by Eric Vall
“Mother…Father…” Heijing whispered in her heavy, natural tongue. “You’re here with me…it hurts…why does it hurt so much more now than ever?”
“It only hurts because the wounds are still fresh,” Anteng answered in a deep, oaky voice. “We may have been gone a long time, but the memory is still very much alive in your mind.”
“I don’t want you to go…” Heijing muttered, her voice didn’t waver with emotion as she leaned her head back and stared into the faces of her parents’ dragon forms. “Stay with me, a little longer.”
“We understand, Heijing, we wish to stay with you forever if we could,” Guoshe’s voice came, it was more feminine and lighter than I imagined. “You’ve grown into a fine young Qianlong, my love, true to Qianlong name.”
Heijing tucked her hands into the sleeves of her robe and bowed low to the Akalong and Qianlong before her. I could see her through the haze as her icy blue eyes fluttered closed and a single tear fell down her soft, round cheek. I couldn’t stand this, the feeling that emanated from the small dragon’s chest and I stepped into the sparkling mirage.
Guoshe and Anteng came into view then, the massive dragons towering over us and shrouded completely by the dazzling golden light. Guoshe was the first to notice me and her enormous head tilted curiously at my presence. Anteng barely glanced at me, but when he did, he did a double-take then took a protective step in front of both Heijing and his wife. I knew the fear in his heart, the rage, and fear he held against all gods, the ones who killed him, his wife, and their people.
I held up my hands in front of me as a sign of no ill will, but Anteng stayed in place as he kept his eyes glued to my face. Heijing may have been a dragon, but her size was nothing compared to her fully grown father. Two massive horns sprouted from his forehead and spiny plates broke the skin of his back. He was a magnificent creature as he glared down at me and his crest rose into the air as a warning.
“Stand down,” I commanded as I stared up into his face. “I do not wish to harm you. Instead, I want to give you a gift.”
“Your kind should’ve given us a gift six hundred years ago,” Anteng stated in a booming voice. “Our lives, your kind should’ve gifted us our lives and let us watch our only child grow.”
“Father, please,” Heijing begged as she squeezed past him and stood protectively in front of me.
“Anteng,” Guoshe’s voice snapped from behind him. “Stop acting like an ass and listen to what the god has to say.”
I chuckled and shook my head at her words. Everything I had heard about Guoshe was true, the woman was powerful and commanded those around her. Heijing had once told me that other war council members used to call her Child Lord, and the name seemed to fit impeccably.
Anteng stopped talking and moved slightly out of the way as the scarlet dragon moved closer. Her yellow eyes settled on mine as she lowered her massive face and took in my godly presence. I stared at her for a few moments just to breathe her in. I’d heard so many stories about this woman from Heijing, and now, the spiritual embodiment of Guoshe stood in front of me. She was beautiful in her dragon form, and I could only imagine how beautiful she was in her human one. I was astounded by Guoshe and could almost picture her massive, blood-red form out on the battlefields of her time.
“Curious,” the Akalong’s voice boomed out around me as she spoke directly into my mind. “Unlike my husband’s assumption, you are not of the kind that killed our people. You are a different breed than those scum. Tell me, who are you?”
“I am Kazama,” I stated to them as I rose to my full height and squared my shoulders. “Son of Chirus and Qyris, true son of Eris.”
“You are a fallen god, are you not?” Guoshe asked as her eyes flickered closed for a second.
“Yes, I fell from the heavens long before the death of the dragons and stayed there until my minions found me,” I told them, and finally, Anteng’s massive body seemed to relax.
“And why did you fall from the heavens, Kazama,” the Akalong asked in a purring voice that reminded me so much of Heijing’s.
“I fell in love with a mortal,” I told them, and they both blinked once in response. It is not something I’m ashamed of. I dedicated my life to her, and I lost my place in the heavens because of it.
“You’ve used our spirits to your aid two times now,” Anteng uttered as he turned and gazed down at me fully. “What is your intention? What is your big scheme in this tiny little world of yours?”
“The gods betrayed me, just as they did with you,” I started, and Guoshe tilted her enormous head curiously. “My own brother betrayed my secret love, and my parents disowned me and cast me away. The gods have wronged and betrayed too many without being punished.”
“And you are the one who is going to punish them?” Anteng questioned as he too leaned closer.
“Yes, I am going to tear the heavens to shreds after I deal with the Holy Order,” I stated in a firm voice. “Then, I will be ruler over all, the earth and the heavens.”
“Do you think anyone will stop you?” Guoshe asked as she tenderly wrapped her tail around her daughter. “If there is danger, you must remember, you have someone extraordinary in your presence, the last of her kind. You cannot let her die off without rhyme or reason, Kazama, I forbid it.”
I held out a hand to Heijing, and the Qianlong pulled away from her mother. I brought the dragon to my side and held her tightly as she clung to me desperately.
“Heijing is one of my own now,” I told them as I stared up into each of their faces. “I will protect her with my life and honor, as I do with all of my other minions. No harm will come to her while I am here.”
“That is very well, Kazama,” Anteng boomed as his colossal dragon face seemed to grin. “Maybe the lines of Akalong and Qianlong aren’t doomed to die off with her after all.”
“What a terrible way to say that, really,” Guoshe scolded as she side-eyed her husband but brought her attention back to me. “You brought her out of the sanctuary, that is one victory for you. We feared she’d stay there for the rest of her life, we praise you for that, Lord Kazama, but there is one more thing.”
“Yes?” I inquired as I gazed directly into her eyes.
“You offered us a gift, what kind of gift could you offer to two dead dragons with no ties to the earth? We have no need for gifts; we have no way of receiving them.” Guoshe’s sad eyes drifted to her daughter, her only prized possession.
“What if I could make sure that you were always with Heijing? That you would never have to leave her and return to the spirit realm?” I asked, and Guoshe pulled away as her eyes narrowed on my face.
“There is no such thing,” Anteng stated in disbelief.
“I received a gift from another god betrayed from the heavens,” I told them in a calm voice, and they listened intently. “Soul transferal, your souls could reside within Heijing’s body and be with her until the end of time. You could speak with her, be with her and lend her your powers in times of need just as you did today.”
“It’s not possible,” Anteng said even louder.
“It is,” I nodded as I held out my hands to them. “Let me give you this gift as an apology for what my kind did to yours.”
Guoshe looked to Anteng, but the Qianlong looked doubtfully back. The Akalong didn’t wait for her husband’s reply, set her jaw, and swiveled her eyes back to me.
“We’ll do it,” the Akalong stated in a feverish voice. “Let us stay with our daughter, please.”
I nodded slowly as I let go of Heijing. The Qianlong stepped away and back behind me as I came closer to the spirits of her parents. My eyes closed, and I concentrated on the colors and shapes of their souls. I dove deep within the fabricated bodies Carmedy gave them with her potion and found the massive, spiraling orbs within seconds. They were much larger than the spheres of power I received from the gods I killed, and when I pulled them away from their bodies, they began to fade from view. I held my hands out and cupped both of th
e massive spirits in the palms of my hands. As I turned, I opened my eyes and breathed out deeply. Heijing waited behind me, her icy blue eyes wide with shock, but she stood very still as I came closer.
Guoshe’s soul was a cerulean hue, true to her birthland of Nekoka, and as I brought it closer to Heijing, tears appeared in her eyes. I offered the orb to the Qianlong, but she didn’t react, only stared at it for a few seconds. The blue orb lifted from my hand and floated toward Heijing on its own. The sphere pressed against the tiny woman’s chest and was slowly absorbed. A loud pop came from around us as the blue sphere disappeared and then I offered up the red one. Anteng’s soul didn’t hesitate in my hand like Guoshe’s, it rushed forward and slammed into Heijing’s chest like a cannonball.
Heijing took a staggering step backward, then regained her balance as she took a deep breath in. Her icy blue eyes met mine, and tears welled in their corners. The Qianlong pressed both of her hands to the middle of her chest and let out a choked sob. Without opening her eyes, Heijing dropped her hands and raced forward. The dragon embraced me ferociously, and I cupped the back of her head in my palm. Heijing sobbed into my chest, but they weren’t tears of sadness but instead of gratitude.
I’d given the Qianlong something no one else ever could, and once I made this world mine, I would give her so much more.
Chapter Six
With the second-largest hurdle over with for the day, I instructed my armies to relax and rest up for the even larger battle tomorrow. Like today, we would attack at dawn and siege the Holy Order’s stronghold. There would be no mercy for the mage betrayers, and hopefully, soon, I would have more answers as to why the gods wanted to destroy the earth and its inhabitants.
Since breaking the outer wall, I felt the presence of a god’s power, one that I recognized immediately. I didn’t know what he was doing here or why he’d decided to aid the mages, but I would soon find out. I felt on edge as the power beat from behind the powerful enchantments, and I stepped closer to the towering wall of the inner keep. I placed a hand against its rough, worn by time texture, and closed my eyes.
His power beat like a heart, strong and very much alive. Its presence stabbed into me painfully, yet another betrayal from someone I thought cared for me. When I opened my eyes again, I leaned my head back and stared up at the battlements. I sensed the souls of mages from above. They were taking more precautions now since we broke through the first wall, and I didn’t doubt that they’d try to attack us during the night.
The Holy Order placed their strongest mages on the other side of the last, much larger wall and atop the battlements. They weren’t underestimating me anymore, this was a war, and they wanted nothing more than to see my death.
I wouldn’t allow them the satisfaction of seeing me fail.
I was much stronger than them, and it would take more than a few measly mages to take me down. My eyes connected with a mage who peeked over the edge of the parapets, and I grinned wickedly up at him. I raised the hand touching the wall and formed it into a fist.
Before my eyes, the neon blue grid we’d seen on the outer wall appeared and began to glow red hot from my power right in front of his face. The mage squeaked in fear and scurried away out of sight, so I dropped my hand and chuckled darkly as I turned away from the wall.
None of our weapons, magical or not, could penetrate through the enchantments, but nothing could come out of it either. The mages from above were powerless and could only attack us if they exited the inner wall to attack us head-on. I’d chosen a few of my regents to stand guard during the night and make sure that no mages snuck out from behind the wall to take us when we were least expecting. I’d decided that I too would stand guard and watch over my sleeping women in case the Holy Order came for them too.
After the encounter with Heijing and her parents, I knew that my situation was more dire now than ever. My women trusted and put their faith in me with all of their hearts, and this was my test. I already knew that I would win these battles, there was no doubt about it, but if I faltered for even a second, all of this would’ve been for naught.
I glanced over my shoulder toward the maze of hastily constructed tents. I found my women’s tent easily through the crowd and smiled to myself as Rana hopped excitedly around the campfire. I wasn’t sure what she was talking about, but from the way she moved her arms, it had to do with something exploding into flames. I glanced once up toward the wall and the mages above, but no one watched me from the ramparts.
I turned and strode toward our camp with determination. I’d made my mind up as the shapes of my women came closer, now was the time. I couldn’t leave them in the dark anymore, I needed to reveal to them who I truly was and the meaning behind my past life. I’d been afraid when Morrigan found out, but the elven woman had accepted me without even blinking an eye, and I hoped the others would do the same.
Heijing and Haruhi already knew who I was, the sage knew me from the books in her father’s massive library, and the dragon knew me from studying the gods under the instruction of her parents. Both of them accepted me and opened their hearts to me without judgment. I could only hope that the other three would do the same since two of them already held my holy children within their bellies.
I took the first step into the small circle surrounding our camp and glanced toward a smaller tent placed directly next to ours. I glanced at it with furrowed brows, and Carmedy was the first to explain with a small smile.
“Heijing asked us to set it up for her,” the alchemist explained as she gestured to the royal blue fabric with the Qianlong inside. “She wanted to be alone for a bit so she could talk to her parents. We agreed and did it out of respect for her.”
“That is very kind of you.” I murmured as I reached out and stroked the petite feline’s black ears.
My minions could sense the disturbance within me, and Annalise perked up immediately. Her chocolate brown eyes narrowed on my face, and she tilted her head curiously.
“What is the matter, Master?” the high queen asked as she scooted closer to me.
I looked into each of their faces pointedly as I thought of how to start this conversation. This could be a point where my women became closer to me or turned away. I’d already said once that I would keep them with me even if they decided to leave, but I never wanted it to come to that. My women were my everything, and the loss of their love would be detrimental. Morrigan and Haruhi’s eyes met mine, and they knew what I meant to speak of.
I knew that at least if Rana, Annalise, and Carmedy chose to turn away, I’d still have the other three on my side. I would keep them with me against their wishes, but I couldn’t force them to love me the way they did now. I gulped, squared my shoulders, and looked to Annalise first.
The high queen sat between Carmedy and Rana with Morrigan and Haruhi on either side. The elf and sage shifted uneasily as they glanced over at the unsuspecting three, but they settled down finally.
“I have something I have to tell you,” I stated as I sat down across from them and folded my gloved hands in my lap. “Something that’s been weighing on my mind heavily.”
“Is it what you promised to tell us after we defeated Euron’s dungeon?” the swordswoman asked as her brown eyes softened, and I felt grateful toward her.
“Yes, I know you pressed me for answers during that time, but I still wasn’t comfortable speaking on the subject just yet,” I uttered as I made eye contact with each woman. “I cannot run from my past anymore; you are bound to find out some way or another. Haruhi has known from the moment she met us, please do not fault her or be angry with her for not telling you. I specifically asked her not to tell you.”
All eyes except for Morrigan’s swiveled to Haruhi, and the librarian sunk in on herself. The sage looked pained under the scrutiny of her sisters and looked away as she opened her mouth to speak.
“I only know all of these things because of my time in the library and studying gods my whole life. Please don’t be angry with me…”
Haruhi whispered as she bowed her head and hid her face from the others.
“I only found out merely by chance,” Morrigan stated as she sat up straighter and looked to her sisters with determination. “Athar spoke his true name in front of me and only then did he tell me.”
“Does Heijing know too?” Rana asked in an accusing tone as she whipped her head and looked toward the silent tent.
“She does,” I confirmed with a nod of my head, and their eyes hardened on my face in disbelief. “But again, that is not her fault. Heijing was taught about me when she was a young child. She, like Haruhi, never expected to meet me in her lifetime.”
“Then what’s the big secret?” Carmedy questioned as her black ears lowered flat against her head, and she warily glanced toward Morrigan and Haruhi. “What have you been so scared to share with us? We tell you everything, Master…we thought you could do the same with us…”
I looked deep into the feline’s sparkling emerald eyes and saw tears form in the corners. Carmedy was hurt, and I could tell from the other two’s faces that they were too. I’d kept this secret to myself for so long, even while I was caged in my dungeon for countless years. The only person who knew all of me was Isolda, and she’d taken my secret to the grave.
“There is no easy way to tell you this, but I am not the person that you think I am,” I started, and Morrigan shook her head out of the corner of my eye in disagreement. “My true name, given to me in the heavens at the time of my birth, is Kazama.”
I let the name sink in for a moment, and each of their faces showed varying degrees of recognition except for Carmedy’s. Haruhi and Morrigan kept silent as I let the other three process what I’d said before I continued on.
“My true mother is Eris, that you already know,” I told them in a quiet voice. “She was the queen of the Underworld and placed it into my care when I came of age. I was the god of the Underworld for an eternity, splitting my time between that hellish place and the heavens--”