|[ THE BROKEN SEAL - 3 ]| UNDERGOING MAJOR RE-WRITING

Chapter 1 // Vengeance Upon All

The Pareģis raised her staff above her head and held it with both hands. A dim purple light emitted from her skin, and the lines on her skin burned white hot. Death and Abbadon took a few steps back as wind howled through the trees. A few of the glass branches cracked and hissed before shattering, showering me with shards of glittering, blue-white.

“For nigh on 1000 years you had me locked up! Chained! My powers stripped from me!” the Pareģis howled, her eyes flashing bright amethyst, “You shall suffer as I did! You betrayed me, brothers!” she pointed her staff at them both and they reacted instantly, their scythes rising in a defensive move. The metal shone brighter than even the most precious gem. The air between the three vibrated dangerously, humming with magic. I began backing away as fast as I could – I didn’t want to be caught between such powerful beings. “I shall have my vengeance!” she screeched, “I shall wreak it upon every living thing in Eltor! Leave it a crumbling pile of dust! Bereft of life!” her voice rose to a scream as the glass trees around us continues to crack and shatter. I watched as the souls around us took shape, becoming women and men, and children – humans, elves, dwarves, creatures I had never seen before. They all came to life, before with a pulse of dark light they disintegrated once more. Abbadon’s and Death’s hood was thrown back, and I saw red lines tattooed the area of Death’s face that was not covered by his mask. They lunged at the Pareģis, red and blue light emitting from each of them, and I watched as the three met, blade on staff, faces inches apart. I had never seen such a frightful display of power, as they moved faster than I could watch, their limbs and weapons a blur.

“Not so fast!” The Pareģis shouted as I tried to flee. I felt iron bands clamp around my body like vices and I was hauled backwards, landing heavily on my shoulders. I coughed and gasped in pain as Death and Abbadon were thrown backwards, crumpling against shattered trees. “Foolish girl, you were.” The Pareģis laughed at me, “Foolish beyond imagining. However, you did aid me in my return, and for that, I thank you. A gift, shall we say?” she curled her lips up into a cruel smile and I felt agonising pain flow through my body like poison, closing my veins and airways, making my muscles clench into stone.  I froze, unable to do more than scream until my words tore my throat. I could taste blood in my mouth, smell it in the air. My head threatened to shatter like the glass trees had, littering the ground with tiny fragments. My back arched, twisting like a rope…

Suddenly the pain stopped and I went limp, gasping for air. I glared at her, feeling hatred and fury boil away inside me.

“A gift?!” I cried, “What sort of gift was that?” The Pareģis only grinned and cackled before she walked up to me, taking her hood off. Her face, old and young at once, flawless and aged simultaneously, split into an even wider grin, the white runes and lines that marked her skin seeming to crackle.

“I suggest you listen well, my dear,” she hissed, “For if I succeed all you love shall be lost.” Her hand inched forwards until her soft fingers grazed my cheek, “The first shall break when the dead walk once more, the second when the damned are set free. The third will be shattered when it’s maker’s last heir dies. And with Death’s own demise shall the final break, and so the end of it all will begin.”

“What are you talking about?” I spluttered, “What will break?” the Pareģis only tapped a finger to her nose, eyes flashing dangerously. “Why do you care?” I cried, “If everything I love ends? Why do you want me to try and stop you?”

“Well honestly can you see any appeal in watching Eltor fall without even a challenge?” the Pareģis cackled like a crow, “I have always loved a good show, and it seems fitting for you to be the one to perform. And although they won’t admit it, my brothers will find it… well, entertaining, to say the least.”

“Brothers?!” I spat, “You’re related? And all this revenge... it’s some sort of… family feud?!”

“Of course not!” The Pareģis snapped, “I refer to them as my brothers because they may as well be. No one else has power anywhere near mine. Besides, eternity would be so boring if I didn’t have any younger siblings to pinch and poke.”

“Why did you go so bad?” I snapped, “They both took up roles. They do what they do… but you… you torment humanity.”

“I refuse to bend to others wills!” the Pareģis shouted, “Those two pathetic Reapers – can you believe they call themselves that? Pah! The Reapers were Gods, greater than even I am now. And yet those spineless fools take their names… spineless fools who obey the laws of magic I strove to break them – to bend them to my will, or snap them in the attempt. Why do you think I am so powerful? Why do you think I am such a threat to them?”

“Magic cannot be controlled!” I cried, Claude’s words echoing in my mouth, “Not even you…”

“Don’t tell me what I can and cannot do!” the Pareģis screamed. She didn’t even notice as Death stirred to his feet, his scythe elongating until it was twice its usual length. I caught his eye, blood red under the mask as he stepped forwards. The Pareģis took no notice. “I am magic! Not even the Reapers’ can hold me, fools! They once tried and they only succeeded because I was stupid enough not to see their intentions.” Another step closer, the blade glinting with desire. “But now I know what they want! Now I can truly stop them. No one will ever hold me now - !” her voice cut off as the end of the scythe sliced straight through her chest. Blood sprayed the ground, almost black, and the grass burnt beneath it. With a massive heave Death swung the blade around and jammed the end of it in the ground, holding the Pareģis up only with her flesh caught on the blade. She slipped for a moment until there was a halting stop – the blade had hit bone. Blood gurgled from her mouth as she gasped for air, blood spurting from her wound.

I massaged my throat as I dropped to the ground. My ankle gave way as my feet hit hard earth and I stumbled to my knees. Her eyes caught mine, blazing hot white and she thundered: “Remember my words!” I felt pain shoot through my skull, as if the words she had told me were being branded on the inside of my head for my mind’s eye to see. I screamed, clutching my head, and keeled over onto my side, trying to make sense of the words flying around me; trying to keep my skulls for obliterating into millions of pieces. I glared up at her as with a final ragged gasp she disappeared, leaving nothing but dark blood and a faint purple light behind. As if pushed, the scythe fell to the ground, the metal shining like liquid on the white grass. As she disappeared the pain faded away too and I was able to move and think again.

“Is she dead?” I croaked, “Did you kill her?” I clambered to my feet, staring at the space where she had disappeared

“No.” Death growled, “You can’t kill her. She, like us, is a part of this world. We’re tied to it by bonds greater than that of life. Otherwise who would tend the Souls and the Dead? No… she’ll be back.”

“Brother.” Abbadon walked up behind him, blackish blood oozing from his nose, “Brother she has started it. The Souls are no longer here.” Silence rained down on us, thick and all encompassing. I glanced around and looked at the shattered trees, the singed grass – the blue pulsing light I had grown accustomed to was no longer present.

“Where are they?” I whispered.

“To the Living.” Abbadon thundered, storming over to me, “Do you have any idea what you have started?”

“It hasn’t started yet, brother,” Death breathed, placing a hand on Abbadon’s shoulder, “For the Dead to truly walk they will require their bodies.”

“What do you mean for them to walk?” I sputtered, “What is happening?” both Reapers looked at me, blazing blue and red like flames.

“The Souls have returned to Eltor.” Abbadon said gravely, “The Dead are close to rising.  And when the Dead walk with the Living… it is never a good sign.”