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 Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 9:05 am
However, it is one of the ingredients and he had to figure out a way to get one somehow. Flipping through Kyou's journal, he tried looking for his notes to inspire some ideas. "No Bibles" was underlined heavily in red on one of the pages. That figures, old bible is probably aplenty and Sarat probably has so many copies he must be sick of them by now. Kyou used a complete book series called The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, by one Sir Philip Sidney. It's not just one book, it's five books altogether. To show his sincerity to Sarat he suppose.
Kyou probably has tons of time to look for them though. And given his connections and resources, it was probably easier for him as well. Lazarus however, does not have those luxuries. He looked through the notes again to find any hints on what type of books or where to find one, but there was none. So perhaps any old book that is at least 200 years old is good enough?
His first instincts was of course, try looking for one online. However it was more difficult than he had thought. For he find that majority of the 'antique books' were not nearly as old enough. And when he found the more authentic ones with reputable sellers, it always costs a pretty penny. There is no way he has enough money to get them.
Onto the next plan.
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Surely, since Kyou has the summoning tome, he would have other super old books laying around the room somewhere? As Lazarus looked on the messy room that was once used to be Kyou's office, he felt a pit of despair and dread in the bottom of his stomach. This will take a while.
The Sigel took one whole day to dig through the mess that he had made over the past few weeks, essentially creating a new mess along the way. He had uncovered quite a few old looking science books, however they were not old enough. One latin dictionary was dated back in 1815 but that is still just 199 years, not 200 years yet. Lazarus is not sure he could wait another year to perform the summoning. Piling the books into a tower on the desk, the Sigel lets out a sigh of defeat and exhaustion. Looks like he will have to move on to the next plan. At least he had gathered all the books back in one place, sort of, and most of the papers scattered all over the office are mostly just paper journals and documents.
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Libraries, of course! There are tons of super old books in the vault section, in the basement of Durem Library. So far Lazarus had found about ten to twenty books, ranging from William Shakespeare first edition books to leather bound medical books from even before the 1800s.
The problem is of course, these books can't leave the building, let alone the basement of the library. Some he can't even touch, they were just placed on display behind locked glass cases. He could try to steal one, probably. However to his dismay all of the books had been tagged with an anti-theft chip. The only thing he could do with the books was making copies of the pages with the help of a staff member. That won't be very helpful.
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Silently, Lazarus stood under a tree across the street from Hazeline's bookstore, hiding under the shade of a large tree from the afternoon sky. Red eyes shifted to the upstairs room window, longing to see the white Sigel's figure pass by it. But Xiu didn't.
Truthfully, Lazarus don't know why he is here. Hazeline runs a bookstore, surely she has tons of books. It makes sense to come looking right? However, part of himself felt shameful of seeing Xiu face to face again, after how their last interaction went. Part of himself also worry that his determination might waver if he sees Xiu, that he would tell the white Sigel what he is doing so he could stop him. Biting his lower lip, his eyes dipped and he turned away. He can't go in, not now, not so soon, he can't face Xiu yet.
Besides, he had been in the bookstore before, it was chock-full of chick flicks, teen horror books and some non-fiction books. Nothing inside really looked that old to qualify as antique. Perhaps it will be a fruitless visit after all, Lazarus tried to give himself excuses as he headed down the street, preparing to go home.
As he headed for the bus station, he passed by a shop with a bunch of old stuff laid out in front, among them was a small portable book rack with some really old looking used books on it. He stopped as he looked at it for a moment, as if suddenly something just hit him. Lifting his eyes, he tried looking for a sign to see what shop this is.
"Gary's Used & Vintage Store"
Of course! Why didn't he thought of this before? Vintage store diving, he saw a TV show on this before. Sometimes you can find real gems in these places, just waiting to be found.
Lazarus took a quick glance at the book rack outside, which only contained mostly wrinkled, stained old copies of teenage novels, and headed inside to look for more. He looked around him curiously, he had never been to a vintage thrift store before. A small corridor seemed to lead to a bigger space within. The Sigel noted that even the short corridor has old vintage photos and frames hanging all along the walls. And not in a decorative manner either, like they were all crammed on there.
The inside of the shop looked bigger than he expected. It was more like a warehouse than an actual shop lot really, with a high ceiling and items stacked up high. The place smelled old and musty, most probably due to the old items. It doesn't look like other thrift stores that only sells tons of clothing, which Lazarus had seen tons before from the outside. This thrift store sells a large variety of items. Glancing around, he only saw like two racks of old clothes in a corner, with a rack of used shoes as well. There are tons of larger items in this store. Retro lounge chairs, an old rustic kitchen cabinet, a super old television straight out of a 60s TV show, and even a vintage jukebox! Curiously, Lazarus touched these old items gingerly, pondering, each of them seemed to have their own story to tell.
It was a little overwhelming really, there are so many things in here and there doesn't seem to be anyone around, not even a customer. They have a small rack of books outside, probably as a teaser of what is available within. Surely there is a section hidden somewhere in here that is filled with books only. It is difficult to see when things are stacked higher than a regular human though.
Looking around to check that no one is really around, and making sure there is enough space, Lazarus flapped his wings gently and rose into the air, taking care not to knock things over with his wings. The ceiling is high enough that he has plenty of space to fly and hover around, to find the section he wanted.
To his surprise though, three faces looked up at him as he was in mid air. So it wasn't as empty as he had thought. Everyone just moves very quietly?
"Uhm..." He felt a little awkward as he floated there, with his wings flapping gently. "May I know where to find books?"
Slowly, one middle aged gentleman in glasses lifted his hand and pointed Lazarus in the right direction, while his mouth is still hung slightly agape at the Raevan.
"Thank you sir." Lazarus nodded politely and landed back down to where he took flight. That was awkward. But he noted the direction the man pointed in and started heading there, navigating his way in between towers of vintage suitcases and typewriters.
The place itself is like a small maze of it's own, but Lazarus managed to find the books after a handful of turns. They were all arranged along a wall in old, rusty metal bookcases, seemingly in no particular order. There was also a few cardboard boxes stacked to a corner that also contained books. There is probably a few hundred books here, not a vast amount compared to a library, but it may just have the book Lazarus needed. Without further ado, the Sigel started on the books in the bookcases first, pulling out any books that looked old or are on the verge of falling apart.
Unsurprisingly, he found two bibles that was aged 200 years and above, one was in German he thinks. Unfortunately they were useless to him. Stuffing them back where he found them, Lazarus continued on his quest. The man that pointed him this way even passed by to check, although the Sigel didn't pay him much attention. He had lost count of how many books he had pulled out, only to find that they were printed in the 1800s. His fingers smelled like old paper as he finished looking through all the books along the wall with no results. He felt like he had spent half the day looking through them, when it had only been an hour.
The ones in the cardboard boxes next then. As he peered over the boxes stacked together, the man walked pass again. "Those are new arrivals, just came in last week." Before walking briskly away again. How random, and he really doesn't make a sound when he walks.
Lifting a box off the top, the Sigel placed it onto the floor to make it easier to look through. The books in the boxes were not as easy to look through as the one in the bookcases, they were stacked in every direction. Horizontal, vertical, facing upwards, upside down, any way you name it. Lazarus found himself taking books out and stacking them on the floor to look through to the bottom of them.
Soon enough he already have towers of books on the floor as he emptied the fourth cardboard box. Even the man came by to put the books Lazarus put out onto the bookcases. Hey, if someone is unloading the items for you free of charge, you would also take the opportunity to put the load on display right? The Raevan try to pay him no heed though as he placed the fifth box onto the floor. Only two more boxes left, he had started to lose hope by now.
However, as he took out the stacks of old magazines at the top of the box, he saw a glimpse of a leather spine at the very bottom. It was easy to spot because it looked like it was falling apart. Hurriedly he took out the books on top of that one, hastily stacking them onto the floor, before he could reach it.
Much to his relief, it wasn't another holy bible. It was a hardcover book with a milky white vellum binding, about an inch thick, and of course, extremely stained and tattered with old age, especially for a book with light colored cover. The bottom of the spine is falling apart, revealing the binding within. The words on the spine was so blurred that he couldn't tell what it says. Only way to find out was to flip it. With his heart beating in his chest, he tried to read the title of the book.
"Il Segretario Principiante...?" It was in a language he was not familiar with.
"Oh I see you found a good one!" The man in glasses chimed in, it's obvious that he runs the vintage shop by now. "It's in Latin! Some sort of book for learning I think, my Latin is very dusty." He laughed at his own joke, regardless of whether Lazarus got it or not. When the Raevan did not laugh, he cleared his throat. "I think it's at least 200 years old, this is an old one I could tell." Reaching out, he beckoned Lazarus to pass him the book so he could inspect it.
The Raevan did as he got back up, although he had a feeling that the man is appraising the book, deciding it's value. If it is as old as he said it is, it might worth a fortune for the man.
Frowning slightly, he adjusted his glasses as he inspected the book. Touching the spine and looking at the exposed binding. Flipping it, he touched the pages and the letters as well. "Yeah this book is from the 1700s."
Lazarus felt his heart soar at the news.
"It's not a very sought after book though, so I can sell this to you for 50 bucks. I'll let you have it for 30 since you helped me unload these books." He smiled as he handed it back to the Raevan. "Of course, you're going to finish unloading the two boxes left right?"
"Of course!" Lazarus exclaimed, holding the book with both of his hands. "Thank you!" He had finally found it! It wasn't easy but he did it!! Setting it aside for now though, he helped the owner unload the rest of the books and even putting them onto the bookcase. The man, who introduced himself as Gary, also treated him to a cup of tea before Lazarus left when the sun is setting.
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:32 am
The next 'component' on the list is a 'room below ground level nearby or on a cemetery ground'. Kyou had written as an extra note that it should be about 100-200 feet distance, so basically it's a house with a basement right next to a graveyard. Lazarus thought this would be an easy one since Kyou even wrote down an address to the one he used.
Unfortunately, it totally slipped his mind that the house at the address might be occupied right now.
Floating just right outside the white picket fence, Lazarus, dressed in a dark pea coat in the coldness of the autumn night, stared quietly into the lit windows of the house on the address. A family of four now live in the house, chatting and laughing in the living room as they watched a comedy show on TV. Turning his eyes just a little bit to the right, he could see a tombstone just a few feet away from the house, sitting behind tall black iron gates that surrounds the graveyard.
If not for the fact that the house is occupied, and it would be almost impossible to break in without being notice, not to mention performing a demon summoning in their basement, this house would absolutely be perfect for his quest.
Sighing heavily, Lazarus turned around and gaze along the suburban street that lays along a graveyard. It seemed like a pleasant and quiet place, despite being so near unholy ground. Unfortunately for him, all the houses seemed to be occupied. When Kyou used the houses here for the summoning years ago, it must be a newly developed area. As the graveyard definitely look older than the houses. The houses would be empty back then and would be great to perform demon summoning rituals in their basements, or whatever unspeakable events that you could think of.
Feeling defeated and slightly annoyed, the Sigel turned around and began to float away, towards the graveyard. Maybe he could try his luck going around the graveyard and see if he gets lucky, finding an empty abandoned house.
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It was sure a little creepy to walk around a graveyard so late at night. Lazarus was just floating along the sidewalk outside the fences, with just a few sparsely aligned lamp posts and his rune to light the way. He had just been going along this street for 15 minutes, and the views sure changed dramatically. He probably passed the last house like 10 minutes ago, and now he is practically surrounded by graves. Tombstones upon tombstones rose on the hill across the street, also sitting behind the same black iron bars. He took a bus to this area earlier in the evening, when there was still a glimmer of light in the horizon. And because of the speed the bus was going, they passed the graveyard pretty quickly. Lazarus never knew how big this graveyard is.
Lazarus was trying not to look too long directly into the graveyard, as he was afraid that he might glance upon something undesirable. Everyone is surely superstitious to a certain degree, and Lazarus is no exception. The tombstones seem to be getting older and older the further he go though. As evident by the moss on them and the state some of them are in, with tall grass and vine plants crawling all over.
The Sigel was about ready to give up, as there doesn't seem to have an end to this massive graveyard. The bus stop is about another half an hour walk the way he came, so he was about to turn around when he saw a large shadow beyond the iron fence. It was square and huge, definitely not just a tombstone, more like... a mausoleum!
Then it hit him. Don't some of these mausoleums sometimes have a room under them? Like a crypt with mass burials for a whole family, or a burial vault. That would certainly count as a 'room below ground level' right? Although the idea seems a little bit macabre and certainly quite gross.
Nevertheless, it was an idea worth exploring. Red eyes looking at the shadow of a building, and biting his lower lip to strengthen his resolve, Lazarus floated upwards with a gentle flap of his wings, and went over the black iron bars fencing the graveyard. The mausoleum was about 100 feet away from the fence, and the Sigel made quick way across the tombstones.
The mausoleum was fairly huge, with an arched roof and greek pillars, and some steps leading up to an ornate door. He was worried that the door into the mausoleum might be sealed or locked shut, as most mausoleums are. But well, with a graveyard this huge, surely there would be more mausoleums for him to explore? And hopefully there is one with a staircase or ladder that leads downwards. Luckily for him though, the doors to this mausoleum seem to open just fine. Albeit it needed quite a hard push from the Raevan.
A gush of old musty smell rushed out as Lazarus entered the mausoleum, and the dust that hung in the air attacked his nostrils, making him sneeze a few times. He had to fluff up the scarf around his neck to cover his face, protecting his mouth and nose from the dust. It was almost pitch black inside, even with the glow from his rune. So Lazarus fished out the flashlight in the pocket of his coat. A huge stone casket sat squarely in the middle of the rectangle shaped room, with a medieval looking sword laid on top of it. There were urns aligned along the wall, probably ash remains of families, or keepsakes of the person in the casket. Everything in the room, absolutely everything was covered in a layer of dust at least an inch thick! And oddly enough, even though the air was quiet in here, Lazarus felt an otherworldly chill.
Not wanting to spend anymore longer than he need to be in here, Lazarus made quick action and went around the mausoleum, looking for some type of way to go down, if there ever is anything else down there. Thankfully, he doesn't need to look very far as a set of narrow stair case sat in the far side of the mausoleum. Brushing away some cobwebs, and with bated breath the fire Sigel headed downstairs. It was quite obvious that no one had been here in years, as every single surface was covered in dust, even the vertical walls. Lazarus could feel his heart beating in his chest the further he went. It was just about one storey walk down, but it felt so much longer than that.
When he reached the bottom of the steps, he shone his flashlight into the pitch blackness of the room below, half expecting a zombie to lurch out at him from the darkness. However, everything was just quiet in the crypts. The room down here was slightly bigger than upstairs, with hollow niches in the wall containing more stone caskets of various sizes, fenced off by small iron gates. The area in the middle was fairly huge, especially with the absence of any casket. It's like the size of a living room, definitely big enough for a demon summoning ritual.
So this is it then? He finally found a place for the ritual. And he definitely wouldn't need to worry about being disturbed while performing the ritual here. Although the place still give him the creeps.
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 12:26 am
One more ingredient left, Lazarus could almost see the light at end of the tunnel. The Sigel saved this one for last, because it actually has an expiry date, sort of anyway. Plus, this was easily the one ingredient that he's not looking forward to collect.
Blood from a black sheep.
The book did not mention how much, but Lazarus assumed that one sheep should be enough. But the question is... where?
Kyou's notes on this particular ingredient was not very helpful at all. Yes he did wrote down the address of the sheep farm he found a black sheep, but after a quick internet search, Lazarus found out that the farm is currently a riding club. Thankfully though, thanks to the internet as well, the Sigel managed to find not one, but six other sheep farms within an hour's driving distance from the Lab. Granted, it will take like half to a full hour to get in between them as well. Only two were located within walking distance.
Apparently black sheep are kind of rare, so it really depends on luck to find one. If Lazarus couldn't find one in these six farms, he will have to expand his search, meaning going further, which he will have to, even though he wished that it wouldn't come to that.
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The sun is high in the sky as Lazarus rode the bus, carrying an empty opaque container that can carry one gallon of water. He looked weird, especially outside of Gaia, drawing a few curious glances. Although he was thankful that no one did anymore than that. He was half expecting the countryside religious folk would stone him or something.
The Sigel watched the neverending farmlands that the bus passed outside, tilled land with rows and rows of flowers, small trees or vegetables at various stages of growth. It was monotonous, but Lazarus find it oddly calming, especially given what had happened in the past year.
A buzz rang out from the front of the bus, catching their attention as the bus driver announced their next stop - Lazarus's destination. Picking up the empty container, the Raevan folded his wings tightly on his back as he approached the front of the bus.
Two other person got down at the stop where Lazarus did, although they went a different direction. The Sigel looked at the map he had crudely drawn from referencing off Google Maps to get his bearings. "Turn right in one and a half mile." He muttered to himself. This will be the fourth farm he is visiting today, the previous three turned out fruitless. And he was nearly caught in the third one.
His strategy? Sneak around the farm to scout for a black sheep. It shouldn't be hard to see a black one among all the white ones right? Especially since they will all be grazing outside by now. When he found one, he will wait till it's dark enough and he will find an opportunity to... snatch it away. He knows stealing is illegal, but he doubt that the farmers would be willing to sell him a black sheep, even if he had money, which he had close to none anyway. Once he has his hands on the sheep, he will cut it's throat somewhere unnoticed and drain the blood into the container. It is easier this way than carrying back a live sheep.
It all seemed morbid, especially the prospect of killing an innocent animal. But Lazarus was too far into this mess already, he can't back off now, especially since Kyou's life is on the line. He would kill 100 black sheep if he needed to.
The turning came up soon enough as he passed by a seemingly endless wheatfield. The path only wide enough for one vehicle was lined with bushes and trees, much to Lazarus's advantage. Hiding behind the row of bushes, he stayed low as he advanced forwards along the path.
He didn't need to go very far till he saw the sheeps grazing on a low hill. Little white dots in the distance on a lovely green backdrop. The Sigel's heart soared as he saw that one dot was a little darker than the others. Although it is still too far to tell for sure if it's a black sheep, or a sheep that had been rolling in mud. Floating a little higher in the shades of an oak tree, Lazarus tried to scout out a safe route to get closer to the sheep. It's surprisingly difficult in open fields like these. The green hill where the sheep are is situated behind a large old barn, presumably where the sheep are kept. Unfortunately, a tractor is running between him and the barn on the field of wheat, harvesting the season's last batch. No direct approach then. Now resting on one of the thick branches on the tree, Lazarus scouted out the nearby surroundings, looking for plan B.
Perhaps luckily for him, his current position might be the best way for him to sneak nearer to the flock of sheep. From this higher angle, Lazarus realized that the trees and bushes along the road goes almost immediately up to the farm. There are some barrels and another tractor outside the farm house, which would provide adequate cover for him as he sneak into the barn. He could use his advantage to float into the upper rafters of the barn, and wait till night falls and the sheep were herd back in, he will snatch the sheep then.
Okay that sounds like a decent enough plan, as Lazarus gently floated back down to ground. Sneaking in the shadows, he quietly made his way along the tree line towards the farm. It's easy for Raevans since their feet doesn't touch the ground, so Lazarus won't accidentally step on a stick or something. He just need to be more mindful of his wings and horns, especially the latter which tend to get in the way of a lot of things.
As he approached the tractor parked at the edge of the tree line, a voice from behind the vehicle alarmed him. Swiftly he ducked behind a large bush to observe the situation, waiting till the voice go away before proceeding. From here he could see an almost direct line to the barn door, which is partially open. He could definitely sneak in. But what if... there's someone inside? That could be one of the reasons why the barn door is open. Lazarus couldn't risk that. Red eyes turned to look skyward, noticing a window atop the door, it's just enough for him to squeeze through, he just need to turn his head 90 degrees to accommodate his darn horns. Now he just needed to wait till the tractor on the field to turn the other direction; facing away from him, so he could dash across.
Once the tractor did, Lazarus snuck up behind the parked tractor, and looked around warily to see if anyone is around. Thankfully, it seemed like a quiet day on the farm. Then ducking behind some barrels, he quickly made his way across the empty space between the barrels and the barn. His back was flatten against the outer barn wall as he heard foot steps inside, there is definitely someone in there! He had to act fast! Making sure the coast was clear, he clung against the wall and floated up towards the window above. Tilting his head and letting his body flow through naturally. He's in!! He's in the rafters of the barn! Peering over the floorboards below, he observed as a young lad sweeping loose hay into piles. If Lazarus had entered through the doors, he had definitely would have bumped into him.
As quiet as a mouse, Lazarus floated around the rafters to the other end of the barn, where another window could be seen. He should be able to see the sheep clearer from here, and indeed he did. The darker sheep had came nearer to the barn, and Lazarus could finally tell for sure that it is truly a black sheep. It had a black face and black wool with a hint of brown. Now he just need to wait until night fall when the sheep were herd back into the barn.
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The sun is setting in the horizon as the sky turned into a beautiful hue of orange and pink. A shepherd dog runs across the hill as it herd the sheep back into the barn.
Lazarus waited in the rafters of the barn, as he sat in the shadows behind a hay stack, watching the things happening outside. Slowly one by one, the sheep came back into their shelter for the night, not knowing of the danger that is laying above them. The Sigel peered through the cracks of the rafters as he peeked at the flock of sheep, immediately spotting the black one among the sea of white. He had to wait until the farmers are done and gone back to the farmhouse before he could do anything.
As the last of the sheep trickled in, Lazarus saw the barn door close and heard a strange sound from outside. Then it hit him. They barred the door! The Sigel flew to the window as he watched the farmers retreat back to the farmhouse, laughing and joking as they did so. When the coast was clear Lazarus angled his head out to see that indeed, they had barred the barn. Fortunately for him though, it wasn't locked.
Then a new idea hit him... he could let the sheeps out, creating a distraction for the farmers as he snuck away with the black one. Of course he felt a little bad for the farmers, but this has to be done.
Lazarus waited for a bit more, for the farmers to settle back down at home before he floated out of the barn once more. Although the farmers do live very near the barn, there is only about four of them and one sheperd dog, that he saw went into the house with. He will have plenty of opportunity in the dark to run off with the black sheep. These sheep are not exactly small, but Lazarus is strong enough to lug one away with little difficulty. Pulling the wooden bar away as quietly as he could, while keeping an eye on his surroundings, he managed to open the barn doors and slip in quietly.
"Go on, shoo!" He said with a hushed voice as he tried to push the sheeps out of the barn. The flock seemed settled in and about ready to go to sleep soon. Reluctantly, the sheep nearest to the door began to walk out, looking quite confused. "Go on you guys!" The Sigel urged on as he pushed more sheep onto their butts, getting them out of the barn. Slowly but surely, one by one the sheeps started to exit.
The farmers haven't realized yet, which is great for him. There are about ten sheeps outside now, with a few wandering further and further away. With some difficulty in the dark, the Sigel found the black sheep and lifted it up in his arms. The sheep bleated in protest as it was being carried in an uncomfortable manner, but Lazarus couldn't care less. After quickly finding a more comfortable way of hugging the sheep, he grabbed the empty container and exited out the barn doors. He turned the corner just in time as the farmers realized the sheeps had escaped. Shielded in darkness, he made a run across the hill with the black sheep.
Lazarus found some isolated wooded area about fifteen minutes from the farm. He made sure no one is following him before settling the bleating black sheep down, but still keeping a hold of it in case it ran off, as most animal sensing danger would do, like this sheep now. It bleated in protest as it tried to bolt off away from Lazarus's grasp, but the Sigel held on as he pulled out a knife from his pocket. Just a swift slash around the neck, and the sheep will bleed to death fairly quickly. The container is opened, the knife is ready. Half hugging the sheep from on top to hold it in place, Lazarus pressed the knife on the sheep's neck. The sheep had started to panic now, struggling in Lazarus's tight grasp and bleating loudly. Biting his lip in resolve, Lazarus pressed the knife in and slashed it across the sheep's neck.
"I'm so sorry!" Fresh blood started to spurt out of it's arteries as the sheep struggled in vain. Lazarus dropped the knife and held the sheep still as best as he can, letting the blood spill into the container. Soon enough, the struggling got weaker and weaker, and finally the body went limp in Lazarus's arms. He still held it above the container though, now almost full of sheep blood, trying to empty what remains from the sheep's body.
When the deed was done, Lazarus dug a hole nearby and buried the black sheep. Feeling this was at least the respect he could give to the animal for what it had sacrificed for. Then cleaning himself and the container of spillage, he lifted up the gallon of blood and began to make his way home.
Tomorrow, tomorrow will be the day he do this.
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Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2015 5:55 am
The summoning book is propped up against a brick as Lazarus dipped the brush into the sheep's blood, then applying it to the floor of the crypt below ground.
The crypt itself had been lit brightly with black candles standing everywhere, on ledges, not so steep inclines, niches in the wall, and even on little altars before some of the tombs. He had also taken the time to clean up the crypt somewhat, at least getting rid of the dust on the floor as best as he could. Little bouquets of brightly colored wildflowers in shades of purple, yellow, white and pink laid on top of every tomb. Lazarus wasn't dumb, he know he is committing sacrilege. He felt like giving fresh flowers for everyone in the crypt is the least he could do, as well as a quiet prayer and apology as he placed them on the tombs.
Crouched on the floor, Lazarus busies himself as he paints the summoning circle with the sheep's blood. It was a large circle that spans nearly the entire central area of the crypt, which is about the size of a small living room. Lazarus floated precariously over the circle as he worked on it with his brush. As the sheep's blood doesn't dry so quickly, he had to be careful not to smudge it by accident. He had been working on this for hours, who knew these summoning circles were so intricate, so intricate that it spans 6 pages in the book, with it's detailing enlarged on some pages. The Sigel also has like 3 different sizes of brushes to work with, he's starting to feel like a painter already.
When he was done, he set the brushes aside as he began to place the black candles in the designated circles within the summoning circle, lighting them up as well. Drawing in a deep breath, he took out the old book he had gotten from the vintage shop, setting it down before him. He has all the ingredients he need now, and everything is prepared to begin the ritual.
It was quiet in the crypts, but Lazarus could hear his heart beating loudly in his chest. With bated breath he picked up the summoning book from the floor, flipping to the page that detailed the actual summoning ritual. The Sigel had studied it over and over again before coming here, he knew all the steps by now. However, he just felt compelled to look through it one last time to make sure everything is right.
"Here goes nothing." He said to himself, his voice echoed eeriely in the crypt. Picking up the vintage Latin book, he placed it in a metal bowl filled with coal. Then he doused it with lighter fluid. Flipping the page of the summoning tome, he run his eyes over the chant quickly. This is it. Drawing in a deep breath, he began to chant the words loudly, his voice clear and firm. He don't really know what the words meant, nor what language they are in, but he just goes along, hoping that he is pronouncing it correctly as he did so. Stopping for a moment in between the lines, he threw a lit match into the bowl, lighting the vintage book on fire. As the book burned, he continued to chant as he observed his surroundings, trying to see if anything is happening. Nothing moved aside from the flames on the candle and himself. But trying to keep himself calm, he carried on with the chanting. The last two lines had to be repeated five times, and as the Sigel did, after every line his voice got louder and louder, as if for a dramatic effect, hoping for something to happen. But the last word was uttered, and nothing did. The air was still in the crypt, faintly smelling of iron from the blood on the floor. The candles burnt steadily with naught a flicker to the flames.
Did he do something wrong? Did he say a word wrong? Was the summoning circle drawn incorrectly? He suddenly felt a cold feeling in his chest as he watched the vintage book go up in flames in the bowl. Did he failed the ritual? That was the only book he got...
Then it started to happen. The smoke from the burning book suddenly moved on it's own accord, and got sucked into the center of the summoning circle, disappearing without a trace. Which left the Sigel wide eyed and boggled. A pause later, a gust of white smoke exploded out from the center of the summoning circle, seemingly out of nowhere. Lazarus shielded himself with the big book, but he stood his ground when there doesn't seem to be a force following the white smoke's explosion. Red eyes peeking over the top of the book, he swore there seems to be glitter in the white smoke that had filled up the small crypt. Slowly, the smoke dissipated and that was when he saw the figure in the middle of the summoning circle.
"Hello sugar, what do you wish to know?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 8:39 am
Shutting his mouth, he took a gulp as she got up from what invisible couch she was previously laying upon. She was tall, with firey red hair and bright violet eyes. And those horns, it was unmistakable, they looked like Kyou's. The long trail of her dress sprawled out behind her as she moved, forming into the shape of a pair of angel wings resting on the ground. Amazingly enough, the sheep's blood on the floor that had yet to dry completely did not stain her dress at all, as it remained pristine white. Her high heels clicked and the sound echoed in the enclosed space as he walked towards the Sigel.
Unknowingly, Lazarus was floating backwards inch by inch as she advanced, until he hit the wall behind him. She came up close, with her face just inches from his as she sized him up and down, the coy smile still on her lips. "What are you?" Sarat asked in interest as she looked at the glowing rune and the swirling smoke surrounding it.
Lazarus found himself unable to talk for a moment, she doesn't look like it, but there is an invisible force coming from her that is intimidating. Sweat was beading on his forehead as he cracked his lips. Drawing a deep breath, he managed to find his voice. "I-I'm a Raevan." His voice cracked just a little bit as he said that. "My name is Lazarus... C-can you... not stand so close..?" His back was literally against the cold brick wall at this point, and he felt like it would be a great offence to her if he slid sideways to get off. Perhaps standing his ground would impress her, even just a teensy little bit?
Without a word, she just smiled, seemingly amused, and straighten herself, pulling away from the intimidated Raevan. With a click of her heels, she walked to a side to give Lazarus back his personal space. Her hips swaying ever so gently and naturally with her gait. "It's a nice little place you picked here, the flowers really brighten up the place." The sarcasm was obvious in her tone as she touched a bouquet of white daisies.
"Thanks... I think..." With her off of him, Lazarus felt like he could breathe again. Slowly he gulped in a few more breaths before speaking. "You're Sarat... right?"
"I prefer the name... Sienna." She said without turning around.
"Sienna..." Lazarus repeated, just to register it. The book did say that she took on many forms and as many names. So this shouldn't come as a surprise. He did wondered for a moment what form did she appear before Kyou, and with what name?
Oh right, this was about Kyou.
So stunned by Sarat's appearance and presence, that for a moment he forgot the purpose of why he is doing this. "Do you... remember a man name Kyou?" He asked tentatively, she still had her back to him, which featured a low cut as well, exposing her lower back to him. There was a pause as he had to reel back his wandering mind and eyes. "He would have summoned you about like ten years ago. Good looking, black hair with glasses?"
Her head cocked sideways just ever so slightly as she recalled the memory. "Oh yes." She twirled around on her heels, the winged train of her dress moved at an incredible gracefulness as she did so. "I remember him! He gave me a set of exquisite books, one of the most generous offerings. Unlike your's..." Her eyes narrowed as she criticized the Raevan's choices not so subtly.
Lazarus felt embarrassed as he looked away, avoiding her gaze. "I'm sorry. My resources were limited."
Crossing her arms, she just made the softest hmph, showing how little she cared about his excuses. "So what about him?"
"He.. is my creator..." Lazarus began, but he wasn't given a chance to say anything more.
"OH!!" She exclaimed suddenly, cutting him off. "He asked for the knowledge to create new life!" She connected the dots pretty fast. "I told him that it was impossible to create new life out of thin air, but he could recycle souls. So that means..." Her violet eyes were huge as she stared at him. "Wait, no wonder you felt so familiar."
Lazarus was starting to feel a little confused at her words. "Pardon? I don't think we've met..." He would definitely remember someone like her.
"No, not in this life." She gave a meaningful look at his rune again before moving her eyes up to Lazarus's face, or more specifically, one part of his face. "That tattoo underneath your eye, I've seen it before. On an insolent incubus!"
Then, he finally realized. She had seen him in his previous life! He was stunned speechless as he stared at Sarat.
"No wonder he never showed up anymore, he got his soul stolen." She concluded with a thoughtful look. Then violet eyes were on the Raevan again as she seemed to study his features. "Well you don't look too bad yourself, and not as annoying, so that is a plus." She cocked a smile as she sat down on an altar, pushing the jar with the flowers aside. "Continue on, don't be so tensed." She waved her hands to indicate that he should relax. The Sigel's emotions were all displayed on his face and body, he was never good at hiding them anyway.
Exhaling a deep breath, he relaxed his shoulders. This was truly a revealing experience, his mind was still trying to wrap around the idea that she knew him in his past life, and he was a d**k on top of that. However, he had to focus on why he really is here. He should focus on Kyou.
"Something happened to Kyou a few months ago, something really really bad." Lazarus always had difficulty adorning his words, he prefer brutal honesty. "He had been in a coma ever since, and...." Pausing for a moment, he bit his lower lip in resolution. "I need to know how to save him! It was partially my fault that this happened to him! If I... If I had went with him, this wouldn't had happened!" He is not asking for much, he just wanted to know how to save Kyou. Surely, she would know! Red eyes were silently pleading as he looked at her.
Sarat remained calm as Lazarus bursts with emotions. Her expression remained one of apathy as she sat there demurely on the altar, with her legs crossed. Without raising even her eyebrows, she asked. "What is today's date?"
Lazarus went slack jawed at the question. What does today's date have to do with Kyou? "November 5th?"
Her next question was simple and straightforward as well. "What year?"
"2014..."
She lowered her eyes as if in deep thought. Lazarus could only wait impatiently for her to reveal what significance does today's date have to do with Kyou's life. He only know that each day he lay in that coma, the further his life force faded.
Finally, she lifted her eyes to look at the Raevan again. But it remained in that expression of apathy as she said the next few words. Like a doctor telling you that you have a terminal illness. "I'm afraid that Kyou may never wake up from the coma. You see... when I made the deal with him, he promised his soul to me..."
With every word said, Lazarus could feel his heart sinking lower and lower, getting heavier and heavier.
"I didn't tell him when I will be claiming it exactly, but my calculation is exact, his soul will be mine in 3 months and 10 days from now." She cocked a smile as she spoke, as if revelling in the grim news. "It is unfortunate that he got hurt and wasted a year of his life that he could have lived fully and freely. But a deal is a deal."
Lazarus had no words as the news slowly sank in. His stare was blank and his jaw was slack as he leaned against the cold wall for support.
Sarat seemed to be enjoying this as she got up, dusting off her dress as she did so. "Sorry sugar, the truth hurts."
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Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:28 pm
Sarat just stood there and watched Lazarus with interest, noting the dimming of rune from the Raevan's reaction on her terrible news. Interesting indeed. After a moment of quiet pondering, she sat back down on the altar, letting the white dress part ways to show her slender legs as she crossed them. "Kyou's deal is going to expire soon, but I didn't say that we can't strike up a new deal." She smiled coyly as she spoke, violet eyes watching the Sigel's every reaction.
Red eyes were wide as they lifted and stared straight at Sarat. He had half expected her to have left already after she had broke that news to him. But there is still a flicker of hope?
"A new deal?" He asked tentatively. The idea of a demonic deal did not escape Lazarus at all when he decided to perform the ritual. He had expected to make a deal of some sort, he just don't know what yet. The Sigel also knows that he has to be extra careful when striking deals with demons. Especially with a smart one like Sarat.
She could almost see the gears inside Lazarus's mind churning as he looked at her with those piercing red eyes filled with suspicion. She was not unfamiliar with this look. "Yes." She said with her sultry voice as she leaned back a little on the altar. "One that would extend Kyou's life indefinitely."
Indefinitely, that word definitely gave him a burst of hope. However, he try to not let it show as the deal was kind of vague at the moment. "Details please?"
Lazarus was definitely careful, she will give him that. It might be a bit tricky to negotiate with the Sigel. Shutting her eyes for a moment, she sighed softly before she spoke. "I find you interesting. You're a new type of living being created by Kyou. I commend him for his genius." She will be honest this time. "But how long can you live? You're about... 10 years old? And yet you've already matured so." Violet eyes looked up and down the Sigel's body, maybe even a little appreciatively. "I will link your life force with Kyou's, as long as you live, he will live too. And vice versa. So for example, if Kyou were to die suddenly from a car accident, you will fall dead too."
That... definitely sounds interesting. Lazarus don't know how long Raevans could live, but if Kyou is alive as long as he is, he will fight to stay alive, whatever it takes. And this way, maybe Kyou would think twice about going on risky adventures too, since their lives would be linked. So far, this sounds like an up and up deal. However, here comes the question. "At what price?"
At this crucial question, she smiled. Demurely she leaned forward, pressing one of her elbows on her thighs and her hand touching her chin. This pose accentuates her cleavage, especially if someone is right across from her like in the Raevan's case. She could see his eyes trailed where she wanted them to and smiled again. "Oh~ a few things. Like when you and Kyou die, your soul will belong to me. The second thing is that I want all Kyou's research data on Raevans. You can make copies of his notes and documents on Raevans and burn them in that same metal bowl over there that you just burnt that book for me, that would suffice. Oh and, Kyou can't know about this, that you're passing his notes to me." There is just a glimmer of mischief in her eyes as she spoke the terms of their deal.
Those seemed like perfectly reasonable requests, eventhough the thing about owning their souls seemed a little vague. However, Lazarus just can't seem to fight the feeling that Sarat is not done, there is still something more.
"What else...?" He asked tentatively.
Very good, the boy has good instincts. Her violet eyes trailed a little away from Lazarus at that moment. She was still looking at him, but at the same time not directly at him. She was looking... at his wings.
Without a word, she stood up from the altar and curiously began to spin on the spot. The beautiful trail of white wings turned gracefully, following the flow of the dress. She took a few step forwards like a runway model, letting the wings move elegantly behind her like the train of a wedding dress.
"These are gorgeous right?" She said with a delighted tone as she did a half spin to show case the winged train of her white dress. "They are in fact, real wings." There is a hint of sinister in her eyes as she divulge this fact. "I got them from an angel as part of a deal a few weeks ago." She is sure that the Sigel is smart enough to catch on.
"You want... my wings?" His eyes were wide and even his wing stiffen at the idea.
"I'm a collector, and wings are one of the things I collect. I have a pretty amazing collection, maybe one day you will see it." Sarat cocked a smile as she took a few steps towards Lazarus. "You as a Raevan, have one of a kind wings. It's demonic, but a little different at the same time. It will definitely be a unique one of a kind piece in my collection." Then turning slightly in her steps, she headed towards his left instead. Reaching out a slender arm, she touched the tip of the Raevan's boney wings.
Gasping softly, he withdrawn his wings in reflex from her touch, folding them neatly on his back. His eyes trailed to the angel wings laying on the ground. He had thought it was just wing shaped fabric, but upon closer inspection now, he could see the fine feathers still attached to it. It was like all the bone and meat had been removed from the wings.
Lazarus don't know why he is hesitating, it's just wings. They had been more of a nuisance to him than of any real use. Without his wings, he could finally stop cutting holes in perfectly fine jackets. He would occupy lesser space in public transportation, they won't get caught in things or accidentally knocking things over. Plus, he don't really like flying anyway. However, it had been part of him since he was born, perhaps that was why he was having trouble saying yes to the last condition of the deal.
But.. without Kyou he would never have existed at all.
"So... what do you say? Do we have a deal?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 12:30 am
"I still have some questions."
He just watched with wary as she rolled her eyes and sighed. "Alright, I feel generous, shoot."
The Sigel could feel his heart raced as he tries his best to arrange the messy thoughts in his head, he need to be careful what questions he pick to ask. "What does it mean when we die and our souls will belong to you? Is there really an afterlife? Like, would we be your minions or something?"
"Hush tiger. One question at a time." She quipped in quickly before Lazarus could go on. Sighing, she stepped to a nearby altar and sat down again. "Of course there is an afterlife." But before Lazarus could butt in with more questions, as she could see clearly, she lifted a finger to hush him. "Let me finish..." Narrowing her violet eyes, she gave him a look of disapproval to make sure he quiet down before continuing. "You're correct with your last question. When I have your soul, you will be a minion of mine."
Smiling, she lifted one hand and clicked her fingers, and a figure appeared right beside Sarat. It was a huge... man of sorts. He had the body of a human, muscular, chocolate colored skin, but the head of a bull. It was a minotaur! Lazarus couldn't help but let out a gasp at the intimidating figure.
"His name is Theodore, when he was alive, he wasn't a bull or a real minotaur. He was human, like your beloved Kyou, he made a deal with me and now his soul belongs to me." She trailed a finger along the minotaur's strong muscular arm as she spoke. "Unfortunately, he wasn't much use to me in the brain section, so I made him without thought. A minion that does as I told, without emotions, without prejudice." A smirk graced her face as she looked at Lazarus. "I'll probably keep Kyou's brilliant mind when he dies, but the both of you too, will become my loyal minions when I have your soul."
The idea was a little horrific to the Raevan, did Kyou know about this? "For eternity..?"
Sarat looked smug as she replied. "Maybe you'll be free in a few thousand years, when I felt you've worked hard enough. But it's entirely up to me."
So the hope of freedom for their souls is still possible. But either way... Kyou's soul is doomed. It is just a question of sooner or later. After a quiet contemplation, Lazarus lifted his eyes to look at Sarat, it was filled with determination. "Okay."
"Okay what?" She just had to ask.
"I agree to your deal." His voice was strong and steady. Here goes nothing.
Gleeful, she stood up and clapped her hands as she laughed. "Very good! Now to seal the deal." With another click of her hand, another minotaur appeared right beside her, across from the first minotaur. This one had a slightly lighter colored skin, but both are similar in size and height.
Lazarus watched in horror as both minotaurs advanced towards him, feeling confused and panicked as the second one grabbed his shoulders and forced him to a kneeling position. The smoke from his rune was touching the floor as he tried to struggle. "W-what is happening?!" However, the minotaur's strength was not human, it was even stronger than his own.
"Oh sugar, struggling is futile." Sarat approached from behind the minotaur. Slowly she whirled to the Raevan's back where he can't see her no matter how hard he tried to turn his head around.
Lazarus's body was trembling with fear and anticipation of the unknown. What is happening?! He let out a soft gasp when she placed one of her gloved hands on the center of his back, then an anguished cry as he felt a burning sensation. "W-what are you doing?!" The burning feeling thankfully, quickly cooled down when she removed her hand.
"Marking you." Sarat said as she came back into the Sigel's field of vision again. "It's a confirmation that our deal is made."
So that was it right? That was the reason why he was pinned down? However... why haven't the minotaur let him go yet?
"Oh I almost forgot." Lazarus had a bad feeling in his gut when Sarat whirled around to face him again. "You will have to survive this ordeal, if you want the both of you to live longer than today." The Sigel's eyes widen in horror as her violet eyes glimmered with glee. He didn't need to wait long before he knew what was going to happen. The first minotaur stepped squarely behind his back and took hold of the root of his wings firmly. Instead of protesting, Lazarus gritted his teeth and shut his eyes tight for the oncoming pain, it was nothing like the pain of the burn she had left earlier.
An inhuman scream echoed out from the crypt, even out of the mausoleum through the thick stone walls. But there was nobody nearby that was there to hear it.
Lazarus's unconscious body crumbled to the floor face first as the minotaur let him go, his wings now fully separated from his body. The light of his rune flickered weakly as he began to bleed out. Sarat just smiled in triumph as she motioned the minotaurs towards her, with her trophy still in their hands, now handled with care.
Picking up the bowl from the floor with the ashes of the burnt book, she touched the side of it and seared a mark similar to the one on Lazarus's back. Then as she got up, something strange was happening to the Raevan's unconscious body.
Instead of diminishing, the glow of the rune was shining brightly, with the light getting more and more intense by the second. The minotaurs moved over to shield the demon as she too had to shut her eyes from the intense light, not knowing what to expect.
A few seconds later though, the light faded away and the brightest light in the room were the black candles placed everywhere, and there sprawled on the floor, was something wholly unexpected.
The Raevan was still unconscious, his back was still covered in blood, although the blood had seemed to flow slower now. But in place of the ribbons that were sprawled all over the cold stone floor, were a pair of legs and a red tail.
"Interesting." Sarat smiled thoughtfully before turning around. Then as quickly and suddenly as she had appeared, she disappeared.
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 3:07 am
That changed quickly though as the man's eyelids shot open suddenly, his golden eyes wide and his breathing rapid as he tried to discern his surroundings. The heart rate machine beeped in a frantic manner, mirroring the man's own pulse.
It took Kyou a few minutes to finally calm down and think rationally. His mind was still a blur and he still can't tell what is real and what is not, at least not definitely. He felt like he was in a dream, in another reality for the longest time. He could still remember some of the memories very clearly, even the lingering feeling, like it had just happened moments ago. The coldness, the pain, the dread. Which he was thankful was absent in this reality.
Laying back down on the bed to calm his thoughts, he stared at the ceiling above him, a sight that he was very used to seeing. The water stain was very distinct, it was left during that time when there was a crack on the floor of the balcony above, and the storm that summer was unforgettable. He was definitely laying in his own bedroom even though the furniture all looked different. In fact, it looked and smelled like a hospital room.
Slowly and surely, as he recalled all the memories of his life, he felt more rooted to reality, and the memories of the nightmare faded little by little into the recesses of his mind. He remembered the events that transpired before he left for the jungle, he even remember his meeting with the villagers, but for some strange reason he couldn't remember anything more than that. He remember starting his journey, but that was when everything went blank. Then came the neverending nightmare. Even just thinking about it makes him feel nauseous, a chill ran through his body and beads of cold sweat budded on his forehead. Turning his gaze, he tried to distract himself from the horrible thoughts with his surroundings.
A vase of tuberose sat on the table right next to him, delicate white petals had started to separate from the pale pink buds. Now noticing the flowers, Kyou inhaled the air and managed to catch a whiff of their sweet scent. It lifted his spirits a little and placed the faintest smile on his pale face. The water in the vase was clean, this meant someone changed it quite recently.
Lazarus?
Glancing around, he wasn't sure why but he was half expecting to see the Raevan somewhere nearby. But when he saw that he was alone, and the Raevan was absent, an uneasy feeling settled in his gut. Something happened. He wasn't sure what, but he felt that something wrong happened. He needed to see Lazarus! He needed to be sure!
Driven by the adrenaline now running through his veins, he pushed the blanket aside and tried to get off the bed by himself. However, even if he had the strength to move his legs, they don't have the strength to support his body yet. His legs gave way when he tried to stand and he fell to the floor with a loud thud. Groaning softly, he tried to get up, even his arms were trembling weakly when he tried to support himself with them. They were so thin! How long had he been unconscious? He needed help!
Looking around, he saw that right next to the flower vase was a phone. Using all his strength, he propped himself against it as he reached up to grab it. Then dialing a number he was familiar with, he waited for him to answer. He don't know what time it was, it looked dark out, but he was sure that the man would answer it.
Sure enough, he waited for a while but finally someone answered. "Hullo?" He sounded half asleep and groggy.
"Jeremy? It's me! I need help!!"
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