by J E Mueller
“This is so… weird,” I finished lamely.
“It is,” Daniella agreed without hesitating.
“I don’t understand why I look so much older…” I looked back at my reflection once more.
“You’ve seen much, not just with spirits but also in your dealings with demons. Your worldview is shaped from a broad base of experiences and knowledge. Your soul is more refined than many your age, and there is nothing wrong with that,” Daniella offered an explanation.
I nodded, letting the words sink in. “What should I call you?”
“Danni works.” She smiled. “It is the shortened version of my name either way.”
I nodded again, turning away from my reflection to take in this new realm around me. It was empty and vast. Silver-blue nothingness stretched as far as I could see. There was no ground, or sky, or anything at all to mark where we could be.
“What now?” I asked softly.
Danni smiled. “We get to play a little game called make the newbie hate us.”
“What?” I turned towards her, confused.
“You can’t see anything, correct,” she stated rather than asked.
Still, I answered, “Correct. There’s nothing here.” I motioned towards the empty around me.
“You see, the spirit realm is smart. It knows we’re not dead even though we’ve made it here. So it allows you to view it in a dreamlike state. Dreamers have sometimes happened upon this place, because magic is weird, but they see the nothingness you see before you,” Danni explained.
“So what do we have to do to change that?” I asked curiously. I didn’t like the idea of having to trick a whole realm into being visible, but she seemed to know what she was doing.
“Turn back towards the vastness,” Danni instructed.
I really hated the sound of this. “What are you going to do?”
“Kill you.” Danny laughed.
It sounded so absurd. “You can’t kill a spirit.”
“Correct.” She smiled pleasantly.
With a sigh, I turned away from her. I guessed the worst she could do was kill me, but since that was impossible, I had little to worry about. It struck me that spirits that were ‘killed’ were actually sent straight here… It was too late for me to react when the thoughts caught up to me. A blade was plunged deep into my back, and for a moment I felt intense pain, and then again nothing.
I turned to scream at her. “What was that for?”
Laughing, she moved to retrieve the blade. “So you could see.”
“Wha-” I turned to see Danni was right. There were many spirits watching us with amusement. The empty room was no more – they were now everywhere. Some spirits floated nearby and many more were aimlessly milling about further away. In the distance I could see structures. Rooms and buildings were floating in what appeared to be random spots giving the place a really otherworldly and creepy vibe. What had I gotten myself into now?
“I suppose that is an acceptable reason to be stabbed,” I muttered, not sure how else to respond to everything.
“Good. Less anger now means we can continue on much more easily.” Danni smiled and started to head forward. “This way.”
I followed behind. “How do you even know where you are going?” I took note of how things were literally floating by just the same as we were.
“Training. We know how to find each other,” Danni replied honestly. “I’m really not sure how to explain it. We give off a different vibe, so it’s just a matter of seeking that odd vibe out. Like normal magic, everyone has their own signature. It’s a combination of that off-ness and the signature you’re looking for.”
“What if they weren’t here?” I asked curiously, happy that Danni didn’t seem bothered by my questions while she searched.
“That’s the beauty of this place, you’d actually know where they are.” Danni smiled. “Usually we can set up an example, but until you’re used to this place I wouldn’t advise traveling here alone.”
“So, say I do end up here alone sooner rather than later…” I saw the look Danni gave me. “What? We’ve had a lot of bad things happen lately. Let’s just be prepared for a change!”
Danni sighed deeply but gave in. “Okay, what’s the question now?” She stopped and waited for me to ask.
“How would I go about finding someone, finding a particular spirit, and getting out?” I asked all at once.
“I guess we can use Lliam as an example here,” Danni replied, thinking out loud.
“Where did he wander off to anyway?” I hadn’t seen him since we went to lunch.
“Well, try and seek him out with your magic. You should know exactly where he is.” Danni smiled. “And when you do find him, give his magic a tug and he’ll come this way.”
I knew how to do that part well. Growing up, I used to do that with Marc and Lee all the time, and with Lydia when she was home. I couldn’t remember who learned it first, likely Lee since he was the oldest, but I always remembered knowing how to use my magic that way.
Finding Lliam was a bit more difficult. I hadn’t really interacted with him on any magical level. We had only spoken, which I supposed was true about all my magic interaction with the spirits. What would his signature feel like? I tried to recall him always popping in at random, and sometimes at really useful times. Lliam always seemed tired, if I was being honest, but he also had a sense of righteousness, pride, and honor about him.
Using this group of thoughts and feelings, I tried to hone in on where he was. To my surprise, a very specific thought came to mind. He was back at Reawakening, watching Lydia do her training with another in a field. Not sure exactly how to get his attention, I tried tugging at the momentary connection between us. It felt like he tugged back, so I let go and looked at Danni.
“I think I did it,” I said, still unsure, but what else could it mean?
“Should only be a moment then.” Danni shrugged and continued on. I followed closely behind.
“Where exactly are we going?” I asked.
In that moment Lliam joined us. “So, you actually made it, huh?”
“Only took half a day of practicing.” I smirked. “What were you doing watching Lydia?”
“Would it make sense that I miss my mission, doing normal Blessed things, and hate being stuck mostly dead with little to do to aid the cause?” Lliam replied honestly.
He had a point, so I nodded.
“We’re heading to Mist. Would you like to tag along? I had Tella call you here to teach her how it can be done,” Danni explained.
Lliam nodded. “Sure, I’ll come with you. Maybe there will be some real answers there.”
“Oh, come on, don’t you love only knowing a third of the plan?” Danni mused.
“You both have been way too calm about not knowing what the hell is going on,” I replied, feeling frustrated at the mention of the topic.
Danni shrugged. “Answers aren’t always worth having.”
“I’ve worked past the rage stage, but now that you’re here and we’re actually getting somewhere, I might go back to it if there’s no information to be had,” Lliam replied honestly.
“I’m so with you on that part.” I sighed, hoping this wasn’t a waste of time. Then again, I was actively learning about part of my gift, so it wasn’t a complete waste.
“Why are we taking the long way?” Lliam asked Danni.
“So Tella could get a feel for this realm and take in the sights,” Danni replied.
“There’s a quicker way?” I asked, surprised.
Danni sighed but nodded. “Yes, spirits really aren’t bound by the standard forms of traveling. You can hone in on a signature and will yourself to that location.”
“That’s pretty nifty,” I replied. It was more than that. It was exciting. Getting around in this form could be a breeze, though I was sure there had to be some drawbacks somewhere along the way. Still, the excitement made me feel giddy. “Let’s do that. I want to see how it works!”
“No one respects walking to their destination anymore,” Danni grumbled. “Take my hand.”
I took her outstretched hand and was about to ask how this even worked when everything around me swirled and swept past me. Suddenly, I was directly in front of someone new with Danni and Lliam on either side. It took a moment for everything to stop feeling weird. Any sudden feeling was weird in this form.
Instead of concentrating on me, the person looked towards Danni. “It’s been some time, dear.”
Danni nodded. “That it has. It’s good to see you though.”
“I heard you stopped working with Leta,” the person stated. She brushed her curly black hair off her shoulders and took a step towards Danni.
“I did. Leta is having a hard time accepting the current circumstances. I’ve no idea how to help with this matter and thought it best I leave her here,” Danni replied without hesitating.
“Having a spirit guide to aid you is always a good idea,” the woman replied.
Danni seemed ready for this. “Having a stable guide is a great idea. However, recently, I’ve been electing to use various Blessed spirits. They want a chance to fight against the demons, and this is one way I can help them do so. Leta has been bitter. You know well she was considering crossing just before this all went down-hill. She feels restricted now. As if there is no choice, because there is none.” Dani held her head high. “I don’t want to have an old friend turning on me. Until recently, I had no way of even combating that possibility.”
Dani decided to move away from the topic. “Mist, I’d like you to formally meet Tella. I know Lliam has mentioned her as well as Kegan.”
I stared at Dani, surprised. “Kegan doesn't have this gift, though…”
Mist smiled kindly at me. “That is true. She does not, but I wouldn’t say she’s entirely human.”
I blinked in surprise. “What do you mean?” This was a tough realization to take in.
“Kegan and I have been friends through many lifetimes. Her true nature is hard to explain, and it’s truly best left up to her. However, several years ago, she mentioned you and your gifts. She didn’t think you were quite ready to learn so I left some things behind for you for when the time was right.”
Mist waved away the topic. “I hadn’t expected things to actually take a turn for the worse for me. Never had I expected the demons to actually disrupt the balance and move toward taking over everything. Sure, many of them would grow incredibly strong before this set of worlds was destroyed, but they don’t even remember how to leave. Finding other realms is difficult. Creating and maintaining new realms is even more difficult.
“But, that is why you are here now. You want to know more about your gifts and how to stop this from continuing. Teaching you about your gifts is easy. None of the rest will provide answers you like.” Mist watched me carefully for a reaction.
“That sounds exactly like what I was expecting to hear,” I admitted. “So, let’s get into it then. What’s the worst of it?”
Mist nodded towards Lliam and Danni. “Leave us, we have much to discuss.”
Lliam snorted. “You can’t be serious. We finally have a chance to get answers and you expect us to leave?”
Mist nodded firmly. “I’m certain Tella will be more than willing to relate these answers to you later, but some things involve only her and she may decide to keep those parts to herself. You must respect that.”
Dani nodded, understanding. “Will you help her get back or call me?”
“I will do one or the other, yes,” Mist replied.
“Fine,” Lliam grumbled. “Good luck, kid.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “I’ve got this.” I hoped.
Dani grabbed Lliam’s shoulder and they were gone. I could only hope that the answers were going to be worth whatever cost was implied.
Chapter 18
Mist wasted no time. The second they had vanished from sight she began to speak. “To start, I should explain what I already know about you,” Mist said, conjuring up some chairs for us to sit in.
This spirit realm magic was weird, but I accepted a seat anyway. Now wasn’t the time to get caught up on random summoning. “Okay, what do you know about me?”
“Kegan met you when you were traveling with Key. Your aunt was captured by demons. This is not a normal occurrence, but thankfully it was quickly taken care of. However, word reached me about your gifts. Kegan was also worried about the disruption in the balance on the demon side.” Mist sighed and looked off into the distance as she continued. “Demons don’t try that usually without coaxing. Someone had given these lesser monsters the idea, and by the time we discovered who, he was vanquished. We thought the problem was solved, but the one vanquished had already started a grander scheme and had someone under his wing to continue with his goal. Someone you never met, but someone you still know.”
My heart quickly picked up its pace, I had a feeling I knew where this was going. “It all revolves around that day, doesn’t it?”
“Indeed.” She nodded, meeting my eyes once more.
I thought about it and knew what the answer was. “So, the Mad King truly lived up to his title, even in death. He truly wanted to conquer it all. Opening the gates and casting him as a demon actually gave him the possibility of moving between realms to accomplish greater goals. He was truly corrupt through and through.” I paused, letting the words hang in the air. “And he found someone just as corrupt as him to take on this mission?”
“Yes.” Mist nodded simply.
“And I take it they are still around,” I half asked, half groaned.
“Naturally,” Mist agreed.
“Do they also have an apprentice?” I didn’t know if I wanted the answer.
“Not that we know of,” Mist replied. “Marella’s become much more limited in her resources since recent events. They all know she is actively not on their side.”
I took note of how she phrased that. “Then who’s side is she on?”
“The balance,” Mist replied. “She’ll do what she must to see it restored. After that, it’s hard to say. I respect that though. She has allies on both sides and has done everything to keep this realm alive since the incident.”
“The incident?” I asked, curious to know what happened.
“That’s for her to explain,” Mist said without emotion.
“While I can respect everyone keeping each other's secrets, it’s getting pretty annoying,” I grumbled. “Fine, okay. So now what? The Mad King with his power-hungry soul started a terrible turn of power and upset the balance of this realm. Hopefully his soul can learn from this.”
“When we can fix the gates I’m sure it can,” Mist replied.
“Don’t tell me that means what I think it means,” I said, feeling the horror creep up on me.
“Most souls, once vanquished will be returned to the gate. I see them on their way. Of course some souls are still desperate enough to forge their own way. His managed to be one of those few to find his way out of the spirit realm. He had no power but gave my team a three year run around. Souls don’t need rest, so he was able to keep his distance.”
“Just in time for the gates to be crushed,” I finished, knowing that was the end.
“His soul is now trapped. The Blessed aren’t completely without their gifts, so we’ve used their talents to imprison him here until we can fix this matter.” Mist answered.
“How did you trap him here?” This could be useful.
“Do you remember how Blessed can keep demons away?” Mist asked instead.
I nodded. “There’s a special barrier. It’s not perfect but it works well.”
Mist seemed satisfied with my response and continued, “Here, as spirits, they can do something similar. They can set a field and keep others from seeing them, or if one is in the middle, it can trap them from getting out.”
“But it’s not perfect on the human side,” I replied. “Is it somehow perfected here?”
�
�In a way, yes. The only issue is making sure those Blessed are not disrupted. With the steady overflow of souls, that is getting harder.”
“So, we need to fix the gates before the overflow gets to be too much.” I nodded, already knowing this needed to be done sooner rather than later.
“We can’t just fix them.”
“What?” I stated in surpris. It took me a second to realize I had jumped out of my chair. Torn between pacing and standing awkwardly, I finally decided to sit back down. “What do you mean by that?”
“The physical gate is fully within your power to fix,” Mist continued, “I can easily instruct you how to do this. However, the one here is missing too many key components to be repaired.”
“What are they missing? Surely there’s got to be a way.” I would not have been brought here if it was a lost cause.
“A being from both sides with enough power wouldn’t be too hard to get. The right material wouldn’t be too hard to get. The right soul to seal the deal is where the problem lies.”
Aw, fuck. There was no way this was going to be a pleasant conversation anymore. “What is ‘the right soul’?”
“It would have to be a soul that could represent all forms of beings. Ideally a twin soul, one with one outside appearance but inhabiting a different inner form.”
“Are there any like that currently here that may be willing to go to a greater cause?” I asked. There was no way I could sacrifice a person, but if they were already dead and willing to help, that might be a different story. Might. Even then I still hated this idea.
“It would need to be a fresh death on the outer gate.” Mist shook her head.
“The founders for this were really messed up. Do we have any other options?” I asked. Forget this, I would make another way. Somehow.
Mist nodded. “There are always other options, however, that being said they may not work. Sadly, time is of the essence. This current way of doing things took many years, almost a decade to make work. We don’t have that long.”
“What do I need to know to look at different options?” I insisted.