Excerpts from 'Praise the Shadows' 1. 'The Chalice'

For the next few weeks I am going to show various pieces from the short stories in all of my books. I do hope you all enjoy them.

This is an excerpt from the first story of my first published book 'Praise the Shadows'.
It is called 'The Chalice'.

'She would make her way into the Earth. Looking for what always had been yearned for, the Chalice of Gregor. She was an ancient though she had a very youthful look to her. And like every ancient she possessed knowledge of magic. It was rumored that the Chalice could only be found in the Hell-fires under the Earth's core. None had before sought it, for many had disposed of it as a myth. A myth to most is unimportant but, to this ancient witch, it was a myth well worth searching for.
From the caves of the north she went on through the flames and the molt. It would be a great prize to discover such an object, for if attained, the Chalice yielded great power.
On and on she walked, and she would not cease a second no matter how deep she deep she would go. It's presence could be felt by her. It wouldn't be long before it was in clear view. A slight smile appeared across the witches' cheeks.
Behold, there it stood. On a rock that was shaped like an altar. Flames surrounded the whole area, yet she cared not as she reached out to caress it. Then, very unexpectedly, the flames began to resemble the form of a very large gargoyle. And it spoke: "There's a toll for that pretty. Come hither." She stayed where she was. It spoke again. "Come hither I say" Again she stayed where she was. This was not exactly the reason she came. "If you think you can just leave now, think again!.....'