by Jacob White
“Weaver! Thank the gods! I always wanted my own whore house.” She laughed, and I knew it was the alcohol making her full of laughter.
“Well, I aim to please. However, I am sorry… If I had known I wouldn't have made this into a tavern.” Giving her a wink at the same time. As if I was a lord in front of the queen, I bowed deeply and offered her the key. “If you would?” She kept her gaze on me as she took the key. We walked towards the door and Les placed her hand on it and slowly pushed it open after unlocking the door.
I found her reaction mesmerizing at that moment. She turned in circles and her face was only lit by the small lanterns I had placed around the room. No longer were there tables scattered around, but replaced by a bed of pillows and sheets. I led her to the only table in the place where there were flowers on top as well as a bottle of wine. I had to buy it since mother decided to stop selling it. Our patrons at the time preferred a harder drink. She sat opposite of me with awe still in her eyes.
“I told you I wanted this to be special. It is no less than you deserve.” Finally understanding, she smiled and just nodded as I knew she was trying to hold back tears. “Here, let us eat and try this insanely expensive drink. I'm tired of seeing your tears.”
So, we did. For an hour, we just talked about nothing, arguing about the best way to treat meats and how we wanted to end our days in places of comfort.
As if we both knew it was the time, we locked our eyes and stood. Les walked to me and removed my tunic that was tucked into my pants. She kissed me after she threw it to the ground.
“Weaver, I want you more than I have ever wanted anything.”
“Then your wish shall be granted, for tonight is a night of magic.” She smiled and kissed me deeper this time and led me to a bed of pillows. She laid down with her arms above her head. I went into the crane of her neck and started to kiss her. Her irregular breathing only made my hunger worse. I went to her ear, biting lightly. Hearing the small moan that came out was music to my ears. She began to thrust her hips into mine and breathed harder.
“I love you,” Was all she could manage as my hands cupped around her full breasts through her dress. I could feel her nipples erect and pressing back into my hand. She grabbed my face and slipped her tongue into my mouth to dance with mine. We both pulled back, breathing hard.
“I love you—” I said as the front door burst open shattering the lock. I whipped my head around as I saw 4 men barging through the door all dressed in black. As they parted, Edmund came into my vision. We both got on our feet, and I pushed Les behind me.
“Edmund, what are you doing here?”
“Les, my darling, I knew you always favored being on your back.” He looked to me. “My dear boy, I think we both know why I’m here.”
“If that were true, I wouldn’t have asked you.” He only chuckled at my comment.
“Well, I shall enlighten you.” He snapped his fingers, and the men separated us.
“Get your filthy hands off her, you piece of shit.”
“No, I don’t think that will happen. I need her to watch as I beat you to an inch of your life… again. Only to watch her die before I finish with you. This time, however, you will suffer much more than a beating, your flesh will melt off, and your final thoughts will be of my face looking down at you.”
“Do your worst” He answered me by hammering his fist into the side of my temple and causing my vision to double. To make it worse with each hit my hand felt as though it was on fire with the pulses coming from the center of my palm. Punches and kicks rained down upon me. I couldn’t find my breath. Blood was pooled from my mouth. I heard a scream from Les that briefly halted the beatings.
“Please, I’ll do anything, just stop.” She sank to her knees. “Please.” She pleaded through her streaming tears.
“Come here then.” Edmund said with much excitement. He grabbed her hair with one hand to lift her chin. “I’ll make a deal with you. I will give you this knife, then you must walk to your precious Weaver and cut off both of his hands. You must do this, so he will never touch you again, touch what is mine, and what always has been. Do you agree to this? You can both walk away and leave this city forever.” She continued to sob, and I looked up at her from the ground.
“Les, it's okay.” was all I could manage to get out before a boot came to my face and held it down.
“Fine!... I… will bu…t you have to promise… that you will leave us alone, forever.” She amazingly sounded strong even though I could tell how much suffering she was going through.
“Then we have an agreement.” Edmund took a knife out of its sheath and handed to her. He let her hair go, and she stumbled forward. I managed to smile to give her reassurance, and she gave me a faint smile back.
“Weaver, I’m so sorry.” She took another step towards me.
“Hold him down and put his hands out.” A voice said. I struggled under their hands, but my muscles were too tired to even fight back. Les was between Edmund and me now, and she looked down at me again.
“Remember that I love you.” Then as if Edmund knew what was going to happen he stepped back. The knife Les held separated the air on its way to Edmund. It slid across his face, opening his mouth even wider. He screamed in pain as Les pressed forward. She was quickly restrained before she could reach Edmund again. “No! Let me go!” She screamed and then I saw him. Edmund’s mutilated face once again covered in blood.
“So, you with to die along with him then. Fine, goodbye whore.” He walked over to Les and grabbed her hair once again. He pulled her in front of the bar and then slammed her head down multiple times against it. The wood didn’t give as it grew darker from her blood. The third time I thought I heard a crack and she slumped to the floor with no movement.
“No!” I screamed at the top of my lungs and Edmund only looked back and his sadistic smile came through his bloodied mouth.
“It’s your turn now. Grab the chair and sit him up.” Without hesitation, they complied. “Hold him.”
I faced Edmund with my chin up, but it only seemed to fuel his anger. There was a flash of heat and pain I had never faced before. Edmund had kicked my ankle from the outside causing it to break. I fell to the floor and I looked to my deformed ankle. The pain intensified once I saw the broken bone sticking out of my skin. I crawled as if I could run away from the pain. My bloodied mouth caused me to choke for air several times. I didn’t care I could only think about how I failed Les again. Another person to get hurt under my care. I stared at her and could see her chest slowly rise and fall. There was still a chance I could save her from all this, but I couldn’t let it show on my face.
Ideas began to run through my head as best they could. I looked back at Edmund to see him standing at the entrance once again, but he was alone. His henchmen had already left I realized as Edmund dug into his pocket and raised three black orbs in his hand.
“A gift from some of my mage friends.” My hand was on fire once again, and this time it didn’t stop. “Goodbye, boy. Enjoy these fine gifts.” He dropped the small orbs and they rolled to separate points on the floor. I had no idea what was about to happen, so I could only stare at one moving to the opposite side of the wall. Then with a silent boom, as if they sucked in air before they broke. Flames began to swelter where the balls had struck. Realizing what was happening, I stood too fast and found myself once again on the ground. Darkness swelled around my eyes as I tried to get my bearings. The flame slowly crept along the walls. The heat was becoming too intense. Not trying to focus on my new-found observation I came to my knees again and stood on my right leg careful not to put pressure on my left.
I saw the chair behind me and smashed it on the ground. Picking one of the wooden pegs from the chair, I slid it into my left boot. I tied my boot as hard as I could before I passed out. I hadn’t been out that long, but at least I was still alive. My boot was still tight along with the wood inside it. I tied it off and got back up. I tried my best to ignore the pain and stars in
my vision with each weak step I took.
I finally made it over to Les and shook her to try and wake her, but she would not wake. Looking around, I realized I was too late. The fire had consumed the walls of the Yezmon. Sweat covered my body. It would blur my vision as it dripped from my head. I knew the heat would take us soon if we didn’t move. I struggled to my feet once again and limped over to my bed of pillows that was on the edge of the fire. I ripped a blanket from underneath and it sent the pillows into the fire. I was taking too long. I had to hurry back to Les. I wrapped her in the blanket from head to toe the best I could. If I was going to die here, I was going to try my best to at least save one person before I did. I had to stand her up against the bar to throw her over my shoulder. The fire had already reached behind the bar, and I could feel my right arm starting to burn. It made me step away too fast once again making me feel the pain in my ankle. I refused to fall or blackout this time. I walked toward the front entrance preparing myself for what was about to happen.
“I’m sorry.” I said to the empty Yezmon as the flame consumed the room. I walked into the fire blocking my path to the outside. The pain was so intense I clenched my teeth and squinted my eyes. Air was harder to take in as it burned the insides of my throat. I almost fainted as my palm began to glow. It had held back the flame from being able to scorch our skin. I didn’t question it and shuffled towards the door. I only saw the flame inches from my face as I took my steps. I was so close now. Only a couple more paces. The glowing markings on my palm began to fade, and I felt the intense heat once again. By that time, I had already committed to my mind no matter what I would make it out. I continued to push, and eventually, the pain stopped even though I was still in the fire a foot away from the nights air. I continued and stole a glance at my arm. It was covered in red boils that bubbled and patches of black that seeped a liquid from my crackling flesh. I instantly regretted looking as if it started the pain all over again. I had made it outside and fell to the ground. Les had rolled away from me. I now heard the screams and shuffling of feet, and I even thought I heard Anna’s voice calling me. No longer able to take the pain, I closed my eyes, ready to die and move on. I was content as I realized I gave Les a fighting chance to live. Darkness consumed me, and I was gone.
CHAPTER TEN
A meeting with Gibi
I opened my eyes and I knew it wasn’t my own physical body. I was dressed in pure white and no coverings for my feet. The grass I was standing in was soft between my toes and lush with green. I was at peace. I looked up and saw a small stone table in the middle of the field. Drawn to the table, I sat down and stared at the empty space in front of me. Then I blinked, and a man sat in front of me. His face was covered by a full beard peppered with white but neatly trimmed and dressed from head-to-toe in white. There seemed to be a bluish aura around him that pulsated and swirled around him. His face was hard but kind.
“Is this the afterlife?” I managed to say. The man studied me for a minute before speaking.
“In a way, yes, and in a way, no” Confused, I pressed on.
“Then, where am I?”
“This is all happening inside of your head while you lay unconscious. Think of this place as a bridge to other areas. Instead of letting you cross that bridge I kept you here to talk with you.”
“Who are you?” He smiled.
“I think you know who I am, my brave, brave boy.”
“Father?” He laughed, and it filled me with so much joy that I couldn’t help but laugh as well.
“No, not your father in terms that you are thinking, but still, I suppose in a way, yes I am.”
“Okay, that didn’t make any sense.” He only smiled again, waiting for me to put the pieces together. My mother’s words seemed to fill my mind of how gods were always depicted with auras around them. Then statues and pictures rushed into my thoughts of a bearded god of Ellipsis. I became nervous. I fell to my knees and put my head to the ground.
“Please forgive me mighty Gibi, god of hope and water.”
“Come now, there is no need for that. This is your head after all. Please rise and sit. We have much to discuss, in a short amount of time.” I sat across from him again. “Okay, now that’s out of the way, I am Gibi but only a fragment of him. I was fused into the stone that is currently inside of your hand.” I raised my hand up to look at it. The bracelet pushed its way out of my hand but without pain or blood. It held a small glowing stone, no bigger than a rock you would skip on the water. It had a faint glow that remained as we spoke.
“I do have a connection to the full essence of Gibi, but he could not be here as it is against the law of the creators. Tell me: are you familiar with the stories of how we all came about?”
“Only what I heard as a child, that six creators made created six gods.”
“That is correct, but there is more to it than most know, as is with any truth. The six gods who were brought into the world was each given their own domain. Now known as the six great kingdoms of this world. Ellipsis, Grassin Uzix, Rowzen, Xent, and Liide. Each one created by another god. Obviously, I created Ellipsis, Arbos; Grassin, Uzix by Fliz, Xent by the beautiful Eteral, Rowzen by Erron leaving Liide’s darkness to Liam.” I didn’t dare to interrupt and just nodded. “In celebration of our dominion of our lands, we each created one of these talismans around your hand. We gifted them to each of our first kings over three thousand of your years ago. For a time, there was peace over the world, and then the calamity happened.”
“The great war of the six domains. The kings, became greedy and wanted more,” I said to try and contribute to the one-way conversation.
“That is how the world remembers it, yes. But in fact, it is much different. The six gods, had bread with our creations for a time. Some of us took many mates and spawned many children like Liam. Eteral was more conservative in her mating but the other gods did as they pleased. I only took one and was with her until her death. She couldn’t spawn any children, so once again I found myself alone. The children of the other gods decided they wanted more power and convinced their parents that it was the correct course of action. After a hundred years of battle, the creators decided it was enough. They were ashamed of what the world had turned into and decided to obliterate all our created children. There was much anger at what had happened, but it was too late. Not even we could change what had happened. Then we were all banished to a different realm only to watch the world become what it is. Not soon after, one god found a way to escape.”
“The one who slumbers, Liam the dark.” I mumbled.
“Correct. He is also known as the god of deceit. He made his way back but was weakened by his journey back. A general was ordered by the king of Liide who noticed this and decided to try and kill him to avoid another period of war. The king's line was cursed after his attempt on Liam, but the king was also successful in using his mages to entrap Liam deep into the earth in a tomb. After a week went by, all the king's line died at the same time, making the land now controlled by mages with no line of royalty. With only a handful of council mage’s knowing where Liam’s tomb once was. But now he stirs once again, seeking his revenge on the world that has held him for so long.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not sure what it has to do with me?”
“A good concern to have. Let me explain. The six of us created talismans. It was all that remained of us gods on this earth. However, I believe five have been lost in time or destroyed by some means.”
“Meaning mine is the only one that remains.” Gibi nodded his head once.
“The path set before you is not yours alone and nor is it set. Some might call it fate, but I tell you now that all that fate is, is a series of choices that ripple through time. You are not meant to carry this burden of keeping Liam asleep. I would send you to find the one who his.”
“Okay, but I don’t know if you noticed, I’m on my last legs.”
“That you are but since the fire that you bravely walked though was magic I was abl
e to block the most of it. Since I was trying to protect both of you, the effects of the stone’s protection couldn’t last that long without killing you anyway. Since you contained no magic source, the stone used your life force instead. Thus, resulting in your current condition, which is dire, I might add.”
“Thank you?” I said with a slight question in my voice. Gibi chuckled and continued.
“There is no need to thank me, for I am scared to tell you there will be much more pain in your future, if I think I know you as I do.” Confused beyond belief, I couldn’t hold my questions any longer.
“Why couldn’t you block the flames?”
“The way the stone works is it blocks out harmful magic to the carrier.”
“But I was still hurt.”
“Correct. However, there is more to this. As a protection magic, it also requires magic to work. It draws the magic from the wielder to strengthen its barrier. As you didn’t have any magical traits, you had no magic to draw upon. Therefore, it was slowly killing you, drawing from your inner essence, just as it did your mother over time.” My mouth dropped open.
“You slowly killed my mother?” Irritation in my voice.
“Yes, but she was aware just as those before her. I am sorry for this. She loved you a great deal even though she was unable to show her emotions most of the time. It is not her fault for wielding the stone, as this detail has been long forgotten. Long story short, after one of the many wars a squire of a king was ordered to take it when the king was on his death bed. This is also a weakness to the stone that it must be given and received willingly.”
“And if it isn’t?” I asked, already knowing the answer to my question.
“It stays bound to the soul and perishes along with its owner. This is my theory on how the other stones were lost.”
“I’m at a loss for words, Gibi. I learn my mother was killed by a god. You still haven’t explained what you want from me. What is my part in all of this?” Gibi looked away into the distance as if he heard something.
