Till the Last Breath

by Alvin Atwater

  I could only assume it to be one place and wasn’t looking forward to going there. I wasn’t sure what the blue-winged angels were to the name. Today seemed to be an official holiday dedicated to their ‘great’ goddess. Amelia spoke their language, so she practically did all the talking when we stopped at booths and stalls. Everyone bowed to her and referred to her as Lady Amelia. She knew many of them by name. What bugged me though… is that I normally had to the ability to speak any tongue. I could not for the life of me attune to this language.

  After enjoying ourselves for a couple hours, even tasting various wines, and exotic foods, Amelia finally spoke the words I didn’t want to hear.

  “Ready to visit my sister?” she said.

  “Would you take no for an answer?” I said playfully. She laughed.

  “Come on, let’s go.”

  Chapter Forty

  Karma’s servants were waiting for us at the gates of the freakishly gold palace. Behind the gates was a large fountain with another giant statue of the goddess, holding a watering can while in a playful pose. The statue’s eyes suddenly blinked, causing me to flinch.

  “Are you okay, young master?” one of the blue-winged servants said. Unlike the townspeople, Karma’s servants spoke in human tongue, probably for my benefit.

  “Yeah and don’t start with this young master crap. This isn’t the fourteen hundreds,” I said.

  The gate opened. I slowly looked back at the statue. It was back to being an inanimate object. Amelia looked in its direction too.

  “Your sister’s one hell of a narcissist,” I said.

  Amelia snorted.

  “Can’t argue with you there.”

  We were following the two servants to the palace doors. One male, one female. The man kept stealing glances at Amelia when he thought no one noticed. After the seventh time, I had enough.

  “Anything you’d like to say, blue-wings?” I said, giving him the glowing-eye gaze.

  “No, young master,” he said then turned forward.

  “Good,” I said. “I’m not trying to be a dick here, but you lose a chunk of my trust each time you swivel your head back to look at my girlfriend.”

  The human word still felt weird to say on my tongue. I tried to ignore Amelia’s satisfied look as she poorly pretended not to hear the conversation. I wasn’t a possessive twat or anything nor did I want the servants here to mark me on their “fuck him” list. Fortunately, the butler finally explained.

  “She just…looks so much like my lady,” he said, “yet acts so different.”

  “I see,” I said. “Well, there’s a saying in the human world. Want to hear it?”

  The maid smiled at me.

  “Sure.”

  “It goes like this. Karma’s a bitch.” They stopped, eyes widened. And from the vibes they gave off, they knew the saying was true. “Let me guess,” I continued. “Karma doesn’t participate in any of those holiday fests thrown in her name.”

  The butler gave me a hard look.

  “Let’s keep going. This matter does not concern you.”

  “It kind of does,” Amelia interjected to my dismay. “He’s about to take the universal throne.”

  The servant man’s eyes widened. Before he could move and probably drop to a bow, I stopped him.

  “I didn’t say I was taking anything,” I said. “I’m still in an odd predicament. And I’m not sure I even want the throne. Now drop this.”

  When Amelia turned her head to look at the gardens and statues, the servant girl winked at me. Something about that made me quite uncomfortable.

  Fuck. I wasn’t in the mood for this shit. Knowing Karma, there were probably going to be tricks and schemes set into motion.

  The butler opened the door, bowed, and let us through. More of the blue-winged angels were out and about. They bowed and stepped aside as we gazed upon an enormous hyper-expensive lobby.

  Golden floors, walls, and halls that lead to dozens of places and pathways. There were a few TVs mounted to the walls, though I wasn’t sure if she had any cable or internet in this realm. Everything outside felt old-world.

  “Mistress Karma shall be here to see you in a bit,” the maid that led said. She turned around. “Also, call me Naomi. If you need something, I’m here.”

  When she walked off, I turned to Amelia.

  “Obvious scheme is obvious?” I said in a questioning voice.

  “I don’t know, that servant girl is being quite full of herself, giving you looks while believing I’m not looking. Epex, stop doing that.”

  “Doing what?” I said, really not in the mood for this shit.

  “That,” she smiled. “I’m kidding.” She looked at the butler. “Take us to the waiting room. I wish to sit and maybe rub my feet all over her comfortable couches.”

  “As you wish, Lady Amelia,” he said then took us halfway down a hall and into the room of couches, a TV, and a few mini-fridges.

  “Please call on us if you need anything,” the servant said, bowed, then left. That’s when it hit me. The servant girl winking…The statue blinking.

  “Your sister’s such a pain,” I said as I stood up suddenly. “She’s been among us the entire time. She can possess any of her servants and even freaking statues.”

  The maid from before simply appeared in front of us with glossy eyes and smiled. She clapped three times then spoke in Karma’s voice.

  “You’re better than I thought, figuring that out so quickly,” she said.

  “It’s not that I haven’t seen this trick before,” I said, thinking of how Yulese did the same to the humans, though his possession was crude and worse.

  The servant girl who’s not consciously the servant girl smiled.

  “So what do I owe the pleasure?”

  “We need to talk,” Amelia said. “With your true self. It’s important.”

  Karma sighed.

  “Fine. This servant girl shall bring you to my chambers.”

  The glossy eyed look faded from the puppet woman. She bowed and gestured for us to follow. Somehow, I felt a little bad for her. In the antechamber, that’s what they called it, the servant froze then turned to look at us.

  “I’m not allowed to go any further than this. My Mistress will be out shortly.”

  She bowed and then walked off. The large solid-gold doors ahead of us soundlessly opened. Dressed in a fancy golden dress, matching shoes, and golden jewelry, Karma Venus walked toward us, smile on her face.

  I was a little surprised that the sisters hugged. Venus family. Always compassionate and forgiving, even if a super risky political plan went wrong, getting many injured and others even killed.

  “You two look great,” Karma said. “Did you enjoy the festivities?”

  “Sure did,” Amelia said.

  “Do you even attend them?” I said offhandedly.

  Karma sighed.

  “Of course but in the form of one of my servants. For my people, I prefer to remain a figure of mysteriousness, the goddess they don’t see but feel.”

  “Wait, so none of the townsfolk’s been in this palace?” I said.

  “Nope, only servants and chosen guests are allowed,” Karma said. “Now enough with the questions. What did you come here for, besides to gloat.” Venom touched the edges of that statement.

  “Pfft, gloat about what?” I said, my voice also icy. “How I—”

  “Enough,” Amelia said. “Karma, there’s something very wrong in the House of Judgment. In a day or so, Mother will give us the thumbs up, which means she invited them off somewhere. We’re planning to search for any clues while they’re away. We need help, your expertise and power.”

  Karma looked thoughtful for a moment then walked over to me. She reached up and pinched my cheeks. I gave her a glowing-eyed glare that only made her laugh.

  “I’ll help on certain conditions.”

  “If you suggest anything about marrying or taking my Epex, I’ll—”

  Karma’s laugh interrupted her s
ister’s building threat.

  “Dear sister, as much as I would love to make that the deal and watch you squirm with fury, alas, it is not.” She looked at me. “You know what I want.”

  “Not happening,” I said.

  “Well, good luck opening any important vaults,” Karma said. “And if you’re caught, you’re as good as dead.”

  “I don’t give a shit,” I said then turned around. “Let’s go Amelia. I should’ve known this was a waste of time.”

  Karma quick-ascended in front of me and grabbed ahold of my shirt, eyes full of tears.

  “Why!? Let me back already—it’s maddening. I only wish to do my job again.”

  I stared at her with coldness, giving this bitch the full eye glow.

  “Well isn’t that sad? Tell it to those angels you fucking used and let die. Tell that to the lives you put in danger. I’m may not be the biggest human lover, far from it, but I will not let heavenly-beings like you kill them off over a whim.”

  I blasted her far away from me with force, without even a hand gesture. Why did I even suggest this dumbass idea?

  Karma didn’t give up. The goddess flung away her dignity as she teleported in front of me, grabbing me again.

  “Please,” she said softly. “I’ll do anything, serve you, whatever—anything to not be confined to just this realm.”

  “You can fuck off,” I said then continued forward.

  “Epex wait,” Amelia said. “Think about this. I think it would do us some good if Karma’s presence returned to earth. Give her some conditions, more than the limitations of just visiting me. I’m not saying she’ll be able to instantly undo her wrong doings, but allow her to take a path of atonement.”

  “Fuck…wait…you’re right,” I said, ideas forming in my head. “Atonement. Fine, this will be a binding agreement. I unban you from earth and you agree to my conditions.”

  “What are your terms?” Karma said, trying to muster up lost dignity, standing up straight and taking on a dignified poise and all. Too late for that shit, bitch, I saw it all.

  “First, you’ll serve Amelia,” I said, “or should I say, the Venus family. You are to be a part of it again. Also goes without saying that you’ll help us with the raid. Next, besides visiting your sister, you are to stay away from Middleburg. You’ve done enough damage there already. You also…owe me one favor which I can call upon, even one hundred years from now.” That made the goddess flinch. “Lastly, give your sister the talk.”

  Their eyes widened but before my goddess could protest, I continued. “Do you accept these terms?”

  “Yes, I accept,” Karma said then surprised me with an annoying hug. “Thank you so much.”

  “Yeah, yeah, get off,” I said then wiggled myself out of her arms. She hugged her sister again, completely immune to my outright dislike, borderline hatred. “Come on, let me remove the ban so I get out of here.”

  She walked over and allowed me to place my hand on her forehead. After sending the appropriate amount of essence and configurations, the conditions were set and Karma was allowed on earth again.

  I wouldn’t have done this if she wasn’t Venus. I’d be a fool to trust anyone to keep their word regardless of a magical contract or not.

  “Since Mother’s giving us the word tomorrow, you may as well spend the night here,” Karma suggested.

  “No thanks,” I interjected. “I don’t trust the time flow here. I don’t know about you—but I’m not willing to see what happens if I keep Mother Nature waiting.”

  The women looked at each other then laughed.

  “Very well, I’ll spend the night with you two,” Karma said, causing my eyes to widen and frown to form. “It’d be the perfect chance to give Amelia the talk.”

  Fortunately, that was a joke. While Karma gave her sister the talk—I made sure to whisper, “goddess biology,” into her ear—I did some exploring of her palace. Fucking almost everything was solid gold. The framing of paintings on the walls, the shiny floors, the framing of windows and even the toilets within the bathrooms.

  As I passed a room on the third floor that had a door closed, a noise caught my ears. Weird. I slowly walked up to the door and listened. Moaning and grunting. I pulled away as the answers came to my head. I’m in the middle of the palace, which means one of the servant men was a bit cleverer than the others, wooed one of the women, and well, this.

  What if Karma bred them like animals just to keep up the staffing…no that’s ridiculous, unless these blue-winged dolts were mortal. Obviously not, since everyone one of them looked a varying age range of twenty to early thirty. The moaning was loud, along with the jostling of the bed.

  I shook my head, walking away as quickly as possible. No one would be making me out to look like some kind of perverted peeper. Humans were into that kind of shit, I know. The same moaning, slightly different but with bed jostling, occurred three more doors down. And two more after. At this point, I had enough. Showy servants, I get it. No need to get off in broad daylight.

  “Psst.”

  I spun to see the maid from before, looking at me with a sly smile. I felt my blood go cold at getting caught in this area. No need to seem suspicious—so I explained right away.

  “Just doing some castle exploring,” I whispered. “I’ll be on my way to get away from, whatever the fuck is going on behind those doors.” The moans of pleasure and ecstasy grew wilder.

  “If you want, we could go to a room,” she said. “You must be—”

  “You know damn well that’s not going to happen,” I said then continued walking. She fell in beside me, giggling.

  “Are you married?” she asked.

  “No, but I may as well be,” I said. “And what’s an angel doing, speaking like that anyway? Aren’t you guys supposed to be all holy and pure.”

  “Maybe the angels are,” the servant girl said, “but we nightwings are a bit more adventurous.” She looked at me. “If you’re not among the vow, why not try it?”

  “Why is this familiar territory,” I said. “It’s like every goddamn moment I turn about, someone tries to temp me. It’s not going to work.”

  “Pssh and I thought our goddess was a bit of a narcist,” the servant girl said sarcastically.

  I sighed.

  “If you’ve known what I’ve been through, you’d understand.”

  The maid tilted her head.

  “I was joking. Besides, I’m no slut. I just wanted to see what you’d say. Just take my word and never come back up here. A lot of the other girls were already whispering. Stud.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “You don’t have to tell me twice. I’m guessing one of the ‘lucky’ servant man gets a late night dinner with Karma every once in a while.”

  “No, our lady practices abstinence.”

  “Sure she does,” I said sarcastically.

  When we back to the first floor, I waited in the main lobby until Amelia and Karma finally returned. “Finally. Now let’s get the fuck out of here.”

  Karma looked as she held back laughter. She walked to whisper something but Amelia blocked her.

  “I agree, I’m tired, let’s go,” she said. “We’ll see you in the morning, Karma.”

  I didn’t bother asking—just glad to get out of the overly gold palace of fuckery. To think even servants rubbed their privilege in my face.

  The ascension was rocky and miserable and all over the place—holy fuck, we twirled so much that when upon landing, I stumbled to the side and fell on my face. It took a half a minute to regain my composure, Amelia delivering bits of healing.

  “What the hell was that?” I said. “Did you get drunk without me?”

  “I’m so sorry,” she said. “That stupid talk you made my sister give me—”

  “It’s fine,” I said. “You shot us through dimensions so fast, it felt half my body needed time to catch up with the rest of me.”

  That night, I found myself in an odd corner of the dream world. Dead trees a
nd wilted roses paraded a field of brown grass. The red sky seemed to cry tears of blood. This place seemed to be devoid of life except for one dream angel. Teemie sat at a round table, head down, staring at a small mug of …something.

  “Please tell me you’re not dead,” I said as I sat in the empty chair next to her. She looked up and then blinked, eyes widening.

  “You…you….you’re alive,” she said.

  “Were you not able to sense me?” I said. “I’ve been back for days now.”

  Tears streamed down her eyes. I sighed.

  When it came to emotional shit, open the door so I can see my way out. I wasn’t good with it.

  “I thought I failed you,” Teemie said. “I couldn’t bring myself to ever face Amelia again. I…I’m no good with failure. And your death would mean…” she stopped and rubbed her eyes. “That doesn’t matter. You’re alive and are much stronger. Not sure if it’s enough.”

  “What’s the latest news you’ve got for me?” I said.

  “It was mostly talk of your death and then the clan heads bickering over power like petty human nobility.” Teemie shook her head. “There’s something you should know.”

  “Bad news or good news?” I said.

  “I don’t know,” Teemie said. “It’s about Aether, the other demigod.”

  “Oh.” I sighed. “You know, I find it funny that I’ve never interacted with the guy.”

  Teemie ignored my remark, continuing. The land around began to change as she talked.

  “Aether and his mate have been communicating in secret with the Valkyries. He didn’t tell me this directly—just an accidental slipup before abruptly changing the subject. I read his mind while he slept. He wants to bring down the system, wants change, but the method he’s choosing is very dangerous. The princess of the Valkyries agreed to hear him out and they began talks. Discussions ranged from methods of bringing down the current system, creating something fair for all.”

  “That doesn’t sound too bad,” I said.

  “On paper, it sounds okay, but the methods varied, many of them grim. Some of them even suggested marrying the princess with one of the Helios clan, one who’d support the fall of the system. Your name was mentioned. The princess wanted to arrange it but Aether revealed your situation as he knew it to her, angering them. The clever demigod used that to his advantage telling them that’s why the change is needed. He suggested calling the House on the spot as well as the Helios Clan. Oust them all, even if by death. Then form a democracy.”