Chapter 27
Behind the Doors
At the top of a cliff in Greece, an ancient building stood against the lashing sea and freezing air. It was a place of worship, but evil resided within, marring its truer purpose. The highest room in the marble temple held no light, only a throne of black and blue. It rested on a work of smooth concrete in the shape of a pyramid. Embedded in the surface were many faceted mirrors with jagged edges and polished faces.
There also stood a water-filled basin cut into a black pillar of smooth stone. Silver designs were set in its surface, shaped like demons with wings and no names. Three figures stood around the water, watching the surface as it revealed images of other places and people. The figure at one side was that of the personified raven, Ká, in the center was her master, hidden in the darkness, and at the end stood a sorcerer half-werewolf. His black eyes held no spark of life.
He watched the images in the basin of his daughter but felt no affection for her, only the desire to serve Morpheus. The youkai held the stolen instruments of his profession and put them to work; his mind control had snared the half-werewolf into his service. "Hanyo, go and serve me." He said in a deep, commanding baritone.
Daren knelt before him, "How may I serve, master?"
Morpheus signaled for Ká to lead him away, "As bait." The raven led him out of the cheerless room and into a smaller chamber with two fireplaces. Daren stood obediently in front of the raven as she brandishes her talons; she sank them onto his skin and pulled away, taking chunks of his flesh with them. He felt the pain, the feeling of his innards being mutilated, and his bones snapping under her attacks, but he could not will himself to defend himself.
His heart was full of grief, because it knew his daughter would be sad, but his more easily fooled brain was the one in control of his body. When his strength ran out, he fell to the floor, bleeding. Ká started to kick him in the ribs for good measure; in the back of her mind, she felt her master pull her away. "Don't kill him, just barely let him live. The girl will drain herself to heal him, and she will no longer be a threat when he is at full strength again and destroys her."
Obediently, she drew away and went back into the other room; with a flutter of her wings, she sat on the arm of the chair next to Morpheus. "Then, you may destroy the black-haired boy, seeing as how you missed your opportunity back at the castle." He said irritably, but his anger subsided and he petted her wings. "But this time I will make sure no red-haired youkai distracts you from your task. The others are also weakened and will be no threat to me." Giving an indifferent squawk, she ruffled her wings, preening with her hands. "Now, we wait."