NINE ONE OF SIX #2
‘No, Liam. It’s called a Wretch,’ Nathaniel interjects, standing and pulling a book from the shelf.
He flips to a page with an illustration of the creature I saw.
It has a distorted dog-shaped body and grotesque face.
‘A demonic parasite that feeds off power. They live in the shadows and usually become visible when hunting, usually at night.’
‘They can’t exist in light, it messes with their molecular structure,’ Tariq adds.
That explains why it disappeared when Miss Williams turned on the storeroom light.
‘That is why it’s important to keep that stone on you,’ Nathaniel says.
I nod. A Wretch must have sensed Tariq using his power outside in the yard, that was why he rushed us inside when we saw movement.
‘Well, let’s move on,’ he says, shutting the book.
I finish the rest of my tea, placing the mug on the desk.
‘Ah! I have yet to recite the official passage,’ he says. There’s a twinkle in his eyes.
‘Passage?’ I say.
‘He loves doing this part,’ Tariq says, crossing his legs and getting comfortable. It’s cute.
‘We haven’t had a new Keeper in so long…
let me see if I can remember it…’ Nathaniel retakes his seat.
‘Liam O’Connor. You are a Keeper of the Crossing.
One of six. You, along with your fellow Keepers, are charged with standing watch of the Crossing, and keeping this city, and the world, safe from the darkness contained within it.
Your abilities give you the power to defend the innocent, defuse chaos, and defeat evil.
You follow generations of Keepers before you who have given their lives to the Crossing.
The burden now falls to you. Your Keeper identity must remain hidden, as much as possible, not for your own safety, but the safety of those closest to you. ’
There’s a brief silence, and Nathaniel leans back in his chair, looking pleased with himself. ‘Well, what do you know, I do remember it.’
‘You definitely forgot at least half of that with me,’ Tariq says.
‘Well, you weren’t exactly a keen listener back then, Tariq Ashar,’ Nathaniel says, and then smiles.
What was Tariq like when he first became a Keeper? He comes across as the keen-bean student, but maybe he was a little fifteen-year-old rebel.
‘So, there are six of us?’ I ask.
‘Indeed. The Motus, Opel; the Elementa, that would be young Tariq here; the Defensor; the Spiritus; the Tempus; and you, of course, the Auctus. Right now, there are only three active Keepers, yourself included.’
Tariq looks quickly at Nathaniel, and a moment passes between them. Is what Nathaniel just said not correct?
‘What is it?’ I say.
Nathaniel’s eyes flicker. ‘Nothing to concern yourself with just now.’ He wanders over to the shelves and begins searching.
I give Tariq a ‘what was all that about?’ look and he just shakes his head. Clearly now is not the time.
Nathaniel pulls out a large, ancient-looking book from the top shelf and slams it on the desk, the teaware clinking on impact.
It’s titled The Crossing .
‘What do you know about this city?’ says Nathaniel.
I shrug, glancing at Tariq for support. ‘Property prices are pretty cheap.’
Tariq snorts into his tea. ‘Yeah, there’s a reason for that.’
Nathaniel appears unamused.
I try again. ‘I mean, I know a lot of weird stuff happens here.’
‘Such as?’ Nathaniel says.
‘There are unexplained deaths, missing people, mysterious events,’ I say. ‘There’s something in the Sarumbourne Journal every week. Oh, and ley lines!’
Nathaniel raises an eyebrow, sitting back in his chair. ‘Go on…’
‘My history teacher mentioned them, and she said Old Sarum is where lots of these lines meet, causing negative energy.’
Tariq looks impressed.
‘You’ve done your homework,’ Nathaniel says, clapping his hands together. ‘Many sacred places exist worldwide to keep these crossings in check. Old Sarum is indeed one of those sites.’
‘It’s not just a tourist attraction,’ Tariq says. ‘Many of these sacred sites manage to keep the negative energy at bay, but unfortunately, Old Sarum isn’t so lucky,’ says Nathaniel.
‘So, this city is like an all-you-can-eat buffet for evil?’ I say, and Tariq grins.
‘Evil finds its way into our realm through the Crossing,’ says Nathaniel.
‘Entities from the Crossing fall into two categories: lower beings and higher beings. Lower beings, such as the Wretch you faced, are more quickly eradicated by Keepers. Many higher beings are intelligent enough to keep their identity hidden. They hide away, surviving in various forms until darkness covers the earth and evil reigns supreme.’
‘So, evil really is a thing, huh?’ I say.
‘Demons, monsters, spirits, creatures that go bump in the night, they’re all real,’ Tariq says.
Monsters roaming around Sarumbourne – the city I thought I knew. How can such darkness exist within the same streets where I walk to college and hang with friends?
‘How can these things be wandering around town without anyone noticing them?’ I say.
‘As I said,’ Nathaniel begins, ‘higher beings are intelligent enough to hide, and many lower beings can only exist in human forms, such as Bloodtakers or Howlers.’
‘Are the Dark Friars demons?’ I say.
Nathaniel shakes his head. ‘Some, such as Draven, utilise demonic power, but they are human. The Order of the Dark Friars has existed almost as long as the Guild. While the Guild and their Keepers guard the Crossing, the Dark Friars seek to break it and unleash the evil within.’
‘And by killing new Keepers, they make sure there’s less resistance to their goals,’ Tariq adds. ‘Draven made his offer tonight because he knows we’ll keep coming. He can take out as many of us as he wants, but a new Keeper will awaken each time.’
‘So, with his offer, he knows exactly who he is up against, no surprises,’ I say.
‘Exactly,’ Tariq says, then turns to Nathaniel. ‘But I don’t trust him, not after what happened to Thomas, and now he’s threatening Liam.’
Nathaniel stands. ‘I know. But trust him or not, the Guild will be interested in what he is up to.’
‘If they start investigating, the Dark Friars will come for Liam. He needs to be ready,’ Tariq says.
There is a moment of silence in the room while Nathaniel contemplates.
‘Liam, tomorrow at noon your training will begin,’ he says, finally. ‘You will learn how to control your abilities from myself, while Tariq and Opel will teach you the basics in combat training. You will need to learn quickly how to defend yourself.’
‘What about my normal life? My friends? College?’
‘Your life outside of the Keepers is your own to do with as you please. But your duties with us and to the Crossing must always come first.’
This new life, with its demons and dangers, threatens to consume everything I’ve known.
The thought of hiding this secret from my friends and Mum fills me with dread.
Am I destined to live a double life? I worry about the excuses I’ll have to conjure up, the lies I’ll have to weave, just to protect the ones I care about.
It’s overwhelming. But there’s no turning back now. I’m in this whether I like it or not.
‘Until you are trained, you must stay safe. As I’m sure Tariq has mentioned, you should be safe during daylight hours, at least from the Dark Friars, but be vigilant. Tariq will be with you at all times after nightfall from now on. There is a room here for you.’
What’s that now? Tariq, with me… all night, every night?
‘I can’t stay here; my mum will freak.’
‘I’ll stay at yours,’ says Tariq.
‘What… what am I supposed to tell my mum?’
‘Can’t you sneak him in?’ Nathaniel suggests. ‘I used to do that all the time back in the…’ He stops, then coughs.
‘Just say I’m a mate from college,’ Tariq says, adjusting his curls. ‘I can pass for seventeen.’
‘Well, that is settled then,’ Nathaniel says, grabbing his coat from the back of the door.
‘I’ll inform the Guild of what you saw in your dream, Liam, as well as Draven’s return.
They won’t be pleased, but knowing we have a newly awakened Keeper might perk them up a bit.
Liam, I’ll see you tomorrow at noon.’ He pats me on the shoulder before leaving the room with his notepad in hand.
‘Wow,’ Tariq says with a sigh.
‘What?’
‘It’s only our second date and I’m already sleeping over,’ he says, grinning.
Of all the ways I had imagined a boy staying over at my place, this was not one of them.