Soul Taker's Redemption

by A. S. Hamilton

  Qu-te-se was also still alive, but the landing had knocked the wind out of him.

  Looking at Therion, my heart hurt. His wings were mangled. Rather than kill him, Qu-te-se had robbed Therion of flight. He must be in excruciating pain, but only cold rage showed in his eyes.

  Qu-te-se rose to meet him and they closed again. Therion deftly ducked past his defences to slip a hand up Qu-te-se's back. I couldn't see what he did next because Qu-te-se's wings blocked my view, but then Qu-te-se screamed as the wing closest to Therion tilted sharply to an unnatural angle. With a violent jerk, Qu-te-se twisted out of Therion's reach, glaring at him with malevolent rage. As Qu-te-se turned to face Therion, I could more clearly see that one wing was now hanging at an unnatural angle, a bulge beneath the skin looking like a joint in the wrong place.

  In a series of moves almost too swift to follow, Qu-te-se made several attempts to close with Therion again. At some point, Therion had dropped one of his swords, but he used the remaining one to deflect the strikes. Still, the wickedly sharp talons got Therion across thighs, abdomen, and arm. Therion feinted right and went left. Qu-te-se, anticipating the move, whipped the closest hand out, managing to cuff Therion's wounded shoulder and knock him off balance. Swiftly recovering, Therion slammed the hilt of his sword against the back of Qu-te-se's wrist. Qu-te-se flinched back but swung the other hand up to grip Therion by the throat.

  Therion

  [Under Your Scars – Godsmack]

  As Qu-te-se closed his hand about my throat, I felt his talons dig into my skin. I could not afford for him to maintain the hold for more than a few moments. When I'd slammed his wrist, he had drawn it back, leaving me an opening. I took it, driving my sword into his abdomen. I heard him exhale in pain and surprise. He let go of my throat and his body arched with agony, but I'd carefully judged the strike to miss his vital organs, I wanted him immobilised, but not dead, yet. At the same time, I hooked one leg out from under him, following him as he crumpled to the ground.

  'It does not have to be like this, Qu-te-se.'

  I received a silent glare in response.

  'I am not responsible for the torment you endure, but I have already shown you the path away from it. Why do you think I brought you to this realm?'

  Now, he was frowning in thought.

  'If you seek sanctuary from Aurealis, she will allow you to redeem.'

  I could see his first instinct was to reject my suggestion.

  'Ceri-talen cannot take you from here once you ask. Aurealis fought for me and not once, not once, have I been subjected to torture. The worst I suffer is the burn of this sunlight.'

  I could see him considering it.

  'We would fight together?' he asked.

  I shook my head sadly. 'Not for a long time. But there is freedom at the end of this path.'

  'Freedom, but no more hunting.'

  A human would not see it as much of a sacrifice, but to a therilgalen, it was the equivalent of starving for the rest of your life. It would be centuries of fighting his instincts. During my redemption, I often thought Ceri-talen built us this way because the long road to freedom was the least appealing choice against a lifetime of illusory freedom with occasional periods of pain and the ecstasy of the kill.

  While he thought I was distracted, Qu-te-se drew his knife, but I blocked the thrust by catching his wrist. I knew well he had two knives in a holster at the small of his back. He'd very predictably reached for one when he arched up against my strike.

  'A moment, just one moment, Qu-te-se,' I pleaded.

  His arm, straining to force his knife past my block, relaxed slightly. He did not withdraw it, but held it ready.

  'I knew… I knew Ulyn would send you. Ceri-talen would have us destroy each other, but he does not realise that just as he judged me a role model for the therilgalen, my influence taught you more than resilience and leadership. I also passed on my sense of loyalty. Despite my betrayal, many of the therilgalen, including you, Qu-te-se, still have a sense of trust in my presence, you trust I'll fight fair, you trust I'll be honourable, and I do, and I am. But you, Qu-te-se, you are more than my fellow warrior, you became my brother, my family.'

  'Have I not always called you brother?' Qu-te-se pointed out. He was saying he felt the same, saw me as kin. If anything, that made my intended path even harder to follow, but I had to, for his sake… and my own. Though he would cease to consider me brother once I did.

  'I cannot change sides,' Qu-te-se grated out, the pain assaulting his body clearly taking a toll. 'I refuse to bow to that hypocrite, she preaches that taking souls is wrong, but looks away when you remove someone particularly inconvenient. I can give no loyalty to such a being. At least with Ceri-talen, I always know where the boundaries are.'

  'I know,' I breathed out somewhat raggedly. 'I know…'

  Qu-te-se frowned as he heard the sob in my voice.

  'I am sorry, I wanted you to choose this path,' I told him as I released my sword and pulled the knife from my boot.

  I made the strike as fast and as painless as I could.

  As he exhaled his last breath, I leaned down and whispered, 'I am also sorry, Qu-te-se, for using your trust in me against you.'

  Jay

  I knew from the start one of them had to die.

  I was simultaneously relieved that Therion was the victor, but deeply saddened to see Therion make that killing strike. As I understood it, given a choice, Qu-te-se would not have attacked Therion. He had even helped Therion in the Dark Realm. I was disturbed as I watched Qu-te-se's spirit coalesce at Therion's command. Then I reasoned, with his injuries, Therion was probably desperate to replenish his reserves and heal. His wings showed all the signs of being extensively broken.

  As Therion stepped back, the air in front of him shimmered. One of those reflective vertical pools I had come to know as a portal grew until it was easily three times bigger than I'd ever seen one. Then as calmly as cat stepping into a room, a dragon stepped through. It had dark-blue metallic scales and a necklace of black scales about its neck. Several long horns and feathers crowned its head and emerald eyes glittered as it took in the scene. Rather than leathery bat-like wings, it had feathers in every shade of blue you could imagine. A mist of black and dark blue shadows surged in with the dragon, swirling about his feet and obscuring the bright green grasses. The bright light that warmed the fields dimmed alarmingly and the air about me grew so cold I found myself shivering. Instinctively, I moved backwards, but Vessa was still directly behind me. The light-angel murmured a soft reassurance, but I was so focused on the dragon I didn't quite hear what she said.

  Therion was slowly back-pacing towards me, stopping only to bend and retrieve his dropped sword, and, even then, he did his best not to take his eyes off the dragon for more than a second or so.

  The dragon looked down at Qu-te-se and then to Therion. 'You are my child still, Therion.'

  He raised one mammoth foot; the black talons almost as long as I was tall. The shadowy mist swirled and parted with the movement. It looked like he was going to pick Qu-te-se up and I had a wild hope he would then disappear and leave us alone. Before the taloned foot could reach Qu-te-se, though, a pearlescent scaled leg moved past me, and a dragon, just as immense as her blue counterpart, gently placed a cage of talons protectively about the prone therilgalen. Immediately the brightness of the sun returned to full strength, the warmth returned, and the shadows dwindled, retreating to huddle against the blue dragon.

  This must be Aurealis, Therion's master. He said she most-often appeared as an angel, but her true form was this one. I remembered Therion's instructions, no matter whether we were in direct conversation or not, I must request refuge, 'I am Jayden Emerline Thaneton…'

  'I know, child. Unlike Therion, you do not need to ask for sanctuary. He was changing allegiances, he needed to make it clear he was doing so.'

  Her voice whispered through my mind and I saw her silver eye flick back and down to me, before looking at Therion and
then to the blue dragon. 'You breach my realm, Ceri-talen,' she said aloud, her voice serene and calm.

  'I am here to retrieve what is mine.'

  Aurealis seemed to smile. 'There is naught of yours here, any longer. Therion has taken Qu-te-se's spirit and now it is within my domain as Therion is indentured to me.'

  Aurealis scooped Qu-te-se's body up and gently placed it before Therion.

  'I believe your intention was to return the spirit.'

  Therion closed his eyes and nodded. 'He will hate me for a while, but if he would not agree, it was the only way to free him.'

  Almost immediately a cloud of light formed around Therion. The light formed into dots of light, and then they transferred themselves back to Qu-te-se. Slowly, Therion dropped to his knees, but I think it was more to do with exhaustion than any part of what he was doing to Qu-te-se. The other therilgalen started to glow, his injuries disappearing, his deformed wing snapping back into place, and then his chest started to move again. Qu-te-se pushed himself to his feet looking utterly bewildered.

  'Qu-te-se is mine now and as to your other intended claim, the human never was yours. In fact, she belongs to no one,' Aurealis said.

  Ceri-talen looked on impassively at first, but as Aurealis finished speaking, he snarled, showing silvery-obsidian fangs. Strangely, I found myself noting that the inside of his mouth was blue.

  Aurealis calmly sat, unfazed by his show of aggression.

  'Then why are you preventing me from seeking her in the earthly realm? I gather it was you who set that cur,' he nodded at Therion, 'to guard her.'

  'The rules are quite plain. The souls in the earthly realm are to remain untouched until they pass to the ether. We both know you have used the loophole that there is nothing specifically protecting them during their time of transition to your benefit, but that does not mean you actually have a right to do so. My actions to protect the humans do not breach the treaty, you can make no complaint against me.'

  He shrugged dismissively. 'Fine. Now or later, it makes little difference. You cannot keep the human here forever, that is against the treaty. Speaking of rules, we both know I am not the only one to bend them to my advantage.' As he said this his gaze rested on Therion again and I wondered what he was implying.

  'Leave,' Aurealis repeated, her voice now as hard and unyielding as stone.

  'No.' Therion was still kneeling, breathing raggedly, but he had their attention. 'I have an offer,' he said.

  Ceri-talen's gaze narrowed, and then, he smiled triumphantly.

  'Therion,' Aurealis murmured, 'you have shown yourself worthy. You have made the crucial choice. Outside of learning control, which I am sure can be gained through becoming a guardian, you are redeemed. You do not have to do this. Your freedom is within reach.'

  'Under my guardianship or another, you heard him, he will not stop. If I fail just one time, just once is all he needs. Nothing,' he growled, 'nothing will matter if that happens.'

  I realised what he meant to do and, breaking away from Vessa's light hold, I ran forward and placed my hand on his shoulder, but he refused to look at me. 'Therion, please don't do this. You've won. You even managed to save Qu-te-se.'

  'You are my light, Jayden, the only light I have ever welcomed, but I'd rather damn myself to the shadows without you than face a day when it is extinguished.'

  He rose, still without looking at me, instead turning his gaze upon Aurealis, but I caught a glimpse of his face— it was drawn and filled with pain.

  'Therion, do you remember what I said about your compulsion to shed tears when you met my gaze?'

  Therion nodded slowly. He was looking at her, but not one tear marked his cheeks.

  'There is no need for this,' she told him.

  'Will you breach the treaty? Will you allow me the strength I need to repel those from the Dark Realm?'

  'You know I cannot condone either.'

  'Then, there is need. I will return to you, Ceri-talen.'

  'No. No. No,' I whispered it, but I knew Therion heard me because he flinched. Then he heaved in a deep breath and started to walk towards the blue dragon. This time I lunged and grabbed his arm. When I saw his face, I could see how conflicted he was, perhaps I could persuade him not to commit this madness after all.

  For a long moment he was silent, then he took both my hands and leaned over to kiss my forehead. 'I cannot bring you here every time he sends a more powerful therilgalen to take you. It will breach the Venturi Treaty and Aurealis cannot allow that. Neither can she allow me to take the spirit energy I'd need to face such opponents. More guardians may be assigned to assist me, but that is a war beyond what the light-dancers are prepared for. If Ceri-talen gets you, that war will end your realm as you know it.' Therion closed his eyes in a slow blink, the golden swirls of his eyes full of grief. 'This I do for myself as much as you, I cannot let Ceri-talen enslave you as he did me. Follow this one wish, Jayden— make the most of your life. Whether you find a husband, have children, whatever you do— find happiness. Do not get mired in guilt or too far lost in grief. Find contentment, it will be a solace to me.'

  I shook my head, tears streaking down my cheeks. He pulled me to him, pressing me against his chest. I could hear a horrible rasp in his lungs, and I knew he must have suffered several broken ribs. He was right. He couldn't keep fighting them off, he would never survive, not if he tried to remain within the limitations placed on him by Aurealis. I couldn't ask him to either. But not this…

  Therion kissed me softly, I leaned into the kiss, dreading the knowledge that this was the last time I would touch him. Then he stepped away, walking past Aurealis to stand before the blue dragon. 'I will return,' he said to him. 'I will be your servant again.' He drew out the words, just saying them seemed to cause him pain. 'In return, you allow Jayden Emerline Thaneton to lead a normal, natural life. You do not interfere in her life in any way, not with the ones she loves, not through a third party, not by changing her future. In no way are you to impede her life or you invalidate the contract and I am free. When she dies, you will have the same chance you always have at inviting a soul into your realm. As will Aurealis. If you end up with her soul through this means, none can make complaint.' He paused to draw in a slow, laboured breath. 'At that time, when she dies, my service to you will end. I will return to serve out what redemption I need under Aurealis.' He looked over to Aurealis, 'You told me you would never turn away a soul who truly wished redemption, I hope that this does not change.'

  Aurealis looked incredibly sad as Therion spoke but offered no denial to him.

  Therion turned back to Ceri-talen. 'You might re-shape her soul into something greater than I am, in your eyes. But you might not get her, not if I stand in your way. And you might lose me as well. There is also a chance that other powers, ones greater than you, might take exception if you force this. This is a guaranteed result that does not pit you against any other.'

  Ceri-talen glanced at Aurealis, then he looked at me, examining me for a long time before turning his attention back to Therion. 'If I agree, you are mine for just the short time Jayden has left in the earthly realm, a matter of only sixty or seventy years, what is that to me?'

  'Indeed, what is it to you to wait for a chance at Jayden's soul? And if you manage to win it on equal ground with Aurealis and the other telari, no one can object— you would not just have it, you would have the right to it. And in that time, I could be gathering for you. You cannot say that you haven't noticed the drop in gathering since my service to Aurealis.' Therion lowered his voice so that it was almost a growl. 'Say what you like publicly, but I know you desire me back. The energy I provide is purer, my leadership keeps the therilgalen from feuding, my training makes them better hunters. And, not the least of things, having me back in your power gives you the chance to harvest from my core spirit, which has regained significant power since I left you. Even though there may not be enough of my core spirit for the war you want, it is sufficient to start building the army you
plan.' Therion paused, regarding the blue dragon with contempt. 'You see, I am not so ignorant of your ambitions. I'd known for a long time that Ulyn's experiments, the torture she took such delight in, was more than just sating sadism and curiosity, she was trying to force my core spirit to regenerate faster. Right now, every yulari spirit you desire has me protecting it. You cannot afford to continually sacrifice creatures like wyverns to therilgalen just to have me kill them. And,' he laughed bitterly, 'set them free as I have done with Qu-te-se. My return only brings you advantages, do not pretend otherwise. There are no fools present here.'

  I couldn't believe it! He was persuading this vile entity to take him back into enslavement, making it seem appealing to him. I was about to object again when Aurealis's tail curled about me, creating an improvised barrier, as she spoke, 'If this agreement is made, you must submit to be bound by your oath as I did when I accepted Therion in my service.'

  That made the god sneer, but he gave a slight nod, his eyes closing in a slow blink before he said, 'I will speak before the oath-keeper and tolerate its touch.'

  A high-pitched equine scream made me jump. Turning towards the sound, I saw a silver line of light split the air. A gold horn pierced through it and it moved around an honest-to-god unicorn as it stepped onto the dark-green grass. It was unlike any unicorn I've ever heard described. There was no pure-white coat and this was no gentle, snuffling, dainty creature. It was tall and muscular, built more like a war horse, with a glossy, black coat and gold-edged hooves. The mane and tail were like black fire with gold flame threading through it. It reminded me of Therion's black hair with the streaks of gold at his temples. Its eyes were rimmed with gold lashes and there was no pupil, just black, diamond-like sparks full of a fierce intensity I found very intimidating. It snorted black flame and tossed its head before considering the two dragons. I didn't think it was afraid, it seemed like it was communicating with them. The dragons must be speaking to it by mind.