Memories of the Forgotten

Another short chapter... well short in my own opinion anyway. Don't worry, I'll make up for it soon... promise. Next time, a fight like no other!

Chapter 12


The room was covered in a lush, velvety carpet, the walls painted a bright red. Inside were toys of all kinds, a child's dream come true, from small wooden puppets to cute little dolls. They sat all around waiting to be played with, yet they had never once been moved. The only occupiant that was in this room never touched them once. She was far too scared.

Monica was sitting in a rather large bed under silk bedsheets. She only glanced around this room, her tears long since stopped falling when she realized that her father wasn't anywhere near her. In fact the only other person who came into this room came in with food, and although she was naturally afraid of this stranger, she couldn't deny her body a warm meal.

As such, she refused to leave the bed, only looking at the wonderful things all around her that begged to be played with, wanting someone's care and love. The door to the room opened as a man walked in.

"Awake I see."

Monica quickly hid her head under the sheets, earning a chuckle from the man. "No need to be afraid little one. I'm not here to hurt you." Monica peeked behind where she was hiding to see he was carrying a tray with some food. Her stomach grumbled hungrily for it, but she didn't feel comfortable eating with him in the room, so she waited. Normally when she saw him he only placed the food down on a small table seemingly made just for her, then left as if nothing else mattered. However, this time he looked to her, not wanting to leave.

"I...I want my daddy..."

The man smiled to her, one that tried to be reasurring, yet for some reason Monica knew not to trust that smile. There was something else there, something she couldn't quite place that told her not to believe it. "Now now, you'll be fine. Do not worry, you will be seeing your father again very soon. Knowing him, he will undoubtly be heading here, though he may not yet know it. You see, I sent him an... invitation."

Truthfully, sending someone to capture his daughter was hardly worth calling it an 'invitation', but this man knew of no other guarantee to get John Aaron here. He was sure, almost positive in fact, that he held a secret so precious and well hid, he probably had no idea the true magnitude of it. But it was something he needed, and with only ten days left until the ritual, it would be needed soon.

Though the Forbidden Seal could be performed almost anytime, it's powers were said to have been greatest on the first night of the new moon, when the sky above was dark much like the power of the spell. He needed the spell circle to be written in demon's blood, something Hieas would definately play a later role in, once he had extracted all other usefulness beforehand. Then of course, was the soul.

A pure soul, one that lay holy and undisturbed. One that was untouched and unsoiled. It was the main reason he chose her, why she was here now. Why he could not hurt her, spill her blood or beat her. He had to be extremely patient with the child, at least until the ritual. If she was harmed in any way before her soul was to be sacrificed, all his planning, years of research and hard work, would be a complete waste.

The girl had started to sob again, and he longed to find a way to make her stop, short of actually feeling any compassion to her.

"Sir I- Oh."

Both the man and the girl turned to the person who entered the room. "What do you want Elno. I am trying to be hospitable here, and you rudely barge in." His voice was calm, but there was a slight malice to his voice that the man, Elno, caught.

"He is about a day from our meeting point. I wanted to let you know when we should get her ready."

Both of them looked back to Monica, who had hidden herself under the bedsheets again, suddenly very afraid of what they had in mind. She knew her dad would come rescue her. He could use magic to beat them up. He would save her...

"Later. Let her relax a bit more." He stood up and walked to the doorway casually turning back. "Looks like you get to see your father much sooner then you thought."

Both of them left, leaving Monica all alone once more. Mommy... Daddy... please... I wanna go home...


Outside of the furnished room was a hallway made entirely of stone as if it resided in some underground world or dungeon. The dark pathway was lighted every few feet by a single torch, glowing brightly in it's attempts to drive back the ever present darkness. Elno and the man walked through these halls, passing between light and show as they traveled.

"Hieas has already returned?"

"Yes sir. He claims not to have run into any trouble as of yet..."

"I don't expect him to. All I expect him to do is give up some blood for me. Anything else would fall under the class of 'taking adantage' of him" he added with a slight smirk. "Of course, I do expect some resistance from them. After all, with such power they command, it is only a matter of time..."

"What do you suggest we do sir?" Elno said.

"If the time comes... I will take charge is all."

"You? But are you sure that's-"

"That is my decision. Now excuse me Elno." Elno watched him walk away. Truthfuly, Elno didn't care much about all this. If he hadn't found him when he did, Elno probably would have died. He was doing this as a job and getting the few comforts that had been denied to him for some time. But mostly he was out to prove something. Something that he could only prove when he fought those with magic, much like his own fight with John.

I can't wait for a rematch... then I'll show you what real power is.