“You can leave if you wish,” she spoke up, over their low rumbling of voice. That got their attention enough to make them stare at her. “I’m not going to force any of you to fight. If you’d rather stay behind, I won’t hold it against you.”
“Why would we do that?” rose the high-pitched voice of the same half-demon girl who had proposed to kill the king. From somewhere within Moonriver’s ranks, her voice rang out, “We chose to do this.”
A general rumble of agreement rose from the ranks. Closer to where she could see, Dante saw several people nodding their heads, looking determined and ready to fight. Their resolve strengthened her.
“Right, then. We’re ready.”
The three unified armies exited Kkyathi territory with a great roar. It was unsure of where it had started from, but the great war cry that rose up rippled through every warrior, whether they be Kkyathi, Oraldine or the mixed Moonriver. The war cry echoed throughout the Kkyathi territory, ringing through the trees. It reverberated through the warriors, filling them and inspiring them to put one foot in front of the other, towards imminent battle. It was with this war cry echoing through the trees that the warriors set off from the camp ground.
At the head of the procession, the Shadow Assassins rode on horseback with the prince, Dante, Kirrah and D’jerik. Evangeline felt uneasy as they rode in front of hundreds of armed warriors. They would face the first wave of opposition, if there was any opposition to be faced.
She glanced around at her companions. Each of them had someone to help look after them. Kaleb and Kirrah rode close to each other. Same with Kaydee, Atrimalous and Leta. Marco and D’jerik were somewhat apart, but close enough to acknowledge the others’ presence.
And she had the prince. She glanced at Prince Erik, whose face was nothing but a mask of calm. How could he seem so sure of himself? She and her friends were riding into what could possibly be death, and he looked positively calm.
Then again, the others looked calm as well. Kaleb had the red markings of the Kkyathi on his face. Each of the Assassins wore the Oraldine feather. Kaydee was gripping her feather tightly in one fist, but other than that, she appeared calm. She had two lethal guards. Nothing to worry about, really.
Evangeline glanced at her sister. Funny. Before, when they were separated, Evangeline didn’t have any idea that she had a sister, much less a twin. With Dante so close, she felt the oddest connection to her. It wasn’t as though she could get into her sister’s mind and thoughts, but she just felt her there, felt her strong, sure presence even when she focused on the road ahead of them.
Dante’s strong presence helped settle Evangeline a little. A streak of pride ran through her that she would have a sister who was just as strong as she was – if not stronger. There was no doubt in her mind that Dante would be able to handle herself in battle.
Her thoughts cut short as they emerge out of Kkyathi territory.
“The Emeralde Kingdom is before us,” Dante shouted to the procession behind her. “Ready everyone?”
Another great war cry rose up from the three unified armies. The warriors behind her were nothing more than a deadly surge of energy, ready to go into battle.
The procession crossed into the Emeralde Kingdom with a faster, more sure pace. As they made their way closer to the castle, Evangeline sent up a silent prayer for her friends and the warriors around her. Keep us safe, please. Keep us safe and keep us strong in the battle ahead.
Another war cry rose up from the armies as they gathered speed in their steps. The Emeralde Kingdom was ahead of them, ripe for the taking.
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Erik had mentioned to Kaleb and Marco that he wished he could see into his father's mind and see what drove him into the madness he was lost in. That made Marco step up, even if it was hesitantly.
“I'm not promising anything,” he said slowly. “I can't change what's in his mind or anything...but I can at least try to see what's going on in there.”
“It won't hurt him, will it?” Erik asked.
Marco shook his head. “It's all in his mind, nothing done physically. He may not even notice I'm peeking around in there.”
Erik agreed and Marco stepped forward.
In truth, Marco had very little knowledge in what he was doing. His powers were mostly used to manipulate physical objects. He had never invaded someone's mind, although he did occasionally grasp what people were thinking. He figured that all it took was practice. How hard could it be to peer into the mind of a man whose mental abilities were already failing?
Not that he mentioned any of this to the prince who stood beside him. He placed his hands on the King's and closed his eyes.
His powers flowed over the King, searching for a way in. He was drawn to the King's thoughts quickly and followed the flow of thoughts, letting the flow lead him. He knew none of this was happening physically, but in his mind's eye, he saw his power flowing freely, into the King's mind. He knew he couldn't manipulate a living object in the same way he could an inanimate one. Anything living was beyond his control, to a certain extent. He could sense the King's thoughts, all of them in rapid-fire precision. That was what he was looking for–
“Stay out of his mind, magic user!”
“What the!”
The connection was broken as soon as he had heard the voice in his mind. It was the same sort of voice he had encountered as he and his friends had first crossed over from the First Realm to the Second Realm – that ominous, vaguely female voice that spoke in two voices, one he could understand and the other he could not.
Erik was beside him, supporting him and helping him stand up. He hadn't even realized that he had fallen on the floor until then.
“What's the matter? Did you see something?”
“No, I...” Marco regained his balance and turned to his fellow Assassins. “Do you guys remember the first time we crossed to the Second Realm and that thing attacked us? And we heard that weird voice?”
As his companions gave their murmurs of agreement, he shook his head in thought. “I just heard that voice again when I was trying to look into the King's thoughts. It told me to stay out of his mind.”
That got their attention.
“It can't be the same person, can it?” Kaydee asked.
“Does it happen when you peer into anyone's thoughts?” Evangeline said right after.
Marco shrugged. “I don't know. I've never really used my powers for this.”
“Look into my mind, then,” Erik spoke up quickly. “See if the same thing happens then.”
Marco nodded and reached for the prince's arm. As contact was made, he focused his powers onto Erik, in the same fashion that he did with the King. This time, the connection was made faster, without the hesitancy he found with the King's mind. His powers washed through Erik's mind and hundreds of thoughts came at him at once, too fast for him to sort through at first. Stronger emotions tied to a memory or a thought made the image linger longer. He saw most recently, the struggle with his father. The invasion of the kingdom. A kiss from Evangeline?
Marco pulled away quickly after that. It was as though Erik knew what memories Marco had seen; he cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Was it the same?”
Marco shook his head. “No. There was no interference this time.”
He glanced back at the King and tried once more to get into the King's thoughts. This time, all he felt was raw anger and it felt as though he was physically being pushed away from the King.
“Damn. Whatever it is protecting the King, it won't even let me in anymore. It's pushing me back.”
“What has invaded my father's mind?” Erik asked. His eyes were wide with worry. “Is it what is making him ill?”
“Possibly. I really think it's that Lil
iana chick you were talking about–”
“How dare you address me with such familiarity!”
The thundering voice caught everyone off guard. It wasn't a voice only in Marco's mind this time. Everyone in the room heard it. They all shuddered as something ominous entered the royal chambers. Nothing physical had entered, but everyone felt its presence. Dark, evil, depraved; it crawled through the room as though it were a snake.
“You do not know who I am, mortal from the First Realm. How dare you address me by name, as though you were familiar with my presence! Cease contact with this man. The King is mine to be had.”
“Release your hold on my father!” Erik shouted.
At this, the voice laughed, seductively feminine and still full of malice. “Fool. You think you can order me around, little prince?”
“Release him!”
“I control every breath in his body. Why do you think I would want to give that up?”
Before Erik could demand any more, the King's body stirred. He sat up from his plush bed and stared around in confusion.
“Erik?” the King asked. His voice sounded frail, as though he had aged another twenty years.
“Father!” Erik rushed to his father's side. “Are you okay?”
The King's eyes were wide in confusion. “I fear I have done something terrible. Help me, my son. Help–”
The King cut himself off before the plea for help could be finished. Erik tried to get his attention but King James only stared absently past his son, as though he were not there. When Erik tried to touch his arm, the King changed in appearance. Instead of the haggard, aged king, his face warped and became ugly with a dark, evil anger. His expression changed from confusion to an angry snarl. With a growl that was more animal than human, he lunged for his son, grabbing Erik by the throat.
Acknowledgements
The journey towards the end of this book has been a long one. First off, I want to thank you, my reader, for sticking by me through all of this.
To my better half, Matthew, for allowing me to borrow his character Atrimalous and “tame” him, as I did (we had many “discussions” on how overpowered his character originally was, tee hee). He was also the one who bounced story ideas with me, read my original drafts and gave feedback.
To my dearest friend Cameron, who designed and allowed me to use the werefox Kamu, thank you. Her design, as well as her tribe’s design, helped shape the world I was creating at the time Kamu was born.
To my friends, who act as my beta readers, proof readers and original critics – thank you for dealing with my whining about various bouts of writer’s block and the isolation that comes from the drive to write. I can be a very frustrating friend to keep in touch with, sometimes.
To my family, who probably has never read anything of mine before, may I present the world in my head. When it seems like I’m staring off into space or lost in my own world, in a way I am. This vast universe has existed in my mind since I was thirteen.
And again, to you, my dear reader. You give the Second Realm a proper home.
Melissa Vazquez
December 2013
Glossary of Locations & Races
Locations
Within the First Realm
(The First Realm is the everyday, modern Earth that every non-magic human knows)
Moonlight Hills – this city is the home for the vampire coven Order of the Moonlight, as well as the Shadow Assassins. In this city, vampires are allowed to freely hunt humans under certain rules. The Shadow Assassins enforce these rules and remove unruly vampires within the city
Within the Second Realm
(The Second Realm is the hidden magical world within the First Realm. Only those with magic in their blood can enter this world)
Aurialis – One of the main continents in the Second Realm, home to the Emerald Kingdom, the Feynid Forest, the Kkyathi territory and Moonriver Academy, among other locations.
Emeralde Kingdom – This kingdom of humans is bordered along the lands of other magical species. At one time, this kingdom boasted may powerful human mages, but in recent years, the current king has been growing more paranoid about magic and sees it as an evil thing. The people in this kingdom are taught to suppress their magical ability and are never taught how to use their powers properly.
Feynid Forest – A strange, tangled forest full of the deceptive faerie creatures. It is rumored that anyone who ventures into these woods seldom make it out alive.
Govoya – A desert coastal city on the Isle Dark. While the city has been a major hub for traders, in recent years the most valuable commodity has been captive magic users, sold and forced into the locally called Death Games. This ruthless arena is what gives Govoya its real infamy, where the citizens of the city pay money to watch prisoners fight to the death.
Gypsa trade paths – These pathways stretch all through Aurialis, a major network of roadways that the Gypsa traders follow on their yearly routes across the continent. Because of the foul reputation of what the Gypsa trade in, they are banned from entering locations like Moonriver Academy and instead only travel the trade routes nearby.
Isle Dark – The continent of dark mages and magical creatures. It was meant to be a prison for dark magic users and law breakers. Because of this, the seas surrounding the Isle Dark’s coast are enchanted, with storms and dangerous ocean currents that allow no ship or human to pass through.
Kkyathi (territory) – The hunting grounds and tribal home of the werecat tribe of the same name. Mostly forested, this land gives way to many rivers and streams. The only clearings are for the tribal home, the set of tents and cabins arranged around the great social fire.
Moonriver Academy for the Supernaturally Gifted (Moonriver Academy) – A magical school for all supernaturally gifted (magical) creatures. In addition to a general education, students learn about their race’s magical abilities and receive training. The students live in on-campus dormitories and live in a mix of Immortals, vampires, werecreatures, mages and others. Tolerance of their fellow magical creature is emphasized.
Siiati – Known as the “Sea Witch Colony,” this village on the Isle Dark sits at the coast next to a perpetually angry sea, the result of the enchanted waters meant to keep the residents from travelling to Aurialis. This village is also Leta’s hometown.
Races
Human – The human species within the Second Realm have magic in their blood, in some way. They are broken up into the following sub-species:
Immortal – Immortals are humans gifted with an extended lifespan upward of 300 years. In their prime, they cannot catch any transmittable disease and can only die if mortally wounded. Each Immortal has a unique ability like future sight, in addition to their most famous power, the ability to create weapons and shields out of pure magical energy. They are usually taught by an animal guide, their familiar. If separated from their familiar, some Immortals cite physical pain. If their familiar is killed, the Immortal is considerably weakened. Death for the Immortal means instant death for the familiar.
Mage – Mage is a generalized term for a human magic user. These mages are divided into several types but predominantly, into elemental mages and non-specified types. The elemental mages can wield the power of a certain element, such as earth, fire, water or air. Non-specified mages can contain any power, like shape shifting, telepathy, future sight and more.
Werecreatures – The werecreatures have heavy spiritual and physical ties to the lunar calendar. They possess the ability to transform from a human form to that of an animal, usually at will; however, during a specific time of the lunar calendar, the werecreaure may involuntarily transform. Two known tribes are listed below, although there are many other tribes that exist.
Chokerre – An extinct werefox tribe that was decimated by the Emerald Kingdom’s marauding knights. Their only survivor is a warrior named Kamu, who was saved by a Kkyathi.
Kkyathi – A proud race of werecats that live along the borders of the Emeralde Kingdom. B
ecause of their close proximity with the Emeralde Kingdom, they are always in constant conflict with Emeralde knights. They are able to transform into a “feral” feline form at will, although during their specified time individual and set at birth, they will be involuntarily forced into transforming. Because of this and how dangerous an involuntary transformation is, each werecat wears a moon disk around their neck, a warning that lets everyone know when their time of transformation is to be had.
Angel-demon hybrid – Only two are known to have ever existed, the twins Evangeline and Dante Audratha. A mix of both their angelic and demonic heritage, they are able to transform into a creature with one angel wing, one demon wing, claws and immense power. Their power is strong, but short-lived.
Angel – Angels are the messengers from the mysterious Heavenly Realms. The guardian angel Audra the White fell in love with a demon king and bore two hybrid children. Instead of killing them as she was instructed, she separated them, leaving Dante in the Second Realm and Evangeline in the First Realm, where the two were never meant to meet again.
Demon – A race of magical creatures that do not abide by usual definitions of good and evil. They can take on many forms and interact with humans.
Dragon – One of the oldest, most magical species on the Second Realm, dragons are thought to be mostly extinct. The dragon rider tribe Aeriad are the only human who live side-by-side with dragons. According to their lore, dragons have their own language that cannot be clearly understood by humans. Dragons are highly intelligent and the Aeriad riders will insist that they work with their dragons, instead of taming them. Large, capable of flight and fire breathing, these creatures are one of the more rare species in the Second Realm.
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