Realms and Rebels: A Paranormal and Fantasy Reverse Harem Collection

by C. M. Stunich

On any other day, calm would reign here however, there is no peace to be found today.

  “Seraya. My love, please be calm.” My voice has little effect as her turmoil and tension continue to swirl in my mind. Chayah, please don’t let Nova feel your anguish. We don’t know what’s wrong yet.

  Seraya is the only one I’ve ever had such a mental and spiritual rapport with – telepathy and empathy mixed together in some wonderful blend. Bonded in our thoughts and feelings.

  Well, most of the time.

  Rushing inside, my first sight is of Nova’s wound, now a blackened, oozing mess. The damage was almost gone last I knew.

  “No.” Seraya’s voice breaks as she pulls Nova from Remliel’s arms, wrapping Nova in her own. “Hold on, baby girl. Please, just hold on.” Seraya sets her free hand over Nova’s injury, using all the magic within her, trying to heal her.

  I know as well as everyone else here that Nova’s wound may be too far gone for divine healing. My heart might tear in half, engaging with Seraya’s pain as she realizes this truth too.

  Remliel stands beside Seraya, softly weeping as he looks down on them huddled together. I don’t envy him. This must be absolute torture, to watch but be unable to change anything.

  Tears stream down Seraya’s face as she cradles the Firstborn in her arms, rocking her like she must have so many thousands of years ago, when Nova was an infant.

  I attempt to listen to Nova’s thoughts, but I can’t break through her defenses. Listening to someone’s inner workings is a specialty of mine, but with older Eternals, it’s tricky if they don’t want me there. Considering the circumstances, I choose to push through regardless. Courtesy is not an option right now. To know how to help, I need information.

  Gathering my strength, I prepare to project my will that can penetrate most mental defenses. I typically only use this on adversaries, which shows how unusual our situation is. Deep breath in, then out, I focus my mind. Extending it out gingerly, I reach into Nova’s mind and there’s… nothing.

  Wait. I don’t feel…

  Before I reconcile what’s happening, a sudden rush of sorrow and anguish floods from Seraya.

  Nova’s hand falls to the bed, her amber eyes gloss over, and she stares into the ether.

  Trying to rule out any other possibility, I cast my spirit outward, seeking Nova’s consciousness. I can sense the presences of everyone in the room, and further, every spirit in Aravot… but not Nova’s.

  A cry of disbelief and loss fills the room as Seraya collapses on the bed, still clutching Nova’s lifeless body to her chest. Seraya’s shoulders rise and fall in sharp, jerky motions as her breath hitches.

  There’s nothing where Nova should be, where her soul existed just moments ago.

  She’s just… gone.

  This does not happen, cannot happen to an Eternal. We’re immortal. We can’t die, we don’t cease to exist. Not like this.

  Never like this.

  Remliel collapses to his knees, his arms draped over the edge of the mattress, helpless. Choking sobs wrack his body.

  Seraya sets her hand onto Remliel, pulling him up, and he sits on the bed beside her. Together, they mourn their loss, both devastated.

  Raziel stands mournful, a few feet away. He seems about to speak but holds his tongue. Closed off and locked down.

  The others have various reactions, from sorrow and shock, to horror and even anger. This is unprecedented. We simply do not cease to exist.

  Although I’m trying to sort out the events that just unfolded, I remain alert to the fabric of spiritual energy all around us. Part of me wants to understand what’s happened, and part of me wants to cry along with the rest gathered here.

  Warm rain lands on my hand. Odd. It can’t rain in Aravot. Oh, I realize. I’m crying.

  Wiping tears away, I steel to concentrate once more. There’s no time for shock. Seraya is my concern now. I don’t know how she’ll react to the loss of her daughter, and the possibility that other Eternals could die, too.

  Remliel sits opposite Seraya, smoothing hair away from Nova’s peacefully closed eyes.

  This seems to be too much for Seraya. Covering her face with her free hand, she cries out, almost as if someone stabbed her in the chest.

  Power and raw emotion push outward from Seraya now like an exploding star.

  Time seems to stretch out as I analyze what I’m experiencing, registering simultaneously that this is an instant in time, but time seems to cease.

  Unexpectedly, the despair from Seraya vanishes as quickly as it erupted. Replacing grief is a void. Nothing. Like she’s taken all her emotions, hidden them behind a titanium structure, then sealed the encasement shut.

  Visions assail my mind, blurry, merging into a stream of dreams and prophetic warnings. Ideas I’ve never studied blast through my awareness, but too fast to hold onto. A torrent of possibility, and I can’t catch anything long enough to understand.

  Except for one dreamlike vision.

  All my will goes to holding onto one vision of Seraya and Helena discussing matters of great importance. Looks like they’re in a cave. Straining now to retain this vision, the images flood away. I can’t focus any longer. Nothingness fills my mind now as I blank out. Everyone else seems stunned. Overwhelmed.

  Everyone but Seraya.

  Her chin lifts and her eyes focus on Viveka a few hundred feet outside the large picture window. Tears fall down her face, yet I still can’t tell she’s even upset. At least, on the outside.

  Chayah is impenetrable now, shutting out even me, and that’s saying something.

  Titus’s eyes narrow and his brows furrow together as if he’s trying to understand a sky without the sun. Nova was his child, too. Zander appears lost, unknowing what to think or how to feel.

  Their emotions churn, each trying to form words to correct something unfixable.

  Seraya just seems hollow.

  Unable to sense what she’s feeling stings, yet I understand. I’m in shock, too.

  Titus is moving toward Seraya, but she doesn’t want contact with anyone but Nova, so I grab his arm, brooking no argument.

  His gaze seizes mine, raw anger burning inside, so I project peace and patience in return. Titus relaxes then, understanding that I know something he doesn’t. He’s observant, and he trusts me. He is not unemotional over Nova’s death; he can see something Seraya cannot. Crying over Nova’s body will not bring her back, and it will not save anyone else from this uncertain outcome.

  Raz recognizes our exchange, pulling him from the trance that had taken over all of us. He clears his throat, and all eyes but Seraya’s and Remliel’s turn to him. “Let’s gather in the Great Hall. We need to give Chayah and Remliel… just, let’s go.”

  Heeding his command, a mass exodus files out of Nova’s home to make a short yet emotional pilgrimage in silence. As I look back, I can barely see Seraya still cradling Nova’s limp form while Remliel has collapsed and is sobbing at Nova’s feet.

  Eternals file into the Great Hall, interspersed with a few Celestials.

  It becomes clear as we enter there are two types of Genesis gathered – Celestials, who appear stoic and calm, and Eternals who are falling apart. Flashes from Eternal after Eternal pass through my mind, all wondering the same thing… could I die, too? These people have always believed they would never stop existing. Since each of them Eternalized, they’ve expected immortality.

  That notion is gone now.

  Shock exudes from every side. The intensity is overwhelming.

  Micah, Lailah, and Gabrielle stand at the head of the hall beside a few Elders as Titus, Zander and I take our places among the Elder Council.

  “Everyone, let’s all just take a moment to collect ourselves,” Gabrielle says finally as the Eternals gathered become somber and quiet. Their gazes plead for words of solace and hope to heal their hearts and settle their fears.

  “I know you have questions, and you want answers. We simply have few to offer at this time.” Gabrie
lle lowers her hands she had raised as if making a proclamation, then folds them at her waist. “But trust in the Mother. In Chayah. We will persevere, as always.”

  Lailah, another of Seraya’s EMC clears her throat. Lailah isn’t much of a public speaker, so when she does speak, the crowd listens.

  “We all loved Nova,” Lailah starts. “She was the Firstborn Genesis Eternal. But she was Chayah’s Firstborn daughter and Remliel’s Gemini. They will both need all your support in the coming days. Right now, however, they need space. And Chayah needs time to mourn her child. Please give her that respect while we seek to answer your questions.”

  “Chayah will lead Genesis as she always has.” Micah takes over trying to sate the anxious crowd. “Give her a moment to heal from this tragedy, and she will see Genesis through this storm as she has every other. Ab Infinium. Ab Aeternum.”

  Normally, I can at least get glimpses into the minds of these glorious beings. Today, however, I cannot read a single Celestial.

  They’re all closed books to me now.

  Pondering this strange turn of events, I realize what’s bothering me. I can’t sense Seraya. Not just her impenetrable mind, but her presence. The Celestials notice her absence, too. I don’t need to read their minds to read their faces.

  I lean toward Titus and Zander. “I don’t know everything that’s happening, but Seraya is no longer in Aravot. We need to be there for her, wherever that is.”

  To their credit, both are rock-solid and focused. They look at me as if I hold all the answers, which I don’t. However, I will find them.

  “Let’s wrap this up, I need to go read a couple things. Could you dismiss them? Meet me in the Arcanum.” Motioning to Titus, I slip out of the room as he stands up to address the large gathering.

  “You’re all concerned and heartbroken, as are we. But now we get to the bottom of this. We’re going to find out what we can. Look to the EMC and the Elders for guidance while we’re gone. Stay strong.”

  His words bolster my confidence even as I exit the Great Hall.

  In minutes, I’m climbing the stairs of the Arcanum – my library and sanctum where we keep all the tomes of ancient knowledge. Raz began collecting them long ago, and I’ve added to that collection in my travels and thousands of years in existence.

  On a special shelf, well over ten feet high, I even have scrolls in Angelic, the language unique to the Celestials themselves. I’m one of few Eternals who can make sense of it. Much like our portals appear to the human eye, nearly everyone not a Celestial sees only nonsensical gibberish that moves in a resplendent wave of ever-changing symbology.

  Eight hundred years of study and tutelage by Gabrielle herself trained me to comprehend the flowing, beautiful script that seems to be written in pure light with magical, golden ink.

  I’m a bit determined, at least when attempting to unlock the mysteries of the Universe. And apparently, when confronted by the possibility of dying for Eternity.

  This fear was forgotten thousands of years ago when I Eternalized. Amazing how the fear can creep back in at full strength with the possibility forced upon me.

  Mortality is a powerful motivator.

  Scanning page after page of Celestial script, I find the text I’ve been looking for. It’s a prophecy I found when Gabrielle was teaching me to read. A sudden chill ran through my body the first time I read those words. I never forgot it and have pondered on it a few thousand years now.

  I’m a patient man.

  The prophecy, written in the highest formal Celestial prose, is almost indecipherable. Prophecy in general isn’t something to be read lightly, nor at face value because it’s alive, in a way. At least until fulfilled, when foretelling becomes a tool to help understand events that have transpired.

  Celestial prophecy is a step above even that. This special form of prophetic writing can change itself over time, adapting to the truth of events and reality and revealing answers only at the right moment.

  Makes things a bit tricky for a simple, former human, now Eternal to understand.

  I’m fortunate to have had excellent teaching. Celestials are generous with their knowledge, but they seldom encounter anyone in these realms who can keep up. Luckily, I’ve always been able to see deeper than most.

  Here. I remember reading the passage now, although the last time the meaning was less obvious.

  Scanning the symbols, I keep coming back to the same lines.

  “The first to live is the first to die.” Probably about Nova. That’s what reminded me of this prophecy. That and something about forged weapons. And Fallen, falling twice? Perhaps those brought into the fold cannot truly be trusted.

  My fingertips run along the ancient parchment, looking for more clues. It can be difficult to translate texts in other languages. Interpretation will always be subjective.

  “Wounds no Celestial can restore.” Yes, that stopped me in my tracks. More about Nova, most likely. But what’s next? And how do we fix this? “Vessel of souls may live but once.” Yes, there it is. Viveka’s demise. And when the Tree is lost, humanity will cease to exist.

  Save the Tree. Always paramount in saving the three realms.

  One final line always kept me thinking on it all. Sacrifices of the daughter. Not Seraya’s daughter, but Gaea’s. Or perhaps both? The river of life running dry. Sacrifices and love. All ideas clear in this tome.

  Studying it again after so many centuries have passed, I understand the meaning a bit better. If I’m right…well, I suppose we’ll see.

  “Keep your love pure, Caspien. You and your bond brothers have an important part to play in saving the three realms when De Bello Aeterna begins.”

  “The Eternal War?” I turn to face Gabrielle. “You knew I’d read this.” My grin must look foolish to one so ancient and wise.

  “Who do you think nudged you to learn the Aeterna Prophecy in the first place?”

  Stunned, I can only stand as Gabrielle leans forward to leave a gentle kiss on my forehead.

  “Now take Titus and Zander to Capri. Try to keep Chayah from doing anything rash. I fear she’s raging with vengeance.”

  “Yes, we should probably get going. Thank you, Gabrielle. For everything.”

  “I’m not responsible for everything, sweet child. Now go.” She smiles as she leans in, giving me a hug. “Save the realms.”

  Three anxious Gemini bonded by blood jump a portal into Jagat, arriving on the Isle of Capri, just off Italy’s Amalfi coast.

  We’re in Anacapari, near the Grotto’s land entrance. Warm, ocean breeze whips through the cave beneath the cavern, causing an almost hypnotic song singing through the darkness.

  We stop for a moment, closing our eyes, reaching out to feel for her.

  “She’s here,” Titus says, a hint of relief in his tone. “Probably in the Grotto.”

  “How the hell do we get in there?” Zander is already frustrated. He has little patience.

  We’ve all been here with Seraya once since her last incarnation, but only Titus has ever been inside where Seraya would be. She’s always been drawn to the Grotto. It’s a magical place divinely cloaked, making it easy to hide, say, conversations not meant for others to hear.

  “If she’s inside, it’ll be tough to get in there,” Titus adds. “It’s hidden for a reason.”

  It’s quiet now. The middle of the night makes it easier to listen to whispers of immortal beings, although those are not perks of the Grotto. Even we cannot hear words that pass within its walls.

  “So, how do we get in there from here?” Zander’s voice derails my train of thought. The anxiety and edginess in his mind is difficult to shut out. Apparently, Titus can feel it too, considering the irritation coming from him in waves.

  “You don’t.” Titus snaps back. His gruff voice hits the charged air like a hammer.

  I must be a buffer between these two, or volatility will shatter the relative calm. Possibly in a rather violent manner. A forthcoming confrontation is inevitable and d
isappointing. I hope I’m there to help pick up the pieces.

  Suiting his words, Titus takes off, settling into a long stride with Zander and I following behind. After a few yards, we reach a staircase to the Grotto entrance below us. There’s a dock and a row of boats bouncing in the water from the waves crashing along the rocks of the cavern.

  “So, are we supposed to go down there and get into a boat? Row inside? I mean, how the hell do we get in there?”

  Zander’s a bit pouty. He’s not the immature brat Titus makes him out to be, but right now, he’s feeling her loss more so than the rest of us. Conversely, Titus isn’t the impatient, grumpy old man Zander assumes him to be. I love them both. They’re my family, bonded by more than our spirits and our connections to Seraya. Each of them is far more than his perception of the other will allow.

  “What the hell would bring her here? Anything could happen in there.” Zander’s thoughts voiced aloud ignite even more contempt from Titus, who’s staring down at the boats.

  “You think I don’t know that, kid?” Titus bites off a curse, hesitant to let his decorum slip even in this stressful moment. “I’ve been with Chayah for millennia now. Maybe when you hit a thousand, I’ll ask for your advice.”

  He starts to move, then turns around and continues his tirade.

  “Nova was my daughter, too. Either of you remember that? Her soul is lost, and I don’t know if we can bring her back. Now my Gemini is gone, and I’ll be damned if I lose her, too. So you two can either shut the hell up and be useful or get the fuck out of my way.”

  Wincing, the sting hits me as much as Zander, who’s about to hit his own boiling point.

  Titus is acting out, and for good reason. Perhaps none of us stopped to think about how he will deal with this loss. Keeping silent is probably the best move at the moment, but I can’t do nothing. I have to try.

  “You’re right. You lost Nova, too. We all did. But we’re here, together. We all have the same goal. Bring Seraya home. Seeing us bickering won’t do her any good. She needs us united, one team. We need to be her strength, not her weakness.” I know he needs to get his frustrations off his chests, but now is not the time. More pressing matters await our combined attention. “Unity will only help. Please…work together. This is a crucial time.”