Zaren winked, his emerald green eyes bright for the briefest moment, and then he grew serious. “What do you need?”
She walked to the window. Fires littered the landscape. If she didn’t know any better she’d think she was still in Helker. The beauty and majesty of her beautiful land was gone. Instead of large trees, foliage, flowers, streams, and paved roads with butterflies dancing in the sunlight, there were charred remains and clouds so thick with ash she couldn’t see Nimbus, the city in the sky.
Without turning around she said, “We need a plan.”
“Where’s Michael?” Palamina asked.
Venus fought down her sorrow. “He’s on a mission at my request.”
Seth stepped forward. “You said you needed something of me?”
She turned. “Yes, Seth. The first thing I need you to do is go to Nimbus. Find a swordsmith by the name of Hamel and tell him you need four hundred Daemon swords made as quickly as possible.”
“Daemon?” he asked.
“Don’t worry, Hamel will know what I’m talking about.”
“Yes, Venus.” He bowed.
“And Seth? Stay and wait for Hamel to complete them. Protect him. King Antyon will release the Leviathan species on all of Kelari soon. Hamel will be one of the first Kelvieri he goes after. Without the Daemon swords Hamel makes, we will be unable to defeat King Antyon and his creatures.” She stepped forward and placed a hand on his forearm. “Please do this for me.”
Seth retreated and bowed slightly. “Of course.”
“Thank you.”
Seth went to the door. “How do you want me to get there?”
“Take a Tricarciuss.”
“Yes, goddess.” He left the room.
Palamina rested her hands on her hips. “And what do you want us to do?” she asked.
Besides being beautiful, Palamina also turned out to be personable and kind. She gave off an easy energy and she seemed happy to be back with Zaren. They fit together. Where Venus had cared for Zaren—loved him, even—it was completely different from how she felt with Michael or the way Zaren and Palamina looked at each other.
Venus still wanted to hate her.
“We need to find out what’s going on. We need to see who’s still alive, who’s part of the resistance, and what, if anything, is being done.” She knew there were several Chans running Alayeah’s war efforts. She also got the sense that some of the Chans weren’t completely honorable.
“I’ve seen the war room. Follow me,” Zaren said.
Venus followed him and Palamina to the door. She suddenly remembered her fear of doorways and wanted to laugh. If only she could go back to that time, when the scariest thing in her life was worrying about what lurked on the other side of a door.
“What about those whose bodies I restored? Did any of them wish to fight?”
“There are a few.” He found her eyes. “Most went in search of their families. I think in a few days many will come to fight.”
Venus nodded. She figured the souls she’d just given back their bodies would want to find their families first. War was a new concept to most Kelarians. Soon enough they would understand war wasn’t forgiving. King Antyon would make the time the souls had spent in Helker would seem like paradise. “There may not be a world to fight for in a few days.”
She stopped in the doorway, just now remembering her disheveled appearance. “Before I go in I need to clean up, or none of those pompous bureaucrats will take me seriously. I would appreciate it if you and Palamina would go ahead and collect whatever information you can, then you can brief me when I arrive. I’ll be right behind you.”
Zaren squinted his eyes. Even now he was her guardian, her protector, but she couldn’t have him nearby with Palamina there. It was too uncomfortable. “We can wait,” Zaren said
Palamina touched Venus’s arm and then pulled away, a look of surprise on her face. Venus hadn’t meant to, but she’d shocked her. The woman needed to keep her distance until Venus could deal with her emotional issues. “Yes,” Palamina began, looking at her hand, “we can wait.”
“No, really. I’m not a Kelarian princess any longer.” Venus straightened to her full height.
Zaren’s features softened. “I know, but you’ll always be my Princess.” He stepped forward and held out his hand. She took it and he squeezed.
“I appreciate it, Zaren. I do.” She glanced at Palamina and noticed the jealousy straining against her lips. “I appreciate both of you,” she said, focusing her attention on the female Formytian. She wanted to put Palamina at ease. Venus hadn’t intended to do anything to offend her. She and Zaren had responded to each other out of habit. Nothing more. Even Zaren saw the error of what had just occurred. She felt his guilt.
Venus moved her hands, placing them at her sides. “I’ll be fine. I just need a moment…” She paused to consider her words. She wanted to wash off the remnants of Ramien and Helker. She needed to change her clothes and with her newfound powers, she could make it happen quickly. Finally, she added, “. . . to collect myself.”
Zaren seemed ready to fight to make her let him stay, but Palamina grabbed his hand.
“Give her a minute, Zar.” She batted her long thick eyelashes like she was the spoiled princess.
Venus felt a groan rise and beg for release, but she pushed it down.
“Fine. But if you aren’t in the war room in twenty minutes I’m coming back.”
Venus smiled. “I would expect nothing less.”
They started down the long hall, their Kelvieri’s boots clicking against the marble floor. Right before they turned the corner, Zaren glanced back. Venus raised a hand and waved. Zaren nodded and disappeared down another hall.
Venus leaned against the doorway and sighed, then turned and went into the bathroom. Technically, with her newfound powers, she didn’t need a shower. Her body was always automatically clean, but years of showering couldn’t be erased after one transformation. She turned on the water. It sprayed out, hitting the scratchy, slip-proof floor. Quickly removing her clothes, she touched the water to test for heat. It felt good.
She stepped in, allowing the water to run over her body. It immediately relaxed her. She wet her hair and let the water cascade against her face. She took the cleaning tablet and washed her hair and her body. Finally she stepped out and allowed herself to be dried. Then she went to her closet.
Everything was just as she left it: all of her clothes, her shoes, her unisas, but she couldn’t find anything she liked. Finally she realized it wasn’t that she no longer liked the clothes, it was that the clothes no longer suited her. She was a god and needed to look like one.
She closed her eyes and thought of Aetha. The Goddess usually wore dresses. That might work to meet people and perform transformations, but this was war. She thought of the Formytian uniform. The material protected against most anything, including other Ostwallow swords, but it wouldn’t protect against the Leviathans. They would rip through the material like it was paper.
She’d given every person who’d received a body in Helker extra protection, but she feared that still wouldn’t be enough.
There was a knock at the door. “Venus?”
It was Zaren and she smiled. “Coming.” She pictured her gauzy dress, the one from her party, and imagined that, but in the shape of a Formytian uniform. The material conformed to her body as though Cairna spiders spun it right onto her. When she looked down, she was dressed in a uniform similar to the Formytian, only white instead of onyx. The black belt that encircled her waist was the same material as her Kelvieri’s boots. She waved a hand over the Carania family crest and waited for the door to shimmer open.
Zaren stood waiting. “It’s been twenty-five minutes.”
Venus noticed Palamina wasn’t at his side.
“Let’s go. The Chans are waiting for you. There’s been a development.”
“Cret,” she swore.
“Exactly.”
It was strange flying past th
e alien ships shooting at each other. Sadraden dove and spun out of the way as though she were a jet plane. Michael clung to her mane and hugged her close, laying his body flush against her. He knew with the way she was flying that he should’ve fallen off, but he didn’t.
Blue and green lights shot past them. Two different ships were hit and spun out of control, smashing into the ground. He would’ve expected more noise: shouting, cries of pain. But he didn’t see anyone, only the strange looking ships. They reminded him of eggs, but they were colored: some red, some black, some gray, and some yellow, like Easter eggs. The thought made him snort. He remembered the way the Transports looked, like marshmallows, and thought either Kelarian transportation was weird or he just always had food on the brain.
What is it, child? Sadraden asked.
“Nothing.” He didn’t want to distract her from her flying, although he got the feeling she was enjoying herself.
He leaned over Sadraden’s side as another ship spun out of control and slammed into the ground. It exploded. It was weird, though, because where he could normally sense the presence of souls, there weren’t any.
“Are the spacecraft flown by Kelvieri?” he asked Sadraden.
No. They’re flown remotely .
“Oh.” That explained it. It also made him feel better. At least no one was dying or injured.
Flames blazed so high it looked like the sky was on fire. Sadraden continued to dodge and weave as they rose higher.
Michael expected to feel a chill or a change in air pressure as the atmosphere thinned. He didn’t. It all felt the same, as though he were floating lazily on a warm summer day.
Are you cold? Sadraden asked.
“No,” Michael responded. “I feel fine.”
She huffed and shook her mane. It must be the alien in you.
Michael laughed. “Must be.”
The clouds vanished and they passed through the atmosphere. All around them was space, inky blackness dotted with stars so close he thought he could touch them. Planets. He saw the moons orbiting Kelari and marveled at how big they were.
He turned back, interested in seeing what Kelari looked like from space. It was beautiful, a lot like Earth in that it was made up mostly of water, but the colors were different. The water appeared more green-blue. The land was covered in a gray haze. Those parts of the land still untouched by the war were violet and deep green.
“It’s beautiful,” he admired.
It certainly is .
He readjusted himself on Sadraden. “How far is the Leviathan’s world from Kelari?”
For me, not far at all. Not more than a day, a day and a half at most .
Michael gasped. “That’s much longer than I expected.”
Sadraden snorted. Relax and enjoy the ride. I’m flying as fast as I can.
Michael patted her neck. “I know you are. Sorry.”
She shook her head and roared. “No apologies.”
They flew in silence a while.
What do you think of Space? Is it bothering you yet?
Space was vast. He’d never felt like a speck of dust before, but it wasn’t bothering him. Several times he looked back at Kelari and watched as it got smaller. He couldn’t help but think about how all the stresses of day-to-day life seemed less important from this vantage point.
“Not at all,” he said, answering her question and scratching behind her ear.
Good .
“It’s actually amazing,” he added, lifting his arms in the air and letting out a shout.
Sadraden roared her agreement. Flying is the best feeling in the world. I’ve been too long without it. He wondered how Sadraden was handling everything. She’d been killed by Amberlee.
“I’m sorry. Venus told me what happened.”
Yes, it was unfortunate. Sometimes we do crazy things for love, especially when we’re young, as Amberlee is .
Michael snorted. That was true. He’d risked his life to save Venus. At least he thought he had when he got in the Transport. He’d expected Kelarian air to do to him what Earth’s air had done to Venus. Or worse. When it hadn’t, he began to think there might be something different about him.
He never would’ve guessed the truth. Even now, it was hard to believe.
“Can you tell me about the Illeyse? Where did it come from? Why was it created?”
I can tell you what I know. I’m sure the Sistine Sisters dwelling inside your head can fill in any of the blanks.
We know the story.
Why it was created.
Balance .
The sisters chimed in right on cue. It surprised him because he’d forgotten about them again.
“Apparently, they can,” he told Sadraden.
She roared. The Leviathans are part of your heritage, Michael. They were created as a means of stopping the Ferether.
“They were?”
Yes. As you know the Ferether were gods from the planet Stiel. They were cast out when they went against the beliefs of the First, or the Father. Those, like your father, wanted to create lesser creatures in order to rule over them. The majority believed in creating lesser creatures for souls to live in as a way of teaching and learning .
Michael shook his head. “If you say so.”
Sadraden chuffed. You disagree?
“It just seems like the gods created us for entertainment. I had a couple of dozen green army soldiers when I was a kid. I used to set them up so they could battle against each other. It feels like that’s all we are, little green soldiers they’re setting up, just so they can kill us off.”
The irrihunter roared. A very keen way of looking at it. I think you are correct, for the most part.
Michael swallowed. He knew to an extent he was being irrational. Venus was a god and he knew without a doubt she wasn’t using anyone, especially not him. Michael felt her love like it was a living, breathing entity. Still, it seemed some gods did treat lesser beings like they were playthings.
Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t matter. At least not to me, and I think not to you either. They may have created us for their entertainment, but I intend to fight for every last breath I’m allowed .
“Agreed,” Michael said.
The remaining inhabitants of Stiel forgot about the outcast souls until they started hearing rumors of monsters stealing souls. When they realized the monsters were actually the fallen gods they were stunned, and knew they needed a way to destroy them. That’s why the Leviathans were created. It was their job to seek out and destroy the Ferether.
They didn’t give the Leviathans empathy or compassion. They were created solely to destroy. It didn’t take long to realize their mistake. The Leviathans quickly became a much bigger problem than the Ferether because the creatures didn’t care who they killed.
So the Gods decided to contain them and give them a world of their own, hoping that would settle them.
It worked. Once the Leviathans had a world of their own they stayed put. Some, maybe because souls were contained within the body, even seemed to develop feelings., but those who still roamed the other planets had to be stopped. That’s why the Illeyse was created.
“Why not destroy all of them? What’s the purpose of keeping them alive?” Michael asked, trying to understand how all-knowing Gods could make such stupid mistakes.
Some wanted to destroy them, but they were creatures with souls, and the majority voted that a creature with a soul should be allowed to live in peace so long as they weren’t destroying others. Think about sharks or mosquitoes on the planet Earth. Many wonder why such creatures exist.
Michael snorted. “Okay.”
The Illeyse was used to kill off all Leviathans on other planets and, once that was done, the Illeyse was hidden .
“Until now. Where did Venus find it?”
She didn’t find it. Tortevia gave it to me. She brought it from Stiel. The Gods have allowed us to use it so we can destroy the Leviathans King Antyon has brought to Kelari .
�
��And they couldn’t make it easier? Why go through all the trouble with the blood?”
The Gods wanted to make sure that if the Illeyse was found, it couldn’t be used without a great effort and without a creature like you. Sadraden roared. I’m not saying they knew you would be born, but it sure seems like it, doesn’t it?
“Yes, it does.” That brought up a hundred more questions, but he would save them for another time.
Your soul was predestined to come at this time.
You are the key to Kelari’s survival.
It is written.
Michael rubbed a hand over his eyes, suddenly tired.
Sleep if you’d like, Michael. I’ll wake you when we near the Leviathans’ planet, Sadraden said tenderly.
There is much you must do.
The path is hard, the way difficult.
Destiny.
Michael knew his body no longer required sleep, but seventeen years thinking he was human had created the habit. Plus, his brain could use a break from all this craziness. He closed his eyes.
Dervinias programmed the coordinates into the Transport. As soon as the ship reached space, Cheverley’s body reappeared. It was strange watching a body of flesh and bone grow around the soul. For some reason it made him love Chev all the more.
She stirred and let out a moan.
Dervinias held on to her more tightly.
When she opened her eyes, it seemed for the briefest second that she remembered him. “Cheverley. Do you know who I am?”
She blinked several more times and tried to sit up. “Where am I?” Terror filled her eyes. “Who are you?” She beat on his chest. “Let me go.”
Dervinias knew he needed to calm her down. They were still a few minutes away from Earth. “It’s okay.” He pressed a button and a tray popped out. Carefully he picked up the white sticker and placed it on her arm.
Chev immediately went limp in his arms, asleep.
Tears threatened, blurring his vision. He’d lost everything: his purpose, his child, and the woman he loved. Somehow he would get them back.
“Entering Earth’s atmosphere,” the female voice inside the Transport said kindly.
He held Chev to him. Soon enough he’d have to let her go, and he didn’t know how long it would be before he saw her again.
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