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Watching the little black blob grow more and more frantic, Beulah knew that whatever was coming, was bad. More than bad. Evil. The atmosphere reverberated with evil, she could almost smell the stench. The wisps of fog moved quicker, breaking up, little droplets of water appearing in the air in glittering arrays to vanish quickly.
::Aria! Come to me. Now!::
::No! No!:: The girl whimpered, shuddering.
::Who invades the sanctuary of another's plane?:: Beulah demanded.
::Ah, someone else powerful enough to do this.:: The voice was male, sneering. ::But not as strong as me. Never as strong as me.::
::Name yourself,:: Beulah ordered.
A mocking laugh sounded, coming closer.
The black blob slithered away, disappearing deeper into the fog.
And then it was there. Evil burst through her senses, making Beulah wince and stagger back a few feet, as she looked up at the threatening wall of black that towered above her. Red lightning fractured the wisps of fog, and seared the edges of Wes's subconscious. Dimly she heard a faint cry, recognized it as a boy's voice, and knew Wes felt the pain of so many invaders in his sanctuary--and especially this one.
::Leave this place,:: she demanded.
Laughter came from the wall, and suddenly it surrounded her. The lightning split the darkness, and formed a face in the middle of the blackness. The face was male, the features sharp, and his eyes burned with unholy light.
::I am Hortra. I hold power such as you could never imagine. More poweris what I seek. My sister is what I seek. And she is here.:: The head twisted to the side, black tendrils clinging to it, before swivelling around to face her again. ::For her to seek shelter in this plane, the owner must be powerful indeed.::
::He is just a boy.:: Beulah recognized the greed that filled Hortra's eyes. ::Nothing of consequence.::
::No? So why are you here?::
::To help him.::
::I will help him.:: Hortra stated laughing again. ::He can come with me--::
::No.::
::No?:: Hortra stopped laughing, but amusement was evident in his face. ::You cannot stop me, woman. I claim the boy as well as my sister.::
::You have no rights to claim the boy. Take your sister and go.::
From far away she heard a girl's despairing cry, then it trailed off.
::Hmm, it seems Aria is not happy that you would hand her over to me.:: Hortra grinned.
::She is of no concern to me. The boy is my concern.::
::He is not your concern any longer.::
::The boy is claimed already, by his brother and by me. You have no claim on him. Go.::
A sudden swirl of power rippled through the blackness, and a wind whipped around Beulah, tearing at her clothes and sending wisps of hair flying free from the bun at her nape.
Calmly Beulah raised her hand, and the wind stopped. ::Your theatrics are not welcome here, Hortra. Go.::
::Ah, you have some power, witch. I should have recognized you as such a one.:: One black hand materialized out of the blackness. ::Let us see just how powerful you are.::
The hand made a sudden swiping motion at her, and she warded it off with another lift of her hand, mentally forming a protective shield around herself.
The amusement left Hortra's face. He made a fist, and struck out, which Beulah again warded off with ease. A low growl filled the air, and a streak of lightning sparked against the mental shield, seeking a way inside. As Hortra grew angrier, more red streaks sizzled and snapped at the shield.
Beulah felt the power of Hortra, the evilness that attacked her mental shield, the way he strove to get inside her mind. He was dangerous, more dangerous than any she'd ever met.
Bracing her feet, she stood her ground.
Then it sounded, a low buzzing outside the mental shield, an attack on her senses, as the black fist battered at her shield, the red lightning tried to crack through the protective layer, and the buzzing became an angry swarm of intense pain pricks that sought to find their way in and prick her skin.
Still she held her ground. ::Give up, Hortra. I have no time for this. Go now, and leave the boy in peace.::
::You are strong, witch, but are you strong enough to protect both you and the boy's sanctuary?:: Hortra gave a low laugh, aggressive and challenging.
With one sweep of his hand, he sent the lightning streaking through the planes of Wes's subconscious, searing the protective fog, burning the safe haven. Tearing through the spiritual layers and causing intense pain to the owner.
Wes's scream was ear splitting, cracking the very foundation of Beulah's protective shield, and she saw it splinter around her. But her own safety was not paramount right now--it was Wes she strove to save.
::Hortra!:: Calling the powers of the shield to her hands, she focused on the faint blue light forming around her fists, then threw the light with all her might at the blackness.
The blue light seared threw the blackness, splitting the face, shattering the image and fragmenting the evil to pieces that whirled around with a cry of mingled surprise and rage.
Wes cried out, and faintly behind it was Aria's voice.
The wind was wild, the shattered black fragments seeking to twine together and reform Hortra's face. Beulah wouldn't allow it, concentrating on keeping the blue light spearing the darkness, keeping the blackness fragmented.
::I'll kill you for this, witch!:: Hortra howled. ::You will die--and I will have the boy!::
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