Chapter Six
The Deleth Ruwach Grimoire
It was indeed night by the time Logan had left the store. Overcast with thick clouds, everything was dark. Pulling his coat tight, hoping the ward off the cold, he made his was across the street to the light under a lamppost to inspect his new found treasure. It felt fine-textured around the circles and over the engravings. This could be it, Logan remembered thinking, 'The Deleth Ruwach Grimoire- The Gate to Lost Spirits'. Finally, he might have found a way to reach Aideen. Slipping it into an inside pocket on his coat, Logan hurried through the snowy city. Keeping to the shadows so no one would see him, he knew where to go and it wasn't far.
Barely outside the city, down a secluded avenue, Logan came to a large, two storey house. Placed well off the street, the old dilapidated building was hidden under snow, covered vines and surrounded by dense brush. The roof blended into the darkness of the sky and tall trees cast a wall of black that surrounded the over grown property. Abandoned a long time ago, it had been left to rot. Checking his warning traps, Logan found they were all still set, assuring him no one had been around. On the decaying porch, Logan lifted a corner of a shelf that was leaning against the outside wall of the house and swing it out revealing a window. Opening it, he slid the frame up and climbed through. Once inside he reached back and pulled the shelf to the wall, hiding his entry. Instantly the darkness closed in around him and the heavy, cold moisture made him shiver.
Retrieving matches in his pocket, Logan lit a candle that was close by on a table. The old wick sputtered as he put a flame to it. A small globe of dim, orange light illuminated the large room. This was the best room in the house, all the others were crumbling and full of debris. The hardwood floor, that would have once shined with varnish, was now worn and dull but still intact. A few, small tables and an old, dusty couch remained. Empty shelves, built into the walls, surrounded the room and all the windows were bordered up, except for the one he entered. In the north facing wall a large fireplace, made of round stones, dominated the room. Logan could only wonder what books this library once held. He lit more candles and proceeded with making a small fire in the hearth. Soon, the flames were raging and the cold dark was replaced with warm light.
Sitting on the couch in front of the fire, Logan removed the book from his pocket. Once again he ran his fingers over the smoothness of the leather, around the red,concentric circles and the eight red arrows. His fingers tingled, slightly, as he felt the metal reinforcing the corners. The black, leather on the back was rough and empty. The meaning of the calligraphy within the five geometric symbols were clear, “The Deleth Ruwach Grimoire: The Gate to Lost Spirits.”
Eager to read it, Logan felt around the delicate, filigree of the lock. He thought of cutting the strap but didn't want to damage the book. So he slipped his index finger under the metal and tried to force it open. It slipped and a sharp, piece of metal cut deep into his flesh. Red liquid, flowed around the lock before the pain made him jerk his digit away. The latch popped open, blood was the key. Astonished, Logan held the book for moment, hesitating, afraid to look inside.
Brown and worn with age, the pages crinkled as he quickly flipped through them. Colourful symbols, with interwoven script, were burnt into the vellum and texts of fine calligraphy were written throughout. But the last page was blank. Logan remembered thinking that it was strange, but after a second, didn't give it another thought. Reaching over to an old cupboard, he retrieved a few books he had hidden. One was a dictionary of magical languages, that would help translate the deep texts and the other was a commentary to help him understand the meanings of the words better. Slowly he opened the grimoire to the first page and began the arduous task of translation. It took him the rest of the winter, cooped up in the old house, to painstakingly decipher the complex passages. But slowly the grimoire revealed its secrets.
It began by describing, 'Darkness is the absolute and Light has always followed it. Darkness has always been. In the absence of light there is darkness, but in the absence of darkness there is only a more profound darkness. The darkness is more vast than the light. The abyss of darkness contains passages forever cast in shadow- unimaginable horrors dwell there. All things came from the darkness, including the light. There are different depths to darkness, just as there are many degrees of light and darkness, eternally separates them all. The darkness separates the Light of Life from the Light of the Spirits, which is a more perfect light. Life is anchored in the light of the living and the dead can not remain. They must be displaced and enter the light of the spirits. When the anchor of life is severed, a passage will open that leads through the darkness, as it must, to channel the light of the spirits from the light of the living.'
The Deleth Ruwach Grimoire went on to explain a time when powerful beings came to the land desiring women, and eventually fell in love. But when the women began to die, the powerful beings could not pass through the darkness that forever divides the light of life from the light of the spirits. They had chosen to be immortal, ages before and were eternally anchored in the light of the living. With magic they devised a gate that would open a passage through the darkness. Others of their kind, who believed it to be wrong, closed the gate. Forever trapping them in the darkness between the light of life and the light of the spirits.
As Logan learned increasingly more, he knew this was it. This book will enable him to see Aideen again. But, to a greater extent, he could resurrect Aideen and they would truly be together forever. Interpreting the geometric symbols, intricately laid out among the text, Logan started to envision the gate. When the thread of life is severed, a passage will open drawing the spirit away from the light of the living into the light of the spirits. But, at that moment when to gate opens, it can be altered to draw the spirit of a loved one into the light of the living.
Logan began to dream of Aideen. In his deepest sleep, not knowing if he was awake or asleep, she would lay beside him and say was doing the right thing. She told him to keep studying, that this was the only way for them to be together. And that she was waiting for him. Logan would jump awake in a cold sweat, disoriented. He ached for her, and couldn't live without her. Logan got lost in the translation. What he was learning, overwhelmed him and he became obsessed. With each understanding leading him into deeper secrets contained within the manuscript.
Logan was caught unaware when he, eventually, translated the invocation. He didn't know if he could do it. To open the gate, blood was required, as the thread of life had to be severed, even more, a second thread had to be cut to draw the Spirit into the light of the living. But not just any blood, it had to be the blood of loved ones. He couldn't believe what he had to do. It never occurred to Logan that he would have to shed blood. He should have known- most magic cried out for blood. But could he kill? Could he end the life of two people, and it would have to be someone he knew. Logan set the book aside, he didn't want to read any more. Feel sick to his stomach, he left the house to get a clearer perspective. Logan remembered that he had already made his decision, Aideen was more important than anything. He would have brought the world to an end just to see her again. Aideen walked with him that day, holding Logan's arm like she used to. Reassuring Logan that he was doing the right thing, she loved him and they would be together again. Promising, her parents would understand. She also reminded him that the Blood Moon Equinox was coming up, where the veil between light and dark will be removed.
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