Guardians of the Light (Book 2: Revision)

Chapter 7

James was beyond pissed right now, so pissed he was sure the others in the car right now could hear him broding from where he was seated. If looks could kill he most definitely had them right now and was burning imaginary holes right at the person he was mad at. That was it! He could not keep quiet any longer he was going to speak even if they didn’t like it, “So let me get this right, you got us up at 5 am to spend six hours combing through the Holy Sanctum Library only to be now driving into the city of Rome to visit another library”. There was a small giggle coming from where Sara was sitting across from him. James shot her a look before focusing back on the woman he was currently very mad at, “Yes I do apologize Signore Hillman for the early morning rise, but I do believe the place we are headed too has the acquired information we seek”. 

He sighed and huffed before muttering under his breath, “Oh great you believe so there is no actual proof then”. This comment sent another wave of giggles from Sara who had to put her hand over her mouth in order to stop from laughing out loud. There was a moment of silence in the car before Guardian Isadora spoke again, “While our library at the Holy Sanctum is vast in knowledge of our Ordership history. It did not have the required information we needed for our mission. The Vallicelliana Library has much information on different varieties of past history inducing such history of our Order and the creature you call The Darkness. Our Holy Elder trusted me with the name of a book belonging to The Vallicelliana Library, located deep inside the library which might have the true origin of The Darkness”. 

James kept quiet about the subject for now and just kept glancing out the car window as they continued to drive through the streets of Rome. Guardian Matteo pulled the car up to the entrance of The Vallicelliana Library, while Guardian Luca got out and came around to open the door. James stepped out first taking in the sight of the huge library in front of him, Sara and Guardian Isadora  followed behind him. Guardian Matteo stayed in the car and Guardian Luca stood at the entrance to stand watch as the group of three entered the historic building. James was definitely in awe of everything around him. 

Locals and tourists alike passing by, he was so enthralled by the sights he didn’t hear his name being called, “Signore Hillman this way”. James snapped out of his haze, walking to where Sara and Guardian Isadora were standing next to an older woman, who told them to follow her, they reached a set of locked steel doors with a single well dressed guard outside. The older woman left them there and Guardian Isadora approached the guard, “Che la lure ti guidi sempre”, reaching into her jacket pocket pulling out a piece of paper and presenting it to the guard. 

He looked over it for a minute before simply nodding and turned punching in numbers into a keypad located next to the steel doors. There was a click, both doors sliding open and an auto toned voice spoke access granted. James could say that he was definitely not an expert on libraries and hadn’t been to many in his life but the vast rows of shelves filled with books was way grand compared to the Holy Sanctums Library that was for sure. Okay he could admit now that Guardian Isadora had been right about this one thing still didn’t make up for how annoyed he still was about this morning's events. 

“How many books do you think are in here?”, James asked Sara as they walked with Guardian Isadora through the different rows. Sara shrugged her shoulders glancing around, “Oh I don’t know probably hundreds if not thousands. I can imagine all the knowledge they would have”. A book keeper was busy putting away scrolls when they came up to him, Guardian Isadora's asking him, “Scusa, we are on a mission from The Holy Elder to acquire all information of a being known as The Darkness”. A frightened look came across the bookkeepers face but took the letter from Guardian Isadora rushing off into the maze of book shelves. 

Over the next several hours, because James didn’t know the exact amount of time they had been down here and there were no clocks or windows, all three of them poured through book after book and scroll after scroll. Nothing was the end result every single text described what they already knew about The Darkness. James could feel himself nodding off to sleep until suddenly Sara’s voice startled him awake, “Sorry James but I found information that could be useful”, this caught James attention. 

He sat up straight and listened to what Sara had to say, “According to this scroll writing by someone named Elder Horace, states that while the true origins of The Darkness are not known, the creatures original name was Abnus”. Little records show how Abnus came to be created but local sources have told of a mysterious figure who acquired an usual decorated box believed to be the prison in which The Darkness rested, this person fully intended to unleash the unholy creature on the world”. 

Everyone knew that the Coven of witches known as Sisters of the Ancient One had successfully once risen The Darkness to full power centuries ago James had heard the story from Ronin. If this scroll was correct perhaps they were the key they needed to help stop The Darkness and rescue Ronin. Once notes were made on this intel the group headed back to the car waiting outside, one by one everyone piled in making the drive back to The Holy Sanctum. Most of the drive back was silent between them all minus Guardian Isadora who was on the phone talking to someone, their conversation was in italian so James had no idea who she was talking too or what they were talking about. 

She only finished once the car pulled through the main gates and came to a full stop by The Holy Sanctum entrance. As the group entered The Holy Sanctum, Guardian Matteo and Guardian Luca left as they were requested by the Master Guardian for a mission, leaving only James, Sara and Guardian Isadora standing in the corridor. All James wanted to do right now was head to his room and sleep, he was about to say goodbye to the two woman when Guardian Isadora spoke first, 

“I was on the phone with The Holy Elder during our ride back. Giving him a full report on the information we had gathered from the trip to The Vallicelliana Library and seeking advice on our next steps moving forward. His Holiness suggested it’s best we travel to the original source of where everything started in Greece. There has already been a meeting set up with Andreas, the Master Guardian of the Greek Ordership there. We will be traveling in the morning, it will be a long trip to Athens so go get some rest and I will have someone prepare the required belonging for the journey. Buona notte”. 

With a simple bow in their direction Guardian Isadora left now just James and Sara were standing in the corridor alone. James was very much looking forward to sleeping in his bed but Sara looked uneasy, “I know this is silly and probably stupid and I would totally get it if you said no but I was uh wondering if you could stay with me in my room just to keep company and…” she was about to say more before James stopped her, she didn’t have to explain in great detail he understood how she was feeling. 

“It’s okay you don’t have to explain anything more to me Sara, if it would make you feel better I don’t mind keeping you company”. This put a smile on her face and rewarded James with a hug the two of them heading off towards Sara’s room. They spent the next few hours keeping eachother company, talking about how much they missed having both Lillian and Ronin around. Each having their own funny story about their Guardians, both realizing how much they needed both of the Guardians in their life. 

James was thankful that Sara still had Lillian in her life she was just back in New Haeven, James on the other hand didn’t know if he would ever get Ronin back, he voiced these thoughts to Sara. She simply told him not to think like that and that no matter what everyone who cared about Ronin  was working very hard to get him back. It eased some of James worry enough to help him sleep after Sara had fallen asleep first, him following not too long behind ther. 

His dreams filled with wild images of a time he did not recognize and of a woman who he had never met but oddly looked very much like Sara. Adburtly the dreams ended as Sara put a hand on his arm to wake him up whispering. “It’s time to go”, the image of the woman in his dream still fresh in his mind as he stared at Sara. it was like looking at one’s reflection in a mirror, he was seeing double currently and could not shake the feeling of how similar they looked. The woman in his dream had shouted a name at him calling him Nicanor. 

James knew he had heard that name before but couldn’t place it right now. Could Sara and this mysterious woman from his dream be one in the same. He would have to think about that another time, right now him and Sara had to prepare for the ten hour boat ride from Rome to Greece, why they weren’t flying was unknown to James but he was certain that Guardian Isadora had a reason.