“I’m sorry, brother, for everything I’ve done.” And then he was gone. He moved with a god’s speed, a blur across the land. His black and golden magic erupted beneath him, rocketing him into the air. He flew over the portal, his black coat flapping behind him. He met Rayan mid-fall and wrapped his arms around her. His magic drilled into the cliff and they both jerked to a stop.
The portal screamed, reaching up toward them. Drake held on for dear life, but the portal’s arms had a hold of his legs. The cliff began to break away, dirt and rocks falling into the abyss. Drake screamed, struggling to keep his hold, but Ithreal hadn’t been strong enough, and neither was he.
A crescendo of power built on the air—streaks of black and gold forming between Drake and Rayna. As the energy grew, the air became a static charge and the world fell impossibly silent. Even the portal was void of sound. A thunderous crackle broke the stillness, and the magic between Rayna and the Dark Brother erupted. Rayna’s body flailed across the air, over the portal, and she hit the ground hard, rolling along the earth.
The portal screamed in revolt and something spiraled through the air. The glass blade hit the ground, sticking into the earth. Black tendrils marred with streaks of grey followed the blade and shot out from the portal, clawing at the ground around it. Ithreal’s roar could be heard from deep within the abyss, and one after another, more tendrils crawled out of the hole.
Drake Sellowind looked over his shoulder, his black eyes searching mine. He forced a smiled across his moonlit features and nodded, and then he let go.
His body was gone in an instant, the portal devouring it like a speck of dust in the air. Grayed tendrils clawed at the earth, but then for the first time since it opened, the portal shifted. A wave of golden magic shimmered over the surface, and Ithreal screamed.
The portal churned, smoke rising from the surface as it spiraled up in a cloud of black. It moved around the cliff, rising into the air and twirling like a slow moving cyclone. Strings of gold magic decorated the funnel and power surged outward as the cloud rose. It spun faster and faster, sending rock and debris flying as the sky sucked the portal into the air.
The dark clouds broke apart, drifting in opposite directions. Thunder rolled and lightning flashed inside them until they had dissipated on the air. The night’s sky was upon us again, tiny pinholes shining through the other side of a tranquil backdrop. In the distance, a faint hue of pink, red, and orange pierced the skyline. It was over.
I hadn’t tried to stand up. I stared at the island of land that jutted from the earth, and the image of Drake falling into the portal replayed through my mind. It needed Ithreal’s blood to sate its hunger, and Drake was just that.
Victory should have flourished inside me, but it didn’t. We hadn’t won. We couldn’t call it that. We outlasted our opponent and it came at much too high a cost. Everyone lost something in this fight. They were pieces we’d never get back; ashes belonging to the wind on which they travelled. Ithreal had been banished back to his hellish prison, but this battle had left scars: everlasting reminders of struggle, pain, and life. It would never be forgotten, and the memory of those who fought would never die. They would move on the wind, grow from the soil, burn in the fire, flash from the sky, and rain life over the earth. They would be remembered as those who endured darkness and risked their lives so that others could live. Just like the tree’s memory would live on in me, their memory would become eternal, and each of those warriors would forever be remembered as a Protector.
Epilogue
After the portal closed, the war ended. Ithreal’s Unborn turned to smoke and ash the moment it was gone, and the rest of the demons vanished back through the portals in which they’d come. There was no celebration; too much had been lost. Instead, all our allies returned to their dimensions with the freedom they’d come to fight for.
I honored Drake’s life and his sacrifice with his own private funeral. There was no body, so I buried the glass sword on a hill in Drakar overlooking the market. Blue and red grass surrounded his grave and colorful flowers grew plentifully over the soil. If it wasn’t for him, none of this would’ve happened, but in the end he gave us back what we fought for: the chance to choose, the chance to live, and the chance to love. I was the only one who attended, and I didn’t have much to say. So I told him thank you and I left. I haven’t been back since.
Tiki was welcomed back into the Suriattas clan as a prince, and offered a throne beside the Queen. He respectfully declined and opted to keep his freedom instead. He spent a little time travelling the dimensions, searching for a new purpose, but eventually returned to Earth and to be a part of what was left of our family. He believes for now he’s meant to enjoy the immortality he was blessed with.
Vincent’s first order of business was to claim his spot back at the top of Stonewall’s Underworld. It didn’t take him long, especially when threatening the Protector would come around. I had no intention of helping him in his business, but the rest of the Underworld didn’t know that.
After reclaiming his self-proclaimed throne, he returned to Italy to meet with the Sovereign. He had hoped to finally establish a connection with them and have turned vampires recognized as a part of their culture. He was beaten and turned away with the threat of death should he ever return.
The other Circles came together and worked on rebuilding the Northeastern district, but not in Stonewall. This time they went right to the heart of the state, and now operate out of New York City. Rayna and I were asked to act as elders in the council. We both declined, but occasionally consult with them.
Rayna’s father had been badly hurt in the fight with Ithreal, but he survived. After things had started to settle, she reached out to him. She keeps things simple and has no plans to call him dad, but they’re friends now and that’s a start.
Marcus’s will left Rayna enough money to repair the condo. The other Circles chipped in and gave him an honorable funeral. He was buried in the Stonewall memorial graveyard next to my mother. Rayna and I visit every month to lay fresh flowers, but we think about him daily. I say a prayer for both of them each night and sometimes when I’m alone, I pretend she’s still sitting beside me, holding a book in her hand.
After the war, I summoned Elyas a final time, demanding my mother be released from whatever private hell she was in. Elyas assured me it had been done, and that night I dreamt about her. She was happy and at peace. I like to imagine that Marcus is there with her, and they’re happy together.
Willy’s memories were fresh in my mind, but I never saw him again. Even in my dreams when I visited the Fade, he never came around, but occasionally I could hear the howling of a wolf from somewhere deep in the Fade’s woods.
Rayna and I haven’t heard from Serephina or any of the other gods. Whatever they did in the Otherworld they kept to themselves, and we were just fine with that. I wanted nothing more than to live a normal life now, but what was normal when you weren’t human? It didn’t matter. I had Rayna and Tiki, and even when I didn’t want him, I had Vincent—we were family.
******
The microwave beeped and I pulled the bag apart at the seams. Steam rose from the bowl, the smell of butter and salt wafted in the air. It was strange to smell something so mundane, and I had to stop and revel in the moment. At this point I didn’t take anything for granted. I knew as well as any of my friends that life was all about these moments. The small ones I once passed off as forgettable were now the ones I held onto the tightest.
“Chase, hurry up, the movie is about to start.” Rayna was frustrated already and I could practically feel her rolling her eyes.
I couldn’t help but smile. I almost looked forward to those eye rolls now. “I’m coming, just give me a second.”
With popcorn in hand I stepped down into condo’s living room. Rai fluttered around me, pecking at the bowl. She cheeped wildly and settled on the back of the couch. Rayna was wrapped beneath a blanket wearing pajama pants and a tank top. Her hair was tied b
ack in a ponytail and her green eyes glanced up at me.
“Hurry.” She smirked.
“You know we’re at home, right? You can just pause it and wait for everyone else.”
Rayna looked at the remote on the table in front of her. “But the remote is so far.”
I glanced at it and shook my head, hitting the pause button.
“Is this a toothbrush, because I think I need something smaller. That, or I’m not doing it right.” Tiki held up a white brush stained with brown spots.
Rayna and I looked at one another and burst into laughter.
Vincent walked past Tiki and cringed. “Please tell me you didn’t put that in your mouth.”
Tiki shrugged. “Everyone complains that my breath stinks. This is what I do to make it smell all fresh, right? I want it to be minty like Chase’s after he showers.”
“Tiki,” Rayna chuckled. “That’s a toilet brush.”
Tiki glanced at it and nodded. “I thought it was a little rough. It cut my gums at first.”
“Gross!” Rayna cringed, pulling the blanket up over her face.
“The toothbrushes are in the drawer in the bathroom. They’re a little smaller than that,” I said.
“Oh,” Tiki shrugged and disappeared back up the stairs.
“My goodness, it’s been six months since that wretched war ended and you still haven’t taught him how to brush his teeth? Some friends you are.” Vincent reached out and scooped up a handful of popcorn.
The front door opened and slammed shut, the smell of cigarettes filling the air. We all cringed and shuddered as the tapping of bright orange shoes came into the room. “Look at this place, what a mess! Lazy ass kids.” Grams shared her glare with Rayna and me.
“Where are Chief and Jax?” I asked.
“How the hell should I know? Do you think every time they need a walk I get a leash?”
“So glad you could make it,” Rayna said.
“Yeah, yeah. Let’s just get this over with.”
“We’re waiting for Tiki,” I said.
“Who? Oh, that one with the eyes? Screw him, the movie is starting. I ain’t got all night for this crap.” Grams reached out and pressed play on the remote. She plopped down beside me, ashing into the popcorn bowl. “And you two!” Grams glared at Rayna and me. “Dinner on Friday night. If you try to skip out on this one, I’ll hang you up by your ears.” Grams’s eyes were narrowed and focused. Rayna reached over and wrapped her hand in mine, and I closed my eyes for a second to enjoy the warmth. “And don’t give me that crap about being sick again. Demons and demigods don’t get sick!”
I smiled. “We’ll be there.”
The End
About The Author
M.R. Merrick is a Canadian writer, and author of The Protector series. Having never traveled, he adventures to far off lands through his imagination and in between cups of coffee. As a music lover and proud breakfast enthusiast, he’s usually found at the computer between a pair of headphones and a bowl of cereal.
Connect with Matthew
www.mrmerrick.net
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