FULL NOVELXO Chapter Chapter Twenty Two
The Man with the German Accent was sitting in the front row looking at the altar. According to his father, this altar, besides the Codex, was the last thing from the Great War. It was older than anything in the world. The remnants of the Black Hand, acting on the order of Victor, had moved the altar shortly after the Great War had ended, moving it over the years before it had ended up in this underground arena. The Man with the German Accent had never really understood why his father had wanted the altar to be used but he wasn’t about to question the Darkness.
The Camazot sat down next to him and growled. The Man with the German Accent looked at the beast. “What do you mean she wasn’t there?” He demanded. “Where else would the Chosen One be?”
The Camazot growled and pointed at the entrance to the arena. The Man with the German Accent looked at the entrance. Standing there were the five associates and a few Black Hands. The Black Hands with them had Emily in their hands. The girl was gagged and looked terrified. The Man with the German Accent recognized the five and was surprised to see them all there. Usually, the five never left their tower. If they were there, the Darkness must have ordered it to happen.
“So you’re the Five Stars.” The Man with the German Accent said. “Your reputation proceed you.”
The Professor smiled like this amused him. “And your reputation for failing the Darkness is well known all over the world.” He replied, making the other members of the Five Stars all snicker.
The Man with the German Accent glared at the Five Stars. “So you captured the Chosen One before my Black Hands could.” He said. “Did you at least get the Codex as well?” He wasn’t about to let them ruin the plans by forgetting that.
Doctor Vilt pulled the Codex out of her bag. “We aren’t idiots Magician.” She replied holding the book up for the Man with the German Accent to see before putting it back into her bag. “Now are we doing this or not?”
The Man with the German Accent wanted to order the Camazot to kill the Five Stars but he was going to stay calm and keep a straight head. He knew that the Five Stars were only there cause the Darkness had ordered it and he wasn’t about to ruin that order. He wanted his position back as the Darkness’s Right Hand. “We will do this soon.” The Man with the German Accent looked at his watch. “Once the full moon is above us.” He told them before he looked at Emily. “Which will give her time to get ready to be sacrificed to the Darkness.” He added before laughing. Like there was anything that needed to be done to get Emily ready. All she had to do was stay alive until it was time to carry out the ritual.
An hour later
Gabriel appeared outside of the mound. He could see the firelight from within light up the tunnel down to the arena. This time there weren’t any Black Hands standing guard outside of the arena. No doubt the Darkness wanted all of her forces gathered inside for when she finally returned to the world. Gabriel looked above the mound. There was a full moon above the arena and it was turning a blood red.
Gabriel went into the tunnel. There wasn’t much time left. There was also no sign of any Black Hands standing guard in the tunnel. It raised the question of how many Black Hands were left. If there weren’t any to stand guard at the entrance to the mound or in the tunnel, there must have not been a lot left. Gabriel didn’t complain though, he could feel that most of his powers were gone. He knew that no matter what happened that night, he most likely wouldn’t come out of it alive.
His thoughts went to James and Aunica. Aunica would most likely be placed with Emily’s family or with Emily’s cousins’ family. She wouldn’t be alone when this was over. James though would still be immortal. There would be no place for him when this was over. He would be forced to walk around the world by himself. Gabriel wondered if he should have made James mortal and use that extra bit of magic to fight the Black Hand and the Dark Lady. It would mean that James would be mortal and be able to be with Emily. He knew that the two of them liked each other.
Gabriel also knew though that if he failed that night, James would need to be immortal until he could help the Chosen One defeat the Darkness. There was no telling how long James would be in his coma as well. His immortality was the only thing keeping him alive and surviving the coma. He soon saw the main part of the arena.
Emily struggled against her ropes as she tried to break free. The Black Hands were all watching and laughing. All of them but the Man with the German Accent, the Camazot and the Five Stars. Emily wasn’t sure what had happened to Virginia Dare but she had a feeling that the immortal wasn’t alive anymore. None of the Black Hands were wearing the robes that the Black Hands had worn the last time they had been there. The Man with the German Accent wasn’t even in the same robes. This time, the Man with the German Accent was in a very expensive suit.
Emily’s eyes widened as the Man with the German Accent looked down at her. “It’s pointless trying to escape Emily.” He told the girl. “All of this is happening because of Seraphina, your ancestor. If she and Gabriel hadn’t done what they had, the Dark Lady would still be around and you wouldn’t need to die.” That didn’t make Emily feel any better.
The Man with the German Accent then smiled. “But you’re giving up your life for a very good cause. Thanks to you, the Dark Lady shall come back to rule over all of us. A dream my father, your mentor’s older brother, had for a very long time.” He said.
The Man with the German Accent looked up at the Black Hands that were present. “Today, our master, the Dark Lady, returns to us after all of these years!” He shouted to them all. There was a loud cheer from the Black Hands. “With the Dark Lady leading us, we shall take over this world!” There was another loud cheer.
The Man with the German Accent took out a stone dagger. “Now we shall sacrifice the Chosen One!” He shouted. With that, he brought down the dagger, stabbing Emily in the heart. Emily gasped as she felt the dagger pierce her heart. A dark wave of energy came out of Emily and the dagger.
Gabriel’s eyes widened as he saw the dark wave energy come out and went through him. He looked ahead. “Emily!” He shouted, running into the arena. His heart sank as he saw the stone dagger in Emily’s heart.
Emily saw visions flash before her.
A man in a forest picking her up…
She and another girl trying to flee a castle…
A young Gabriel and another young man coming up to her…
Gabriel and her walking together…
A dark cloud entering her…
Gabriel killing her and Victor fleeing…
She crying in a hospital…
The car accident when she was little…
Being at the camp with her family and Audrey…
And then Darkness all around her. Emily could hear voices coming from the Darkness. Images of Dark Ones came out of the Darkness before going back into it. Emily didn’t know how she knew they were Dark Ones but she did. That was when she saw something else
Gabriel leaning over her. She could feel herself dying. “Protect my heir Gabriel.” She was saying to Gabriel.
Emily then saw a figure before her. The figure was in a mask. “You’re back at last Seraphina.” The masked figure said before it floated into Emily.
The Dark Lady got off of the altar and looked around herself. “I’m finally back.” She said before she looked at the Man with the German Accent. “Thank you Azehesser.” She told him. “You’ve finally done what your father couldn’t.” The Dark Lady then looked at Doctor Vilt’s bag. “Destroy the Codex.” She ordered. “I don’t want it around.”
“Of course Dark Lady.” Doctor Vilt said.
The Dark Lady looked at Gabriel. “Gabriel.” She said before she went up to Gabriel. “You’ve gotten old.” She said after a few minutes of looking at Gabriel. “You failed me though. I told you to protect my heir and you failed to.” With that, the Dark Lady removed the dagger from her heart and stabbed Gabriel in the heart. “Now die Gabriel.” The Dark Lady ordered.