Chapter 10-1

Chapter 10-1

 

The Downing’s stunned as a cool breeze whipped through her hair. Martha nearly petrified looking at this woman sitting across from her. “This can’t be Aunty M it can’t be.”

Nathaniel slowly rises from his chair in a soft warm glow about his face, his eyes sparkle sits next to Margaret. “We talked about this, remember?” Taking her hand as the soft warm gentle breeze entered the room.

Aunty M feels calm, turns looked into his eyes. “Now I remember,” as she brushed her hand against his cheek as a tear slowly falls. “Is it that time already?” As he wiped the tear from her cheek with his soft hands.

“Yes,” as he slowly nods, “you are among friends, we have work to do and were all by your side.”

Her eyes soften glistening with star lights of amber. Her lips soft as rose petals and bright red, as a red, red rose; Aunty M slowly turns around facing the Downings. “Please forgive me of my ruddiness. I did not mean to frighten you. Time is short for me here I’m afraid and soon I must go. For I am the dawn and the light, that points the way to what must be found and lead the way. I am who that sounds the battle cry as it rings true as it is heard across the fields? I’m the taker and granter of life, providing peace to all that need it, both in light and in the darkness. For it is I that the trumpet has called. Now my secret must at all cost remain with you so does my true mask of time shield thee.”

With a wave of her hand she becomes as they remember Aunty M in the flesh sipping her Joe sitting on the couch by an old friend. “Now then. Where we?” As she laughed patting Wayne on the knee. “That’s right Jaydan was about to tell us a story as I remember,” gazing about the room…..

* * *

 

Destiny awaking with her few last breaths, severally beaten by Morgan as she gathered the last of her strength, “EJ, don’t give up hope my son, for they are coming as the time draws near.”

EJ looked up from his hard stone bed with tears in his eyes as a figure of a woman stands in his cell bright as the noonday sun comes near to him. She smiles takes him by the hand looks deep into the eyes his very soul. “For they love you still,” as she placed her hand on his heart. “May it give you endless strength my child for I must go, it is my time.” The room echoed leaving a sweet kiss on the boy's cheek, a reminder of a mother's love.

Once again EJ remains in darkness, but with new hope as the surge of life instilled in him, thinking of his family the Downings. “Yes. I must wait for them and not give up.” Eating the disgusting food that is brought before him, brushing off the maggots onto the floor of the cell spitting out the rotten parts of meat, EJ knew he must survive. Not just for himself, but for the Downing’s that await him.

Morgan in the inter-chamber fuming, “Must I do everything myself?” Breathing hard as he yelled down at the Captions in the room. “You could not even do what I asked.” Morgan raising them off their feet as he crushed their windpipe with a simple wave of his hand while they choked in mid-air.

“You could not find their new witch or the boys,” as his eyes turned bright red. “How dare you face me empty-handed,” watching the smoke rise from their bodies as they fell to the ground screaming in pain as they burst into flame where they once stood. Morgan tossed his books onto the floor from his desk, eyes burning red hot as he looked towards New Downing yells back, “burn it to the ground,” at the remaining guardsmen’s and Captions in the room.

The prison guard walked into the room announcing that one of the prisoners has died “which one you fool?” Morgan asked.

“The woman my Lord,” he replied.

“You fool,” Morgan raises him off the floor choking then released him tossing him into a corner without care; quickly stormed down to the cells in a heated rage, staring at the corpse below him.

The boy merely laughs at him from a distance with his back against the wall of his cage. “They're coming for you Morgan,” EJ said as he looked into those red glowing eyes, “and now there nowhere you can hide.”

“Let them come, boy!” Morgan rants on. “It makes no differences, for I am the one that has the most power. They mean nothing to me boy, neither does your town or that so-called family as I watch it burn to the ground in ashes from this very spot. For tonight we celebrate a victory. You will learn that you are mine forever.” 

EJ yelled at the top of his lung. “You can’t,” pleading.

Morgan laughed as he climbed the staircase to his lofty tower. His men gathered in ranks just below in the courtyard below. Captions giving orders as they march through the gate towards New Downing with Morgan watching from above. “Yes. This will be a night to remember,” looking across the empty desolate fields. “They’ll never see it coming, those fools.” 

Black clouds following filled with dark shadow riders as they march, lightning cress crossing against the sky. The regiment was on the move as the drum beats, the ground shakes around them, Morgan dark cloth waving high wearing their shrouds of many colors.  Small dark daggers by their sides while they carry their various staffs of weapons of choices, Wagons filled with torches and hay for burning and carts for prisoners for sacrifices.

They had 2000 men and women poised and ready for war as they gleam cold harden steel staring down the field. Knowing if they came back they were dead if the job was not finished as the hate fills them with more glory. Knowing also if they come back to their master with there job well done. “Sit with me by the fire. I shall give you more than you can ever wish for.” Repeating over and over in their mind as their greed and power makes them hunger for more.

The Judge of Time looked across the field and the darkening sky, “easy men.” Hiding in the thickets “were only going get one chance to surprise them,” And then sending off a runner back towards town to warn Nathaniel and Jaydan to start protecting the town by any means necessary.

The Judge spreading the word down the line among his troops as they cast silently, placing their rods together among them as they stretched forth their arms, a warm glow starts slowly to rises from the ground to the sky. With a nod of his head. Judge of Time with his rod in his hand raised shouts with the light of thunder that breaks the sky “Now!!”

His men of 10,000 leaping from the ground as if shot from a cannon. Light riders brighter than the sun and brilliant than the stars themselves racing in the sky. Running towards the darkness as it clashes among them carrying the banner of light for the common good.

The minions of Lord Morgan screaming out in terror as they approach them from all sides with nowhere to run, some laughed as they took up their battle cry for “to die for our Master is the greatest gift of all,” the hate-filled them with glory. Charging into battle around them, raising the battle flag of death eaters of many colors, their eyes glowing with hate a wave of anger as they strike staff upon staff with loud crackle, for it is them that must die.

Captions yelling orders to their troops in the ranks push forward on either side. The Judge of Time and another group of his men holding in place the barrier making sure nobody gets through to the other side, making gateways impossible from this location. Sending more men as needed to his Captions when they require them watching while fighting a few attackers off himself.

No one escaped as they surround the battlefield capturing the remaining few as prisoners of war, bound them in chains, taking them back, under close guard for questioning. The Judge of Time ordering that field be swept clean of battle not so much as a hair left behind raising his staff as they bow. Picking up the bodies placing them on a burn pile the rotten ones, taking the injured back and their dead back with them…… 

* * *

 

Morgan looked out the window from the distance sees smoke rising he laughs, “victory at last.”

EJ sat on the hard stone bed thinking of his family and random thoughts going through his mind, worrying about them and New Downing; not seeing Jeff slide into the cells looking for him. Jeff poking his head down in the dungeons of Morgan.  Jeff sees EJ in his cell bound in chains in one of the cells, notices they have yet to remove the body of Destiny. Sadden by the loss of a good friend. He paused just for a moment cursing Morgan name.

Jeff makes his way next to EJ keeping a close eye on the staircase gives him a soft nudge. EJ seems to be in some sort of trance as Jeff looked into his eyes he can see that time is running out he must get him out soon. Jeff placed his arms around him whispers louder in his ears then looks straight into his eyes as EJ shirks back further against the wall.

Jeff understands looking up the flight of stairs remains where he is. “EJ, it’s alright.” He said looking up the staircase. “Just hang on just a little bit longer, your bothers will find you and bring you home. Morgan is losing the battle and your family is out of danger. I think.”

EJ nods as they both watched the top of the staircase. “I’d take you now if I could, but my power is limited inside here, we didn’t even know if I could even get in, but I had to try. You see those chains that hold you are held by dark shadow magic. That’s why Destiny could not break them she was not strong enough. The only one powerful enough beside Morgan himself would be Nathaniel or possibly Jaydan.

“Right now Nathaniel is watching the town of New Downing with Jaydan by his side. Making sure that Morgan doesn’t make any more attacks and we have guards of our own surrounding this place so he won’t leave. Now we just have to figure out a way to sneak you out of here and soon.”

Jeff watching the stairs sees the piles of disgusting rotten food. Jeff sits with EJ for awhile keeping him company until Morgan gleaming with a smile on his face comes to report of his victory, hoping to destroy EJ and break his spirit at last.

Jeff quickly hides in the next cell in the shadows unseen. “It’s all over boy,” Morgan red eyes piercing bright red, “your town, your precious family; gone just like I said it would. Your mine.” laughing, “all mine with nowhere to run,” grinning from ear to ear.

“My Lord Morgan,” Caption running down the stairs in a haggard manner badly wounded, “we were ambushed, my Lord. About halfway to town, I plus three others are the only ones that made it back alive my Lord… everyone else is dead.”

“What?” Morgan turned around in fury, his eyes burned gripping the man’s throat lifting him off the ground. “I saw the smoke, the flames burning in the distances,” shake him like a dead twig in the air then throwing him to the ground.

The man gasping for air on the ground, “they were burning bodies, my Lord,” choking trying to gather his breath.

“And to think yours was not among them.” Morgan searing the flesh of the man as he screams, “forgive me,” rising his hand in pain. For there was no forgiveness in Morgan's eyes as he watched the man die before him crashing the reminder of his life as he crushes his skull into the ground with his foot. Turning to the guardsmen, “clean up this mess this place isn’t fit for pigs,” tossing their table down the stairs.

“Yes my Lord.” They cried out. Not waiting for him to pass vengeance on them.