Chapter 47: Chapter 47

THE RING

The Ring

Kitee, North Karelia, Finland

Sevi hated small towns. He wasn't even sure way he was here. All he knew was that he was. Small towns were kind of depressing in his opinion. Families stayed there generation after generation. Everyone knew everyone's business. The highlight of the day was going to the local coffee shop and gossiping about so and so. It just wasn't his scene.

Yet, here he was in Kitee, North Karelia, Finland. It was just about as small as he could ask for. It was way too small. He didn't know how places like this survived in the world.

He pulled off his sunglasses. A woman walking past him stared. Yes, he was aware that he didn't fit in. Yes, he was from out of town. Yes, he was armed and dangerous.

It was good to have the upper hand. It was better to be the predator instead of the prey.

He smiled at the woman, who smiled back. He jerked his head toward the shadows and walked into them. The woman followed.

This was so easy.

He needed the blood these days. Ever since he had joined the ranks of Ajatar, it had been calling out to him. It was like the blood that ran through people's veins was just begging him to take it and keep it. While he wasn't a vampire, he sure felt like one on most days.

Sevi wiped the blood off his mouth. This was his third in the last twenty-four hours. He wasn't sure why he was eating so much. It was as if the blood didn't fill him up. It was like the gas mileage on a Hummer or something like that. Once you filled it up, it was empty. Maybe all of this traveling was making him hungry.

The good thing about all of this was he was gaining Power.

But that wasn't the best.

He was getting to meet some nice girls who loved foreign men.

!

Esa and Lydia slowly began to climb up behind Floor, who still held her tight grip on the ring. The stack kept shaking even harder as the creature banged against it with a deadly force. The objects that managed to work free from the stack, feel down on the ground in great multiples of force. With each falling object, the creature's angry roars only grew louder.

"What is it?" Esa asked, his voice probably coming out a little harder than he meant.

Floor's eyes drifted upwards. "We're close enough to the hole and I think the ceiling is weaker around it. We probably could break through it."

Lydia frowned. "Is that really the best you can do? If it is, then we are doomed." She shook her head. "It's not going to work. In case you have forgotten, we have the little issue of everything multiplying the moment we touch it!"

Floor shook her head. "I know, I know! Just give me a minute to think!"

Esa stared up at the hole. "It really probably is weaker up there. If we were to put the smallest one through, I think we could make it work. It would loosen everything up and maybe give us some more room. I don't know if it's a sure thing, but it's worth a try. One of us will be free at least and can at least le the others know where we are."

Floor nodded as a few objects brushed against her skin, sending more burning things rushing to the ground below. It was all just a matter of time before the police got here. She could live with two of them staying, just as long as someone managed to get free. It was worth the sacrifice. "The first one through should take the ring that way, just in case, the others don't make it out." She gulped as she said those last few words. It just sounded so much like a death sentence.

Esa nodded. "Yeah, they probably should." Just the look on his face was enough to tell Floor that he really did not believe everyone was going to make it out.

"Lydia, you have to the one to go through," Floor said.

Lydia's eyes grew wide as she stared at Esa and Floor. "Why me? I know I'm the smallest, but one of you could surely fit through there."

Floor her head. "There's no way that Esa or I could fit through there. It has to be you, there's no question about it."

"No," Lydia said, shaking her head quickly. "There's no way I'm going to that. I can't-I'm not capable enough."

"Lydia, we don't have time to stand here and talk about it!" Floor snapped. "We have to act before it's too late!"

Lydia opened and closed her mouth, but the words did not come out.

"Lydia, you can do this," Esa said in a strong, but comforting voice.

Lydia gulped, looking back and forth between them. "You just don't get it. I'm not strong enough."

Floor really wanted to push Lydia on up-no matter what the werewolf wanted. "Lydia, if we didn't think you could do this, we would push you to. We have faith in you."

Lydia's eyes shifted back up toward the hole. "Are you sure I can do this?"

Floor gave Lydia a small smile. "Do you really think we would push you if we didn't think you could?"

Lydia didn't answer the question right away. Her eyes just remained glued on the top. "Okay, let's do this."

Esa and Floor exchanged small smiles. This was going to good. Everything was going to be okay.

"Can you reach it?" Esa asked Lydia. "We can help you get up there if you can't."

Lydia stared up at the hole. "I think I'm too short."

"Move as close as you can and I'll give you a boost," Esa said, moving around behind Floor.

Floor winced as she brushed against the hot metal. More came raining down on her, causing her to almost lose her grip. "Hurry up, Esa, and next time give me a warning."

Esa paused just to Lydia's left. "Okay, stretch out as high as you can."

Lydia looked nervously at the hole and the distance between them. Floor really did not blame her for being worried. It was a rather large and deadly looking gap that hovered just right over a pile of burning metal.

"I'm not going to let you fall," Esa muttered. "You just have to trust us, Lydia."

Lydia's gaze shifted once more up to the hole, then back down to Esa. "Okay, let's do this."

Esa nodded. "Okay, just remember to trust me and listen to my voice."

Lydia didn't say anything as she started reaching for the top. Even when she stretched as far as she could, Floor had her doubts that this plan would work. Esa and Lydia were going to be so fall apart that Lydia was going to have to jump a pretty great distance.

"Are you there?" Esa asked Lydia.

"Yes!" Lydia exclaimed as the pile shook so violently that it almost sent her falling to the ground. Lydia quickly grabbed onto the pile as burning cups raced over her head. Floor saw the ring flash, but Lydia somehow managed to keep her grip on it. "Are you okay down there?"

Floor dodged the last of the cups as they rained down near her. "Just don't drop the ring!"

"Don't worry, I've still got it!" Lydia patted her pocket as she placed the ring safely inside.

Floor just gave her a harsh look. "Don't lose it, no matter what you do!"

Esa moved closer to Lydia. "Can you get back into position?"

Lydia nodded. "Yeah." She tore away from Floor's gaze. "Just give me a few minutes and I can." She slowly wiggled back into the position she was in.

"This is completely mental," Floor muttered.

Esa nodded. "Yeah, but I think it's the only thing we've got to go on." He heaved up on Lydia, who let out a small cry.

Floor watched as Lydia reached and reached as far as she could. She was within reach, her fingers just touching the top of the hole, just barely too short.

Esa heaved up again, bringing Lydia even closer. The creature below gave the stack another violent shake, but Esa and Lydia did not let up. Things were going good…They were going a lot better than Floor thought they ever would. Lydia with just within touching distance, just so closer to being able to shove herself up.

"I can't go any higher," Esa gasped. "I'm trying!"

Lydia kept stretching her arm up, trying to closer that last gap. "Come on!" she begged. "I just need a little bit more!"

Esa grunted as Floor went below him and started pushing upwards. They were this close and Floor was not about to let them fail when they just needed a little bit more. "Come on!" Floor yelled as she used to push Esa up. "Come on!"

Floor stared up at the small gap, which seemed even larger now that she was up against it. They could do this! They could make it work! They had to!

Lydia stretched even further. "One more boost and I should have it!"

Floor dug her heels in the best she could. Things wiggled beneath her feet, threatening to send her crashing to the ground. She narrowed her eyes as she readjusted herself. "I don't have much more!"

Lydia grunted. "I don't need much more!"

The weight above Floor was actually getting lighter. With one final gasp, Esa pulled away from her. Floor grabbed the closest thing to her as she got out of the way, waiting for Lydia to come racing past her.

Only it never happened.

Floor looked up at Lydia, who was sitting on the edge of the hole. "I think that went rather well, don't you?" Lydia asked.

Esa smiled at Floor and Lydia. "Well, at least we've got that much done."

"Do you still have the ring?" Floor asked.

Lydia pulled the ring out of her pocket. "Yes!" She looked out of the top of the building. "You guys had best be hiding! I can see their lights!"

Floor swore. She had completely forgotten about the cops. "Go!" she screamed at Lydia.

Lydia did not need to be told twice as she disappeared from sight.

Esa looked at Floor. "Do you think she'll be back?"

Floor shrugged. "I really don't know, but at least the ring will be safe."

The creature screamed again.

"We need to move," Floor muttered. "I don't know where we need to go, but we can't stay here."

Esa nodded as he winced at the creature's screaming. "Just get out of sight and that should be good enough. It's going to take them awhile to get to us anyway."

Floor stared into his eyes. "I hope you're right."

!

University Student Reported Missing

Kitee's Mystery Saga Continues

Missy Stevens, nineteen, disappeared yesterday her way home from a late class at the community college. She was last seen walking toward the park at ten o'clock. She never came home. Her roommate reported her missing early this morning. If you have any information regarding his whereabouts you are urged to call the Kitee Police Department.

Missy was former captain of the New City Academy of the Arts soccer team. She also served as the student government president, a member of the Honors Society, and was willing to help anyone. Currently she is volunteering at the animal shelter, is in a leadership program, and works at the local animal shelter.

Missy is an American exchange student, who speaks very little Finish. If you find her, you are encouraged to conserve with her in English.

"That's what I was afraid of," Sevi muttered.

Angrily, he threw the newspaper down and disappeared into the haunted shadows of the forest. He had hid her body with magic that so powerful that only a person with his same level of magic could find it.

Now, there was no doubt in his mind that there was another force here. Those with the power to over throw them were back.