The Last Light Series Omnibus One: - The Dreamer and the Deceiver - All Things Eternal - Ode to the King: A Superhero Epic Fantasy Collection (The Last Light Collection Book 1)

by Alex Villavasso

  “Emil, what do you mean?”

  “From the days when you were a little girl, they’ve always said that Abnormals were nothing but monsters...demons with the appearance of mankind. Do you think that it’s true?”

  “How could I?” Marona brashly responded, overshadowing the hurt she felt from Emil’s question. “You, Omari, and Skye have done nothing but be there for me! Ever since I met you in the forest, I’ve been by your side! Skye and Omari saved my life! How could you even ask? I don’t care about what they say about you guys, or what anybody else says, for that matter. They’re a bunch of jackasses! We can live together...in harmony. No matter what they say, know that, Emil, and never forget.”

  Emil squinted as an ominous wind blew by his face, hardening his gaze. It was cold and dead. The unwelcomed stench of soot and ash brushed underneath his nose, causing him to tuck his head in remission. “You’re right...I’m sorry. And you, blacksmith...are you afraid?” As if the wind itself had guided him, Emil turned his head back to where the blacksmith stood in the safety of the church. The slow burning fire in Emil’s eyes struck the blacksmith as he watched him from a far, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words while Emil waited for his response. “I see,” Emil responded softly and shifted his body away from him. “Omari, what do we do now?”

  “Reinforcements from the vanguard are most likely on their way to provide relief to those still in the city square. A lot of civilians were wounded, along with their armed forces, so it would be wise to assume that their first priority is to stabilize that area and help those in need. As much as it hurts me to say, all we can do is wait.” Omari’s brow visibly sunk deeper, his distress adding years to his features. “Skye spent the majority of her energy tending to us...you only gained consciousness moments ago. None of us are in fighting condition, and the second we reveal who we are, we’ll be targets. With the extra soldiers and possible backing of Legion, our chances would be next to nothing. We could possibly help with our gifts, but those very gifts would leave us as targets for the enemy. Our involvement in the long term would only hurt our efforts.”

  Emil drew back from the conversation, heeding Omari’s words with the upmost respect. He then turned back to the coming wind. Though their bond had grown stronger through their time together, there was much to Omari that Emil had yet to learn. His village was attacked, the man he risked his life for viewed him with biased eyes, and after the events of today, the people he vowed to protect were certain to hate his kind even more. All these things transpired, but still, Omari stood in his quiet strength holding on to the dream that he hoped would someday become a reality.

  Chapter 9: Omari’s Heart Part Three—Omari and the Saint

  11 Years Ago

  “Oh my, what lovely eyes you have. And what might your name be?”

  “My name is Skye. Nice to meet you.”

  “Well, Skye, you have the eyes of an angel and the elegance of one, as well,” the old man that towered over the duo said as he moved his hand closer to Skye’s cheek to brush aside the stray hairs that rested over her left eye.

  “Fuck off, old man, she’s not for sale.” Omari batted the old man’s hand away from his sister and returned a glare to the old man who appeared too eager to get to know them. The old man winced and pulled back his hand, rubbing where Omari’s hand had bruised him.

  “And what might your name be?” the old man asked with the same curiosity as he harbored for Skye.

  “Who I am is none of your concern. Now leave us alone before I make you regret your life decisions, pervert.” With his hidden hand, Omari reached for the knife that rested snuggly in his back pocket, ready to use whatever force necessary to deter the man before him. Skye, noticing her brother’s uneasiness, glanced in Omari’s direction, silently broadcasting her concern.

  “Nonsense!” the old man said as he crouched down to Omari’s level. “Everyone has a name, so out with it!” His old face bore a smile that heavily contrasted the frown that was forced upon Omari’s face. Life hadn’t treated him or Skye as fair as he had hoped. The past few months, rougher than the rest. For someone to go out of their way to talk to them while they sat was unprecedented in the slums. Outside of conmen, extortionists, robbers, and the like, conversations were often only out of strife.

  Skye glanced at her brother again in hopes that her urgency could be felt from her expression. In what she was able to feel from the man, he was different from the others. A good man. As she watched their exchange, she prayed that the world had not yet fully hardened her brother’s heart to the people that inhabited it.

  What’s his problem? Omari thought to himself as he stared at the old man who was squatted to his level. The old man’s sincere eyes eased Omari for a moment, temporarily stripping him of his will to lash out at the man who questioned him. “My name... My name is Omari.” Omari exhaled. “What do you want with us?” Omari’s guard was still raised, denying the stranger any form of rapport. The old man smiled and stood to his feet, brushing off Omari’s brash attitude.

  “Omari.” He paused to reflect as the noon sun seemed to catch his eyes at the perfect angle. “Do you know what your name means?” The old man looked to Omari, his face still hard and unmoving. “Your name means God the highest...did you know that? Your parents picked a well fitted name. Speaking of which...” The old man’s face sunk as his wrinkles depressed across his forehead. “Where are they? Are they nearby?”

  “No, it’s just us.”

  “Oh my, you and your friend—”

  “My sister,” Omari sternly blurted.

  “You and your sister are out here all alone, huh? And for how long?” The old man studied Omari’s face as he waited for his answer. It was no secret that Omari and Skye were orphans that adopted the slums as their home. Their tattered clothing and dirty faces told the story that both of them were too resilient to tell.

  “For as long as I can remember, but we’re just fine on our own,” Omari scowled. “If you’re so concerned, throw a few coins our way and leave us alone.” Unmoved, the old man began to fumble through the pockets of his white garb until he managed to gather three gold coins. Omari’s smug expression lifted at the sight of the coins that the old man held, and he instantly reached for them.

  “They’re not yours yet,” the old man said as he pulled his hand back just short of Omari’s reach.

  Damn it, old man.

  “First, tell me why you haven’t enrolled into one of the shelters that the city offers. Surely, they’d provide a better life than one out here. A roof over your head, a warm meal, a bed to sleep on. I’m sure your sister would appreciate it. These streets are not safe for a girl her age, or for you, for that matter.”

  “The shelters wouldn’t take us. We tried but they turned their back to us,” Omari lied but it wasn’t a far shot from the truth. With Skye’s power not fully under control, a flare up would result in either her death or her being taken away. If the king’s men heard of her, he would then be forced to fight and reveal his gifts as well, solidifying their status as Abnormals. He’d rather live on the streets than risk losing her, the only family he had left. “Now can I have my money, sir?”

  “They turned you away?” The old man’s frown deepened. “That’s most unfortunate...and you never thought to go back?”

  “I’d rather not go where I’m unwanted.”

  “Sometimes that is precisely where we must go.”

  “Thanks for the words of wisdom. I’ll be sure to pin it up with all the other life lessons I get from perverts who prey on little girls.”

  “Omari, stop it! You know he’s not like that!”

  “So much anger, Omari.” The old man compassionately sighed as the look of anguish surfaced across his face. “For you to be so young and cynical only shows me how unfavorable the world has treated you. But I ask, what example does your behavior set to your sister? Not all people in this world are bad, despite what you have come to know thus far in your life. Rejecting the kindn
ess of others simply because of the transgressors of your past is no way to live life. If you stay on this road, Omari, tell me, what will become of it? These old eyes have seen so many like you in all walks of life. Don’t allow your anger to consume you. It’ll only blind you to all the good the world has to offer.” Omari growled under his breath when met with the old man’s sincere words, fully aware of the truth that his wisdom held.

  “What’s it matter to you?”

  “The people of this city have failed the both of you, myself included. I, like the many others of this place, have turned a blind eye to those who suffer. Given my prior line of work, it’s most unacceptable. For a while now, every so often when I passed through this part of town, I’d see the two of you, making it somehow, praying for the best, but never once have I intervened. In all my years I’ve devoted to helping others, I found myself apathetic to the cause in my old age, casting aside all that I’ve known and living my life in solitude, distraught from the cruelty of others. And for that, I’m sorry.” The tension that Omari fiercely clung to left his body, leaving him open to the old man’s heartfelt apology.

  He’s...sorry?

  “Beneath the calluses you carry on your heart, I see a beautiful spirit. The sacrifices you’ve made for your sister all these years and the hardships you’ve endured... I can see it in your face. You want the best for her, that is certain.” Omari gasped at the old man’s statement, unsure of what to believe. “In my hand I still hold these three gold coins, and they are gladly yours. If you so choose to take my gift and never see me again, I only ask that you don’t allow the world to crush your spirit as it once did mine.”

  This doesn’t make any sense. Why would he go out of his way like this for...us?

  Confused and shaken by the old man’s kindness, Omari’s hand wavered as he slowly began to reach for the coins he so desired, skeptical of the possible repercussions. Three gold coins would be enough for a decent room and three meals a day for a week for him and his sister. As Omari’s hand grew closer to the coins, his eyes grew moist at the thought of a moment’s rest from the Hell he had been trapped in for most of his life.

  Noticing Omari’s urgency, the old man gently pulled back his hand, enclosing the coins within his palm. “However, there is a second option that exists as well.” Having his dream ripped from him almost brought tears to Omari’s eyes as the coins receded from his view.

  “You and your sister can leave this money behind and live with me and serve as my stewards. Your rooming and meals will be provided for at my property in Everrmore. It’s an old church not too far from here. In addition, you will both receive a weekly allowance for your services at the estate.”

  “So you want us to be your servants?”

  “Stewards,” the old man interjected. “There is a fine difference. If you two were to accept my offer, you’d be able to quit at anytime you see fit. No one is forcing anything of you. Your services will be of your own accord.”

  “Why us? Downtown, tons of people line up for work every day. If you’ve been here before, I’m sure you saw them.”

  “Is there a reason that I shouldn’t? You are a prideful young man, Omari. I see a portion of myself from my younger days in you. I am an old man. Every day I grow weaker while the youth grow stronger. I require assistance in my frailty.”

  “Humph. You don’t look too frail to me, old man,” Omari blurted with an air of skepticism.

  “A life of harsh circumstances can toughen the body, but it wounds the soul. You see it. Your sister sees it, I’m sure. I only warn you because the path you risk facing is the same one I endured...perhaps my situation is not ideal for you, but consider your sister at least, of all things.”

  “Wait! Can you give us a minute?”

  “Certainly.”

  Omari turned away from the old man and grabbed Skye’s hand as they briskly walked to a spot where they could talk in private.

  “So what’s the verdict, Skye? I can’t get a good read on him. Did you see anything?” Omari said as he released her sister.

  “He’s good...and you can stop being such a jerk to him. Not everyone is out to get us. Can’t you see that he’s trying to help? Even without my powers I can see that.”

  “So you want to go with him?”

  “Not just me, the both of us.”

  “What about our powers? What if he finds out what we are?”

  “We’re human...and I’ll be able to keep my powers in check. I’ve been better with them. He said that we could leave at any time we wanted, so warp us away if we need to run, but I doubt he’ll be afraid even if we show our true colors. Either way, it’s our chance for something better, and we should take it. He has a good soul...and I don’t want to die out here.”

  “Skye...” Omari saw the glimmer of hope that sparkled in his sister’s eyes, shining once again after being dim for so long. “We’ll take the offer. I’m sorry for being so brash back there. I was just trying to look out for you. We’re all we got.”

  “I know. But I think that’s going to be changing soon,” Skye said as a smile began to emerge from the cracks of her lips.

  Together, the duo emerged from their brief discussion, eager to accept the old man’s offer.

  “So what did the young lady say?” the old man jested as he watched them approach.

  “We’ll accept your offer, sir,” Omari said as he bowed. “We shall serve as your stewards.” The old man chuckled at Omari’s grand gesture as he moved past him. “Bowing is not necessary my boy. Not necessary at all!” Omari’s cheeks grew flushed as he stared at the floor where he then saw Skye’s face cut in from beneath as she pointed and silently laughed, mocking her brother. “And sir is too formal. Silas will do, as will old man, seeing that you already have developed a preference. There is no use denying what I am.” Silas smirked at his own newly found amusement of the duo he had adopted into his care. “Pack your things. We head for Everrmore in the morning.”

  AND SO IT BEGAN—THE mentorship between Omari, Skye, and the Saint, Silas. Moments after their agreement was made, provisions were made for each of them for a room to themselves at a local tavern for the night. Once there, both Omari and Skye were well accommodated, given the luxury of hot water that comforted the body and a fresh meal that soothed the soul. By the time night fell upon the tavern, Silas was able to rest easy knowing that he had changed the life of Omari and Skye for the better and with a little luck, forever.

  As time moved forward, Skye and Omari’s relationship with Silas grew. Under his nurturing care, their rough past became nothing but a shadow of their former lives, a reoccurring nightmare that haunted them no more. He was understanding, loving, and kind—a prime example of the theology he preached to the masses long ago when time was not against him. In the eight years that passed, Silas devoted the remainder of his life to teaching Omari and Skye all that he learned in his life through his travels and his studies, imparting the same spirit that resided within him.

  “OLD MAN, I’M READY for our training session today,” Omari said as he walked into Silas’s room, where he found him on his bed, resting near the window.

  “After all these years, you still insist of calling me ‘old man.’” Silas began to laugh but a cough abruptly seized the moment from him. “I let you have your fun when you were younger, but now, I am indeed far past my prime. You’ve learned everything I’ve had to teach you and more. Even my old eyes can see that you’ve been going easy on me. You bested me months ago in our last session without much effort. My brittle bones can only endure so much, even with your sister’s touch, I age. Consider this our final session.” Omari said nothing in response to his teacher’s words. He knew Silas was right. He was old. Very old.

  In the past, his old age rarely inhibited him from showing Omari and Skye the art of combat, but as Silas grew weaker, Omari and Skye grew stronger.

  As children, Silas, not knowing their true abilities, taught them what he knew of combat from his days of a merce
nary before he accepted his priesthood. Seeing the two in the condition that they were in when he first found them inspired him to teach them self-defense in case they were to leave his care or had the need to defend themselves. The meditative aspect of martial arts was another aspect that he favored. As a child, Omari took a liking to the ritualistic practices and quiet reflections before their lessons, as did Silas as a young man. The sparring sessions that young Omari endured served as an outlet to the negativity he had harbored through his years of hardship. The rush of a new challenge and the skill required to execute flawlessly made the arts a favorite past time for the young hero.

  “What are you trying to say?” Omari said, brows scrunched as he watched Silas at peace on his bed. The light shone between the shutters and gently lit the old man’s face, highlighting his worn features.

  “He’s saying, he’s about to die,” Skye said as she emerged from the hallway and into Silas’s room.

  “Skye!” Omari’s eyes flared as he bitterly glared at his sister. “Why would you say that?”

  “Omari,” the old man softly said, “don’t yell at her. It’s true. Death is something that will one day claim us all.”

  Omari, frustrated and confused, begged Skye to heal him, but she already knew what he demanded was outside of her powers.

  “I can’t...nothing is wrong. He’s just old. We’ve talked about it before, and he’s accepted it.” Skye turned away from her brother, breaking free from the grips he had on her blouse as she tried her best to stay strong. “He’s happy. He’s at peace knowing that we’ve been there for him just as much as he’s been there for us.”

  Omari sank to side of Silas’s bed and clasped the old man’s hand between his palms. “So you’re just going to lay down and die on us? You can’t go! What about Skye and me? You’re just going to leave us?”

  “Omari, my son. Out of all my time on this earth, the moments with the two of you have been the most fulfilling to my soul. In my solitude, I grew bitter, but the love and kindness you both have shown me gave me a life worth living. Your companionship brought joy to this old man’s heart and reminded me of the good the world still has to offer.”