Shining Light of the Volstir (The Light of the Volstir Book 1)

by Brian Carmen

  “You should go feed while I keep watch over him” Olivia suggested but Nia shook her head at her.

  “You go ahead Olivia; I don’t need to feed right now” Nia responded while hoping that her maker would be able to take the hint.

  Olivia opened her mouth as if to say something but instead closed it and walked away. Slowly Nia moved off the bed and stood up; she turned to look at Victor. He’d survived the worst part of the turning. She felt the tears as they came from her eyes only to end up falling onto the floor. She didn’t even bother to try and wipe them away because she knew that they wouldn’t last for long. Nia was just happy that Victor wasn’t dead; he would never know how worried she had been for him.

  “You’re amazing” she whispered to him as she walked up and kissed Victor on the forehead.

  They said it was always a blessed event when a newborn was able to survive the turning. Nia was pleased that her newest progeny had been able to survive. Every time she performed a turning she felt relieved as though several years had been taken from her. It was no wonder why many Volstirs avoided becoming makers. The process was extremely stressful on both the mind and the body.

  Nia walked up stairs; making sure that the steps she took were short in case Victor needed her again. She doubted that he would since everything about him now seemed calmed. Nia felt assured that he would awaken without any complications. Without noticing; she found herself walking into the kitchen where Olivia sipped on a cup that had blood in it. Nia smelled the animal’s blood and wondered where she’d gotten it from.

  She looked down at En whom she assumed had been hunting while they were in the basement. He was guarding a small box that had several smaller creatures trapped inside. They tried escaping however they were trapped and ready to be consumed at any time. En was not going to let them get away unless they had been drained of their blood first. Nia smiled while she thanked him for his hard work.

  “Your empathy ability seems to have grown considerably” Olivia said with a smirk as the microwave started beeping loudly.

  Olivia pulled out another cup of blood and handed it to Nia who gladly accepted it. She looked at the blood before taking a large gulp. It tasted old and stale like it always did when she consumed animal blood. Nia was sure that Olivia had mixed it so that they would be able to drink and survive off it. In the old days Volstirs could only survive off human blood however time brought progress. Someone came up with a method to change animal’s blood so that it could be used as a secondary source.

  Many Volstirs did not particularly enjoy abstaining from humans. Laws and regulations had been put into place as more and more Volstirs were turned. That made it almost impossible to stay on a strict human diet. The only possible way to keep drinking human blood was to live in one of the lost cities. There were many of them around the world and were the only places where human blood was never in short supply.

  “It hasn’t fully matured yet” Nia responded to Olivia’s observation.

  “Now that’s interesting; do you think you might possess a variation two?” Olivia asked in curiosity as Nia simply shrugged.

  Her eyebrows raised in surprise when she heard what Nia had said. Abilities were tricky and like many other things about Volstir; it was something that was discovered on an individual basis. Nia could tell that what she had said was something that would interest Olivia’s curiosity. Nia had an internal ability like Olivia which meant that there was more to there abilities. It was something that was difficult to unlock but could make a Volstir quite strong.

  The problem was that no one knew the full limits of their ability until they reached it. Nia’s ability was one of the rarer ones and it had shown that it had many different uses. She thought about when she’d first unlocked it and how the emotions of all the people around her had almost driven her insane. Now she had much better control over her ability and was able to many things with it. Nia couldn’t help but suspect that she had a greater power hidden within it. She couldn’t prove this so instead she thought that it would be best to change the subject.

  “I saw his light” Nia began as Olivia nodded. “As did I” Olivia said while she took another sip from her cup.

  Nia wasn’t surprised by that Olivia had been able to see Victor’s light. It was a vision after all and a Volstir with foresight would likely have been triggered. It was very similar to how Nia’s light had been though Olivia only saw the other person‘s light and not her own. There had been only a handful of Olivia’s Volstir children whom she had not seen the future through their light. Surprisingly Nia had been one of them thanks to her ability. It had been able to cancel Olivia’s ability without Nia having to do anything.

  “Did you see yours again?” Olivia asked Nia who nodded with a simple smile as a response.

  “I did and I remember a part of it” Nia said proudly while looking back at the flashes of light..

  “You know me; I can’t turn down good gossip” Olivia said as her eyes lit up with excitement.

  She placed her drink down on the countertop before she spoke again. “Dish girl; if you want” Olivia said excitedly while trying not to sound too pushy.

  Nia was not worried since Olivia had already figured out a large part of it many years ago. She knew that it was about a man and that they were having a picnic in the middle of wild flowers on a sunny day. Olivia’s was very surprised when Nia had first talked about her light. She hadn’t expected that her progeny would receive the most common type of light; one about predestined love.

  Nia had a rare ability which normally only belonged to people with a rare light. The connection between ability and light would’ve suggested that she would have something more common; like telekinesis or telepathy. She must have thought that Nia’s ability was just one of those rare things that just happened. Nia had ever been able to figure the reason behind her ability so she was in no position to explain. They simply guessed that the reason behind it would eventually reveal itself.

  “I don’t mind; I found out that his name is Andrew Drake” Nia answered while her eyes began to glaze over at the thought of him.

  She had tried being with other men in the past but they didn’t come close to Andrew. It had been odd at first to think she’d fallen in love with someone without knowing them. Over the years however she had seen him many times. Nia didn’t know if she really was in love with Andrew or just in love with the idea of him. Olivia had once said that the biggest drawback for those that receive love lights was that it often made all others unacceptable. Nia wasn’t sure if this was true; however she did feel that something wasn’t right when she was dating someone.

  Olivia listened as Nia began talking about Andrew. Nia could see that maker seemed to be thinking of something important. Olivia began saying his name silently; then her eyes began bulging out. Nia was able to see the excitement as it began filling her maker up inside. Olivia had apparently remembered something that she believed was important.

  “You said his name was Andrew Drake? I saw him In a vision three weeks ago. Both of you were together!” Olivia shouted with joy.

  It was now Nia’s turn to have her eyes bulge outwards. “Really?” she asked as Olivia began hopping up and down while nodding her head as fast as she could. The way she looked almost made her appear like a bobble head.

  “Yeah; I definitely remembered seeing the two of you kiss. I thought he looked a little young so I just assumed you had found a new boy toy for the night” Olivia continued explaining.

  Nia could feel a sudden rush of joy throughout her entire body. Olivia couldn’t have understood how much Andrew truly meant to her. Nia had been dreaming of him since she‘d first been turned over a hundred years ago. Andrew Drake was her true love and once they were together they would both be complete. It may have seemed silly but something inside Nia knew that it was the truth.

  “Do you know when the vision will happen?” Nia asked excitedly as Olivia began trying to think about it.

  “No; I’m sorr
y but I have visions of my girl’s all the time. I don’t really pay too much attention to them anymore. I must’ve just forgotten about it until you said something” Olivia confessed.

  The smile began to fade from Nia’s face. It didn’t help to know that in the future she and Andrew were going to be together. She had already known that for a very long time. Nia needed to know how much longer she would have to wait. She needed Olivia to remember more if she was going to get excited. Nia looked at Olivia who seemed to be concentrating very hard. Her maker was trying to remember the vision however Nia tried not to put too much hope into her. Olivia couldn’t possibly remember one vision out of thousands.

  “I remember that he’s in California. You both were together in Las Angeles” Olivia said brightly while hoping that it would help Nia.

  “At least I know where to wait for him but I still don’t know how long” Nia replied while taking another sip of her drink.

  Nia had been searching for Andrew for a very long time. Victor had never known the truth behind why they were always moving from one place to the next. Nia would just get a feeling and then begin packing her things without much warning. It was impossible for her to know where she would meet Andrew or if he would even have feelings for her. Nia cherished her light but at the same time hated it.

  Olivia’s excitement had considerably lessened once she realized that it really hadn’t been very helpful. She apologized for not being able to help more; she had always tried to help whenever possible. Nia tried to say something that would make it all okay but was unable to. A bitter taste was left in her mouth while she finished the rest of her drink. Both women understood how frustrating it was trying to search time and space. All Volstir could understand because for some reason they all were on the same quest. From the moment they were turned it had begun and wouldn’t end until they found their lights.

  Olivia walked up and began to take Nia’s hand with hers. Nia had seen this before and guessed that Olivia was trying to trigger one of her visions. Olivia was able to trigger a vision at any time; the problem was always the subject of the vision that she would have. Nia looked into her maker’s eyes and hoped that she would be able to see the same vision again. It was difficult but they both knew that Olivia would try her very best.

  “I’ve waited over six hundred years for my light; if I can help one of my children find theirs sooner… Than at least all this time waiting wouldn’t be for nothing” Olivia said kindly before she closed her eyes and began to focus.

  Nia felt deeply touched by Olivia’s words. None of them knew many Volstirs that would actually help their progeny find their light. Most makers were consumed with finding their own. Olivia had always been a rare type of maker; she had always looked at them all as her children. They were all part of her family; even if she ended up having to kill them.

  The light was every Volstir’s greatest treasure which often led to trouble. They would become paranoid about protecting it so that it could not be destroyed. This was especially true in the newborns. They would become more paranoid of their light as they became less human. It was another reason why the makers would have to kill their progeny; their relationship would become ‘kill or be killed’. It was always a surprise when a Volstir would appear and wasn’t trying to find their light.

  Nia remembered a story of a pack of Volstir’s that had been given the chance to have their light. Instead they chose to leave it behind so that at least they would always know that hope was real. They became known as the Luminas Monks and taught their followers to find a different sort of happiness. The group were supposed to be somewhere in Asia however their tale was known throughout the world. The Luminas Monks were both revered and loathed by many Volstir.

  Nia had once thought about joining them at one time. She had never really given them too much thought but she did admire them. They were willing to give up their desires; Nia didn’t think that she could be so selfless. Others had tried and ended up as monsters known as a Misery. Deep inside; Nia had always been afraid that she would become a Misery if she tried to be a monk. Olivia had told her that a lot of Volstir thought about being one of them but most did not. It was okay to admire someone and know that their path was not for you.

  Olivia opened her eyes,; they flared bright gold. Nia had seen this on many occasions whenever Olivia was having a vision. Olivia was old and had increased her ability to see into the future. Nia still did not imagine that her maker would be this adept at triggering them. A moment past and her eyes returned to their normal color. Olivia slowly took a deep breath and came back to her sense with a smile.

  “You are going to have to leave immediately. The day will be the second Monday of June. You and Andrew are going to be sitting in a diner talking” Olivia explained as she began writing down the date and the location. She finished writing and placed the note inside Nia’s hand.

  Nia’s eyes widened as she thought about the date; it was currently early April. If she believed Olivia; than that would only give her a couple months. Nia would finally be face to face with the real Andrew. The thought alone was exciting however there were more serious questions that had to be addressed. The two of them had been thinking about Andrew that they almost forgot about the man that was currently in Nia’s bed.

  “What about Victor?” Nia asked Olivia; she was worried that he might not be ready for a trip to California.

  The idea of leaving him behind was like leaving a baby alone to fend for itself. Nia could’ve asked Olivia to watch him however that seemed rude since Nia was Victor’s maker. Olivia shook her head and explained to her that she didn’t need to worry. Her maker must have seen that Victor was somewhere in the diner with them. She tried to imagine the three of them sitting in a booth. All that came was Nia trying to stop the two of them from killing each other. Part of her was a bit disgusted that a deeper part enjoyed such a thought and wanted to see it come true.

  “Don’t worry; I saw him in the background of the diner. He did look a bit uncomfortable but he was not eating anyone” Olivia explained as relief started to spread throughout Nia’s body.

  It would be impossible not to worry about her new progeny however she couldn’t deny what was in her heart. It was something she’d been waiting for a long time to happen. It was starting to seem like a crazy dream. Olivia quickly pinched her to prove to her that it was all real. Looking at her maker; Nia couldn’t stop herself from asking if this was right. Could she really just leave with Victor to find the man she’d dreamt about for over a hundred years? Nia looked to Olivia for guidance however her maker was not going to tell her ‘no’.

  Olivia just told her that if she didn’t go than Andrew would have to go to someone else. The two women stood together in the kitchen and began laughing while jumping around. They were both happy the day Nia had waited over a century was about to come. She would be in the diner with him; even if she had to move heaven and earth to get there.

  “What did we say? Did he seem happy to talk with me? “Nia began asking her maker along with a dozen other questions.

  Olivia only shook her head and explained that she didn’t know. The drawback to triggering a vision was that it would be incomplete; she’d only seen the two of them talking. She was unable to hear what they were talking about. His name and the day had been something that had just appeared I her mind. Olivia had no real control over the visions and what they might show her.

  Nia would have to wait for the remaining four days until Victor was completely turned. She didn’t mind since she knew that Victor was going to pull through and become a Volstir. Olivia suggested that they could use the four days to prepare for when Victor awoke. They could then leave without wasting any more time. Nia quickly agreed while thanking Olivia for all the help that she had provided. Her maker brushed the compliments off without much thought; Olivia felt that it was her duty to help Nia.

  The only regret that Olivia had was that she wouldn’t be able to go with them. Instead she offered to help them
in any way possible; if they needed her. Nia did not want to need Olivia to baby sit her but she was still grateful to Olivia for offering. She wanted to prove to her maker that she could make the trip without her. Nia had been on her own for a long time however she still felt like a child whenever she was around Olivia. It was always a constant struggle for Nia to prove that she was able to take care of herself.

  The next few days were going to be very busy. They would not have much time to sit idle and watch Victor rest however Olivia assured her that the worst part was over. If her vision were true; then Victor was going to awaken without any trouble. Everything was moving much quicker than Nia had originally planned.

  They were going to leave Acresville after the turning however they would have to alter their course a bit. Victor and Nia would have a chance to start a new chapter in their lives. Both would have a light to be their guide along with a new bond that would bind them. Nia would be Victor’s maker and he would be her progeny. They would soon leave everything in the past and begin to search for the future they both had seen.

  Chapter Five: Victor’s Rebirth

  Time began doing something that it had often done before in Nia’s lifetime. It began moving very fast and very slow at the same time. This happened many times in the life of a Volstir. Hours could feel like seconds and days could feel like forever. Their bodies and their minds were no longer able to adjust to time in a normal manner. It was a difficult feeling but Nia knew that it would never go away. Even Olivia would still feel it; however she had learned not to let it bother her.