by Hayley Todd
“What are you in refuge from?” Carson asked.
Eolis looked surprised at the question and took a moment to formulate a response. “The war, of course,” he replied at last.
“War?” I asked, watching his all too obvious flicker of emotions as they crossed his face.
His eyes narrowed in confusion. “Yes, the war. Between the supernatural species.”
I traded a confused glance with Carson. Between the supernatural species?
Eolis sighed, turning fully to us now. “Many supernatural powers have begun to declare war on one another over some age old prophecy. The witches are merely one of those to begin the fighting. We,” he swept his forefinger in a circle, indicating the individuals present, “are those who choose not to fight.”
Carson and I stood in silence.
“Who exactly are the witches fighting?” Carson asked.
Eolis’ eyes went wide. “I would think you would know,” he replied, but when it was made evident that we were clueless, he continued. “The vampires for one,” he finally said, looking us up and down. He jutted a finger at me lazily. “I would say you are a Magick, no?”
I went stiff for a moment, gazing at Carson. Was he supposed to know what I was? What about this “war” that he was talking about. Would exposing ourselves put us at risk.
Carson pressed his hand against my shoulder, staying my response. “She is,” he said. “I am not.”
Eolis nodded as though this were to be expected. “Yes, yes,” he said more to himself than to us, “This, I had expected. Those following you are...not on your side,” he continued. He rubbed his hand up the back of his neck and into his hair, waiting for some sort of reaction from us.
“War?” I asked, not knowing what else to say. I understood war from a political aspect. I had surely had enough grade and high school lessons on the topic. But what would war mean between supernatural entities?
Eolis nodded. “The witches and their...friends intend to wipe you out entirely, lest you impede their plans. It is all part of their prophecy,” he explained.
“Who was chasing us?” Carson asked, turning the conversation away from what was appearing to be our impending doom.
Eolis cocked his head to one side, looking back toward the trees, then back at us. “Wolves,” he replied simply.
Something seemed to click for Carson. “Wolves,” he breathed, looking over at me, then back to the line of trees. His body had gone rigid, even more so than before which I hadn’t thought possible.
“What do you mean, wolves?” I asked, my head spinning.
Carson peered down at me, his posture tight. “Werewolves,” he explained, his eyes dark. “Those...things that wrecked us. They were werewolves,” he said through gritted teeth.
I had known there were other things out there, things I hadn’t met or had involvement with. So far, in the infancy of my vampirism, all of my experiences had revolved around Magicks and the other vampire courts. There had been indicators that there were other supernatural creatures creeping in the dark but I had never had reason to assume that werewolves were some of them.
My mind jumped back to that moment after we had wrecked. I had had a brief moment of unconsciousness where Sage’s memories had overwhelmed my mind. Those figures following the other gods. They were covered in fur. They were wolves.
I clutched Carson’s hand, not realizing I had grabbed it. “Sage,” I breathed and his eyes jerked to me in concern.
He grabbed my shoulders, whirling me to face him. “What about Sage?” he asked. “What did you see?”
I looked up at him, my mouth dry. “Wolves,” I said. “I-I was knocked out, when they wrecked the Evola. She showed me wolves.”
Carson cursed, stepping away from me for a moment and pacing back and forth. Eolis watched him curiously but said nothing. “She was warning you,” he said. “We should’ve told Damien.”
The words stung. I knew he was right. I hadn’t known what Sage was trying to tell me at the time but now it seemed obvious. She was trying to prepare me. She knew that I had no idea what was coming, just like Achillia had always seemed to know. The not Achillia I had spoken with two years ago when floating between life and death, had explained that I shared a spirit with dozens of others who could reach out to me, to teach me and guide me.
Achillia had done so as well, but I had been blinded to it, always assuming it was simple dreams. Now, though, I knew better. But I had chosen to ignore Sage’s appearance. I could only hope her warning hadn’t come too late.
I nodded, lowering my eyes. Carson was a ball of nerves. I could feel it even from several feet away. He didn’t like being left in the unknown.
Eolis watched us as though this were odd, but not unreasonable, intrigued.
“Who else?” Carson asked. “What other supernaturals are at war?”
Eolis pressed a finger to his chin, looking up to the night sky thoughtfully. “The witches and vampires,” he said, tapping a finger with each species. “And the wolves formally. There have been rumors of involvement from others though, mostly under the witches employee,” he explained.
Carson nodded to himself, as though this were making more sense by the moment. “I knew they weren’t vampires,” he explained, though I was curious how exactly he knew that. He ran his hand through his hair, an age old tell of his frustration.
“Babui Aka can explain better,” Eolis said, gesturing toward the thinning crowd before us. He took a step forward, hesitating until he was sure we were following and led us past a line of people. He lifted a long canvas sheet that hung over the door of the building, which turned out to be much larger than the other buildings surrounding it.
Within was an unassuming living place. There was a bed set to the side, primitive, with what appeared to be straw sticking from the fabric mattress. In the center of the room was a thick wooden table, surrounded by stools instead of chairs. On the opposite corner was a large fire pit, a dark metal bowl hanging above a churning fire. Behind the table, in a large rocking chair, sat a hunched figure.
She was old, like really old. Her skin was wrinkled and marked with dark spots. Her hair was long and pure white, pulled into a thick braid that had been tossed over one shoulder. She wore a dress made of canvas or some similar rough fabric. It was sleeveless and tied about her waist though she wore a long sleeved white shirt beneath, covering her arms.
“Ah, Eolis,” she crooned, her voice wavery but familiar, like a childhood lullaby. “I have been expecting you.”
Chapter Thirteen
Babui Aka held her arms out as Eolis threw himself into her lap. It reminded me of what I would see from a young child and a grandmother. Babui Aka surely looked the part.
She was heavily aged, her skin sagging and discolored. She bore an identical pair of blue eyes to Eolis’ own and grinned adoringly at him. It occurred to me then that there was something physically different with these people, at least the ones I had met so far. Babui Aka, Eolis, even Mailene and Akalya, had long tapered ears. At first glance, I hadn’t noticed since Eolis’ hair fell over them, as did Mailene’s and Akalya’s. Babui Aka however, had her hair pulled away from one side of her head, exposing long, delicately pointed ears protruding from her.
“Oh, Eolis, I knew you would get tangled up in this,” she said, holding him at arms length. He hunkered forward, his back arched as he forcefully didn’t pull away from her in her seated position. She had a long wool blanket pulled across her lap but made no move to rise. She touched his face and finally released him, letting him step aside.
Eolis stood behind her shoulder, his arms crossed over his chest. If I had a better view, I would swear he had a rosy blush spread across his cheeks. He grinned down at the old woman admiringly.
“You know me, Babui. If I don’t find trouble, trouble finds me.”
Babui Aka chuckled to herself, covering her mouth daintily, like some Elizabethan era woman. After a moment of joy, she settled further into her chair, looking Ca
rson and I over. She stared at us for several moments, longer than felt comfortable. I fidgeted, tugging at my oversized coat sleeves. Carson stood stoically still beside me.
“And you, Carson and Kyra, is it?” Babui Aka said.
I froze, staring at her with wide eyes.
“How do you know our names?” Carson asked, watching the old woman warily.
Babui Aka laughed again. “I am Babui Aka. I lead this community. And I am far more than just an old woman,” she replied with a smile. She reminded me a bit of my grandmother, though older and more frail. There was something calming about her presence, though my body fought to stay rigid and alert.
“What are you?” Carson asked, not beating around the bush.
“Quite straight to the point, eh?” the old woman said, leaning one arm against the chair and watching him. She played with her braid absently with her other hand. At long last, she cleared her throat. “I am Babui Aka,” she repeated, “I am a mage, like several others of this community.”
Eolis went stiff behind her, staring down at her. “Babui Aka! They are outsiders!” he exclaimed.
Funny, since coming here was his idea. He didn’t seem to think we were outsiders then.
Babui Aka nodded slowly. “They are outsiders, yes. But, there are many things they need to know. For one, that we do not support the witches in this ordeal.”
I perked up at that phrase, for once believing this woman may know more than she appeared. “The witches,” I said, “what do you know of this war?”
Babui Aka nodded slowly, as though expecting this from me. She watched me warily before finally rising to her feet. The movement was slow, careful, lifting herself from her chair and approaching me.
I wanted to shrink away from her, feeling...odd in her presence. But, I refused my body that opportunity and stiffened, keeping my feet planted where they were. The old woman rounded Carson and myself, looking us over from all directions. I hadn’t felt it coming, but jumped when a wrinkled finger pressed through my hair, to the back of my neck.
Everything froze for a long moment, time seeming to distend before me. When Babui Aka finally spoke, we were the only two to move. “You are child of Damien, no?” she asked, releasing her hand from my hair.
I nodded stiffly, wondering how she might know my father.
“Then yes, you are the one,” she replied cryptically.
“What do you mean? Do you know my father?” I asked her as she stepped out from behind me and back to her chair. Eolis and Carson stood completely still, not even breathing. I reached a hand out, pressing my palm against Carson’s chest. He didn’t move.
Babui Aka waved a hand. “Do not trouble yourself with them, deary,” she commanded, snuggling back into her chair and returning her discarded blanket to her lap. “Time is short. I have simply extended a bit of it for us.” She fingered a necklace dangling from her neck. It hung on a simple silver chain, a round blue orb hanging from its setting at its base.
“Who are you? What are you?” I asked, emphasizing the word. I had the distinct feeling that this woman was not human, nor vampire. I wasn’t familiar yet with most of the other supernatural creatures roaming the night and couldn’t begin to guess what she was.
The old woman sighed, as though hoping I would push past these questions. “I am Babui Aka. I am an elf and a mage, much like Akalya who you met earlier,” she explained. “These things are not important now. Just know that it is not the witches that we support in this matter.”
I wanted to ask her a million questions. There were elves? Elves like a certain video game that Will and I had shared as children? Elves like in an age old book series come to life in the 2000s? And if elves were real, what could they do? She didn’t call herself a witch, she called herself a mage. Was that not the same thing?
I thought back to what I knew of elvish lore but found that many of my references were from pop culture. I recalled many “mage” characters having magical abilities based in nature. Was that the difference?
Then, I realized that she had said time was short. Right now, I simply couldn’t spare enough of it to question what she was. It would have to wait.
“Eolis mentioned a prophecy and a war. What do you know of it?” I asked her, being more forward than made me comfortable. She smiled in response, however, and I realized this was what she had wanted.
“Now those,” she said, “are the right questions.”
She lifted a small teacup from a table at her side that I hadn’t noticed before. She took a tiny sip and her face twisted in distaste. She held her thumb and forefinger beneath the cup and sighed.
Flame--honest to God flame--left her fingertip, licking the base of the cup for several seconds. Steam rose from the cup’s contents, swirling up toward her. She took another sip, smiled this time and replaced the cup on the table.
“The prophecy,” she said, sighing. “I would believe that it is what you truly seek, though you may know it not.” She had an archaic way of speaking that was a little off-putting. I felt like I was acclimating myself to a character from a fantasy story.
She took a deep breath and when she spun her story, I could see its contents dancing before my eyes, nearly like a movie. It was different than when Achillia or Sage spoke to me. With them, they pulled me into their own time, seeing from their eyes. This was like watching the words become flesh.
“Many moons ago, there existed three entities. Of their species, we are unsure. Perhaps they were witches, or Magicks like yourself. Perhaps they were elvish, like my own people. We have never known, but it does not bear minding in this tale. They were three, Past, Present, and Future. On many things, they did not agree, and they were in constant conflict with their cousins, of Order and Chaos who, unlike others, could influence their cause. But on one thing, they did agree.
They knew of a talisman, an item that was dangerously powerful. To its true bearer, those that believe in their leadership will be united, like a single mind on the field of battle. Harmony would be cast on those affected. For the...improper wielder, it would cripple the minds of those on which it was used, forcing them into one solid hive mind and destroying the individuals in the process, leaving a shell that can be commanded, but will never again have autonomy.
Fortunately, or unfortunately I suppose, the item was laced with a terrible curse that twists and breaks the minds of those not meant to wield it. It also limits use to touch, meaning each mind would have to be broken in a battle of mental strength.
The prophecy spoken, detailed a time when the talisman would be recovered, the curse manipulated, allowing the power to emit to others from a distance, and it’s strength abused. It’s power then could be dampened only by the true bearer. We can only hope that they still exist when that day comes.
The war that has begun is to be the predecessor to this terrible fate. The worldly species will clash, leaving death and destruction in their wake. The wielder of this talisman will cause great sway in the times ahead, changing destiny with their strength.
The talisman awaits its use, growing restless. The Divinity Amulet, waits no longer.”
She sagged as she spoke the last words, as though the effort had pulled the energy from her. Her chest heaved and she took deep breaths. The world resumed, Carson’s chest lifting and falling once more. Eolis stared down at Babui Aka, surprised at her exhaustion.
The weight of her words crashed into me like a physical blow. The world as I knew it was about to change, though for better or worse seemed still to be decided.
A shiver rippled down my spine at the thought. What could someone do with a device that powerful? I imagined a legion of mindless thralls doing some evil figure’s bidding and felt sick to my stomach.
“Where is it?” I asked her, ignoring looks of confusion from both men.
Babui Aka took a long moment before peering up at me, her braid covering part of her face. “It has been recovered, but recently. To the one whose destiny is tied with Madam Order, the item will c
all out. Only then, will it be used,” she replied. Eolis was at her side in an instant, an arm wrapping around her back and easing her from her chair. He helped her move across the room in shuffling steps, darting suspicious glances over his shoulder at me. He helped her sit on the side of the bed, lifted her legs onto the mattress, covered her, then turned to us, ushering us outside.
There was still a crowd outside of the building, milling about and speaking animatedly. Eolis shooed them quickly, leaving a large bubble around us where we may speak. “She gifted you with time,” he said, solemnly.
I wasn’t sure how he knew, but I nodded anyway.
“That can only mean one thing,” he replied, “your time has run out.”
Chapter Fourteen
Eolis dragged me along in his wake, surging past people who stared and buildings lining this little village. Some of the people we past shared those strangely elongated ears, some did not. They watched Carson and I warily, as though they anticipated a sudden attack.
Eolis paid them no mind, darting past people with whispered apologies, his eyes trained on a medium sized hut at the end of the row. The building was unassuming as far as all of these abodes went. It sported a covered awning, like Babui Aka’s did but the milling people seemed to give it a wide berth instead of congregating beneath its shelter.
“Where are we going?” I asked Eolis as he tugged on me further. Carson stayed close to my side, watching the man with distrust.
Eolis flicked a glance over his shoulder at me, hesitating before explaining. “There is something you must see,” he said, “before your time is completely passed.”
“Before our time is passed?” Carson asked warily.
Eolis didn’t elaborate but we’d reached the awning of the building now. The individuals who did spare time to glance or glare at us surged farther away now, as though worried we carried some sort of disease. Eolis released my hand, staring at the building’s canvas covered entry with wide, nervous eyes.
