The Sorcerer's Shadow

Chain of Eternity 

Chapter 2

Mia's horrific scream echoed throughout the Mystic Relic shop, rattling Zayn's brain. He watched her body convulse violently, a grotesque dance of pain and fear. Her arms and legs stomped stomping against the mattress she lay upon.

Zayn's heart ached watching her. "You've fought through the darkness to get here. Don't give in now. Focus!" His words were a mix of command and heartfelt plea.

Idris stood close, his face etched with worry. "Hey, Mia, ya got a bro, right? Fight for em

Zayn reached out, wanting to comfort her, his fingers grazing her skin; however, he recoiled instantly. The heat emanating from her was like touching a furnace. 

Even worse, the heat began to melt the mattress, releasing a pungent smell similar to that of burnt rubber or plastic. The smell perforated around the room, causing the boys' faces to scrunch upon getting a whiff of it.

"We need to cool her down now!" Zayn gasped.

Without a second thought, Zayn lunged for the jar of water that Idris had given to him prior. He upended it over Mia, but the water hissed and evaporated on contact.

As if things weren't bad enough, a chilling red glow started to creep in, casting a sinister light. The whites of her eyes turned an eerie black, while her irises took on a haunting, blood-red.

Idris, wide-eyed and trembling, voiced the fear gripping them both. "Yo, Z, what's up with her?"

Zayn's forehead creased with worry, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple. 'We've faced demons before,' he muttered under his breath, 'but nothing like this.

"This is freaking me out!" Idris murmured to himself, his eyes downcasted, then they returned to Zayn's "What kinda aura's inside her?"

 "The aura... it's unmistakable. It came from a level three demon." 

"Level three?" Idris' voice cracked, the gravity of the situation dawning on him. "She won't survive this!"

Zayn's thumb found its way to his mouth. He bit on it as he pondered the situation. 'Why here? Why now?' His thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and fear.

Zayn's mind raced, piecing together the puzzle. 'Okay, think simple. Level one demons, they're the ones who can possess humans. Levels two and above? Shouldn't be possible... But wait!' A flicker of insight sparked in his eyes in a moment of sudden, startling realization.

Zayn's head darted toward Idris with a determined look. "Someone's behind this."

Idris froze upon hearing those words "What! You sure?"

"The only way a level three can harm is with the aid of a sorcerer," Zayn explained.

"Don't tell me."

"Yes." Zayn nodded regretfully. "We need to find them in order to save her."

"But how? This city's like a freakin' maze!" 

Zayn took a moment to reflect. "You said she had a brother, right?"

Before Idris could reply, a violent red aura erupted from Mia. Her reddening worsened. Her voice became demonic, sending chills down the boys' spines. 

The shop quivered under the aura's intensity. Shelves trembled precariously, their contents teetering on the edge. Zayn and Idris lunged to steady them, but it was too late. Artifacts tumbled down, their crash resonating as they shattered into pieces across the floor.

Then, the shop's front door began to shake violently as if besieged by an unseen force. "It's still here," Idris muttered, his face pale.

Zayn nodded. "Afraid so." As he looked back at Mia, he could tell time was running out. 

While staring at Mia, he noticed something peculiar—a square-shaped bulge in her pocket. "Her phone," he murmured, hope flickering in his eyes. 

'Her contacts might have some answers.' He thought to himself.

He slipped his hand into her pocket and produced the phone, but it had melted in the intense heat. A wave of despair washed over Zayn, his shoulders slumping. He stared at the ruined phone, feeling a heavy weight in his chest.

"Why'd ya need her phone?" Idris asked.

"I was trying to see if her friends or family could help us get to the bottom of this," Zayn explained.

Idris pulled out his phone. "Let me try something." He tapped furiously, his fingers a blur.

"Man." Idris groaned. "It keeps flickering on and off."

"What are doing?" Zayn asked

"Hold on."

Idris gritted his teeth as he gazed at his phone as if his life depended on it.

Then, after a brief moment, his phone repeatedly vibrated. "Got it!"

"What's going on?"

"Shot a text to my buddy. He has her bro's digits." Idris said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"So he sent it?" Zayn asked hope reigniting in his eyes

"Yeah, Let's give 'em a ring." 

He dialed the number, and the phone rang, its sound oddly discordant amidst the cacophony

"c'mon c'mon," Idris urged, his voice barely above a whisper.

The dialing continued through the chaos around.

Finally, The line clicked. "Hello?"

Silence.

"Rime?" Idris tried again.

"Who is this?" Rime had finally answered.

"Hey, I'm Idris. Your sister's with me right now, and she's lookin' pretty sick. Got any clue what's goin' on?"

"Where are you right now?"

"Mystic Relics shop on Noah Street."

An unknown voice spoke with a deeper tone, "You must be exorcists, correct?"

Those words made Zayn uncomfortable. "Yeah," Idris stammered.

"Makes sense. You've got a barrier up, don't you? That's why the possession failed."

Zayn's eyes widened in realization. He rushed and grabbed the phone ."Where are you?" He shouted.

"Will meet in due time, but first, let's address that barrier of yours." The voice said.

'Impossible! Nothing can get through that barrier, not even a level three.' Zayn's mind raced. Then, eerie music began to emanate from the phone. The sound began to resonate with shop around.

The music flowed through Zayn, Its eerie melody clawed at his soul. He started to feel lightheaded. 'What dark magic is this?' he thought, a cold dread settling in his gut.

Zayn looked toward his brother, he saw him collapse to his knees. 'Looks like he has it worse.'

'Wait, if the music drains our energy, then the barrier...' He thought to himself as his head snapped to the door, which was violently shaking. 

Zayn watched in horror as the shaking seemed to ramp up. A mighty thud nearly opened the door, followed by another. until finally, the door flew open with a deafening crash. 

In that instant, the air shifted. The enemy before them was unseen, but Zayn could feel it. He could feel something malevolent and powerful, that filled the room. 

Zayn's gaze snapped to Mia but it was already too late. He no longer sensed the demon. Rather, he sensed Mia's aura grow unfathomably stronger. 

"I failed" Zayn muttered to himself.

He realized that Mia was now fully possessed. He raised his hands prepared for what was to come.