I threw the rock into the air as a pink portal appeared. The rock then dropped back in my hand as we walked into the portal as we dragged Paige in with us. . We again stood at the feet of Natasha.
She dropped her jaw as we set my sister, Paige down in front of her.
"What do you expect me to do for her? She knew what could happen if she tried to contact king Gian more than a few times in a day."
"So it isn't that she used her powers too many times, it's just that there is a time limit between each time she could contact King Gian on the other side."
"Exactly. And I think that if I heal her that you have something in return for me?"
"Yes. We have some info regarding Kiplee's old advisors. We think that they killed Kiplee and we think you and Mildred are the next people on their hit list."
"Hmmm.. you may be right. Even with my powers being halfway at the moment, I can tell that something is up with Sia and her allies: Hian and Kendra."
"So is that enough for you to heal Paige?"
"Yes. But not because I agree with you but because I would like to hear it from King Gian before I am set on Hunting down Sia and her sisters."
"So you admit it then. You do think that Sia and her sisters are on our tail and want the other two stones, right?"
"Yes. But I would like to hear it from my Father, King Gian first."
"So we were all in agreement then You will heal Paige so that she can again contact King Gian?"
"Yes. But I do have to tell you something though."
"Proceed."
"The only way to heal her is to trade her soul for someone else's."
"You mean one of us has to give up our soul to the devil?"
"Sadly, yes."
"Is there any way for us to get around this?"
"Well the rule is for the devil to amend the contract, either one of us has to give up one of our souls to the devil or someone in relation to us."
""Oh. So maybe our uncle who helps out Mildred can help us?"
"I don't think so. If he did, then Mildred would have no way to govern her people."
"What do you mean?"
"Uh...He helps her with literally all the duties of running her town. If he gives himself up to the devil, Mildred's town would turn to chaos and it wouldn't just harm her town, it would be a chaotic thing for all three towns."
"You're right and I don't know if it's worth the hassle to tell you the truth."
Liana nodded her head in agreement.
"I think we just need to leave her this way. If the devil gives her back to us by tomorrow, then great but we honestly don't need her to complete the quest to find the Hidden rose."
"I don't think so either."
"Alright. The decision has been made. We leave her with Natasha and go continue our quest"
Natasha shook her head.
"Kaze and Liana, I have one suggestion. I would like for my most trusted servant, Kasey, to join you in your quest to find the Hidden Rose."
"What does she have that would benefit us in our quest?"
"She was born with the gift to talk to the dead. It wasn't given to her like it was to Paige."
"So how does she channel spirit then?"
"She just channels them with her feelings in her soul."
"Oh. So if we needed her to contact King Gian would she be able to?"
'Well. She is my mom's sister so yes."
"How ?"
" She would be able to hear what King Gian says and channel him that way instead of King Gian stepping into her body. Which is safer in my opinion."
"I totally agree. It is safer than the way Paige channeled spirit."
"I have one question, Natasha."
"What, Liana?"
"Are there any limits to her power like there was to Paige's power?"
"Yes she has to describe the spirit she channels for her to know who she's channeling and she just can't contact the other side to see who she is channeling like Paige could."
"Oh. Alright, so what other gifts does she have?"
"I'll show you, okay."
"Go ahead."
"Kasey would you come in here please?"
A girl in a red robe with pigtails and blue eyes walked into the room. I couldn't believe it. It was the same girl who I called a wise student.
"Kasey, I would like to introduce you to these people."
"Who? Kaze and Liana?'
"Yes."
"No need to. I already met them when they first came here to inquire about the three stones which are powered by the Rose of the Enchantress."
"Good. Then show them why you would be a great addition to their team."
"I sure will."
Kasey placed one finger on the side of her forehead and stretched out her hand as she levitiated me into the air.
Liana dropped her jaw.
"So you can levitate objects with your mind?!"
"Yes."
Kasey placed me back down on the ground.
"Can you do anything else?"
"Yes. Like she told you, I can talk to the dead but I can also tell when people are about to die or are in between this world and the spirit world."
"So can you tell us whether or not Paige is about to die."
"I can try."
Kasey walked over to Paige. She placed one hand on her chest and one hand on her forehead.
"I can positively tell you that she is not dead yet. I can also tell you that she is not about to die but is in fact living between this world and the spirit world."
"Can you tell whether she is in heaven or hell?"
"As far as I can tell she is in neither."
"Then where is her spirit right now?"
"Purgatory as far as I can tell."
"So basically she's in limbo."
"Exactly."
Paige's eyeballs turned red as she got up from the ground and Kasey backed away from her.
"Kasey, what's going on now?"
"I don't know. I've never seen this happen before."
"I'm Lucifer, the father of Lies and the devil. I have taken over this body."
It seems like the devil has taken over Paige 's body.
"How is this possible?"
"My father Hector once told me there are two types of Mediums. The step-ins who are given their powers by signing a contract with the devil and the ones who are born with it like me."
"So Paige is a step-in?"
"Yes."
"So what is a step-in?"
"A step-in is a medium who contacts anyone they want to from the spirit world but instead of seeing or listening to spirits, they have spirits who literally step-in their bodies."
"Most of the mediums you hear about in tv shows who claim to talk to the dead are people like me who seem to have been born with it but use it for fame and money. My father told me before he died to never use my gift for fame or money. He said use it to glorify God and help people."
"I'm sorry for your loss but tell us about the other side of this spectrum with these people you call step-ins."
The room shook as the devil made his voice boom in Paige's body.
"Nevermind that. How do we save paige from this god forsaken demon?"
"You got me. I've never seen this happen before."
"Remind me to never become a step-in medium."
"I'm with you on that."
Liana looked the devil dead in the eyes. .
"Paige, you can fight this demon! We are all here for you!"
"What she said! You can fight him!"
Paige's body turned crimson red."
"Shut up all of you! Paige is no longer in this body! I have claimed this spirit for the underworld!"
"Paige, don't listen to him! We are all fighting for you."
"Kaze, stop trying to fight for Paige. This is obviously a lost cause."
"You can't say that! What if Moses said it was a lost cause when he was fighting for the freedom of his people, the israelites?
"He's right! No one is ever a lost cause! Paige, you can fight this demon!"
Natasha and Kasey shook in fear as Liana walked over to me.
"Kaze, she's not there. The devil got her. She is now trapped in hell."
'No. You can't say that! Jesus, please save our sister, Paige, from the devil."
Satan looked at me.
"Kaze, Paige is mine now. She is no longer in this world. This body is now mine."
I walked up to Paige and slapped her in the face.
Kasey glared at me.
"Sorry Kaze but she's gone now."
"What do you mean?"
"Like I said. She's gone. She is trapped in limbo."
"I don't believe you. There has to be some sort of loophole to this contract."
"Kaze, there are more important things."
"Like what?"
"Like finishing this quest for the hidden Rose and anyways I can fill in for paige until she comes out of limbo."
" Until she comes out?"
"Yes. There is still a slim chance that she might come back by tomorrow. The devil is upholded by contract to release her in 24 hours or less. Until then, we need to find the mountain where two waterfalls meet."
"Whatever that means. I mean, how are we supposed to find a mountain between two waterfalls?"
Natasha shook her head. .
"Just follow the sound of running water."
"Running water? Water is everywhere. What water are we supposed to listen to?"
Natasha shot a orb into the air.
"Fine, just follow this blue orb."
"What about Paige?"
"Stop worrying about her. She'll be fine."
Paige fell back down on the ground.
"My master is right, Kaze. Paige is just in a coma. This quest is more important. So just come and follow the orb. "
Liana nodded her head.
"Kasey is right. We just need to follow that orb."