Here's another chapter for y'all to enjoy! Big shouts out to the only two people who are representin' on this story…
chyp: Well I don't know what's goin' thru that head of yours, but whatever it is, don't count it out! Great minds often think alike, you know…
Raya: Oh, the suspense! What did Sam mean about James White? Without reading between the lines, it would seem like she knows his real identity, since his birth parents' last name is White… That's all I'm gonna say about it!
"What do we do?" Wesley asked, obviously flustered.
"Well," James said, scratching his head, "I don't know. Hey! We could call for John."
"He's never around when you need him," Wesley said, "but I guess it's been a while since we last needed him. It's worth a shot. John!"
Almost immediately after Wesley called out John's name, a shower of lights illuminated the living room where he and James stood. The lights disappeared, leaving a man in their stead. He was an older man, African-American, who looked to be in his early forties. He was John, the three brothers' Guardian, a magical person who helped and guided new witches.
"Hi," John said with a smile.
"Wow," Wesley said. "I'm not used to you actually comin' around within hours of us calling you. I'm quite surprised."
"Sarcasm later," James said, turning to John. "John, we have a problem. Some guy came and took Matt. And our Book is missing along with him. Any ideas on what's going on?"
"Funny you should bring that up," John said. "I've been busy lately. There was a rumor going around about a new kind of demon. Guardians everywhere have been putting their heads together, and y'all might wanna sit down for this…"
It had been a while since the Council had last reconvened. In the past few months, there had been a surge of uprisings in the Underworld that had kept the five Council members preoccupied. Rumors had been spreading about a new breed of demon that was supposedly stronger than any kind that had ever existed, allegedly even more powerful than not only the combined power of the Council, but more than that of Matthias White, the most powerful warlock in centuries. News of this new demon had been circulating through various demons, warlocks, vampires, and the like, each story gaining yet another twist. By the time the rumors reached the Council, they had been informed that this new kind of evil was planning to completely take over the Underworld, destroy all humanity, and create their own race of demons, making all else obsolete.
The five members of the Council simply could not tolerate such a threat to their power. It was more than a threat; it was an insult. They gathered around their pentagram-shaped table and discussed the threat in great detail.
"If this new demon is supposedly that powerful," Anamalech reasoned, "then where did it come from, and why wait until now to make a move?"
"Perhaps the bigger question is," Tenebrion added, "how will we be able to stop such a powerful threat if it is indeed more powerful than even Matthias?"
"A new demon?" Wesley asked. "Isn't this getting old? As our lives…unfold…the enemies just get stronger and stronger. It's like a video game. We just need to skip to the boss in the final level."
"You think this is the Council?" James asked Wesley.
"Not likely," John countered. "I don't think that they would spread any kind of rumor if it involved the possibility that they could be usurped. They're too proud."
"Well," James asked, "where did this new demon come from, then? And what can we do, especially without Matt? We don't have the power of the Complete without him."
"I have looked into the most ancient of Grimoires," Mastiphal said, "for a solution to this most unique problem."
"Ah, yes," Ardad said, "the Book of Shadows. It was not lost in the Great Battle after all, then?"
"No," Mastiphal answered. "It was only hidden, meticulously hidden. Since the start of these rumors, I ordered it to be found as soon as possible, in case there was a need for it."
"Good," Andras said. "What does it suggest?"
"It is hard to say," Mastiphal said. "As you are all aware, it is written in an old and obsolete script, hard to decipher. From what can be made of it…"
"NO!" Wesley and James shouted together.
What do they mean by 'no?' What is it that is apparently so terrible that they don't even wanna hear John out? Meanwhile, what is the Council up to these days? What exactly is this Book of Shadows that they have? So many questions…
