The Celestial Rose BoxSet

by Annalee Adams

  Too curious to know any better?

  I had to get home for I feared if I didn't there would be no home left to reach. Lilith would be there, and with each step she took, the natural order of death would perish the land. Scorched countryside and broken socialistic promises would derail the accomplishments mankind had undertaken. Lilith would be sure of that. She would take pleasure in listening to the screams of the innocent, watching the children as they lined up for slaughter, maimed and butchered into mutated versions of their once beautiful selves.

  Steadying my tired body upright, I wrapped the blanket around myself and held on to the centre pole; I could see five fingers, well, one thumb and four fingers. They were all there. How could it be? That demon had sliced my ring finger off, yet there it was, no ring on it, granted, but still intact and it didn’t even have a scar. Could I have dreamt all of that? Was it possible?

  The wooden trunk I held was holding up the fabric that surrounded me like a cocoon surrounded a caterpillar. And like a caterpillar, I’d emerge a butterfly. Leaving the tent, walking out, my head held high and ready to face whatever the realm threw at me. At least I hoped I’d feel that way. There was no time like the present. Deep breath in through the nose, out through the mouth, back straight, shoulders tensed, fists clenched. I was ready.

  Stepping forward out of the confines of my own physical space, I saw a mountainous pit of lava overshadowing the tent. The make shift hidey hole I’d slept in had been hidden on the outskirts of a forest of twisted trees beside a black mountain of jagged crystals. At the top, bright lava spurted out, threatening to destroy me where I stood. But as it fell down the mountain, it cooled, crystallising and shining brightly in the sunlight, creating a magnificent array of dystopian dreams.

  “Eve,” my mother called, a voice I recognised as a blissful resonance through the air. I turned to see her potting a vivid plant life in a patch of what appeared as soil behind the tent. “Come sit with me?” she asked. I smiled and walked over, wobbling a little from the light-headed events that had taken place earlier. Perching on a large black crystal she had taken and used as a gardening stool, I sat and felt quite comfortable, something of which I had never expected, considering the hard nature a crystal portrays. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m okay.” I smiled. I didn’t know quite what to say. Where did I even start? Which lifeline did I discuss? It’d been, well, I wasn't quite sure exactly how long it’d been, but it wasn't something I could easily discuss over morning coffee. Not that it was morning, nor was there coffee. My expression must have given my confusion away as she spoke.

  “I understand that this is a lot for you right now. But know this, it will all come in time.” She smiled. “I am overjoyed to have you here with me. I have missed you terribly, Eve.” She placed the make shift trowel down and put her arm around me, squeezing me tight. I smiled and held her back. It felt nice to feel loved, to feel a parent holding you as though nothing else mattered, nothing could hurt you. They would fight to the moon and back to save your soul, and no matter what, they always had your back. I felt safe, strange, naïve probably, but safe. And for saying what had recently happened, I needed to feel safe at the moment. “What news do you have of your brother and sister?” she asked with hope in her eyes.

  “I, err...” Where did I start?

  “What happened, Eve?” she asked, her brow creased with worry.

  “I don’t know where to start.”

  “Anywhere you like, and once you do, you’ll find it will all easily come out.” She smiled. “Take your time.” So I did. I told her of my life on Earth, of my losing Taylor's mother, and of my life there without her. I explained about meeting the Darkwaters, falling in love with Lucian, and promising ourselves to each other for an eternity.

  “But where is he now?”

  “Lilith killed him.” I said. It felt like I was running to my mother, telling tales of my mean old sister. But it was true. I had lost him, and she’d killed him. There was no turning back from that, no way to move on. He was gone and I was alone, and that was that.

  “Why? What would possess her to do such a thing?”

  “It was the darkness, mother. When you were gone, father banished Lilith to the wasteland on Earth. I created humanity so she wasn’t alone, but it wasn’t enough. The darkness was already within her by then. She allowed it in because of her loneliness, and as it took over, she vowed to kill the humans and destroy Elysium once and for all.

  "Adam ran Elysium, you see. He’s been protecting it ever since. Then, as I grew up, father wanted to be rid of me, too. But Adam saved me. He sent my light into the body of a mortal child. Every lifetime, when father was close to finding me, Adam transferred me over to another newborn baby. That’s how I’ve lived countless lives.

  "Then when I was born as Taylor Lane, one of the angels screwed up.”

  “What happened?”

  “He thought I died in an accident the day my mortal mother died. She looked just like you, you know.”

  “It’s lovely to know I was there with you, in spirit.”

  “Yes,” I smiled. “Then after she died, I met the Darkwaters and Lucian looked after me, kept me safe. The thing is, Lucian was once a human but Lilith had taken him and mutated him into what they call a ‘Darkened Disciple’, the first of his kind, the original Dark One.”

  She looked concerned. “Does he have the serpent within him too, Eve?”

  “Yes, but he can control it. He has never hurt me, only ever protected me.”

  “Is that why you have the darkness within you now?”

  “You can see that?” I asked, she nodded. “No, that’s Lilith’s doing. Her mutations attacked me, and for some unknown reason, I absorbed their powers, the powers of the darkness. I don’t know how to use them now, or how to wield the light. Since I was reborn again, I lost all control.”

  “So how did Lucian die? What did Lilith do?”

  “She asked me to make a choice between humanity and Lucian. I couldn’t choose. I know it’s wrong, I know he would have wanted me to sacrifice him, but I just couldn’t. When I wouldn’t be her ally, she turned me into her enemy. She held Lucian above a huge pot of acid and threw him in. I reached forward to save him, nearly falling in, but Lilith held me back. Then, somehow, I managed to hold him in a bubble of light. My powers worked, if only for a moment. But I was stuck, I couldn’t do anything else. I used all my willpower to hold the bubble around him. When I tried to pull him away from the pot, Lilith pushed me into the mirror. The last thing I remember is the splash and his screams as he perished.” I cried. “There was nothing I could do. I wasn’t powerful enough.”

  “Oh, Eve,” she said, hugging me tightly. “I am so sorry.” She stroked my hair as I sniffled on her shoulder. “You have endured so much. I am sorry I wasn’t there to guide you, to help you like a mother should.”

  “It’s okay.” I sniffled.

  “Well, I’m here now,” she said, letting me go and pulling me upright. “Come on, stand up. We’ve a lot to do!”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, by the sounds of it, we need to save your Lucian, destroy Lilith’s darkness and save her soul, help Adam protect the rose, and find that damned husband of mine and put things right again.”

  Through the tears I laughed. “That’s a lot in one day.”

  “Ah, but Eve, it depends how long the day is.” She smiled.

  “That’s very true.” I laughed, wiping my eyes and smiling. “But how do we get home?”

  “Now that you’re here, we have twice the amount of light between us,” she said. “Misky said the portal you came through is still open, so I suggest we pack a few essentials and head on out to see what lies ahead.”

  “Sounds great, but who’s Misky?”

  A tiny mouse peeked out of the pocket of my mother’s hand-sewn dress. “Why that’ll be me, of course,” he squeaked.

  “Nice to meet you, Misky,” I said, smiling as he jumped over a
nd onto my outstretched hand, and up my arm to sit on my shoulder.

  My mother laughed.

  “Are there more like you here?” I asked.

  “Yes, all the animals talk here,” Misky squeaked.

  “But not all are as nice as Misky.” Mother raised her eyebrows. “Right. Let’s get you dressed, shall we?” She smiled. I looked down. She was right. I was still wrapped in the blanket she had made for the bed in the tent.

  Misky jumped down as I followed my mother inside. “Here, this will fit you perfectly,” she said, passing me the white Grecian dress I had seen earlier. I slipped the dress on, turning to see her face sparkling with delight. “See, it’s perfect... but its missing something.” She smiled, searching under a table she had created in the corner. “Here.” She pulled out a stringed necklace of sparkling pearls, all perfectly rounded and gleaming in the rays of the sun that skimmed through the fabric walls.

  Walking over to me, she pulled up my hair and I held it in place while she fastened the necklace. I turned to the mottled mirror that stood to the side of us. “Wow,” I said, the view was breath-taking. The dress gave my figure a goddess allure. It was something I could have imagined Lilith would have worn. “The dress, it's stunning.” It held my body well, even the tiny pot belly I’d developed over the past few months.

  She clapped. “The necklace, too. Here, come closer.” She took my hand and pulled me closer to the mirror.

  “It's perfect Mother, thank you.”

  She smiled with teary eyes. “It’s yours, my darling. It has been in the family for many generations. The pearls came from our home planet, handed to me from my father, your grandfather, before they succumbed to the darkness all those many years ago.”

  “Really? Wow! I will guard it with my life. Thank you so much.” I said, hugging my mother. It was something I would treasure.

  “Here, take this.” She said, offering me a white backpack that matched the Grecian dress beautifully. “Have a look for a few things to take with us. There’s more dresses over there and any other items you think we will need.”

  “Okay,” I said as I walked over to the wardrobe mother had constructed out of tree branches and twine. Hanging inside was a display of dresses, hand sewn and coloured by the natural environment around us. I took a couple, one for each of us, then headed over to the footwear that she had made out of twine, leaves, and a fabric I had never seen before. It felt as smooth as silk and as strong as cotton.

  Beside the wardrobe sat the table in the corner, with what I could only describe as the outer capsule of a horse chestnut strapped to a small branch, creating a hair brush. What appeared to be a mirrored shell beside it; a pocket mirror. I added both of those to the bag and turned to see my mother handing me small tubs of herbs and ointments. “These will be helpful on the journey.” I wasn’t sure what they were, but I could see she was beginning to rush.

  “Is everything alright?” I asked. I saw her whisking around the tent, gathering supplies.

  “Yes,” she said as she handed me two large, long black crystals. “Careful, they’re very sharp but they make good weapons.” She held them for me to see. “Hold them like this.” She showed me, “and lunge forward like this,” she said, pushing forward.

  “Err, okay. Why do I need these?” I asked, quite apprehensive all of a sudden.

  “Because when day turns to night here, we have to be ready.”

  “Ready for what?”

  “The forest,” she said, turning to face me. “It comes alive at night. They come out to hunt. It’s best we stay here until daylight before we move.”

  “Why, but isn't it day light now?” I said, watching the rays of sun outside.

  “No, Eve, come here.” She took my hand and pulled me outside.

  The two suns had almost disappeared behind the mountain of crystallised lava. “When they fall beyond the mountain, night takes over.”

  “But what is it that’s in there?”

  Misky scurried in. “It’s here Gaia, it’s here!”

  “It’s okay, Misky, we’re safe here.”

  “But how, it’s just fabric?” I asked.

  “The walls are cloaked. Nothing outside of the bubble of light can see within.”

  “But what if it comes this way?”

  “It’s very rare they come anywhere close to the mountain, Eve.”

  “But what about the portal?”

  “We have to hope it’s there when the sun rises.”

  “What if it isn’t, though?”

  “Then we are stuck here, I’m afraid.”

  “No, no mother, we have to leave now. I can’t let Lilith destroy the Earth. She’ll kill my friends.”

  “I’m sorry, Eve, we can’t”

  “But you said we are more powerful together, we have twice the light magic to wield. We have to try.” I said.

  She creased her brow, eyebrows scrunched, bottom lip bitten. “Okay,” she said.

  Misky squeaked and hid under the bed.

  “Under one condition.”

  “Name it.”

  “You stay behind me, tread where I tread, speak when I speak. You do NOT do anything without my saying so.”

  “Okay, mother,” I said, smiling.

  “I’m being serious, Eve. These things out there, they’re deadly.”

  “I know.” I smiled. “It’s just nice to hear you telling me what to do,” I said, smirking.

  “It’s nice to tell you what to do again.” She grinned. “Come on, let's head out now before the sun completely disappears.”

  CHAPTER 63: Lilith

  Insane laughter rippled the realm as I choked on my own catastrophic cackles. A shrieking burst of irrational giggles flew from my vocal chords. I couldn't stop. It was simply too spectacular. She really did let him go, and splosh, down he went. The giggling grew louder, replaced by only the cackles from the cuckoo’s nest I’d laid on.

  It was marvellously magnificent. What a keeper, that sister of mine. She not only killed her boyfriend, she killed herself alongside him. I just couldn't. Senseless strikes of schizophrenic screams unravelled out of me. It was simply too sinister. Perfect justice wrapped in a disarray of spectacular proportions. I couldn’t have done it better myself. Splosh! I howled, it was too much. Too many giggles burst out all at once. Come on, Lilith, wakey wakey, it’s time for cakey.

  Yes, it was. It was time to celebrate, overjoyed in the fact that little Evie was dead. Cold, stone, ravishingly dead. No-one could survive the mirror. No-one came back from that. Laughter echoed over Desamay's walls as I danced about the throne room, twirling and swirling, falling into a pit of laughter. EJ joined me.

  “You’re my friend, aren’t you EJ?” EJ nodded. “We’re like two peas in a pod, you and I.” I smirked. “Well, one and two halves.” I howled. It was such a spectacular idea of mine to bring the twins together. The best of both halves. It was a pity the squirmy little humans couldn’t have stayed still, I’d have been able to use their other sides then. But no, they had to go and scream and cry. Oh my, it does get boring. I’d heard every scream under the sun. You would have thought they’d come up with something original. Like Jesus here, he didn’t scream, he prayed. Now that I had not seen in such a long time. Since when did the power of prayer go out the window? Perhaps if they had begun to pray again they might actually get somewhere. I mean seriously, I spared Jesus, didn’t I? if only they knew Daddy as well as I did. He was my bestie, that man, the one true God. He brought a whole new meaning to the word evil. Oh wow, if only I’d had his treacherous mind. He said it was because I’m a girl, I’m a lesser being. Well screw him. I stood by him, didn’t I? Even after he banished me. He was my daddy and we’d rule this universe together, just as soon as we destroyed that damned rose.

  “Brush me, EJ, brush me,” I demanded, handing him a boneset brush. EJ started brushing my hair. “Faster, EJ, faster.” I demanded, it obeyed. “Oh my, what a wondrous vision of beauty.” I said, admiring myself in the mirror. �
��How could anyone turn down such a scrumptious body? I never age, I’m set in a moment of perfection, a goddess in its one true form.” Sighing, I pushed EJ away. “So why did he choose her? She’s so plain and boring compared to me.” I slammed the mirror down. “Oh well, it’s his loss now.” Jesus wrapped around my neck, suckling my earlobe. “Oh, I know, my sweet pudding pie. It’s both their loss, really. The three of us could have ruled the world.” Sighing, I kissed Jesus on the nose and patted EJ on the head. Standing tall, I climbed the wonky ladder and peered over the edge of the pot. The acid bubbled and boiled. There was no sign of Lucian in there.

  “Oh well, what shall we do next?” I asked aloud as I climbed down the stairs. “Guards bring me my map.” I demanded, slumping onto my throne. Two half-demon, half-human guards ran in and bowed.

  “Here,” it said as it placed the rolled-up map in my outstretched hand.

  “You, who are you?” I asked, not recognising of the mutation before me. “I can’t recall creating such an exquisite beast.” I said.

  “I’m no-one,” the thing said.

  “Good answer. Now come, sit by my feet.”

  “Of course, your majesty.”

  “Oh now, we’ll have enough of that. You shall call me Lilith.”

  “Yes, Ms. Lilith.”

  “You there,” I shouted at the other guard. “Bring me the chalice.” The guard gulped and then darted off to fetch the chalice.