Chapter 3: The Fall

I rushed over to my mother who is barely alive. She puts her cold hands on my face and says, "You are all grown up now, I don't have much time, take my bracelet, go to the backseat of the car and get out your father's suitcase and bring it to me please." I ran to the car and got the suitcase and as I closed the door of the car I felt that cold wind pass through me once again then I turned to see that my mom was gone. All that was left was a bed of roses and two items, a note and something wrapped in cloth. First I pickup the note and it reads Dear Michael, If you are reading this then certain events have happened and I have passed on. Don't mourn my passing. I have been waiting a long time to be reunited with your father. Your name is Raphael Orgrim, son of Rivus Maximus and descendant of Vagalius's bloodline. My dear child I will forever love you. I left you this gift that has done my good in the past and it will keep you safe on your travels. In your father's suitcase you will find everything you need to get to your uncle's. Love Mom. Next I put up the object and unwrapped it from its decorative linen to reveal a long Efu No Tachi style blade. I pulled the sword from its shelve and all the petals started to rise and flow into the edge of the blade and symbols appeared along the blade. At first I couldn't understand what the markings meant but, as I looked harder they turned into words that read Rose Petal, Mother's Embrace. I reshelve the blade and then wrap it back in the silk it came in. Then I take the note, the blade and my father's suitcase to the car. I sat the suitcase on my lap, unlatched the front of the case and lifted it open. Inside there were a few objects, on the inside face were two journals held up by some metal cages and in between the two journals was some kind of metal and wood cylinder. On the bottom of the case was a large leather bound book. I examine the journals and their metal cages first. The first book was covered in some kind of black leather and had a decorative mark that looked like three circles sitting like a pyramid, one on top and two on the bottom and completely surrounded by a triangle. The second book was more simple than the first. It was leather bound like the first but less decorative, It seemed to be held crudely together by some tough burlap material woven into the spine of the journal. This book also had a mark, a large "M" and was surrounded by two interlaping circles, one black the other white. The cages that held the book into place had some locking mechanism. But I didn't see a key hole nor a key. So as I examine closer I see that there is a symbol on the latch of the cage. It was a rectangle with the outline of a rhombus, Inside was an octagonal shape with two double banded crosses on the top and bottom. I looked in the case for anything that looked similar, then I looked at the cylinder to find the same mark on the face of the cylindrical object. So I inspected carefully, I found that there was an arrow on the edge. I started to turn the rim of the cylinder then I heard a click. Then both cages were released but the books didn't fall, they stayed suspended and attached to the case. I keep turning the cylinder to reveal some kind of skeleton key. It was unusual in nature, it was round at the top that pulled into the twisted shaft. The end peculiar instead of one whole piece was composed of two nearly identical pieces but the bottom half was smaller and lacked one bar that runs horizontally to the vertical bar, like a cross pattern. On the top of the key there was an inscription that read 4357-A on the other side was a symbol, an arrow flying through a crescent moon. I put the key back into the cylinder then close it, the cages hinge back on their mechanisms and lock back into place. I put my mom's note into it then closed the suitcase and started to put it into my bag. Something catches my eye in the rear view mirror, I look behind me to see a large red clouds forming over my neighborhood and I remember what Tytone said. So I started the car, turned it around and started back to town and all I can remember saying was, "I am not losing you guys. I'm not losing you." I get to my neighborhood and start driving to the school. When I arrived I looked up to see that loathsome cloud forming overhead. I rush into the school and down the stairs, out the double doors to the lower field. I look across the lower field to see my friends looking up at the sky. Then a large obelisk comes crashing down from the sky into the earth below. The shock blows me to the ground, when I get up dust fills the air I run blindly to try to find Zane and Eve screaming their names. I hear her voice calling to me through the dust filled air. I heard her voice, a voice that haunted me since you're passing a voice I would never forget behind me as I turned and I saw her face. She had a look of sorrow and guilt. At that moment I felt a sharp pain rush over my entire body. I looked down at my chest to see a blade in the left side of my abdomen. I fell into Katy's arms, she let me down slowly. All I focus on is her face and the rest becomes blurry, I say, "I love you."