his eyes and lifted his face to the ceiling. I didn’t understand a word he said because he used some foreign language that I was not familiar with, but Claire was awake and listening. I still had control over her body, which I knew she hated, but I was afraid to let her take over, of what she might do to us again. After the poison she fed us, I had lost all faith in her.
I closed my eyes and listened to Adam’s earnest, soft voice, but the contented ambiance I had expected to come, did not. The whole situation felt odd, and grew weirder and weirder as time went on, and definitely more uncomfortable. Something was wrong, but I wasn’t sure what or how to fix it. I glanced at Adam, studying his features, trying to understand his role here. My gut told me he wasn’t who he said, but I could not believe that he would deceive me.
In his chant, he kept repeating a word I’d never heard before.
Bas Iblis.
Breath puffed from my mouth in visible clouds as the room grew colder. I was tempted to get up and cover myself with a blanket, but I remained seated, frozen to the pillow I sat on.
As I listened to Adam’s words, a dark foreboding—reminiscent of the how I felt with Lamia not so long ago—filled the room. I began to tremble, unable to calm myself, and when I felt someone materialize from the other world, I panicked. At first, I thought it was Lamia, because her aura felt the same, but it was someone else who stood in the room with us.
Dark, wispy hair framed his overly elongated, pale face. His features appeared lengthened and stretched somehow, like his bones didn’t fit inside his skin. He was tall and very thin, and although he seemed young, there was an agelessness in his eyes. He was not dreadful, per se, but he was not beautiful at all.
He gave me a cold smile and then turned to Adam. “Asmoday, you have done well.”
Adam bowed, his nose touching the floor, his arms outstretched before him. When he rose to his knees, he waved an arm toward me. “Bas Iblis, may I present… the Guardian.”
I got the feeling Adam wanted me to bow too, but I stayed right where I was. Something was not right here. I didn’t know who this guy was, but there was definitely something off about him. Something sinister. He drew the darkness around himself like a cloak, or more accurately, like a black hole, sucking in the light that surrounded him. He didn’t even cast a shadow in the dimness of the cellar.
He looked to me as Adam gestured, his eyes boring into mine. His mouth tightened, and his eyes squinted almost imperceptibly. He moved so quickly—yet so silently—that I was amazed when I found him standing right in front of me before I could even blink.
“The Guardian and the Elementalist.” He took my hand in his large, icy-cold grip and brought my fingers to his lips. “The pleasure is all mine.”
I repressed a shiver as his lips met my knuckles, and even though I yearned to yank my hand away, I didn’t, knowing instinctively that this man was dangerous. I kept my opinions to myself, but Claire took this moment to speak up.
“Say something!” she hissed.
I ignored her.
“Say something, you stupid idiot! He’s revered in my religion. He’s the god of the elements. Say something!”
I was too afraid. This man radiated evil like the mist that wafted off a lake at sunrise. More than ever, I wanted to escape. Up until now, I had managed to remain in control over Claire, able to hold her back, but while I quaked in fear before this powerful demon made real, Claire muscled her way to the surface, pushing my consciousness out of the way. I didn’t even have the presence of mind to stop her.
Once she was in command, she smiled and bowed to this leader of hers. “My Lord, I am more honored than words can express.”
Bas Iblis smiled, his whole demeanor changing to one of amusement. “Of course, my child. You are The Elementalist. I am so happy you have finally made your entrance.”
“This,” Adam said,
I closed my eyes and listened to Adam’s earnest, soft voice, but the contented ambiance I had expected to come, did not. The whole situation felt odd, and grew weirder and weirder as time went on, and definitely more uncomfortable. Something was wrong, but I wasn’t sure what or how to fix it. I glanced at Adam, studying his features, trying to understand his role here. My gut told me he wasn’t who he said, but I could not believe that he would deceive me.
In his chant, he kept repeating a word I’d never heard before.
Bas Iblis.
Breath puffed from my mouth in visible clouds as the room grew colder. I was tempted to get up and cover myself with a blanket, but I remained seated, frozen to the pillow I sat on.
As I listened to Adam’s words, a dark foreboding—reminiscent of the how I felt with Lamia not so long ago—filled the room. I began to tremble, unable to calm myself, and when I felt someone materialize from the other world, I panicked. At first, I thought it was Lamia, because her aura felt the same, but it was someone else who stood in the room with us.
Dark, wispy hair framed his overly elongated, pale face. His features appeared lengthened and stretched somehow, like his bones didn’t fit inside his skin. He was tall and very thin, and although he seemed young, there was an agelessness in his eyes. He was not dreadful, per se, but he was not beautiful at all.
He gave me a cold smile and then turned to Adam. “Asmoday, you have done well.”
Adam bowed, his nose touching the floor, his arms outstretched before him. When he rose to his knees, he waved an arm toward me. “Bas Iblis, may I present… the Guardian.”
I got the feeling Adam wanted me to bow too, but I stayed right where I was. Something was not right here. I didn’t know who this guy was, but there was definitely something off about him. Something sinister. He drew the darkness around himself like a cloak, or more accurately, like a black hole, sucking in the light that surrounded him. He didn’t even cast a shadow in the dimness of the cellar.
He looked to me as Adam gestured, his eyes boring into mine. His mouth tightened, and his eyes squinted almost imperceptibly. He moved so quickly—yet so silently—that I was amazed when I found him standing right in front of me before I could even blink.
“The Guardian and the Elementalist.” He took my hand in his large, icy-cold grip and brought my fingers to his lips. “The pleasure is all mine.”
I repressed a shiver as his lips met my knuckles, and even though I yearned to yank my hand away, I didn’t, knowing instinctively that this man was dangerous. I kept my opinions to myself, but Claire took this moment to speak up.
“Say something!” she hissed.
I ignored her.
“Say something, you stupid idiot! He’s revered in my religion. He’s the god of the elements. Say something!”
I was too afraid. This man radiated evil like the mist that wafted off a lake at sunrise. More than ever, I wanted to escape. Up until now, I had managed to remain in control over Claire, able to hold her back, but while I quaked in fear before this powerful demon made real, Claire muscled her way to the surface, pushing my consciousness out of the way. I didn’t even have the presence of mind to stop her.
Once she was in command, she smiled and bowed to this leader of hers. “My Lord, I am more honored than words can express.”
Bas Iblis smiled, his whole demeanor changing to one of amusement. “Of course, my child. You are The Elementalist. I am so happy you have finally made your entrance.”
“This,” Adam said,
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