Hunger had gotten the better of Daniel and after many failed attempts, he finally broke free from his father's binding spell and made for the kitchen. He hadn't had breakfast and noon was already fast approaching.
A wave of nausea hit him once more, his vision even more distorted than ever. He stumbled unto the kitchen table before tumbling over to the running dish washer. Fighting hard to regain control of his consciousness, he managed to find his way to the sink. Without hesitation, he splashed the flowing liquid from the sink onto his face hoping it would solve his problems but it seemed to get worse.
His eyes were closing without his permission and his brain was spinning uncontrollably. He finally gave in, his eyes closed and his body began falling backwards unto the neatly arranged set of kitchen knives.
Daniel's eyes flung open and suddenly he was whole again, as if being released from captivity but it was already late. He was inches away from impalement when once again Alexander had appeared from nowhere and saved him.
He felt his body go numb with fear, and he crouched down on the kitchen floor to recover from his second brush with death.
"You're fine now, the curse is gone" Alexander assured while a taking a peek at his brothers neck to back up his claim. The marking on him was gone and his heart rate dropped in relief.
Daniel stood from the floor, his hunger and appetite suddenly diminished. He took a quick body assessment at his brother, scanning to see if he was loosing a body part, but he looked even better than he was when he left. He underestimated Alexander, and he had proven himself more than enough. His respect for him had suddenly sky rocketed and he just couldn't help but admire the man in front of him.
"Are you okay?" Daniel asked just to be sure. He looked okay but his curiosity had always gotten the better of him.
"I'm fine" Alexander answered nodding also to prove his point. "Where's Jeffery?" Alexander asked. Trying to pinpoint his father's presence around the house but couldn't.
"I don't know, he bound me up and left just after you did" Daniel answered suddenly feeling uneasy by the sudden change in his brothers expression, something was up and it wasn't good.
***
Angus shot up from sleep, the entirety of his bed had been soaked in his sweat, but that wasn't what bothered him. Lately he had been having these disturbing dreams and each time he woke, he always felt a sharp pain on his markings and sometimes, they even bled.
They had started just after the funeral of the Brothers and it seemed their death had been haunting him. Only one of them was left, a nine year old still in training. A new recruit and Angus was tasked with his well being. It had been the sole reason why he had built his boundary with both Richard and Daniel fearing that if they knew, then the sorcerers might come to wipe them off the earth.
He rose from the soaked mattress and went in for a quick shower. He was virtually a father now, and he was doing all he could to hide his uneasiness from his ward.
Wilson was highly talented, being able to master blessings and curses that took years to learn under weeks. He felt relieved by the boys intellect and talent, a worthy successor and a powerful one. Wilson had showed up on the doorsteps of the nuns, and stayed a week with them before he was transferred into the car of the Brothers.
The nuns instantly transferred him into the care of the Brothers after the boy had exhibited unnatural healing capabilities. He had healed one of the kids who had been paralyzed from birth, but instead of showing appreciation, they called him an abomination, witchcraft they often referred to.
They had been the ones who reported him to the authorities, after he had predicted that one of the children would burn himself and sure enough he did.
Wilson's mark was clearly visible, the stab to the messiah's side was evident by his thigh too. It was only a theory but Angus had presumed he was brought to them by the heavens. His holy relic was the weapon the pierced the side of Christ and suddenly a child shows up with the exact mark of Stigma of the damage his weapon had dealt. It was more than a coincidence he thought.
Loud ringing from the kitchen bell sang breakfast to his new inmate. He was terribly shy and never spoke unless he was meant to. Wilson appeared slowly to the kitchen table and settled opposite the already eating Angus.
"Good morning" He greeted, his voice faint and shallow.
Angus looked up at him trying to verify if he spoke or the wind was toying with him. He didn't reply. Wilson ate slowly yet hungrily until everything on his plate was gone. He didn't blame the boy, he never had real parents and the Covent wasn't exactly a good place for a boy to stay.
"Did you have any more visions lately?" Angus asked. Everytime he woke with his bleedings, Wilson always had a story to tell but this time he swung his head in denial.
"No" He vocalized sitting still on his chair while waiting for Angus to give him his next order. Suddenly as if being controlled, the boy began to speak.
"He's coming, the bad man. He's coming to kill us both" Wilson spoke just before Jeffery made his appearance.
Angus panicked pulling the young boy aside and standing in front of him in a bit of defense.
"What do you want?" He questioned. His hand moving steadily towards the kitchen knife on the table.
"It seems the stories of the book might have been twisted at some point" Jeffery spoke. "It tells that only the flames of hell or Power of Heaven can destroy it's pages and yet, I've made a shocking discovery. Apparently, you posses a weapon known to even wound God, so I thought if a weapon can wound your Almighty, then it wouldn't be hard for the same tool to destroy the book" Jeffery explained taking little notice of the little human that hid behind the defensive Angus.
"And what do you mean to imply?" Angus asked running a blessing spell to the kitchen knife.
"it won't be long before the other factions of sorcerers learn about the existence of the book and sooner or later, they will also learn about the power you possess. I'm just here to make sure none of my foes get their hand on such artillery." Jeffery explained as he tore his flesh open.
Angus attacked first reading meaning into the self inflicted injury. He hurled the blessed kitchen knife at pinpoint accuracy at the deranged man's head while beating a quick retreat with Wilson.
The attack was quick and unexpected. Jeffery already knew of the nasty power the Brothers of Stigma possessed. They could null one's magic prowess with a single scratch of their blessed artifacts. This was however not applicable to nature sorcerers since their magic came from a pure source. And it made them serious formidable foes even more dangerous that the Infernal Judgement. He was quick to dodge before casting a barrier spell upon the building, none was to leave unless he decided it.
He dashed after his two fleeing victims gaining on them with every passing second.
Angus tried his teleportation spell but it didn't work. He had no choice, against an opponent his predecessors failed to contain, he was going to use it at least for Wilson's safety. But no sooner had he began to materialize the weapon had the little boy opposed.
"Don't" Wilson said holding his hand and cancelling his spell. He looked at the young boy in surprise, someone of his skill couldn't possibly be able to touch even a trace of the Lance talkless of canceling out the weapon. A feat even his deceased teachers couldn't pull. What was going on?
Angus could feel it, the sudden surge in energy that came from the boy. Now, Wilson stood in front of him in a defensive pose against the approaching Jeffery.
Jeffery could feel it, a power on par with his. Fear crept into him and he wavered for a bit.
'How is this possible? A little boy?' He questioned himself. 'impossible' he concluded before making his attack. Black thorny vines crept up from the earth and began an endless assault at the two boys.
Wilson's eyes glistened gold, every vine withered before they even came close. Every attack that followed suite met the same faith until Jeffery went for physical combat, not caring if his opponent was a child. He was clearly formidable and a person with such power was a threat to his plans.
Angus intervened, seeing that Wilson's power failed to grant him the grace against physical combat. The boy was utterly defenseless and was open.
He took a punch in place of Wilson, before recovering quickly to shield another blow directed towards the boy. A punch like this was enough to kill a normal human and even amateur sorcerers but his healing capabilities were unmatched. He had become a punching bag receiving lethal blows and yet retuning for more.
He welcomed an axe kick to the face and a spinning one to the same face and expected another but nothing came, not even a pinch.
He opened his eyes to the sight of Daniel and a stranger. A body binding spell had been cast on Jeffery just as he was about to deal another damage but he had already broken past the spell but didn't make another move.
"What do you think you're doing Jeffery?" Daniel questioned, rage visible in his eyes. His voice thundered as he vocalized his words, it didn't sound like him any longer. Another power was in play, the curse
Daniel's pupils turned black and dark runes ran through his skin. He charged towards Jeffery, his speed exceeding that of Alexander who was left awestruck. Jeffery blocked just in time, the force of the attack pushed him backwards, but he managed to stand his ground.
Jeffery knew well what was going on, the book's curse was in play and had granted his son immense power almost on par with his at the moment. He had already used up half his power against the strange child and now he was being pushed back by his berserk son.
Daniel struck again, his fist covered with a black stream of energy that dealt serious damage to whomever it encountered, but his opponent was Jeffery.
Jeffery skillfully dodged the attack just before the blow reached him, before delivering his own to his son's torso without holding back. The berserk Daniel flew backwards crashing onto furnitures which stopped his flight.
"Use it now!" Wilson spoke to Angus who was still shocked at Daniel's display of strength. He was going toe to toe with someone who murdered his entire family. "If he keeps going, he's gonna die" Wilson warned
Knocking himself back to reality, Angus began to materialize the Lance once more, his three marks emitting light as the accoutrement took form. The plan was to cancel Daniel's curse before it consumed him, worse killed him but he felt uneasy using this on his friend.
"Now!" Wilson yelled. Startled by the quiet boy's sudden outburst, Angus lurched forward just as Daniel sprang towards his father for another assault. Promptly dodging an outstretched blow, he grazed the berserk boy on the arm before knocking him down with a kick to the back.
The runes disappeared with a cloud of dark smoke, and an unconscious Daniel was revealed lying on the floor.
Wilson sprung forward to shield a distracted Angus from the evil clutches of Jeffery. He had dashed for the Lance just immediately Angus had delivered his blow but Wilson had knocked him down with a vase enhanced with magic.
Angus had cancelled his spell upon realization of the current situation.
He felt disgusted, even though his son was near death, all he cared for was a tool. Jeffery rose from the floor, his head bleeding from the force of impact. A cynical smile was on his face just as he dematerialized into the air.
Alexander still stood rooted to the ground out of shock. The disappearance of his father had for some reason brought him back to reality and he now squatted beside Daniel's unconscious body.
"Leave him with us, he'll be fine" Wilson assured. Alexander didn't know why but he found comfort in this little boys word. Reluctantly, he abandoned the body of his younger brother swearing revenge on his father as he disappeared.