When We Were Still Human

by Vaughn Foster

  The Selkie Southern Kingdom was supposed to be known for its beauty and crystalline sky towers. Yet, the only thing for miles was white. Castor had sworn that they’d crossed from the South Pole into the Annwn at arrival, but he had obviously screwed up.

  Avia huffed a smoky breath and channeled more fire out of her fingertips. If not for her flames melting a path, they never would have made it as far as they did. But even still, she was sore and sick of stomping around in soggy socks.

  “Enough,” she growled. She came to a stop, with Castor almost barreling into her back. She pulled a deck of cards from her inside jacket pocket and removed a three and a four of spades.

  She had never used the technique outside of the aether, but at the rate things were moving, anything was worth a shot. Focusing the energy in her chest, Avia lit the cards on fire and threw them into the snow. She closed her eyes and imagined the conjuring, just like she’d done in the spirit world; only this time, it was anger that lit the spark.

  Fire erupted from where the cards had landed. A moment later, two sets of hands punched through the frozen earth. Snow and ice within a five-foot radius melted in a clouding mist as two pale, white figures rose to their feet.

  They were more beautiful than Avia could have imagined. Unlike her past soldiers, which had been born from girlish fantasy, these creatures could have been dragged from hell itself. The spade symbol was carved in the center of their chests, then colored with a dripping black ink. Similar marks scattered across their arms led up to silent, cold faces— or lack thereof. They were missing all traditional facial features, but instead bore a black spade symbol of their respectable card number.

  Avia smirked as they silently bowed at her feet. When they lowered their heads, she noticed jagged scars along the base of their necks like they’d been hung by a noose.

  With a wink to a horrified Castor, Avia stepped between her creatures and sat on their shoulders. In one motion, they lifted their queen into the air and grabbed onto her legs. Once she was secured on her perch, they began to march in perfect union.

  “You guys coming, or what?” Avia called behind.

  After another half hour, Avia felt herself growing tired. Even though she hadn’t walked the last two miles, she was exhausted. Last night, she’d been floating in the nothing. This morning, she’d met angels, vampires, and stars, learned she was supposed to destroy the world, and then was sent to the South Pole to find a sorcerer—not a terrible day. Just unimaginably tiring. Plus, the energy it took to sustain her soldiers was far more draining than she remembered it being in the aether. She could feel herself drifting off and the sway of their marching only heavied her eyelids.

  “Look! A house!”

  Avia raised her head to see what Castor was shouting about and breathed a sigh of relief. A small cottage sat delicately atop a mountainous snowbank some few hundred feet ahead. A billow of smoke snaked picturesquely from the chimney. Sending the single mental command of forward, she kicked her heels into the creatures’ chests and spurred them faster.

  The sun had already hidden itself behind the outer drifts and nightfall was quickly approaching. A tiny house in the middle of a frozen tundra was suspicious, but they needed food and shelter. Perhaps they’d get lucky and the owner could point them in the right direction to Ys— especially since Castor’s directions had done them so well thus far.

  Paris took control of her brother’s body, changing forms as she banged on the door. “Hello! Is anyone home?”

  She lifted her fist to knock again and the door slowly creaked open.

  “Oh. I wasn’t expecting any visitors…” A middle-aged man in a cardigan and pajama bottoms stood in the doorway, equipped with a steaming cup of tea.

  Both parties stared in silence and Avia mused that everyone was equally surprised. The man had grey skin, long dark hair, and red irises. On his porch was a girl in all black, two towering, faceless creatures, and a woman covered in stars.

  The man eventually shrugged and fully opened the door. “Come on, it’s freezing out here.”

  Not needing another invitation, Avia snapped her fingers and the two soldiers burst into flames, then returned to her hand as cards. The man tilted his head for a moment but wasn’t particularly fazed. With a sip from his mug, he stepped aside and led them into the house.

  It was a quaint home. There was a living area with a fireplace to the right of the doorway and a simple kitchen to the left. Avia glanced around and couldn’t help thinking about how her own condo back in Tallahassee could swallow the place whole. Even without the comparison, the house was beyond modest. The tacky, plaid-patterned chairs were… nice. And if you squinted, the living room lamp had character? Overall, though, the place lacked any personal touch that would detract from the “rustic cabin” vibe.

  Their host motioned for them to sit by the fire, then proceeded to pull several large blankets from the hall closet. After handing them both two comforters, he retrieved his mug and took a deep whiff of the steam.

  “So…” he said after they had gotten comfortable. “Michael sent you?”

  “How do you know that?” Avia asked, hesitantly settling in front of the fireplace. Hearing him mention the angel king sent a chill down her spine, but she was in no position to do anything. She was exhausted to the point where lighting a candle would’ve been a struggle. A side glance at Paris revealed that Gemini was in a similar state.

  “Well,” the man said, bringing her back to the room. “Mirage or not, you shouldn’t have been able to find this house. When a Celestial and a girl who’s bleeding magic show up at your front porch, by process of elimination…” He shrugged. “I’m sorry, I don’t have a spare bedroom. But please, make yourselves comfortable.”

  “Thank you so mu—” Castor started, but was cut off by an enormous yawn. Paris hazily wiped her eyes and snuggled deeper into the wide recliner she’d claimed at their arrival.

  Avia tried to keep her eyes open but the energy she’d spent on her fire and soldiers left her empty. Before she knew it, she was cocooning herself tighter in the blanket and drifting asleep.

  “Oh my god,” Avia mumbled. She pulled herself to a sitting position and looked around the room. The hearth had simmered to a few burning embers and sunlight now lit the small house. Despite internal laments, she released the warmth of the blanket and stood. After cracking her back, neck, and a number of stretches to restore circulation, she then proceeded to shake Paris awake.

  “What is it?” the twins grumbled in unison. Castor took over the body and wiped his eyes. Avia stared, still getting used to their transformation. It would happen in under a second, but seeing the small woman grow to a giant man never ceased to disorient her.

  “We fell asleep,” Avia said flatly. She quickly crossed to the window and peered out. White stretched as far as the eye could see. Exhaustion had clouded her processing before, but they were clearly standing in strong undercurrents of the aether. The flow wasn’t as strong as Le Ciel, but was far more powerful than the mundane cottage should have been centered in. She turned back to Castor and crossed her arms.

  “This isn’t right. We should be in Ys already. It’s no coincidence we just happened to run into a mirage welcoming us with open arms.”

  “Valid point,” Castor said, scratching his chin. “When our host awakes we should ask—”

  “Good morning!” They both turned to see the man shuffle into the living room in fluffy white slippers. His black hair was now secured in a tight ponytail; his evening garb had been replaced by jeans and a wool sweater. “You three fell asleep before I could introduce myself. I’m Raeyluk.”

  “Good morning,” Castor said, shaking his hand. “Thank you very much for taking us in last night. I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t. My name is Castor. That’s Avia, and I believe you met my sister, Pollux, last night.”

  “Indeed, I did.” Raeyluk chuckled as he stepped into the kitchen. “It’s been quite some time since I saw a Celesti
al, and I have never met one of the Zodiacs in person.” He clapped a hand on his shoulder and beamed. “And don’t mention it. Figured if anyone could see my house through Ys’ enchantment, they would probably be coming from Le Ciel.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Avia asked. She watched him carefully as he rummaged through the cabinets, pulled out three mugs and placed them on the counter. His skin shimmered in the sunlight, and if she squinted, she could make out the intricate pattern of tiny scales.

  “Ys is blanketed by a veil within the Annwn itself,” Raeyluk answered. “The city has recently undergone phenomenal political and cultural changes. The people are wary about outsiders waltzing in, mirage or human. This house is placed outside Ys’ walls as a check point, if you will.”

  “Alright,” Paris said. The tone in her voice hinted at disbelief, but she seemed satisfied enough. “But one more question.” Castor robotically looked Raeyluk up and down, then narrowed his eyes as Paris continued: “What’s a Sea Monk doing in the Southern Kingdom?”

  Raeyluk offered them a sheepish grin. “What gave me away?” He handed them each a mug and led them back to the living room. Though Avia hadn’t seen him pour anything, steam billowed from the cups.

  “A merman with red eyes and grey scales,” Paris continued. “It’s like you said. By process of elimination… But what I don’t understand is what you’re doing here? It’s strange that any Atlantean is in the Arctic, but last I checked, Sea Monks remained at Poseidon’s side at all times.”

  “Hang on a second,” Avia said, holding a hand up. “What’s a Sea Monk?” She’d been under the impression that the ocean of knowledge from the Mark on her right arm would cover everything. She was fully aware that mermen were one of many types of mirage. Monks, however, were a foreign concept.

  Raeyluk raised an eyebrow, then sighed. “Michael must have left a good bit out. Poseidon always said he was secretive…” He shook his head, then sipped his tea before continuing. “Millenia ago, when angels and Celestials came to Earth in search of godhood, most died off or were killed. Poseidon and Hades, however, kept their domains by signing a treaty with Le Ciel. Both gods have an order of monks that will forever remain at their side as personal advisors.”

  Castor gave a bitter laugh. “I can imagine better places to spend your vacation days. Are you a victim of one of Poseidon’s personal grudges?”

  “No such thing,” Raeyluk said. He took another long sip and Avia wanted to smack the mug away so he’d stop pausing. “Poseidon was stripped of his crown years ago. I serve King Varuna.”

  “What?!” Paris exclaimed, causing Castor to cough on his drink.

  Avia would have sworn Gemini paled, if that was even possible with his black skin. His eyes drifted to the side as they often did when he spoke with Paris, but she had no clue what they were talking about.

  “Poseidon broke regulations from the Treaty of Eden, and Michael was quick to see him dragged to Tartarus. Varuna had become a minor sea god in his years on Earth, so Michael found him eligible to take Poseidon’s throne. I’m surprised you didn’t know.”

  “Yeah…” Castor said. “As am I.”

  “Anywho,” Raeyluk continued, “Varuna was the one who pushed to annex Atlantis into the Selkie Kingdom. I was sent as ambassador to the capital to ensure relations remained steady. But you didn’t come for a history lesson.” A smirk formed across his face and his scales shimmered like iridescent prism. “You three are here for the book.”

  Sparks danced across Avia’s skin as her body roared into alert. “Excuse me?” She evenly raised her chin to meet his red eyes. They twinkled in amusement. Avia couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose at the smell of burnt copper now permeating the room. It was the scent of old magic.

  “The Kirkos-Arkhen.” His eyes darted between Avia and Castor, seemingly expecting a response. Avia glanced to Castor and was met with an equally clueless expression.

  “The ancient grimoire that houses all knowledge of man, mirage, and Le Ciel?” Raeyluk tried again. Avia waited for her Mark to pulse like it had in the castle, but no vision came. The twins’ mutual silence told her that, whatever this book was, Michael hadn’t given anyone the details.

  “Really?” Raeyluk sighed and set down his mug. “The Kirkos-Arkhen had been trusted under Lord Daemon, but after his mutiny, it disappeared. The fact that Michael sent two of his Sins to the center of the Southern Kingdom would only suggest that he’s finally tracked it down.”

  This wasn’t right. No matter how educated a guess, there was no way for him to know what they were. “How do you know so much?” Avia growled. She stepped closer to his chair. “And why do you have it?”

  “A… friend of mine told me what I need to know,” Raeyluk answered cheekily. “Don’t worry, I haven’t told anyone of Michael’s schemes and curses. However, I am afraid I can’t give you the book.”

  “A friend?” Avia clenched her fists.

  “Daemon,” Paris whispered.

  “Alright, yes, it was him,” Raeyluk confessed, throwing up his hands in mock-defeat.

  Avia stopped in front of him, stunned. He confessed that easily?

  Raeyluk’s eyes were endowed with pride; it was like he’d been waiting his entire life for an opportunity to publicly defend his master. “While your beloved king seeks to destroy this world, Lord Daemon sees something worth saving. The Southern Kingdom is a barren wasteland. Nothing can grow here, and to build would be impossible with the glacial winds. The spells from this book have united us. These people were on the verge of becoming a land of lawlessness and violence, much like the Eastern Kingdom was before Lord Dracule. The magic I perform through the Arkhen has saved them. We are the only city on Earth to even rival the magnificence of Le Ciel.”

  He stood and Avia’s fire extinguished like a match. An invisible force coiled around her body and pulled her towards him. She tried to fight it, but quickly lost against the pressure. Against her will, her feet followed him to the back of the house.

  “What the hell?! Let me go!”

  To her right, Castor was doing his best to fight the spell. He strained his arms and legs against the invisible chains, but was inevitably dragged beside Avia.

  Raeyluk smiled at them, then waved his hand in front of the posterior wall. It shimmered and rippled before fading away into mist.

  Avia couldn’t contain her gasp. Buildings and towers of solid ice decorated the skyline. Sunlight sparkled against the glossy surfaces, and even a mile away, she still had to squint. A colossal, rune-covered barrier surrounded the city with large gates posted throughout the wall.

  Raeyluk stepped outside into the snow and motioned for them to follow. In an instant, they all stood in the heart of Ys. An elegantly carved stone fountain was placed in the center square. The water was spouted up and frozen into the flag of the Southern Kingdom—a trident crossed over a snowflake.

  “Do you really want to tear this down?” Raeyluk asked. His mug was back in hand and he was peering expectantly over the rim.

  Avia swallowed. “If that’s what it takes…” But she couldn’t deny it. Ys was something out of a fairytale. The dominant race was selkie—humanlike creatures whose skin darkened into seal spots on their upper arms and shoulders. Freckled faces and dark, round eyes were the most visible feature. There were some, however, whose seal-resemblance carried into fur and large pawlike hands and forearms.

  A few sweeps of the square showed that the population of Ys wasn’t limited to Selkie. Mirage of different species cheerfully walked together, laughing and talking like age-old friends. Some, Avia recognized by her Mark. Milling about were several glacials, people made entirely of ice, or amarok, white-furred relatives of the lycans. Others were a mystery.

  “Barbegazi,” Castor pointed out as she stared at a small man conversing with a blue-scaled Atlantean woman at a vendor’s stand. His skin and hair were the color of snow. A matching beard stretched down to his waist with shards of ice frozen into the hairs. Each boot was
comically large compared to his stature of four feet.

  “A race of dwarf found in the arctic mountains,” Paris explained. “They’re not known for being people-friendly, so it’s rare to see them out and about or…” Castor stared a moment longer before turning back to Avia. “Or buying cappuccinos.”

  “It’s as I told you,” Raeyluk said, clasping a hand on Castor’s shoulder. “It’s paradise. Go, explore to your heart’s desire. You will find that all life is not as wretched as your ‘holy king’ would have you believe. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

  Raeyluk cleared his throat and took a step back. “I was in the middle of a good book before you came.” A loud pop echoed through the air and a cloud of smoke spread out from where he was standing.

  “Wai—” Avia started, but he was already gone. The smoke cleared and it was just the three of them.

  “Well,” Castor said. He turned to face Avia and shrugged. “We might as well have a look around.”

  Chapter 19

  A flickering smirk. An open palm. A wave of darkness. That was all it took. In half a second, she’d been transported back to the castle. Back to the damn castle she’d spent all morning trying to escape.

  A scowl rolled across Val’s face as she angrily tore down the hall. The corridors had stopped shifting, or at least she hadn’t noticed anything abnormal. She passed what had to be the third servant in ten minutes and tensed. He nodded in greeting, careful not to disrupt his cart, then pressed forward. Val’s eyes darted to his feet. His shadow fell flat on the ground; no unusual movement.

  She sighed, leaning up against the sill of one of the enormous windows that lined the wing. She was jumping at every shadow and every darkened corner—which, in a castle that size, were quite numerous. Angels milled about in the town below; chatting, walking, playing on the golden streets.