by Ali Winters
Nivian looked down at the book in understanding and whispered, “What’s going on?”
The words on the page swirled and faded before forming new words.
“The watchers fell to earth to become hunters. No longer possessing the divine powers, they were destined to roam the earth for eternity. Faced with the hopeless future ahead, the minds of many who had lived became warped. Unable to handle half the life they were born to live, they sacrificed the lives of the loyal and gave up their own immortality to regain their powers. Their new powers were distorted, twisted into something dark and unnatural, becoming a force that was never meant to be. They had the power to…”
Yes, she knew all that. Time to be more precise.
“Why do we fear the hunters?”
The passage faded and swirled once more. A soft click of the door closing sounded behind her. Nivian jumped and slammed the book shut. So engrossed in the Tome of Fate she hadn’t realized she was no longer alone. When she turned her head, Caspian stood behind her, his hands still pressed against the closed doors. He bowed his head, his long black hair falling in front of his face. She’d been caught. Her breath hitched in her throat, as she stood frozen in place, fully expecting his rage at her nerve to touch the sacred Tome. It took a lot of audacity to pick it up and even more so to open and read through it without direct orders from Caspian or Silas. His gaze locked on hers as she twisted her body to face him, the book still gripped firmly in her arms. They stood facing the other for what seemed like forever, as they stared into each other’s eyes. Her heart continued to pound loudly in her ears.
She clutched the book tighter against herself the longer the silence stretched out. Warm light filtered through the large window behind her and illuminated his form.
He moved forward, stopping inches from her. Gently he took the book out of her hands, closed the cover and set it down on the desk behind her. Nivian held her breath, not daring to move. He was so close.
Without warning, he grabbed her and pulled her up against his body. One arm wrapped around her waist, the other arm held her in place. He ducked his head and rested his forehead against hers, their noses a hair’s breath away. Nivian inhaled sharply at his sudden proximity. This was not the response she expected from him—yell at her, send her away, threaten her, anything but this. This was unexpected.
She blinked and his lips were pressed against hers. Shocked, her body went rigid. Heat blazed up her neck and burned her cheeks. The sensation that she would fall through the floor if he let her go overcame her senses, stealing her strength. She had suspected how he felt about her, and she had returned his feelings, but neither of them ever acted on it. They were just friends. Nothing more. Slowly, she melted into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck.
All too soon, he ended the kiss, once again resting their heads together. He dragged the tip of his nose across her cheekbone. Her lashes fluttered. She could feel the heat of his breath on her ear, causing a shiver to run down her spine.
“Nivian,” he whispered. The words were so quiet, she wasn’t sure if she’d imagined them. “I will meet you on your roof. We must speak.”
Her eyes shot open. Before she had time to react, he let her go and disappeared as quickly as he had come. She was left alone in the study, reeling from his kiss. Nivian shivered again, cold after the abrupt loss of his heat. She wrapped her cloak closer around her. What just happened?
Nivian waited on the roof of her apartment building for Caspian. The wind whipped through her hair, blowing the loose strands out behind her. The full moon already high in the sky shone bright, stinging her eyes with its intensity. She needed to get a hold of the book again. She didn’t have enough time to learn anything that could help before Caspian walked in on her. He would be expecting her again. Finding an opportunity would prove to be nearly impossible.
“Nivian, I am sorry about earlier.” His deep voice came from behind her.
She dragged her attention away from the sky to Caspian’s grim face and blinked away the shadows caused by the moonlight.
“I never meant to be so… forward with you. It was inappropriate,” he said, bowing his head. “I should have held back. I had only meant to tell you to meet me here.” He leaned with his back against the brick wall and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.
By immortal standards, he was ancient, even compared to her. But now, as he stood perfectly still in front of her, the confidence he always wore disappeared. There was nothing in the way he held himself that should lead her to believe he was anything other than his usual self, but Nivian could never remember when he appeared so insecure.
Nivian’s fingers brushed against her lips. An action she was completely unaware of. The kiss had caught her off guard, and her head still swam from it. Her eyes unfocused as the memory flashed before her. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Looking up, she caught him watching her. A grin formed on his face, his black-as-night eyes peered through strands of hair that had fallen loose. She’d never expected that a kiss could affect her so profoundly. His eyes, as dark as the night sky, sparkled with everything he wasn’t saying.
“Nivian, I came here to talk to you about your mark…”
She dropped her hand, and her face went blank. Crossing her arms, she turned her body at an angle to him. Her defensive stance made it clear that she expected him to explain himself.
Caspian sighed and continued. “I need to tell you about the hunters. I could not take the risk of telling you in Mophar.”
“What are you talking about, Caspian?” She eyed him over her shoulder.
“I was forbidden to reveal this to you, and the only thing this will accomplish is a chance for your forgiveness. Silas does not wish you to know, at least not at this time.”
Dropping her hands to her sides, Nivian stepped up to him and stopped a few inches away. He could smell the scent of vanilla and jasmine on her skin. Inhaling deeply, He closed his eyes. Nivian looked up at him intently, her pale blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight. He opened them again. The look on his face was all business. Finally, she was going to get the answers she wanted.
“Tell me then.”
After the Dissension, most of the hunters were eradicated. Silas took their powers but let them live, under the condition that they did not upset the balance. For a while, they had kept their promise.”
Nivian nodded. So hunters had lived after all.
“At first they interfered with the reapings to prevent the reapers from gathering the life energies, and then they went after the reapers themselves.”
“How can a mortal being go after a reaper? They lost their powers.”
“They gave up their immortal life in exchange for a long mortal life and gained back much their former powers.”
“If they are mortal now than we could reap them. They should not be a threat.”
“What you will not find in the Tome is they made it their mission to destroy all reapers so they could once again live forever.”
She nervously swallowed a lump in her throat.
There are those whose powers became twisted into something dark. It is this group of hunters you need to be careful of. A powerful hunter has the strength to suck the essence of a reaper’s soul from them with a single touch, destroying them. We could not hide as the hunters were able to see us in our true forms, a feat no other life form has ever been able to accomplish.”
Nivian shivered for what felt like the fiftieth time that day, but unlike the last, this time it was out of fear.
“We thought we had killed all who abandoned their true purpose during The Dissension, leaving only a small handful of hunters who still followed the original way. There must have been a small group who hid and escaped to continue their legacy.”
“Why don’t I remember The Dissension? Why don’t I remember anything about the hunters?”
“Silas thought it best to destroy those memories after the hunters were no longer a threat.”
“Yo
u think this human, Kain, is one of the hunters who has twisted his powers?”
“At first I could not be sure, but when you brought me those broken watches... I would have told you then, but I was forbidden to say anything. I am breaking Silas’s wish now because I believe you deserve to know.”
Nivian looked up at him in awe. She had no idea what he risked to tell her this. She knew there was more to him telling her than he let on.
“Is this mark impossible for me to complete?”
“No, you alone have the power to survive.”
“How?”
“If I knew, I would tell you, believe me.”
“How many of them are out there?”
“That, Nivi, we have no way of knowing. We reapers all feel the loss every time a reaper is destroyed, the nearer we are to the reaper more we feel it, we cannot risk losing any more. Know this, Nivian: I would fight this battle for you in a heartbeat, if I could.”
Shock reverberated throughout her at the conviction in his voice. He would risk his existence to ensure hers continued.
“Thank you, Caspian,” she whispered. “I thought—I thought—” her voice caught in her throat at the understanding he wasn’t against her after all. Closing her eyes tightly, she shook her head, unable to continue. The one she trusted more than anyone was still who she had always thought he was. He had risked so much coming to her like this, so she would know he believed in her and was without a doubt there for her. Her heart grew lighter. There were no words for what it meant to her.
He placed both hands on her cheeks and rested his forehead against hers. “When I saw you this morning, I knew what you must have thought, and I could not bear to have you think I was not on your side.”
“Caspian—” She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest.
“I am always on your side, Nivi.”
“I’m so glad…” She said, her voice barely above a whisper. He held her tighter, and she sighed and sank deeper into his arms. She didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but she wasn’t ready to move yet, she wasn’t ready for this moment to end. All she wanted was to hold on to the feeling of support, of knowing she wasn’t alone after all. He would stay and hold her for as long as she needed him to.
She might be the only reaper who could take care of this hunter who threatened all of existence, but until it was over, she wouldn’t feel at ease. Part of her would remain afraid. Having the power to take on this hunter wasn’t a guarantee of her safety, it just meant she was the only reaper who stood a chance.
Ten
Finn
Five hikers climbed the steep mountain. Their numb fingers struggled to hold their grip on the sharp crevices. The knife-like edges dug into their flesh, threatening to slice open skin from one wrong move. Ice pelted them from every angle. Arctic winds whipping around, threatening to rip each of them from the rocky surface and throw their bodies onto the jagged rocks below.
No amount of clothing was enough to protect them from the bitter cold. Half their group had already been lost to the elements with in a few days into their journey.
Finn led the pathetically minuscule group further up the mountain.
He pulled himself tight against the frozen rock and chanced a look upward. They were close now. The top ridge came into view through the impossibly thick clouds and blinding flurries.
Finn pushed his mouth cover off with his shoulder and called down to the others. “Keep going! We are almost there!” He waved an arm and pointed to the top. Though his words were stolen by the fierce winds, they understood his meaning. A few more hours and they would be at the top. After centuries of looking, all their work would finally pay off.
The smallest of the group slowed to catch her breath. She risked her grip and pushed her ice-covered strands of hair out of her face with no success. Giving up on the frozen nest, she reached up, and pulled herself farther along. The brittle rock crumbled. Her foot slipped out from beneath her, and she began to slide on the icy surface. Her other foot slipped out from under her, and she let out a piercing scream. Arms flailing, she searched to find something to grab onto as she slid down the rock, past the others. The figures watched as she fell, hugging the side of the mountain, careful not to get in the way so she wouldn’t take them with her. For any of them to reach out would be to risk their own death.
Finn’s heart stopped. Panic gripped him, and despite the bitter winds, beads of sweat formed on his lip.
“Michael!” He shouted down.
A hand shot out, catching her by the wrist. She cried out in pain from the violent stop. Michael pulled her up until she once again found her footing.
“Be careful, Karen! We have to be getting close by now!” The man who saved her yelled into her ear, his voice only a whisper in the howling wind. Karen nodded, her body shaking. Pushing her body against the rough rocks in front of him, he shielded her. She would finish the climb with him.
Gritting his teeth, Finn watched Michael rescue the petite blonde. He refused to lose another of their already small group. They couldn’t risk it. The fewer they had, the weaker their powers would be. His shoulders tightened as adrenaline shot though his body.
The figures continued to climb. Doubt and fear crept in to their minds that a landing even waited for them at the top of the mountain. Finn prayed that the summit was more than an illusion brought on by the freezing temperatures.
After seemingly decades of climbing, Finn’s hand reached a soft warm ledge. They’d reached the top. His fingers gripped at the warm grasses and damp soil, and pulled himself up. He wanted nothing more than to lay in the grass and sleep. But there would be time for that later. Finn turned and reached over the edge to help the others up. One after another, they pulled themselves over and turned to assist those behind them. This leg of the journey wouldn’t end until they were all safe on solid ground. The five figures stood for a brief moment, exhausted smiles gracing their faces, before their bodies gave out and they collapsed in a heap, panting.
The clouds cleared, revealing a tropical forest. The plateau stretched out for what looked like miles, much larger than anything that should be at the top of any mountain. Heat radiated all around them in waves. Within moments they were drenched in sweat, forced to remove their extra layers and protective gear. Searching wordlessly through their packs, they pulled out their deep red protective ceremonial cloaks.
No one spoke. They didn’t want to waste the energy. This was the first chance they had to sit and eat in comfort in weeks. Tonight they would sleep without the fear of freezing in the middle of the night.
Finn stood up and addressed his group. “Karen,” he turned to address the female. “Go in search of berries and roots for the group. Don’t stray too far. Make sure we are close enough to hear you. We don’t know what dangers this place might hold.”
She nodded, grabbed her knife from her pack, and walked into the jungle.
A young man stood up, his blond hair matted against his head. “I will get the firewood. The rest can set up camp.”
“Very good, Daniel. As soon as we settle in, we will eat and rest. We’ll set out before dawn.” With that, he turned and walked into the forest in search of water.
Hours later, Finn sat down at the base of a tree and leaned back, full from the meal they had put together. From here he could keep watch on what remained of his dwindling group. The others sat around the fire and spoke in hushed voices. Night had fallen, and with it, so had the temperature. Finn leaned his head against the rough bark of the tree, and heaved a heavy sigh of relief, glad to have these four with him. Too bad the entire group hadn’t made it.
It wasn’t that he cared for any of them. He didn’t. With such a small number the task ahead of them would be a great deal more difficult. The extra power of larger numbers would have made their job easier. They had set out with ten, a group much smaller than he’d wanted. But to risk more would have been unwise. They could not afford to lose one more or this would all
have been for nothing.
Stretching out, Finn contemplated their chances. They should have spent more time searching for more to join the cause, and they should have begun their search years earlier. There was no way to know if they could complete their task with so few. Either way, now it was too late; they were almost to the end of their search. In a few short hours, they would set out in search of the hidden sanctuary.
They didn’t travel far, but the journey was tedious. Worn down bodies fought their way through thick brush and tangled vines. The hot sun beat down on them through the leaves, the humidity drenched them in sweat. At last, the group had reached the sanctuary around midday. They broke through the last of thick vines that tangled together, and created a thick wall of protection.
There she was. The one they had been searching for.
Beautiful and untouched by time, Yeva slept, lying on a white marble dais in the center of the clearing. Her fiery hair fanned out around her like a halo. Her green dress flowed over her long slender legs, and spilled over the edge of her pedestal.
Taking their places, they circled around Yeva and formed a crescent. One by one they stepped up to where she lay, placing a small token above her head to form a halo before they stepped back to their places and knelt down on both knees. Bowing in worship, they honored their creator.
Softly, a single voice began to sing the song they hoped would wake her. Her small voice echoed around them and grew louder as she sang her melody. One voice after another joined in after each round until all but one of the voices were singing together. The last voice joined in, adding the words to complete the song.
“Rise up, oh guardian of life,
Rise and search within,
Bringer of life,
Wake and breathe again.”
With each repeat of the verse, their voices rose and filled the air of the mountain that had been silent for centuries. The song continued throughout the night and even as the sun rose over the horizon. Slowly, one voice stopped, then another, until only one small voice continued on.