“You want a real fight, then take me off this cross and put your new powers to the test,” Caim taunted.
“I am not stupid, Caim,” Ember said.
“I guess no one will ever know since you hide behind that mask,” he added then smirked.
Ember snarled infuriated. She drew her swords from within her cloak and slashed an “X” on Caim’s chest. He screamed from and shook. Blood splattered on Ember’s cloak and the rain washed it away. “White masked bitch!” Caim rasped and spat on her mask. He grunted and gritted his teeth enduring the pain of burning gashes on his chest.
Ember struck Caim with the pommel of her sword. His cheek bruised and he spat more blood on himself.
“No one is coming to save you, Caim,” Ember said in a harsh tone. “You will become a vessel to our goddess Arkana.”
“Foolish children,” Caim remarked then chuckled. “The sad part about being mortal is that you don’t know a god when you see one. Your so called goddess of fate is using you. Don’t you know that not even the dragon gods would allow you to look into your future? Big mistake.”
“Shut up!” Ember snarled and pummeled his face again but that did not stop Caim from laughing.
“The only reason why you are still alive is because Lady Arkana needs your body,” Jairo stated.
“Want to keep me alive?” Caim said. “Then give me some food.”
“You are a demigod, remember. You can live without food or water. You can’t fool me.” Jairo replied.
“You have already been fooled,” Caim stated. “I don’t need to add more wood to the fire.”
“It is only natural,” a voice echoed in the sky.
Caim gazed up and saw her descending. Her body was transparent in a soft blue color. Her cape billowed as she came down. The goddess wore a one piece dress and when she stopped and met eyes with Caim, she had no pupils or iris. It was like staring at an emotionless mask, a ghost with no expression or the face of a statue. The horn on her crown pointed skywards and was bedecked with multi color jewels. The goddess was a slender beauty and hid her hair in a tight hood. However, Caim knew that she was a liar, a false demigod, one who tried to ruin his past.
“You couldn’t stop me from becoming a demigod so you thought it was a better idea to take over my body,” Caim guessed. “The most embarrassing idea I have ever heard of. A desperate move even for a false god like you.”
“Say whatever pleases you for now, Caim,” Arkana said. Her voice echoed as if she spoke directly to his mind. “Soon your body will be mine and I will be able to interact in the physical world once again.”
“Even if my spirit departs this realm, do you really think you can control my body?” Caim asked.
“It is the least I can do after you destroyed mine,” Arkana answered. “Now we are even. You destroy my body and I take yours.”
“An accident that could have been prevented had you not time traveled and tried to prevent me from becoming a demigod,” Caim added.
The gashes on his torso gradually closed. It took much longer for his wounds to heal without his full power. The Specters had tortured him while on the cross. They had slashed his body many times and spilled lava on his flesh. Caim normally healed quickly but now it took much longer for his body to recover. He was not sure how much longer he would last. Hopefully long enough for the Effeelions and Akielas to arrive before the tri-eclipse, he prayed.
“There is nothing to get in our way now,” Arkana said. “We will soon have the last remnant of the dragon gods. The Sapphire Cosmo Jewel. Once we posses all four, we will use the tri-eclipse to strip every mage in Odealeous of their magical ability. The Specters shall rule and I will be the one and only god.”
“And you think the dragon gods will allow such a thing?” Caim asked and chuckled.
“Once we have the four jewels we won’t need celestial permission,” Arkana answered. “I shall bring peace and balance to this world as it once was before Prodigus Kollos introduced the world to magic”
“And what of the other demigods?” Caim questioned. “What about Alpheous, Omegus and the others. You think they will just allow you to rule this world? Do you really think they will listen to you?”
“With time they will change their mind,” Arkana responded. “Demigods live between dimensions. Alpheous and Omegus don’t care about Odealeous. They won’t get in my way.”
“Good luck with you world domination, false god,” Caim said and smiled. Ember pummeled him one more time and despite the pain he laughed. “You strike me as many times as you want but you cannot kill me.” Caim then blew a powerful wind from his mouth that pushed Ember far from the tower. Jairo had dodged it in time and hovered back.
“You still have that much maju in you?” Jairo asked, terrified.
“I told you, I cannot be killed. You efforts are futile,” Caim said and glared at Jairo.
“Perfect,” Arkana said. “The more reason to take your body.”
Caim ignored Arkana. Her ghostly presence did not matter to him, she was of no threat. She was only the mastermind behind the Specters. He glared at Jairo and released a purple ray from his eyes. Jairo blocked the ray with his black katana and the rays turned the weapon red. Jairo spun out of the way and Caim’s rays streamed into the sky.
“You are getting weaker indeed,” Jairo said. “If you were at full power, those beams would have melted my katana. In a few more days you will be weaker than a common mortal with no magic.”
“We shall see,” Caim rasped. “When my friends free me from this cross, you will be the first one that I kill.”
Eckxio
After seeing the fairy king with Akielas, Eckxio used his blue crystal to teleport to the Spirituah Forest right next to the vestige of Evee Iris. The pentacle portal by the broken gates of the village summoned his body casting blue lights rising from the magic circle. Once his body fully appeared, he paced towards the broken gates and gazed at his old village. It had happened so quickly, he thought. I cannot believe that just a few days ago, Evee Iris, stood tall on this part of the forest. He could still feel the horror, the quaking of the land and the memory flashed in his mind. He could see acres of land being flipped over. His head began to ache recalling the horrible memories, so he looked away.
“I must find the new settlement,” he said and began to walk into the forest. “I haven’t had the time to visit our new home but I do know that it is in the Levita forest. Father said they would settle by the pink lake. There is no pentacle portal in that location but it is a good thing I have wings now.”
Eckxio pulled the winged pendant from within his chest armor. He clutched the Angel Valiarmos that he had gained from the Lumnos when he had entered the realm of light. “Clad me in light and help me fly,” he whispered. Instantly the pendant began to shine. The armor began to appear over his body. At first it was as clear as glass and after a flash of white light it was silver with white filigree and hemmed with gold. His pauldrons curved upward shaped like wings. His chest plate had the symbol of illumancy embossed on its center, an upward arrow. In his right hand he carried a shield forged of zeustoss and mythium, with his sword, Hadraniel, sheathed in it. Swan-like wings stretched on his back. His wings could cover his whole body and were strong enough to block spells as well.
“I must say, this Valiarmos was worth the struggle,” he said joyfully looking at his armor. “Oh thank you, Lovamus.”
He flapped his wings and leaves and dust began to rise. Grass and trees rustled as he ascended above the canopy and when he was higher than the forest he flew southeast towards the Levita forest.
The forest streamed below him, a sea of green and on the horizon, mountains and hills just as beautiful. The air was fresh with the sweet aroma of the forest. Today I am flying over the Spirituah Forest and just ten years ago I was nothing but a broken child, he remembered. I was an exiled Elf searching for power in the Quariras Mountains. I have come this far. Now that I think about it, who I once was almost feels like
a dream now. Feels as if I am remembering someone else’s life. Strange how things happened but I know that I was chosen to wear this Valiarmos. I cannot fail to save my people. No. To save Odealeous from the Specters.
The morning sun forced him to squint as it rose from the east and painted the forest in gradients of red, orange and yellow. As he soared over the forest he thought of how long it took him to travel. It would take days on horseback to journey from the Spirituah Forest to Levita. Now he was sure to arrive within a few hours.
There was only six calculated days until the tri-eclipse and so he had to return to Kazenolumos soon. However, he had to visit his family first. He wanted to see them before he returned to his friends. Eckxio feared that he would meet his end with this last fight against the Specters.
He had been flying for an hour when he finally saw the Levita Forest just ahead of the meadows. He increased his speed eager to meet up with his family, especially his beloved, his betrothed, Willow.
“Don’t let go, I will be there soon,” he said and decreased his altitude till he soared just over the canopy.
The trees were of various hues. Blue leaves, purple leaves and whites. A school of four legged birds scattered as he swooped by. The Levita forest was like a garden of flowers looking at it from above. And most rare of all were the pink oak trees that he spotted as he flew.
He rose higher to have a better look ahead. When he saw a large glade just miles away he knew it was the pink lake that his father spoke of. He closed his wings and fell through the air like an eagle after its prey. When he was close enough to the glade he saw the pink salt waters and the Elves’ campsite. Hundreds of tents and pavilions covered the glades. The last of the Elves of Evee Iris resided here to build their new home.
Eckxio opened his wings again and decreased the weight of his fall. He descended slowly on the campsite. The Elves scattered and moved out of the way for him. As he landed on the campsite, leaves and dust billowed. When he touched the ground, he flapped his wings a few times before they contracted into the winged pendant around his neck. His armor disappeared as well and he then stood with his original armor, studded with diamonds and broken from previous battles.
“Sir Eckxio,” the Elves called as they gathered around.
“Great dragon gods, what was that white armor you had just now?” one asked in awe.
“It was like something from the realm of light,” another commented.
“Can you show us again please?” they begged.
“Maybe another time,” Eckxio replied. “I am only here for a few minutes.”
The Elves surrounded him and the females could not help but to touch him. They kept asking him questions about the armor and grabbed at his arm.
“Please, please, I need to see my father,” he said politely.
“Sir Eckxio, over here,” a mage Elf called to him. The mage was clad in green and Eckxio recognized him. It was the same Elf he had seen two days ago when he visited Mouah Cross, the home of the Greamos.
“Excuse me everyone,” he said as he moved through the mob of Elves. “Robib, where is my father?” he asked the mage Elf.
“In that large pavilion over there,” the mage Elf pointed a tent bigger than the rest. It was on the other side of the lake. The top was shaped like the pointy hat of a mage, a fashion of the Elves.
Eckxio and Robib walked amongst the tents and camp fires. The community of Evee Iris had set up a temporary home here. There were hammocks tied to trees. They cooked in cauldrons and gathered wood from the forest. There carpenters drew blueprints for where they would build the village. Blacksmiths had already set up an outdoor furnace and pounded steel, already forging new weapons. Many Elves came from the forest hauling piles of wood over their shoulders. Some used magic to move objects and dig holes for storage. Although thousands of Elves were lost, the people carried on and were persistent in creating a new safe home. Even Elves that were wounded had the vigor to continue working with prosthetic limbs.
“I see the work has begun,” Eckxio said as he walked beside Robib.
“Yes indeed,” Robib responded. “We plan to rebuild Evee Iris ten times stronger. We will built our homes on trees and connect them with bridges. We plan to make new under passages that will allow us to move from one forest to another.”
“What!” Eckxio snarled. “Is that even possible?”
“I spoke to your father and he said that it is definitely possible,” Robib answered. “Apparently, your old man has been hiding some old Elven magic and just now he decided to tell us about it.”
“Sounds like father,” Eckxio said and sighed. “Any plans for a more advance army?”
“Yes, of course. We will need your help to improve our combat skills,” Robib replied and looked at Eckxio over his shoulder with a smile.
Children jumped into the pink lake, playing with toy swords. It then reminded Eckxio of Nezz and Latwie. He wondered what the youngsters have been doing as well as his paploo fairy. “Nana,” he whispered.
“What was that?” Robib asked.
“Oh nothing. It’s just my paploo fairy, I haven’t seen her in days and now that I am here I wonder where she is,” Eckxio confessed.
“Oh that little fairy,” Robib recalled. “Yes of course. Stay around long enough and you shall see her. I believe I saw two young Elves playing with her earlier today.”
They had taken a long walk around the glade until they finally reached his father’s pavilion. Eckxio slowly walked into the tent hoping to not disturb anyone. His father, Sherwood, wore his black robes for the deaths he had mourned and sat on a mat reading a scroll. The tent was messy with papers laying around, books and scrolls scattered around his father. To the right lay Willow on a bed with what appeared to be red pebbles around her body. His mother, Solfia, tended to her and rubbed the pebbles on Willow’s body. When they noticed him walking in, their eyes widened with joy.
“Your back!” his father said with a wide smile.
“My dear, what happened to you?” his mother asked.
Eckxio strode towards his mother, but at the moment he only cared about one person. “How has she been?” he asked in a sad tone.
“I have been doing everything I can to keep her blood circulating,” Solfia stated.
Eckxio dropped to his knees next to Willow. He touched her forehead and she felt as though she had a fever. Her skin was pale and her blonde hair was falling out. It pained him to see her like this and felt guilty for what had happened to her.
“What are all these pebbles around her?” he asked unpleasantly.
“They are not pebbles. That is dead salt,” his mother corrected.
“Dead salt?” Eckxio questioned.
“Yes. These little red rocks help the blood in her body to continue flowing,” his mother explained. “She might have lost her soul but her heart is still beating. I use dead salt so her body won’t wither. It is not much but it helps maintain her body until her soul returns.”
“How long can you keep this up?” he asked worried.
“I don’t know, maybe a few more days and I am also running out of dead salt,” Solfia answered and frowned.
There was an uncomfortable silence and as Solfia frowned she braid her brown hair through her fingers. Eckxio looked at her and gently brought her chin up. He stared at the hazel eyes he inherited, at the mother that tried to protect him before he was exiled from the village ten years ago. Her lips slightly stretched, trying to find a smile.
“We will find a way,” he said. “Find more dead salt, take care of Willow and leave the rest to me. I shall return her soul back to her body. I will defeat the Specters with the help of my new friends.”
“Would you at least say hello to your old man,” Sherwood said.
His father joined him and sat next to Willow. He embraced his father and mussed his hair. They looked at Willow together then prayed to Terramus that her soul would soon find its body. Eckxio could no longer feel her maju but, where ever she was he ho
ped that she could still feel his. She had given him a rose quartz a few days before she lost her soul to the Specters. He still carried it in his pocket as a charm to always have her next to him.
“She is a pleasant girl,” Sherwood commented. “It must be fate for you two to have fallen in love. The son that I had exiled and the human girl that I always suspected would betray us. A twist of fate. The two of you have stopped a war and united two different races. I am fortunate to have you as my son and her as my daughter in law. Who would have known this would ever happen?”
“Father, you are going to make me cry,” Eckxio said and lightly pushed Sherwood.
“I just thought I should get the chance to say it,” Sherwood replied. “I only wish she was fully awake to hear it. Oh my dear Willow.”
“Father, remember the Angel Valiarmos you spoke of?” Eckxio reminded.
“That old tale. It is just a myth. What of it?” Sherwood asked.
“Would you believe me if I told you that I found it?” Eckxio said and smirked. He then pulled the winged pendant from within his chest plate. He showed it to his father and Sherwood’s eyes swelled like an owl of the night.
“This is?” Sherwood held the pendant in his hand and was speechless. “How did you?”
“I did it father. My friends took me to the Effeelions,” Eckxio explained.
“It’s real?” Solfia questioned as she gaped in awe.
“I have only seen pictures of it in books and now I hold it in my hands.” Sherwood could not take his eyes off the pendant. It was absolutely stunning. He slid his fingers over the round diamond piece and silver base hemmed with gold. He felt the sculpted wings made of zeustoss steel then got spooked when the pendant vibrated and began to glow. Sherwood dropped the pendant in fear but Eckxio picked it up and laughed.
“What did it do?” Sherwood asked, his hands shaking.
“Don’t worry, it was just reading you,” Eckxio said. “The Valiarmos likes to read the souls of those who hold it and I think it likes you.”
Blood of Mages (Rift of Chaos Book 3) Page 4
