Blood Ink (The Archives Book I): Editing

Chapter 09: Yoh, Yuu & .... Me

>>>>>>>>>>>>> Chapter 09 <<<<<<<<<<<<<

+ Yoh, Yuu and…Me+

 “Yoh!” Yuuzel drew himself out from the mound of books. He became intimidating, at some point – different, almost violent.

“What do you expect to accomplish by hiding the truth from her? Did it save her the last time? Did it?”   

    Yoh raised his voice just as much. Then they began arguing in some form of language I couldn’t understand. Yuuzel tried to pull him away again, but this time he fought him back. They were both looking agitated, tensed…and mad at something that I was starting to get scared that they might hit each other.

 “SHUT UP! Why is it that I’m supposed to be in danger??? Can someone please just answer me that question!”

    The two of them exhaled simultaneously. Yoh walked back into the passageway and sealed it with one of the bookcases – wait , what? The bookcases in The Archives, as you may or may not remember ran from the floor up to the ceiling. It is easy to tell that a single one of them was about 1o feet high and choke full of books.

“Sit” he said, pointing at us. He took the Black Journal from me and handed it to Yuuzel. “Now explain to her.”

    I look up at Yuu who was now in his full length. He thumbed at the leather covers of the Black Journal, hesitating.

“This could save her…Save her from Errzabeth.” Yoh said indignantly.

“Errzabeth? Wasn’t she mentioned in the Black Journal? Wasn’t that hundreds of years ago? Wasn’t she supposed to be dead?” I blabbered hopelessly.

“You are descendant of Errzabeth, the exiled princess of Moldavia” Yuuzel spoke slowly as if the words gripped his lungs. “I was once your knight.”

   I blinked a couple of times before having the strength to finally stand up.

“A pri-what?? Are you guys shitting me?? Yuuzel? You too, Yoh?”

“It’s Joseff. That is his real name.  You have met him before then and again during your time at the convent. We weren’t able to save you from her at that time…so we wish to do everything we could, now that Errzabeth must be near again.”

     Yuuzel looked into my eyes with such intensity, he couldn’t have lied, nor was he delirious, although, that was more logical than any of the crap he just told me.

“If you have yet to understand now, Ruby, I shall explain in the simplest and most understandable means to you…”

     Yoh-Joseff, began pacing.

“You are the reincarnation of a woman who lived with us and died twice in our very own eyes. You are the rebirth of Lady Amber and Princess Emeraldie. And as it was, Errzabeth has risen too from hiding, which is the very reason why I came to see Yuuzel.”

“To warn me against this very possibility...Now that we know that you too, live, we can never take your safety lightly.” Yuuzel said.

   I collapsed on the high-back chair, static, breathless for once…and had half believed that I was the one who was being delirious.

“Hold on! If you are Joseff from the Black Journal, then…then Yuu-“ I turned to face Yuuzel who had slipped off his eyeglasses.

“I am the owner of this journal.” The words were heard…the words, every single one of them, every single thing he said.

“He’s been under here the entire time for God’s sake! Did you atleast find that suspicious?” Yoh-I mean Joseff cut in.

  Perhaps in my heart I had found that a bit disturbing…It hasn’t been found in years….Not even the teachers or the principal know about it…. But Yuuzel was there and I was happy to find him for myself.

“So…so…if you are – then…But that’s not possible! How could you have been there during the French Revolution? 1789?! It’s the 21st century! Are you both ghosts like the ‘Crying Lady’ from the hallway?”

     Joseff and Yuuzel looked at each other and then at me.

“Back in Moldavia we were once called as Vampirr…The Undead, children of the Dark.” Joseff said.

   Ok, now that was disturbing…

“Vampirr? Like, like … onions and crucifix and wooden stakes and coffins and…and blood-drinking?” Having said that was even more disturbing. 

“I think you mean, like, garlics andcrucifix, and wooden stake and coffins and blood” Yuuzel rolled his eyes. “No, these aren’t all true to us and the blood part is kind of conditional. Don’t worry, we won’t harm what we set out to protect. The last thing we want is to have a repeat of this...”

    Yuuzel flipped through the pages of the Black Journal – his journal and showed me one of the entries, dated August, yr 1789;

…..

     Joseff and I had found where Errzabeth’s castle lie. We had been tracking her for weeks and finally, had managed to apprehend one of her minions. The local doctor was under her spell. Apparently Errzabeth’s voodoo skills had markedly improved from the last time. When Joseff tried forcing him to talk by invading his consciousness, he suddenly lighted into flames. That signaled our whereabouts and alarmed her other pawns.

    They lurked beneath the shadows, snarling, eyes aglow, and fangs in sight. There were too many of them to count. We were separated during the battle infront of Errzabeth’s castle. And then the dammed witch herself had appeared. A bloody mist had formed at the foot of the draw bridge. She was fog then, red cold fog full of malice, and then she solidified along with Amber. Amber, whose face was marred with fresh tears and the sickening fear Errzabeth had forced on her.

“Come, my children. Let your poor mother’s heart wait no more. This girl is a relative – very distant, I think. We must celebrate for this is like a family reunion” she let out her thin-crisp laughter. It was both mad and sickening.

    She led us into the castle. Joseff and I couldn’t make a single move, lest we endanger Amber’s life. We were unaware of the Salasarn Sisters – half giant black birds and half contorted images of hideousness. They had both our hands and feet restrained by chains of silver and incantations. Errzabeth drew out the black cross, that same infernal contraption that she had used to turn me and Joseff. Slowly, she placed Amber at the foot of the cross…