The hellbeasts past, p.3
The HellBeast's Past, page 3
“I grant you, it’s risky.”
“Oh, that’s just dandy, that is,” I muttered sarcastically in response.
“Look, I don’t want to be a Negative Nelly here…” I started, causing a painted brow to arch my way.
“Negative Nelly?” he repeated.
“Focus here, Marcus, because I just have to point out that Jared isn’t stupid, in fact, he may seem full of growly orders and flexing muscles but above all else, he’s smart, Marcus… smart and cunning.” I added this last part as if it was more like something I needed to say. Even if just to remind myself of the fact. Hence why I now found myself once again, looking behind us and expecting to see a pair of glowing silver eyes watching from the vail of darkness.
“I have no doubt this to be true as well, for like I said, you would know better than most. Besides, I can tell for myself that this account of the man you speak of to be true, which is why our plan is simple,” Marcus said with a casual roll of his hand.
“And that is?”
“To be smarter,” he said, winking at me and with it easing my fears, if only for a moment.
But that was the dangerous thing with being just that next step closer to getting home, and it had a name… Hope. One I could almost taste. One I could most definitely feel, especially with the slight weight of this coin in my pocket. A coin hidden within the folds of my dress. Although, the weight of it mentally felt like carrying around an anvil, as it was literally my last hope at getting home. Now of course, all I had to do was out run my Fate in the form of one furious HellBeast King that wanted his revenge.
“Come on, Cook, let’s make haste.”
I nodded, taking the hint and walking faster towards London Bridge, one that was now minus its occupants.
“Let’s get off the main street and walk closer to the riverbank until we come upon the bridge,” Marcus said after looking behind him, and now with a serious tone, it was as if he could feel something he didn’t want to say. He then took my hand once more and he clearly didn’t want to let go.
The walk next to the river offered a straight drop into the water with only the small stone balustrades creating a barrier between us and the edge. I looked back at the ruckus of full ale houses and bustling inns at this part of town, wondering how many drunks ended up in the river after a deadly trip? The strong smell of the city seemed to cling to every surface like a sticky fog from the early stirrings of the Industrial Revolution. This mixed with the stench from the river and I spent most of my time trying not to breathe through my nose.
But soon, even this became too precarious, as Marcus decided the walkway was too dangerous and instead led me down some steps where the riverbank was much wider and further from the water’s edge.
Which meant I had to lift up my skirts and, for parts of it, we had to walk in single file as the natural footpath was too narrow. But soon the first part of the bridge could be seen, as the first arch was one we obviously intended to walk under. It also soon became clear it had once been what some poor soul had used for shelter.
However, as we walked closer, all that was left of someone’s makeshift home was a dirty torn blanket, a broken basket holding some rotten apples, and a pair of men’s shoes that looked barely held together by their nails and stitches.
It was a sad sight and made my heart ache for the bleak and desperate situation some were forced to endure. In fact, I almost asked where he thought the homeless man would be, wishing there was something I possessed that I could have left him. But this was also when Marcus pulled me closer into the shadows and warned,
“We are still being followed.” After this whispered confession, I couldn’t help but gasp softly, before whispering a hissed,
“Still?”
“Ssshh, quiet now…” he said, holding a finger to his lips, making me nod in understanding. Then with our backs to the bridge’s wall we waited. I with bated breath, Marcus with cool resolve. As if he knew what was about to happen and he was more than ready for it.
“I think it is safe but, for now, I believe we should wait,” he said, and I was smart enough to listen.
“Someone was following us… are you sure?” I asked, now feeling free to do so.
“I couldn’t be sure at first, alas now I know. Which means seeing as they have passed above, they will most likely make their way across the bridge in search of us.”
“I’m confused, aren’t you what they call a Seeker…? So, no offence, but shouldn’t you technically know what’s going to happen?”
He gave me a pointed look and told me,
“There would be little need of me even getting out of bed in the morning if I already knew what the day held and there was nothing to gain from doing so.”
“Good point, I guess… so how does it work?” I asked, and he looked like he was resisting the urge to sigh at the question.
“I see what the Fates want me to see and nothing more. If the Fates want me here, then here is exactly where I shall be,” he replied.
“And if getting caught is part of that Fate?”
“Then I am powerless to stop it, but let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, eh?” he said, giving my good arm a nudge.
“That’s not very reassuring,” I said, giving him a wry look, only the second there was a sudden bright flash of light from the way we had come, Marcus spoke,
“No, that isn’t… RUN!”
Like before, I didn’t need telling twice! Especially not when I saw figures emerging out of the portal of light that had just appeared out of nowhere. But I wasn’t waiting around to find out who it was, not when at heart, I knew.
Of course, running wasn’t much of an option either, not when men suddenly blocked our escape by dropping down off the side of the bridge and landing hard in front of us. Dark figures now rising from the bent knee they had landed on. I gasped the moment I saw the tall and looming figures of Jared’s men as they rose between us and our escape.
Which meant the second I looked behind us, that gasp of fright turned into a scream lodged in my throat just as I seemed to be caught in his sights. As I suspected, the most frightening one of all was now emerging from the portal and soon storming his way towards us. A huge, intimidating form cast in shadow from the glow behind him that swirled with light, as if a small man-sized star had just birthed a God.
I swallowed down the intense lump of fear at the sight. But Marcus clearly had other ideas, now pulling the same bottle of swirling glittering liquid from his jacket, telling me,
“Last one.”
“Then make it count,” I said as he threw it to the ground just as Jared was roaring his orders,
“GET THEM!”
Then as everyone lunged as one, we simply stepped into our own portal created on the floor in front of us. I felt that drop in my belly, as if my insides were being momentarily scrambled when we fell through the floor and were dropped from above it. Thankfully, this time, our end destination was on top of the bridge.
Mercifully, the drop was only about six feet high, but fuck me, the landing still hurt like a bitch wearing spikes! Mortals saw this and started to back away from us, making the sign of God, crossing themselves as if Satan himself just dropped out from Hell. Oh, and speaking of Hell, we were still being chased because I could hear the bellowing of rage from below.
“You saw nothing of this,” Marcus said, obviously taking hold of their minds and making them blissfully forget. I was actually surprised he took the time to do so, and my look must have said as much, as he quickly told me,
“Rules and all.” I almost laughed at this because, all things considered, the Gods only knew how many rules we had actually just broken. Stealing from a King seemed to be only one of them.
And speaking of Kings, mine was still making chase and, unfortunately for me, he and his men looked a damn sight quicker! Which was why we started running across the bridge as fast as we could. The uneven cobblestones and darkness not making it any easier. At least it seemed to be a clear enough night that it didn’t cloud the moonlight and, at this point, was the only reason I could see at all.
“It’s no use, they are gaining on us!” I shouted unhelpfully as we navigated our way past shocked mortals, horse drawn carriages, and small stone alcoves that looked built for people to take a break in. Each of these little alcoves were shaded with a half scalloped, dome roof made of stone. They also held a small bench inside and looked big enough for no more than four people, creating pockets of pure darkness at intervals along the bridge’s edge.
“We will make it! Come on!” Marcus said, taking our odds into his own hands and pulling me up to the back of a carriage that was just stopping to pick someone up.
“Jump on!” he ordered, and I held up my skirt with one hand so I wouldn’t trip over it as I climbed onto the thankfully empty luggage rack.
“Now hold on, this is going to be a bumpy ride,” Marcus warned as his eyes started to glaze over. Then I heard the great cry of the horses before the carriage started to travel at greater speed.
“Whoa!” I yelled as I nearly fell backwards, not ready for the horses taking off like that. Thankfully, Marcus grabbed me just in time and yanked me back so I could grip the leather straps. Straps that, no doubt, were meant for a very different type of load on the back of this thing. But despite the discomfort, it was working because I looked behind to find Jared and his men falling behind. Oh, and boy did he looked pissed about it! In fact, we didn’t have that far left until we made it to the end, being we had already made it over halfway.
“We are going to make it!” I shouted over the roaring sound of horses’ hooves and the bellows of the man in front trying in vain to control the wild beasts to a slower pace. But then it seemed as if I had spoken too soon because something we couldn’t see spooked them. Which meant that suddenly the sound of their fright was the last thing I heard before Marcus grabbed me to him, cocooning me in the safety of his arms. But before I had chance to react, I swiftly found myself being thrown from the back of the carriage.
“NO!” I heard this roared from somewhere behind me as we landed hard on the ground, causing us to roll and, during which, hitting my head hard enough to make me groan in pain. But the sound of wood splintering, horses neighing, and metal grinding against stone seemed to drown out the sound of my pain as I lifted my head to see the cause of it all.
The carriage had crashed and was now on its side, with pieces of it broken off and now lying around the road of the bridge.
“Are you alright?” Marcus asked, being the first to get to his feet and shake himself right.
As for me, I was half wrapped up in the layers of my skirt like a red burrito, meaning I was about as graceful getting up as someone would be wearing a sleeping bag. I looked ready for a sack race!
“Gods, you’re bleeding again, Cookie,” Marcus said, coming over to me and wiping away the blood I could feel trickling down the side of my face.
“I’m fine, besides, I think we have more important things to worry about… look!” I said, nodding to the fact that Jared and his men had nearly reached us. And, Jesus, if I thought Jared looked pissed before, well now he looked beyond fucking enraged.
The moment they started to surround us was about the same time the sound of leather creaking could be heard as Marcus tightened his grip on my hand. It was a sound that seemed to echo in the night, causing Jared’s sharp silver eyes to focus on our joined hands. Then Marcus looked down at me and said,
“You have one chance at this, little Cookie… just promise me one thing…”
I frowned in question as he stepped forward, now letting go on my hand.
“Wh-what are you doing, Marcus?” I asked, my voice now fearful for a whole new reason. But then as he looked back at me, he smirked the second he pulled a long staff from his jacket as if by magic. As if this whole time he had an arsenal hidden under the fabric, just waiting to appear at his command.
Then he winked at me as his gaze started to glow with merely a flick of his wrist, the symbols carved into the staff mirrored the power in his eyes, igniting both him and it with an aura of blue magic.
Then he told me the promise he wanted me to keep…
“…Run, Ella, and don’t look back.”
4
BARGAIN FOR BLOOD
“Marcus, no, please… I…” I stammered out, knowing he wouldn’t survive this! Not with the look of murderous intent coming from Jared in what felt like Demonic waves. As if there was a storm brewing and at the centre of all its chaos, was its King.
“RUN… RAHHH!” Marcus roared out at me, before this turned into a battle cry as he turned to face Jared and, for the first time, proved to the King that he was a lot more than just a fool with a fiddle.
Marcus lashed out with incredible accuracy, spinning his staff at dizzying speed, hitting all that came close. A charged blue fire emitted sparks and hissed from the weapon like electricity from a live wire. Crackling lightning bolts that forked at the end tasted his prey each time contact was made with every hit he made against them. They grunted and fell to their knees, creating a path for me to run through, as had been his intent.
“Marcus, come with me!” I shouted back, making him look full of regret for a moment before shaking his head at me.
“GO!” he shouted before more of Jared’s men rushed at him.
Tears fill my eyes, hating the idea of leaving him to fight alone. Knowing why he had told me not to look back. Why he had wanted my promise. Because Marcus wasn’t just fighting to save me…
No… He was sacrificing himself for my cause.
Which was why I couldn’t do it! I just couldn’t leave him. I couldn’t run now and never look back like he wanted me to. Because even if through his actions I did make it home, I would be doing so a broken version of myself… fractured by guilt.
I would never be able to live with myself. Because I didn’t know how this time traveling worked. I didn’t know what I was going back to. Whether time would just rewrite itself back to the way it was before or whether I was, in fact, the rewriter of time.
That I would irreversibly be the one to get Marcus killed.
“No!” I shouted to myself, stopping dead on the path, turning to see as Marcus was being overpowered just as Jared was shouting,
“Bring me the girl, I want her unharmed!” Which was when it hit me. I might have something to bargain with after all, despite what it meant I was most likely sacrificing by doing this. So, I looked towards the edge of the bridge knowing there was only one thing left to do, and it couldn’t have come any sooner. Not when I heard Jared snarl,
“And kill the fucking Fool!” So, I quickly ran for the balustrades and started to climb up next to the nearest alcove, using it to keep me balanced. I then rose to standing once my feet were both steady on the stone ledge. Then, with my hand gripping onto the ledge of where the dome half roof met the stone walls, I turned to face Jared. Someone who naturally was still looking violently toward Marcus, who now had each arm restrained behind his back. His staff was left flicking on the floor until its power extinguished all together.
“NO!” I screamed just as one of his men pulled a large blade from the sheath at his belt. But the sound of my cry did its job. It made Jared freeze in tracks.
His chilling gaze turned toward the sound he heard and the second he found me, his deadly demeanor changed. He saw that I was currently taking my life in my own hands, forcing him to quickly signal to his men. He held up his hand, silently ordering them to stop as well, giving me time to make my threat.
“Kill him and I will kill myself. I will jump!” I shouted, making Jared suddenly look as if he had been struck. Then with a growl of anger, he called it as what it most likely looked like it was… a bluff.
“Kill the Fool!” he ordered roughly, and I shouted out the threat again!
“Stop! I will do it… ahhh!” I ended this in a true cry of fright as my foot slipped back, making me scrabble to pull myself upright once more, thanking God there was a ledge. Especially when looking down and seeing nothing but what looked like an endless darkness below. I knew the water was there but, to me, right in that moment, it was nothing more than a sinister oblivion waiting to drag me under.
“Wait!” Jared ordered, clearly taking me far more seriously this time. So, taking this as a sign, I quickly gave him my terms.
“Let him go or, I swear to all the Gods there are, I will jump off this fucking bridge!” I said with deadly intent, one that spoke of how serious I was.
“Oh Cookie,” Marcus said, looking pained by my decision to stay and save his life.
“Oh, how very touching,” Jared sneered in response.
“Let him go!” I demanded, ignoring the jealous bite of his comment.
“So, you wish to sacrifice your life for his, that is it?” he said, coming to stand in front of Marcus, holding his arms wide in a mocking gesture.
“He would do the same, besides, are you really willing to let him rid you of extracting vengeance yourself?” I questioned, but his response wasn’t what I thought it would be.
“What!?” he snarled in what almost seemed like disbelief.
“That is what you want, isn’t it…? To kill me yourself! To kill the one who took your precious Lerna!” I snapped, making him growl venomously,
“You go too far, girl!” he warned, and perhaps I had but if I could direct his anger back to me, then I was at least taking it away from being directed at Marcus. Hence why I told him,
“No, going too far is taking my own life when I know you want to take it for your own revenge… after all, I did kill you, did I not…? Isn’t that what you think?!” I pushed, making him growl this time as he took a furious step towards me, forcing me to hold my foot over the edge. This was enough to tell him without words, that I would do it if he took another step closer. And it worked. The threat was great enough to get him to pause, the look on his face one of frustration and building anger.
