Warrior

by Jana LaPelle

  “I’m on your heels. Now we’re talking.” My heart lightens at her enthusiasm.

  “You won’t get far Ashlinn, the staff understand that you are not to leave the premises without my consent.” Luc challenges me.

  Turning back to the prince of darkness, I sigh, “What do you want from me? I’m here. I’m ready, willing, and able to learn about your world, yet you digress. Seriously. Lay it on me, Luc. Otherwise, I’m out of here.”

  Luc chuckles, “Easy there tiger, we’re getting to that, all in due time.”

  “Due time?” My laugh is derisive, “It’s past time Luc, and has been since the moment I walked in this room. I’ve been patient, but now, I need more. I need to move on. I need to go after my kindred.” I pause as a flicker of a vision threatens me, I get a single image before it subsides. I look back at Lucifer and cock my head as I assimilate what I just saw. Then I blurt, “One day soon… you will understand my need. Until then, let’s get on with it.”

  He growls, “What do you mean? What did you see?”

  I smile a wicked, secretive smile, “One day soon, the prince of darkness will meet his match.” I laugh before continuing, “I just saw a flicker, but it will be. Only then will you understand what it means to have everything you have ever wanted, to only be whole once you complete the bond. Only then you will understand that you will move mountains, if that is what it takes to keep your kindred safe. The need will bring you to your knees, and you will beg for mercy if that is what it takes. I look forward to the day you find humility!”

  Luc assesses me, his head cocked as he takes in my meaning before nodding, “Alright, little keeper, I hear you loud and clear. My arrogance sometimes gets the best of me. You know, I always wondered what it would be like to have premonitions. I may be the keeper of The Underworld, but I’m not all knowing as my father is, that gift would come in handy at times.”

  I scoff, “It’s not all that, if it were, I would be given more information so that I could prevent certain things from happening, but that’s not how it works.”

  “No… you’re right, that’s not how it works. So, I bet that it can be a burden more often than not.”

  Jasmine speaks up, her voice clipped, “It has been a burden for them both. Now let’s get the ball rolling on this little show and tell.”

  I smile at my sprite friend and her fierce loyalty and I whisper, “I love you, Jaz. I’m going to get you back to Camoryn, and everything will be right as rain.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “I know I’m right.” I smile at Jaz before looking over to Luc, “Come on, Luc. Let’s get on with it.”

  He motions to us all, “Come on over here everyone.” He waves his hand over the table and the scene changes. The 3D image on the table flattens before the pixels begin to build on one another to form a new image. The scene becomes darker and more sinister looking. He motions for us to draw closer and we do. He explains, “This is where the most destructive and deadly demons of Hell are kept. There are shadow demons, fire demons, demons that feed on envy, desire, greed, gluttony, wrath, pride, you name it. These demons have been forced into the darkest depths of The Underworld. It takes every soul that resides here to keep them at bay. When someone like Morríganna seeks to raise them from their prisons, it takes a lot of sacrifice. Sacrifice that she is ready and willing to pay in order to meet her end goals.”

  “Fuck,” I whisper.

  “Language, little keeper,” Luc admonishes with a smile. “I know you don’t trust me, and you shouldn’t. My motives are completely self-serving. This is my realm and I don’t intend to bow down before a sniveling, power thirsty, mentally unstable goddess. The Morrígan must be stopped for balance to be maintained for all The Realms, but you already know this. When she raised Cú Chulainn from the dead her plan was twofold, she wanted Lainn back for selfish reasons, she imagines herself and Lainn as the perfect power couple to rule The Realms. She has taken her lover back with open arms and she wants him to lead her amassed army by her side. He is as fierce a warrior as I have ever seen in battle. Given the right conditions, he will be nearly unstoppable. Secondly, and probably the most ingenious part of her plan, she wants the veil between The Realms to fall. She wants to create chaos between The Realms. That absolutely cannot happen. Morríganna has been short sighted in her lofty goals, and has not foreseen how this will play out, she only sees what could be her ultimate victory. She has lost sight of potential pitfalls to her ambitions. If the veil falls, then the gates of Heaven and the cell doors of Hell will be cast wide open and all matter of creatures will spill forth. The Otherworld and The Mortal Realm will become a battlefield the likes of which have never been witnessed before.” Luc’s crystalline penetrating gaze meets my own horrified expression as his words sink in.

  “Bloody hell.” Tarron mutters, “This is way worse than I imagined it to be.”

  “Game changing.” Tolin says.

  If the tour that I just took of the underbelly of Hell is any indication of what we can expect, then life as we know it will end. The repercussions will be devastating for us all. I can’t help but think of the twins and what this can mean for them and Sammy. Swallowing thickly, I lift a hand to scrub down my face. Glancing back down at Luc’s enchanted table, it’s really just an enormous scrying device, I watch as all matter of demon and demon spawn interact with one another. The scene is what nightmares are made of and a shiver racks through me. For the most part, these demons are locked down in what I would liken to general population in a mortal prison, but the ones that are the most dangerous, they are locked away, isolated in the lowest depths of hell.

  Luc interrupts my pondering, “Ashlinn, what are you prepared to do about this situation?”

  His question sparks an irritation that borders on anger and I snap, throwing his words back at him, “Luc, just what are you prepared to do about it? The way I see it, it’s not just Faerie and The Mortal Realm that will be affected. Why should I be the only one prepared to do anything about this situation. Alaric and I have been tested to our limits in recent months. WE, are still being tested while everyone else sits back and watches events unfold. So… I will ask you again, Lucifer… what are you prepared to do? Are you going to sit back and watch while everyone else does the heavy lifting? Because the way I see it, you have just as much, if not more, to lose as the rest of us!”

  “Mo solas, it would be best-”

  “Tarron, don’t even complete that sentence. I want to hear what the prince of darkness here is willing to do. I want to know if we have an ally here or a foe.”

  “Ashlinn, I’m just saying-”

  “No, she’s right Horde King, she needs to know where I stand. You, Tarron, are dark fae, you and your horde. I will always side with the dark fae, due to their dark tendencies. However, Ashlinn and Alaric are another story.” Luc fixes me with another of his penetrating stares as he silently assesses me and my companions.

  “Ashlinn, why are we even here if you are not going to listen to our counsel?” Tarron asks, his exasperation evident.

  I smile sweetly at Tarron and Tolin, “Duh… You’re the muscle. You both are here to have my back once we go after Alaric. I can handle myself here with dear old Luc.” Both of them roll their eyes at me and I can’t help but chuckle.

  Tolin throws his hands up, “Luc, man, she’s all yours. We are officially bowing out.”

  I glare at the two and notice that Jasmine is pacing the table. Her expression is one of soul wrenching sadness. I know that she is battling her own personal demons. The most pressing of which is, will Camoryn forgive her. Turning back to Luc, I ask, “So what’s it going to be?”

  His smile is dazzling, “We have a common goal little keeper. When the rift grows large enough for my army to amass and descend on Faerie, you have my word that I fight with you and your cause. Balance must be restored. For all of us.”

  “I get that, I really do, but I want you to swear your allegiance. I need to hear you say it.
In this, are we allies? Can we count on you when the time comes?

  “Yes, little keeper, I swear my allegiance to you and this cause, in this, we are allies.”

  Chapter 13

  (Alaric)

  Fuck. Fuckity, fuck. My arms flounder about trying to keep my head above water as I quickly approach the falls. Wildly, I look around, but there is nothing for me to latch on to, nothing to save me from my impending doom. The roar of the rushing water is all I hear. I take deep gulping breaths as I brace myself for the inevitable. The heavy current carries me forward. Every time I’m dragged under the water, the roar of the rapids drowns out all sound from the surface, and the muffled sounds of the rolling water engulf me. Just as I breach the surface one last time, gasping for air, I feel the pull of gravity as I go over the edge, my limbs flailing to keep me upright. I cry out, “Bloody hell!”

  At the last moment, I feel something grab my arm, and for a moment my descent is slowed. I look up to see that Pip’s clawed foot has my arm in his grasp, but I’m too heavy for my little friend. He can’t carry my weight. His wings struggle to keep us both in the air, and I fear his delicate looking wings will be injured. I shout above the thundering water, “Let go, Pip! I’m too heavy.”

  “No Mister! I can’t! I won’t!”

  We continue to drop, and I know that I need to do whatever it takes to get through to him. I look up into his wild eyes, and I smile, “It’s okay, Pip. Let go. I’ll be okay.”

  The strain is evident on his face, and regret passes over his features before he nods. He releases me, and then, I’m free falling, my limbs are whirling as I plunge downward at least one hundred feet. The turbulent water below approaches quickly. Feet first, I plunge into the depths of the river under the waterfall. I’m battered by the rolling water as it continually beats down from the falls above. My sense of up and down is wrecked, my body is rolling end over end in the frothy, bubbling water. I have no idea as to which way is up and which is down. My lungs are burning with the need to just breathe. For the first time in my life, I’m worried that I will not make it back to Ashlinn, and I renew my resolve. I fight and struggle to find my bearings. My lungs on fire, I breach the surface, and gulp in deep breaths of air.

  Spent, I lay my head back in the water, breathing heavily, I look up at the foreign reddish twilight and thank my creator that I survived the last hour in this realm. Slowly, I make my way toward the rocky shore. Suddenly, I remember Pip and look around me franticly.

  “I’m over here, Mister.” Pip is in a clearing on the shore to my left, gathering wood to make a fire.

  “Pip! Where do I start?” I bellow, as I make my way to our new camp site, staggering toward Pipperton, I prepare to scold him for following me.

  “Don’t you start on me Mister, if it hadn’t been for me, you would have been eaten by the gorgers. You know I’m right. See? You do need a guide. Yous ignorant of the goings on here. How are you gonna make it to your kindred if yous left on your own? Now, sit down and warm yourself by the fire.”

  I have officially been dressed down by a kid of maybe ten. Sighing, I relent, “You know your mother must be frantically looking for you, Pipperton. I need to get you back to her.” Looking up at the odd sky above, I ask, “Is it night or day? The color of the sky never seems to change here. How do you know when it’s time to sleep or rest?”

  Pip cocks his head and gives me an incredulous stare, “Mister, that’s easy. All those that dwell in The Underworld adhere to an internal clock. We know when it is time to sleep and when it’s time to rise. I’m tired, but it’s not yet time to retire. We should rest, and as for Momma, I left her a note. Tomorrow is another day, and we’ve lost ground. The river took you further away from The Great Divide.”

  I settle down with my back to a downed tree with the blazing fire in front of me. It feels so good, so warm and comforting. I shrug out of my soggy shirt and boots, leaving my pants on. I lay my shirt across a log to dry and place my boots close to the fire. I have Pip inspect the bite marks on my back, and they appear to be healing nicely. The water has cleansed them from any venom the bites may have held. Sighing, I settle back and say, “You’re right, tomorrow is another day. Just my luck that I’m going to have to make up for lost time.” Sighing again, I look over at my most unlikely ally in this unnatural place and say, “Pip, thank you. You’ve saved me three times now. I’m beginning to lose count. I’m not sure how I was lucky enough to have found you, but I’m grateful that I did. What was up with the gorgers and the river water anyway?”

  “Momma says that our world may be harsh, but there are boundaries that some must heed. She says that those boundaries are there to keep the innocent safe from those that mean to do harm, from those that have been damned. The gorgers have been damned to walk through hell, never to be satisfied, always hungry.”

  “So… they are souls that have been judged guilty of gluttony and their punishment is to wander this place, always ravenous. Their hunger never assuaged.”

  “Mister, I don’t know that word but if it means they are always hungry, then yes.”

  Chuckling, I say, “Yes, Pip, that’s what I meant to say. I’m assuming from the table that appeared in the clearing, that someone is feeding their hunger,” my tone growing more serious.

  “Yep. That would be the prince of gluttony, Beelzebub.”

  “That whole scene was just disturbing. No wonder your mother hides you away from the surface.”

  Pip snorts a little laugh, “Momma has no idea how much time I spend on the surface. I watch from the trees, the comings and goings of all matter of creatures. This is the first time that I have actually interacted with any beings on the surface. Most don’t even know that I’m there watching, I’m really good at hiding myself away.”

  Sighing, I decide to address that little tidbit of information, “That being said Pip, I need to return you to the borough, and to your mother.”

  “Momma will understand. We talked about how much I like you, Mister. I’m still mad at you, by the way. You broke your promise. You left without saying goodbye. The only way for you to make up for that, was for me to see you again. You left me no choice but to follow you.” Pip looks down at his hands before looking back up at me unsure of how I’m going to respond.

  I shake my head and smile, “Oh… Pip, I’m sorry for not staying long enough to say goodbye. I really am, but I’m thinking you would have followed me no matter what. Am I wrong?”

  “No Mister, you’re not…, I…” Pip hangs his head, staring down at his lap.

  “Well, what’s done is done. Hey, what do you say we make the most of this time? We need to eat, and my food rations are probably ruined. Why don’t you show me what is edible here in this strange place, I’m sure you’ve got a lot of knowledge in that little noggin of yours.”

  Pip’s head snaps back up, and he slowly smiles back at me, “I knew you would come around. I have lots to show you.” He bounces up eagerly waiting for me to join him. I slip back into my waterlogged boots and shrug back into my damp shirt, wishing for dry clothing. Knowing that damp clothing is the least of my problems right now. First thing after we rest, I need to get Pip back to his mother. Paynga must be ready to burn me at the stake by now. I don’t even want to think about what Rhynik will do to me if he gets his hands on me. I have no doubt that what I suffered at The Morrígan’s hands will be nothing compared to what that demon will do to me.

  “Mister, you’re not even paying me no never mind.” Pip scolds, pulling me out of my ponderings. “How are yous going to learn about The Underworld if ya don’t listen to your guide?” He huffs out, puffing out his chest just a little, standing there with his shoulders back looking all important.

  I can’t help but laugh. The rumble starts low in my belly before it rumbles out of me, by the goddess, I love this kid. Mussing his hair, I have to agree, “Pipperton, you’re right. I need to pay better attention to my most exceptional guide. You have proven yourself very useful indeed. I woul
d be remiss if I did not take advantage of our time together.” Smiling down at the little imp, I say, “Thank you, Pip, you have no idea how grateful I am that we met when we did. Thank you for making me laugh. It’s been a while, it seems like forever.”

  Pip smiles a huge toothy grin back up at me before throwing his arms around my middle, hugging me tightly. My throat tightens with emotion, and I hug him back a little awkwardly, not knowing where to place my hands due to his wings.

  Pulling away, Pip squares his shoulders. He’s all business now and he begins, “Well Mister, let’s go this way, I’m pretty sure there’s a few dragon fruit trees over here. I scoped them out as I flew overhead on the way down. It’s been a while since I’ve had dragon fruit, but if I remember correctly, the ones with the white flesh inside are bland,” he wrinkles his nose before continuing, “but still nutritious. The ones that have the dark pink flesh are sweet. Either will give us nourishment. Here they are. See?”

  The bulbous fruit hangs from the limbs of the trees before us. The skin of the fruit is a bright pink, it looks as though it’s covered by scales, the tips of which are green. When Pip breaks it open, the fruit inside is a dark pink, almost red, and he bites into the pulp. The juice from the fruit courses down either side of his mouth. A moan escapes him as he hands me the other half, licking his lips. He shoves the other half of the fruit my way. It’s pink pulp looks foreign to me, but I’m hungry, so I take the offering and bite into the fruit in my hands. I’m pleasantly surprised by the sweet taste that invades my mouth. In Ashlinn’s words, its yummy.

  Nodding, I say, “This is amazingly tasty.” He smiles back up at me and continues eating. I look around us to see if there is anything else that we could add to our meager meal. Pip takes flight and is gathering a few more of the ripe fruit, but there’s not much to be had from the looks of it. I wander a little further into the undergrowth and spy a berry bush. The berries are a bit darker than the blueberries from my realm that I’m familiar with. I quickly gather a handful and head back to where Pip is. As I break through the brush, I’m happy with my find and announce, “Look what I found, Pip. We have some berries to add to the dragon fruit.” I pick up a berry and make ready to pop it into my mouth.