Chapter 24: A Bargain
After changing everyone’s memories of the event, the draconi used their powers to convince everyone to leave. It was the Draconi who used their magic to restore the castle and to gather up the pieces of what had once been Merlin, Arthur, and Guinevere. They also cleaned up the blood.
A week later, everyone was called back for the service. Virgil reluctantly told Grace what had happened, leaving out the parts about Blue becoming a dragon and Raven speaking. Zana shut herself up in the cottage and only came out for the funeral.
When Zana had shut herself up inside the cottage, she discovered some of her father’s notebooks. One of them had been labeled with a strange symbol. An upside down triangle had been placed on top of a regular one. There was a line going through the middle of the two triangles, creating two smaller ones inside the bigger ones.
Inside the notebook, Zana found that there were even more symbols inside it. Under each symbol were notes.
On one page, the top of it was labeled Lilith’s symbol. The symbol was an omega. Zana was surprised to find that she recognized it, remembering that Morgana had had that symbol carved into her chest.
Below the symbol were more notes.
Summoning: I’m not sure how to summon her. I have never tried them and I don’t think I will though Samuel admitted that it is possible, but it is not possible to summon him however.
Possible ways to summon: Since summoning the other Elements requires making their symbol out of their element, it would only make sense for the same thing to be required for Lilith.
1. Make symbol out of bones, not sure if the bones must be fresh or long dead. Also do not know if animal bones would suffice instead of human, but being the former goddess of death in general, it should.
2. Make symbol out of blood. This would be the easier option, as long as it would just be an animal. If human blood were to be required, the better option would be number one.
These notes are only theoretical and only if ever, under the absolute worst and desperate circumstances should this ever be attempted.
There was no doubt in Zana’s mind that it was Morgana who had told Mordred to kill her father. And thus, if she wanted her father back, then Morgana would be the only one to go to.
So, after the funeral was over, Zana stole a black horse from the Royal stables which she rode out of Camelot during the night. She rode for a whole day without rest before stopping in a village. It was there that she stayed for a few hours to sleep. She bought herself a wagon and three large pigs, which she placed inside the wagon.
Zana rode again for the rest of the day. Once the sun had begun to set, Zana dismounted the horse, undoing him from the wagon. Zana then led both the horse and pigs by hand further into the woods that had surrounded the path that they had been on.
Zana walked for about an hour before she stopped. She tied the horse’s reins to a nearby tree and did the same for the pigs. Using her magic, she created a trench that was about a foot deep and a foot wide in the shape of an omega.
Zana then took one of the pigs and led it to the left side of the omega. Zana cast a levitation and sleeping spell over the pig, making it hover over the trench.
Zana pulled a knife free from her belt that she had brought from the cottage. It had been Merlin’s who claimed that it had been given to his mother by his father. It was with this knife that Zana gutted the pig before turning it on it’s stomach so the blood would cover the trench.
Zana repeated this act with the other two pigs, doing one at the top of the arch of the omega and the last one on the right side. Zana left the carcasses in the trench as well. Once the deed was done, Zana stood at the end of the omega, facing the open part of it.
Zana’s face and arms were covered in blood but she didn’t care that much. Her eyes were narrowed in concentration as she hesitantly kneeled down. “Fires of my heart; Ignite. Death, embrace thy warmth.” The last sentence had not been in the notebook, but for some reason, the words felt right to Zana and so she said them.
Zana watched with wide eyes then as the blood came up out of the trench and gathered in the middle of the omega where it then took on the shape of Lilith.
It seems you weren’t as hopeless as I thought. Lilith’s voice was quiet, like a whisper, further proving that she wasn’t really there.
“I want them back.” Zana said, ignoring Lilith’s comment and trying to fight tears as the images of what she had found in the palace flashed in her mind.
Lilith’s laughter caused the bloody form to ripple slightly. Then she looked down at Zana with a smirk. You’re even more naive than your sisters!
“You’re the goddess of death. You can bring them back. I know you can. Bring them back and I’ll let your son live.” Zana growled, becoming slightly frustrated.
I was the goddess of death. My powers are diminished now. The only thing I can do is resurrect the remains of bodies, though they lack their souls. The souls are Samuel’s domain. And you know what happens to them then. Besides, threatening my son is hardly going to make me do what you wish, Daughter. In case the events of Merlin’s death were any indication.
Zana’s hair burst into flame as a tear fell down her cheek. Deep down, though she didn’t want it to be, she knew that what Lilith said was true about her not being able to bring Merlin back. But there was one thing she could do in revenge. And so, Zana raised her glowing purple eyes and glared at the bloody apparition of Lilith. “We’ll see about that.”
Grace stood on the back porch of Merlin’s cottage staring out at the woods. She was dressed in a plain yet regal light blue dress with her crown resting on top of her white hair. In her hands, she held a drawing that she had once made of her, Zana, and Merlin. They were little more than stick figures, with Zana having purple and green flames for hair. Grace had been only six when she made it.
“Angel?” Virgil came out onto the porch and sighed a bit in relief when he found his wife. He wrapped an arm around her waist as he came out to stand next to her on the porch. He glanced down at the drawing and noticed that the paper had been stained by some of Grace’s tears. “Oh, Angel, I’m sure she’s okay.”
“I know.” Grace sniffed as she reached up and wiped away some of her tears. “But she’s still in pain. She does reckless things when she’s in pain . . . I should’ve spent more time with him.”
Virgil pulled Grace close and she rested her head on his shoulder. “Our children will never get to know them.”
Virgil glanced away at the woods, tears welling up in his eyes as he ran a hand through Grace’s hair. He was far too aware of that fact, not too mention that he had failed to protect Grace from Mordred. His own wife and child.
All of a sudden, the silence that had only been broken by Grace and Virgil’s tears was broken this time by Raven who ran out there to join them and began barking, facing the woods. Grace and Virgil both glanced down at the wolf and noticed that Raven was wagging his tail happily.
Grace and Virgil followed his gaze just as a few moments later, Zana entered the clearing on the black horse that she had stolen. As soon as she entered the clearing, she dismounted the horse, not meeting Grace’s gaze though she was well aware of her younger sister’s presence.
“Zana!” Grace shouted relieved at the sight of her sister. She dropped the drawing in her hand and ran quickly over to her sister. Zana allowed her legs to finally give up on her and she almost knocked Grace to the ground before she gained a little strength so Grace could lower themselves properly down while still holding Zana close.
“I wanted him back. I wanted them back.” Zana said as she buried her face in Grace’s shoulder, fiery tears gathering in her eyes.
Grace tightened her hold on her older sister, tears gathering in her own eyes. “I know, Zanie. I know. It’s okay. I love you, Zanie.”
“I love you too.” Zana replied, wrapping her arms around Grace as well. Then, Zana pulled back, placing her hand on Grace’s cheek as she looked into her sister’s ice blue eyes. Eyes that had been their father’s. Zana realized that Grace was all she had left and therefore, Zana wouldn’t let anyone hurt her. “I won’t let anyone take you from me too.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Grace replied, placing her pale hand over Zana’s.