FanStory.com - The Unwilling Heir - Chap 25by Begin Again

END OF CHAPTER 24

Esther turned toward the voice and found her staring into the eyes of a familiar face, younger but clearly related to William. "Hello, Momma." With those quiet words, he materialized into the boy she remembered.

Esther's eyes shifted from him to Sebastian and then back again. She struggled to speak. "You remember —"

His eyes were sad as he spoke, "How could I forget? That summer day when Victoria took me from you." He saw the pain and sorrow in Esther's eyes and wanted to erase all of it. "As a boy, I wasn't allowed to search for you, and when I did — you were very sick — delirious and — dying. Father and I held your hands. I always thought you knew, or at least we were in your thoughts, because you whispered Will as you took your last breath."

Tears streamed down her face, unable to understand how she was being given this second chance to right so many wrongs with William and her son. Gasping, she reached out her hand to Will, and he came to stand by her side.

"He talked of you often. He never stopped loving you, and neither did I."

As if a confirmation, William moaned, "Esther?"

"I'm here, William, with our son. We will get through this together, but you must fight to come back."

"Father, we need to stop Victoria. Please, if you can, fight to come back to us."

CHAPTER 25

Driven by Benny's sorrow and belief that the book's disappearance had sealed their fate, Sandra frantically rummaged through the closets for a lantern or anything else to help her on her quest. Thoughts of revisiting the depths of the mansion sent fingers of terror throughout her body, but she knew it was something she had to do. She'd lost the book, and now, even if it meant risking her life, she was determined to retrieve it for their sake. The fact that it wasn't about a story but about helping those in need surprised her. Maybe — she'd discovered a better side to herself.

She hesitated at the top of the landing, trembling. Thoughts of the last time she had descended these stairs flashed through her mind. She struggled with her decision, but in the end, she slowly crept dpwn the staircase, choking back her fear as the mansion's thick, suppressing air surrounded her.

A deep feeling of dread mounted within her as she moved deeper into the haunted chambers, her lantern casting a dim, flickering light. Unsettling shadows danced on the damp limestone walls, making the hallway feel alive with movement.

As she ventured into the darkness, her footsteps echoed ominously, mingling with distant, indistinct whispers that seemed to come from all directions. The voices were low and murmuring, sharing a thousand secrets just out of earshot. She couldn't tell if they were real or just a trick of her imagination, but they made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Her heart pounded against her chest, frantically warning her to turn back.

She quickened her pace, the dampness of the floor making her steps unsure and slippery. Every so often, she thought she heard another set of footsteps behind her, soft and stealthy, always just a few paces behind.

Panic clawed at her mind. She glanced over her shoulder, but the hallway stretched empty behind her, the shadows playing tricks on her eyes. The sensation of being followed felt real, as if it was there but just beyond the edge of her vision. Her pulse quickened, and she forced herself to move faster despite the tightening fear constricting her chest.

*****

After Sebastian abruptly dismissed her, Victoria walked the halls, licking her recent battle wounds but certainly not waving the white flag of defeat. Thoughts of Esther at William's side gnawed at her gut. She needed a plan to win him back, and retrieving the book seemed to be the only path available for redemption. Having decided, she was stunned to see Sandra descending into the bowels of the mansion, too.

Victoria shook her head, muttering to herself, "Mortals! You are no match for these spirits."

Her ethereal figure shimmered and shattered like pieces of cut glass falling to the floor when a male voice spoke from the shadows. "Victoria, why do you persist in carving your name on the walls of damnation?"

Slowly, her shadow frame retook form, flickering dimly and then growing brighter as she realized the voice's owner. "Sebastian —I thought —" She hesitated to continue as she stared into his eyes, void of the kindness she usually saw. Instead, they were darker than the night. "I was only reflecting —"

"Stop!" His voice was a whisper but echoed through Victoria's being like a tidal wave. "I can't save you if you continue your chosen path."

"Save me!" Victoria's chuckle sounded more like a gurgling cry. "You take your celestial duties far too seriously." She waved her arm in the air. "Look — it's too late for salvation."

"It's never too late." A deep sadness cloaked his spirit as he gazed at his old friend. "I don't have the power to stop you, but I pray somewhere deep inside you will do the right thing."

"The right thing —" Victoria spun around to confront Sebastian, but only an icy chill remained. She whispered, "Sebastian." A sadness settled over her spirit as she realized she would probably never see him again.

*****

As Sebastian's unexpected appearance weighed on her, Victoria swiftly navigated the passages like a sinister shadow until she caught up with Sandra outside the ballroom.

She closed her eyes as she materialized into a tangible form, allowing her thoughts to drift to William. Memories of their blissful love warmed her heart, only to be overshadowed by sadness because so much had gone wrong. She adjusted her dress in a ladylike fashion, took a deep breath, and emerged from the shadows. Her face was a mask of conflicting emotions.

Recognizing her, Sandra gasped, "Victoria!"

Victoria smiled and shook her head. "My dear, you shouldn't be here in the bowels of this mansion. Have you forgotten the dangers? They are beyond your earthly imagination."

Sandra shuddered at the woman's presence, remembering she had led her into danger the last time. Her voice was barely audible. She whispered, "Are they not the same for you?"

"Child, deceit, and unworthiness have stained my soul. Yours is pure. Those who lurk beyond this door will devour you for the momentary taste of what once was."

Sandra's eyes widened in horror. "You're trying to frighten me so I won't try to find the book. Is the treasure that important to you?"

Victoria hesitated, her body flickering, fading in and out, before gaining its earthly form again. "At one time, all I could imagine was having the wealth and power in my hands, but now — in this very moment — it doesn't matter anymore. I've lost William and have no one to blame but myself." She laughed, a sorrowful moan followed, and then she spoke in a low, honey-laced whisper, "Let me help you."

Without waiting for Sandra to answer, a gust of wind blew the door to the ballroom open, and Victoria swept past Sandra's trembling figure.

An eerie silence filled the room, broken only by the faint whisper of tortured souls. Chunks of decay hung from the once-elegant chandeliers, emitting a musty odor. Covered in layers of cobwebs, the oblong crystals barely reflected the dim light that seeped through the cracks in the walls. Warped and splintered, the wooden floor showed years of neglect. Faded and discolored pictures and murals of long-forgotten days decorated the walls, their subjects' eyes glowing ominously.

Shadows danced along the room's edges, taking on grotesque human forms. Their eyes were bright with an eerie, evil light, fixated on the intruders. Within the walls, mournful wails and spiteful curses echoed, rising to a pitch of frenzy and then falling into a hushed murmur.

Frozen in terror, Sandra stood trembling in the doorway. She stretched her hand toward the woman and hissed, "Victoria, we — we can't —"

"No, you can't —" Victoria pointed toward a pedestal near the fireplace. "That's the book." She slowly turned, letting her eyes scan the shadows lurking closer as she spoke. "I must."

Defiantly, she tipped her chiseled chin upward and, with determination, glided toward the pedestal and the book. As she neared her destination, an evil presence materialized. Despite his tattered clothing, he portrayed the resemblance of an aristocrat, exuding authority through the medals he wore. Sparks flew from the intense fire in his sunken eyes. His face was twisted and grotesque, yet his voice was surprisingly strong and demanding. "I see deep into your tortured soul," he hissed, his voice a chilling rasp. "You lie. You want the book for yourself."

Victoria's hand darted forward, snatching the book with a triumphant yet desperate gleam in her eyes. "The book belongs to William, not you."

The figure's form grew in size as a high-pitched wail blasted from his twisted mouth. Other shadows began to materialize and circle around her, their mangled claws reaching for her.

Clutching the book tightly to her chest, Victoria cried, "I can make things right." She turned to escape, but panic surged through her as she realized what her ambition had cost her.

In a desperate cry, she screamed, "Sandra, run!"

Frozen in fear, tears poured down the mortal's face as a mournful cry escaped her lips, "Oooooh!"

In a final defiant act, Victoria hurled the book into the roaring flames of a fireplace. The fire roared to life, devouring the aged pages of the Judge's book, its glow dancing across the distorted faces of the ghosts.

They lunged at her, their claws raking her skin and tearing her clothing, but her thoughts remained focused on Sandra. "Go!" and a final plea, "Sebastian, save her."

Suddenly, an arm wrapped around Sandra's body, pulling her backward from the doorway. She screamed, struggling to get free. Her arms and legs flailed wildly as Victoria's screams penetrated her entire being.

"Sandra, you're safe." Sebastian's protective hands pulled her back, out of reach of the menacing creatures. He covered her ears, quieting the dreadful sounds within the ballroom as he watched in stunned silence.

His eyes met Victoria's tortured gaze. The firelight reflected in her eyes, a fleeting glimmer of the woman she once was. Her lips moved as she murmured, "Forgive me."

With one last agonizing cry, her body crumbled to the ground, lifeless and broken. Relentless, the enraged spirits' claws dug deeper until a sudden burst of flames surrounded them. Thwarted by the fire, they recoiled and slipped into the darkness, their furious wails echoing through the dark corridors.

Sandra clung to Sebastian as Billy and Tim, having heard the torturous cries, raced down the corridor toward them.

The flames had died down, leaving ashes and the scent of burnt paper.

Sebastian placed Sandra in Tim's arms, murmuring, "She'll need rest. When she wakes, it will only be a bad dream."

As Tim carried Sandra to the safety of her bedroom, Sebastian joined Billy near the ballroom doorway.

Angry, Billy shouted, "It was Victoria, wasn't it? She sacrificed us all — for what? To be tortured and sent to hell?"

Still reeling in grief, Sebastian murmured, "I tried to warn her."

Billy scoffed, "Why? You're a celestial being. You should have known she'd choose the treasure in the end. Why didn't you stop her?"

Billy's remarks stung but effectively brought Sebastian back to his mission. "I wanted to, but I don't have that power. It was her choice."

"All of this was for nothing. My grandfather —" A wave of sadness choked Billy as he remembered his whole reason for choosing to come to purgatory. His eyes drifted to the flickering flames and the burnt book. "Without my grandfather and the book, we're all doomed. What was she thinking?"

"In the end, she asked for forgiveness. She burned the book so they wouldn't have it."

Billy dropped to his knees, sobbing. "I tried Grandfather. You told me always to be a warrior, but I failed."

Sebastian touched Billy's shoulder as he spoke. "There still might be a chance."