Fate and Dreams

by Erik Weir

  “How do you feel about it?”

  The thin lich lowered her head, hat rim covering her eyes. “There is a scar across the realms and Vala is going to heal it. I held a piece of her and worshipped her, not thinking the dead can truly love. I was wrong. Death cannot stop love just as love cannot stop death. They exist in a dance.”

  The lich hesitated before she continued. “I drank the potions and followed the recipes for my current state. I killed myself, thinking my heart would be free of love. Even in this undead form, I still know love and heartache. I left Eddor to dwell in Normir, but even there, I saw love glow among ghosts.

  “I want the realms to heal. I want love to touch every being once again. I want to know we can be free to love again.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Victor smiled.

  Szura look to Victor, her lip wrinkling in dismay. “How can you be so cavalier at a time such as this? Enemies will be here and they will…” Victor cut her off.

  “Szura, you touched love, I know you did when we were together. I have some of my doubts too, but I know all of us together will see it through.”

  The lich eyed the Champion before letting out a long exhale. “We will be victorious.”

  “Or we will all be dead and meet back in Normir,” Victor winked before he stood up and walked away.

  Szura continued to eye the Champion as he moved to a few slyths and the lizard women stopped what they were doing to give him a big hug.

  The lich let a smirk appear. “Vala chose well,” Szura whispered as she held her staff at her side, the sun touching her pale skin.

  ***

  Hours floated by as the final preparations fell into place. The holy chamber was ready as the suns moved over the temple. Acolytes added their final details while the last of them armed themselves for the guests.

  Victor eyed the dais as Cassandra stepped to his side.

  “Is there like, anything we need to do? Chants we have to learn or special incantations?”

  Cassandra let out a small laugh. “No, Vala is pulling herself from the void. We simply have to be here to welcome her home.”

  Victor nodded.

  A cool breeze flowed through the temple, caressing all who stood at the ready. Cassandra looked down as if reading something and then looked up and turned around to the acolytes.

  “Our first guest is coming,” the Keeper said with a touch of revered excitement.

  The air rippled in the center of the vast chamber before a leather covered leg stepped through. Victor smiled as Dorian appeared in the middle of the chamber, duster and hat on. The Slinger looked around, a black bandanna covering half his face from the nose down.

  Victor walked toward the first Slinger, Shyryth joining his side. The pair reached him and looked to the Slinger with warm smiles.

  “Welcome to the Resurrection,” Victor smiled.

  Dorian took hold of his hat and tipped it. “Good to be here.”

  Victor was a little awestruck as the Slinger looked around. He couldn’t believe the man before him was Vala’s child, one of twins. The fact that he survived for so long on Eddor showed how strong and clever he was when the rest of the realm wanted him dead.

  “And back home?” Shyryth asked with an uncertainty in her eyes as if she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear any news.

  Dorian nodded. “The mages have kept true to their word. The war between us is over. Slingers have made their way west to be part of society once again. I have signed the agreement. A new peace has come and I believe it is here to stay.”

  Shyryth nodded, relief filling her eyes.

  “Anyone wants a drink,” Victor asked so it would give him an excuse to drink so he could calm down his nerves.

  The Slinger nodded.

  Victor made his way to a table with Dorian at his side. The two men picked up glasses as Victor poured into them. Glasses up, Victor pictured that the Slinger would only drink hard whiskey. When the glass was close to Dorian’s bandanna mask, the slinger reached up and pulled it down, pressing the edge of the glass to his lips.

  Victor’s arm hesitated as he stared at Dorian’s uncovered face. Warmth crawled up his neck as he couldn’t look away. The man with the mask now looked like something else. Unable to put it into words, Victor continued to stare until the Slinger put down his glass and pulled up his mask once again.

  “The wine is good,” Dorian said before he noticed Victor staring at him.

  Victor tried to talk, lips moving but no words coming out.

  Dorian nodded. “I should have warned you. It’s the reason why most of face is covered. It doesn’t matter if you are male, female or animal, any who look at me can’t turn away.”

  Victor slowly gathered his composure and barked out a laugh. “I…can’t even say what you look like! It’s like…it’s like…”

  “I am Vala’s son,” Dorian’s eyes squinted as if he was laughing behind his mask.

  “You are!” Victor laughed again and downed his wine.

  “I do have to thank you, for everything you have done for my mother,” Dorian said simply.

  “No thanks needed,” Victor poured himself a little more wine.

  “I am indebted to you. Always know, my iron will always be at your side.”

  “Just as my sword is at your side,” Victor smiled.

  The air in the center of the chamber rippled again. All eyes turned to a female figure stepping through. Vines, leaves, and moss interconnected into a lavish dress. Mossy hair flowed out as green skin glowed in the warm light. Nephy flowed along, gaze meeting Victor’s, the goddess giving a light curtsy.

  Victor stepped away from the Slinger and crossed the room. The Blade was happy to see here and gave the goddess a bow.

  “Good to see you, Nephy.”

  “The pleasure is all mine. I am happy I could attend such a momentous occasion. I wish I was allowed to bring Nebb, but the invite dictated that Champions were not allowed. He would have enjoyed this moment.”

  Cassandra moved through the chamber to Victor and Nephy, bowing to the goddess of nature. “Please, make yourself at home. We have about thirty minutes before the suns reach their zenith and Vala returns to us.”

  “How exciting,” the goddess said as she moved with Cassandra to the tables of wine and food.

  Victor looked across the room to Lily, the succubus holding a glass of wine and licking her lips at him. The Blade wanted nothing more than to go to her side and drink some more when the air rippled again.

  A ten-foot tall man in white and gold armor stepped through. Halo glowing, Umus looked down on Victor and his smile widened. The large god stepped closer and clamped two large hands on Victor’s shoulders, nearly flooring him and causing the Champion to grunt.

  “Lad! So good to be here! Give me a hug!” Umus commanded and grabbed Victor.

  The Champion could barely breathe as the god crushed him in his arms and then placed him on the floor. Victor held it together until the god slammed a hand on his shoulder and caused the Blade to grunt again.

  “Where’s the food? I’m starving…” Umus trailed off when he spotted the ambrosia. “Excuse me, I need some of that.”

  Victor fought to regain his composure as the giant god stalked off, eyes on the table with plates of ambrosia. The air took on hints of electric fire. Two gods had already arrived and the area seemed to vibrate with their coming.

  Air rippled again and a man in a silver robe stepped into the chamber. Kind eyes drank in the surroundings. All heads turned to the newcomer and an instant later, everyone bowed. Victor glanced around, seeing Nephy, Cassandra, Dorian, Lily, Dawn, and everyone else bowed but him. Victor looked to Drogoss, body rigid and unsure what to do.

  Drogoss simply smiled. “You don’t have to kneel. Follow Victor’s example. I have been away for a long time and must earn my way back to your hearts.”

  Umus stood up, a fistful of ambrosia in his hand. “It has been so long,” the god said before stuffing it in his mouth.


  “Too long,” Drogoss said he looked to everyone gathered. “It would have been much longer if not for Vala’s Champions and acolytes coming together to bring her back from her grave. The realms owe them a deep gratitude as do I.”

  Nephy crossed the room and stood before the ancient god. “We were concerned you had moved on to new universes.”

  Drogoss gave her a kind smile. “I exiled myself for longer then I should have. I transverse the realms, hiding myself so I may understand what it means to be like mortals again. I wanted to be among the people and for a long time, I was.

  “I could feel the loss of Vala as I experienced mortal woes. Her light is greatly needed and I am humbled to be here for her return.”

  “Why didn’t you stop it in the first place,” Victor said with a hard edge and narrowing his eyes.

  A gasp filled the immense chamber.

  “Victor,” Nephy said in astonishment.

  Drogoss lifted his hands. “No, Vala’s Champion is right. I had exiled myself and placed restrictions on my being so I would no longer be among the pantheon. It is a regret I share with many here. I felt her loss, but did nothing, not wishing to break my pact. I was wrong and when I saw Victor fighting his way to save Vala’s precious acolytes, I knew I must change for the coming times.”

  Victor kept his hard expression as a sigh of relief filled the chamber. Drogoss’s words came out like honey, but the Blade wasn’t buying it. Great power meant the god could break his rules at any time.

  Victor…I..can’t…think…straight…

  “Chill? What’s wrong?” Victor said in his mind.

  I…don’t…know…it…hurts…

  “Praise Vala,” Drogoss said with a warm smile.

  Victor opened his mouth to speak when the air vibrated and flashed with bright light. The crowd turned their attention to a metal woman. A bald, metallic head turned with female features. Eyes moved, taking in the crowd while a metallic corset integrated with her form. A white and gray metal dress flowed out from her waist to her ankles. The dress shifted with her movements. A low glowing rhombus diamond shape took up her entire stomach area.

  Victor and the crowd stared in amazement as the face of the metal woman looked around and gave a robotic smile.

  “Transport success. Dimension Drive powering down,” The woman said as she turned her attention to Victor.

  “Xull,” Victor smiled.

  The metallic woman nodded before performing a curtsy. “I created this body for the occasion. I hope it is satisfactory?”

  Victor stepped closer, “It’s amazing.”

  An odd expression fell over Xull’s face. “Thank you, Victor.”

  “How are you able to…” Victor trailed off.

  Xull nodded and touched the glowing diamond symbol at her stomach. “I have created a portable fusion core strong enough to power my smaller Dimensional Drive. Due to my power needs and lack of connection to my mainframe on Xull, I required a body to meet those needs.”

  “I’m happy you’re here,” Victor said and gave the metal woman a hug.

  Xull’s arms were up for a moment before they returned Victor’s hug. “I’m pleased to be here as well.”

  Victor broke away, head spinning from so much energy in the air. He wasn’t sure if it was the proximity of so many divine beings or that Vala was coming closer. The Blade nearly stumbled when Lily was at his side. Eyes looked to the Champion as Lily helped him stand.

  “I don’t feel so good,” Victor said.

  “I feel the same,” Lily whispered. “We’ve never been around so many higher beings at once.”

  Victor felt the power around him begin to ebb. When he felt strong enough to stand, the chamber vibrated with energy again and bodies stepped out of nowhere. The mood shifted as brows furled and eyes narrowed on the five beings. Acolytes took a step back as Baaldir looked around the room in disgust. At his sides were a cloaked figure with long horns sticking out from the darkness of his hood, a giant barrel-chested monster with twelve eyes looking in all directions, a humanoid figure made of smoke and woman’s head along a long black neck connected to two dozen tentacles.

  “We have arrived,” Baaldir sneered as he looked around at the gods and acolytes.

  Cassandra moved through the crowd and stood before the tall gods and goddess.

  “Welcome to Vala’s realm. I don’t have to remind you of the law of respect and hospitality, do I?”

  Baaldir crossed his arms. “No, Keeper of Vala.”

  Cassandra turned her back to the god and addressed the room. “Welcome Baaldir God of the Hunt, Redarr God of Disease, Roohr God of Monsters, Ibris God of Slumber and Tantia Goddess of Madness.

  “They are aware of the law and are here by Vala’s invitation to witness her return.”

  Victor stared at the five gods, a crawling disgust clawing at every fiber of his being. Seeing Baaldir only made it worse. The antlered god turned his attention, an eyebrow rising as he noticed the Slinger by the wine giving him a hard stare.

  The smoky god Ibris floated next to Redarr and whispered in his ear.

  Redarr nodded. “Yes, so many enemies in one place. The temptation is succulent.”

  Victor’s fingers curled into a fist as Lily leaned close to his ear.

  “They can’t do anything without breaking the law. They will try to tempt us into action so we break it first. We can’t give them the satisfaction,” Lily whispered.

  “I fucking want the satisfaction,” Victor growled as he stared at the evil gods.

  Cassandra addressed the room again, “The time is nearly upon us. Gather before the dais. Vala is coming.”

  The gods, goddesses, and acolytes moved closer. Victor and Lily stayed at each other’s side as they approached and stood in front before everyone else. Sunlight glowed from the arched window behind the floating crescent moon. Dorian moved to the side, gaze sliding across the room, but always ending up on the antlered god. Drogoss watched with kind eyes as Umus stood among the crowd, giving the acolytes a warm smile. Xull moved up, standing behind Victor and Lily while Cassandra knelt onto the dais steps, eyes closing. In the back, an elf with glasses put on her backpack and hoisted up a plasma rifle, her dark-haired sister next to her.

  A silence filled the chamber. All watched the dais, many with hope and several in feigned interest. Victor’s heart began to race. Lily pressed her hand to his and they squeezed each other in comfort. Points of light appeared over the dais and all gathered watched.

  Light spilled in, snaking forth and connecting to the glowing dots. The miniature stars were bridged together in streams of light. A wave of heat rolled out as the lights moved closer together, the connections glowing brighter and brighter with each passing moment. Hearts lifted in chests as no one blinked. A symphony all could feel, but none could hear played on, tugging at parts of the soul and beating hearts. Shadows fell away and the light grew brighter.

  “Vala…” Victor whispered.

  Mist flowed up from the dais, the floating crescent moon growing brighter. Tears fell from Cassandra’s closed eyes while Lily held onto Victor’s hand tightly. Energies swirled and flowed like a playful dance until they sank into themselves. The lights converged just as the suns reached their zenith. When the floating lights touched one another, they grew bigger until they formed one large glowing ball. It sank down until it touched the stone dais and the light darkened until it turned black.

  A figure melted from the darkness. It lay on its side as bone formed, followed by muscle and finally skin. Darkness shifted into long flowing fabric, covering some of the womanly body on the dais. A hood rose up and covered her head as black hair unfurled. The light pouring in shined with crystal clarity. The robed body finished forming and lay, unmoving.

  Victor took a step forward when the robed head moved and a gentle gasp touched the entire chamber.

  The body floated up, arms spreading out, white and blue flames rising up from open palms. Darkness floated over the eyes as full, lusci
ous lips parted. Everyone gathered watched before a shockwave of power blasted out, touching all. Hearts sang as pure joy touched many and even caused a few black hearts to smirk.

  “I…have…returned,” Vala said in a delicate voice before she fell to the dais.

  Victor, Lily, and Cassandra rushed up the dais steps to Vala as she lay in a heap. The flames in her palms gone, her arms and legs trembled. Victor fell to his knees, taking hold of the goddess and lifting her up to his chest. Hair and shadows covered her eyes but the sweet smile of her lips caused Victor’s heart to leap in his chest. Tears trailed down Cassandra’s pale cheeks while a single tear rolled down Lily’s lilac colored skin.

  “Vala,” Victor said again, unsure what else to say or do.

  The goddess reached up and touched his cheek. “I’m here…my love. I’m…here.”

  Acolytes and Umus cheered! Nephy clapped her hands and sobbed. Xull bowed her metal head. Redarr, Ibris, Roohr and Tantia looked on with stony expressions. Baaldir stood with cold eyes. Dorian stepped closer to the dais; eyes wide. The energy in the temple touched all those who would allow it. In the center of the love and hate maelstrom, Victor held his goddess close and she snuggled her face against his chest.

  Drogoss stood amid the crowd, time slowing down. With a thought, his voice touched all the minds gathered. The move was so quick and powerful, all turned their attention to the first god of the pantheon.

  “It is done. Vala has returned from her celestial grave. Now begins the culling of divinity. Such an act cannot be allowed to continue for you do not have the divine right to wield such power.”

  Victor’s eyes narrowed as fury and rage filled his heart.

  Drogoss centered his gaze on Victor and Vala, “I have come to end it all.”

  Sixteen

  “I fucking knew it,” Victor seethed.

  Acolytes and gods stared in disbelief, the temple taking on a shadowy gloom. Bodies moved away from the first god as he stood in the center, his gray eyes centered on Victor and Vala. Acolyte hands moved to weapons while Nephy, Umus, Xull, Dorian, Cassandra, and Lily stood by the dais, turning their attention to Drogoss.