Chapter 4: The Voices

Chapter 4: The Voices

After he ate the cookie, Jeremiah looked at the sky, ‘It still have plenty of time before the curfew,’ he thought.

Every day before midnight, Loretta Saige will check every room in the servant quarter to make sure that everyone was already in their bed, sleeping. Jeremiah's bedroom was located down in the cellar of the servant quarter. It was dark, damp, and cold, which made him hate that place so much. They didn’t even give him a bed or blanket, just a piece of rag that served as a bed that separates him from the cold concrete floor. 

For this reason, Jeremiah preferred to spend his leisure time in the abandoned library. This building actually built together by the Alpha and Omega forefathers when they still live in harmony. It was until the Omega clan accused of treason and Jeremiah's parent was died in the incident, while the other omegas were fled or executed.

On his way to the library, Jeremiah passed the flock of women that swarmed around the Blackfrost brothers like hungry hyenas surrounding its prey; the boy could see that the number of women has been increased than before. Jeremiah used this opportunity to walk passed them calmly like a normal citizen. He was confident that the brothers wouldn’t alert by his presence.

But Jeremiah was wrong; the brothers indeed notice his existence among the crowds. They stopped sparring right away as their eyes were following to where the young omega went. There was something about Jeremiah that interested them, but of course, none of them would admit it. They were not sure whether his dull muddy black hair, his dirty torn shirts, or his dingy face. But the brothers oddly couldn’t help but look whenever Jeremiah was nearby.

The women used this opportunity to interact with the brothers. They offered them refreshments like food, sweet drinks, and even a warm towel. The brothers could do nothing but politely accepted it, hence diverted their sight right away from Jeremiah.

Jeremiah walked slowly to the direction of the library, leaving his footprints on the snowy path.  He still doubted his decision to go, because of the creepy voices that frighten him. He knew he was not crazy and those voices were real.

When he arrived, he stood in front of the Library, reasoning himself whether to enter or not. The building itself had a common medieval structure with 3 stories high.  

 

In the end, in spite of being afraid, Jeremiah decided to encourage himself to enter the library. He just thought positively about it. ‘Well at least the ghost or whatever it is won’t make me feel lonely and doesn’t give silent treatment like the others,” he chuckled.  

There was a loose window on the first floor that served as an alternative entrance for Jeremiah to enter the library unnoticed. It was his favorite entrance compare to the main door; since it was big and heavy, which always made creaking sound whenever he opened it. It was a good way to seek unnecessary attention.

But the boy did not want the attention.  

He slowly opened the window, jumped over it, and making a loud thud as he landed on the floor inside. He quickly lit up a candle that stood on the nearby reading table, and then went directly to the second floor, passing a narrow circular stair, where he once found a magic book. He was looking for a destructive magic spell when he can use it to defend himself, especially against the brothers. He managed to master one of the healing spell, which always came in handy to eliminate simple bruises or ripped skins and stop the bleeding.

It actually started a few weeks ago, when Carson and Aiden beat him up because he was blocking their way to the barrack; Jeremiah was mopping the hallway floor at that time.

He didn’t know how exactly, he just chanted a healing spell in the only white magic book that he could find in the library, and soon after, the bleeding was stopped and the wounds were gone.

Unfortunately, Mana is required to cast a magic spell. Mana is the source of wolf energy that can be used to perform something supernatural. While the alpha and beta used mana to unleash the brute force power within them; the omega can use mana to cast magic. Hence, when wolves whether it’s an alpha, beta, or omega, reach maturity at the age of 18, they can fully control using their own mana.

As he was exploring the second floor, his eyes scanned on the book titles that neatly arrange inside the rack. ‘Any elemental or black magic would be nice.’ He thought. There weren’t so many books left on the shelf. He could see some of the books were gone, leaving an empty gap in between.

    

‘Jeremiah… come here…’ the familiar voice started to call his name. This time it was crystal clear like someone was speaking next to his ear.

“Who’s there?” Jeremiah shouted and his voice was echoing all over. His mind was filling with fear as he could see the candlelight on his hand was shaking. He circled the candle around to find the origin of the voice. Hence, he couldn’t see anyone or anything alive.

‘I know what you want! You want power, right? I can give you power… all you have to do is unleash me…’

“What are you talking about? Who are you?” Jeremiah trembling voice shouted to the hollow.

‘I know you are seeking for vengeance, I can help you… to kill… the brothers…’

’How does it know about the Blackfrost brothers?’ Jeremiah wondered as he walked slowly to seek the origin of the voice. “How do you know about the brothers? Who are you?” he asked.

‘Go to the third book rack on the west wing! There you can find me,’ the voice instructed.

Beat by his own curiosity, Jeremiah followed the order and went to the third book rack on the west wing. There, he aimed the candlelight on the shelf, but he could see nothing. There was only a line of books neatly stacked inside the shelf, covered by dust.

‘Maybe that’s only in my imagination?’ Jeremiah sighed in relief while trying to calm himself, ‘Am I starting to go crazy?’

Suddenly, one of the books were pulled out of the shelf and hovering in front of him.

Jeremiah was shocked and retreat a few steps. “Are you the one who's speaking to me?” he asked, he held the candle holder like a two-handed sword, ready to attack.

There was nothing special on the book; it seemed like plain common notebook with worn dark brown leather cover.

‘Yes, I am grimoire of Armadale, once I served the most powerful magician in Wolftopia. However, my last master was killed and I was sealed in this freezing library by one of the mages that once served in this castle.’ The book spoke through Jeremiah’s mind.

    

“Why did you summon me? What do you want from me?”

‘I want to be free and I also want a new master,’ the book spoke in a low voice almost sounded like hissing, ‘I could sense your potential as a powerful magician Jeremiah, what you need is a powerful weapon like me. I can help you to get what you always wanted, free from here, and avenge your parents’ death.’

“How did you know about my parent?”

‘I can see it through your heart, your pain, and suffering, even your dream, all you have to do is release me and all your wish will come true.’

Jeremiah was tempted by the offers. With a blank look in his eyes, he walked toward the book slowly like he was being hypnotized by the voice.

‘Touch me, Jeremiah, touch me, with your touch, the seal will be broken.’

As Jeremiah got closer, the book started to emit a sinister dark aura around it. Jeremiah knew that there was something evil about the book and there must be reasons why the book was sealed. But he couldn’t control himself. Both his arms were opening, as he was ready to touch the book.

‘Yes Jeremiah, come closer, touch me, touch me, TOUCH ME,’ the eerie voice commanded.

But suddenly, there was a cracking sound coming from the first floor, it seemed that someone was coming inside the library. At the same time, the sound disenchanted Jeremiah from the control of the book.

As he regained his consciousness, he looked at his hands that were a few inches away from the flying grimoire.

He quickly put his hand down and withdrew slowly.

The book quietly flew back inside the shelf, to its original position.

‘Someone was here, but who?’ Jeremiah sure for thirteen years, no one had ever visited the library, no one except him.