Sitting on his throne of mud and sphagnum, Charles Herrant felt a sudden warmth pass over his solar plexus. The family tattoo that all of his lineage over the past 300 years bore was known to itch terribly when in the presence of the evil darkness which was the vampire. This sensation though was unknown to him. It must somehow be related. There would be no pips here in faerie surely and he was filled instantly with morbid curiosity. Abby. What had she gotten herself into now?
—-
Abigail and the Everdark shared the strange space within the spirit trap. All of her training, her on the ground experience, hell just her upbringing in a magical family had led her to this moment. She had trapped and removed from the mortal plane so many spirits, exterminated so many pips, she had never really paused to consider their morality. They had been pests not cohabitants. But here she was now faced with the Everdark. It wasn’t lying to her- ever since Abigail was a small child she could reach out with her intuition and sense an ill intent. The Everdark was not ill intentioned, it wasn’t well intentioned either. It struck Abigail that it was rather like a computer in a way, aloof and logical. She couldn’t pretend to know what the ancestors’ went through to trap the Everdark or what they’re motives truly had been. What she did know is that her morality was telling her that this being had the right to its autonomy. If anything she felt a bit skeptical-had the actions of her ancestors done more harm than good? Would restoring the Everdark’s freedom return some balance that was lacking? Her tattoo continued to pulse warmly. The pips existence were connected to the Everdark somehow. How long had they existed in the world? Had her family somehow been responsible for their existence by containing the Everdark?
She faced the swirling shadow. It had its own dark beauty she could see. She closed her eyes and imagined the hands of the pocket watch ticking away towards twelve o’clock. Just a few seconds more and the trap would open.
—-
The first sensation Tess had was an intense ringing in her ears. She opened her eyes and startled- the strange faces of Jared and Paltis staring down at her. “Is it dead?” Paltis asked nonchalantly.
Jared hoisted Tess up by her armpits. “I’m ok I’m ok don’t get any nasty ideas!” Tess exclaimed. She looked around them. The golden doors were nowhere to be seen and neither was Abigail. The mass of excavation equipment flung like tonka toys away from the site of the dig. “Words. Explanation. Now!” Tess demanded of the two Fae who were altogether too unfazed by all of this.
“It would appear Herant the Younger has encased herself, the entire Everdark, and Belinda as well in her cunning little watch. Impressive. I suppose that takes care of that then. I must away to my kingdom once more.” Tess picked up the watch. It radiated with a strange pulsing power.
“No way you are just leaving- you owe us. Abigail and I rescued you from that weird sauna. You would still be there if it wasn’t for us. Besides, this thing isn’t going to hold for much longer and when it lets loose we are all going to be screwed. You and your kingdom included.”
Tess was interrupted by a loud cawing. They watched as the inky black crow flitted down onto Paltis’s shoulder. Paltis reached up to stroke its chest and it chortled away in her ear. “I cannot say I do not welcome the coming of the Everdark. I do not in fact know exactly what it is myself. Jared and I have existed for many ages of this earth and I cannot recall a time when darkness and light have not been vying for dominion. Belinda and those who have aligned themselves with Darkstar seem to be making many assumptions about this being or are privy to that which we know not.”
Jared let out a sigh. “This mortal realm grates at me. Let’s all away to my lair, I will take up my crown and we will investigate further. I will be at my full strength there. We must ascertain if Belinda and Jilliup acted alone in this or if there are more council members who have crossed me.” Tess’s brow furrowed. “Abigail’s father is acting in your place. If anyone knows how to deal with this spirit trap it would be him. He made it after all.” Paltis nodded slightly. “I am willing to follow this course of events.” Jared arched an eyebrow with a smile that somehow felt threatening and at the same time intoxicating. He drew a circle in the humid swamp air with a taloned finger opening a portal once again and bowed to Tess in invitation. “After you”.
The three, four? including the odd corvid, found themselves in front of the throne of the Kelpie King, Charles Herant presiding. He lept up as he saw them. “Tess! Where is Abby! Something is very very wrong.” His gaze passed over the other beings in the room and he let out a short hysterical laugh when he saw the Kelpie King. “Gods she brought him right to me that brilliant girl!” Tess held the watch aloft like it was a rotten banana. “THIS is urgent Mr. Herant. Abigail is inside it herself and she’s got an egomaniacal fae and all of the Everdark in there with her!” Without warning the pace of ticking the spirit trap had maintained rose alarmingly. Tess tossed the trap to Charles who quickly flung it open to observe the face. “We have…seconds before this trap goes, before the Everdark is released.” Jared stepped forward. “I can open a portal that is unending. It would be like an oubliette. Whatever falls into it would be forever traveling and lost to time. You could throw your trap into it.”
Tess whirled “No! Abigail is IN there what part of that are you not getting??” Charles was frozen as the seconds ticked away. “Perhaps there is a way to allow the trap to open and save Abby. My tattoo, symbol of my family and our cause against evil- Abby bears the same mark. It is also present on the Amulet I know she still bares- If I can create a link to her it just might work.”
👍 LIIKE THIS POST for Jared to open a never ending portal to toss the trap in
❤️LOVE THIS POST for Charles to allow the trap to open releasing the Everdark upon the world
POLL RESULTS: 1❤️ 8👍
