Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Then Barnabas gave his proposal to Olga, that if she would aid Xavier in collecting the blood of the royals, she would have her heart’s desire given to her. By that time, she had become twisted and cruel, enjoying the suffering of others while she took her pleasure. The thought of usurping the younger royals and stealing their birthright out from under them left her giddy with pleasure. She agreed immediately.
Afanasiv watched as Xavier called for a staff with a crystal in the exact center of it and a round globe at the top. Lesser demons sent by Lilith gathered around him to do his bidding. He had already chosen the one he wanted for his sacrifice. A female. Young. He had what he referred to as the horn of a unicorn, a long dagger that spiraled from hilt to point. His sacrifice was tied to the altar and he was in his robes.
He began the opening spell, chanting aloud, his hands held high over the female demon. The dagger was clutched between his two palms. He shifted his hands to the left and right, drove the point upward toward the sky and then downward toward the earth. He made a circle with it and then plunged it into the heart of the woman, swirling it deeper and deeper into her chest in a counterclockwise manner.
By below, by above, by west, east, south and north,
I am free of the restraints of death.
I walk the earth unfettered by any other than my mistress.
I do her bidding and serve only her until she releases me.
As he spoke, he withdrew the dagger from the demon and ran his snakelike tongue around the blade before handing it to the closest demon.
Drink your sister’s blood and be sealed to me.
Each of you will do my bidding and
Any that I appoint to serve me.
The demon did as Xavier had, using his tongue to take the blood from the spiral blade. He passed the dagger to the next demon in line, who took it with a grimace but followed suit.
Afanasiv watched carefully as Xavier scooped blood from the huge hole he had made in the female demon’s chest. He dropped the blood onto the ground and began to move his hands in a complicated pattern.
Earth accept the blood of this strong one
That I may walk once more on your soil
Or burrow beneath it should I have need to do so.
He scooped blood from the cavity he had made in the woman’s chest and flung it into the air over the demons and himself. Once again, he lifted his hands and formed complicated patterns as he chanted.
Sky, take the blood of this strong one
Allow me to ride in your clouds
Unseen by others, unknown to others.
He scooped more blood and rotated in a counterclockwise manner, flinging the blood west, east, south and north. His hands came up stained with the blood of his victim. The blood was on his robes and in his beard. He began another set of complicated patterns.
Lastly, he opened the crystal ball at the top of his staff and scooped up blood directly from the victim’s chest to fill the chamber. When he had enough, he closed the crystal ball. He took the heart he had removed and placed it carefully in the eye of the staff, then closed and locked that chamber as well.
Stepping away from the altar, he walked out to the surrounding forest, a pleased smile on his face. “I will return Xaviero with the blood of the royals. We both will walk out of here free.”
Afanasiv could make out Xaviero sitting in the shadows, rocking back and forth as if in terrible pain. Xavier strode boldly up to a tree that looked decidedly familiar. It was one close to the inn where Afanasiv and his brethren were staying. This tree was slightly different. The trunk and branches were twisted and darker in appearance.
Xavier tapped the staff to the earth’s floor three times and then raised it toward the sky three times. He walked in a circle counterclockwise, not around the tree but in front of it.
I call on all that is unholy to aid me this night
I seek revenge on those who would put me in such a plight
Come forth out of your hiding places
Shed light on my enemies’ faces
I must walk above to achieve my goal
Open for me a large portal.
In front of Xavier, a tear in the fabric in the walls between the underworld and aboveground appeared. It looked to Afanasiv like a giant archway. Xavier stroked his beard and then started forward. Before he could step through, another voice stopped him.
“You will remember who you serve, Xavier. If you fail to keep your staff with you, my army will reacquire you immediately. If you fail to answer when I call, you will die immediately. Do not believe that because you are aboveground that you can escape me. That would be very foolish thinking.”