by CJ Bolyne
Dichune hated their arrogance, hated them all.
A loud knock at the chamber door shook Dichune from his thoughts.
“Enter” he said.
The large wooden doors opened, and Vladok walked through, close behind him was Lis.
Lis quickly walked ahead of Vladok and stopped short, making Vladok bump her slightly. He snarled. “Oh wipe that look off your face!” she sang. “You’re much more handsome when you smile, Vladok.” “Hmph,” he retorted. “Lis, have you forgotten that I know when you’re lying?”
In fact, Vladok knew he was not a handsome god at all. But, he didn’t mind. In fact, he quite enjoyed it. To appear as a ghostly image to a human gave him such satisfaction. The fear in that puny human’s face just made his day.
Lis giggled. She just couldn’t resist. What’s the point of being the god of lies and treason if you couldn’t enjoy your powers!
“What do you want?” Dichune yelled. “I’m busy!”
“Oh, but I see you are!” Lis quipped. “Not!”
“Lis, don’t. I’m not in the mood,” Dichune said.
“Oh, okay,” Lis said, “but I believe we have something that will brighten your day.”
“Let go, you jerk!” Orkat strolled in, sword in one hand, a woman in the other. She was struggling violently, trying to break free, cursing wildly.
“And what is that?” Dichune asked, still annoyed.
“Dichune, have a closer look,” Orkat said.
“Fine.”
Dichune stood up and walked over to Orkat, who still had the young woman hanging in the air. He got closer, slowly walked around the two of them, then stopped right in front of her.
“You can put her down Orkat. There’s nowhere for her to run.” He said. Orkat let the woman down. She stood glaring at Dichune.
“What the hell is this? Who are you people?” she was furious. Dichune could almost see the fire in her eyes. He stepped back.
No. It couldn’t be! “Where did you find her?” Dichune asked, eyes wide with delight.
“Checked out some of the covens, and found that old hag, Helgen, was hiding her. Wanted to keep her as a pet, Helgen said. Stupid old hag.” Vladok said.
“Wonderful! Well done! Dichune said. He hadn’t been this happy in a long time. Finally, some leverage. He turned back to the woman and smiled.
“Lilith.”
Chapter 17
“There it is.” whispered Aronon, “Helgen’s lair.”
Rekor nodded. Both stood before an old house that looked like it was ready to fall over. Aronon knew it was a spell to make the place look run down and abandoned. “Helgen is good at her spells.” he said, “Anyone coming by here wouldn’t want to stay and look around. Looks like hell!”
“Let’s just get this over with.” Rekor said. Rekor didn’t care for Helgen. A wretched old hag. Most miserable witch he’d ever met. Looked a hundred plus in years, white stringy hair, it almost shone in the dark, hunched over, wrinkled face, long crooked nose. Your typical witch, you as heard about in fairy tales.
She actually tried to put a spell on Rekor once. He laughed quietly. Spells don’t work on gods. Witches and warlocks may have their power, but they are still human.
“Looks a little too quiet,” Aronon broke Rekor’s train of thought, “ah hell, we’d better check it out.”
Both rushed to the front door and burst in. Nothing. Still too quiet.
“What do you want now?” Helgen yelled through the darkness. “You’ve already taken just about everything I have.”
Aronon lit up the room with a simple spell and saw her sitting in a corner, hugging her spell book. Aronon knew it was her most prized possession.
“Well, you’ve managed to hold onto your spells,” he said.
“Yes, I have … barely.” She said. “Everything else is gone! Have you any idea how long it will take me to gather ingredients, candles, pots! So much lost. Eye of newt is not easy to acquire. They’re so small and they put up one hell of a fight, and …”
“Helgen!’ Rekor interrupted.
Helgen stared at him, wishing she could curse him with the evil eye.
“We don’t care what you’ve lost Helgen. We have information that you’ve been hiding a young woman. Where is she?” Rekor demanded.
“Haven’t you overbearing gods done enough? She’s gone! Your friends came for her.” Helgen cackled. She stood up and shuffled closer to Aronon.
“You’re too late Aronon.” She said, her smile growing wider. “She’s in their hands now. Things are going to get tough. How are you going to get her back now?” Helgen was laughing.
Rekor started for her, he wanted her to feel the hardness of power.
“Rekor,” Aronon stepped in front of him “please stop,” he said. “She can’t help us. The damage is already done. We have to tell the others. They will not be happy.” Both men turned and left the house; left Helgen muttering to herself. Cursing the day she ever got involved with the gods.
Chapter 18
Flash! Rekor and Aronon were back in the Guardians’ fortress. This flash flight was never Aronon’s thing. Yes, it was fast, convenient, but curses if it didn’t turn a mortal’s stomach. He had no choice. He knew Rekor would not let him use his own methods as he found them to be too slow. Although Aronon quite liked his broom!
“Did you find her?” Liesson asked. “Anords got to her first,” replied Rekor. “Damn, damn, damn!” roared Liesson, smashing his fist on the corner of the marble table.
“Calm yourself Liesson,” Ardaria said. “We will find a way.”
Liesson let out a large sigh. They had to bring her back to Lugan Prison. It’s the only place that could hold her. Lilith had no idea who she was. He was hoping it would stay that way. For now. If she found out, existence for all gods and mortals would become very difficult.
Payton strolled along the hall, enjoying the scenery. So many magnificent paintings – of gods, no doubt – and large, beautiful statues. Some she’d recognized as her father, Liesson, her mother, Ardaria, Elrani, Rekor, Niamut, Hiar, Saer and … Orkat? What’s this, she thought. She saw Vladok, Lyradis and Dichune, and a few more she didn’t know. She was trying her best to re-familiarize herself with the ones she was supposed to know. Or so she thought. Some of these gods tried to kill her! Or at least one! Orkat. Why? She wished she knew more. That she could remember more. The erasing of her memory was frustrating. At times, exhausting! She felt something inside missing. Something more than just her memory … but what? She walked over to a large door, open just a crack. She heard voices, talking, sometimes yelling. She stopped just outside the door. Listening. Now it was quiet inside. Then she heard Saer.
“We will convene tonight. Call all Guardians. We must come up with a plan to bring Lilith to us.”
“I will put the call out immediately, Saer,” said Elrani.
“Where’s Payton now?” Ardaria asked. “Resting,” Aronon said. “Terran’s with her.”
“Good. I don’t want her to know about Lilith yet. She is not prepared.” said Ardaria.
They all agreed, then dispersed to prepare for the meeting that evening.
Payton backed away from the door, backed right into the wall behind her. They’re keeping even more secrets from me, she thought. Lilith, who’s this Lilith, and what does she have to do with me?
She started back toward her room, questions rolling around in her head. Terran, maybe he can answer them. No, he can’t. Or won’t, is more like it. Need to know, need to know! Maybe Terran will whisper another word in her ear. Maybe then she’ll know more. Those words, they were a different language, yet she knew what they meant. And the pain that followed. It didn’t last long, but it was the most intense pain she’d ever felt. The one thing she didn’t look forward to.
Chapter 19
“Just get in there!” Orkat ordered as he pushed the confused, yet very angry young woman in the cell.
Lilith’s eyes darted around a dark and da
mp cave-like room.
“Some cell. It’s a bloody hole in the ground!” she screamed. “Why do people keep hiding me in holes?”
“I think it would be better if you calmed down a little, Lilith,” Dichune said. “Then maybe we may explain things to you in a civil manneror.”
Even the sound of Dichune’s voice grated on Lilith’s nerves. Who the hell does he think he is? Overbearing, condescending, jerk, she thought. Her anger was all she knew. It’s what kept her going and alive on the streets in London. The lying, cheating, and stealing felt good. It gave her a rush. She even killed a few, usually whenif they put up a fight when she robbed them. She was never caught. She was very good at her chosen profession, even proud of herself atfor being a master at it. Although, she didn’t quite figure out how she got to the streets. She just seemed to appear there one stormy night. She didn’t give it much thought until she ran into, what she thought was another homeless old woman wandering the dark streets. This will be an easy target, she thought. No one would care if a homeless old woman was found dead in the alley. Whatever meagre possessions she had, missing. She was wrong. When Lilith confronted the old woman, the hag looked up at her, smiled and grabbed Lilith’s left wrist tight, wrapped a gold, thorny vine around it. The thorns dug into her wrist. The pain was excruciating, and she dropped to one knee. The old woman then wrapped the vine around her right wrist. It made Lilith cry out in pain, and she fell down to the ground.
“Hello my dear,” the old hag said, softly, “I think I should take you home.” Lilith heard the old hag cackle, grab the vine between her wrists and drag her down the street. The pain made Lilith pass out.
She awoke in a small dark room in an old, rundown house,. Hhands still bound with the gold vine. She would demanded that the binds be removed, to no avail. The old hag would cackled and saidy, “It’s not safe to do that!”
Now I end up here in a dark room again, watching this Dichune guy pace back and forth.
‘He wants me to calm down? Fine! I’ll calm down. He better start talking soon. I’m losing my patience fast,’ she thought.
She let out a largebig sigh and sat down on the large wooden chair against the left wall, the only chair in the room.
“Well?” she asked. Eyes fixed on Dichune. Fire still shone in them. Dichune stopped his pacing and turned to face her.
“Lilith, you’ve been brought to us for a very special task,” he began. “We’ve had some difficulty finding you, but …”
“So get on with it already” she snapped.
“Keep your tongue, young lady or I’ll have Orkat here wrap the golden vine around your throat!” said Dichune. Lilith opened her mouth to fight back, but closed it again, recalling the pain the vine caused.
“May I continue?” Dichune asked. “Good. Now, you, Lilith, are part of a very special being. You are, shall I say, the evil half of a very special being. You do not remember how you came to be, although, you do wonder.”
Lilith nodded.
“You came to be, as a result of a battle between the Guardians and ourselves, the Anords. During the battle, one being – which you are a part of – could not bear the thought of our world falling apart. This is our theory. HerThe pain inside her so great, she somehow, literally, became two. No sooner had it happened, you disappeared.”
“Okay, so who and what am I?” Lilith asked, through clenched teeth.
“You, my dear, are a god.” Dichune answered. “Or part of one, that is.”
Lilith’s eyes widened, mouth dropped for a moment, then she regained herself, “Uh huh. Right.” She retorted. Now she was laughing to herself.
“You laugh, but it is the truth.” said Dichune.
Chapter 20
Payton opened the door to her bed chamber. Terran was still asleep. Good. He looked so peaceful when he slept, and so handsome, of course. She wanted to climb back into bed and snuggle up to him. No, I can’t. I need to find out who Lilith is, and why people are keeping secrets from me, she thought. She wished she could remember …. Remember. “Ahah!” Payton said. Ooops – that was louder than she had intended it to be. She turned to see if Terran had awoken to her shout. He was still asleep.
“Whew.”
The archives room. She remembered Terran pointing it out when he was showing her the palace. But could she find it again?
Entering the adjoining bathroom, Payton reached for the brush on the counter. She quickly brushed through her hair, checked her face and walked back to the chamber, heading straight for the dresser. She opened the top drawer, and then paused – wait a minute. She didn’t have to do this the usual way. She still had the habits of her old human life lingering inside her. She closed the dresser drawer and stepped back from it. Okay, I’ll try this on a conscious level. Last time she hadn’t even realized what she had done. She closed her eyes and thought, jeans, blue, … no white t-shirt, and tan ankle boots.
She felt it. She had clothes on. She ran back into the bathroom to check. Yep. Clothes she thought of were on her, but something didn’t feel right. Oh, that’s it! Payton saw herself blushing in the mirror. One quick thought and voila! Underwear. She laughed at herself. She didn’t know gods could blush.
Scanning herself in the mirror again; presentable!
Walking out of the bathroom, heading to the door, she glanced back one more time at the bed. Terran was still sleeping.
Payton peeked around the open door. There was no one in sight. She stepped into the hallway, closed the door behind her and continued down the hallway, walking as quietly as she could, checking each room to see if it was the archives room she’d been searching for. Archives, archives … where is it? Just as the frustration was starting to set in, there it was! The door to the archives room. ‘Cartlann’ was the word carved into the wood of the door. She somehow knew what it meant. Glancing up and down the hall one more time – no one. Good! She grabbed he door knob and turned it. Inside the room, Payton scanned the walls. There were thousands of books, scrolls, and papers. Where to start! Well, let’s hope that things are in alphabetical order, she thought.
They weren’t. From what she could figure out, the order was according to date.
Wars, disease, feuds, judgements, history as far back as she could imagine. Everything was written down, in every language too. Latin, Egyptian, Greek, Chinese, Arabic and more.
She searched for something she might find more familiar to her.
And there it was. A book, a rather large book on its own pedestal. It had white, gold and black trim. On the cover, in bold letters, and in beautiful script, was one word – ‘Coimirceoir.’
Guardians – she just knew. This is it!
Payton carefully opened the book and started to read.
Chapter 21
The entries were made by Erean. Who’s Erean? Never mind. Ok.
There is dissention amongst the Ggods. The Anords grow increasingly tired of their role in our world. Toros does nothing to ease the tension. He sits back and smiles, with pride. His flock is strong, he thinks, but not stronger than mine. We must have equality in our world and the world of the humans. If we fail, the mortal world will fall into great upheaval. The Anords desire a world of war and misery and more. The Guardians must try to prevent such a world. There is only one hope …
“Payton!”
She jumped and screamed, turning from the book to see Terran standing in the doorway.
“What are you doing in here? How did you get in this room? The door is always locked!” Terran said, looking a little frantic. In seconds, he was facing her. Payton, still in shock, didn’t move. She just stared at him. Terran reached around her and closed the large book.
“I … I …” she stammered, unable to finish.
“I’m sorry I frightened you, Payton,” Terran apologized. “I was very shocked to find you in this room.”
She relaxed.
“I heard the others talking. They … they didn’t know I was listening.” She explained, “They are keep
ing secrets. I want … no – need, to know more! I heard them mention,” she hesitated, “Lilith.”
Terran’s eyes widened for a split second. Then, he tried, in vain, to change the look on his face. It was too late. Payton caught it.
“Who’s Lilith?” she asked.
“I can’t tell you right now,” he answered. “If I did, it would alter the path we need to take for you to regain your memory and your role in our world. We must follow the rules precisely.”
“So get on with it then!” She demanded. “Whisper another one of those words in my ear and let me get on with things!”
“I told you, I can’t do that yet. I’ve already said three of them, sooner than I was supposed to.” He said.
“Argh!” she threw her hands up in frustration and headed for the door, down the hallway, heading back to the bedroom. She knew she should be furious, but she wasn’t. Frustrated, that’s it. Just plain frustrated. She paced. Within a few minutes, Terran was back in the bedroom also.
“And who’s Erean?” she asked, still pacing. “He is the leader of all Guardians” he answered. “I thought that was my father,” she was confused.
“Your father is his right hand, so to speak. He reports – and only he – to Erean.”
“And Toros?”
“The leader of the Anords,” Terran answered.
“Okay, fine.” She said. She started for the bedroom door but Terran stepped in front of her.
“Where are you going now?” he asked.
“To the training room,” she said. “If you can’t tell me more, I’ll have to grab a few things, and find out for myself.” She pushed past him, headed out the door and headed straight for the training room, Terran, behind her, trying to convince her otherwise. But, she wasn’t listening.
Let’s see now – gazing at all the weaponry that was available. She didn’t want anything too big or heavy. She wanted to travel light. She grabbed a small curved dagger. Could do some damage if she needed to use it. There, two arm bands – metal and large enough to protect her forearms – snapping one on each arm. Perfect fit! She spotted a sword. Not too large – good! She grabbed it and wrapped the belt, the weapon was attached to, around her waist. Rope, she wanted rope. Not sure why – just thought it was needed. Ah! She spotted a shiny gold rope with thorns on it. Unusual rope, but it’ll have to do. She attached it the belt. There! Admiring herself in the mirror on the wall, she wished she felt as formidable as she looked.
