The Archipelago
Caius, Bones-the-old and Adrian stood before a stone, which was covered in dust.
Bones-the-old wrinkled face had a serious expression as he placed the Bone knife, Argus on the stone.
He casted Caius a glance, the latter nodded, signifying his grasp on what Bones wants. He pulled up the sleeve of his black attire, revealing his pale white hand and bit his wrist, letting out pale red blood.
He moved his hand to the stone and let the blood dripping from the wrist fall on the Bone knife.
Bones-the-old's eyes glowed bright white and his whole body trembled as he activated his supernatural ability of foreseeing the future. This time, it's the future of the coven.
While the process went on, the others were quiet.
Anxiety or worry can't be used to qualify what Caius and the others are feeling right now. What they are feeling right now, but can't say it out loud, was terror.
Why won't they feel like that?
A Primordial vampire who is after them, but currently too weak to do it, is getting his powers back to its peak tonight.
So why won't they be terrified? Even though they hide it under hard faces.
Caius' eyes were literally glittering with viciousness that hid the dread that's coursing through his system right now.
He knew how powerful Akotal is in his full strength.
He could still clearly remember how, with a swipe of his hand, Akotal destroys houses and carries large objects.
Telekinesis. That's Akotal's special ability.
Being a Primordial, this ability made him almost an invincible vampire. And his knowledge about it is enormous.
The fact that apart from his breaking speed, his enormous strength, his almighty senses, he still possesses an ability that allows him to carry things through space without moving an inch is something that sends chills down the spine of anyone.
So Caius knew, if Akotal succeeded, he and his coven and everyone Akotal wants dead, are all done for.
"This thing, is it real?" Adrian had a sneering look as he gazed at Bones. "The wizard could have done better."
Caius felt like instilling his pain force field on Adrian when he heard this. He almost lost it. His teeths gnashed hard as he growled. "You own the pleasure of chasing him away from this coven by forcing him to locate the vampire."
"I only did what needed to be done." Adrian defended himself.
Caius' face turned to face Adrian, displease was portrayed on it.
Adrian faced him back, his eyes flashed with fierce emotion as he said. "I know. I'm a bad son now."
"I don't want you to be." Caius said.
"And I can't help it, father." Adrian didn't take his eyes off Caius' as he continued. "You telling me about my mother doesn't mean I still wouldn't fight for my soulmate."
"I only told you about your mom so you will know what to do." Caius said.
"I already know what to do."
"And I hope that is not to avenge your mother's death."
"Then if it's not, what should it be, father? I should sit down and watch the one responsible for my mother's death do things? I am a half Primordial so I can fare against a Primordial." Adrian said, slightly raising his voice.
"No, no. Adrian, don't go that way. I only told you so you will know what side to take. You shouldn't be fighting Kylian. He's not the real enemy."
"Oh, oh! Is it true!?" Adrian laughed.
"What?"
"Of course it's true," Adrian's smiled while Caius constricted his eyes in confusion. Adrian spilled. "That Kylian has saved your life before."
Caius looked away in silence.
A surprised look flashed across Adrian's face as he saw this. He felt reluctant to accept this.
"It was before you were born. Even before I met your mother. I was in the far East when I witnessed a massacred. It was horrible. The person who caused it was him. But I was almost taken responsible for it. But he came up and saved my life."
"He didn't save your life, father. He took responsibility for what he did. That's all." Adrian snapped.
"And that's why I'm telling you not to kill him for this girl. He's not an enemy. You need to get together yourself and know what side you'll stand now."
"Don't get this tangled up, father. You owe him father, I don't. And, avenging my mother's death is different from fighting for my soulmate." Adrian gritted as he muttered. "I will avenge my mother's death, and after that, I will get back my mate."
Caius sighed, exasperatedly. His eyes glinted as he muttered in a calm tone. "I asked them to stop Akotal from carrying out the sacrifice. I didn't do it myself because I can't get involved. And I don't want you to be involved too."
"Father, you couldn't get involved because of that mark behind your back. But I don't have the mark. I can avenge my mother's death if I want."
"No, you shouldn't get involved." Caius shook his head, and the plea was visible in his eyes.
Adrian stared at his father's eyes, his expression getting softer and softer as seconds passed.
Just then, Bones-the-old's eyes went back to normal and he collapsed weakly.
Caius rushed to lift him back to his feet.
"What do you see?"
Bones-the-old's face had become more old and his eyes had gained a more deep-seated quality.
However, a deathly expression was on his face as he stared with terror, rivulets of sweats dripping down his temple. His lips were trembling as he muttered.
"Darkness."
********
At an unknown location in New York.
The full moon shone brightly, up in the sky, casting its rays down onto the earth. All of the sudden, the dark clouds in sky came into picture and covered it, putting it behind its shadow and taking away the light that shone bright, illuminating everything, everywhere.
Now the moon and the dark cloud fought hard. The moon trying to break free from the cloud and the cloud trying so hard to take away the light of the world.
Everywhere around here was so silent.
But soon, a sound broke the silence, a bit.
The heavy breath of Sarai's could be heard as she clambered to the peak of the mountain, meeting the rest who were already there.
Heald, Benzo, Kylian, Mei Li, and Hector.
Sarai glared at them, breathing heavily as she snapped. "You guys can't even wait for me."
Hector shrugged his shoulders. "Not everyone could keep in mind that a witch with no supernatural endurance and strength is amongst us."
It's been hours since they have been climbing this mountain which according to Caius is the way to Akotal's castle.
Even before sunset and now, almost midnight, they are all here, finally at the top of the very high mountain that seemed to hide a whole world behind it.
Sarai's hand swept off the sweat that drenched her forehead, as she greedily inhaled oxygen into her lungs.
"Here we are." Sarai said, heaving, then asked. "Now where is the Castle?"
The others looked around.
Behind the mountain was a whole new world, it was like it's hidden from the outside world.
Actually, it is.
Even though in the map, there is this place, no one would actually know that this place is where a castle, that belongs to a Primordial vampire who's over a thousand years old, is located.
And right now, these groups of supernaturals who are here to save a life still can't believe it.
As they looked around, all they could see were rocks, caves, large trees, and finally, waters.
The rocks, caves, and large trees all formed a circle around while the water sat right in the middle of it all, calm and quiet.
Benzo looked confused at the sight which is devoid of any castle. He couldn't help but ask the others, to be sure whether he's the one who is not seeing it. "What do you see?"
"Nothing!" Heald was the first one to talk.
The others didn't even bother to reply. And their silence had already given off what their answer would be.
The others were like, 'what's going on?'.
'Did Caius lied to us about the location?'
"Perhaps, he lied to us." Hector nodded.
"Wait!" Mei Li suddenly shouted. Her slitted eyes looked like the eyes of a serpent as she scrutinized the view before them.
"What?" Hector asked, raising a brow.
The others too, had their attention drawn to Mei Li as they waited for whatever made her tell them to wait.
"Something is wrong." She muttered.
"And what's that?" Kylian asked.
"The waters. It's too still and this forest is too silent." Mei Li pondered with a deep frown.
Of course, this hitted the others hard.
This place is too damn quiet, and truly the waters are too calm.
"You are right. Something is not right." Benzo pondered.
Sarai looked around in silence, her forehead creased and her eyes narrowed as she gazed around. Kylian was having his own thoughts too as he gazed around.
Sarai cut a glance at Kylian, the latter did the same and their eyes met. They saw the glint in their own eyes, and, like a programmed machine, their eyes lightened with realization.
Heald cut his gaze to the duo as he heard them gasp. "What did you find?"
Sarai turned her gaze to the waters and she finally saw it.
A smile graced her lips as she muttered. "Look at the waters, it's still and calm yet it couldn't reflect the dark sky well."
The others turned to look at it and they saw what Sarai was trying to pinpoint.
Trully, there was no reflection on the water surface.
Definitely out of place.
Realization flooded the sense of the others that are still oblivious of what's happening and they finally knew as their faces brightened.
"So it means-" Heald gasped.
"Yes, you're right." Mei Li said.
Sarai turned to the water completely as her eyes glowed white. Her fingers snapped and a blue magic circle appeared on her palms as she muttered. "The castle is hidden by a cloaking spell."
**********
Meanwhile,
Hidden under the cloaking spell, the castle stood elegantly.
Inside the large, dimly lit hall, bodies under cloak lurked.
Right in the middle of the hall was an dusty altar, on which a female, whose Auburn hair formed a wave of pillow below her head.
Akotal strode into the hall, past heads that bowed with respect. His steps were like that of a lion walking with overwhelming confidence into its glory.
Akotal stopped a few meters from the altar.
The Dark Witches stopped before him and arched their heads.
The one at the middle, Anna, held her scepter tightly and lifted her head revealing the horrid gaze of a dark witch.
Her eyes that had dark circles around it, twitched as she said. "She can break the spell, she's an Almadi witch."
Akotal grinned, but the curl of his lip was limited by the melted flesh. His red eyes glinted with mischievous light as he said, "I know." His eyes turned to look at the lady on the altar, the sacrificial lamb to wash away his affliction for the next three hundred years. An amount of years, long enough for him to finally execute all his plans and wipe out the rest of his enemies.
His disfigured lips parted and he muttered. "I want her to undo the cloaking spell. I want them to find this castle and I want them to come." He paused and clenched his powerful fists so tight that his bones creaked, thunderously. "They will be a lesson to others who underestimate a Primordial vampire."
Anna's lips curled upwards as she turned to the altar, the other two witches following her movement, then she lifted her scepter as she muttered. "Let the ritual begin!"
**********