Chereads / The Exorcist's Legacy / Chapter 28 - Trials and Tribulations: עשרים ושמונה

Chapter 28 - Trials and Tribulations: עשרים ושמונה

IT was a battleground for Isaac.

He had no idea how he ended himself here. All he could recall was that he was being pulled, and that's how he got here.

All around him were the bodies of what he surmised to be angels and demons.The air was heavy with the metallic stench of blood, permeating the damp earth.

Against the pandemonium all around him, a marble gravestone stood out.

It was engraved with 1 Samuel 7:12, but someone had added an additional sentence with a sharp object so it now read as follows:

"... called its name Ebenezer, for he said, 'Hitherto, the Lord has helped us.'" but not anymore.

He shuddered when he read the message.

Beside him was someone.

"I've had this vision for years," the person said.

It was Bell. She seemed more alive than earlier. Now that he thought about it, he had never heard her speak.

"What is this?" he asked her.

"Do you know what the most powerful charism is?" she asked and walked ahead picking up weapons as she came across one.

"I don't know."

"Oh, sorry," she apologized. "I meant to say the most feared."

What was the most feared charism?

"Shouldn't it be the most powerful?" he replied.

She shook her head. "There's a difference. Any charism could be considered the most powerful. Anyways, what we're seeing here is the future. Your future to be exact."

The Isaiah Charism of Precognition.

"But how?"

He was starting to get confused. The Isaiah exorcists were extinct- no, not extinct- a charism family couldn't be extinct since charisms could also be attained randomly. But majority of them were wiped out 50 years ago. Even if she was one, how could he be seeing her vision?

Isaac watched her intently.

"It's not an incident I like recalling, but I did escape with my daughter, may her soul rest in peace, but yes, I escaped," she replied. "If I remember she had a child."

"How is he/she?" Isaac asked. He was breaking his 'don't care rule' but couldn'thelp but feel sympathy for her. He then realised that there was no way she would know her grandchild was faring.

"The child's doing well," she replied. "You've met already."

Isaac furrowed his eyebrows. "I have? Who is it?"

Her expression faded away, making her look lost then turned towards him.

"I'm bad with names," she replied. "But he will play a very important roll in your future."

Isaac had a feeling that she wouldn't tell him how the events would play out, probably because she didn't know herself.

"Why am I here?" he asked. "Why me?"

"I had a very perculiar vision on the day the Isaiah exorcists were massacred," she replied. "Normally, visions are exactly what their names imply, visions. But this one was different.

"An angel told me to beware of a witch with the divine charism. He said that the witch would be the Harbinger of Rapture."

The world around them started cracking.

Rapture?

He hadn't even lived two decades, yet he was going to start rapture. He didn't know where to begin. He wasn't even sure if he was the one the prophecy was talking about.

"You've got to explain this in more detail, when we meet again."

"We won't- "

The ground shattered and under Isaac was blackness.

Belle didn't fall but stood watching him. The space around her became illuminated with white light.

For a brief second, time froze. Belle smiled and Isaac could feel an otherworldly presence.

"Can I finally rest?" she asked to the empty space.

"IT IS YOUR TIME MY CHILD, FOR YOU HAVE DONE WELL."

"What of my grandchild? Will you watch over him?"

"I CANNOT ASSURE YOU, FOR I AM BUT A MESSANGER."

She looked disheartened but she regained her smile. She took one last look at Isaac closed her eyes.

"I am ready," she announced.

*****

"Let the trial of Isaac Ezra Wade begin."

He stood in their centre and they encompassed him. All the Cardinals were present. They were all identified by different symbols.

Isaac knew Blanc was among them. He could feel his gaze. If Blanc was here, then so was Festus Reed.

There was a spotlight, focused on him such that he couldn't see anybody. He was blinded by then light and all he could see outside of the light was darkness.

Someone walked up to him.

It was a middle aged man. Probably in his late 20s or early 30s. He had smooth olive skin and oiled dark brown hair. He had hazel eyes but they looked gold in the spotlight. Something about them was almost eerie, as if they didn't belong to a human.

Isaac tried to back away but he was chained to the ground. As he approached, he noticed that the man looked familiar but he couldn't tell where he had seen him before.

"Calm down Isaac," he said. He was wearing a mic so his voice sounded thunderous to Isaac.

He faced the panelists.

"As we all know, this here is sixteen year old Isaac. Born to Leah and Jacob Wade, may their souls rest in in peace-"

He sounded like he knew them, though Isaac still couldn't place where he had seen him.

"- he possessed magic though he was branded at a very young age. It was recently discovered that he also possessed a charism. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't be as blown up as this but it turns out the charism is none other than the Divine one."

Screens popped up around them. They displayed Isaac's fight with the demon in Gomez Estate.

The murmuring began.

He couldn't believe that he was watching himself. He could remember what had happened but it seemed more like a dream.

The screen paused during a zoomed picture shot of him. He could barely recognise himself. There was blood on his face and his irises were glowing with a golden hue.

When did he learn how to wield a sword?

He couldn't recall.

"There are three problems to be solved today. First, the most intruiging-"

He turned towards Isaac.

"How did he attain the charism?"

There was silence for a few seconds and the man continued.

"All who agree that finding the answer to this problem is a wild goose chase, signify?"

All Cardinals' symbol glowed brightly.

"Secondly, what are we going to do with him?"

The Cardinal represented by the flame symbol spoke first.

"Let's kill him."