Eyes of the Eternal (Realms of Rebirth Book 1)

by G. E. White

  However, it did not sooth the unease he felt. The deed was almost done but the woman and her lackey had yet to arrive or even contact them since they had retrieved Vega.

  You would think she would want to be here when the Star was completed.

  Arges knew what the wish was to be and honestly had little desire to take the wish for himself. He may not like the woman but he and his brothers believed in her cause.

  Already Scarlett had talked others into joining her quiet revolution, Arachne, Chimera, Typhon, Minotaur, and the Mormolykeias to name a few. Even Echidna was on board and had been essential for bringing the daniad’s to heel.

  And though not all were involved in this plot, all were eager to see the fallout of the theft.

  Once the star was restored the wish made would ‘rectify’ the mistakes made by the Creator Itself and the foolish beings It had left in Its wake.

  The Cyclops admitted he had no love for the gods, fickle creatures with too much power and not enough sense. But then could he really blame them? Their mortality left them shallow; the lessons they had learned in the life before not always carrying over to the next.

  The whole thing seemed a bit backwards to Arges; that the ones who lived, the ones that remembered, had next to no power compared to the gods, while the ones that forgot guided the world.

  Glancing up into the inky black heights of Erebus, Arges could make out the miasma-cursed females and snorted. The fact that the creatures, little better than wild dogs, had not rebelled yet was impressive, though Arges held no hope that they wouldn’t turn on them if threatened.

  The eldest of the brothers turned back to the job at hand, pleased to note that soon their part in the whole fiasco would be done and over with. Yet the sudden sound of a barking dog interrupted his thoughts and his brothers’ actions. Stereopes and Brontës had paused in mid swing when the cry of the animal echoed though the chamber.

  Darting out from one of the collapsed tunnels was a canine, like mist and moonlight. Brontës lowered the large hammer as the creature approached. With some difficulty, the hulking figure was able to bend down to the creature’s level and attempted to pick it up with his sausage-like fingers.

  His hand fell through the creature, but before he was able to retrieve it, a skeletal limb burst from the ground gripping tightly onto his forearm. Brontës pulled back only to have the body attached to the arm come with it.

  What had once been human was now a skeleton draped in rags, yet instead of appearing weaker for its lack of muscles, the clenching bones of the creature that clasped a scythe in its other hand made it all the more intimidating.

  Dragged from the ground, the white skull almost smiled at the Cyclops. Brontës’ eye widened behind his protective visor in alarm.

  Suddenly a dozen other skeletal figures, some human, others once part of the other four races, burst from the walls and ground, each armed with a blade; some swords, others sickles, scythes or even scimitars.

  Arges hefted his axe up onto his shoulder, ready to swing. “Reapers!” He called to his brothers, turning to cut down one of the creatures, taking off its left arm and knocking it backwards.

  But the reaper seemed unphased by the blow, simply taking the fallen arm with his other hand and reattaching it before springing back up for another attack.

  The appearance of the reapers had disturbed the danaids from their uneasy stillness, causing the feral women to leap from the rafters where they had been lurking.

  Out of the same tunnel the fog-like beast had appeared from, rushed four other figures drawing Arges’ attention. He quickly identified three of the four as the Lords Ares and Thanatos along with his mutt Cerberus who seemed to grow with ever step it took until the three-headed canine now stood over a story tall. However, it took Arges a moment to recognize the woman as the half-breed Surina Malik.

  With an angry shove, he was able to slam the reaper he was engaged with into one of the pillars crushing countless bones into dust. It wouldn’t be getting up from that.

  Arges growled as he took in the scene around them; they were supposed to have more time. Even with the help of the danaids his brothers still struggled to fend off their attackers.

  Stereopes now swung his hammer back and forth to hit the bespectacled woman or to simply deflect the arrows that she sent his way. Lord Thanatos, along with his reapers, and Cerberus kept the danaids at bay, slowly wheedling down their numbers while Ares grappled hand to hand with Brontës, both men having ditched their equally matched weapons in hopes of overpowering the other.

  Arges realized it was only a matter of time before they were defeated and all their work would be for nothing. He dropped his own axe and snatched up Brontës’ fallen hammer. Rounding on the North Star still propped among the Olympian fire he swung down.

  Almost there.

  The wish was on his lips and in only a few more hits it would be manifested and the humans would be no more…

  Quinn watched the battle from his appointed spot just inside the tunnel. Despite his contribution to the ‘shock and awe attack’ as he put it – having Surina send out a Lupine familiar as a distraction, before sending in a wave of Jared’s reapers – he was still delegated to sit out the actual fight.

  However, seeing his friends war with both the danaids and Cyclopes, with their obvious knowledge and grace in battle he reluctantly understood their decision.

  He pulled the dagger Surina had lent him closer to his chest as he witnessed two danaids tackle Jared from behind. Quinn scrambled to his feet, breathing a sigh of relief when the man, with the help of Cerberus, threw the savages off of him; the God of Death looking none the worse for wear.

  While Quinn wasn’t overly surprised by the appearance of Cerberus who had been magically summoned by Jared’s dog whistle, he’d admit that when the first of Jared’s workers sprung from the ground the blonde was petrified. He had even taken a swing at the reaper unaware that it was friend, not foe.

  Luckily Jared had intervened.

  “Relax, she works for me,” he had assured.

  Now watching the skeletal figures helping to defend his friends he was truly grateful for their presence. Especially as they kept the miasma-carrying danaids occupied.

  Surina, Quinn observed, baited the one Cyclops, constantly staying out of reach of his long hammer to fire arrows from her transformed protean watch.

  Leo appeared positively gleeful as he wrestled and traded blows with Brontes. The fight had probably been the most action he had seen in weeks.

  All the movement left Quinn with one question: Where was the third brother?

  The hulking mass of a man appeared out from behind one the columns, hammer held high as he swung it down on the star causing more of the cracked lines to fuse together.

  Quinn’s stomach clenched in dread; only a few more swings and the star would be whole. He glanced back at his companions – each was still thoroughly entrenched in their own battles. Any warning that he could shout to them would only be a distraction, which at this point could be deadly.

  Which meant there was only one thing that could stop the star from being used…

  Clutching the dagger in his right hand, Quinn darted from the tunnel as fast as his legs could carry him.

  Arges drove the hammer down again.

  Weaving through friend and opponent alike the teen had eyes only for the star.

  Bang! Echoed the hammer as it struck again.

  Quinn leapt over the fallen bodies of two danaids.

  Crash! The metal of the hammer and the crystal of the star practically sang as the final blow fell.

  The star glowed and pulsed with energy, once again whole.

  Arges dropped his weapon, the wish on his tongue as he reached for it.

  Barreling to the pyre, heedless of the scorching flames below Quinn dove at the Star with outstretched arms.

  Pain like he had never experienced before licked up his right side as fire engulfed his shoulder. Despite the agony his only thoug
ht was the need to keep his friends safe as his arms closed around the Star pulling it out of the Cyclops’ reach.

  The second Quinn laid a hand on the star, its shape changed from large and round to something long and thin. Though whatever it had transformed into was lost on the boy as he tumbled down the steps on the other side of the fire.

  The pain that seemed to devour his complete right side flared stronger, before suddenly giving way to welcome darkness…

  ~ Chapter 30 ~

  Jared had just cut down the last of his group of danaids, making sure to step out of the way of any spilt blood, when Arges let out a rage-fueled roar of defeat. The young man whipped his head around just in time to see his teenage friend tumble from the flaming pedestal.

  The star was gone, yet something smaller lay clasped in the fallen boy’s arms as he rolled to stop at the base of the dais. Any other thought of their opponents quickly fled Jared's mind. His mind felt numbingly blank as the boy's name issued as a horse cry from his lips.

  With only the Cyclopes left standing on the opposing side, the battle skidded to a halt as all turned from their enemy to the scene by the flickering Olympian fire.

  Jared stumbled over to his friend, Surina close behind. He knelt beside the body of the teen, gasping at the damage clearly visible along Quinn's side. The fire had easily eaten through Quinn's jacket and shirt and now left trails of charred skin and angry blisters in its wake. Only the slight rise and fall of the teen’s chest betrayed the fact that he was still alive.

  Leo stepped closer, trying to see how bad the situation was only to be fended off by Jared’s arm, which he flung out toward the other man.

  "We've got this. Get Cerberus and help the reapers secure the prisoners," he choked out.

  "But..."

  "Just do it!" Jared snapped.

  The rough, almost hysterical, note in Jared's voice was what persuaded the older man to follow the directive. Turning to the Cyclopes, Leo was pleased to note that the remaining reapers and Cerberus already had the giant daimons surrounded. Yet none of the three brothers appeared to be in any shape or had any inclination to fight.

  The Star was lost, they were defeated.

  Arges now sported some burns of his own along his hands and the side of his face where the fire had most likely flared up during Quinn's swan dive. The Star had disappeared and was no longer a threat. A wish had been made. The question was: what had it been?

  Surina’s face was grim as she and Jared gently rolled Quinn onto his back; an action that would've been excruciatingly painful if the boy had been awake.

  "It's bad, isn't it?" She hissed.

  Jared nodded his head dumbly, his face a mask of grief.

  "He's dying isn't he?" Surina pressed.

  "Yeah... Being unconscious is a blessing."

  "Can't you do something? You've got to do something," she stressed, the shell of her stern and strong composure beginning to crack.

  Flashes of the boy’s unmarred face as he demanded the same miracle, only a day before passed through Jared’s mind. He wanted to help. Every nerve in his body practically screamed at him to save him – do something, anything, but he couldn't.

  Alice’s lined but kindly face floated through his mind. Throughout his life as Elliot he had struggled with the responsibilities that had weighed on his young shoulders. The guilt he felt for being able, but not willing to release the dying from his own grip had almost crippled him. Yet Alice had been able to ease his pain and tortured thoughts with the simple logic she possessed.

  “You know that there are times that a life can go either way,” she would say. “But if you can’t save their life without using your powers, then they weren’t meant to be saved. Balance has to be maintained, and you have to be fair to everyone – not just the people you know. Their lives are not yours to toy with.”

  So what could he do now?

  Surina could easily read the conflict etched in Jared’s eyes as he searched the broken and burned body of their charge. The sound of Quinn's breath grew wetter as blood bubbled from his lips. The extensive burning combined with the fall onto the concrete obviously had broken several bones causing internal bleeding.

  Quinn was going to die in a matter of minutes, anyone could see that. Surina cursed her fate for once again finding herself in the same position she had been in all those years ago with Lear.

  A foot from Quinn’s prone form lay the dagger she had armed him with. With a shaking hand, she picked it up; it hadn’t protected him, but perhaps it could now.

  "What are you doing?" Jared asked, lifting his head to follow her actions.

  "Trust me," was the only reply she gave as she took the blade into her unsteady left hand and dragged its sharp edge along the palm of her right.

  Blood welled to the surface of the wound which she raised to the dying boy’s lips. She rolled her hand into a fist and squeezed the blood from the cut to dribble into Quinn's slack mouth. The teen choked slightly on the thick liquid, but swallowed it down with the aid of Jared’s hand that stroked Quinn’s throat encouraging him to swallow.

  Surina gave a nod of thanks despite the wary look Jared threw her.

  "You’re sure this is going to work?”

  She shook her head slowly. "No. I screwed up once before, but this should be right."

  "But there's a chance it might not be?"

  "I'm only half Gorgon. But unless you've got some miracle you can pull out of your ass it’s the best I can do," she growled.

  Jared hung his head, unable to answer her. But as he looked down a fascinating and wondrous sight caught his attention.

  Quinn's skin appeared to be burning from the edge of the wound toward the blackened flesh; what was left behind was still damaged skin, but was nowhere near as critical. However, a large patch around his shoulder remained raw and red where the burn had been most severe. The teen’s breaths became easier as new blood ceased to flow from his already reddened lips.

  The two adults breathed easier, the fear-induced trembling draining out of their bodies. The worst of the injuries now appeared to be healed and Quinn’s life was no longer in immediate danger.

  “Gotta say that was pretty stupid of him,” Jared huffed, yet his grin softened the scolding tone of his voice.

  “I’ll say… But he saved the Star…” Surina trailed off as she turned her gaze to the long object that now lay beside the unconscious boy. “It’s strange though. I mean, what on earth did he wish for in order to make it turn into this?”

  “I don’t know, but with the wish made we’re in the clear, for now. A new wish can’t be made for another hundred years.”

  A dark laugh pulled their attention from the artifact to the now kneeling and bound form of Arges. Even with only a single eye, the mocking in the Cyclops’ gaze was evident. “Do you honestly think this is over?” he scoffed.

  Jared moved to stand but was stilled by Surina’s hand upon his shoulder.

  “I’ll handle this, you keep watch over Quinn.”

  The Death God glared at the Cyclops but relented to Surina’s request. Perhaps her being part daimon herself, would loosen the giant’s tongue.

  Arges’ single eye was trained on Surina as she sauntered over to him and his fellow captives, her lips in a hard line. “Well, for you it is,” she stated. “After this stunt, you and your brothers are headed to the Labyrinth.”

  The Cyclops knew that he should feel fear at her comment. It was true that their fate was sealed. The beehive prison of the Labyrinth awaited them, it would be a hard life but livable. Arges didn’t have a huge amount of faith that Scarlett would come for him and his brothers, but they had time on their side. He knew the woman had several more moves left to make, and once that happened an opportunity would present itself. Until then, he could wait.

  “Doesn’t matter,” he shrugged. “It’s only a matter of time before our brothers and sisters wipe the vermin that plagues this planet from the face of it.”

  “Brothers and s
isters…you mean other daimons,” Surina stated.

  “Perhaps,” Arges answered, side-stepping the question, though the confident look in his eye said everything. “Though I have to ask, how does it feel being the lap-dog to the gods, or perhaps whore would be a better term, hmm? It’s a shame really. Your mother would be so disappointed.”

  “Watch what you say!” Leo hissed, raising his fist to strike him. The blow was caught by Surina’s hand, but Arges could see that her own body radiated with barely-contained rage.

  Despite the mocking tone he had used with the demi-god, Arges’ words held a note of sincerity. It truly was a shame, especially now having seen the woman in action. She would have made at least a decent addition to their daimon ranks; after all, she still was a half-breed.

  “Leave him, he’s not worth it,” Surina spat, turning her attention away from her fellow daimons. “We’ve got more important things to worry about, like getting Quinn some medical help.”

  “You sure?” the War God pressed; Arges knew from his own experience that the man was just itching to take a swing at him. In a way, the whole thing was quite funny – a god following the orders of a daimon halfbreed. Perhaps this Surina Malik was more cunning than he gave her credit for.

  “Just get them out of here. I’m assuming you and the reapers can transport them to the Labyrinth?” he heard her say.

  Leo glanced down at him and his brothers and sneered. “Shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”

  “Then we should probably get going. Jared…”

  The Cyclops paid no attention to the chains that were secured around his wrists; instead he watched as Surina turned to the other man, who now stood with the teenage boy draped across his arms.

  “I’ve got him, let’s get him topside,” the Death God said, stepping closer to her with his burden.

  For the first time Arges took a moment to examine the figure who had cost him the wish. The young man now lying unconscious was little more than a child, yet he had survived the initial burn of the Olympian fire – had he simply been human, or even a demi-god, his dive through the flames would have completely incinerated him.