Realm Walker Omnibus

by Erik Weir

  Power glowed as he felt his influence grow brighter. The Blade looked over his stats again and saw that he had three divine orbs left. Not wanting to waste time hoarding, he opened himself to the Gaia sphere again and released two more divine orbs. Energy hooked into his spirit, but a stream of power touched his throat and ears. The supernatural energies took hold, and Victor watched the ghostly words return.

  You have gained Animal Tongues! Passive Ability.

  Victor’s brow wrinkled as it was an ability he didn’t expect. The powers seemed to appear, but didn’t give any further instruction on how to use them. Seeing the words fade away, the Blade assumed he would be able to speak to animals. It was a power he would have to test out when he had a chance.

  Seeing two more points for spending, the Blade quickly added a point to Strength and another point to Charisma. Internally, the Blade felt those were his strengths but judging from how nearly every stat helped in some way, he would have to spend points in the others as he grew stronger. Once the spheres of influence finished filling with power, Victor looked at his stat sheet again.

  Victor Hobbs

  Acolytes Unlocked- 7/77

  Divine Orbs- 1

  Spheres of Influence

  Str (Gaia)- 3

  Con (Nano)- 2

  Int (Abyss)- 1

  Will (Holy)- 2

  Wis (Mind)- 1

  Cha (Shadow)- 3

  Swords

  Iron Sword

  Elemental Sword

  Sphere Abilities/Powers

  Mind

  Speak/Read/Write Languages

  Gaia

  Increased Strength/Speed

  Animal Tongues

  Nano

  Shadow

  Holy

  Abyss

  Hisk snuggled closer, her breath on Victor’s neck and a sigh filling the thin space between them. Victor curled an arm around her, holding her close as Lily snuggled on his other side. The Blade looked to the slyth, her gaze meeting his.

  “Victor…,” Hisk began but trailed off.

  The Blade looked to her with concern, warmth between them keeping cold reality far away.

  The lizard woman gathered her resolve and continued. “We have lost everything here. Is…there a place…to worship Vala in peace?”

  Lily’s eyes opened, looking past Victor to Hisk. “There is a place. As Vala’s acolytes, you are always welcome.”

  Hisk smiled, holding Victor and reaching across him to squeeze Lily’s arm. The Blade wasn’t sure what was happening until his mind drifted to Vala’s realm. It was a place of worship and safety. It was built so true believers would come to bask in Vala’s knowledge, as far as he knew. Questions invaded his mind as he looked to Lily.

  “How do we get them there,” Victor asked.

  Lily gave him a wry smile, “Through dreams of course.”

  The succubus looked to Hisk with a knowing smile. “Victor and I will pull you all with us to Vala’s realm. There, you will all be safe and help bring back Vala’s power.”

  The slyths moved closer, hands and legs touching the Blade and Shield as they lay. Victor had many more questions, but the evening’s activities pushed him to his limit. With the excitement falling away, exhaustion and sleep called out with their seductive song.

  Eyes growing heavy, Victor looked to the statue of Vala at the back of the cave. The stone statue almost nodded before the Blade blinked, all movement from the statue gone. Heaviness crept into worn out muscles. The tide of sleep washed over the Blade, and he slipped into the dreams like a fish to water.

  Floating, he looked over to see Lily at his side. She reached out and took hold of his hand. Hisk appeared next and one by one, Yex, Hox, and Rhass blinked into the dreamscape. All six took hold of each other, forming a linked chain. The dreamscape curled and writhed to thoughts, memories, and ideas. A crescent moon shined in the distance and the six followers of Vala flew toward it, hearts beating to divine light.

  Thirteen

  Mists parted and six people walked out to the gentle glow of a crescent moon. Victor found himself smiling, the new feeling of home filling his heart. In the short distance, Vala’s mountain stood tall; lantern light shining down from halfway up the mountain, calling them home.

  The four slyths reached out and touched each other’s shoulders, seeing the magnificent mountain stand before them instead of the version in their dreams. A tear formed at the corner of Yex’s eye, her body shuddering in sad happiness. Rhass held Yex in comfort while Hox stood by Hisk, holding hands.

  Lily led the way, turning and walking backwards. “Cassandra is the Keeper of Vala’s Mountain. She will help you adjust to life here. Come on, there is much to do.”

  Victor and the slyths followed the beautiful succubus as she made her way to the ruins and stone steps. A loving calm touched senses, bringing hope when there was once only despair. Victor could almost feel the emotions rolling through the slyths. They had only known hardship, and now they could rest easy in Vala’s realm.

  The group climbed the ancient staircase. Before long, they were halfway up the mountain, lantern light and an older woman greeting them. Victor smiled as he and Lily approached the elder Keeper. When they were close enough to see her face, Victor’s smile melted into surprise. Cassandra stood but her body didn’t appear as haggard as it had. Her hunch had disappeared and she stood straighter. The wrinkles on her kind face seemed to have tightened, her appearance looking slightly younger. The keeper’s smile was different; her mouth was filled with teeth once again, making her grin bright and welcoming.

  “Welcome home,” Cassandra smiled with bright eyes.

  “Cassandra…you’re…,” Victor began but couldn’t put the rest to words.

  The old woman cackled before speaking, “Vala’s power is returning, thanks to both of you. As her strength grows, so shall mine. Now before you began interrogating me, we have homes to fill with our new guests.”

  Cassandra walked past Victor, but not before giving him a smack on the ass. The Blade and Shield turned to see the Keeper take Hisk’s hand into hers.

  “We have homes here by the springs. You are welcome to take one for yourself or all can stay in one, the choice is yours. Let me show you around while Victor and Lily relax in the springs.”

  The slyths nodded as they followed the Keeper along the stone street to the empty homes. Victor and Lily watched them go, the slyths looking around in amazement and wonder.

  “How come you didn’t tell me Cassandra would grow younger as we get closer to Vala’s return?”

  Lily shrugged, “You didn’t ask.”

  The Blade eyed the succubus, “Anything else I should know?”

  “Yes,” Lily said simply before turning, and walking toward the hot springs.

  Victor stood, watching her go before the need to relax in the springs took root. It wasn’t just their healing power, but after their journeys, a dip would be just what the doctor ordered.

  The Blade quickly followed the demoness. Eyes on Lily, Victor watched as she reached a steamy pool and began to undress. When she was naked, she slipped into the hot waters and swam to an edge. Victor stripped down with each step until he was naked and slipping into the waters. Muscles relaxed to the heat as he swam to an edge opposite the succubus. The Blade wanted nothing more than to be beside her, but even he knew it would lead to distractions. Lily didn’t seem to mind, resting and making no movement to be beside him.

  “I can feel the questions in your mind,” Lily said with a low, sultry tone.

  “How deep is the connection between us? How deep can it go?”

  Lily sighed before continuing, “It will have moments like we are the same person, and there will be times we won’t connect. It’s the natural progression of all connections, as far as Cassandra has told me.”

  “This is all new to you too?”

  Lily nodded. “I’ve lived here for years, waiting for my Blade to arrive. Cassandra told me many stories and histories of Vala’
s time during my stay.”

  Victor kept his gaze steady on the horned succubus, “What happened before you came here?”

  Lily’s face smoothed into a mask of indifference, “I was a mistake in a realm that did not want me.”

  Victor floated in the water, unsure what to say.

  Lily let out a long exhale before continuing, “The Night Sun Realm is a place of different values than the other realms. A demon that can heal is seen as an abomination and are killed immediately. I was lucky my ability didn’t manifest until I was older, or I would have been slain as a child. When your realm treats familial lineages and blood pedigree above all else, the rejects are killed and devoured without a second thought.”

  “Sounds awful,” Victor said in a low voice.

  Lily nodded slightly, “It is. But I can’t fault my people for how their societies developed. History speaks on how far demon-kind have come since the early days. We used to be like the Tempest Realm, chaotic, the strong ruling the weak. If it wasn’t for a miracle, the Night Sun Realm would still be just as horrific.”

  The succubus raised an eyebrow, “I’m hungry. Come with me.”

  Victor watched as Lily stood up and climbed out of the hot spring. Water cascaded down her smooth skin as she grabbed her clothes and dressed as she walked. Victor climbed out, gathered his clothes and followed. Dressing as he walked was difficult, walking along a thin path, past the misty cave and the pools. A small stone path wrapped around the edge of the springs. Lily followed it, turning around a corner and disappearing from view.

  Victor continued following the path, looking to his right and seeing the misty ruins and forests below. One misstep and the Blade would find himself falling to certain death. Putting his back to the mountain, he turned the corner and slowly scooted until the path widened into an immense crack in the rock wall. The path led into the giant opening, dripping water falling from holes in the walls. Lily stepped further in, strange orbs glowing against her legs.

  Victor followed, eyes taking in the curled vines with glowing crimson gourds at the end. They looked like veiny squash, hanging on the end of the standing vines. Lily knelt to the ground, grabbing one and pulling it off a vine. Standing up, her fanged mouth bit into it, pulling away a chunk while red liquid dripped. The succubus chewed, her eyes taking on a faraway gaze.

  Victor walked to her side, looking at the gourd in her hand. Lily turned to the Blade, showing the gourd in her hand. A dark scent rose up with the similar metallic scent of blood.

  “This is blood fruit. Cassandra let me plant a few vines so I would have something to eat while I was here. It is the miracle that changed a whole civilization. Before this fruit appeared, my people ate each other, and anything weak enough to appear in our realm. It was like that for a long time until this mysterious fruit appeared. It began to grow everywhere and when my people tried it, it slacked our hunger in a way my people never knew before.

  “We didn’t have to drain others to feed. We had a food source that supplied all our needs. My people say the fruit was a gift from our strongest goddess, Hexnia, but there were whispers that it didn’t come from her at all. It is against the laws to speak Vala’s name but for a long time, many felt Vala was the true source, ending our primal suffering.”

  Lily sat down among the blood fruit vines, placing the one in her hand on her lap. Victor sat down, facing her with open ears. A sad light glowed in her crimson eyes as she talked and looked down on the fruit in her lap.

  “My realm is hellish but even amid all of the pain and torment; I knew there was something more to the universe. Vala came to my dreams and the moment I saw her; I knew I would follow. One night, my father beat me until I couldn’t stand. He screamed at me that I was a stain on the family, my beauty the only thing keeping me alive. I believe he beat me to try and disfigure me so it would be easier to kill me. But to our mutual regret, I healed every time. I didn’t know if I was cursed or blessed, but the beating that night grew to the point I was broken. My father lifted me up and brought me to my room. He laid me down and whispered ‘Come back from that and I will slit your throat to water the crops.’

  “I lay, bruised with many broken bones. I cried out to the Gods and Goddesses, any who would listen.”

  Lily took a bite of fruit, chewing and gulping down the piece. Eyes watered as she continued. “Vala came. She touched me in my dreams and I woke up here. Cassandra set my bones and bandaged my wounds before the long climb up the mountain. It took some time, but my body did heal; but the inner scars are still there. I prayed to Vala every night, thanking her, but she didn’t come to me again until shortly before you arrived.”

  Lily gave Victor a heartfelt gaze, the wetness receding from her eyes. “I tell you this because one way or another, our minds and hearts will connect, speaking of our pasts. I would rather tell you first, before you stumble onto it.”

  Victor’s head tilted forward, shadows covering his eyes. “Thank you, Lily, for your honesty.”

  Victor’s heart thudded in his chest. Distant memories and emotions crawled up from the depths of his soul, wanting their own release. An urge to speak pressed on him but his throat grew silent. The universe was filled with horrors and vile experiences. Victor wanted nothing more than to live in the moment, free of his past.

  The Blade lifted his head, watching Lily eat her fruit in comfortable silence. Faces formed in Victor’s mind, a pain lashing against his spirit. The longer the silence, the more he wanted to complete the connection between himself and the beautiful succubus. He couldn’t place the exact moment his feelings grew for the demon but they were there. Vala brought them together for a reason and when his lips parted, a burst of energy touched his heart.

  Lily looked up with wide eyes, “Did you feel that?”

  Victor nodded quickly before looking to the entrance of the blood fruit garden. “I did. It came from the mists below.”

  The Blade and Shield were to their feet, making their way onto the small mountain path before reaching the springs. Victor led the way with Lily close behind. The pair reached the ancient stone steps just as Cassandra hobbled down the street, her eyes wide.

  “Stay here,” Lily shouted to the keeper.

  Victor jumped several steps at a time, making his way down. Part of him wanted to draw one of his swords but the burst of energy that had touched him felt familiar and alien at the same time. He couldn’t put into words what it was but something had come through the mists on its own. A sliver of fear curled into the Blade’s heart, wondering if the War Wolf that had ambushed him when he first arrived was back.

  Long minutes passed before the Blade and Shield reached the bottom and sprinted across the wet grass. Moonlight lit the way as they charged toward the mists, two shadows appearing. A staff appeared in Lily’s hand as the pair slowed to a walk. Victor looked to the shadows, hand at the ready to call on a sword. When the pair stopped, they watched the shadows grow solid and emerge from the mists.

  A blonde elf with glasses walked along, holding another elf dressed in a tight black dress, a diamond shaped opening running from the top of her chest, the insides of creamy breasts and the bottom point just below the elf’s belly button. Long black hair flowed into a tight knot behind her as pointed ears framed her face. Eyes held a turbulent confusion as she clutched to the blonde elf.

  Dawn looked up to Victor and Lily’s stunned expressions. “We need your help,” the elf said with urgency.

  The other elf’s mouth curled into a manic smile, eyes bleeding madness.

  Fourteen

  Mist flowed along ankles as Victor and Lily stared at Dawn and the dark-haired elf with her. Dawn’s expression softened as the dark-haired elf’s gaze stayed on the Blade with hypnotic, wide eyes. Lily kept one end of her staff in the dirt as she gave the pair the once over, her lip wrinkling in doubt and concern.

  Victor took a step forward when the dark-haired elf broke away from Dawn, stumbling and crashing into the Blade. Victor reached up and caugh
t her, holding the elf steady as she stared at him with unblinking eyes. The mood shifted from concern to warmth as the elf licked her lips.

  “You….feel delicious. I can use you in many different ways,” the elf said without hesitation as her hands touched the Blade’s chest.

  Victor raised an eyebrow, but didn’t let go as she leaned into him. Keeping her at half arms-length was just enough to keep her steady and at a reasonable distance.

  She looks hungry….and not for food.

  Dawn took two steps, hands taking hold of the elf and pulling her from Victor. “This is my sister, Night. She’s not well.”

  “I can see that,” Lily said, her eyes growing hard.

  Dawn turned her attention to Victor, “You promised to help if I needed it.”

  The Blade nodded. “I did and I will. I just can’t wrap my brain around how you got here,” Victor looked to Night, “both of you.”

  Lily moved to Victor’s side, “Acolytes can transverse to Vala’s realm just like we can, but I assumed Vala needed to become more powerful before they could do it.”

  Dawn kept her gaze on Victor, ignoring Lily, “We…I was desperate. My sister…burned down the place I had bought for her. I had to take her away…and we camped for the night in the forest. I prayed to Vala to help us…and I prayed to you.”

  “Dawn, he is so young and powerful,” Night said with a wide smile, “I can use his body for all kinds of rituals and potions. Thank you for such a gift!”

  Dawn shook her head while holding her sister, “He’s not ingredients. He’s a friend. Do not hurt him!”

  Victor’s brows went up, “She wants to use me as ingredients?”

  “Is there a place we can talk? I’ll try to explain everything,” the elf huffed.

  Lily lifted a hand halting the elves, “This is a sacred realm. How dangerous is she?”