Madeline didn’t bother to hide her astonishment, and she rose to her feet. "How is it Abbot?" Her confusion was laced in her tone, her brows knitting into a subtle frown, and she needed someone to explain exactly what happened while she was unconscious.
"But Abbot is still human. If he’s possessed by this Eki.. whatever, shouldn’t it be obvious?" Cassian was also at a loss for words, but Osvaldo seemed sure of what he was saying, because his reaction remained totally unfazed. It looked more like he expected their doubts and was prepared to prove his assumptions right.
"This Abbot, take me to him." He requested without explaining further.
Madeline gazed at Osvaldo as Cassian took him out of the library, still finding something amiss, but she wasn’t entirely sure herself what it was. Refusing to be left behind, Madeline’s footsteps quickened as she followed the both of them, but she stayed behind in case something unexpected happened.
Cassian led Osvaldo to the back of the house, where he kept Abbot tied up in an empty room. Opening the door, he stepped in and found Abbot still seated on the chair, tied. He was about dozing off when he heard the door creak open, and his eyes widened when Cassian stepped inside with Madeline and Osvaldo.
"Like having your sister here wasn’t already enough?? Why do you bring this degradable witch in my presence?" Abbot didn’t hesitate to lash out at Cassian who’s eyes darkened visibly, but he said nothing, leaving Abbot slightly baffled since Cassian was always someone who wouldn’t hesitate to give a retort.
"Are you deaf?"
Ignoring the raging Abbot, he turned to look at Osvaldo, not finding anything different in his behavior. "See? He’s still stupid."
"You’re Abbot?" Osvaldo asked the tied-up man who eyed him suspiciously from head to toe. "And who are you?"
"I’m Osvaldo, but can we skip the Introductions? It will only take a minute." And he began to approach Abbot who was beginning to find their presence alarming. His eyes quickly shifted to Madeline and Cassian before retracting back to Osvaldo.
"Why are you coming towards me?"
"I won’t hurt you." Osvaldo assured him, moving to his back. "I just need to confirm something. Don’t move." And he pulled the back of Abbot’s collar, staring at his neck that had no symbol in it.
"Oh." Osvaldo’s hazel eyes dilated when he saw nothing, no marks or sign, his skin looked unblemished. Wrinkling his brows, Osvaldo’s eyelids narrowed into a glaring slit, one that seemed calculative and carried suspicion.
The sudden pause Abbot felt behind his neck awakened an inkling feeling that warned him of something. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it was starting to make beads of sweat paint his forehead.
"What are you doing?" Unable to deal with the anxiety, he questioned the man behind him, and as if in response to his question, he heard him sigh as though he was left with no other option.
"Forgive me in advance, but this will hurt."
"Excuse me???"
And he placed his palm at the back of Abbot’s neck. A glowing white light shone from beneath his palm, but it felt like a burn against the skin of Abbot’s neck. A painful growl escaped Abbot when the pain intensified, it felt like someone placed burning coal against his skin, and when Osvaldo finally took his palm away, the three star sign became visible, and his eyes widened in trepidation.
"It was hidden." He whispered to himself, his disturbed gaze darting left and right before settling on Abbot’s neck, "you are..... carrying something dark inside of you. Are you aware?" Osvaldo asked Abbot who was yet to recover from the burning pain, and he could hardly breathe.
In all his life, Abbot didn’t think he had experienced such terrible pain. He was still catching his breath, and it made him wonder who the hell was that guy. When Cassian stepped forward to have a look at what Osvaldo was emphasizing on, his eyes went round in shock after sighting the black three star symbol on the back of Abbot’s neck.
"No way!" He muttered underneath his breath, looking half-dazed. Madeline, who was also curious to see what had left Cassian speechless, wanted to step forward, but Cassian shook his head in her direction, passing the silent warning for her to keep a safe distance. Although she hated being the last to know everything, Madeline obediently stayed back, whilst letting Cassian and Osvaldo handle it.
"Why do you have a three star symbol at the back of your neck?" Questioned Cassian as he grabbed the collar of Abbot’s shirt.
"What symbol are you yamming about??" Abbot raged, his eyes turning red-rimmed from pain and anger. Madeline, who noticed something was definitely wrong with Abbot’s behavior tried to speak up, but Cassian and Osvaldo were too focused on hearing the truth from Abbot, they failed to notice the presence of Elijah who stood at the opened window.
"Isn’t this lovely!" Elijah’s voice rang out in the room, gaining the startled attention of everyone. His crimson eyes shifted from Abbot to Cassian who returned his stare, and he took off his hoodie, revealing a face that had a striking resemblance to Elian.
"It’s not a good thing to aggravate my master." Elijah’s smile turned cunning as his gaze rested on Abbot. "He’s been sleeping so peacefully in the body of a human, was it necessary to wake him up? Now everyone’s in trouble."
"What do you--"
Cassian hadn’t even finished the question he wanted to ask when he heard Abbot release an animalistic growl. Cassian and Osvaldo cautiously stepped back when they noticed the eyes of Abbot had turned pitch black. When he looked at them, they saw nothing but extreme blood-thirst in his eyes, and with yet another angry growl, the chains broke free.
"Run!!" Was the last thing Cassian said before he got pounced on by Abbot, driving the both of them through a wall and bursting right in.
"Cassian!" Madeline’s eyes widened in horrification, but Osvaldo grabbed her wrist and took her out of the room since Cassian was going to keep the both of them busy.
"Wait! I’m not leaving Cassian!" She tried to free her wrist from Osvaldo’s firm grip, but he made her look at her, this time she could mirror the seriousness in his eyes.
"Do you want to save your husband?"
"Of course!"
"Then you have to come with me, you’re going to have to create that barrier today. Somehow, we released it from its slumbers and if you don’t come with me so you can create that spell, its people will arrive, and when they do, forget your husband it’ll be the end of the world for everyone." He revealed, making her aware of the consequences she’ll face if she doesn’t come with him.
When they stepped out of the house, Madeline’s gaze took notice of how the dark clouds were starting to gather. Was it going to rain???
"That’s not rain." Osvaldo answered her silent question, a disturbing look crossing his features. "We don’t have time, come."
"And where are you two going? Leaving when the fun is about to start?" Elijah questioned as he blocked their path, but as if timed, a twin sword blade came rolling in his direction, ready to slice him in half if he hadn’t dodged the attack on time, and as expected, it was his own twin brother.
"Get her out of here." Elian motioned for Osvaldo to take Madeline away before going after his brother.