The McCallister Curse Pt. 03

Taking her spell book, she'd hidden herself away, tucking into a ball down in the back corner of the room. Trying to fill as small a space as possible she had created an illusion. A simple barrier that made anyone looking at it simply see an image of the conjurer's choice. She'd originally chosen it as her spell to learn when she thought she could run from Sara.

Tapping the air in a square before her, she'd focused and strained, fighting to will her illusion into existence. A barrier to show only stone walls and an empty corner.

She'd finished with barely a second to spare, the spell fighting against its own creation before popping into being. Her illusion hiding her away just as one of the doors was roughly slammed open and a squat man baring an assault weapon of some sort burst into the room.

With trained precision, the man checked the corners, scanning the whole room with unwavering focus, the barrel of his gun sweeping around in clear arcs.

She'd been unable to help herself, flinching as the deadly steel passed its way over her hidden corner, praying the movement didn't ruin her illusion.

The soldier was in the room for less than a minute, but it had felt like an age had passed. Waiting for a count of one hundred before releasing her spell, she'd listened intently for any sign he was coming back before dropping the illusion.

Returning to her new spell, she'd been close to conjuring the small ball of lightning the book described in the palm of her hand when the door opened again. There had been no warning, no time to hide, the intruder being incredibly quiet, only the slight creak of the door's hinges giving them away.

To her relief it had been Constance. The elderly abbess sneaking into the library far better than a woman such as she should have been able.

Spying her still in the library, the older woman had rushed over to her.

"Oh Audrey, praise the Lord you're alright," she gushed.

"Constance! What the fu... What is happening? Who's attacking us?" she'd exclaimed, catching her language for the nun even in her anxious state.

The abbess had enveloped her in a hug, embracing her in a warmth and sense of comfort before pulling back.

"I think it's the Greys. They're the best equipped to have found you and Sara so fast and to have attacked so quickly.

"Plus, I haven't seen or heard any spellcasters. They would be the only force in the city to go into battle without them," the abbess had explained.

She had wracked her brains at the mention of the Greys. Thinking back to Constance's explanation on the various families of Steelhaven, trying to recall all the information she had been given.

The Greys. The most powerful of the 5 families. They could produce an aura that prevented the use of magical powers and abilities. That made sense as to why they didn't employ their own mages.

But if it was the Greys, how had she managed to create her illusion?

She'd been about to ask Constance that very question when the library received yet more intruders. So much for being a place of quiet and contemplation.

Both she and Constance had turned and stared as one of the libraries solid oak doors swung slowly inwards, the creak of its hinge once again providing warning. Only no one appeared before the door eased shut once more.

"Who is there?" Constance had demanded almost immediately.

"I know someone is there. I know invisibility exists. Doors don't just open by themselves in my abbey."

She hadn't wasted any time. As soon as Constance spoke of invisibility, she knew someone was trying to get the drop on them.

Calling forth her will, she had shaped her new spell, a ball of lightning designed to shock and incapacitate.

Muttering the required words under her breath, she had thrust forth her hand, expecting to see crackling energy launch itself towards her target. Instead, it felt like she punched an invisible wall. The spell dying on her fingertips, unable to form.

Utter shock had filled her, she had been so sure of herself, sure of the spell saving them.

Like a veil being lifted, the infiltrators had revealed themselves after her failure.

They were twins. Almost identical twins. One of them spoke.

"My name is Elizabeth Grey, and you are going to tell me where to find Sara McCallister."

And that was where Audrey still found herself. In the library of Saint Avacine, facing down the barrel of a stun gun pointed at her face and with her newfound sorcery dead and useless, she studied her foes.

Two women. Twins. Greys.

Constance had been right. The Greys had found them.

Both women were tall. Probably taller than her and definitely taller than Sara. Though they both wore the same set of fatigues and armoured vests she could still tell bodies were tight and firm, their legs long and lithe. The only differences she could discern were in their hair, demeanour, and face.

The one who had spoken -- Elizabeth -- had long chestnut coloured hair that was currently pulled back into a single long ponytail. She was full of confidence, brash and smirking down her nose at them from behind the stun gun she had pointed at her and Constance.

The other twin looked physically the same as her sister but had her similarly coloured hair kept up in a messy bun and a pair of circular, black-framed glasses sat upon her nose. Audrey couldn't help herself. Immediately picturing the demurer twin bent over a desk, the slutty librarian fantasy playing out in her mind's eye as Sara slammed her cock into the prone form beneath her, the twin's short skirt hiked up around her waist as she obediently took her Mistress' cock into her hot pussy.

Audrey shook her head. The effects of Sara's curse were very obviously changing how she thought about things. She wouldn't have considered the twins bodies so thoroughly without it, she was sure. Or desired them so much. She was wet and ready just from that simple daydream.

Elizabeth spoke again, breaking Audrey's reverie.

"I said, you are going to tell me where to find Sara McCallister."

Constance spread her hands wide, showing that she didn't want trouble, trying to placate the demanding woman.

"Peace child.

"Sara who? McCallister? I don't know anyone of that name here."

Elizabeth sneered at them.

"Don't bother lying to us Abbess, I know that is Audrey Scott," she declared pointing at the blonde.

"Best friend and room-mate of one Sara McKenzie, real name Sara McCallister. If she is here than so is Sara, and if she isn't then she will know where my sister and I should go next."

Constance's peaceful demeanour disappeared as Elizabeth revealed the extent of her knowledge.

"Be gone from here you silly girl. The church has offered shelter and sanctuary to these women. You and yours would be best served leaving while you have the chance.

"The church does not suffer trespasses lightly. Your father is going to pay dearly for this."

If the sudden anger filling the abbess unnerved Elizabeth or the threat of the church's retaliation scared her, she didn't show it. The outburst dismissed as if it were nothing but empty air.

"Hahahah, you think the Greys are scared of your church?

"No one can touch us!

"I need to find the girl, and I will have her!" she told them.

Audrey was surprised at her intensity. She knew Sara was important from what Constance had explained, but this, this was more than she had expected.

"What do you want with Sara?" she demanded.

The other twin, the one who hadn't named herself stepped forward.

"We want to get her out of here. To take her to my Father," she said calmly.

"And why the hell -- sorry Constance -- would we tell you how to do that?" Audrey snapped back at her.

"Because if you don't my father will continue to have people killed. He will continue to come after Sara. Continue to come after you.

"You can't stop him, and he will never, ever give up. Lord Grey always gets what he wants in Steelhaven."

Audrey stopped at that. The threat of more lives lost because of her and Sara. It wasn't something that she could just shrug off.

Elizabeth stepped up as her sister finished.

"Katherine is right. Father will not stop. If you tell us where Sara is, we can get him to call off his troops. They won't have to keep going. They can stop the killing.

"All of this can stop. Please. Please tell us where she is. Where is Sara?" she pleaded with them, real pain filling her voice as she wished for a peaceful solution.

Audrey didn't get to respond. Nor did Constance. As Elizabeth finished her plea, the old wooden door crashed open, smashing against the stone wall as it was opened with sudden force.

The twins spun to face the impact, Katherine pulling up what looked to be a wand to Audrey and pointing it at the door. Elizabeth raised her hands, her own weapon forgotten as she cried out.

"Don't shoot!

"It's Elizabeth!"

"Miss Elizabeth? Miss Katherine?" was the surprised query in response.

The squat soldier from earlier had returned and Audrey studied him a tad more intently this time, her mind no longer focusing on the task of creating an illusion to save her life.

Bearded, heavily muscled and extensively tattooed, the man appeared overly large for his smaller stature but that drew nothing away from the deadly intensity that shone from his eyes as he studied her in return.

Keeping his weapon trained on Audrey and the abbess he spoke to the twins as he entered further into the room, obviously knowing them well to have been able to identify Elizabeth's voice so quickly before spraying the room with lead.

"What are you two doing here? I could have killed you! Lord Grey would have killed me!" the soldier demanded.

"Father sent us Edgar," Katherine quickly piped up, "More aura back up in case they had more mages than Henry could handle."

"Exactly," her twin confirmed just a second later.

"He didn't mention that to us. We got no such orders," Edgar replied testily, obviously not satisfied with their answer.

"Of course, he wouldn't broadcast that he was sending us in," Katherine placated the soldier, "the other Families would have been all over you if that got out."

"That doesn't make any sense..." the solder began before Elizabeth interrupted him.

"We've found a prisoner Edgar. Someone Father will want to talk to for sure."

Edgar hadn't taken his eyes nor his weapon off Audrey or Constance since he had come in, but they flicked a glance at Elizabeth as she said that.

"The orders were explicit Elizabeth. No witnesses. Just the McCallister girl.

"No one else," he growled.

"He will want this one Edgar," Elizabeth quickly explained, her eyes going wide at the revelation of the no witness's order.

"The blonde one. That's Audrey Scott. Sara McCallisters best friend.

"She can tell us how to get Sara. Father will want to talk to her, I'm certain of it," she pleaded, realizing that things were rapidly spinning out of her control.

The troopers' eyes met Audrey's again.

"The blonde one huh? She's got nice tits that's for sure."

He flicked his chin up at her, acknowledging her stare before asking her a question.

"You know the McCallister girl huh? You're her friend?"

Elizabeth and Katherine both nodded at her, gesturing for her to answer. Audrey could almost believe they were concerned for her life.

"Yes... Yes sir," she stammered out.

"Alrighty then," he agreed and nodded to himself.

With a sudden twist of his wrist, his gun was trained on Constance and with casual disregard he fired.

The shot struck Constance directly in the head, her skull and face disintegrating from the force, blood and brain matter covering everything behind her in a wild spray.

Without a sound, the kindly old nun fell to the ground in a heap.

Audrey stared at him in horror, no coherent thought crossing her mind. The twins both turning and emptying their stomachs, retching onto the stone floor.

Audrey couldn't help it. It seemed like the right thing to do under the circumstances. She screamed, a long devastating wail of horror and grief.

Edgar simply looked at them all as if the brutal murder were nothing but a chore.

"Lord Grey said no witnesses."

Sara hadn't stopped running. Not stopping to catch a breath since the gates of Saint Avacines had been destroyed, she had fled into the depths of the ancient abbey.

She had to find Audrey. They had to escape. Find somewhere safe. Nothing else mattered to her in the face of those panicked thoughts.

Her footsteps sounding thunderous in her ears, Sara had gone directly for Constance's study. If anyone knew what was happening and where Audrey was it would be the elderly abbess.

Racing through the stone hallways, dodging distraught nuns that had been scared by the explosion, she was outside the old wooden door leading to Constance's private sanctuary in no time at all. Not even bothering to knock, Sara slammed the door open wide with both hands, barely slowing as she ploughed through the doorway.

"Constance!" she was yelling before screeching to a halt.

The study was empty.

Sara tried to calm herself. Constance wasn't here. Audrey was in danger. She had to stop and think.

It didn't take long for her to realise she had been a fool. Panic had gotten the best of her once again.

Audrey would be in the library. The exact same place she had been for days. She was far too smart to lose herself to panic and run into trouble. She would've stayed holed up and hidden away. Not tempting fate with a flight through the abbey.

Sara relaxed slightly. Audrey was safe for now, and she, she had a goal.

The library.

Sara mapped what she knew of the abbey in her mind. Trying to figure out the quickest way to get to her friend. Turning to leave, just as she grabbed the door to pull it closed behind her, she heard it start.

Gunfire. Screaming. Terror and panic.

Whoever had blown the gates had made it inside.

Rushing back the way she had come; Sara was met by a tide of fleeing nuns. All sense of propriety gone, they stampeded towards her like gazelle from a lion as they fled for their lives.

Pressing herself tightly against the wall, Sara braced herself, trying desperately not to get swept up and pushed along in their mad charge. She tried to grab onto someone, anyone. Trying to get their attention, but all her attempts were for naught, not a single nun paid her any mind, too focused on fleeing to pay any attention to her.

Within moments they were gone, and Sara was alone once again. Moving to continue her journey to the library she stopped dead in her tracks as one last nun entered the hallway ahead of her.

She clung to the wall, staggering along as if she was on her last legs, the wall the only thing keeping her going.

With horror Sara realised she was. The nun had been shot, blood blooming across the white parts of her garments, pools of it trailing behind her on the stone.

Sara rushed forward to help the stricken woman.

"Stop child!" the nun gasped, "Run! Run while you can!"

The woman fell to her knees, her struggle nearly over. Sara ignored her warning, moving to help the fallen nun despite her pleas for the opposite.

A man entered the corridor. Grey fatigues covered in pouches and all manner of other attachments and equipment, he rounded the corner ahead of her with an arrogant swagger and a murderous gleam in his eye. His rifle held casually in a single hand, he stopped dead centre of the walkway.

Sara stopped as soon as she saw him, and her breath constricted in her throat as she saw his eyes widen when they met her own.

He recognised her.

"Run Sara," the nun managed to wheeze out.

Sara hadn't even realised the woman knew her name, looking down at her she was sure she hadn't spoken to the nun before.

She never got the chance to.

Without taking his eyes off Sara, the man fired a burst into the nuns back, shredding more of the already dying woman apart.

The nun slumped forward without another sound. Dead.

The man grinned ferally at Sara.

"Time to run little girl."

Sara bolted.

Turning on her heel, she fled after the nuns.

She ran blindly, taking turns at random as she ran from her pursuer, certain she would feel his hand on her back at any second, or hear the sound of a gun before steel pierced her flesh.

It didn't happen, and so she kept running.

Gunfire and screams of terror and pain echoed throughout the halls. Sara didn't know where they were coming from. Didn't want to know. She just wanted to find Audrey.

She wasn't certain where in the abbey she was anymore, but she knew she needed to go up. At the first set of stairs she came across, she climbed.

It was the loud slap of her own shoes on stone that broke her from her mad dash and alerted Sara to how quiet the abbey had become. A deathly pall hanging in the air from the aftermath of the unprovoked attack upon its walls.

Sara slowed her pace, her heart hammering against her chest as she came to a slow stop. Fighting to bring her heaving lungs back to something resembling normal breathing she listened.

There was nothing.

Just silence.

It didn't matter. She couldn't stop. She had to keep looking. Had to find Audrey.

Please let her be alive.

Cautiously making her way along the upper floor corridors, Sara searched for something, anything at all, that she could use as a guide. All of the stone hallways looked the same to her, and the windows that provided light were far too high to look out of.

Creeping carefully along, Sara halted when she thought she heard a noise. A slight rustle, a scrape, as if fabric or leather were being dragged across stone.

Tiptoeing forward she dared a peak around the next corner. A man, an enemy soldier was stealthily making his way towards a pair of doors Sara recognised.

The library.

She ducked back into hiding as the enemy spun his head, checking back in her direction. She held her breath, praying he hadn't noticed her.

He didn't come for her.

Instead, the door of the library exploded inwards. Sara jumped at the sudden noise before scrambling to look towards the library doors.

The man was gone, light from the library spilling into the hall from the now open door.

She could hear voices. Ones she didn't recognise.

She edged closer.

Trying to hear what they were saying.

She was almost at the door when the shot rang out. Loud and vicious it tore through the air with deadly finality.

Then the screaming started.

Audrey!

Sara sprang forward, flinging herself through the open door,

Blonde. Beautiful. Alive.

Gloriously alive.

Audrey stood before her, her face twisted in anguish, her wail of grief choking off as she saw Sara enter the room.

Sara beamed as she saw her friend, her smile lighting up her face as she gazed upon Audrey at last. It just as rapidly disappeared as she took in the rest of the room.

The soldier, his gun still pointed at the fresh corpse on the floor. Her eyes widened as she noticed it. The disfigured remains of the head hid her identity, but Sara could still recognise the robes.

Constance.

The rage that filled her was sudden. Immediate, implacable, indescribable rage. It blanketed her mind, white hot torrents of it coursing through her.

The soldier turned, noticing her at last.

It was too late.

Sara spoke but a single word.

"DIE."

The man's eyes bulged as the command hit him with the force of a thousand blows.

He raised his weapon and with no other reactions or response, he pulled the trigger.

He dropped like a sack of crap; his life ended by his own hand.

Sara's grin was back.

Wide and vicious.

That had felt good.

She turned to the other members of the room. A pair of twins she had barely registered as being there between seeing Audrey and what remained of Constance.