Warrior

by Jana LaPelle

  Chapter 15

  (Ashlinn)

  Finally.

  Luc has allowed us out of his Keep. He’s such a controlling bastard. I get it, he wants us to understand The Underworld. Blah, blah, blah… All the while he has had the ability to show me where Alaric is and how he is fairing, yet he has not. I’m not stupid! There are things happening on the other side of the Great Divide that he does not want me to know about just yet. Time is subjective, and I have an idea that more time has passed for Alaric than for me. My panther is barely contained. I must calm myself and take deep relaxing breaths to push her back. I hate that I can’t allow her out. It’s something that she desperately wants.

  Luc looks my way and says, “Believe it or not, I will be keeping tabs on you both. As well as your companions. When the time is right, I will intervene to make sure that you all make it back to The Otherworld.”

  Sighing, I look at the infuriating prince of darkness and ask, “Why can’t we just go to Alaric and take him home now? I get it, The Underworld is worth saving. You’ve shown me that. So why all the subterfuge at this point?”

  “I, like my father, will allow things to play out without my interference. There are lessons yet to be learned here. Your time in The Underworld will come to a close soon. Now, if you want to find Alaric, you will need to proceed to the Citadel of Depravity. That is where my brethren have made their home. Only a select few of this world are invited to reside in their capital. Those that dwell their have become morally corrupt and there are those that live there against their will and have been enslaved. My brothers get first right of refusal before the abducted are taken to auction.”

  Jasmine speaks up, clearly horrified by his words, “Why do you allow them to behave in that manner? Your people must live in fear, all the time.”

  “Because my dear Jasmine, The Underworld must feed the universe at large. Without pride, wrath, greed, and all those things that feed the dark, the light would not look so much more appealing. For there to be light, there must be darkness. This realm brings balance to all The Realms, and in order for it to do so, we indulge in our dark natures.”

  As the two continue their conversation, it clicks. Alaric hasn’t been invited into their city, he has been taken by force. Turning back to Luc, I accuse, “You knew! You kept me here all this time and you knew that Alaric had been taken by the slavers. You know that they will force him into the games. He doesn’t stand a chance with his abilities bound! How could you?” I demand.

  “Ash, Alaric can hold his own and you know it. We’ll get to him and get him out of there. I’m sure that Luc had good reason for not allowing us to leave sooner.” Tarron attempts to calm me down.

  “I could care less as to his motives, Tarron,” I seethe, before turning back to the prince of darkness, “We leave now, I’ve had just about enough of your hospitality, Luc. Tell me how to get to my kindred.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that little keeper, because I have very much enjoyed you and your companion’s stay with me.” He sighs before continuing, “Very well, Sahzu and her team will escort you to the mountain pass closest to the floating city. The hellhounds are fast, so you should make it there before what you would call midday. From there you will be given mounts to ride the mountain currents, the drakes will fly you to the city. You will be on your own once you receive your mounts. Sahzu’s race is highly sought after on the other side of the divide and I will not risk her or her team.”

  “What do you mean by drakes? Do you mean dragons?” Tolin asks.

  “Our drakes here in The Underworld are small dragon like creatures about the size of a full-grown horse. They are not likened to the Drakon that you are familiar with, they are not shifters, they are simply drakes. They will be how you avoid wandering on foot to your destination, therefore keeping you safe from the many demons, damned, and shades that will seek to do you harm. My brother, Asmodeus will be awaiting your arrival at the citadel. Trust me when I say, do… not… trust… him. Dez is the prince of lust. Once he sees you, he will pour on the charm in every effort to dissuade you from your purpose. He will find something in each of you that he will covet and lust after. He and Leviathan are twins and share a residence there. Levi is the prince of envy and just like his twin brother he will find something in each of you. The two have been known to embrace each other’s tendencies and often times lust and envy become interchangeable. Then there are Belphegor and Beelzebub, neither will show any interest in any of you, and you will likely not even come into contact with either of them. Now, Mammon, the prince of greed, will want to obtain each of you for his collection. His greed knows no boundaries. He will tempt Dez and Levi in an effort to obtain you, little keeper. I would suggest, that you all keep a low profile around Mammon, especially you and Lady Jasmine. Now, Dez and Levi are aware that you are my guest and have agreed to be your host while you remain in the city. They will not cross me, but you should be prepared, and know that there is some serious competition between my brethren. That about sums it up. Any questions?”

  “Great! That’s just awesome sauce! How are we supposed to get Alaric out of there? Can you tell me that?” I demand.

  “I’m sorry, Ashlinn, that’s for you and your friends to work out. Remember, I will intervene when the time is right.”

  “Gah, this is hopeless. Can you at least tell me who has Alaric?” I ask, my patience wearing thin.

  “Mammon. Of my brethren, he is probably the most powerful. The greed here and in the realms of the living has become abundant and he is thriving, as he fuels greed on all of these realms he feeds off of all those hundreds of thousands of souls that wallow in self-indulgence and their desire for more money and more power. I think you get the general idea.”

  “Yeah… I get it.” I shake my head, thoroughly pissed. I’m over all the not interfering bullshit. Turning, I walk away and call over my shoulder, “Come on Jaz, let’s go. Do you want back in my pack or do you want to stay out? It’s well past time that I get to Alaric.”

  “Ash, you can forget me going back in that stuffy old bag of yours, I’m with you.” Jasmine flutters about me before continuing, “I’m ready to go home, let’s go get your Elf-Man.”

  “Damn straight, Jaz, we’re done here.”

  “Yep, she’s pissed. Way to go Luc. Looks like we’re out of here.” Tolin says, “Thanks for the tour and your hospitality, while it lasted. I have to say, I’m with her on this. It had better end well or there will be hell to pay.” T makes his way toward me, he looks as pissed as I feel, and I take comfort in that fact. At least the bromance is over for now.

  Tarron and Luc are caught up in a quiet conversation before he says his goodbyes and makes his way over to us where we are preparing to mount up. Sahzu’s hellhound is just as enormous and scary as I remember, and I allow Tolin to help me up. There are a total of five blue skin, four arm she-demons that will be escorting us to the mountain pass.

  Sahzu turns back to Luc and inclines her head, “My prince, they will be safe in our care.” I turn to glare at Luc as Sahzu and her team take off through the gates of the fortress, and I hold on for dear life. His gaze never leaves my own, his expression somber. I realize then that he knows more about what is to come than he is letting on, and that bad feeling that I’ve been trying to suppress for days has just become a lot more insistent. A premonition would come in handy right about now, but no…, I’m on my own.

  Jasmine is on my shoulder, lending me her quiet support as we ride through the town that surrounds Luc’s domain. Tolin is to my right and Tarron is behind us. Since arriving here several days ago, I finally feel as though I’m on the right path. With every step we take we are one more step closer to Alaric and the tightness in my chest begins to ease.

  Sahzu calls over her shoulder, “I’ll have to slow our pace a bit once we hit the mountain trails. It shouldn’t affect our time. The hounds have a great deal of stamina. The mountain trails are narrow, and at times difficult to navigate. That’s why we ride the hou
nds, they are nimble and sure footed.”

  “I don’t care how we get there, I just need to get to my kindred. I trust you Sahzu to get us there in one piece.”

  She laughs, and says, “We’ll see. Some of these trails are tricky. Hope you are up for an adventure!”

  (Ashlinn)

  Tricky? Tricky my ass! Those trails were downright terrifying. That blue she-demon laughed all the way up the mountain side with every gasp I took. Jasmine was not at all helpful, I think the two of them actually bonded over my unease, there were times when the hellhound lost his footing, more times than I care to count. As we approached Drake Pass, which by the way is not original at all, Jaz took off. Evidently, she could no longer handle my cursing at every turn. I can see her up ahead, her little wings fluttering and reflecting the scarlet light of the heavens of this realm. I know that we are close to the top of the mountain where we are to begin our next phase of our journey and I relax, just a little.

  Sahzu leans back and says, “I like you, little keeper. We are about to part ways, but I want you to know that you have gained my respect… and my loyalty. I hope that we will see each other again.”

  As we reach our destination, I slide down from the hellhound that has graciously gotten us to our destination and look back up at Sahzu, and say, “I like you too, Sahzu. In another lifetime, in another realm, I think we could be fast friends. I must say that I certainly don’t share your sentiments about seeing each other again, unless you plan on traveling to The Otherworld.”

  Sahzu inclines her head, her horns are impressive, and she says, “Well said, little goddess, this realm is not for the likes of you… or your kindred, or any of your friends. Most likely, we will see each other outside of this realm. The rift grows. We will fight as allies… of that you have my word.”

  “I look forward to it, Sahzu, you will be a worthy ally,” turning my gaze to the large hellhound, I say, “Thank you for getting me here in one piece, although, I think some of those near misses on the trail where just to scare me. I hope you enjoyed my squeals of unease.” He snorts, and I swear that the beast is chuckling.

  “Until we meet again, Ashlinn,” the she-demon, turns her mount and they slowly walk back down the mountain pass, their ambling form swaying from side to side, and I watch her go, her blue and black silhouette against the reddish sky. Her team moves to follow suit, their hellhounds taking their time. Obviously, they are going to take a more leisurely trek heading back to Luc’s domain.

  Turning, I look toward the drakes. Their handlers are waiting for us. They appear to be chomping at their bits to get a move on. They are harnessed and saddled. I quickly look them over, they are four legged creatures and their wings are reptilian like. Most or either a combination of red-black or either red or black. Turning toward the male who is obviously in charge, I demand, “Give me the low down, tell me what I need to know.” Tarron, Tolin, and Jasmine gather around me as we wait for his answer.

  “The drakes know the way. So, give them their head. Once they have deposited you in the Citadel of Depravity, all you need to do is dismount and they will head back home. Good luck, my lady.” The drake handler looks human, but I really don’t have time to ponder this as we choose our mounts.

  The drakes before us are eager to take to the skies. I eye them warily before approaching the one small dragon that has been eyeing me curiously. Her gleaming black scales along her back are a contrast to the red scales that blend to black on her underbelly. I look up at the reddish sky above, and back at her scales along her underside and smile. It’s almost the perfect blend to camouflage them from any onlookers from the ground, and I mutter, “That’s genius,” turning my attention to the man before us, I ask, “Do they change colors? Or have they adapted their coloring to this place?”

  “No, their coloring doesn’t change. Once they take to the skies, they are very difficult to detect from the ground. You will be safe until you arrive at the citadel.” He walks over to the drake that has been eyeing me curiously and gestures for me to come forward, “She will be fast, and her ride will be smooth. Agoru, meet Prince Luc’s guest in this realm, this is Ashlinn, she’s the goddess of life, so take good care of her.” The drake eyes me before inclining her head. She seems very intelligent.

  “It’s very nice to meet you, Agoru. I very much appreciate you and your fellow drakes providing safe passage for me and my friends.” Her green eyes blink, her vertical pupils widen and then narrow before she lowers her front legs to a crouch, inviting me to mount up. I quickly step into the stirrup of the saddle secured across her back. Swinging my leg over her back, I settle in.

  The handler moves to reach over me, “Begging your pardon, my lady. This strap will more securely fasten you to Agoru. It’s precautionary, just in case the slavers try to take you by force. The drakes will evade their maneuvers. They are very aerodynamically skilled. They will see you to the citadel without mishap.”

  “Thank you.” I smile at the handler, before asking, “Is Agoru the alpha?”

  “Yes, my lady, Agoru is their queen. She is fierce, and she chose you, as you chose her. She recognizes your status. She will see you to the citadel. After that you are on your own.”

  “I gathered that. Jaz? Are you ready?” I ask, my grin belying my enthusiasm at our next adventure. So much has changed since my introduction to Faerie.

  “Yeah. Let’s do this!” Her tiny wings are fluttering rapidly in front of me.

  I give Agoru her head. and she spreads her wings. With several galloping strides she takes to the air. Jasmine has secured herself to my side and squeals in exhilaration. I smile and hold on tight as Agoru gains altitude. Tarron and Tolin mount their drakes and follow suit. As soon as we are all in the air, we head west, or what I think is west toward the citadel.

  Once we reach a certain altitude, we’re able to take a look around. Things are much different from one side of the divide to the other. There are areas that appear to be barren, there are forest, and rivers all of which lay beneath this realm’s ominous crimson sky. There are clouds, and it does rain here, but there is no moon, no sun, no stars. I miss that. I miss all the vibrant color, I miss home. This place is dreary in comparison. My little group is unusually quiet. There is no banter amongst us as we sit astride our mounts. I look to Jasmine and her face is set in grim determination. We have no idea as to what awaits us. Then, in the distance, I see an astonishing sight. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It looks like an island suspended in midair. The chains that tether it to the ground and the mountain range are utterly enormous. There are several, much smaller islands secured to the main floating rock. The sight is nothing short of incredible. Then there is the city that is perched upon that enormous mass of hovering earth, it looks pristine compared to its surroundings. It literally glows like a celestial body in the sky.

  Beside me, Jasmine mutters, “Wow…, cover me with pixie dust, and paint me surprised. I wasn’t expecting that.”

  I can’t help but laugh and respond, “Neither was I, Jaz. It’s a bit unexpected.”

  Agoru and the other drakes continue steadily toward the colossal city. From our vantage point I can make out towers and what looks like an enormous coliseum. It appears to be circular with one exception, the walls surrounding it are open on one end at the edge of the floating island. If someone is unlucky enough to find themselves on the losing end of a battle and are backed up to that end of the arena, their fate will be sealed. They will plummet to their death, unless they have wings. A shiver washes over me and I’m worried for what is to come.

  The drakes circle the citadel, so we can get a better look. One of the towering buildings stand taller than the rest and is smack dab in the center of the city. It gleams golden under the attention of the scarlet skies, it’s as if it glows from within, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that is where Alaric is being held, I can sense him even though our bond has been dampened. Agoru is flying past that structure and is heading towards a stone building t
hat is just as impressive yet understated. There is a large open balcony with no balustrade, it is as if it were constructed just for this very use. One by one the drakes land and walk forward toward the two men with chocolate colored skin. They bow their heads in reverence to their princes. The two appear to be identical, they must be the princes that Luc told us of, lust and envy.

  I lean over and stroke Agoru’s neck and say, “Thank you for transporting us here. I very much appreciate your service.” Swinging my leg over her back, I dismount and slide to the ground.

  “It was my great pleasure, my lady.”

  The drake before me inclines her head and I startle when I hear her voice in my head. “How can you…?”

  “What is it, Ash?” Jasmine asks in confusion.

  “Only you may hear me. I hope that we may meet again, but I fear that it will be under different skies as The Realms go to war. Change is coming. Change for us all. Take care, my lady. Until we meet again.”

  “Until we meet again, Agoru. Thank you, I will look forward to seeing you again, when the time is right.”

  Tolin and Tarron both come up to flank me on either side as we watch the drakes take to the sky. The younger male that Tolin was riding walks off the edge of the landing and free falls before stretching out his wings to be carried higher up on an updraft, back to fall in behind his queen. Figures that Tolin would get the light-hearted drake.

  Turning I mean to greet the two brothers, but before I can do anything Tarron and Tolin step in front of me blocking my view of the two. I try to slide between my over-zealous protectors, but that doesn’t work. So, I try to sidestep around Tolin and again I’m blocked. I’m getting seriously frustrated by my two protectors and mumble, “What the hell, guys. Let me by, you chum it up with Luc, but now you decide to take your role seriously?”

  I hear a rather deep throated chuckle and peer around Tarron’s large frame to see that both of the brothers are amused, “Lucifer said that your little entourage could be rather entertaining. I see that our brother spoke the truth. Come now, we mean the tiny goddess no harm. The four of you are most welcome in our not so humble abode.”