by Jaime Marks
“I don’t understand any of this, Byryn! How do I even know you are telling me the truth? And trust you how exactly?” She searched his face as if she expected him to try to take advantage of her. God, he wished that things were simple enough that that was the only thing she had to be concerned with.
He met her eyes straight on, opening himself to her, trying to let her see how serious he was. He knew they had formed some sort of bond, he only hoped she could feel him through it as easily as he could her. “You know I’m telling you the truth because you felt the Darkness in both of them. You feel it in yourself but you don’t understand it, and you feel it in me; but we’re not like them Staryana, and you? You are unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. I can help you, but I need you to trust me.”
“What exactly are you asking me to do?” She watched him skeptically.
He took both her hands in his and pulled her away from the bike a little. He sat on the cool damp grass and pulled her with him so she sat facing him. “Some of this may seem silly, but it will work. It’ll bring help,” He only hoped she didn’t lose it when strange glowing men popped up out of nowhere. “I want you to cross your legs, Staryana, and close your eyes.”
“You want me to meditate?” She huffed.
“Kind of.” He sighed sensing that she still thought he was toying with her. “Look, what have you got to lose? The worse thing that happens is you try this and if it doesn’t work we are right where we started. I know you don’t trust me, but consider this, if I’m telling you the truth and you don’t try there is nothing I or anyone else can do to protect you.”
She measured him with her gaze and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes, crossing her legs as he asked. He let out a breathe he didn’t even know he was holding and tried to figure the best way to talk her through this before he continued. He knew how to reach the Shade, it was second nature, but what linked the Fae. What was Light? He looked up at the sky through his darkened sunglasses, up to the sun that weakened him and strengthened the Fae. “I want you to think about how the sun feels on your skin. Focus on that feeling and reach deep within yourself to find that same feeling. It’s in you, I can sense it in you. You just need to find it.” He paused trying to sense the energy around her, careful not to allow his essence to mix with hers. “Once you find it Staryana, I need you to focus on it. Picture it growing, filling you up and surrounding you.”
He had to smile when the faint glow emerged so quickly. She was strong, very strong to be able to use her essence so easily. He hesitated a moment, unsure how this next part was going to affect him. He didn’t really want to risk it, but what choice did they have? It wasn’t as if he would leave her here alone. “Good, now I want you to expand that energy that you feel around you. Make it as large enough to surround this group of trees and strengthen it. Picture it glowing as brightly as the sun.” He winced as the energy surrounded him, filled him. It burned a little, but then it turned to a warm heat on his skin. He didn’t know what to make of that, but at least he wasn’t dying, yet. The day wasn’t over though and he wasn’t fooling himself, his fate was in the hands of those whom he had considered his enemies his entire life. He had no idea what they would do with him; and if they chose to do nothing and simply leave him here? Well, he didn’t see Cymeryn as being the forgiving type. He wouldn’t have to wait too long for his answer though. He could feel the Fae approaching the beacon she had formed and he knew Cymeryn wouldn’t be too far behind.
Chapter 9
Marcus exchanged a look with Mythos before he walked over to sit next to Reyana. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her to know, in truth he wanted nothing more than for her to remember everything. He just didn’t know how she was going to take it all. He suspected that she was in some sort of shock, the fact that all this was reality not really holding true for her as of yet.
He hesitated. He honestly had no idea where he should start. He looked up to meet her gaze. “Reyana, I am sure by now you realize that we’re not normal to you, not….human.”
She nodded her voice barely audible. “What are you? What am I?”
“We are Fae, Reyana.”
“You mean like faeries?” She looked at him puzzled.
Mythos scoffed at the notion, “Faeries are annoying little twits with wings! We are most certainly not faeries!”
Marcus chuckled, “Easy Mythos if they hear you say such things they will hound you for ages.”
“Sorry,” Reyana shrugged looking between the two of them.
Mythos sighed, “It is not your fault, you would not know. Indeed in some human cultures they are classed the same but the faeries are notorious for cryptic riddles and rhymes. They can be infuriating to communicate with and often act of their own accord without regard for proper order despite the fact that they often serve as servants of sorts to the Fae.”
“Mythos also attracted the favor of their queen when we were younger and they followed him for weeks,” Marcus laughed as Mythos scowled at the memory.
She nodded looking amused at the ease they had fallen into suddenly. “Wait. I think I remember something about Fae from one of my mythology courses. The spirit people or something. Aren’t there a summer and winter court or something like that?”
“That is how some of the legends describe it yes, but that’s not exactly the truth.” He paused thinking how to frame his words. “We are beings of Light, the essence of the sun flows through us. Its fire, its strength is a part of each of us. It’s our life force.” He brought up his palm allowing a ball of Light to form in it.
She stared at it a moment. “And that thing in the alley?”
“Cymeryn is a Shade. It is said that long ago there was only the Light and the Dark in the form of ethereal beings. The Light being was known as Lucerna. The Dark, Lazurys. They lived in harmony for many moons, but the Dark was comprised of the negative aspects of existence. It fed on the pain, anger, and fear. As manipulation and greed were also Dark aspects, they embedded in the heart of Lazurys. By this point the Divine Being had formed and cultivated humanity. Lazurys fed off their emotions and ever greedy for more he began to manipulate the peoples of the world creating war and oppression. This caused an imbalance in existence as the Darkness now dominated mankind. As the universe must have balance the Divine Being interceded. The gift of procreation was granted to Lucerna to create a race of Light to balance out the ever prevalent Dark. She gave birth to the Fae. As the Fae had been created to balance the Darkness they were tasked with guiding humanity closer to that balance. They showed them the Light that existed within their hearts. Lazurys was angered that the Fae interfered with his dominion over the human race. He was jealous of Lucerna’s right of creation and he began to study the Fae.” He paused checking her over as she studied him taking in everything he said. She motioned for him to continue.
“We don’t know the circumstances of the creation or the number but we know of the story of two amongst the First. Alysse and Alayne were the twins anointed as the Priest and Priestess of Light, tasked with recording the history and traditions of the Fae. They had direct contact with Lucerna and performed rituals of Light and Healing that helped to maintain the balance of the world.
“The Fae had never known Darkness themselves, and had no desire for power or strength. Seeing this, Lazurys formed a plan. He went to Alayne and began to whisper knowledge of the Darkness in is ear, teaching him of the power it could wield. No Fae had ever been granted knowledge of the Darkness and Alayne was curious. As Lazurys drew him in he began to allow some of his essence to flow into Alayne without his knowledge or consent. At first Alayne simply grew ill, but knowing that the Dark and Light had not been made to exist as one, Lazurys bled the essence to him very slowly. The more of the Dark essence that flowed through Alayne’s blood the more greed and hatred took root in his soul. He kept their meetings hidden from his sister and began to covet the power of Darkness. He began to teach others of the Darkness and through sharing his essence with them began t
o spread the infection. When Lazurys felt that the Fae would survive it, he took Alayne and flooded his being with his essence forcing out the Light from his soul, Darkness taking its place. Alayne became the first of the Shade. He abandoned the Temple of Light and his sister and the infected become his congregation. Under the guidance of the Dark Lord Lazurys he turned them one by one from the Light.
“Craving power and dominance the Shade attacked the Fae and the wars began. The Divine Being again stepped in as the balance of the world began to slip back into Darkness. To regain control of the chaos between the Fae and the Shade he created the realms. The realm of the Fae was a place of love and Light. The realm of the Shade was a place of hatred and Darkness. In an effort to stave the Shade’s hunger for war and dominance he created realms and territories between the Dark and the Light. These areas were the battlegrounds of the war. The more territories the Shade held the more Darkness reigned on Earth and the more the realms closest to the Realm of Darkness became Dark. Likewise the more territories held by the Fae the more Light prevailed and spread through the world. This created a more even field and prevented the majority of the fighting from spilling out unto the Earth. In time as humanity grew and changed the mystical creatures were relocated to the realms as well. Creatures of the Light relegated to territories predominantly held by the Fae and creatures of Dark went to the areas the Shade controlled. Those more neutral creatures dominating the unclaimed territories.”
Reyana let out a long exhale and strummed her fingers on her knee. He waited for her to let the information sink in, allowing her thoughts to form. “So you,” She motioned between Marcus and Mythos, “are Fae, but what exactly does that make me. I was born human. I may not know much about all this but it sounds as though the Fae and humanity were separate.”
“In a sense.” Mythos spoke glancing to Marcus. He nodded to him to continue and leaned back in the couch beside her. “The Fae were still tasked with guiding the heart of humanity to love and Light. Some Fae fell in love with humans and the species began to intermix. A child born of a Fae and a human is called unawakened. They live the first portions of their life in humanity, their body of light growing within them. Generally, sometime after the age of twenty, when the Light within overwhelms their human form, or erupts, a Fae assists them through the awakening. The Fae keeps the strength and force of the Light from overwhelming their body as the changes take hold. The human awakens to Light, becoming Fae. Originally all Fae only possessed Light essence, but as humanity is comprised of the elements of Earth, the awakened Fae will often possess an elemental quality that connects them more to humanity and the Earth.”
“So I’m unawakened?” She stammered. “But both my parents were human. I mean I never saw either of them glow or anything.”
The Fae exchanged glances again. Marcus took her hand in his as she looked to him for answers. “You are unawakened, but you are also unique.”
“How so?”
A soft voice spoke from out of nowhere and everyone jumped. “You are the chosen, Reyana.”
Marcus and Mythos both slipped to their knees and bowed to Alysse as she seemed to drift into the room walking over to Reyana and Marcus. She touched Marcus’ shoulder lightly. “Worry not, all your defenses are in place. I am simply here by the will of Lucerna.” She turned to Reyana. “I am Alysse, Priestess of the Light and voice of Lucerna.” Alysse bowed down to her knees and Mythos and Marcus gasped in astonishment. Alysse was revered as the mother of them all, all were to bow to her.
Reyana flushed at the gesture, a red tint shading her skin, “I don’t understand. I’m nothing special. What would I be chosen for?”
Alysse rose a tender smile on her lips, “Of that, Reyana, you are highly mistaken. You are she who shall be the savior of her race and you are destined.”
Grifyn, Ryo and Trina took form in the park just to the west of the essence he felt. They had been at the girl’s school trying to figure out their options. Cymeryn’s essence was all over the place and Star was nowhere to be found. They were about to go to her house when this essence had caught their attention. It belonged to an unawakened Fae. The energy was similar enough to Reyana’s, but it was definitely not hers. It wasn’t strong enough for one thing. He could only hope it was Star. Something could have triggered her essence to surge, especially given Cymeryn was apparently hunting her. Please let them be in time.
“Trina?” Grifyn asked turning to her.
“Yes it’s her, but she is not alone.”
“Shade?” Ryo asked.
“No, I don’t think so. I can’t really get a true feel of it.” Trina frowned as she sent green tendrils of energy into the ground. “I do feel a Darkness within the Light, but it doesn’t really make sense.”
Grifyn nodded drawing his weapons. “We take no chances. Cymeryn could be trying to draw out Reyana and Marcus. Remember, the girl is our first priority.” He waited till the others were ready and misted to the trees the essence was emanating from.
Star sat there across from a young man who grabbed both her hands as they took form. “Open your eyes, Staryana, but please don’t panic. They’re here to help you.” He released her, his hands raising in surrender as he rose and stepped away from her turning to face them.
“He is unawakened Shade.” Trina spoke, “but there is something wrong with his essence.”
The boy looked at her puzzled a moment and then turned to Grifyn who stood in the lead position. “I’m not a threat to her.”
He ignored the unawakened and spoke directly to the girl. “Star, honey, my name is Grifyn. I am a friend of your Mom’s. Are you alright? Did he hurt you?” He bit out pointing a dagger toward the boy.
The girl looked terrified and confused, she jumped up and clutched the boy’s arm as he spoke to her. “It’s alright Staryana. Reach out, feel them as you did Cymeryn and your Father. You can trust them.” Her expression eased slightly as she studied them.
Grifyn grimaced at the Shade’s name as he tried to puzzle this situation out. The essence had faded some but they were definitely standing amidst Light essence. The boy should be at least showing some signs of pain and weakness, but indeed he wasn’t. Which made no sense. The girl also seemed to be clinging to him, taking direction from him. Whatever had occurred, she trusted him.
“If you are my Mom’s friends then tell me where she is.”
He tried to figure out exactly how to handle this. In truth he didn’t know where her Mother was. “Star, I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t know exactly where she is, but I know that she’s safe. She is with a friend of mine, Marcus. He has taken her off grid so that he can protect her. She would have come for you herself but it was too dangerous.” He wondered if he had said something wrong because the girl stared at him with a shrewd look.
“How do you know that name? And if you are so friendly how come you’re standing there looking like you’re about to hack us to pieces?” She quipped her hands now on her hips reminding him of a young, fiery version of her Mother.
“That’s because of me Staryana, not you.” The boy spoke. He tried to step back from her again but she reached out grabbing his hand. He looked exasperated, but he didn’t try to let her go again. He simply turned to Grifyn, an apologetic look on his face. “I am Byryn, blooded son of Trevyn and the,” He hesitated glancing at the girl, “Woman Crystal. I know I am your enemy, but we’re out of time. Cymeryn and her Father came to the school for her but she wouldn’t go. I saw a chance to help her and I did, but Cymeryn tasked me with bringing her to him. It’ll only be minutes at this point before he gets suspicious if he isn’t already. I only want her to be safe. I taught her how to reach out to you. I know this is…unusual, and I get that you need answers. So do I, but you need to get her out of here.”
Grifyn met the boy in the eye. He looked unsure but determined. He was oddly sincere for an unawakened Shade who knew enough to guide Star, who hadn’t a clue, through casting a beacon with her essence. The way he held her
hand, the feel of him.
Shit. “Did you share essence with her boy?”
The boy hesitated and tried to let her go again but she held him tightly squeezing his hand. “I…I did, but I didn’t realize what she was. I still don’t. I thought she was like me and the essence was overwhelming her. And before you ask I have no idea why taking her essence didn’t affect me.”
What exactly was happening here? Grifyn mused over everything lowering his daggers and motioning the others to do so as well. This, Byryn, let out a relieved sigh and turned to Star taking her in his arms. “Listen to me Brightness, Grifyn isn’t going to hurt you. You have to go with them. I can’t keep you safe but they can. Please.” Grifyn watched as he searched her face, trying to convince her.
“I may not get all this Byryn, but I’m not leaving here without you.” She insisted
“Staryana, you said it yourself earlier. You don’t even know who I am. If you understood all this you’d feel very differently.” The boy grimaced, looking away from her pain and regret lacing his features.
“No Byryn! What I would feel is that when I needed you, you helped me. If Cymeryn is really as bad as you say then I don’t think he’s going to be too happy about that.” She leaned up grabbing his face and kissed him briefly. Both of them looking surprised at her actions. “I’m not going to let something happen to you because of me.”
Grifyn watched them together. Oddly he was reminded of Marcus and Reyana so many years ago. It may be new and uncertain, but there was love growing between the two of them. It shouldn’t be possible which was why they needed to understand it. He wondered exactly how badly Marcus was going to hurt him for what he was about to do.
“You don’t have to leave him Star. He’s coming with us, but we need to go.” Everyone aside from Star stared at him in disbelief. Star just looked relieved. “How fast can you move and can you follow my essence?”