by Bevan Greer
“Orsan,” a raspy multitude of voices interrupted his musings. “We have intruders.”
Orsan didn’t take his stare from Naria. “Fine, Lorn. Take a few Cazeth and destroy them.”
“But Orsan,” Lorn whined, his voices clashing horribly as his fear rose. “There are…” he paused and swallowed, looking around him.
“Spit it out, Lorn. I grow weary with your timidity.”
“There are Dark Worlders here.”
Orsan’s smile froze on his face and he whipped his head around to stare into Lorn’s fathomless eyes.
“Dark Worlders? You are sure?”
“Yes.” Lorn nodded and waited.
Orsan cursed in several tongues and the void above them suddenly grew smaller. The yawning emptiness took too much of his strength to keep open. And now that Dark Worlders had arrived he’d need all of his strength to defeat both them and Jace Arel.
“Take half of our warriors and wipe them out. And remind them all to be cautious. Jace is stronger than I’d thought.”
Lorn bowed and flew out of the room on swift wings.
“Your end is coming,” Naria said with a smile. Her eyes shimmered and for an instant Orsan found himself entranced by her gaze. Then cursing, he broke away from her powerful stare and backhanded her across the face. She flew back several feet and lay sprawled on the hard floor, her hair strewn about her face, her barely clad limbs unmoving.
“Perfect,” Orsan said as he studied her. He smiled, the chaos building inside of him once more, his fear of his native brethren fading.
Jace stood with the others and watched as a horde of those purple-winged half-breeds flew towards them, chirping and clicking madly. Several of the Psi immediately engaged in battle while the Dark Worlders watched cautiously.
Jace felt rather than saw the battle going on around him. The half-breeds, evidently a mix of Psi and Cazeth, fought ferociously but had little physical strength to back them up. Instead their minds shot fire and walls of strength into the rebels, causing several to pass out from the sheer magnitude of the mental blasts.
Lord Demise shouted something in a foreign tongue and suddenly the small contingent of Dark Worlders vanished, only to appear behind the Cazeth’s minions. Enveloped now on both sides, the minions fought like demons themselves.
And then the powers of Dark World fluttered into life. Blasts of fire, ice and wind exploded from the devels while mental horrors chased the winged creatures, compliments of the demons. Demise and Krital watched with satisfaction as the half-breeds writhed and smoked, going down easily under the Dark World/Psi allegiance.
But as the enemy slowly crumbled, a half dozen Cazeth appeared. Clever, Jace thought, to watch and learn about the enemy, sacrificing those most expendable.
“Careful,” Jace murmured to his crew. They disengaged the half-breeds and stared warily into the face of true evil. The Cazeth watched the fight with dark smiles of glee and rapture, exulting in death no matter whose side the participants had fought.
Then the Cazeth attacked. In far greater strength than the purple winged creatures, the Cazeth had experience and true power behind them. Several bolts of lightning exploded into the midst of the Dark Worlders, causing shrieks of pain and anguish as several unfortunate creatures ran ablaze. With a hand of ice, Devel Keep Krital extinguished the flame and turned to Demise.
Apparently the two said something for they turned as one to face the Cazeth. Apparently the Cazeth knew both Devel Keep and Demon Lord for they faltered and drew back hesitantly.
“Now,” Demise said and Jace watched in awe as the powers of Dark World unfolded. He could feel Mystique shudder in agony as darkness enveloped darkness. A powerful wave of fire and mental power shot forward, crushing and holding the Cazeth while the Dark Worlders and Psi rushed in to slash and destroy the Cazeth.
“Now go,” Demise said to Jace as he battled the Cazeth. Not needing any more direction, Jace nodded and quickly left the others behind. He didn’t notice his crew following him stealthily, nor did he see Arana join them as she left her men to fight the floundering Cazeth.
-22-
Jace raced into the great hall to find Naria lying still on the stone floor, no one else in sight. Much as he longed to rush to her, he contained his worry, knowing Orsan expected him to lose control. Forcing himself to be calm, Jace opened his mind and found Orsan and seven other Cazeth shimmering between planes, invisible, yet clearly surrounding Naria’s prone form.
Jace stepped forward, cursing silently when he felt his crew join him. It wouldn’t take Demise and the others long to vanquish the Cazeth. And then they’d join him here, he thought in triumph. But he had to fight Orsan, alone, to the death.
“Stop your cowardly retreat, Orsan,” Jace said with a sneer. “Show yourself and fight, if you’re not afraid.”
Maniacal laughter filled the hall as the Cazeth all joined in their mad taunting. Jace fought the urge to cover his ears and sink to his knees, strengthening his resolve. Filled with his love for Naria and Mystique’s rare warmth, Jace felt a confidence he had before been missing. He watched as Orsan and the others gradually shifted back into this plane.
Eight Cazeth, Jace thought, counting them all. He took a deep breath and was about to step forward when one of the Cazeth shrieked and fell to the ground, writhing in pain.
Jace turned to see Arana staring with an unholy light in her eyes.
“That was for Mother,” she said quietly.
Not giving the creature a chance to escape, Mikhel and Nesham quickly advanced and removed its head. Jace watched as its black blood quickly smoked through the floor and the body shriveled away into nothing.
“Seven left, Orsan,” Jace said with a dark grin, his eyes dark and shining with an eagerness to fight.
“And yet killing just one leaves her so weak, so frail,” Orsan said softly as he crooned to Arana.
Jace turned and watched in horror as his sister’ eyes blanked and she walked helplessly forward. But quick as a blink, Mikhel grabbed her to him, enfolding her in his arms.
The other Cazeth circled around the group as Orsan hovered over Naria.
“Uh, Jace?” Koneru asked quietly. “Now might be a good time to give them a good mental blast or something.”
The Cazeth had completely closed them off from Naria. And as Jace stood torn, he saw Orsan awaiting his decision. Save your friends and Mystique, or save Naria.
Unable to make such a choice, Jace stood indecisive until he felt Naria’s tentative probing on his mind.
“Save them,” she spoke into his mind. “I have been waiting for Orsan to show a weakness. In his pride he shall fall.”
Jace stared with hatred at Orsan before leaping back to defend his crew. Trusting in Naria, he gathered his will and using the untapped depths of his mind, he let forth a great blast of mental heat, shattering the Cazeth’s hold on his friends.
The others watched in amazement as the Cazeth suddenly shot away from their attack as if a bomb had hit. Cazeth flew everywhere, two lifted upwards into the pit of emptiness above them, the others shattering the ice wall around the room, sending frozen Psi to the ground in great blocks of ice.
Wasting no time, the crew immediately set on the weakest Cazeth while Jace pursued the others. He turned as Orsan screamed out in anger and pain, only to see the large Cazeth clutching at his eyes, great gaping wounds now streaming with black blood.
And at Orsan’s feet stood Naria, her hair whipping around her body, her eyes a shimmering rainbow as she glared at Orsan. Jace could feel her power reaching out to his and he brushed her energies, amazed at the warmth flowing over him.
Feeling more powerful than ever, Jace let loose a barrage of mental flame that set another Cazeth ablaze. Shocked at the ferocity of this attack, the three remaining Cazeth looked to Orsan for help.
“Kill them!” Orsan screamed and burst of energy shot through the hall.
“Get down!” Jace shouted as Mikhel narrowly avoided a fatal bol
t of lightning. Castor finished slicing a Cazeth in two and rolled away just as another block of the frozen wall around the hall came crashing down.
“You think to defeat me? Orsan? Ruler of all I survey?” Orsan’s voice grew as his anger multiplied. “I am Cazeth, a strength of purpose you Offworlders can never hope to possess.”
Jace looked briefly at Naria and saw her mouth quirk in satisfaction. Orsan was wiping at his eyes ineffectually, the burns making his vision almost impossible to use.
But then Orsan did something unexpected. He laughed and threw his energies into the hole of nothingness above them.
“Mother, we return to you,” Orsan cried out as the void grew.
“You cannot,” Jace said firmly and quickly joined Naria, hugging her to his side. Her warmth made him giddy with relief and as he stared at the end of Mystique swirling above them all, he knew that with Naria’s help they would defeat Orsan. “Naria, will you give me what I need?”
“I would give you anything, love,” Naria said softly and kissed him, filling him with her essence and the power of her love.
Full of wonder and energy, Jace didn’t think nor did he hear the gasps of shock that filled the hall. Large golden wings grew out of his back and he floated upwards, meeting Orsan in the air just below the void. But the void held no sway over Jace nor those he protected on the ground.
Jace watched as the other Cazeth, both alive and dead were sucked into the great nothingness above them.
“Hold, Orsan!” He heard Demise shout and could feel the Dark Worlders enter the hall. But Jace kept his attention on Orsan.
“You have failed, Orsan,” Jace said pleasantly, his grin not reaching his dark eyes. “And now it is my turn to exact a measure of vengeance and justice for my people.”
“Jace, no. He is ours,” Demise shouted to be heard over the wind now swirling around them. Though sheltered from the void, those on the ground felt the effects of Orsan’s elemental powers until Keep Krital silenced them.
“No, he belongs with his mother,” Jace said softly and watched as the dawning fear lit Orsan’s eyes.
“You will pay for his.” Orsan sneered and shot a blast of lightning straight at Naria. He gasped as the lightning passed through Naria and appeared to have done no damage.
His attack pushed Jace to the edge and not thinking of anything save ending this torment, Jace flew into Orsan and grappled with the strong Cazeth. Though wounded, Orsan’s madness gave him the strength of ten Cazeth. He wrapped his large arms around Jace and clawed and pummeled away seeking to harm.
Yet Jace deflected those blows, narrowly missing a talon no doubt intended to blind him. “No, this time you will pay,” Jace said through his teeth and he stared holes into Orsan’s brain.
Unaware that Demise and Krital had joined Jace’s battle in the air, Jace continued to pour his light into Orsan’s dark body. He and Orsan remained locked together, soaring higher and higher towards the nothingness when Demise grabbed Jace’s foot.
“Let him go,” Demise ordered, his eyes blazing yet uncertain as he stared at Jace. Jace could not know that from his eyes streamed a light so pure that it hurt the Dark Worlders to see it. But Jace did perceive that Demise meant to help him, not harm him. And so he did as suggested.
The minute he removed himself from Orsan he felt a wave of energy pass around him that was so intense it took all of his focus not to lose consciousness. Orsan shrieked as the energy hit him and forced him into the nothingness.
As soon as the Cazeth entered, the void seemed to blink and shrink until nothing more than a black speck remained, only to disappear as well.
Mystique seemed to shudder in relief and Jace felt himself being drawn back down to the ground gently, barely conscious of Demise and Krital’s careful grips on his arms.
“Jace?” Naria asked in wonder as she eyed her golden angel. She watched as his wings shimmered away, saw her father and Devel Keep Krital watch Jace warily. Even Naria couldn’t understand how Jace had grown wings and flown. No power she’d ever heard of could allow a being to grow the wings of power likened to her people of Dark World.
On his feet and in her arms, Jace leaned wearily into her and would have sunk to the ground had Naria and her father not caught him.
“Not bad, Naria,” Lord Demise said, a hint of a grin on his handsome face. “For an Offworlder he has the requisite power to equal my daughter.”
Krital snorted but said nothing, merely eyed Demise as if he’d gone insane. Then he turned to Naria and bowed, his eyes twinkling. “Quite impressive, Shayna. It’s too bad that you are mated to an Offworlder. I could have found several devels to interest you at home.”
“Krital.” Demise growled low in his throat but the Devel Keep merely laughed, his sharp teeth glowing under Mystiques’ setting sun.
“Well, Daughter,” Demise said as he studied her and Jace kneeling on the ground. “Mystique is back, the Cazeth are no more and now we really must go.” He looked uncomfortable as he stared at the rock under his feet. “The planet tolerated us for only so long. I don’t expect to be returning, but I will expect you to visit and soon,” he ordered with a smile. Then he leaned down and kissed her on the head.
“Krital, gather the others and let us leave this horrid place,” Demise said as he grimaced around him. “And the next time any of you step foot on Dark World, I’ll be waiting,” he said with a large smile. Several of the Psi backed away in fear while Naria heard Nesham sigh.
“Nice father by marriage you’ve got there,” Mikhel murmured softly and Naria watched as Nesham’s face grew dark.
Laughing, she watched as her father and the others melted away, leaving Mystique finally free of the darkness that had enslaved it for so long. The planet glowed and the air turned sweet and fresh, a cool breeze wafting through the palace to clear the air of the stench of death.
Groans of pain and confusion soon filled the palace as the ice block surrounding the encased Psi melted, leaving its prisoners wet, cold and finally alive again.
“Naria?” Jace asked softly. She looked down at him and smiled. She kissed him gently on the lips and cradled his head on her lap. “They’re gone, aren’t they?”
“Yes, Jace, they are,” Naria said with a smile and lifted Jace into a sitting position. She watched with him as everyone laughed and talked at once, aiding the wounded and disoriented Psi. The sky above them had turned a light lavender, cloudless and warm. And the ground beneath them quivered with delight as its inhabitants once again sounded with joy.
“Naria, you are my heart,” Jace said as he turned in her arms to kiss her soundly. A great cheer rent the hall and Naria and Jace looked up to find themselves the source of the noise.
Blushing, Naria curled deeper into Jace who laughed and tried to stand. Still a bit shaky herself, Naria helped him, aided by a grinning Castor.
“People of Mystique,” Jace shouted aloud and the hall quieted. “We are free at last of the hated Cazeth. Evil will roam this planet no more.” The hall erupted into cheer. “And if not for Arana, the Princess Zescha, all this might never have come to pass.”
Arana blushed and Naria smiled, glad that Jace had given his sister the credit she was due.
“But I have one more thing to add. I would like to again live with you all, in peace, if you will let me,” Jace said with a smile amidst cheering and hollering. “With my mate, Naria Arel, formerly of Dark World.”
The crowd quieted for a moment at mention of that planet, then the noise rose to a deafening crescendo as the import of Jace’s words sunk in. The royal prince had returned and freed the land, and now he would be king with a new queen, one as full in power as he.
“Zescha, Zescha,” began being chanted as Jace hugged Naria to his side.
“Now perhaps we can get a little privacy for ourselves, hmm? It feels like forever since I’ve held you close,” Jace whispered into Naria’s ear and bit her lobe lightly, causing flutters to fly in her stomach
“Wouldn’t y
ou rather rest?” Naria asked, conscious of their wounds and exhaustion from their fight.
“Later, much later,” Jace murmured and pressed his aroused body into hers. Naria laughed, limping with him out of the hall.
-Epilogue-
“So you’re really staying.” Jace watched his crew readying to depart Mystique. They had brought the SpaceStalker down and replenished supplies. The past week had been spent in celebration and cleansing, ridding the kingdom of everything dark and renewing life around them.
Though the Psi had taken a tremendous hit, their numbers dwindling to mere hundreds, Jace felt confident that with the new policies concerning outsiders things would soon change.
I thought I’d see what more your planet has to offer before I leave again.” Mikhel’s gaze sought Arana, who never seemed to be too far from the large man’s presence.
If you leave again, Jace added silently. He thought he recognized the expression in Arana’s eyes whenever she looked at Mikhel. It was the same look he’d been giving Naria since he’d fallen in love with her.
“Yes, well,” Mikhel said with a shrug. “There’s so much life here.”
“That there is,” Jace said proudly. In just a few short days his people had made tremendous strides to rid themselves of loss and sadness, and Jace could feel it in the planet, that happiness and new growth.
He walked with Mikhel towards the ship, where Castor stood amidst a bevy of beautiful women while Koneru argued with Nesham.
“Castor, I see you haven’t lost your touch,” Jace said wryly.
Castor grinned. “You know, Jace, I’m thinking of stopping back by here after we drop Nesham and Carinna on Fenby. Koneru’s planning on taking the SpaceStalker back to Rovi to get more thorough repairs and I might as well spend the time here as well as anyplace else.”
Jace could see the happy expressions on several of the ladies’ faces hearing that. Koneru and Nesham, on the other hand, continued to argue.
“We’re not taking that creature with us and that’s final,” Koneru stated.
