A wooden chair on a wooden platform facing wooden benches waited as people filled the empty seats. Walking to the first row, a man in a black suit removed his hats before spitting on the platform. Despite the blue uniforms reprimanding that spectator, he didn't excuse his action. The light flickered. The back-door creaked. All the six rows were full.
A group of guards prepared the stage. Metallic footsteps resonated. A man in a white shirt and orange pants climbed on the platform. His restrictions were removed. His gaze fell on the front row. The man gulped as three men in blue uniforms seated him on the wooden chair. The leather attaches on the chair's arms and legs gripped the convicted with strength. He couldn't move.
The moment when the man in blue uniform to the left of the wooden chair, touched the metallic helmet integrated on the wooden structure, the lighting exploded. Before a single scream resonated, space distorted. Two shadows towered the spectators on the platform. Flying through the air, dozen of bluish lightning hit the first row. An elder woman opened her mouth to scream, she froze. The bolts of lightnings rebound onto the next rows.
Unable to retrieve their weapons in time, the guards, like the spectators fell into immobilization. The light returned to its full power. The convicted gasped as two new people stood in front of him. " Who are you guy ? What are you... ", the tied man was cut short, the rope binding his throat tightened.
" Matthew Robert, soon to be thirty-three next march was arrested last year. ", a man with perfectly symmetrical trait advanced toward the chair. His white clothes passed behind the convicted. The metallic helmet was lifted up. The tied up man tried to speak again. The rope gripped stronger. " When the police search his home, they found his wife, Rose Nicole, wrapped inside a red carpet with a hole through her skull... ", a pale index drew a small circle on the almost strangled man.
Showing bright teeth, the demon lessened the tension animating the ropes. He leaned next to the tied man's ear. " His three daughters Elisabeth, Jennifer, and Melissa aged of twelve, nine and six... ", his lips lifted further. The seated convicted was screamed. A full minute of emptying his lungs, the convicted tired his voice and legs as his feet left brown markings on the platform.
" Stop ! Stop it ! ", Matthew jerked his head to the left. Water flew on his cheeks. " I didn't do it. ", he glanced at his back. All he saw was white clothes and pale hands. " It wasn't me. I wasn't in control. It's not my fault ! I didn't want... ", his skull hit the chair. The leather attaches resisted his struggle. He was trembling.
El stared at the other newcomer. " ...red marks around their necks. ", El patted the tied man's head from behind. The hand pressured Matthew to face the other man on the platform. " Look in his mind. Watch his memories. Witness his crimes. ", El forced open the eyelids with his indexes and thumbs. The man's iris shivered, but couldn't escape two black orbs. " They weren't the first ones. ", the demon kept his lock firm despite Matthew's struggle.
" You have to. ", the demon fixated the ritual adept. " This is the only way. ", El opened his mouth. A bulge appeared in his throat. Moving upward, an iron object floated from the demon mouth. El slashed the air. A black line cut the space. Before the convicted could say anything, a goat jumped from the closing spatial crack. Tilting its horns, the beast half-baa before a green light hit it on the ribs.
A single fall resonated. A single ethereal light exited the animal carcass. flying into the floating rusty nail, the pale light was absorbed, but no change occurred. " Sadly, animals can't restore the key. Awakening is their only use. ", El closed his eyes. The room was silent. The light flickered. A pale halo emanated from the demon as he deployed his white feathered-wings. " Give him salvation. ", El hovered in front of the convicted.
Matthew blinked. He couldn't speak anymore. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing. Prayers and regrets filled his mind. " Magic expects you to fulfill your part. I can't replace you contractor, just guide you. ", the winged being opened his arms all way. As Matthew heard a flap in the air, the next second, a green light encompassed his vision. Light illuminated the silent room.
Deep inside the wood, a circle glowed red. Standing on its border, arms touching the lines injected magic for minutes as many elements converged in its center. As the sun fell behind the trees, three pairs of hands rose from the circle. The ritual adept conjured flames. With larger chest and brown hair, the emerging creature didn't have the time to crawl before the fire engulfed their bodies.
Mikhael sighed. With a wave of his hand, the ashes banished away. Turning his head away, his gaze stopped on a sleeping girl. Her brown chestnut head rested on a burned oak's trunk. A wave of magic passed through her face. Still in a deep slumber, she didn't react as her haircut was shortened nor moved when blood left her body from a pin-size hole on her neck. Greenish light covered her body. Her face gained some color.
Liters of water filled a bucket as the ritual adept retrieved the remaining components needed for the situation. While making the ingredients floated in the circle right position with the right amount, the wizard frown. The quantity of carbon, ammonia, saltpeter, phosphorous, salt and sulfur were enough for another two tries but the lime, salt and sodium bicarbonate needed resupplies.
The moment the water turned into crystal, the ritual adept stopped the process. All the elements flew back into his suitcase. " Poor Lucy, she didn't deserve that. ", the newcomer sat next to the sleeping girl. His hand lifted her right eyelid. It revealed an empty eye socket. El clattered his bright teeth. The greenish light started repairing this loss. " Such a bad boy don't you think miss Martin ? ", the demon sent a kiss in the air toward the tree to his left.
Mikhael clapped his fingers. Seven shapes rose in the clearing. Standing on her feet, Lucy Stewart followed the matron Sarah Martin walking toward the wizard. Forming a line, the seven people waited eyes closed as tendrils of magic penetrated their minds. One by one, they left the clearing with mechanical steps. Witnessing the sight, the demon waited until the last person disappeared from their views before speaking.
" Time awaits no one 'Joshua'. ", the demon hit the ground with his foot.
Alcoholic scents filled the white hallway. Passing by the door A-23, two people entered the room to its left. Inside the closed space, rested eight beds arranged in two columns. White curtains separated each bed from its side-neighbors. The first bed on the left creaked. Strolling toward the occupied couch, the newcomers reached its border after the third regular beep resonated. A hand grabbed the bed's panel, 'Ms.Brent'.
One of the visitors sat on the bed while the other stood next to the sleeping woman. " She won't last another day. ", the sitting visitor extended his arm toward the nightstand. A flowerpot, an empty drink and a single apple decorated the furniture. " Such a brave woman this Matilda. ", the pale hand grabbed the green apple. Taking a bite, the visitor turned his sight on the chest lifting the white blanket with difficulty.
" Ten years of breast tumor and yet, for the first time in this decade, she cried this morning. ", no juice fell from the second bite the sitting person took. A beep resonated again in the room. " A car accident the doctor said. ", the speaker shifted his gaze on the other visitor. Still standing, this spectator didn't move at all. Bright teeth reflected the dimmed light in the sealed room. Artificial tone reverberated once more.
More than half of the fruit was lost. " Beth would be twenty-one tomorrow. ", the apple eater waved his other arms. The curtain behind retracted on its support. Another bed was revealed. Unlike Matilda's condition, the new occupant was linked to a respiratory engine as a thin tube supplied his arm with transparent liquid. " How ironic don't you think ? ", the demon finished the fruit.
Matilda's torso shot up. She coughed. Red stained the blanket. She blinked. Her eyes stopped on a smiling man next to her. She fell back into dreamland. The tainted blanket was put back up to her chin. El put his hand on the woman's forehead. Her breath slowed down. The beep sounded echoed through the room. " The one driving the car wanted to die but survive. ", the demon removed the flowers from the pot.
The violet and yellow petals crooked up. " Neither dead nor alive, his life is a waste. ", El inhaled the withering plants. He didn't have the time to put back the flowers when the other visitor summoned a unique iron nail.
" Don't waste my time El. ", the ritual adept conjured green lights. The lethal curses flew through the air and many curtains, hitting the sleeping woman like the other roommates. Matilda jerked for a second before her body stayed frozen in a rigid position. The regular beep stopped. Instead, an uninterrupted noise echoed. " How many ? ", the wizard didn't gaze at the machine displaying a green line on its small display.
Eight dull sparkles flew into the iron nail. At contact, the key shivered. A mark of rust fell on the floor. The demon attracted the object toward his palm. " A lot more than these past weeks. ", El's fingers caressed the rust covering the key. Space twisted. Twelve men in black suits with wands ready appeared in the room center. The moment magic gathered in the wood tools, the newcomers bounced meters away. Curtains fell from the impact.
Another set of offerings fed the key.
Home to almost a hundred species, the Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo in Pembrokeshire was far from the wizards' communities of Great Britain. Among the dozen of visitors standing in the front, a teen in a black suit with a green shirt waved his hand when he noticed a blond head. One head shorter, the girl clothed a yellow dress with blue stripes sprinted and wrapped her arms around the teen neck.
Not disturbed by the onlookers' gazes, the duo stayed in each other embrace as long as they felt it was needed. The visitors forming a line to enter the zoo thinned down to a family of three when the wizard and witch separated. " Micky, I miss you and your gloomy face. ", Luna tilted her head. She seemed to notice something. " There are so many Nargles infesting your head. ", putting her hand inside a silver handbag, she retrieved a hand-size box. " Here, I made some with chocolate flavor this time. ", the witch gave the box with a spoon.
" You keep improving Luna. ", the wizard left half of the black dessert. He returned the box and spoon as it was their turn for the counter. " Soon I'll have to buy you another recipe book ? ", Mikhael paid the entrance ticket for both. The employed sighed, the visitor's line was extended by five new clients.
Wolfing down the remaining food with the spoon, the blond witch brightened. " Pudding is life, but I don't mind some foreign pastries. ", Luna put away the empty box in her bag. The duo walked side by side as they discovered the road through the zoo. The first attraction was just some snakes in glass cages, Luna hissed at them but none responded. Seeing her downcast expression, the orphan took her hand and pointed the fence on the other side.
The girl opened her mouth. She stayed frozen for a second before jumping to the fence. " Look ! Look, they are so cute ", the witch broke a branch near the attraction and waved it at the animal inside. An employed saw this act of vandalism, but didn't react. A cold pressure prevented him from approaching the delinquent girl. His throat was blocked and soon he remembered something he had to do at the elephants' section.
Luna beamed with joy as a yellow head with reddish-brown spots and short horns took its time to masticate the leaves decorating the branch the girl presented. As the other visitors started to exit this space, the orphan took the branch in his hands. He nodded. The girl's hands trembled as it closed the distance with the animal. " So long, I've never thought such a creature exists. ", her palms massaged the animal's neck.
Mikhael straightened his back. His gaze stared at the horizon. " Many unknowns are yet to be discovered. ", his magic amplified the weight behind his words. The animals and visitors stood still. For a moment the surrounding went silent. No wind disturbed this forced state nor birds dared to fly.
The witch blinked once. Her eyelids fell and rose again. " Wow, sound a lot like Dumbledore. ", Luna frown. She presented her arms. " That gives me some heavy goosebumps Micky. ", the witch then started to replicate the orphan posture and words. She walked back and forth saying the same line with different intonations. As she was caressing an invisible beard, the wizard gave a last look to the animal which finished eating before grabbing the girl.
His face had some traces of redness. Luna giggled and bid farewell to the long-neck animal. " Come on, I want to show you some water birds. ", Mikhael stopped to buy two ice-creams. Giving one to Luna, he directed her to the left path. She hummed between two bites. " They are called penguins. ", his fingers pointed a fence containing a water basin.
A wood pigeon warbled. The bird weighing on a branch nodded its head up and down not hearing a single scream from the clearing a meter away. Facing a dozen of naked teenagers, the double amount laid on the earth, motionless. One was headless, the second missed his chunk of flesh in his chest, another bled all his blood while the last one presented no injuries.
Flames consumed all the bodies, living and dead ones. Runes on the ground glowed. " You know it's useless. ", El stood up and watched as the floating nail stayed unchanged. Whatever the execution method used, no lights exited the bodies. The demon picked up a pebble. " These empty shells made of bones and flesh have no souls. ", throwing the small stone in the air, El caught it before the pebble reached the earth.
The ritual adept cleaned his carved circle. " What I hated the most about our father is... justice. ", the demon starred at the large bird. He clenched his fist. " Heaven would rejoice more over one sinner who repents than ninety-nine righteous people. ", El spatted. The stone flew in the air. It impacted through the wood pigeon. The bird broke a branch in its fall.
" How can it be fair ? ", the demon kicked the winged animal into the remaining fire burning corpses. " You could dedicate your whole life for his cause, but your efforts have no weight in his heart. ", El brushed his hair. His head gazed at the young night. A star traveled through the sky. " He just wanted you to submit. ", the demon deployed his wings.
Hovering above the clearing, the demon noticed a light from far away. " He chose his last, weakest creation over his most faithful, most loved, most perfect son. ", El frown. A giant bird of light was approaching. " You got a visitor 'Joshua'. ", falling back into the clearing, the demon hit the ground. A runic circle spread from his feet. " The night will be less fruitful. ", El disappeared.
Made of light blue lines, the magical bird flew around the forest but never stopped in the clearing. Coming back and forth, the bird made circles but didn't find its target. Putting back all the ingredients, returning the earth to its original state, Mikhael removed all the clearing clues on his particular activities before disabling the first ward surrounding the clearing.
The moment the magic protection was lowered, the unnatural bird flashed next to the clearing border. Before it could advance further, its head impacted an invisible wall. Rebounding on the barrier, the creature of magic flash once more. It reappeared on the other side of the clearing. Flashing again for a dozen of times, the bird failed to bypass the protection.
Analyzing the interactions and results with a third eye, the wizard decided to disable the remaining wards he had set up before as all the intruder's attempts were futile. The bird plunged as fast as possible into the clearing. Hovering before the orphan, the ethereal phoenix transmitted a known old voice. " Mikhael, please come as fast as possible to the Ottery St Catchpole in Devon. Someone will be waiting for you there. I love lemon sorbet, Dumbledore. ", the bird dissipated the instant the message was delivered.
Despite its ungrateful appearance, a man with a wooden leg and artificial leg strolled back and forth in front of the church while waving his staff every minute. That wizard scanned the surrounding with his large eye, but he only found muggle having dinner in there home. He cast another spell. Still nothing. No invisible threat was detected. As he was passing before the stone arch his eye caught the sight of a black suit.
The moment his body twisted space and reached its destination, Mikhael sensed incoming magic. Less than a second later, a reinforced shield with three layers deflected the spell while a transparent barrier of durable glass was conjured and the surrounding stones thrown over the spell source. The wizard was going to burn and impale the attacker, but refrain himself as he saw Moody crawling meters away.
" I love lemon sorbet. ", the wizard canceled his fire magic but kept in his barriers and disillusioned weapons floating above the duo, ready to fall at any command.
Moody leaned on his staff to get up. His cheek and left shoulder dirtied his mantle with red. " Like hell you do ! You can't be a student with this level of magic. What have you used, polyjuice ? ", he stumbled backward but kept eye contact. He didn't want to expose his back. He gritted his teeth. His shoulder seared with pain each time he moved, but never once he screamed. All his attention was on the newcomer.
" Believe me or not, Dumbledore calls for me. ", Mikhael waved his hand. Moody jolted to his right. Greenish light engulfed the man before he could summon a shield. The pain was gone. His shoulder healed. The orphan didn't express any change in his face.
Moody stirred his shoulder. It was fine. He looked up. " Remove these weapons and stay in front of me. ", the previously injured wizard advance and grabbed the newcomer's arm. " I'll get us to the place but if you do anything funny, I got your back. ", Moody nodded when the conjured knives, nails, blades, maces, spears and bullets faded away. Space was distorted.
Hidden behind hills and trees, a wizard house illuminated the night with fire licking its roof and interior. Five redheads stood next to four other wizards and witches. Flying curses attacked the group of nine from all sides. Shields exploded. Earth turned into elephants stomping its way toward the high grass. Stone lions sprinted and jumped toward some attackers but blasting curses reduced them to powder.
As another spell rebounded on a shield erected by a pink hair witch, two shadows appeared at the border of the trees. Moody hit the ground with his staff. Sparkles illuminated the earth as stunners flew toward hidden shadows in the high grass. The duo didn't travel three meters when two men half-naked jumped from the high vegetation toward the younger wizard. Half-way in the air, their bodies were thrown away with missing chunks of chests.
Moody spatted on the floor. His eye scanned the corpses. " Bloody hell Mikhael ! You are worst than them ! ", the older wizard kicked on of them. They had pointed canines and hairy chests from what remained. " Dumbledore preached to use non-lethal spell. ", Moody sent another stunner. It hit true. A body collapsed as the duo closed the distance to the other group. A new attacker fell on his knees, he was screaming before his body froze. " Keep the good work sunny ! ", Moody nodded. The victim was shorter on his right arm, but he was alive.
Mikhael deflected a curse, it rebounded on the house. The now fragile structure didn't resist the new impact and crashed on the ground. Using his telekinesis on a burning window, he corrected the falling trajectory of the wall. Screamed resonated as the heavy pieces of wood shattered on the ground. The orphan cast a cutting hex toward another attacker. At the same time, he controlled the earth to bump up a bit. Two of the nine members couldn't escape the falling house.
Moody cursed. " Minerva, Tonk and Podmore try to get the Shacklebolt, Molly and her son out ! ", his wooden leg printed the earth with a centimeters deep hole. The staff glowed white. A bright light traveled forth. The incoming curses lessen. " Arthur, your wife will be okay, focus on stopping those bastards. ", the artificial eye noticed five shadows running away before apparating away. Another two exchanges of curses illuminated the high grasses.
" They are gone ! ", Moody scanned the surroundings but found nothing.
" No, no, no, no... ", the twins hugged their mother's body. Their father had tears pearling down his cheek as he closed the eyes of his youngest son. Sound of masses hitting the ground reverberated. Arthur Weasley jerked his head. His eyes saw red. His wand tip glowed green. He was going to use a forbidden spell. His breath accelerated. He pointed his arm toward the head of one man unconscious.
" ARTHUR ! ", Moody shouted. The veteran wizard disarmed the father with his staff. Using an unforgivable, even against these men and women was a heavy crime. " Calm yourself; I don't want to send you to Azcaban. ", before the head of the Weasley house could respond, Moody cast three stunners on him and his sons. Moody sighed. The teenager he brought here conjured ropes and bound the twenty-one wizards and witches that were still alive.
Mikhael didn't dare to extract the souls of the deceases in presence of so many witnesses. Moreover, the headmaster would know for sure he was linked to their hypothetical disappearances if all the wizards and witches present tonight were gone with no traces. Despite the stern look from his transfiguration professor, the student didn't stop and bound the last attacker.
Those men and women for most were not pure-humans. Scanning their unprotected minds, the ritual adept found that the third of them were just foreign mercenaries paid by an intermediary for this job. They had to keep attacking this place as long as possible, the more they killed the better was the final pay. Apart from the seven captured wizards, the ten werewolf and four vampires received similar orders with different rewards but almost every attacker was recruited by four different intermediaries.
Since there were no death marks on their arms, Mikhael couldn't link this attack for sure to the dark lord. But at the same time, he was almost certain of it. There were no coincidences. This should be part of a greater plan. The orphan burned away the corpses he didn't retrieve. Scents of burning flesh filled the area. Moody turned his head toward the orphan. He snapped his mouth to reprimand the student when a flash of light and fire appeared.
Black bags under the eyes, the old wizard emerging from red flame gazed at the burning house, the captured and injured. He lowered his shoulders. " The Longbottoms, they are all gone. ", the leader of light bit his lips. With a wave of his wand, Molly and Ronald were cleaned of any dirt, scorch and blood stains. His sight passed by his old colleague, Moody grumped and tilted toward the orphan.
Dumbledore exhaled. His back was heavy. " Thank for... your help Mikhael. ", he glanced at the attached attackers. He counted in his mind the many clouds of smoke in the high grasses and behind the trees. He caressed his familiar. " So many things to do and so little time. I'll contact you at school, enjoy your summer Mikhael. ", the headmaster sent his phoenix on the student's shoulder. The bird apparated away.
The street was empty of anything but two shadows towering a couple sleeping on the concrete. Clothed in ragtags, the old man and his wife leaned on the small area protected by the road above. No rain touched the sleeping. " They lived in the street for twenty years. They can't bear it... ", the demon played with an apple in his hands. He stopped himself from speaking. He knew it was the moment.
" This is taking too much time. ", Mikhael stared at the iron nail. Barely a scratch of rust was removed after a full week of harvest. " The recovery is slowing down. ", the wizard summoned green lights. Never again the couple would complain of the cold. " This is not a year nor a decade I'll have to wait, but a century or more for the key to be ready. ", the orphan swiped his forehead.
The demon beamed with joy. " Finally, I've been waiting for this moment contractor, a whole month. ", he cut the apple in half. " Your suspicions were true. ", he took a bite. His lips' corners lifted. " Why didn't you listen to your doubts. ", he revealed his white teeth. The half apple was almost finished. " Why wasting so much time ? ", El spat out the seeds.
" Enough. ", Mikhael grabbed the demon by his throat.
Golden liquid leaked from El's mouth. The demon just laughed. Space twisted. Both stood over a hill. Meters away, a city lightened the sky in this dark night. " You know what to do contractor. You always knew. ", El put the other half of the fruit in the orphan's hand. " Don't hesitate. ", his head turned to the many buildings. The pressure around his neck reduced. He was free. " Burn it. ", he whispered.
Mikhael scanned the city. He focused his magic. Spreading as far as possible, he extended tendrils of magic deep in the earth. The sky darkened. Ambient magic pulsed in rhythm with the wizard heartbeat. His core strained. More magic poured into the earth. The ground trembled. Pearls flew on his forehead. All the preparations were almost ready. A giant circle surrounding the city scorched the earth.
In less than a second, the red lines rotated on themselves. A sphere of fire covering the sky and deep into the earth engulfed the city. Tremors shook the buildings. No stars illuminated the sky. A sea of flames spread between the constructions. Cracks destroyed the road and abyss gulped down the unfortunates. Mikhael puked blood. Nothing but ashes and pale lights remained.
A waved of thousand sparkles flew into the iron nail.
A large, rectangular, dimly lit room welcomed in its middle a sunken stone pit of twenty feet deep. Stone benches ran all around the room and descended in steep steps toward a raised stone dais in the pit's center. An ancient crumbling stone archway, unsupported by any surrounding wall, stood on this dais. This archway was hung with a tattered black curtain which fluttered very slightly as though it had just been touched or blown by a faint wind, although the air in the room was still and cold.
Descending the steps, Mikhael listened to the souls mourning through the veil. It was faint. Almost nonexistent, but amplified with the key coming closer. El advanced first with the key touching the veil. The black curtain froze. It split in half. A dark path was revealed. Like a torch, the key illuminated the new road with a dimmed light. The demon threw a pebble in the path. It fell. No sound reverberated after a minute.
Both deployed their wings before proceeding into the dark road. Everything was darkness except for the veil's entrance. Guided by the nail, the ritual adept and the demon stayed silent as whispered surrounded them. The black curtain closed up. They flapped their wings. Almost tangible, the air resisted each of the wings' movement. Floating in this unknown place, the wizard summoned two third eyes. To right, they found nothing. Shifting direction, the left resulted in the same way. Anything but darkness surrounded them. They were alone.
Following the pale light for minutes or hours, the wizard caressed the cross under his shirt. His touch warmed the wooden and metallic object. The moment he released the cross, the nail stopped. Instead of moving forward, it fell. Hovering for a second, the followers descended. The whispered ceased. Mikhael focused his magic. Space was sealed. This place prevented magic to flow freely.
With no prior indication, the surroundings changed into a riverside. All stones lingering inside the water could be perceived despite the lack of light. Behind them, there was the usual darkness, but to the left and right. All he could see was the riverbank with some trees planted there and here. Despite the perfect visibility on the river and this side, Mikhael was unable to discern what was on the other side.
Picking up a stone, El swung his arm. The stone rebounded on the river. It could continue forever if the stone didn't hit a structure of roots. The demon grabbed the key. He tilted his head before leading the wizard through this bridge. The moment the orphan set a foot on the construction, a hooded creature appeared. Seemly a lot like the dark wraith, the newcomer didn't say a word. It just followed the two visitors as they passed on the other side.
" Your feet will guide you to what you seek, contractor. ", the demon stopped on the bridge's border. His hand offered the key. El retracted his wings. He clapped his hands. A chair of gold and precious gems appeared on the bridge. He sat down. With a conjured chalice, he lifted it up before drinking its content. Seeing this, the orphan grabbed the iron and left. He had no idea where to go. Still, he advanced. In silence, the hooded creature followed.
As he walked, he noticed groups of pale people moving their mouths, but no sound was produced. They weren't who he was searching for. The darkness, like a fog, revealed and dissimulated new groups. Elder, children, men, women, teen, girl, boy, he passed before them, pushed some blocking his path, and yet, they acted as if he didn't exist. The hooded creature just shook its head when Mikhael reduced a young child and his mother. The two 'people' dimmed down instead of burning. They faded away. They didn't scream.
The orphan wasn't sure why he did that. It had no sense. He just wanted to see if they would react. His feet continued forward. He howled. They didn't hear him. His face returned to its neutral expression. The hooded creature hovered behind. The key got colder. He sped up. A group of three were meters away. He knew to who those three blond heads belonged to.
Mikhael stood a meter away from the group. His gaze passed fast from the smaller one ad stayed longer on the two older people. That blond hair with a different shade of blues coloring the eyes, he gulped down. She was smiling. " Mother, father, brother, it's been a while. ", the orphan greeted his family. He didn't advance to join them. His chest contracted.
" Mikhael, I've no words to say. ", the blond mother nearing the thirty put her other child between her arms. Her husband, Daniel Jones wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He looked at his living son, but didn't say anything. He just sighed. A cigar appeared in his hand. He took a puff.
" I don't care. ", the wizard took a step forward. He glanced around. Black flames consumed the other groups in the vicinity. " Now that no one can interrupt us, mother, tell me why you never loved me. ", the orphan waved one of his arms.
" I can't feel pain. ", Olivia looked at her missing hand.
" Physical yes you can't, but this. ", the orphan didn't want to go down to this. She left him no choice. Her mind didn't exist. She didn't comply with his demand. Daniel faded away. " Answer Olivia. ", he swiped his right eye.
" What do you want me to tell you. You know it. ", the mother patted the emptiness next to her. She realized her husband was no more. Tears fell on her face. " That's cruel Mikhael. ", she hugged her son. She didn't meet the orphan stare. She strengthened her embrace. She knew it would be the very end. " Jacob... ", she started. She couldn't continue. Behind black flames, she never saw the tears flowing on her other son.
The orphan stood frozen. Against his will, his jaw loosened. Silent cries escaped his throat. Unable to see nor to move away, he tightened his fist. Drops echoes on the black floor. His chest rose and fell heavily. He would have stayed like that longer if the floating key didn't march away. Breathing in for five seconds and out for seven, he repeated this cycle seven times.
Walking again, the wizard followed the small light. When his tears dried on his cheek he sprinted forward. His lungs were on fire. He pushed all his strength in his legs and deployed wings. His arm passed through a girl's body. She was tall and willowy. He retracted his wings and contemplated the white-gold hair on moon bright skins. She didn't change. His eyes blurred once more. He fell on his knees.
" Why are you here ? ", the blond girl lowered herself to be at the same level. " It is not your time my rude man. ", her fingers went through the wizard's cheeks as she tried to pinch him. A sad smile decorated her face. She couldn't touch him.
" I know. ", Mikhael forced his lips to lift. " I miss you. ", his arms wrapped nothing as they passed through like the first time. He controlled himself to not try to touch her face. He bit his lips. Taking out his shrunken suitcase from his pocket, the wizard returned it to its original size and opened it. From the inside, flew to his hand two dragon earrings and a female body.
The moment the naked body laid on the ground, the hooded creature stopped hovering. It lifted its hand. The body floated next to it. Fleur stood on its right. " Please, Mikhael, my rude man. Just don't do it. ", the girl cried. above the head of the hooded creature, two mirrors appeared. One displayed the Delacour family. Gabrielle was pouting because she didn't want to finish her homework while her mother and father tried to convince her.
The second mirror reflected another girl. A different shade of blond colored her head. On her finger-tops, she was painting the head of a tall animal with a long neck on a two meters side canvas. Many yellow, brown and red paint marks dirtied her dress and hair. She waved her brush while humming a song. For a second she stopped. Looking toward the mirror, she stayed like that for a minute. Tilting her head away she beamed and waved her brush before returning to her painting.
Mikhael gulped down. He had the vessels. He prepared the key. He was in the land of the dead. He found her. Now he had to bind her soul to the vessel, but his eyes couldn't stop starring at the price. It was way too high. He couldn't do that. Behind him, he heard the demon biting into an apple. El showed his bright dentition. He did his part of the deal.
" I know it's hard for you. ", Fleur rubbed her eyes. Despite the ethereal condition, she couldn't hide the tears. " We had a wonderful time together, I wished it would last longer but you should not try that. ", she pointed toward the two mirrors, shaking her head. " We'll meet again when your time is up. ", Fleur put her arms around the orphan head. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead.
" Tell my sister I love her, if she worked hard enough she might catch on my level. Tell my parents it's not their fault if I left this early. I'm not too lonely here. I've met grandma and some other family members. ", Fleur giggled a bit. Mikhael tipped the girl's nose with his own.