Chapter 2 The Hissing Shadow.
Fifteen years ago.
“Why should I believe you?” Mrs Trillian snarled, “I don’t even know you.”
“At least let me show this to you,” Tiberius rolled up his left sleeve, while showing her a birthmark.
“WHAT THE,” Her eyes went wide, "How could you have that birthmark?"
Angus, his eyes were as wide as his mother-in-law. Tiberius, taking advantage of them still absorbing from his stunted revelation, he continued on desperately. In the hope that he wouldn't be interrupt by them the next minute.
“All the reasons you must trust me, I don't have a lot of time. The more I am delayed by your unnecessary questions. The more I am in danger of being discovered. If my mission is a failure, all of you would be dead.”
"Why would we be dead?" Angus asked desperately. Flustered by Tiberius' idel threat, the idea that their lives are in danger, and nothing was making sense. Angus felt his frustration was exploding out from his brain, after being walled up, "I demand to know sir,"
"Indeed, why?" Mrs Trillian demanded too.
"I will tell you, while I am performing my magic-" However, Mrs Trillian cut off Tiberious sharply, before he finished
"You are not performing any magic, unless you tell me of what you plan to do."
“I have to block Titus from using his Magic. Otherwise, when he does one day, it will act like a beacon to them. Where ever he is in this world, they will come for him. They will kidnap, brainwash and raise him as one of their own. All of you will be killed, not just for being mere witnesses. It is standard practise, for them. However, if the boy continues to grow up as he is, without knowing of magic. I pray the day when he does, Titus would be too old for an asset for them. However, the day when he does, Titus has to learn to defend himself. For if he is not a use to them. They will kill him.”
"Who is they?" Mrs Trillian stared at Tiberius blankly.
"You will find out in the future," Tiberius smiled grimly.
"WHO?" Angus shouted, He's flustered by Tiberius’ cryptic remarks, and also his curiosity is driving him mad.
"Our ancestors," Tiberius muttered, "I will answer no more questions,"
“I still find this hard to believe,” Mrs Trillian skeptically said.
“How could this be hard? Titus should be dead but he’s not. I am now going to bless Titus with a spell. It will lock him away from doing magic. The effect will be permanent, until he’s fourteen..”
“Why fourteen?” Mrs Trillian demanded anxiously.
“I will come back for him,” Tiberius replied vehemently, "And prepare him, for his eventual destiny."
While Angus and Mrs Trillian were both contemplating of the sudden facts revealed to them.
A yellowish light flashed out, just a few feet above of the metal roof. The light then cut through the cold night air like a knife, before transforming of itself into a hole. Like a dark hole with a black and cloudy thing for a perimeter, and rotating. The strangest thing about this hole, is there's nothing behind of it. Not a tunnel but the cold air and night, It's like the hole had appeared out and lead to some other place out of this world.
With the background of stars and the half full moon above of the hole, a hideous and strange creature, jumped out from its blacken and round abyss.
As soon as its feet touches the metal roof. A horrible, ear torturing, painful sound was made. CLANG! So sharp are the claws from its feet, holes were punched through the metal, like hot knife through butter, The claws from this creature, from its hands and feet, were unlike of those from a tiger or talons from a bird. They are curved and sharp, like wickedly freaking sharpen fingers without the nails.
Then, the portal where it had come from melts away into the night air,
The creature, now sniffing the air above of it like an eager hunting hound, is the stuff of Lovecraftian nightmare. It is wearing nothing but a ragged and tattered cloak with a cowl. It has no shame from its almost bare nakedness. Instead, it was proudly showing off of its’ jet-black body, which it is almost as pitch black as the night. If not for the moonlight reflecting off its shiny obsidian skin. The movement and walking posture of this creature, half of the time, is like those of a cat, while it was making a circle on the metal roof of the first carriage from the train.
CLANG! CLANG! and CLANG! This sound was continuously made, while it circling and sniffing of the night air, for a blood scent it can latched onto.
Then, its face was revealed. When the cowl which had hidden of it before flashes of its shimmering face into the moonlight. It has a face with only a mouth, filled with jet black triangular shape teeth.
"HE IS HERE.." It hissed delightfully, with a wickedly hideous smile. Like a wolf, ready to taste of the blood of its victim, for the first time for a long time.
Luckily, the carriage which Angus and his family is in, is the last.
Back in it, Sarah and Angus suddenly saw Tiberius got smack by something hard. It’s like a bolt of electricity had hit him and a mule had kicked him hard in the back. So much was the force, that it made him stagger a bit and almost falling to the floor. Instead, Tiberius managed to use of his silver staff to steady of himself.
"It is here, I must act quickly with this task of mine!" Tiberius said urgently with a panic-stricken voice.
Whatever he is afraid of, maybe we should be too. Angus shifted uneasily. If Fear is infectious, it is now showing of itself as an example stupendously. In this instance, a magical spell was not used to achieve of its fullest effect.
With a shaking hand, Tiberius took out a card from his deck of cards before. He then pointed the card toward the sleeping baby, in the small hammock on the sleeping Margaret.
“ExponentiaCincinno!” Tiberius muttered, and the card in his hand suddenly grew bright. In the next few seconds, both Angus and Mrs Trillian were to witness with fascination, from the flow of bright particles, going to the baby from it. This went on for at least a few seconds.
Meanwhile, the creature continues to circled on the metal roof from the first carriage of the train with its pace picking up. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Had it stayed for another two minutes, the holes on the roof would have made it fell into the carriage. However, it finally moved. After its nose had locked onto strongly, to where the scent is originating from.
Like a cat, monkey or a rat racing on the tree branch, it then jumped from the first carriage to the next, with the horrible clanging and metal torture sounds being made continuously. The cloak on the creature, was pulling strongly against it, while it was charging away from the speeding wind. However, it doesn't care for its bare nakedness, with the moon and stars in the background. For it is far more excited, of the scent leaking from its prey.
“It is done!” Tiberius exclaimed. Like he had put in a great effort in his task. He's panting, while breathing fast and deeply.
“The spell you had casted. It means “Spell lock” in the wizard tongue. However, this spell is only vaguely mention in the most arcane and forbidden of our spell tomes,” Angus shooked his head with awe.
“It is a Warlock Spell,” Mrs Trillian said grimly, “It can lock of anyone from casting spell, for the duration till its caster’s decides.”
“There is a counter spell to this..” Angus then said thoughtfully.
“Promise me, that you don’t make this boy to cast of any magical spell,” Tiberius sneered to Angus.
“Alright, I promise!” Angus exclaimed frightfully. What is wrong with him, he looked like he could rip my throat out with that stare of his.
“That joke of your is not funny. Now, my business here is done. I have one last piece of housekeeping to do,” after this said, Tiberius gave Angus his deck of magical cards.
“What is this?” Angus looked at them with his eyes wide.
He was surprised, shocked and horrified. The same goes for Mrs Trillian, like they were handed a ticking bomb.
“Why are you giving these to him?” Mrs Trillian demanded.
“Give it to Titus, for safekeeping. If he doesn’t do magic, everything should be fine. However, if he does and you don’t keep your promise to me.. think of it as an insurance thing. “
Tiberius finished his sentence with a cold hard edge in his tone, like a knife stabbing of pure fear into both Angus and Mrs Trillian.
“You have my word,” Mrs Trillian grimly said.
“Good, I shall take my leave," said Tiberius hurriedly, “I hope I am not too late at leaving, for it is relentless at tracking me down. I fear your stupid questions earlier may had jeopardize your own safety. If it does come here, you must pretend that I was never here.”
“What is exactly that you feared,” Mrs Trillian demanded uncomfortably. However, there’s no panic in her tone, she looked calm and ready, like a warrior or huntress ready for a battle. Angus thought to himself. She had led Witches Broomstick squadrons into countless of battles before in the war. The Smasher of the Pride of Victrix, she’s called. Her single-handed destruction of the Skyflagship from the Conjuration clan, in the battle near the hidden Witches enclave of Hogsworth Castle. She saved the enclave from total destruction. From it, she was made Broom Commander and decorated with the Nightstar of Valour, the Witches highest award for courage and gallantry. I must not forget, she was a warrior, before she was a diplomat.
“My shadow,” Tiberius grunted.
“Your shadow?” Angus asked disbelievingly.
“I am a very hunted man, from the crimes I did. This creature is perverted by powerful arcane Spells that no mundanes like you two can cast. It is almost invulnerable to any magic. I must leave! The longer I say, the longer I put your lives in danger!”
Without saying or answering anymore questions, Tiberius hurriedly checked of all his belonging, before he quickly yanked of the metal door to their private suite open with a forced, screeching metallic scream.
It was loud enough to wake the dead and tortured the ear drums of everyone in the suite.
Unknowingly to them, the creature is now racing toward the last carriage of the train, with only a few carriages away from reaching.
Then after, while disappearing into the darken passage way, they saw Tiberius’ hand rammed the door shut and hard. Uncaring of the sound he had made.
"Mom! What just happened?" Margret exclaimed frightfully, and she's now wide awake. Luckily, both the baby and Magnolia have remained fast asleep, despite of the noise and sound.
"Nothing dear, just a deranged old man. Angus and I had sent him off. Just go back to sleep," lied Mrs Trillian, while batting an eye to Angus.
She wanted me to keep my mouth shut. Must be for a good reason. Angus, had no other choice, he reluctantly surrenders to her hint.
Mrs Trillian’s answer, was enough to calm her daughter. Feeling reassured and relaxed, she then went back to her sleep like before.
Then, to Angus’ surprise, Mrs Trillian went to Angus’ ear and whispered.
“Angus, you better cast the Spell of Sleep on them. I don’t have the right ingredients tonight to cast it.”
“But why Mrs Trillian? He’s gone and..”
“We need to ensure our safety with an investigation. I am sensing something evil is coming. If you put them to sleep, I will cast a spell of invisibility on them. Just do it Angus.”
So strong and cold that Mrs Trillian has worded her sentence. It was like a command, that no warrior would dare to disobey in battle.
For the fear of his life being forfeited because of disobedience. Reluctantly, Angus pointed his walking stick to the sleeping form of Margaret, Magnolia and the baby. While in front of them, he chanted, “Somnum!”
After seeing the fireworks flashes from the knobby end of his walking stick, as a signed that the spell was casted. Mrs Trillian then used of her wand, when her turn comes. However, before she cast of her spell, she took out a brown pouch from her pocket and dipped her wand in it. After it was finally coated with a brownish powder, then she does of her own fireworks.
That’s the magical difference between us, Angus said to himself silently, she uses a wand, and I use a walking stick. She needs herbal ingredients to fuel her spell and I uses the ancient language of the Warlock to trigger the willpower in my mind. Her spell is more powerful than mine, but my spell is more versatile and easier to cast without ingredients. However, none of our magic can compare to that of our ancestor, the Warlock.
Finally, once all the magic was done. Angus asked Mrs Trillian, “So what shall we do?”
“First, we must examine the gift that he has given us. Angus,” Mrs Trillian asked firmly, "Quickly!”
“Oh, it is in my pocket,” Angus then hurriedly took them out.
First, they examined the cards carefully, after they were released from their linen bindings. One by one, their sides and secrets were surrendered to their curious but awed eyes. The words, titled below of the small but detail paintings within of the golden rim borders in the cards. Shouted of frightening and destructive magic of ancient origins.
“By Kronos, Spell of immolation, Telekinesis, Time Stop,” Angus gasped.
“There is enough destructive power in this deck to level the world a few times,” Mrs Trillian shook her head, “And to have so many in one location? You know Angus, I once saw of one. It is in an archeological dig. They are so rare and valuable, there’s no price tag for them. Since the secrets of their creation was lost in the Warlock age.”
“This explain of why he was hunted,” Angus exclaimed with his eyes wide.
“Indeed, in the wrong hands, especially that of a Warlock. It would be like the ancient war hasn't ended." Mrs Trillian said grimly and nervously,
There was a ten second silence between them, while they were grappling with the reality of the situation.
"What shall we do with them?" Angus finally asked.
“It's a pity that these came to me this late. If it was a month ago, I would have the authority to properly dispose of them. They would have been locked up in the most secure and forbidden of archives in the Prime Coven's sanctum, like the only other Spell Card I had saw in my life.”
“But you are now stripped of your position. An army is needed to protect these, from the wrong hands,” Angus said uncomfortably. To Angus, he felt like he has been given some nuclear warheads to look after and to prevent them from being stolen.
“You know the old saying Angus, Secrecy is often the best form of protection. If no one knows of where they are, no one will know of where to look for them,” Mrs Trillian said grimly.
“But why did he give this to us?” Angus exclaimed uncomfortably, ”And... him being here before. It is impossible."
“His birthmark tells us of who he is,” Mrs Trillian shook her head in disbelief, “It is impossible but he was, but why his name is different? Why?”
“He must have travelled through time,” Angus said, while looking at the sleeping form of his wife, baby and Magnolia.
“He had to,” Mrs Trillian said vehemently, “Otherwise, none of this makes any sense. We must now press on with our other concern. This evil entity.”
Angus shuddered, "What's your plan to deal with it?"
“My amulet is screaming that it is close by, very close,” Mrs Trillian growled, and she whipped her wand out, “We shall do a standard sweep Angus. We will go out into the connecting corridor of this carriage. You will take the left and I take the right. We will also sweep through each suites in the carriage, until we reach the ends of the corridor.”
“Yes Ma’am,” Angus replied with steely conviction. This is just like the old days again, when my commanding officer have just infected me with his confidence. From an order he has given to me in person.
With a purpose, and the reminisce of the military discipline drilled into him from his younger day. Angus then treated his walking stick like a rifle. Ready to go out and do battle.
Mrs Trillian did the same, by having of her wand dipped into another pouch and coated it with fine purple powders.
When they were ready, Mrs Trillian silently motioned Angus to slide the metal door to their train compartment open.
Confident, with his heart beating fast and ready. Creeaakkk. Angus did the opening of the door slowly. Then after, he’s the first to go into the breach, and into the darken corridor.
With his walking stick ready, Angus felt like he’s armed with something. He has a spell ready in mind to cast, a spell that would encase of whatever evil coming for them, in a block of ice.
He steps into the narrow and dusky confine, while Mrs Trillian was following from behind him. Then, with their backs were facing toward the other, they then begin of their methodological sweep.
While they were conducting of their probe. Inch by inch, with their darting wide eyes, keen smell, sensitive touch and vigilant hearing. As the minutes goes by, the only disturbance they did find, was the constant thud, thud sound the carriage was making, with the occasional ear splitting screeching sound, when the metal wheel of the train connects with the steel track harshly.
However, the dimmed lights didn't deter them, nor was the howling cold air from the outside. Eventually, their careful and cautious search did not yield of any secrets, when they got to the end in their share of the corridor.
After their fruitless search, Mrs Trillian signaled Angus to regroup hurriedly back in their suite. In case the evil has only distracted them and come for Margaret and the kids.
When they got back to their private suite, to their relief, it was just as they had left it.
“Nothing, it’s like Tiberius has vanished into thin air! Unless he went to the next carriage, it’s like he never-”
“Angus, I get the picture,” said Mrs Trillian, while holding out her hand to stop Angus of his sentence.
They were both agitated and flustered, with their confidence taken a beating from the lack of results. For both were now fearing, they have a much more dangerous and cunning enemy, they are dealing with.
“My amulet is still screaming of his presence. It is close. Maybe right on top of us,” Mrs Trillian replied, with a shaky voice.
“What shall we do now?” Angus panicked.
“I believe the best course of action, is to wait, but be ready..for anything,” she said grimly.
They were both terrified. For Angus, he felt like he's a condemned man waiting for the seconds to tick by before of his execution. It's the waiting that's the hardest, it is making him moody and impatient.
With little choice, he then sat on the leather couch, while Mrs Trillian was taking off her amulet, and put it on Margaret's neck.
"What are you doing?" Angus demanded.
"This amulet has a secondary protection from evil effect. Margaret need this more than me," Mrs Trillian replied sullenly.
Soon, the seconds and minutes ticked by.
Just when the fire of tension in them were beginning to cold away by the water of weariness.
A sudden loud clang was heard. Enough to shake the little private suite of their and jolted them back to their alertness again.
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