After classes, we had to meet up with Charles. He had mentioned a cafe, and lucky for us it wasn't far from school. Jack's cafe was one of the few cafes in the city that served things from the world before, things like coffee and pizza. Most cafes in Mayfair had other alternatives like tea and biscuits, maybe that's what they like in Europe, it was their territory before all this.
My neck still hurt from Celeste's previous meal. The venom was still burning from the inside despite being completely healed. she didn't even bother to say thanks for the blood.
We walked into the cafe and a bell rang. It was hanging on the top and would ring each time a person opens the door. Everyone looked at us like we had just entered an adult club.
The cafe was mostly filled with old men and women in their late fifties. And they all looked like corpses.
I looked around and I noticed the man seated in the corner with a peaky blinder on his head and black shades covering his eyes. He gave off that intense feeling of power. The same one Celeste emitted almost every time.
And I immediately knew.
"That's him," Celeste said, staring at the same man. She then pulled my arm.
"Let's go," she said
We moved to the corner and settled on the table as Charles. Celeste had gone full-on serious. There was a cold stare in her eyes when she was looking at him.
"I see you've come," Charles spoke first. "I almost thought you weren't coming," he said in a British accent.
Charles looked like a normal black British middle-aged blind man. That's if you don't know his true identity.
"What made you think that?" I asked,
"Well, it's thirty minutes past four," he said pointing at the wall clock. Which was pretty neat for a blind guy. maybe he had echolocation or something better.
I and Celeste stared at each other awkwardly. We couldn't tell him that she was feeding. She then rushed to speak first. "Hello Charles," she said with a smirk on her face,
Charles smiled after hearing her voice. The same smile a person would have after recognizing an old friend, "Celeste," he said, "long time no hear. How have you been recently?"
Celeste chuckled, "Alive mostly, trying to keep my world safe," she said,
They started chatting about their duties and how they are keeping up with each other's personal lives you know political and personal stuff. But I wanted to know how a minister met with the vampire progenitor.
"So," Celeste cut to business. "Why did you call us here?" she asked Charles, "Is it about the demon lord?"
Charles sighed,
"I wish I could say so, but I have worse news. It's about you son," he pointed at me,
"Me?"
"Yes. The ministers finally know about your S rank secrets" he said,
"They do?"
"Yes, but your parents didn't talk of the fact that you are the fey progenitor. So don't overthink it. Because I won't also say anything about that."
I was relieved to hear that at least. "Then what do you want to talk about…sir," I stuttered, my entire body was on fire from just talking to him. I was nervous.
"This is about your death," he answered,
The waitress settled down a tray with three cups of steaming hot coffee.
"Here are your three cups of black coffee," the waitress said in a Texas accent.
"Thanks, sweetheart," Charles said with a light smile on his face.
The waitress then walked away and back to behind the counter. It was only when she turned that I noticed the goat horns on top of her head. They were not there before, but they had just appeared right now.
There must have been something in the coffee that was making me see things.
'What about his death?" Celeste asked, she grabbed her cup of coffee.
I was confused,
"How long was he dead?" he asked her.
"Three days and a half," she answered, "why are you asking?"
--Charles paused for a moment--"I believe that Ralph here might be our key to the dark dimension. That's if we find the entrance before the demon lord," he said,
"Me…key? What is going on?", I wasn't catching up,
"Wait," Celeste interrupted. "Before you go any further, I want to know why humans had the blood diamond?" she asked Charles.
Charles chuckled softly then looked turned and faced the window like he was about to say something embarrassing. "We didn't know they had the diamond," he said." We have just discovered that the old humans call us a threat, so they are trying to find a way to create weapons that can help them fight back against us."
Celeste scoffed with disgust, "Humans always chose war to solve their issues,"
"I can't say you are wrong," Charles added. "The diamond was being worn by a banshee before she was killed by one of your kind. It was then brought to Pretoria and handed to Rebekah Andrews."
"There are other banshees?"
"Yes, Ralph and the most powerful one is Sebastian's daughter Rebekah Andrews. because of her new human abilities, she has greater control over the diamond," Charles said,
"That's why they wanted her last time," I muttered to myself, I finally understood now. The reason the demon lord was able to use the diamond was that he had help from a banshee.
Celeste then put down her coffee.
"Now explain to us why you need our help," she said. She was straightforward, so cool…
Charles grinned for the first time. Maybe he could sense that he has finally gotten her attention. " When Ralph died, the reason he was able to return was that he wasn't dead. We all know that beyond death is an endless void and the afterlife. The endless void is purgatory, and the afterlife..well, is the afterlife, but no one can return from either," he explained. Charles then produced a small silver sphere that he placed on the table.
We both stared at it.
"What is that?" We both asked,
"Press the button on top and you'll see," he answered,
I did the honors of pressing and a holographic map displayed itself.
My eyes were stunt and my mouth dropped. Holograms were common, but this one felt like I had been waiting for it for a long time, "What is this…." I asked. The map was written in ancient languages.
"Where did you get this?" there was anger in Celeste's voice,
"I made it using my dreams," Charles answered,
"What is it…" I asked Celeste,
"It is a map of the dark realm," she whispered.
I quickly turned the orb off the moment I heard that.
"Beyond death and life, in darkness, peace, and madness," she added hastily. "You fell into the darkness."
"Um…what does that mean?"
"It means when you died, you didn't die Ralph. You were pulled into a dark dimension where you managed to survive for three days, he said. "I spent there three hours and I lost my eyes."
He pulled off his shades and displayed his eyes, at least where they were supposed to be. There was nothing just eye sockets and darkness.
He put them back on. I was horrified.
"So, are trying to say I got stronger ?, and how come I have no memories of being there at all?" I asked nervously,
"Yes, you've grown stronger, I can sense it," Celeste mentioned, she sounded anxious.
"Exactly, and you can't remember now but through dreams and visions you will start to remember," Charles said,
I didn't know what to say next. I just stood up, then head out of the cafe to catch some air. All this was becoming too much to take in.
The bell behind me rang and Celeste walked through.
"He's gone and has said you can help us find the relics and end this bloodshed before it even happens," she said,
I checked my watch and it was six o'clock. It was late. "we should head back home," I said, ignoring her words.
The cafe was near William street, another popular street named after a human, I was standing on the edge waiting for a taxi.
I suddenly sensed something coming for me.
"Get down!" Celeste yelped,
I threw myself down and BOOOMMM!!!! a random fireball hit a car and toppled it over into a nearby store.
The blast was so strong it sent a very loud ringing noise into my ears.
I stood up with my ears covered and looked around to see where that had just come from. Everyone was panicking, the smell of smoke was around the entire place. I couldn't see properly, but I could see the yellow bright flames spread from the store.
The fire spread faster and started to take on human-looking shapes. It grew claws and a muscular body and a wolfish face.
I was still staring when I felt a hand grab my arm.
I turned. It was Celeste. "We need to run…" she said then pulled me and we started to run as fast as we could.
We ran into the street without looking behind. All I could hear were vicious roars.
Celeste then teleported the two of us into a museum. Then we both hid behind a fountain that was in the center of the museum.
And the flaming werewolves also appeared at the entrance. They broke through the metal detectors and then came charging at us.
Panic started to grow amongst the civilians who were already inside the museum. So now everyone was screaming, running, and stumbling into each other.
A few guards stepped forward to protect the civilians who were now running out through the fire escape. They made a human barricade and conjured up a cage that the hounds simply broke out using their fire abilities.
One of the hounds then sput out flaming tentacles from its back, the tentacles grabbed one guard, hoisted him into the air then disintegrated him instantly using flames. the guard was gone and a poor of ash was all that remained.
Terror grew on the other guards' faces and they started running after seeing that, but it was too late. The hounds surrounded and consumed all of them instantly.
Celeste watched as the guards disintegrated and she said one thing "Hellhounds," she said quietly, then formed her sword. "Someone wants us dead asap," she whispered. I noticed she was shaking because she wasn't holding her sword firmly. she was frightened.