COVENANT KEEPER: Prophecy of the Raven

Chapter 12: Shadows Over Berkley

My heart sank alongside Simon's as we realized we'd failed to intercept the package. It was now in the hands of the cult of Lilith, their plans moving forward at an alarming pace. The weight of our failure pressed down on us as we drove back to the Magic Touch Garage, the air thick with urgency. The enchanted leather gloves I had worn back at the Museum now replaced by the Ring of Solomon on my right hand index finger.
Daniel looked up from his work, his eyes widening at our expressions as we entered the garage.
"What's wrong? Did you get the package?"
I shook my head, frustration evident in my voice. "We were too late. The cult has it now."
Daniel's face grew grim. "What's next then?"
Simon clenched his fists, "We need to track down their next candidate. If we can stop them from finding a host for the woman shrouded in darkness, we might still have a chance to stop their final ritual."
I nodded my agreement as Simon drew the enchanted map from his belt. Unfolding it carefully, he laid it out on a nearby workbench. The ancient parchment glowed faintly, illuminating points of dark energy located throughout the city of Detroit.
Simon pointed to a spot on the map, "Here," he said, his voice tense, "The map shows the cult's next candidate is in Berkley, a northern suburb of Detroit. We need to get there, and fast."
Daniel's face tightened with worry, but he nodded.
"Just... Promise me nothing will happen to my sister." he said.
"We'll continue to make sure she's safe," I assured him, though the weight of the promise hung heavy on my shoulders. We had already failed once today.
Leaving the Magic Touch Garage, we climbed back into my car and sped off, the city's grim skyline soon giving way to the quiet suburbs of Berkley.
House after house, we drove past manicured lawns and neat driveways, the serene neighborhood a stark contrast to the chaos we were trying to prevent.
The map led us to a specific house, an ordinary-looking place. It was the type of home someone would start a family in. The normalcy of it was almost surreal given what we knew. It definitely didn't scream, demon's lair, that's for sure. I parked the car a little way down the street, and we both took a moment to steel ourselves.
"This is it," Simon said, more to himself than to me.
We approached the house cautiously, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the lawn. My heart pounded as we reached the front door, each step echoing the urgency of our mission. Simon reached out and knocked, the sound seeming unnaturally loud in the quiet neighborhood. He attempted the doorbell, still nothing. No one answered, but the sense of dread was palpable. It was the kind of silence that felt wrong, as if the house itself was holding its breath. Simon and I exchanged a glance. He placed his hand over the doorknob, muttering an incantation under his breath. The lock clicked open with an eerie finality, and we let ourselves in.
The sight that greeted us made my stomach churn. The living room was a wreck—broken furniture, shattered glass, and what looked like claw marks on the walls. It was clear that something violent had taken place. The air was thick with the metallic tang of blood, mingling with the stale scent of fear.
"Stay close," Simon whispered, though it seemed unnecessary. I had no intention of wandering off.
We moved through the house cautiously, the floor creaking beneath our feet. The kitchen was in a similar state of disarray—cabinets flung open, their contents strewn across the floor. My eyes were drawn to the bloodied claw marks on the walls, a chilling testament to the struggle that had occurred.
A noise from upstairs snapped us to attention. It was a low, guttural sound, halfway between a growl and a sob. We exchanged a tense glance before making our way up the staircase.
As we reached the top of the stairs, the sound grew louder, more desperate. The hallway was dimly lit, and the walls were covered in those same strange symbols that glowed faintly with a sinister light. The same ones Daniel had said Rebecca had dreamt of.
My heart pounded in my chest as we approached the source of the sound. The sight before us was nothing short of horrifying. The woman was hunched over, her fingers clawing at the door in front of her, carving those same symbols into it. Her hands were raw and bloodied, her fingernails torn. The hallway was already covered in the symbols, a testament to her relentless, mindless effort.
Suddenly, I heard a faint sob coming from inside the door.
"Simon," I whispered, "I think there's a child in that room." Simon's eyes hardened with determination as he took in the scene. The woman, clearly possessed, turned her head at an unnatural angle to look at us, her eyes glowing with malevolent energy. She let out a guttural snarl, her body convulsing as she rose to her feet.
"We need to act fast," Simon said, his voice low and urgent. He raised his thick twisted stick, arcane energy crackling at its gnarled tip.
The possessed woman hissed and lunged at us with inhuman speed. Simon swung his stick, releasing a burst of arcane magic, a shimmering wave of force intended to subdue her. But she moved with an unnatural agility, dodging Simon's spell. In a sickening display of demonic prowess, she crawled up the walls and onto the ceiling, her limbs bending at impossible angles.
"Jaydon, get ready!" Simon shouted as he unleashed another spell from his stick, arcs of lightning dancing from its tip. This time, the bolts struck the ceiling, forcing the woman to drop to the floor. But she was quick, rolling to her feet and baring her teeth in a feral grin.
I stepped forward, the Ring of Solomon glowing on my index finger. The whispers seemed to fill the air, a soothing counterpoint to the woman's growls and snarls.
The possessed woman let out a scream that echoed throughout the house, a haunting, guttural wail. She lunged at me, eyes blazing with malevolent fury. Simon's reflexes were sharp—his stick flicked upward, conjuring a shimmering barrier of arcane energy. The woman collided with it mid-air, her body contorting and writhing in a desperate attempt to shatter the barrier.
"Keep it up, Jaydon!" Simon urged, his voice strained as he struggled to maintain the barrier. My whispers grew louder, more insistent. The symbols on the walls began to glow brighter, the air thick with the tension of the spiritual battle.
With a final, desperate scream, the woman broke through the barrier, shattering it like glass, and charged at me. Simon reacted instinctively, raising his stick and unleashing a torrent of energy that wrapped around her like chains. The arcane bonds tightened, but the possessed woman's fury made her stronger. She strained against the bonds, inching closer to me.
My prayers reached a fever pitch, the Ring of Solomon blazing with light. I extended my hand, a pulse of energy erupting from the ring, striking the possessed woman. She convulsed violently, her screams mingling with the demonic roars that filled the room.
In a blinding flash, a burst of black mist erupted from the woman's body. The mist coalesced into a hideous, shadowy form before dissipating into nothingness. The woman collapsed to the floor, unconscious but free from the demon's influence.
The house was quiet except for the soft crying coming from inside the locked room. The oppressive atmosphere lifted. Simon and I exchanged a weary glance, both of us exhausted but relieved. We had succeeded, at least for now.
Simon waved his twisted stick before returning it to its clip at his belt, the spell unlocking the door where the sounds of crying were coming from, before he knelt beside the woman. He checked her pulse. "She's alive," he said, his voice tinged with relief.
I nodded, glancing at the door the woman had been clawing at. I carefully opened it, revealing a young child huddled in the corner of a bathtub. His face was streaked with tears, eyes wide with fear.
"It's okay," I said softly, stepping into the room. "You're safe now."
The child hesitated but then ran to me, clinging tightly to my peacoat. I held the child close, his small body trembling against mine. The feeling of his tears soaking into my peacoat grounded me amidst the chaos we'd just endured.
I glanced back at Simon, who was helping the woman into a sitting position, her eyes slowly fluttering open.
"It's over," I whispered, both to the child and myself. "You're safe." I repeated.
The woman stirred, her gaze slowly focusing on Simon, then on me, "Who... who are you?" she asked, her voice weak and shaky, "What are you doing in my home?"
Simon gently helped her to her feet, steadying her as she wobbled.
"My name is Simon, and this is Jaydon," he explained softly. "We were passing by when we heard a commotion. There was a robbery." Simon lied,"and it looks like you were hit hard on the head while trying to get your child to safety."
Her eyes widened as she took in the wreckage around her, her hands rising to her temples as she tried to piece together the fragmented memories.
"A robbery? I... I don't remember..."
"You were incredibly brave," Simon lied, his voice soothing. "But it's over now. You're safe."
She looked at him, confusion and gratitude mingling in her expression.
"My son... is he...?"
"He's okay," I reassured her, feeling the
child's grip tighten, "You're both safe now."
Tears filled her eyes, and she managed a shaky smile. "Thank you. I don't understand, but thank you."
Simon nodded, his expression solemn, "I recommend you call the authorities."
She nodded weakly, her eyes filled with a mix of relief and exhaustion. "I will, thank you," she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.
As Simon spoke to the woman, I noticed that the symbols on the walls had vanished along with the demonic spirit.
Simon and I stepped out of the house, closing the door behind us.
Simon placed a protection ward onto the door before we hurried back to the car, the sun now dipping below the horizon. The sky was painted in shades of red and gold, the impending blood moon casting an eerie glow. We had little time to reflect on our victory; the urgency of our mission pressed heavily upon us.
As we got in, Simon unfolded the map again.
"There's still one more candidate," he said, tracing his finger over the glowing spots on the enchanted map, "We have to hurry."
I nodded, starting the engine and pulling away from the curb. The drive was tense, the weight of our task pressing heavily on us. The city blurred past, the looming presence of the blood moon a constant reminder of the limited time we had left.
We navigated through the streets once again, finally arriving at our final destination.