The History of Henry Esmond, Esq., a Colonel in the Service of Her Majesty Queen Anne by - (top 100 books to read .txt) 📕

the moonlight hit the woods, I saw the woman from my dreams as she stood beautifully between the trees. She wore a dark emerald-green dress, and her long black hair tumbled over her slender shoulders. Her lips were as red as blood, and her skin was as pale as snow. “You’ve been weary, Cole. Your powers have been rising, but still, it’s taken a toll on your body and mind as they grow accustomed to it. Now, we must not waste any time. I need to show you something, and I need to have your full attention. It’s a matter of life or death.”

“What is it?” I asked as curiosity flooded through my body.

“A series of spells that will help you fight against the elder scouts,” she said with a mischievous smile. “These incantations date back to the first dawn when Wiccas would willingly enter the heavens to kill the elder lord’s most trusted servants.”

“And how do you possess such knowledge?” I asked, and I hoped for once she would give me a straight answer. “I don’t even know your name, or how old you are, or why you’re helping me. I need to know these things--”

“As I said, Cole,” the woman interrupted with a patient sigh. “There’s not much time, and I promise you, the appropriate day will arise very soon, and you will have all the answers you seek.”

“I understand,” I said, and I shook off my minor disappointment. The woman had not lied or led me astray yet, so I trusted her word that she would give me answers as soon as she could. “Alright, you have my full attention.”

“Now, this ancient, murderous incantation is composed of three spells,” the raven-haired beauty explained. “You must be able to utter all three if you want to defeat the scouts, and none of these spells require a wand, so the words can be uttered at any time. Now, the first part is simple. Just open your heart to Satan, and with all your strength, say the words ‘da fortitudinem.’ Go on, give it a go.”

I cleared my throat, closed my eyes, and welcomed Satan into my heart. Then, when my mind was open and prepared, I repeated the spell in a loud, commanding voice.

Suddenly, it felt like an ocean wave hit me, and I stumbled backward. I had to catch myself before I fell, and when I looked at the woman, it was like water was filling my lungs. I knew I was in a dream, but still, I feared I was about to lose total consciousness.

“Fight it, Cole,” the woman commanded. “Do not let it overpower you. You know you can do this. I’ve seen your powers before, do not let this one destroy you.”

“I know,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’m trying to fight it with every ounce of strength I have in me.”

Pain pierced my bones like a thousand needles while I stood there and tried to fight against the agonizing sensation. Bile rose in my throat, but I resisted the urge to hunch over and spill my guts out. My eyesight became blurry, and a burning sensation flowed through the inside of my head. My brain was on fire, and I’d never felt any spell take such an overwhelming toll like this on me before. I fought with everything I had inside me to defeat it, but it was like I was slowly dying.

Finally, my body seemed to relax cell by cell, and the painful tension began to drift away like a dying storm. I took a deep breath as my vision cleared, and the woman from my dreams was smiling like she was hiding a delicious secret.

“Well done.” She grinned with her hands folded in front of her. “Now, for the second part. Once you’ve completed the first spell, you must say, ‘ostende mihi viam.’”

Since I was already surrounded by the power of Satan’s darkness, I closed my eyes and carefully repeated every word. Another powerful sensation swept over my body, but this time, there was no nausea, pain, or disorientation. All I felt was immense supremacy and the will to kill anything or anyone I desired. My heart swelled with Satan’s glory, and it was like my fingertips were tingling with lightning from the greatest and most violent of storms.

“I can feel the ancient power coursing through me,” I said as I balled my fists by my side and grinned from ear to ear. “It tastes delicious.”

“Yes.” The woman nodded. “Still, we have one more part of the spell to complete. Your powers have not reached their full potential. At least not yet… but they will.”

“So, what’s the third part?” I asked in an eager voice.

“Ut interficias eos, qui in virtute dei seniorem magicae!” she recited.

Once I uttered the third and final part of the incantation, the entire ground was shaking, and I thought the earth was going to split in two and swallow me whole. I maintained my stance and kept my eyes wide open as fire coursed through my veins and seeped into my heart. At that moment, I felt completely invincible, like nothing could ever defeat me. I’d never experienced such dark energy overpowering my senses, and I relished in the almost orgasmic feeling. Nothing could stop my power from growing, and I couldn’t wait to see Samara’s face when she realized just how powerful I’d become.

“Unholy shit,” I panted. “T-That was incredible.”

“And now, you have the power to defeat those scouts,” she said before she glanced up at the sky, which was now a pale shade of lavender. “Cole, you must go now, but be careful. This was just practice within a dream… the real experience will be far more painful. The spells will be incredibly draining, but I’m sure you and your clever women will come up with a solution to boost your power reserves.”

“Understood,” I