END ROADS

CHAPTER 42: ELIA'S LIFE IS AT STAKE

The helicopter landed on a small hill with a few snows scattered here and there. We all alighted carrying a few bags we had with us. A bag and some food for the only human around… me. A few wolves emerged Clark spoke to them and they gathered around the helicopter, guarding the machine? Nice at least he is useful.
We made our way around the hill going down a small path we entered a large cave. At one corner there was some ashes, twigs on the other side a few clothing on a wooden rack, cartons logs, and dirt all around. We cleared one corner and placed the few things with us there. We sat around silently… I settled beside Clark then the familiar growl came before my eyes locked with Grey. I ignored him trying to enlighten the mood.
“Hi Clark, little sneaky boy” I shoved his shoulder lightly. He smiled as I threw my arms around him to hug him. He pat my back gently smiling.
“So how do you feel having a human master?”
“Am not feeling anything back except from gladness…having a place of belonging…finally”
“I wish I had a better method to save your butts it is the only Flora had”
“It is fine I am happy, being under the one who will bring my mate back is not a bad thing at all”
“Oh, and by the way I will try the spirit summoning thing so you can see your baby girl” I wagged a brow at him.
He smiled sweetly “Okay but don’t force it, I need you alive”
“Got you”
“So how did you guys know Elia is in trouble?”
“I had some king of vision Grey said they are using binding magic to draw her powers from her and it might kill her”
“That is awful, as far as I can remember… she was in the coven how did she end up where she is?”
“The most accurate answer I have right now is…she was running back to Flakes coven to get away from Dom. She doesn’t want to get to see Dom. She is in love with him but her ego can’t allow her to forgive him”
“And that is why Dom came with us?”
“Yes, I asked Grey to bring him along. Maybe seeing him make an effort to rescue her will make her change her mind”
“What about Dom?”
“He is in love, lonely and egoistic. He wants her back but he can’t display how much despair he is in”
“More of a man and ego” Clark nodded agreeing with his own statement.
We sat in silence for a moment then that vision crept into my mind again. Elia was sitting alone in the dark bleeding profusely she was lying on the floor unconscious the rope glowing a very faint orange colour which didn’t look at all pleasant. The searing pain came again I held my head between my hands squeezing my eyes shut to contain the unbearable pain.
“Another vision?” Grey’s voice loud in my mind startled me. Why does he love creeping around in my mind with the mind linking skill? I nodded anyway opening my eyes tiredly.
I looked around, Clark was gone from my side sitting together with Ethan and Xavier. Dom was sitting next to Abi talking in low tones. At least he made a friend and Clark was making friends as well, which was, a good thing. I was behaving now like a mother protecting her kids. Is it how Grey feels towards Ari, I envied her now.
I sat quietly my mind shifting back and forth showing me the dark cave where Elia was in. she was bleeding badly, oily dark blood dripping from her cuts on her wrist and thighs. She looked worn out and hopeless. Then suddenly she closed her eyes and went still.
I shot to my feet and sped out of the cave following the blurry vision playing in front of my eyes like a faded memory. I wasn’t sure if I was safe at all to see all those things and to act on impulse like a fool without considering my own safety.
I stopped once I was a good distance away from the cave to rest a bit. I leaned against the tree thinking of a way to get in there as far as I had seen, I hadn’t come across any entrance or exit in that cave. Was it opened using some magical powers or something of sort? Or she was bound under a spell?
“Running off by yourself like that is not safe or wise at all” it was Grey… he followed me?
“Am fine, the on in a lot of shit right now is Elia, she just passed out” I simply stated.
“If I may ask are you really sure of all this vision things?”
“Heh, what are you saying now? You doubting me when you departed from your coven without a second thought? Or you have suddenly lost faith in me?” I turned to face him.
“I wasn’t saying that you know…”
“I don’t wanna know, I will trust my guts and do what I think is right, okay? Just gather your people and go back if I get lost don’t find me I count nothing in your life anyway, not my loss is it?” I asked fixing the bow on my shoulders properly.
“See you later Grey” then I sped towards the direction I had figured out. I came to a halt a distance away from the huge dome of a rock covered in snow. The area seemed to be covered in snow a lot of times, they are had the coniferous trees covered in few snows. The surface was covered with a lot of foot print huge and small. A dead wolf lay a few meters away from the entrance of the cave the white snow soaking red from its blood. I walked around the cave for some time, I spotted no one around did they abandon her?
I drew the daggers walking around the entrance where there were most footprints covering the place. I studied the bundle of ice that was covering the place trying to find a weak point on the blue reflection but I could not see any I sat thinking for a while. Maybe the spell I used to remove the restriction in Dermot’s room would do. I stood up muttered a mouthful of French phrases before pushing my hands forward. A sudden force hit the ice but bounced back throwing me a distance away. It was so strong, I thought I would be blown away by the wind. I straightened studying the ice again. Maybe if I included the daggers it would do.
I extracted the daggers pronounced the words before throwing them forward. The daggers hit the ice drilled into it before jerking back and falling a distance away from me. Still the ice block was very much intact.
I studied the block for some time trying to think. I could control fire right? But I only burnt things when I was angry how I to do this in any simpler way was? My ability to control fire was linked with anger… so it was quite a useless option at the moment. I had to find a different option.
Again… when Grey turned Ethan into a vampire he had said…it is all in your head, control of abilities starts in the head, you first think of it concentrate and act…Aha, the thought or whatever memory came when I needed it, exactly what I was seeking at a desperate time. I tucked the daggers back on my belt walking towards the block carefully. I plastered my hands on the ice block before I could do a thing another vision blocked my concentration.
Three men were standing at the same spot I was, one of them touched the ground covered in snow turning it into a thick block of ice. When he looked up his eyes were orange in colour burning brilliantly like fire burning dry grass. I swung his hand abruptly the block of ice moved blocking the entrance sealing it completely. After sealing the entrance they teleported away together.
I drifted back trying to ignore the disturbing vision and concentrate on activating the flames power to melt the obstinate ice. I closed my eyes following the simple instructions Grey gave…think…concentrate…act! Slowly the ice started melting, cold water collected around my shoes soaking them completely. I opened my eyes when an empty space was left in front of me. A large entrance welcomed me dark with a few green gems glowing on the walls. The gems emitted a smooth glow that was enough for me to see my steps especially since my night vision was great and efficient.
I made my way into the cave cautiously looking around for any sign of traps or pending danger. I went down several steps covered in ice making me skid around dangerously. Balancing was the main problem and the cold water of the melting ice from above soaking my back. I wasn’t doing well yet with the cold. I shivered holding onto the ice pillars for support as I walked around. I came across another opening on the ground, down below was a pool of ice water and the vision clearly showed me that Elia was down there. I didn’t know the skill of being airborne yet so. This was a cold bath.
With that I dived into the pool through the hole. I chocked and gagged when the water splashed into my nose forcing me to gulp some unwillingly. I coughed and sneezed swimming to the edge and dragging myself out. I sat for a moment trying to breath, I shivered pitifully my legs trembling as I tried to get up. I coughed severally the voice echoing in the cave loudly. I brushed my hair off my face and kept moving. My skin was pale and ice cold, the shaking was doing me no good either.
As I strolled around an orange glow caught my eyes a distance away. A small body was curled up in the shadows unconscious. Elia! Was I that late? Was she already dead?
“Elia, Elia… Elia? Can you hear me?” I limped towards her since my left leg had a muscle pull that was killing me. I tried reaching her but I was thrown back by a sudden force making me hit the back of my head against the ice wall. I saw darkness for a second but forced myself to get up despite the searing pain splitting my poor skull apart. I approached her again trying to find the source of the power keeping me off.
“Elia…Elia…” it was clear she was either dead or unconscious. She wasn’t moving or breathing and if she was I could barely see that it was definitely shallow. I took small steps forward, little by little till I felt the strong force pushing me back the more I moved the stronger the force beamed then finally throwing me off. I lay there staring at the ceiling covered in ice trying to think and come up with the best explanation and plan to get Elia out of the cave. The more I stared at the cave ceiling the more something came into view. It was a strange symbol of two triangles put together the inner is smaller with a deep shade of blue. The outer one is thinner and it is not shaded at all. Then finally the outer layer was a strange shape like a pentagon chipped on the lower part. As I tried to remember there was a symbol on the entrance engraved on the ice blocking the entrance. Strange!
So the people who took Elia and used the binding magic on her had their powers from a certain basis which was represented by the symbol of the triangles and a pentagon?
I sat up staring at Elia, I tried to focus using my power to see if there was an invisible wall confining her there. Yeah sure, there it was a wall glowing orange faintly with the same symbol on it.  Well, this ones were strange, and it was obvious they were not vampires. Vampires had abilities that they were born with, not powers with certain basis. So it is likely to be humans who were so much into magical powers and created a basis which would be the source of their power!
Well, vampires were unlucky beasts if I had to say, they had sore spots all around them.
I sighed helplessly wishing and praying something would come or happen to help me rescue the poor Elia.
As if the heavens heard me, two figures emerged from the opening above. Grey and Dom were here. I smiled faintly as they approached.
“What happened? Are you okay?”
“I think I should be now that you are here to rescue Elia. The basis of their magic is complicated and strong I have no idea what we are to do” I pointed at the ceiling above.
“This… they are the Gala soldiers!” Dom stated.
“What?” Grey and I questioned simultaneously.
“They have three basis in general, the first is the one symbolized by a snow flake, the second is a lion’s head and the third is this one. The third and the second are the strongest and toughest to learn and use. The ones who captured must be strong ones… this is bad” he answered staring at the weak Elia with sad eyes.
“What are we to do then?” I asked standing up with a lot of struggle
“I have no idea, but we have no time… she will lose her power soon and become human just like any other!”
“Which I believe is a disgrace for a vampire is it?” I asked limping towards the spot where Elia was laying ignoring the curious gaze Grey was giving me.
“It is surely a disgrace but that is not the worst of them all, the power that will be drawn from her will remain in the golden rope. Based on the basis used to draw her power, I believe… we will not be able to restore the powers back to her…we have to destroy it of which I don’t know how!”
We were simply tied up on both ends, slipping off would be hard and almost impossible. Never have I thought to be in such a complicated and deadly situation.
“We have no options in place, so what are we to do?” Grey asked helplessly.
“I don’t know really… this is so bad” Dom answered quietly
We stood there staring at Elia with no hope and option at all. It was sad. This Gala idiots what was wrong with them? What grudge were they holding against the vampire clan? As far as I have seen and observed, vampires did their best to live peacefully with the humans… there was a question mark though in the case of Gala and vampires which was too large or rather too complicated to understand.
“We got one option…a very hurtful and poor option… we let her turn into human and find a way to destroy the golden bindings” Grey spoke
“That is a poor option indeed… what if she dies?”
“She might… but what option do we have?” Grey challenged staring intently at me. I sighed hopelessly pushing my brain to the limit, trying to think of the stupidest but helpful way out.
“I think… I should try to look back on how they placed the seal maybe we can try reversing the action… which I believe will be…tough!”
“Be careful with that” Grey warned as I limped close to Elia, they guard my back following closely behind.
The closer I got the stronger the force keeping us away from Elia became. At some point it was so unbearable and I wondered how I would come into contact with the restriction.
“Could you guys hold me, I can’t resist this” I suggested the force making me shiver since I had plunged into ice cold water.
It took a moment before the two men grabbed my waist keeping me in place. I thought it was no big deal till I felt the familiar growl tearing at the pit of my stomach accompanied with a strange snarl from Grey. My eyes widened, so this has been him all this while? That was a question for another moment but Dom’s grip on me loosened a bit. I sighed tiredly holding his hand in place before stretching my hand forward my fingers dipping into the restriction. The force became stronger, pushing me back, but Dom and Grey were using their all to keep me in place. My sneakers dug into the dirt as the force was so strong. I closed my eyes trying to concentrate ignoring everything around me.
I slowly melted into the vision that was twisting my mind around. An orange colour splashed around dragging me along then everything darkened for a moment before a magnetic force pulled me into the memory entirely. Three men the same men I had seen at the memory at the entrance were standing in front of Elia. She had her head bowed messy hair scattered all over her face that I could not see her face at all. They conversed in French, which I didn’t get at all then nodded as if agreeing to something.
Then they men used their left hands to show three fingers that they placed close to their lips mattering some sacred words before pointing them at Elia. A blinding orange glow appeared before Elia spreading out in circular motion spreading around her till it came into contact with the ground before a small glowing triangle appeared, then the second triangle then finally the outer pentagon. The men pulled back their hands, crossed them before their chests then slowly relaxed. They looked at each other with a satisfied look before teleporting away. The memory slowly disintegrated, darkness taking over before a force threw me off causing a sudden pain to shoot through my head. I shot my eyes open pulling my hand back, a vibration came from the restriction throwing the three of us in air. Dom landed safely, Grey maintained himself in air while I was being thrown towards the wall. My eyes widened when I spotted the sharp rock sticking out from the wall that was in line with my eye. I closed my eyes my heart gave a sudden flip paralyzing me. Instead of a searing pain tearing through me as my eye gets gorged out, I collided with a tough object but not as hurtful and my waist was gripped firmly.
I inhaled sharply shooting my eyes open. I was met by a bloody hand with the rock embedded in its flesh. The smell of rain was pretty concentrated that it scared me. Grey let me down to my feet before pulling his bloody hand away.
“Are you okay” I asked my voice coming as a strained whisper.
“Am fine” he answered keeping his hand away from my view “and you?”
“I think am okay” I wasn’t sure if I was fine at all.
“What did you see?”
“They combine the three significant bases that make the symbol. They use French mainly” I answered
“Critical, so we have to dethatch the three bases so we can be able to destroy the restriction” Grey suggested
“And how can we do that?” Dom asked
“We try” Grey answered stepping forward, we trailed behind keeping close though. “We use the destruction ability, the best or maybe the worst force you can use to destroy something. For you Becky, be careful. If you can’t do it just stand back I don’t want you dead in this blood stained cave” he was too serious, too focussed and it was creepy
We stood together, Grey begun stretching his both hands forward circular colourless rings came from his hands hitting the restriction. Dom had released sharp bluish objects that hit the wall drilling inwards with a strong impact. I closed my eyes trying to concentrate my mind on destruction, I wasn’t even sure I had a way of causing destruction or had the power to do so but I tried. I concentrated all I could stretching my hands forward and searching for anything within me that could destroy something. It took a while before a current travelled through me shooting dangerously through my hands and fingers making me tremble with the sudden power sprouting in me.
I don’t know how long it took, but I was brought back to the present by sudden strange voices ringing in my mind. Then I heard it clearer, t was Dom and Grey shouting my name. I opened my hazy eyes retracting my hands, I turned to face them. Their expressions were shocked and surprised looking at me as if I had come from the moon.
I looked at my reflection on the ice wall, my eyes were flaming blue, a portion of my hair was blue in colour and I had an all new look. Powerful, magnificent…my nails were lengthened that it scared me too.
“What…”
“Sshhh…” Grey shushed me “don’t panic try to relax okay?”
I frowned at him turning back to my reflection, scared. I moved closer, limping lightly then touched the cold ice. A thread of cracks formed where I touched spreading a great length before the wall begun shaking. I frowned in confusion, but before I could think, I was yanked away and the wall came collapsing at the very spot I was standing. My heart went up to my throat as I collapsed in Grey’s arms.
“You are so troublesome” he whispered patting my back calming me down. I tried to breathe then the flames burning in me slowly melted away.
On the other side, Dom had Elia in his arms. We made it, I forced a smile feeling exhausted at the moment.
“We should leave already, the bastards might be getting back” Grey said swiping me into his arms heading onto the opening above. Dom followed closely behind.
We made it to the entrance, luckily we were all fine but I wasn’t sure if I was. As we stepped into the clearing shadows emerged from the trees beyond. They were three at first the men I had seen at the memory, then more and more came and now we were surrounded by a whole army.
I watched in horror trying to wiggle out of Grey’s arms but he held me in place. The men had either the lion head tattoo, or the attached triangle tattoo or the flake tattoo on their arms or neck.
The Gala!
“Grey…they are the Gala warriors” I stated in panic
“I can see that” he responded coldly.
“What are we to do, we can’t manage with Elia in that state” I continued to panic
“Easy up or you are dying of heart attack right here. All we need to do is play meek, comply and be the good girls and boys we can be.”
One man stepped forward heavy bodied looking American. His blonde hair was fixed in dreads cascading down his back. He was holding a sheathed sword in his right hand the left was balled into a fist. His piercing blue eyes scanned us then he smirked.
“Adrian Grey…good to see you!”