The Rift Walker

Stranger Danger!

Chapter 10

Killian

He had been following her for almost five minutes before she turned into a small alley. She had finally stopped calling for her parents when he caught up to her. She didn't scream, didn't struggle when he grabbed her. She didn't do anything except stare at him blankly. Somehow, this was even worse so he knocked her out and dragged her away; he hated those staring eyes.

But the whole time, Killian's mind was screaming at him to stop. Nevertheless, he pushed the thoughts away. He had to do this.

It was an easy thing to carry her away. The night was dark and anyone who did happen to see him were too preoccupied with their own problems to bother sparing Killian a second glance. Once he reached a clearing within the forest, he set her down gently. She was still unconscious when he began to make the preparations. His hands shook the whole time.
He knew Alice wouldn't like this, but he had no choice.

He gripped the amulet around his neck tightly; it thrummed reassuringly so he gritted his teeth and pulled a small dagger from his belt; the very same dagger which he had found within the old ruins so many years ago.

Naberus had told him that every owner of the amulet had always used the ancient dagger to make their sacrifices.

"Couldn't they just use any old dagger or must it be this one specifically?"

"Every sacrifice you make will require blood to be drawn. The enormity of the sacrifice varies according to what you intend to do once it has been done. The tool you use to make the offering with does not affect whether it shall be accepted or not. However, the sacrifices affect the blade, strengthening it and giving it certain properties which others shall lack.
This particular blade has shed much blood. Do not abandon it."

And so Killian had listened and taken the dagger with him. He'd also dragged the book out of the ruins which had taken another half an hour of winding through tunnels, but thankfully they were dimly lit. When he eventually emerged, it was pitch black outside and he was feeling much more sober.

Within two days, he had returned to England.

He'd spent many sleepless days within his home poring over the book, trying to decipher its contents. The words meant nothing to him so in the end, he had placed the amulet over his head and asked Naberus to translate the words to him. Sometimes he wasn't sure that Naberus was being entirely truthful. But in the end he had learnt enough to know exactly how to make the perfect sacrifice. It had taken him one year to read and understand the book and yet another year to pick out the information important for what he wanted to do.

It took him yet another ten years in total to find the person he required in order to carry out his plans. He had searched and searched, never giving up- he was driven by one simple motive; to get Alice back. Within the first couple of years, she occasionally appeared and spoke to him as a constant reminder of what he had lost. But eventually she had faded away entirely, leaving him alone and all the more determined to find Kaelyn.

With Kaelyn, Naberus would be free and he would get Alice back . . .

And in order to do that, he had to open another rift.

The girl was beginning to stir, finally awakening when he lifted the dagger and plunged it deep into her chest. He felt his hand jar slightly when the blade struck bone. Blood spurted slightly from her lips and she coughed, shaking. But she eventually stilled whilst he muttered to himself the whole time. "No, No, No" But he couldn't stop now.

He wrapped his blood stained hand around the ancient chain and felt his fingers beginning to heat and smoke. He barely noticed this anymore however; his fingers had already been charred and scarred so very long ago. The blood began to seep into the amulet and it glowed red. He spoke the words "Step forth into the lighter realm" and at his demand, the ground immediately begun to quake and shake. Before him, a gaping rift opened and he knew that soon the creatures would begin to pour out to await his next command.

They surrounded him silently, waiting. Not a muscle moved. The only sound he could hear was his own breathing which had sped up slightly. He could see his breath misting in front of him, pale and white against the black of the demons own flesh. He licked his lips, feeling disconcerted by the stillness of the beasts.

When he spoke, a few bared their teeth in malice. "Find the girl Kaelyn Emory Rose. Do not harm her. When you first find her, she will not be far from this place. She may have others with her, people of the village. Kill them, leave her no allies. And when that is done, ensure that she has no choice but to run. You will follow her towards the place she feels safe, the place where she sleeps and you will not let her know that she is being pursued. Once she believes she is safe, send one of your own to await further commands from me."

They disappeared once more into the trees without a sound. He saw a few flashes of red as their bark like skins flickered and shifted and then it was dark once more.

He glanced down at the dead girl by his feet and the dagger he held clattered to the floor.

"They would kill you without a thought . . ."

He jumped having thought he was still alone, but then he realised he still wore the amulet. Naberus must have heard his commands too.
"Why? I've never harmed them. I thought they wanted to enter our world . . ."

"They do. They will enter with any chance they get. However, they despise being commanded, even by one of their own." It laughed that terrible laugh of his which made Killian's skin crawl "How do you think they feel when a little wretch like you commands them? They would tear you to pieces if they could."

Killian shivered and then felt anger. "No need to sound so pleased. Without me, you can't enter."

"Not so. The amulet you wear stops me from entering completely and prevents me killing you myself. It simply brings me the closest I could possibly get to the barrier separating our worlds. Admittedly, without you it is much more difficult for me to enter, nigh to impossible. But it can be managed."

"I can command you too."

"You can" Its voice became silky soft when it uttered those words and the night seemed to ripple slightly.

Killian pulled the amulet off and the night became still once more.