Fire and Fantasy: A Limited Edition Collection of Urban and Epic Fantasy

by CK Dawn

  Carter laughed as he tapped on the glass door and gave a short nod to the guard inside. “It helps if you have a friend on the inside.”

  “Right, you’re so connected.” She rolled her eyes.

  “Mark, good to see you.” Carter shook the hand of the short, stocky man who gave them access to the building.

  “Haven’t seen you here in quite some time. What’s going on?”

  “Just making a trip home, a little visit to see some old friends.”

  “Right, I know you’re Mr. Popular there. Shit must really be serious for you to be going back.”

  “What can I say, desperate times.”

  “Well, I’m sure you remember your way around.”

  “Yes, I do. Thanks!”

  Mark nodded to Asa. “My friend here lacks manners.” He held his hand out to her. “I’m Mark.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mark. Asa. And yes, he sure could use a few lessons in that department.”

  “You work on him, huh?” Mark grinned, happy to find that she was a ball buster. Perfect match for Carter who held no punches.

  “I make no promises.” She smiled and followed Carter who scoffed as he walked off. “The man is bull headed,” she said just loud enough to be sure the fleeing figure heard her.

  In all her years, Asa had never been inside of the famous skyscraper. The interior was modern, with cool, sleek designs, escalators led up to the second floor where there were restaurants according to the sign, and downstairs where there were more food choices, a post office, and apparently, a book store, among other things. Asa wanted to explore the space, but Carter was not waiting for her. When she caught up to him she laughed.

  “What’s so funny?” He looked over his shoulder at the woman.

  “You are. Who knew you were so sensitive!” She poked him in the arm and quickly retrieved her hand before he could knock it away.

  “I’m not, but hell, I’m not going to stand there and be talked about.” He shrugged. “Besides, it looked like you two were hitting it off. Wanted to give you a bit of privacy.”

  “Oh, ha, ha, you’re so funny.” Mark was a nice enough guy, Asa could tell that much, but he was far from her type and Carter knew it. Mark would never be able to keep up with her, and that assessment wasn’t in strictly sexual terms.

  “So where to now, oh leader?”

  “To the very top, of course.” The rueful smile returned to his face. The tone of his voice reminded her of Willy Wonka, one of the few films she’d watched and enjoyed. There was something more up his sleeve.

  “How often do you come here, considering you have VIP passes?”

  “Not very often at all. Like Mark said, I have no reason to be here. I don’t make many trips back home, and after a visit or two when I first came to Chicago … well, it really isn’t that impressive anymore, just another building.”

  The elevator took them to the very top, and not to the deck where most visitors went. Carter made no exaggeration in his claim. The in-ride video played on the screen above the doors, cartoon figures telling them facts about the building and the city around it. The 103rd floor was the destination for most. The elevator kept rising, even past what she knew to be 110 floors. There was more, floor 113. The chime sounded and the doors opened.

  “You’re joking, right?” In front of them was the roof of the building. The unsecured roof. “There is a doorway up here?” Asa wasn’t afraid—hell, she’d been to higher places—but the winds pushed against them and there was nothing in the immediate vicinity that she could grab hold of in case of a stronger gust. She had no intentions of being scraped off the sidewalk come morning.

  “I never kid. Just hold on tight! It gets a bit windy up here!”

  “Trust me, I know.” She shook her head. “You weren’t kidding when you said they made sure this place was difficult to get to. I can’t see too many people being eager to hang around up here.”

  “Yep, if it was easy, everyone would be there. We aren’t all that keen on visitors in Oikos.”

  “Ha, right.” She waited inside the elevator, positioned as not to allow the doors to close. “So how exactly do we get there? I mean we’re up here, and I don’t see any gateway.”

  “Well, there has to be a little effort to it, a little magic.” From his pocket, he pulled a small red stone, only an inch long and cone shaped. After showing it to her, he lifted the stone in the air and spoke to the sky, “Anoichtí gia ména to spíti mou!” In his Greek tongue, he called for the veil to be lifted and it answered his request. In front of them, just off the edge of the tower, in the same fashion of the ones to the elevator she was still hanging out of, a pair door slid open. Agape in the night sky, disturbing the view of the lit city, was a passage to a new world. Carter reached back to her to give him her hand. “You ready for this?”

  “Let’s just say I am and we can get this over with.”

  Seven

  Stepping into Oikos was an experience one could never truly be prepared for, which was why Carter hadn’t spent much time trying to put the experience into words. As much as Carter attempted to explain what she should expect from the people there, he had left out what to expect visually and emotionally. Asa’s heart stopped, frozen in her chest, and her mind went into overload when she laid eyes on the hidden realm. If she had ever stopped to imagine what heaven looked like, it wouldn’t be too far from the world that was laid out in front of her.

  He said it was magical, a place created from the last of what his people possessed, and yet she imagined something plain, reminiscent of the village they’d dwelled in. Instead of dirt grounds and huts for homes, there were towers, buildings that reminded her of grand cathedrals, but they were soft. There were no gothic touches, everything was smooth with glass surfaces that reflected the skies around them. Very modern for a world built far before its time. In the distance, she saw the peaks of mountains and wondered just how far Oikos spanned. Waterfalls were a common visage as well as ponds surrounded by wild life. Everything lived together, in peace, and she could feel that from the moment she crossed over. If she were a god, she would want to call this place home. Yes, the people of Oikos had every right to be fearful of the gods’ return.

  “You know, for a group of people who claim to loathe the gods so much, they sure have created a home very reminiscent of the home of said gods.” She spoke softly as they walked along the path that lead the Oikos’ center and where most of the population dwelled. She had never seen Olympus but she, like everyone else, often heard of the beauty of the place. She imagined it more often once Ares entered her life. She would lay in bed and try to picture what his home away from her looked like.

  “Yes, trust me, the irony is not lost on me, or anyone else for that matter. You will quickly come to find that those who created this world are a lot more flawed than they believe.” If Carter tried to keep the bitterness from his voice, he failed miserably.

  “What do you mean?” She kept pace with him. “Is there something I should know about the people here? Is there something you haven’t told me? I know the people here are abrasive, and unaccepting of you. I know that they may very well treat me in similar fashion, considering I am an outsider. Is there something else?”

  “It’s the reason my mother strayed away, the reason I no longer dwell here.” People always whispered about how his mother had apparently been with a god, but they neglected to mention why she had left Oikos in the first place. The problem with their home was that, unlike the rest of the world, they remained with old traditions, which often meant people like his mother were looked down upon. She was older, unmarried, and unloved. The only daughter of a poor woman who couldn’t tell who her father was. It seemed his mother would follow in the family way. She was shunned, forced to live on the outskirts as she was someone who was beneath them. Even though there had been strides taken since that time to bring more equality to Oikos, it wasn’t enough. The place was still ass backwards, and Carter hated it.

  “I thou
ght your reason for leaving was because of your suspected parentage and the alienation that caused.”

  “That too, but I was not forced to leave. Oikos is my home and I could stay if I please. Granted, if I had stayed here, I would undoubtedly be seen as a pariah among my own people, but it is my choice not to be here. The people here, the ones who started this world, they have lost sight of the reason behind its creation. They live as though they can do no harm. As a result, separations have formed between the people, and in a sense, they have become the very thing they sought to be away from.”

  “So, they are here, living like gods, all the while damning the actual gods.” The irony in it all was so perfect. People often forgot to learn the lessons they sought to teach.

  “That’s actually a really good way to put it.”

  “Makes sense, when you think about it.” That type of power was intoxicating. After tasting it for so long, one was bound to get addicted.

  “If you say so.” He stopped walking, needing a moment to regroup. He could not return with a face that betrayed him by displaying just how much he was still affected by his home and the people who lived there.

  Sensing the conversation needed a shift, Asa changed the topic. “Why did you leave this bit out? The way this place looks?”

  “I didn’t feel it was important. You were going to see it regardless. What’s important is that you know your limits here. Don’t step on any toes,” he warned.

  “There aren’t many people here,” she noted as they walked through brick paved streets that were scarce with people.

  “Most are back on Earth, hunting.” He looked around. “Some live away from the center, away from the general population. A few are there by choice, choosing to be separate from the drama and the politics. The others are there by force. For one reason or another, they have been sunned. Forced to live as outsiders.”

  “What of the people who are on Earth now. Are they all tasked with the same role? Taking out the gods who would seek to claim this as their new Olympus.”

  “Yes.” Carter knew it was true, even for him. He believed in the cause even if he no longer had faith in the ones behind it.

  “How do we know the person who you think can help us isn’t back on Earth with the others?”

  “She never leaves. She is one of the first.”

  “The first, as in the ones who created this place? How could a mortal survive so long?”

  “She isn’t mortal, not anymore, none of them are. As long as they reside in Oikos, they will live on for an eternity.”

  “This is all starting make a hell of a lot more sense now.” She shook her head. “Greed, it always comes down to that, doesn’t it? What’s to stop these people from becoming the next plague just like the ones that dwelled on Olympus for so long? What’s to stop them from thinking they can rule all of mankind?” The beauty of Oikos was beginning to wear off as understanding of the creators behind it came to her. “You said it, they are no longer mortal, their only limitation is the boundaries of this place. But should they ever find a way around that …”

  “It may very well mean that we would all be in for some major shit. Right now, however, that is not our concern. Our concern is finding the information we need to make sure that neither of us gets our asses handed to us by Ares.”

  “I know you’re right, but I just can’t get over the feeling that one day, these will be the ‘gods’ we or others will be hunting down.”

  They continued to walk, moving faster than the effort actually put forth. The ground shifted beneath their feet, making their travel easier. As they walked, Asa catalogued everything she saw, from the tall hills and trees off in the distance, the sight of waterfalls and wildlife, and even the people though the paths weren’t horribly busy.

  “Lehela,” Carter greeted the woman as they approached her home.

  She appeared out front, expecting their arrival. “Carter, I’ve been waiting for you. ‘The loner.’ How long has it been since you’ve come home?” She was average height, shorter than the two who approached, but she looked the same age, if not younger than them. If not for prior knowledge of her age, and the way she carried herself, Asa would have been completely unaware of the centuries of life the woman had endured.

  “It’s been a while, yes.” Smiling, he embraced the woman who offered him a hug.

  “And, you’ve brought someone with you. A guest!” She peered over Carter’s shoulder at Asa with grey eyes that held a light behind the iris, making them look ethereal. The look was knowing. Asa smiled but wanted to ask the woman what she knew.

  “Yes, this is my friend, Asa.” Carter freed himself from the hug and turned to Asa who gave him a wary look.

  “Asa.” It appeared as if Lehela wanted a hug but decided not to go for it.

  “We find ourselves with a common goal.” He met Lehela’s gaze. “I’m hoping that you can help me find a solution.”

  “Ares. Yes, yes, I know.” She turned and walked into her home. Taking this as an invitation, the two of them followed her. “And you’ve come for my guidance.”

  “Yes, please.” Carter held the door open for Asa to slip through. “Whatever you can provide us.”

  “Of course, child. Come in. Come in.”

  Inside of Lehela’s home, Asa felt warm, welcomed. Though there were modern touches, it still echoed days of old, reminding her of the simplicities of the times before technology. Most of the furniture was handmade, fabrics all woven, and Asa imagined Lehela crafting them herself. The stone table that sat in the middle of the room was paired with four matching chairs fitted with pillow tops.

  “You’ll have to excuse me for staring. You remind me of someone. I can’t quite place it,” Lehela said to Asa, but something about the way she spoke suggested that she wasn’t being completely truthful.

  “I’m sorry. I doubt that we’ve ever met.” Lehela may have been playing dumb but Asa was not. She had never seen the woman before and her memory was impeccable.

  “No, no. Perhaps not.” She shook her head. “I’ve been around for quite some time now, and after a while everyone feels familiar, you know?”

  “I suppose that would be true.”

  Lehela chuckled and took seat at the table, gesturing for Asa to follow suit. “Carter, child, please go out and get us some tea. I have a tray already set up in the kitchen.”

  He smiled, touching Asa’s shoulder reassuringly, before he left. Lehela was looking for privacy, not a warm beverage. No one was confused about that.

  “Calypso.” The immortal witch smiled and leaned into her when Carter was out of earshot.

  “You know who I am?” She hadn’t heard her true name spoken in such a long time, it caused her heart to ache. The longing to be herself was still there, the need to return to the sea. Her last visit home revealed that the island that was once her own where her cave, her nook away from the world existed, had been engulfed by the ocean.

  “Oh yes, those eyes, I could never forget those eyes.” The smile on her face portrayed anything but happiness. “I’ve dreamt of those eyes many nights.”

  “We’ve met before?” Again, she combed through her memories but found nothing of the witch that sat before her.

  “No, never, though I have often wished that we had. I saw you in a vision. I was asked to work magic, dark magic, that would put a curse on you. It seems you found a way to break that curse.” She examined the girl before her. “Though, you don’t look exactly as I remember you.”

  “It was you? You did this to me? You made me into the sphinx?” she whispered angrily under her breath and gripped the edge of the table. Something inside her wanted to attack, but the sensible part of her brain reminded her that she was in another realm and the woman who sat across the table from her was likely more powerful than she let anyone know.

  “I made you, yes … strong, powerful, able to become more. I saw it in your eyes.”

  “Saw what?” she asked. “What did you see?”

  �
�The blessing of the faeries, the mark of the sun. You have it yes, the stone? That is how you have been removing them from Earth.” She smiled. “You are brilliant, I knew you would figure it out. It was meant to be.”

  “What do you know of the stone?” She fought the urge to reach for it. If Lehela had a plan to take it, she wouldn’t give her any indication of where it was.

  “I know it was made from very ancient, powerful magic, and infused with the power of the sun itself. It was meant to protect a girl, a baby, you.” She reached out as if wanting to touch Asa’s face, but drew her hand back. Now was not the time for touching; Asa was still just moments away from losing all sense of stability in her body. She had spent so much time hating Ares for what he’d done, but never really considered the witch behind the magic.

  “Did you know my mother?” She perked up and lost a bit of her edge. Could Lehela have been close to her mother? Did she know anything about them? Would she have any heirlooms? Did she know of her father? The questions flooded her mind with hope of a connection to her past.

  “No, unfortunately I never had the pleasure of meeting the woman who inspired such amazing tales, but I knew the fae who cast the spell. I knew their entire family. They spoke of your mother often and wished that she would return to them though she never did. All for good reason. She had you to watch over.”

  “What else do you know? What else can you tell me?” She wanted more information, a chance to get answers for all the questions she never got to ask.

  “I know that what’s in your path was always meant to be. Nothing is ever by chance.” She glanced to the doorway, the approaching footsteps of Carter. “He doesn’t know, and he won’t unless you choose to tell him. That is entirely up to you.” Lehela gave her promise of silence, since it wasn’t her secret to reveal.

  “I cannot.” Asa shook her head and looked to the doorway Carter had used to leave the room.

  “As I said it’s up to you, but know that he will count it as a betrayal when the truth comes to light, and it will.”