Chapter 16: Creeping Shadow's
"Hmm..." You paused, looking from Alastor and then towards the door. You'd haven't seen all of the castle yet, but the castle could wait. You would see plenty more of it over time considering recent "events". For right now the gardens sounded better, because the thought of going outside and maybe clearing your head... would do you some good.
"Let's go to the gardens, I've seen enough of the castle for a while..." you said sighing.
As you turned towards the door, ready to leave, a sudden chill crawled up your back. A very tall shadow being that looked to be as tall as Valentino poked it's head through the door as if it were open, when it was clearly closed. It's hollow void like eyes bore into you. Rage crossed over it's smoky features at the sight of you with Alastor. You heard an unnatural growl as it quickly darted away.
This caused you to suddenly remember that weird shadow being from earlier that was down the hallway leaving Charlies room. You shook your head as if it would clear your mind, but it didn't help much at all to alleviate your sudden oncoming panic. The feeling the shadow gave you irked you to no end... like a painful knot in your stomach.
Alastor wrapped his arm around your shoulders, looking down at you in concern, causing you to look up at him 'I saw that thing... just now. When did you see the other shadow being?' Alastor asked. You suddenly felt a bit of relief. So you weren't just seeing things... he saw it too...
You looked up at him 'I saw it just as we were leaving Charlies room and beginning to head to my old room. It was down the hallway and I almost didn't see it then. I thought it was your shadow, checking up on us or even residual energy. Though the feeling... was very... unsettling. Now that I think of it. Is their a possibility that we are being watched?' you asked in turn, resting your head on his chest for comfort.
He was still for a moment, almost to long of one "Bastian... inform the guards to be aware that a shadow being of some type, infiltrated the castle somehow. And to be on alert for it and anything similar, if possible have them capture it. Someone is trying to keep tabs on us or worse... I don't know what to expect, but it might be one of the overlords." Alastor said grimly. You saw Bastian bow in acknowledgment and run from the room at an unnatural speed.
You heard a loud cough, your father Lucifer gave you the feeling of a circling predator "When did you see this... shadow being?" he asked, only to then suddenly appear in front of you and Alastor. His sudden appearance gave you a jolt up your spine. Though... this was Lucifer you were talking about...
You sighed, relaying your tale "It was after we left Charlies room. I had wanted to go to my old room. We where heading down the hallway when I saw it... I would have missed it if I wasn't looking down the hallway then... it moved so quickly. I didn't think to mention it because I thought it was Alastor's shadow or even residual energy." you paused looking towards the door "I and Alastor just now saw it again, it had poked it's head inside the doorway and left almost just as quickly." you said staring in the direction it left.
He looked a little taken aback, but quickly recovered. " I see... well we will have the castle scoured by the guards. One can never be to careful. I have a question, have you happen to see the size of it?" he asked, folding his arms behind himself. You quirked a eyebrow at him "He was almost taller than the doorway and taller than Alastor." you said with a questioning voice.
He frowned, running his hand through his hair. "One of the only Overlords I know of that tall, would be Valentino... so then If I understand this correctly Valentino along with Vox both saw you earlier?" Lucifer asked.
You nodded "At the time we were shopping for my wedding dress and Alastor's suit. I know he saw us there when I and Alastor were finishing up. Alastor had needed to changed back to his day clothes at the time." you finished.
"Well... he does have his "obsession's" with potential money making prizes. Though he is a somewhat powerful overlord... I don't think he could've gotten in here on his power alone... I wonder what he did..." Lucifer trailed off.
Bastian stepped forward seeming to appear out of nowhere, bowing. "My Lords and Ladies... I have informed the guards of the situation and have requested guards for you and Lilith. I have also sent guards to assist Lady Charlie and Lady Vaggie. Me and Alastor should be enough on our own to take care of Lady Y/N, should trouble find us." Bastian said quickly, standing straight.
Lilith got up from her chair and walked forward, having put down the book she was reading. She step right next to Lucifer. "Well this is an odd occurrence. The both of us will stay here. It will probable be okay to go to the gardens since they are enclosed via the castle surrounding them, but I wouldn't go elsewhere." she put her hand on your shoulder, smiling "Stay close to Alastor, we just got you back..." She finished, hugging you suddenly. You hugged her back, feeling comforted.
Your dad, Lucifer hugged you both out of the blue, with a sincere soft smile on his face. "Yes, stay safe. My dear." Lucifer said. He and your mother soon let you go, leaving you to make your way to the door and soon out of your father's office.
Bastian step around you two and open the doors, bowing while indicating towards the exit. He smiled at you both, letting you and Alastor pass, before following behind you. Alastor led the way as you and your group walked down the long hallway for quite a while...
Alastor suddenly stopped and scratched the back of his head sheepishly, looking down at you. "I don't remember how to get to the gardens, it has been quite a while." You tried stifling a laugh, but practically failed. Only managing cough lousily to cover it up. You sheepishly smiled up at him and then looked towards Bastian who was trying his hardest not to laugh, only slightly succeeding via mimicking your coughing, but louder.
Alastor turned away from you, quirking an eyebrow at his old friend. "Do you, my old friend. Know the way?" Alastor inquired sarcastically. You heard Bastian grumble and straighten his suit, standing taller.
"Why of course Alastor, follow me." Bastian said curtly, while walking ahead of you both. You both followed him out into the foyer and then behind the staircases. Down a long ornate hallway, though it was rather odd hallway. It was an aquarium on all sides, with a dome glass ceiling, letting in the fading red sunlight illuminate the hallway. What was stranger was the fish inside the aquarium itself. Most were preditorial types of fish... some beyond description and some were bio-luminescent.
You were in awe at your surroundings and stopped to gawk. You were suddenly brought out of your bewilderment and awe, by two long arms wrapping themselves around your torso "Do you like it, my dear." Alastor said, resting his chin on your head.
You smiled, resting your hand on his arm "It's very nice! Though it looks hard to upkeep." you stated, feeling his smile widen. "It is, I assume. I didn't have it to this scale back then." he said letting you go and wrapping his arm around your torso, leading you back towards an annoyed and vigilant Bastian.
"Come, let's make this quick. So I can get you two back to a more secure section of the Castle." Bastian said curtly, grumbling about possible kidnappings... you almost jumped at the loud sound of beeps followed one after another, making him touched a button on a black box attached to the rim of his suit. Suddenly a set of headphones with a speaker appeared on his head. He sharply barked an order. "Speak!" Talking to some unknown being.
"You say the shadow has been spotted at the entrance of the castle grounds?" he said sounding concerned. You hear muffled voice talking. "Okay, It looks like it knows where it's going?! So it is somewhat familiar with the layout, then..." he paused "keep it in your sight and try to identify who it is." he finished.
You looked from Bastian and up at Alastor. He looked more concerned by the minute. His shadow suddenly appeared next to him, reminding you to summon your own. 'Ash?' you paused for a response 'Yes?' you smiled 'I need you to help protect us out here along with Alastor's shadow.' you paused 'It might be somehow Valentino, though they are saying he would need outside help to get in here. Will you help us out?' you asked, anxiety suddenly nipping at your already frayed nerves.
Your shadow Ash appeared in front of you, smiling. 'I'm always around and here to help.' she said patting you on the shoulder with her clawed shadowy hand. She left you and headed towards Alastor's Shadow. They both seemingly glided at unnatural speeds towards the glass doors leading to the large Gardens and fazed through them.
You and Alastor followed Bastian to the ornate and old looking glass set of double doors. They were wrought iron and painted gold in a swirling vine pattern. He opened them and let you both pass before closing them behind himself.
You looked around in awe. Tall fantasy like old oak trees lined the either side of the garden. Their leafs a purplish/green color. Rose bushes of all colors were scattered around in beautiful patterns. In the middle of the garden was a massive and tall black marble fountain, gilded with gold along it's edges. The design in a Victorian/Gothic style. Around the fountain were dark gray white veined marble benches.
You took a closer look around and noticed the garden also had Carnations, Irises, Coleuses and a whole slew of plants you never have seen before. Some flowering plants were even bioluminescent.
You smiled brightly and walked forward towards one of the benches. You sat down and stretched, looking up at the sky that was now turning from day into night. Seeing the first few stars begin to peek out. Soon Alastor sat next to you, smiling warmly at you as you stared up into the twilight sky.
You felt his large warm hand tangle with your smaller one, sending tingles threw your hand and up your spine. You sighed happily and laid your head against his shoulder. Even though their was a crazy shadow being stalking you... you felt safe, in such a chaotic place such as Hell. The tension in your shoulders suddenly dissipating.
You and Alastor sat and talked for what seemed like hours. And before you know it the sky was dark and filled with stars. You were starting to feel hungry again and looked away from Alastor and towards the now light filled glass doorway. Bastian was suddenly standing in front of you both. His face was grim...
"We caught it very near to our location... it's... Valentino's shadow. His shadow is holding a weird angelic feeling relic. I'm told he won't talk and just stares off with a blank look on his face as if possessed." Bastian entailed.
Alastor and you both stood up in alarm. You wondered what the object was and how it helped him get in? Who gave him the relic and why? What did he do to get it? Alastor though looked rather alarmed and took your hand in his, quickly leading you along with Bastian back to your father's office.
Alastor opened the doors rather roughly with his free hand. As you both entered the room you saw that your father was standing in front of Valentino's shadow who was being held in the middle of the office. It was held by a prism of intense white light in a grid like pattern on the floor. You wanted to walk towards your father, but Alastor's grip on your hand only tightened, stopping you.
As if Valentino's shadow could sense your presence, it started to react with a sudden violence to free itself. It let out a deafening roar. Like he had truly gone mad. You felt suddenly rooted in place, fear creeping down your spine at the sound it made. You looked up at Alastor, only to see his face contort into one of deep rage with a sinister smile forming on his face. He let go of your hand to then stomp towards Valentino's shadow.
You fought the sudden fear that seemed to choke you and took a shaky step forward. One step after another, you moved forward. Sliding to the side towards your mother. She wrapped her arms around you, holding you tightly to her.
Alastor stood in front of Valentino's Shadow. He glared up into it's void like pitiless eyes, speaking cruelly "I will not put up with your bullshit anymore. You have turned this city into hunting ground just to find whats clearly mine. Someone you can't have. She's not yours Valentino... and whatever deal you made... and with who, I will find out!"
Valentino's shadow glared down at Alastor and laughed cruelly, his black voids for eyes suddenly being filled with a red beady set of glowing eyes. "We will have her! She supposed to be with us! Not with you nor them..." Valentino snarled, his eyes darting towards your father and then your mother, then hungerly landing on you, making you shudder with disgust. It seemed like he was indicating another party besides himself? But who or what?
Alastor grin widen as he gripped Valentino's throat in a sudden death grip, dragging the tall shadow being down to his eye level. His grip only tightened as he snarled "Think again, she mine!" Alastor suddenly let go of Valentino's shadow, his sinister smile somehow widening further.
Alastor's eyes glowed with rage as the relic that allowed Valentino to enter the castle levitated out of his iron grip. He made a motion to speak "No!-" but the words were ripped from his mouth and muffled by the sudden motion of being flung into a black slithering portal, that vanished as quickly as it came. The room stilled for a moment. Though the sickening feeling still permeated the surrounding area.
The relic now out of the possession of the shadow being, glowed with a cold feeling light. It felt ugly, cruel and powerful. Though it was a simple, but beautiful gold ruby necklace.
You freed yourself from your mother grip and rushed over to Alastor as he levitated the necklace into a glass container that appeared out of nowhere. The glass container had many red unknown pagan seals encrusted into the glass itself, that glowed ominously.
He seemed even more enraged. "This used to be your necklace... I gave it to you for your birthday... from when you were alive as Lucifer's daughter. Your past life..." he growled out, clenching his fists at his sides. "now this necklace... it's been corrupted by an "angelic" forces. I don't know how he got this... or who gave it to him... but I will find out!" he finished, seething.
Another shadow that you had not seen before appeared next to Alastor. It looked exactly like Alabastien and with an unnatural speed it left the room to who knows where. He sighed "That should help me find out where he actually is... not just his shadow."
He floated the jar with the necklace inside to a circular golden table encrusted with gems that suddenly appeared in front of both you and Alastor. As it landed on the table, light silver glowing chains from the table wrapped themselves around the jar. "This "thing" cannot be touched nor looked upon for to long. I believe it is possessed by some entity from the angelic realm "Heaven". It is mostly a hunch, but with the way Valentino was acting... I believe it is the safe way to, for the time being handle this angelic relic." Alastor explained.
He then turned towards your father "I will store this away in a undisclosed location, I don't want anyone going and looking for it." he said. With a snap of his fingers the table and it's relic disappeared from the room as if it never was. Lucifer smiled a genuine smile "I trust your judgment, old friend."
Suddenly there is a knock on the door and just as quickly it opens. A tall female, dressed in a maids outfit appears in the doorway. She has long red hair and reptilian golden eyes. Her sclera's black and her skin a light blue. She was very beautiful, with black horns coming from the sides of her head wrapping around the base of her skull and then pointing upwards. She had large blue aquatic fins in place of her ears with a long aquatic finned tail wrapping itself around her legs.
She smiles a sharp fanged grin, her gaze landing on Alastor and then you, her eyes widening. "I'm here to let you know dinner is served. And to show you the way. My name is Gothall." She says.
Your father claps his hands together "Great, I'm starved! Let's get going!" he says from behind you. Your stomach suddenly grumbles loudly, making you blush and reminding you that you were going to have your first family dinner...