segregate me from those that I loved for reasons only she knew; this time I was not going to let her get away with it.

  I stormed a safe distance away from civilisation and I summoned my safe haven, my portal that would take me to the exiled outer realm where the Meniagier lived. It was time these great creatures helped with the fight that was about to be fully fledged across the small city. Lilly will lose, that much I would make sure off. She may think she has won the battle but I will make doubly sure that she will not win the war!

  “Stop!” the soft voice whispered behind me, “Patty, don’t do this,”

  “Cronomiun is that you?” the voices sounded similar to the leader’s, but hers hadn’t been as softly spoken as this one. This one had a more pronounced deep rumbling edge to it, signaling it to be male.

  “It is one of us,” for once I heard a faint chuckle, “wait there.”

  I stood waiting patiently with the portal chiming beautifully behind me as it too waited with great patience to be used.

  “I’m here.” The fire lit eyes appeared in front me, the same figure but as a singular unit. Remarkably they looked petite once on their own, together they looked like a strong wispy army which came across on first sight as something to fear.

  “You can’t go and do it alone,” he warned, “the others are waiting for me to finish delivering this message. We had to leave, we cannot be there while Zanda is in residence; there will be a blinding battle between our two kinds. Do not go to the exiled planet please Patty.”

  “I have to,” I answered sternly. “This has to end, today,” I lifted my chin stubbornly and stood my ground.

  “I know how you feel,” he replied kindly. “I heard your father and those words he said to you. I am sorry but you cannot face Lilly alone. It’s too dangerous and your life is valuable to us.”

  “I don’t understand anything that is happening around me,” I replied. “I know I’m somehow connected to you but I don’t get why or how? It’s impossible to be a witch, Cronomiun and a human all in one. I feel like the game Connect Four only I’m waiting for the fourth piece to appear to complete the game play.”

  Inwardly I was frightened but on the outside I refused to let anyone see. It was futile and a show of weakness to allow my human nature and crawl away and hide under a rock. I wanted to fight. I was somehow born to fight and unknowingly I had waited for this day to come. All that I just had to do is to find Lilly and make sure the fight happened and was orchestrated in the right way, to my advantage.

  “One day you will,” he smiled kindly, “we will be there when you face Lilly. You think you’re alone Patty, but you’re not. We are also your family and we will always be here for you.”

  He left me, as the words he spoke penetrated my heart and I felt a fresh flood of tears begin to spill from my eyes. He left, leaving me to stand with my portal waiting. I stepped inside, I still felt stubbornly strong willed about my plans to collect the animals that seemed to accept me into their fold.

  I entered the exiled world, and for once I was faced with sunshine rather than the dark bleak world that Lilly left behind wherever she went. The trees shook slightly, and creatures from different cultures called out to each other in their own native tongue. From where I stood a few feet from the location of the cave, it was empty and looked deserted, but I knew better. There were close to 300 hundred exiled creatures, demons and vampires in this realm. All of them sent here for the crimes they’d committed, the only entry in and out was through a portal, but it was enclosed around a binding spell that didn’t allow for the exiled names to access portals without prior consent from the realm. This consisted of a hearing as to whether it was deemed a necessary trip, and a safe one, dependent on which realm the exiled creature wished to visit.

  My own portals weren’t on the hit list to be stopped, which meant I could easily enter this realm without permission, one of the perks of being a witch of the realm. I walked through the passing trees and over grown bushes surrounding me, aware of the rustle and the squeaks that sounded behind me, and beside me. Without a doubt the exiled were curious to see who’d entered their world. Iit was impossible to enter without being seen by someone here.

  I finally saw the opening of the cave and the roaring from inside coming from the Meniagier. They were settling down and I wondered if they’d just eaten which might make my trip slightly longer than I’d planned.

  “Hey,” I whispered when I stepped inside the large cave, “I’m here.”

  I was greeted by the largest of them who stepped towards me and nuzzled me with his face. I laughed and tried to side step when I saw his huge tongue flop out, but I wasn’t quick enough. The sloppy kiss landed down my cheek, covering me with sticky disgusting saliva.

  “Ew,” I grinned at him and patted his fur. “That was awful!”

  He moved away, and turned to rumble at me, I took it as his signal to follow him. I walked a few paces and stopped when the others stood and watched me. Their eyes pinned to mine, and it appeared as if they were waiting for an order.

  “I’ve come here to ask you for your help,” I began, “I hope you can understand me.”

  To my amazement the biggest, who seemed to be the leader, pawed the ground and puffed smoke at me, his eyes twinkled and I laughed at him. For huge scary creatures, to me they were amusing and docile, but then they’d accepted me so it didn’t matter to me what they were.

  “Will you come with me inside the portal?”

  They all stepped towards me, rumbling growls echoed around, and I felt their acceptance to my dangerous and strange plan. I knew they would be useful to fight the Cerberus and other creatures that Lilly decided to throw into the mix. It would be an interesting fight, all I needed now was for other witches to come to the fight too.That way our side would be the strongest and able to withstand her menacing attacks.

  “Come on then,” I said proudly stroking my newly found friend, the large beast stood beside me, towering over me, drooling onto my shoulder. “Can you not do that?” I touched the drool and felt its sticky mass on my fingers; it was awful.

  He bowed his head in response and hefted me onto his back where I settled down and watched the parade of Meniagier enter the mouth of the largest portal I’d ever summoned. Finally it was our turn and we went inside.

  On the other side of the portal, back on earth I planted a shield around the beasts that would keep them hidden from mortals. If they saw huge creatures like this, it would be something not even I would be able to handle, or even explain in a way that they’d understand.

  “Patty,” Luke gasped when he stepped outside the burnt front door, “what are you doing bringing them here?” he demanded.

  “They’ve come to help,” I shouted back from my huge height above him and the rest of the people inside the house that had come outside. “Do
n’t worry though,” I smiled patting my beast, “they won’t hurt you. Just keep your distance; they don’t like dead things.”

  He grimaced, and remained by the door waiting patiently for me to join him.

  “I hope you’ve covered them so no one can see them,” he shouted up at me looking around uncomfortably. “Zanda is still here.”

  “Yeah,” I replied, “I can see that.”

  The beast dropped to the ground and I stepped off, whispering for him to stay inside the shield with the others and I’ll be back soon.

  “I must apologise to you,” Zanda stepped towards me and stopped when the Meniagier began to growl loudly in warning of the proximity barriers they deemed necessary to keep me safe.

  “Stay where you are,” I smiled softly. “I’ll come to you.”

  I walked over to where he stood, in the centre, half way between Luke’s house and the settlement of the Meniagier. His eyes brightened when he saw my smile and a young woman stepped out and joined him, she stood close to his side with her hand resting on his arm.

  “I’d like you to meet my wife,” he announced proudly. “This is Patty. The young witch I’ve told you about.”

  “Nice to meet you, finally,” she said rolling her eyes at her husband. “I hear he’s been a pain and tried to have your parents for dinner.”

  “Yes,” I answered tightly, “you got that right.”

  “I said I’m sorry,” Zanda said, his lips tightly pulled together. “Anyway,” he added, “how was I supposed to know you didn’t have anything to do with my son’s death?”

  “Maybe you could have asked her first before taking control in that way,” she answered and then she turned to me. “My name is Fiona.” she smiled.

  I smiled back in response and turned to whisper at the Meniagier to comfort them; their noises of disconcertment were gradually getting louder.

  “Come inside Patty,” Luke said standing behind me. “There are other witches who have arrived and they want to speak to you.”

  Chapter Twelve