Nella felt herself slowly descending, she knew she was no longer on the floor of Kenneth’s basement. Her eyes were closed, but she felt like she was spinning.
Suddenly, she started hearing screams. The air was getting hotter and she could almost feel people moving past her. She felt her body going closer and closer to the screams. She tried to stop it but she couldn’t move her body.
Suddenly, she felt someone pull the cord that The Guardian had tied on her leg. The person pulled again and she felt her body (her spirit, I should say), gain weight and land on the ground.
Nella opened her eyes slowly.
“Welcome to the abyssal realm.” The Guardian said cheerfully as he stretched out his hand to help Nella up.
Theo and Kenneth were standing with The Guardian.
Nella looked around, it was still the same desert wasteland she had seen on her previous visit to the abyss, but she knew that there was more to the abyss than just sand.
“Is this the abyssal realm?” Theo asked, somewhat disappointed. He had expected something more… well… abyssal.
“Yes.” The Guardian answered simply.
Kenneth was about to ask if that was all of the abyssal realm when Tony turned suddenly, changing as he did so into his true form.
Kenneth staggered back, as did Theo (who was not as shocked because he had seen him in his true form before).
“To… Tony?” Kenneth stammered, unsure if he was talking to Tony or some demon that resided in the abyss.
“Don’t be scared,” said The Guardian, although his voice boomed, “it’s still me, Tony.”
“This is his true form.” said Nella who was used to seeing The Guardian in his true form.
Kenneth struggled to surpress the urge to run away. Why in hell’s name did The Guardian have an eye on each hand? Or fiery eyes? Or a rod that looked like it could blast one to hell and back?.
Suddenly, the desert began to roll up like a carpet. Theo and Kenneth appeared confused, but Nella knew what was coming next. So pleaded with The Guardian to stop it.
“I’m working on it.” He said as he lifted his rod.
Theo had begun to see his dead mother running towards him with a dagger. She was bleeding, screaming and accusing him of allowing her to be killed.
Theo was about to run when suddenly, the ground rolled up again, his mother disappeared and the desert spread out again, as peaceful as before except for the distant screams.
Theo stood still, his eyes wild, looking from one person to the other.
Kenneth and Nella were not any better.
“I saw … I saw.” Theo stuttered, unable to say anything sensible.
“I’m very sorry about that,” The Guardian explained, “the abyssal realm has no true form, it takes the form of your darkest fears and regrets. Since that is it’s nature, it takes a while to exempt anyone from the mental torture. I’m very sorry.”
“So all that… it wasn’t real?” Kenneth asked. He looked shaken.
“Well no,” The Guardian said, and then he muttered, “in a way.”
Theo heard it and was about to ask what “in a way” meant when The Guardian started speaking again, probably to stop them from asking more questions.
“We came here to find answers as to the connection between the prophecy, you three and the sword of Ailan,” he started, “and we are going to stick to that. Don’t get distracted by anything. Remember that for every second you spend in this realm, minutes, even hours have gone by in your world, so we have to hurry.”
They nodded, understanding.
Tony led the way through the desert. Pausing every now and then to call some strange names.
“Why is it so… quiet?” Kenneth asked.
“Because we are at Inauchi,” The Guardian explained, “it’s like the main entrance into the abyssal realm. That is why the screams you are hearing are distant.”
“Can’t we just appear in the main place?” Theo asked.
Tony shook his head.
“We have rules here, and we cannot throw them away just because Upir has turned everything upside down.” He replied.
They walked on in silence, each imagining what they would see when they got to the main abyss.
“That’s the veil.” The Guardian said when they had walked a good distance from where they had landed.
He looked up, as did the others with him.
What they saw looked like a hole wide enough to hold a door, through it they could see what looked like light. The light would not stay still though, it flickered and sometimes went completely off. It almost looked like lightening.
They all stood gaping at it.
“That’s the veil?” Nella asked, surprised.
“Well were you expecting a silk curtain?” The Guardian asked, somewhat amused.
“What did it look like before Upir tore the veil?” Kenneth asked.
“You see those things that look like lightening?” The Guardian asked, “those are the shreds of the veil. Before Upir tore it, those streaks of lightening used to form a singular barrier between the abyss and your world. Anyone who tried to cross then without carrying out the necessary rituals would be killed by the barrier.”
The Guardian continued moving. They all followed suit.
It was night time, Upir and Lehi walked casually into the woods where they had sensed the rebellious witches practicing their magic.
They didn’t make a sound, they just quietly walked up to the witches who were unaware of their presence.
The witches stood in a circle, they were about ten of them. Upir would have sent a werewolf or a vampire to attack them but she knew that they would be no match for these witches.
They stood chanting, their eyes closed so that they would concentre better.
“Aùt tgu she ami.” they chanted in the ancient language.
“It’s pronounced, amiï ” Upir corrected, making her presence known, “don’t be so ignorant.”
The witches opened their eyes, startled.
“Who are you?” One asked boldly.
Lehi ran like a flash to the speaker and dug his fangs into her neck and then broke her neck.
He was so fast that the witches only knew what had happened when their colleague’s body dropped to the ground.
“Should I do the introductions?” Lehi asked, blood dripping down the side of his mouth.
“Simul!” One of the witches shouted, casting a spell that was supposed to send flames at Upir and Lehi.
The flames passed through them harmlessly.
Upir raised her hands in the air and all the witches were lifted off their feet.
“I’m Upir,” she said, smiling, “did you really think that miserable spell could stop me?”
She threw them down violently and raised them up again.
Lehi felt someone trying to cast a mental spell, he intercepted the spell and sent it back to the person who had cast it. She yelled out in pain as blood came out of her eyes.
“She cast a mental spell.” Lehi said to Upir as the lady continued screaming.
Upir hit them on the ground again and made them unable to move.
“Now who is the leader of this nonsense?” She asked, “she must be the bravest – or the most stupid.”
“Or both.” Lehi joked.
“I asked a question!” Upir thundered.
The witches looked at a large boned, middle aged woman.
“Ahh so she’s the fool.” Lehi smiled, baring his fangs.
Upir dragged her forward using her magic. She bent down and levelled her face with the woman. Upir held the woman’s chin and forced her to look into her eyes. The woman, forced to look into Upir’s black, lifeless eyes started pleading for her life.
“Now listen to me,” Upir started, silencing the woman, “I am the one in charge, I am your ruler.” Then for Lehi’s advantage she added, “and Ah’Lehi standing over there is not your equal. I don’t tolerate disobedience, and I certainly don’t tolerate rebellion. Do you understand?!”
The woman nodded tearfully.
“Now get up.” Upir ordered.
The woman obeyed, still weeping. She made the mistake of thinking that Upir would let her go.
Lehi shook his head, he knew Upir would not make such a move.
Upir and Lehi left that place in a bloody mess.
The bloody bodies of the witches were hung upside down from the trees with the letter ‘U’ carved unto their foreheads.