Carlisle sat in his office, awaiting death to take his life with its icy grip. The air grew cold as the door to his office opened. A woman wearing a long black cloak walked in. Her face was hidden. She sat down and dark steam arose around her. "Welcome, would you like a cup of tea?" Carlisle asked as he got up, grabbed his cane and walked over to the kettle. As the kettle boiled the woman slowly shook her head. "I'm not going to lie; I was expecting a man in a cloak with a massive scythe." Carlisle chuckled. He finished making a cup of tea and took a sip. There was nothing but silence for the next few minutes.
"You've acknowledge that this is the end?" She asked in a whisper. "I am surprised; most of my clients scream and shout."
"Is that what we're called? 'Clients'" He asked placing his tea on the side. "We're not your clients, they send you here as extraction. I've done nothing wrong."
"They call upon Death when things get out of hand. It has the power to become someone familiar or at least someone who they can trust. Yet you, you register my gender not who I am." She explained. "You killed the Grand Mage." She whispered harshly.
"He knew his true name and I noticed the cracks in his judgement, he was about to order his cleavers to strike the sorcerer school in Roarhaven, he could of started a war." Carlisle explained controlling his voice.
"What's done is done." She replied standing up. Carlisle smiled and tapped his wrist. A symbol bellow the girl was glowing and soon she was on the floor as if a magnet was forcing her down. Shackles clipped to her wrists and ankles. She got up and attempted to break the shackles. "What have you done?" She screamed.
"I have bound your powers. That way, you can't hurt me, or anyone else for that matter." Carlisle said with a smirk.
"Answer me this, why can you tell I'm female but not tell who I am?" She asked.
"Alisha is in jail; she is insane and has been trying to steal your powers for a long time. I sensed the spike in power and when I saw you I had realised that it was Death, not Alisha." Carlisle explained.
"I couldn't exactly turn into your parents could I?" She asked.
"Soon, you'll be gone." He said. She stared in disbelief as the dark steam was slowly getting thicker and thicker and moving away from her body. She changed from her, to an It. It had a skeleton for a body and nothing else. It cried in pain as the steam attempted to reform around it but failed. Carlisle tapped his thigh and the steam twisted and snaked around his cane. He tapped the head of his cane and allowed the steam to surround him until. His blue trousers and tight top was replaced with an exquisite suit, black and Italian cotton. He stamped his cane on the floor. The floor shook and the bones became a lifeless pile of dust.
Carlisle's smile didn't last long. Like most necromancy, Deaths magic was bound to an item but the item was the cloak it wore. The cloak was now in his possession, changing from a cloak to a suit. He keeled over in pain; the pain was due to a spike of power generated from the newly received power. More pain arose from his subconscious as Death attacked with spikes, but he was stronger and eventually, Death was hidden deep in his subconscious for as long as possible. Unlike other items of power, the cloak had to be taken and not given. Carlisle had planned this ever since he had heard that the Sanctuary was using Death as a hit man. Carlisle may not have been a sensitive but even he could tell that Deaths involvement was causing a change in the balance. It was like each cradle had been tore away from it and moved to a new destination. The pain subsided and he was no longer adjusting it. He left his office and walked towards his car. His car was an old London Taxi Cab. To him it was a thing of beauty, but to others, well, they thought he was a cab driver.
He drove down the road towards the new sanctuary, located at Gordon Edgleys Estate. He was into the front door and waited at the desk that sat uncomfortably in the hallway. "Good Evening." He said to a mage trying to squeeze past the oversized desk.
"Hey, aren't you Carlisle?" He asked. Carlisle noticed three distinct things about this mage. One, he had recently been in a fight, and won, but not because he was strong. Two, he's had open heart surgery that left him dead for two minutes. Three, he reeked of murder.
"Yes I am, and who did you just kill?" Carlisle asked.
"I killed a young mage who was trying to steal the recently rediscovered god killer weapons." He replied. He wasn't lying. "I was accompanied by three cleavers as muscle and was to only go for the kill if absolute necessary."
"What lead you to kill him?" He enquired.
"He was a teleporter, and he was about to get away with the Sceptre of The Ancients, not really what I class as one of the god killer weapons, but still dangerous. I grabbed him and he teleported to a field and by that time it had already bonded with him. I made him teleport me back and then I'd leave him alone. When we got back into the sanctuary and that's when he realised he had teleported into the scythe of a cleaver. I finished him off with broken neck and skull." He explained.
"Oh, well that was interesting, sorry to rush you but could you please take me to the elders please?" Carlisle asked.
"Sure," he said. He moved backwards to let Carlisle get through. Carlisle jumped over the desk and walked to him. "My names Derek, Derek Shamen,"
"It's nice to meet you; do you have any idea where the receptionist is?" Carlisle asked.
"Yeah, she was sent to deal with one of the Cleavers." He explained.
"Why? What happened?" Carlisle asked.
"Something went wrong; the cleaver clutched its head and pulled its helmet off with a dazed expression like it had no idea where it was." He said.
"So you were there?" Carlisle replied.
"No, I just overheard her talking to someone." Derek explained. They spent the rest of the walk towards the meeting room in silence. Derek left him there and said a quick good bye. Carlisle sat in the meeting room waiting. He practised using the steam and controlling it while he waited.
The door burst open and there she stood, the new Grand Mage. She looked annoyed. She was flanked by two mages. One was Hansen Crucible. The least powerful elder, his reputation was not a good one. Rumours were he had a rare ability but was so bad at it that he could barely do anything. The person to her right was Amelia Darkstar. The name was unusual but suited her. She was an ex assassin that was fast and travelled through the shadows like a necromancer. Her ability however was control over fire at an adept level. She had single handily made specialised Adept Disciplines that focused on one element, fire. The new grand mage was young and very attractive. She was a Necromancer and her name was Athena. Just Athena, she hadn't chosen a last name but she was still powerful. Her smile was always wicked and when she was angry, you could see the shadows recoil away from her, as if afraid that they'd be forced to do something. She sat down and gestured the others to sit near her. Amelia gracefully sat in the chair beside her. Hansen attempted to sit down but ended up falling over and hitting his head on the table. Hansen finally conquered the seat and sat with an embarrassing smile.
"Good evening Athena," Carlisle said with a smile.
"I should put you in a prison and lock your powers down for the rest of your life for what you did. Unfortunately, I can't do that. What you did was rational and even though it resulted in a hit on you, I'm glad you did it. You shouldn't have taken the action you did and the way you're sitting there all cocky should annoy me and make me send you to a holding cell, but there are more promising matters at hand such as; how did you survive? Death should have killed you and left your corpse to rot away." She said quickly as if this meeting was an inconvenience.
"I planned everything. I had realised that you had enlisted Deaths help to sort this country out and I sensed the changed in power. The balance was shifting, but not in our favour. So I got the hit put on me. When the time came I was ready and Death was stripped of its powers, naturally they drew to the closest and most powerful magical item, my cane, and then it flowed through me from that" He explained sheepishly.
"What's it like? I mean power alone is great, but power like Death must be astonishing, can you kill people with your mind?" Amelia asked.
"It's scary but in a good way. The power causes me to sense things like death or murder but I'm still me, the bonebreaker who has been working here for a long time." He said.
"Why did it choose you?" Athena asked.
"It didn't choose me; I stole it, that's how you take its power." I replied. Necromancy is a powerful but dangerous Discipline."
"How is it dangerous?" Athena asked with a chuckle.
"The fact that Necromancers can become corrupt easier than any other Adept, including people with Gist's may be a sign that it is rather dangerous." Carlisle said with a shrug.
"Oh, that's not fair, I'm pretty sure gists can become way more corrupt, anyway can you show me what the energy Death controls looks like?" She asked.
"Sure, It's a smoke rather than shadows becomes smoke is easier to dissipate so when it comes to escaping, or shadow walking, this stuff doesn't draw many looks." Carlisle used the black steam to slither over the table and wrap around her wrist. Her wrist became cold and she sensed the Deathly energy spike up then settle back down as the steam withdrew. She looked dazed.
"Anyway," Amelia said speaking up but not willingly looking into his eyes. "A sorcerer has recently travelled across the world to the places where the grotesque ashes have been distributed and we're worried that they may have found a way to resurrect the grotesque or worse, place the heart into another creature to form a extremely powerful sorcerer."
"That's impossible, whoever it is, would only be able to bring it back to a certain point. Unless they obtained the heart but then what's the point, unless." Carlisle trailed off. "Where is this person?"
"He was last spotted in the Himalayas, but the next target is here." She replied.
"I'll be in the repository if you need me." He said with a wink. He was surrounded by the dark smoke and then he was gone.
He sat in the Repository. He waited for two hours until he got bored and started looking through the stuff. He noticed and shadow move and ignored it. The box sat on his lap and he held it with a firm grip. He noticed another shadow move. From the darkness a figure appeared. "Hey, Carlisle," The figure said with a smile.
"Conner?" Carlisle asked in disbelief.
"Yes, I learnt the ways of Terramorphing and how to recreate people from their ashes. With that I can bring back the faceless ones heart and give it to our lord, the vilest creature to ever walk the earth, Lord Vile." He said with a smile. "All I need is that box." He pointed to the box I held in my hand.
"You didn't need to point the box out considering it's the only box in this isle and the only box with the heart in it…" he mocked. He glared at him. "How are you going to take it?"
"That part is simple," He said, still glaring.
"Why do you want Lord Vile to return?" Carlisle said.
"I want it back to bring forth a Daemon stronger than the faceless ones. I want it to bring a creature older than the faceless ones." He said with a wicked laugh.
"Lord Vile is weak and his armour exists here. Whatever you're planning won't work" Carlisle replied with a puzzled expression.
"Lord Vile will be on this land sent from several dimensions creating a power greater than anything; he will fuse the armours together and steal the heart and use it as its own. Only then will he be strong enough to bring a new era." He laughed. "Sorry I can't stay to chat, but I have a creature to bring back. "He reached into his jacket and pulled out a tube of thick black liquid. He poured the liquid onto the floor. The liquid became thicker and split into two. The two blobs grew until they were 3ft and had thick white eyes. Their mouths were pure white and they had pointy thin ears. Their arms were strong. Their body was like ink. "Ink Creatures?" Carlisle asked. He just smiled. Carlisle had fought these before but had always ended up badly injured. The creatures kept smiling and didn't move. When they did move, it was slow steps that resulted in easy to dodge attacks. One of them tapped a symbol on its chest. It began to glow a faint red. The other copied and started to glow blue. Whilst Carlisle was distracted Conner had teleported away. Symbols were constantly changing around their bodies. Some increased their speed, others increased their strength. The first one opened its mouth and blew fire at him while the other ran with immense grace and unnatural speed. It jumped as he dodged the fire and then it punched him in the face, the box landing on the floor. Conner smiled and grabbed the box disappearing, leaving him with the two Ink Creatures. Carlisle gripped his cane and tapped several symbols, both on the cane and him. He had now been consumed by the black smoke that had begun to billow out of every orifice. The creatures stalked him, awaiting a strike. Carlisle shot the steam towards the creatures causing them to panic. The creatures dodged and came in close. Carlisle sent a spike of shadows into them both. They fell to the floor and another symbol appeared and began to glow, healing them of all wounds.
He sighed and watched the door carefully, awaiting someone to burst through and save the day. Unfortunately, it was usually him bursting through the door and saving the day. This time he was truly alone. He noticed the door slightly ajar. He smiled knowing now that he wasn't alone. He sent a beam of energy at one of the creatures, disturbing the healing process allowing for him to hopefully finish it off. Just as he was about to strike a hopeful finishing blow, the other creature sent a powerful punch sending Carlisle crashing into one of the isles. They both finished healing and prepared another attack. The smiles had never faded making it much creepier. Carlisle glanced around the room as he got up; searching for the other person. He sensed her presence but couldn't see her. A shadow tendril shot from the shadows gripping one of the creatures around the waist. The creature shifted its symbols until they radiated light. Before the light could do any damage, a wall of darkness hit both of the creatures. Weakening the first one and only making the second one angry. Carlisle sent the dark smoke to curl around the second one, draining it of life. The life kept seeping back in so he used the smoke as a distraction. From the shadows, the girl kept striking the other one, stopping it from helping its partner. A symbol appeared on them both and soon the room had no shadows anywhere. There she stood, smiling. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. Her smile was cute but sly. She had a tattoo of a snake on her arm. She smiled and as the darkness returned to her she tapped her arm. Her arm began to glow and the snake came alive, peeling itself away from her arm. The snake struck at both of the creatures as she strode over to him. "You should be in jail."
"So should you." She said. Her accent was thick Russian.
"So, you were released to help?" He asked.
"God no, I broke out was offered the chance to redeem myself." She smiled. "Now let's kick ass." He smiled. She gripped the shadows a pulled a creature from it. The creature was tall and had indescribable features. The creature copied her movements. He followed her and watched as the ink creatures were retreating realising that they had lost the battle. Carlisle didn't let them escape. He sent the smoke into them and pulled them back trying his best to wipe away every symbol that appeared. It was difficult but with Alisha's help he did it. The creatures returned to a box as ink form and that was the end. He placed the box on the shelf and left.
"How'd you escape?" Carlisle asked as they walked through the sanctuary.
"I walked out. The guards were all busy, and so I just left." She said slowly.
"Did you distract them?" He accused.
"No, they bought a new prisoner in, his name was Felix and he was the most powerful man alive so he had to be watched at all times. He started a riot and I walked out and trapped the other prisoners in there. When I heard, well felt, that Death had moved to new vessel, I knew it was you. I flew here on the next flight possible and here we are." She explained. "So, how did you gain its powers?"
"I used symbols to trap it and hold its powers." Carlisle said.
"I've heard that it becomes the image of its victims 'love' she teased. " Carlisle glared and began to walk faster. "So, how come you're not going crazy and killing people? Surely it would have beaten your mind to a pulp and taken what's left and used it as a weapon against the people closest to you?"
"Symbol magic is far more than just symbols. It's also allowing your mind to have the right sort of connection to the source of magic, protecting it and thus protecting your symbols. I've been protecting my mind for decades, that's the only reason I have all these symbols on my skin." He answered.
"But, they're not tattooed and you can change them?" She asked.
"I use this special ink. The same kind those creatures are made from. This ink bonds with its surface and if the surface is living, it just uses the mind to become the symbol it needs to be. Watch this." Carlisle said. He opened his palm tracing the symbol over again 3 times then drawing a new shape. The ink moved and copied his finger until a new symbol was formed. He tapped the symbol and he was encased in black smoke. The black smoke cleared and he was gone. "Basic teleporting symbol." He said from behind Alisha. "Can teleport me a few metres away." She laughed and they walked out of the sanctuary into the dark night.
"It's a nice night, could be one of the last in history if you don't stop Conner." Alisha said beaming.
"I can't stop him alone; I need you. You have to help. You were born into Necromancy and if anyone should be helping, it's you. We'll have three cleavers, but in the end, it's us, against Vile." Carlisle said grabbing Alisha gently and looking into her eyes.
"Okay, I'll help. That rumour isn't fully true, by the way." Alisha teased and began to walk towards the shadows. Carlisle followed.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"I was literally born from the shadows…I died as a baby and the necromancers, used magic to bring me back. I'm a walking dead girl." She said with a wink.
"Really?" he asked.
"Nah, I'm just naturally good at necromancy, so good that I was nicknamed, child of shadow." She said with a laugh.
"That'd be a great villain group, like Children of Spider but Shadows." Carlisle joked with a laugh. She punched his arm and ran ahead of him.
"So, why is he doing this? And how are we going to find him?" She screamed as she ran up the road. Carlisle ran after her. When he was behind her, he grabbed her waist.
"I know people." He winked. They stopped doing what they were doing when they realised what it was.
Carlisle turned, looked at Alisha and winked. He disappeared leaving Alisha alone in the road. He appeared back with a guy next to him. "This is my teleporter friend, Jeff. He works for Conner and refuses to tell us the information we need."
"How did you find him?" She asked baffled.
"I shadow walked to McDonalds and there he was." He replied pointing to Jeff. "He was eating a cheese burger, he sort of stared at me for a few moments, like a deer in head lights, and then he disappeared. He came back because he dropped his burger…"
"Hey, I paid good money for that burger." He protested.
"You got it free because you acted homeless…" Carlisle said cautiously.
"I promised to help you, don't be mean." Jeff replied with superiority. Alisha and Carlisle laughed.
"So, how is he going to help us?" Alisha asked.
"He knows Conner, quite well actually. They used to be friends as kids. Their parents grew up together and they trained magic together, hence why Conner is so good at 'teleporting'."
"Please explain." She pleaded.
"Basically, he watched Jeff teleport-"
"Hi, I'm Jeff." Jeff Interrupted.
"He copied it. He isn't teleporting. He is transferring carbon atoms to a new destination. I call it, Carboporting." Carlisle continued.
"But it's the same thing." Alisha said with a laugh. Carlisle looked at Jeff for 5 seconds then brushed lint off of his suit.
"Jeff, has he asked you to help him recently?" Carlisle asked.
"Yes, he had me take an unusually heavy shipment to the docks to be sent to Russia." He said with a dazed smile.
"We have a lead." Carlisle exclaimed.
"But I don't want to be tied up." Jeff replied with a serious look.
"Stay here Jeff." Carlisle said. Alisha and Carlisle headed off into the night, preparing to take the earliest flight to Russia.
Alisha sat next to Carlisle on the flight. She glanced over at him and for the first time she noticed how he had gotten a scar on cheek bone from their first fight. She made a short 'huh' and caught Carlisle's attention. She turned to him and she noticed his eyes, they were stunning green, cloudy yet darker in the centre. "You're weird," she muttered.
"I know, my mum always told me, if you're not being called weird, you're doing something wrong." He chuckled and they spent the rest of the flight in silence.
It sat there. In darkness, within his subconscious, waiting. It smiled its emotionless smile and read each memory, went over each emotion and then, it saw it. A spark of power that every sorcerer had and that was the key to his full takeover of this vessel. Death moved swiftly and smoothly, gently poking at the spark, releasing its power bit by bit.
The plane landed and Carlisle got off, disorientated. He fell over then jumped back up again. "Well that was weird." He said. They went through customs and soon they were on the road, heading towards a small town in the centre of Russia, no mortal knew about it due to the fact that it existed in what seemed like a giant bubble. The inhabitants spoke both English and Russian. They travelled through the town asking the citizens if they knew anything about Connor or had seen anything strange. No one knew anything. They had spent three hours asking everyone they saw until a man approached them. "Hello, I heard you need information." The man said.
"Yes, do you have that information?" Carlisle asked. The man nodded and asked them to follow him. They followed. He took them to an abandon warehouse. In the centre of the warehouse stood a statue with a crystal embedded into it.
"The citizens built this statue upon his death. The statue has a crystal embedded into it-" The man said.
"The resurrection crystal, but it was lost at the start of the war." Carlisle interrupted.
"I'm Jeremy by the way and a young teleporter put it here because it was deemed safer. When news of Mevolents death, they built the statue of him, hoping to bring him back one day." The man explained. "They now know how to get it working but, they need Necromancer energy. The power of which the man you call Conner will be supplying. We can stop him." The man said with a smile.
"We?" Carlisle asked.
"Yes, you'll need my help to defeat him." The man replied. "I am a werewolf."
"I think we can make that work." Alisha said before Carlisle could reply. Carlisle looked at Alisha in a look of terror. He grabbed her and whispered.
"Do you think this is wise, letting an animal that won't be able to differentiate friend or foe?"
"You're over reacting, maybe he has a conscious?" She suggested.
"I can hear you both and I have a conscious and thanks to this ring I can change whenever I want and remain in control. I am sort of worried though, in case it doesn't work." He said sheepishly.
"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked.
"Well, the ring is experimental so I only know that a few of the abilities work, such as wolf from on and off, however, since I acquired this ring. I've changed once and I think I was in control." He explained.
"How long ago was that?"
"About three years ago." He replied. Carlisle sighed and agreed grudgingly. They set out to remove the crystal. It wouldn't be budge.
"Why don't we move the statue somewhere?" Carlisle suggested.
"How?" Alisha asked.
"Get our teleporter friend to come and get us." Carlisle said with a hopeful expression.
"He's not our friend, and he might teleport to Conner." She reminded.
"What if we force him to do it?" Carlisle once again looked hopeful. A whisper echoed through Carlisle's mind. "I know the power it possesses and I can the Ancients without a statue, what if the statue is merely a distraction," the voice faded.
"Are you okay Carlisle?" Alisha asked.
"You look pale." Jeremy said with genuine concern.
"I'm fine, but I don't think Conner is going to use it to bring back Mevolent." Carlisle explained with a sigh. "I think he plans on bringing back someone worse."
"Please explain?" Alisha asked.
"Well, this is just a rumour, but before everything there were the Ancients and they were all killed right?" They both nodded. "One Ancient remained."
"You mean, the most powerful sorcerers in existence are coming back, with Lord Vile, while Lord Vile is pumped full of so much power, even Death would cower from his power?" Alisha asked.
"Lord Vile is only the cover story. He will resurrect Lord Vile but only to bring back the Ancient that wishes to avenge its own mistake, my guess is the Ancient will target Death. The Ancient will have more power than we're used to, so we'll need help or not, depending on how it all plans out." Carlisle explained.
"We have a plan?" Alisha asked with surprise in her voice.
"Do I ever have a plan?" Carlisle replied.
"Good point," Alisha replied with a giggle. They waited in the warehouse for ages, still no Idea how to remove the statue or the crystal. A loud crash was heard from the roof. Debris fell from the ceiling, followed by a woman.
"Hey guys!" She screamed.
"What are you doing here Amelia?" Carlisle asked in confusion.
"Athena sent me as backup; we're also here with the new and improved cleaver." She beamed. Carlisle held his leg gently as pain flared up within it. He smiled a suspicious smile as three figures walked in from the darkness. They wore robes, each a different colour and their faces were hidden. They had no weapon but symbols were changing across the surface of the robes.
"I'm guessing you've taken the ink creature concept and applied it to the robes?" Alisha asked.
"By that you mean allowed it to create symbols on the surface which can be activated without a touch but a thought, then yes." Alisha beamed. "These are test subjects, their minds are weak but soon they'll be reinforced." Carlisle looked at one of the robed defenders, this one was dark grey. It was different from the other. Its robes had dirt on it like it had fallen over. There were traces of blood along the opening and a small rip was on the arm.
"Alisha, take Amelia and Jeremy away from here, as soon as you can." Carlisle whispered. "Amelia, your new cleavers may have a field day any minute now, but follow Alisha." They both nodded and started walking away.
Carlisle turned to the three cleavers. He walked up to the first one. It wore a dark navy blue robe. He walked to the second. This one wore a dark grey robe. The dirt wasn't very visible but was still there. The smell of blood hit him like a brick wall. He continued to the last one. This one was crimson red, but a very dark crimson red. He turned his back and began to walk away when a wall of energy hit him and he went down. The grey cleaver strode over and looked at Carlisle. "Carlisle, I've heard so much about you. How you are trying to stop Conner from achieving his goal. How you have followed him to Russia and how you have been guarding this statue." The cleaver said in a thick Russian accent. He gestured to the other cleavers. "These cleavers, these are pathetic, they couldn't hurt me. I spared their lives to take me to you and now look at them, not even able to defend their bo-" The cleaver was sent sprawling across the floor. The two other cleavers stood, their cloaks glowing with symbols. The other cleavers robe disintegrated and underneath stood what seemed like an ink creature except human shape and features. It had an average build and its eyes were empty like they were staring into your soul. "Do you like the new form? The scientist at the main symbol institute was forced to make me, I am very happy with the results, and I can talk." It said with a laugh as it ran towards the cleavers taking them out with a few symbols.
"I bet they regret letting you talk." Carlisle muttered. Carlisle was just about to be struck when he put his leg out. His leg was suddenly burning with pain. He grabbed the two cleavers and pushed his cane down to the ground creating an almost nuclear blast defending them while they teleported away thanks to three teleporting symbols. Carlisle stumbled clumsily into Amelia and fell to the ground still in immense pain.
"We need a healer…" was the last thing Carlisle heard before he awoke in a separate plain of existence. He sensed a figure to his left. He turned and saw the ghostly form of Death. "Don't worry, you're not dead nor am I going to try anything."
"Why are we here?" Carlisle asked.
"Because here you can someone a ghost of anyone, even the Ancient..." Death trailed off, its form was barely visible and when he went to touch Death, his arm just went through. Carlisle looked at Death and focused. Soon Mevolents ghostly form appeared. "Why did you choose him?"
"I need to know something." Carlisle looked at Mevolent. Mevolent had more power than any sorcerer and if they were going up against an Ancient, bringing him back may be a good idea.
"You can't seriously think that is a good idea. I'm Death and even I think bringing him back would cause more suffering than good. Why not Eachan Meritorious? He's an excellent fighter and he would help make the world better." Death asked.
"Why not both, if we bring them both back, they can team up, with Alisha and I on their side, they may stand a chance at winning." Carlisle suggested. Death thought about it and accepted it. Carlisle conjured up Meritorious.
"What is he doing here?" Mevolent asked.
"Likewise, I don't want to speak to this man." Meritorious said.
"We need you both to agree on something. As soon as possible and then we'll explain." Death said with a cold icy breath.
"What?" They both asked.
"We need you both to help us fight against an Ancient and possibly Lord Vile." Carlisle explained.
"Why?" They both asked.
"A naïve sorcerer is trying to bring back an Ancient. If he succeeds, he could end the world, however, if we are to stand a chance. We need you both to fight on our side. You guys had a war and the fights we heard about were all so legendary, especially the fight between you both." Carlisle explained with hope.
"That was a long time ago child. No magic can bring us back and even if it did, our magic wouldn't be as strong as it would be used to sustain our existence to avoid a hole in the fabric of reality. A team up between us two would yes be legendary, but if either of use mistrusted the other for even a second, things would end badly and if it truly is an Ancient coming back, you may need more than just us. Lord Vile alone would need both of us." Meritorious said calmly.
"I'm in, I've had a long time to think about what I've done and I've spectated several major events from behind what Death calls his 'commentary room.' I've realised my error and if it is true that you need us, I am willing to accept a truce for now. Would we stay alive afterwards?" Mevolent asked.
"No, because having you two back could cause issues for so many sorcerers. You'd be hunted whilst Meritorious would be accepted back like a king. We could bring you back and have you both relocated to a remote Sanctuary where you'd both be working on making a new and better place for a small unstable magical community?" Carlisle suggested.
"If my once enemy is willing to this treaty then, so am I, we will be ready and waiting for when we get called or whatever the new magic is that has somehow been formed." Meritorious said with a calm smile. Mevolent smiled and they both disappeared.
"Take me to the area where the Ancient is." Carlisle said turning to Death. Death bowed slightly and transported them to a small cell.
"Even the afterlife has a jail." Death stated with no emotion. Sat on the floor was a young attractive girl. Her face was pretty and she had old tattered robes that hung proudly on her body. She stood smiled a smile that was both welcoming and threatening.
"Here he is. The monster of nightmares, the one they call Death. Oh, and a companion how cute. My time is almost up and I will find you, I will find you, and you will pay." She screamed the last word and laughed. She flattered her hands and pushed the non-existent air. Carlisle's leg started to act up and soon his eyes were closed.
He reopened his eyes and saw a bright light. The light faded and he awoke. Amelia and Alisha were by his side and Jeremy stood at the foot of the bed flanked by two of the new cleavers.
"Good news! I have such good news," Carlisle beamed.
"Only you could awake after having surgery on your leg and have good news." Alisha teased.
"Is the good news, the fact that you have good news?" Amelia asked. "Athena also sends her Condolences and says she is offering her support if a fight happens."
"Thank you and No, I have enlisted the help of two Dead people." He beamed, not telling them about how crazy the Ancient is.
"Who is the dead person?" Jeremy asked. "And how will you bring them back?"
"When the crystal is activated, it creates a portal which will close when one person goes through; however, if the amount of power he's putting in is as much as he says, It will be enough for three people." Carlisle explained. "Meritorious and Mevolent."
"You're insane." Amelia said.
"You're mental." Alisha shouted harshly.
"They're better than no one." Carlisle said with a smile.
"They're a good choice." Jeremy interjected.
"Thank you." Carlisle said with a smile. He jumped off the bed and the suit was still on him. "Wait, surgery?"
"Yes, the damage to your current wound was substantial; you had a lot of trapped energy in the cracks between the bones. They had to remove the energy and literally set the energy off in a contained environment. That cane saved your life." Amelia said pointing to the cane in Carlisle's hand. Carlisle looked at his cane then shook his head. He left the room, quickly followed by the others.
"So, what's the plan?" Alisha asked.
"We fight with everything we've got." Carlisle beamed. Alisha frowned.
They reached the warehouse just in time to see Conner place the heart in the armour. The armour came to life and from the shadows the ink creature appeared. "You're too late." It muttered. Lord Vile began to move. They stood there as if someone had sealed them in a bubble. They watched in horror as Lord Vile moved and pushed his Death magic into the crystal. The crystal began to glow and then opened a small portal. Carlisle began to feel weak. There was a loud noise and then, there she stood. The Ancient. She smiled that disturbing smile and waited. From behind the Ancient came two more sorcerers, they pushed the Ancient over and resumed a fighting position.
"I'm not here to kill you; I'm here to kill him." Her voice turned dark at the end and she looked straight at Carlisle. She moved swiftly over to Conner. He began to laugh in joy that his plan had worked. The Ancient turned to him. "What amuses you so much?"
"The fact that I brought you back and now you're killing Carlisle, it's fantastic." He beamed.
"I don't like you, you're annoying." She said and flicked her wrist. A wave of energy rolled over Conner and he was sent flying. Lord Vile looked at her. He then turned to Mevolent and Meritorious. Mevolent sent the air into him, forcing him back. Meritorious began sending punch after punch at Lord Vile forcing him further back until he hit a wall. A spike of shadows came forwards and they deflected them. They work together, dealing unimaginable damage and strength, it was almost enough. The Ancient looked at Carlisle and smiled. "I want a fair fight, so you know, you start."
"I won't fight you, you either go into custody, and become bound by the shackles or you go back to hell." Carlisle stuttered. She shook her head and turned to Alisha.
"You follow this man, yet your past suggests you're not on the same side. He cares for you and you care for him. It'd be shame if something were to happen to you." And with that she sent stream of energy after stream into her chest. She dodged and sent shadows back. The shadows distracted the Ancient and Alisha took a chance. She shot herself into the Ancient and sent a wall of shadows into her. Alisha got up and the Ancient plunged her hand into her chest and pulled Alisha's heart. She then burst it. Alisha fell to the floor, no pulse, no nothing. The energy of Death echoed throughout the room and into Carlisle. The black smoke arose and grew thick. Smoke covered Carlisle The suit he worse disappeared and became a cloak.
Death was back. A shadow ran from the smoke. The ink creature had run out of fear. The werewolf had erupted from Jeremy and has fled with the others following shortly. "It's just you and I" the Ancient said. The shadows struck the Ancient with all its power. She stumbled. The shadow revealed itself. Carlisle's cane had changed into a massive scythe. The scythe swept weightlessly towards her and she barely dodged. She sent a stream of energy and it hit death on the chest. Death fell and rose again but slightly weakened. Death curled the smoke into the Ancient forcing her backwards. It wasn't strong enough to kill her but it was enough to slow her down. She punched Death and it stumbled. Death rose and evaded a few attacks. Death forced itself into her chest and then silence. Her heart stopped and Death arose victorious. She smiled and her heart restarted. Death was distracted. She grabbed Deaths neck and forced it into the floor. She gripped Deaths head and a loud crack came from it. Deaths skull was dust. The smoke swirled and covered Death but she wasn't finished. She broke every bone that she could then turned it into dust. She walked away and prepared for a secret strike, but Death was down. From the shadows Carlisle materialised. Deaths remnants were gone. Carlisle tapped three symbols on his cane. The symbols sent burst of energy from his chest into the Ancient. She stumbled and fell. Carlisle tapped another symbol and pulled her up into the air. He sent the cane into her chest. He followed the cane and with a fist of the smoke he crushed her brain and stopped any conscious thought in that moment. He walked away with the shadows at his heel. He turned to Lord Vile and he stopped attacking back. Lord Vile was under his command. He gestured to the last two and they didn't know what to do. He smiled and muttered, "This is where things get interesting." His voice no longer Carlisle's but a voice so cold it made shadows recoil in fear. Meritorious nudged Malevolent and they fled. Death knew where they were headed, but nothing could stop him from being in control now her had the body of a living sorcerer.