In between - Ch. 5 Lark

Sorry about the long wait. With all the holidays, I've been really busy. I hope you like this chapter as I had a lot of fun writing it. Please Comment, comment, comment! Any comment is very helpful. Was it confusing? Just plain sucked. Had a lack of dialog, and or character development. Was the action entertaining? Just about any type of honest comment is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Ch. 5 - Lark

Cert hastily hurried about the room barking orders to his workers

"Take these people to the Study. You five, put an enchantment concealing their presence as quickly and quietly as possible."

He stop for a second scanning the room.

"Kormerigon, I need a Kormerigon."

Valithia again was the one to speak up.

"I'm Kormerigan."

"Ah, Valithia right?"

"Yes."

"I need a favor from you."

"What can I do?"

Cert jumped up on a table. "Can everyone come up here to this table, please, while staying in a single line shoulder to shoulder facing that way? Also Valithia, please go to the opposing side of the room if you will."

Everyone, including me, all gathered at the table in a very makeshift line facing Valithia. Cert had jumped down joining Valithia, and was now asking her something I could not hear. After Cert was done, she looked straight at me.

"Vahn, only him. I've noticed that oddity about him ever since we first met," she said while pointing me out.

"What," I asked.

"Thank you," replied Cert to Valithia. "You," Cert said while pointing at me, "come with me."

I hesitated for a second not knowing what I had done.

"Now we don't have time for explanations just trust me."

I looked at Valithia asking if it was something bad. She replied by looking at me with a nod, as if to say, "It's alright". Cert had come up and grabbed me with as little force as he could to make me come with him without literally dragging me.

As Cert half yanked me out of the dining room I saw the workers corralling the rest of my fellow newcomers into the adjacent room out of my sight.

"Listen to me. I'm taking you to my observing room. It is a bit underground and has the most powerful hiding aura around it that I'm allowed to produce."

He stopped for a second and looked at me sternly.

"You mustn't leave that room. The only person you are to trust to take you out of that room is Guri. You remember what he looks like right?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Now please follow me and don't make me force you to come."

He released his grip on my arm allowing me to follow him closely behind.

We had left the dining room, going into the opposing room the others were shoved into. I followed Cert now through a door leading into what I guessed to be his bedroom. He walked over to an ordinary looking wall and muttered some words. As he did the wall vanished revealing a stone passage staircase strangely lit by some source unknown to me. I followed Cert down the staircase that eventually led to a single room.

The room was not large at all and started to set off my claustrophobia. I managed to control myself as Cert gave me the last of his instructions.

"Do you see where the stairs stop, and this room begins?"

"Yeah."

"Well that hiding aura works for this entire room and the only way to leave it is step onto the first step leading out of here. DO NOT LEAVE. Please listen to me on this. If you leave this room the enemy will come straight to you and kill you."

I simply nodded, hiding my shock that someone wanted to kill me.

"One finale rule. That cloth over there," he said while pointing to the centerpiece of the room which was covered by a blanket. "Don't remove the cloth from there. The device below it emits a harmful wave similar to radiation. However, the cloth I have over it is protecting you from it. Understand?"

Once again I simply nodded while being stunned by the threat to my life.

"Good."

He then started back out of the room and once he reached the steps he turned back around.

"Remember, only trust Guri to take you out of here."

Then he turned and left me alone.

The room he had left me alone in was again mysteriously illuminated, leaving no corner concealed in darkness. The room was round and had stone blocks for walls. It was about ten foot in diameter with the only flaw being the opening caused by the staircase. The roof was one giant slab of stone as was the floor and both were polished to perfection. The only object in the room was the cloth draped over the allegedly radioactive device.

Shortly after Cert had left the room I began to hear voices.

"What's going on?"
"Why are we sitting all bunched up like this?"
"What are you all doing?"
"Is something wrong?"

These questions along with many others flooded my ears making me dart and turn looking for the source of them.

"Please calm down. We are trying to conceal you essences, and it would help us if you would remain silent. The enemy might be able to hear you all if you speak when he gets here. So again, please stay quiet."

"Are you all done with the enchantment yet?" I recognized that voice to be Cert's.

"Almost," replied more than one person in unison.

"Hurry up! We don't have much more time," Cert said, clearly angry that they were not finished yet. "Damn he is moving fast."

"What about the stone sir?"

"Leave it as is....actually... when you are done here, go and amplify its effect as long as you can without killing yourselves."

I heard some footsteps, and then they suddenly stopped.

"We have finished gathering up the merchandise."

"Excellent. I set viewing portals in this room a long time ago here...here.....and there in preparation for a time like this. Bind yourselves to one of them, and release some of the merchandise to cause distractions when you see fit. Make them last as long as possible. We are only trying to buy time for the King and Gorkall to get here."

I stopped and looked straight at the centerpiece of the room realizing that the voices were coming form there.

There must be some type of surveillance device below the cloth, I thought as I walked closer to the object intently listening in on the conversations.
*****
"He is almost here. Are you done with that enchantment yet," said a demanding Cert with some fear coming through his voice.

"Just finished."

"About time. Go and amplify the stones effect, now. He'll be here any second."
*****
I had reached the center of the room and was looking at the cloth covering the device and could definitely tell that there was light coming from below the cloth. As I inspected it closer I noticed that the light was changing colors and brightness indicating that whatever was emitting the light had to be changing for some reason.

I remember thinking over what Cert had told me earlier; "I'm taking you to my observing room," so that means that this device is like a video surveillance system just like a security guard would use in a building. I wondered... if he told me the truth about it being radioactive.

I heard Cert sigh followed by his footsteps, then, the opening and shutting of doors. It had gotten extremely quiet enabling me to even hear his now heavy breathing. The danger was incredibly close.

Then the lights in my room dimmed like a light bulb would if you plugged in a heater and turned it on in a normal bedroom.
*****
"It has been a long time," was uttered by a deep dark almost demonic sounding voice.

"Yes, it has. Yet... it's still too soon to see your face again," replied Cert.

"Now, now, that's no way to greet a guest. I simply came here to ask you a question," the man's voice still sounded demonic but now had a gentlemen's feel.

"My apologies."

I could hear a gust of wind whip by.

"Well you going to ask me this question you have traveled all this way for?"

"I was wondering... has this lake has been releasing souls at an unusual rate?"

"No," replied Cert matter-of-factly.

"You shouldn't lie. It doesn't suit you and you're terrible at it. I would like to see the souls."

"I told you there are none here."

"I didn't ask if there were any souls here. I asked if the lake had been releasing in an unusual rate."

A brief pause passes between the two.

"I'm going to have to ask you to step aside and let me in," said the man calmly while sounds of footsteps on grass slowly got louder.

"You know that I would never let someone like you into my living quarters."

"I know you sent your personal sculling to Yuricidal to get help, so I'm going to ask you once more."
The man's voice became even darker, "Let me in, OR I WILL GO THROUGH YOU!"

"Need I repeat myself? You are not allowed."
*****
Cert's sentence was interrupted by a tremor I felt in my hiding place followed by a booming blast that I did not need my spying device to listen too as it made its way to my underground isolation chamber. The sound of wood planks toppling over was next, and was in sync with a laughing Cert.
*****
"Ha ha ha... that all you got? Your fists have gotten soft with all the weaklings you've been taking advantage of."

"Do you honestly think that you can hold me off long enough for Guri to get back here?"

"I don't know but I'm sure as hell going TO TRY!"
*****
I saw a very bright light shine through the cloth followed by another tremor and clashing thunder. I was fighting the desire to lift the stupid cloth off the device so I could see the fight.

Soon after the light faded I heard more of the all too familiar booming sounds followed by numerous vibrations in the ground. Again, I heard the sound of wood toppling over, but this time, it had an added sound that reminded me of dishes mixed with pots and pans. I knew that Cert was losing the fight as he knew he would, but the coughing coming from him preceding, the sound of liquid splattering on the ground, told me that he was losing the fight much sooner than I had anticipated.
*****
"I'll ask you this one final time, in honor of our past lives. Where did you hide them," asked the demonic voice.

"I'll never tell a traitor like you!" He was barely able to get the words out through the coughing.

*****
Another clash and thunder made its way down to me through the dirt. I intensely awaited Cert to speak again, fearing, for his safety. For whatever reason, he was willingly sacrificing his life in order to protect everyone. Even more puzzling was the fact that he had taken extra precautions to protect me.

*****
"Well, well, well. What do we have here," came from the enemy's voice as if not even worried about Cert anymore.

"No! Leave them alone! This is between you and me!" Cert's voice was very weak and shaky.

"SHUT UP! You don't know when to quit do you. You're beat. You're lucky you can move in that condition"

"Didn't I ever teach you to not underestimate you opponent?" After finishing his question, another bright light came from under the cloth. "Impossible," said a disbelieving Cert.

"And don't you underestimate me," replied the obviously unfazed, untouched, unharmed Demon. "You see... it's hopeless for you to fight me."

*****
Next I heard the sound of trampling feet and primal roars. I had grabbed a hold of the blanket still trying to decide to pull it off or not.
*****
"Let's see.....a bunch of humans...seven Salitians...and oh, a single Kormerigon."

"I told you to not underestimate me," laughed a coughing Cert.

"Shit! Get off me you insects! Get off! Ah..!"
*****
It seemed like the animals from the front yard had been sent in to help Cert by his servants. From the sounds of it there were a lot of animals attacking our intruder to a great effect. Ornamental items were getting knocked off tables as were the books on the selves. The primal growls and alien like cries coming from all the different species made it sound like a swarm of ravaging beasts trying to take down their prey. I heard some of my fellow newcomers cry out in terror. It was pure chaos. Trying to cipher what was happening from all the sounds was overwhelming. I didn't know who was wining, the animals, or the intruder. Slowly however, the animals began to obviously dwindle in number, as whimpers of being kicked, punched, or whatever started to take their tolls on their bodies.
*****
"I've got to admit... you are as resourceful as ever," came from the Demon.

"DIE!" I knew that voice to be Valithia's!

"Leave her alone! Your quarrel is with me!"

"But she insist on me giving her some attention... don't you," sarcasm rang from the Demon's voice, and shortly after, the noise of someone spitting.

"Bitch!" The intruder had lost his composure for a second but quickly calmed himself down. "Well she is feisty isn't she? I wonder... if you are the one I'm looking for."

"No!" Begged a wounded Cert.

*****
I ripped the cloth of the surveillance device revealing a suspended disk of liquid, I thought to be water. Within the surface of the disk was a very clear picture of the Demon. He was tall from my viewpoint that I assumed to be Cert's eyes as it looked like I was looking up from the floor and the vision wavered from clear to multiple images repeatedly. The man had a bush full of blonde hair that hung down to the small of his back and it waved as air passed through it. From his arm that was extended out to Valithia's throat, I could tell he was incredibly built. His legs were concealed from my vision by some type of gray pants that reminded me of what a samurai would wear. I could not see his face as he was looking at Valithia with his back and side faced towards Cert.

However massively intimidating his body would be as an attacker, it was not the most dominant thing that frightened me about him. Instead it was something not a part of his body. There were streaks of dark purple lighting that jumped around his body constantly. They started at his waist and eventually made their way to the ground as if he was tethered to the ground like a tent. I could not get a count on them but later found that there were six of these tethers as I came to call them. The one thing that frightened me the most was the ominous dark aura around him. If I had to guess what Valithia meant by auras, it was this black aura the emanated from this Demon. The aura was completely black, encompassed everything around him, and seemed tangible, yet, you could see what was in it.

Light particles began to form within the room. These lights were the exact thing I saw earlier from the Kormerigon transformation. They flew from the outer reaches of every corner of the room and into the Demon. No sooner than the last particle of light disappears into the Demon, did he deliver a massive punch to Valithia's stomach. Her body gave way to his hand like he was punching a bed sheet. Her eyes bulged open and a blue liquid came from her mouth. A shock wave was created and was clearly visible in the air as it traveled to the outer edges of the room. Directly after the punch was delivered, Valithia flew out of my sight at a deadly pace, crashing through the wall. Then, the now familiar booming sound made its way to me, making me understand that he had punched Cert like that many, many times.

"NO!" I cried in horror.

"DAMN IT," agreed Cert through coughs.

I knew that he was looking for me and that I was the cause of her death. Not only had she saved my life, she now, had sacrificed herself in a fight against my enemy. How could I live with myself knowing that I was directly the cause for her death? If I were not such a coward I would have been up there regardless of how dangerous it might be for me. Just so that no one would have to carry my burden of being attacked.

I remember thinking, "I won't let others suffer because of me," and started to head out of the room towards the study.

As I was nearing the steps I heard a familiar anonymous voice in my head, "No, don't go. You're not ready yet."

"Get out of my head Cert," I replied angrily.

"He is already headed here. By going up you will only hasten the inevitable. It would be wise to stay here and observe your adversary...for in moments.... you will have to hold him off on you own till help arrives."

I stopped for a second, turned back towards the disk wondering if he truly was coming my way.

*****
"Awe, I don't think she was the one I'm looking for. All well, but it seems that they have finally come out of hiding."

"Idiot," muttered Cert.

"I'm surprised you were capable of making such a condensed concealment aura with that crap they put on you. I sometimes wonder... how things would have gone, if we had our roles in history reversed. You are definitely strong enough, just not chosen." The Demon had been talking to Cert while walking away looking at the floor. "Right about here?" The Demon seemed to know the answer even though Cert did not respond. "No answer... well I think they are right here."

"NOW!" Commanded Cert.

Three balls of light came out of nowhere headed towards our enemy. My view changed from the Demon over to my siblings in this world. An explosion had erupted which was prompted by the balls of light reaching their target. Cert was looking at the people he was supposed to protect making sure they made it through the explosion unharmed.

A servant was close by the newcomers, and as the light from the explosion came close to him, an obvious area around him and the new souls were protected somehow. Their shadows were cast behind them, and the worker looked like he was struggling to carry something heavy. The light soon became overwhelming which caused Cert to close his eyes as the image in the liquid disc before me became black. An enormous earthquake shook my room continuously for about twenty seconds. I had lost my footing and fell on the floor, astonished by what was happening.

I quickly rose to my feet and resumed watching the scene in the liquid disc. Before I had resumed watching however, two more small tremors shook my room, and I knew that the Demon had delivered two more of his deadly punches

"I'll kill you all! This is unforgivable!"

I peered back into the disc to an intimidating but hopeful sight. The Demon was hurt. His outfit was in pieces barely hanging onto his body. His right arm was badly misshapen, and hung limp beside him. One eye was held shut. His teeth showed intense anger. A blue liquid was dripping on the ground, and after a closer inspection, it was clear the liquid was coming from the arm providing definitive evidence that he was not Human. His left arm was extended in front of him, and when I looked at his hand it was missing. No blue liquid was coming out of his wrist so I concluded his hand was not visible somehow. After a second or two he pulled his arm closer to him revealing his hand clenched around a squirming servant's throat. The dangling servant was retaliating towards the Demon, but it was useless.

"Die!" Pure hatred rung within the Demon's voice.

With that word, the servant disappeared, followed by a tremor.

Cert's point of view had changed from laying on the floor to standing in a doorway I remember him seeing before. From his positioning I could tell that my fellow new souls where no longer in the corner anymore. Instead, the whole wall was missing as was most of the room. In the distance, to the left, I could see what was left of the main room. The Illusion stone was still standing under a partially destroyed staircase along with five bodies I believed to be the servants he sent to the stone to amplify its effects earlier. There were many bodies of dead animals everywhere and their bodies were releasing the same white particles of light into the air. It was a scene of death, but because of the light particles, it seemed beautiful.

I could hear Cert's voice chanting...."Pain, the forever constant reminder that we are mortal. That which provides motivation to stay within the cycle of life. Fear, the constant reminder that death forever seeks and will obtain an audience with us.

The Demon had a confused look on him, "How did you get there?"

Cert just continued his chant, "That which provides the desire to stay within the cycle of life. Hunger, the constant driver of energy transfer. The engine that turns the cycle of life.

"You really going to use that here? I know you can't aim it. Are you really willing to risk a soul for the rare chance of it hitting me? The target is random and will even include you," asked the Demon as he interrogated Cert.

"Sight, the constant provider of knowledge. That which gives us a reason to stay within the cycle of life. I call upon the four seals; Pain, Fear, Hunger, and Sight. Let them consolidate into a singularity. Have the sharpness of a dragon's tooth. Nullify the armor of its scales."

"Wait, where are your wounds? You don't look like you've even been fighting me," spoke the bewildered Demon.

As if in a drone like state Cert continued his chant as the entire room began to glow white, "I bathe in fire. Relinquish my right to water. May wind beat me, and feed the fire. I deny myself Terra as footing for escape. I stand before the Goddess. Give my soul to her, so that justice may find my enemy."

The Demon frantically started searching the room, "Wh..Wha...Where are the other souls that were just here?"He turned and stopped when he saw the Illusion Stone with five bodies near it. "No... It can't be! I would have noticed! It couldn't have all been an illusion!"

"Forbiddon wield; Ittokoso silakah; Chimera's Bite!"

"NO!" Screamed the Demon as he began to run in fear of death.

The entire room and even the darkness outside stopped glowing white and turned into a bright sea like blue. Above the Demon appeared a black spectral version of a tiger's head mixed with a snake. The Chimera's mouth was wide open facing down intending to swallow the Demon. Fire and electricity flowed around the Demon denying him footing for escape, forcing him to stop and turn towards what he was so afraid of confronting. He held his hands up and grabbed the upper and lower jaw of the spectral Chimera, beginning, his struggle for life. Cert's vision began to climb higher and higher. While looking at the Demon, Cert held up his hands in front of him and blue fire sparked to life. Cert screamed in agony as the fire spread across his body, but he never took his sight off his target.

The Demon roared loudly as he held of the Chimera from devouring him. It was clearly a test of will power. Who would give in first, and whoever did, would die. The Demon was being pushed into the ground creating a crater. The bodies of dead animals and the five servants were blown away by the energy being released. Cert continued his maddening scream as the Demon fell to one knee. The fire and electricity flowing around the Demon grew ever closer as he began to lose the fight against the spectral Chimera. Cert began to shake uncontrollably and covered his face with his hands. As his hands where in front of his eyes I could see that they were being turned into ash as the fire slowly consumed his hands, eventually, it started to consume his arms. The Chimera's jaws where nearly shut as the fire and electricity began to feed on the Demon's knees. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to me, the jaws closed around the Demon triggering an explosion of energy and light.

The liquid disc before me began to shake until it cracked like glass, sending a shard of it into my left shoulder. It was odd to have this thing that flowed like liquid sticking in my shoulder. I instinctively tried to remove it but it had buried itself deep into my shoulder bone. The pain was just too intense for me to endure. With my left arm dangling and my right arm holding my shoulder I cautiously walked back to the now cracked liquid disc laying on the floor. The image had cracks in it like a mirror would if you cracked it, but I knew what I was seeing.

Cert was lying on the ground inside the crater created by the Chimera attacking the Demon. A red glow blurred his vision, as I heard the Demon speak. It started out as a small dark chuckle and grew to an insane laugh

"Hm.. ha.. ha.. ha.. ha, M..HA.. HA... HA! Tell me brother! What's the easiest way through that pesky barrier of yours? I'll tell you. It's through the small cracks in-between the particles that make it! Mm..HA.. HA.. HA.. HA! You see the problem with re-materialization is that you have to get someone to destroy your body! M..HA HA.. HA!"

The Laughing Demon's voice faded being replaced by the sound of people sliding through dirt.

"Oh my god, Cert! Cert! Cert! Loo... Look at me. You have to tell me where is Lark? Where is he? Damn it don't you give up on me now! Where is he?"

"Ooobseer.....Oobserrrvv..."

"Good, now you rest. You've done your part. Rest assured, I won't let your efforts be in vain." I now recognized this voice to be Guri's. "Destiny!"

A feminine voice promptly answered, "Yes sir."

"Help him repay his debt. The rest of us will take care of Lark."

Sand started to creep through the walls in my room and magically gather in front of the steps leading out. I quickly scurried to the other side of the room. This can't be the Demon, I remember thinking. I saw it...Cert killed him! This can't be happening!