“But I don’t know a Joseph and that is who the lady said I was friends with. She said I knew him for twelve years. Which, ironically, is the same amount of time as I’ve known you. Braeden, what have you not been telling me?”
Braeden laughed wryly. “More than I can reasonably ask you to forgive, probably.”
“Why?” Despite current circumstances, Race knew how Braeden ticked. You didn’t spend years serving on a ship and not know the people around you almost better than you knew yourself. The lady had been right in saying that his friend always had a reason for everything he did. And Race knew how his captain, now admiral, thought about things.
“At that point in time when I first met you, I had trouble trusting my own shadow. It wasn’t just my existence I had to hide.” Braeden shook his head. “But now hiding is pointless.”
“Who is Joseph?”
“Persistent bugger, aren’t you?” Braeden grouched.
“It’s why we are friends. Now, who is Joseph?” Race grinned before pressing.
“Me. I am Joseph Raven of Bresol and husband of the late Amber Foréss.” Braeden nodded toward Rylynn. “Rylynn’s father.”
Chapter 2 – Ancient Memories
Rylynn
There had been pain so intense that my soul had wanted to flee. But at the same time, I was too stubborn to do that. Burning. I was burning. A distant, glitchy scream caused me to shudder. It sounded like something was dying. Something other than me.
BASTARD. A voice my soul knew well snarled. THAT BASTARD. HE TOOK WHAT HE COULD AND TURNED YOUR GIFT AGAINST YOU.
Kylesst! I sobbed. I really didn’t understand what he was snarling about, but that didn’t matter. He was something I could focus on that wasn’t pain. That wasn’t that horrendous glitchy scream that wouldn’t end … But then I realized something horrible. The scream was glitching because its source was already long gone. The vocalization was the only thing left of what I knew to be a friend … One whose name I was too lost to remember.
The pain (and shame) bled away, leaving me a floating blob in nothing. I wasn’t afraid, but nor was I feeling altogether secure. Similar to how I wasn’t dead, but I wasn’t living either. I was nothing.
I wasn’t sure if that thought should bother me or not.
Vaguely I remembered being in the prison chamber of the Soul Shadows. Timothy, or rather Betrayer, had stabbed me in the back. I remembered knowing that I was dying and that I was dragging Kylesst with me. Not because I meant to, but because he wouldn’t let go. I begged him to stay alive.
NO ONE IS DYING, he had angrily hissed at me. He then continued to tell me that I would live, that I had no choice in the matter. He told me to stay with him. It broke my heart. It shattered even more now that I wasn’t sure if I had listened to him or not. Was I still alive?
The void was obviously not heaven or hell. In heaven, there was no pain or sorrow. In hell, there was nothing but pain and sorrow. I could feel a dull throbbing in my … body? Soul? I don’t know. The point is I was hurting, so I wasn’t in heaven. I also knew hope, though. I had felt it earlier, even though Kylesst was snarling. I don’t think one could find hope in hell.
Since I wasn’t in either heaven or hell, I figured it was safe to bet that I was still alive. (Yay! I had listened to Kylesst!) That said, I still couldn’t understand or even begin to explain the void I was lost in. Alive, but dead … I remembered hearing that phrase before. It had been used to describe … a coma? Was I in a coma? Was my body lying somewhere, unresponsive but still living? Was I trapped in my own head? How did one find a way to wake up?
I didn’t know the answer to that. But I figured Kylesst must. “Kylesst! Kylesst!” I called. He didn’t answer. “Kylesst!” I felt like I moved, though how I could when everything was a blank I don’t know. I soon became aware that the void wasn’t just nothing. It had layered veils. They parted around me and I froze. How had I not seen this before? I could see the dreamy veils because of the glowing cord connecting my soul to Kylesst’s. It was a bright white-gold color and warm to the touch. Now that I touched it, I couldn’t let go even if I had wanted to.
That glowing cord was the only thing I had to hold on to. Not only that, it gave me a direction to go. Though where it was leading me was not somewhere I really wanted to go. From me, the glowing cord ran straight into a cleft in a swirling storm of veils and strange lights. It was like staring into the heart of a rising storm. I could almost hear the thunder.
I didn’t want to go in. No sane person would.
But Kylesst…He is in there. Somewhere. A small part of me whispered. He was lost in there because he refused to leave me, and I didn’t want to go in there? I was disgusted with myself. Anger gave me the strength to follow the cord into the cleft. Kylesst was always saving me. It was about time I returned the favor.
On the other side of the cleft was a narrow walkway that bent in such a way that I could not see far. That coupled with the fact that everything looked the same and there were no other paths made me feel like I had entered a labyrinth. It hadn’t ever made sense to me that people could get lost in a labyrinth. I mean, there was really only one way to get to the center and if you walked the other way you would find your way out.
Being inside a labyrinth was very different then having a bird’s eye view of a labyrinth. I could understand what would terrify people. It was making me feel kind of terrified myself. Everything looked the same and if you got turned around, you would never know which way you were going, so there was plenty of opportunity to doom yourself in a moment of self-doubt and panic. Luckily I had the cord to guide me.
Movement caught my eye and I jumped. The ‘wall’ beside me looked less like a wall and more like a gathering of glowing orbs. I did the stupid thing and reached toward the wall. I was curious and they were pretty. Note to self: keep your hands to yourself! My fingers didn’t touch a wall. They slid through a gauzy, yet thick, curtain and that was the last I knew. I wasn’t Rylynn anymore. Rylynn didn’t exist yet.
I was Kylesst.
Seconds after the universe formed, God made them: the immortal Spectrals, the Race of Light. They were like dreams, always shifting and changing. Formless, but full of possibility. Full of curiosity and praise for the one who had delighted to make them.
As God created the stars and planets, the curious Spectrals followed. They watched and praised in awe. When God formed the other, corporeal races, the Spectrals would observe and sometimes they were seen. Legends were born out of the accounts.
Time wore on and many corporals turned from God. They had been given a choice, after all. The Spectrals also had a choice, but they always chose God and His path. They had experienced Him from the beginning and couldn’t fathom trying to find their own way. That way hurt and never seemed to work out. It certainly didn’t for those corporals who tried it.
Most of the time, it was fun for the Spectrals to watch as the other races discovered how to survive and thrive on their own worlds. Those that did well were explorers and innovators. It helped many to have a tight bond with God.
One exception to the norm were the Ket’neiar, one of the oldest races. They had discovered that they could use the energy around them to help them survive. They absorbed it, similar to the Spectrals, before releasing a portion of it to do work. It became a kind of science of its own even though other races (before the advent of science) would have called it ‘magic.’ The few Spectrals who had visited the Ket’neiar in later years had fled. The Ket’neiar had looked at the Race of Light like a valuable tool instead of a being of intelligence.
No Spectral approached the Ket’neiar home world, nor any of her exploring starships, after that. Kylesst and the others had thought that those who had seen them would go on to the next life and the Ket’neiar would forget them. It seemed to have worked, but a mere decade later a new creature showed its face, or lack thereof, in creation.
A twisted parody of the Spectrals themselves, these new beings were ravenous, senseless
destroyers of all around them. They hunted the Spectrals and the most terrifying part was only the strongest of the Spectrals could sense them coming …
KYLESST! WHERE ARE YOU GOING IN SUCH A HURRY? Eresseth called out, finally catching up to Kylesst’s streaking light. But probably only because Kylesst had slowed down when he heard his name.
YOU SHOULD GO BACK, Kylesst replied, before picking up speed again. Distant stars looked to be pretty streaks.
BUT I ALREADY KNOW WHAT IS BACK THERE. I WANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING. AFTER ALL, IT MUST BE IMORTANT TO CAUSE YOU TO LEAVE ONLY CATH, PRATHANE, AND I TO WARN THE OTHERS OF APPROACHING SOUL SHADOWS.
AND YOU LEFT THEM TO ONLY CATH AND PRATHANE, Kylesst grumbled.
ONLY BECAUSE YOU WENT OFF ON YOUR OWN, Eresseth replied. Kylesst should have known something like this would happen. Eresseth always kept an eye on everyone. If any should stray, or do something he assumed was straying, he would try to guide the stray back to the fold. Eresseth had always been the possessive/ protective type. Before the war with the Soul Shadows, he had been tolerable. Now, he was just annoying.
THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I MUST CHECK OUT, BUT IT IS LIKELY DANGERIOUS. WHICH IS WHY YOU SHOULD RETURN TO THE OTHERS. THEY NEED YOUR PROTECTION, Kylesst explained.
SO DO YOU.
Kylesst’s light-made body rippled once in a Spectral’s version of a snort. I AM AS STRONG AS YOU ARE, IN MY OWN WAY. WHICH IS WHY I DO NOT NEED YOUR PROTECTION.
YOUR SENSITIVITY TO THE SOUL SHADOW IS STRONGER THAN MINE, Eresseth admitted, his light tinting pink.
Kylesst halted so suddenly that it took thirty seconds for Eresseth to return. Kylesst’s formless light body pulsed and rippled with indigo and violet as he pondered how to bring Eresseth to his way of thinking. In some ways, it shouldn’t be that hard as the two of them were similar in many ways and had been friends since the dawn of time. They were both protectors, cunning strategists, and some of the strongest Spectrals in existence. They understood how the other thought — mostly. Their few differences that made them unique also sometimes confused their usually spot-on understanding.
Kylesst was often more subtle than his friend. He also liked to be backstage when it came to praise. Not because he was shy, but because being up on the proverbial pedestal was not his idea of entertaining. He also preferred being alone or in companionable silence much of the time. He also liked to do things alone.
Eresseth was a creature of action, especially when those he thought of as under his protection were in potential danger. If he had his way, (if he could) he would destroy anything at all that resembled a Soul Shadow. And while Kylesst often agreed that would solve many of their current problems, he never thought diving into a situation was a good idea. Information was required. Information gave insight to possible actions that just charging in missed. The gathering of information, knowledge, took more time than personalities like Eresseth could stand, but it had often saved Kylesst’s existence over the past few cycles. He wasn’t about to change his practice now.
Since Kylesst wasn’t sure what he was searching for, he knew that he had to convince Eresseth that the best place for him was back with the others. Eresseth pulsed in curiosity and Kylesst knew that his pondering time was over.
ERESSETH, OUR KIN NEED YOU BACK THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THEY NEED YOUR PROTECTION. I NEED TO CHECK THIS OUT ON MY OWN. I DON’T KNOW WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH, BUT YOU KNOW THAT I AM VERY GOOD AT FINDING OUT. YOU KNOW THAT I AM CAREFUL AND ABLE TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PROTECT OUR KIN AND THE REST OF CREATION.
Eresseth whirled slowly in contemplative thought. After a moment he stilled. VERY WELL. YOU BE CAREFUL ON YOUR SCOUTING TRIP. JUST PROMISE ME THAT YOU WILL RETURN SOON.
I’LL DO MY BEST. BE CAREFUL YOURSELF AND KEEP THE OTHERS SAFE.
IT’S A VOW, Eresseth replied.
Kylesst swirled about Eresseth in a quick Spectral hug before speeding off again. He was glad that his friend was such an honorable creature who did what was best for the majority. Especially when it came to matters of protection.
Again, the stars streaked by. Again, Kylesst assumed the risk himself. His senses fanned far about him, seeking any hint of wrongness. The only thing he got was the oddness that drew him out in the first place.
Far from where he had had his discussion with Eresseth, and even farther from where his kin sheltered, Kylesst found an icy planet so cold the water vapor had frozen into ice clouds. He slowed to be just a drifting mote of light lit dust amongst others floating through the ice. The feel of the oddity tingled strongly to his right. Shifting, he trickled in that direction. There was a building carved into the ice.
Kylesst tumbled down to it. Whoever had been the architect had a flair for ‘mysterious beauty.’ Glinting blue ice arches cast the rest of the façade into deep blue shadows. Kylesst seeped through the wall, turning his glow way down so no corporeal could see him. The hall he found himself in was high with deep shadows and delicate arches. All was pure ice. Parts of it were clear, others some shade of blue. It made the hall look many times larger than it actually was.
It was empty, which didn’t make sense because he had felt something. The odd sense echoed in the empty halls. Kylesst swirled about without moving, trying to get a feel for the structure. The ice waited around him. Silent, still, watching. Empty. Cold and unfeeling. That was the sense the place gave him. It was not somewhere he wanted to stay for too long. He understood what its beauty was for: to draw the unwary to its tomb-like halls.
But why?
Why draw people to this place — and what people? The planet was empty of life. The only chance someone would see this edifice was if they were purposefully brought here or had sensed the oddity and followed it, like he did. Perhaps the oddity was merely the existence of the building itself. That still didn’t answer the question ‘why’ though. Kylesst began to stream down a corridor when he heard the last possible thing he would have expected — a youngling crying.
Immediately Kylesst followed the cries in the other direction. He hurried, but was still careful. The pitiful sounds and the fearful discomfort that fueled them drew him deeper into the structure. It was much larger than he thought it would be. But nothing had ever lived there. There were no feelings of safety or possession in the place. Just the fear that rippled through it now.
Soon Kylesst found a room that was unlike any of the others he had passed. Not only did it have occupants, but it also had furniture — if you could call the ice-carved altar ‘furniture.’ Wrapped in cloth on its surface was a squalling Masailen child. The child’s ethnicity was easy to tell from her dark brown, slightly green-tinged skin and dark green hair. The empathic, delicate antennae were wrapped tightly about her head. She was so young, Kylesst doubted that she could even crawl. The other occupant of the room was a Ket’neiar, his three-toned hair of black, silver, and red ratting him out. What is a Ket’neiar doing so far from home? Kylesst thought, coming to a halt. Caution told him to leave before the Ket’neiar saw him and tried to absorb his energy.
But the Masailen child and what was in the Ket’neiar’s hand had him coalescing into a form both could see. DON’T HURT THE CHILD, Kylesst said, having become a likeness to a male Masailen. The child stopped crying and the Ket’neiar withdrew the knife he had held over her.
Silver-black brows rose. “A Spectral? Here? I must say, this is a surprise,” the man drawled, taking a couple steps away from the laden altar. Kylesst did not miss that the man had placed himself between the child and Kylesst. “What do you want, Spectral?”
I WANT YOU TO LEAVE THE GIRL ALONE.
“So you sort of said, but who gave you the authority to just show up and demand something?” the man asked reasonably. “After all, I didn’t invite you here. You are the one who is trespassing upon my property.”
HER LIFE IS NOT YOURS, Kylesst stated. AND YOU DID INVITE ME, THOUGH PERHAPS NOT INTENTIONALLY, BUT I FELT THAT SOMETHING WAS AMISS.
“My,” the man said, tapping the tip o
f the knife he held to his lip, “you sensed something was off?” He glanced at the girl sniffling on the altar, then back to Kylesst and shrugged. “Nothing is ‘off.’ Everything is well.”
YOU HAVE A STRANGE VIEW OF WHAT IS ‘WELL,’ Kylesst said, eying the knife in the other’s hand. It looked to have been crafted from a single block of black stone. Artistic tines fanned out from the hilt around where the hand would hold it. Sadly, he had seen lots of knives over the years, but none of them looked as strange as the thing before him. He had thought the building’s existence had been the odd ripple that had drawn him here, but seeing that blade changed Kylesst’s mind. Odd as the icy shell was, the heart of the feeling was the black stone blade in the Ket’neiar’s hand.
The man laughed. “You would think my views odd. Spectrals – hell! Everyone has had trouble with my ways of doing things. But you know, Spectral? I don’t care. Now go away before I use that lovely energy you’re made of,” he said, turning back to the girl-child. He raised the blade over the girl. She could feel the violence on the man and it made her whimper.
WHY?
“Why?” the man asked, pausing. He glanced back at Kylesst with a frown. “Why do I want you to leave, or why am I doing what I am doing? Never mind, the answer is because I am busy and you interrupted. My creation is hungry,” he muttered, turning back to the little girl. Kylesst’s form shivered with dread. The Ket’neiar had learned how to harvest the energy from all kinds of sources around them. The most heinous was their taking of life. It was why the Spectrals avoided them. The man had the little Masailen girl because of the potential she had in her little body. She could do so much, and as one of the empathic Masailen race, she could save many. It was this potential that had her on a cold altar in an empty palace of ice on a desolate frozen world under a knife that was not quite right.
LET HER GO. USE ME INSTEAD, Kylesst said without hesitation. He couldn’t let the girl, or anyone else, die. The Ket’neiar wanted a strong source of power for his knife. And while it might be able to hold energy, Kylesst was sure that he would be able to break its hold on him. He could also find a way to destroy it. The child would be safe, then.
Defender of the Empire: Chaos Page 2