Ashley stared down at the mass grave, and the single tombstone, engraved with the names of her fallen sisters and her mother. All of them were dead. The air was cold, and the sky clouded. She looked up and remembered. She didn't know how she did when everyone else seemed to believe a lie created by DOSA. But she did, just like she remembered Zara and the explosion. She remembered waking up in a room with orcs. She remembered the flash of light, and suddenly she was in her home. Her mother's home, but no one was around.
She had felt it, something trying to change her mind, meddle with it, but it hadn't worked. Ashley didn't know why, but she was glad. Her coven was dead, and someone was responsible. She was going to find out who, and may them pay. She looked down once more at the tombstone and allowed a single tear to fall. She didn't notice that it was black, or that it turned to steam the moment it hit the ground.
Ashley had survived, but not alone. When the ritual had gone astray, things had gone wrong, but not completely. The witch they had tired to summon had bene freed, or at least, pieces of her had, and one had sought out the nearest witch, the nearest living witch.
Deep within her soul, lay that piece, slowly beginning to corrupt. The forgtten motehr of witchesD. The queen of forgotten fire. Alariea, the ever-envious younger sister to Morrigan, and traitor to the Tuatha De Danann was now free in some form.
Like a pebble skipping across a lake, the dreamer and his book, send ripples out wherever they go. Larger and larger they will grow. The flame of man’s ambition is endless, and their capacity for dreams is boundless and infinite.
****
The demon shivered as he stared down at the phone in his hands. It rang and rang, but he was afraid to pick it up. Before he could stop himself, he clicked the accept button and put it to his ears. “Master?”
“Jeroz, so you still live?”
“Yes, master, I… My mind is muddled, but I still live.”
“Well, that is unexpected. Perhaps you aren't as weak as I thought. Your bloodline has always been unique amongst us”
Jeroz felt his rapid heart calm a little at that. “Master, I’m unsure of what to do. I remember some, but not everything.”
“I cannot explain it to you over the phone, nor will I in person. All you need to know is that the timeline is being moved up. The instability has increased and things are moving. You will return to Vegas at once.”
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
“But the object_”
“Damn it for now,” his master growled, his voice deep yet smooth. “It can wait. This is far more important, wouldn't you agree?”
“Yes, master, of course. I shall return at once.”
“Good. I do not blame you for this… compilation, and I shall give you another chance. Return and serve me well, and when this city falls, I shall grant you a piece of it to rule. Under me of course. How does that sound?”
“I would be honored, master.”
“Of course, of course. Don’t take too long, Jeroz.” Just before the call ended, Jeroz heard some feminine giggling and a moan. He sighed and felt his heart truly calm. Ever since walking up a few days ago, he had been unsure of what to do. His recent memories were a mess, and whenever he tried to piece things together, it just made more questions appear. Now, however, he could put this city and hunt behind him. He was heading home.
He smiled as he thought about it. He really did miss Las Vegas.
****
“087, your mission in Portland ends here, The Arcane Eye will be taking over.”
087 nodded, her eyes cold, and her gaze forwards as the man in an expensive suit walked around her. “But, you will not be returning to your slumber for long. There is talk of trouble in the Mojave. Your sisters are busy so you shall be deployed. You’ve never dealt with demons before. Certain upgrades will be needed.”
“I understand.”
“Good, then goodbye for now, and goodnight.”
087 felt her eyes began to drift shut, and her body slowly grow numb. In a matter of seconds, she was deep in a dreamless sleep. However, unbeknownst to her or her masters, deep within her lay the second piece of Alariea, a piece that had sought out a host incapable of being burnt by the Ashmaker. There had been few with adequate defense against such a creature, 087 had been directly targeted by the entity, but 087 had remained whole. All her power had been focused on keeping herself from burning so it had been unable to stop the sliver of soul from entering her. And after the wipe had muddled its mind, it had not remembered the soul entering. And thought her internal structure, both physical and metaphysical were beyond most of the Prime as were her senses, she was not perfect, nor the end all be all of power and magic. The sliver of soul had succeeded.
Now it lay within 087, a ticking time bomb.