Bedeviled

Chapter 33

"How would you be able to help?" I asked her.

"The magician, he will get you back to hell. He cannot send me or anyone else, I have a curse holding me here and the others have been sentanced. If you are able to lift the curse I will be freed from purgatory. The magician will create a link between him, a bond that will allow him to harness my power to make a door between us. One that he can travel through."

I closed my eyes, a tear escaping, "What will happen if I don't" I kept my eyes closed while I listened to her response.

"Valerio has plans to overthrow your queen, if he hasn't already, and take over the province. He will do the same to the others and use his new army to attack. This will create a war." She told me.

I opened my eyes. As much as I struggled to believe that my father was capable of such evil, I couldn't just sit by and let it happen. I must save my people. I must save my family.

__________

It's been an entire day and I've already gone through the rest of the berries Sebastian had given me. I felt like I was on fire. Every muscle ached and burned and my skin was coated in a slick layer of sweat at all times.

Death, Arissa and I sat awaiting for the magician in an overly cluttered office. There were bookshelves overflowing with hundreds of books, plant vines that were overgrown and wrapping around anything they could reach, and tools and instruments scattered everywhere. This magician has a very chaotic workspace.

I learned that the woman who intimidated me was actually a goddess named Oella. She walked through the door, robes floating around her with the magician close behind.

He was a short man, nearly as short as I was. He had black shoulder length, untamed hair and a full beard. I expected him to look fairly put together by how they talked of his power but this look seemed to match his office.

"Death!" he exclaimed with his arms out, "Such a wonderful surprise, how have you been?" 

Death glared at him through the mask and didn't say a word. 

The magicians enthusiastic face never faltered as he finally replied in the awkward silence, "Well that's wonderful to hear!" He clapped his hands together.

He looked me over, rubbing a hand over his forehead, "Hmm" he said, squinting at my attire. I felt suddenly insecure as he examined me. "Interesting" He mumbled before rummaging through his belongings in the room.

Oella rolled her eyes and sighed, "Zathar, how much power will you be taking from me?" Zathar, the Magician, would be pulling power from the goddess to get me out of here.

"All of it" he turned to look at us, arms full of scrolls, books and papers.

She exclaimed, "All of it? Zathar, I'll be useless for a least a month! I won't be able to tie you and Arissa together".

Zathar moved to a table in the center of the room, using his elbow and arm which was still filled to shove a mass of items off of it. They clattered and banged against the floor. "Well, then you'll just have to wait to complete the ritual" He said to me.

Arissa stood, "We don't have a month, that's too long"

Zathar ignored her, mumbling to himself lowly as he organized the books and papers on the table. I shifted uncomfortably, the ache and pull in my muscles nearly bringing a tear to my eye.

Death grumbled and rolled his shoulders, "If I am of no use here I would like to go".

Zathar lifted his head and spoke with a comical and forced sad face, "Maverick, you just got here, why not stay a while? Hang out with-"