When Death Knocks on my Door

She's Most Important

Chapter 1: She's Most Important

He walked boredly passed the empty caves, ignoring the haunting moans and dreadful chills. The souls within cried to be freed and the darkness was nearly palpable. It was all usual to him, he could have passed through this place with his eyes closed and his hands tied behind his back, not that he would ever try of course. As he walked on forward, the chill deepened and the moans and screams gave away to silence. It was not a comforting and relaxing silence, but more of an eerie and formidable one. Alas, he had reached the entrance and so he waited.

The space in front of him led to no ordinary door, for it was rumored that the most powerful of magic protected what was inside. The door itself was far from what anybody would describe as ordinary. For one thing, it had no doorknob and was sealed tightly, making it seem almost impossible to enter unless someone opened it from the inside. But that wasn't the most queer of details. Encrusted into its very frame seemed to be human skulls, but he knew they weren't. They were the heads of some of the most powerful people that had ever come across his time.  He stared at the face in the middle, the largest, most frightening one, with a curious and almost bothered expression. He had seen this figure so many times, but each time he always wondered. Wondered how somebody so powerful and wise had ended with such a dire fate. With an intake of breath, he slowly pulled his hand out of his pant pocket and stretched outward. The tips of his fingers tingled though they were an inch away from its mark. 

The ground rumbled suddenly, and his hand quickly fell away. Though the floor around him shook, he stayed firmly planted to his spot, unmoving. There was a sudden gush of stale wind that smelled of something ancient and then a voice.

"I've been waiting for you." The feeling was cold and penetrating. It was as if dread had washed over him and sorrow and hopelessness was all he felt. The few words uttered were steely, almost unmerciful. That's how it was, hearing its voice, that's how it always had been. He took a moment to recover before replying.

"Yes, I know. I've been here for some time." He replied almost dully.

"Liar." The word echoed in a taunting whisper.

"I've been watching you." It continued.

"Of course my leige." He replied.

"Enter, and we shall begin." The door glowed a dark, and menacing emerald. He straightened and shuffled forward, straight into the surface. Instead of meeting a solid interior, he walked right through as if the door were made of smoke.

Inside, it was darker than ever but with a faint, fiery glow, emanating from somewhere in the back. The room was cave-like, and empty with a large table and two chairs which took up the center. One of the chairs was average size, fit for a human being. The other however, was almost the measure of a throne, and upon it sat the most gruesome being. It was a strange figure, hooded and its face nearly invisible but still very much alive. It's breath came in raspy rhythmic gasps that shook the earth. A collossal thing jutted out from the folds of its old, ragged, and distasteful robes. It was what seemed like a hand, scaly, distorted with long and withered fingers.

The form beckoned to him and silently signaled to the chair that sat opposite of itself, down the long blackened table. He obeyed, taking the seat, which he never found comfortable. After settling himself, he stared upwards, straight at the source of the fiery glow. Before him, on the center of the table was a massive hovering portal structure that mirrored the very cave. It stood about eight feet high, the sides of the shape encircled with a blazing fire. It was placed on the table but hovered ever so slightly on the surface. This was where it all happened. This was what brought him here. It had all of the answers, but most importantly, it asked all of the questions.

"I have found another." The raspy breath came. From his place, he saw the figure raise its mammoth hand and wave it over the portal. Suddenly, the picture inside dissolved to an image of a girl.

"Her soul is strong. One of the strongest I have ever felt. She is near, I can feel it. You will do the usual and bring it to me. I grow weaker as Baccara grows hungrier." But he only half listened. He stared at the hovering outline of the girl. She was smiling, the corners of her eyes crinkled. So, this would be his next victim. It was almost a shame, but he didn't care.

"When do I strike?" He asked, his voice resounding off of the shapeless walls.

"Immediately." He was surprised. Never had he been sent immediately. His usual job consisted of watching the subject, counting their every move and then relaying their end. The confusion was plainly expressed through his face, for in the next moment , the figure rose. It towered above him, about ten feet and somehow glided towards him. It stopped with a foot length between them. It tilted its head to the side and gave another rasp of breath.

"You must bring her to me. She's most important."