The smell of sulfur and brimstone fills my nose.
The visage of scorched earth greets me when I open my eyes. The burnt ground is searing hot against my hand as I push myself to a standing position.
A stream of lava rushes past me and off the edge of the cliff I have found myself on. The view from the edge leaves me in awe. The cliff overlooks a valley filled with what looks like ants.
Chunks of lava-infused Earth float above the valley. The stream continues infinitely into the distance, past an enormous castle. I approach the edge as the small figures continue to move below.
A lump lodges itself in my throat as I get a clearer look at the figures below and realize they are not answers.
It is the final confirmation of where I am.
The demons bellow up at me, flailing their arms in the air. Fear shoots through my entire body as a flying serpent screeches in the distance. The winged creature descends from the endlessly red sky and attaches itself to the castle, screeching a stream of fire into the air.
"We've waited for you for a long time." A disembodied voice says.
The voice is close enough to my ear to make me shiver.
I twirl to find the source of the voice, but I'm greeted by the sight of large structures made from human corpses. The corpses writhe against each other, filling the air with moans and groans. The scene is nauseating.
I close my eyes tight and place my hands over my ears to drown out the Hellish sounds. I concentrate on what is real. My friends are real. The people stuck in Anarch's realm are real.
This is not real.
An alarm rings in my ear. The sound echoes through the air. I breathe softly as I open my eyes to find myself back in my bed. The smell of sulfur and brimstone hangs in the air.
Collins meows at the edge of my bed. She quickly hops off something.
I scoot to the edge of the bed and pick up a book, Corso's Compendium. The book flips open on its own to a page regard the demon of fear. The entry details that in the absence of hope, fear thrives. To defeat any demon of fear, hope is the only weapon.
It makes sense and I kick myself for not thinking of it sooner.
Collins meows on the floor. I had once thought of her being a familiar, but I dismissed the need for a familiar. My hubris made me think I didn't need a guiding spirit. It has never been clearer now that she is staring up at me with wide eyes.
Familiars are guiding spirits that show up to witches in the form of animals. Familiars appear to witches when they need guidance the most and remain with the witch until one or the other dies.
Little is known where the animals come from or how they determine when they are needed, only that the animals are incredibly smart and share an unshakable bond with those they guide.
I snuggle the poor cat close as I head downstairs.
Two figures stand on the other side of the front door. I see them through the glass. The figures are arguing about something I cannot quite hear. My recent experiences keep me from opening the door right away.
It is an internal debate whether I should retreat to my room before I decide not to run from anything in my own home.
Collin jumps from my arms and settles beside the stairs. I answer the door to find Merris and Whitney standing on the porch. The two are surprised when the door swings open. They stammer incomplete sentences before I invite them in.
YOU ARE READING
The Rede Breaker
FantasyParker Royce is sent to Prophecy Cove to investigate the sudden disappearances of many residents within the town. Parker finds himself at the center of a years-long bid by a demon to escape his demonic prison. But Parker didn't come alone. His best...
