Chapter 4 - The Hungry Reaper

" You're awake! "   It's now time for your transformation son.
Vex heard his dad as he opens his eyes. He is now in the Achker. 
" They now know what is in the lost page",    Cascade told his son.
" Sorry, dad I failed"    Vex responds sadly.
" It's ok son, Once we've filled the stone with abilities, we will be undefeated then"
" But Dad, how come? it's not the sacred stone,   Vex is somehow puzzled.
" Get up there first, let's see the stone at the chamber,"     Cascade told her son in an energetic voice.
As they walk towards the chamber, Vex noticed how the prophet's castle has changed. It's obvious he's not been here for 10 years. The last thing he remembers about Achker was in the glass hall where his dad, Cascade had asked him to put a barrier in there. He can see somehow, that his clan has fully risen to influence here in Achker. Everybody here looks up to them and feared them. The house of the Prophets is a castle, and her dad Cascade has his own Keeper's Mount, he goes there every time he needed solitude. Not all Achkerians can just go there without his permission, or if not close to his dad because for his dad, the Keeper's Mount is his sanctuary.
" We're here",     Cascade taps his son's shoulder, smiling.
" So, if that is not the sacred stone", what then is it?"    Vex asks his dad.
" The Reaper",    Cascade answered intensely.    " It is a reaper, for it can suck all the abilities of every reincarnated soul or even an angel incarnate"    he continued.
Vex is even more surprised.
" But dad, isn't it dangerous for us too? "   He sounds worried and scared. 
" No, I am its master, what it will get will be transferred to me,"    He told his son smiling, and I will share some those who I want to", Cascade added.

Rrrrnnnggg! 
" It's my mom!"    Abby presses her phone.
" Abby, when are you going home"? There is an urgent assembly in Achker,    " the voice on the other line said"
Abby presses the loudspeaker,     so her friends can hear the conversation.
" We're now on the plane mom", what is the assembly for?
" I don't know, Cascade just told us we need to be there, they will be holding a ceremony for the transfer of our abilities to the stone.", He said it has to be formal, and our sacrifice has to be witnessed by many.",    her mom explains.
Celestine gets rattled by what she heard. 
Abby's eyes widened looking at her friends.
" Oh my God",  she mouthed.
" Uhmmm..",  she clears her throat, 
" Mom, when is this ceremony?"   Abby asks.
" Now!", the voice on the other line answered.
" Whaaat?!"   Abby could almost rose on her seat in surprise.
" Yes, we're on our way there, all our clan willingly agreed to Cascade's call for sacrifice, they're here with me now, but the astrals are resisting, so its a bit chaotic here now, "    Abby's mom explained calmly, not knowing any danger.
" Dear when you arrive just go immediately to the shrine",    her mom added.
" Mom wait!",    Abby shouts. But the line is drop already.
" What are we gonna do now?",    she asks her friends terrified.
" Call your grandmom"! Tell her what's happening now",    Celestine said.
" All the Auribus are there at the shrine? ... good... so they all can see Cascade's masks wore off",    Celestine's voice is thrilled with anger.


At the Astral's Land
krassssh!, zzzng! boom!
The people in Astralis are shouting and the children are crying. There are commotions everywhere.
The elders in the land battles with the invaders, children, and women ... those who are weak are taken away. 
Men in shadow-like appearance battles with the strong.
" There is one way for you all to stay alive! Stop resisting!",     the lead army shouts at the astrals.
" There's no way you can get our powers",      the eldest in Astralis resisted. He opens his palm and pulled the stuck sword at the dead body behind them, then he let it move towards the man, but he's so quick to escape. They are astral it's one of their abilities are telekinesis, they can also read and manipulate minds, go into the abyss of the hearts, but only a strong Astral can have all of it.
Even though they're in disguise, the elders know that the invaders are the prophets, they can sense it in their movements. Only the prophets can transform into a shadow.
The elder grabs the lead army's hand, they struggle intensely, then he grabs the army's face, and caught his eyes. 
" Gotcha"!     fall under my spell, he said in his mind as he's looking straight into the eyes of the lead army.
" Go back to your clan, and forget that there are still Astrals left in here",     the elder said in a firm commanding voice, as if hypnotizing the enemy.
The lead army stops fighting as nothing had happened. Then he ordered his men to leave Astral. As soon as the elder heard it, he rushed to the tower, running towards its top. He must do something to protect their land and the Astrals left. He knows there is a little chance if the barrier he will be making will be that strong against outsiders, his ability is not enough, but he has to try. He hopes Celestine is here, even if her ability has not yet wakened to its full, there's a better way they can do than what they have now.
When the elder reaches the top of the tower, he moves his hand, raising it, then moving it to the side, and down, he closes his eyes intensely. Astral's are more powerful with eyes closed as if meditating, their mind is traveling to the spirit realm, commanding everything there that could affect or change the condition of the physical world. As astral, their strength lies best in the souls.
A great light had eaten up the elder, then it travels to the whole land of astral, it gets bigger and it forms like a circle, covering the land, then in a blast, everything in astral had disappeared. 


At the Prophet's Castle
" Put them in the dungeon"!    Cascade commanded the armies who had just arrived from Astral.
" Why the elders in their clan who are here now are just a few? where are the others? "   Cascade asks the men, he's expecting to see someone in their hostages.
" They're gone",     the lead army replied. Many had resisted and choose to kill themselves.
" Come here",    Cascade said.
The man comes near, then Cascade holds his face, he looks into his eyes, trying to know what happened.
" You've been tricked"!    He slaps the man.
You like to power-play huh? Cascade thinks, how come you bring your land and the astrals left to another dimension? Do you think I can't go there? Cascade's jaw clenches in anger.
" Keeper, the ceremony will take place in a minute",     It's the head servant. 
" Ok I will go there",    he answered, then he put on a devious smile.


At the Glass Hall
Cascade stands there in front, now he brings the stone him. 
" Auribus!", He finally started his speech, in a loud convincing tone. Anyone who would listen will be surely intimated by his aura.
" Now is the time for your great sacrifice"!, The clan who have little in Achker! yet the giver and the selfless! Your sacrifice to restore the sacred stone will be not for nothing, for sure when the stone is restored we will all achieve the fullness we desire! And we can all go back home, so come.... selfless creatures of Achker .... "
Now Cascade is summoning them to come near to him. He then takes out the stone from its house, he holds it then the stone floats into the air, Cascade moves his fingers controlling the stone. The stone moves upward toward the ceiling, then it changes its form, from a shiny gold, it then turns into black and a cloud of black smoke comes out it, falling slowly to the Auribus creeping into their nose and their ears.
Others are fainting already, their souls can't contain the ritual.
Abby's mom felt uneasy, she suddenly felt unsure and scared. A while ago she's certain about this sacrifice but she feels like something is not right, she feels like something like this had happened before... when? she tried to think when ... she had heard some cries also here in this place during the Polaris Feast. 
Yes!, it was the astralis who was crying that time, in the almost same scenario like this, and she saw Cascade like casting a spell commanding everyone in the glass hall to forget some parts he wouldn't like them to remember.
Oh..that black smoke.... I've seen it before....where? when? think ...think.... she closes her eyes and thinks hard.
" Your mom is a rebel and you are an auribus" It was Cascade's voice.    That's the last thing she heard. 
No! we're not supposed to be here.... but it's too late! She thinks. Abby's mom started to freak out.
Mom! It's Abby. They have arrived already. Abby rushes towards her mom, she's now weak
" Stop"!    Celestine shouted at Cascade, then she moves her fingers controlling the stone from afar, trying to stop it from reaping the abilities.
" You greedy!",    she shouted at Cascade, then he releases a force from his other hand, throwing Cascade away.
Listen auribus! that is not a real sacred stone! There is no sacred stone! That is just a story he makes up so their clan could build a kingdom in Achker.
" You think you can show the lost page to them?"      It's Cascade, he's now getting up.     " Celestine ... you don't know what is that thing...he laughs teasingly.
" Well, I realize that greed is your true face"     Celestine replied angrily.
Cascade moves towards her in a flash and grabs her neck.
" Let go"!     his voice now sounds savage. He's referring to what she's doing at the stone.
Quasi sees that Celestine is not in a good situation, he moves his hand. He's an astral so he had the telekinetic ability. He moved his hand, raise it towards the stone, he help Celestine in stopping the stone from what it's doing. Celestine notices it, so he withdraws her other hand from controlling the stone. 
" Auribus! see this one! "   Celestine opens his palm and releases the lost page. Then as how it unfolded in their eyes before, the lost page showed the erased history of Achkerians.
Cascade freezes. He didn't see it coming. He did not expect that his dark secrets will be revealed by these kids.
The auribus were shocked by what they had just witnessed. Then slowly memories start to come back.
" Mom",      Abby is now crying,    " we are not auribus, we are incarnate, we must go to granny, she can help us",    she said.
" You monster!",    the auribus elders are now furious at Cascade.
" How could you played on us!"     Those who are still conscious tried to attack Cascade, but they're too weak to fight.
Abby's mom manages to stand. He walks slowly towards Cascade, who's still grasping Celestine's neck. 
" You.... liar!!!",     she shouted as she punches him, and so Cascade releases Celestine and he blocks Abby's mom, he grabs her fist and then throws her violently.
Then Cascade steals the stone from Quasi's control, now it's in his hand, he closes his eyes and he stabs himself with the stone. They're surprised by what they saw when Cascade opens his eyes it's like he's a different creature now. His aura changes and so the color of his eyes, his eyes become black. Then he smiles devilishly.
He opens his mouth, unusually wide, then there's seems a gravity pulling off the auribus powers, it all goes inside to his mouth.
Abby, Quasi ..... no.... Celestine thought...she must save her friends, their powers might be eaten up too. She doesn't know what to feel after all that she witnessed, anger...pity...and the urge to save these creatures.
" NOOOOO!",      Celestine shouted so loud, that the glass hall shakes because of her voice. 
" I despise you Cascade"!     her eyes now become blue, and luminous lines of light appear on her face too. Shield ...commanded in her mind to put up a shield around her friends, so Cascade could not touch them.
"Hahahaha! I have reaped all the powers in this room, except yours and your friends. If their souls can't take the loss of their abilities they might die and can never be reborn", Cascade acts like he's now out of his mind.
" But you know what power I truly desire to consume "?     again with his devil smile ...    " It's yours, Celestine."    He added.
" By consuming you alone would make me live up to eternity",     Cascade said to her. Cascade grabs Celestine's face, he forcefully tried to open her mouth, Celestine resisted. She tried to remember what she learned from her Astral's training. What is she going to do now? Celestine sees the chandelier on the ceiling, she pulled it down using her telekinetic ability and hit Cascade's back with it. Cascade then loses his hold of her.
" It would be nice to consume your power, you being in your true form ... incarnate "     Cascade has now become more aggressive.
Quasi and Abby watch what is happening from a distance. They could not do anything with this shield Celestine has created to protect them.
" I may not defeat you now, but this one I must do... so everyone could remember your true face ",     Celestine said to Cascade, then she stretches her arms, close her eyes, and allow herself to float in the air. She has not yet explored her powers but there is one ability she had mastered, for now, that's her ability as an astral.
She trained in secret, without Cascade's knowing she also had trained with different elders in the astral's land.
Celestine closed her eyes, her consciousness traveled to another realm, now she's seeing the glass hall in a different time and a different situation. What will be cast and bound here, at this time, at this realm, will be more powerful than what is in the physical and the real-time Only an astral can do something like this. 
Cascade sees what Celestine will do, he tried to stop her but he can't penetrate the dimension she created.
Celestine touches the earth where the glass hall stands, she sniffs the air, as if summoning the spirits around, then she commanded...
" What happens here will be remembered forever, and it will leave a mark to every Achkerian's identity, no power can erase any history of this place, I, Celestine incarnate is bounding this from this realm to another realm."       Celestine's voice is increasingly authoritative as she said it.
"Noooo! "    Cascade shouts frustratingly. Celestine has now opened her eyes. Her soul travels back again in this recent time and before she could avoid it, Cascade had hit her hard, that she was thrown outside breaking the walls behind her.
She could hardly get up. Cascade walks towards her slowly.
" You stubborn kid!"     Cascade pulls her up and throws her again in anger. 
' I told you I can beat you when I'm asleep",     Celestine answered him smirking.
" You! Show me your true form, let it out"!     Cascade is now very furious.          " How could you have the courage to fight me with powers you don't even master huh?! "      he said as he continues to battle with Celestine.
Celestine could hardly keep her consciousness, she feels too weak now. Cascade has now grabbed her face and started to suck her power. Celestine's vision starts to dim, as her visions fade... it's like she could hear a voice from afar. 
" I promised.... I will find you "
She saw her 4 years old self.
" Dad... no... I can't" she said.
" Take this... there... now I'm sure I will found you"
Celestine feels like what she's hearing is a memory from her past life. Dad .... she thinks of her dad in that memory that she just remembers now. She's that girl .... and the dad... tears rolled down in her eyes. Dad ... please find me here... I'm here now, dying... she thinks.
Cascade is now reaping her power, while he chokes to death. What is in this incarnate? She's different from those incarnate he battled before. Something's making her strong and protecting her. 
More... a little more... and he will consume all of Celestine's ability. Cascade thinks.
But to his surprise he sees Celestine's  eyes changes its color as she struggles with her breath. It becomes blue, then the luminous lines appeared again. Cascade got excited now, thinking he will be even more powerful if Celestine's ability will be taken from her while she was in her incarnate form. She knows that Celestine has an ability to change her form but she didn't know it could be this exciting to witness. 
" Hahahaha", Cascade laughs mercilessly. 
" You never failed to give me what I desire,"  he said.
But something appeared in Celestine's head.  It surprises Cascade. It's like a gold bead that comes out floating from her head, then it shed lights so brilliant it could blind his eyes. Then the rays strike his face. It hurts! It feels like his face is burned and his eyes were struck with a dagger. He let go of his grasps at Celestine.
At the side of her eyes, Celestine can see Cascade groaning in pain. There is smoke in his face it's like a part of it is melting. Then she sees Vex coming. 
Vex! It's Vex... Celestine could see him, as she's lying there on the ground a bit far from the glass hall. No! what are you going to do! She sees Vex breaking the shield she made for her friends. 
Quasi fights him, Vex could not take him easily, Quasi can fight, but Abby could not, though they recently discovered that she's an incarnate all her life she's been trained as an Auribus.  Vex tooks Abby, and so her father. 
And he excaped.
" No, Abby",   Celestine tries to gets up, but she feels too weak, she streched her hand forcing her ability to freeze something to comes out, She likes to stop Vex from leaving, but her power doesn't work.  Celestine is so much worried about her best friend.
Faster! Here...! 
Celestine could hear voices and footsteps coming.
Then she loses her consciousness.