Being wrapped in Caliban's arms felt like home, and kissing him felt slipping into a warm bed on a cold night. We pulled away slightly and gazed into each others eyes as Caliban gently stroked my cheek with his thumb. Placing my hand on top of his I cast my eyes down and released a small chuckle. "Why are you laughing my lady?", questioned Caliban as his hand moved to my chin to raise my gaze. Shaking my head I replied, "I should be angry with you, for I was in the middle of something." At that he lowered his gaze almost like a small child that was just told off for doing something they shouldn't have. It was my turn then to place my hand on his jaw and make him meet my eyes as I continued to speak. "But after a kiss like that I can't even remember what I was supposed to be doing anyway." "So you aren't angry that I stole you away from the mortal world?" Shaking my head I said, "No I'm not angry, and stole? You could've just have called me or just be patient and wait until I returned." Caliban took a step closer to me as he spoke, "But where's the fun in waiting if I could just summon you here. Plus if I had waited I may not have seen you in this beautiful dress. What are you so dressed up for my lady?" Looking down I had forgotten that I was still in my white dress for the Hare Moon festivities. "Oh, I'm dressed for the Lunar festivities that were going on in Greendale. Why do you not like it?", I asked as I took a step back so Caliban could see the whole dress. "No quite the opposite, I think I would actually rather see you in dresses than pants. And by Lunar festivities do you mean the Hare Moon celebration?" I tried to hid my smile and my blush at his compliant but failed, then looking at him I tilted my head as I said, "You know about the Hare Moon celebration?" "Of course, well actually no I only know its name. I don't know what it's for or what one does for such a celebration. Maybe you could enlighten me, my lady." Looking around the room I spotted the bed and grabbed his hand and lead him to it for the both of us to be seated.
"Now don't get excited Caliban, it's not what you think. The Hare Moon celebration, celebrates a renewal of life a kind of rebirth if you will. And what a coven does for such an event is the youngest member of said coven performances a song of summer and then releases a hare into the woods. Afterwards the coven has a picnic and drinks wine, then in some cases the coven anoints themselves in oils and bathe in the moon light." I said as I drew patterns on the back of his hand. "And is that what I took you away from, your moon bath? For if so you could always finish it here. I'm sure we have special oils here in Hell.", Caliban said with a knowing smile. Giving him a light shove I replied, "Has nice as that sounds, I'm afraid it would be impossible for there is no moon light in Hell. Plus you have to be extra careful with the oils in Hell for if you get the wrong one you might cause your skin to rot off instead of anointing it." "True, but that doesn't mean we still couldn't lay here for a while.", he said as his hand moved out of mine slowly and softly made its way up my arm and to my neck and back. Moving closer to him I asked, "And what would we do while we lay here Caliban?" "I could show you better than I could tell you.", he said leaning in. With our faces mere inches apart I whispered, "Then show me my prince." Within an instant his lips had captured mine again, as we fell back onto the bed. At first we were side by side as we continued to kiss, that was until I rolled onto of him to take over. Once I was on top of him I pulled back to make sure that this was okay, and when I did I saw the look of absolute hunger in Caliban's blue eyes. He then reached up grabbing the back of my head and pulling my lips back to his as his tongue teased my lips for entrance. Grabbing his wrist I pulled his hands away and placed them beside his head as I fully took over. With his arms down I began to kiss along his jaw and onto his neck, where I must of hit a sensitive spot for I heard him fight a groan. Peaking up at him through my lashes I did the same thing again earning another groan from him. I released his hands then as I placed my hands on his face bring his lips back to mine. With his hands free Caliban reached down to grab a hold of my ass. But just as we were getting into it, there was a knock at the door. As we separated Caliban called out, "Yes? What is it?" "Prince Caliban, the three kings are summoning you in the throne room.", said one of the lesser demons of Hell. Rolling his eyes he said he'd be done in a moment, then he looked back at me as I said, "It's alright I need to leave as well before the rest of the coven sends out a search party." I began to untangle myself from him and get off the bed, but as I did he reached out and took my hand and asked, "Will you come back?" Now that I was out of the bed I gave him a smile and a sweet gentle kiss and said, "If you want me to I will." He nodded his head yes at that to which I said, "Then I'll come back, until next time my prince." And with that I teleport back to Greendale.
Greendale: Harvey Garage
I remembered before I left the Spellman house that Hilda had said something about Roz being sick, so I decided to head over to Harvey's house figuring that would be the best place to start. And apparently it was, for as I was walking up to the house I saw Sabrina approaching as well. "Sabrina!", I called out to her as she turned in my direction. "Selene, thank Hell you're alright. What happened to you last night, you were there one minute and then you vanished.", Sabrina said as we were now face to face. "I was looking for the others. I knew you and Prudence were uneasy about leaving Nick, Agatha, and Dorcas in the woods with the pagans just having made a threat. So since my powers haven't waned I figures I could go look for them, but I under estimated my knowledge of the woods for I got turned around I can't tell you how many times. So I was unable to find them." Sabrina surprised me than has she hugged me and said, "No it's okay as long as you are alright. And don't worry about the Weird Sisters and Nick we have them back at the Academy. Even though Nick is currently going through rehab. And Dorcas is a stone statue and Agatha has lost her mind, we do have them all back in one way or another." At the look of confusion on my face Sabrina just shook her head and said she would explain it to me later.
Making our way into Harvey's garage he came face to face with another statue only this time it was Roz and not a fellow witch. "Please tell me she isn't dead.", said Harvey as we looked at her. Raising my head above her, I felt the vibration of life coming from the statue as Sabrina said, "I don't think she is." "She isn't, I can still feel life coming from the statue. Roz is still alive but just in almost a very deep sleep." I added in. "Yeah, the same thing happened to Dorcas, one of the Weird Sisters. Ambrose is doing his research thing to figure out what he can do to reverse the transformation." "I should've never have left her side at the carnival. They're freaks.", said Harvey. "Actually Harvey, they're pagans, the carnival people that is.", I replied. "Wait. Does that mean they're witches?", Harvey asked. "Not quite. They're like witches but from a different time. And a different belief system." "Do they have powers?" questioned Theo. "Some yes, others, no. But they're all dangerous. So I really need you guys to stay and sit tight, okay? And then we'll be back, and we can figure this out, and we'll get Roz cured. I, I mean we promise Harvey." replied Sabrina. And after looking at both of her friends she and I left to head back to the Academy. Once we were in the woods we were greeted by someone neither of us really had time for; Lilith.
"Your Majesty? You're needed in Hell." said Lilith. To which Sabrina said, "Lilith, now is not a good time. I have to get back to the Academy and check on Nick." "The business of Hell doesn't stop for anyone. Not even for a queen. It's time for the second challenge of the Unholy Regalia. The horde awaits you in the Grand Hall." Sabrina and I looked to each other then as Sabrina looked back to Lilith and said, "Lead the way then." Only for us to appear at the Academy of the Unseen Arts. Leaving both Sabrina and myself confused as to why we would be here if she was need in the grand hall, but that question was soon answered once we entered the school.
The Academy of the Unseen Arts
"You brought them all here?", Sabrina questioned as we came face to face not only with the rest of her coven but Caliban along with the three plague kings and a few other high level demons. Walking further into the I caught Caliban's eye as he caught mine, he having noticed that I had changed clothes since we last saw each other. "Now everyone knows that you, Sabrina, are the Queen of Hell.", replied Lilith. "By Infernal Law, we hereby declare that the next contest of the Unholy Regalia shall commence. The Morningstar and her challenger, Caliban, must seek and retrieve the second of our most unholy artifacts....Pontius Pilate's bowl." spoke Beelzebub. Stepping forward Caliban spoke next saying, "What do you say, princess? Ready for round two?" Even though I knew he was speaking to Sabrina that last part he said was directed at me, I just hoped that no one else noticed. Arching a brow at him and trying to fight a smirk Sabrina spoke breaking our starring contest. "Sorry, but I can't. Not right now.", she said which caused a bit of up roar from the demons in attendance. Lilith then turned to Sabrina and said, "Sabrina, by not accepting the challenge, you threaten the very existence of your coven. Your friends and family. And do you know why? The balance of the cosmos has tipped. The arrival of the pagans. Your covens loss of power. It's all a direct result of your refusal to claim, absolutely, the throne. Don't you see, Sabrina? All of this suffering it's your fault." After Lilith finished speaking, I saw how all of the coven began to think that it must be true, that all of this was Sabrina's fault. When in truth it was all of their faults for putting their faith in a lesser god. "Well that, that's not true.", replied Sabrina trying her hardest not to cry in front of every one. With a straight face Lilith confirmed, "It is, but if you can recover the Unholy Regalia, you stand a chance of replenishing your weakened coven's energies." "But Nick,", began Sabrina before she was cut off by her Aunt Zelda. "Sabrina, the coven is your alpha and omega right now. So as loathe as I am to agree with Lilith, you must do your duty and win. Not for yourself, but for all of us. Go and come back before the pagans arrive." Taking a breath to steady herself Sabrina turned to face the three kings and Caliban as she said, "Challenge accepted!" To which the kings and demons laugh, all except Caliban, he looked almost sadden by Sabrina accepting the challenge, then just like that they all disappeared into a cloud of black smoke.
After all of the hub bub, I found myself in the Academy library looking for old documents about royal officails and their duties. Till finally making sure that no one was around I summoned the documents of old, the pages that were forged by the god that had made Hell his home. The official papers of Hades the god of Hell, scanning through the glowing orange papers I found exactly what I was looking for. I just hoped I could get to Sabrina and Lilith in time.
Dorian's Gray Room
I arrived luckily just in time to stop Sabrina and Lilith from going through the portal to the Golgotha. "Wait! Sabrina you don't have to do this.", I said in a rush. "What do you mean of course she has to do this. Especially if she wants to restore her coven and keep her throne.", said Lilith firmly. "I don't mean she doesn't do it at all, I mean she doesn't have to complete this task. Has queen she can make someone else do it but in her name.", I replied looking between Lilith and Sabrina. "What do you mean Selene? I can order someone else to do this in my place?", asked Sabrina, causing Lilith to roll her eyes. "What I mean Sabrina is as queen you were able to name Lilith your regent; which allows her to make decisions for you when you're not in Hell right?", I said the last part looking to Lilith for her confirmation, to which she nodded her head yes so I continued. "Well if Lilith is your regent then I would be your lady in waiting, meaning I would be like your secretary. Meaning if you gave me your permission I could go and fetch the bowl for you and you could stay here and help your friends and your coven." "Could that work? Could I send Selene in my place?", Sabrina asked Lilith. "I suppose you could, but what about the three kings they won't be happy to see someone other than Sabrina doing it herself.", added Lilith. To that I said, "That's the thing Lilith they won't have to know as long as Sabrina presents it in front of the Infernal Court they can't question how she got it." Huffing a deep breath Lilith agreed to my idea as we sent Sabrina off, but not before she gave me her time water, then went on her way. Once she was gone, I took her place beside Lilith as Lilith recited, "Deliver us from the void of this stricken realm unto Golgotha. The stony knoll of skull to take the helm." After she said the words we walked through the portal and then we were in Golgotha.
Golgotha
Having arrived in Golgotha Lilith and I looked around as Lilith said, "Welcome to the place of skulls. Beautiful isn't it? I'll be waiting right here for you, Selene. And remember, make your way to the Temple of Jerusalem as quick as you can. Retrieve Pontius Pilate's bowl and get out of there. The slightest misstep could have you trapped in the time loop forever." "Got it, understood.", i replied as I looked to my right at the time stone, I could just use that instead of the water, but I had to remember that a simple witch of only 18 wouldn't know about that. So when Lilith told me to douse away, I took the bottle that Sabrina gave me and began to sprinkle the water over myself and then closing my eyes I said the words. "Bestow your gaze upon this land of prophecy. Back to the time of anno Domini." Opening my eyes I saw that Lilith was no longer with me which was my first clue to know that it had worked. So I began my track down the rocky path in search of Pilate's bowl. Has I walked I began to hear hoof beats behind me, yet when I turned around I saw nothing there. I began walking again only for the hoof beast to sound louder and closer, but this time when I turned around I was met with a man dressed in roman attire. "Pontius Pilate.", I said firmly recognizing the mans face. "We've been awaiting you. Centurions, seize her!", he commanded. Suddenly I felt a strong hand on my left shoulder and as I turned around I was now face to face with what use to be a man. Centurions grabbed a hold of my arm and snatched the bottle of water away from me handed it to Pilate. As Centurions began to drag me off towards what I guess must be cages off in the distance. Has we moved closer to them I could make out to other figures already in two of the three cages.
Once at the cages of bones as I came to realize Centurions opened the cage and tossed me inside and locked it. Looking at the lock I saw that it was a fairly simple lock, so with Centurion gone I reached my hand outside of the cage and tried to move the luck. Only to shocked back with a bolt of power almost like lightening, that made my whole right hand numb. Flexing my hand I heard a voice I recognized in the cage next to mine. "What are you doing here my lady?" "Caliban? How did you get here so fast?", I asked even though I was pretty sure I already knew the answer. "The time stone. Did you not see it?", he asked over his shoulder with is back still to me. Playing dumb I said, "That's what that was." "All you have to do is touch it.", he went on to say as I replied, "That's good to know for my return trip, since they confiscated my bottle of time water." "There is no escaping this forsaken place or Pilate's perverse passion play." said a voice behind me. Turning around I saw a man dressed in old rages and covered in dirt. The man continued to speak as I looked at him. "Every hundred years or so, someone like you comes along, hoping to steal Pilate's bowl. A few even catch a sight of it as they breathe their last. But they all die here. Lucky bastards! I, Barabbas, never die. It's my curse. I'm doomed, just like Pilate, to repeat this day of infamy over and over again. Centurion, too...doomed, like us to perform to a crowd long since vanished. Pilate could end it, break the cycle, but he won't." Leaning closer to his cage I asked, "Barabbas, what did you mean, "catch sight of the bowl as they breathe their last"? How? When?" Barabbas then explained, "After Pontius Pilate pardons me, as he always does, and condemns you both to die, as he always does.. he'll wash his hands in the bowl. Wash his hands of your fate, and you'll e crucified. He scrubs his hands bloody but the stains, they never go away" After he was finished speaking I turned back around with my back against the cage and said to myself. "That's it then. When he's washing his hands, that's my chance to get the bowl."
"Not if i get there first my lady.", came Caliban's voice. "Seriously, Caliban", I began as I turned to face him now. "You now it's funny, you aspire to be king, and yet you cheated last time. Even a king of Hell must have some dignity. Some honor." At that Caliban looked to me, then looked away with a look of disappointment on his face. But just as quickly as it was there it was gone as he responded. "Has I said before it's a competition, and it's a competition for the throne of Hell there are no rules. Like the fact that you're here instead of the Morningstar, now if we were follow the rules of fair, you wouldn't be here and she would have to do her own dirty work." Moving closer to him, I placed my hand on top of his as I whispered, "Yes, that is true. But then I wouldn't be here to keep you company. Plus the fact that you sought me out after leaving Sabrina and I for dead, you asked me was I alright. Which shows me that there is a part of you that as honor since you clearly knew that was wrong leaving us or rather leaving me there. Not that I needed your protection in the end. But still the fact that you apologized showed me that there is honor in you, I just wish you would show it more." Before Caliban could respond Pilate had returned with Centurion closely behind him. Caliban and I looked to each other then rose to our feet to face them. "The punishment for trespassing in Golgotha is 100 lashes. You may choose who receives them." Before I could even open my mouth to respond, Caliban spoke up first. "I'll take the lashes." Wiping my head around to face him I asked, "What? Why?" "You are representing the Queen of Hell and I would have neither her nor especially you debased in such a way. You're right I do have honor." Walking towards him I placed my hand through the cage to place it on his face and said, "Has I knew that you do, but you don't have to do this I'll be fine." Shaking his head Caliban went on to say, "You forget my lady I'm made of clay remember." Rolling my eyes I replied, "So what , the lashes won't hurt you?" "No, they'll hurt, they just won't draw blood. Besides, you're too beautiful for scars." With that being said Centurion took Caliban from his cage and moved him towards the temple to be lashed.
"Your lover's sacrifice is noble but pointless.", said Barabbas. "He's not my lover. At least not at the moment.", I replied. To which Barabbas said, "It's always the same. First the imprisonment, then the lashings. I am pardoned whilst you are condemned. Would that it could be the other way around." "Barabbas, what happens when you're pardoned? Tell me exactly what happens.", I said as I knelt down to his level having just up come with a plan on how to get the bowl.
After some time Centurion came to collect Barabbas and myself, to lead us to the temple for judgement. Standing on the platform I looked over to see a shirtless Caliban, but quickly looked away remembering that I had to stick to the plan. I saw how he looked at me as we stood beside him, but it wasn't really me he was looking back, well at least not in a technical sense. "Citizens of Judea. It is in my power to pardon one of these three criminals. Who will it be?", began Pilate as a we heard the cries of a crowd that was not there. "The thief, Barabbas?", Pilate started up again, "Or one of the foreigners?" Looking to Caliban I could see him trying to find a weak spot in his chains, as the invisible crowd began to shout Barabbas' names. Then Pilate spoke again, "So be it. Barabbas is pardoned!" And just like that the chains fell away, as I moved off to the other side of the bowl ever watching as Pilate continued to speak. "Has for the foreigners let them be executed! As I wash my hands of their blood." Next thing I knew Caliban was pulling on his chains that held him captive, and in that instant I took my chance and grabbed the bowl as Pilate shouted at me, "Barabbas, stop! Barabbas!" That was when the true Barabbas spoke but his voice came out sounding like mine. "It is time, prefect of Judea. Let the cycle be broken." At this point the glamour had worn off and where Barabbas once was running it was me in his place. Looking behind me I saw the look of hurt and betrayal on Caliban's face has I made a spirit for the time stone, with Centurion right on my heels. Luckily for me I reach the stone and said the words just as he was about to make a grab for me. "Ibi locum non sicut domum."
"Selene, excellent work.No trouble I take it.", came Lilith's voice from behind me. "Tons of trouble. Caliban was there. I left him behind." I said looking back to the stone. "Oh, well it can't be helped, but hopefully, he'll be stuck in the time loop forever.", said Lilith with a smile. "I...I don't want that. And it's not right I spoke to him of honor, I can't just leave him...." Looking from the stone to Lilith I made a quick and rather rash decision. "I have to go back.", I said holding the bowl in my hands. "Go back? For what the clay boy? Teenage girls and their boy problems fine, but give me the bowl so I can secure it in Hell.", Lilith said as she held her hands out. Pulling the bowl back I said, "No, I send it to Sabrina, she's going to need it before she returns to hell. Go to the Academy and wait for her and the bowl there. I'll meet you both in Pandemonium." I said a quick spell and the bowl disappeared and went directly to Sabrina as I turned back around to touch the time stone to go and save Caliban.
Golgotha
Having returned back to Golgotha, I didn't waste any time in trying to find Caliban. I began running around trying to see if I could still sense him, then I began calling out his name. Has I moved closer to the Temple Caliban's energy grew stronger, till I finally found the source of it coming from the ground. Kneeling down I placed my hand down on the ground and closed my eyes, to try and see beneath the sand and rocks. Just as I had located the source of the energy I was sensing I heard someone approach me. And luckily for me, that I opened my eyes when I did because just in that instant Centurion was swinging his spear at me. I quickly moved then rolling off to the side and trying to get to my feet, but he moved faster as he pushed his spear towards my chest, only for my move off to the side. But not before his spear head managed to cut my right arm, leaving a stinging pain. Looking from my arm to the spear I recalled the locks on the bone cages and they had stung and shocked me like lightening. That's when I put two and two together, there is only one type of metal strong enough to cut a gods skin; adamantine. It was in that moment that I realized just how endangered I was, for this was one of the few things that could actually kill me if given the chance. Grabbing a handful of dirt, I tossed it into Centurion's face blinding him monetarily. Which gave me enough time to rise to my feet and summon my two daggers. Standing at the ready I made a move on Centurion as he was still trying to remove the dirt from his eyes. Taking the opportunity of surprise, I cut his spear in half holding the end with the spear head away from myself, as I turned and stabbed him with my other dagger right below the ribs. With my back to him, I heard him grunt as his body hit the floor. Turning around I kept my daggers raised just in case this was a trick, but once I saw the blood I then sheathed my blades. Reaching out both hands I began to recite a summoning spell to get Caliban out of the earth.
Once Caliban was standing in front of me he looked around in confusion, that was however until his eyes reached mine. "What are you doing here my lady? I thought you took the bowl and left? What that guilty consciences of yours got to you. I mean was that the honor you spoke of?", Caliban was going off on a tangent to the point where I couldn't even get a word in. That's when I saw movement in the distance and knew that was our sign to go. Grabbing a hold of Caliban's face I said, "Look I know your pissed and you have every right. So if you want to yell at me fine but let it wait until we reach Pandemonium because right now we have to go now!" That's when Caliban heard them the hoof beats of soldiers coming upon us. Looking behind himself he turned back to me and said, "Lead the way, my lady." Shaking my head I took Caliban's hand as we began to run back to the time stone, but not before I noticed that Centurion was trying to get to his feet. Running as fast as we could we were almost at the stone, when something made me look back. Behind us were more soldiers than there had been when I was last here, but that wasn't my worry. My worry came from the fact that the soldiers on horse back were carrying bows with arrows that no doubt were made of adamantine. Caliban looked back then too and said, "It appears you made some enemies the last time you were here." "Well I don't care about leaving them behind again as long as I can take you back with me.", I said in response. Caliban looked at me strangely then as we kept moving, that's when the first arrow was released. It swooshed passed our heads as we kept moving, we were now a mere few feet from the stone. And right as we reached it and said the words I felt a sharp pain in my back, that made me take a deep intake of breath.
Having made it back to our own time Caliban looked around seeing nothing of the soldiers or of Centurion. Then his eyes landed back on my has I trying to use another boulder to lean on, that's when he noticed the cut on my arm. ""What happened to you there?", he said pointing at it. Waving my hand I said through slow breaths, "Oh, nothing I just managed to catch the tip of Centurion's spear. I'm fine." The last part I said on swaying feet which Caliban noticed, stepped forward he caught me just as I was about to fall forward. That's when he saw it the adamantine arrow sticking out of my back.
"Oh shit, Selene! Selene!", that was the last thing I heard before my eyes were shrouded in darkness.
Author's Note
Hey Readers, I just wanted to say Happy International Women's Day. What a good day to post this chapter, especially with a character like Selene who can hold her own in a fight. But is also willing to help her friend out when she's in a pickle, and who doesn't like a role reversal of the girl saving the guy, instead of the other way around. But I just wanted to take the time to thank all of you readers, and say thank you for your comments, along with your views and votes. And I hope you all had a great weekend and have an amazing week.
Much Love.