Helena and the Rings

Chapter 15: The Glow

Drunk Bishop was funnier, kinder, touchier, braver and more confident. About a few beers in I was already laughing at everything she said. We went from sitting across from one another to sitting right next to each other. She rested her hand on my legs. By now the wings were all gone and the two of us were just lost in deep conversation.

Mr. Bartender came next to our table and asked us if we wanted more drinks. I could feel myself getting too drunk so I told him no.

"Maybe one more for the road," Bishop laughed.

In the background some old rock tunes played. The only dancing I did was bob my head back and forth to it.

"You like this song?" Bishop asked.

"It's nice," I laughed. "My dad really liked rock music."

Bishop got up and grabbed my hand. "Let's dance then," she laughed.

I followed her into an empty space way in the back of the bar away from people. There we had the floor all to ourselves. I didn't want to dance. I didn't know how to dance. And lord knows I hated attention on myself. "I don't know," I told Bishop as she took my hands and started swaying me back and forth. She turned me around and hugged me from behind.

"You don't have to know," she said. Her face was buried in my neck and I could feel her breathing against my skin. The feeling gave me chills. So many emotions. It was almost overwhelming. I even saw my ring glow for a faint second. 

Again? I thought.

I turned around and just threw my hands over her shoulder then started laughing from embarrassment. "We should probably get back to the cabin," I told her.

"Aren't you having fun?" She looked me dead in the eyes. However, before I could say anything Bishop kissed me. It wasn't a quick one either. This kiss seemed to last forever and grip was unbreakable. I knew if I wanted to stop it I could have. But I didn't. I kissed Bishop too. It was different. Weird. New. I invited it in though.

I finally broke away because again, I didn't like attention and I'm sure two girls making out at a bar wasn't a miss. Plus, the ring started glowing again and I didn't want anyone to see. Or...anything.

 "I am having fun," I said. I pointed to our stuff. "But I kind of just want to get back."

"True," she nodded. We gathered our belonging, thanked the bartender then took off into the night.

***

On the walk back to the cabin, I had to deal with Bishop's stories and bad singing. She leaned on me most the time which made making our way bad a lot longer. When we finally got there, I lit some candles that I found in a bag full of random junk. Bishop passed out on the floor with a big ol smile on her face. I got the book out, lit a candle beside me, and sat down next to where Bishop was. I turned to the first page that welcomed the Holder of Rings.

 "Holder of Rings, me. Pfft," I mumbled to myself.

I was immersed in the book. Each page was full of new information to me but the thing that stood out and truly scared me was how this book talked of another creation like my mother said.  They go by many names. Ghost, Demons. Devils, Jinns, Aliens. However, it's all connected-just called different names. A creation other than human.

Dasdamon. The first creature created before humans. He's made from fire and was a servant to God before he separated himself out of pride and promised he'd cause chaos to all other creations. He possessed a ring of power. An Angel named Angwitta possessed the second ring. And the third ring was possessed by a human named Perjas. There are 3 rings.

"3." I said to myself.

Dasdamon took all by force once upon a time and cursed all of the rings. His evil lies in every ring. But the Angwits and Perjas worked together to trap him. He can no longer be seen in his true form but can take shape of animals and humans. Without all 3 rings, he is limited in power.

Demons, Humans, and Angels can hold power to the rings. I smiled to myself after realizing what the Angwits are. That means Peter and Aunt Cindy were angels. 

They still are...

I continued reading. It was like reading old stories. There were wars between the Demons and Angwitts and humans at one point and the rings got separated. Funny how after all this the ring got to me. 

I was just getting sleepy when I got to the part about humans being holders of the ring. How a human in control of the ring is more dangerous than a demon holding one. Humans don't have power like the Angwits and Demons have and they are more capable of becoming reckless with it vs in control. With Dasdamon's curse upon the ring, it becomes even harder. 

Great. I thought. It'll be even harder for me to control the thing.

I got to a passage that mentioned something about humans guarding themselves from potential danger. I saw the word 'glow' and immediately got nervous. The passage read, 'O Perjas. Beware of danger when the ring glows. It is near. Your enemy.'

I immediately looked at Bishop after that and my ring began to glow. Then it stopped. I reread the passage. No. No way. Bishop isn't my enemy. What would she gain from any of this? She's supposed to help me. That's what her mother told her...so she said. I closed the book. That was enough reading for now. I needed sleep.

But I couldn't sleep. The whole time I laid next to Bishop...my ring kept glowing.