Abel's Tale

VII. When a Predator Becomes Prey

"Good to see you've made it unscathed. I trust they didn't cause you too much trouble? You didn't exactly leave them behind on the best of terms." Abel said with a slight humor in his voice. Elise smirked and walked toward him. The kiss she left on Abel's cheek was something he'd almost forgotten the feeling of.

"As if I'd ever let them get the best of me again. Everything went exactly as planned, they never even suspected I was there," A wicked smile took form on her pretty face. "Got the map, and some extra coin, with ease. They really do need to hire better security; new security now."

"New security? And here I took you for an innocent woman."

"I am an innocent woman." Elise said with an evil grin which always indicated the opposite of what she had said.

Abel gave her a look which seemed to say something to the effect of disapproval.

"Don't look at me like that! I got what we needed."

"Indeed you did. I'm not gonna bicker about this, we have more important things to worry about."

"Yes. Yes we do. Isaiah."

Abel followed Elise through the forest, she was trailing back to the beaches. She explained the ship would be waiting for them there. As they walked Abel tied the crystal around a string and wore it as a necklace, Elise asked him about it.

"I had a run in with Malachi while you were away. He visited me, but he wasn't really here. Like he was a manifestation, a ghost. But alive. He said his Master had been searching for this, we got to it first. Maybe that's why Isaiah was so insistent on us getting it quickly," Abel touched the crystal around his neck. "It's dangerous, what lurks inside."

"What lurks inside? What are you trying to say?" Elise asked.

"The powers Malachi displayed during our battle. He's capable of so much more, but I discovered that I, too, can tap into it. I don't know what it is, honestly it scares me. He offered to teach me."

"Stop right there! He offered to teach you? Please don't tell me you accepted his offer! He's not good. Don't forget the people he works with, the things he's done. He may have spared us, for reasons I still don't know, but Isaiah is in danger because of him. God knows what's happened to him."

"Terrible things. Our consciousness entered this crystal, this source of immense power. Inside Malachi showed me, or at least let me hear, what's happening to Isaiah. He needs us."

"I could've told you that he needs us."

"I know you could've. Let me get to the point." Abel already knew she was going to disapprove of what he was about to propose, and part of him was scared of how she may show her disapproval.

She needed to know this, it could change everything.

"I'm really glad you're gonna get to the point. You're starting to scare me."

"I'm sorry about that. Listen, I know it sounds crazy, but just please hear me out. I believe that Malachi could be turned."

Elise scoffed. "How do you think that?"

"He hates his Master more than anyone else, he told me Thanatos' story, and the danger and importance of what we found. He wants to stop his Master. He warned me. Why would he do that?"

She pondered this revelation for a moment. "He could be trying to use you. Maybe he wants you to think he's helping, maybe he'll turn against you too. He's already planning to overthrow his Master, yes, and don't get me wrong I do see the potential in that. But he's not some tool to be used, he's human, and an awful one at that. Let us not forget the group he still leads."