by Brea Viragh
“You are such a nerd.”
“You better believe it, baby.”
The nickname set her teeth on edge. “I am not your baby.”
“We’ll see.” Eerily intent on their destination, Morgan hastened his footsteps.
The four of them wound their way deeper into the cavern. The floor was limestone and sand, the ceiling craggy and uneven with stalactites and rocky protuberances piercing down toward the floor. The further they walked inside, the colder and damper the air became.
Aisanna winced, her elbow colliding with a solid stone wall. “God, I’ve forgotten how much I hate this.”
“Spelunking not your thing?” Morgan listened to the echo of his voice up ahead and knew they were close. The air became still around him.
“A touch of claustrophobia. Nothing to worry about.” They caught the harried inhale, exhale as Aisanna fought to breathe. “Not to mention the last time we were here, I broke an arm.”
Their backs bent to stoop low several times before the passageway opened up into a large cathedral-like space, with an opening at the very top which let in moonlight. Stalagmites rose in a centuries-old desire to touch the ceiling. Some of them accomplished their goal and stood in sooty white columns reflecting the light from the moon. There, in the center of it all, stood the Telos Amyet. Silvery-white light filtered down through a spherical oculus at the cavern’s apex.
“It’s breathtaking.” Morgan forgot about everything. The cold, their mission, the niggling voice at the back of his mind urging them to turn away.
Astix had frozen. “It’s still here.”
The presence of the stone charged the electromagnetic particles in the atmosphere. Morgan sucked air in through his nostrils, his lungs feeling like he’d let loose a jar of fireflies.
It dominated the area, drew every eye and demanded absolute attention. The bottom half of the structure was made of black obsidian with edges polished to a razor-sharp sheen. The obsidian rose to envelop the top portion of the stone, stopping midway. The top half projected up toward the sky in unbroken white albite crystal.
It was beautiful in its simplicity. Deadly.
Staring at it, Morgan could see why it was the stuff of legends. Why the location changed. No one should have constant access to this kind of energy. He could see how the keepers of the balance thought the stone was their solution, how they’d been drawn here with the temptation.
The stone called to him in unearthly dulcet tones. Not human or god but something more. Something outside both realms of existence. It begged him to touch, to sample the eternity it offered. If he wasn’t careful, he’d be lost. Seduced.
But realizing the temptation didn’t lessen his interest. Approaching the stone cautiously, he muttered under his breath, “This is amazing. What an absolutely perfect specimen.” His voice deepened with excitement. “I never imagined anything of this magnitude. Oh, how I wish I had my scanners, to measure the positive and negative forces generated by the stone itself. You can practically feel it.”
Holding a hand up, Morgan closed his eyes and tuned in to the world around him, his god-like senses flaring outward. Yes, there it was, the siren song in disguise. He recognized the two battling powers, both waiting to read what was in his heart. To determine which side he was worthier of representing. Its power was growing and changing with the approaching lunar eclipse.
He took a deep breath and relief flooded his system in warm, liquid waves. It was a personal dream come true. He was here. His eyes popped open and he retrieved his notebook from his jacket pocket and began a hurried sketch of the mineral.
Fascinated, he continued to mutter to himself, forgetting the others in the cavern. “A second paper, perhaps in conjunction with the tablet translation, detailing the crystalline structure of the stone itself and the ions in the air. Almost an emotion.” He scribbled as fast as his fingers allowed before a cramp took him and forced his pencil to a halt. Morgan shook out his wrist until the feeling dissipated and then continued his preliminary examination. “I can’t believe I’m here,” he murmured. “After all these years.”
A hastily cleared throat caught his attention and he dragged his gaze from the notebook. His eyes came to rest on Karsia, standing exactly where he’d left her and making no move further into the cavern.
She raised her eyebrows. “I’m glad one of us is having fun.”
“Excuse me?”
“Please, continue with your examination. All of you, go.” She motioned them forward before hiking a thumb over her shoulder. “I’m leaving.”
“Huh? What?” Morgan looked back to Karsia and blinked, forgetting for a moment exactly what they had come to accomplish. “You’re leaving?”
“Yes.” Karsia bestowed him a beatific smile. It would have stopped his heart had malice not filled her gaze. When she spoke again, the words came out of her mouth of their own malicious volition. “I’m done wasting my time. This…isn’t going to work. You’re all fools for thinking it will.”
“Are you kidding me?” Astix dropped the bag and turned on Karsia, careful to keep a large distance between herself and the stone. “You can’t walk away when we’re here to help you.”
“Oh, I absolutely can. And I will.” Karsia watched the three react to her statement and barely stifled a giggle.
It was more fun than she’d expected. She’d had them utterly fooled through the whole trip, she saw, and relished the opportunity to break a heart or two before she took off.
“I’m keeping this power whether you like it or not. Mom deserves someone to avenge her, and looking at you three, I see I’m the only one with enough balls to do it.”
Morgan’s gaze hardened. He tucked his notepad back into his pocket and straightened his shoulders. “Stop talking like that. You aren’t thinking straight.”
She clucked her tongue at him. “My mind is clear for the first time. I finally understand what it is I need to do. This darkness inside of me, it’s not a curse. It’s a blessing!” Karsia emphasized the words. “A blessing.”
“You’re making a mistake,” Aisanna said firmly. She shot a look at Astix, who nodded and retrieved the book from her pouch.
“I don’t think so.” Karsia took a moment to laugh and stared at them with pity. “Look at you three. All alone and thinking you can take on whatever comes at you with your weak magic. You couldn’t hurt a fly with your abilities. Never mind what’s in your book.” She jerked her shoulder. “That’s why you are staying here, and I am out.”
“No. You are going to stay and let us help you.” Morgan felt drawn forward.
“You don’t seem to understand, so I’ll repeat it again. Slowly. You stay, me go. Got it?”
“You’re making a mistake,” Astix repeated.
“The only mistake I made was not using my gifts sooner. Why I didn’t for so long I don’t know.” Karsia lifted her palm and watched the shadows dance above her skin. “I held back for nothing.” She clenched her fist and the shadows vanished.
“That’s not true. You’ve lost sight of who you are,” Astix stated.
It was too similar to Aisanna, the words her sister spoke sounding more and more similar to Darkness. The original, who’d had them cornered in this exact place with the stone, sharing the same moonlight.
It was as if she’d never left the cave where they first faced off, with a name to go with the presence. In a way they never had. The fear was absolute, all-encompassing. She stood there with her body and mind and soul stilling under the absolute certainty: They were going to die if they lost Karsia.
“I know exactly who I am.” Karsia tossed her head as another voice imposed itself over her own. One achingly familiar. The voice from their nightmares. Awful and utterly inhuman. “I’m walking out of here and I’m taking the car. Good luck finding your way to town without me. If you don’t freeze to death before then.” She pouted for show.
Morgan felt a prickling on the back of his neck. Karsia was glowing, her body and face illumina
ted in a faint aura of light that glowed black at the edges.
“You’re not serious.”
“I don’t know how many times I must explain it to you.”
“No need to explain. You’re staying.”
“Not with you, buddy.” She waved her hand, moving fast, and the three of them flew backward toward the cavern wall. Her laugh was terrible. Mocking. Grotesque.
Morgan tried the invisible hold, wiggling wildly, and found it unbreakable. At first. A few seconds of meddling and he found a chink in her spell.
With a heave, he threw off the heft of her demand. “I’m done with the blather. I know this isn’t you talking, Karsia. Let me fix this.” He strode forward with fingertips outstretched.
Karsia skidded away and crouched defensively. A low growl began in the back of her throat and she curled her lip. “No, you don’t. You aren’t sending me into dreams again. Kiss my ass.”
Morgan sucked in a sharp breath. “I’d be glad to if you were in your right mind.” Faster than she could react, he reached out and wrapped his hand around her wrist, ready to immobilize. “Now, if you don’t mind—”
Karsia retaliated swiftly, raising her shoulder and blocking his advance with her forearm. She bent at the waist and kicked Morgan in his abdomen. He grunted and braced his legs. Mouth open wide in a smile, she ducked and rolled out of the way, jumping to her feet with little effort.
Fists clenched, she made a show of strength to let them know she would follow through on what she promised to do. “You want to dance, Professor, be my guest. I’ll give you the fight you want.” She snarled and lunged at him. The cavern walls rumbled as the strength of her power reached outward. Long cracks appeared and limestone dust littered the air.
Without thinking, Morgan lunged forward with his arm outstretched. Karsia easily parried his blow. He whipped around, twisting at the last moment and attempting to catch her on the side. The solid smack of flesh meeting flesh resounded through the cavern.
“Try harder!” she goaded him, eyes gleaming.
Her arms moved in a blur and there was a burst of pain on the side of Morgan’s head. He collapsed against the nearest column and stared at her, dazed.
She clucked her tongue. “Is that the best you’ve got?”
She still looked human. Nearly. In this range, in this light, she was closer to an animal. Growling and reeking of rogue magic.
This couldn’t be the finale. He refused to let it end tonight.
Gathering his thoughts, Morgan charged her headfirst, a deafening yowl tearing from him. She paused in surprise. Then swung around contemptuously.
He ducked past her. Tensed his knees and leaped, sailing over her head, landing on the balls of his feet behind her. When Karsia swiveled to meet him, Morgan disappeared and re-materialized right in front of her face.
“Boo.”
He caught the final look of surprise, of furious shock, before he smacked her with the palm of his hand directly in the center of her forehead with enough force to send her flying.
She landed in a heap against the nearest wall. Furious and shaking, she scrambled to her feet and held her arms at the ready. A flash of light, and her retribution cut across the space separating them with a crack of thunder.
Morgan spiraled, his form blurring, senses sharpening.
“You won’t take me!” she screamed at the empty air, her attention completely focused on locating her invisible attacker. “I won’t let you!”
“I’m sorry.”
The voice whispered like a lover in her ear a split second before his magic took her under. And the world faded around them.
CHAPTER 19
He couldn’t wait this time, knocking her out instantly and sending the puppet master as far away as he dared. Cradling her body before she fell and knocked her head, Morgan dove into the subconscious after her. He needed Karsia back. The real her, if only for an instant.
There had to be a better way. What had been his first mistake? There were too many. His ears rang and pressure stole his breath. Then the pressure was gone, and Morgan stood in the bright whiteness of his subliminal domain.
This time, he had to look deep to find her. Too deep. Time was of the essence and the longer it took to locate her, the less time they had to execute the spell and exorcise Darkness. Watching for her in the subconscious, Morgan shed his human skin and embraced his true form.
Long ebony horns sprouted from his head. At the same moment, great white wings burst through his back. He gave a sigh of relief and cricked his neck, home at last. Sparing a glance at the glowing feathers, he tested their heft in his natural environment. Muscles he’d forgotten about flexed and warmed.
It had been too long since he’d spent time in his own body. The body of a god. Half-god, he reminded himself.
He shrugged off any reservations and tuned in to his gift: dreams. His natural-born right and his fate, to bestow sweet dreams on the masses. Some called him a messenger of the gods, others a half-breed. No matter. Morgan knew his purpose.
Karsia no longer accepted what he offered. It was just one more casualty of her initial sacrifice. When she closed her eyes, it was his brother that visited her, to bestow nightmares, bloody and terrifying images. He knew she woke screaming after the few hours of sleep she received each night.
He thrashed forward through the dream plane. It paid to think positively. Tomorrow, once they successfully went through with their plan, Karsia would be able to dream again.
And Morgan would make sure they were the best he’d ever given.
He sought her deeper, through the rapidly shifting landscape of night, rolling hills and plains, bustling metropolises. His wings beat at the air, searching for her energy signature, knowing it should have been easy.
White spaces filled with color as he flew past, seeking out one mind amidst the billions sleeping around the world. It took much longer to catch her signature and longer still to seek her out where she hid in the dark. Trapped in endless night.
There was nothing pretty about where she’d disappeared to. The expanse of wasteland gleamed dull red and gray under a moonless sky where the stars did not shine. There was nothing except sand and rock, scruffy shrubs that would snap and slice skin if one got too close.
Morgan landed and found Karsia’s small figure hunched in a corner between two boulders, knees curled to chest and arms locked close.
“Karsia?” he called to her, keeping his voice soft.
She failed to respond, so used to the dark she’d forgotten the light.
Please, he thought, please don’t let it be too late.
“Karsia, my sweet love. Answer me.” Morgan approached cautiously. He folded his wings back. “Find your voice. Speak to me. You aren’t alone here. Do you hear me at all?”
With infinite slowness, she looked up, hair shadowing her face and eyes dull. “Who are you?”
Her voice echoed in his ears like the sound of spring rain, the breath of a sunrise. He couldn’t work up any anger at her confusion. Not when he saw how shattered she looked. “You don’t know me?” He forced his cheeks to rise in a smile. “After all we’ve been through together, you don’t recognize me?”
She answered hesitantly, pushing her hair aside with dirty fingers and revealing her face. “Morgan?”
He took time to morph into his human form. The one she’d known on earth. The human version of Morgan bent at the knee and drew her up into his embrace.
She shook as she wrapped her arms around his waist and drew in his familiar scent. “How did you know where to look?” Her hands hooked into his shirt.
He brought her closer, held her tighter until the breath threatened to leave their bodies. “I knew. I will always find you.”
Karsia drew back and stared at him, running a fingertip over the glossy rim of his glasses. Compelled, she touched his face, his skin, any part of him she could reach. “It isn’t you.”
“Of course it is.” He brought her palms to his lips and kissed ea
ch one.
“No. I mean the real you. Let me see you.”
He would not deny her anything. His professor façade faded away and was replaced by the winged horned half-god he now knew she cared for. Truly cared for.
“That’s more like it,” she said with a shy smile and reached for him.
He held her close. “We needed to talk one last time, Karsia. The woman I was dealing with earlier face to face…well, let’s just say she wasn’t amenable to a nice chat. I needed to be here to hold you, to feel you.”
“In case there really is no going back.” She supplied the words he couldn’t say.
He nodded. “And to ask for your help.”
“My help?”
“When the time comes,” he began, “and we corner the vile thing inside of you, I need you to be ready. I need you to fight.”
Already she was shaking her head, taking a step back like a horse beaten one too many times. “I can’t, Morgan.”
“Yes, you can!” he insisted. Wanting her to believe she was strong enough. Needing to believe it himself if only to get through this. “If you fight, then together we can beat her.”
“I’m too weak to fight. Too tired.”
“I know you’re tired, and the road has been hard. There’s this one last bridge to cross and we can handle it from there.”
She sighed and crossed to the stones to sit cross-legged, motioning for him to join her. Morgan did as she asked. The ground immediately sapped him of warmth, his body heat seeping into the cracked and desiccated sand. At the very least, he could make things more comfortable for them.
A snap of his fingers, and sand turned to wind as they floated, cushioned in the arms of a warm summer breeze.
“Can we stay here?” Karsia asked Morgan again.
“Hmm?”
His mind had turned to mush along with the rest of him. Even his eyelids failed to move when she trailed her nails over the broad expanse of his shoulders.