Blind Faith (Book 1)

Chapter 43

Aimee

As Aimee climbed out of the lake she felt reborn, alive and bursting with vibrancy with Ardour in her hand.

That water was freezing...

As if hearing her thoughts Ardour burned bright and a warm flow of energy poured into her body, heating her and burning away all dampness, every single drop evaporated within seconds.

Heavenly...my own portable heater...

She clucked her tongue in an afterthought, no doubt the sudden extreme heat had exploded her hair into a tangled frizzy mess. She wanted to catch her reflection on the pristine blade, to check, but Ardour vibrated in her hand and magically dulled its mirror-like sheen.

"Ha, okay, okay my old friend, my hair can wait...this is not the time or place for vanity," she said raising the weapon in triumph.

She just couldn't believe the audacity of Father Liam, to hide the weapon in plain sight, though under the circumstances she was also extremely relieved.

"Let's go," she said launching off at a frantic pace into the undergrowth, a blur to the naked eye, weaving in and out between the trees and shrubbery, dodging and jumping as she struck a direct route towards the manor house.

She could not deny the underlining responsibility lingering in the back of her mind, but at this moment, she brought her thoughts back to the present and enjoyed the cool air on her face and the woody fresh smell of the forest.

The inner peace was over as quickly as it had materialized within her when the trees ended abruptly. Aimee skidded to a halt on the damp earth, not ready to reveal herself to the world.

Crouching down in the shadows of an ancient oak tree, she pondered her next move and studied the open land before her. Littered with wild grasses and flowers, flowing away in all directions for a couple of miles along rhythmic rises, her eyes strayed to the distant edge, a red-bricked wall three meters high. Further behind, high above the trees within the manor grounds, Aimee's gaze narrowed upon the tower of Gabriel house.

Her sapphire flared in her ear as Ardour replied with a warning shock of energy up her arm. She clucked her tongue in disgust as an unnatural smoky haze materialise over the manor house, consuming what was left of the natural light. Drawing in the evening quickly, the sky darkening to a cherry shade and the shadows within the forest lengthening rapidly.

She remained perfectly still and watched as a soul-retching chill slowly seeped under her skin from the grass and foliage around her and the air changed to ice, trying to freeze her heart where she crouched.

No...you will not corrupt here...begone evil...

With her sapphire and Ardour alive with holy energy, she pushed away the foulness and unnatural coldness, back to whimper in the shadows. She stood up and eased out defiantly from the undergrowth, revealing her presence to the eyes of the Manor house.

You see me now...and you fear the light...I know you do...

There were two choices for her, run across the fields to get within the Manor grounds quickly or follow the trees around to the far side and strike from the shadows. Her hand gripping the handle of Ardour tingled as the weapon sang softly in her ears, whispering courage, and enforcing the strength to face all adversities head-on.

You are hungry for revenge my old friend...as am I...

"Direct route it is," she said scanning the horizon for any sign of her enemy. She raised Ardour in a show of defiance and a promise of what was to come.

Let's do this...

As the sun finally succumbed to the evil haze, its fire was extinguished, and the cold darkness shot out tendrils of ice across the field. Aimee ignored its icy embrace and launched across the field like a blur of white energy.

Lightening flashed in the clouds above, charging the air around her and an eardrum-piercing crack echoed a second after. The heavens burst, sending wet missiles upon the earth. Within seconds she was soaked to the bone, however, the furnace within burned bright keeping her skin on fire, the wind and rain battering her, though she did not notice. She zipped forwards to the red brick wall.

She didn't pause at the wall, somersaulting straight over, landing gracefully on the other side, her second weapon in her other hand, her holy Aura pouring in, making it glow in reply. She spun both swords expertly as she sensed the corruption around her, Daemons moved in from the shadows of the garden, all dressed in black with Balaclava-covered faces. She smiled.

You do not know who you face vermin...death is my only gift...

A voice laughed and echoed through the trees, it took Aimee a moment to realize it was her own. There were four Daemons at first, but another pair dropped from the nearby trees, still keeping to the shadows trying to remain hidden. But she pretended not to notice.

Even under the canopy of trees, the storm was relentless, gusts of wind tore at the branches, swaying almost to breaking point, letting in the rain and icy tendrils. Desperate to stop her.

I am the storm...I am God's hand on earth...fear me...

She lowered her stance, pondering if the Daemons would coordinate their attacks, only for her thoughts to be answered by a soft slurp of damp soil from a boot to her right and the sound of metal on leather from her left. She leaned back, as two red glowing Hell blades missed her neck and chest by inches. Overconfident and undertrained, her assassins fell forwards, their blades stabbing and cutting at each other, rather than their intended target.

With a grim smile, Aimee spun her weapons around to sever their necks. The Daemon struck by Ardour disintegrated into a fire of ash, the action causing a third attacker to falter their advance on her from behind. Aimee swept their legs out from under them while grasping the jacket of the dead Daemon, swinging him at a fourth assailant trying to flank her. The impact knocked the sword from his hand and with a flick of her wrist, she threw her smaller sword at him, the handle hitting the hooded figure straight between the eyes, dropping him to the ground.

Aimee swiftly scooped up the weapon and spun, expecting the Daemons from the trees to be upon her, but they melted away into the darkness, leaving her alone.

She gave Ardour another taste of Daemon blood, striking out at the injured and dead lying at her feet. The darkness burst into flashes of golden light, as their ashes circled her like fireflies, ascending to the black storm above.

In the darkness, Aimee caught her breath and pushed her Aura out, searching for the Daemons, but all had retreated towards the House.

"Cowards," she whispered.

She strolled forwards and stared up at the tower looming above, beckoning to her. Somehow, she had to get into the room at the top and the quickest and easiest way was straight up the side. She peered around and spotted a drain pipe trailing down the left wall.

That will do...Once on the first-floor veranda, I can find another way up to the second floor and to the top...

A sudden wave of corruption wafted towards her. She didn't bother to turn, but flipped Ardour into a reverse grip and stabbed backwards.

Leaving the burning Daemon behind her, Aimee dashed towards the drain pipe and sprung up and grabbed the metal with her left hand, swinging Ardour down, the holy blade striking flesh, as another Damon fell away bursting into fire.

She pulled up and sprung up and over the balcony wall, only to narrowly avoid a foot in her face. She dropped to her side, blocking a second kick with her arm and rolled away, raising a burning Ardour, more as a barrier of light than a weapon. She poured her holy Aura into the blade to brighten up the area, to reveal her peaceful intentions.

"For the love of Michael! Tiff, it's me, you stupid girl!" Aimee snarled.

Two golden fiery eyes burned back at her in the shadows, as a second pair, mirroring the first, appeared to Aimee's right, a good head taller than Tiffany.

"I see you decided to return from your exile...where is my husband?" demanded a deep sultry voice.