Chapter VII - … the Coming of the Storm
Sara looked at Danny, before looking back at Feanor, who had settled down on the cold street.
"How?" Sara asked. "Other than me, you're the only one who has been able to see him…"
"We're connected to the Witchblade, Sara. That is why we can see Feanor." Danny replied. "He is a spirit guide, sent to guide and protect you in these dark times."
"The lady who sent him to me, do you know her?" Sara spoke. "She told me Feanor would show me who I could trust."
"They call her Ileandra, although her name is not spoken anymore. You won't find it in the papers Gabriel gave you, because she has had many names in the past. She represents the Good in the world, but I'm sure you've figured all this out already." Danny said, looking at the animal at his side. "It's also everything I know." He looked over her shoulder, watching Jake. "Someone is waiting for you." He looked back at Sara. "I can't help you any further, I'm sorry." He whispered, turning around.
Sara watched him walk into the shadows and disappear from sight. Feanor remained where he had been the moment Sara had walked into the ally. Looking in the direction of Jake, she crouched down next to the wolf.
"Can I trust him?" She asked, before smiling. "Come on, this is Jake we're talking about… the rookie cop." She stood up and headed towards the car. One more glance behind her told her Feanor had already left again.
*********
"So, are we heading to the library next?" Jake asked when they were on the road again. He glanced at Sara every now and then, who had been studying the piece of paper in the evidence bag. "Because we have no idea what to look for, do we?"
Sara sighed. Sometimes it was difficult to keep him in the dark about the Witchblade, but this case was making it even harder. The murders were definitely connected to the Witchblade in a way. She wondered how he would react if she would tell him the truth.
'Hey Jake, I have something to tell you. The murderer we're looking for isn't existing.' She thought, smiling as she pictured his reaction. It would be better if she didn't tell him.
"We should try to look in ancient books, history books, mythological... come on Jake, you could've thought of that." She replied, sighing. "Drop me off at the precinct, I'll take my bike. We should split up and cover more books that way."
Jake looked at her, with a look that told her he wasn't liking the idea very much, but he nodded after a few seconds.
'Good, this would give her the time she needed to get some answers,' she thought as she resumed her study of the piece of paper. If the last word really said 'messengers', what was the message Feanor was giving her? The papers Gabriel had given her had said nothing about a message either. She had to be reading this wrong; it had to be.
Sighing, she looked up as Jake parked next to her bike.
"Take this, I've memorized it by now." She said, giving her partner the evidence bag.
"Are you sure about this?" Jake asked as Sara got out of the car.
"Jake, I'm sure. Now, go. I'll call you if I find anything." Sara replied, heading towards the doors of the precinct.
"Maybe we should make a copy of it first." Jake called after her.
She turned around and looked at him. "All right... we'll make a copy of page and then split up. Is that better?" She asked.
He smiled as he nodded and got out of the car.
***************
Parking her bike, she looked upwards, feeling watched. He always knew when she came to visit him with questions.
Irons was waiting for her as she entered the office.
"Have you found Ian yet?" He asked immediately, assuming she had come to visit him because of Ian. When she had called him, she hadn't mentioned why she wanted to come.
Sara stopped for a moment, thinking about Ian. She hadn't heard from him after she had seen him here a couple of days ago. "No, I haven't found him yet. Are you sure he isn't just lurking somewhere?" She studied Irons; he seemed distressed, almost afraid.
"I came to ask for information." She spoke again. He looked up, silently asking her to continue. "There's been another murder, same M.O. Now, I found references to something called 'the Reckoning'. Apparently, it's somehow connected to the Witchblade."
Irons seemed to become even paler as Sara spoke, as if his fears had become true.
"Mr. Irons?" She asked after a moment of silence, taking a few steps toward him. "What do you know about this?" She held up the piece of paper they had found at the crime scene.
He took the page and studied it for a moment. Then, he moved towards a bookshelf and seemed to be looking for something. Sara followed him through the large office. Suddenly, Irons turned around with an old and large book in his hands.
"You'll find all the answers to your questions in here. I'm loaning it to you," He said, giving the book to her, "but I expect it back after you've solved this case."
Sara opened the book and looked through the pages, while Irons resumed his position at the window.
"I now know what happened with Ian and because of it, I'll tell you what I know." He spoke softly, staring out of the window. Looking back at her, he continued. "Have you had the dreams yet? The legend tells that the Wielder has dreams, helping her choose. It shows her the future on both sides."
Sara nodded. "I've had one dream. I saw Jake standing in my room, but Ian replaced him when I looked away. He was telling me to be careful with whom I trust."
Irons nodded. "Do you have a spirit guide yet? I'm not talking about your dead partner. Ian told me that he visits you from time to time."
Sara swallowed, before answering. Her bond with Danny felt sacred to her and she didn't like it that Ian knew about Danny's visits. "Feanor." She answered. From the look in his eyes, she knew that one word was enough for him to know.
Irons nodded. "I'll tell you about the dark side, because it was them who took Ian away. The drawing you found, it's their symbol. They seem to worship the dragon, but there are no references to this. They don't like the sun very much and should they win the Reckoning, the world shall know only darkness. If you want to find them, I suggest you look underground, because that's where they came from... from Hell. The people being murdered have changed their lives around, no longer believing in the dragon." He spoke, flipping through the book he had loaned to Sara, showing her the drawings of the dark side. She noticed that in all of the drawings, a large black dragon was present, mostly in the background.
"How am I involved in all of this?" Sara asked when Irons closed the book once more.
"When the time comes, you will have to choose between the Darkness and the Light. But beware, because you can be easily deceived and the Witchblade will not always tell you what is right." Irons warned. "You must go now and find Ian." He spoke, walking towards the door and holding it open for her.
"Wait. These murders, they're a sign, aren't they? And who is this Goloth?" She had so many questions left unanswered.
"It's all in the book, Sara, but I will help you. The murders are a point of reference; they will tell you where Goloth and his Master are hiding." He replied. As she walked passed him, he grabbed her arm. "Beware of the lies... promise me you will listen only to yourself. No one can be trusted, Sara, no one..."
She saw the despair and the fear in his eyes as Irons warned her one more time. When it became clear to her that he was waiting for an answer, she nodded. "Okay, I will."
**********
When she was standing outside once more, it was already starting to get dark again. Reaching her bike, she dialed Jake's number on her cell phone. After a few rings, her partner answered.
"Jake, did you find anything yet?" She asked, glancing at the book she was holding.
"No, nothing. Just a few vague references about an event waiting to happen." He was silent for a moment. "Sara, all I found was that these murders have something to do with the Apocalypse. Obviously, we have some psycho killer who read this once too many."
"Okay. I'm coming back to the precinct, I'll meet you there." Sara said, looking around her. She had the feeling of being watched again, but it wasn't Ian or Irons watching. Hearing Jake acknowledge and hang up on her, she took one last look at her surroundings, before getting on her bike and taking off in the direction of the precinct.
**********
When Sara parked her bike in her usual spot outside the precinct, Jake was already waiting for her. He eyed the book she was carrying.
"Seems you made more progress than me." He remarked as Sara handed him the ancient book.
"It doesn't get us much closer to finding the guy who's doing this." Sara replied, entering their office. "Although, the crime scenes are supposed to tell us where he's hiding."
Jake looked up. "How?"
She sighed. "I have no idea." Running her hand through her hair, she said down on a chair. "It could be in the middle of the four points, something mathematical."
"Well, it doesn't help us much further at this point. We only have two locations at the moment." Jake spoke. "I'm getting coffee, should I bring some back for you?" He said, standing up and grabbing an empty mug. When Sara nodded, he grabbed a second mug and left towards the coffee machine. Outside, it was becoming pitch black as the night began to fall.
**********
One by one, they were coming. They entered the city when no one could see them, using the shadows of the night as their ally. Slowly, they were gathering, waiting until their master would call them to witness the Reckoning. They were the warriors of old, made immortal by the powers of their master.
**********
Gabriel ran as fast as his legs could carry him, but who ever it was following him, wasn't giving up. Reaching into his pocket for his cell phone, he hit the speed dial button. Hearing the phone getting picked up on the other side, he glanced behind him.
He was still being followed.
"Sara, it's me, Gabriel. Some one is following me; I don't know who it is." Gabriel said as she answered the phone. "I'm pretty sure it has to do with your case."
"Where are you now?" She asked, grabbing the keys to her bike. The concern for her friend was evident in her voice.
"I'm heading towards the subway station nearest to my place. Maybe I can get rid of who ever it is, down there."
Grabbing her helmet, Sara left the small office she shared with Jake and headed towards the exit. "Listen to me; I'm on my way to you. Gabriel, whatever you do, don't go below the ground." She remembered all too well what Irons had told her earlier.
She reached her bike in record time and gunning the engine, she took off in Gabriel's direction.
Sorry it took me such a long time to update, but I had to go back to college. I had some of this written out back in August. Let me know what you think and I hope to update the next chapter this week. It might be short though.