“What about the Widow Maker? The Hermessi?” Lumi asked. I could almost hear the wheels in her head turning. She’d spent thousands of years locked up in a dirty basement. She already had her experience with captivity, and I could only imagine the nightmares that had come with it. How is she even keeping it together?
“You’re in a temporal bubble of sorts. Still on the bottom of the ocean,” the Soul Crusher said. “You must move fast. I don’t have the Widow Maker’s protective capabilities. If your enemies find you down here, you’re all screwed.”
“Then why’d you say we could spend an eternity down here?!” Herakles barked, his fists tight at his sides. Riza put an arm on his shoulder, but he couldn’t be consoled.
The Soul Crusher laughed again. “Oh, it was part of the speech. I forgot about the Hermessi when I wrote it.”
“You wrote your speech?” Eva replied.
“Of course! I told you, I’ve been preparing for this for a long time, my darlings! I might lack coherence in outlining the outcome for you all, but it doesn’t matter. Let the games begin! Ready yourselves, because time isn’t on your side, and neither are your Reaper friends.”
“Reaper friends?” I wondered aloud. “Friends? Plural?”
“Are you all prepared?” the Soul Crusher asked, ignoring my questions.
Taeral sighed, his head lowered. “Does it even matter?”
Did it? No, it didn’t. Ready or not, we had to do this. Whatever the Soul Crusher wanted to throw at us, we had to figure it out. No matter what, our only chance of survival and success was to jump through his hoops and solve whatever riddles he’d prepared. The prize at the end wasn’t just Zetos. It was the one step closer we needed to get Thieron completed.
The fate of our worlds had been reduced to our ability to overcome the challenges of an ancient Reaper that had spent millions of years in complete isolation, mostly on the bottom of this ocean. Varga was right. This guy was sick, and he held our lives in his Reaper hands.
Seeley
The Soul Crusher’s blast had knocked me and the Widow Maker out. By the time we’d come to, Taeral and his crew had vanished, leaving us in this coral room with the old iron box. Fortunately for the both of us, we didn’t have issues with the water temperature down here, or any need for breathing devices. We were an ethereal presence, stepping into the living dimension as interactive visitors.
What worried me was the fact that I couldn’t see Taeral anywhere. “Where’d they go?” I asked, shaking myself out of the daze. The liquid mass around me slowed me down a little, I noticed, though not enough to pose any kind of issue.
“I think the Soul Crusher took ’em,” the Widow Maker replied. He stilled upon noticing something I’d completely missed. The coral room had changed its color.
“How did I not see this?” I murmured, staring at it. The dark mineral purple was gone. Every single inch of this place was glowing white, as if lit up from inside. The coral seemed to have been carved out from alabaster, its crooked fingers stretching over one another, glimmering softly around us. “Why is it reacting like this?”
“I’m no expert, but I’m guessing it’s the Soul Crusher.”
The Widow Maker’s reply didn’t feel all that helpful, I thought. “It’s a good thing you’re not a marine biologist,” I muttered, though the joke slipped right past him. He’d been locked inside Eirexis for far too long to be aware of human development in the Earthly Dimension. He had a lot of catching up to do.
“Why didn’t you help them back there?” he asked, his arms crossed. Suddenly, I was at fault.
“Death didn’t give me a green light. I couldn’t.”
“They could’ve gotten themselves killed, Seeley. Even I was having a hard time with those things. I mean, what the hell is Death doing with these people?”
I shrugged. “I told you. She’s put strict limits on my interference. You know what the deal is, how we can’t break too many rules. The universal balance is still fragile.”
“Ugh, the universal balance. Right. The single most unexplained phenomena in existence, by which we all must abide as agents of Death. I know you can’t see it right now, but my eyes are rolling so hard they hurt,” he shot back. “You know what? She invoked the universal balance when she got me to tie myself to Eirexis, and now she won’t even talk to me because, spoiler alert, it might affect the universal balance! Pardon me, but I’m pretty tired of this.”
“Me too,” I said. “But there’s a lot at stake right now. If the Hermessi go ahead with this ritual, it’ll put her at odds with the cosmos itself. You know better than most what that entails.”
He nodded slowly. “Yeah. I get that it all functions on chaos and free will, but it knew the Hermessi would try this ritual crap, over and over. Why didn’t it do more about it? Why toss it all in Death’s lap?”
“Based on what I’ve already told you, I think it’s pretty clear that the universe did put some measures in place. Which is why I’m out here protecting Taeral and his crew.”
“That’s a piss-poor job you’re doing.”
“Hey! Again. For the umpteenth time, my ability to intervene is limited,” I snapped.
“Right, right. Universal balance and all that tired crap. Got it,” the Widow Maker grumbled and turned around several times, as if looking for something—or someone. “Hey! Soul Crusher! You took our people! Get your ass out here and face me!” he shouted.
As if summoned, a holographic image of the Soul Crusher appeared, hovering inches above the metal box. I found myself speechless at the sight of him. The Widow Maker was memorable with his physical secrecy, covered in leather from head to toe. The Soul Crusher was quite the sight on his own—tall and lanky, tightly wrapped in white strips of leather, none wider than a couple of inches. His body was covered from his toes and fingers, but only up to his bony shoulders. His collarbones poked out against his diaphanous skin, his long neck reminding me of an ancient Egyptian bust of Nefertiti, once human queen of an Earthly kingdom.
The Soul Crusher had a beautiful face, soft and oval, but with sharp cheeks and deep-set eyes made of galaxies, like mine. His nose was straight, its blade giving off a pearlescent shimmer. Every thread in his hair seemed to have been made from mother-of-pearl, combed neatly back and evenly reaching down to his nape. I’d never seen a creature like this before—significantly taller than most Reapers I’d met, with long limbs and slender fingers, as if torn out of a children’s book illustration. His ears were long and pointy, with pearls embedded along the auricle and all the way down to the lobe, like natural piercings. His eyebrows were raised, as if he’d been naturally designed with a superiority syndrome.
Despite his delicate and sparkling appearance, I figured the Soul Crusher must’ve earned his name by deeds, and not by physique. He sneered at the Widow Maker and me, raising his hands in a welcoming gesture.
“Gentlemen, please, there is no need for name calling,” the Soul Crusher said. His eyes found me, and chills trickled down my spine. Rarely had another Reaper made me feel like this. The Widow Maker was intimidating due to his size and abilities—in contrast, I had a feeling the Soul Crusher’s greatest strength was his mind and the way he used it as a deadly weapon. He had “sociopath” written all over him. “You… I don’t know you,” he added, shifting his focus to the Widow Maker. “You, on the other hand, I see your mouth is as foul as ever.”
“Where are they?” the Widow Maker asked, unimpressed.
“Millions of years of not seeing each other, and that’s all you want to know? I’m offended,” the Soul Crusher replied.
“Answer the question, and I promise I’ll ask you about what you’ve been up to. Though, to be honest, and knowing you as well as I do, I assume I won’t be surprised,” the Widow Maker said.
The Soul Crusher sighed, shaking his head. “They’re in the box, with me. They have a challenge to go through if they’re to get Zetos. Come on, Widow, I thought you knew that.”
“And what’s
with all the glowy stuff?” Widow asked.
“It’s the best I can do in terms of protection while they complete their tasks,” the Soul Crusher replied. “I’m not as gifted as you are in that department, so I hope you’ll supplement my efforts. Well, you and that hunky youngster you brought along.”
Suddenly, I was blushing, as the Soul Crusher gave me a devious smile. I didn’t like his attention on me—it felt cold and deranged, as if, any minute now, he’d whip out his scythe and proceed to slice my head off.
“Be nice, Soul,” Widow shot back. “Seeley here is an envoy of Death.”
“Ah. Death. I take it she’s still not into the whole Hermessi-wiping-out-the-entire-universe thing, huh?” Soul chuckled.
“Would you be?” I asked.
He thought about it for a moment. “Nope. They’re mindless goons, and they need to be taught a lesson, once and for all. I assume that’s why she sent that Taeral fella over here, right?”
I couldn’t help but smile, genuinely impressed by the speed with which he’d identified Taeral’s true potential. The Fire Star prince had no idea himself, not even after learning about his own Hermessi heritage—how could he? No one had explained the genetic details that made him so important to Death and this mission.
“That’s correct,” I said.
“And you, how’ve you been, Widow?” Soul asked. “It’s been a while. I’m not sure how long.”
“I lost track, too,” Widow replied. “You’re looking good, though.”
Soul laughed lightly, lowering his head for a moment, as if succumbing to flattery. “Thanks. I figured I might as well take care of myself while I’m down here. What’s the world like, out there?”
“Oh, you’d love it,” Widow said. “Though I’ve barely seen the equivalent of an inch of it all. It’s beautiful. It’s diverse and filled with wonders. Some of them murderous, but hey, that’s nature, right? Pretty and colorful in some parts, venomous and deadly in others!”
Soul’s shoulders dropped, his expression changing from delight to melancholic sadness. “What a mess we’ve gotten ourselves into, huh?”
“How were we supposed to know we’d be trapped for so long?” Widow muttered.
“Oh, Death knew. It wasn’t like we could do anything about it. She needed our help, we obliged… Personally, I do regret my decision, but it’s too late to turn back now,” Soul said. “How is the old hag, anyway?”
I watched their exchange with sheer astonishment. They hadn’t seen each other in a very long time, and they definitely didn’t care who else was listening. I was basically Death’s eyes and ears in this place, and they both knew it.
“I don’t know, Soul. She won’t talk to me yet. Universal balance and such,” Widow replied, pursing his lips.
Soul feigned disgust. “Ugh, still with that crap?”
“Hey, that crap has kept the world running for eons,” I cut in. “Have a little faith, will you?”
“You try living in this wretched box for as long as I have, Seeley, and then talk to me about faith, okay?” Soul retorted. He quickly changed his demeanor back to a more jovial glow. “Anyway! I look forward to seeing the world, myself! Unfortunately, I can only project myself like this until they pass my puzzles.”
“Since you’re so eager to regain your freedom, why don’t you go easy on the kids, huh?” Widow asked. I was definitely on board with that reasoning, nodding enthusiastically as Soul’s gaze darted between us several times.
“You know I can’t do that,” he finally said. “As much as I’d like to, Death’s spells are annoyingly precise. Universal balance—”
“And all that crap. Jeez,” Widow grumbled.
“I’m not letting them go until they solve the puzzles,” Soul replied. “I can kick ’em out, but what’s the point, right? I’m tired of this stupid, stupid box.”
“It’s not like they can die of old age in there,” Widow said. “The Hermessi are coming for them.”
“I know, honey. That’s why it’s good you’re both here. You can stall those elemental freaks while the kids work their way out of my… masterpieces.” A grin slit Soul’s face. Narcissism at its finest.
“You scare me,” I mumbled, unable to take my eyes off him. “And you can’t bend the rules, even a little, just to let me in? I could help them.”
He laughed a little too hard, as if I’d just said the dumbest joke ever. “Seeley. No. Reapers aren’t allowed to partake in Thieron’s challenges. You know that. Don’t play dumb. It’s insulting.”
“What do we do, then?” Widow asked. “Cover you while you torment them inside that box?”
Soul nodded. “Exactly. Thieron amplifies different abilities in you, me, and Phantom. You got lucky with all the protection mojo, since it allowed you to block out interference from outside forces. I’m gifted in something else entirely.”
“What’s that?” I replied.
He lit up with excitement. Clearly, the Soul Crusher loved talking about himself. “I can play with pockets of time and space. I can manipulate realities, make my own rules, play the part of a god in these little bubbles. It’s how I locked Taeral and his friends in my Zetos box. Unfortunately, that also leaves me more or less defenseless against the Hermessi. Part of the challenge, I guess,” he said, shrugging.
Thunder echoed from above, muted but still loud enough for us to quickly realize that it wasn’t some natural phenomenon. Death had given me an edge for this mission, allowing me to tap into my sentry abilities, which I’d naturally left behind upon entering Reaperhood. She’d thought I’d need everything I could possibly make use of, in order to succeed without upsetting the universal balance. I was now able to look up and use my True Sight. “They’re coming.” I sighed. “The Hermessi.”
“Which ones? Is psycho Brendel among them?” Widow asked.
Soul looked as though he’d chewed on a whole lemon. “Please don’t tell me that wench is here. Ugh, my skin crawls just thinking about her! I can still feel her touch all over me, from when she dismantled Thieron… Ew!”
I nodded. “Yeah, she’s with them. We’re in for quite the fight.” Dozens of colorful fireballs shot through the depths of the ocean, headed our way. The Hermessi were made up of raw elemental energy—from their four types, I was most wary of Water here. Fire was weaker, and so was Air. Earth could potentially be a problem, but it all depended on how the Widow Maker and I organized our defensive tasks. “Widow, I’ll focus on Air and Fire. You’re stronger and more experienced than me. I figure you can handle Water and Earth, right?”
“Sure, give me the capable ones.” He grunted. “Chicken.”
“We can switch, if you’d like. I’m just aware of my limitations as a Reaper,” I replied.
Soul giggled. “Seeley’s right.”
Looking up again with my True Sight, I analyzed the enemy as best as I could, judging by the intensity with which they shone. Something caught my eye—a flash of green, coming down from a different direction. It glowed in a peculiar shade of emerald, far brighter than the other Hermessi, except Brendel. Her orange sparkle was almost unaffected by her deep dive. Could that be Fallon and Kabbah?
I would’ve welcomed the assistance.
“Sorry I can’t play with you,” Soul said. “I’m useless on the outside until they release me.”
“Play with us?” I mouthed at Widow, utterly astonished by Soul’s chilling weirdness.
Widow shook his head again. “Don’t ask.”
I could feel the tension rising in the room. The white glowing coral would only protect us for so long. It was up to Widow and me to keep Taeral and the others safe. Death had already allowed me that privilege after the Eirexis episode. She’d been quite specific, actually. She’d said that, no matter what happened, if Taeral and his crew got to pieces of Thieron, I’d have to do everything in my power to keep the Hermessi from stopping them. Thinking back on it now, I realized that Death knew what the challenges were and what they would entail.
&n
bsp; Yet she’d never told me about them. I knew it wouldn’t be easy to retrieve Eirexis, Zetos, and Phyla, but I’d had zero clue about the complexity of these tasks. I felt sorry for Taeral, stuck on this quest while his father was held hostage under the Hermessi’s influence, while his whole world was at risk of total annihilation.
I worried about Vesta a lot, and about the Novaks and the rest of the fae in the sanctuary, too. They had it the hardest, barely able to defend themselves against this ritual. At least I was down here, and I was able to do something about it. Unsurprisingly, I had something in common with Widow and Soul—the disdain for this so-called universal balance. More than once I’d considered it antiquated garbage, but I was too insignificant in the greater scheme of things to rebel against it. I feared the potential consequences, though more than once I’d thought about what it would be like to break all the crucial rules of this world…
Until then, however, I had to brace myself for what came next. From what I could see, the Hermessi were racing through the ocean, headed for the bottom and determined to obliterate anyone and anything that stood in their way.
“Get ready,” I said to Widow. “They’re coming.”
I decided I should reveal myself to the plane of the living, prompting several fish that swam across the white sand to scatter, suddenly frightened by my appearance. I’d noticed I did more damage if I was fully anchored in this dimension.
“If we hold out for long enough, it might give Taeral the shot he needs at getting Zetos,” Widow replied, as if reciting a mantra.
It was a good thing to focus on. The endgame. The ultimate objective: helping a future Reaper save the world. I was on board, as long as it helped Vesta and her people survive. That girl deserved a longer life than what the Hermessi had planned for her.
Taeral
A Shade of Vampire 75: A Blade of Thieron Page 11