House Of The Witches

Chapter 17: Cerberus

"These are the weapons you were telling us about?" Darryl asked Carl in surprise.

"Yes, Master Darryl," Carl replied.

"But these are just knives, spears, axes and swords," Samson said and lifted one knife. He put down the flaming piece of wood because the torches were on and the fire slowly went out.

"Yes! These are some of the best weapons you'll ever find." Carl said.

"Oh, Carl! It seems you've been dead for so long you didn't know that weapons have advanced a whole lot since your time." Darryl said.

"Have they now?" Carl lifted a brow.

"Oh yeah, they have. But I guess we'll have to make do with these. At least they're better than a metal rod and some sticks." Darryl said.

"And they'll do a much better job in killing Kristokulos," Samson added.

They packed up as many weapons as they needed and wrapped them up and were ready to return.

Suddenly, one of the torches that hung on the wall went out, much to everyone's surprise, even Carl's and his magic was what kept the torches on.

"Carl! Why did that torch go out?" Samson asked in confusion.

"I don't know, Master Samson," Carl replied, unsure of why the torch went out.

Suddenly another torch went out and so did another and another.

"What's going on Carl?" Darryl asked, now panicking.

"I don't know. My magic seems to be fading." Carl told them.

"Not just your magic, even your physical form," Samson mentioned and pointed at Carl. His body was also fading away like he was being erased from the room.

The torches kept turning off, one after the other.

"We have to get out here, now!" Darryl yelled and they rushed to the stairs but before they took a step upwards, the door to the basement slammed shut on its own. Samson ran up and tried to push the door open but it wouldn't budge.

"I hate the doors in this house!" Samson yelled in anger and went back down.

"Carl, what's causing this?" Darryl asked the vanishing spirit.

"Mara Anjonu! It has to be her. She's the only one in this house who can temporarily disable my powers and vanquish my spirit." Carl said.

The torches kept turning off until only one was left.

"Darryl! Get the wood and place it in that last flame before it goes out!" Samson instructed.

Darryl put down the wrapped weapons and ran to the wood. He picked it up and took it to the flaming torch. As he was about to stick it into the fire, the last torch also went off and they were enveloped in the darkness.

"Darryl?" Samson called to him.

"I'm here," Darryl said.

"Do you have a weapon with you?" Samson asked again.

"Yes, I have a knife," Darryl replied.

"Good, me too. Let's stand back to back." Samson said. 

They managed to find each other in the darkness and stood back to back, watching out for anything that might attack.

Suddenly, a single torch came back on but the flame was green in colour. It made the basement a bit brighter but it was still hard to see clearly.

"Why is that flame green?" Darryl asked Samson.