Warrior

by Jana LaPelle

  In the darkness here, a certain splendor can be found in a place that has never seen the true light of day. Not that there is a brightly shining sun in this realm. The lake has an electric blue luminescence, tiny micro-organisms school together to light up the water wherever they go. Then there are the rock walls of the cavern, a fungus grows on the damp walls that glow neon green. They call it Foxfire. I find the bright neon colors soothing in this dark place. Truth be told, I miss all of Ashlinn’s beautiful color, the twins, and the vibrant colors of my world. Tomorrow I’ll set out on my own. I need to find the rift, and I need to put distance between me and the borough.

  Paynga shot me down in my offer for them to come with me to The Otherworld. Rynik had already talked with her, and she was adamantly opposed to leaving their underground sanctuary behind. As much as I wanted to argue with Paynga, her reasoning was sound. Sighing, I find a place to sit and I slip off my boots to settle down. I assume the position that Paynga said would help me find peace and the place in between. My legs are crisscrossed, and the backs of my hands rest lightly on my knees with my index fingers and thumbs touching, pointing upwards. I inhale deeply and exhale. Centering myself, I close my eyes and let the sound of the thundering water relax me. For a moment my mind slips away, and I reach out to the creator of all the realms in silent prayer. My plea is not a simple one, “Father, for the first time in my life I feel as though I’m faltering. I need your help, your guidance, I feel as if I’m lost. I don’t know what I’m doing, and I no longer feel worthy.” I don’t feel worthy of so much now that all my abilities are bound.

  “Have faith, Alaric, and follow your heart, you are not defined by your abilities alone.”

  I jerk back as the masculine voice echoes within my mind. That’s the second time that I have heard that voice, and yes, I now know who it belongs to. I honestly did not expect an answer. I’m determined to follow his advice. Okay. I can definitely follow my heart. I can do that because following my heart will take me to Ashlinn. Breathing deeply, I once again settle back down and reach for Ash. The sound of the water has begun to lure me away.

  Breathe in, breathe out.

  Breathe in…

  Out…

  Breathe in…

  Out…

  I’m not sure how much time has passed when I sense that I have reached the place in between. I feel my consciousness lift up out of my body and reach for Ashlinn. She’s near. She’s here in this realm. I suck in a psychic breath as my consciousness soars upward and passes through the rock above and quickly emerges above the terrain. I’m heading for the mountain range, the Great Divide, and soon I’m over the mountains and looking down on the civilized town and castle where I know that Ashlinn resides. Her soul calls to mine, it sings a beautiful song even now, the call is irresistible.

  One moment I’m above the castle turrets and the next I’m inside a room where my kindred is sound asleep. Jasmine is sprite size and vigilantly watching over her. She marches back and forth, and with every other step, she flutters upward to land lightly back down on the bed, not missing a step. She looks pissed, but I don’t have time to ponder why. I’m here for Ashlinn. Her mind is foggy as if she has been drugged. She’s struggling to reach out to me. She knows that I’m here. I feel her swear as she struggles against the cobwebs in her mind.

  I whisper through our bond, “Shhh, it’s okay. I’m here. I miss you, Ash. I love you mo grá. I told you. I will always find my way back to you. I need you to know that I’m okay, and I can find my way to the rift. I need for you to wait for me there. Okay?”

  “Alaric? How… are you… here?” Her thoughts and words are slurred as if she is drunk. I don’t understand, that’s not like her at all.

  “It’s okay, álainn. I have missed you mo grá, you and the twins. Tell me, what’s wrong Ashlinn?”

  “Luc… he drugged… us.” She twitches her supine form, and I sense that she is becoming more alert before she continues, “Are you really here? I don’t feel your touch.”

  “No, I’m not really next to you. I’m still somewhere in the Fields of Punishment, but I have found sanctuary for now, and my wounds are all but healed. I will find my way to you. Tell me, Ashlinn, why did Luc drug you?”

  “Because I was pushing to go to you…”

  I chuckle at her tenacity, then ask, “Are you safe here, mo grá?”

  “I believe so, but Luc has his own agenda.” Ashlinn stirs and her beautiful amber eyes flicker open, looking around the space, “Where are you? I don’t see your dream walking form.”

  “That ability has been nullified just like the others. I can’t project my form, just my consciousness. Paynga was right. I was only able to find you through meditation. It has taken me a little while to figure out what she was talking about. I’ve been trying to do this for days. I’m not sure how long I can stay, if my concentration is interrupted, then all bets are off.”

  “Who’s Paynga?” Her thoughts have a biting edge. “Gah, I wish I could see you.” She sits up and looks around the room.

  Jasmine is instantly in front of her, “Finally, you’re awake. We need to go check on the others and then we can go kick Luc’s ass for drugging you, Tarron, and Tolin.” She narrows her eyes and looks around the room, trying to see what it is that Ashlinn is searching for, “What are you looking for Ash?”

  “I’m looking for Alaric,” her tone holds pure exasperation as if Jasmine should know what she is doing.

  “And there it is…,” Jasmine draws out the word there, “She’s finally snapped. I knew the strain of it all was going to be too much. Honey, he’s not here.” Her tone placating as if she’s talking to a deranged child. “He’s out there somewhere in this hideous realm,” her hands jester wildly about as she lifts off her feet, her tiny wings fluttering furiously. “You were right! I really hate it here! The negative energy is suffocating. Next time, I’ll listen to you.”

  “Jaz, please, shush. I can’t get a read on Alaric with all your antics.”

  Chuckling at their banter, I think through our connection, “By the goddess, I miss you all so much.”

  “There you are. You didn’t answer my question, who’s Paynga? By the way, I am coming for you, no doubt about it.”

  “Paynga is an imp, a healer, and a friend. Her son, Pip, found me and they are giving me shelter until I was healed. I’m leaving out today and will make my way to the mountains, to you Ashlinn. I don’t even know what awaits me in the Fields of Punishment, then there is the Citadel of Depravity, not to mention the Valley of Despair, and let's not mention the…”

  “I don’t care what’s over there. I’m not going to just leave you there to-”

  Ash is still trying to pinpoint my consciousness. Not realizing that I’m right in front of her.

  “Ash, you don’t understand. They take prisoners here that become slaves to do the bidding of the elite few. The Princes of Hell run the show and if you are unlucky enough you end up in the tournament… If that happens, it’s a battle to the death. Please stay put. If you know where the rift is then go there and wait for me to come to you.”

  “Alaric, the rift is a beacon of light here in this realm. Once it grows to reach the other side of the Great Divide, all bets are off. Luc told me that when the time was right, he would send me to you. I will come for you. You don’t have to do this alone, we’re here for you. I miss you Elf-Man.” She looks around the room with sad eyes, looking for my presence.

  I wish with all my heart that I could hold her in my arms and put all her fears to rest, but that is not to be. I fear that our time together is about to end and say through our connection, “I love you… You and the twins are my world. Never forget that.” I push all my love to her through our bond, hoping that she is able to receive it.

  “Alaric, please don’t go,” she begs aloud.

  “I’ll see you soon, mo grá, take care. You and Jasmine stay safe.” It takes everything inside me to say my goodbyes. I allow myself to drift back. I see the ri
ft before heading back over the Great Divide. Ashlinn is right, the rift shines like a bright diamond demanding attention in the eerie red twilight.

  I hear Ashlinn shout out after me for everyone to hear, “You stay safe Elf-Man! Until we find one another again!” Her voice echoes around the valley and punches right through my heart, and I smile.

  In the blink of an eye, I’m back in the cavern. I have quite a distance to traverse to get to the Great Divide. From a distance, I hear, “Mister? Hey, Mister… Are you okay? What are you doing all the way down here? You ain’t planning on leaving without saying goodbye, are you Mister? You promised...”

  My concentration is officially broken, and it is as if I never left. I look around to see that the borough is a hive of activity as my brain comes back online and I register that I’ve been gone for a while. I look up to see Pip staring down at me.

  “Where did you go?” His question is simple and intuitive. His large crystal blue eyes are inquisitive.

  “I had to see Ashlinn, my kindred. She’s…” Words cannot describe what Ashlinn is to me, and I grin thinking about her and the twins.

  He peers up at me with wide eyes filled with wonder, “She is your love, isn’t she? How do we get you back to her?”

  “We… don’t do anything. You Pip will stay here with your mother when I leave here after breakfast.”

  Pip looks at me assessing, “I don’t want you to go. I like having you here, but I know that you can’t stay. You don’t know nothing ‘bout The Underworld. You need a guide, Mister.”

  “Well, I don’t see anyone here volunteering for the job of my guide. Not that I want to put anyone here in danger of becoming a slave or worse, be thrown into the games. Come on now, I bet your mom is looking for you, and I bet breakfast is ready.” I ruffle his white hair, carefully avoiding his horns before clasping his shoulder firmly and we walk in a companionable silence for a while.

  “Mister, I could be your guide.” Pip looks up at me with bright, hopeful eyes.

  “Absolutely not!” Rhynik steps out of the doorway as we approach their dwelling. Rhynik flashes me a look of pure hatred. He’s made his feelings about me clear. As far as he is concerned, I’ve overstayed my welcome.

  I nod, acknowledging him before turning to Pip, “Your uncle’s right, Pip. This is something that I must do on my own.” As we enter their abode, I see Paynga, her face is etched in concern for her son. I take Pip’s talon clawed hand in my own, “I never should have offered to take you and your family with me without talking to your mother first. It was wrong, and for that, I apologize.” I look over to where she stands by the kitchen table, she smiles sadly and nods. Acknowledging my apology. Looking back down at Pip, I continue, “You… my dear little friend, deserve a chance to grow up and find a she-imp of your very own. There are no imps where I’m from. I spoke out of turn.”

  Pip hangs his head and says, “So… this is goodbye? You ain’t coming back, are you Mister? I ain’t never goin’ to see you again. Am I?” His little voice trembles and I can tell he’s close to tears, but I’m mistaken that they’re tears of sadness. His eyes flash with an indignant anger when he looks back up at us all, he yells, “It’s not fair! I don’t want you to go!” He stamps his talon clawed foot, “I never got no chance to know my real father, never got no opportunity to know what having a real da would be like, not till I found you Mister, and now you’re leaving. It’s not fair!” Pip wrenches his hand out of mine and turns, racing from the room. We all watch in stunned silence.

  Muttering under my breath, “I had no idea. I should go talk to him,” I look over at Paynga to get her approval.

  “Alaric… maybe it’s best if you just eat and go. The sooner you are gone, the more quickly we can get back to normal. I’m sorry, I really do think it’s for the best. I’ll talk to him once you are gone.”

  I study her for a moment, her striking alabaster beauty reminds me more of a white marble statue in her stillness as she waits for my assent. I nod, “I never meant to cause any of you any grief. Please tell Pip, that I’m forever in his debt. He will always hold a piece of my heart, and I will never forget him.” I grab a few things to munch on in my travels and then go grab my backpack that I packed last night. I gather the few weapons that they could spare and strap them to my body. As I walk toward the door to their dwelling, I turn and address Paynga, “Thank you… for all you have done for me. I owe you a debt that I cannot repay. I hope Pip can eventually forgive me. I do love that little guy.” Looking over toward Rhynik, I nod, “I’m ready.”

  He grunts and mutters, “Finally, it’s about time. I knew you were going to be nothing but trouble and the one to suffer from your spending time here is little Pip.” He motions for me to follow him, but his words sting as they strike home, and I fear that he may be right.

  I trudge after Rhynik, hoping that Pip will understand one day why I had to leave and why he had to stay. I hate to leave him without saying goodbye, but most importantly, breaking my promise to him. I just wish things could be different. Pip was right, it’s not fair. None of this is fair. These people live in fear every day that they will be discovered. They just want to live their lives without the fear of becoming slaves. That’s not too much to ask. The imps choose this life over being able to take to the skies to fly. They choose to be confined underground and deny their natural inclinations. That’s no life for any of them.

  I look around to see that Rhynik has led me out of the cavern and we stand at a crossroads of a maze of tunnels. The Foxfire fungus lights up the walls in these dark and dank passageways. Giving off just enough light to light my way. Rhynik gestures to the tunnel in the center. “Follow that pass. It will lead you to a staircase that will lead you to the surface. There is no way to get lost, no other tunnels that intersect. You will come out in a copse of trees but will be headed toward the Great Divide. For what it’s worth, Alaric. I don’t think ill of you. I just knew you would wreak havoc within our family, and I was right. You need to go, and I need to go find Pip.”

  “Rhynik, thank you, and for what it’s worth, I’m glad I met you and your family before being exposed to the rest of the beings in this realm. Tell Pip…” I try to think of something that will help him move on, but I’ve got nothing. Sighing, I say, “Tell Pip that I love him and if things were different, I would have been honored to be his surrogate father.”

  I don’t wait for Rhynik’s retort, I just turn and make my way through the tunnel. It doesn’t take long for the silence around me to fill me with dread for the next leg of my journey. I’m completely alone with no clue as to what I’m going to run into. All I know is that I need to find my way to Ashlinn and the rift.

  Chapter 10

  (Ashlinn)

  I hang my head when I realize that he’s gone, and I have no idea as to when we will be reunited again. I drop to the floor and struggle to hold back my tears. Tears that are going to fall no matter what I do. I’m so angry with our current situation I can hardly contain my rage. I hate that once again we are separated, and things are beyond our control. I never wanted to be a goddess. Not in this lifetime anyway. What was I thinking in my previous life? Why the hell would I forego having my memories reinstated once I ascended? I’m sure that it would have helped me understand why this mission was so important to me at that time. All I have ever really wanted in this lifetime after my awakening was to live and exist in peace with Alaric and our family. I scream out into the universe, “Why?! Why can’t we just be a family? It’s not fair! Always being separated! I just want to live my life with Alaric and the twins and be a normal family. Is that too much to ask? Why have we been pitted against so much?” In my rage, I snatch up the decanter of water by the bedside and throw it across the room. It smashes against the wall and shatters into hundreds of fragmented pieces. I stand there, my chest heaving. I feel as though I’m suffocating, I drop to my knees, and wrap my arms around my body, rocking as I try to regain my composure. Lifting my hands, I sob and cradle my face
as I bow my head. Desperately trying to put myself back together again.

  “Ash?” I hear Jasmine’s timid voice from over my shoulder, “It’s going to be okay, I have faith that you and Alaric will make it through this.”

  I look over my shoulder to see my concerned friend. She looks so sad, after witnessing my break down. I wish with all my might that Jasmine could hug me right now, because I could really use a hug from my friend. I try to smile at her but fail miserably. Taking a deep breath, I try pulling myself together when three large males rush into the room. Luc is front and center, causing me to see red. Scrambling to my feet, I reach for one of my throwing knives only to realize that they are missing, which just pisses me the hell off. Flames flicker to life, beginning at my fingertips and making their way up my arms. I point a flaming finger at Luc and say, “You drugged me and my companions. You are deliberately keeping me from Alaric. You deserve much more than a fireball up your ass. I want to know what your end goal is, and I want to know it now!” My voice has taken on a growling quality as my panther pushes for the shift.

  Tarron steps in front of Luc, gaining my attention, “Mo solas, calm down. Luc was just showing us where Alaric is and assuring us that he is safe.”

  I glare at him, and retort, “Safe? You think he’s safe? He’s getting ready to head out into the Fields of Punishment to make his way here.” Pinning my gaze on Luc, I ask, “What happens when he is discovered by the wrong sort, Luc? What happens if he runs upon the slavers? What then?”

  Luc mutters under his breath, “There are far worse things than the slavers to be concerned with right now. Come on, little goddess, you have rested long enough. You can douse the flames. They wouldn’t harm me in the slightest.”