A Crimson Tale

by K. L. O Johnson

  “What gave you that idea?” Dante asks.

  “What…you think I’m blind Nephalem?” she taunts and Dante stands up straight and pulls his arm away from his sword—his deep blue eyes are dangerous—the scariest gaze I’ve ever seen from him. Though the next words he utters takes me by surprise.

  “If you know what I am”—his hand begins to transform and claws replace his nails— ”than you know I can kill you within a blink of an eye.”

  “You wouldn’t touch me—not when your mate is endanger—you wouldn’t risk it.” Dante begins to bubble in laughter and I scowl at him. He better not be laugh at the idea of me as his mate or I’ll kill him!

  “She’s not my mate.” He vanishes in thin air and I know the woman holding me hostage right now maybe tough but she’s as good as dead. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t skin you and eat you alive for touching her. Woman or not.” Dante’s voice is but a deadly whisper from behind us and I feel her tense.

  She’s in for it now.

  “Release her.” he orders. His voice is smooth, low and deadly. I feel her grasp loosen. I slowly step from her. I spin around and glare at her with my hands firmly on my hips. “You okay?” he asks.

  “I’ll survive.” That is true—It’s all I seem to know how to do but I’m not surprised—I may suffer but I’m a survivor and I refuse to fall to those who have harmed me in any form or by any means, emotional, mental and physical. “Look! I said I have nothing, what part of that word do you not understand?” I demand with venom. She doesn’t flinch which is a surprise though I try to suppress it. This is where I stand now, I’m frustrated and ready to punch her hard across her face, anyone who thinks women like me only slap, claw and pull hair is wrong—dead wrong—I’ll go Commando on her.

  “You lie!” she yells and I see the gleam of the silver blade under her neck and eye it carefully. In one move, she’ll fall to the ground like a wounded deer, desperately gaping in her last ounces of air before she her body eventually gives in. It is not something that I wish to happen but if she is not careful or I for that matter, on impulse she’ll be the reflecting remains of a deer.

  “Do I look like I’m carrying an army behind me—guarding my most treasured valuables?” I ask annoyed. “Does that man look like my personal body-guard?” I ask and he gives me a side glance. “You know what I mean!” I growl pulling at the tips of my hair in frustration—there are times like now I can’t seem to be able to control the rage and annoyance building within me. It’s like the time when I had to deliver a public-speech as a Knight when I was nineteen shortly after, I had managed to line our bordering countries into an alliance—it was a test, to see if I was worthy enough to wear the family name—to be followed into battle should I rise an army.

  Their eyes stuck to me like north to south by a magnetic force, to me, I stood staring down at the crowd, my nails dug into the sides of the stand where my notes were downloaded to though even now, not being able to do much about something is what bothered me than and bothers me now. I’m unsure where to go with this, I’m unsure how to go about it but eventually—I’ll have to find some way of trying to convince this woman before me. “You could be hiding it on you.” she accuses and I fight the urge to slap her.

  22:Nephalem

  © 2014—All rights reserved by author

  She really is getting on my nerves!

  “No…I have…Nothing! Do. You. Understand?” I grind my teeth forcefully shut, aiming to keep my mouth from snapping and sprawling something new at her not that it bothers me but I’m unsure of how to go about it. The task of convincing this woman before me that I’m not of value to take, after a long daunting stretch of time, she’s dishonestly convinced and I’m left with explaining to Dante what we had found, the thought of something happening to Varden did sit heavily on my nerves. We couldn’t exactly leave the town but we managed to find a stable plan—Golgotha can’t do anything to Varden because legend has it, the blood from the descendent of a royal family must be taken under a new moon.

  I eye the clearing speckled in snowflakes, cautiously, hoping silently praying that he won’t be tortured before the ritual but that exactly gives us a month to return to the Order and undergo our next operation. I just only pray time is on our side or I can kiss goodbye the idea of Varden being alive. Though, nothing seems to really have changed, Altair still is more flirtatious than before but surprisingly he doesn’t seem to be paying other women that kindness. He really can be confusing sometimes.

  Dante hasn’t spoken much. Not that I blame, him. It’s been three days since we fled Midra and we’ve spent our time not in a small Inn at the edge of the town of Mykyra. I’m not even sure if we’ll be safe here, if Varden was abducted recently—surely that proves just how dangerous this place is and the fact that not very many people come by here and in a way it’s a good thing and a bad thing…the lack of people also means the possibility of a hostile environment. “So how long do we have to sit here?” asks Lifet, I began to ask that question too myself for some time.

  “We have to stay here until we are sure it’s safe.” declares Altair. I wonder when it will ever be safe, I wonder if we’ll ever be able to have Varden recognized, I had discussed it at times with Lifet hoping that I wasn’t the only one concerned about the Royal Court. With all this that has happened I’m surprised that he hasn’t just thrown in the towel and allowed the demons to have him.

  I so don’t believe what I’m seeing before me, but, between Lifet’s tantrums which is unacceptable at his age and the frustrating sighs Dante is passing I’m finding myself turning my heel and heading to Altair’s room. I push open the door and find Altair sitting on the edge of the bed, his hands are clasped together, his elbows are placed on his knees as he stares intensely at the wall opposite him—I’m not exactly sure whether I should disturb him or not but I try not to make noise as I slowly back away and out the door only have his voice echo through the room. “Stay…” I’m caught off guard but oblige. I close the door behind me and glace at him, with worry. After some time he turns to me, “we need to talk.”

  For some reason those words: “we need to talk” is like ice in my veins. I nod and move to stand beside him and he pats the bed beside him. I glance at him and the bed and him again.

  “Don’t worry, all I want to do is talk unless…you want to go round one?” he hints and I drop down on the bed and cross my arms. Scowling a deathly glare at him not that he seems to care. He can be really annoying like that—sometimes. “It was a joke.” he says after a while and I eye him questionably, he seems to be tense and nervous. Why?

  “Are you all right?” I ask unsure how to handle his—whatever this is…

  Silence draws between my words and him after some time he answers, “No.” About time. “I…I…I think you need to go home.” He doesn’t meet my gaze and strains his gaze on the far wall. The same as before when I entered. “Just to be on the safe–”

  “Don’t!” I cut him off. “I understand, I may have contracted some disease and will die from an infection but think genius, Nerelda doesn’t exactly have the eyes of the universe now does she and even if I want to go home…right now I’m actually considering it but we can’t speak to her.” His eyes are gentle and they drift to the door behind me, a smile pulls at his lips. I’m confused by the action and turn behind me. There stands Nerelda.

  “Miss me?” she asks and I nod.

  “Of course…always.” I say, the false smoothing of my voice comes out naturally. I shield my mind before thinking, what a way to lie.

  *.*.*

  “How much longer?” I ask the short silver haired woman as she places a scanner over my arm. It blinks several times before a beep occurs indicating it’s done gathering information.

  “We done.” I glance at her wary, unsure if I want the results or not, still I need to know. Since I’ve returned to Nephelia—the home of the Nephalem—I’ve been undergoing rigorous test after test, it’s been now a whole day and they’ve
tested things from my blood, to my skin, nerves, muscles, energy levels and downstairs…that was slightly awkward on my part. I never thought I’ll have a woman down there swiping away but it was necessary I tell myself. The cool steel bench, stings my naked limbs.

  I had to remove my scales.

  She turns to her clip board and moves to the tabloid across from me, sitting comfortably upon a very clean sterling silver table. Sweeping it up in one go she begins to browse for a few moments, after several seconds which felt like hours, she finally decides to speak. “Do you want the good news or the bad news?” she asks. I take a deep breath, to calm my hammering heart, before saying.

  “Surprise me.”

  This time, I take another deeper breath than the last, knowing the previous didn’t help me. She looks at me with a gleaming smile and I can’t help but feel slightly confused by her reaction. “The bad news is, you’ll be required to stay here. Until you have completely healed.” I go to protest and she holds up her hand and I hold my tongue. “The first good news is, you won’t be alone and Captain Ismach will want to discuss your recent adventure I’m sure. You don’t have to tell him anything you don’t want to. No one does and the second is your body is sitting at seven-five per cent completion, your power center sitting at sixty you should return back to normal in no time.”

  “So I’m not powerless?” I ask, her eyes widen as she registers the hidden meaning behind my words: “can I never return to the battlefield?”

  “No, Lord no. I’m sure Nephalem can’t lose their powers in a coma. We’ll not that I’ve seen anyway and you’re blood test results do confirm that as well as the ‘Sycron’ scan.” After I’ve managed to scan my prescriptions, my medication was placed in my utility belt. I don’t understand how it could have happened but it did and does though I’m still trying to keep my head clear which is an improbable task at the moment. I have to stay on Nephelia—I could always give my newly formed fetus to Tylif and head back to Zylaria though, what good will it do if I die.

  I slouch on the couch, my mind shifts through the daunting and suppressing thoughts which seem to be the thing to get me down at the moment. I can’t seem to understand how things had turned out this way but at the same time I know how but I refuse to accept I was negligent and I’ve been punished because of it. I stare at the blue clear sky I can see through the floor to ceiling glass window, the clouds shift as slowly as I stare at one single point, after some time of staring I feel the world moving under me and I realize than I need to get a move on with things. I pull my mind from the natural wonder and stand. “There she is!” A familiar voice peers happily. I glance up.

  Mackona stands with his arms wide open.

  I’m in hysterics, I jump into his arms without a moments’ hesitation and eventually pull from him. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in Moolon.” I say. He laughs and hugs me once more and I eagerly indulge in his arms. Mackona has been my friend for as long as I can remember, on the first day of my new school on this world, I remember the stony blue eyes and silver heads of the students who turned to me with an impassive yet scrutinizing gaze. It was unnerving, their presence only made the hair on my Idol form rise, at the time I was sure that I was human because even in the Virtual Arena we had to fight monsters using our powers and I at the time as a human had difficulty.

  “She’s no warrior.” snickered on of my classmates, loud enough, that she hoped to hurt me. “But a weakling.”

  “Maybe you should go back to your own world, human!” called a boy, lanky and tall. He was a complete bully and aimed each day to make my life living hell.

  We had spent hours together and he helped me relax. He helped me to forget about the stress of telling a man who would rather spend his time with women than with children. I honestly don’t see him as a father. “When are you going to tell him?” he asks.

  “I don’t know?” I admit almost scared, somewhat wary of the future. He wraps his arm around me and I lean in.

  “Fine let me ask you this…do you trust him?” he inquires. I nod, unable to speak instead, I stare out at over the deep blue ocean. The bright blue sky and fluffy clouds only complement the tranquil day. We may be at war but we refuse to allow any battles on our world. This is our home. This is our sanctuary and I’ll be damned if I allowed some pesky demons to do me some harm.

  “Ahem…” a voice breaks through and I freeze. I know that voice and immediately, I push myself from Mo and glance at Altair who’s glaring at Mo with icy daggers.

  “Lord Altair,” begins Mo. “How is everything? Are you enjoying being off the front-lines? You should tell me all about your adventures some time.”

  Altair continues to glare with his arms crossed over his shoulders.

  “May I borrow Kalverya?” he asks and I stiffen. That tone is colder than his eyes and I feel it tickling my spin making me internally shudder. The effect this man can have on me at times is illogical. “Kal.” he says and holds out his hand. I stand and weave around the bench, I place my hand in Altair’s and we turn and leave. I peek over my shoulder once more at Mo and he just shrugs an apologetic shrug and I attempt to force a smile that I didn’t feel it may have come out halfheartedly.

  I glance down at the pavement before us and take in the detail of the silver-white mosaic design, our feet are silent and the grass is ever green and well-trimmed. I only than realize that Altair has threaded my arm through his and has clasped my hand under his on his forearm. I try not to yank out my arm but it’s difficult—we’ve never walked like this, before. I try not to say anything because it may come out cruel. I shield my mind and think, why do I always have to be the good guy? I bite my bottom lip to keep my mouth from repeating my thoughts.

  “What’s wrong?” his voice is like velvet to my ears and I fight the impending chances of my heart skipping a bit. I glance at him with confusion.

  “What makes you think something’s wrong?” I ask.

  “Easy. You’re never this quiet when you’re okay.” I scowl at him but his eyes seem to flicker deeper blue shade and I can’t help but stare at him. I can’t lie to him I know that much and on top of which I don’t want to.

  “My powers are returning.” I confess, half the truth. I want to ask him if he’ll come with me or maybe Dante or maybe I’ll have to go alone.

  “That’s great.” he says. I don’t look at him.

  “And I should be allowed back onto the front-lines soon.” His eyes go dark. Instead I whisper, “There’s something I need to talk to you about.” I say in reference to the plan that’s forming in my mind, slowly but carefully—I need to return to Zylaria, Mo knows this much but he and I both know Altair, Dante and my grandmother won’t like it. His eyes flicker with confusion and uncertainty for a moment and I believe I saw a glaze of fear sweep across his deep blue alluring eyes. I glance down at our hands. “I’m not sure when the right time is, though…”—I want to know you won’t run away— ”this is really important.”

  “How can it possibly be that important?” I glare at him once more. “What?” I slip my hand from his and walk on ahead. I enter the veranda and glance back over my shoulder and see him walking towards me with a confused gesture, his expression is the reflection of his gesticulation.

  “It’ can’t be that important, right?” he suggests and I snap.

  “How can you possibly know if you never even considered it?” I growl. He can be an absolute idiot at times, I turn my heel and march inside the large silver palace, guards are stationed on either side of the archway and they stiffen as I glide by or rather stalk by as I hear a voice that sends chills down my spine every time.

  “Don’t you dare slouch!” she growls. I turn to the source of the voice and my hunch is confirmed. The lady of Cordial, it’s all familiar her eyes, deep claws and sharp teeth identify her as non-other than; Madam Rougé. She storms towards me, “How many times have I told you? You’re a lady and a woman, it won’t do your children any good should you slouch!” I have ye
t to understand what she means by that, Nephalem children are handed to Tylif to grow from a fetus to a mockery of a third-trimester. I force my back up straight which I didn’t realize hunched over so much in my raging mode. I glance over my shoulder and see Altair striding towards me.

  “Will you slow down!” he demands once he’s beside me.

  “Why would I need to? You can catch me at any time you please!” I snap with my arms crossing over my body once I’ve turned to face him. My mood still flares and I can see that he too refuses to back down. ’You are such a frustrating man!’ I growl and he grinds he’s teeth.

  ‘Why are you so worked up?’ The sound of clapping occurs beside us. So close that I feel my ears were going to pop, realizing that I wasn’t the only one as well that seems to have been affected by the strong clapping of Madam Rougé. Though I really wish she would keep things to a minimum especially when it comes to catching our sensitive senses. I don’t mind but she can at least try and keep from intentionally dulling our sensitive hearing.

  “Enough you two! Even though you think you’re having a private conversation. It’s far from it.” I stare at her confused and glance back at Altair who also has an expression of confusion and misunderstanding wrapped across his features. I don’t blame him but I glance back at Madam Rougé as her icy blue eyes pierce our form. I refuse to fall victim to a woman who seems to have caused so much trouble in a small about of time. “What is going on this time?” she demands with her hands upon her curvaceous hips, the blue fleecy material lined in silver, covers her scales from her V neckline down to the ground where the gown trails behind her like all women of aristocracy.

  “It’s not my fault!” growls Altair, “she’s chucking a tantrum!” He casually gestures at me. I spin around, to face him once more.