Chapter 18: Search for Truth
Edward stared down at Danielle, who was tossing and turning on the bed. Beads of sweat trickled down her pale face. Edward knew exactly what was going on. Xel'lotath had tried to take over Danielle when her mental strength had taken a serious blow, and now she was fighting off the Ancient's control. Edward was worried about her. Danielle was a very strong girl, but this was her first time going through a fight such as this.
He noticed a ghost appear to his right, and thinking it was Maximillian, told them to not even bother arguing. That was when he discovered that it was Ellia, the young dancer killed in the Tome's second chapter and the one who had guarded the Heart of Mantorok. "Ellia? Forgive me. I thought you were Maximillian. He and I haven't been on good terms lately… What are you doing here?"
"It's time, Edward," she said softly. "You cannot stay here any longer."
Edward looked down at his granddaughter, who had finally relaxed and was resting peacefully. "How can I leave her now when she needs me the most?"
Ellia sighed. "I know, but if the plan is to work, then we must prepare. I'm sorry, Edward, but this is how it must be." She paused for a beat. "I suppose a few more minutes won't do any harm. Tell her what you must, but remember that you do not have much time." Ellia faded away, and Edward suppressed a smile. The young dancer was certainly more understanding and kinder than Maximillian.
He strode over to Danielle's side as she slowly came to. She was clearly exhausted, but she looked better than before. "Grandpa, it was Xel'lotath. I could feel her inside me, trying to take over."
"It's all right. You're safe now." He let out a heavy sigh. "Danielle, I must depart now. I've aided you as much as I can, but the rest is up to you. The fight ahead will be difficult, but I know that you can manage if both you and Alex work together." Danielle was about to say something, and Edward held up his hand to silence her. "I don't have much time. Let me finish.
"You must rest to recover from what you've been through. Alex believes you are dead, so you must be careful when you have to rejoin her. Don't tell her anything about your connection to Xel'lotath. It's too dangerous for her to know about." He thought over everything again, sure he had covered all that he needed to tell her. "Danielle, this will be the hardest test of your strength. Be strong, and you can make it through." Edward felt himself weakening, being drawn back to the other realm.
Not now. Please, not yet.
"Danielle, even though you may not see me, I will always be at your side." He took one last look at his granddaughter. She was just a child involved in something so dangerous, yet she shouldn't have even been caught up in this in the first place. He smiled gently and vanished.
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Alex inserted the penny she had found in the Tome into the basement circuit breaker. After reading the page and encountering a strange ghost for the key to the basement, she realized that the next page was in the dark room upstairs. A quick check of the circuit breaker revealed that one fuse was indeed missing. Using the penny like Peter Jacob did in his chapter, she completed the circuit and returned upstairs.
That ghost was no illusion, she thought. Especially since it dropped the key. What happened to her?
Confused, Alex walked into the previously darkened room and looked around. It was the guest bathroom, and nothing out of the ordinary was present besides another page from Maximillian Roivas's journal. "So where could that chapter page be?" she muttered, staring at herself in the medicine cabinet's mirror. She stopped for a second and then opened the cabinet. Among the remedies, herbs, and medicines was the next page to the Tome.
Alex pulled it out, pausing momentarily to glance at all of the medicines that lined the shelves. There were cures for nearly everything, including hypochondria. She never knew Edward had been so concerned about his health. But was all of this medicine really necessary? "It was like he thought he couldn't afford to ever get sick. Like everything depended on his well-being. But why did he think this…?"
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Dark Servants
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"You are not free to leave this plane until you complete a task for me," Pious ordered, staring at the Chattur'gha Guardian before him. He had grown tired of the meddling Roivas line, so he decided to take action. "You are to hunt and kill the master of this house. Do this one thing and you will be free, else fear the wrath of Chattur'gha!" The Guardian turned into a sphere of red light and flew off in the direction of the stairwell that led to the Roivas Estate.
Rings of red light surrounded Pious, and he appeared before the image of his master. "Everything is complete for your arrival, Master. Now, we must wait for the planets to align, and that is not too many years from now. Another Roivas has crossed our path. This time, we will not be so merciful."
The Ancient peered down at him. "Mercy has no place in this world…"
"He will meet such a horrible death that the rest of the line will never set foot in his house again!"
His master's next words were low and menacing. "Pray to me that they don't…"
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Danielle blinked a few times as the vision passed, still weary from having to hold off Xel'lotath. Did the vision mean the next page was about her grandfather? She didn't know, but she had a hunch she was about to find out.
She laid back down, the exhaustion from before catching up with her. Taking the advice from her grandfather, she allowed sleep to overcome her. All she needed was a little rest. Then, she would be ready.