by K R Leikvoll
A black portal cut through the space in the center of the room, expanding into a sizable triangle, much like the one I had seen in the Void so long ago. I was on my feet promptly. A titanic, unignorable wave of emotions hit me as Vincent climbed through the other side. It had been a while – I almost forgot how difficult it was to think around such an annoying, invisible pull.
I couldn’t help myself completely; I rushed down the bone staircase of his throne to his side, holding out my arm so he could maintain his balance as he was struggling to do.
The first thing I noticed was how peculiarly he was dressed. His attire was odd and unlike anything I had seen before. He wore strange, dark spectacles over his eyes. The jacket he had on was otherworldly as far as the design – made of leather and it hung down to his ankles. I thought it appeared silly like he was trying to start some sort of strange fashion trend. Even his hair was different – slightly longer, tousled wildly unlike his normal, neat self.
He snapped the bizarre spectacles off of his face and gave me a rare, full smile.
It made me freeze.
The portal had evaporated, yet the gravity of power still resonated in the room. When he forcefully grabbed me and kissed me, it shocked me to the point of crying out and pulling away. The dense, malevolence in the air was radiating from him. It was far more intense than it had ever been to be so near. His heavy emotions alone were enough to cause me pain.
“Did you miss me, beloved? You look so… pitiful.”
It was an inflammatory comment. The actuality was, I appeared grand. I wore a magnificent dress taken from the Queen of Zaar – gold and black with massive sleeves and long enough to drag behind me. My hair was near my waist again, unbraided, but carefully groomed underneath Aresius’ crown I dared to don in Vince’s absence. I wanted to feel like royalty as I watched the world burn down around me; my Master and I had that in common, at least.
“I almost thought you intended to make me finish this alone,” I replied rather than respond to either of his remarks. It was something he caught, naturally.
“No… without my careful planning there for you to disregard, you would have undoubtedly failed.”
“What did the Earth coven need so desperately you had to leave us for years?” I asked, speaking over his harsh remarks. Lord Nakarius wished to know what he was doing outside of his observations all that time as much as I did.
Vince grew nearer, chuckling softly when I backed away out of reflex. I knew better than to remain in striking distance, but he continued moving toward me until I was pinned against a pillar. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
His hands smoothed my hair around the crown. My skin felt like it was on fire with each light brush of his fingertips. There was pure malice in his stare when our gaze met again. He was unfearful of the powers I had gained – for he had gained more. At that moment, I was utterly caught in his trap; I could see hidden secrets buzzing in his head through his eyes. He was practically oozing confidence in my presence.
Vincent was finally prepared.
Raven and I spent a suspicious amount of time away from our Master following his homecoming. Perhaps it was obvious that we were up to something, but Vince never asked for our company. The only person to see him for weeks was James. Raven and I were perfectly okay with that. We had our own short-term goals to achieve.
Creating spells is by far one of the most difficult tasks to complete with Void magic. It was tricky – as every spell already existed somewhere out there in the cosmos at one point or another, making it necessary to search for the information rather than creating from scratch like other elements, which could take eons.
Raven had done it.
While I was away, destroying Kaza’mae and Evya, Raven sought dark knowledge to further our silent goal of usurping our Master. It was not gained simply by locating the spell and figuring out how it was performed. The powers we desired were so ancient and unheard of, Raven had to sacrifice all of our prisoners to appease the far-off Vast Dark.
“How will we know if it works?” I asked, studying the runes for a brief moment before slamming his personal tome shut. To perform a spell without any practice was a risky endeavor, and with it being as fragile and finicky as that one, I was not confident in what the results would yield. Not working was the best case scenario if it failed. The most likely case – and the most common – was a backfire of the magic in response.
“We will have to test it beforehand,” Raven replied under his breath. Those days, it was like the walls had ears. We were both paranoid at every small sound and passing soul outside while we worked in secrecy.
I knew what his answer was insinuating. I would have to practice the spell myself, as I was the only one that could, for that spell was one that was designed to aid me in my task.
If completed correctly, it would dim my blood bond to the threshold of being unfelt when severed. The strength of Vincent’s blood made my task seem absolutely suicidal when I stood before him normally, but if I could manipulate it into having less of a hold on me, I could strike at a mere moment’s notice when it was opportune.
On the other hand, it meant I would have to use the spell on either Lydris or Varnoc to determine the effects and if it worked sufficiently. Though I had lost them mentally, I had never entertained the idea of losing them physically, too. I did not know how much time I had left, nor when Lydris would return. Destroying the blood bond I had with Varnoc was a punishment I never anticipated I would have to dispense.
A sharp, rapping knock on Raven’s chamber doors spooked us. I hastily hid the tome underneath Raven’s bed, as nobody ever went in his room beyond myself. We would have to discuss and plan when Varnoc would meet his fate later.
“Lord Vincent requests your presence at once. Fevith and Devith have returned,” Holly, the green drake told us in her humanoid form she was forced to preoccupy.
We were on our feet at once, rushing down from our tower to the throne room in a hurry. I had a pit in my gut after hearing Holly’s regretful tone. I believe I knew something horrible awaited us before I reached the throne room.
Fevith and Devith were kneeling at our Master’s feet. It was eerily silent while I approached with Vincent’s eyes on me. Raven was close to my side, and James by Vince’s. The space between us was felt by everyone in the room.
“Now that our precious Queen is present, tell me… what were the results of the Naadean plague?” Vince asked, perching himself on his throne away from the rest of us. He wanted to physically be able to stare down upon us so that we would feel his presence.
Fevith and Devith shot each other worried glances before they rose to their feet. Anxiety bit at my heart to see their apprehension.
“The plague devices were not detonated. We were betrayed,” Fevith began in a scratchy voice.
“Betrayed?”
“By Lydris,” Devith snapped immediately, glaring with daring hatred toward our Master. “We told you what would –”
“Enough, Devith,” Fevith interrupted, possibly anticipating unforgivable words she might have tried to utter.
“Go on.” Vince grew serious and sat forward. My hands were shaking and I had not yet heard the awful truth.
The twins shared another look before Fevith sighed with heaviness in his soul.
“Lydris parted from us in the ports of Basul to keep the wretched Divinus and the mongrel traitor Maundrell away while we placed the talisman. By the time we reached the Capitol, our talisman in Uwaya had been moved. We continued north and placed the final one in Urgyall, but –”
“But Lydris betrayed us!” Devith interjected with black tears pouring out of her eyes. It was a display that told me what happened without needing to hear the rest of the story.
“Lydris warned the Divinus and Maundrell,” Fevith stated to confirm his sister’s words. “Maundrell’s allies and the worm ambushed us while we were passing through the Ashlands.”
“He helped those bastards kill Sendrys!” Devith scre
eched, falling to her feet and clutching her chest. She heaved as if she could not breathe. The death of their Master had caused intense strain on them – so much so it seemed like it could be the death of them. Devith appeared so bug-eyed and out of sorts, the desire to do anything that fussed with my blood bond began to scare away the confidence I was starting to build.
Vince stood up with an expressionless face. James, Raven and I could feel the intense hurt he was enduring to hear that his sister had passed, despite their recent differences. What was worse… far, far worse –
“Where is the shard of the Dark Essentia?” Vince asked them both. The twins shared a worried stare before one of them had the courage to speak up.
“Maundrell,” Devith stated. “He sealed his soul to it.”
Vince lost all of his composure after hearing her words. Shadows engulfed him – his rarely present tendrils snaked from his back and whipped around in fury. He screamed. Yes, my Master, the “grand” incarnate of Azotl, let out a scream and fell to his knees.
None of us knew what to do in response. We all stepped back, even James. The energy in the air was enough to make me feel sick. It was hard to tell whether Vince was still upset about Sendrys through his fury for losing a shard of our sacred weapon.
He forcefully pulled himself back to his feet, using James to climb up. Though James hesitantly tried to help, Vince shoved him with so much force he was sent sailing through the air. He made noises of pain when he made contact with the marble flooring, but my attention quickly returned to our Master.
“Guinevere –” he muttered, so furious I hardly understood him. “Someone… get Guinevere. Right now.”
Raven and I glanced at each other. I could have forced him to retrieve her, but with Vince’s eyes on us, we did not want to do something that might appear odd to him. Raven and I were hardly social with her; James was the obvious choice, though he seemed momentarily indisposed. I did not care, I decided, starting toward the door. Any excuse to get out of my Master’s overpowering presence.
I took my time as I made my way to her chambers, despite how much it would further anger Vince. When I opened her doors, she bolted for the corner, expecting him. Her demeanor relaxed visibly when she realized who it was. She lowered her fists.
“What do you require, prophet?” Guinevere asked in a whisper from the corner.
I was not in any hurry or rush to leave. I sat on her unkempt bed and studied the view of the Everglade from her always-open window. The people that were once the poorest captives were now some of the most protected on Praetis. It was the least I could do – giving them a bit more time.
“Sendrys is dead.” My voice was flat.
I had been digesting it since the moment the words left Devith’s lips. I did not feel sad that she had returned to Dys; I was caught in a slight panic instead. In the back of my mind, Lord Nakarius was filled with rage. Somehow, the Void Lords hadn’t witnessed the Dark Essentia shard being plucked from Sendrys’ corpse and sealed to Maundrell – and they hated Maundrell almost as much as they hated Vincent.
And Lydris? That was another internal ordeal.
I felt Guinevere sit down on the opposite side of the bed and I already knew the question she longed to ask.
“How? Was it the Divinus, Eve?” There was raw grief in her shaking voice. She loved Sendrys deeply, which would only make the truth hurt more.
“It was Maundrell,” I replied, finally turning to face her.
She was frozen, somewhere between dread and hysteria. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Her hands began to shake, making it difficult when she rummaged near her bedside to pour herself water. “Is that so?”
“Yes. Vince sent me to retrieve you… You will have to accompany me there.” I said what she feared most. I assumed Vince would punish her for Maundrell’s crimes, and she knew he would.
“He’s going to kill Kirin and then he’ll kill me,” she cried, covering her face to hide her emotions. “I don’t control his actions. I never have!”
“You are the only one that can give us insight into his location. I can no longer sense the shard of Famine, and that will be a hindrance.” While I did not hold ill will toward my Master’s succubus sister, I still needed to use her as much as Vince did. I could not allow the Divinus’ demon slave to run around with my sacred weapon shard, disrupting Naazvaba’s war.
Guinevere knew better than to resist following me. I never laid a hand on her, but when I expectantly looked back at her, standing in her doorway, she followed me like I was leading her in chains. The walk to the throne room was filled with her sobs. She stopped caring about her reputation, obviously more fearful about what was to come.
Vincent was back on his throne, breathing deeply in silent anger. The otherworldly tendrils had receded away, but the atmosphere still felt just as heavy as before. Guinevere made it to the staircase and kneeled, as she was too shaky to stand still.
“Brother –” she started in a whisper.
“Sendrys –” Vince interrupted, “is dead because of you. She was our sister, and you just sat up in that tower, obsessing over the man who killed her.”
“Vince, please,” Guinevere tried to intervene, but Vince had grown deaf to her. He stood and made his way toward her, to her horror. “Please, just give me a moment to explain.”
“I told you. I told you what would come of this – of him. You are as responsible for the blade that killed our sister as he is.”
“I didn’t know he would kill her!” she yelled back, finally finding her voice. “I loved Sendrys.”
Vince nodded as if he was being understanding before he pulled her up by her hair. She fought in response, fearing understandably what he might do. “But you must have felt it when his soul merged with a Void weapon! You have always been such a disappointment. Betraying your family and withholding this from us is merely your most recent disgrace. Prepare yourself for the consequences.”
He cast her to the side, letting her sob on the floor. I expected she would flee, but she knew it was senseless to try. I could not allow her to die before I located her troublesome demonic child. It was the only thing sparing her life. “In the meantime,” Vince began, turning his attention to the twins. They were furious with Guinevere, as it was obvious they felt she was just as guilty as her demonic child. “Decide which one of you is going to die.”
“What?!” they collectively gasped. Everyone was shocked by his words.
“The Naadean plague must be unleashed, no? Do you wish for your Master’s lifelong dream to be crushed by a traitor and his cowardly new friends?” Vince asked in a tone they dare not refuse to answer. “Sendrys always fought to see the Luxian Empire crumble and it was taken from her… so, you will finish what she started.”
“What about Guinevere?” Fevith snarled, pointing where she lay in a puddle of tears. “She should replace her demonic child as the grand sacrifice.”
Vincent laughed, but it was cruel and filled with a hint of delirium he could not smother. He gestured to her as well. “Could someone so pathetic really power three plague devices? Besides, I need her so we can find Maundrell and take back what he’s stolen from me.”
“I can track him down!” Devith tried to reason, but Vince held up his hand to silence her.
“This is not a request – it’s an order. If you won’t choose, I can do it for you–”
“Wait!” Fevith interrupted. “I will do it.” He nodded to Devith who fell into utter denial. I did not blame her; to lose your Master followed by your demonic brother that happened to be your twin… I really could not fathom it, yet.
“Fevith, no,” she mumbled. She wrapped her arm around him and cried into his shoulder. It was not a normal cry of grief. Rather, it was a frustrated cry I knew too well. One that was done because it was all that could be done in the face of our Master’s wrath.
“Very well,” Vince replied. “Then we set course for Lux, after we have weakened them with Sendrys’ plague. Their end time is lon
g overdue.”
Devith never looked the same after Fevith was sacrificed. In the dim light of the stars, on the dock of our warship months later, I could see the life force draining from her in trails of purple spectral wisps. It was as if she shared a soul with her twin, and was only half existing outside of the Void. Her childlike appearance was altered by how sunken her eyes became. She was skinnier than usual, with hardly anything to say. Until that particular night, she had been mute to all.
It was traumatizing for her, and I knew because I was there. Beyond needing to assist with the spell in Fevith’s place while Vince took Sendrys’ and Raven took Devith’s, I needed to witness a bond severing up close. I could have tried to teach Devith the spell I intended to use on my bonds, but I didn’t. I wanted to observe what would happen without it first. If I did not do it correctly, I would be forced to endure the same as my unfortunate kin.
Fevith was very calm during the whole ordeal. He was nude, marked with the runes Sendrys taught them for the ritual. No doubt he ever fathomed he would write them on himself. Our entire coven, save Lilith and Alexis, were present and it was growing smaller: Me, my Master, James, Raven, Guinevere, Varnoc and Devith. I despised that we were losing another that could aid my cause, but Sendrys was wise enough to know that disease was the path to victory.
Kirin Maundrell was equipped with Famine now, making him a risky target. As I had never seen him fight, I had no way of knowing if he was going to be more fearsome than my other enemies. The Divinus Eve was our greatest foe and treasure, so she would be the best protected, but the citizens of Naadea – those that had no dark powers or rings of light? What could they do to stop a plague of the worse kind?
Absolutely nothing, which was why Fevith needed to sacrifice himself to see it finished. He now rests in Violence, near the forest of harpies of scale and feather, but that did not make his death pleasant.
The spell she designed was far more charged by the connection of three Dark Essentia shards than it would have been by the originally intended casters. As much as I desired not to touch Vince during that time, I loved how powerful and unstoppable the shards felt when used together. If one could find a way to tap into all of the shards at once without destroying themselves, nothing in the universe could stand against them. I wanted it all for myself.