I catch a glimpse of creatures only ever mentioned in legends and fairytales in the mortal world. A herd of unicorns, in particular, catch my interest. Their horns look like they’re made from the same variety of crystals that coat this land. No two horns are alike. Not in their color, shape, or luster.
I make my way to the effervescent waters of the oasis next. The bubbly liquid surface seems to emit and refract light like a crystal in motion; the crystals underneath its surface only amplify the effect. The water overflows and spills outside of its pool and down the cliffs of this highland. I walk closer to the edge and look out into the distance beyond. I see the other isolated highlands, making up the paradise above the Dregs. They’re all masses of land jutting out from a sea of clouds, misted by atmosphere. Most are mountainous and jagged, but I see flat plains too.
The closer I get to the edge, the scarcer the crystals become. Once I’m there, on the very edge, I look down. The clouds seem darker now. It’s like smog, covering the dirty land below that I’ve only ever heard of. The covering is too thick to see past, so I still have no idea what the Dregs look like. But I can feel the darkness. I can smell its putrid smell. I feel lightheaded, like I’m going to pass out. I gag as I back away from the edge. Crystals crunch underneath my feet as I struggle. How can two opposing forces exist so close together? How can there be such goodness, such light, next to so much darkness and evil?
I fall back onto the crystals and grass. My landing would have been soft if not for the crystals jabbing uncomfortably into my pants. I ignore the pain and pick up a yellow crystal. It feels neutral, or maybe light. I’m not sure. I know it doesn’t feel like Tasia’s crystal though. This crystal thrums with energy, but I can tell it’s an energy not pointed at anything in particular—unlike Tasia’s black diamond, an advocate of light.
I hear the soft crunch of someone stepping on the grass and crystals behind me before I realize their presence. I have a much harder time discerning presences when I’m in the immortal world because there’s such an abundance of energy. I don’t recognize it until it’s right on top of me. I glance over my shoulder, and I see the Oracle. His rust-colored hair seems a much brighter shade with all of the light surrounding us.
I realize I’m gawking and immediately scramble to my feet and bow.
“Oracle Cassius,” I say. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“Be at ease,” he replies.
He outstretches his hands, welcoming me. I’m not a close friend of the Oracle, or anything like that, but he’s gone out of his way to seek me out himself. This isn’t an official meeting between a countless number of angels. It’s a personal exchange of some sort, and as such, I should greet him with a kiss. If I don’t, it would be a great insult. But I’ve never greeted the Oracle like this before. I start second-guessing myself on the proper conduct of angels. He must sense my hesitance because he closes the distance between us, places his hands on my shoulders, and kisses me quickly. Then he holds out his hand to the ledge in front of us.
“Sit with me,” he says
As much as I don’t want to feel that darkness again, I can’t very well disobey him. I’ve already come dangerously close to insulting him.
“Do not worry,” he comments. “I won’t let its stench overwhelm you this time.”
With newfound confidence, I follow the Oracle’s example and take a seat beside him on the ledge. He’s right. This time the darkness is bearable, probably because I’m being shielded by his vast light.
He asks, “How are you doing, Rynne?”
“Honestly, Oracle, I’m not sure,” I say forlornly.
“I’m listening.”
I take a deep breath. “Yesterday I had this… premonition. There was something inside of me that told me Tasia needed me. When I finally gave in to the urge and went to her, I found that she had been confronted by Arsen. I guess things didn’t go as well as hoped. Imae has already informed you about what happened, but I… She told me she couldn’t properly explain what happened to me but that it most likely has something to do with heart magic.”
The Oracle’s eyes are trained on mine. His eyes are so bright, so vivid, that I can’t even tell what color they are. It’s like the color is always moving, shifting from one to the next. I almost feel lost in them.
“Can you tell me what’s happening?” I ask. My voice sounds distant, like this is a memory rather than a real-time event.
“You are in love with her,” the Oracle states as if this is perfectly normal. He doesn’t seem to have the same reservations about the idea that Imae did.
I blink and bring my gaze down to my hands, which are balled into fists. I’m ashamed. “Guardians aren’t supposed to fall in love with the human they’re watching,” I say. “I have failed. What am I supposed to do? How will I continue my assignment like this?”
Oracle Cassius reaches out his pale, almost translucent, hand to my shoulder. He grips my shoulder in a firm but somehow gentle way. “It’s true that guardians aren’t supposed to be involved with the human they are watching. But you forget your assignment as guardian is unique. You are unique. No natural-angel guardian has ever been in contact with the human they are watching, not like you. Your assignment started out the same as any other guardian’s, but then it changed. Last year it changed. I told you to become her friend. You did that, and then you fell in love with her.”
“That just means I’m weak,” I say, my voice wavering.
“Your feelings are valid.” The Oracle says those words with such conviction I start to believe him. “Your feelings will not affect what is to come so long as you believe in my commands, in God’s commands, and don’t try to sabotage the connection that Tasia and Arsen have to make on their own. You falling in love with Tasia must also be fate. If you can keep her strong and love her, then she will better be able to control Arsen. Everything is happening according to God’s will.”
“I have doubts,” I say, feeling ashamed once again. “I’ve seen what Arsen does to her. Imae did tell you everything that happened, right?”
“She did.”
“Is Tasia really strong enough to do this? She said she felt a sensation like love for him. How is that even possible?”
The Oracle replies with his never-ending tenderness, “Have faith, Rynne. She will show her power over him in due time.”
“But I don’t understand. And hearing her say that… I got so jealous. So angry.”
“It’s a trick. Tasia will overcome it in time. Do not feel jealous over a demon, Rynne. Such thoughts are detrimental and unfounded.”
I sigh. “When Tasia grows powerful enough, what good will it be for her to control Arsen? At the end of the day, he’s still just a single demon, isn’t he? What good is a single human controlling a single demon to the rest of the world?”
“Arsen’s bloodline has caused a lot of trouble. He is worth far more than a single demon. A human with control over a demon is worth far more than an angel controlling hundreds of demons. Gaining power over him will definitely be the start of something more. You’ve been told of Arsen’s history, haven’t you?”
“I have. I know Arsen’s father, Maelstrom, riled up a bunch of demons and caused an uprising in Ilenima as well as increased demon activity in Terra. Arsen is a symbol of that rebellion. He even lived up to his father’s legacy when he killed Confidant Leo and fled Ilenima.” I pause. I wonder if I was insensitive. I know Oracle Cassius and Confidant Leo were very close. It was their station to be close. I don’t see any pain in the Oracle’s eyes, however, so I continue, “He’s been in the mortal world ever since. He’s been slaughtering angels and causing far more trouble than any other demon there. Since he’s been whittling down angel numbers, more and more demons are free to terrorize unsuspecting humans. Terra is growing darker by the day.”
“That is correct,” the Oracle says. “If Arsen becomes a servant to us, the demons will see the tides have turned. Arsen is powerful, so even if an angel were to be able to cont
rol him, times would change. But it’s in the hands of a mortal that we will be saved. When Tasia can control him, she’ll show the demons that they are outnumbered and rebuked by angels and humans alike. They’ll see just how powerless they are to the will of God when she takes control of Arsen. He’ll be the one to set things right as a weapon of God. Tasia will use his vast power and have him seek out the demons in the mortal world and eliminate them. That will be only the beginning. You’re training a branch of hunters right now, and their numbers will only grow. At some point, we angels may even be joining this war for Terra at the front lines. But it will all end one way. God’s way.”
My chest swells with warmth and the knowledge that this will all end for the best. “Thank you, Oracle. I needed to hear your words.”
“If you wish to leave so that you can return to Tasia, feel free to do so. I only asked you here to speak with you. I wanted it to be unofficial and somewhere like this instead of the Citadel.” He smiles. “You made a good choice.”
I smile back timidly.
“Don’t be afraid of your feelings,” he says. “Embrace them. They aren’t wrong. Give this to Tasia and solidify your bond.” Oracle Cassius reaches into the pocket of his flowing white robes and produces a crystal shaped like a heart, but unlike Tasia’s black diamond, it’s white.
“Is it a white diamond?” I ask.
“It is,” he confirms as he drops the crystal into my extended palm. “It will protect Tasia further. Humans, especially human women, adore gifts like this, yes? She’ll appreciate it coming from you. Give it to her when you see fit.”
CHAPTER 41
Tasia
I DON’T MIND MY babysitters or my suspension this time around. I learned my lesson. I’m certain now that the only reason I’m still alive is because Arsen is toying with me for some reason. I was wide open for him to kill me once again, but he didn’t. He made me feel strange emotions instead. He even went so far as to hug me. I shudder from the warmth I remember in that moment. Those weren’t real feelings. Those weren’t my emotions. I can’t beat Arsen on my own, and I still have a long way to go before Fiona is going to let me go on any missions—especially now. I’m still an E-class hunter and my strength rating hasn’t improved much, but when I’m allowed to practice being a medium again, maybe my class will change. If I can help the hunters by using my sixth sense, I’ll be a more valuable member of the EEA. I just have to bide my time until then. I have to be patient.
I gaze at my heart-shaped black diamond and vow to my parents that I’ll bring them justice as soon as possible, but I’m not going to jump in prematurely again. I’m going to do this right.
I enter the base’s library and get on one of the computers. I skim through anything new about demons, but there’s nothing. I decide to look through the latest mission reports. I don’t see anything very interesting. That’s when I bring up the last mission Rynne went on with Gold Team. It seems the vampire they hunted was feeling chatty. She mentioned demons and even angels. I wonder why none of this was put into the database, like how she claimed a demon is what changed her into what she was. It must be because the EEA hasn’t proved any of this yet.
“Here again?” Rynne comments as he sits down at the computer next to me.
“It’s either research, meditation, or homework,” I tell him.
He smiles.
“Tell me what this is about.” I point to my computer screen.
He glances at my screen, but he doesn’t seem particularly interested. “Tell you what?”
“I was looking through this report, and it was noted that the vampire you all took care of said something about demons being the culprits for monsters. That makes sense, don’t you think?”
“Sure.”
“Do you know anything about that?”
“No. No hunter does. That’s why what she said hasn’t been uploaded into the demon files in the database.”
Just as I thought. I move on. “She also said something about angels. Specifically, she accused the hunters of letting one into their ranks. I didn’t think we had any angels among us—unless angels look just like humans. What do you think that’s about? Do you know anything about angels?”
He answers too quickly. “No.”
“The vampire was probably just trying to get a rise out of you guys, then? Angels have more important things to do than to stop the evil running around free down here anyway, right?” I say bitterly.
“Or maybe they just help in different ways.”
“Are you talking about holy water? Or maybe the Latin prayers exorcists use? Those spells have to come from angels or God, right?”
Rynne shrugs. “You’d know better than me. You practically live in the library.”
I sift through the information on my screen for a few more minutes. Then I sneak a peek at Rynne. He’s focused on his own screen at the moment, so that means I can get away with staring for now. He’s mysterious. I definitely think he knows more than he’s telling anyone. Under different circumstances, I might be angry at him for it, but he’s saved my life twice now. He’s been there for me when I’ve needed him, and he doesn’t seem like a different person from the one I got to know back when the world was normal. I’ve learned he’s a hunter, but as far as who he is, he hasn’t changed. Maybe that’s why I don’t pry deeper. If angels are real, maybe I don’t want to know. Especially if he’s somehow related to them. What would that mean for me and my feelings for him?
A rush of longing floods into my body the longer I look at him. Back before all of this began, I wanted to tell him how I feel about him. That was my biggest worry, but then I saw him kissing some girl. I was crushed after that. I didn’t think things could get any worse, but I was wrong. Things did get worse. My parents were murdered by a demon, and I had to leave Reverie. I can’t talk to Didi and Connor anymore either. In just a few months, my life has changed drastically. But here he is. Rynne is the one person that’s moved through this with me. Of course, Fiona’s always been there, and I love her dearly, but this is different. Since I’ve met Rynne, I’ve gotten to be close to him. Even now I get to be close to him. My feelings for him only grow and grow, and I feel like they’re going to burst.
Maybe I can still tell him how I feel, but I wonder if that’s even a good idea considering everything. I want to hug him again, to know that he’s real and right there next to me. I want to feel his light. Whenever he’s held me, I’ve felt so important, like I’m precious to him. It amazes me that he can make me feel something like that when I’ve been feeling so lost and angry so much of the time. When I’m close to Rynne, all of that goes away, even if it’s just for a little bit. With Didi and Connor out of contact, I’ve only been craving his attention more. He’s still here. But how long will that last? How long will it be before he leaves me, too?
“Rynne,” I say.
“Yes?” he replies, taking his eyes off his screen to look at me.
“Who was that girl you were kissing back at Reverie High?”
He stiffens and returns his eyes to the flat screen in front of him. “You saw that?”
“S-sorry,” I say. “I wasn’t trying to spy on you or anything. I just sort of…”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Well, it matters to me, but I guess I shouldn’t say things like that, so I won’t. “Sorry for bringing it up,” I say instead.
“It isn’t what you think,” he murmurs. “That kiss.”
“What do you mean?” I lower my voice to match his.
He meets my eyes, but I can’t read his expression. “It’s just not what you think. That kiss was a mistake. It never should have happened. I’m sorry if I… if I hurt you.”
“Hurt me?” I laugh nervously. “Why would that hurt me?”
He places his hand on top of mine. “I mean it.”
I melt into his gaze. I want to hug him right now, but then he’d probably know just how relieved his words make me feel. He cares what I thought about that kiss! That
has to mean… something!
I clear my throat before I can make a complete fool of myself. Even though I don’t want to, I pull my hand out from under his, too. “So why are you in the library today, Rynne?”
The days go by quickly. It turns out those thralls that were set loose in Philadelphia weren’t too much trouble to hunt down, and so the city appears to be safe again for now. I sleep well at night and my mind is clearer than ever because I don’t feel Arsen’s eyes on me lately—and I keep myself busy. When I’m not studying or training in the gym, I’m spending time with Rynne, or teaching myself origami or other random crafts. We usually spend our time training or studying together, but there are times when we just take a break. Like on Christmas Day.
The base is emptier than usual on Christmas, but there are plenty of hunters without families. It’s not like Rynne and I are a rare case. So, naturally, we have a Christmas party at the base for all of us who don’t have family to spend it with. We even have a huge Christmas tree set up in the lobby. Its blinking lights are a welcome sight in the early morning. I enjoyed it last night during Christmas Eve, too.
I’m one of the first people awake. I see a bunch of presents under the tree, addressed to various hunters. I mostly see the names in passing, though. I don’t bother to look through the pile to see if there are any presents for me. I couldn’t really get anyone presents this year, with being grounded at the base and not having a job. I did help decorate the base though, and since I’ve had free time, I even got to decorate the tree with origami animals. I guess that’s as good as my present can be this year. I made about a hundred of them. Hopefully, any hunter who wants one will be able to have one. I didn’t make enough for all the hunters stationed here, but I’m only one person. It’s a small thing, but the fact that the hunters enjoy the decorations is enough for me. I should have helped for Thanksgiving too, but I was too stuck on Arsen.
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