After what seemed an eternity, he saw the bright light above. The moment it did his spell failed him, his sorcery completely depleted. Fortunately, he was close enough to the surface to flounder towards it. Relief surged through him once his head broke through. Evan gasped in his first breath of fresh air in what had to be several minutes.
He looked around blearily, blinking back water. The cliff he fell from was several hundred feet away. His heart sank. Empty ocean stretched all around, only a single rock poked out of the water nearby; as if taunting him in its insignificance.
Wondering how he hadn’t collapsed from exhaustion, Evan managed to swim forward and grab the top of the rock, hugging it for support.
There was no way he could swim back to the cliff in his current condition. A creeping fear erupted within him, whispering of what possible monsters could lurk in this world’s sea. That was all he needed.
It was quiet around him, all Evan could hear was the water as it sloshed over him. His body was so tired he could barely hold on to the rock. He sincerely doubted he had enough strength to tread water, so without the rock he’d be done for.
“EVAN, EVAN.”
He heard a girl’s voice on the wind, hardly audible. He peered back at the cliff, where three figures slowly came into focus.
“ARE YOU OKAY?” Emillia shouted again.
Evan didn’t have the strength to shout back, so he merely raised one aching arm and gave a thumbs up.
He saw a blue light flash into existence beside the three figures and he a moment later he realised Bane had summoned a portal, likely back to Veneseron.
But no, he’s activated his Rambrace too soon. They need to wait for me.
“What are you doing?” He heard Emi cry, “we’re not leaving without him.”
Evan couldn’t hear how Bane replied, but he saw the older Venator seize Emi and throw her through the portal before she could stop him.
“There’s nothing we can do to help you!” Sintian shouted from atop the cliff. “I’ll tell the Masters you’re here. They should come for you in an hour or two. Just don’t drown.”
“Or get eaten!” Bane yelled. Evan heard Bane laugh as he stepped into the portal.
Ice-cold fear and burning anger warred inside Evan. How can they just desert me?
“No! Wait!” Evan managed to shout feebly.
Only Sintian remained now. He stepped closer to the portal, but Evan could sense Sintian staring at him intently.
“You’ll be fine. If anything happens to you before the Masters show up, you can always use your secret demon magic, eh?”
Even from far away Evan could tell Sintian was smirking. He wanted to shout back that he didn’t have such a thing, but Sintian wasn’t worth the effort.
A part of him believed Sintian and Bane were playing a sick prank, and Sintian was going to help him at the last second. But then Sintian jumped into the vortex and the portal disappeared seconds after, leaving Evan entirely alone.
He was stunned.
Fear clutched at his insides. Even if he reached the shore, he had no Rambrace to get back to Veneseron, he was stuck here. Who knew how long it would take for the Masters to rescue him. If he even survived that long. Plus, the humiliation of having to be rescued on his first mission was crushing.
Evan felt just like he had stepped into a series of hellish nightmares with everything he’d been through. Demon crocodile’s trying to chomp on his head, necromancers, demon koala-monkeys, and massive Minotaur’s.
His chest already ached where the Minotaur had head-butted him, he would have to go to Master or fellow Venator who knew the healing magic when he got back.
A pang of panic radiated through Evan as he remembered the Minotaur. The beast had fallen into the sea with him, yet was nowhere to be found.
The fear of drowning, or being attacked when he was so helpless, flooded over him in a tidal wave as the sea manhandled him.
Can’t I catch a break?
His fear turned to hysteria as two giant snakes suddenly broke the surface of the water beneath him. He clutched at his one small rock, paralysed as the incredible length of them continued to rise out of the turquoise sea.
Bizarrely, a colossal coruscated sea shell followed the snakes, attached by reigns made out of seaweed the serpents held in their mouths. It was like some warped horse and carriage spewing out of the ocean’s depths.
Both horror and fascination enveloped Evan’s mind. That was, until he saw a familiar face poke out from inside the sea shell.
Vanderain, the Master Eternal and creator of all Veneseron, looked down at Evan benignly, his signature roguish grin plastered across his face.
“Evan Umbra! What are the chances eh?”
Vanderain guided the sea serpents closer to Evan until colossal shell drifted right up beside him. The Eternal threw out a hand for Evan to grasp and pulled him in.
He stumbled into the seashell in disbelief. It was surprisingly warm and cosy inside. Before Evan could say anything, Vanderain fussed over him, casually drying his armour, as well as healing him, as Evan felt a fresh vitality rush through him.
“Just something to keep you from fainting,” Vanderain explained, “You look shattered.”
“I am.” Was all Evan could say as he sat beside the Master.
“Lucky I was only a few worlds away then,” said Vanderain. “I was in a neighbouring Realm, visiting the Opghly on urgent business.”
Evan thought about these words for a moment, “I’m guessing these Opghly are an underwater race?” He asked, judging by Vanderain’s mode of transport.
“Oh yes, their underwater city is quite reminiscent of Atlantis, in its earlier days of course,” he chuckled quietly to himself.
Atlantis? Evan often forgot because of Vanderain’s appearance how old he truly was.
“And the Opghly don’t allow Rambraces in their cities, on account to a lot of invasions they’ve had, they have other ways of travelling between worlds, however, and they were happy to lend me one of their seashells. I drove here as fast as I could, as soon as I felt demon sorcery being used.” Vanderain’s smile vanished. “In fact, I thought I’d merely find a Dread Lord here, not you, especially after you drank the Emerald Shade.” Vanderain looked at him seriously.
“I’m so sorry,” Evan blurted out. “I didn’t mean too, I don’t know how it happened. My life was in danger and then…I saw it again. I didn’t use it though. I promise.”
“It’s okay,” said Vanderain. “I believe you, and I know it wasn’t your fault. But this is very worrying. I thought the Shade would at least give us time. But your demon magic must be strong enough to overcome the potions effects, at least when your life’s in danger. I’ll need to think and research what to do next, and quickly, before your demonic side gets out of control again.”
“Do you think the same has happened to Brooke?” he asked.
Vanderain shook his head. “I would have felt it, like I did your demon magic. I believe the Shade may work fine with Brooke. Your mother, Akirandon, was the most powerful of the god’s Disciples, which is why your demon sorcery is stronger.”
Evan nodded numbly. “I hope you’re right.”
Vanderain snapped out of his grim expression as he gazed around at their surroundings, as if only just realising where they were.
“And what are you doing in this realm, Evan? I thought your mission was in that quaint gnomish world. And where are your companions? Did you get separated?”
“You could say that,” Evan responded bitterly.
“Go on.”
He didn’t want to be a snitch, but what Sintian and Bane had done to him was despicable. Evan couldn’t stand the thought of them doing it to another Venator on a mission.
“Okay, well, they kind of deserted me here. We got the gem of Quantem, but I was stranded in this sea and they were up on that cliff. I guess Bane and Sintian thought it would be easier to travel to Veneseron without me.”
“I shall be having w
ords with those two,” Vanderain muttered sternly. “They know protocol is to never leave a Venator behind and to inform the monitors if they’ve been separated from a companion before leaving the mission. They will be punished accordingly.”
“Not Emillia though,” Evan said quickly, “she didn’t want to go without me.”
“Understood,” said Vanderain, a disappointed look in his eyes. “Bane should certainly know better.”
“Sintian did say they’d alert the Masters so they could rescue me,” Evan said, feeling like a child when he mentioned needing rescued.
Vanderain shook his head. “All Venators know they should only return to Veneseron without one of their companions if said companion is lost and without a Rambrace of their own.”
“I guess I’ve failed my mission now,” he said miserably.
Evan tried not to let his failure get to him. The mission could have gone a whole lot better, but at least he was alive; if you wanted to look for the silver lining.
“The opposite, actually,” Vanderain replied. “As part of their punishment, Sintian and Bane have officially failed this mission, whilst you and Emillia have passed.”
“Really?” Evan looked up, hardly able to believe it.
“Of course, you said you retrieved the crown of Quantem, and that was your goal.”
Vanderain reached down and stroked one of the huge sea serpents carrying them through the sea. “Beautiful things,” he murmured.
Evan looked down at the snakes; beautiful was the last word he’d use to describe them.
“Time to return,” said Vanderain. “We’ve stayed here too long already. I only sensed your demon sorcery because I was relatively nearby, if you can call three worlds away relative. I also have experience in sensing the darker kind of sorcery, from hunting down Dread Lords. But there’s a chance, although small, that someone else may have sensed your magic.”
“You mean a Dread Lord, or…” Evan trailed off, remembering the Asharon. Or a Disciple. Maybe the Disciple who might’ve sent that Asharon to get me.
“Vanderain, I have to tell you something.” He took a deep breath. “A strange, but powerful creature attacked me in the cultist’s temple. Sintian said it was an Asharon.”
Vanderain looked at him sharply. “Are you sure?”
Evan nodded, “Sintian seemed to be at least.”
“No,” Vanderain uttered under his breath. “He can’t know about you, not so soon.”
“Uh, sorry Master. Who are you talking about?”
As soon as the words were out of Evan’s mouth there was an explosion atop the orange cliff face in the distance. They both turned to see a fork of black lightning had hit the cliff and contorted to a red and black portal.
Evan turned back to Vanderain as the Master swiftly took out his Rambrace and summoned his own portal. He saw panic in Vanderain’s eyes for the first time and it filled Evan with an extreme fear.
“We need to leave quickly. He’s looking for you.”
“Who,” Evan repeated, although he wasn’t sure Vanderain could hear him over the crackling of their portal as it formed over the water to the left of the seashell.
“C’mon, you jump through first, just in case.”
Evan wanted to ask a hundred questions, but knew now wasn’t the time. As he stood up and stepped to the edge of the seashell, he chanced another look at the cliff, just in time to see a figure step out of the swirling shadow portal.
He was a tall man, with ghost-pale skin and paler hair. Evan immediately felt a dark and foreboding presence, and power. The sense of power that resonated from this strange man was more than Kurrlan and the Asharon combined.
The tall man stared out at the sea as he walked, but it took only a second before his gaze locked directly on them. He was too far away for Evan to see his eyes clearly, yet he felt the stare burning a hole into his very soul.
The pale man raised his hand high and a red light spewed out of it, rushing toward Evan.
Suddenly, his vision filled with swirling colours as Vanderain pushed him into the portal and jumped in after him. As Evan was flung around and around by the vortex, he heard an ear-splitting explosion, something he’d never experienced when travelling between the realms.
Abruptly, Evan was back on his feet again, standing in Vanderain’s chambers, back in Veneseron.
Usually he’d be elated to be back home, but now he was terrified.
“Who was that? What was that?”
Vanderain looked shaken up too, and that was more unnerving than anything Evan had seen on his mission.
“Kalkavan,” Vanderain rasped. “That was Kalkavan, one of Ezanathul’s Disciples.”
No! His worst fears, ever since he’d first seen the Asharon, had been confirmed. Panic threatened to engulf him. Evan could feel his legs trembling where he stood.
“It can’t be a coincidence he was there,” Vanderain continued. “He must’ve sent that Asharon after you too. But how did he discover that you exist, that any of the spawn still exist?”
“What was that…noise, as we travelled through the portal?”
“Kalkavan threw a spell of some kind, as soon as I saw it coming I pushed you through the portal. I should’ve stayed back myself, but I was too preoccupied with getting you to safety. I imagine Kalkavan’s spell hit the portal a second after we jumped through it.”
“What do you mean you should’ve stayed back?” said Evan. “Surely you weren’t thinking about fighting that thing.”
Vanderain nodded grimly. “I considered it, as soon as I saw him. Kalkavan and I have a history. In a duel it could go either way, but I’m confident I could best him. But I couldn’t risk it with you right there. Kalkavan would’ve used my need to protect you against me. The only reason I don’t roam the realms, seeking out the Disciples and destroying them one by one, is if by some chance one of them kills me. That would deal a terrible blow to Veneseron and all of you Venators. Now that Kalkavan knows of you and is hunting you personally, I must track him down first, and destroy him once and for all.”
Evan nodded, his legs still trembling and his heart pounding. He looked around the room as he tried to calm down, noticing the twin suns through the window and that it was already late afternoon at Veneseron. It had been midday in the world they’d come from.
Vanderain rifled through his drawers and pulled out what resembled a small wine bottle. “Oh sorry,” he noticed Evan’s gaze. “This is just a potion I sometimes require.”
He walked back to Evan and sat upon his sofa, before uncorking the bottle with a pop and taking a swig, sighing in relief as he did so.
“The small amount of demon sorcery that escaped you must’ve drawn Kalkavan,” said Vanderain, although Evan felt the Eternal was talking to himself. “He’d only be able to sense your exact location because of that.”
“So Brooke should be safe?” Evan said quickly. “As long as she doesn’t use her demon powers. You said her magic shouldn’t be able to overcome Emerald Shade, like mine did.”
Vanderain nodded. “I believe so. To be safe I’ll inform Taretta to keep a close eye on Earth realm. If any demon sorcery is conjured we can pull Brooke from her mission in a second. Regardless, I have a feeling Kalkavan is only hunting you.”
Evan didn’t know how to reply. He knew that a demon Disciple was the most powerful demon in all the worlds. This Kalkavan made Kurrlan look like nothing more than a pet demon. Evan had barely been able to contain his anxiety when he knew Kurrlan was hunting him, he didn’t know if he could deal with a Disciple.
“Try to calm yourself,” Vanderain said quietly. “This is not like before. You are completely safe at Veneseron, I assure you. Not only did Kurrlan have the aid of two traitors on the inside, but I was absent from Veneseron when he invaded. Kalkavan will not be able to breach our realm, nor will he know how to find it. I’m afraid I cannot allow you to go on any missions again, however. Not until Kalkavan has been destroyed.”
To Evan’s surprise, hi
s heart sank at the news. He’d been dreading his first mission, but now it was over, he realised he thoroughly enjoyed it, except for the few moments he thought he or one of his companions would die. He hadn’t particularly enjoyed the Asharon or having his head stuck inside a croc-demon. Missions were what Venators trained for though. It didn’t feel right that Evan couldn’t participate in them when everyone else could.
“But that begs the question,” Vanderain murmured. “How did Kalkavan’s Asharon know where you were? That was before your outburst of demon magic. Perhaps the Asharon being inside the temple truly was a coincidence, but the Asharon’s death informed Kalkavan something was wrong.”
Evan shrugged. “The cultists might’ve summoned an Asharon.”
“Or maybe Kalkavan sent his servant there because he’d learned of the Quantem crown himself,” Vanderain wondered aloud. “Hold on one moment, Evan.” Vanderain closed his eyes for a second. He mouthed several words, but no sound escaped his lips.
“Apologies, I was just informing Taretta that I was back.”
“Telekinetically?” Evan guessed. It was a form of magic far beyond his abilities.
“Indeed, although I couldn’t locate Tarensen’s mind. He must be too far away for me to reach him. Now,” Vanderain stared at him directly. “I must warn you, it would be unwise to tell many other Venators about Kalkavan. I see your friends have kept the secret of you and Brooke being demon spawn well.”
Evan nodded in agreement. He knew he could trust his closest friends. But if someone like Sintian found out, he’d definitely put it all together. What with Sintian seeing the Asharon too. Sintian would likely tell the whole Fortress Evan was a monster.
Just then Vanderain’s door opened and Mistress Taretta entered. Evan noticed Vanderain’s hand gesture subtly, making his potion bottle disappear as Taretta was busy closing the door behind her.
“Ah, there you are,” said Vanderain. “Where’s your brother?”
Moonlight War- Act II (The Realmers Book 3) Page 19
