Release (The Protector Book 3)

by M. R. Merrick

  “What scroll?”

  “So many questions!” Krulear shouted. “The one that you used to obtain the Mark. Gods help me, are you truly familiar with nothing?”

  “Look, I’m from Earth. You know, the world that was closed off to all of this for thousands of years. I know about the half-demons and how to kill them. I don’t know anything about your worlds or this stupid prophecy.”

  Krulear sighed. “Your magic hurts you because it is too strong for you to contain. You must make yourself stronger with the souls of fallen gods.”

  “I’m sorry but I don’t understand what that means.”

  A growl escaped Krulear’s mouth and she stopped, turning around and walking in the direction we’d just came.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m taking you to the temple.”

  “But we just came from here…”

  “Shut up and listen. You must use the summoner to call the fallen gods. She must guide them into your soul, or your fate, and the fate of all our worlds is over.”

  I didn’t respond; I didn’t know what say. I was finally getting answers but there were pieces of the puzzle missing.

  Krulear’s eyes found me and she must have seen my confusion. She stopped, grabbed my arm, and pulled me close. The smell of rot was on her breath and I fought not to pull away.

  “In the old times, there were many gods. Occasionally, when a god felt their existence was no longer of merit, they would merge with another god, giving them their power. Other times, there would be war between them, and they would fight in the Otherworld. Whoever won would absorb their power. But these mergers were not perfect. Pieces of the fallen god’s essence would spill into the Fade.”

  I stared at Krulear, trying not to look confused anymore, but everything she said was so foreign to me I felt like a child being scolded.

  She rolled her eyes and shoved my arm back against me. “The Fade is where unblessed souls—souls that were not given proper burial rights—are sent. It is where all the spirits the summoner calls come from. The Fade is where your summoner will call the spilled pieces of the old gods. Invoke these spirits, then bind those gods’ souls to yours, and you become the Protector.”

  “Am I not already?”

  “No!” Her voice was harsh and raspy. “You are anointed with the Mark, which gives you power, but you are not yet the full-blooded Protector. This is why you lack the gods’ blessing.”

  Krulear got a strange look on her face and black filled her red eyes. Her body trembled and she dropped to her knees.

  “Krulear?” I asked, reaching out to touch her, but a burst of energy blasted me back to the ground.

  “No!” she shouted. Her eyes vibrated in her head, searching the ground. “The Dark Brothers, as you so call them, are coming, and their wrath is feared by all.” She winced and climbed to her feet, the red returning to her eyes. “Chase, if Ithreal comes back, the future for all dimensions will be left to a horrid fate. You must stop this from becoming reality and kill the Brothers.”

  “I know the Brothers are demigods, but what about others? Do all the gods have children that will fight with us?”

  “The Brothers are a curse on the gods. When Ithreal defeated the goddess Alaria, he stole her essence, but with an unexpected side effect. When that small piece of Alaria’s essence spilled into the Fade, it took some of Ithreal’s too. Because he was alive, he could not enter the Fade, and those drops spilled to the ground of the Otherworld—where the gods reside—creating his two sons.”

  Krulear paused, taking a wheezing breath and placing both hands on her knees.

  “When the gods demanded that he destroy them, Ithreal refused and vanished into his worlds—worlds the gods could not enter without breaking their oath. It was in those worlds he spent many cycles building his armies up to fight in what eventually became the Great War.”

  “How do you know all this?”

  “I have tasted both your blood and your father’s. I have seen what others have not.” Krulear pushed herself up and began walking again. “Come, there is no more time.”

  “I need you to tell me more,” I pleaded. “Tell me everything.”

  “I do not have more knowledge for you. I have not seen anything else of your fate. You must obtain the scroll, use it find the book, and bind the gods’ souls to yours. Then you can discover the rest for yourself. If you don’t do this, you will be no match for Ithreal or his sons.”

  “Ithreal? I’m here to get the soul piece and destroy it so I can prevent Ithreal from ever coming.”

  “You cannot stop what has already started. You can only fight back. You must take your allies and leave this place.”

  “We got split up. I don’t even know where they are, or if they’re still alive.”

  “I have guided them and they are together, awaiting you by the temple.” Krulear reached out and touched the stone wall that made up the dead end we’d come to.

  The cement cracked, black veins branching out over the gray surface, and small chunks began to fall. As they hit the earth, larger pieces of stone followed and the wall crumbled. As the dust settled, there was an opening in the concrete, and the black, shiny base of Ithreal’s statue stared back at me, just a few hundred feet away.

  “Are you sure there is nothing else you can tell me?”

  “No! You must go!” she shouted. “Leave the soul piece and complete the circle. Become the true Protector!”

  “You mean the soul piece is still here?”

  The air blurred behind Krulear and her body jerked forward. The tips of five long claws shot through her chest, and a burst of black blood splattered to the ground.

  I jumped back and unsheathed both my daggers. Krulear’s body collapsed and as it hit the ground, dust shot up around her.

  A malevolent creature stood in front of me with black blood dripping from his claws. Power emanated off him and the veins in his arms pulsed. I knew exactly what I was looking at: Ithreal’s soul piece.

  Chapter 38

  A tattered and dirty nightgown hung over his body and slits in the bottom spread between each of his four legs. His feet were black with dirt, and red blisters oozed as he walked.

  His yellow eyes were filled with past horrors and they stared at me beneath a creased forehead with no eyebrows. Streaks of red, green, yellow, and blue ran through his waist-length black hair. Dirt and grime covered his body, and small cockroach-like bugs crawled out of his tangled locks. They skittered across his face as they squeezed themselves into his ears.

  Something moved under his skin, and a critter with hundreds of legs pushed the flesh around his eyeball aside and slithered across his face. A long, black tongue snapped from his mouth and pulled the insect in. It crunched loudly and the soul piece smiled, showing yellow ooze dripping over his lips.

  Only a few teeth jutted down from his infected gums, and each tooth was rotted. The rest of his mouth was full of black holes and strange bumps. He licked the slime from his lips and his hyena laughter followed.

  The creature glanced at Krulear’s body and his claws vanished into his fingertips. All four of his knees snapped and creaked as he lowered himself in an awkward crouch and picked up her hand. He sniffed it first and golden eyes beamed with delight before he bit off the tips of her fingers. Pieces of skin hung out of his mouth and black blood trickled down his chin. He locked his gaze with mine as he crunched on the skin. Then he laughed, followed by an angry, demonic echo that moved all around me.

  “Protector cheated. Took shortcut through Zairo’s maze. No helpers allowed!” He wagged his finger at Krulear’s dead body. His voice cracked with each word, going from low to high. “Protector didn’t play by rules, so neither do Zairo.”

  Zairo giggled, and it sounded less like a hyena this time and more like a hysterical child. He rubbed both hands along his face and grumbled.

  One hand was oversized with unkempt brown fingernails while the other was small and underdeveloped, matching his child
like laughter. He ripped the entire fingernail off one of his fingers and watched me.

  Another bug skittered out of his ear and blood dripped down his lobe. The cockroach disappeared into the black and rainbow-streaked hair.

  “You’re the soul piece?” I asked in disbelief.

  Zairo’s forehead creased, he frowned, and his bottom lip trembled. His lips were painted with stripes of color that matched his hair, and the color ran down his chin as he licked his lips. He stomped his feet. “Protector not impressed...” he whispered in a sad, whimpering voice.

  The pouting look faded and he walked strangely with his legs bowed out to each side. Even though his knees were each pointed outward, his feet turned on his ankles like they weren’t connected, rotating as he changed directions. A small hump sat under his gown and he stomped the ground around Krulear’s body, whispering to himself.

  “Why are you still here?” he shouted, both hands gripping his matted hair. He stomped his feet over her face but Krulear’s body remained limp. Zairo growled and serrated claws shot from his hand. He swung down against the earth and sparks flew as his nails dragged across the pavement.

  Krulear’s head rolled away from her body, and a few moments later, she burst into flames. Ash and embers flickered in the air and Zairo smiled. “Much better!” He clapped his mismatched hands together.

  When he saw the look of disgust on my face, his smile faded. He whispered to himself in a language I couldn’t understand, and I jumped back as he scurried towards me.

  “You’re here for Father’s power…you are Protector but you not impressed by Zairo,” he said, and then continued to whisper to himself. I tried to step away but Zairo hissed at me. “Zairo show you power he has.”

  His unequal hands shot out in front of him, warping the air. Zairo jumped and clapped. “Yay! Zairo show you power. Protector will show respect.” He smiled, and his giggle turned into the hyena-like laughter that had been haunting me. He danced around, all four legs slapping the pavement at alternate intervals. “Blood will spill, your friends be killed, and Zairo be happy tomorrow!” Zairo jumped in the air, clapping his feet and hands.

  A loud bang sounded outside the hole Krulear had made in the wall. Massive gray clouds pooled together, churning as the wind picked up. A black dot formed in the center, and as the clouds turned, the dot grew bigger.

  I didn’t wait to see what Zairo had started. Krulear had said my friends were waiting here, and I was done wasting time. We had to get out of this dimension.

  I jumped through the hole and broke into a run. Dust flew up around me as my feet tore into the earth, leaving Zairo and his insanity behind me.

  Hot air rushed past me and the black dot turned in the sky, creating a dark hole in the clouds. A red beam of light burst from the inside and struck the ground. Dirt exploded in massive chunks and a dark portal opened over the earth.

  I pushed myself harder and Zairo appeared beside me, and he slowly brought both of his hands up to cover his faux guilty smile. His four bowed legs trampled the ground and he released a high-pitched giggle.

  “Run, run as fast you can. Zairo goes faster, oh yes he can!” He giggled again and accelerated in front of me, his legs trampling the earth like an arachnid.

  The temple was still a few hundred feet away, but it was getting close. I pushed myself harder than I’d ever gone, and something sparked inside of me. My body shot across the earth at speeds I knew I shouldn’t have been able to manage.

  Zairo was stopped ahead of me and his rainbow-painted lips were curled into a smile. I blew past him, and in a few steps, he matched my pace with a frown on his face.

  “Protector all business, makes this no fun, Zairo create obstacles for him to run!”

  The ground cracked and white roots spilled from the crevice. I leaped over them with ease but that wasn’t enough. They chased after me, smashing into the ground behind me. I zigged and zagged, dodging the strikes while the earth broke around me.

  More roots flailed from the crevices, reaching their limbs out until one wrapped itself around my foot. The air in front of me shifted and a stone wall appeared. The roots pulled my legs out from under me and my shoulder crashed into the wall at full speed.

  I was dragged along the hot, red earth, and it seared my skin as the uneven ground scraped against it.

  The largest root broke free and stretched into the sky. Green and white appendages thrashed from the massive stalk with purple and black leaves. At the tip of the massive trunk was a small yellow bulb.

  Zairo clapped his hands, amplifying his magic. The tiny yellow bulb expanded like a water balloon, and the stalk rocked back and forth until it could no longer support itself. The massive trunk teetered and fell to the ground.

  The bulb hit the earth, and the roots guided me towards it. A wide crack formed in the center, separating it into two halves. Sharp, plant-like teeth hung on the bottom and the top as it stretched open its mouth.

  The plant hissed and Zairo giggled. “Oooh, Jammy Jam is hungry!” He clapped. “Protector impressed now?”

  I clenched my jaw and writhed against the earth, rotating myself to reach my daggers. I pulled one from its sheath and my muscles flexed as I forced myself into a sitting position. My grip was firm around the dagger and I bent forward, reaching towards the roots. The silver blade sliced through the white stem and black liquid spurted over me.

  The plant’s mouth opened wide, revealing several thrashing tongues, each of them taking on the color from Zairo’s hair. With its mouth cracked open, the plant began to heave before releasing a grotesque belch. Along with the stench, a storm of green spikes shot up from its throat and rained down. I covered my face and they all pierced the ground around me with the exception of one that pierced my thigh.

  “Bulls-eye!” Zairo clapped.

  The spike stuck out of my leg and a burning sensation spread beneath the skin. I gripped the end of it and tore it out, anger spreading through my body.

  Pushing myself back, I dodged the roots that continued their attempt at recapturing me. I jumped up and tossed the spike at Zairo, and it spun in the air, the point of it piercing his stomach.

  Zairo cried out and stared at the spike. His rainbow lip stuck out and quivered again while his eyes welled with black tears that ran down his cheeks.

  He yanked the thorn out. Black blood soaked his dirty gown and he stomped his feet.

  “That hurts! Zairo upset.” His magic pulsed around me and a thundering charge of footsteps rattled the earth.

  The red portal churned, and one after another, the Kivrakai stampeded through, wielding long, jagged blades.

  “Protector made Zairo sad. So Zairo do something to make Protector mad. Take your friends I shall do, and Protector will cry like Zairo too!”

  I turned and ran as best as I could. Blood soaked through my jeans and jolts of pain were shooting up my leg. The statue was close, towering into the swirling gray clouds while thunder and lightning crackled around it.

  A screech came from above and a massive Rai dove from the sky. Her golden talons struck together and an enormous crack sounded, followed by a flash. The light blinded me, and when it faded, Zairo was on the ground, a massive black hole in his gown. He squirmed in the fetal position, whimpering and crying in pain.

  “No fair! No fair!”

  Rai swooped down and both talons wrapped around my arms. She lifted me into the air and her soft white feathers brushed against my face.

  “Gods it’s good to see you, girl!”

  Rai’s voice vibrated as she sang, releasing a melody of tones in a gentle song.

  The statue grew larger the closer we got. Small dots of people moved below and the Kivrakai dashed towards them.

  Earth magic rolled over my skin and I recognized it immediately. The power grew more dense and powerful by the moment, and boulders broke away from the terrain. Massive stones floated behind Rayna, and as she flung her arms forward, a storm of rocks crashed into the Kivrakai like bowling pins
, scattering them in every direction.

  Rai cawed and descended towards the demons lying on their backs, their lion-like bodies struggling with their human upper-halves to climb to their feet. As the portal began to close, nearly a dozen more stormed into the world.

  Shrieks crashed all around and Zairo appeared in the sky. Black tendrils of smoke drifted from his back, forming massive wings that cut through the air. His four legs were bent at awkward angles and folded beneath his body. The hole in his stomach was gone and streaks of black tears stained his face.

  “Hurt Zairo once, shame on you. Hurt Zairo twice, your pain ensues. Hurt Zairo thrice, and Zairo get mad, I will stop Protector, wild forces be glad!” Zairo clapped his hands together but he wasn’t smiling. His forehead was creased and his bottom lip was still sticking out.

  His power prickled against my skin, and groups of trees smashed through the distant stone wall I’d come through earlier. Their slimy green limbs were flailing and their white roots tore up the earth with uncanny speed.

  “Zairo has power, don’t you see? I will not let you take the amulet from me!”

  Rai cawed and tried to swerve away, but Zairo’s black wings turned and folded, mimicking our every move. Rai descended as we approached the Kivrakai, and Zairo’s giggles coasted alongside us.

  “Protector, Protector, you cannot win. Zairo has power of magic and—”

  Rai screeched, banking hard to the right and smashing into Zairo, cutting off his rhyme. His black wings dissolved like blown smoke and he screamed as he fell to the earth.

  “Thanks, girl.”

  Rai chirped and pulled me against her, more feathers brushing against my skin. We were just above the ground now, and Rai cawed as we approached the newly arriving Kivrakai. Their lower bodies were massive and muscular like cats on the prowl. Their upper bodies rippled with strength, and black tendrils spread across their white eyes.

  Their orange skin glistened with sweat, black ink tattooed on their arms. Their eyes were round like a human’s, but a smaller cat eye was set back in their foreheads. The noses narrowed and protruded from their faces in a cat-like snout, but when they opened their human mouths, long fangs jutted from their jaws and a ferocious roar boomed between their lips.