Joanelle and Anabeth got up from the ground and went into a cave nearby. They noticed that a wooden torch was taken and assumed Divya was right ahead. They were only a few steps ahead when Anabeth noticed something on the ground. As soon as she picked it up, she felt a burning sensation in her hand. It looked like a pouch and she called out Joanelle to examine it and figure out what was. Joanelle knew what it was, the moment she saw it. She hit it out of Anabeth’s hand and said, “Don’t touch that! It looks like a hex bag. Witches use it to curse people.”
Read the first chapter : Goddess Hecate’s Curse – The Secret Key
However, it was too late and a mark formed on Anabeth’s hand. It began to burn more and more and Anabeth started writhing in pain.
“Make it stop!!! Make it stop!!!” she yelped. Anabeth started beating her hand on the walls to make the burning stop. She started rubbing the affected area with anything she could find but nothing worked. ‘Head to the pond’ a soft godly female sound whispered in Anabeth’s ear. She ran back and dipped her hand in the pond. Her hand illuminated and emitted white light and her wound was completely healed along with the other wounds she caused in her hand.
“How did you know the water would rid you of the curse?” asked the puzzled professor.
“Hecate guided me.” Anabeth was certain it was Hecate’s voice that guided her.
Gates of Hell
“Come on! Let’s go and get Divya out of this supernatural nightmare.” Joanelle helped Anabeth up and both of them headed to the cave once again.
The path lead to an open area which had carvings all around depicting dark and demonic ends of the earth if the gates of hell are unleashed.
Right in front of them was this gigantic wall that had a lot of inscriptions. The inscriptions formed a pattern of a gate but there was no keyhole. The large wall overshadowed what Divya was doing in the center of the room. The ladies saw her set up a summoning ritual but it wasn’t for any deity or supernatural being.
“What are you doing Divya?” the professor asked her politely.
“I’m going to open these gates and allow our world to be one with the underworld and both of you are just in time to be sacrificed!”
“Sacrificed??” asked Anabeth, “Divya you are acting crazy. What do you mean by sacrificed.”
Divya pulled out an antique knife and explained, “That means I’m going to kill you both so that I have enough power to open these gates.”
The Goddess
A faint light coming from the hallway distracted Divya and Anabeth jumped towards Divya and knocked the knife out of her hands. While she was trying to reach for it, Anita appeared and in front of her were the two torches, burning brighter than ever. Loud rumbling started to happen behind the gates of hell and the entire cave started to shake.
The two torches started moving in a helical fashion and started getting brighter to a point that none of the girls could open their eyes. The light stopped and everyone opened their eyes. In front of them stood the apparition of Goddess Hecate. She looked exactly as depicted in the carvings on the walls of the cave. With one swift hand gesture, she summoned the knife to her. The knife leaped in the air and went straight in Hecate’s hand.
Her eyes were bright red with rage as she moved towards Divya. Anabeth jumped in front of her and begged the goddess for forgiveness. “She is possessed. She didn’t know what she was doing. Please show mercy!!” she exclaimed.
Divya pushed Anabeth aside and after that she tried to grab the knife from Goddess Hecate. As soon as Divya’s hands touched the knife, she flung into the air and fell to the ground unconscious. Goddess Hecate vanished along with the knife and the rumbling and shaking stopped. Anita and Joanelle ran towards Divya to check up on her. As she regained consciousness, she said, “Where am I? Did we find the Gates of Hell!!”
She had no recollection of what had happened and this shocked the other three. Joanelle commanded the girls to head back as soon as possible and never mention this place to anyone. They were also the protectors of the Gates as Goddess Hecate’s disciples.
