PROBLEM - Anthony Lockwood

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

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xxviii

yes the CAOS reference was intentional, i love their lore

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"MORS GLORIA.... SALVETE SATANAS..."

The chanting grew louder as they made their way into a dark, derelict stone chamber. It was all but empty, except for a large well at the edge of the room.

"What're we going to do?" George cried.

Lucy blinked, surveying the area, "The monks.... this is where they died." She turned to Alice, "Can you hear it? The chanting?"

Alice nodded, pursing her lips and trying to quell her shaky breaths. The monks were a powerful, powerful coven, who had surrendered their souls to the Fiend. This wasn't just blood magic, this was the darkest kind of enchantment that a witch could tap into.

Just like that of Alice's mother, when she tore open the Veil.

They unsheathed their swords, turning in horror as the chanting got louder and shadows began to appear at the staircase, coming down and entering the chamber.

Then, the shadows began to materialise, gathering and twisting until they formed the figures of the hooded witches.

"George, find the source! Lucy, Ally, help me ward them off, we need to buy some time," Lockwood declared.

"What do you mean 'find the source', there's literally nothing in here?!" George panicked. He began to look around, "Oh. It's the Fittes kid."

"The Fittes kid is not the problem," Lockwood chastised. "Come on!"

Alice joined George and Lockwood, slashing at the monks and trying to keep them back. This was futile. She wanted to scream. They should never have agreed to this job.

She should've just knocked them all out and stuffed them into a broom closet in the entrance hall or something. It would've been easier to deal with the monks then.

"Mors gloria.... salvete satanas...."

Alice stepped back, turning to see Lucy standing at the edge of the well.

"No, you dont!" Alice yelled, tearing over to Lucy and grabbing her, pulling her back and shaking her.

"You were ghost locked," Lockwood gasped.

"Yeah, but I found the source!" Lucy exclaimed.

Alice pursed her lips as the monks started to surround them. There had to have been around thirty of them, all decending into the shamber and forming into shadowy figures. There was almost a cutout in the chamber, behing the pillars. "Everyone over there!" Alice yelled.

Lockwood grabbed the industrial strength bomb flare. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" he inquired as Lucy and George ran to hide behind the pillar.

Alice bit her tongue, taking in a deep breath and shaking her head. "No. No, I'm not."

And then she slammed her hands into his chest and pushed him over to Lucy and George with all of her strength, sending him stumbling and causing him to drop the flare.

"ALICE!"

The monks began to surround her, blocking the other's way to her and backing her towards the well.

"ALLY!"

Alice turned, reaching into her satchel and pulling out some jars of herbs.

"Mors gloria.... Salvete satanas...."