The Arcana // Asra

Chapter 2: The Chariot

—•—Twenty Years Ago—•—

"We need to alert the covens. Salim? Aisha?"
I watched my wife as she walked around the house like a chicken with it's head cut off.
Her familiar Nebula following worriedly.
I could see the sheer panic in her eyes as she picked up the chameleon and she turned dark blue, mimicking Minerva's emotions.

We could feel them, they were near.
My familiar Lockjaw waited aimlessly outside waiting for a sign to tell us they were getting closer.

I walked up to her, grabbing her shoulders and she avoided my gaze, fighting the urge to cry.
"Look at me love..." She looked up into my stormy eyes with her bright golden ones, a tear slipping from her cheek. I carefully wiped it away and I pulled her to my chest.
"Sweetheart...I'm afraid it's too late for us."
We both looked to the small room in the back where our daughter laid sleeping soundlessly.
"We have to get her away from here. They're coming for her."
She nodded quickly, sniffing as she wiped her eyes and wiped her hands on her skirt.
"Go get her, take her to the gate in the cave. We'll escape together, I just need to grab a few things. I will meet you there."
I was about to object to her staying behind and she cupped my face, kissing me gently as if it was going to be our last.
"You are my sun...." I told her, squeezing her hands.
"You are my moon..."
She smiled, her eyes still watery.
"Now go. I will catch up."
I nodded and immediately ran to our daughter's room. I opened the curtains and Nyx was laying in front of her stomach, yawing when he noticed I was there. As if he noticed I was uneasy and stressed. I knelt down to her side and rubbed her shoulder to wake her.
She stirred in her sleep and whined.
"Daddy? What's wrong?"
I began to lift her up out of bed and she grabbed onto my shoulders. I wrapped her up in her favorite blanket.
"We're going away for a bit sweetie."
Her eyes lit up for a moment and she smiled sleepily, yawning.
"Is mommy coming with us?"
I held her up to my chest and held my hand out in her room, concentrating.
"She's going to meet us there honey."
I brought my fingers to my lips, whistling for Lockjaw and he appeared in the room with a gust of smoke.
"Take us to the gate." Lockjaw bowed and a portal began to open in the room to the forest.
I stepped through and lifted Eva up on my hip.
"Wait! Nyx!"
Lockjaw kept the portal open long enough for Nyx to jump through and I scooped him up, beginning my run for the cave deep in the forest. Lockjaw ran beside us keeping us hidden from sight.

"Daddy I'm scared. What's happening?"
I didn't answer her as we kept running and when I finally reached the cave, I realized I couldn't open the gate without Minerva.
I set Evangeline down and walked up to the stone wall, trying to feel around if I could open it myself. I cursed under my breath and panted as I looked around even more panicked than before.
"Lady Minerva in great danger..."
Lockjaw warned me.
I ran a hand through my hair before crouching down in front of Evangeline as she held Nyx.
"Sweetie, I need to go find mommy. I need you to stay right here and do not move ok? I'll be right back with mommy and we'll go together ok?" She grabbed onto my pant leg and her chin started to quiver.
"Daddy I'm scared..."
I closed my eyes, my heart feeling pained.
"I know sweetie. I promise we will all be together again." She sniffed and nodded and I kissed the top of her head before removing my amulet from around my neck. I carefully pulled it over her head and kissed it, blessing her with my aura.
I stood out of the cave and Eva waited in the corner with Nyx in her arms.
I looked up into the sky and took a deep breath. My eyes began to glow as I shot my hand to the sky, sending a bolt of lightning into the heavens to stimulate rain to cover the tracks from a certain individual. Water droplets began to fall and I took one last look at my daughter before whistling for Lockjaw.
I turned on my heel and began to run through the rain, getting a far enough distance before I stopped and I panted.
"Can you smell her?" I asked and Lockjaw sniffed the air before shaking his head.
"No smell." I nodded and then cleared my throat before turning to him. Suddenly I felt a sharp bolt of pain swarmed my chest. I clutched my chest in pain.
"Take me to the cottage! Now!"
I placed my hand on his head and we teleported to the edge of the forest in front of our home and I could hear her screams.
"Minerva!"
I screamed running for the front when I saw townspeople and Lucio's men surrounding a burning wooden post. Her blood curdling screams echoed the clearing and I ran towards them when Atlas turned around from the burning post. His hand glowed bright green and he blasted me in the chest. I was blown back and I landed on the ground groaning. I tried to pull myself up as he walked towards me, the townspeople circling around cheering as Minerva burned, demanding that I be thrown on the stake.
"Die! Burn!"