It's been a long time since I come across something as good as this on NL. Bro, this story of yours with its touch of paranormal and horror is one hell of a story. And believe me when I tell you that, you're one hell of a writer yourself.

Btw, I will like to call your attention to something. It's obvious from the characters' appearances and names that they are Caucasians. The only thing is in the first chapter or so, you have them drinking star larger beer, or was it 33. I think that doesn't add up to the story. Another thing is, that we're yet to get a feel of the physical settings of the story. All the story has done so far is builds around the characters but not the settings.

Aside from that, all's good and normal. Please, do ride on!

everton4life:
That's all for today

Nice one OP.

Salahdin:
It's been a long time since I come across something as good as this on NL. Bro, this story of yours with its touch of paranormal and horror is one hell of a story. And believe me when I tell you that, you're one hell of a writer yourself.

Btw, I will like to call your attention to something. It's obvious from the characters' appearances and names that they are Caucasians. The only thing is in the first chapter or so, you have them drinking star larger beer, or was it 33. I think that doesn't add up to the story. Another thing is, that we're yet to get a feel of the physical settings of the story. All the story has done so far is builds around the characters but not the settings.

Aside from that, all's good and normal. Please, do ride on!

Hey, man. Thanks for the call to attention. That star beer was actually a mistake that I forgot to correct. The book was written two years ago and I didn't really do much editing. Lol.

As for your second point, that is another major flaw I have in writing. I always take way too much time developing characters

I'll try to work on it. Thanks again for the call to attention

Chapter 12

Randal glanced across the table at Julian. Cups of coffee were placed on the table between them. The cafe was buzzing with activities that early morning as people entered and exited in a rush, trying to start the day as quick as possible. Randal spent the past ten minutes trying to decipher if it was his best friend that was sitting right in front of him.
Julian's hair was in a mess. It was scattered in different directions. His normal bright green eyes were dull and there were bags around them. His normally fair skin was pale. Randal watched as he reached to his cup, with shaky hands, and took a small sip.
"Julian. What's happening? " Randal's eyes reflected worry. "Why did you call me here? Come on, talk to me."
Julian didn't answer immediately. He looked around to see if anyone was eavesdropping. No one was. He then sighed and stared at his coffee, remembering all that had happened within the past twelve hours.
After getting mugged, he had called a taxi to take him straight home. He was too mentally shattered to even think about calling the police. His shock was further compounded when he woke up the next day to see his car in the news the next morning. His car was shown rammed into a tree and burnt. Julian could recognize it as the camera zoomed to reveal his plate number. However, what rattled him was the burnt corpse that was removed from within the car by paramedics while the newscaster stood by to relay the news. Julian recognized the tattered remains of the jeans on the corpse. No soothsayer needed to tell him who that was. He tried calling Loretta on the phone but it kept redirecting him to voicemail. He was torn between anger and confusion at that point. Was it all a deception? The dinner date? The advice? Julian could not understand anything at that moment. He called in sick at the office that morning and invited Randal to the café.
"You saw the news this morning, right?" Julian said. "The one about the accident."
"Yes," Randal nodded, raising the cup of coffee to his lips. "You know I don't miss the early morning news."
" True," Julian said. "I almost forgot about that. The car involved in the accident. That car was mine."
Randal nearly spit out his coffee. His eyes widened at that revelation.
" What?" He lowered his voice to a whisper. "How?"
"I was robbed at gunpoint yesterday," Julian replied. "The person who stole my car was the same person removed from it this morning."
"This is unbelievable." Randal shook his head, his demeanor returning to normal. "I guess fate intervened on your side or something."
"There's more to that." Julian said.
"More?" Randal tilted his head sideways.
Letting out a huge sigh, Julian ran his hand through his hair.
"I saw the tattoo again," He said. "The same one I saw on Sam that very night. The one nobody else could see. I also saw it on my neighbor the previous day before he died. I saw it again on the guy who robbed me last night. And now-"
"He's dead." Randal finished. His eyes narrowed as he stared intently at the table.
"I thought you found a solution to that." Randal faced his friend.
Julian frowned as his mind drifted to the parapsychologist.
"I did," He said. "At least I thought I did. It wasn't what it seemed apparently."
Randal rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his gaze shifted upwards as he tried to process everything. He knew there was more to the whole matter than met the eye. It seemed his best friend was in imminent danger. There was only one thing he had in mind.
"I have a solution to all these voodoo stuff, " Randal said. "Something i know that will put all these to bed once and for all. But you'll have to wait till evening when I get back from work."
"Are you sure?" Julian asked. He didn't know what to expect anymore.
"Yes," Randal nodded his head. "Trust me."

--------------------------------


The doorbell rang that evening. Julian opened the door and Randal stepped in, accompanied by a priest. The priest carried a bottle of water and incense.
"May the peace of the Lord be unto this house." The priest said, swinging the incense as he strode around the living room.
Julian coughed a bit as the strange scent invaded his nostrils. Waving the smoke away, he observed the priest. The priest was a bit shorter than him. His hair was shaved and he had brown eyes. Julian guessed he was probably in his late thirties. As the priest passed him by with the offending scent penetrating his nostrils again, Julian gave Randal a questioning look.
"Trust me, " Randal said in a whisper. "He knows what he's doing."
The priest stopped suddenly and shut his eyes. His mouth trembled as he began to hum a tone. Then he mumbled some words that Julian guessed were in Italian or Latin. After a while, the priest paused and turned to him.
"Young man, " He spoke. "There is a dark cloud that looms over you. An evil force abides in this house. You must put your faith in the Lord and I will begin the cleansing."
Julian narrowed his eyes as he scrutinized the priest. There was something strange about him. Wether it was the way the priest avoided eye contact or his body language, Julian could not put his finger to it. But he might as well go along with it and see the end product. He nodded his head.
"Bless you, young man," The priest nodded. "Your faith will soon be rewarded and the evil that follows you, you shall see no more."
The priest began to chant again, louder this time, as he walked in quick strides to and fro the living room. Julian folded his arms and waited patiently. His eyes would dart to Randal at intervals and the latter would give him a reassuring smile in return. After about twenty minutes of chanting and humming, the priest stopped and opened his eyes. He faced the two friends.
"It is done," He said. "The evil force has been dispelled from this house. The dark cloud is no more."
"You're sure about this?" Julian questioned sceptically.
"Yes," The priest nodded. "The power of the Lord is divine. It is supreme to even the most powerful of all evils."
"Thank you, Father." Randal smiled in gratitude.
"No, young man," The priest replied. "Thank the Lord."
He faced Julian.
"That would be $50." He said.
"I'm sorry, what?!" Julian's eyes went wide. He was very sure his ears were playing tricks on him. Randal was equally stunned.
"$50" The priest repeated. "Consider this an offering in thanks for the marvellous work of the Lord. This offering shall be donated to the church to help care for the needy."
Julian could not believe what he was hearing. $50 for an exorcism? His suspicion grew at that moment. Grumbling lowly, he left the living room and came back minutes later with his wallet. He took out a $50 note and handed it to the priest, glaring at Randal as he did so. Randal however still had the confused expression on his face. He knew he had questions to answer later.
"Thank you, young man," The priest smiled as he accepted the money. "The good Lord accepts your gracious offering and will reward you multiple fold in heaven."
As the priest turned around to leave, Julian's eyes went wide as he saw it. On the back of the priest neck, in bold, was the evil tattoo he had come to forcefully recognize. In the middle of the bulb shaped symbol was the number 4.
Randal closed the door after the priest and turned around to see his friend petrified at the spot.
"Julian?" He swiftly rushed to him.
"Julian!" He waved his hands frantically in front of Julian's face.
"Randal," Julian whispered, blinking to reality. "That priest."
"Yes, the priest," Randal sighed. He knew this was coming."Honestly Julian, I had no idea he was going to charge you. He has never-"
"That's not it," Julian shook his head roughly. "That priest-"
He paused and stared at the door. His lips trembled as his fingers began to shake.
"--Is going to die." He finished.

everton4life:
Hey, man. Thanks for the call to attention. That star beer was actually a mistake that I forgot to correct. The book was written two years ago and I didn't really do much editing. Lol.

As for your second point, that is another major flaw I have in writing. I always take way too much time developing characters

I'll try to work on it. Thanks again for the call to attention

it's nothing really, man. I guess I was just doing my job as a reader. And I hope you do correct these flaws of yours soon, man.

But anyways, know that this takes nothing away from you or the story though...

You're one of the best, if not the best sef.

Salahdin:



it's nothing really, man. I guess I was just doing my job as a reader.


And I hope you do correct these flaws of yours soon, man.

But anyways, know that this takes nothing away from you or the story though...

You're one of the best, if not the best sef.

@ the first bolded, there's nothing I appreciate more than that. Readers commenting on my work to point out some facts. It's a huge motivational factor for me.

@the second bolded, the best Ke? I'm still an amateur compared to many other writers here. I doubt if my books are even among the top 100 in this section

Chapter 13

Deep within the woods was a secluded area. In that secluded area was a cabin. It was quite small and had two windows at each side with a small wooden door at the middle. In front of the cabin,few feet away, was an old car. In the living room inside the cabin, three men sat around a table, playing cards and laughing. Among the three men was the priest who performed the 'exorcism' at Julian's house. He wore a black tank top and sky blue jeans. The remaining two men were shirtless. One was a bit stout and had short, curly, brown hair with brown eyes. The other was blonde and thin with blue eyes. A pile of cash was stacked on the table in the middle of the trio as they played.
"I tell you," The apparently fake priest bellowed with laughter. "That guy was a sucker. A huge one to be exact!"
"How easily did he fall for it?" The blonde asked, wiping tears away from his eyes as he shook uncontrollably with laughter of his own.
"Hook, line and sinker!" The fake priest cried out.
"What a gullible numbskull," The brown haired man shook his head. "On a scale of one to hundred, that guy's stupidity should be at ten thousand. Free $50! "
The trio roared in laughter simultaneously.
The priest stood up after a while and stretched.
"Well, I'm famished," He said,moving towards the the kitchen. "I'm going to get a beer. Does anybody want some?"
"Sure." The brown haired man said.
"No, thanks. I'm good." The blonde said.
The priest shrugged and made his exit. Making his way towards the fridge, he opened it and took out two cans of beer. As soon as he closed the fridge, a sudden air blew into the kitchen. He shuddered as he suddenly felt chilly.
"That was weird." He mumbled, shaking his head.
As soon as he entered the living room, he was shocked at the sight that met him.
His two companions stood rooted to the spot with their hands firmly by their sides. They stared at him with blank expressions on their face and lifeless eyes.
"Guys?" The priest cautiously walked towards them.
"One of the men." They chorused.
"What?" He paused in his steps. "Guys, what's the meaning of this? Why are you acting weird?"
The priest's heart nearly flew out of his chest as his companions jolted suddenly. Their heads tilted to the side and they began to chant:
"One of the men.
Where your fate lies.
It shall happen then.
You are sacrifice."
The priest swallowed as they both stretched out an index finger each and pointed beyond him. Turning around, he cried out in shock as he saw the predatory smile of the evil figure. The figure's grin widened and black liquid began to spill from the corners of it's mouth. It's smile changed into a laugh as it began to walk towards the priest menacingly.
"What the hell?!" The priest shrieked.
He turned around to run but he felt the figure's burnt hands gripping his shoulder tight. Cold sweat broke out on his body as he felt the figure breathe in to his ear.
"Sacrifice." It whispered.

You don't seize to amaze me with good write ups...
I guessed I'm hooked again...

jupitre:
You don't seize to amaze me with good write ups...
I guessed I'm hooked again...

Thanks, man. Welcome

That's all for today.

YoungBruzzy:
Thanks so much boss
Though it’s somehow terrifying but we go run am like that

Lol, manage am o. Funny thing is that Horror is actually my best genre.

Happy Sunday, fam. I hope you all are good.

everton4life:
Happy Sunday, fam. I hope you all are good.

Sure Boss....
We waiting for you... Happy Sunday to you too...

That's all? What kinda short update is this?
You write well and i/we respect that buh then show your audience/readers some degree of respect,
Nawa oo update jus too small

pyro10:
That's all? What kinda short update is this?
You write well and i/we respect that buh then show your audience/readers some degree of respect,
Nawa oo update jus too small

Abeg, no vex o. That's how the chapter is offline.

But no worry, I go compensate una well today

Interesting, but this update is too short to quench my thirst OP. Thumbs up anyway, you're doing a great job.

Chapter 14

For the second time in her life, Nancy was surprised again as she saw the familiar face of Julian at her doorstep. This time however, he came along with Randal.
"Should I start getting used to this?" She asked rhetorically, raising her eyebrow at the two men.
She moved aside and let them in. Her TV was switched on. It appeared she was watching the news.
"Sorry about the unexpected visit," Randal said as he sunk into a seat. "But we wouldn't have come on such short notice if it wasn't so important."
"I think that's what phones are for," Nancy replied. "You guys could have called or something. I mean what if I wasn't home?"
The two men stared at each other.
"You guys didn't think this through, did you?" Nancy shook her head. "This must really be a big emergency."
"Nancy, you can spare us the lectures till later, " Randal said. "We need your help."
"Okay, " She replied. "What's the matter?"
Julian who had been silently staring into space spoke up.
"I'm still seeing the tattoo on people of recent. It hasn't stopped."
"What?" Nancy raised her eyebrows, confused. "I don't get it. I thought the parapsychologist-"
"The parapsychologist did nothing," Julian said, and angry expression crossing his features. "She didn't solve it. If anything, it's even worse. I've seen it on two people in the last forty eight hours. There was a news yesterday morning about a road accident-"
"Yeah, I saw it," Nancy cut in. "But I didn't really pay attention to it."
"Well, the car involved in the accident was mine." Julian said.
"That was your car?!" Nancy nearly cried out in disbelief, her eyes widening behind her glasses.
"Yes," Julian replied. "And would you believe the person who was driving it, robbed me to get it?"
Nancy opened her mouth to reply but for the first time in a long time, no words could come out.
"And get this," Randal said. "I brought a priest to Julian's house yesterday to provide a solution-"
"Only for me to see the same tattoo on his neck as he was leaving my house." Julian finished.
He sat on the sofa near Randal, rubbing his forehead and closing his eyes.
"If you're quite familiar with my narration, you can guess what has happened to the priest by now." He sighed.
"Dead." The words reluctantly escaped Nancy's lips.
Julian opened his eyes as he felt a weight sink into the sofa he was sitting on. Nancy had sat down beside him. She took his left hand in hers and held it softly, staring at him. Julian's expression softened a bit as he saw the compassion in her eyes.
"Julian," She said. "I know everything has been upside down and messed up of recent. Sam, Cheryl and You. I've also had my share of sleepless nights as I'm still trying to process everything. But one thing is certain. We need to stick together in this and try and help each other. You'll be there for me and I'll be there for you. Okay?"
Julian stared at her hand over his. A warm feeling filled his heart at the moment.
"Okay." He nodded.
"Which means no more missed calls on your end." She wagged a finger at him, jokingly.
It took all of Julian's might to suppress a smile that was tugging at his lips.
"Agreed." He swore solemnly.
Randal stared at the two as they shared their moment. A feeling began to flow within him. He couldn't explain it but it wasn't good. He gritted his teeth and clenched his knuckles. He knew at that moment that he didn't want to be there right now. He abruptly stood up, startling the other two, and made his way to the door.
"Where are you going, Randal?" Nancy called out to him. "I thought we were in this together."
'No, You two are,' Randal thought. 'It has always been you two.'
Turning around, he spoke out loud.
"I just remembered there's something I need to attend to. It's very important.I'll get back to you guys as soon as I'm done."
Without waiting for a reply, he was out of the house.
"Well, that was anticlimactic." Nancy muttered dryly.
Julian opened his mouth to reply when a voice from the TV alerted their attention. The mayor was making a speech. He stood at a podium in front of a large crowd.
"Not this fat clown again." Nancy frowned.
"Don't ever say that again," Julian said. "That's an insult to clowns."
Nancy nearly fell off the sofa as she laughed uncontrollably. Clearly, the two shared the same view of the mayor. The obese man had made a lot of promises three years prior before getting into office. So far, not even one was fulfilled.
"Concerning the issue of the mart which was accidentally demolished last year," The deep voice of the mayor was heard from the TV. "I can guarantee that my team is taking care of it. I urge the citizens of this town to exercise some patience and be rest assured that by the end of this year, a bigger mart will be established."
The mayor paused and a wide smile creased his plump face as the crowd cheered.
"Who does he think he's fooling?" Nancy rolled her eyes at the screen.
Julian faced her and shrugged. Turning back to the screen, he jolted and let out a small gasp. His actions alerted Nancy and she faced him.
"Julian, what's wrong?" She asked. "Are you okay?"
Julian didn't answer as he stared at the screen, his facial expression reflecting terror. Nancy's heart skipped as she realised his expression meant one thing.
"You've seen the tattoo." She said.
Julian turned to face her. A solemn look appeared on her face.
"You're seeing it right now, aren't you?" Her eyes narrowed as she directed her eyes to the screen.
"Yes." Julian's voice was barely audible.
"On who?" She asked.
"The mayor." He replied.
----------------------------------
The door to the office opened and the mayor stepped in with a massive grin adorning his face. The crowd had eaten his white lies like the gullible sheep they were. He chuckled lightly as he reflected on the looks of hope spreading through the crowd as he made his speech earlier. Build a bigger mart? Hell would freeze over before he would indulge in what he considered an abomination. There were better things he had in mind to use the town budget for. A vacation to the Bahamas. An expensive trip to Paris with his mistress who he was having an illicit affair behind his wife's back. Build a mansion in Columbia. Oh, there was so many choices. The town could go to blazes for all he cared.He had everything all planned out. When the year would eventually come to an end and the town made a request questioning him about his promise, he would make up an excuse and postpone the building of the mart.
He sighed in contentment as he stared at his richly furnished office. A large glass table stood near his table with all sort of assorted cigars and drunks. Surrounding the table were about four brown sofas for relaxation. A large refrigerator stood a few feet away from the relaxation spot and finally, his most cherished attraction, a large gold lion statue, stood beside his desk by the right. It stood on it's hind legs with it's mouth wide open in a roar. The mayor smiled proudly as he stared at the statue. The statue was a symbolic representation of himself. He was a lion. A lion who preyed on the gullibility of the people. His devouring of their hopes, resources and dreams strengthened his pocket. And he felt not an ounce of remorse.
The mayor sat by his office desk and opened the laptop which was on it. He connected the Wi-Fi and began to surf the internet. He smiled as he discovered a site. He was going to book a flight out of the country. Paris was the destination he had in mind. He picked up his phone and dialled a line.
"Hello, darling," He said as soon as he heard a voice at the other end. "How about you and me take a trip to the city of love."
He rolled his eyes as he heard her reply.
" Of course, I'm referring to Paris." He said. "So what do you say?"
He smiled this time as got her predicted reply. She was unsurprisingly interested.
After about few minutes, the mayor ended the call and placed his phone on his lips. He turned his attention back to the screen and resumed surfing the net.
Unbeknown to him, a thick dark smoke appeared in the air above him. Out of the smoke, the dark figure materialised. It's signature grin widened as it licked it's lips, staring down at the oblivious mayor who had all his attention on the screen. One word escaped it's lips in a harsh whisper as it swooped down towards it's fifth victim.
"Sacrifice."

Chapter 15

The news had spread quickly the next morning. The mayor was dead. The news came as a huge shock to the town. It was received with confusion as he had just given a speech the previous day and looked healthy. No one understood the cause of his death which was revealed to be severe burns. No one knew except two people.
Julian sat at his desk that morning with anger brewing within him. The news came as no surprise to him earlier that morning before he left the house. After all he had been through, he had come to expect something like that. What made him furious was the fact that Randal never contacted him or Nancy after that day. Julian had called him on his cell multiple times but he didn't pick. Julian clenched his fists. The whole thing was putting a bit of strain on his mind and he needed a relief before he suffered a mental breakdown.
A knock was heard on his door, bringing him back to reality.
"Come in." He said.
The door opened and Nancy walked in. As she approached his table, they both shared a knowing look. Julian knew she had seen the news.
"I'm convinced now." She said, standing in front of his desk.
He nodded silently. He also detected the tiredness on her face and in her voice.
"Couldn't sleep?" He asked.
"Yeah," She nodded. "After you left my place yesterday, I had to do a deep research. I think I've found the answer to your problem."
Julian leaned forward in his seat. A glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes.
"I saw something on a site," She continued. " The origin of the tattoo you keep seeing."
Nancy stared at the door as if expecting someone to enter at any minute. Julian followed her gaze.
"I think it's best if I come over to your place later today." He said, turning his attention back to her.
"Alright," She replied, a small smile gracing her face. "At least you're giving me a heads up this time. I don't have to get any unexpected visits like last time."
Julian nearly shrunked in his seat in embarrassment.
"And the other time before-" She added.
"Alright, I get it." He muttered, cutting her off.
She giggled and walked towards his door. Julian suddenly remembered something.
"Hey, Nancy." He called out.
"Yeah?" She turned around.
"The tattoos were not the only thing I saw," He said. "That day at the fair, I saw something else. Someone to be precise. A dark figure. It looked like a monster."
"Julian, I don't care what you've seen so far," Nancy retorted, her eyes glinting in resolve behind her glasses. "I don't care if it's Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees or Pennywise, the dancing clown. We're going to beat this thing and we're beating it together. Its time we stopped hiding and face this thing head on. We can win this, believe me."
Julian stared at her in surprise. This was the first time he saw her display such level of courage. He couldn't explain it, but the look in her blue eyes gave him a bit of confidence.
"Alright, Nancy." He nodded. " I'll be at your place this evening."
Nancy nodded in return and left his office.
Three hours later as Julian worked on the laptop, there was a buzz on his phone, signifying a message. He checked the screen and saw it was from an unfamiliar number. He clicked open the message and it read:
'The path you thread is a dangerous one. Desist from such fruitless quest if you desire to live long.'
Julian's eyes filled with fury as he read the message. Whoever sent it was trying to weaken him mentally. Someone was monitoring him. Well, it was that person's funeral.
"Whoever you are," He growled as he stared at the message. " You're going down. Bring on the fight. I'm ready."

Chapter 16

Julian followed Nancy into the kitchen where her laptop balanced on the table that evening. She sat in front of it and pulled a chair beside her, inviting Julian to sit. He obliged and she clicked on the mouse. A page was shown on the internet. It contained several diagrams, but the one that caught Julian's eye was the symbol. The very evil piece of art he had become acquainted with. However, there was no number with it.
"Julian, everything that you've experienced recently has it's roots connected in one place. " Nancy said, adjusting her glasses with her index finger.
She pointed to an article beneath the diagram of the symbol.
"According to this article, this symbol is the alchemic symbol of death. This all started seven hundred years ago in Valencia, Spain. A dark and powerful priestess by the name of Malorca conducted a ritual in which seven hundred men were to be killed and sacrificed to open a kind of gateway for the demoness, Meriah." Nancy said, pausing to scroll down a bit.
"Meriah was displeased as she hated the fact that man was created first, meaning he was the dominant specie," Nancy continued. "If Malorca had succeeded in opening the gateway, Meriah would come to earth and wipe out all men, leaving only the women."
"But she didn't." Julian said, his voice filled with disgust.
"Apparently," Nancy chuckled softly. "And it's because of one person. A Thalatian."
"Thalatian?" Julian squinted his eyes at the screen.
"Yeah," Nancy nodded. " A powerful warrior. He bore the mark of the eagle talon on his lower waist. The high priestess had captured and rounded up the men in a plain field. Just as she was about to slaughter them, the thalatian intervened and murdered her using a very powerful and unique sword. It was silver and the handle was made of eagle talons."
Julian's eyes suddenly went wide as he remembered the family heirloom he had at his old house. The sword which his father warned him never to play with. He hoped this story wasn't heading to where he was thinking.
"After murdering Malorca, " Nancy continued. "The Thalatian burnt her corpse and the seven hundred men were free. The demoness was very furious. As punishment for her failure, Malorca was forced by the demoness to reincarnate once every century to kill seven men until the seven hundred were complete. The seven men were comprised of six sinners and a descendant of the thalatian. The Thalatian however, paranoid and anticipating any more future occurrences similar to what he faced, kept his sword within his household, warning them never to let it out of their home. The sword was passed down from generations till present."
"Nancy." Julian said, standing abrubtly. He lifted his shirt. There was a small birthmark on his pectoral. It was shaped like a claw.
"I have a silver sword at home. My family home." Julian said.
Nancy stared at him without a word. She shook her head as everything came into place.
"The story doesn't end yet," She turned her attention to the screen. "Since the time of her death, Malorca reincarnated once every century and murdered seven men including the descendants of the thalatian. Before every man was killed, she would place a symbol of death on their body as a means of a target. The only people who could see it were her-"
"And the descendants of the Thalatian." Julian finished, glaring at the floor in front of him. It was now making sense.
Nancy paused to stare at him. Worry crossed her face as she watched his hands shake uncontrollably. She turned to the laptop again and continued reading.
" No one knew what Malorca looked like. But the last Thalatian that was slain a century ago had a close description. Before his dying breath, he described her as a woman with hair as red as scarlet, eyes as blue as the ocean and fair skin which had the mark of a purple serpent."
Julian nearly lost his footing on hearing the last statement. His heartbeat tripled as he remembered only one woman that fit that description.
"Loretta." He muttered.
"What?" Nancy turned to face him.
"The parapsychologist," He faced her. "Dr Loretta Torres is Malorca."
Nancy stood up abruptly in shock.
"Are you serious?" She asked.
Julian nodded. He remembered that fateful night after the date. When the parapsychologist had seduced him. He remembered the serpent tattoo on her torso when she pulled up her shirt. It was all a ruse. She never wanted to help him. The whole thing was just a facade.
Julian let out a cry of fury, screaming obscenities. He punched the wall, startling Nancy. She recovered quickly from her shock and moved closer to him, putting a hand over his shoulder as he leaned his head against the wall.
"It was all a lie," He snarled, his voice trembling with rage. "She knew what I was. She knew I was a Thalatian. All the advice she gave was just to keep me distracted while she slaughtered the first six men. Then she would come for me. "
"Julian," Nancy said. "How many men have been killed?"
"Five," He replied. "Sam, Mr.Wyatt, the man who robbed me, the priest Randal brought to my house and, most recently,the mayor."
"Then she hasn't won yet." Nancy said, rubbing his shoulder softly. She placed her hand on his other shoulder and spun him so he faced her.
"There's still hope," She continued. "We still have the time to find a way to beat her. You are the key to her destruction and you will beat her. I know you will."
"Nancy." Julian said softly.
Those were the only words that escaped his lips. His gaze softened as he caressed her face. Nancy placed her hand over his and stared at him. The tense atmosphere changed as her blue eyes met his green ones. Like it was orchestrated, they leaned forwards and joined their lips together.
Julian wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. For the first time in days, this felt right. He felt at home as he enjoyed her warmth. Nancy wrapped her hands around his neck. She had to be sure she was not dreaming. The only person she had feelings for was kissing her at the moment. She inwardly chuckled at the thought of calling it a fairytale. A fairytale of two childhood friends growing up and falling in love. What were the odds?
They soon pulled away from each other, breathing heavily. Nancy took off her glasses. eyes dilated as she held Julian by the hand and led him to her bedroom. Julian knew what that look meant. She had only one thing in mind. And he would be a fool to object.

Issue no dey, you na big man

everton4life:
Abeg, no vex o. That's how the chapter is offline.

But no worry, I go compensate una well today

That's all for today

Hello, fam. I want to solicit for you guys help. My bank did me strong thing today and I'm out of funds. I should get the refund in the next five working days.

For anyone seeing this:

Please my sub is remaining less than 20mb and that is what I'm using to type now. I'm out of cash at the moment and I need sub to run some stuffs online and probably finish updating this novel on this thread this week.

Please if anyone can help out with airtime for me, I'll greatly appreciate it, no matter how small it is.

Here's my no:
0.8.1.6.0.7.0.6.2.5.1

Like I said earlier, i would appreciate it no matter how small.

But if it is beyond your power, I'll also understand. I know how rough things are in this country.

An amazing story you've got going I'm anticipating the next

Chapter 17
Saturday came on such short notice. Nancy blinked in discomfort as rays of the sun fluttered through her window and hit her eyes that morning. This was one of the moments that she wished she was wearing her glasses at the moment. She squinted her eyes at the window and turned her head at the other side. Her eyes immediately met Julian's. Memories of their activities the previous night flowed through her mind as she stared downwards at the sheet covering their naked bodies. A small smile appeared as she knew it was worth it. It was her first time after all and she wouldn't have thought it better than to give it to the man who captured her heart from a young age. Pride filled her heart as she compared the similarity between herself and the female protagonist of one of her romantic novels.
"What are you smiling at?" Julian's voice interrupted her thoughts.
She wrapped her arm around his waist and rested her head on his bare chest. Julian ran his hand softly over her ebony hair.
"Nothing serious." She replied.
She raised her head to stare at him.
"Do you know why my favourite color is green?" She asked.
"No." Julian was surprised at her question.
"It's because it's the colour of your eyes." She poked his nose.
"You're being silly." He shook his head.
She giggled uncontrollably and laid her head on his chest again.
"Hey, we have to be silly every now and then. Once in a while at least." She said.
"Well," He hummed. "I can't argue with that. But don't expect to see any from me."
There was silence for a while.
"Are you staying over?" She asked him.
"Well-" He pretended to think about it.
"Please." She raised her head and unleashed her weapon. Her wide blue-eyed stare.
"Fine," He rolled his eyes. "But I'll need to go home and get a few things."
About thirty minutes later, The couple were out of bed. Julian put on his clothes from the previous day while Nancy wore an oversize T-shirt. They linked their arms together as they headed to the living room.
"So what do we do about her? " Nancy asked as they reached the door which led to the exit.
" I'll find a way and go back home today or tommorow." Julian replied.
Nancy gave him a confused look.
"I meant my family home," Julian clarified. "The one I grew up in. The home where the sword of my ancestor is."
Julian stared ahead as the memories of the past flowed through his mind. Nancy knew what he had in mind. Going back to the family home meant one thing. He was going to encounter the one person he hadn't spoken to in a long time.
"If that's the only way, then do it. I'll be waiting for you when you get back." Nancy said. She caressed his cheek and gave him a small smile.
Julian leaned towards her and kissed her temple. He opened the door and was about to step out when he saw Randal standing in the doorway. Their eyes met and both men looked surprised. Nancy, conscious of her state of dress, quickly walked out of the living room.
Randal followed her retreating figure with his eyes. He then faced Julian. On seeing his friend's rough appearance, Randal put two and two together. He knew what had transpired between the two.
"Randal?" Julian cleared his throat. "It's been a while. I called several times."
"Yeah," Randal rubbed his neck. "I was a bit busy."
"Oh." Julian said.
The awkward silence lingered between the two men until Nancy entered the living room fully dressed this time.
"Hey guys," She raised her eyebrow. "You're still here?"
"Right," Julian coughed. "I'll see you guys around."
He swiftly walked to his car. Sending a small wave to them, he drove off.
Nancy smiled at the moving vehicle, a small sigh escaping her lips. She turned her gaze to Randal.
"So," She said. "What's up? What brings you here?"
Randal stared at her momentarily as he contemplated his next actions. All the years of feelings he had for this woman was wrecked. And by his best friend nonetheless in a twist of irony. He was devastated.
"Nothing." He replied, turning around and walking away. "I forgot. Silly me."
"Okay," Nancy had a bemused smile on her face. "See you around."
As she soon as she closed the door, Randal turned around and stared at it. For the first time in his life he had that feeling. A feeling of the need to take something by force. For the first time, he saw his best friend as his worst enemy. His worst enemy who took something precious from him.
"Nancy," He whispered.

Chapter 18

Julian's grip tightened around the steering wheel as the car sped along the road. He had told Nancy that he was going home. But that was not the complete truth. He would go home eventually. But not at that moment. He had something else in mind. He was going to confront her. His nemesis. He knew who she really was and he knew she was on the hunt for her sixth victim. Then he would be the final sacrifice for that century. But he was not afraid. And he had to let her know that. He had to let her know he was prepared for battle. This was her game ; psychological warfare. He needed to play along and get into her mind. Startle her and disorient her a bit before he finally struck.
On getting to the building, he walked past the secretary who was startled by his sudden appearance.
"Mr Fernandez," She said, jumping off her seat and following him. "This is an unexpected surprise. Miss Torres never told me-"
"I don't have time for this." Julian snapped, cutting her off.
Too stunned to continue following him, she stood there and watched as he arrived by the parapsychologist's door. Without knocking, Julian barged into the office.
Loretta sat at her desk. A chess board was placed at the table in front of her. However, there was nobody with her and she seemed to be playing by herself. Julian took notice of her attire. She wore a deep purple suit with housed a black office shirt within. Julian wrinkled his nose in disgust at the colour. It reminded him of the dreaded serpentine art he saw on her torso. The one thing that conspicuously identified her as his destined foe. Her lips pursed in a smile as she moved a piece on the board, seemingly oblivious of his presence. Julian narrowed his eyes and closed the door. He walked towards her, taking cautious steps.
"Mr. Fernandez." She said, her eyes still fixed on the board. "I never expected you to come so soon. It seemed my method did not work."
"Don't give me that crap, Loretta," He snapped, standing mere inches from her table. "I know what you've been up too."
"Why, Mr Fernandez," She smiled innocently."Whatever do you mean?"
"So it's Mr Fernandez now? " He raised his eyebrows. "It's back to formality between us,right?"
"Mr. Fernandez, you seem quite tense," She said, gesturing to the seat in front of her.
"Please, sit. You need to relax." She added.
Julian didn't move. He kept a heated gaze at her.Loretta sighed and shook her head. She turned her attention back to the board.
"Would you fancy a game of chess?" She asked. "You can take white and I'll take black."
"Of course, you would take black," Julian huffed. "That's the colour of your heart. I'm not surprised. I'm only upset I couldn't see the truth earlier. The truth of what a black hearted witch you are. Isn't that right-"
He paused and leaned forward.
"Malorca." He whispered.
Julian saw the smile falter a bit from Loretta's face. Her hand which held the black chess queen stopped mid air as she was about to place it on the board. She looked up at him.
"Thalatian," She smiled sweetly. "You finally discovered the truth."
Julian didn't reply.
"I would like to say I'm disappointed," She said, shaking her head in mock fashion. "But I would be lying. I have to admit it was so boring doing the same thing over and over within the past seven hundred years with no challenge. None of your oblivious ancestors could put up a fight. But it seems different with you. Well, not for long."
"This whole time you were trying to get into my mind," Julian said. "The first session, the monster i saw at the fair on my birthday, the date and your attempted seduction. It was a way to weaken me mentally and psychologically before you took me down. Just like the way a serpent poisons it's prey before it devours it. I guess that's the meaning of your tattoo.
" Too bad it didn't work." Loretta shook her head in mock pity.
"Give it up, Malorca," Julian snarled. "I know what you are and I will stop you. You can't win this fight."
"That's where you're wrong, my dear," Loretta's smile widened. "I've already won."
Julian stared at her in surprise.
"You're lying," He said. "You haven't killed the sixth person yet."
Loretta chuckled. She placed her hands together on the table and rested her chin on them.
"It seems you do not know the extent of my power," She said. "Let me give you some pointers to make this battle more interesting. Since you know about me, you should know how I was killed."
"You were murdered by my ancestor." Julian said.
"Quite so," Loretta nodded. "But it seems you've forgotten that he burnt my corpse after my death."
"Where are you going with this? " Julian snapped impatiently.
"Think about it, Julian," Loretta grinned again. " If my body was burnt, would I really look like this?" She gestured to herself.
"With reincarnation? Yes, you can." Julian rolled his eyes.
"That's the thing. When Meriah punished me, she also made me powerful so that there can be a balance. She was angry with me for my failure but she still wanted the sacrifice. So it had to be done in a way not to arouse more suspicion and attention. Your ancestors even made it easier when they relocated to this country about five centuries ago, making them forget the legend and making it easier to slaughter them." Loretta said.
"It still doesn't explain anything." Julian said.
Loretta sighed.
"It's quite clear you didn't understand my earlier statement." She said.
"Is this another part of your trick?" Julian asked " You're trying to toy with my mind again."
"No, I'm not," She replied. "What if I told you I'm sitting right here in front of you and at the same time, I'm not really here? "
"What the hell does that even mean?" Julian asked, narrowing his eyes.
"It means, Thalatian," Loretta said, picking up the black chess queen. " You underrate my power. I've gotten my sixth sacrifice. "
"You're lying." He growled.
"Am I? " Loretta tilted her head sideways. "Let me refresh your memory. Every century, i claim seven men. Six sinners.. or at least who i consider sinners...and one Thalatian.Believe me when I say you'll be very happy to see who my sixth sacrifice is. And to make things even more entertaining, i've added someone special to our battle. A spectator if you may."
She leaned towards him and whispered in a dark tone.
"Your precious Nancy."
Julian's eyes widened at her statement. An angry look appeared on her face as she knocked the white chess king away from the end of the board and placed the queen in it's stead.
"Checkmate, Thalatian," She snarled. "Time's running out. I would make haste if I were you."
Julian quickly stood up and faced the door. He turned around to face her and to his horror, her seat was empty.
She was gone.

Chapter 19

Nancy put down her novel after closing the final page. She relaxed into her sofa, letting out a huge sigh. She thought of all the past events that had happened. Sam was dead, Cheryl was still in jail, The mayor was dead. It was all too much for her to think about. As much has she hated the mayor's guts, he didn't deserve that kind of death. She hoped Julian would return as soon as possible so they could deal with this threat once and for all. She also found it odd that she found herself playing a huge part in all of this. The more she thought about it, the more she realised she was a huge factor. She was the one who set up the meeting between Julian and Loretta. And right now, She was the same person who discovered the only way to destroy the latter.
"Maybe it's part of destiny." She sighed, a silly grin appearing on her face. "The lady helping her one true love, her knight, to destroy the dragon. Or serpent in this case. Usually its the white knight rescuing the princess from the dragon. Goodness, I'm getting everything mixed up."
She giggled as she stood up and stretched.
"I need to curb my addictions to fairytales, fantasy and romantic novels." She whispered to herself.
She headed to the bathroom and switched on the tap by the sink. As she splashed some water on her face, she was suddenly startled by a sound behind her. She quickly wiped her face and looked around.
"Hello?" She called out.
There was no reply.
"Probably a mouse." She muttered with a shrug.
Turning around, she gasped at what she saw. Written on the mirror above the sink was a word written in dark red blood:
' TRAITOR'
Nancy cried out in fear and jumped back. Her lips trembled. Soon voices were heard. They came out in loud echoes. Before Nancy could react, the bloody letters on the mirror began to fade away. Her eyes went wide as the letters completely disappeared from the mirror and in their place, where her reflection was supposed to be, was the dark burnt figure. Its blank white eyes shone with rage as there was a sneer on it's charred face. Before Nancy could scream for help, it stretched a hand through the mirror and grabbed her by the neck. Smoke momentarily filled the bathroom. When it cleared, the figure was gone.
And so was Nancy.

Julian should've reached home before going to see that witch,
Nancy Is a trap for Julian
+






.nice update, what took you so long

everton4life:
Hello, fam. I want to solicit for you guys help. My bank did me strong thing today and I'm out of funds. I should get the refund in the next five working days.

For anyone seeing this:

Please my sub is remaining less than 20mb and that is what I'm using to type now. I'm out of cash at the moment and I need sub to run some stuffs online and probably finish updating this novel on this thread this week.

Please if anyone can help out with airtime for me, I'll greatly appreciate it, no matter how small it is.

Here's my no:
0.8.1.6.0.7.0.6.2.5.1

Like I said earlier, i would appreciate it no matter how small.

But if it is beyond your power, I'll also understand. I know how rough things are in this country.

pyro10:
Julian should've reached home before going to see that witch,
Nancy Is a trap for Julian
+






.nice update, what took you so long

Thanks for the update boss