CHAPTER 18 | O Fortuna

📎A/N. Hello my lovelies, *hides behind a thick wall*  I know... I know I'm late with this chapter. This week I was travelling for work and the week just got away from me.

Now I know that every time we turn on the TV it's just bad news. There is so much hate and conflict that you wonder what this world is coming to. I thought I would share a little story with you that has shown me that things are not all bad, and at their essence, there is still a lot of good that gives us hope.

We have a 15 year old miniature Schnauzer. She is getting up there in years; can't see so well and her hearing is almost gone. This grand old dame is older than my sons and she is part of our family. Last weekend the gate was accidentally left open and someone decided to wander up the driveway and have herself a little adventure. Eventually, her idiot owners realized she wasn't napping and panic ensued. We took to the streets to search for her. After all, she struggled to get up to the mailbox, how much further could she get?

An hour later and still no sign, so we retraced our steps and fanned out further. By this time friends had heard what had happened, and they joined in the search. After phoning the local council and pounds we printed out some flyers and took to the streets again to letter drop. There were so many people who were out in their yards who promised to keep their eyes out and spread the word around. A few suggested a local Facebook community page that I should post on as well as a lost pets register. I raced home and did as they suggested. Within moments there were so many messages of prayers and well wishers promising to look out for her.

Before the end of the day I'd received a couple of calls and messages regarding a particular small dog that had been found. Unfortunately it wasn't ours. However, the fact that total strangers were trying to help was heart warming.

The next morning, with still no sign of our little dog, we were all quite upset as you can imagine. A little after 8:30, I received a call from a family saying they didn't want to get our hopes up, but thought they had our dog. She had wandered past their driveway  that morning and recognized her from the flyers and Facebook post.

After getting their address we hopped in the car and, sure enough, sitting in their backyard looking confused and tired was our little Schnauzer.

The thing that stuck out to me was the basic kindness of people. Firstly our friends who dropped everything to come and help. Then there was the community in which we live in. Their prayers and kindness they sent out either through Facebook, or as they noticed us dropping lost dog posters into mailboxes was astounding. And finally to the family who noticed a small stray dog and took the time to take her in and track down her owners, words can't describe how grateful we are to you.

With all the violence, hate, bullying and stupidity going on in this world, it is refreshing to see that there is still basic goodness in many.

Well.. that's my rant... if you are still reading this and haven't skipped to the chapter already, the piece of music Amos is listening to is the media attached to this chapter. You may like to listen to it when Amos turns it on.

As usual, don't forget to vote! :)

Take care and bless you all.

❤ ℳ

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Amos shifted uncomfortably and pulled at his ceremonial robe. Underneath, his clothes clung to his body as perspiration soaked through his once crisp starched linen shirt. The heat was all-consuming; the longer this went on, the harder it was to breathe. The ancient stones were in the middle of a vast wooded area, and yet he had never felt as smothered or as claustrophobic.

He was more than a little vexed that each time a Legion emerged, he looked less than his best. Even if it was the middle of the night and visibility with their lighting was limited, he still wished to look presentable and worthy as he greeted his Lord's personal army.

After all, as the one who finally frees her, she will elevate my position and the Legion will be mine to command.

He inhaled, and his nose protested at the vulgar odour that wafted up to his nostrils. The musty and acrid smell that had settled around them like a glove, morphed into a putrid stench the hotter it became.

It's about time! The change in aroma signified the first part of the procedure was almost over.

When he had stumbled on the way to summon the Legions, Amos hadn't quite realised just how long the process would take; nor how uncomfortable. However, they had repeated it enough times to understand the squirming prisoner would, within in a matter of minutes, begin to convulse as the newly emerged essence of a Legion claimed his body and destroyed his mind.

"Why do you think they wanted someone like him?" Randall's whisper cut into the silence. "And why did we need to use so much of the dead witch's blood?"

Amos studied the muscled prisoner and shrugged. The Legion who had last emerged had insisted on choosing the host for the next arrival as well as instructing them to use four times the blood during the summoning ceremony. When pressed as to the reason why, the only answer they got was 'It is the will of Leviathan'.

They had very little choice in the matter; and he volunteered Randall's services to take Fahim, as he referred to himself, on a shopping trip.

Amos was more than surprised when they returned. It took four of his men to carry the tranquilised prisoner from the vehicle to the extraction site. From Randall's expression, the man would not have been his first choice either.

In his unconscious state, Amos couldn't be one hundred percent positive, but their new host was at least six feet tall and built like one of those testosterone wrestlers the younger members of the order watched on the idiot box. From the massive shoulders and arms that could be made out through the beige t-shirt, the man's muscles had muscles.

"I don't think I can take much more of that godawful smell," Randall complained as the stench around them rose to intolerable levels.

The grey mist that had seeped out of the large Solstice standing stone had finally separated from the rock and a sudden rush of colour pulsed through it.

Both Amos and Randall took a step back at the same time.

"What was that?" Randall asked with hesitation.

Amos continued to regard the incorporeal being that floated at head height and attempted to hide his shock. Red. The grey smoke was now surrounded by a red aura that pulsed with a hint of black.

A cold chill ran up the length of Amos's spine. He'd not seen this before.

As if knowing exactly what to do, the mist that had painstakingly seeped from the sacred stone, drifted with purpose towards the sacrificial altar stone where it's new host lay bound and gagged.

"How long do you think this is going to take?" asked Randall as he peered into the dark.

Amos rolled his eyes. They had been through this enough times for the idiot to know the answer. "I'm sorry, do you have a better place to be?"

Randall frowned as if confused. A moment later his face relaxed as he shook his head. "No, I mean when do you think we will have enough through to do the job? The site is still closed off, but there is pressure for the sheriff's department to release it before the Strawberry Moon celebrations."

Amos rubbed his hand over his face. They needed access to the stones. So far they hadn't been disturbed and had unfettered access to Mystery Hill. The reopening of the sacred site would be a disaster to their plans. However, this year's Summer Solstice also coincided with a full moon and the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. An event that only occurred once every five centuries. This was one of the few occasions they had the upper hand. If they failed, they would need to wait another five hundred years for their next chance to summon help to free their beloved Leviathan. They last time they had tried, they were bested by a single witch. This time, Amos would destroy any magical being that could possibly get in his way.

"Should I tranq him again?" Randall asked.

Amos glanced at the man whose body was about to become a host in a sacred and holy war. The tranquillizer had worn off, and he struggled against his bindings as his eyes bulged at the glowing cloud that hovered over his body. As if realising the coloured and pulsating smoke was his doom, he rebelled against the rope, his muscles visibly bulging with the effort.

Amos shook his head and smiled. Why do they always do that? How stupid must they be to think they can possibly break free?

Knowing the next part would take a few minutes, Amos pulled ear buds from his concealed robe pocket and placed one in each ear. He then selected Carl Orff's O Fortuna from his phone's playlist and watched as tendrils of vapour broke away and drifted towards the man's face.

O Fortuna,

velut luna,

statu variabilis,

Realising what was about to happen, the man thrashed his head from side to side. His eyes flew wide in fear as he sought to escape.

semper crescis,

aut decrescis;

vita detestabilis

Amos tilted his head and the corners of his mouth twisted upwards. As usual, he had chosen the most appropriate piece for the occassion. As the first dramatic section unfolded and the chorus of voices entwined with the full orchestra in a crescendo of power and anticipation, he tapped his foot in time to the marching beat.

nunc obdurate

et tunc curat

ludo mentis aciem,

The Legion's incorporeal form dipped lower, and its smoky tendrils reached out towards the man's face. Its progression not unlike a snake ready to pounce.

egestatem,

potestatem,

dissolvit ut glaciem.

With very little hesitation, the vines that crept and meandered, entered the man's nose and ears in a flurry of movement which rippled back to the hovering cloud. It shimmered as the red and black pulsed once again.

The man's body contracted; his back arched off the slab in a savage thrust.

Sors immanis

et inanis,

rota tu volubilis,

Amos stepped forward and tore away the tape over the man's mouth.

status malus,

vana salus

semper dissolubilis,

Before a scream could rip from his lungs, the tendrils struck with precision and filled the man's mouth and throat with grey cloud.

obumbrata

et velata

michi quoque niteris;

An eerie red-yellow soft light glowed from the man's eyes as the Legion forced its way into the unwilling donor.

nunc per ludum

dorsum nudum

fero tui sceleris.

Unwilling to let go, the body rebelled. It's one last stand before the inevitable .

The turmoil and pace in his beloved music assailed his senses, and he was filled with euphoria. The man's agony fuelled Amos, sending every nerve ending to the heights of bliss. This part he revelled in; the escalating tempo only further enhanced the experience.

The only thing that could top the rapture filling his body and soul, was if he was the one inflicting the pain.

I am in a way, he reasoned to himself. If not for me, the Legions would not have been able to emerge.

At the thought, a fission of energy pulsed through his body. The ongoing struggle held Amos at the precipice of an emotional climax. Each thrust, each spasm as pain lacerated the host from the inside out only served to push Amos further over the edge.

Sors salutis

et virtutis

michi nunc contraria,

est affectus

et defectus

As the tempo rose, so too did the struggle. Their victim was a worthy opponent. He had lasted a lot longer than the others, who had simply released their souls to the inevitable without putting up much of a fight. This one had clung onto life with everything he had. He fought back with every fibre that was in him and even then, he continued to resist when it was clear he was going to lose both the battle and the war. They all did. It was preordained that the stronger and more resilient would survive. Right now, that wasn't the human strapped to the sacrificial stone.

At long last, the mist was fully entrenched in the man's body, and the final assault would begin. Even in the dim light from the torches, he could see the veins redden and swell up from the skin as the heart pumped blood with furore though the body. The added strain of defying the invading essence would be sending all his vital organs into overdrive.

Hac in hora

sine mora

corde pulsum tangite;

sternit fortem,

mecum omnes plangite!

Amos closed his eyes as the last wave after wave of music crashed through him. All too quickly it was over.

He sighed as he pulled the buds from his ears. With the last note, so to was the battle for the host. The body was now still. The life of the man, whoever he was, was no more.

"Quick check his pulse," he said.

He'd better survive, we used up a lot of sacred blood to get him here.

Randall race over and placed two fingers against the vein in the Legion's neck. At first, his mouth set into a grim line. A moment later, he glanced at Amos.

"It's steady." Randall stood back and looked down at the Legion. "Now what?"

"Now we wait."

His second counsellor sauntered back over and took up vigil beside him.

Amos raised his eyebrows. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Randall glanced around the clearing with a confused expression. A few chosen acolytes were standing guard on the outskirts of the circle.

Amos let out a frustrated growl. It never ceased to amaze him just how stupid this generation was.

"The restraints you dolt, get them off him."

Randall slapped his forehead with the back of his palm. "I knew that."

After a few seconds, Randall still hadn't moved. "What are you waiting for? An invitation?"

When she gives me back my youth, I wonder if she will grant me powers. I'll use it to turn him into a sloth, and he'll still be the stupidest of his kind.

***

Amos felt himself being shaken before he heard Randall's urgent plea. "Brother Superior; Brother Superior I think you need to see this."

Typical, I can't even have a five-minute rest, and there's some other disaster to tend to.

Amos opened his eyes and pulled the buds out of his ears. By his count, he'd only sat for five minutes on a rock hard... rock. From experience, he still had a while to go before the Legion awoke.

It was with surprise when movement from the altar stone caught his eye.

Already?

Amos thrust his buds into his pocket, bolted upwards and checked his robes. "How do I look?" he hissed at Randall as he patted his hair, what little was left, into order.

Instead of answering, Randall looked at him with owl-like eyes, blinking in quick succession.

Amos pushed his second in command to one side. "Oh never mind, get out of my way."

By the time he reached his destination, the Legion was in a sitting position.

"Welcome," he said with a low bow. "I am Brother Superior Amos; devoted servant to the great God Leviathan and keeper of the ancient scrolls."

The Legion ignored him and scanned the immediate area.

"Ayin acuppah?"

At hearing the strange words, Amos's brows knitted into a frown. He had no idea the meaning.

"Ayin acuppah?" the Legion repeated.

Randall leant forward and said in a loud voice. "We no understand. Speak-e-da E-n-g-l-i-s-h?"

Amos groaned. "He's not deaf you imbecile!"

They were well out of their comfort zone with this new arrival. With the others, it had taken nearly an entire day before they spoke. By then, they had been exposed to many of the Order who had spoken to them non-stop in the hope they would provide the much-needed information from Leviathan.

This one spoke the moment he awoke, which was also a shorter timeframe from the others.

Just who are you? Amos had to wonder.

The Legion's eyes stopped their inspection and turned his attention back to them. Amos was caught off guard at the flash of yellow-red around his iris's. His eyes narrowed, and he pierced them with a cold stare.

Amos cleared his throat. The otherworld being was making him nervous. "C-can you understand us?"

There was a curt nod.

"He understands us! He nodded," said Randall excitedly.

Amos drew in a deep breath. "Yes, that's generally what a nod entails you dolt." He returned his focus to the Legion. "We do not know how to speak the ancient words. You will need to communicate with us in English."

The Legion closed his eyes and reopened them a moment later. "Men. Where are my men?"

From his discussion with the others, they were able to access their host's memories, which included language.

"They are safe," Amos reassured him. "We could not risk exposure, so we sent them back before they could be missed."

Leviathan's minion didn't look convinced. "Fahim agreed it was prudent," said Amos in an attempt to appease his concern.

Perhaps if he mentioned the other Legion, this one would be a little less... large and angry looking.

"I will see him," the Legion demanded as he pushed himself off of the slab and rose to his full height.

Amos tilted his head back to look upwards and gulped. He was definitely more than six feet tall, and from this distance, his sinewy arms could crush him in a heartbeat.

"As you wish," he said as he swept his arm out in the direction of the path that would take them to where they had left their vehicles and bowed. "How should we address you?"

"General Zahir."

Amos nearly fell the rest of the distance to the ground.

Can there be more than one General Zahir?

His mind was in a panic. It was one thing to bring through Legions, but to have the legendary leader of Leviathans army in his presence was another thing entirely. He was the right hand of their Lord. Her avenger, the one that meted punishment at her will.

Amos wasn't sure whether he should be elated or worried.

Instead of moving in the direction of the exit, the general wandered around the stone structures. He stopped in front of a small tomb—the one the locals referred to as the Oracles chamber. The general reached out and placed both hands on the rock wall. Words Amos didn't recognise floated into the night, and the Legions body tremored in a small spasm.

A moment later he pulled away and stared at the wall. "You disposed of the witches?"

"Yes, the ones that we knew off," Amos answered.

"You cannot have. There is a new layer of magic."

The moment the words were out of the General's mouth, Amos tensed. The rumours were true. At first, they had ignored it. But after a while, it had come from enough sources to warrant investigation.

That bitch had fooled them all. Professor my arse!

Somehow the coven had devised a plan to get a CrossRoads witch into Salem without raising any alarm bells. It was clear that the Vampires knew about the deception. She was hidden from them in plain sight; pretending to work with the sheriff's office, all the while strengthening the barrier.

Another example of Randall's incompetence.

The general reached out and touched the rock again. "Strange."

"What?"

"The magic is old."

Amos was confused. "I thought you just said it was new?"

"The power was laid across the doorway recently. The source of the magic is old; strong."

Spurning into action, the general strode towards the path that would lead to the exit. "After I meet with Fahim, you will take me to your slaves. I need hosts for my men," said General Zahir without breaking stride.

"Slaves? What sl—"

Amos stared daggers at Randall, who took the hint and stopped mid-sentence.

"Much has changed since you walked the earth. We no longer keep slaves; it is frowned upon."

This got the general's attention and he halted his path. "That cannot be. Who does your bidding? Who are in service to our God? How can you have power and standing without slaves?"

Amos pinched his nose; he could feel a headache coming on. "It's a long story. For now, we need to get new hosts from the tourists that won't be missed. How many do we need?"

"Five score."

Amos nearly choked on the number. "One hundred? We need one hundred more Legions to free Leviathan? We don't have time to get that many through in time."

"That is your doing. The new-old magic requires the additional Legions. By my calculation, it will take three solar turns of the sun to meet our needs."

"How? It takes nearly a day to get you through at the moment, and we don't have enough blood left for those numbers."

"We require five score to break the barrier and open the door for Leviathan to take her rightful place as ruler and God of the earth."

"Perhaps his babel-fish translator is on the fritz," suggested Randall.

"Just shut up will you!" Amos said raising his voice.

"Shut what?" the General asked glancing around the dark path. "There is nothing open."

Amos flashed a glare at Randall as he quickly attempted to appease the Legion. "Please forgive me General, but I was speaking with my soon to be demoted Second Chancellor. We were a little concerned about how we are to bring that many Legions through."

"You still possess the ancient Leviathan cross?"

"Yes."

"And the witch's blood?"

"Yes, but—"

The general resumed his march down the well-worn path. "Then we have what we require. The cross will strengthen the blood's power. Enough will emerge before the allotted time. We are unsure on why you did not simply use this in the first place."

Amos was gobsmacked. The cross, an ancient and revered artifact, had been the symbol of their belief for thousands of years. There was nothing in the scriptures of its power or any suggestion on its use in the parchments he had deconstructed.

"Much knowledge has been lost over the millennia," Amos said as they finally broke through to the clearing that led to the carpark. "This was information I was not in possession of."

Amos indicated towards his car still reeling from the revelation. "It will take us thirty minutes to reach our destination. Fahim awaits you at the estate."

Zahir cocked his head and raked his eyes across the carpark. "Where are the chariots?"

Randall let out a snort. "Why do they all ask that?"

Turning you into a sloth is too good for you. But first, I need to take care of that witch before the host quota triples.

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📎A/N. OMG! They need another one hundred?? ....And Leviathan has sent through her general to lead her little army to get her out!  This does not sound good!

To top it off, it looks like Keira is in trouble now. However, it was what she was hoping for so at least something's going their way... perhaps. What do you think??

And for those of you who listened to the music.. did you think it went well with the scene?? For some reason, this piece stuck in my head when I was writing the chapter.

In case you are wondering. Strawberry Moon is a very real thing and is quite rare. Some of you would have seen it earlier this year. The last time it occurred was 68 years ago. I have taken liberties with the Strawberry Moon to also co-inside with a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. This particular event did occur... however there was a couple of months between the two.

Don't forget to vote! It really makes my day :)

Till next time, take care...

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