by Laura Hawks
Mel thought deeply for an instant and the truth struck him hard. Despite Nokomis, his mother, Boralium, his family and even his friends in general whom he had blocked out so as to never be hurt again, Clarissa had managed to worm her way into his heart and touch his soul- two things he thought didn’t exist for him. He couldn’t even remember needing someone as much as he did her, wanting someone to be a part of his life, like he wanted her.
“No, I cannot. Tell me what’s happened.”
Mel waved the elder to sit on the couch in front of the blazing fire, while he took the seat opposite. After they were properly settled, Nana related the news, “Dahdahwat has captured her.” Nana let him digest that bit of information before he continued, “The increased attacks on the Guardian over the past several months has alerted the council there is a major player involved. We were unsure whom, until after our last meeting. I have been keeping an eye on her to see if I could determine from where the attacks were originating from, who might be sending them. Dahdahwat went to her apartment in the place now called Indianapolis. She transported them both to some prairie field by a forest. Odd place it was. Anyways, after a pretty good battle he subdued her and took her away. I was unable to trace where he vanished to. She was still alive but unconscious. I assume he and his accomplice will torture her to get the information they desire.”
“Fuck,” Mel exclaimed, running his hand through his hair again. His demon inside bit and gnawed to be set free so that he could hunt any who would try to harm what he realized he considered his. “So where do we start?”
Nana gave his head an imperceptible shake. “I’m unsure. As you know, Dah is also a God and he can hide very well. I hoped your connection with her or your need to find her would guide us.”
“I never tried that way.” Mel shut his eyes and focused trying to sense where Clarissa might be. It took several minutes before he felt a trace of her. It was extremely faint but none-the-less it was there. “She is still in this realm. That helps. I can feel her but just not center on her. At least not yet. When I do, we will go to her and end this.”
“No. We are not prepared to face them just yet.”
Nana stood. “You continue to search for a specific location. I’ll gather the others. We are going to need everyone to stop this. It won’t be as easy as you might think it is.”
“What are you not telling me?”
Mel asked with a low growl. He hated not having all the information.
“The stone is partially in play. Luckily they don’t even know it.” With that tidbit of news, Nana vanished from the realm.
“Well that’s just fucking great. Thanks for that little fucking surprise.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jes wiped the blood from his lips as he snarled down at the Guardian. “Where is the stone?”
“Don’t you ever get tired of asking the same thing over and over again? She isn’t going to answer you. I even find it pretty obvious,” Dahdahwat exclaimed in exasperation. “I think you just like having fun beating her or have her beat you.”
“I don’t enjoy either, I want the stone and I would let her go. I could care less one way or another about her, other than she is the main obstacle to achieving my goals,” Jes responded as he glared at Clarissa.
Despite her eye swollen shut and blood escaping from her broken nose, of which she now had to breathe through her mouth, she scowled back at him. “Well maybe you should lower your expectations and you won’t be so disappointed. You’re never going to get that stone while I’m alive.”
“I told you before I have no problems with that. Tell me where to find it and I’ll be more than happy to slit your throat so you won’t have to see me with it in my possession.”
“Oh yeah. That’s the best pick up line ever. Sure, baby, give it up and I’ll watch you die quickly. I bet you get lots of girls that way.”
Jes looked over at Dah. “Is she always such a smart ass?”
“How the fuck would I know? I just brought her to you three hours ago. First time I laid eyes on her.”
“Trust me, boys, I can be wittier if you actually gave me something to work with.”
Jes spun on her and punched her in the stomach, making her gasp in pain, her one good eye watered from the assault as she tried to hunch over from the onslaught but couldn’t go far since he had secured her to a tree. He had done so three times before and each time she used her telekinesis to get loose from the restraints. She played possum once free then physically attacked him when he got too close, only to be bound again and restart the whole process. Jes was getting awfully tired of playing these cat and mouse games. He tried to center on the mystic vibrations of the gem but they were too scattered. It seemed as if there were many pebbles tossed into a pond with widening ripples each clashing against each other.
Jes was about to interrogate the Guardian once again, with persuasive inducements, when Dah suddenly stood up and startled Jes. Dah tilted his head as if listening to something unheard by others.
“An emergency council meeting has been called. They might have realized she is missing. I’ll go see what they know and report back to you. Get the fucking information out of her already. We are running out of time.”
Without waiting for acknowledgement, Dah vanished. Within moments, Dah approached the rest of the council members who all appeared to be waiting for him. “Am I late?” he questioned quizzically, suddenly worried and wondered if he should be running instead of moving closer to them.
When he realized they were surrounding him, he stopped and started backing up.
“Where is the Guardian?”
“Why are you helping him?”
“What have you done with the wolf?”
“Where is the stone?”
“Did you find the gem?”
Dah realized he had been found out and without one word, he dematerialized immediately heading back to Jes, who was no longer alone.
Jes looked up from his conference with Nokomis, Beloitah, the God of Sleep, Manitumis and the Goddess of the Morning Star, Astaria. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Dah’s approach.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Jes growled.
Dah stopped. “What do you mean?”
“They know you took the Guardian!”
“I know. They were attempting to capture me. I fled.”
“Are you a compete fucking idiot? You probably just led them to us!”
No sooner had Jes finished completing that sentence when Azamel appeared at the head of twenty Gods and Goddesses, including Nanabozho, Chipiapoos, Ictinike, Deganiwada, Michabochel, Hamedicus, Ockebewis, Genetaska, the God of the Sun, Hino and many others. The fury on Azamel’s face was readily apparent as he looked around their current surroundings.
Mel’s eyes found Clarissa hanging limply against a tree where she was tied, ropes around her waist, legs and arms. Her face was swollen with one eye shut and her features had already started to discolor. One arm, though tied, hung oddly and upon a closer look he could see a bone protruding slightly from the tear in her clothing. His fists clenched as his eyes narrowed and turned back to his brother. He would kill him for his treatment of the Guardian. Jes was a God; she barely had a chance against him. Although, upon closer examination, an inward part of Mel smirked as he noticed Jes didn’t get away unscathed. Even though Jes as an omnipotent being could heal faster, Clarissa managed to get some decent licks in as Jes still showed signs of physical damage.
Jes quickly glanced at the others who backed Azamel before he turned his gaze back to his sibling. He could readily discern the vehemence Mel emitted. Jes was well aware he was outnumbered three to one but he had an ace up his sleeve and he guessed it was time he pulled it out and played it. In the blink of an eye, Clarissa was tightly within his arms, a knife held against her throat so tightly he pierced the skin as a droplet of blood slid down the white column of her throat. “Stay back, or she dies and I’m not kidding.”
Azamel had started to ta
ke a step towards them, until he realized that Jes would stoop so low as to use her as his hostage.
“You have lost, brother. Give it up and release her.”
“That’s where you’re wrong and don’t call me brother. You’re weak. You’re no sibling of mine. You actually fell in love with her. Don’t deny it. Your feelings for her literally scream with every breath you take.”
“So what? You think that gives you the right to just take her life? I set her free just to keep her safe. I know she cannot be mine. You’re right, I care enough about her to release her back into the human realm to find someone she could be with forever.”
Clarissa stayed pressed against Jes’ form. Still, as she listened to the two brothers discuss her as if she were not there or surrounded by so many. The collaborators of Jes had just appeared not more than a couple of minutes before Azamel and the others did. The stances they all took as well as the tension in the air was so thick it was palpable. Clarissa decided to bide her time to wait and see what would happen before she fought against the arm which held her so tightly. Jes thought he had her immobile and therefore at a disadvantage. Even after she managed to fight, holding her own against his powers, he still underestimated her and she counted on that to continue while she observed all that was occurring around her as she tried to access the situation.
Jes’ accomplices moved closer to him, standing behind and aside of him in an inverted ‘v’ formation, mirroring the much fuller angle of geese flying formation made behind Azamel. Chip was at Mel’s right side and frowned as he saw Beloitah side with their elder son.
Mel felt a momentary twinge as he couldn’t help but realize both his mother and a woman he once cared about championed Jes but then his eyes caught Clarissa in Jes’ grasp and it didn’t matter to him who Jes had support from. Clarissa was his. Even his inner demon claimed her and he wasn’t about to give her up so easily when this was over. He would fight for her release and he would fight for him to be with her, if she wanted to at least. Gods, what if she didn’t? He mentally shook that thought from his head. He knew she loved him. He heard her cry, felt her heart break when they last saw each other. No, this time, he wouldn’t let her go so easily. First things first though, getting her free and ending this was the priority.
Nana moved up next to Mel, his eyes roamed over each of those who stood alongside Jes. He made sure each were aware of the position they willingly chose, the side they took by giving their alliance against the wishes of the elders or for the good of humanity.
Dah was the biggest disappointment to Nana. An elder, Dah was well aware of what was at stake and yet he decided to move against the council, against the humans, to throw in with Jes. Nana had to know why and addressed him while the others were quietly sizing each other up.
“Dah? Why? How could you turn your back on your brothers or your position in the pantheon?”
Dah snorted and shook his head. “You all are worried more about humanity than anything else. Had any of you pulled your head out of your ass just once in the past couple hundred years, you would’ve seen what a mess the human race is. They are worried more about land, or what religion is the right one, they overlook the beauty which had been created for them. They would rather kill each other and disrupt the delicate balance of this world than live together in love and peace. We won’t even mention how they treat the other creatures that walk the earth. How many of those in my care have suffered at their hands through experiments for such asinine things as beauty products? Or those who have perished because the waters are polluted or the ozone layer is evaporating? How about those wonderful oil spills that kill so many of my creatures who have to suffer needlessly? With another leader in charge, I can do what I need to so they are protected. I will be allowed to take the initiative, the offensive and make the ones who abuse animals, hurt them in any way, pay for their misdeeds.”
Nana lowered his head sadly. “I agree with you there are those who should fall into Gene’s realm and be judged for the damage they do to other creatures and the earth itself but interference is not our way.”
“I think that needs to change and I’m not the only one who thinks so. We should interfere, we should get in their faces and remind them we are here and they are ants to us. They need to be warned to shape up or they will be meeting the boot that will crush them for their very arrogance and disrespect.”
Nokomis nodded, joining in with her opinion, “I agree. We have let the humans get away with so much as it is. They have burned our lands. They have destroyed the ozone layer so badly, it’s all I can do keep the atmosphere strong enough to protect those few who do deserve our continued protection.”
Nana turned to Beloitah. “You are Goddess of Evil. Why?”
Beloitah laughed. Her voice raspy and slightly harsh, “Is it not obvious? He is my son. In every way and I will side with him always.”
“Azamel is your son as well. Chip your husband and they both stand in the path of righteousness.”
“Righteousness? Who is to say what is right or wrong when it comes to the human race. They sure as hell don’t know what it is. Chip will understand me. I have no concerns over his turning me away despite this. If anything, maybe he will join me. As for,” her voice became caustic as she emphasized the hated towards Azamel, her head nodded in his direction for impact, “him, he has not been my son since the day he tried to kill me.”
Chip spoke up, “You mean since the day you tried to murder him and he beat you down?”
Seeing her surprised look, he nodded. “Yes, I’m aware of what you tried to do and why, my wife. I never said anything in the millennia past because it wasn’t my concern. I figured you would eventually realize he wasn’t the horrendous creature you created in your mind. He was never interested in your realm, your place in the pantheon. He cared about you, probably even loved you at one time. Don’t use such a pathetic excuse as Mel turning against you. You have pitted one son against the other, you have favored Jes since the day he was born and detested Azamel.”
Chip turned to Nana and added, “She will always choose her eldest son over all else. Even me.”
Nana glanced over at Astaria and Manitumis, silently asking them as well why they would abandon the human cause. Both looked at each other and then Nana. In unison, they seemed to answer his question as if silently compelled, “More power.”
Nana finally turned to the God of Malignant Man.
“Jes, can’t you see, you have already lost. Surrender now and we can move beyond this. Fight against us, it will be harder to forgive without punishment.”
Nana’s eyes skimmed the others quickly. “The offer stands for all of you. Give up this foolishness, let the Guardian go and let us return to our positions of protection, not destruction.”
Jes snickered. “Really? That’s your argument to get us to capitulate?” he added sarcastically.
“Oh yes, please forgive us. Take us back into the fold of boredom and watch the things we care about dissolve around us all the while we have our thumbs stuck up our asses. Sounds like a plan. No thanks. I think I like my idea of death and destruction of the humans. Let the animals rule the earth again. Let the land rebuild itself. Let the powers of the Gods go to those who work at making sure the world is set right, not be indifferent and watch the humans turn the world into a steaming pile of shit.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Clarissa had heard enough. She wasn’t about to stand by and let her fate be decided by those who surrounded her, all because of a powerful artifact which she was chosen to protect. She refused to allow her family’s deaths to be in vain by losing control of the gem now. The Gem of Avarice, the wretched stone was to blame for all of this! Her family’s brutal demise. The war Mel warned her would come. All of it came to fruition and why? Because of that wretched stone!
Simultaneously, she stomped on Jes’ foot while her elbow found its way to his gut. She used her arm to push the blade from her throat. Grabbing his wrist as she did so, she too
k a step forward and twisted her hip. He was flipped over her body and landed on the ground, his wrist still within her tight grasp. She wrangled the knife from him so fast even the powerful beings were surprised at her actions and the speed with which she accomplished the move. Her back was towards Mel as she faced those who advocated Jes’ actions to retrieve the Gem of Avarice. Twisting the blade from Jes prone at her feet as he was momentarily stunned from hitting the solidly packed dirt roughly, she made sure he remained pinned under her foot as it rested heavily against his neck. She brandished the blade in a wide arc for the others to keep away.
As Nokomis approached her, Clarissa released Jes in order to defend herself against the Goddess. Nokomis stopped and held her hands askew of her body. The earth under Clarissa’s feet shook and she was unable to maintain her balance, tottering slightly. The ground began to shake and a labyrinth fissures appeared across the green landscape. Before Nokomis could do anything more, Micha and Degan were at Nokomis’ side. Each of the men grabbed the Goddess, distracting her enough so Clarissa was no longer her focus.
Using her power, Nokomis had vines grow from the land and wrap around each of the men, holding them tightly restrained. Micha and Degan strained against the vines before Micha used his powers to let the vine whither and fall limp at his feet. Degan called out to his powers as well, freezing the vine which shattered in a shower of ice particles as he broke free from its suffocating grip.
The ground shook more violently and the fissures widened. The deep cracks in the earth prevented Azamel’s attempts to reach Clarissa, a deep, dark abyss looming in his path. Although some of the Gods were caught by openings, their own powers prevented them from falling into the abyss. The fractured land spurred the others on and the side which stood by Nana moved against those who favored Jes.
Clarissa regained her footing just as Micha called the nearby lake water. The water condensed to formed a thirty five foot spout which crashed towards those who stood apart from the main melee so as not to accidently injure his compatriots. Clarissa saw the spout approach and tried to flash out but Jes’ restraints still prevented her from doing so. She held her breath as she realized Astaria also saw the wave approaching. The Morning Star Goddess immediately established a shield to block everyone from the massive waterspout, letting it rush over the shield and return back into the otherwise empty water bed.