Kathy Denver - The Guardian (Excerpt)

  The Guardian


 “I banish thee from this earth
 Your existence here shall not remain
 I banish thee for evermore
 Your negativity voided as before
 I banish your essence from this plane
 Forever gone, there to remain”
 
My voice raising as the energy began to build, I chanted over and over, the darkness tugging and pulling at me.  Ripping at my shirt, I could feel claws scrape the skin on my chest, drawing blood as it fought back.  Around me, the room was in chaos, chairs strewn and broken tables upturned.  I closed my eyes and focused all my energy into grounding myself as well as harnessing my powers and forcing this entity to leave its hold on the poor family that lived here.  The air grew thicker as the energy built, light and dark in its eternal battle.  My body begin to fill, a conduit, a weapon for use in this fight, energy filling me as I lifted my arms, my palms skyward as the sound in the room became deafening.  The entity screeched and snarled as it fought for its hold within this dimension.
I let my head drop back, my face relaxed as I repeated my banishing spell again and again, oblivious now to all around me, all but the darkness that I could sense so close.  It was weakening, the light emanating now from my body was beginning to overpower it, pushing it back as it spread throughout the room.  I could feel it battle and push as it fought the light but its strength was waning in this fight.  I raised my voice, my chant more forceful, more demanding of the negative essence to leave and never return.
It gave one last push, one last surge of strength as it lashed out. No visible body could be seen, but the reach of evil clawing in a last ditched attempt to weaken me, deter my efforts.   A split second later there was a loud popping sound then everything went quiet.  The ferocious wind dulled and died as the terrible sound of the entity disappeared along with it.  I mentally reached out, searching the house and the property for any sign of it, any remains of it lingering, but there were none.  It was gone.
Taking a deep breath then slowly letting it out, I opened my eyes and frowned at the extent of the damage.  The room had been wrecked, but I was relieved it was just the room.  Had this thing been able to settle, been able to lay claim not just to the home but to the people that lived within it, this would seem clean in comparison. 
I straightened my shirt as best I could, inspecting the slashes ripped across it and the blood stains that pebbled the white material.  Tugging the soft fabric up, I could see three deep lacerations across my stomach, blood oozing from them.  I lifted my hand and focused on a spell that would cleanse and heal. I muttered it repeatedly as I felt a crackle of energy grow in the palm of my hand, the chant sped up as I placed my palm just above the slashes.  My skin began to tingle then burn as I felt it pull together and knit, the lacerations slowly disappearing before my eyes.  Seconds later they were gone with no sign of ever having been there.
I heard the front door creak open and footsteps gingerly approach, the soft feminine gasp I heard identified it as the lady that had called me in.
“Oh Mary sweet mother of God!” she exclaimed. 
She had tried getting rid of the 'thing' that had taken her home as its own previously, by calling in the local clergy. This had only resulted in pissing it off and putting an old priest in hospital after he was lifted like a rag doll and tossed across the room.  The poor man had to be dragged out and Sarah, the lady in question, had to move in with her sister as it had went berserk after that.  She had been scouring the web and found a few articles, one of which was on a lady that lived in the south of Texas that had been having issues with something similar, but not as nasty. After a day or two of contacting/harassing the publisher of the article she had tracked the woman down.  Having been given my name and number she had called me that night, telling me the story of how it had happened and begged me to come and help her.
“You shouldn't have any more problems, it's gone.  It's out of the house and off your property but know that if you mess with that board without knowing what you are doing then this can and will happen again.”
I bent down and picked up my jacket, shaking off some of the crap that had fallen on it during the banishing. 
“I can take the board with me or you can get rid of it, your call.” 
Looking around the place seeing the destruction, I raised a brow and let out a low whistle, I was actually amazed it wasn't worse.  It had been a hard battle fought and one I knew I would need to rest from. One that I would need to build my power back up from as it had all but drained me dry, having left me just enough to heal myself that once and possibly get me home.
“No, no you take it Eli I don't want it anywhere near me or my home again.  B-but are you definitely sure it's gone?” She entered the room apprehensively and her eyes darted around in search of signs of it lurking or hiding. 
“It's gone, during the cleansing of the house I placed protection crystals over the doors and by the windows of each room, as long as they stay in those places they will protect the house and those in it from negative energy or entities.  I'll finish cleansing in here and do the same and that should be your problem solved.” 
Moving as I spoke I placed the crystals into position and finished what I had started before the presence had lashed out.  I needed to get out, I needed to get home and rest. I was on reserve power now and only had enough magic left to get me there.

I took the board and for the fourth time turned down the payment that was offered. With a strained smile I bid farewell and held myself together long enough to walk down the path and around the corner.  Out of sight of the house and others around it, I closed my eyes and willed myself home using the last of what I had to accomplish it.  I materialised in the living room of my old 18th century manor house and seconds later, totally spent, I collapsed on the floor. My sight dimmed before all went black
                                                                     * 
I don't know how long I was out but what woke me was a wet nose pressed to mine, a soft tail gently tapping at the side of my head.  I blinked awake and groaned as right in my face was Parker, my familiar, his big blue eyes watching me with concern shining in them.  He was a beautiful, smoky gray furred cat, larger than most I had seen before, which was one of the things I liked about him. He wasn't all feminine like most witches cats. I used to joke with others in my coven that he was a masculine cat befitting of any strong, powerful male witch and one that others would admire and wish for, but right now he was interrupting my much needed rest and for that I could choke him. 
“Miss me Kitty?” I teased knowing the reaction I would get. I laughed softly as he hissed and spat at me, his back arching, fur standing on end.
“Calm down fella, I was joking!” 
He stood and raised his head in his feline version of a two finger salute, as he turned and walked of in a huff.
Laughing at his abhorrent hate of being teased, I rolled over and pushed myself up on my hands and knees before one last push to my feet.  
Patting my body down in search of my phone, I found it in the back pocket of my jeans.  Checking the date and time, I was amazed to find that I'd been on the floor for two days. 
Wow that was the longest yet. But then, the more of these things I fought the stronger they seemed to be getting and the more they drained me.  It was like I was being pushed, my limits being tested and this last one had been more of an effort than any to date. 
I tossed my cell onto the table and made my way into the kitchen, my stomach rumbling and reminding me of its starvation these past few days.  Pulling the remnants of Monday’s pizza out of the fridge, I zap it quickly in the microwave and wash it down with a cold beer. 
Food for the soul, I laughed to myself.  After feeding the beast, aka my stomach, and the cat, aka the huffy feline, I trudged upstairs to shower and freshen up.
It was Coven time.  Having gotten myself sorted, I went back downstairs, storing the board alongside others from the houses I had cleansed previously.
I found a message on my cell.  Leza had called to remind me that we had a gathering tonight and that I wasn't to miss it.  I groaned as I knew I was going to have to tell them all what I had been up to.  It's not that they disapproved, as a matter of fact our coven had been helping with banishing these entities for centuries now.  We each had fought our fair share of battles and even lost a few of our family to the war that raged.  The reason I wasn't looking forward to the meeting was because I knew Nora would be there. I know I should have gotten over it by now, but well that was the problem with issues of the heart, unlike all other things, there was no spell to magic the hurt away. 
Nora and I had been together for over three years and I thought everything was fine, actually more than fine. We had even gotten to the point of talking about a hand fasting ceremony.  Funny how appearances can be so deceiving.  I had been away for a few days, having been called to a home in the Carolina's, where a young couple had a nasty attachment on the property.  It had been a hard battle, well fought, but in the end it had been banished and the young couple were free to continue their life. 
I had returned home to find all of Nora's things gone, her closet emptied, altar cleared and all that remained was a 'Dear John' letter.  In it she said that she couldn't sit back at home any more while I was gone days at a time. That she didn't want to be the partner of a 'warrior witch' and that since I had taken on that role she didn't like what I was becoming. 
That was a kick in the balls.  I worked my whole life within our kind, training to do what I do, after my father had been killed while trying to rid the earth of one of these things and my mother had went mad with the grief. No one within our coven could help her.  But Nora knew this, she knew what drove me, she knew from the beginning.    
Shaking the memories away I chastised myself for behaving like such a pussy, that had been over a year ago and she had done me a favour.  It had been exactly what I needed to give me that final push and I had then given my all to destroying and ridding the earth of these abominations.  The more I battled and won the stronger and more powerful I eventually became. 
I pulled up outside Leza's and parked in front of the large oak to the right of her house. The place was in darkness, the only light coming from the lamp lit pathway that I knew led to the clearing and to where the others would be waiting. 
Locking my door and stuffing the keys in my back pocket, I followed the illuminated path through the dense woods that surrounded her farm house.  I could hear the low muffled voices in the distance, it sounded like there was a full turn out tonight.  As I approached the clearing I could make out some familiar faces. Eion and Fionna along with some of my oldest friends Mica and Tomas.  They were oblivious to the fact that I had arrived and it gave me time to scope the place, checking to see who all was in attendance.  There were around twenty that I could count and all gathered in little clumps around the place chatting and catching up with each other. 
I was about to make my presence known when the voice behind me spoke, “Umm so you gonna stand there all night?”
 I didn't need to turn to know who it was, that soft, almost musical lilt could belong to no one other than her... Nora.