“God damnit,” he mumbles.
“What?”
“They found him.”
“Who?”
“The ring bearer.”
“The Chosen One.”
“Yes, can you track the Rider?”
“He’s screening himself.”
“The lightening.”
“What about it?”
“God damn!”
“What now?” AJ asks staring at him. Not being able to read Kevin’s mind had major drawbacks at times.
“He’s back.”
“Who.”
“Memnoch.”
“What the hell is he doing here? He’s supposed to stay in hell.”
“The Chosen One. He’s after him,” Kevin says staring to run across the grass as AJ follows catching up to him and passing him quickly, “Take it to the sky.”
“Alright,” AJ says before leaping off the ground off the ground and flying into the air with Kevin close behind heading in the direction of the lightening.
Vampires had the ability to fly in their old age and Lores where taught to fly. The only draw back was Kevin had to try and keep up with a vampire. He could see that AJ was heading closer to the ground landing on a rooftop and looking around. Kevin stops and stares down as AJ as the familiar smirk crosses AJ’s lips and he takes off running across the roof and jumping from one rooftop to another. He had found a scent and there was no stopping him now. The only thing Kevin could do now was try to keep up.
AJ stops on top of a small apartment building’s roof and looks over the edge before jumping off of it and coming to a stop outside a window. Kevin floats down next to him and stares inside the window before floating inside as AJ follows.
“What the hell happened?” AJ asks stepping onto the floor and looking around at the scattered papers and tables and chairs that were turned over.
“Shhh,” Kevin says looking around and walking down a small hallway.
“Hmmm,” AJ says looking at a small coat closet door and walking over to it. He puts his hand on the doorknob and stops suddenly as he looks up at the ceiling and screams before a figure flies down on top of him.
Kevin stares into a small bedroom and begins to walk inside when he hears AJ’s scream, which sounded more like a loud hissing sound. He runs back into the small living room and stares as AJ begins wrestling with a larger black clothed being who was holding a knife up above AJ. AJ kicks the person off and sends them flying into a far wall before he jumps to his won feet and begins to circle with the person hissing at him.
“Memnoch,” Kevin says as the person turn towards him and smiles, “Run!” he yells at AJ.
AJ looks at Kevin as the knife is thrown at him instead. He holds up his hand and stares at the knife as it stops in midair inches away from his head. AJ runs over, grabs the knife and turns around to stare at Memnoch only to find no one else in the room.
“He’s gone,” AJ says more to convince himself, “Why the hell is he here?”
“He’s after the Chosen One.”
“Jesus,” AJ says before Kevin gives him a look, “Sorry. He jumped me when I was going to open the closet door.”
“Did you open it?”
“Well, no sorry Kevin I was kinda was distracted,” AJ says walking over to the closet door dropping the knife as Kevin picks it up and examines it.
“Magic.”
“Yeah, trust me when it’s at your throat you can feel the magic coming off of it,” AJ says as he opens the door and is hit in the stomach by an umbrella, “Why is everyone hitting me!”
“Whose in there?” Kevin asks walking up and looking into the closet, “Are you ok?”
“Fine. What are you doing in my apartment?” the voice asks.
“Saving you from the black blob,” AJ says, “Oh yeah you’re welcome.”
“It’s gone?”
“Yeah.”
"Thank you,” Brian says getting up from the floor of the closet and walking out, “What did you do to my house?” he asks looking around at the mess.
“Hey, it was like this when we got here,” AJ says staring at Brian’s arm.
“What?” Brian asks.
“He has the mark,” AJ says to Kevin who walks over to Brian and looks at the mark on his arm.
“The rings of Libera,” Kevin says.
“What are you talking about?” Brian asks walking backwards, “Who are you and how did you get in here.”
“I’m Kevin.”
“I’m AJ. You can say we decided to drop in if you want.”
“Who was that other man?”
“Memnoch,” Kevin says.
“Who.”
“Memnoch,” AJ says, “Congratulations you just met the devil himself,” AJ smirks as Brian’s eyes widen, “Memnoch the devil,” AJ repeats.
Nick walks into a room that was made of metal walls and had a table in the center with one chair on the other side. There was a young man sitting in the chair with a dark green cloak on. He had bright blue/gray eyes, pale porcelain colored skin and a handsome chiseled face.
“Octavious, Memnoch is hunting the ring bearer,” Nick says walking up to the table and putting his hands on it.
“So I’ve heard,” he says solemnly putting his hands on the table and folding them, “I can’t do anything, none of us elders can.”
“But you have to do something. I was able to create a diversion, so I could get the Chosen into a small closet then seal it off from him. I can’t do that forever. I need help.
“Nicholas, I can’t do anything. We do not interfere with God and the devil. You did what you could, but the rest is up to faith. The Solar Cycle has begun. What is written will follow the order that it was made to happen in.”
“You can’t just sit there.”
“There is nothing the elders can do. We watch over and keep order. We do not change destiny.”
“Prophecy this. Prophecy that. All my life I have been taught prophecies and I know what is supposed to happen with this one and you have to do something.”
“Everything happens for a reason, Nick. I think you’re more afraid because of what it says in the prophecy, not the prophecy itself. Why are you so afraid?”
“I’m not afraid.”
“Yes, you are. You’re afraid and you know why. The journey is hard and the road is long, but you can not stop it.”
“I can’t do it, Octavious. There has to be someone else who can go for me.”
“No, it is written that you will go and so you shall.”
“Octavious.”
“The journey will take you to hell and heaven, but in the end it will be worth it. Keep the Chosen One safe and remember that we will always be there if you need us.”
“I’m going to mess up and kill everyone.”
“No, you won’t,” Octavious says and vanishes as Nick stares at the empty chair.
Nick closes his eyes as he begins to feel his molecules expand. They were sending him back. Nick feels the familiar pull as he is pulled through one world, his world, and into another, the human world. He appears back in Brian’s apartment landing on his small bed and looking around the room. The human had no idea what was about to happen to him.
“The devil?” Brian says.
“The devil, Lucifer, Satan, the fallen angel whatever you want to call him,” AJ says sitting on Brian’s couch.
“But he seemed…”
“Human?” Kevin says, “Of course he seems human. Angels look human and he was an angel. He’s actually not a bad guy. He only made the wrong decisions in his life. His real name is Memnoch and that is what he prefers to go by. Don’t call him any of the others to his face or he will get very upset,” Kevin says as AJ nods.
“Then if he’s the devil who are you?”
“I’m a Lore,” Kevin says as Brian stares at him strangely.
“He’s a witch,” AJ says from the couch.
“I am not a witch,” Kevin says.
“You are a form of a witch therefore you are a witch,” AJ says.
“What are you?”
“Me? I’m a vampire,” AJ says smiling and flashing his fangs.
“A vampire and a witch,” Brian says, “And I met the devil. Great,” he says as he falls backwards onto the floor as he faints.
“You killed him,” Kevin says to AJ.
“I did not. It’s not my fault humans are so ignorant and…” AJ stops as he stares at the small hallway.
“What?” Kevin asks.
“He’sssss backkkkk,” AJ points to Nick as he walks into the room.
“We need to get out of here,” Nick says to them, “NOW!”
“Ok,” AJ says floating to his feet.
“AJ, you’re the vampire grab him,” he points to Brian.
“Why me?”
“You’re the strongest just do it.”
“AJ, do it,” Kevin says.
“It’s always the vampire who has to do the dirty work,” AJ says and picks up Brian putting him over a shoulder, “Now what chief?”
“I’m going to take you somewhere. You have to trust me. Especially you,” he points to Kevin, “If you don’t, God only knows where we will end up.”
“Ok,” Kevin says, “But Rider you better be trustworthy.”
“Trust me because there is no one else you can.”
~What does that mean?~ AJ asks Kevin telepathically.
~I have no idea.~
“Ok get ready. Make sure you don’t drop him,” Nick says as he pulls out a small pouch from his jacket pocket.
“Make sure you don’t…what is that?” AJ asks staring at it.
“What do you think it is genius?”
“Fairy dust.”
“Yeah, so…”
“No, no way Kev. I’m not going. Fairy dust is only used to take us to the other realm. I am not going there.”
“It’s only for a short time. I need to show you something.”
“What could be that important?”
“The Solar Cycle Prophecy.”
“You’re coming,” Kevin says to AJ.
“What? Why?”
“One to rule them all. One to find them. One to bring them all and in the darkness bind them,” Nick says.
“What the hell are you talking about?” AJ asks.
“He’s the Chosen One. You’ll understand soon enough,” Nick says and throws the dust up in the air as AJ takes a deep breath and holds his breath.
“What the hell is wrong with him?” Nick asks Kevin as AJ continues to sneeze in the back round.
“He’s allergic to fairies.”
“You’re kidding.”
"No, I have no idea why either.”
“AJ, what is your line?”
“The * sneeze * Calphur* sneeze* nia *cough * line.”
“The Roman,” Nick says to himself, “Are you Italian?”
~What does it look like?~ AJ says to Nick telepathically as he continues to sneeze.
“Is he up yet?” Nick looks over at Brian who is lying on the floor.
Nick had taken them to the library of the Rider training castle and AJ was currently looking at the spines of books with Kevin as the occasional sneeze came out. The library was the biggest in the world with walls filled with books as high as you could see. Riders could fly, so instead of expanding out they expanded up. The room was a dark wood color and had dark red carpets. Nick sighs and sits on one of the many tables in the room. On one wall though at the far end there was a large stained glass window with the Libera symbol and the words, One to rule them all. One to find them. One to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. Nick looks over his shoulder as Brian starts to sit up and hold his head.
“You won’t get your headaches here,” Nick says to Brian as Brian stares at him and stands up.
“Where am I?”
“Calm down,” Nick says, “You’re safe here. I need to show you something though.”
“They’re here?” Brian points to AJ and Kevin.
“Yes, you need them and me.”
“I hate fairies,” AJ yells out, “Hey the sneezing stopped * sneeze*. Nevermind,” He says walking over and sitting on a table, “Hey you ok?” he looks at Brian.
“Fine, thanks.”
“So what did you want to show us Rider?”
“Hold on,” Nick says walking over to a bookshelf and looking up. He flies upward as Brian stares at him wide eyed and comes back down holding a large leather bound book. He puts the book down on the table and opens it to a page, “You’ll understand why you’re here after you read this. This is the Solar Cycle Prophecy. I’m sure you know some of it, “ he says to Kevin, “but we never gave Lores a full copy of it.”
“So what does it say?” AJ asks.
“Ok,” Nick sighs and starts reading.
