A/N: Sorry it took me ages to post a new part. Comments prodded me into
writing the next two chapters. Actually, this on was written almost a year
ago maybe, the final touches were made in the summer. Since I felt stuck on
where to lead the story next, I didn't feel I should be posting the
chapter. A recent comment made me realize people are reading it still and
waiting for an end to it. I thank you for your support. The tone might have
switched a bit, my apologies for this. A new muse and a break are the cause
of this. Please, comments and criticism are welcome.
Chapter 8 - Gabriel's Story
Sara saw Gabriel running along the sidewalk as she entered the street. He had been running in circles after he had called her to come to his rescue. She stopped in front of him, making him look up in surprise.
"Sara..."
"Get behind me. Is he still following you?" She spoke, looking in the direction he had come from.
"Yes," He replied, taking deep breaths, "There he is!" Gabriel pointed at a man dressed in black, his features hidden in the shadows.
"You have betrayed the Dragon!" The stranger spoke, his voice carrying across the street. "He will come for you!"
"Sara, let's go." Gabriel spoke softly.
Before she could do anything, the Witchblade came to life. She felt herself drawn to the stranger in the shadows. This was her link with the murders. He could lead her to Ian. With the blade drawn, she got off her bike and moved towards him.
"Sara!" Gabriel hissed, not liking the situation.
Only a few more steps and she would be able to see who it was. A few more steps and she would be able to get some answers. However, before she could get any closer, he ran off in the direction of a nearby subway entrance, staying in the shadows the entire time.
"Why is he after you?" Sara asked as they walked on the sidewalk. She looked at her friend; he was scared. "He's only interested in those who betrayed him." Looking behind them, she was sure she had scared off the killer when she had arrived.
Gabriel sighed, getting her attention. He looked miserable in the dim light of the streetlights.
"Oh Gabriel... tell me you didn't..." She spoke, running her hand through her hair.
"Listen, it isn't what you think!" He started.
As they passed a diner still open, Sara pulled him inside. "We need to talk and you better tell me everything." She said as they sat down in an empty booth.
"All right. A couple of years ago, there were these rumors going around the 'net, about some kind of ancient cult. I decided to check it out, see what it was about..." They were interrupted by a waitress coming to take their orders.
"What was it about?" Sara asked once they were alone again.
Gabriel looked around him. "Mostly about nothing, so after one meeting I had enough information. The meeting was mostly to recruit new members and they told us only the basics." He stopped for a moment, thinking. "It was mostly centered on resurrection things, or better yet, warriors from ancient times."
"The guy chasing you said you betrayed the dragon."
"I know and until now, I've never seen the connection between your case and that cult before. I left the meeting before it could finish. I didn't hear anything about it until now." Gabriel finished.
"Obviously, they want you now." Sara spoke, looking up as the waitress came to bring their orders.
"I'm the next traitor..." He sighed, sipping his coffee. "I don't understand; I never joined up. So how could I betray them?" He wondered.
It was silent for a moment as they drank their coffee, each alone with their own thoughts. Suddenly Sara spoke up.
"I think you need to stay at my apartment." She said, earning a confused glance from Gabriel. "Until this is over I mean."
Gabriel looked back at his coffee, staring in the dark brew. "Why? He's gone now, isn't he?" He replied. "Whoever it was, knows you are have the Witchblade. With you on my side, I don't think he'll be back." He continued, pointing at the bracelet on Sara's wrist.
Finishing his coffee, he set the empty cup on the table.
"Listen, I think that as long I stay near you, I'll be safe." He spoke up. "I read some more of that text I found on the net for you," He started, "and the murders? They are not only a sign to the 'unfaithful' so to speak, but also a sign for us. The end result is a pentagram, with the Reckoning smack in the middle." Finished for now, he leaned back in his seat.
Sara stared at him, opening her mouth to reply and closing it again when she didn't know what to say. He knew the same as she did so far. Smiling, she told him of her findings.
"That's the same information I found." She simply said.
At this, Gabriel leaned forward, as if he was about to tell her a big secret. "It wasn't all I found. Apparently, both sides need to bring forth harbingers to signal the beginning, one for each side. Their coming sets everything in motion. Without them, no Reckoning." He looked at Sara, who was watching him intently, but with a small smile on her face. "Something tells me this isn't news for you." After a nod, he questioned further. "Feanor and Goloth? Have they visited yet?"
"Only Feanor has." She replied.
Gabriel's face lit up. "Tell me what he looks like. The text hardly mentions him, but I did find out he is a shape shifter. In what form did he appear to you?"
"I've only seen him as a wolf." Sara replied. "I'm the only one who can see him." She didn't mention that her dead partner, who regular paid her a visit to give her cryptic messages, could see the creature as well.
"Do you see him now?" Gabriel asked in reply, looking around for a glimpse of the mythical creature.
Sara shook her head. "No, Feanor left when I left the last murder scene. Gabriel? What does the legend say about Feanor?"
Gabriel sat up in his seat. "Oh right, the legend. Let's see..."He said, looking over her shoulder; deep in thought. "Well, for one thing, he is supposed to keep you on the side of good, much like Goloth would influence you to choose the side of pure evil. What the legend isn't clear about though is how he is supposed to show you whom you can trust. I don't know how that works."
"What else?"
"Uhmm, well, he's a protector mostly. He'll protect you from evil as long as 'your heart is pure and your intentions good.' Once you face Aenogh, he'll return to his masters. I don't know who they are." Gabriel said, finishing.
Sara nodded, going over the information she had just received in her head. "Nothing about how to stop the Reckoning from happening?"
"Nope, nothing about that. Once it is set in motion, you can't stop it." Gabriel replied, staring outside. Suddenly he jumped up, his face turning white. "Sara!" He whispered. "Outside, in the shadows..."
Sara looked outside, but seeing nothing she turned back to Gabriel, who was still staring at a point outside the diner. "What is it?"
Breaking his gaze, he looked at her. "Eyes. I swear I saw eyes in the shadows, watching us. They were glowing." He said, fumbling in his pockets until he found what he was looking for. He pulled a piece of paper out of one pocket, giving it to Sara. "Look at this."
She folded the piece of paper open and studied the drawing; a black creature, his facial features hidden almost completely by a black hood, except for piercing red eyes. Sara looked outside again, searching the shadows for a sign. Sighing, she turned back to Gabriel again. "Who is this supposed to be?"
"That's Goloth, or at least it is what the legend says. I found this online." He replied. "I swear I saw something outside, Sara, I'm sure I did."
Nodding, she quickly downed her coffee and grabbed her jacket. "Come on, I'm bringing you to my apartment." She said, grabbing his arm and pulling him to the exit, after putting enough money on the table to cover the bill.
Standing outside, she moved to where she had parked her bike. Turning the corner into the small alley, she was surprised when she found Feanor waiting for her. When she slowly approached him, dragging a clueless Gabriel with her, the wolf started to growl and bared his teeth, causing Sara to stop in her tracks.
"What is it?" Gabriel asked, looking around them. "Sara?"
"Shhh..." She replied, studying the animal. Was he telling her she couldn't trust Gabriel?
"Sara..." Gabriel said again, pulling her arm. "Turn around. I wasn't kidding when I said I saw eyes in the shadows."
Turning around, Sara saw what Gabriel was talking about: in the shadows, she could see piercing red eyes watching them. "Gabriel, step behind me." She said, pushing her friend behind her. At the same moment, the Witchblade acted, turning into the blade.
Goloth reacted to the Witchblade, stepping forward. Sara tried to make out his facial features, but she could only see his red eyes. Before she could say anything, Feanor jumped forward. The wolf now stood in front of her, growling at Goloth, who hissed back.
"Sara? What is happening?" Gabriel asked from behind her.
"Give me the traitor, Wielder." Goloth spoke, with the voice of a serpent. "We have your other friend. Give us the traitor and we will let him go."
"Never." Sara replied, taking a step forward, causing the Witchblade to shine in the lights from the street.
At this, Goloth fled out of the alley.
Sara looked at Gabriel. "Stay here." She said and followed Goloth as he fled.
She hadn't been following him for more than a minute when she heard panting next to her. Glancing to the right, she saw Gabriel running next to her.
"I couldn't let you go alone." He explained and looked forward, ignoring the disapproving look on Sara's face.
They followed Goloth until he entered the subway, rushing down the stairs unnoticed by other people.
"Did you see that?" Sara asked Gabriel. "It was as if he absorbed all the light, staying forever in the shadows."
Gabriel nodded. "Why can only we see it? I mean, I can understand your reason, but why me?"
"Because you are the traitor?" Sara offered. "At least, that is how they see you now. I'm thinking he is the one who took Ian as well." She said as she descended the stairs.
At this Gabriel looked up. "You mean Ian Nottingham?" He wasn't a friend of the stranger, but he wanted to know his connection to Sara. "This thing got to Nottingham?" Suddenly, he wasn't too happy with his decision to follow Sara. If someone like Nottingham couldn't defend himself from this, what was someone like him going to do?
He caught up with Sara when they were standing in the abandoned subway station. "Where did he go?" Sara asked, looking around for any signs of the harbinger.
TBC
Chapter 8 - Gabriel's Story
Sara saw Gabriel running along the sidewalk as she entered the street. He had been running in circles after he had called her to come to his rescue. She stopped in front of him, making him look up in surprise.
"Sara..."
"Get behind me. Is he still following you?" She spoke, looking in the direction he had come from.
"Yes," He replied, taking deep breaths, "There he is!" Gabriel pointed at a man dressed in black, his features hidden in the shadows.
"You have betrayed the Dragon!" The stranger spoke, his voice carrying across the street. "He will come for you!"
"Sara, let's go." Gabriel spoke softly.
Before she could do anything, the Witchblade came to life. She felt herself drawn to the stranger in the shadows. This was her link with the murders. He could lead her to Ian. With the blade drawn, she got off her bike and moved towards him.
"Sara!" Gabriel hissed, not liking the situation.
Only a few more steps and she would be able to see who it was. A few more steps and she would be able to get some answers. However, before she could get any closer, he ran off in the direction of a nearby subway entrance, staying in the shadows the entire time.
"Why is he after you?" Sara asked as they walked on the sidewalk. She looked at her friend; he was scared. "He's only interested in those who betrayed him." Looking behind them, she was sure she had scared off the killer when she had arrived.
Gabriel sighed, getting her attention. He looked miserable in the dim light of the streetlights.
"Oh Gabriel... tell me you didn't..." She spoke, running her hand through her hair.
"Listen, it isn't what you think!" He started.
As they passed a diner still open, Sara pulled him inside. "We need to talk and you better tell me everything." She said as they sat down in an empty booth.
"All right. A couple of years ago, there were these rumors going around the 'net, about some kind of ancient cult. I decided to check it out, see what it was about..." They were interrupted by a waitress coming to take their orders.
"What was it about?" Sara asked once they were alone again.
Gabriel looked around him. "Mostly about nothing, so after one meeting I had enough information. The meeting was mostly to recruit new members and they told us only the basics." He stopped for a moment, thinking. "It was mostly centered on resurrection things, or better yet, warriors from ancient times."
"The guy chasing you said you betrayed the dragon."
"I know and until now, I've never seen the connection between your case and that cult before. I left the meeting before it could finish. I didn't hear anything about it until now." Gabriel finished.
"Obviously, they want you now." Sara spoke, looking up as the waitress came to bring their orders.
"I'm the next traitor..." He sighed, sipping his coffee. "I don't understand; I never joined up. So how could I betray them?" He wondered.
It was silent for a moment as they drank their coffee, each alone with their own thoughts. Suddenly Sara spoke up.
"I think you need to stay at my apartment." She said, earning a confused glance from Gabriel. "Until this is over I mean."
Gabriel looked back at his coffee, staring in the dark brew. "Why? He's gone now, isn't he?" He replied. "Whoever it was, knows you are have the Witchblade. With you on my side, I don't think he'll be back." He continued, pointing at the bracelet on Sara's wrist.
Finishing his coffee, he set the empty cup on the table.
"Listen, I think that as long I stay near you, I'll be safe." He spoke up. "I read some more of that text I found on the net for you," He started, "and the murders? They are not only a sign to the 'unfaithful' so to speak, but also a sign for us. The end result is a pentagram, with the Reckoning smack in the middle." Finished for now, he leaned back in his seat.
Sara stared at him, opening her mouth to reply and closing it again when she didn't know what to say. He knew the same as she did so far. Smiling, she told him of her findings.
"That's the same information I found." She simply said.
At this, Gabriel leaned forward, as if he was about to tell her a big secret. "It wasn't all I found. Apparently, both sides need to bring forth harbingers to signal the beginning, one for each side. Their coming sets everything in motion. Without them, no Reckoning." He looked at Sara, who was watching him intently, but with a small smile on her face. "Something tells me this isn't news for you." After a nod, he questioned further. "Feanor and Goloth? Have they visited yet?"
"Only Feanor has." She replied.
Gabriel's face lit up. "Tell me what he looks like. The text hardly mentions him, but I did find out he is a shape shifter. In what form did he appear to you?"
"I've only seen him as a wolf." Sara replied. "I'm the only one who can see him." She didn't mention that her dead partner, who regular paid her a visit to give her cryptic messages, could see the creature as well.
"Do you see him now?" Gabriel asked in reply, looking around for a glimpse of the mythical creature.
Sara shook her head. "No, Feanor left when I left the last murder scene. Gabriel? What does the legend say about Feanor?"
Gabriel sat up in his seat. "Oh right, the legend. Let's see..."He said, looking over her shoulder; deep in thought. "Well, for one thing, he is supposed to keep you on the side of good, much like Goloth would influence you to choose the side of pure evil. What the legend isn't clear about though is how he is supposed to show you whom you can trust. I don't know how that works."
"What else?"
"Uhmm, well, he's a protector mostly. He'll protect you from evil as long as 'your heart is pure and your intentions good.' Once you face Aenogh, he'll return to his masters. I don't know who they are." Gabriel said, finishing.
Sara nodded, going over the information she had just received in her head. "Nothing about how to stop the Reckoning from happening?"
"Nope, nothing about that. Once it is set in motion, you can't stop it." Gabriel replied, staring outside. Suddenly he jumped up, his face turning white. "Sara!" He whispered. "Outside, in the shadows..."
Sara looked outside, but seeing nothing she turned back to Gabriel, who was still staring at a point outside the diner. "What is it?"
Breaking his gaze, he looked at her. "Eyes. I swear I saw eyes in the shadows, watching us. They were glowing." He said, fumbling in his pockets until he found what he was looking for. He pulled a piece of paper out of one pocket, giving it to Sara. "Look at this."
She folded the piece of paper open and studied the drawing; a black creature, his facial features hidden almost completely by a black hood, except for piercing red eyes. Sara looked outside again, searching the shadows for a sign. Sighing, she turned back to Gabriel again. "Who is this supposed to be?"
"That's Goloth, or at least it is what the legend says. I found this online." He replied. "I swear I saw something outside, Sara, I'm sure I did."
Nodding, she quickly downed her coffee and grabbed her jacket. "Come on, I'm bringing you to my apartment." She said, grabbing his arm and pulling him to the exit, after putting enough money on the table to cover the bill.
Standing outside, she moved to where she had parked her bike. Turning the corner into the small alley, she was surprised when she found Feanor waiting for her. When she slowly approached him, dragging a clueless Gabriel with her, the wolf started to growl and bared his teeth, causing Sara to stop in her tracks.
"What is it?" Gabriel asked, looking around them. "Sara?"
"Shhh..." She replied, studying the animal. Was he telling her she couldn't trust Gabriel?
"Sara..." Gabriel said again, pulling her arm. "Turn around. I wasn't kidding when I said I saw eyes in the shadows."
Turning around, Sara saw what Gabriel was talking about: in the shadows, she could see piercing red eyes watching them. "Gabriel, step behind me." She said, pushing her friend behind her. At the same moment, the Witchblade acted, turning into the blade.
Goloth reacted to the Witchblade, stepping forward. Sara tried to make out his facial features, but she could only see his red eyes. Before she could say anything, Feanor jumped forward. The wolf now stood in front of her, growling at Goloth, who hissed back.
"Sara? What is happening?" Gabriel asked from behind her.
"Give me the traitor, Wielder." Goloth spoke, with the voice of a serpent. "We have your other friend. Give us the traitor and we will let him go."
"Never." Sara replied, taking a step forward, causing the Witchblade to shine in the lights from the street.
At this, Goloth fled out of the alley.
Sara looked at Gabriel. "Stay here." She said and followed Goloth as he fled.
She hadn't been following him for more than a minute when she heard panting next to her. Glancing to the right, she saw Gabriel running next to her.
"I couldn't let you go alone." He explained and looked forward, ignoring the disapproving look on Sara's face.
They followed Goloth until he entered the subway, rushing down the stairs unnoticed by other people.
"Did you see that?" Sara asked Gabriel. "It was as if he absorbed all the light, staying forever in the shadows."
Gabriel nodded. "Why can only we see it? I mean, I can understand your reason, but why me?"
"Because you are the traitor?" Sara offered. "At least, that is how they see you now. I'm thinking he is the one who took Ian as well." She said as she descended the stairs.
At this Gabriel looked up. "You mean Ian Nottingham?" He wasn't a friend of the stranger, but he wanted to know his connection to Sara. "This thing got to Nottingham?" Suddenly, he wasn't too happy with his decision to follow Sara. If someone like Nottingham couldn't defend himself from this, what was someone like him going to do?
He caught up with Sara when they were standing in the abandoned subway station. "Where did he go?" Sara asked, looking around for any signs of the harbinger.
TBC