by Abra Ebner
With a stern face, I focused on the five characters that were gathered around the end of the table, my eyes doubting what they indeed saw. At the head of the table was a short chubby bald man with gold rings piercing through every bit of his body. He was smiling profusely, his large belly exposed through his purple vest.
To his right sat a lady, her hair a pure white and her skin even whiter, glowing with an ethereal light as though she herself was the sun. She smiled sweetly, but her eyes were a sinister grey that seemed to deceive me. My mind wanted to trust her, but her eyes shook me to the core.
“State your purpose child,” an old man to the left of the man with the gold piercing hissed at me. Though he was not seated at the head of the table, I could tell he was the leader. The air about him seemed to freeze in his presence, fear striking my soul like a steel mallet.
I suddenly felt infinitesimal beside them, these ancient souls of creation. “You…” I began, my voice dragging in my throat, “You have stolen something from me.” I jumped right to the point, feeling that my nerves would only last a short time before I would surely falter.
The old man chuckled, the room now colder, “I believe it is you whom have stolen from us girl.” He laughed with vicious disregard and looked down his nose at me as a small man beside him pressed his glasses up to his eyes like a scientist. I focused on the small man, unable to bear looking into the eyes of their leader. He had a small bowler hat and a cane and was no taller than a five year old child though I doubted that he was as weak.
I looked away from the man to the last god that was directly across the table from the small scientist. She was beautiful and young, her eyes a deep blue and her skin like silk. She blinked and narrowed her eyes at me as though comparing herself and deducing she was far superior, though judging by her sour face, she knew better. As I held the stare I felt a part of her enter my soul, a part that was afraid of me, as though she knew we had some sort of future prophecy I did not yet know.
I looked away from her, finally gathering myself and looking back to the leader. “I…” I stuttered, “I am not here to challenge you.” I placed my hand on the dagger as all five gods became nervous in their seats. It was obvious that they were as anxious as I, and just as curious about what would happen next.
For a moment I let my mind daydream, allowing it to see what it would be like to challenge the gods, to take their seat and this whole world. There was a part of me that longed to save it, to steal it from the gods clutches so that what had happened to me could never happen again. Edgar Poe had said that by willingly giving up the dagger, all its power of death would drain from it, leaving nothing more than a sharp trinket. My soul begged to believe this was true.
The old man at the head of the table must have sensed the evil thoughts inside me because the roots above us began to twist, a knot of them falling slowly from the ceiling. My thoughts instantly ceased as the ring around my neck burned into my chest, the root’s contents causing the world around me to swirl and fall away. Edgar was wrapped in the branches like a bundle of hay, lifeless and frozen as though suspended in slumber.
The old lady in white now spoke, her voice almost a whisper but her words justifying her dark sinister stare, “I believe you cannot afford such thoughts child, you are at our mercy.”
I let go of the dagger in my belt and dropped my hands to my waist. I could feel Sam behind me, his body rigid and uneasy. Margriete haughtily whispered in his ear, keeping him calm. I forced back tears as I urged myself to look away from Edgar’s lifeless body.
“Why do you hate us?” I hissed through clenched teeth. Fixing my jaw was the only thing I could do to keep my teeth from chattering and giving away the fact that I was terrified.
The young woman laughed under her breath, “You act as though you think you are better than us child.”
I pressed my brows together. “I do not,” I retorted with anger trailing in my words.
“Liar,” she hissed.
The old man raised his hand to calm the woman’s jealous outbreak. “Please excuse her. She does not understand whom she is dealing with.”
The woman crossed her arms before her, pouting like a vengeful child.
“I will make a trade then,” I tried to remain composed, but the presence of Edgar felt intoxicating, my soul surging with a love I hadn’t felt in months.
The old man laughed once with a soft exhale, “You owe us more than just the dagger girl. You owe us your life as well.” He crossed his hands across his lap and leaned back in the chair. “I will allow you to trade your life and the dagger in sacrifice for Edgar, but that is all.”
I felt the anger inside me begin to well. “That is hardly a fair trade, my lord. You forget that I still have the dagger, and I would rather die here and sacrifice us both than allow Edgar to live without me again.” I placed my hand on the handle of the knife, the gods squirming in their chairs, unable to afford taking my words lightly.
The old man leaned against the table, placing his head in his hand and running his fingers through his long beard in thought. The young woman whispered something to him across the table, her voice filled with haste and sass. The old man nodded slightly, acknowledging her remark and leaning back.
He raised the roots that cradled Edgar back toward the ceiling and I felt my heart breaking. “I will make a deal then child,” he paused and adjusted himself in the chair, the small scientist keeping his eyes fixed on my hand and the dagger, his mouth gaping. “Give us the dagger and walk away from here. I will grant you your life, and we will think on the matter.” He ran his hand across the table, “You see… We need you, so we cannot afford to have you dead.”
I smiled to myself, finding that there was more to what they had been saying and I was more than just a soul. I was a valuable tool, perhaps just as valuable as the dagger. “I will do nothing for you unless you give me his life,” I pointed toward the ceiling where Edgar hung.
The old man laughed, “I will promise you, I will give Edgar back, but you must leave now, without the dagger, and without him.”
I narrowed my eyes at the man, finding there was no other way I could twist this. The gods were offering me their word, but I knew better than to trust them. “I will leave,” I grabbed the dagger and pulled it out of my belt in one swift movement, “But I will not hesitate to kill all that roam earth if you do not uphold your end of this bargain. I will destroy your prized creation and there will be nothing to stop me, because without Edgar, I do not fear death.”
The old man smiled as though seeing the truth of my words and the heart of the lion that would stop at nothing to honor the man I loved. The young woman leaned across the table with a frantic face and whispered something to the old man but he hushed her. It was obvious that they had been planning to trick me, but they had not planned on my own vicious attack. I was not like Margriete, I was not afraid of these mere beings before me and I was not afraid to do what it took to avenge my lost life.
I slowly lowered the dagger to the table and placed it on the wood and then stepped back.
“What are you doing?” Sam hissed behind me, “You cannot trust them Elle.”
I gave Sam no reply but instead watched as the old man hungrily dove in on the dagger, grasping it in his greed and pulling it toward him. I had given up my best bargaining chip, but something inside me told me to trust them.
I exhaled and closed my eyes, looking up toward Edgar. “I love you,” I whispered as I backed away and out of the room. As the doors slammed behind me I felt my heart sink. The future was uncertain, but I felt it was not time to rest just yet. With haste, we exited the white towers and made our way back toward the gate.
I would do as I was told. I would go home and wait. I knew that my threat had not fallen on deaf ears and the sooner I could get home, the better.
I did not wish to destroy the only world I had known, but should it come to that, I would free all humans from the vicious experiment they had been subjected to. The gods coul
d command the world here, but I was in command of the world above. In time, what the gods have created would kill them and it will be me that will be the leader of this crusade, the last stand of all human kind.
HOME
“Oh Elle, I’m so happy you did all this for us, I don’t know how I’ve come to deserve such a great friend.” Sarah winked at me as her hair blew in the warm meadow wind like a wave of chocolate. There were flowers in her hair and the dress she wore was simple, blowing like a sheet of silk behind her.
I smiled and gave Sarah a hug, Margriete purring and rubbing up against her leg, her white fur so bright she nearly blended with Sarah’s white dress. Margriete had chosen to remain in disguise for the event, finding the trivial fact of it too much to bear. Scott walked toward me, dressed in a beautiful black suit I had lent him from Edgar’s closet.
I straightened the lapel on his coat as he watched my face.
“Did you find him Elle?” he put one hand on either shoulder, squeezing me in a way that broke down my emotional guard.
I nodded, feeling the tears begin to grow in my eyes as I looked away from him.
“Will he come back?” Scott pressed. He had grown from the boy he had once been. The time he had spent with us in his dreams had changed his views on life, making him realize how important life is and how much a part of everything he truly was.
I shrugged, pressing my lips together. “When the time comes Scott, will you be there to help me?”
Scott smiled, “I would follow you to the ends of the earth if I had to Elle, and you know that.”
I nodded, “Thank you Scott.”
Scott knelt down and rubbed Margriete on the head. As he stood, he looked over my shoulder and laughed, causing me to turn to see what he had. Sam had appeared in the meadow, his face pursed into an uncomfortable line as he fought with the suit he had succumbed to wearing. Despite his initial hatred for Scott, he had come to respect him and this was his way of proving that.
I laughed as Margriete let out a long hard meow, her jowls chattering at the end like a chuckle. Sam gave me a reproachful glare as he came up beside us, picking up Margriete in one swift movement and cradling her in his arms.
“You better not say anything about this ever again,” he grumbled into her ear, nuzzling her fur and causing her to begin purring.
I smiled. Since we’d been back, Margriete and Sam had managed to find love again. It brought warmth to my heart to know that I had been responsible for so much happiness. I had challenged the rules enough, that it gave them the strength to embrace their love and live it everyday.
We made our way toward the aisle I had set up in the meadow. Scott and Sarah’s entire family had come, even Scott’s mother. I chuckled as she wiped a spot of something from his cheek as he stood at the altar.
His mother had been confused as to why and how we had managed to get so much furniture into a meadow that was so far from the college, but the idea of it was too complicated for her to ponder over for too long. I was sure Scott had kept my existence a secret, knowing that his scientifically minded mother would never be able to believe in anything but the facts.
My smile began to hurt as I watched Sam carry Margriete toward the front and take a seat. I lingered toward the back with Sarah, finding that the wedding had begun to wear on my emotions. The ring around my neck had remained there, never faltering to breath and from time to time providing false hope as it would burn into my skin, as though he were finally here.
Sarah was shaking with both fear and happiness, grasping my hand with the same eager strength my mother had. The fact that she had been real was all I ever needed, all I had ever wanted. It was hard to be an orphan, wondering why your mother had abandoned you, but now it was clear that she had no choice and her devotion to me was undeniable.
The music started. “Go Sarah,” I whispered, placing my hand on her back and urging her forward down the aisle. She walked alone, her father long gone but here in spirit. A soft breath escaped my lips and I took my seat, content with all I had accomplished. I had done my best to find Edgar, I had given it my all and now I would wait. The violinist’s music rang across the grass, the flowers around us blooming from the fragrance of so much love and so much life.
I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes, taking in the scent of it all as the subtle sounds and the feeling of life surrounded me in a vortex of acceptance. Edgar’s face was close at mind, always the same and never fading. I thought about his scent, remembering every bit of our short time together as though it were a movie I could play over and over. I inhaled, finding the sharp ping of longing flutter in my heart like wings, flutter around me as though he were here.
Grasping the ring around my neck, I slowly opened my eyes, relishing the true feeling. Startled, I let out a quiet yelp and jumped to my side. The fluttering I had felt had been real and a black raven now sat in the chair beside me, its head tilted and its opal eyes glimmering in the sun. It had come without a sound as though a ghost, the ring in my grasp now burning as I dropped it to my chest in shock.
Tears fell from my eyes as the raven stood there, quiet and calm, the wind fluttering through its feathers. My chest began to sting as I realized I had forgotten to breathe. I brought my hand to my mouth and exhaled through my fingers, closing my eyes and telling myself it was just a dream, an illusion created by my tired mind. I faced the front, unwilling to allow myself such childish behavior.
Opening them, the raven was now gone, replaced by a dark figure that flooded my peripherals. It was then that the figure took my hand and my soul burst open with more life than it ever had, affirming that this moment was real. I could not move to look at the figure, afraid it would leave as swiftly as it had come, the identity remaining a mystery though my soul knew.
Sam looked over his shoulder, smiling at me as though he too saw what was happening, as though he’d known all along. He winked and nodded and I found it hard to deny that this was really happening and this figure beside me was no longer in my imagination.
The figure leaned toward me and spoke, “Thank you.”
I exhaled as Edgar’s quiet breath fell across my ears, sending chills down my spine. His soft fragrance surrounded me in a cloud of smoke as my head began to feel faint.
I took a deep breath before turning to face him, his eyes a deep cloudy blue, crashing like thunderclouds across the sky. The lump in my throat denied my speech as Edgar brought his other hand to my face. He cupped my cheek and leaned in, never once breaking our stare as his soft lips met mine. I closed my eyes and grasped onto his arms, refusing to ever let go but finding that like always, Edgar pressed me away, a smirk on his face and his eyes almost black.
BOOK THREE:
RAVEN
“You cannot do that to her and you know it.” Sam’s voice crashed through the trees of the forest.
“I can, I have to see her,” The anger inside me was so deep, I wanted to rip Sam to pieces, and I could. I slammed my hand into my palm, angry that I could think of such things.
Sam looked at me with a skeptical face, “I doubt you could actually go through with that and kill me.”
“Stay out of my head Sam, I’ve warned you.” I grumbled, pacing from one tree to the next. “And I don’t care Sam. I need to know she’s alright.”
Sam shook his head, “She needs to grow Edgar, you know what she is as well as I do. You can’t cage her like a wild animal.”
I clenched my fists at my sides. What did Sam know anyways, he had no idea how it felt to be me, to feel the hatred and anger of the whole world weighing on my soul everyday. Elle was the only thing that could calm me, the only thing that could make my mind clear.
“She came to find you and that was enough of a burden for her. She needs another month to recover, to grow the strength she needs if she is to do as is prophesized.”
Sam’s words of wisdom were far too chivalrous for me to handle and my nerves ripped apart. I halted as the dirt gathered under my heels. “What is t
his Sam? Are you in love with her?”
Sam put both his hands in the air and laughed in a mocking way, “Hardly, she’s all yours cowboy.”
I was looking for a fight but he was playing it smart, keeping my emotions at bay enough to justify peace, though it’s the last thing I wanted.
“Look Edgar, she needs a little more time. I knew you were coming back. I heard you arrive here and rushed to the forest because I don’t want you to barge in on the process that’s going on. I realize how weak you are right now,” he laughed under his breath, “and you look like hell.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, still waiting for him to give me a reason to slash his throat with a twig.
“This is one of those times you need to be a civilized gentleman, though I know you lack the ability. If you rush to see her now, it is likely you will end up becoming overwhelmed, and kill her.” Sam took one step toward me.
I lunged at him but he sprung up and onto a branch in a nearby tree.
A deep laugh grew in his throat, “I told you Edgar, you are weak.”
I shook my head, feeling the whole world whirl around me in a cloud.
“Her friends are getting married soon, that will be a good time to show up, if not a little sappy. It will give you a month to regain some strength and pull yourself together.” Sam lowered himself from the tree with one hand, “Besides, you have a problem that needs to be addressed.”
I took a deep breath and looked at him with hate in my eyes, “What’s that?”
Sam crossed his arms against his chest, “You left that holograph behind down at the college and its beginning to become a little too real, I’ve found it lurking in the woods out here, threatening to find Elle and take the soul for his own, so that it can live.”
I let out an annoyed sigh, “Piece of junk.”
“Well you created it,” Sam retorted.
“Shut up Sam.” My teeth were clenched and my jaw fixed. What was that thing thinking? A red hot feeling of murder rose in my chest, the desire to kill so sweet, it made my bones ache.