The Catalyst

Chapter 5

Night had fallen on the harbor, shrouding the waves in darkness under the stormy sky. Despite the heaviness of the air, Jaden shivered, the dull rocking of the anchored ship bringing a wave of nausea.

Jaden was on his knees, surrounded by the Dragon's cult members who stood in a neat circle on the deck. Fifteen were here tonight, wearing hooded cloaks. For theatrics, perhaps. Or to intimidate him. It was working.

He could see their demons, animal forms clinging to their masters. A coyote, a big raven, a cat-sized scorpion, a hyena . . .

They bowed in unison, like a rehearsed choreography. The dark grey clouds loomed thicker overhead, and thunder roared but the rain still didn't come. Jaden tensed as he looked up at the man coming out onto the deck, his heavy steps on wooden planks seeming to echo in the silence.

The Dragon was cloaked, gloved and masked, all in fine black clothing. Two horse-sized reptiles flanked him, with wide folded wings and claws. Creatures of myths and legends come to life. Their scales were black and their eyes dark red. The leader of the cult took his place within the circle, facing Jaden.

"Rise," he said in a smooth voice.

The bowing forms straightened at once. Jaden swallowed uneasily under the scrutiny of the man who called himself the Dragon. His mask had slits for the eyes, but the skin there was all drawn in black kohl, making his blue irises stand out in contrast.

"I have been told you wish to serve me," he said.

Jaden's hesitation lasted only a second. He had no choice.

"I do."

They started chanting, all but the Dragon, who simply bore into Jaden with his pale eyes. With a shudder, Jaden wondered if it really was kohl around those eyes, or if he was so covered in the markings that his skin was inky black all over.

Performed in low voices, their chants spoke of the other world, of demons, souls, and contracts. Jaden's knowledge of the Etreoni language being rudimentary, he couldn't understand all of it.

The next instant, it felt as though someone had splashed him with icy water. His mind scrambling to make sense, he figured the downpour must have started. But he wasn't wet, just frozen to the core. And the cult was gone, the stanchions with the torches were gone, all lay silent.

An unsettling feeling of vast emptiness overcame him. He was still on his knees, but now beneath him a phosphorescent white platform spread out. As he glanced wildly around, he saw nothing but darkness, save for some distant flecks of light that could've been stars.

Then Jaden's eyes caught a flash of flames, out of nowhere. Only they were very dark grey, nearly black, like a fire somehow drained of its warm colors.

A demon? This was how the ritual was supposed to go, after all. It had all been explained, he had been told a demon would choose him. It didn't make it any less terrifying.

Someone or something stood on the platform with him, emerging from darkness as if walking through and out of thick smoke.

He saw the flames again, only this time they were static like a painting. They rippled across pale skin. Very pale skin, clothed only in those flames, which stopped at the neck. And then Jaden saw his face.

Shimmering onyx eyes observed him, and beneath them, a smile bearing all fangs.

Then it was gone.

Rain was pouring, thunder rumbled and lightning speared the sky. Jaden lay sprawled on his back, teeth chattering, completely soaked. The wind had picked up with the storm, and the boat rocked from side to side. He wondered how much time had passed.