CHAPTER 18 – THE SOUL TRAP
Dexter followed Reuben and Scarlett along a red carpet that led through what resembled a church nave with two side wings to a peculiar contraption. Four demon statues clutched glowing stones between their claws: the left one was red, and the other three were blue. Inside them swirled a mist-like substance.
"This," Reuben began as they reached it, "is the Grand Soul Trap. With it, you can capture and store the souls of deceased humans and animals." He tossed something to Dexter, who reflexively caught it. It was a blue crystal that nestled perfectly in his palm.
"A small Soulstone," Scarlett explained. "As a Nightstalker, you should always carry one to capture the souls of the people you kill."
"With these machines," Reuben resumed, "you can assimilate the power of these souls and use it to become a stronger Nightstalker."
Dexter gaped at the stone in his hand. So, he wasn't only supposed to kill innocent humans to survive, but also condemn their souls to eternal captivity? That was barbaric.
"Barbaric," Reuben sighed. "You should stop thinking like a human finally. That's what's barbaric!"
Dexter stared at him. "Are you reading my thoughts?" His heart sank, and he glanced at Scarlett, who watched him in silence. They had heard everything. Everything.
Reuben waved mockingly. "I wouldn't call it 'reading.' That sounds too intellectual. You're practically shoving your mindless musings into my head."
"Cut that out!" Dexter growled angrily. This was not good. Now he had to watch his thoughts as well.
"Perhaps you can stop me," Reuben replied.
In helpless anger, Dexter clenched his fists and said no more. He hoped he could stay here long enough to learn what he needed to bring Tabitha back... Something he shouldn't be thinking about, but the cat was already out of the bag.
"But alright, I won't be like that," Reuben said. He raised his chin and approached them with a condescending smile. "We're flying to Ravencroft now, where I'll introduce you to the Children of the Apocalypse. They should be right up your alley." The Nightstalker grinned as if he'd cracked a particularly good joke. Dexter raised an eyebrow. He wasn't so sure about that.
They set off together, transforming into bats, with Reuben and Scarlett assisting him. Surprisingly, it turned out to be quite easy. If he ever needed to get away quickly, it would be advantageous.
Ravencroft was a village in the shadow of the mountain where Reuben 's castle was located. It lay beyond the Wolf's Forest, which looked less extensive from above than Dexter remembered. He struggled to keep up, flapping his wings behind the other two Nightstalkers. It seemed effortless for them to glide through the air as bats, but he found it difficult to maintain his balance and coordinate his wing movements properly. Although it was nighttime, and Dexter had always believed bats to be blind, he could see remarkably well. The moon lit up the world for him as brightly as the sun had in his human days.
Beneath them, the rugged mountain slopes seemed to pass by quickly. The bat transformation had its advantages as it saved them a full day's journey, but he definitely needed more practice.
They landed in the shadow of the last trees and resumed their human forms. Dexter breathed a sigh of relief and waited for the numbness in his limbs to fade. He felt much more comfortable on his own two feet than in the air.
By the time they reached the village, the sun was already rising and driving the morning mist away. Dexter blinked. It was hard to see in the sunlight, and his exposed skin felt uncomfortable.
"Oh, I forgot that you're a third-generation Nightstalker," Reuben remarked. To Dexter's surprise, he removed his cloak and handed it to him. "Put this on. The sun bothers you more than it does me."
"A third-generation Nightstalker?" Dexter threw the cloak over his shoulders and pulled the hood low over his face. It was far more comfortable now.
"Reuben is a second-generation Nightstalker and turned you, which means you're a level lower in the hierarchy," Scarlett explained. "You're more susceptible to sunlight, garlic, and all that disgusting holy stuff. I was transformed into a Nightstalker through a powerful spell, so I belong to the first generation."
A farmer approached them in his wagon, probably looking to make the most of the morning sun for his fieldwork. He furrowed his brows and stared at them.
"A glorious day, isn't it?" Reuben said, and Dexter was shocked to see that the Nightstalker was grinning. Wasn't he afraid that the farmer might notice his sharp teeth and raise the alarm? The man grumbled something under his breath and turned away. Dexter watched him in amazement.
"Don't make such a fuss," Reuben scoffed. "I didn't have a creator who explained everything to me in detail. If I had been as dumb as you back then, I wouldn't have survived two nights..."