The Surpen King - Part 2 - Rise of the Elves

by Charity Kelly

  Reed was shocked. So that’s how Themrock had been able to have children. “So, where is Layla now?”

  “Here, somewhere,” Rhen said, his eyes scanning the cavern. “Although, I have no idea where she is. Layla?” he called out, his words echoing around him.

  “Do you think she stayed here?” Bosternd asked. “Could she have gone somewhere else?”

  “No, she’s here. I can feel it.” Rhen stared down into the black hole behind him. “Is there really no ending to this hole?” he asked. He threw himself into it before anyone could answer.

  “No!” Bosternd screamed as Noctav roared. They ran towards the pit with the others behind them. “No.” Bosternd leaned down over the rock ledge, his eyes searching the blackness below.

  “Noctav, do something!” Reed yelled, his own body braced against the edge as he swung a hand back and forth inside the pit, hoping desperately that he might find Rhen clinging to a lower piece of rock.

  Noctav growled and threw himself into the pit.

  “Noctav!” Bosternd shouted, reaching for him, his fingers just missing the tip of his tail. “Reed, why did you yell at him?”

  Reed didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t expected Noctav to jump into the hole.

  Suddenly, a black dimensional door opened on the wall of the cave beside them and Noctav tumbled out. He stumbled as if he couldn’t get his balance. His soldiers ran towards him, bolstering his body with their own. Once he was steady, Noctav shook his coat and walked back to the hole. “I couldn’t find him. I kept falling and falling but didn’t come into contact with anything. I called out to him, but I couldn’t see or hear anything.”

  Bosternd stood up, his mind whirling with possibilities. “If you escaped, then he will too.”

  Noctav’s whiskers twitched. “He can’t.”

  “Yes,” Bosternd insisted, grabbing the fur on the sides of Noctav’s jowls. “He’s Themrock. He can transport himself through dimensions, just like you.”

  Noctav knew that Bosternd was distressed so he didn’t bite him for grabbing his face, but he shook his head to free himself from Bosternd’s grip then sat down on his haunches, increasing the distance between them. “He’s not Themrock. He’s Rhen. He doesn’t know he has that ability.” Bosternd shook his head. He opened his mouth to protest when Noctav cut him off. “He’s dead, Bosternd. He killed himself.”

  “But,” Bosternd said, shaking his head. “No. He’ll wake up. He has to. He’s Themrock. Right? He’ll save himself.”

  Noctav closed his eyes. “He’ll fall until his mortal shell withers and dies. He’s gone. He isn’t coming back.”

  Reed stood up and shook his aching hands. The skin had been rubbed off of them on the rocks. “Will he be reborn?”

  “I don’t know, but it seems unlikely. When his body dies, he’ll become disoriented. I’m not sure if he’ll know what to do.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” Bosternd snapped. “He’s Themrock. He made all of this. He will–”

  “What's that?” one of the tigers beside them growled.

  Turning, they saw a small, glowing ball of white energy fly up out of the bottomless pit. It ricocheted off the ceiling then exploded between Reed and Bosternd. They jumped apart as pieces of rock and dust hit them, stinging their skin. Before anyone could say anything, another ball of light flew up out of the pit. It bounced off the ceiling and landed on the ground near one of the tigers before exploding, sending a cloud of dirt into the air.

  More and more balls of energy were now bursting out of the hole into the air around them. The pit had started to glow white. It became brighter and brighter, until it was hard for them to look at it. Just as they were debating whether they should run for cover, the light lessened and Rhen rose up into the air. His arms and legs were outstretched and his fingers were spread apart. His head was back and he appeared to be laughing, although they couldn’t hear him. As Rhen hovered over the pit, energy balls swirled around him in elliptical patterns.

  Bosternd started to laugh, as Reed cheered. Noctav huffed. He couldn’t believe it. Rhen was alive. He watched as Rhen floated into the center of the chamber, as if he were under someone else’s control. When his feet touched down, he opened his eyes. Bright flashes of blue light flickered within his eyes as Themrock worked to settle his powers down into his mortal shell.

  The white balls of energy gathered above Rhen’s head, forming the shape of Layla. Her elfin body appeared to be sitting on a small cloud of white power. She stretched out her arms, then took off in flight, spinning about the chamber with her new freedom. For five years, she’d been holding onto Themrock’s powers in the bottomless pit, dangling from the rocks above by a small tendril of invisible power. She was thrilled to be free. She raced about the room, flying in loops and zigzags, as she exercised her powers.

  A lightning bolt of blue energy shot down from the ceiling, striking Rhen’s chest. It was followed by another from the floor. Noctav told the others to back up as more bolts of lightning flew threw the cave from all directions, striking Rhen. Rhen opened his mouth, reveling from the feeling of power as his blue energy flowed around him, caressing him. “Now that feels more like it,” he said in a booming, otherworldly voice, as the lightning bolts continued to strike him. Rhen closed his hands and the elves gasped. He looked like his picture on the Fire Elf temple wall. His eyes and mouth were glowing blue while lightning bolts were hitting his hands so fast that it looked as if he were holding them. Rhen’s short hair was standing straight up as waves of energy radiated around his head. “Mm, that feels good,” he said, taking a deep breath. He pulled his arms in towards his body then flexed his hands. The blue lightning was slowing down. “There’s nothing like a good energy surge to make you feel alive again,” Rhen said, his voice slowly changing back to normal.

  When the lightning stopped, Rhen lifted his hand up to Layla, who was hovering in the air above him. “Thank you, beautiful. You did well. That was an excellent hiding place, but I feel terrible. You must’ve been lonely down there. I’m sorry it took me so long to return.” Layla flew down to hover in front of Rhen. She smiled and kissed his cheek. Rhen reached out his hand to stroke the side of her face. Her wispy form shivered and her cheek lost its smooth appearance where his hand passed through it. “I definitely owe you one. What can I do to repay you?”

  Layla zipped in and out of Rhen’s body repeatedly. “Stop, Layla,” Rhen laughed. “You know I’m ticklish. Cut it out.” The others realized that Layla wanted Rhen to turn into Themrock. She planned on asking Themrock for her reward, not Rhen. “Come on, Layla, stop. Please,” Rhen begged. He caught her ghost-like arm and held her. “Don’t tickle me anymore. Tell me what you want.” An instant later, they were both gone.

  "Hell," Noctav snapped. Themrock owed Layla. That definitely wasn’t a good thing. He turned and ran towards the exit, followed by the others.

  As they stepped out of the cave, they could see the first rays of sunshine striking the tops of the trees around them. They’d been gone longer than they’d realized. The Fire Elf that Noctav had thrown was just regaining consciousness. Bosternd ordered his soldiers to hold the man.

  “Themrock speaks to The Supreme,” the Fire Elf told them, trying to explain. “He wants to return to us. He’s ready to shed his mortal shell, as it should be. We need to help him. It’s Themrock’s wish. The Supreme told us so.”

  Finally, Reed thought. They had an elf who’d talk. James was going to be thrilled. They could go after The Supreme.

  They made their way down a path lined with wood chips towards the Wood Elf castle. As they neared the castle’s front steps, they noticed groups of elves standing about. “What’s going on?” Reed asked a woman who was licking her fingers.

  “Rhen just appeared in the dining room with Layla. She kicked us out as we were eating breakfast. I was lucky to grab a sweet roll before being shoved out the door.”

  The tigers bolted for the dining room with Reed and Bosternd behind t
hem. They found Rhen sitting at the head of the Wood Elves’ dining room table. Layla was flying about the table in a frenzy, shoving different foods into Rhen’s mouth then jumping into his body to taste what he was eating. “You don’t have to do it all at once, Layla,” Rhen scolded, after swallowing a large slice of spicebread that she’d shoved into his mouth. Layla laughed silently then jammed some black papaya into his mouth.

  The tigers sat down in a semi-circle around Rhen’s chair while Bosternd and Reed took seats on either side of him at the table. Layla shoved an apple turnover into Rhen’s mouth. He inhaled the powdered sugar on top of it and coughed. “Too much,” he complained, his mouth full.

  “Rhen, you’ve never had champagne before, right?” Reed asked, his eyes on the two empty bottles of Neptian champagne that were on the floor near his chair.

  Rhen swallowed. “What’s champagne?”

  “A bubbly drink,” Reed said, as Layla spooned oatmeal with berries into Rhen’s mouth.

  “Oh, is that what that was? Layla wanted some. I agreed to be her shell for breakfast as repayment for holding my powers. She said she wanted to taste food again.”

  Layla shoved some honey cake into his mouth and Rhen paused. When she lifted a forkful of eggs to his lips, Rhen turned away. “What was that last thing?” he mumbled, trying to keep everything in his mouth. “That was good.”

  “That was Themrock’s favorite dessert,” Noctav said. “Honey cake.”

  Reed added, “We serve it at every meal in Themrock’s honor.”

  “I love it!” Rhen shouted, his voice sounding a tad too enthusiastic. He waved Layla away then grabbed the rest of the honey cake with his hands. Leaning back in his chair, he chewed slowly, savoring every bite. After a little while, he burped and frowned. “I feel… funny.”

  Reed kicked one of the champagne bottles with the toe of his shoe. “Probably just the alcohol.” Layla appeared out of nowhere with a new bottle. “No.” Reed waved her away. “Stop. You’ll make him sick, if you haven’t already.”

  Layla pushed Reed away from her with her powers then pulled down on Rhen’s chin, forcing his mouth open. When she lifted the bottle to pour its contents into Rhen’s mouth, someone barked, “That’s enough, Layla.” Reed turned to see Ceceta, Jet and Rhen’s guard elves standing by the door. Someone must have notified them that Rhen was in their castle.

  Ceceta marched across the room and jerked the bottle out of Layla’s hands. “He’s had enough.”

  “Ceceta!” Rhen cried out, raising his arms into the air in greeting. He laughed then fell sideways into the table.

  “You’re drunk,” Charlie said. He grabbed a pitcher of water and handed it to Rhen. “Drink this.” Rhen drank some of the water but most of it spilled out down the sides of his mouth onto his tunic. When Rhen saw the mess he’d made, he started laughing. “Come on, let’s walk.” Charlie lifted Rhen out of his chair and pulled him forward, walking him around the room.

  “What’s going on?” Ceceta demanded.

  As Noctav filled her in, Charlie sat Rhen down onto a log so he could listen. When Rhen started laughing and pointing at his bare knee, Charlie rolled his eyes. He couldn’t believe Rhen was drunk. Rhen made a distinctive burping sound and Charlie pulled him back to his feet, wondering if he should take Rhen to the bathroom.

  “I love you guys,” Rhen said, pointing generally around the room. “You’re the best.” Reed snickered. Never in a million years would he have thought to see Rhen drunk. “You’re all so… cute.” Rhen burped again and Charlie steered him towards the bathroom, but Rhen fought against him when he saw Lilly. “Big sister! Remember when I was little and you used to throw me up into the air? That was awesome. Then you hid me under your bed when that man came to visit.”

  Lilly paled and looked at Jet. Maybe she shouldn’t have insisted on coming. “You remember that?”

  “And the bed creaked…” Lilly shrieked and jumped forward to put her hands over Rhen’s mouth.

  “Do tell, Lilly.” Charlie laughed out.

  “It’s always the quiet ones,” Reed said.

  Rhen shook off Lilly’s hand. “You were the best hugger. Remember that time when you took me into the apple orchard and that guy on a horse showed up…” Lilly put her hands back over Rhen’s mouth as everyone laughed.

  “So, Lilly. You were using Rhen to get dates before Charlie even thought about using him,” Reed teased.

  “Charlie!” Rhen yelled at the mention of his name. He laughed and leaned forward. Charlie hadn’t been expecting his sudden change in weight and struggled not to drop him. Aaron grabbed Rhen and lifted him up. Rhen’s face was now pressed against the side of Aaron’s chest. He looked up at Aaron and said, “Charlie’s Themrock but he doesn’t know it. It’s a secret. He glows… “

  “I got him,” Charlie said, jerking Rhen out of Aaron’s hands. Gods damn. Rhen was a terrible drunk. He blabbed all his secrets. How long would it be before Rhen realized he’d just said Themrock and not Theter? That had been too close.

  Ceceta was giggling over Rhen calling Charlie Themrock. Rhen winked at her. “You’re hot,” he said, his body reacting in ways that Charlie was sure he wouldn’t want anyone to see. “I want to–”

  “Okay,” Charlie said, spinning Rhen about. “I’m going to see if I can get him to throw up.” He hauled Rhen through a rock outcropping near the main door, stepping into the room on the left that had a Forest Man on the door frame. There were several toilets made of polished wood on one side of the room and a row of sinks on the other. Charlie leaned Rhen over the first toilet. Instead of throwing up, he started to laugh. His laughter jerked his body about, and Charlie lost his grip. Rhen fell towards the toilet, his hands landing in the toilet bowl.

  “Nasty,” Jet said behind them.

  Charlie turned to see that Ceceta and the others had followed them into the room. So much for using his powers to force Rhen to vomit. He’d have to sober Rhen up in a different way.

  Ceceta scowled as Charlie pulled Rhen out of the toilet. “Rhen, your hands are disgusting, vibrate the germs off them.”

  Rhen laughed and made a humming sound, like he was vibrating, but he didn’t actually do it. Perfect, Charlie thought. As Rhen continued to make the same vibrating sound over and over again, while laughing, Charlie used his powers to vibrate some of the alcohol out of Rhen’s system.

  Ceceta sighed. “Just wash his hands in the sink, will you Charlie?”

  “Sure.” Charlie hauled Rhen towards the sink. He had removed as much alcohol as he dared without Rhen being aware of it or the others noticing. He hoped it would be enough. He couldn’t afford to have Rhen comparing him to the Genisters again.

  After Charlie helped Rhen wash his hands, he walked him back into the dining room. Rhen already seemed better. He was able to walk on his own and didn’t need Charlie’s support. He also wasn’t laughing at every little thing. Crap, Charlie thought. Now he was worried that he’d removed too much alcohol. He didn’t want the Thestrans to notice how quickly Rhen’s buzz had ended. Fortunately, Layla met them when they entered the room. She pointed over towards the brook, which ran behind the dining table, then used her powers to make a stage appear, complete with instruments. “You want some music?” Rhen asked. Layla nodded. “Okay.” Rhen wandered up onto the stage and sorted through the instruments, then lifted the microphone off its stand to sing.

  As Rhen sang, Layla floated around the dining room, dancing in the air. During a love song, she flew into Ceceta’s body. “Now, that’s more like it,” she said with Ceceta’s voice, while grabbing Ceceta’s breasts and hoisting them higher to show off more cleavage.

  “Get out of Ceceta,” Noctav growled.

  Layla laughed. “No.” She reached down to feel Ceceta’s crotch.

  “Get out of Ceceta’s body,” Noctav growled, baring his teeth.

  Layla lifted her chin and sneered, making Bosternd wince. He’d never seen Ceceta make that face before. As he walked over to help N
octav, he heard Layla say, “Or what, white eyes? Are you going to make me?”

  Noctav’s fur rose with anger. Layla knew that the tigers hated being called that. Animals who were afraid had white eyes. It was a huge insult. “If I have to, I will make you leave her body. You have no right to occupy her form.”

  Layla tore the neckline on Ceceta’s robes. “Are you attacking me?” she asked Noctav, her voice rising. She made fang marks appear on Ceceta’s arm and claw-like scratches appear on her face.

  “What are you doing?” Bosternd asked.

  “Don’t,” Noctav growled.

  Layla blew them an air kiss before saying, “Ready for the show?” She screamed and fell to the ground at Noctav’s feet.

  Rhen had been singing with his eyes closed. As soon as he heard Ceceta scream, he opened his eyes, took one look at the claw marks and bites on her face, and assumed that Noctav had attacked her. His blue powers flared with anger as he flipped into Themrock, and he shot a blast of blue energy at Noctav, killing him. Bosternd shouted with surprise and backed up as Themrock phased over to pick Ceceta up in his arms before disappearing.

  Nobody could believe how fast it had happened. One moment, things had seemed under control, and the next, Layla had caused Noctav’s death and was violating Ceceta’s body. For the first time, the Thestrans fully understood what the Genisters and Ceceta had been hinting at. Layla was not only a horrible person, but she was dangerous. The remaining Neptian tigers surrounded Noctav, howling in anguish over his passing.

  “Did Layla trick him?” Thellis said quietly from the doorway, his green swirling vortex fading behind him.

  Reed felt like throwing up. He’d never seen anything so horrible before in his life. As he tried to answer Thellis, he found his throat was too thick to talk. He cleared it several times, but it was Aaron who answered, “Yes. She made it look like Noctav had attacked Ceceta. Do you know where they went?”

  Thellis focused on one spot in the air as he concentrated. “He’s still here, in the castle.”

  Jack was kneeling beside Noctav. He looked up at Thellis and asked, “Can you bring him back to life?” He had tried to save Noctav with his powers, but it hadn’t worked.