Rebirth (Legends of the Kilanor Book 2)

by Jared Stone

  Lilly smiled lightly, but one could also see a hint of sadness behind her expression. “You two make a very cute couple,” she said.

  Willow smiled. “I couldn’t think of any other guy who shares more of my interests…,” she stated with a poorly concealed smirk.

  “That’s just so nice,” Lilly continued, leaning back in her seat wistfully. “I hope to find that someday. A good, Christian man to raise a family with. We’ll have four children and a dog. A big house in a safe neighborhood….”

  Willow rolled her eyes, though the girl beside her could not see her do so. “My parents are gonna love you,” she said sardonically.

  With this, Lucian reached over and fiddled with the radio. He thought it best to put on some music and hopefully forestall any further conversation between the pair in the back. After flipping through several channels, he arrived at one playing some loud, hard-hitting rock.

  “Oh! Leave this on, that’s a good song!” Blake said, bouncing his head to the beat of the music and tapping his hand on the top of the steering wheel.

  “What is this crap?” Willow asked from behind him without amusement.

  “You don’t know this?” Blake asked in shock. “It’s a classic!”

  Willow’s face betrayed the fact that she was not enjoying the sound. “Not my type of music,” she said.

  “Well, what kind of music do you like?” Lucian turned around in his seat and asked, hoping to arrive at a compromise.

  “Mostly darker trance,” Willow responded. “Some electronic and new age stuff too.”

  Lucian was at a loss for what that meant. “I don’t know how to find that,” he said. “What stations are those?”

  “Pfft,” Willow let out a dismissive snort. “I don’t think there are any around here. Honestly, Golden Boy, who listens to the radio anymore anyway? Is this car a portal to 1990?”

  Lucian stared at her for a second before rolling his eyes and casting his gaze over to Lilly. “How about you?” he asked her.

  “Oh, I’m fine with anything,” the girl said with a forced smile that indicated she was actually fine with neither but was too accommodating to say so.

  With a sigh, Lucian fell back into his seat. “Fine, then,” he said. “Blake gets to listen to this until we have any other constructive suggestions....” He honestly didn’t want to listen to this station the whole way either, but he was too hesitant to flip to the bouncy pop music he preferred, out of fear of further ridicule.

  “Sweet,” Blake said with a satisfied smile.

  “I am so getting you a USB cord for your car on Christmas,” Willow grumbled, crossing her arms across her chest in displeasure. “Assuming you ever learn how to drive it….”

  And so they continued on like that for a few hours. Lucian eventually decided to turn to some classical music for part of the drive, which made Willow at least a bit more content and caused Blake to groan. Before he could express too much discontent over this, however, they turned into Willow’s parents’ gated neighborhood, where Willow had to lean out the window and talk to the guard on duty there.

  “Why, Ms. Foster, how are you today?” the guard at the gate asked jovially.

  “I’m pretty good, Freddy. How about you?” Willow responded in a friendlier manner than Lucian was accustomed to seeing.

  “Quite fine, thank you,” Freddy replied merrily in return. “Sure is a beautiful day! These your friends here, Ms. Foster?” he added, squatting down to look at the others in the car.

  “Yeah,” Willow affirmed. “We’re just gonna spend a few nights at my parents’.”

  “Very good, very good,” Freddy said, standing back up and pressing a button for the gate to open. As it slid to the side, he waved them on. “You all have a great day, now,” he said.

  “You too, Freddy,” Willow called out to him as Blake slowly moved the car forward again. “Say hi to Beth for me!”

  Now passing through the newly opened gate, they continued on into the neighborhood. Lucian leaned forward slightly to peer out of the windshield and examine their surroundings. Each gigantic residence around them was placed on an expansive lot that left plenty of room for all of the extra living space stretching out to either side. The spacious lawns had all somehow managed to defy the cold and snow, standing out verdantly against their surroundings, covered in pristine grass and numerous topiaries. Every once in a while, as they passed, Lucian could see into slots in backyard fences, where elaborate stone walls were layered atop one another in steppes and covered pools hibernated beneath their taut gray coverings. The size of the lots set each building quite a distance from one another, which added to the grandeur of the estates, but also to the sense of isolation and loneliness that seemed to permeate the atmosphere of the area. Seeing no one else out on the sidewalks around them, Lucian wasn’t sure he would enjoy living in such a place.

  “You grew up here?” Blake asked, also amazed by what he saw.

  Willow wore a look of disgust. “Yeah,” she said. “Like a prison with grass.”

  Lilly looked around as well. “I think it’s lovely!” she exclaimed joyously.

  “Well, you’re welcome to take my place, then,” Willow offered sarcastically.

  “Seriously, though! I would’ve loved to grow up in a place like this!” Blake added in admiration.

  Willow just shook her head and sighed.

  The car crept along slowly around the curved road lined with these enormous houses. Everywhere they went was very quiet and immaculate, and Lucian began to wonder if everyone else had gone to an event somewhere for which he hadn’t received an invitation.

  “That’s it right there,” Willow suddenly announced, pointing ahead of them.

  The building was very similar to every other one around it, without any particular discerning features that would differentiate it from the pack. The two-story house had a wide driveway up to the multi-car garage, and a stone path led from this area across the well-manicured lawn up to a flight of stairs to the main door. The flawless white and brick exterior had a majestic but sterile feel to it.

  “Just pull into the driveway,” Willow instructed. Blake obliged, and soon the students were parked and climbing out of the car.

  “Now, remember,” Willow said softly as the others gathered around her, “my parents are insufferable. Just try not to engage with them, and, for the love of all that is holy, do not discuss anything of any importance with them….”

  Lucian stared at the girl while he reached out and took Gus off of her lap so she would also be able to get out of the car. Although Willow seemed deathly serious, he couldn’t help but think she was being a bit hyperbolic.

  “I think we’ll be fine, Willow,” he reassured her. “They can’t be that bad.”

  As if on cue, the front door swung open as the boy said this. But, instead of parents walking out to greet them, a little blonde girl about 6 years old ran down the steps and across the front path.

  “Sissy!” the little girl cried, arms outstretched as she ran toward Willow.

  “Hey, Olive,” Willow said, crouching down and embracing the girl in her arms. She then looked up and added, “Guys, this is my sister, Olive.”

  Lucian stared down in shock. He never expected, nor heard mention of, Willow having a sister.

  Just then, a blonde woman came jogging out of the door and down the concrete steps. “Olivia!” she cried out, looking around frantically. Then, upon seeing Olive safely in Willow’s arms, she slowed her pace. “Oh, thank goodness!” she exclaimed, placing one hand on her chest. “I had no idea where she ran off to!”

  Willow stood up. “Hello, mother,” she said coldly.

  Mrs. Foster immediately walked up to her daughter and pulled her into a tight hug. “Ophelia, what a lovely surprise!” she said pleasantly, seemingly joyous now that her panic had subsided. She then looked at the others standing in her driveway. “And…, you’ve brought friends!?”

  Willow pulled herself out from her mother’s arms. “
Yes, mother,” she said. “This is Lucian, Blake, Lilly, and Gus.”

  “Lovely to meet you all,” she said with a bright smile. “Ophelia never told us she would be bringing friends for the weekend.”

  “Last minute change of plans,” Willow cut in. “I’m sure you have bedrooms for them.”

  “Of course, of course!” Mrs. Foster said happily. “Please, come inside!”

  The students all fell in line along the walkway and followed Mrs. Foster up the steps, with Olive running up first, anxious to show them the way. Willow reached down and picked up Gus, who seemed as though he might have some trouble ascending the high stairs. Lucian was the last one up, still amazed at the hospitality and good nature of Willow’s mother, and he thought to himself that the girl had definitely over-dramatized things. As they passed through the doorway, they entered a large foyer with a staircase leading up to the second floor on the left side. To the right side of the center, past the staircase, was a hallway that seemed to lead into the kitchen and living room.

  “Honey, we have visitors!” Mrs. Foster called out into the echoing house.

  Lucian could hear papers rustling around in the other room before a tall, skinny man with light brown hair came walking in. He wore glasses and was dressed in slacks and a button down shirt. He smiled at the students in his house. “Hello there!” he said, shaking each of their hands. “It’s such a nice surprise to meet some of Ophelia’s friends.”

  “Father, this is Lucian, Blake, Lilly, and Gus,” Willow said in introduction again. Each of them smiled politely as she said their names, and Lucian found himself looking around and wondering where Willow had gotten her jet black hair in this family of blondes. After the shaking and introductions had been completed, Mr. Foster glanced down at Gus.

  “Ophelia, perhaps the dog should stay outside?” her father suggested.

  “No, he’ll be fine in here, father,” she stated back resolutely, holding the puppy even closer into her chest.

  Mr. Foster looked at her for a moment, then took a deep breath in. “Well, I suppose we can discuss that later, then…,” he said softly.

  Willow glared at her father for a moment, but this sentiment was quickly broken by Olive running up and hugging one of the girl’s legs. “Yayyyy!!! Sissy!!!” she cried in excitement.

  “Olivia, calm down,” her mother leaned forward and whispered to her sternly.

  Willow glanced down and smiled more than Lucian had ever seen her do before. “I missed you too, Olive,” she said softly.

  Mrs. Foster then stood up, walked over, and seemed to inspect Willow’s appearance. “Ophelia, is that another piercing on your face??” she asked.

  Willow let out a sigh. “No, mother,” she countered in exasperation. “Same number as before.”

  Mrs. Foster shook her head. “I do so wish you would take those out,” she said sadly. “You have such a pretty face….”

  “Come on,” Willow said to the others behind her, wholly disregarding her mother’s concerns. “Let’s go upstairs to your rooms.”

  * * *

  The evening with the Fosters had been very nice. Despite the occasional passive-aggressive remarks, everything remained very quiet and peaceful. Mrs. Foster made dinner for them all, after which the students went back upstairs to chat amongst them-selves and prepare for bed. Lucian hadn’t slept very well the night before, and he could tell the others felt almost as tired as he did.

  Before bed, Lucian, Blake, Willow, Lilly, and Gus were all sitting around in one of the rooms when they saw a little form creep into the doorway. Olive stood there, silhouetted against the hallway light, dressed in a long, frilly nighty with a stuffed animal clutched in her arms.

  “Olive?” Willow whispered. “Why aren’t you in bed?”

  The little girl tiptoed over to where her sister sat. “I got you a present, Sissy,” she said quietly, reaching into a tiny pocket of her loose garments. “Grandma helped me. Mommy doesn’t know.”

  With this, she withdrew a silver chain, on the end of which dangled crisscrossing silver lines in the shape of a star.

  “Oh, it’s beautiful!” Willow exclaimed in a hushed voice. “It’s just like a magic pentagram. I love it. Thank you, Olive.” She leaned in and gave her little sister a big, grateful hug.

  Olive stood there with a beaming smile, made all the more genuine by the big gap of a missing tooth in front. “Mhmmmmm!” she said.

  “Now, run back to bed,” Willow instructed, turning her around and giving her a slight tap on her bottom, “before mommy or daddy see you.”

  With an almost inaudible giggle, the girl scuttled off as quickly and quietly as her tiny legs would allow. After she had turned the corner down the hall, Willow smiled and fastened the necklace around her neck.

  “That looks good on you,” Blake said with a nod.

  Willow touched the pendant thoughtfully. “At least Olive understands me…,” she said.

  14 - Poison

  93 CE: Anatolia

  Within a couple of days, the ship carrying Argus, Dareia, and Bennu docked at the bustling port of Smyrna. As one of the most prominent Roman port cities in the East, there was no shortage of people and goods moving this way and that across the path that the three travelers attempted to carve through the crowd. As the only one who had spent any time in Smyrna before, Bennu led his two companions over to a covered, darkened door which had been carved into the side of a rundown, crumbling city structure.

  “I must ask that you two wait here,” Bennu turned and instructed once they had reached the crooked entranceway. “I will negotiate our transportation.”

  Dareia scowled. “I know how to negotiate just as well – better, in fact – than you, boy. You should leave the business matters to me.”

  Bennu closed his eyes and shook his head, holding up one hand. “No, you see, this guy and I have a history. He owes me a favor. I will be right back.”

  With this, the boy confidently twirled around, threw aside the grungy cloth which hung over the shoddy doorway, and stepped inside. Almost immediately, they could hear unintelligible shouting from within. Argus strained to discern what was being so loudly expressed.

  “What are they saying?” he asked Dareia.

  The priestess simply shrugged. “I do not speak this language either,” she replied calmly. “But I would venture to say that someone is not pleased.”

  Within seconds, the commotion inside became more frantic, and soon smashing could be heard, like ceramic pots being thrown against the walls. Then, with an audible THUD, all sounds abruptly ceased. A few moments later, Bennu reemerged, rubbing his hands together.

  “What happened in there?” Argus asked, concerned.

  The boy smiled a mischievous smile. “My friend said he would be happy to lend us his horses!” he exclaimed. “But we should hurry, before he changes his mind….”

  Bennu squeezed his way past the pair and down around the side of the house to a small, dilapidated stable. Argus and Dareia followed him, knowing better than to ask for further clarification. Once they had saddled up the horses that were found there, the three of them set off in the direction of Hierapolis.

  The journey took almost three days to complete, but they had thankfully stocked up on ample supplies before leaving. Argus found that his leg was feeling much better than it had before, and he was even able to support his weight on the stirrups with it after about a day or so. He figured that he would now at least stand some fighting chance in their encounter with Ini-herit…, which was really all he could hope for with the anticipated battle so quickly approaching.

  It was a few hours past dawn on the third day when they arrived near the Plutonium. The travelers tied their horses to a group of trees some distance away and stealthily crept closer to the center of the temple complex. Upon encountering a sloped ridge which overlooked the area, the three of them crawled low to the ground up the side, found shelter behind a large rock outcropping, and peered over.

  “There it is,�
� Bennu whispered to those beside him. “The Plutonium.”

  Argus gazed down at the impressive sight before them. In the foreground, a great pool was inset into the dry earth, behind which a circular white temple surrounded by stone columns stood. On the other side of this building, the edge of a second, equally large pool could be seen. The temple roof came up in a cone formation to a decorative ornament on top, and the whole area was bordered on one side by amphitheater-style stone seating. Off to the right, there was a cavernous opening, out of which great plumes of white vapor poured and floated into the sky. Around the pool and temple, a couple of men walked in white garb, but the area seemed otherwise deserted.

  “What is that over there?” inquired Argus, pointing at the billowing white plumes. It seemed to him as if the very clouds above them were escaping from imprisonment in the underworld itself.

  “Just watch,” Bennu stated with a grin and a nod towards the sky. Overhead, one solitary bird flew, twirling around upon the early morning thermals radiating off of the sun baked earth. Flitting about gleefully, it was naturally attracted to the warmth of the gases spilling from the arched portal in the rock. As soon as its feathered body had been enveloped in the fumes, the poor animal plummeted to the earth, smashed into the bone-littered ground, twitched once, and then never moved again. Argus stared in horror.

  “Poisonous vapors…,” Dareia stated quietly, as if remembering a crucial fact that she had forgotten, “issuing from the underworld to ensure that those who try to enter uninvited shall truly belong.”

  “Is that not fascinating??” Bennu squealed. “Think of how many sacrifices have been made to the underworld there! What would it be like to die like that…?”

  Dareia shook her head disapprovingly. “This is not why we came,” she scolded. “We must determine the location of Apep’s servant; that is, if he has not yet already moved on. I only see a few priests of Hades, at most, around the temple grounds at the moment. I shall go speak to them myself.”