Chapter Five

As the wagon rode off to the cave. Melissa pondered about what she had seen in Cassandra's closet. She came to realize that she had been an awful mother. When Edgar died, she was supposed to pay more attention to Cassandra but no, she was still distant. Maybe if they were close, her daughter would have confided in her. Melissa was mourning her husband for years instead of her to move on and help her daughter recover from trauma. She let her daughter wonder off into the woods, play in lakes, do all sort of things she was not there to supervise. Now Cassandra's life was in danger and it was all because of her.

The wagon finally stopped a few meters away from the cave of Zarieth. She paid him and ran off with cassandra. The rock was slightly huge. It was placed in the mist of short grasses and stunted trees, far away from the people of Tiwan. There was a clear path anyone who had eyes would follow. Melissa walked till she got to the entrance of the cave.

It was very dark and she could barely see the bats that hung upside down. As she walked from afar she could see a trace of light coming from the left side of the cave. Immediately she turned to the left, she saw the dark woman.

"I felt your presence so I-" her voice drifted away when she saw cassandra.

"What happened to her?" She asked carrying her into her arms

"I don't really know but I was told she attacked someone" said Melissa as she followed from behind. The woman had turned the cave into her home, inside was not so different from a house.

"Don't follow me!" The woman said entering her bed room. She dropped down a thick maroon curtain to cover them

The woman who was called Luz, placed Cassandra on a wine and golden mat that was on the floor. She knelt before her, opening her eyes wider.

Cassandra's eyes were anthracite, and so was her sclera, the white part of her eyes. Some parts of her red hair was soacked in blood because of the small injury on the back of her head.

luz used her hand to open Cassandra's mouth, so she could bring out the scanty branch of small green grapes. She stared at the grape fruit that was painted with some strokes of blood red, also her teeth. Her set of teeth looked normal and luz, wondered how they could have cause someone to bleed like that.

Time was not on her side. She immediately picked out four big candles. She placed two on the edge of the mat, with Cassandra's head in the middle. She placed the other two at the bottom edge, on the same length with Cassandra's feet. She then lit both four of them.

luz knelt down by her feet and started muttering some incantations. The smoke that came out of four candles crawled it's way into Cassandra's mouth and she inhaled them . After some minutes, her eyes slowly closed and then the candles seized to shed light.

Meanwhile Melissa had made herself comfortable on a futon that was covered with a big black scarf. Everywhere was lightened up by strangely big candles. The place had a spicy scent and the room was surprisingly spacious. There was a big cylinderic white stone that sat in the mist of the futons. The rocky walls were covered by huge thick red wrappers that had unknown golden markings on them.

She kept looking around to see other things she had never seen before. After some time Luz came out and sat beside Melissa.

"I did not properly introduce myself. I am Luz and I am a Sorceress" she said handing out her hand for a hand shake.

Melissa looked down at the fingers towards her. They were long and had plenty silver rings on them. "Melissa" she said and finally shook her. She cleared her throat. "Is she alright? What of the injury at the back of her head? Her eyes?"

" Take it easy" Luz chuckled lightly " The cut can heal by itself. For now, I have brought her back to her right state of mind. She is asleep. Someone had probably hit her head with a stone, she passed out normally like anyone would, nothing spiritual. But the thing is, she was not herself before that violent act and I am afraid what I have done might not last long."

"How can she not be herself?"

She sighed and gave an understanding smile " There are so many things you do not know and I would have to explain but there are so many things I also don't know. That is why I need the book to guide me"

Melissa quickly handed her the book.

luz slowly wrapped her long fingers around it. She took her time to touch every single crystal embedded on the hard cover. " I thought I would never live so long to behold such greatness"

Melissa leaned forward to get a closer look.

" What greatness are you talking about"

Her smile was now reaching her temples

" This is no ordinary book. This book owns great power, that is now inside your daughter. Past kings have used it to win so many wars and they conquered nations. But with great power comes great responsibilities, risk, tribulations and the rest. Everybody wants to feel like a god and with this book that dream can come true. We do not have much time. I need to read this" she said and left immediately.

Melissa sighed as she relaxed. At least Cassandra was okay now, her heart could rest. Although she wished she could see her, so she would apologize for being the worst mother but Luz had already left. Melissa was so tired but her soul was at peace, she dozed off and soon fell asleep.

luz kept reading further. Further, further and further as her eyes glowed with interest. As she flipped every page she would touch it and trace the writings, written in black ink, with a beautiful cursive hand writing. She heard that the book was written by the devil to seal up the curse. It was written in a familiar language that most people could read. Finally she got to the last page. When she was done, she held the ox blood book against her chest. The book was amazing to her, every word. She thought of keeping book but she could not, she had to save Cassandra instead. She hoped that when Cassandra becomes Queen, she would remember her and grant her freedom so she can live amongst the people.

It was past midnight when Luz came over to wake Melissa. Melissa yawned as she cleaned her sleepy eyes. " Is she awake now?" She asked

" I haven't checked on her yet but I need to discuss something with you first"

Melissa nodded attentively " I'm listening"

Luz took a in a deep breath and then started

" This book" she said lifting it up " Is a curse called clausum daemoniorum in latin which means locked demons. These demons, are eaters of souls. Only souls can satisfy them. They possessed your daughter when she found this book and that is the reason why she acted the way she did earlier. She is a host for this demons and they'll reveal their through form in her so she would feed them souls"

As she talked, Melissa held her breath.

" How can we cast them out?"

" That's the problem, it can not be undone. You cast them out, you cast her soul out. Her soul and them have become one, for now till they are ready to eat her. That is why we must make this beneficial to us" she pointed out.

" It is a curse book because this demons are actually cast under a spell to worship and be controlled by mortals. If you do not know how to use the book and gain it's privileges, the demons would take advantage of your ignorance and devour your soul. "

Melissa's head was throbbing, everywhere was spinning. Too much demon talk. She touched her neck and noticed she was running temperature. She still nodded slowly to Luz

" Do you need water? Food?. You don't look alright"

She spoke with her dying voice " Am I suppose to look alright? You just told me my daughter is dying and there is nothing I can do about it"

"You have to pay attention and understand" she said standing up to get a cup of water.

When Melissa drank it, she felt a little bit relieved. It replenished a dead side of her and her voice became audible. " What sort of water is this? " She asked gulping another drink.

" It's from the rock. Very healthy and refreshing. Now as I was saying. This is not that bad, it has it's demerit and merit. The demerit is that Cassandra will die but everybody on earth will die one day so that is still quite normal so it just depends on how long she can last. Another demerit is that the powers she shall own can attract some unwanted enemies that would want to steal what she has " Luz paused " The merit is that Cassandra would be powerful and with the powers her demons would give her, she can attain whatever she wants, be whatever she wants but for her to have that benefit she has to..." her eyes drifted away and then back to Melissa " She has to let her demons feed on her one true love"

The cup almost fell from Melissa " one true love? I have not seen my daughter with any male, I do not think-"

" True love does not depend on gender. For what I have witnessed, YOU are her one true love"

"Me?" Her mind had been blown away, so fast she might not recover.

Luz helped her with the cup and dropped it on the stone.

Melissa chortled sadly. She wanted to make herself believe that she did not hear well, but she did. " I just...I-I just made up my mind to be a better mother she had always wanted and now to save her life, I would have to die?"

" Precisely. And if you do that you would become the best mother any one can ask for. So you are killing two birds with one stone"

"Are you kidding me?"

" No" she said opening the book " You can read it yourself"

" And there is no way out of this?"

She looked at Melissa " Only one true love and you are all she has"

Melissa bit her lips, holding back her tears

" It's my fault"

" No! It's destiny. If you do not feel better, I can make you some tea"

Melissa ignored her offer, " So how would the demons feed on me?"

" I would tell you when you are ready since you do not feel well, like a heroine should. I shall make you some tea" she said and left.