Richard appeared in his room, knowing fully the danger he had just put himself in, however he wasn't going to risk the entire wellbeing of the sorcery world simply because he was afraid of what one man can do. It was already late and he was sure his parents were asleep.
The last thing he wanted was to wake them up. He had missed tonight's ritual and he would never hear the end of it. He however knew a nocturne creature that stayed in the same building as he did, Rachel.
She was the only person he could trust with what was going on now, and he knew it wouldn't be long before Jeffery stormed in.
He tiptoed out of his room and quietly slinked by his parents own.
He barged in without knocking and a pillow to his face was a welcoming gift.
"Don't you know how to knock? It's past midnight" Rachel retorted while using a telekinetic spell to pull her pillow back to herself.
"There's no time" Richard said as he placed down the book on her bed.
"That's what I just said" Rachel replied with every hint of sarcasm. She wanted to get back to her phone but Richard snatched it away before she could even look at it.
"We're in danger, Jeffery Bruce is coming" Richard whispered.
Jeffery Bruce was rather infamous in the sorcery world, his name struck terror in the midst of his enemies, and his mere appearance promised death to anyone who opposed him. He had single handedly proven that blood sorcerers were underestimated a lot, and he was doing a good job at destroying the leaders of the other factions just to prove his point.
"What did you do? We have to tell mom ASAP" Rachel said jumping down from her bed. She knew very well that Daniel was Jeffrey's son, and she knew Richard would land himself in a mess sooner or later. The Bruce family is just trouble, she had concluded in her mind, but she didn't want to come between a friendship that was genuine.
Daniel was the one of the few people who always visited Richard while he was in chemo despite the risk of him being torn to shreds by members of the Infernal Judgement. The boy didn't give off much magical aura then since he never practiced magic, and he managed to keep the suspecting bastards in doubt if he was just a regular human or a sorcerer.
"You can't tell mom" Richard objected holding his twin sister by the hand. "If you tell her, she will summon the elders of the clan and this will become a war" he said just before he felt a powerful presence behind him. He easily recognized the aura and his heart almost jumped out of his mouth.
"It is already war" came Jeffery's voice from behind them. "You have something of mine and I want it back" the menacing man said while proceeding towards the awestruck twins. Richard handed over the book he held to Rachel before making a defensive pose in front of her.
"I promised my son that I will not harm you or your family. Moreover, I have no interest in fighting a sorcerer in training" Jeffery said. He stopped beside Rachel's bed and sat down on it before adjusting his spectacles.
"I really hope you do the right thing" He added.
"Run!" Richard shouted to Rachel who made to turn but was stopped by Rose. She held up Rachel's wrist and wickedly dug her sharp nails into her skin. A loud scream escaped from the wounded girl's mouth.
Acting purely on instincts, Richard dove forward landed a devastating blow to the cruel woman's face.
"Enough Rose, I am a man of my word" Jeffery said to the raging lady who had already conjured a ball of compressed air, ready to strike. Jeffery stood from the bed and took two steps forward, then for some unknown reason, he made a swift sidestep and summersaulted backwards out of range from an impending bolt of lightning.
"Get away from my children you monster" Came a feminine voice from the dark corridor. Rose had suddenly been bound by black chains before a dagger was shoved through her from behind.
Rose let out a pained grunt amidst struggles to break free from the chains, but received an electrocution for her protest full attitude.
"Good morning Mrs Hardwood"Jeffery greeted.
"Leave my house this instant" The furious mother replied. She walked forward and backed her children before charging up another lightning bolt.
"I will leave once your son returns something he took from me" Jeffery said pointing at the book that was cuddled tightly on Richard's chest.
"Is that...." Selena gasped, her eyes wide with surprise. "This grimoire is not yours and never will be" She responded, electricity crackling around her, indicating that she was ready to battle.
"You greed driven bastard" Jeffery cursed while taking down his glasses. "You will hand over that book or else.."
"Else what?" Selena questioned.
"You will be burying your twins sooner than expected"
††††††††
Daniel melted to the floor immediately his father disappeared. He needed to catch his breath and slow down his violently thumping heart. He was worried sick about Richard and what might be going on now. If Angus was awake, then he would be less worried but the boy was passed out cold. He couldn't think of anyone else to possibly help except his mother or his brother but those two weren't even reliable.
They feared Jeffery so much they wouldn't even talk back at him, talk mare of fighting against him. They feared Jeffrey, and they had very good reasons to be afraid. The man he had as a father was a monster, devoid of emotions and plain cruel.
He stood from his resting position and pricked his index finger. He had to hurry to Richards location or things might get out of hand.
††††††††
Jeffery flared his domineering aura as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, he wasn't going to waste a shirt he had changed minutes ago over an infuriated mother.
"The book now and I might consider letting your children live" He said flicking open his pen knife. He had failed to make sacrifices before this battle and yet again, he was using himself as one.
"I won't let you" Selena yelled while releasing series of lightning arrows at him. She was being wise and strategic, a blood sorcerer could only cast spells after they had made a sacrifice and she wasn't going to let Jeffery do such. She knew he was way above her and stalling him while her children got away from here with their father was definitely the best option.
Jeffery dodged the attacks gracefully and jumped away just in time before he got bound by the black chains that erupted from the floor every once in a while. She was wise stopping him from cutting himself, but she had forgotten to take in the fact that one's blood mustn't necessarily be the sacrifice. The floor where Rose's blood clumped began to glow as a smirk appeared on Jeffery's face.
Selena's face widened in shock and she felt she ghostlike hands of fear gripping onto her, but that didn't stop her from dishing out arrays of assaultive lightning.
Jeffery let out a sigh, seeing the woman was relentless even though she knew she had lost this battle. He made a summersault backwards avoiding the chains once more before placing a bloodstone in front of him. He honestly didn't feel motivated by her performance and had lost the will to fight.
He chanted few words under his breath and suddenly multiple claws grew from the floor and dug into the woman's feet immobilizing her at once. She let a pained scream before Jeffery approached her and slapped her across the face.
"You're despicable Selena Hardwood. You've gotten soft, I bet that incompetence of a husband must be rubbing off on you" Jeffery said before landing yet another slap.
Selena crawled on the floor making effort to reach for the dagger she used on Rose, but Jeffery had cruelly stepped on her bleeding calf. She muffled her screams with a palm to her mouth as she got a kick to the torso.
"Your family is despicable in fact," Jeffery insulted "The only hope you have is your son since he was assigned the familiar of your husband's grandfather. But even at that, he's almost as incompetent as your husband" Jeffery finished before knocking her unconscious with a kick to the face.
††††††††
"Leaving so soon?" Jeffery's voice echoed from behind them.
"Keep going Rachel," Richard said handing over the book to his sister who nodded in compliance and continued running with their father.
"From the depths of hell I summon thee, heed my calling Astaroth!"