Eternal

Chapter 2: Bumpy Roads

Alexandria awoke to the riveting of the engine. Her blonde hair blew in the breeze, eclipsed by rays of sunlight.

The engine abruptly stopped. She turned to Eli, somewhat dazed.

"What... Where are you going?" She muttered, confused.

"Nowhere. Stay in the car."

Eli unbuckled his seatbelt, stepping out into a plain of grass. Four solitary roads met in front of them, stretching miles away. Alexandria slumped in her chair, bored out of her mind.

The Stygian Mage walked over the crossroads to a pile of dirt. He began digging with his hands.

"Woah." Alexandria sat up. She was immediately interested--everything Eli did had a purpose, so why was he digging in the ground? "What're you doing?"

Eli didn't respond, amplifying her curiosity. She exited the jeep, running towards her partner.

By the time she met up with him, a two foot hole cut through the ground. Inside was a silk package.

"What's that?" She asked. Her eyes grew wide "Wait. Is it a talisman?"

Eli took hold of the package, unwrapping its contents. "You ask too many questions."

She gasped, oblivious to Eli's remark "Ooh."

Inside the silk sat a parchment of paper, engraved with whimsical markings Alexandria had never seen before. It reminded her of Tetra Man.

Velveteen ran over from the jeep, joining the conversation "Stay quick, fool! It is a cursed seal, bearing the name of a wandering soul! Beware! It forebodes demise, hatred, and sorrow to whosoever breaketh it. It screams like a disease, crying out to the hearts of the wicked, bearing upon it thievery! It robs the will of a man's heart, imprisoning his soul for all eternity! He shall seek favour in the name of his master! In the name of the spirits that bind his influence! Forever!"

Alexandria listen in astonishment "Wow!"

Eli swept past them, unfazed. Her attention was averted to the necromancer.

"Hey!" She called, running after him "Wait for me!"

"Be quick, child, be quick!" Velveteen yelled after her. His stubs of feet pranced across the asphalt.

"Velve, I'm hurrying!" She called. "Looks like you're the slow poke! How 'bout I help you to the Jeep? It must look pretty far from down there."

Velveteen chuckled deeply "What one sees can be deceiving, child! Be quick, be alive! Or the ropes of Hades shall wrap around you, enticing you, tricking you!" he raised his cotton hands, inches from breaking the stitches holding them together "And the darkness of Hell shall pour upon you, f--"

Alexandria grabbed him by his upper limbs, projecting him into the air. He screamed, horrified.

"Let's get you to the mountain, Velve." She smiled, heading towards the jeep "Then you can preach about damnation."

* * *

Eli sped across the countryside, the landscape rapidly changing. Westacre was only a few hours away.

The town began as a mining settlement in the 1800's. It was said to be the site of several mining accidents as a result of careless measures. On top of that, villagers experienced staggering repercussions of the 1930 Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Especially recently, Westacre was the sight of an underground criminal infestation. But the cherry on the ice cream was the sightings--as of late, it was rumoured to be riddled with souls of the dead.