Post by thestoryteller20 on Jan 24, 2006 16:59:55 GMT -5
Above the demon swirled the tortured faces of children, as they screamed in anguish...
"Please help set us free"!!! I was too afraid! Too afraid to speak, to run; and before I
knew what was happening, the cloaked creature stood before me. There was confidence in his
eyes, for I was totally helpless and he knew it! With the swish of one hand, I felt claws
rip across my chest, tearing into my skin as I cried out in pain! I clutched my chest as
blood spurted between my fingers as I felt my knees buckle.
Suddenly, the demon was struck with a bolt of light that illuminated the room, and he
shuddered, turned and faced the woman who I had spoken with at the sidewalk. In one hand
I saw a sort of staff, and the tip glowed a fiery red! Her other hand was held up as if
it was meant to stop him from attacking me. She spoke in a language I did not understand,
and before I could look back, he uttered a savage growl, and raced down the hall in front
of me, back into the darkness. The spirits of the children began to fade into the
blackness. But not before the asked me once again to help them.
Blackness was now closing all around me when I felt someone pull my arm up, and lead me
out of the house. It was the old woman, and as we walked, with fear in her voice, she
spoke.... "We must leave this place of evil. We must step out into the light"! Once
outside, she helped me go to her house and we entered through her back door. She took me
to a room that was looked like a scene out of a Lord Of The Rings movie! She sat me down
in the only chair in the room, it's arms carved in the shape of an eagles claw.
Shelves made of very old wood lined one wall, with fars large and small of potions,
creatures, and herbs. Her back was to me as she opened a book with yellowed, fragile
pages. When she found the page she sought, I heard her say; "There it is"! Then she went
to the shelves and approached me with some sort of stone. She leaned me farther back and
placed the stone on my wounds and placed my hand upon the stone. "Keep the stone against
the cuts"! Then she recited things I had never known or heard of before"!
When she was finished, she looked down at me with kind, but tired eyes, and her hand
removed my hand from the stone. She held the stone in her hand, and with her other hand,
she moved my torn shirt, and to my astonishment, my injuries had healed. There wasn't
even any blood stains! Only 5 torn slashes remained from his claws. She walked away and
placed the stone back on the shelve, turned, and with hesitation in her voice asked me
a question.
"I have done what I could to save your life, your soul! Now I must ask you a question.
Do you have the courage to save the souls of untold children from centuries past...or
do you have the fear to leave and never return? Before you answer, let me tell you a
story. Long ago in another world, there was a powerful demon who ruled the underworld.
He grew so powerful, he nearly took over this world. He found a way to create a doorway
into your world. I am the last of the ancient ones, who stand guard at this place. I am
the only thing standing between him and the death of your world. But I have grown old,
and so weary, it is only a matter of time before he fears me no more, and faces me. When
that time comes, I know, I too shall die.
No one will be left to maintain tha balance of good vs. evil. You are the first to enter
the darkness of his world. For the moment, he cannot leave the prison he is contained in.
He cannot leave that house, but I don't know for how much longer. As you were attacked
the souls of children cried out to you, to help release them If you choose to leave now,
I will not stop you. But if you choose to join me, to join me and send him back to the
world of the undead, I will prepare you to overcome things you dared to believe could
exist. I will tell you what must be done, and I will protect you as best I can. The rest
will be up to you".
Everything in this room told me, this was no dream, no illusion. "If you cannot defeat
that demon, how can I? I will help you, but I do not know what to do"? I saw a sign of
hope within her eyes at that moment. "You are strong of spirit, of kindness, the light
within you shines brightly. I can see the light. Evil will always fear the light and
seek to destroy it. I can make a potion for you to drink, that will allow you to be as
strong as I once was. I can give to you a special amulet called; The Magic Circle Of
Solomon, it will protect you from evil. I will bless you with the shadow spell, that
will allow you to travel in his world unnoticed by his dark warriors.
She walked over to a long intricately carved wood staff, and upon it was a beautiful
red stone with many facets. This stone is an ancient amulet called the Circle of
Protection. If you are confronted by evil, on your journey, make a circle around you with
the end of the staff. Evil will not be able to cross the circle, as long as you remain
within the circle. In the demon's world, are the remains of a church in a ghostly swamp.
You will find among the ruins, an archway with a wooden box there.
To release the souls of the children he has killed, you must remove and bring back the
stone amulet you find inside. You must return to the doorway on this side of his world,
and destroy the doorway, forever trapping him in his world. You will also have released
all those souls he has held captive in darkness, forever tortured. Walk with me and I
will show you the doorway". She lit a torch and we began to walk through the boarded up
house. When we reached the basement doorway, I saw the door had been shattered into
tooth pick size splinters. With her staff in the other hand, we walked down the steps.
The basement was totally empty, and I saw no doorway, only a stone wall. The stones
looked as old as time and were the color of black and grey.
She stopped in front of the wall and placed her hand through the stone, to show me that
is was indeed, a type of doorway! "This is where you must pass to enter his world. Come
we must leave and go back upstairs, to prepare you for what must be done. I fear we do
not have much time". I saw her take a deep breath, and with tired eyes, she turned and
I followed her back upstairs. She returned to her Book, a book of spells I guess it was
called. When she had finished reciting her words with her right hand on my shoulder, she
handed me the amulet necklace. I placed it around my neck. Then she handed me the staff
with one desperate plea! The demon must not take this from you. If he does, you will
die horribly and you will forever be trapped in his world"!
"I have done all I can do to protect you, you know what you must do! Take this staff and go
quickly, find the stone in the box under the stone archway and come back to the wall.
You must destroy the wall in the basement when you return. Only by destroying the
doorway, will you trap the demon in his world for eternity, and set the souls of
children free"! We left her house and when we reached the back door of the boarded
house I stopped and picked up my crow bar. I knew I needed something to break apart the
old stones in the basement wall. As we made our way through the darkness of the house I
saw the light of my flashlight and picked it up.
In a few moments, we were standing at the stone wall, and I laid down my flashlight and
crow bar. I can't describe the fear and uncertainty within me at that moment. In the
light of her torch she saw it too! "Remember what I said! If you are in danger, make a
circle in the ground with this end of the staff! Move quickly within his world.
Make no noise as you walk. You will remain as a shadow to the creatures that lurk there
and do his bidding". Seeking reassurance, I asked the old woman; "You'll be here
waiting for me won't you, waiting for me to return won't you"? With sadness in her
eyes, she shook her head and in a soft voice she replied;, No, I will not be here, for
my time has come to die. I am so glad I was able to give to you the task of protecting
your world, before I said good-bye". With those words echoing within the basement walls,
she vanished before my eyes. Now, it was up to me!
© 2006 Raymond Cook (All rights reserved)
"Please help set us free"!!! I was too afraid! Too afraid to speak, to run; and before I
knew what was happening, the cloaked creature stood before me. There was confidence in his
eyes, for I was totally helpless and he knew it! With the swish of one hand, I felt claws
rip across my chest, tearing into my skin as I cried out in pain! I clutched my chest as
blood spurted between my fingers as I felt my knees buckle.
Suddenly, the demon was struck with a bolt of light that illuminated the room, and he
shuddered, turned and faced the woman who I had spoken with at the sidewalk. In one hand
I saw a sort of staff, and the tip glowed a fiery red! Her other hand was held up as if
it was meant to stop him from attacking me. She spoke in a language I did not understand,
and before I could look back, he uttered a savage growl, and raced down the hall in front
of me, back into the darkness. The spirits of the children began to fade into the
blackness. But not before the asked me once again to help them.
Blackness was now closing all around me when I felt someone pull my arm up, and lead me
out of the house. It was the old woman, and as we walked, with fear in her voice, she
spoke.... "We must leave this place of evil. We must step out into the light"! Once
outside, she helped me go to her house and we entered through her back door. She took me
to a room that was looked like a scene out of a Lord Of The Rings movie! She sat me down
in the only chair in the room, it's arms carved in the shape of an eagles claw.
Shelves made of very old wood lined one wall, with fars large and small of potions,
creatures, and herbs. Her back was to me as she opened a book with yellowed, fragile
pages. When she found the page she sought, I heard her say; "There it is"! Then she went
to the shelves and approached me with some sort of stone. She leaned me farther back and
placed the stone on my wounds and placed my hand upon the stone. "Keep the stone against
the cuts"! Then she recited things I had never known or heard of before"!
When she was finished, she looked down at me with kind, but tired eyes, and her hand
removed my hand from the stone. She held the stone in her hand, and with her other hand,
she moved my torn shirt, and to my astonishment, my injuries had healed. There wasn't
even any blood stains! Only 5 torn slashes remained from his claws. She walked away and
placed the stone back on the shelve, turned, and with hesitation in her voice asked me
a question.
"I have done what I could to save your life, your soul! Now I must ask you a question.
Do you have the courage to save the souls of untold children from centuries past...or
do you have the fear to leave and never return? Before you answer, let me tell you a
story. Long ago in another world, there was a powerful demon who ruled the underworld.
He grew so powerful, he nearly took over this world. He found a way to create a doorway
into your world. I am the last of the ancient ones, who stand guard at this place. I am
the only thing standing between him and the death of your world. But I have grown old,
and so weary, it is only a matter of time before he fears me no more, and faces me. When
that time comes, I know, I too shall die.
No one will be left to maintain tha balance of good vs. evil. You are the first to enter
the darkness of his world. For the moment, he cannot leave the prison he is contained in.
He cannot leave that house, but I don't know for how much longer. As you were attacked
the souls of children cried out to you, to help release them If you choose to leave now,
I will not stop you. But if you choose to join me, to join me and send him back to the
world of the undead, I will prepare you to overcome things you dared to believe could
exist. I will tell you what must be done, and I will protect you as best I can. The rest
will be up to you".
Everything in this room told me, this was no dream, no illusion. "If you cannot defeat
that demon, how can I? I will help you, but I do not know what to do"? I saw a sign of
hope within her eyes at that moment. "You are strong of spirit, of kindness, the light
within you shines brightly. I can see the light. Evil will always fear the light and
seek to destroy it. I can make a potion for you to drink, that will allow you to be as
strong as I once was. I can give to you a special amulet called; The Magic Circle Of
Solomon, it will protect you from evil. I will bless you with the shadow spell, that
will allow you to travel in his world unnoticed by his dark warriors.
She walked over to a long intricately carved wood staff, and upon it was a beautiful
red stone with many facets. This stone is an ancient amulet called the Circle of
Protection. If you are confronted by evil, on your journey, make a circle around you with
the end of the staff. Evil will not be able to cross the circle, as long as you remain
within the circle. In the demon's world, are the remains of a church in a ghostly swamp.
You will find among the ruins, an archway with a wooden box there.
To release the souls of the children he has killed, you must remove and bring back the
stone amulet you find inside. You must return to the doorway on this side of his world,
and destroy the doorway, forever trapping him in his world. You will also have released
all those souls he has held captive in darkness, forever tortured. Walk with me and I
will show you the doorway". She lit a torch and we began to walk through the boarded up
house. When we reached the basement doorway, I saw the door had been shattered into
tooth pick size splinters. With her staff in the other hand, we walked down the steps.
The basement was totally empty, and I saw no doorway, only a stone wall. The stones
looked as old as time and were the color of black and grey.
She stopped in front of the wall and placed her hand through the stone, to show me that
is was indeed, a type of doorway! "This is where you must pass to enter his world. Come
we must leave and go back upstairs, to prepare you for what must be done. I fear we do
not have much time". I saw her take a deep breath, and with tired eyes, she turned and
I followed her back upstairs. She returned to her Book, a book of spells I guess it was
called. When she had finished reciting her words with her right hand on my shoulder, she
handed me the amulet necklace. I placed it around my neck. Then she handed me the staff
with one desperate plea! The demon must not take this from you. If he does, you will
die horribly and you will forever be trapped in his world"!
"I have done all I can do to protect you, you know what you must do! Take this staff and go
quickly, find the stone in the box under the stone archway and come back to the wall.
You must destroy the wall in the basement when you return. Only by destroying the
doorway, will you trap the demon in his world for eternity, and set the souls of
children free"! We left her house and when we reached the back door of the boarded
house I stopped and picked up my crow bar. I knew I needed something to break apart the
old stones in the basement wall. As we made our way through the darkness of the house I
saw the light of my flashlight and picked it up.
In a few moments, we were standing at the stone wall, and I laid down my flashlight and
crow bar. I can't describe the fear and uncertainty within me at that moment. In the
light of her torch she saw it too! "Remember what I said! If you are in danger, make a
circle in the ground with this end of the staff! Move quickly within his world.
Make no noise as you walk. You will remain as a shadow to the creatures that lurk there
and do his bidding". Seeking reassurance, I asked the old woman; "You'll be here
waiting for me won't you, waiting for me to return won't you"? With sadness in her
eyes, she shook her head and in a soft voice she replied;, No, I will not be here, for
my time has come to die. I am so glad I was able to give to you the task of protecting
your world, before I said good-bye". With those words echoing within the basement walls,
she vanished before my eyes. Now, it was up to me!
© 2006 Raymond Cook (All rights reserved)