by Billi Bell
“What is this place?” he asked. “How does Death not know it exists?”
Dominic had many questions and was unsure of how much time he had to get answers. Death could walk into the room at any time and find them gone and he’d promised her he wouldn’t leave before letting her know.
Ada chuckled at his enthusiasm. “Are you hungry? I think it’s lunchtime.”
Dominic couldn’t bear the thought of eating, but before he could answer, she was entering a door to the right of the check-in desk. The small dining room could comfortably fit about twenty people inside. A couple of diners were eating at tables on opposite sides of the room. They stood and acknowledged her presence with subtle bows. Ada sat at the table located in the center that had been marked: Reserved. Dominic sat across from her after greeting the other diners.
There were no menus, and the meals on the other tables were drastically different cuisines. After being seated for less than a minute, a tall woman appeared from a door at the back of the room. Dominic estimated her height to be a few inches taller than his.
She flowed across the room in a green silk gown with matching shoes. A hand-painted corset accentuated her hourglass figure. Her brown skin could only be described as sun-kissed, and he would have placed her origin somewhere on a beautiful island. Her hair was put carefully in a neat bun and decorated with tropical flowers. He saw not a single strand astray.
“Dining with a friend today Ada, how nice,” she said with an accent that confirmed Dominic’s guess. She looked over to Dominic and to his surprise, smiled.
“Don’t worry my dear, word travels fast around here. I know you’re not that awful man. Welcome to our home, I’m Helena. I run the kitchen and can usually get you anything you need. What would you like to eat, anything at all? I guarantee we have it.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” said Dominic. Her warm welcome came at just the right time. She was the first person here besides Sarah, who hadn’t greeted him with animosity or fear. “I would love a cup of tea to settle my stomach.”
“My pleasure and Ada, the usual?”
Ada nodded, and Dominic watched as Helena gracefully walked back into the kitchen, leaving them alone.
“That is the tallest woman I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said. “Where does she come from?”
“An island in the Pacific, I believe,” said Ada. “She describes it so beautifully. I will never leave Africa, but I’m tempted when she speaks of her homeland. I’ve seen my continent at its greatest and now...well. I know someday we will be rise again. Sarah tells me of war coming that might change things, but in my experience change never comes easy.”
Helena returned from the kitchen and placed Ada’s soup on the table with a small cup of a tea to the side. She gave Dominic his tea and set a plate of cookies down as well.
“My favorite cookies, just in case you can get something down. If you need anything else, please let me know.” He thanked her, and she walked back into the kitchen leaving them to continue their talk.
“Forgive my confusion, if you’ve never left Africa and I’m currently in England then how are we sitting at the same table? Can you please finally tell me what this place is?”
Ada took a few sips of her soup before responding. “This is the closest to the afterlife any immortal will ever be, we call it Elysium. Some millennia ago a small group of three immortals traveled together as a unit. We didn’t know it then, but there were only five of us in the entire world. We grew close over the years. One fateful day during one of the worst droughts I’ve ever experienced, we joined hands and prayed for water.”
“God answered your prayers with all of this?”
“No, we answered our own. During the prayer, we unlocked something magnificent. A world of our own. In the beginning, there was nothing, but I spoke aloud my desire for water, and it appeared before us. We asked for shelter, and it was there.”
“How do you know it wasn’t God?” Dominic asked. “And what happens to our bodies if this is all in our minds?”
“Your soul may have been a creation of his, but we are not. Immortals are not God’s creation. He made that very clear long ago and to put you in one of us to keep you safe is—, well I have no words. A scoundrel such as Peter should never again see the light of day.”
Ada’s temper flared for the first time since he’d met her. It caught the attention of the other diners with one of them walking over to check on her wellbeing. “I’m fine.”
“I’m sorry if I upset you. I’ve spent a lot of time on my own, and I’ve always found comfort in thinking someone is looking out for me. That I’ve never been truly alone.”
“It appears you happened to be right,” she said before consuming the green tea in a single gulp. “You asked what happens to our bodies while we are here. Right now you are still in the position you were before you arrived. Many of the people who live and work here are “rooted.” Our physical bodies are buried in mausoleums around the world.”
She pointed to her empty cup, “Tokimasa developed this tea long ago. One cup a day and it maintains our bodies so that we never have to leave. Used to be we could only stay for no more than a month. Over time as more of us came to be, Elysium flourished. Our energy combined maintains this world. Imagine what we can do when our numbers continue to rise, and they are rising.”
Elysium served as a haven for many immortals, especially those who chose a life of solitude or had escaped bondage. “Death thinks there are only a few hundred of us, but we’re near a thousand strong. More of us are being born every century than ever. Sarah chooses to lead in the outside world and assist other immortals like yourself.”
“Did she help Peter?” Dominic asked. “And what exactly did he do?”
“Peter endangered our entire existence by murdering innocent women,” she said, startling Dominic. “We immortals are a docile people. That is why Death has become such a powerful ally, we do no harm. Peter was a rare exception, and when we discovered what he had done, we took action.”
She paused briefly and leaned forward before continuing. “If Death knew that we were capable of murder, she'd have to figure out a way to dispose of us all. So, we handled it. We buried him twenty feet underground in a chained coffin, on an island off the coast of Japan and banned him from Elysium.”
Dominic recalled his earliest memory, “How did I end up in England?”
“That is a good question,” said Ada. “I believe it has to do with Peter being English and wanting you not to stand out too much.”
Ada looked up to see May entering the dining hall.
“Ada, ma’am, I’m afraid Dominic and I have to leave,” said May. “We’ve been gone quite a while, and she might check in on him soon.”
“But, I’m not done. I have so many more questions,” he said. “How do I get back here?”
“May will show you, but you need to leave,” said Ada. “Before you go, you must promise to never tell Death about this place. We must have our secrets.”
“Of course, I promise.”
He left the table and joined May by the door. “Hasn’t she always been good to immortals?” Dominic asked. “What if she’s needed to protect this place?”
Ada stood and approached him. “It has never needed her protection and never will. We must have our secrets. She may be powerful on Earth, but there are others who would see us fall. Who think of us as abominations and simply harder to kill. Those people are why we keep this place unknown. We are fortunate that for some odd reason she doesn’t see it when she reads us.”
“I understand and until we meet again.” He bowed and opened the door for May to exit.
They walked into the lobby and stood in the center. “Close your eyes and picture your room as we left it. Focus on your bed, the sound of the fireplace crackling and the smell of the burning wood.”
Dominic closed his eyes and did as she told him, but he didn’t feel anything. “I’m sorry May, I don’t believe I’m doing it right.”
When Dominic opened his eyes, he was surprised to find himself sitting on his bed beside her. “I did it! Wait, is that how I get back?”
“Yes, but please be quiet,” she said softly. “Just picture the hotel as you last saw it and concentrate.”
Dominic was elated. He had now discovered a way to ensure he’d never feel alone again. He couldn’t help but feel curious about what made May special. “May, can I ask you something?”
“What makes me so special?” she asked as she approached the fireplace, gazing into the flames. “The oldest known immortal is nearly 10,000 years old. In all of that time, only five immortals are known to have produced children but never after we’ve stopped aging.”
“You’re blessed.”
“No! I was cursed,” said May, her eyes tearing. “I saw my beautiful children grow old and die slowly,” she said. “That is not a blessing.”
CHAPTER 26
War angrily paced around the grounds of his home. He was a sitting duck. After he’d discovered the barrier too late, he knew it wouldn’t be long until she arrived. She’d taken his powers and his ability to cloak himself, but he had a Horseman as his hostage, and that gave him leverage.
“She won’t win,” he said to himself aloud. “I can’t go back as a failure.”
Despite it all, most of his anger was caused by the sight of Flame beyond the barrier. His love for the horse was unmeasurable, but she no longer loved him. The creature’s eyes were filled with rage. She made multiple attempts to charge at him, but the barrier held her back and caused her to become even angrier.
In the cellar, Victor and Samir struggled to break free from their binds. Samir could see his scythe in the corner near the fireplace. He had been severely weakened by the fight with War that left the foyer in ruin. War played dirty, temporarily blinding Samir with ashes from the fireplace and he was knocked unconscious. Thankfully, War hadn’t gagged him. Whether it was out of negligence or indifference, it played to Samir’s advantage.
Victor was still silenced by the fabric in his mouth but tried his best to communicate with Samir. It was useless, the indiscernible sounds were muffled. The two men were bound with their hand behind their backs and a thick knot around each wrist. Although Victor had managed to slightly loosen one wrist, he wasn’t able to completely untie himself. He thought maybe he could undo Samir’s restraints.
He grunted loudly enough to get Samir’s attention and turned his chair so that he was now facing away. Samir got the message and with what little strength he had left, did the same. Victor scooted his chair back until he could feel the first knot and began working on it.
After a short time, he managed to get Samir’s left wrist loosened enough that he could slip it through the knot. This bit of progress gave Samir the strength to keep going, and he started helping with the other knot when the door opened, and War entered. It didn’t take him long to realize what they were up to, but before he could react, Samir fought through his frailness and charged.
The two men fought as Victor helplessly watched on. Samir managed to knock War’s scythe across the room, giving himself a small advantage. He reached into the nearby fireplace and began to beat War with a large block of burning wood. As he pummeled War’s head, he failed to realize his hands were being burned. The sounds of Victor’s muffled screams flooded his ears, causing him to regain his focus, dropping the wood to the floor. He took a brief moment to look down at War’s bloody head and smiled at his defeated opponent.
“You piece of shit,” said Samir, before spitting onto War’s face. He freed Victor from his restraints, who immediately took the gag out of his mouth.
“Thank you, sir,” he said graciously, rubbing his sore wrists.
“I should be the one thanking you,” replied Samir as he grabbed his scythe from the wall. He failed to see War rise from the ground, Victor did not. He grabbed a brick from the cellar floor and repeatedly made contact with the back of War’s head.
“Thanks again, my friend,” said Samir. With great frustration, he found himself unable to create a portal. He wasn’t sure if it was on account of his lack of strength or if War had somehow affected his powers, but there was a third option. One that he desperately hoped was the right one.
“We should leave,” said Samir. He’d had enough of the cellar and needed to be as far away from it as possible. “Be on guard, do you have your scythe?”
“No,” he said, looking over to the fire. “He burned it when I first arrived. Told me I wouldn’t need it anymore.”
Samir grabbed War’s scythe from the floor and handed it to Victor. “I can’t make you a Horseman, but I say you’ve earned the right to carry this more than he ever did.”
Victor took the scythe, revering the four-foot piece of hand-carved wood and its blade. He never thought he’d ever hold it in his hands. Alive, he’d dreamed of commanding a great Spanish fleet one day, but his military career was short. Since then, his new goal was to become a Horseman. Holding the Scythe of War, even for a moment, was now a dream come true.
Samir cleared his throat, getting the reaper’s attention. Victor quickly composed himself and stood ready for orders as any good soldier would. “Let's go, we must leave now. Watch my back.”
“What about him?” Victor asked, looking over to War.
“Only Death can kill him,” said Samir. “When we escape this hell, she’ll come back for him.
They exited the room slowly and ascended the stairs with their scythe ready to attack. Exiting the top door to the cellar, they saw a long hallway ahead of them. The numerous doors down the long corridor put them even more on edge.
“Let’s hurry and strike anything that moves,” said Samir. They moved softly but swiftly, Victor kept his eyes on every door they passed and silently praying they didn’t open. He studied his surroundings, and he couldn’t help but think, War was an asshole with good taste.
“The front door!” Victor exclaimed, but his enthusiasm was short lived when he saw Samir struggle to open it. “Locked?”
Samir nodded and said “Let’s find a window. Maybe we can get out that way?”
Victor had no desire to wander through the manor. He wanted out. “No,” he said defiantly. “We go out the front.”
Victor held the scythe tightly as he began to kick the door with all his strength. Samir had almost no energy left but joined his efforts. After a few minutes of kicking, the door had not budged. Paranoia was setting in, and they both wondered how long until War regained consciousness.
Victor was about to agree in searching for another exit when he noticed the lock on the door had a unique shape and he recognized it right away. It matched the bottom of the scythe. He placed it inside and turned and to their delight the door opened.
Samir’s suspicions were confirmed when he saw the transparent hundred-foot wall that encircled the grounds. “She’s put a barrier up, that’s why I couldn’t open a portal.”
If Death was not inside the barrier, any reaper inside was rendered powerless. Samir and Victor ran across the vast field to the edge of the wall, but Victor stopped a few yards away.
“What’s wrong,” asked Samir.
“If what I know about barriers is true, if we try to exit we die...permanently,” he said. “When I am ready to pass on, I wish to have an enjoyable afterlife.”
Samir had not considered the consequences of trying to exit the barrier. “You’re right, we should —”
Samir was interrupted by someone screaming. He looked back to the manor and saw War. The disgraced Horseman carried a sword, charging rapidly across the fields. He was heading straight towards them. Victor and Samir had only two choices, fight or die. They looked to each other and silently agreed before bolting towards War.
With no more than a few yards between them and War, Victor and Samir’s scythe’s began to glow red, and the reapers disappeared inside of a giant black cloud that had rapidly descended from the sky. The cloud lifted
and dissolved into the heavens, leaving War dumbfounded.
***
Death stood with eyes a milky white in the middle of a large empty room within the manor. She’d been checking in on War and spotted Samir and Victor as they charged to battle, getting them out just in time. She opened her eyes to see them drop the floor, still screaming their battle cry.
It took them a second or two to realize where they were. Samir glanced up to see Death staring with eyes filled with worry.
“Are you okay?” Death asked. “I couldn’t see you while you were inside.”
Samir raised from the ground slowly and kissed her without saying a word. They held each other as if they hadn’t seen each other in years. As they reunited, she healed his wounds, restoring his strength. The embrace only lasted a few minutes, but it was long enough for Dominic and May to have reached the room after hearing the screams. Samir and Death finally noticed they had an audience and quickly separated, pretending the moment never happened.
Victor took the first step towards breaking the awkward silence in the room. He bowed and approached Death, “Great Reaper, it is an honor to finally meet you. My name is Victor Castillo, and I believe I have something that belongs to you.”
He presented to her the Scythe of War, but the Great Reaper did not accept it. Instead, she placed a hand on each side of his head and looked into his soul. She saw what he did to help them escape and how much he respected the title of Horseman. He was worthy. The black blood from his wounds gave her no added comfort, but she had no choice but to trust him. She was down a Horseman and needed a fighter.
“Keep it for now,” she said. “You’ve earned the right to carry it, at least until I have Wa—Robert, dealt with. You’ve heard of Clara’s fate?”
Victor took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes, as much as I loved her, she broke the rules and had to suffer the consequences.”