The Portal - XIV

Part 1

“All is coming to pass as I have foreseen. All will be done as I have foretold. No plans left unlaid, no wishes left unsaid. I am the bearer of light and death. I will take my step into the ether and emerge as a God.”

Matthew Darrows was setting runes on the walls of his experimentation room when the vessel he had been waiting for entered the room. Emily and Matilda were already strapped to chairs and sat patiently. Their eyes were trained on the new vessel as it came closer. About the room were set runes, arcane drawings of lines and symbols, instruments for the ritual and an old tome set to the side on a table. Matthew felt the hair on his body perk up as the new man entered the room without a sound.

                “Take a seat, we are almost ready.” Matthew said over his shoulder without looking.

                Without a word the man sat next to the girls. After situating himself the two girls and the man spoke in unison. Matthew heard four voices.

                “Where is the fifth?”

                Matthew turned.

                “Wasn’t he with you?”

                The man shook his head.

                “That bastard Reginald said he had three shards. Where is he?”

                “I left him in the hall. I felt he was deemed unnecessary for the ritual.”

                “Damnit. I need to find him.”

                “Before you go, begin the ritual. So, I can shed these forms.” The two girls spoke together without the man chiming in.

                Matthew was hesitant to put more shards into one man. With its power restored the creature wouldn’t need him. The plan, as he had it in is his head, was to confine the vessels to their chairs with restraints, and the souls within by the runes etched into the seats. Thus, when the time was right, he could consume all five pieces at once. Now that the damned Reginald was roaming about his house he wasn’t sure he could keep that plan. He looked from the three vessels to his notes and felt an anxious panic fill his body. This wasn’t going to plan at all.

                With a resolve to quickly find and dispatch the man Matthew turned towards the door. Before he could step out into the hall he was pushed by a man being thrust into him from the darkness. A disheveled older man, with Reginald behind him pushing.

                “Here is your fifth piece.” Reginald said sitting the man down in a chair. He was bloodied and bruised like he had been beaten. The man couldn’t speak but Matthew didn’t care.

                “Great, no stand out of the way. I have work to do.”

                “Do you need me to stay?” Reginald asked vying for the door.

                Matthew looked up from his book for a second.

                “No. You can leave.”

                And with that admission Reginald was out the door and down the hall. Matthew returned his attention to the vessel seated around him.

                “Now, that we are all here let’s get started.” Matthew turned his attention to the book once more and began to speak. The bloodied and bruised man attempted to speak but this mouth was broken and blood spilled out.

                “Don’t try to speak. This will be done quickly.” Matthew raised his hands and began to say the words for the ritual. He felt his pulse race and his heart go wild with anticipation. The air in the room began to shift as the power needed to fulfill the ritual was being harnessed. He turned his attention to the runes as they began to glow. The two girls sat without moving and after a second slumped over as the shards vacated their bodies. In the middle of the room sat a jar etched with runes to capture the shards for the final act. Matthew watched as the two shards from the girls met in the jar and became one becoming solid and shimmering with power. The man, who held to shards inside him began to stir.

                “What is this?”

                “Insurance. I’m reforming your soul in a confined space to protect me before I consume it.”

                “Consume? I thought you were going to set me free.”

                “Why would I do such a foolish thing.” Matthew raised his hands again and neglected to see the bloodied man reach into his pocket and fumble for a piece of paper.

                With another set of words the vessel called James began to shake violently as the entity attempted to stay put. Across the room the bloodied man drew a symbol with his own blood and spoke as feebly as he could. With the muttered syllable from his mouth the jar in the middle of the room shattered and the shards retreated to James. The man, now holding within him four pieces of the entity broke free from his bonds and stood before Matthew. The violence in his eyes, the violence in his movements. The jerking, the twitching, it was all too horrifying for Matthew to watch. He had mere seconds to finish his ritual before the vessel was upon him. He felt the right hand wrap around his throat. And the air start to grow stale in his lungs.

                What has happened, he thought, all my planning turned to this?

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