Chapter 10: Dark Vow
Lara standing in the the closet, keeping as silent as she possibly could as she heard the witch throwing stuff around. She couldn't believe that the witch was actually alive, or this was possibly a descendant from the original witch. Except, with Lara's run-ins with dark magic before, she wouldn't put it past that she found a way to keep herself alive over the centuries. She heard someone else run into the room.
"Zaphara, what's wrong?" Said a male voice in a bit more of a worried tone. Lara managed to move the front of the closet open ever so slightly so that she could see what was going on. She managed to see a man in a white suit and black shoes standing there. She couldn't really see his face, but she did notice that he had red hair. She then saw a woman walk up. She was wearing a long flowing black dress that kind of dragged behind her. She had sharp cheekbones, but she her face was still beautifully sculpted. She had jet black hair that was in a long curly ponytail.
"My dagger has gone missing. Someone must have took it," She said angrily. The man raised his hands up as if defending himself from her.
"Calm down, Zaphara," He said as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "We'll find it, if anything, I'll get you another one. I know that you've had for years, but if we can't find it then I will get any sacrificial knife you want." Zaphara, crossed her arms for a second, but soon took a breath.
"It was getting old," She said as she looked off to the side. "It was starting to rust and has a few nicks in it the blade itself. I suppose it's for the best then. I am still not happy about this though." The man pulled her into a hug to try and calm her down more.
"It'll be alright, Zaphara," He said. "I'll get a brand new sacrificial dagger of your choice that is sharper and more menacing than that one ever was, I promise. We'll get everything you need to become the powerful being you've always wanted to be, or I will die right here." Zaphara looked up at him and with a small smile.
"Thank you, Demien," Zaphara said. "I will find out what happened to it, but at least there is someone here, who understands what I am trying to do." Demien placed a hand on her cheek and kissed her forehead.
"Come on, let's get going. We've got a places to be and things to do," Demien said as put a arm around her shoulder.
"And no time to waste," Zaphara added with a slightly evil laugh. Demien joined in the evil laughter and they walked out of the room together. Lara waited about ten minutes before determining that it was safe to come out. She sneaked over to the entrance and sees that the secret entrance was closed. Lara looked down at her bag, knowing that dagger was in it. She knew she needed to get out of here, before that witch came back. Static is heard from her earpiece and she raised her hand to it.
"Who in the heck is Zaphara?" She heard Zip say. Lara took a moment before answering, due to her processing what she just witnessed.
"Zaphara is the name of the witch," Lara said as she continued to look to the secret entrance. "I took her dagger and she came in looking for it. I fortunately managed to find a decent hiding spot, before hand. She seems to have a partner, or a lover, helping her do these things. He seems to be just as twisted as her, he also seems to be very contempt in his life style." Vianca soon appeared next to her and looked in the direction of the witch. She was mainly silent during the whole situation.
"So was this Zaphara that same witch?" Zip asked. Lara looked at Vianca, who kept silent.
"Is she, Vianca? Is she that same person?" Lara asked as she waited for her to answer. Vianca looked down and nodded.
"I know that evil laugh anywhere. That was her, I don't know how she's still here, but that was her," Vianca answered softly. "I can't believe that anyone would even indulge in her actions. They must just as sick and kniving as she is."
"Well, you all should get out of there before Mrs. Voodoo magic comes back because she forgot her expensive purse," Zip said. Lara nodded and let her hand fall to her side again, but only to unholster her pistol.
"You ready to get out of here, Vianca?" Lara asked as she looked over at her. Vianca nodded quickly and almost pleadingly.
"Please, I can't stand it here any longer," She said with a sad look. Lara nodded at her and she walked into the room they had originally came in and placed a hand on the secret door. She took a breath and pushed it open. They slowly walked out into the original room they were in. Vianca followed close behind her, ready just in case she need to protect Lara from anything. They closed the entrance behind to try and avoid suspicion. They walked over to the path that they entered in and were just about to head up the stairs when Vianca went behind Lara and held up her protective veil as a gunshot was heard. Lara turned around and sees that man in the white suit with a revolver in his hand. She could now see his face clearly. He had a very handsomely shaped with a couple chiseled features. His eyes were a deep green and seemed to almost pierce anything they looked at.
"You!" Said a female voice. The witch walked out from behind Demien. "You took my amulet! You're the one that set me back!" Vianca's fear grew more as she saw her again.
"La-Lara….."Vianca said in a shaky voice. "Wh-What do we do?" Lara thought for a moment, but before she could say anything the witch noticed Vianca.
"You...You've awoken. You're finally awake. Well, this makes things much easier," She said with an evil smirk. "Now, why don't you get your little friend to give me my amulet back and we get this over with?" Vianca didn't respond, but became slightly angry. Lara unholstered her other gun just in case she needed it.
"As Vianca told me, she only responds to the one holding the amulet," Lara called over. "So, she isn't going to answer your question." The witch huffed for a moment and then smiled.
"If that's so then the word Deprienum should mean nothing to her," She said as she eyed Vianca as if waiting for something. Vianca looked confused as heck.
"What does that mean?" Vianca asked as she turned to Lara. "Is that a new word used nowadays?"
"No, it isn't," Lara said, looking just as confused. "Hm…..Deprienum?" Vianca eyes widened when she heard it from Lara. Here eyes turned black and the green glow turned red. Static came from Lara's earpiece and she raised her hand to it.
"What's happening to Vianca?" Alister asked quickly.
"I don't know, but that word triggered something," Lara said as she saw that the dust and dirt began to circle around Lara's feet. Vianca let down her veil and glared at the people in front of her. Zaphara placed hand on Demien's arm and pulled him back a bit.
"Oh, this has all to do with that stupid vow she made. She would've triggered when I said and should've gone after Lara," Zaphara said angrily. Demien looked at her and then back at enraged spectre in front of them. With one swing of Vianca's hand, Demien was thrown into a wall and Zaphara into another. Vianca was approaching the witch and seem to have intent on killing her. Vianca was just about to do this when she had one of her visions. Alister was standing there watching this unfold from the safety of the manor, but looked scared, almost horrified. She could almost hear him mouth the words "Vianca don't." Her eyes went back to normal and the green glow returned. She realized what she was doing and ran back over to Lara. She hugged her and the next thing they knew they were gone; they had disappeared from that place.
They reappeared back at the manor, in the library that her and Alister always hung out in. Vianca continued to hug Lara, shaking like a leaf. Lara was confused on how they got back, but didn't question it due to the fact that she wasn't going to be getting any answers out of Vianca why she was like this. She hugged her back and was trying to comfort her.
"Hey, it's ok. I got you," Lara said as she kept Vianca in her arms for a moment before letting go. "I don't know what happened back there, but right now I think someone needs to see Alister." Vianca didn't answer, but nodded. Lara thought of doing something funny and placed her hand on her earpiece.
"Where in the heck are you? The video feed cut out as soon as Vianca hugged you," Zip asked as he became slightly worried.
"Nevermind that Zip, I'm safe. I need Alister to go into the library for a moment," Lara said.
"Is there something you want me to find?" Alister asked curiously.
"Something like that, just go," Lara said. "I'll give you more details once your there." She heard footsteps walking away from the main mic and she let go of the earpiece. She chuckled a little bit and placed a hand on Vianca's shoulder, who was still shaking. Alister opened the door and walked into the library.
"Ok Lara, what do you want me to-" Alister instantly stopped his sentence, once he saw the two in the room. "How did….why are….when did you?" Lara laughed a bit and then took off the amulet.
"I think Vianca needs you right now, Alister," Lara said as she held it out to him. Alister noticed the way Vianca looked and quickly was over there. He took the amulet and put it around his neck.
"Vianca, what's wrong?" Alister asked as he got Vianca to look at him. Instead of answering she clung to him. Alister was surprised, but put his arms around her protectively. "Hey it's alright. You're safe now, I got you now."
"I...I nearly killed her…" Vianca said softly. "I almost stooped as low that….woman...I…" Alister's eyes softened at the sorrow that came from her voice. He got her to look up at him and he could see the tears in her eyes. He wiped them away and smiled at her.
"You didn't though, You didn't kill her," Alister said. "I don't know what happened, but I would like you to tell me in the best a way that you feel comfortable alright?" Vianca waited a moment and then nodded at him.
"I remember what that word meant. It was….it was one of the vows I made," Vianca explained. "It was probably the most scariest vow I made. I would….I would instantly begin to attack whoever I was in front of when that word was uttered by her, but I suppose that I managed make it more difficult. With the vow that I would only respond to the one that wore the amulet and be awoken by the one who matched me, I guess that I made it to where whoever wore the amulet could say the word."
"So, you responded when I said it instead of when Zaphara said it," Lara said as she looked over at them. Vianca stayed silent and continued to hug Alister. Alister got Vianca to sit on the couch and he was sitting there trying to comfort her.
"Lara, I think you need to go show Zip that you're here, or scare him since he doesn't know you're here," Alister said a with a bit of chuckle. Lara smiled at the thought and nodded. She left the library to do just that and Alister took off the earpiece that he had put in when he walked away from the mic. "Vianca, I know that you don't remember much about this and it frightens you that this is something that happened. I also know that you don't like the thought of how many people went through this process before you. I just want you to know that I will always be here for you and I won't allow that woman to ever get you for whatever evil purpose she has for you." Vianca smiled up at him, but the smile faded quickly. She laid her head on his chest and he continued to hold her in his arms. She knew that this wasn't over, and that she would see that witch again, especially not that the witch knows that she's awake. This wasn't the end, this was only the beginning.