Meridian Chronicles: Keepers & The Soul Key (#4)

Chapter 8 Pt. 4

Moloch's yellow cat-like eyes changed, his pupils widened at the site of what was to come for him. He tried backing away step by step. His large body and wicked steps crushed the ground and shook the dark realm like a quake as he back-peddled faster and faster. The propelled light traveled seeking out the offender. Moloch's eyes widened with horror, his largemouth opened as his deep guttural voice shouted. He fell backward where his back met the high mountain wall behind him.

The ground shook harder around him, and at the moment of impact, an explosion of light engulphed the soul collecting demon as scores of the demon soldiers filled the atmosphere. They swarmed through the air, their smoky grained bodies like snakes headed straight for Karma.

Standing to his feet engulphed in flames, Moloch ran straight or Karma in a rage. He growled and hurled himself as the fire trailed his engulphed body, and smoke trenched his footprints. The sulfurous atmosphere, rank with odor mixed with demon blood drove a stench that hardly anyone could bear. Smoke filled the atmosphere while Moloch's flamed body burned.

Siren stepped in front of Karma and met the monstrous demon head-on, the closer he moved to the nymphs, the more heated her skin became, lighting up bright orange until their bodies met in a clash. Together Moloch and Siren were locked in a tumble or fire and smoke. From within the forging fire, her silhouette stood out, outlined in dark red as she fought the demon.

Lotus took Venus by the hand, and they surged into the smoky atmosphere, heading off the demon soldiers that the dark one sent out to take them out. They flew around in a circle, creating a diversion of immense winds and water, protecting the guides from the demons.

Pramlee, hand in hand with Meridian ran toward the middle of the circle, trailed by the rest of the guides to find their protection. Within the ring, the guides merged together forming a circle around Meridian who stood in the center looking up in glorious wonder of the nymphs protecting them. Each guide had their right hand placed on the shoulder of the guide to their right, and their left arm stretched, putting their hands on Meridian. They closed their eyes and went into their respective meditative place for comfort and protection.

From within the inside of the circle where Meridian stood, and aura of fast-changing colors swarmed from her body. The color aura circled around Meridian in a funnel, ascending upward until it hovered peacefully over Meridian's head.

The raindrops coming from Lotus's magic changed to tiny crystal quartz that froze in the air. The glimmers of the quartz, reflected off the faces of the many who were ensued in the battle, glimmering and dancing throughout the dark realm, stealing its ominous atmosphere. Meridian's aura branched out from a solid funnel, propelling hundreds of single rays of light into the tiny crystals, one by one creating a perplexing but beautiful aura of protection from the demons.

The demon soldiers charged into the circle of protection and were immediately destroyed and turned to dust upon impact. Siren and Moloch still fighting, she pulled Moloch closer to the sphere of security.

Relic watched in horror and yelled out to Slaten who stood next to him. "What is she doing?"

Slaten was unable to speak, and Pramlee squinted her eyes in an attempt to make out the scene in the heightened winds. She shook her head in uncertainty. Talon, who remained on the outside of the circle took full charge running toward Siren and helped give her a push to purge the soul-stealing demon.

At Talon's impact, Moloch and Siren were thrust into the nymph protected circle where the fire was quenched, and all that remained was Siren. She collapsed, falling next to Meridian's feet. There she lay still but unharmed where Meridian broke her connection to help Siren to her feet.

"What happened? Where is Moloch? Is he destroyed?" Meridian asked.

"No, we have captured him. The universe has taken him, he is stuck between realms." Siren said in a ragged breath. "This isn't over, look." She pointed outward toward Astaroth, who was in full charge toward the circle.

Astaroth let out her war cry as she surged with rage, to plummet herself into the nymph that took Moloch away. Her face darkened, her eyes turned red, and she propelled her own obscure horror through her body as she lurched toward the nymph.

Lotus and Venus pushed Meridian out of the way to protect her from Astaroth who had collided into the guides, further breaking their circle of protection. As the demoness and the nymphs continued their battle, there was a lost soul who awakened from his slumber, stumbling through the dark realm who remained confused.

As he made his appearance, the demon court members turned to see who the new visitor was. As they paused, the guides, including Meridian could not draw their eyes away from Aiden. The struggle between the nymphs had turned horrific, Venus was no match for the enraged demoness sustaining a severe burn injury from the demoness's heated attack burning her arms. Lotus tried to quell Astaroth's rage and covered her in watery magic, subduing the out-of-control demon.

Astaroth stopped fighting Lotus's magic, and her eyes fell upon Aiden, who stood still in confusion. His eyes surveyed the atmosphere, he rubbed the back of his neck and hunkered his body making it smaller. He took steps toward the spirit guides, and as he moved closer to them, his furrowed face increased with tension. His jaw locked tight, his eyes were wide with fear, but his body plunged forward.

He looked to Astaroth and shouted. "Meridian! Get away from them! They are demons! Hurry!" Aiden grabbed the demoness by her arm, still dripping in Lotus's water magic and jerked her away as he stared down the real Meridian. He leaned his body inward and brought his shaking finger to a point at her. "You! You demon! Stay away from her!" Aiden shouted.

Meridian winced at the tone in Aiden's voice. His harsh words were like a knife to her heart and a sting to her ears. She swallowed hard, her shock and hesitance took over. Relic jumped to Meridian's side.

"Aiden! Listen, we are not demons. Please. You are under a potent spell from a demon. The demon you have a hold of right now is pretending to be Meridian. Please, come with us."

Meridian's eyes watered, looking upon the one she was in love with being so controlled. She stood with her arms crossed, leaning into Relic for the support he was always there to give her when she was upset. Pramlee ran to her other side and clasped her hand.

The demons of the realm stood in silence as they watched the exchange happen. They did not care about Aiden, they wanted Meridian, and they wanted her out of existence. Valefor maintained his regal composure and gracefully walked toward Lahash who stood with a slight grin. "Lahash, we need to take her now, she is vulnerable, the guides attention is off of us. Now is the time." He said.

Lahash did not turn his head to look at the powerful duke of the dark realm. Instead, he chose to keep his eyes on Meridian and Aiden. "Not yet Valefor. I am quite enjoying the exchange. Besides, you seem to have forgotten the nymphs are here to protect them and steal Echo back. Can't you just feel the tension? Let's not rush such a grand episode. This battle will make a mark in our timeline for sure." Lahash kept his arms crossed as though he was comfortable and had no interest to even participate.

"What is it with you? They are here for this nymph you think you have to have. The chosen one of Etheria is here, the one who can destroy us all with the sword and you want to sit and watch all of this happen as though you were attending some broadway spectacle. They entered uninvited, it is now the dark one can expel her." Valefor unclasped his hands from behind his back and leaned further toward Lahash.

Karma locked eyes with Astaroth who looked upward at the hovering nymph. She stood by Aiden, venomously staking her claim on him. As the two continued to stare one another down, the area around Karma's pupils of her eyes swirled like a storm and sparkled with a soft glow, moving closer to the demoness the bright light began to emerge from her eyes, and she shot out a streak of light, straight at  Astaroth.