by Trina Bates
With wide, horror-filled eyes, Rhett bursts into action; light erupts from his body, lighting up the room. Wave after wave of flames that would normally burn us all alive somehow the flames pass by us, illuminating the sickening beasts before us. Gaping wide mouths with row after row of sharp teeth, no eyes, but their faces, if you can call them that, seem to look everywhere and are trained on me. I smile and laugh maniacally at them and draw both of my hands up in front of me, cocking my head to the side while my smile only widens and then I throw forth my pain fueled Hellfire.
Before the Hellfire hits the first one, every Dark Walker stops and throws their head back, howling an ungodly sound to the rafters above. They come out of it quick, but not fast enough before a good thirty of them are disintegrated, and there’s nothing left in the wake of my Hellfire.
-Mira, follow me.- Cynide’s small form says from my left hesitantly, while she peers up at me wide-eyed and filled with trepidation. I know she’s never seen me like this, her fear is thick around us so I stay quiet.
I nod my head unable to use my voice without losing some of the rage.
We veer down winding halls filled with heads, mounted on every square inch of stone, beasts, Others and Hollows alike. All dying in agony and anguish from the looks forever etched on their faces. It only fuels my hatred. and I feel my powers coming to me more. Bigger than before; swirling inside of me like a tidal wave ready to decimate anything it comes in contact with once it’s set lose. I know when I come face to face with another Hell Beast, it’s going to be delicious.
Our group moves in sync, everyone staying close to someone that can teleport. Cynide lets me follow at her side, Merrick and Ebbin flanking us, the rest are alert and ready for whatever is to come.
Without warning, my body moves on its own, seemingly knowing where it needs to go. I can’t deny the pull and Cynide races forward, trying to stay by my side, not letting me get into something alone, and unprotected. Fuck, I love her. Following some unseen path, I feel deep within it’s right, so I keep going, without hesitation.
-Mira, have you been here before?- Cynide asks me, her tone confused and awe-filled as she stays close to me.
-No. But there’s something inside of me making me follow this. Is it wrong?- I ask.
-It is not,- she says apprehensive, concern lining her voice.
Following the strange feeling inside myself, unable to do anything but, doubt starts to replace the rage. I can feel my powers diming. If I can’t stop myself from walking this path, will I be able to fight and protect those around me? What will happen when I’m forced into a run, to get to this ‘place’ faster. The path that I’m trying to follow, navigate my way through is like a labyrinth. I look around as I rush around corners and through new passageways, trying to find anything distinguishing that might help us find our way back out, but there’s nothing. It only pushes my nerves to the surface with a force that has sweat breaking out on my forehead and my heart beating like a drum in my ears.
“Bugs, it might not be pain that we’re feeling, but we can feel your despair. You’re doing the right thing. We have you, for anything and everything, whatever you need. You’re protected no matter what,” Ebbin says calming me, taking more of the rage away.
“Love, get that fucking temper back. Think of the time you lost with Siv. Think of the agony you felt when you were so frightened of losing Alyria when you didn’t know if you would be able to manifest or ascend,” Merrick growls to me, the outrage in his own voice fueling me just as much as his words do.
“Think of the Conclave, how they tested you, beat you, tortured you. Think of how hard it was for me to take you. Think… think of what I did to Alyria.” Blue cries out trying to hold in her own hurt and despair.
The first time I’ve heard her talk since she’s been here, and she is the one to fully fuel me. I know how hard it was to say those things, not only am I thankful for the boost, but I’m glad she feels remorse. She’s on the right path. Maybe someday we can fix our relationship, but today I’m going to ride out the anguish she’s caused. For me and my guys. I glance back to her with a glare, my lips pulled back in a sneer and her eyes go wide. She holds her hands up like I’m going to hurt her and I laugh once and turn back around and pull the magic inside of me to the surface.
I close my eyes as I turn back around, reach for the black tar of my Demon side, and the light wispy mist of my Valkyrie half. I pull them together and mesh them. I will both magics to help me stop whatever is happening and thrust open my eyes and watch as a bright yellow tether is shot from me and winds around the hallway and into other corridors. I’m not being pulled anymore, but I can clearly see the path laid in front of me, where I need to go. I smile, thrust my own sword high in the air and run, following the tether. I know it’s my mother. I can feel it.
When we round another corner, little flying pixie fucks start swarming at us, all aiming for our heads. I feel them pulling at my helm and when I look up, I’m mortified and impressed. There’s only one and it’s strong! I snap my fingers and watch as a stream of fire erupts from my tips and fries the little thing to dust. The rest of the swarm stop their attacks giving me enough time to pull more magic and imagine each and every one of the little things to be pulverized. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, I push my magic out and when I open my eyes, glittering dust rains down us all. I turn with a smile and wink at Blue. “Thanks,” I breath out.
She inhales a deep, astonished breath, and I look over to Rhett who sadly snorted and tried to hold it in. I shake my head and turn back around looking once more for the tether.
“At this rate, we aren’t going to have any fucking fun. Mira’s going to do it all,” I hear Rhydian say with a lilt.
I smile to myself and push forward. With Merrick and Ebbin each on one side of me, we walk silently through the corridors that are feeling more like a maze every turn we take, and I curse when Rhydian’s words finally meet up with us, jinxing me, Ebbin and Merrick.
I hear the screams before I fully understand what’s happening. The screams of my family behind me, filled with anguish and concern alert me that we’re falling. I thrust my wings out, dropping my sword to the abyss below and grab onto any part of my guys that I can, pulling them up with me, with each hard beat of my wings.
Thankful that it wasn’t everyone, having stopped in time when they saw the rest of us disappear through the trapped floor. When I reach the top of the hole we fell in, I can’t get out, the others all pull my men out, but I’m stuck, hitting some strange unseen barrier that everyone can reach in, but I can’t get out of.
“Mira, what’s wrong?” Ebbin shouts, distress lacing his words. The panic and terror in his eyes causing me more torment than he will ever know.
“I don’t know. I can’t…” I stop and push at the top and am unsuccessful again in trying to break through. My wings tiring from keeping me held in the air for so long with no current to ride on to give them relief. “I can’t break through and my wings have about reached their limits,” I cry out, dread filling me completely.
“MOVE!” Blue shouts, pulling along Rhett holding tightly to his arm. She peers down at me, shouldering everyone out of the way and looks to Rhett. “All I need is you to push with me. I can do the spell, but I’ll need your power to push mine. Do you understand?” she grinds out. I can see her tortured looks and shifty eyes. She’s unsure she can do this. I need to have faith.
“I’ll push from this side with the little I have left,” I tell her, giving her a tight smile. She nods to me once curtly and entwines her hand with Rhett’s as she begins chanting under her breath.
I close my eyes and pull the endless yet tired magic I have and imagine the floor, or my roof giving way, letting me through. I place my hands above me once more and push with all of my might to break through.
When I finally feel something start to give, my concentration is torn away from me when a deafening roar reverberates around the walls. My wings give out and right as I sta
rt to fall, I smile and whisper, “I love you” to everyone above me and see them all shove to the side as a massive head filled with scales and fur pushes towards me, its four inch long teeth opening with, and biting me with surprising gentleness, pulling me through the barrier with ease.
I stare at the strange beast, a cross between a Hellhound and a lion. The sheer size of it gives me pause, being almost as big as Cynide in her pegasus form. When I look into its eyes, I squeal when I see they’re empty sockets, but staring at Blue with its head turned to the side. I look to her and she’s staring at it with tears in her eyes. I try to say something, anything, but I find that words have failed me. The only thing to get my attention are the four other beasts that are seemingly whining behind their friend, all with their massive heads trained on Blue as well. She turns and gasps, falling to her knees as all five of the strange creatures rush to her, licking her and touching her in some way. She tries to touch them all, her cries growing louder, as are her words.
“If I would’ve known you were here, I would have saved you! I’m so sorry. Please, please forgive me! I thought he killed you all. Please forgive me,” she pleads over and over again crying into a different creatures shoulder each time, kissing their strange coats.
I stare at the strange ordeal with my mouth gaping open, much like the rest of my team, and rub my eyes, wondering if I'm really seeing any of this. When I open them again, I shake myself off and turn away only to turn into a giant chest that encaptures me, and I’m teleported to a completely new area. Filled with expensive looking furniture and strange rings hanging from the walls, I’m thrown forward and land hard on a chaise.
“I knew they would fall prey to my trap. Matters of the heart always throw you ignorant, vile creatures off.”
I turn and hiss like a cat at my father.
“When did you turn into a feral little bitch?” he spits out. His eyes mere slits as he stands in front of me with his fists clenched.
“When I found out I could kill you, it does something to a person. Gives them strength and courage. Fuck off and hand over my mother,” I grind out, sneering at him like he doesn’t scare me. We both know better.
“You are going to stay here until that little whelp of yours is born. She is of my blood so I will get two for the price of one. Your powers and hers,” he tells me, crossing his arms and wrinkling that red suit jacket he’s wearing.
My stomach drops and my heart races, pounding its fear into my ears.
“If you really think you’re going to get anywhere near her, you have another thing coming. You don’t know anything about me or my family,” I hiss at him, trying to rile myself up once more. I need the tormented thoughts, the grief, and the fury. I need to save myself and my daughter.
-Mira, I am here. Stop antagonizing him. It will only make things worse. Once he is gone, I can free you. I did not have the chance to tell the others where we were, I know you cannot call out to them,- Cynide says surprising me. The instant she said my name, relief flowed through me.
I stopped listening and did just that. Shouting in my mind to each and every one of them. Screaming for help, begging them to find me. Cynide is right though, I can’t feel them in my mind, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t get through.
-Stop you are hurting my head.- She whines. I try to keep my eyes strained on Alastor so he doesn’t know that my Agathion is here with me. -He cannot sense me, one thing we do have on our side is Vieruz. I can still touch his mind and he has told the others of what has happened.-
My heart pounds harder in my chest, Alastor staring at me with malice.
“I know enough about you that you have not only Ascended but you have also manifested. I might not be able to come near your hands, but I have others for that, don’t you worry, daughter,” he spits out the last word like he’s tasted the most disgusting thing in the Realms.
“You can try, but like I said, you know nothing about us. I think you will be mistaken in any of your crazy ideas that you have any power over me,” my voice higher, sounding sweeter. The smile on my face makes him look away and spit on the ground.
“Just you wait. Soon enough you will join your mother. I’ll let you both rot and take the three of you at the same time. Her life, your soul and your daughters, plus your powers,” he says turning his back to me and walking through a wall where there should be a door.
I sigh in relief and quickly look around the room trying to find where Cynide is hiding.
-Where are you?-
-Why in the world are you whispering when we are talking into each other’s heads, Mira?-
I roll my eyes at her and my own stupidity.
-I don’t know. I’m scared, okay. What’s Vieruz saying, and pray tell, just how can you two still talk to each other?- I wonder to her.
-We are Agathions, duh! We can all talk to each other. Even the ones that have yet to find their masters, we can hear them too.-
That could come in handy, I wonder if any are here now or if she can call on them to aid us in this adventure.
-Can they help us?- I ask her, hopeful.
-Sadly, they will not. They do not yet know who their masters will be and do not wish to intervene in case they happen to show and be angry at their actions.-
-That’s pretty fucked up.-
-It is. Now, Vieruz says that he can track us by smell and that they are already making their way towards us. They are, however, finding it hard since they keep coming upon more Hell Beasts.-
I freeze at that thought. How can they get past any Dark Walkers without me? Gor has yet to try out those powers for himself, so they will all be in danger. I have to get out of here!
I stand from the chaise and run over to the wall where Alastor disappeared through and run my hands along the stone, trying to find anything that will indicate a door or a rift.
Cynide comes out of her hiding spot, but I quickly shake my head at her.
-If my father comes back and sees you, there will be nothing good that comes of it. Stay hidden.-
-Why are you not teleporting out Mira?- Cynide’s thoughts making me want to hit myself on the head for not thinking about it before.
-Because, your mind does stupid shit when you're panicking,- I tell her.
-Well, try. If you are able to get free, I can follow wherever you go.-
-Cynide, why hasn’t anyone else been able to portal to me? I know Rhett has my blood and can do that, also, if Vie knows where we are, why can’t he either?-
-Hmm, that is a good assessment. Let me ask, while I do, you try to get yourself out as well.-
-Okay.-
I try to portal to my family, thinking of them fighting their way through beasts and get to me, I think of all the love I have and how badly I want to be with them, but nothing works.
-Cynide, I can’t portal. Something’s blocking me.- I tell her worried.
-Vieruz thinks it is obviously something your father did, also, you used and extensive amount of power and are most likely drained. You need rest.-
-Cynide! I don’t have time for rest! Who knows what that psychopath has planned for the rest of them. I need to get out of here now. I don’t know what the hell my father was talking about when he said ‘matters of the heart’ but I know it has to do with Blue and something tells me all isn’t what it seems with those… things either.- I cry out to her in anguish. My heart thumping against my chest. I feel like I’m about to hyperventilate, so I take a seat once more on the chaise and try to calm myself by taking some deep breaths and thinking that my family will be okay.
It works only for a moment before I start to think of home, think of my ancestor Alyria and what she would do in this situation. I cry silently, praying she was here.
The vertigo begins and then I feel myself lifted from the soft cushions of the chaise and dropped onto a hard stone floor. Opening my eyes, I smile when I look up to see the statue of Alyria standing tall and proud before me.
I sigh, relieved.
-Miss Mira!
I can feel the panic and terror within you. What is wrong, my little one?- Grun’s ever calming voice in my head asks.
-We went to retrieve my mother hours ago, and Alastor took me, trapped me in some strange room. The only way I could get out was to come here. I need to get back. They are all in more danger than they truly know.- I think to him while I stand up and dust myself off.
-I can feel you here, what I don’t feel is the Blade of Oblivion. Something so strong and yours, you have already been bested? No, that cannot be it. Have you lost it?- he asks surprising me that that’s something he can actually feel.
-I lost it. Merrick, Ebbin, and I fell through an unseen hole, and in order to save them, I had to drop it.- I hate Alastor and that place, he set all of this up the second he figured out he took her, my mother.
-Call to it,- Grun says, snapping me out of my pity party.
-What?- I ask, unsure if I heard him right.
-Call to your sword. It is made of Fae magic and infused with your blood. It will come to you.- His tone is so matter of fact and sounding so much like one of my professors from school that I can’t help but smile and appreciate the momentary relief.
I know Grun would never steer me wrong, so I do as he says, closing my eyes once more and call to my sword. I highly doubt it can cross between Realms and worlds, but I keep trying when nothing seems to be happening. I envision its gorgeous etchings, the beautiful stone set in the hilt and call to it. I thrust my hand open and flex it, imagine it’s seated tightly in my hand. When I feel a heavy object connect, I open my eyes to see my Blade of Oblivion really has crossed Realms and worlds to make it back to me. A smile takes over my face as I send up a silent prayer.
-I can feel it has come back to you, that is a wonderous thing. Now that you are sufficiently armed, you must get back to your mates and friends. Teleport to Torunn, she will be in the thick of it all. Your best bet is her since your father will expect you to teleport to your mates. It will give you an advantage if they are not with her. I hope he has yet to figure out that you somehow escaped from under his nose. Be safe little one, I will touch your mind soon. I can feel it.-