by Bri Sailor
Chapter 24
Ky stood staring at the liquid crystal gateway in front of her. Her tears had finally dried and she had a renewed vigor. Her lips still tingled from Atreyis’ kiss. She clenched her fists tight. There was a reason she was drawn to this thing, this gateway. The second sword must be on the other side. It had to be. Why else was she brought here? Why else did the other sword bring Atreyis here? She took a deep breath and steeled herself for whatever waited on the other side and crossed through.
She could not believe her eyes. All around her an endless storm raged in the cold, gray, desolate world. From the hilltop she could see for miles. Her blood boiled as she saw the same beasts that had attacked her in the dead woods. She tried to change her hands into claws but could not. She looked down in horror at her human hands as she realized what the demons had actually done to her. Her gray eyes burned with rage. All the strength and power of being Descended had been taken away from her and she was now truly powerless.
She gazed helplessly into the valleys below her. The beasts were forcing people into mines and forges, slaving away making weapons for an army. Fear trickled down Ky’s spine as she thought about the potential for an unlimited number of foes. As she gazed something about the people was different. How did humans get here? Unless…
“No!” she gasped.
It was then that she realized that the people were translucent and had a glow to them. She dropped to her knees in defeat. These were the souls of people who had passed on. They had been taken from their rest and were being forced to work for Evil. For the witch. For Béloneras.
“Does this evil know no bounds?” she whispered.
A soul stumbled and fell into the mud. Immediately, one of the demons pulled out a whip and snapped him on the back. The man cried out in agony. The fiery fury relit inside the warrior. She acted on instinct and charged down the hill towards the beast. Regardless if she had her powers or not, this needed to come to an end, one way or another.
The demon saw her and readied his whip. He lashed out at the warrior. Ky quickly threw up an arm and caught the tail of the whip around her wrist and forearm, ignoring the pain. She held on tight as she dropped to the ground and slid through the mud through the beasts cloven feet. She quickly jumped up and pulled hard. The beast fell forward and she leapt onto its back and wrapped the whip tightly around its neck and pulled with everything she had. The beast clawed at the ligature to no avail. Its eyes bugged out of its head before it collapsed face-first into the mud, unmoving. Ky stood up. Her chest was heaving with every breath. Suddenly, the body of the beast turned into a black mist and disappeared, leaving the whip behind.
Ky grabbed the whip and looked around at solemn faces.
“It doesn’t matter.” Said the poor lost soul that had just been beaten. “It will come back. They always do. Just a matter of time. You can’t really kill them. No one can.”
Ky looked at him like he was crazy. “What do you mean?”
The man shrugged. “I don’t know how it happens. We kill them. They just pop back up, eventually, as if nothing had happened. It’s a never ending cycle. That’s why we stopped trying. What’s the point?”
Ky looked at all of the sullen, defeated faces in the crowd. Her heart began to hurt for them. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to be. She had to do something for them. Anything. As she stared the lost souls began going about their work once more, as if nothing had interrupted them. Ky gripped the whip tightly and looked down at it. Though it did not actually kill the brute, it was still a weapon and would give her some time before it came back.
She clutched her weapon and went deeper into the living hell. Something was drawing her in. She hid behind rocks and any other hiding places she could find to stay out of sight of the demonic overlords. The lost souls were so defeated that there was only one beast for every few thousand souls. Ky knew she could use that to her advantage when the moment presented itself.
Time seemingly ceased to exist in this realm as well. It felt like years as Ky made her way deeper and deeper into hell. Her breath was coming hard and fast as she clawed her way through a muddy hill that might as well have been a mountain. The feeling that she was nearing her goal and seeing the torment that these innocent souls were enduring was the fire that kept her going. The wind howled, lightning crashed, and the rains continued to pour. She finally pulled herself over the ledge that had formed and onto the hilltop. She lay in the cold mud gasping for air as her muscles burned and her body ached.
After some time she managed to stagger to her feet and walk across what had magically formed into a plateau. She came to the ledge and stopped dead in her tracks. Leagues upon countless leagues of Mälgrav stretched into the horizon. In the center of it all was a small, squat, white cube of a fortress. Ky set her jaw and held onto the whip that she had tied around her waist. She could feel it. This is where she was supposed to be. Something was waiting for her in that fortress. She gritted her teeth and began her dangerous descent.
Chapter 25
Cora stood reverently before the rune wall. She traced her fingers over the small rectangular opening. How many years and lifetimes were spent searching for the crystal shards? Had anyone? Or were they simply regarded as legends told by weathered old priests? She unconsciously reached for where her necklace baring the first shard had been around her neck. The priests that had trained her had been open to the idea and knew what it was when they gave it to her, but still, they didn’t seem bothered to gather the rest. She stepped back and held the crystals in her hands. Their light sparkled on the wall. This time, truly, nothing would be the same. A warm hand on her shoulder interrupted her thoughts. She turned around and looked deeply into Ehren’s clear blue eyes.
“This is the end…isn’t it?” he asked softly.
Cora’s eyes shone with tears. “Yes, I believe so.”
Ehren leaned in and kissed her softly and touched his forehead to hers.
“Promise me you will come back.” He sniffed.
Cora shook her head as tears fell. “I can’t.”
She looked up into his eyes. “I don’t know what comes next. The only thing I know is that when we open that gateway evil will be unleashed on our world. I may have some of Ailana’s power but I fear that none of her wisdom has been passed on to me. I have nothing left but blind faith.”
“It would seem that is all any of us have.” Said Ehren with a touch of sadness in his voice.
Atreyis leaned heavily on Taryn as they entered into the room. Riker and Nya were right behind them. The princess’ white hair was twisted up in the same braids that Ky had always wore. She had traded in her armor and dark clothes for a sky blue tunic and deep blue pants of the temple dwellers. Off of her hip hung her scabbard and the pure crystal blade. Seeing her brother she let go of Taryn and did her best to walk on her own to him. She collapsed into his arms and hugged him. Ehren held her close as a tear escaped.
“Please come back to me. I can’t lose you again.” He cried softly.
Atreyis held him tighter. “I will always come back. You will never truly lose me forever.”
They took a step back and Atreyis held onto his arms.
“There are things at play here that are beyond our understanding. I have seen things, done things that I never thought could ever be real in this world.” She straightened her back. “Everyone has always underestimated me my entire life. I even doubted myself. But now I see. The goddess did not make me something great by bestowing me with such a gift. No. This is what has always been deep inside. I just can’t believe how long it took to find it. I had always been looking elsewhere when I should have just looked within.”
Ehren gripped her arms tight. “I don’t doubt you, sister. I am in awe of your strength. I hope that one day I might find that same strength within myself.”
Atreyis’ eyes sparkled with tears. “You are. And you will make a great king.”
The twins hugged each other tightly once more. Atreyis had bare
ly stepped back when Riker enveloped her in a hug.
“My brave Sapphire. I will never forget you.” He sniffed. “I will carry on this fight for you and shall await for your return and the return of Ky. We shall prove to the witch that the Darkness is no match for the Light.”
“Thank you, friend.” Smiled the princess softly.
Atreyis turned to Taryn. The palace guard held her head high but she could see the tears in her dark brown eyes. She hugged her close.
“My oldest and dearest friend.” Smiled Atreyis through her tears. “Thank you for never giving up on me and always believing that I was capable of so much more.”
The damn burst and Taryn began to cry. “I will never stop believing in you, Atreyis. But please, please return to us. I don’t want to lose you forever, friend.”
The princess took in a shaky breath. “I will. I promise.”
She took a step back and looked into Taryn’s eyes. “But promise me that no matter what happens you will not despair. I will always be with you. Besides, my brother will need a capable General at his side to make sure that evil does not rise again.”
Taryn nodded curtly. “My sword will forever be at his side.”
Nya stepped up with a bowed head and spoke softly. “I know we did not know each other for long, but you feel almost like a daughter to me.
The Keeper looked at her with glistening gray eyes.
“Please come back.” She cried softly. “And keep my Ky safe. I feel so much regret for all those years lost…please…bring her back.”
Atreyis hugged Nya close. “I will. And thank you for all that you have done. It was because of you that Lusha’s powers were kept at bay all those years. It will all be worth it. I promise.”
The princess turned to see Cora hugging Taryn.
“Though you are a goddess I still fear for your safety.” Sniffed Taryn. “I can’t believe everything that has happened to us. Never did I think as a child that one day my two best friends would be traversing into the realm of the gods. Much less that we would be fighting against evil incarnate.”
Cora smiled against the tears. “I would hardly call myself a goddess, but yes, it’s almost all too fantastical to even fathom. I have even found myself in moments of awe these last few days. And Atreyis is right, you know. Ehren will need your help once he is king. All of you, including Riker, have fought against this evil and now know how to stop it.”
Taryn nodded. “I will.”
Cora let her friend go and gave Riker a quick hug. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Priestess.” Smiled Riker softly.
The priestess stood before the Keeper.
Nya’s eyes sparkled. “I can’t believe how much you have grown. I can only thank the Goddess for the rest of my life that I was witness to everything.”
Cora hugged her. “And I am forever grateful for all that you have done since the very beginning. As Atreyis said, had it not been for you I don’t know if we would even be standing here right now.”
Nya smiled. “Thank you. Please, keep my daughter safe and bring all of you back to us. We can’t do this without you.”
“I will do everything within my power.” Said Cora confidently.
The priestess walked over to the princess who was leaning once more on her brother.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Yes.” Replied Atreyis confidently.
Cora stood in front of the rune wall.
“As soon as Atreyis and I cross through I don’t know what will happen for sure. As soon as we pass through I want you all to go to the Barren Wastes and rejoin everyone. Tell them everything that has happened and what more is to come.”
Nya stood firm. “I think I should stay behind to monitor things from this side. I may be able to assist somehow if needed.”
Cora nodded. “That is fine. But if you feel any urge to leave and join the fight, follow it.”
“I will.” Replied Nya.
Cora took off her necklace and gathered the crystal shards in her hands and closed her eyes as a golden glow slowly creeped around her body.
“Í sónnálh thóyu ló désóné úhómé ólsé nóré. S’hé á’yushórínth álh róvvér ól s’hé Thóhhém l’móúm vvíl’híl nth wéílm. Désóné ólé!”
The crystals glowed with an otherworldly light and hovered in the air. A bright flash nearly blinded everyone. They slowly opened their eyes in awe. The four shards had become a singular rectangular crystal.
“Open the gateway! Hémr úm máwé s’hé réámn!” commanded Cora, her eyes glowing gold.
The crystal key responded by flying into the rectangular hole in the wall. Instantly the entire rock surface began shining as bright as the sun and gave off a rainbow of color. The ground began to quake. After a few minutes the brightness dimmed. All squinted their eyes as they adjusted to the darkness. Atreyis’ heart stopped. The entire wall was now crystalline and flowed like liquid light. Like the other gateways she had seen on the other side. She took a cautious step forward and reached out a shaky hand. The surface rippled like water.
“By the gods!” exclaimed Nya breathlessly.
“Amazing!” remarked Taryn.
Riker stood in stunned silence.
“I’ve seen this before.” Said Atreyis with a hint of fear. “When Lusha drew Ky and I into the realm of spirits that night. In that temple. And when the sword drew me back in. That gateway I was at. It was the same as this.”
“That means that we may end up in either of those places or possible wherever else there is a gateway.” said Cora matter-of-factly.
She looked at Atreyis. “You ready?”
Atreyis gripped the hilt of her sword tightly and stood firmly on her own two feet.
“Yes.” she looked at the priestess. “Though if I weren’t it’s not like I have a choice, do I?”
Cora shook her head.
“I thought as much.” quipped the princess.
“We will be fine.” assured Cora. “With my powers and your dragon abilities we will find Ky and bring her back.”
The gateway beckoned. Cora held Atreyis’ hand. They took a deep breath and walked forward. Cora walked seamlessly through the liquid crystal. Atreyis followed. She could feel the magnetic pulling of her soul seemingly calling out to her. It felt all too familiar. With a final step she let go of all of her fear and passed through the Seal. Ehren ran up to the gateway and placed a hand on the wall. Unlike Cora’s and his sister’s touch, it was solid crystal to him. The wall flashed again and then dimmed to a soft glow.
“Let’s go.” Said Ehren solemnly. “Goddess keep us all safe.”
Chapter 26
Lusha hovered in the air. One by one she flicked tiny orbed spells of different colors at the barrier and watched them dissipate into nothing. Her strength was returning just as slowly as the first time, maybe even slower. Ripping the princess’ soul from her body took everything out of her and sent her flying back into her body with a rather rough landing. She had intended on visiting her armies when the princess had interrupted her plans. She clenched her jaw. Though it pushed back her plans yet again, it would prove to be worth it in the end, she could feel it. Deep within her the witch could feel an ancient, dormant power looming. She could feel her etheric attachment to the dragon. Now if only she could exploit it somehow. Her thoughts were interrupted as the hairs suddenly stood on the back of her neck and she could feel that she was being watched.
“Show yourselves!” she growled through clenched teeth.
The witch had devised a plan if those phantom bastards dared to show again. It was only a question of time as to when they would appear. She focused on the feeling more. Wait. Something was different. It was more than her being watched. But what? She closed her eyes and dove deeper. There. That ancient feeling. It was somehow connected. Deeper. Deeper. Suddenly, and explosion rocked the deep cavern. The witch shielded herself from the tremendous white light that was shining from the barrier. The earth began to quake and
groan as the light grew brighter and brighter. Lusha laughed as she could feel what was happening.
“Ailana, you fool!” her voice boomed as she laughed evilly. “You led them into a trap of your own doing!”
The light began to fade and Lusha laughed maniacally to the sky.
“I should thank that whelp of yours! She has opened the final barrier to my true powers! Nothing stands in my way! You have failed Goddess!”
Above the commotion all of the phantom priests gathered to take in the splendid sight of the long awaited released of their lord. Lusha smiled evilly as she felt their presence. In an instant she spun around, electric green tentacles exploded out of her arms and wrapped themselves around each of the phantoms.
