Soulseeker’s Descent

by Pablo Andrés Wunderlich Padilla

  “I am the Goddess of Night, I judge souls. Every living creature is doomed to die and will end up in my domain. It does not matter whether the universe is extinguished, it will be reborn. You must realize that fighting is futile. Destruction and creation are alternating forces, they are the same thing. I have spoken. You may look for my dragon; he might think otherwise.”

  “Then you will let Mórgomiel get away with it,” Alac accused her.

  “He will do his will with or without my involvement.”

  Mythlium grimaced in disgust. “Three are more powerful than two. Think about it. We need you.”

  The shadow was silent for a long while. Alac was beginning to be impatient. He felt he was losing ground as the seconds went by and that all this effort was being wasted. He wondered whether the elves had known about all these obstacles when they entrusted him with this mission.

  The Goddess of Night remained impassive, determined to play no part in the Times of Chaos. Perhaps she knew something they did not.

  “Sister, wake up! The Grand Alliance is lame. Do you not realize that all will be lost without you?”

  The souls of the worm-beings continued to form their line, waiting and shifting.

  “Sister,” Mythlium whispered sadly.

  Alac gave in. “Very well. Where is Mégalath?”

  “Róganok will know. Or Fluenthal.”

  The shadow remained silent on its throne of stone, facing the moving line of spirits.

  Furiously, Alac turned around and left the Interim. In the confusion of his anger, he strayed too far from Mythlium and began to realize he was freezing and suffocating. Soon, Mythlium was beside him, but he had lost consciousness.

  Alarmed, the Goddess of Water called the dragons who arrived within seconds. Róganok took the boy and placed him on his back. Little by little, Alac came to. His joints ached and he was shivering with the fright he had had.

  “I forgive you this time, my dear,” Róganok teased him. “I should have kept a closer eye out for your return from the Interim.”

  “You forgive me? Sometimes you’re unbelievable.”

  “I know. We dragons are wonderful beings.”

  “I meant it sarcastically.”

  Alac knew that his limitations would cause him trouble, perhaps very soon. He needed to stay close to Róganok whatever happened, at least as long as they were in the void.

  Alac interrupted the conversation between Róganok and Fluenthal, about their hunt on the nearby planet. “Where could Mégalath be?”

  “Our last remaining brother,” the white dragon murmured in a strange voice.

  Róganok and Fluenthal glanced at each other, then launched themselves into flight.

  Chapter XXXIII – Mégalath

  They entered the River of Time to transfer to another galaxy, distant and hostile, in the shape of a scorpion’s tail. In a grey nebula, they glimpsed a giant rock that looked like a planet. It did not orbit any sun, had no satellites, and was surrounded by a ring. The only source of light came from the hot gases of the nebula.

  “We have arrived,” Róganok grumbled.

  “I can’t see it,” Mythlium said.

  “Mégalath!” Fluenthal called.

  The giant rock moved. Alac watched in astonishment. It was not a rock but a dragon sleeping peacefully, floating on nothing. As it unrolled and spread its wings, a charcoal-black dragon was revealed. It was so big that it could easily have carried a hundred Róganoks on its back. But there was something strange about this dragon and it was not its size. Perhaps it was its sardonic smile or the size of its belly. It must be a glutton, even its wings appeared small in comparison with its excess of flesh.

  Mégalath widened his smile of blunt yellow teeth. With his red eyes, he scrutinized the new arrivals. He put his front paws behind his neck and crossed one leg over the other in a relaxed posture.

  “Little siblings. What brings you to these inhospitable corners of the universe? Oh, I forgot. Welcome. Have you brought any loin meat? No? What a pity. This God of Light looks hungry. Aren’t you feeding him, Róganok? I see you haven’t learned to look after your people.”

  Mégalath laughed. From the ring that surrounded him, he picked a piece of meat the size of Fluenthal. He chewed with his mouth open, making guttural noises with his bifid tongue going in and out as he ate.

  “Mégalath!” Fluenthal shouted.

  The giant left his snack and turned his attention to his blue sister.

  “The Times of Chaos are coming back. Mórgomiel has murdered Folfiri and Kálagath and the god Gordbaklala. Chaos is nigh and we need you.”

  “You need me?” The dragon laughed heartily. “Of course, every time you come it’s to ask me for something. By the way, Mórgomiel has already been here.”

  The hair on the nape of Alac’s neck stood on end. Every step he took, he found that Mórgomiel had been there before him.

  “What have you done?” Róganok demanded. “Have you made a deal with him?”

  “You’re just as direct and impatient as ever. If you wish to know, yes, we made a deal. The king of the loins had a piece of Mórgomiel’s armor. I ate him before your brother came for it and so that forced him to negotiate with me. Then, he had to search among the garbage, of course, but in the end, he found the piece he was looking for. In exchange, I gave him my whole planet, the population included. Do you see this ring around me? It’s the frozen bodies of the loin. Meat keeps wonderfully in the void.”

  “You are a disgrace, you always were,” Róganok said. “Ever since you separated from the Goddess of Night, you haven’t stopped being provocative. You are a fraud, the shame of Ÿ.”

  “Oy! Oy! I’m a disgrace, says the little white dragon. I don’t do what he wants, so he gets angry with me. Bah! You useless dragons! You only believe in childish prophecies and you are happy to play your stupid role. Mórgomiel has killed Folfiri and Kálagath. What else do you need to make you understand that you cannot stop him any longer? There’s only one piece left for Mórgomiel to find, but even without it, he’d sweep you away with one hand. Surviving isn’t a question of strength; sometimes it’s a question of being intelligent. When the Times of Chaos break out, what will happen? There will be a lot of dead meat! Food forever!” Mégalath gave a loud guffaw. Alac noticed there was no sound, so the noise he heard must be communicated directly into his mind or by magical means.

  Róganok and Fluenthal were still looking troubled.

  “Consider it at least, brother,” Róganok begged Mégalath.

  “So I will, but first I’m going to eat this delicious piece of meat.”

  This is useless, Róganok said to Alac in thought.

  Have we lost? Alac asked in the same way.

  We must defeat Mórgomiel before he recovers the last piece of his armor. To do so we need to find out where that will happen.

  The white dragon interrupted the mental communication with Alac and spoke to Fluenthal in the same way. Mythlium was looking thoughtful. Her blue gaze was fixed on nothing.

  “This is the plan,” Róganok said. “We will ask the Oracle of the Meridian where Mórgomiel is. But do not get your hopes up, we are not going on a visit. We will remain in the Interim to keep hidden. Are we agreed?”

  Alac felt insulted once again, even though the magical beast was right.

  The Grand Alliance was neither grand nor an alliance. Two gods and two dragons were dead, murdered. Another dragon and his goddess did not want to take part in the cosmic war that was about to be unleashed. What would the elves think of such a failure? Now, more than ever, Alac would have liked to go back to Allündel to speak with Uín and Azuri, but that would be a waste of time.

  “We are leaving,” Róganok said, moving away with a powerful twist of his magnificent wings.

  “It has been a pleasure to see you, Róganok! And you, Fluenthal. You’re still as bonnie as ever! Goodbye, you rabble! I hope Mórgomiel eats you alive! To hell! Ha! Ha! Ha!”

  Chapter XXXIV �
�� Strange Concurrences

  Róganok had anticipated Manchego’s feelings that were beating within the God of Light. He led them all through the Interim and there alone. Alac was longing to visit his family, but he knew that it would only cause him pain and delay his mission of holding back Mórgomiel. Even so, he enjoyed seeing the village from inside the Interim, the bustle of a working day.

  He went into Ramancia’s house, followed by Mythlium. The dragons had preferred to go hunting in distant regions. This made Alac aware of how hungry he was but right now, he could not allow himself the luxury of stopping to buy something to eat. Perhaps after consulting the Oracle.

  “This is a strange place,” Mythlium said. “Such a green, brown, and blue planet with animals as strange as you are yourself. Humans. So many, everywhere. Very strange. But I like it. I have never visited such an inconceivable planet before.”

  Alac spent much of their journey to the mirror telling Mythlium the details of his existence. The goddess was astonished at the boy’s story and the shortcuts and tricks the Celestial Divinity had used to hide the God of Light and reincarnate him into a human. Mythlium could grasp Alac’s human emotions when he spoke of his grandmother, his friends, and his dog. It fascinated her so much that it frightened her. She now understood that he could become the savior of the universe.

  Alac stopped in front of the mirror. “This is it.”

  For the first time, it occurred to him that he had been too hasty in revealing the mirror’s location. Up until now, nobody except himself, Ramancia, and Teitú had known this; now Mythlium did too, and he had the odd feeling that he had made a mistake. Whatever the case, he could not turn back now.

  It was the third time that the God of Light had stood in front of the mirror. He looked at his face: hard and square with his jawline more marked. His gaze troubled him; it was the gaze of someone sad. He managed a melancholy smile, and the god glimpsed his inner child. Once again, he saw those shy, gentle eyes that studied but did not judge.

  Just as on his previous visits, his image began to fade until it was a whirl of shadows. Darkness enveloped them.

  “Greetings, my dear God of Light. I am so sorry that you have lost Teitú, but it was inevitable.”

  “You knew.”

  “It was highly likely. The Naevas Aedán are celestial beings who cannot bear to be far from their kind. Teitú has suffered a great tragedy, like you, and will have to find his way back to you, if that is what he wants. Nothing is forever, nothing is certain. Fate flows and changes. Only the past is fixed and unalterable. As for the present, it depends on your will. Now you find yourself amid the greatest of conflicts. Mórgomiel has been cunning, he has outstripped you, and you believe it is your fault, but it is not. Mórgomiel has been planning his return for thousands of years. Even if you had hastened, you would not have managed to save Folfiri, ArD’Buror, Kálagath, nor Gordbaklala. There are some things that are inevitable.”

  The Black Queen was silent. The mirror showed a cosmic battle. The losses on both sides were savage.

  “What do you wish to know?”

  “Where the last piece of Mórgomiel’s armor is. I must stop him before that.”

  “You are brave. Hope is minimal, but there is some. The last piece is his shield and that is in Mortis Depthos, the planet of the God of Chaos. If he has not yet picked it up, it is because to do so, he needs the other pieces. Be on your way and do not delay.”

  Alac felt the urgency of the moment. He came out of the Oracle’s trance and stayed with his gaze fixed on his reflection. Mythlium was still standing beside him.

  “Will you let me?” she asked.

  “What?”

  “I would like to see inside the mirror to meet the Black Queen and question her.”

  Alac shrugged. Why not? Mythlium stared hard at the mirror, but the surface did not change. The transport must happen in the mind of whoever consulted the Oracle. It fascinated him. He became aware that Mythlium’s expression was turning sad and anguished. The Goddess of Water did not take long to emerge from her trance. She was on the verge of tears.

  “What did she say?”

  “Nothing I could tell you. Pure gods are not good at dealing with emotions.”

  Without mentioning the subject again, they went back to the village.

  “And the dragons?” Alac asked.

  “They should be here already.”

  “Come with me,” he begged her.

  “Where? We cannot afford to waste any time.”

  “Only for a moment, while the dragons finish their hunting.”

  Although Mythlium did not have wings, she could fly. She accompanied Alac to the top of the highest roof in San San-Tera.

  “Let’s enter the real dimension,” Alac said.

  “What for?”

  “I want to show you my village, where I was born and grew up. We won’t be there long. Come on.”

  The bustle of activity flooded the senses of both gods. Mythlium was astonished, as was Alac, to see how much the village had advanced and the evident prosperity. He wished he could contribute to its growth.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Unbelievable. What is that?”

  “The central market. There are shops which offer all kinds of products for sale.”

  “For sale? Products?”

  “Yes. They exchange things of value.”

  “You humans are very complex. Perhaps that is why the Celestial Divinity chose you, Manchego.”

  The former shepherd smiled. His senses raced when they picked up the smell of roast meat, vegetables, and tamales.

  “I need to eat something. I’m human. I have to have food or I won’t be able to take part in the war.”

  “Some beings on my planet also depend on food and drink. I will wait for you here, but inside the Interim. I do not want anyone to detect me and neither must I interfere in the course of this world.”

  Alac took advantage of a moment when the street was empty to come down. As soon as he touched the ground, he folded his wings and caused his armor to vanish. Once again, he was a young farmer. He took a cloak from a nearby fruit basket and threw it over his wings like a scarf.

  He headed to a shop that sold tamales and fresh bread. But he had no money.

  “What can I do for you, laddie?”

  “A small tamale, ma’am,” the boy said with a smile.

  The lady began to wrap the product in a banana leaf. “A crown, then.”

  “Oops! I forgot my money.”

  The vendor scrutinized him. She was an elderly woman with white hair, a sweet gaze, and a generous smile. Around her was a delicious aroma.

  “You can pay me another day, laddie. The Gods go with you,” she said and gave him the packet.

  Manchego smiled in return and walked over to the central park. The sculpture of Alac rose once again in the center. He took note of the differences between the figure and himself, then sat down on the pedestal to eat his tamale in a couple of bites. A street dog came close to him in search of crumbs. The boy offered the chicken bones and rubbed behind its ears. He could not help remembering Rufus.

  He was still hungry. He saw a bakery and was thinking about going in when he glimpsed Luchy. Luchy! His heart stopped. How lovely she looked! But her expression was darkened by sadness. He felt a wave of tenderness when he saw that she was wearing her engagement ring.

  He felt the urge to go and speak to her, kiss her, be with her for a few hours. But not now. One day they would be married, and they would have all the time in the world to talk.

  He went back to the Interim. In the world of spirits, he could not feast his eyes on his beloved. That was a good thing. This way, he would regain his strength and be able to go on.

  Mythlium appeared beside him, floating gracefully.

  “Was that your sister?”

  “My betrothed,” Alac replied with a smile.

  “Betrothed?”

  “We’re going to get married. “

/>   “I do not know what that is,” Mythlium admitted. “Well, anyway, I have summoned the dragons. I will not say that you stopped to eat. You know Róganok would not be happy.”

  No, he would not be happy that Alac had eaten or that he had seen the love of his life. The boy smiled to himself.

  ***

  Luchy had just paid for the shopping she was carrying in her wicker basket when she realized that the jewel in her ring was shining intensely. She looked around anxiously. There were vendors, customers, but no trace of Manchego. She looked at her jewel again. It was not longer shining so brightly.

  She sighed. Perhaps it was all a figment of her imagination. She started walking back home with a light step. Lunch would soon be ready.

  Chapter XXXV – The Grand Alliance

  When they learned the whereabouts of the final piece of Mórgomiel’s armor, the dragons were annoyed but they were not prepared to doubt the revelation. They entered the River of Time to go to the remotest, most isolated corner of the universe: the home of the God of Chaos.

  When they left the spiral, they were exposed to the intensity of the red sun that shone violently with the black planet Mortis Depthos spinning around it.

  “That sun,” Róganok said. “It is going to explode soon and destroy everything. Onward!”

  “Go!” Fluenthal agreed.

  Both dragons plunged headfirst with their claws gripped tightly and their teeth clenched.

  Górgometh floated near the planet, on guard. On his back was Mórgomiel. Alac quailed; his enemy was carrying his sword and shield.

  “But the oracle said—”

  “I am pleased that you were stupid enough to come straight to me,” Mórgomiel said. “We have fought on two occasions and you came close to winning, Alac. But I have regained my entire set of armor and with it, my entire soul. My powers are complete. No, I must correct myself. Now, my sword holds the essences of Folfiri, Kágalath, and Gordbaklala, and I am more powerful than ever. Soon, other gods will form part of my sword and I will inaugurate the Times of Chaos.”