Chapter 3
Her body laid stiff as a board as her arms extended from the side creating a cross. Her eyes opened, but not aware of her surroundings. The flames from the five candles, one by her head, one by each hand and one by the feet, was the only source of light in the room. Ginette couldn't move or say a word as her body.
The only voice heard in the room was that of Liliya as she spoke the ancient words that hadn't been heard since the last ritual over a thousand years ago. Her Russian accent twisted the phrases, but they could still be understood by the one person that matters. Liliya served as the conjuror. Her duty was to summon Ambrogi. She held up her arms and she said the name, "Ambrogi, Ambrogi, Ambrogi." Ginette's body lifted off the table as it ascended several inches. "Ambrogi, Ambrogi, Ambrogi." Liliya repeated. Her grey eyes turned black as night as she entered a trace. During the trace, Liliya and Ginette's mind become one. They shared one focus, one thought.
Ginette released a low roar which followed by a loud scream. Her arms folded towards her chest as well as her legs. Her head ducked in as her body prepared for the pain of the rebirth. The ritual itself wasn't dangerous, it was simple. There were no animals being killed or any form of bloodletting. Rebirth was the only painful part and Ginette was strong enough handle it. The real threat came from the outside and that was the reason Tristan stood guard in the hallway as Liliya ran the ritual. His purpose was to protect the vassal while it was in this vulnerable state. As the house shook, windows shattered and the front door bucked, Trishan was getting ready to do his duty.
"Shit!" Tristan said as he watched several black claw-like hands reached through cracks of the door. Tristan reached out as a wooden staff flew into his hand. He didn't rush the door as he saw several blacken creatures squeezed through the steams. There were five. Standing as high as seven feet, their cold black skin could drown out the sun. The elongated arms warped as their fingers and claws grew longer. Their body stretched as the legs moved closer towards Tristan. Their red eyes burned as they look like they were powered by the fires of hell. Tristan held up his staff and smiled. "I'm a psychiatrist by trade," he said as his hand tightened around his staff. "But I'm a witch doctor by the grace of God." He slammed his staff against the hardwood floor, creating a wave of blinding light that blasted the shadows back through the door that came. "Whatever you are doing?" He shouted. "Hurry the hell up!"
"It a delicate process, Tristan," Liliya yelled as she bridged the connection between Ginette and herself. "So, shut the hell up so I can focus! And keep those fuckers off our asses!" Combining their minds was tricking and at time dangerous, but it had to be done. Liliya's goal was to guide Ginette.
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Smoke swirled around her as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. Her eye's sight was perfect as she was able to make out some details. The picture was coming into focus. As the smoke diminished, she felt the warm stones on her bare feet. She smelt the tiny hint of sulfur. Her eyes focused on the stone walls, as she noticed the deep claw marks carved into them. Her mind wondered what type of creature could have done this? She felt a presence behind her than a hand on the shoulder.
"Fuck!" Ginette screamed as she turned around and threw a punch that didn't connect with anything.
"Relax," Liliya answered. "It me." Liliya looked different as she was more transparent.
"What is going on?" Ginette asked. "What is this place?"
"The Realm of the Unknown," Liliya answered. "The lair of Ambrogi."
Ginette didn't ponder long or tried to process what she was going on. Her focused on one small detail. "Where's Tristan?"
"Wow," Liliya said. "I projected our minds to another realm of reality and all you have to say is 'Where's Tristan?' Her eyes rolled. "I'm a little hurt by that. How about 'Whoa! this is fucking amazing how are you doing this?' She tone mocked excitement. "But to answer your question, Tristan is on the outside protecting us."
"The outside?"
"Technically, we are still in the mansion," Liliya explained. "Our bodies are is a vulnerable state. Tristan is protecting us from the shadows. He can't hold them off forever. So, we have to find Ambrogi and fast."
"You told me, Ambrogi will be drawn to me," Ginette said.
"Maybe she is playing hard to get?" Liliya said. "Typical woman."
"No need to be sexist."
A laugh heard through the air as the sound ran chills through the woman.
"Ambrogi," Liliya said. "We must be getting closer." She took hold of Ginette's hand. The two moved towards the laugh. It was getting louder as the as they approached a large door made from blackening human skulls. As they got closer, eyes appeared in each of the skulls. The door crept open like it was showing the way to Ambrogi. The two entered and the floor was once again stone and several lit candles lined the dungeon-like room. The bare walls were only marked with the similar deep claws marks that Ginette saw earlier. In the center of the room, there was a large chair, with two winged creatures craved in the design. But, most striking qualities wasn't the chair but the creature sitting in it.
"Has it been a thousand years?" The naked creature spoke as her words slid out of her mouth like a serpent escaping from the pits of hell. Her long brown hair was similar to Ginette's, but that where the similarities end. Her razor-sharp black nails dug into the arms of the chair as she rose. Her pinkish-purple skin glistened in the dim lights of the candles. She had a muscular form but still had a feminine flair. Her ample breasts bounced with every step as her muscles in her legs flexed. Her smile revealed her ivory colored fangs as well as her dark blue tongue. Her face had the soft edges of an attractive woman, but thick brow protruded out with four boney points creating an appearance of a crown. Her violet irises' were striking, but the inverted y-shape pupils gave her eyes an animal's gaze.
"Ambrogi?" Ginette asked with the delicate touch of a surgeon.
"Yes," Ambrogi answered. "You must be the blind eye sees all better known as the vassal." Her eyes scanned the teen. "You are cute."
"Mistress Ambrogi," Liliya said. "We ne.." Ambrogi held up her hand and Liliya's mouth continued to move, but no sound was coming out.
"We don't need your services," Ambrogi said. With those few words, Liliya vanished.
"What did you do?" Ginette looked at the final spot where Liliya stood and back to Ambrogi.
"Don't worry, child," Ambrogi said. "I didn't kill her, I just sent her back. She had to help..." She paused for a moment before continuing. "Tristan? If I'm reading your mind correctly, to fight off the shadows that are trying to kill us both. So, we might want to start this process, before they kill your friends and us."
"But.." Ginette started to say, but Ambrogi's finger pressed against Ginette's lips.
"You ask too many questions, my child. We will have plenty of time to get to know each other. But we have to save your friends."
"How do we do this?"
"I'll take the lead," Ambrogi said. "Don't worry. This is going to hurt like hell."
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Tristan's body slammed against the wall as the shadows approach Liliya and the motionless and floating body of Ginette. Tristan got to his feet, held his staff and blasted the shadows with a cone of light. The attack only weakened them for the moment, but it wasn't going to stop them.
"Tristan!" Liliya called out as she created a light field around herself, Tristan and Ginette.
"You back," Tristan said. "Took you long enough."
"Just in time to save your ass," Liliya said. The light field repelled the shadows for the moment.
"This won't hold them off for long," Tristan said as the shadows' attacked bounce off the field.
Liliya's eyes tightened as sweat poured from her brow. With every strike, the field weakened. She won't be able to protect all three. She must make a sacrifice one to save the vassal.
"Tristan," Liliya yelled. "Prepare to fight. Our fields are coming dow.."Before she could finish the statement. Ginette's body stretched out in a cross formation and her screams filled the house as windows shattered and the walls cracked. A blinding light came from Ginette's body blasting two of the shadow out of existence. The third recovered and said.
"Ambrogi."
Ginette's body fell crashing through the table. She got up, smoke emitted from her body as she stared at the shadow, but it wasn't blue eyes that were looking out, they were the purple eyes of Ambrogi. "Time to see the light." Her was still Ginette, but Ambrogi was in charge.
The shadow held out its arms as a rip in realities appeared on both sides. "Attacked," it ordered as a dozen or so shadows poured out.
"Ready," Liliya said.
Tristan tapped his staff on the floor. "Ready."
Ginette didn't wait, she ran towards the danger. Her nails grew into razor-sharp as she struck the shadows across the faces spilling their black toxic blood. Her fist glowed into bright balls of light as she struck and moved from shadow from shadow. The shadows weakened with each strike. They ignored Tristan and Liliya as they only focused on Ginette. She kicked, punch and blasted with the skill with an assassin. Tristan and Liliya stood in awe as the shadows fell one by one. The last shadow entered the rip and Ginette turned to Liliya.
Ginette looked at Liliya. "Close the portal!" she ordered. The act of closing the rip could only be done within the presence of Ambrogi. Liliya raised her arms made a series of gestures as the rips sealed shut. The dead shadows' bodies vanished into nothingness.
"I guess we don't have to train you to use the power of Ambrogi," Tristan stated.
Ginette smiled as her hand reached out and caressed his face. "No," she said. "You have to train her." Her eyes closed and she collapsed on the floor.
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The morning came and Ginette was laying in her bed. Her head was pounding as wondered if it was a dream. Her finger rubbed her temples as her eyes reminded shut.
"She is coming around," Tristan yelled. Liliya got up from the chair and joined him at Ginette's bedside. Ginette's eyes opened. There was no hint of purple or any reminder of Ambrogi. The two noticed something strange about Ginette's eyes, they were no longer dancing about. No more darting from side to side or up and down. They stayed fix on their target. But there was another change that the other two weren't aware. Ginette no longer saw the world through a blurry lens. She saw clearly for the first time. The crystal clearness of the world was right in front of her, as well a the clear physical beauty of Tristan and Liliya.
"I must be dreaming," Ginette said. "My vision is clear."
Liliya reached for the teen's breasts and squeezed them. "Honk. Honk."
"Hey." Ginette shot up and her arms covered her chest. "You know a pinch is more traditional."
Liliya laughed. "Like any of us are traditional."
"Your vision will be clear," Tristan explained. "As long as Ambrogi is bonded with you."
"That is one treatment that the doctors never tried," Ginette said as she swung her feet on the side of the bed.
"Do you have control of her?" Liliya asked.
Ginette nobbed and stared at her hands. "I do now." She stood up from the bed. "At first I gave her control, there wasn't time for me to learn her fighting style, now I have time to learn all of her tricks."
"You had the eyes of the beast when you killed the shadows," Tristan said.
"I guessed that is the telling sign of her control," Ginette said.
Liliya stared at Ginette. "I missed the dancing chaos of your baby blues. It was so different and fucking cool."
Ginette laughed. "Well, my dear Liliya, I don't miss that." Tears ran down her cheeks as this was the first time her vision wasn't impaired. "By the way," she added. "You are a fucking beauty."
Liliya blushed. "If you put it way, I don't miss them either."
"Sorry to break up this fantasy that is running in my head, but how do you feel?"Tristan's concern for Ginette overshadowed his inappropriate attempt at humor.
"Dizzy, tired." Ginette stiffed her armpit. "And a little funky."
"You should take it easy, we should have any problems tonight," Tristan said. He looked at Liliya. "We should let the others know that we found the vassal."
Ginette smiled. "Before we do that and take on the shadows. I need to take a piss and a much-needed shower." She walked out of the room and walk to the bathroom. It didn't matter if the light was bright or dim. It didn't matter if there were objects on her way to the bathroom. She could see clearly, no more bumping into or stepping on things that crept up on her. She locked the bathroom door pulled off her clothes.
After emptying out her bladder and washing her hands, she reached into the shower and turned on the water. Running her hands under the showerhead making sure she got the right temperature. Not too hot and not too cold. She was like Goldilocks, it had to be just right. She stepped into the shower and felt the warm water caressing her face and body. Washing away the smells of the different realms and just the funk of reality.
She stepped on of shower and dried off her body. She wiped the fog off the mirror and saw a pretty freckled faced woman staring back at her. "I never knew I had this many freckles or paler than a freaking ghost." Ginette rarely wore make-up. It was hard for her to apply the right amount. She would put on too much blush and lipstick that would make a clown jealous or globbed so much massacre that her eyelashes would clump together and the smokey eye look wasn't going to happen. With her sight no longer an issue, she could do her makeup and look like a nineteen-year-old woman, rather than a fifteen-year-old girl." She looked closer at her reflection, but her reflection didn't look back.
"Fuck!" She screamed and fell back into the door.
"Hello, Ginette," The reflection answered as it took the face and voice of Ambrogi.
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