The Artifact of Dissium (Demona Book 2)

by Megan A. Hepler

  Felix laughed at her sarcasm.

  There were a few chairs and a small table placed near the kitchen area. An uncomfortable looking sofa was placed smack in the center of the room with equally uncomfortable looking chairs pushed up against the far wall. Behind one of two doors was a simple privy. Inside was a wash basin stand with a ceramic basin and pitcher for cleaning. Felix pushed open the second, final door and stood there looking into the room.

  “What is it?” Demona asked.

  “Well, sleeping arrangements are going to be a challenge,” Felix said.

  Demona pushed past him with the flame still floating above her hand. As the light crossed the room she noticed two very slim cots placed up against each side of the room. Green wool blankets were folded neatly at the foot of each one. A primitive looking bench was placed against the wall between.

  “No kidding.”

  Felix nudged Demona with his elbow. “Looks like we’ll have to spoon in one, while Molony takes the other.”

  “How romantic,” Demona said. “I think I’d rather sleep on that lumpy looking sofa than share a cot with you.”

  “You know, I believe I heard a hint of sarcasm in your voice,” Felix said. “I’m wounded.” He placed his right hand over his heart and grimaced, feigning that he had actually been hurt.

  Demona ignored his reply. She exited the quarters back into the crisp night. She fumbled around in the dark, until she found a log a few feet from the entrance and sat down. Felix soon joined her and sat down beside her. They looked down upon the lake town far below as more flickering lights began to peek through the slits of windows in the domed shelters. Demona noticed more lights popped up across the valley and up into the mountains on the other side of the lake. The night grew darker still and she looked at the flickering flames, while they danced in their dusky surroundings. It seemed as if hundreds of lightning bugs hovered in the valley.

  I wonder how much more there is to this town. There must be a lot more here than it first appears, especially if there are quarters at each of those lights on the other mountain.

  The distant sound of drums called for the attention of the Gleannbroch residents. The night grew silent and then the low rising hum of bagpipes echoed across the valley. A few more bagpipes and fiddles joined in. The night’s air was filled with rhythmic pulses. It reminded Demona of a chorus of crickets when the melody flowed into her ears. She soon found herself swaying to the music.

  Somewhere below a woman’s voice rang in harmony with the music. Demona was certain that she sang in a foreign language. Her voice was enchanting and Demona listened intently to the song. A feeling of peacefulness overcame her and chills spread over her body. Demona felt as if she was hearing a sorrowful farewell to the sun and a tribute to the newly crested moon.

  Felix leaned against Demona. “Kaleb told me about this.”

  Demona felt the warmth of Felix’s body against hers. She felt his breath on her face as he continued to whisper into her ear. She shivered with the excitement of his close proximity and tried to ignore her feelings. Demona was determined that she wanted nothing more than to be friends.

  “Some of the descendants of the original Irish inhabitants do this nightly. It’s a song of praise to Aleph in Gaelic. They’re thanking him for his love and protection. And for the sun’s rays that provide them with food. For Aleph’s glory and the gift of life. They’re bidding the moon to come out and guide them in the darkness of the night.”

  Felix’s words did nothing to ease the emotional surges that flowed through Demona’s body. She felt her mageia heighten and it made her thankful for the rations that she had consumed before. The feeling of Felix’s body against hers only made her swoon and the power of the song made her want to burst.

  Demona continued to listen to the mesmerizing song and Felix’s voice as he described to her the words the woman was singing. It was filled with old world beauty and a commune with nature. Demona sat perfectly still now, but ever so slightly she was pressed against Felix’s side as if he would support her weight. Demona closed her eyes. She felt energy flow from the earth as if in response to the night’s song. She lost herself in the emotional surge of the people and nature around her.

  No thoughts crossed through her mind, but only an awareness of belonging and acceptance. GLC was her home, whether it was at the northeast headquarters or in Gleannbroch. Demona felt Felix shift in his seat and heard him gasp in awe. She opened her eyes to find the air filled with dancing colors. It was as if a rainbow and the aurora borealis had combined to create a magnificent light show. It swirled and expanded in different directions.

  “Are you doing this?” Felix asked.

  “No, I-I don’t think so.”

  “I wonder if the elves are using their elemental magic to do this,” Felix said.

  They watched as the colors and the music seemed to move in sync.

  “It’s beautiful.” Demona was hypnotized by the colors. Then, she felt Felix shift closer to her.

  Felix put his arm around her and pulled her close. “You are beautiful.”

  Demona looked him in the eyes and she saw the multicolor lights reflected in them. She could sense that there was hope and longing in them. She also saw seriousness in there. She studied him for a moment, but was uncertain of how to respond.

  “Felix—”

  “Demona, please. Give me another chance.”

  Demona’s voice caught in her throat. Before she could respond, Felix leaned in. His soft lips pressed against hers. Demona’s eyes snapped shut as a flood of emotion spread through her body and she could not pull herself from his lips. She leaned into him and pressed harder in return. She felt the warmth of his breath and his touch spread to her own cold body.

  Felix pulled back and looked at her. The dancing lights reflected in his eyes once more, but seemed to intensify somehow.

  “Felix, I can’t-I want to. Please, understand. After everything that has happened in the last six months. With you…with Kerrick…the prophecy.” Demona felt defeated. “It’s all just too much. I don’t know who I am or where I belong anymore. I need answers and time to figure it all out.”

  Felix looked down, away from Demona. Then, he looked back up into her eyes. Felix cupped Demona’s cheek in his hands and looked deep into hers. “You have always been you. You are a woman who grows more beautiful all the time. A woman who is kind and caring, despite all of the trials Aleph has placed before you. You are strong and brave. Don’t get lost in everything else. Your true self lies within your heart, not with the prophecy, your mageia, or the past that you can’t remember.”

  At that moment Demona felt like Felix was listening to her thoughts. Demona felt as if Felix had always been there. He made her feel special and stronger, yet vulnerable to her emotions.

  Demona grabbed his hand that rest on her face. “Thank you,” she said. “Please, be patient.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Felix leaned in and placed a delicate kiss on her forehead.

  “Ah-ha! Here you two are,” Molony said. He stumbled over a rock as he found his way up the trail towards them.

  Demona and Felix had been startled by Molony’s sudden appearance. They pulled apart slightly as if that intimate moment between them had not occurred.

  “Magnificent show, isn’t it?” Molony turned to admire the lights. “I’ve never seen it so clear before… So who’s ready for dinner?”

  I’m so glad it’s dark out here…

  They got to their feet and followed Molony inside.

  “I’m starving,” Felix said.

  Molony placed paper and kindling into the stove and got the fire started. He informed them of all that had happened after the Council meeting and the many volunteers. There had been many people eager to go back to the northeast headquarters or to help organize other aid there in Gleannbroch.

  “It sounds like it’s a good thing we came. We can use all the help we can get back home,” Felix said.

  Molony thre
w a log into the stove and pushed it around with a poker, until the log was placed perfectly inside.

  Demona watched the flames quickly ignite the dry log. “So, have they found anything about the artifact yet?”

  “No.” Molony found a seat at the small wooden table. “Demona, come sit with me.”

  Demona was curious by his suddenly somber mood. She glanced to Felix who had seated himself on one of the uncomfortable chairs. His right eyebrow was raised. Demona made her way to the table and pulled out a chair. Felix drew closer, sat on the sofa backwards with his arms hanging over the back of the furniture, and gazed at Molony quizzically.

  “What’s going on?” Demona knew that Molony obviously had something to say that he did not know how to tell her.

  “Madam Elder spoke to me before I came here. She said you two spoke under Ezekiel’s instructions. You asked about your parents—”

  “Yeah, I already know all of this,” Demona said. She leaned back in her chair, slouched, and crossed her arms over her chest. Why do I get the feeling nothing good is going to come of this?

  Molony remained calm with Demona and spoke carefully. “Madam Elder spoke with some of the Council members after your conversation.” Molony almost looked as if he were afraid to continue. “One of the elders said he had known a GLC member by the name of Shanon, but that they lost touch. They sent one of the scholars to look into the GLC member records. It turns out that your mother was a GLC member. She had married a man named Darryn Brennan, your father.”

  With a sudden flash of anger Demona leaned forward and slammed her fist onto the table. “What happened to them?”

  “That, I can’t help you with. The only other thing I can tell you is that you are a halfling.”

  Demona leaned back in her seat. “Wait, you mean like Benen?”

  “Yes. The scholar said that what kind of creature your father was, was not recorded. But, there was indication that he was a neutral being.”

  “You’re saying that not only am I a vampire, but I’m also a halfling? So, that makes me what, half GLC member with abilities and some neutral being of a different species with possibly more abilities… oh, and the prophecy?”

  “If you want to think about it that way. Then, yes…possibly.”

  Demona rested her elbows on the table and covered her face with her hands. “Every answer brings more questions.”

  Felix gently placed a hand on Demona’s back, but said nothing.

  “I’m a mutt,” Demona said.

  Molony chuckled. “You are not a mutt. You are just a being that has been uniquely designed by Aleph.”

  Demona leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms once more.

  Molony was busying himself around the kitchen. He pulled out a cast iron pan and fried some food over the stove for him and Felix to eat. Felix was now seated beside her in the empty chair where Molony had previously been seated.

  Demona was dazed as her thoughts overcame her. I’m a dark being, and I’m half light and neutral. All three…

  “She will come as half of one and half the other,” Demona said. “It’s true. I am the Mythos.”

  Felix looked at Demona concerned. “What? I thought that that was already established.”

  Demona ignored his questions and drummed her fingers on the table. She dazed a moment more before glancing up at Felix. “No, listen. She will come as half of one and half the other. I’m all three…dark, neutral, and light. I was born half light and neutral, so wouldn’t that make me technically a light being?”

  “Most likely. We would have to be certain that your father was not a dark being. If he was indeed neutral, which is most likely the case, then the neutral factor would be overrun by the light,” Molony said. Then, he continued on with his task.

  “If that is the case, then I was born a light being and was reborn a dark being. It could fit the first line of the prophecy and it’s probably why I never truly belonged with the dark beings. If I was born light there had to be some part of it that still clings to me, that makes me still part light, and only half of a dark being.”

  The thought of being part light being gave Demona a sense of relief. She thought that it could mean that maybe there was goodness in her after all.

  “You’re reading too much into the details. We know you are the Mythos.” Felix said.

  “I know. But I had hoped, somehow, that everyone had been wrong.”

  “You know it could just mean that you are half neutral and half light, that part could have nothing to do with being a dark being. I mean after all, Darius had turned you in an attempt to keep you under his control. Maybe that was never meant to happen.”

  “Ugh, thanks Felix. I thought I had something figured out.”

  Felix held his hands up in surrender. “Sorry.”

  Demona became lost in thought once more. What am I?

  Chapter 8:

  Preparations

  Demona and Felix stood in the center of the training grounds with swords poised in each other’s direction. This time they had an audience, including Benen. The boy found out that the pair had planned to go to the training grounds that morning. Somehow word spread, first from the children and then to the adults in town, that the dark visitor was going to fight a GLC member. Shortly after Demona and Felix arrived at the training ground almost half of the town had turned up to witness an epic battle of good versus evil.

  Demona winked in Felix’s direction. “Come and get me.” He beckoned to Demona.

  Felix charged towards her and swung the sword ever so slightly in her direction. Demona dodged. She struck him with the practice sword across his shin. Then, she pivoted away from him, while he decided his next move. Demona harnessed her emotions and produced a small whirlwind beside her. She heard the shrill gasps of excitement behind her as she began pushing the spiraling funnel towards Felix.

  They are eating this up.

  “That is not fair!” Felix shook his finger in her direction.

  A few of the adults in the audience cheered Felix on.

  Felix hopped around the whirlwind and danced just out of its reach. Some of the children giggled at his overly exaggerated moves. He sliced his sword into it and yelled at it, as if he were trying to prove his bravery. Demona moved the funnel over Felix and it quickly enveloped him.

  The audience gasped. They watched quietly and looked worried that their hero would vanish forever.

  “Where’s Felix!” Benen yelled.

  Moments later the form of a head covered in brown hair began to slowly emerge from the top of the whirlwind. Inch by inch his face rose higher above the top of the funnel. First his eyes and ears could be seen, his nose, and then mouth. Felix’s whole face seemed to be floating bodiless around the field.

  “Demona, you are cheating!” Felix said.

  The children giggled at Felix’s face that held a wide grin as the funnel swung him back and forth.

  Demona knew that Felix was enjoying every minute of their charade. Soon, everything from his waist and up was freed. Felix still had his sword in hand and flailed as the whirlwind moved in a circle around the field.

  “I’m getting dizzy,” Felix said.

  Demona allowed the funnel to dissipate. Felix landed on his feet and began to walk wobbly towards her. His first step was awkward and he paused to gain his balance. Then, he took another step and fell over.

  The onlookers, both children and adults, roared with laughter.

  Demona smiled at Felix as he tried to regain his footing. His first attempt to get up was useless because he plopped back onto his butt. Finally, after several more tries Felix was able to stand.

  Demona heard a shrill scream come from a bird above them. Demona peered up into the brilliant sky and shielded her face with her hand to look at the majestic creature soar. She studied it as it flew above them and as her eyes adjusted she noticed some strikingly different features about the bird.

  Many members of the audience stared into the sky to admire the lar
ge bird as well. Others decided now that the excitement was over; it was time to get back to their daily duties.

  “It’s Ileana.” Felix stood beside her with his head tilted to the sky.

  The large bird slowly circled towards the clear field and prepared for a landing. As it grew nearer Demona noticed the massive wingspan. If she would have had to guess, she would assume it was about ten feet wide. Ileana in her phoenix form was more beautiful than any creature she had ever beheld.

  Ileana’s brown feathers were flecked with red and her red breast stood out brilliantly against its surroundings. She began to transform back to her human form before she had landed. Demona was certain that Ileana would crash to the ground. Instead, she landed perfectly on her feet.