This Prison

Chapter Eleven

Ways and Return

Arella led us about a huge building with several decorations and servants. Several servants stared as Raven passed and some even tripped if they were walking. Raven pretended to take no notice to this. I could tell though; it was bothering her. The white-dressed woman finally came to a wide room with a couch, a few chairs, and a coffee table. Bookshelves lined the walls. A servant dressed in armor came over.

"Do you need anything, Queen Arella?" he asked, bowing slightly.

"Can you get us a pot of tea?"

"Yes. Straight away." The servant bowed again and hurried off. Wait. Did he say "Queen Arella"? Holy hell! I kissed a princess!

Raven and I sat on the couch. I was sure to keep a good distance from her but not so much that it was rude. Raven's mother sat in the chair with folded legs and laced fingers. She only looked at us for a moment. The girl beside me didn't flinch but stared back. I attempted to avoid her gaze as much as possible.

"So what do you think I can do to help you, Raven?" Violet locked with violet.

"I need the book from the Order of Azar."

"I am afraid I cannot figure out the text. It is well beyond my understanding of magic. I do believe it would be too much of a challenge for you as well."

"Can you take me to it?"

"Later, perhaps. Right now, I am curious about your companion." Arella turned to me, pulling down her hood. "Why are you attempting to help my daughter?" I hesitated but it was barely noticeable.

"She asked for the help, milady."

"I was not aware anyone spoke in such proper ways anymore." She smiled. "You do know what you are up against, don't you?"

"Yes."

"And you believe you have a chance of stopping the one and only Trigon?"

"Perhaps. I have seen your daughter with her magics and I have taught her even more. Perhaps together we stand somewhat of a chance." I replied. I had no idea where those words came from.

"I see. So what did you teach her?" I hesitated again. This time, she noticed. She raised a challenging eyebrow.

"You see, there is a phrase- "fight fire with fire"." I paused, ignoring Raven shifting beside me. "Let's just say I've given her something to use as "fire"." Arella nodded as the servant returned with a tray. He set it on the table and bowed before leaving. She poured a cup and handed it to me and then poured a cup for Raven. I thanked her.

"So you taught her dark magic." I nearly fell over again.

"I-well, yes. I did."

"I see." Arella did not push farther. She merely stirred honey into her cup. "You are aware, of course, that if you do not succeed, Raven will perish in the portal. Fear gripped my stomach. I had known this but I had not thought on it. The thought of loosing Raven was…unbearable. There's no other way to describe it.

"Yes."

"And you and your world would perish?"

"Yes." 'It's not exactly my world…'

"And you would never see her again?"

"Yes." 'I don't even want to think about it…'

"And that no matter what you do, you can't stop it?" I caught her little trick.

"Both of us have done the so-called impossible before. If we don't fight back, the earth will be destroyed. If we do fight back, at least we have a fighting chance." 'It's true, you know…'

"You don't, dear boy. You can't stop him."

"I have quite a few tricks up my sleeve." 'You don't know what I'm capable of…' Arella seemed satisfied with my questioning and stood up.

"Come. I will take you both to the book." she said. We followed and found ourselves following endless corridors yet again. When we had walked for what seemed like forever, we approached a door. "Here. You may go in. I will be in the tea room when you are through." Raven nodded and we entered the room.

The room was a chamber of rock and could very well be called a cave. The floor was uneven and the walls damp. The scene screamed "horror movie." The only light was in the center of the room where the gray old book sat beneath a light on a pedestal. Raven and I moved toward it with immense caution. Magic seemed to radiate from it.

"What do you think they…used to…imprison…" Raven trailed off. "I'll be back."

"What?" Before I could get an answer out of her, she hurried from the room. I stood alone. I moved ever closer to the gray tattered book before me and ran my fingers along the spine. A tingling feeling shot up my arm, causing me to draw back. It didn't hurt…It just…seemed somehow familiar. But I didn't get visions; It was just a case of Deja Vu. I opened the book and looked over the first few yellowing pages. The prediction of Raven's birth was written on scrawling red letters. I shuddered and turned the page to find something of a note.

The Order of Azar

If you are smart, you will put this text down this second. In this book, there is an impossible evil that you cannot possibly imagine. We, the members of the Order of Azarath have imprisoned it, hoping it can no longer harm any more innocent families and lives. Let it be known that on June 13, 2016, this evil shall rise again. (A/N: holy hell! This sounds like Harry Potter, doesn't it? Ha!) However, this evil will not rise on its own. It will have the help of its demon-human daughter, named Rachel, known only as Raven. She shall become the portal to earth and end all life within her grasp. This will not happen until a great tragedy occurs in her sixteen-year old life. Despite our efforts, we have not discovered what this tragedy might be.

If you possess magic skill, we ask that you use the following curse to-

"Malchior." I turned to see Raven standing at the door with a triumphant grin on her face and something I never thought I'd see again. My book. The book I'd burned. She stepped inside, revealing her mother.

"What? No. You aren't putting me back there! You said- How'd you get it back?" I ranted, stepping back.

"I used a reinstatement spell. And I'm not putting you back. I needed the text." She walked over to the pedestal with her mother at her heals. She opened my book to the page she'd marked- the one where that damned Rorek sealed me in the book. She placed the two books side by side and looked at me with a soft smile on her lips. "Notice any similarities?" I gave her a questioning look, but read only the rest of the page in the order's book to know what was going on. The spell that imprisoned me had imprisoned Trigon! My mouth set agape and my eyes widened.

"Oh my-"

"I never thought your curse would be useful!" Despite the fact her mother was in the room, she through her arms around my neck and let tears of joy soak into my chest. The books fell to the ground with a thud. Her hug was so strong it nearly knocked me over. Arella ignored us and only sidestepped us and picked up the books to read the pages.

"Malchior was trapped in a book, mother." Raven explained, letting go of me. "And I freed him and put him back. They're the same spells used by the order!" Arella looked up.

"I see." She hesitated for a moment. "So you will be leaving, I assume?" Raven nodded. "At least let your city welcome you home?" Raven's face darkened.

"They don't want me." she said softly. "They can welcome me after this is all over."

Arella led us back out to the balcony. The sun was slowly setting and the sky was a breathtaking mixture of pink and orange. "I bid you farewell and good luck." Arella told us. She hugged Raven tightly. I could tell this wasn't her normal behavior by her daughter's surprised expression. In a moment, Raven gave in and finally hugged her back. The woman then turned to me. "Thank you, Malchior." To my surprise, she threw her arms about me as well. She pulled back and exited with a smile.

Raven was watching the skyline. I went up behind her and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. I tickled her chin, causing her to yelp. Out of nowhere, a silver streak flew in and knocked me to the side with a powerful kick.

"Are you alright, princess?" the figure asked. That voice. I knew that damned voice! I looked to the side. Standing in front of Raven as if protecting her was someone I thought I'd never see again.

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A/N: Oh! Who's the mystery person at the end? It's so easy! Get it wrong, a hobo will take your socks while you sleep! Oh! And I'll be really mad…