With a few members gone, I stayed at the house undetected by the humans that sauntered the halls. It was because I was still wearing my robes, and they thought I was one. As the hallways became more empty, I had seen when I arrived that the office of Roderick was near the basement door. At the moment it was empty, and in my sights was the Grimoire sitting on the desk. I wasn't afraid of being caught, but luck was just on my side.

I strolled through the hallway with ease, before slipping into the office, and pushing the door shut as quietly as I could. My eyes flicked to the dull green of the grimoire. And I went for it, with a sway in my hips. I came around the desk, and reached out for the grimoire, and touched the close book. The engraving on the front was exquisite, such beautiful design. I reached over and unclasped the book, and flipped open the pages, seeing them dark and aged. A few were even coated in black, you know they're the evil ones. A smile came to my face, as I read over some spells. New ones that I haven't even added to my own.

I grabbed the book, and placed myself down onto the chair, holding it open. I crossed one leg over the other, and was waiting for someone just to walk right in and see me. I got a few pages in, when I heard heavy footsteps walking towards the office, and that of a cane slamming on the wood as they walked. Roderick was coming. Within moments, the door to his study opened, and I felt his eyes upon me.

"Roderick, please come in," my eyes didn't lift up from the Grimoire I was reading.

"Who the bloody hell are you!?" He exclaims, coming further into the room. "What are you doing here?!" His voice was raised and I didn't like that. I raised my gaze up from the pages of the book, placing it into my lap as I gave him a death stare.

"You will not speak unless you are spoken too," I was smug in my reply, but he was outraged at the comment. He was going to speak, but when his mouth opened nothing came out. No noise, no words, nothing. I couldn't help but chuckle at him as he tried effortlessly to form a word. "Care for a seat?" I floated my hand out to a nearby chair, and he knew I meant business so he went cautiously with each step before he sat.

"Roderick Burgess," I spoke his name slowly, as my eyes never left his. "A man who runs a pathetic cult called The Order of Ancient Mysteries. Cults used to be so much fun," I sighed remembering the days they worshipped me, and offered up gifts and sacrifices. "Nowadays, they're run by charlatans, who don't really have any magical abilities at all. Just think they do," I slammed the grimoire shut, and picked it up from my lap and placed it onto the table. "I imagine you summoned the being in the basement for a reason? Pray tell, why is that?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow. Roderick waited a moment, and opened his mouth ready to speak.

"To bring my son back," his voice rang into the room, his eyes widened in surprise that he could speak again. "Who are you?" He went on, but I only smirked at him, finding the question irrelevant at this moment.

"Someone who just wants to record these spells," I responded, and he looked like he was about to respond in hate and anger. He opened his mouth to speak but yet again his words did not form. "Now, you can either let me simply record them, and I'll be out of your hair and you can keep the Grimoire. Or if you protest, I'll kill everyone in this house, your cult members and let free the being in your basement... Nod if you understand," Roderick thought for a few seconds, knowing that if he died he wouldn't get his son back.

He nods, complying with my ultimatum which brought a smile to my face. I looked down to my lap briefly, and swirls of red mist came to life and shaped out my own grimoire. Once it was visible, I picked up the book and placed it on the desk. Roderick's eyes beamed with glee, as they bruned into the Darkhold. 

"The Darkhold," he breathed out in amazement, as I knew that look when ever anyone read about my Grimoire.

"Oh, you know this book then," I responded, unclasping the locks that bound the book shut.

"Of course! It's one of the most sought after books in history," Roderick exclaims in glee, finding the information on it true. "It says, in mortal hands it corrupts those who use it. But the spells within are chaotic, and powerful," he went on, but his eyes were fixed upon the book, looking at its aged pages.

"The Darkhold is merely a collection of ancient and powerful spells lost to time," I explained, flipping through some pages that held rituals. Until I came to a blank page in the book.

"How, are you touching that book and not going mad?" Roderick asks, finding my ability to hold and use its spells maddening.

"We all have secrets," I replied with a smug expression before opening the Grimoire Roderick has. They were side by side, whatever page they were on as it didn't matter. I raised my right hand above both of the books, and red wisps of energy began to seep into the Grimoire. "Translatio horum verborum ex hoc lib. Cantus et ritus et omnia, in tenebris esto," I chanted the spell effortlessly, and the red wisps of energy leapt off the Grimoire and onto the Darkhold. I could see that the Grimoire to my right was fading its spells, as if the words were draining right from the book. The empty page in the Darkhold began to fill up, writing down the spells from the other book.

"Why collect other spells? Why do any of this?" Roderick asks, bringing my eyes up to meet his fixed gaze upon me. "We both could get what we want using the Darkhold. Youth, prosperity, wealth," he was propositioning me to get all the things I wanted in life. I couldn't help but laugh at him, which got me an odd look.

"You think you could master these spells? Master the Darkhold and bend it to thy will," my laugh faded while I asked the questions. "You are but an amateur. These spells would crush you, and by the end of it. You would be a hollow shell," I warned him, though sometimes they never listened to the warnings and just sought the power they needed. My eyes drifted back to the Darkhold to see that the transfer was completed.

"But you are not," he replies, finding the courage within those short seconds to comment. I remained silent, and closed the Darkhold and placed the latches back onto it. Before picking it up and putting it in the crook of my arm to carry it.

"The Grimoire is still intact, and yours. Enjoy Roderick Burgess," I pushed myself up from the chair, as he did the same and I walked around the desk. Suddenly, his cane flew up, and across my sights, gesturing me to stop in my tracks.

"I could simply take that book from you, and use it myself," his tone went dark and threatening, but again I couldn't help but chuckle at his empty threat. My eyes wandered up his cane to meet his gaze.

"And why don't you?" I arched an eyebrow up as I asked the question. We just stared at one another as if our eyes were doing the talking. "That's what I thought," the words rolled off my lips with ease after a few moments, knowing that he wouldn't last an hour with the Darkhold in his possession. I pushed past him, heading towards the door. 

"Sykes! Sykes!" Rodrick yells for his servant, making me stop in my tracks and roll my eyes at his stupidity. I wanted to make a clear escape, and now I'll have to kill someone. Suddenly, the door to the study opened and a black guy entered, eyes wandering from me to Roderick. "Stop her!" He gave an order, of course he was taller than me, but that wasn't going to be factored into the situation.

Skyes did what his master ordered and he went for me. I just stood there, and when I saw his giant frame come closer. I was quick in my reflexes, and shot forward and gripped his throat with my right hand, raising him into the air. A few inches off the ground.

"Now, now. No need for violence," I retorted, turning on the spot with Sykes in my grip, as if I was holding a mere feather. "What you've done to offend me. I should kill you both... However, I am in a forgiving mood. I got what I came for, and something a little extra," a smirk danced across my face, and I slowly put Sykes back to the ground and let go of his throat, but I did push him back towards Roderick. "Hope it goes well with the being in your basement," with my free hand, I wiggled my fingers down to them, gesturing my goodbyes. I spun on the spot, and walked through the study door back out into the hallway, and the door magically shut on its own.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the basement door, and I stopped in my tracks, wondering if I should go and say hello. However, I decided against it. It wouldn't help him if he knew my presence was here. By now his siblings would have figured it out, and would come rescue him. But knowing them, they would leave him to suffer...

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