Shining Light of the Volstir (The Light of the Volstir Book 1)

by Brian Carmen

  Ming was worried for her because of the brothel. It was located very close from her new apartment. Ming was nervous about that because she’d heard about girls who ran away. Later they would end up never being seen or heard from again. Utaru had been deeply touched that Ming cared so much for her. Ming was the closest thing to a mother that Utaru had since her own passed away.

  “Don’t worry Ming, I promise to stay safe” Utaru said with a laugh as Ming began to lighten up a little.

  They spoke in Chinese but thankfully Nia was able to hear them as if they were speaking English. She watched as Ming helped Utaru unpack her things. They had dinner together for the first time in Utaru’s place. They talked and laughed as they ate a lovely meal. The two of them were sadden when it came time for Ming to return home. It would be the first night in two years that they weren’t under the same roof.

  Nia thought about the promise that Utaru would be unable to keep. The image became distorted as Utaru woke in the middle of the night. There were four men surrounding her with glaring eyes. She was unable to understand everything they were saying because they were speaking in English. Utaru was terrified of the strange men as they pointed and laughed.

  Nia heard and understood everything they were saying. The men were mocking the color of Utaru’s hair that she was so proud of. She liked it because her hair made her look as different as she felt. Utaru didn’t know that they were not from the brothel but were instead Volstir.

  The last few weeks of Utaru’s life as a human began flashing before Nia like a movie projector. She woke in a lot of pain as one of the men began inserting the tracker and camera inside of her. Nia tried to look at the man but was unable to see them clearly. She heard someone use the name Chi Kappa before Utaru fell back into darkness.

  She reawakened later in a white room with a television in front of her. There were several papers around her however they were all in English. Nia was able to read one of the papers before Utaru looked at the television. The image of Ming was seen as she held Utaru’s picture in her hands so that the audience could see. Ming was obviously upset as she spoke to the reporters.

  “She was taken last month and the police won’t do anything to help her because she was once a prostitute. She changed though and was turning her life around. Utaru had so much promise” Ming said with tears streaming down her face.

  The camera moved down to show a sad Lao looking at them all. The reporter began talking about how Utaru saved the child. Both Nia and Utaru were greatly sadden when they saw Lao’s face. He looked as though he really had lost a sister.

  Utaru’s pain was both physical and mental as she blacked out again. Nia opened her eyes as the tears were finally released. Utaru’s life had been so full of pain with only a little happiness. The only that she had discovered from the memories was a single word that was on the papers. It was capitalized and Nia wasn’t surprised that Utaru was unable to understand ’Salvation’.

  Utaru’s sad story however brought back painful memories of Nia’s own human life. She couldn’t help but feel an old emptiness once again. Olivia had taken her from a painful fate and granted her the opposite. Instead of death, Nia had been given eternal life. Olivia taught her how to remove the feelings that had brought Nia to a very dark place.

  For over a hundred years she had worn a mask that protected her from the sadness. For the first time in a long time, it had broken. Nia’s pain and sadness was free to take its toll after many years. She was reminded of her family and the deaths that nearly destroyed her entire world. Nia had almost forgotten how terribly hungry and broken she had been back in those days.

  The empty feeling inside felt strong as Nia looked towards the mirror. She started trying to understand why life had been so cruel to both Utaru and herself. Nia had been fortunate enough to have Olivia help her but Utaru had nothing. Happiness had never even been an option for the young girl. Every time a chance appeared; it was cruelly taken away.

  Nia looked into the mirror and saw Utaru as though she were actually standing in front of her. Something inside her stirred as Utaru’s image smiled back at her. Nia felt the metal stone in her hand. The memories of her past and Utaru’s merged together inside her head allowing Utaru’s reflection to speak. Nia heard perfect English as if she were standing in front of her again.

  “Remember your promise and I will be able to rest in peace. Hold on to your light and let your pain go. You reminded me so much of Ming and it felt good to feel someone care about me again. Thank you Nia for helping me and I hope that you can find enough happiness for the both of us” Utaru said in a tone that made Nia believe in what she said.

  Nia thought about Andrew and remembered how desperately she wanted to be with him. She wanted to know that the future was not really as dark and empty as she felt. Utaru looked at Nia and repeated her words even louder than before. It seemed that she wanted to help remove the darkness that Nia felt. Utaru didn’t realize that Nia was the one who wanted to help her.

  “Is there anything else I can do? Anything at all; I want to make it up to you so badly” Nia shouted as Utaru closed her mouth and faded from sight.

  Utaru was now fully gone as Nia felt everything about her disappear into a shadow of the memories. They had once been so vivid and now Nia no longer remembered all of the little details. Nia sat on the bed in silence for another hour until Victor and En returned. She tried to recreate her mask and pretend to be happy however she was unable too as En silently laid in her lap.

  Victor was obviously worried but didn’t respond as he sat down next to her and remained silent for a long time. Finally it seemed as though a thought began to run inside his mind as he took Nia’s hand. Victor seemed to be waiting for her to look at him before speaking. Nia didn’t know if she wanted to hear what he had to say however she finally looked into his eyes. Despite having to take Utaru’s life, Victor’s eyes still seemed as kind and gentle as they always were.

  “I know this is difficult for you. You might not want to hear it but there’s something I have to tell you. On the day I was turned I was given my light just like you were. I don’t remember much of it but I do know what the message was. My hope is making you happy.

  “I know more about your past than you think I do. I have felt a strong connection with you even if it’s not the same as what you and En share. I want to ensure that your light comes true. The happiness you have in the future is my happiness” Victor explained as thoughts began racing throughout Nia’s mind.

  Victor stayed silent with Nia until at last she felt strong enough to begin preparing for their departure. She didn’t want to stay in the city anymore and never wanted to return to it again. They both took a shower and changed their clothes before they left and continued their journey to Loc Moines.

  Nia looked out at the night sky and thought about Olivia. She wanted to talk with her desperately and began hoping that once they arrived in the city; Nia would be able to contact her maker. They didn’t need to talk as they continued to drive. They were not stopping until they reached Las Vegas. The only way for the two of them to recover from everything that had happened in the last few weeks would be to try and move on.

  Reaching into her pocket, Nia pulled out the stone with the winged lion. Before they left the motel Nia had wrote a letter. The remaining memories had allowed her to write in perfect Chinese as though she were really Utaru. She wrote to Ming explaining as much of the details involving Utaru’s desk as possible. Somehow Nia knew that Ming would believe the letter as she added a few details to prove that she knew Utaru.

  Nia wanted to mail the golden urn with Utaru’s ashes however that would have been impossible. Instead Nia left instructions on where Ming could find the urn. She apologized that the letter was the only thing she could offer Ming and Lao. Nia could only hope that her letter would help the two in their grief. She knew that Ming would believe the letter and that she would come to pick up the urn.

  Nia had left more instructions in the lett
er. She had contacted the bank and opened a special account for Ming. Nia had left Ming and Lao several million dollars while asking that they use the money to take care of themselves. Money wouldn’t bring Utaru back however Nia knew that Ming would be able to use the money to help others. Nia hoped that they would be able to remember Utaru and try to find happiness in the future.

  A day past before Victor tried to break the silence by asking about the lost cities. He wanted to know what Loc Moines was like. Slowly Nia began to explain to him about the design of the cities and a few of the buildings that were common. Victor seemed interested in learning about it as they stopped to stretch their legs.

  Nia began working with Victor and his ability again. She tried to copy it but was unable to despite the encouragement from En. Nia tried everything he said but was still unable to replicate Victor’s ability. En began trying to think of why her ability would not work however there were too many explanations. It seemed that it would just take practice and time for Nia to fully use her ability.

  They decided to put it from their mind as they traveled the last leg of their journey. Once they arrived Victor would have to register with the council. Nia began trying to think of who she could ask about the experimentation on Soulem. She felt confident that Thereon was not responsible but also felt uneasy because he was her only suspect. Victor suggested that when they arrive they look around for someone with an ability that could help them.

  It was night once again as they saw the bright lights from the casino’s. They hadn’t expected to have so much difficulty getting to Loc Moines but now they were almost there. Victor pulled over so that they could get a good look at all the bright neon. It was all so brilliant as all three of them smiled.

  “This part is finally over for the two of us. Now your education as a Volstir can really begin” Nia explained as they got back into the truck and began driving towards the bright city and the renewed hope for the future.

  Chapter Ten: Culture of Loc Moines

  Nia had been to Las Vegas and Loc Moines several times before however she had never brought Victor for many reasons. He was excited as they drove into Las Vegas and began making suggesting that they visit a few of the casinos before they left. Nia ignored his suggestions as they both looked at all the lights and people.

  It was almost comical to see all of the people walking around such a large city and not know the truth. Under their feet was another city the same size with many blood drinking Volstirs. Nia led Victor towards one of the parking garages where they parked and began walking. It was plain looking however she knew that it was much more special.

  Nia began looking for a door as En assisted. Victor remained silent until they had stopped in front of a wall. He asked if she knew where they were going. Looking on the walls they could see ten cameras watching them. They could easily be seen throughout the entire parking garage.

  She saw the keyhole that was all but invisible. It was only about the size of a quarter and didn’t appear to open anything. The Volstir of Loc Moines were always watching. Nia knew that the Volstir would be paying close attention to where they were. The keyhole was meant to open one of the secrete elevators.

  “There are over forty-two entrances to Loc Moines. This one is hardly used but I think it will be a pleasant surprise for you to enter this way” Nia explained to Victor as she focused on the keyhole.

  Pushing the keyhole inwards, a small needle stuck out and pricked her finger. Within seconds her blood was analyzed as her finger healed itself. Victor watched in surprise when part of the wall opened to reveal an elevator. They walked inside the red carpeted elevator. Large buttons with several floor numbers could be seen. The elevator was designed for only one floor however only a Volstir would know.

  Nia looked at the buttons that gave them the option to go up or down. Pushing several numbers, Nia used the sequence to use the elevator properly. Victor was carefully watching as several numbers lit up before the doors closed. The elevator was now hidden once more as they started moving downwards towards the lost city.

  The elevator moved slowly downwards while making a slight squeaking noise. It seemed that this entrance really hadn’t been used in a while. Several lights from the numbers started flashing quickly in a random order. Nia ignored them however she noticed that Victor was staring at them curiously so she decided to explain.

  “It’s checking to see if we are human. There are about twelve Volstir guards that stand ready for any issues at each of the entrances. A human is only allowed to enter the city if they have a special ID or if they are accompanied by a Volstir” Nia explained as Victor listened curiously.

  Several times the elevator slowed to a point where it was barely moving at all. Nia explained that they were check points. If they were a threat than the elevator would be crushed in less than two seconds. The elevator itself had several hidden cameras that were turned on when the elevator was in use.

  The security measures that the Volstir took to remain hidden seemed like nothing to Nia. It was understandable why Victor would be excited by the thought of how dangerous it was just to enter the secret city. After five minutes of traveling down the doors finally opened as Nia looked to see Victor’s mouth drop. The wait and security seemed to be worth it as Victor took his first look at Loc Moines.

  They were standing on a cliff like area as they left the pillar that housed Elevator Entrance Number Nine. She was excited to see Loc Moines again but for different reasons than her progeny. It had been more than ten years since Nia had seen her sisters. It would be great to see them again.

  Being full time residents; they could be helpful to them. They might be able to find information on who was responsible for turning Utaru into a Soulem. If they didn’t know than at least Nia would be able to introduce Victor to them. Ebony and Venus had never tried being a maker much to Olivia’s annoyance. She was always trying to convince her progenies that it was their duty to become makers.

  Loc Moines was located inside a large dome that had a similar diameter to the city above. There were easily over seventy buildings inside the dome including a very large one in the back. It was both the home and office for Thereon Solbid. The Registration building was connected the Council building making both quite a hassle to navigate through.

  On top of both building was a large flag. It was white with thirteen red stripes going vertically downwards. In the center was the silver double loop that represented infinity. This was the symbol for the Volstirs around the world. It could also be seen engraved on the outside of all the government buildings.

  The thirteen red stripes were supposed to be the pillars of the thirteen council members. The silver infinity sign stood for both the High Ruler and the life of all Volstirs. The symbol was more than two thousand years old and was easy to recognize. Nia ensured that she explained the flag to Victor in case anyone asked about it.

  Victor and Nia would have to go there in order to register. In front of the Registration Building was a large cathedral and to the far right was a large coliseum. It was used for many events and had a top that could be opened and closed. Nia began trying to explain the purpose of these places while Victor simply looked around in pure excitement.

  All across the city were several pillars that could take them to and from Las Vegas. Some of them went directly inside several of the buildings. The roads were made of cobblestone as they brought people to the brightly colored places. The colors were pastel and along with the design of the buildings it reminded Nia of 1950s suburbia. Upon first glance, one could hardly believe that almost all the citizen survived off a human blood.

  In the center of the domed city was a large sphere that light shined from to simulate daylight. Some of the lost cities had screens built into the ceiling to make it appear like a sky however Loc Moines was much older. The light from the V-sun gave them enough illumination to see however the city still had a bright look about it.

  A large wooden sign stood near the elevator entrance. Nia follow
ed Victor who seemed interested in reading what it said. It gave a brief history of Loc Moines along with a basic map that hadn’t been updated in more than fifty years. A long time ago they were unable to house so many Volstirs in one spot. Loc Moines was one of the first large dome cities built for their kind in America.

  The city had gone through many remodels however it was still not as advance as Haleo or Nuv Embers. It was strange considering that Loc Moines was the home to a ruling council member. In contrast the city of Koi was much more extravagant. Despite the age of the city, it still appeared new and lovely. Loc Moines also had many advance electronic devices hidden beneath the humble appearance.

  They began making their way towards the market by taking another elevator. This one was opened and began sliding down the cliff at a speed that was much faster than a real elevator. The two of them merged with the crowd as Nia explained that they were going to visit Ebony and Venus. En separated from them which was expected considering there were many things that were designed for Polongs. They started walking down a long road that had all types of shops.

  Victor’s head turned left and right as he tried to take in everything that was around them. Nia figured that he was surprised by how normal the residents of Loc Moines appeared. Many were slightly pale however they appeared to look just like the humans on the surface. In truth some of them were humans however Nia did not mention this.

  “Five dents for a purse is just ridiculous” a tall woman in a feathered hat commented to the bald man walking beside her.

  Victor was obviously confused by what the woman was saying however he didn’t say anything. Instead he walked away from Nia and entered a well-lit shop that had caught his attention. It was a bit larger than the other shops and had bright red letters that said ’Senior Juan’s Tops and Bottoms’. Inside were many different outfits that couldn’t be found outside Loc Moines. He looking at a black leather jacket that had odd patterns over it, the label said that it had been made by a company called ‘Blood and Oates’.