Exceprt The Seven Deadlies A Guardian’s Life Saga Novel

Copyright © 2012 by Katherine Rochholz
Published by E.A.R. Publishing Company
Publisher’s Note
No portion of this book may be reproduced by any means, mechanical, electronic, or otherwise, without first obtaining the permission of the copyright holder.
This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to persons living or dead (unless explicitly noted) is merely coincidental.
Cover by J.V.K.
Photo used for cover © Zlatina Tochkova Used with Permission 


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This Book is in memory of my grandparents:
Bernice Agnes and Ross Jay Kitchen
Evelyn LaVonne and Raymond Lee Rochholz
I only met my Grandpa Ross, but all of you are in my heart and I think of you daily.  I wish I could sit down and talk with you all every day.

Ezekiel 18:4 – Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
 
Prologue:
The Journal of Catherine Von Kampen
First Entry 1490 
I don’t know what today is.  I stopped caring about time.  I know it was the first of May when my family was killed.  I met another Hunter; he told me that I have to write down my notes, my thoughts, and my kills.  He said that a Hunter’s journal was their life line.  It holds their secrets, it holds their rituals, and it holds everything they learn.  I ran into him hunting of all things a vampire.  I heard it had information about the demon that killed my family.  It turned out it wasn’t a vampire; it was a vampire like demon, an Alp. It normally looks human, but its true shape is horrible.  It was hunched, skin that fell off its body, and had sharp rows of blood stained teeth; it had horns of red, and it seemed that it had hair of fire.  If it hadn’t been for that other Hunter, whose name is John, I might be dead.  As it is, I have a nasty wound, but John put some herbs on it, he said they were lavender and thyme, with sage and a flower he called Calendua.  I am lucky to be alive.  John told me to forget revenge to go home, to marry, and to have children.  I laughed.  My life was over the second my brothers were killed.  John just told me the date is about mid-July.  Makes sense… It doesn’t seem like that long ago I celebrated my brother’s birthday… Edmund… my heart still breaks for Donatello, the baby, and Edmund, and Hugo, the oldest boy.  I miss them so much.  My heart breaks.  It is broken.  So I laughed at John.  I have to avenge my brothers.  They were my life.  My soul.  My heart.  I would freely give my life for them to be alive once more.  I would freely give my soul for them to be here once more.  I found out about a demon that gives those wishes.  I have to find out more, I have to find it…
Early Fall 1490
John and I went our separate ways.  He found out about my trying to make a deal.  I did my first exorcism.  It is so different than just having the words, and knowing the steps, performing one is so different.  You don’t have time to do the whole 500 plus pages of the Rituale Romanum.  You do it quick and dirty, in Latin.  You call upon archangels in your own way, you especially call upon Michael.  You place a protection spell on the person the demon is possessing (you want to do everything possible to save the human).  Then you prevent the demon from leaving before the rite is finished, by doing a binding.  Finally the last part is sending the demon back to hell.  This person I performed the rite on died.  John had told me sometimes the demon had already drained the life of the person they possessed.  The demon said something though that bothers me.  It knew I was hunting for the one demon, and it knew why.  It said to find the demon I seek I must first seek the truth of my existence.  It said I was more than human.  But it was a demon and they are evil and evil beings lie- but I have learned that lies are always built on a small bit of fact…
All Hallows Eve 1490
Vampires in Ireland???  Must find out more about them…
Also was told today is All Hallows Eve that is why I am seeing more activity… that means it is my 18th birthday….  
Winter 1490
Found out salt, especially when it forms a circle; is a way to protect one’s self and used to purify locations.  To salt the ground is a way to prevent evil from growing (used mostly in cemeteries as one can’t grow anything on salted land.)  Must make sure I have a permanent supply of salt…
New Year’s 1941
What a way to ring in the new year… I ran into a Catholic priest who was possessed, the demon was getting people to sin.  It was successful because it used the body of their priest.  The priest said it was fine to sin, because the Lord created them to live happy lives.  He stated that to sin brought the person happiness.  I had to trap the demon without the protection spells; it tried to leave… the priest died…. Well, I am assuming it is the New Year, everybody is saying ‘Happy New Year.’  All I want to say is ‘not until I kill that damned demon that destroyed my life.’  Then I will be able to say ‘Happy New Year’ once more.
Undated Entry
Rowen Stakes bust to kill a vampire- burn the body or decapitate, doing all three preferred
Undated Entry
Werewolves are real- ran into a Hunter who told me that the north is full of them; he says they like the cold- must research how to destroy-
Valentine’s Day 1491
Found out the official date.  I will try to be better with time and dates, who knows it may become important… Ran into another Hunter about a week ago.  He was hunting the original Valentine…  He told me the story, the true story, Valentine was an evil Warlock, who pretended to marry people (though quite illegal at the time) so that people would live in sin.  Valentine, he said, was an underling to Lust.  It was his offering to the sin, in exchange for his power.  He was killed, stoned to death, and now his ghost, his spirit, is in hell, but he gets one day of rest.  He gets to come back on the 14th of February; to try to break his curse.  But he ends up killing a couple, he must find a pure couple, and there is some ritual involved.  Nobody knows what he is supposed to do, but every year a couple disappears and is killed, horribly.  The Hunter told me to break the spell that brings him back he had to find the original athame that Valentine used to call the demon to make his deal for power.  Once he found it he would destroy it.  I offered my help.  It looked helpless, but we found the trail of the athame.  It was not what I expected.  It was small and plain… there was a blood stain on it… The Hunter (who had introduced himself as Franklin) took me to a cemetery, to hallowed ground.  We dug a hole.  In the hole we threw the athame, some blessing herbs (Rosemary, Sage, Dragon’s Blood, Mint, Rue) and some oils ( Clove, Jasmine), and some stones and gems (Salt, Calcite, Coral); we set it all on fire and watched it burn.  We then waited in the spot Valentine always seemed to take his victims.  We waited the night…  Nothing… We had done it….  I must find some stones, and oils as well as herbs… I have to find out more about them… Franklin gave me a small book on oils, which is a start….
St. Patrick’s Day 1491
Met another Hunter, at a St. Patrick’s Day Celebration; he was totally drunk.  I walked into a bar as I was hungry and had been able to swipe some money to get a hot meal.  He was Irish; he was the one who told me today March 17th is called St. Patrick’s Day.  He drinks whiskey to celebrate.  He told me St. Patrick was a Hunter, a great one.  He said that it started out with Hunters (who live in bars anyways) started celebrating but soon others had heard how he drove the ‘snakes’ (meaning demons) out of Ireland.  It is a huge thing.  A lot of the Hunters will have some whiskey, go on a hunt, and then drink until dawn.  I listened to the Hunters as I ate corned beef and cabbage, with a large chunk of bread.  The bar owner knew I was a Hunter right away.  We all carry the same look.  It is an angry tired look, which never fades from our eyes.  A Hunter wife and husband team came and sat with me.  They introduced themselves as Mary and Phillip; they have been hunting since they were sixteen as well.  They told me that was a common age to take up hunting, even if you come from a family of Hunters.  They told me to be careful where I stop.  Hunter’s look out for each other they told me.  Even if they work alone, which most do…  There is a Hunter’s bar founded within 100 miles of each other. Good information to know.  They gave me an extra bible and a rosary, shocked that I did not have them.  I thanked them by giving them some Rowen arrows, for their bows.  Found a lot of wood on my travels, and thanks to my father, I have more than a few skills. I am good with wood mostly because it is easier to work with.  My father was a blacksmith, but he loved carpentry.  For all that man’s faults, he taught me right.  I learned at that moment when I gave them my gift for theirs, trading was a Hunter’s means to live.  Tonight I was able to get my hands on herbs, stones, oils, books, and some more weapons, iron knifes, silver knifes, and some guns.  I found out delicate wood work, like the arrows, was rare, and they really wanted them after I showed off some of my archery skills.  I might stay here a few days, I still have a lot more bows, and I know where to find Rowen trees.
Undated Entry
Ran into a werewolf, thankfully I was close to a Hunter’s bar, so ran there.  No injury, thankfully.  We went and hunted it down.  Silver to the heart, decapitation and then we burned the body.  *Special note, Cure for bite, before first transformation kill the werewolf that bit you and cook the heart with clove, olive, nutmeg, and rosemary oils, and garlic, leeks, lilacs (if you can find them) mint, onions, blackberries, thistles, and lemons. You do this over a fire made of cedar and bamboo (if you can find bamboo, if not Rowen is okay) until thoroughly cooked.  Then you eat it.  All of it.
April 21st, 1491
Today Edmund would have been 13.  I dealt with my first haunting today.  At first I thought it was a standard ghost, you tell them they are dead and they move on, no big deal.  It really wasn’t a ghost, but more of a poltergeist. Thankfully, I had taken that book from the church a couple months back, a nice ancient book talked all about the undead.  So I burned some sage, salted the home, found out it used to be a soul of a small child.  It broke my heart, but I would not let anybody see that, as I helped the family that had just moved into the home.  Most ghosts and poltergeists are caused by not getting the dying rites, or last rites, not getting a proper burial or they were murdered and the killer goes unpunished.  In this case, the body was just tossed in a hole without last rites and not on hallowed ground.  I found a local priest and he gave the body its last rites and we buried the child (with salt, sage morning glories and violets) behind the church, properly.  It seems to have worked.  I hope it has…
Undated Entry
Ran into Mary and Phillip.  They told me that for each positive trait a gem or stone has, they have a negative side as well.  There are stones you cannot mix others with, or they can be used for dark purposes.  Some are both good and bad…  Must find more info, only have the one small book and a witch’s book of shadows for my gem information…
Undated Entry
During a routine exorcism, a demon mentioned something about number boxes; in fact he had had one tattooed upon his chest… Must research it…….
The Number Box on his chest:


May 23rd, 1491

Stayed a few days at a Hunter’s bar, word goes around I can make a lot of tools, from knifes, swords, guns, to arrows.  A Hunter, who introduced himself as Michael, wanted a special knife made for him, made out of the melted silver of his wife’s jewelry, her wedding band, and her locket with the picture of him within it, (his wife was killed by a demon).  In exchange he gave me a lot of gems, oils, herbs, and five ancient books.  Must be very important to him to offer me all that… It took me a couple of days but I made him his knife, and he gave me my payment. I told him to keep the oils and herbs; I took the books and gems.  I came across a helpful guide on herbs, and how to make them into oils.  I will have to start drawing them in here, soon….

Undated Entry
Heard something today….. There are demons that are family, each gets a certain time on Earth, each doing their own thing… must find more books on demonology….
Undated Entry
Am I the fool?  A Hunter told me about Tarot, first card I touched was the fool…  What does that mean?  The 2nd card was Strength, the 3rd (which should have been the final) was the Devil card, but then the World card fell at my feet… I am not sure what any of this means, but the look on the Hunter’s face worries me….  Find tarot deck and info….
May 29th, 1491
Symbols are everywhere… They can point to allies, or they can point to the enemy… Found a book of symbols out in the woods… Followed by a body of a Hunter… Gave him last rites, and burned him…
Undated Entry
Pentagrams:
Bad-Demonic  :


Good-Protection:


June 5th, 1491
Heard something at the bar today, black plague caused by a demon, even when sent back to hell, it comes back, but weaker and weaker each time, research needed…
June 11th, 1491
Trading at the bars have been a life line for me, heard some stories today about the first vampire, some say it was a woman, who wanted revenge for being sold into marriage, another states Abhartack who was an ancient Celtic warlord, became the first vampire.  It is said he was small and deformed, and was a merciless tyrant; well the people had the ruler in the next country over to kill him.  Well he did, and buried him standing up, but it said he came back from the dead and demanded bowls of blood, so the other ruler (Cathan) killed him and buried him again.  This continued for a while until Cathan went to a religious person and found he could not die, but could be held in place if stabbed with a sword made with of yew (must research yew more, thought it was evil) and buried upside down, and surrounded Blackthorn and Hawthorne thorn bushes. They also placed a stake of Aspen into his chest, and a giant granite was placed of his burial spot. To this day, it can be seen, and strange things happen on that land…. I hope he never gets freed…
Undated Entry
While trading at the local Hunter’s Bar, I heard something, someone says that there are Guardians.  Beings that protect the world forever. They never die, well they can be killed but they come back to life.  They were once mortals… some myth…. Beings of good…
Undated Entry
Got a lead on a creature killing villagers headed to location rumor is it is a banshee…
June 19th, 1491
Was passing through a small town, as I am trying to make my way to Ireland, there is a Hunter that is claiming he has information on the demon I am hunting. Anyway, the town’s priest recognized me as a Hunter and asked for help with a creature- a boogyman- he told me it had killed 5 children, it took them from their homes and then ate their brains and bone marrow; I told him I would take care of it. The boogymen come from the closets of their town (rumor is the boogyman is a child that was abused and eventually killed by their parents and to prevent other children from suffering their fate, it killed them and then ate the marrow and brains so it could live forever. Anyways, they feast on the children for six months then it goes into hibernation for twenty five years. To kill them, you have to perform a spell to trap it between worlds in their closet and then you cut off the head and limbs and drag the body parts to a church ground. Then you douse it in holy water and holy oil, and then you burn it.  I was successful… priest tried to pay me, I declined but accepted holy water, holy oils, and some scared bread all great for destroying demons.
July 1st, 1491
Found the damned Banshee… That thing is hell on Earth; it was tough to kill… A Banshee is an evil fairy, or an evil spirit of a woman. They are created when a young woman dies in childbirth, so the young woman, pissed that she didn’t get to have her life with her baby, becomes a dark entity.  She attaches herself to families; her goal to kill the young children, striking terror in their hearts, and of course drinking their blood, taking their life force.  To hear her cry will kill you, as it will explode your brain. As it is, I am out of this battle with a bad nose bleed and huge migraine.  Don’t know how I am alive…  It is a spirit that looks like a woman, but her skin is so attached to the skull you can see the skull under the skin, in some places it looks like the skin has been torn away and all is left is bone.  To kill it is more grave digging… you find the body of the young woman who died, mix the required oils, herbs, and stones, and burn it… then you take the ashes and seal them in an airtight container never to be opened again.  I buried it about six feet deep on hallowed ground.  Hopefully, no fool ever opens it…
July 17th, 1491
I was traveling to the next local Hunter’s bar when something attacked me… It was a Bajang.  Which means another human controlling a damned being.  I cut the thing’s head off, and set it on fire.  But another ten came out of nowhere.  I climbed up into the trees.  I was able to hide from them.  I followed them back to a local castle.  I researched them. Thankfully, there was a local witch that had some information, made sure she was a being of good; thankfully holy water works on dark witches as well.  Bajangs are created from a witch or warlock using the soul and body of a stillborn child.  That information makes my blood boil.  I saw red.  These Bajangs kill for their masters.  They are fed a mix of human blood, eggs and milk.  They attack women, draining them of their blood, and then they go and eat their mix and then fall into a specially built chest where they sleep until nightfall to attack again.  To destroy them, you have to catch the bloody warlock and make them destroy it.  To put that warlock under your control, you use a mix of herbs and oils boil them down and then dip an iron blade into the mix.  With that you slice the warlock and then you control him, and cause him to destroy the amulet that he created to control the Bajang.  The Bajang are then destroyed and you deal with the warlock.  I had the witch strip him of his magic.  I didn’t kill him… maybe I should have.
The mix of herbs you need for Bajangs:
1 Whole Clover
3 Mint Leaves
1 Peach Pit
Handful of Mustard Seeds
3 Pine Cones
1 Lily Flower
1 Lotus Flower
3 Drops of Rosemary Oil
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Lavender Oil
Boil for 12 hours
Dip your pure Iron blade into mix.
July 21st, 1491
More and more activity… I was passing through another town; I tend to stay on the move, only stopping when I am near a Hunter’s Bar. There are rumors of men being killed in a village nearby… I went to investigate, and after talking to the locals, I discovered it was a Churel.  They are created when a young woman dies, either by murder, suicide, accident or while she is pregnant.  They come back and kill men only, draining them of all their bodily fluids.  They look human but they have razor sharp teeth, blood red eyes, and their feet are backwards.  To kill them is the standard cut off the head, burn them routine. After you do that, you have to salt the grave and bury their ashes, with a mix of herbs.
I used fern, mint, garlic, onion, pepper, witch grass and myrrh.
July 30th, 1491
Ran in to a Rakshasa, and after a few days of research I went and destroyed it.  Rakshasas generally attack women and children, but love to control men and drive them mad.  They are from kings or leaders, or someone with power at one time.  They are grotesque, have orange fiery eyes, and a large tongue that hangs from its mouth (normally bleeding as their razor sharp teeth bite down on it).  They are full of coarse body hair, and have potbellies, horns and either have 1 arm and 3 legs or 3 arms and 1 leg.  They love wearing wreaths made of the entrails of the victims.  They can become invisible, but love turning into animals, most common is a black dog, but will turn into owls or vultures.  They will kill their victim, drink their blood, let the body rot for a few days, then from the skull eat the rotting brain, and then the skin, and finally the decayed muscles.  To get rid of them, you must burn herbs, perform a chant, then dig up the body and burn it burying the ashes, and placing a large stone on the burial spot.
Herbs needed to burn:
Snapdragon
Peony
Sunflower
Milk Thistle
Basil
Garlic
Dragon’s Blood (super rare had to trade 4 knives and  2 dozen arrows for 5 sticks)
August 5th, 1491
Was going through France, heard of a haunting.  The ghost was Gilles De Rais.  He is said to have murdered boys. In fact, he was tortured until he confessed, then executed. Many say he was innocent.  They say he was unjustly killed because he, umm… preferred the company of males, and didn’t believe in God. He was targeted and killed.  I don’t care.  He was hunting down and killing the families of those that put him to death.  If he didn’t kill back in 40, he was now.  So I went and found his bones (did I mention I really hate that part?) threw in Anise, Hyssop, Peppermint, Yucca, Holy Thistle, Devil’s Bit and Clove, along with a few stones (salt (of course) Calcite, Aquamarine (pained me to do but didn’t have much else with me, I haven’t been to a Hunter’s Bar for about a week, and these routine hauntings kill my supplies), Coal, and Jasper).  Then set them on fire, and then of course made sure the ashes were buried.  Love these routine hauntings; have to get to a Hunter’s Bar… Should be able to get to Ireland by end of month.
August 7th, 1491
Finally found a Hunter’s Bar, going to spend a few days need to stock up on supplies.
August 10th, 1491
Ran into a bunch of Doppelsugers, damned children.  It saddens me, but Doppelsugers are created when a young child is smothered by a parent.  They are children that come back from the dead to kill and eat their family.  They start with the parent that killed them, and then they work through the family, after that they will attach any human.  To see a body of one killed by a Doppelsuger is kind of gross.  They are torn apart, nothing left really on the inside, just bones and skin and hair.  To destroy them is horrible; they look so much like innocent children, but they are not.  You do an exorcism, stake the body with a Hawthorne stake, and then place 2 silver coins upon the eyes, and then throw in your mix of herbs and oils, and burn the body.
I used:
Salt (my favorite, or at least the cheapest)
Thistle
Vervain
Scullcap
Copal
Tobacco
Bloodroot
August 16th, 1491
Went to a local bar. They were looking for other Hunters to help them hunt an ogre.  I agreed to go along.  Ogres are giants.  They love to party, it seems. They take women to have orgies.  They kill the women, drink their blood and eat their flesh.  There were six ogres, and it took all nine of us to bring them down, and cut their heads off.  Then of course, we burned their bodies.  We went back to the bar, and the trading and drinking began…. Orges are ugly…  They have yellow eyes (three of them) they have four fingers on each hand, two toes on each foot, and no hair on their head but it appeared to be everywhere else.  They have razor sharp teeth, and bodies as thick as a few ancient trees.  Even with our sharped axes and swords it took forever to get the heads off the Orges’ shoulders.  I hope it is a long long time before I deal with them again.
September 3rd, 1491
Hit land.  I am finally in Ireland.  Now to get to that Hunter.  But first had to deal with a Hag.  Ran right into her as she was stealing a child.  The ratty hair, shrinking skin, rotting sharp razor like teeth, her hooked nose (which had the largest wart I had ever seen on it) and her eyes were the worse.  They were white, clouded with death.  Of course I attacked.  She of course tried to kill me.  I left the battle with a few scratches, but the child is safe, and the hag lost her head.  I burned the body with a mix of herbs and oils, and am now on my way to the Hunter who claims to know about my demon.
Herbs used: (I must make these notes to make sure I trade for what I need at the Hunter Bar’s)
Holy Thistle
Vervain
Yucca
Mimosa
Iris
Bloodroot
Walnut
Sloe
Garlic
Oils used:
Rosemary
Basil
Narcissus
Myrrh
Cinnamon
Olive
September 10th, 1491
What the hell is an Eretica doing in Ireland????  I heard they were only in Northern Asia.  But I guess they can be anywhere. After all, they were once women who sold their soul to the devil for something, and are cursed upon death to come back and kill their family and their town.  They are only active between the spring equinox and the fall equinox, so it is coming up the deadline to permanently destroy it.  They use eye contact to stop their victim from fleeing.  Then they drain their life force.  They take their soul into them, and take it back to hell upon returning on the night of the fall equinox.  Sadly, the only way to destroy them is to send them back to hell.  You stake them with an Aspen stake, and then you burn them with herbs, oils and stones as you perform an exorcism.
Herbs Used:
Dragon’s Blood (Must get more, having to use this more and more, running into stronger beings)
Thistle
Onion
Pepper
Rosemary
Myrrh
Oils
Olive
Lavender
Jasmine
Rose Geranium
Gardenia
Stones and Gems:
Calcite
Salt
Jasper
Amber
September 16th, 1491
Found out colors you wear, colors you work with, and colors all have a meaning… Blue for example is used to repel vampires…. More Research is needed
September 18th, 1491
Found more on colors:
White: Protection, Peace, Purity
Green: Money, Luck, Fertility
Brown: Nature, home
Pink: Love, Fidelity
Red: Blood, Freedom, Lust, Courage, Liberty
Yellow: Wisdom
Purple: Power, Royalty
Blue: Peace, Sleep, Vigilance, Perseverance, Justice
Orange: Success
September 20th, 1491
Donatello would have been 7 today… I miss them more and more each day…
September 25th, 1491
Finally found the Hunter… I think he has been driven insane… He kept rambling about a demon who gave birth to what the world thinks is a human, who shall be either the savior or the destroyer of the world…  The being is part demon, the demon side hidden within.  He did tell me I would probably have to go to the end of the world to find the demon I seek.  I informed him that was my plan, until my dying breath the search won’t end…  He said it wouldn’t end with my dying breath; it would be only the beginning…. As I thought – insane…
October 1st, 1491
I am moved north, and last night as I crossed a cemetery (rumors of vampires), I heard screams; a woman was being dragged into the ground next to a stone.  I ran to help; I was able to save her, as the creature let go when I stabbed his arm with a silver knife. I walked with her out of the cemetery.  She was mumbling that she could not believe her Henry would be a Haugbui.  I went to the local Hunter’s Bar and discovered that a Haugbui is a dead body possessed by a demon, that will drag all who comes near the grave of the body to their death, eating the body and drinking the blood.  So I went and dug up the bones of the person this morning, burned them, and then reburied them and placed huge stones over the grave… quick and crude, but hopefully it works.
Herbs used:
Avens
Bloodroot
Chamomile
Shallot
Thistle
Garlic
Mallow
Mint
Oils Used:
Rose
Rue
Basil
Stones used:
Coral
October 3rd, 1491
Today Hugo would have been 15…
October 7th, 1491
Incubus/ Succubus
Horrible creatures.  The Incubus is male and forces itself upon women, subjecting them to night terrors, and of course they try to impregnate them.  They love preying on nuns, or other religious women.  Ran into to one at a nunnery.  Poor nuns frightened out of their minds.  Three had already been impregnated with demon spawn.  They hope the children will give into their human side as adults, instead of the demon within them (I have a feeling I should come back here in about twenty years, or let the owner of the local Hunter’s Bar know. I won’t kill a nun and an unborn; I still have a bit of a conscious).  Anyways an Incubus shows up in a human form that females find attractive, so I slept at the nunnery and hoped to kill it.  And it showed up! It took a bit of will power to remember it was a demon, the icy blue eyes and the dark hair, it would have been so easy to give in… but instead, I staked it, and cut off its head.  Then of course burned it and buried the ashes.
Herbs used:
Buckthorn
Angelica
Clover
Elder
Vervain
Oils:
Rose
Rue
Violet
Stones:
Moonstone
October 13th, 1491
Ireland has a lot more stories, a lot more demons. I wonder why?  But today I had to deal with a leanhaum-shee. It is a fairy of sorts, which seduces anybody who catches its eye, and then drinks their victim’s blood and eats the internal organs.  You have to trap it on hallowed ground, and bury it alive, staking it to the ground with silver stakes and Blackthorn thorns.  Tricking it into the church’s graveyard was the tough thing. Finally, I found some bait… stupid drunk little man… he didn’t die… anyways got the leanhaum-shee into the graveyard, fought it, got it into a grave, staked it, bound it with thorns and then buried it.
Herbs used: (The damned thing cut me…and good too)
Ash
Rue
Angelica
Ivy
Olive
Thistle
Oils:
Eucalyptus
Narcissus
Violet
October 19th, 1491
Okay, seriously what is it with demons and witches?  Jigarkhwar, a daughter or son of a witch that sold its soul to the devil and a demon; they have the power to paralyze their victims with just a stare.  Once they are paralyzed, they use dark magic to remove the liver and then it is shrunk to the size of a seed and it hides it in its calf until it needs to eat it.  Once it is eaten, the person cannot be saved.  They are doomed to die.  If you find the Jigarkhawar, you can cut open the calf and get the liver, and have the victim swallow it whole.  Then to kill the thing, you have to bind her head with silver chains and Blackthorn thorns, and then you cut out the eyes and fill the sockets with salt, and then you hang her, and you leave her there for 40 days, then burn the body.  I am not waiting 40 days, found a priest that will watch the body and burn it for me.  Note to self: Must pick up a lot more salt…
October 22nd, 1491
Ran into a group of Kosci.  They were eating a family… Male Kosci are called Koscima and the female is Koscama.  They are victims of drowning (mostly pirate ships that went down) they hunt families and dine on their internal organs as they drink the blood.  It took a while and a chuck of my Blackthorn arrows (a lot harder to make by the way but Blackthorn is the only thing that works on Kosci), but I finally killed them all and burned the bodies.
MUST TRADE FOR MORE BLACKTHORN!!
October 27th, 1491
Ran into a black dog… Its eyes glowed red…  It smiled at me and winked… I was shocked, paralyzed with fear… the devil himself is said to take the form of a black dog to make deals with the living… before I could even think of a way to destroy it, it was gone… so I found out this about them: YOU CANNOT DESTROY THEM!  You can do an exorcism, but you cannot kill them, and they always come back.  They are called upon when a person wants to make a deal with the devil himself, instead of an introverted demon.  Why would it cause me to freeze? Why did it smile at me?  Why wink?
All Hallows Eve 1491
What a way to spend my 19th birthday! Ran into a damn pack of werewolves.  Almost didn’t make it…  I stop and think about it now, the wolf that was on my tail stopped.  And it sniffed the air, and turned around as I was nearing the Hunter’s Bar.  It must have known that I would make it to the bar before it could kill me.  I couldn’t take turning into a werewolf, but after hours of fighting, I was exhausted and the five werewolves were dead.  I am bloody from head to toe, and all I want is a bath…
November 3rd, 1491
Heard a rumor… a Hunter related to a werewolf without knowledge of it…. I laughed at that fact… then I felt bad for the Hunter to know one day soon that their loved one would die from their hand or another Hunter’s hand.
November 11th, 1491
Was traveling through a village and was told about a demonic monster they named Brunhilda.  Legend holds that this demon was once a mighty warrior that saved the village but a god came and demanded a sacrifice or it would destroy all the land.  Since this great warrior was unmarried and scared even the town’s people with her power, the villagers tricked her in to a compromising position and killed her to appease a god (which was a demon in disguise).  She came back as a demonic force to get her revenge. In the month of her death’s anniversary, she comes to the town and kidnaps young children and babies and eats them (Demons really like to kill children it must be something to do with their innocence).  The town was naive in their actions a long time ago but I hunted the demon.  She was huge, a bloody giant.  Her hands could easily close over my body and crush me.  I was able to create a small (well large) trap.  She entered the pentagram made of salt and other stones and herbs I had ground. It trapped her there long enough for me to do the exorcism.  It was successful.  Thank God she was slower, due to her size, than me.  I shudder to think how she would have killed me.
Herbs used:
Thistle
Sage
Clove
Garlic
Oils used:
Rosemary
Holy oil (time to find a priest to trade again running low)
Stones:
Salt
Coral
Aquamarine (thankfully I had this, it is a powerful gem)
Time to find a bar need to trade and I just made a lot of silver iron knives as well as Aspen and Rowen arrows.
December 1st, 1491
One can tell it is winter, even the demons are feeling the cold. Thankfully, there is a Hunter’s Bar every hundred or so miles.  Don’t know what I would do without them.  Mary says I should marry one of the other hunters.  She said it is good to have companionship, to have love.  I laughed… truthfully I don’t know if I want to risk that… ever…  I will die hunting evil… do I want a husband to bury me?  Do I want to love someone just to bury him?  I never thought of it before; I always thought I would go to war, come home marry one of the boys in the village, after my father bargained for my dowry, have a few babies and die… but then the demon destroyed that… destroyed my life.  It killed my soul; it killed me but left my body here to rot… Of course I told Mary I would think about it…
December 5th, 1491
As it gets colder, rumors of werewolves and yetis become more and more… Phillip says we should move north; it would be more active.  I agreed.  Mary didn’t like the idea, but she agreed that we needed to make some more money and there were postings for Hunters up north.  So we set off.  I should note I keep seeing yellow eyes everywhere… and the other day Mary was pressuring me and I snapped at her; she swears my eyes turned black…  I wonder what is happening…
December 11th, 1491
We ran into fairies!  Real life fairies, and not the nice kind either.  These were dark, demonic.  They tried to drag Mary into the river as she washed.  They said that she had not asked permission and her life was forfeit.  Of course killing something as small as a butterfly is hard, but finally we were able to kill some of them and move on.  But there is a strange mark on Mary’s hand… I think they cursed her… Something is going to happen.  I can feel it.  This mark it looks like the devil’s pentagram.  But in the center there is a demonic fairy shape… it takes up the back of her whole hand.  Mary says she is not worried, but I see the looks between her and Phillip.  They know something is not right either…
December 16th, 1491
The mark faded into Mary’s skin.  But I still see it.  I know it is faded because Philip mentioned that it was lighter.  It seemed to be glowing, but I did not tell them that.  We ran into a priest.  He looked at my cross and smirked.  He told me before I celebrated my twenty-first birthday I would be a being of hell.  He told me I would give up my mortality, for revenge.  I tried to say I would never, but I could not.  I just looked him in the eyes and I knew I would give almost anything to kill the demon.  I had even offered up my soul.  Is there anything I would not do for revenge?  It scares me that I don’t know the answer.
December 19th, 1491
It is so cold out.  But I have split from Philip and Mary for a few days. I just need to think things through.  I went on a couple of hunts and killed several vampires. They laughed at me and said their leader was chosen.  They just had to wait for the demon to keep its promise. I staked them, cut off their heads, and burned them.  At least the fire kept me warm while the bodies burned.  I have noticed I no longer have a need to write down items I need.  My mental notes are better than I thought.  I ran into a hunter last night and traded some arrows for some herbs.  He seemed to have a lot of Dragon’s Blood.  I will continue to write a list after a large hunt, but I am going to find Mary and Philip again.
December 24th, 1491
Okay that is it! Christmas is now my least favorite holiday!  In the last two days, I have dealt with a set of twins, one supposedly good and the other more evil than I thought possible.  They are grandsons of Lucifer.  Well great, great, God only knows how many great grandchildren of Lucifer.  Saint Nicolas himself, and his twin brother Nikoli.  St. Nick, he wasn’t so bad.  He liked giving gifts to kids and leaving candy and other little goodies.  His brother Nikoli was a true demon.  He liked to suck on peppermint sticks, sucked them to a sharp point, then he would stab it into his victim’s eye and… well… eat the eyeball.  With Phillip, Mary and Jolly Old St. Nick himself, we were able to hunt down and destroy Nikoli.  It was not an easy job, that demon could really kick; I think I broke a couple of ribs.  At best they are bruised.  Phillip says I will live.  It hurt to laugh but I had to laugh at that.  Nikoli got me right in the ribcage as I bound him for the exorcism.  Finally we were able to send him to hell.  Using a lot of our goods. 
Herbs used:
Thistle
Sage
Clove
Garlic
Bloodroot
Walnut
Sloe
Garlic
Iris
Oils used:
Rosemary
Narcissus
Myrrh
Cinnamon
Holy oil (time to find a priest to trade again running low)
Stones:
Salt
Coral
Aquamarine
Red Coral
Sapphire (It hurt me to use this pretty gem, but in the end we needed the power, and Phillip and Mary are more important.
December, 31st, 1491
It is the end of another year and rumors of my demon are becoming more and more.  I don’t know what to believe.  There are rumors of a werewolf that went to hell and stole Lucifer’s Trident, a long time ago.  That he is out there hunting down the beings that killed his family.  I also hear of a Hunter who is part demon.  I hear of a vampire with a soul.  I hear so many things.  Are there good beings mixed within the bad we have been killing?
January 4th, 1492
It is a new year, and we are hunting all the time.  We had to fight some Kozlaks this time around.  They start out as poltergeist and then start to suck the life out of their victims.  It normally only takes a few days to wipe out a whole village.  To destroy it is just like any ghost, find out who the ghost was, dig it up and burn the remains to ash.  Of course nobody would give us information.  So we dug up the cemetery and burned them all.  I am much too young to feel so old.  I am tired all the time.  I must be coming down with something.  Only when it is night and the moon is bright do I feel like myself anymore.  Strange but it is calming.  I need it…
January 7th, 1492
My thoughts are becoming darker.  I am becoming darker.  I am almost cold inside when I kill now.  I have no qualms about killing an evil mortal.  A human, a waste of breath, had a knife to Mary’s throat, Philip was fighting three others.  I took aim and shot him with my arrow straight and true into his eye.  He was worshipping a demon.  Better that he’s gone from the world.  Mary told me my eyes went black and I smiled as I pulled the trigger.  Maybe I did.  I had no qualms at all.  There was no hesitation in my actions.  What is changing me?
January 23rd, 1492
What do I stand for?  I don’t know.  I see the ghosts of so many I have killed.  The demons, the humans… I kill more than those I write about.  I see them.  They haunt me.  What do I stand for?  Sometimes even I don’t know.  But I wake up every day and fight.  I wake up every day and pray for a chance at redemption.  A redemption I know my soul will never see.  I know that now.  But I still get up.  I still fight.  I still pray.  I still believe.  My brothers… I will never see again… What do I stand for?  Someone… something… please tell me!  I don’t know who I am.  I see the ghosts of those I have destroyed.  Who am I?  What am I?  Darkness is spreading through me…
January 31st, 1492
Mary is pregnant.  She just told me today.  She is about three months along.  Pregnant.  A Hunter having a baby.  In this world?  I smiled and congratulated her.  She is due in May.  I don’t know if I will be around then.  I don’t know what will happen.  But I am happy that she is happy.  Maybe this will get her to stop hunting.  Maybe she will bury me.  Maybe I won’t have to feel the pain of losing her.  Pregnant.  A pregnant Mary telling me I should marry and have a baby.  I laughed.  My soul is too dark for that.
February 7th, 1492
Sometimes I wonder why I even wake up some mornings.  We lost five Hunters last night.  We were attacked by zombies.  Honest to God zombies.  At first I thought it was a joke, when they told me that they acted intelligent.  I mean I have battled what I had been told were zombies before, but these are different.  I had seen reanimated copses, and called them zombies, but these were different than any zombie I had dealt with before.  Something had to be controlling them.  They were made from a whole town.  We heard rumors of them just sitting there and dying.  So full of sloth that they just died.  I do not know.  But they came back from the dead with a hunger they could not fill in life because of their laziness to get up and get food.  They attacked us.  We were surrounded.  But we fought and in the end we lost five, and the bodies of the zombies were destroyed.  We burned the whole town.
February 16th. 1492
I was walking alone, wondering where the Hunters I have met on my journeys are, and I saw it.  The bloody demon.  I gave chase.  It led me right to a field of murdered children.  I fell to my knees and cried.  They all had the blood hair blue eyes of my brothers.  I fell to my knees and cried in pain.  I screamed for it to come kill me.  This is war!  What are you waiting for you bloody demon?  What are you waiting for when I am not waiting?  When I am breaking the rules?  Killing demons, and mortals alike in my hunt for you.  WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?  Oh Lord help me!  I don’t know what I stand for anymore.  I don’t know why I truly do this anymore.  Is it just revenge?  Is it more?  Do I do it for the right reasons?  Do I even care?  What do I stand for?  Oh Lord I need redemption.  I need you to save me… or do I?  Is it you that is meant to save me?  Or is another?  The holy men I run into… they cry for me.  They worry for me… they know something… they see something… Someone save me… please…
February 21st, 1492
An Incubus tricked a local woman into having a baby.  I look into those eyes and you would not believe the things that can come from the most horrible of beings.  The child is pure mortal… probably to the pain of the Incubus… The baby is so gorgeous.  He reminds me of my brothers.  Mary is cooing at the thing.  I am glad it turned out human.  I could not kill it.  I look into those eyes, and find my weakness.  Kids… I may be cold and heartless… but not that cold and heartless.
March 3rd, 1492
Ran into some hobgoblins… who knew they were real?  Well I guess Hunters older than I did.  They are ugly little creatures.  They tried to push a few of us off the cliffs.  Thankfully they are slow.  It didn’t take long to evade them and kill a few.  I am becoming too good with weapons.  Mary fears that… not I.  I am proud of my power.  She thinks a man will tame me.  I feel no desire.  The only love I know is that of family.  I do not think I can love.  I do not think I could ever be a wife.  Or a mother.  That is alright with me.  I cannot risk my soul becoming blacker with heartache.
March 29th, 1492
Some nights I wish the battle would end.  Like tonight.  We all fought… but the vampires were too much… the different types joining against us… these were not normal vamps; they were older. They were more powerful. They had other beings in their power… Sometimes I wish this would all end.  That I am taken to the Gates of St. Peter and judged… Hell may be my destination, but could it be worse than this life? The rumors are yes, that there are mortals that have been to hell and back… but I don’t know…  Lord, I ask you every night for redemption… every night I pray for your love… what is my place in the world?  Who am I really… and why do the priests look at me with pity in their eyes and distaste in their voice?  What do they know that I do not?  I will find answers!
April 1st, 1492
If I have to deal with one more small creature today, I am going to scream!  We have been dealing with Imps, Leprechauns, Pixies, Alats, Brownies… lots and lots of small creatures!  They have been playing tricks on us all day.  We don’t kill them because they are not evil… well not all are evil, some Leprechauns are… An Alat pack made off with my bow and arrows!!! It took me about three hours to hunt down the Alat pack and get my stuff back, but thankfully I found them.  I will be happy when this day is over.
April 7th, 1492
Helping at a local Hunter’s Bar, the owners wife became a widow last night…  I was involved with the hunt; it was for, what Philip says it was, an Aswang.  It is an evil creature.  It used to be a human female.  It can switch its shape at will.  We could hear its wings from miles away. We knew it was coming, but as soon as it hit the village we could no longer hear it… It was eerie silent…  It soon attacked.  It killed the widow’s husband and four others before we could bring it down.  Four others and I held it down and cut off its wings, beheaded it and burned the body, burying the ashes.  Then, about three miles down the road, we burned the wings and buried them.  I am not sure why, but I used up a good supply of stock, so I am going to stay around for a bit and trade for more… traded for a diamond today… only cost me five silver knives and fifty Rowan bows… it was a good trade… wonder where he got the diamond?
April 15th, 1492
Some nights I regret this life.  I am young, but I look older than I am.  I have stayed around the area since the Aswang attack and more and more strange creatures are showing up.  The latest was a Sampiro.  It appears to be a woman that wears very large heels.  The only thing that gives it away is its eyes.  They grow larger and blood red when they smell a blood that hungers them.  I barely saved the guy before it attacked.  It was harder to kill; I figured the power was in the eyes.  I plucked them out with a silver knife and burned them as the Sampiro screamed in pain.  When I set the eyes ablaze, it lit on fire and soon there was nothing but ashes.  The man paid me some money.  At least I will have some money for hot meals now.
April 23rd, 1492
Ran into a Yara-ma.  A rare thing.  It is a little red man. It was probably about three feet no more than four, and the head was huge compared to the body.  There were no teeth in its large mouth but on its feet there were stingers and on the hands suckers.  They tend to live in trees and don’t have to hunt, they just wait for someone to rest under the tree.  Like I did.  The way they come to be is strange, but thankfully a quick swipe of my sword chopped its head off.  They will almost drain the victim, but leave them alive.  They will them come back after a nap to eat the victim whole.  It will take another nap and vomit up the person; they come out shorter and redder.  The Yara-ma will repeat the process four more times and then the victim becomes a Yara-ma themselves.  Strange creatures.
April 30th, 1492
Dealt with a Zmeu today.  They take the form of a flame and enter the rooms of young girls, seeking pure virgin blood.  Once there, they will transform into a shape the young girl or woman desires and seduce them. Once gaining their trust and successfully seducing them, they will drain the woman, leaving her dead body in a burning heap.  You cannot burn their body.  You must submerge them in water… harder to do than it sounds.  But a few Hunters and I were successful.
June 3rd, 1492
Time is moving slowly… I am fighting my grief… I have heard rumors that my demon is hunting the Hunters…  I will kill it… I called the Introverted demon, I offered my soul to kill the demon… it turned me down… told me that there were larger things in store for me… told me stop calling it… it cannot make a deal with me…  I wonder why?  I wonder what is in store for me besides death…
June 13th, 1492
Heard the demon is on the run. I tried to meet up with it, but it ran into a pack of werewolves… well the rumor was it ran into a werewolf, singular, but what demon would be afraid of a werewolf?
June 25th, 1492
I know I am writing less and less, but not much to write. It is very quiet… Mary and Phillip were right, something huge is going to happen, something has the beings of hell running from this place… Have done some routine vampire stakings, haven’t heard about Mary at all though… Maybe the vampire blood did not take?  Sometimes it doesn’t, if the vampire did it wrong… well too late.  A true vampire must drain its victim until the point before the heart stops, and then it must feed it its own blood.  If things go right, a new vamp will rise in about three nights… Mary… I will have to stake her if she turned… maybe her body was too stubborn to be corrupted… maybe it didn’t take… hold on to hope… do not let evil win…
July 3rd, 1492
Things have started to get back to normal hunting. Whatever fear the demon had put into the creatures is now gone.  And they are all out in force… I am almost out of supplies; I have to stock up, on everything…
July 15th, 1492
I have heard the demon has left and is headed for another world… Don’t know what that means but I will find it. I will hunt it down if it is the last thing I do…
July 19th, 1492
There are less and less vampires around. It used to be common place to stake one or two every couple of days, but lately there hasn’t been one for me to take my anger out on… heard about Mary, another Hunter saw her… she killed four in their group before running off…  What can I do, but hunt her?  Sometimes I wonder what death is waiting for?  Sometimes I wonder if these musing and ramblings of my mind will really help another Hunter after I am long gone?  Will it?  I hope so!  The world is full of evil and we need good men and women to pick up the fight.  We will give our lives and souls to fight the demons of hell… But will it matter?  Where do the fighters end up?  Where do we Hunters end up?  What do we really stand for?  Sometimes I wish it would all end…
July 21st, 1492
Heard a rumor on the vampire shortage, a werewolf is hunting them down. There is a rumor that the vamps killed its daughter, something about her being a great leader that would eradicate all the vamps from the Earth.  I am all for that… but werewolves?  Are they any better?
July 28th, 1492
Hear of ships leaving for the edge of the world.  Finally, I might be able to find it; after all I will go to my death to find it…
August 1st, 1492
Got my supplies, took a lot of trading, but I have everything I need for the trip.  Herbs, oils, gems, stones, weapons, books, everything I need to hunt this demon who claims I am born from its womb, and send it back to the depths of hell from which it came.  It took my diamond but I figured out how to get on the boat and how to travel with everything I need, everything that I have…
August 3rd, 1492
On a ship as a stowaway. The ship is called the Santa Maria…
August 8th, 1492
Caught on the ship, but found a demon possessing the body of the captain (Columbus I think his name is).  The demon could sense me, which is why I was found.  I bound the demon, and preformed the exorcism.  Afterward, convinced the captain I was a nun trying to spread the world of Jesus to the world.  Of course since I got rid of the demon, he turned a blind eye that I was a stowaway.  I pray there will be no more possessions on this boat.  Not enough room to fight; I had to fight the demon to bind him.  I was knocked overboard during the exorcism, thankfully I can swim, and thankfully the crew pulled me up.
August 19th, 1492
Boredom is setting in. What I wouldn’t give for a demon, vampire, creature!  Heard there was something in the ocean, but haven’t seen anything.
September 5th, 1492
Today Donatello would have been 9.  Saw some large thing in the water.  I was very tempted to jump in and fight it, but I can’t kill my demon if I am dead.  It is boring on this boat… I have vanquished all the ghosts of those that have died…
September 13th, 1492
Rumors are going around that Columbus sold his soul to the devil to convince the Queen of this voyage.  I shrugged it off; even if he did, there is nothing to do now.  I wonder how many years he has?
September 15th, 1492
15 years.  I was bored and I went up and asked him.  The demon gave him 15 years!  Then he of course will die and go to hell.  There is really no way to get out of a deal with a demon.  Poor guy will be going to hell in 1504; he made the deal a year ago.
October 12th, 1492
Today Hugo would have been 16.  And finally there is land!  There had been nothing to do on this boat but twiddle my thumbs, and of course research.
October 18th, 1492
So many new things to kill!  I saw some creature that was part animal part human!  I do not know what it was but setting the damned thing on fire killed it.  I am off to find out more about the creatures…
October 27th, 1492
Zombies are big here, so many beings called voodoo people… not sure what it means, but I killed them… I am going to have to leave… I am being chased by the community.  I guess they like zombies eating the hearts and brains of people.  I do not want to be here anymore.  There is a new vast land a couple of boat days away.
October 31st, 1492
Twenty today.  Dealing with a lot of hauntings… becoming so routine…
November 3rd, 1492
Got on a small boat to go to a new vast land.  Almost killed by something – don’t know what it was, but it was not human… it is dead now… I am running out of supplies, no Hunter Bars here, maybe when I get to the new vast land I will be able to start one…
November 8th, 1492
Finally landed, three of the nine of us were lost to the waters.
November 15th, 1492
Natives told me that something was taking and killing people, at least that is what I understood from the conversation, really can’t understand them.  I load up on herbs and get help from the natives making new weapons, Rowen is not easily found here, but there are other herbs and trees, that I have no knowledge of, but thankfully they can point at the ones that may be of help.  There will be a hunt tomorrow. 
Part One:
The Beginning
November 16th, 1493
I died.  I actually died.  The Death Fairy gave me a choice to become a Guardian; I thought they were a myth.  But I took the chance.  My need for revenge so great, I have a feeling I may regret this choice.  When I woke up, I had an understanding of the Native’s language. I could hear for miles, and though it was pitch black, I could see.  The Guardian had told me there were benefits to my death and rebirth.  The Natives told me that the death fairy made me the Guardian of the land, and they were to protect my body for me, as a repayment for killing the Wendigo- at least I know what the thing that killed me is now called, and I vaguely remember setting it on fire by sticking a flaming arrow into its chest.  I am now forever 20, immortal…  I went to hell for a year, time moves different there though.  One day on Earth is about 183 days in hell or about 15 years for one Earth month… so I in hell for 180 years… I was tortured I remember that, but I did not cry out in pain…But the pain I carry in my soul, the need for revenge hurts more than anything they could ever do to me in hell… Found out there are rules for this curse, this blessing…
The rules for being a Guardian (so to say)
You are immortal, your soul can be bargained for time in hell, but you can never truly die (there is one way will get to that)
You have a soul mate.
Your soul mate’s soul belongs to you; your soul belongs to your soul mate.
Before your joining you may bargain with your soul or your soul mate’s soul.
After your joining, you must get your soul mate’ permission to bargain with your soul. 
Before the Joining your soul mate cannot bargain with their soul, with their life yes, but not their soul.
You may use the bargaining chip of reincarnation.  You can be reincarnated, and the demons have until a certain age to kill you.  It is when you made your first kill of the supernatural world, or when you first became a hunter, so for me it would be until I would be 16.  Then I would be immortal again.  If killed, you will be judged, and sent to your final place in eternity, most go to hell.
You will gain powers, lots of them, and certain ones take longer to show than others.   It will be your gift in this curse. 
Right now it is just a gift; I will be able to hunt that bloody demon that killed my family.  It destroyed my life, my soul, my heart.  I will destroy it.


Truth & Lies Past & Present

Discover The Katy Lily Series By Author Katherine Rochholz

The First Book Available Now!

Truth and Lies Past and Present
Katherine Lillian Fitz had only known one type of world. . . one of hard living on the streets. Then she finds out she is a witch. Now she is thrown into a new world, her world, and for once she thought life would be better. But she was wrong. A dark force is out to kill her, and she is shocked to her core when she finds out how important to her life this person is. Will she be able to come out the victor with her innocence intact or will she once and for all lose the young innocence she has even though she had lived on the cold hard streets of New York? Only time will tell. . .

Excerpt: Copyright Katherine Rochholz All Rights Reserved

Chapter One: A New Beginning
A young child looked at the items in the store, she wished she had a family who loved and cared for her. She looked at her reflection in the store window, she saw her dark brown eyes, almost black, pop against her pale skin, she looked too thin, and she needed to find a place to clean up soon, her black hair had started to get a little greasy. Many people would say she was a pretty child, but still the one time she lived in an orphanage nobody wanted to adopt her. There had to be something wrong with her. To avoid drowning in her own self, she turned and watched the happy families all around as they prepared for the Christmas holiday. But it was more than just Christmas for her it would soon be her ninth birthday. She was born on December 20th 2002; she only knew this because her mother would try to celebrate, her mother would buy a cupcake each year and they would go down to the thrift store and pick up a toy, if they had one.
For as long as she could remember she lived on the streets. First with her mother, who died three year ago, then it was just her. Nobody seemed to notice a young girl who stole breads and fruits to live. She even went and sat in the classrooms at the public schools. Being in New York the teachers never seemed to notice an extra child, very rarely would she have to hide from the social workers at the school.
She walked along the streets, headed back to the spot where she set up a place to sleep, when she noticed an envelope, it was black as coal with scarlet lettering written upon it, and it lay upon the ground, it was addressed to her:
Katherine Lillian Fitz
The Street
New York City, NY USA
Katherine looked at the envelope, she didn’t know where it came from but her name was on it. She looked at the back, it was sealed with scarlet red wax, and Katherine noticed it was with an emblem. It was a pentagram; within each of the five points was a different, yet strange object and each point seemed to glow a different color. The pentagram contained a staff that glowed green, a dagger that glowed red, a cup that glowed light purple, a wand that glowed yellow, and an infinity symbol that glowed blue, and there was a large B in the center that seemed to glow with all of the colors. It was very strange, but nothing would have prepared Katherine for what was inside. She opened the letter and read:
Dear Katherine Lillian Fitz,
We are pleased to inform you, you have been accepted to Bridgett’s School for the Magical Arts. A school official will contact you within the coming days to take you to get your required school supplies. School starts for the new students on the third of January. This is a year round school. Please inform any guardians you may have, that their service will only be needed for school holidays if you wish to leave the school. We will be able to find you, just stay in New York.
Sincerely,
Lua Notte-Preto
Assistant Headmistress
Vive Pura Maxia Dentro
Katherine thought about the last sentence first. Stay in New York? Where else would she go? Next to the assistant headmistress’s name was the same seal as on the back of the envelope. Katherine wondered what those words meant under the name of the assistant headmistress. And what kind of horrible joke was this? Who knew her? She hoped it was not the state, they tend to put kids in to horrible foster homes; she had already escaped from one and did not wish to be placed in another. She made sure to sneak into a store washroom to wash every day, just in case what was written was real. Even though she knew magic was only in the movies, just like loving families, just like happy endings. Even though it might be a trick, she thought she might be able to trick whoever sent the letter into thinking she had some guardians already. It came to be her birthday and then Christmas, which both were uneventful for her, though she did manage to get a cupcake from a little corner store. She wished for a new life, for a home, for people who loved her. She knew it was silly, but there was still part of her that hoped the letter she found spoke the truth. So she was left to wonder when the ‘school official’ would show up.
But Katherine did not have to wait long for an answer; it was just before the New Year, on the twenty ninth, when a man walked up to her little box where she had lived for the last few years. He was tall, and one could tell he was white, but one could tell he spent time out in the sun, maybe he worked in a field, his eyes were a deep royal blue, and he had the same type of haircut that Katherine had heard referred as high and tight. But he did have a black goatee. He looked like he worked out a lot; and one could tell his nose, had been broken a time or two and was a little hooked. He seemed to be in his late teens or early twenty’s. He had to be at least six feet tall, and walked confidently down the street. Katherine had watched for people that seemed out of place and he sure fit the description, he wore a long black cloak with a red orange lining. There was an emblem on the cloak, it looked like a lizard sitting on flames, but it had a dagger for a tail. There were also three little pins around the emblem. He wore a long sleeve button down blood red shirt with a dark orange tie, black pants and a pair of black shoes. He couldn’t look more out of place if he tried.
“Katherine Lillian Fitz?” He asked as he looked down at her, he had stopped right in front of her.
Of course she was the only child right now in this part of the alley, there used to be a lot of others, but the state at the end of November came and took the kids from the alley. Katy had escaped them again by running when she saw them coming. Her first thought was to run this time as she looked up at the man, but her body wouldn’t move. It was like her heart knew something her mind didn’t, as her mind screamed ‘run’! Katherine didn’t know what to say, she looked up at him and though his voice was filled with compassion, she didn’t trust him. He was young; the type of person the state kept trying to send.
As if he sensed what she had thought, he continued. “I am not from the state. I am from Bridgett’s School for the Magical Arts. And no this is not a joke or a trick. Please do not run, I really don’t want to chase you around the streets of New York today.” He said with a crooked smile.
Katherine just looked at him, she didn’t want to remain on the streets and if this school was real, she would have a real home. Someplace warm to sleep at night and real meals. “Yes. I am Katy.” She didn’t say anymore.
“Hello, I am Antonio MacCathmhaoil Jr., pleased to meet you.” He held out his hand. Katy looked at it for a moment then took it and shook it.
“The letter said that you are going to take me to get my school supplies and uniforms. But I have no money how am I supposed to pay for it all? And what are those pins on your cloak? And what did those funny words mean at the end of the letter?” Katy had many more questions, mostly about the school supply list but she waited for the answers to the money question first.
Antonio smiled and answered. “There is a fund set up for students who have no financial means to pay; we give you a certain amount of money per term, to help buy all your uniforms, books and other supplies, each term. Generally until you are fifteen your supplies are delivered to you at the beginning of each term, unless of course you go home for the holidays, and of course except this first term where we go and purchase them. After you are fifteen however you can have them sent to you, or you can go buy them yourself, on your own if you like, as you should be able to teleport without issue by then.” He kept his smile in place the whole time, then taking her hand he walked to the corner. “And as far as the pins, they show I am in training, I just completed my ten years of under school, now I am focusing on what I want to do for the rest of my life. I plan on teaching one day. I am studying under the Pyrokinesis master, my elemental power is Fire, as well as the Potion and Healing master. So I have a bronze Tomoe, a bronze Cauldron and a bronze Asclepius wand. When I have finished my six additional years of study then they will be silver, and once I have practiced my trades and pass final exams, usually in another twenty years, they will be gold. Then I will be able to teach.” He said with a smug smile like he couldn’t wait for that day, but Katy thought that seemed be a very long time, and humans didn’t live very long. “I know you are thinking that may seem like a lot of studying and a lot of time but witches and warlocks usually live to be seven hundred and fifty or older, unless killed of course, our oldest witch alive is 1045 and the oldest warlock is 1025, of course the oldest on record was a witch who was 1565 when she died. So you see we have plenty of time to study and live. And the words at the end of the letter, that phase is our school motto it means ‘True Magic Lies Within’, it really just reminds us that even though we have an ability to perform magic, how strong and how it is used comes from the person’s soul.” They stopped all of a sudden. They were in the middle of nowhere, and the panic in Katy was started to pick up again, she feared that this really was a trick.
“Umm… sir, where are we?”
“Just an empty field for now, we are about to teleport, and the non-magical people can’t see us here.” Antonio just smiled at the confused look on Katy’s face. “Here, Katy Lily, just jump on my back and hold on tight, then we will be to our destination.”
Katy had some reservations but they seemed to fade when he smiled his crooked smile, and she had noticed he called her Katy Lily, she liked the sound of that, like they were friends. It was like he cared. Katy, with Antonio’s help, climbed on his back and hung on.
“Okay here we go!” He twisted in a circle and then the spot where they had stood was empty.
 
 

Existence Excerpt

Excerpt from Existence (working title may change)

1st scene of Existence, All Rights Reserved Copyright Katherine Rochholz

Blood. Blood. That was all she could think of, blood. She awoke and smelt the heavenly scent. She lunged. She heard the deep chuckle behind her, but she ignored it. As the blood hit her tongue memories came back.

Her father had sold her like cattle. He called an arranged marriage, but she knew the truth. Her father had so many debts all he had were his daughters. It had been her wedding night. Pain had been all she knew before she gave in to the blissful blackness.

Then blood. She dropped what she now saw was a body of a servant girl. She turned to the chuckle. Her husband.

“Welcome to immortality my pet.” He grabbed her hair and forced her to look at him. “I am sure I will enjoy it.” He gave a dark chuckle. “After all Ottilie, you are my wife.”

Ottilie Rayne Alexander-James swore one day she would kill this mans who had taken her life.

Salvador’s School of Fine Magical Arts


Excerpts about Salvador’s School of Fine Magical Arts!
All Rights Reserved Katherine Rochholz 
Excerpt 1:

Oreic smiled out to the students once more.  “And last but not least Salvador’s School of Fine Magical Arts from South America with Headmaster Sebastian Torres!”
            Everybody looked toward the doors and as they opened and the students marched to the front.  They were all dressed in finery that befitted their houses.  When they stopped at the front and lined up they all took a bow and then lifted their wands and in their element they all created the school emblem and motto: Magic is Art. Magic is Passion.  It was quite impressive.  Fire and Air making up Magic and Art, and Magic and Passion made up by Earth and Water and is, both of them, made up by Spirit.  And they flowed together in harmony.  That did take a feat of magic to create. Their headmaster then snapped his fingers and flames, lightening, dirt, visible wisps of wind, and waves all crashed into the letters and exploded them into the emblem of the pentagram with the school name Salvador’s School of Fine Magical Arts. The man held it for a moment before waving his wand to vanish the creation. The headmaster had this free living style, he kind of reminded people of a hippie, he had bell bottom black dress pants, with a white flowing shirt and a leather vest, his long hair in a ponytail. They took a bow and then took their seats.

 

 Excerpt 2:
The hall quieted once more and Oeric raised his hands. “Master Marcus Aurelius Marci f. Cornelius n. tribu Galeria Scipio Pius,” and wasn’t that name getting annoying, sometimes traditions seem to be created to annoy people. “We ask you to name the students chosen from Salvador’s School of Fine Magical Arts.” The hand did it’s now so amazing spin and flatten routine, and a ball of snow blue energy formed and called out the first name; ‘Lucas Sosa, Earth.’
            The sixth year stood up and he was tall. He had sepia skin and his eyes were a reddish terra cotta color. He walked with confidence. This person knew his power and knew what he could do. The question was, would that be his downfall?
            The next name was called before Katy could watch Lucas more, something about his magic made him stick out; and she wanted to know why.
            ‘Arthur Ramero, Air.’ The sixth year walked up and took his spot next to Lucas. Arthur chatted with him for a few seconds. Katy saw the white outline of power outline the yellowish color of his aura. It matched his dusty sand colored eyes that had a white pupil instead of black. His hair was also stark white but the tips that glazed his shoulders, those were a deep yellow color.
            ‘Mariana Flores, Spirit.’ Was the next name called and Katy looked to where the ninth year girl stood up from the ninth year table. Her skin was a golden tawny color and her hair was dark amber with sun kissed streaks. Her eyes through held the color of bluish purple lighting. Her power showed in her eyes, it was as if white diamond lightning bolts were shooting through them at a constant rate, much like high static heat lightning. She would go far, Katy was sure of it.
            The next name was shot out of the hand. ‘Camila Ruiz, Fire.’ The seventh year girl stood up and stood out. Her hair was styled in a flame shaped beehive, quite eccentric, it started out at the bottom red and then going into oranges and then yellows and then lightest of blues, and the tip was white, much like a reversed flame. Her eyes were orchre color with more red in the undertones. She was proud of her element and wasn’t afraid to show it.
            “She isn’t afraid to let her Fire Pride roar.” Katy chuckled.
            Gaivan nodded. “Well, you went and got this rainbow hairdo. Though I am glad you didn’t cut it. You would look strange in short hair.”
            “Yeah, I was going to but I have always had long hair. Maybe I should have done something like that.” She stated.
            “No! I mean, the rainbow is cool, but that is a lot of bleaching and dying and it would ruin your hair. I heard mom talk about it.” Gaivan shrugged it off.
            Katy gave him a look but turned back to the front, as Gaivan berated himself in his head. ‘Smart one Gaivan. Why don’t you just confess your feelings. You are only thirteen for goodness sakes.’
            The next and last name for Salvador’s was called; ‘Rafael Herrera, Water.’  The eighth year boy stood up and moved to the front with the rest of his group. He wasn’t the type to pop out at you. But there was a silent danger from him. The type that came out from the shadows before you know what hit you. He was tall, muscled but not bulky, he had crew cut and his eyes were his defining feature, they were white. Pure white. There was not a speck of color in them, even from blood vessels. There was a flow of power crashing like waves around him. And suddenly Salvador’s team felt like the one to beat, even over Cleopatra’s.
            Oeric smiled. “And there we have the team for Salvador’s School of Fine Magical Arts!” With that announcement Headmaster Sebastian Torres danced, and there was no other word for the way he moved, his team over to their table.

Excerpt Elemental Mazes Chapter 1

Excerpt Elemental Mazes


“Beneath The Pressure of Torments Such As These,
The Feeble Remnant of The Good Within Me Succumbed.  Evil Thoughts Became My Sole Intimates—
The Darkest And Most Evil Of Thoughts.”
~Edgar Allan Poe

 

Chapter 1
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One: Obsessive Preparation
            Death comes with the Elemental Mazes.  That is what the sentence was on the editorial Katy was reading about the tournament that the magical world has never gotten rid of, no matter the body count.  Katy wondered about the mazes.  How could she not?  They were deadly and she knew Senka was up to something with them.  Somehow she knew she would end up in this tournament.  She frowned as she pulled another book of plants and creatures toward her.  Basically, there were seven mazes.  Each maze the contestants had two months to get through and survive.  For the next seven terms, their lives would be the mazes.  Each school created a maze based on their country and stocked it with plants and animals and creatures native to their lands.  The goal is to get to the center of the maze where they would find the key to unlocking the next maze.  If at the end of the two months they hadn’t found the key they would be out of the contest.  There were five teams of two per school.  One for each element.  Katy sighed.  She did not know the order but she had a feeling that Bridgette’s would be last.  She tried to figure out if she could get the order right.  She figured Europe followed by Africa, then Asia and Australia, and then they would go down to Antarctica.  Now Antarctica would be hard for most people.  She had to figure out more about that location.  After all, they could only bring what could fit in one bag with them into each maze.  After Antarctica, she figured South America and then finishing in North America.  She figured Bridgett’s would be last because they were the main host for the event.  Meaning that everyone from the other schools who wanted, and had permission, to enter would come for a kickoff celebration, something Katy was not looking forward too.
            Antonio Sr. came into the room where Katy was going through her books.  “Katy?”
            “Just preparing for the mazes,” Katy responded.
            “I wish you would not enter.”
            “I must.  Senka already has stated that she is going to try something.  I would rather not have an innocent death on my mind.  Look… Dad… It is just that I cannot for the life of me see how that being… that Senka was my mother.  I lived with her on the streets.  Moving from place to place.  Everything I know about living on the streets I learned from her and from those she introduced me to.  She kept me alive.  All we had was each other and then she left me.  I hated her for it.  I hated her for dying.  But then to find out she is alive…”   Katy turned her head to hide the tears. 
            Antonio Sr. sighed and moved over to Katy’s side.  “I am so sorry you have to feel this pain little one.  I am so sorry that she did this to you.”
            “It is not your fault dad.  I just… I hate her.  More than when I thought she died on me.  I hate her and I am afraid what that could mean.”  Katy finally told him what she felt.
            Antonio Sr. moved and picked up his twelve-year-old daughter.  “I know Katy Lily.  I know what you fear.  But you cannot become that dark.  That evil.”
            “How do you know?”
            “Because you fear it.  If you did not fear it then we could be worried.  But you know what you want out of life.  You know what you want to do.  Even if you do not think so.  Your magic and your heart will lead you to do what you feel is right.”
            “And it is right to hate her?”
            “It is right to feel resentment.  After all, she was all you had on those streets and she abandoned you.”
            “But it is so deep in my heart this hate.  The fact I feel anything for this being is proof I still care…”  Katy sighed.  “She was all I had.  All that I knew until she faked her death.  I had to find my way through this world alone for too long.  No matter how much I want to, I cannot leave those fears behind.  I had to fight through that pain of being alone, I had to find a strength to exist, to live; one I should not have had to find.”
            Antonio Sr. sighed, “look, Katy Lily, I will be here for you, your mom will be here for you.  Katy, you are now a MacCathmhaoil.”
            Katy sighed. “Please do not ever leave me,” Katy whispered.  “I know one day I will push at you.  It is my way, I will claim I do not need you, but whatever you do, please dad… Do not ever leave me.”
            Antonio Sr. hugged his daughter close.  “Nothing you do will ever make me abandon you, Katy.  One day I might die, I might even be killed in the coming war, but until the end of time I still will be with you.”  He hugged her and kissed her.  “But I will never willingly leave you in this world alone.”
            Katy took his comfort.  She did not say anything more.  She did not need to say anything.  The man she saw as her dad just promised never to leave her.  As long as it was in his power.  She closed her eyes as she knew so much could happen in this coming war and she might not be able to stop the people from leaving her.  But would she continue to push them away or could she, for once, allow the pain that was to come.  But for this moment she did not want to think about it, for this moment she was just going to focus on the fact that her dad told her he would not leave her.
            Antonio Sr. tucked her in after she had fallen asleep.  He picked up the book she was reading and sighed.  Past tournaments.  She had Edgar’s bookmarked.  He hoped it was not as bad as that one.  That had been brutal.  In the end, only seven made it out alive and three to the end.  He shuddered at the thought of this tournament.  He did not want his daughter in the blasted thing.  But she had her own mind.  And even if he did refuse to sign the permission slip, Lua and Oeric both retained rights to sign on it.  It was part of the guardianship agreement.
            Sandra saw her husband’s distress as he came into the living room.  “Antonio?”
            “I do not want Katy in that blasted tournament Sandra.”  He stated as he sat down next to his wife and pulled her close. 
            Sandra sighed.  “I do not either.  But it is her choice, Antonio.  And she is right about Senka, she will not give up.  Until Katy is by her side or dead.”
            Antonio Sr. glared at her.  “My daughter will not join that being!  And it will be over my dead body before I allow that thing to kill Katy.”  He hissed.
            Sandra rolled her eyes.  “I will not let that woman take our daughter.  I will die first.  And of course,Katy would not join her.  Katy is a MacCathmhaoil.  She would rather die than join Senka.  And just like the rest of this family she will stand and fight.”
            Antonio sat back.  “I just wish we did not have to fight…”
            Sandra did not answer because there was no answer.  What could she say that has not already been said?  She knew her family was right in the center of this war that was brewing and there was nothing they could do short of selling their souls to get out of the death that was coming their way.
            Katy was up the next day and sitting at the kitchen table with her books again.  She sighed.  She did not want to be part of this tournament but she had to try.  If she was not picked, she was not picked, but if she was… well all things happened for a reason.  She closed her eyes.  “Powers that Be, I need you to tell what to do here.  You sent me back from death for a reason, what is that reason?  Is it to fight this war?  To die in this war? Goodness died last time to destroy Darkness and look, Darkness has returned.  Why go through all this when Darkness just comes back?”  She sighed.  She did not expect an answer.  “I do not want to have to think about this!”  She suddenly yelled out loud.  “Help me!  Help me please!  This world is chaos!  Darkness hounds my every move!  She is even in my blood!”
            Sandra and Antonio Sr. ran into the kitchen and both were at her side.  They were holding her and cooing in her ear hoping to calm her down.  Her magic was threatening to overpower her.  “Calm down baby.”  Sandra cooed.
            “Why do we not get out of a world gone mad?  Help me please.  I need you tell me even if it is a lie that this will all work out.  Tell me we will make it through this, please you have to tell me.”  Katy cried.
            Sandra held Katy close.  “Oh Baby, let us worry for now.  Why don’t you go get some rest?  Listen to your music, read your favorite books.  Just let go of the chaos for a little bit and it will be all okay.  Child, I promise you that even if we get our hearts broken, in the end everything will work out.  I promise.”
            “How could it get so bad?”  Katy whispered.
            “I don’t know but everything will work out.”  Antonio Sr. stated.  “Now go get some rest little one.”  He kissed her head.
            Sandra smiled and kissed her cheek.  “Go on.”
            Katy sighed and nodded.  “Okay mom and dad.”  Katy did not want to think anymore.  She had been thinking of her mother, her father, her new parents and the mess her life was and how magic at first was amazing but it was causing her more issues than it was worth at times.  She snorted.  Both a blessing and a curse.  But sometimes she had problems remembering the good outweighed the bad.  And it did.  It so much outweighed the bad.  She found a family.  A true one.  She had a brother.  A new mom, a dad.  She had a best friend.  She had his family.  She had a family.  A real one.  One that she used to see on the television as she stood outside those electronic stores and stared in envy at the people playing out being a family.  Traditional family or not.  But now she had her own family.  And she was for once starting to feel happy.  And opening up and letting people in; it was always something she had problems with, but it was easier now.  Getting easier to be a bit more social.  She went to her stereo and slammed it on and put on her favorite playlist.  She turned up her music and started to bounce around the room.  She did not want to think.  And music helped her block out her thoughts.  After all people do not change in time.  No matter what they say.  Everybody is prying into her life.   Her choices and here she was twelve years old and she had figured out that people do not change.  People live, they learn, they fight, they die.  And she was determined to live.  Her family was all she had and she would fight and die for them.  She could not keep stressing out about what might happen!  She bounced around her room with her music blaring.  She smiled.  Right now in this moment she did not have to worry.  In this moment she could just be.  She turned it up more and took her hair brush and started using it as a mic singing along.  She smiled.  She would not let her mother be the cause of any more nights wasted crying for her.  No more lonely nights.  She had a family now.  She smiled. 
Sandra and Antonio Sr. smiled as they watched her, for as mature as she was, due to having to grow up quickly, they were happy to know she still could act like a child.
Katy suddenly stopped dancing and looked at herself.  She was wearing black pants and a blouse.  She suddenly wanted a change.  She felt she had no control of her life.  But she could control her style.  “Mom!  Can we go shopping?”  She yelled as she turned around not seeing Sandra and Antonio Sr. standing at her door.
Sandra smiled.  “Of course.  Why?”
“I need a new style.”  She stated as she grabbed the little purse that Sandra had given her.  “And I want to dye my hair the color of the elements.”  She stated.
Antonio Sr. looked torn.  “You are twelve.”
Sandra rolled her eyes.  “Yes and all twelve year olds find themselves.  Let’s go sweetie.”  Sandra smiled as she kissed her husband’s cheek and left with her daughter in hand.
            Katy was biting her lip.  She had always been proper. Dress pants, cute girly dresses, blouses, but she was looking at the styles in the store that Sandra had taken her too and she did not want to be proper.  She wanted to be more of rebel.  She smirked.  She grabbed some ripped jeans and rock shirts and a leather jacket.  She went to the dressing room.  She tried on the black ripped jeans and the tee shirt putting on the black rocker boots and the black leather silver studded jacket.  She smiled.  This was it.  This reinvented self-image.  This she could control.  She walked out and smiled at Sandra.  “What do you think mom?”
            Sandra smiled.  “It is a very nice style.  I went through a similar phase when Antonio was a child.  Come on; let’s go pick up a few more pairs of jeans and a bunch of tee shirts!”  Sandra took her hand and helped Katy fill the shopping cart with everything she needed for clothes.
            Katy was staring at the make-up.  She had heard the older girls talk about it in the dorms.  She tilted her head.  It would help with her new look.  But she did not want people to think she was using it to look different for them.  She shook her head.  She did not need that she was twelve.  The dying of her hair and the new clothes were enough for now.  Maybe when she was older.  She smiled and bounced over to Sandra and handed her the last of her band shirts.
            Sandra watched Katy look at the make-up.  She knew girls were wearing it younger nowadays but she wanted Katy to wait a bit longer.  At least into her teen years.  Fifteen preferably before she wore make-up, besides maybe a bit of lip gloss.  She was letting her dye her hair because she understood that she felt she had no control over her life and needed to control something.  This was simple.  New clothes, new hair style.  It was simple and controllable.  And temporary.  Sandra smiled as they went into the hair salon.
            Katy looked up at Linda’s Hair Salon.  The woman inside was eccentric to say the least.  She had long blonde hair that went to the floor and wore a gypsy skirt and peasant blouse.  She was barefoot and had her arms full of bangles and bells.  Katy blinked. 
            Linda smiled as she saw Sandra and her little girl walk in.  “Sandra!  Lovely to see you again my dear!  And this must be Katy!”
            Sandra smiled. “Yes Linda this is Katy.  I think a trim and layer and then she wants to dye her hair in layers, the colors of the elements.  Red as the primary as she is a Fire elemental, followed by…”  Sandra looked at Katy.
            “Spirit, because Sandra is Spirit, then Air because Riley is Air, then Earth because Lua and Aaliyah, finally Water for Haley.”  Katy stated.
            Linda smiled.  “Wonderful!  I love layered jobs!  Let’s get you into the seat!”  Linda escorted Katy to a seat and soon had her spun around and trimming and layering her hair like a mad woman while talking a million miles a minute. 
            Katy could not keep up, but she did not think she was expected to, as Linda just kept going without waiting for responses.  Katy was impressed though with her ability to not have to breathe while talking.
            It was hours later but finally Katy was staring into the mirror.  Her hair was in waves and layers, and she could see all the colors, even if they were all layered.  She stood there looking like a little rocking rebel but still had this innocence that only a child could have.  She smiled.  This was something she could control.  No matter what.  Because since the coloring was magical her hair would grow that color for a year before having to be redone.  She smiled as she finally felt in control of something.  After all right now it was Senka who had the upper hand in this war that was brewing.  At least until Katy could figure a way to match her biological mother’s knowledge.
            Antonio Sr. watched as his wife and daughter walked back into the house and had to raise an eyebrow at Katy, but smiled.  He saw Sandra mouth to compliment her.  “Katy, that look suits you.  It has a lot of personality and passion.  Just like you do.”  Antonio Sr. hugged Katy.  “How about we go put away your new clothes?”
            Katy smiled.  “Sure dad!”  She smiled and took the bags and bounced out of the room towards her bedroom and started putting away her clothes as her dad and mom came in to help.  She smiled at them.  This was her family.  And for them she would do anything, even fight a war she does not want to fight.  And to do that she had to come up with a way to have an advantage in the mazes.

Grace

Grace
Copyright 2018
All Rights Reserved 

I stare into Space
Nothing I can help
My mind seems to just go
Go to the dark and the black
I pray for grace
I pray someone hears my yelp
I can no longer go with the flow
I need my soul back
So as I stare into space
I am praying for grace
I need my soul back
I can’t let it go to black
I need my soul back
So as I stare into the black
I pray for grace
As I stare into Space
I look at the bottle of liquor
I look at the bottle of pills
I see the darkness in the edges
I stare into the black
All, those I love, do is bicker
It makes me want to run to the hills
But all that will do is build wedges
When the black of death is a better track
I stare into Space
Nothing I can help
My mind seems to just go
Go to the dark and the black
I pray for grace
I pray someone hears my yelp
I can no longer go with the flow
I need my soul back
My thoughts are red with blood
What if I choose to end it all
Will it be better?
Can it be worse?
I am thought of as less than mud
And this bitch will never crawl
But I have written that letter
But have put it all in reverse
So as I stare into space
I am praying to for grace
I need my soul back
I can’t let it go to black
I need my soul back
So as I stare into the black
I pray for grace
As I stare into Space
I pray for grace
I pray someone hears my yelp
I can no longer go with the flow
I need my soul back
I need my soul back
I can’t continue to stare into black
I need my soul back
Before I give into the black
So as I stare into space
I pray for grace

Excerpt from Magical Beings of Katy Lily

Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved


Erinyes– These are Furies they have snakes for hair and blood dripped from their eyes. In addition they had bats’ wings, coal black bodies, and dogs’ heads. They seek vengeance from all things in their lot in life. The difference from standard furies is that these were born the blood of Uranus, and there were three. One is called Alecto, she kills those guilty of the deadly sins, Tisiphone is the full embodiment of murder and Megaera is the embodiment of jealousy. Furies in general have a task of hearing complaints brought by mortals against the insolence of the young to the aged, of children to parents, of hosts to guests, and of householders or city councils to suppliants – and to punish such crimes, normally by causing their death in a variety of ways. When in the mortal realm like with other Furies, they appear to be beautiful woman, but they can never hide their snake hair.

 
Alojas- These beings are typically female. They live in places with fresh water. These beings are able to turn into water blackbirds. They can live for thousands of years and retain their youth, mostly by taking any children that come past their caves and draining them of their youth. However, some of these beings have been known to fall in love with a human. The human must agree to all conditions to be with the Aloja, the biggest requirement is to never tell another soul they are Aloja. If the spouse tells a single soul the Aloja will disappear and take all the wealth and belongings of the spouse, as well as a curse to never be believed or loved. They will care for their children until their death.

Hidden: Flash Fiction

Hidden
All Rights Reserved 
Flash Fiction Story
Katherine Rochholz


I lay here, my eyes wide open. My life it flashes before my life. My childhood. My teen years, and the start of the path I went down. My adult years and that final act that finally lead to this position. I lay here and wonder what my life had been like if I hadn’t made the choices I had. I lay here and feel, maybe for the first time in my existence, regret. So that is what regret feels like. Excitement. Release. A moment of relief. Those emotions for my life were the only ones I knew. Odd how now that my eyes are on display that I feel something I always should have all along. Remorse. Regret. Sadness. It is a novel feeling to finally feel… human. That part that was hidden so deep inside me. Now out in the open and on display as my eyes see the last faces they will ever see. They say eyes are the windows to the soul. That is why I used to wear sunglasses. Why I keep my eyes hidden from the world. So they won’t see the darkness of my soul. See the things that I had seen. See the things I have done. See my true soul. So I hid my eyes. Maybe I did feel, but I was so hidden. So hidden that I even hid my eyes from myself. I couldn’t look myself in the eyes. To look myself in the eyes would have reminded me of the sins I ran from. Remind me of the pain and death I caused. But today the glasses finally came off. Today my eyes will close forevermore, after they are bared for the world to see. As I finally pay for my sins. As they inject me with drugs to stop my heart my eyes wide open and on display, the world sees my soul and the fact I finally regret my choices. Regret my life. Regret I made my eyes a window to hell… 

Timeline Update

This October Monster University Part II is very far behind, I have written some of the stories and outlined the others, however they won’t be posted until after the new year. I am going back to focusing on getting Elemental Mazes ready for my December release and my NaNoWriMo novel The Midnight Phoenix. Come the new year I will be more focused on my timeline 2017-2019.

KATI’S TIME LINE:
NOVEMBER: NANOWRIMO: WRITING THE MIDNIGHT PHOENIX FINISHING GETTING ELEMENTAL MAZES READY FOR PUBLISHING. SCHEDULING CAN CHANGE

2017:

OCTOBER: MONSTER UNIVERSITY PART II/ ELEMENTAL MAZES EDITS

NOVEMBER: WRITING THE MIDNIGHT PHOENIX

DECEMBER: PUBLISHING ELEMENTAL MAZES AND CREATURES AND MAGICAL BEINGS OF KATY LILY

JANUARY: PUBLISHING SHADES OF FEAR

FEBRUARY: PUBLISHING PRAYING

MARCH: PUBLISHING MONSTER UNIVERSITY PART II

APRIL: PUBLISHING THE MIDNIGHT PHOENIX

MAY: THE FEW AND THE PROUD A GUARDIAN’S LIFE

JUNE: PUBLISHING FALLING PIECES

JULY: AN UNHOLY CREATION

AUGUST: DEMONIC SAVIOR

SEPTEMBER: AN UNHOLY KILLER

OCTOBER: MONSTER UNIVERSITY PART III

NOVEMBER: NANOWRIMO TBD

DECEMBER: PUBLISHING DARK SHADOWS

2019:

JANUARY: THE UNKNOWN SISTER OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

FEBRUARY: THE LEAGUE OF THROW-AWAYS

MARCH: CITY OF CLOCKS

APRIL: BLOOD AND WATER

MAY: THE ZODIAC

JUNE: PUBLISHING PURE SHADOWS

JULY: TRUST FEW

AUGUST: TBD

SEPTEMBER: TBD

OCTOBER: MONSTER UNIVERSITY PART IV

NOVEMBER: NANOWRIMO

DECEMBER: TBD