by Brian Carmen
Lost in thought, Nia didn’t notice that En was finished with his drink. He looked at the people around them before suggesting that they go somewhere else.
Nia thought about the hotel room; however that was quickly dismissed. She was sure that they were all still running around the room fighting over something that someone had said. She doubted they would miss her too much; she just needed time for herself. Slowly and without a word, they stood up.
Nia and En started walking around in silence. They didn’t need to talk to understand each other. Loc Moines had quickly become a crossroads for all of them; the past and the future were quickly colliding with each other. Everyone had suffered, the only way to make any of it right was to ensure that they all got their happy endings.
It was impossible for her not to think about Andrew. What was happening in her life were all leading towards an event that was fast approaching. Nia didn’t want to be inside a destroyed underground city. She wanted to be in her meadow having a simple picnic with the man she loved.
Opening the large wooden doors; she found herself stepping inside the normally empty church of Sabriel. It had quite a few people inside; they all seemed to feel that their lives required some faith. Nia couldn’t blame them but was grateful that they seemed to be content ignoring her.
Looking at the stain glass windows, she felt the weight of the stone in her pocket. Nia had heard many times that she resembled the images of Sabriel. She had never seen an image of Sabriel that wasn’t her. Nia had been young and was just starting out on her own when she posed for the glassmaker. He had been quite adamant that she should be the model, if only he knew how much she would later regret it.
Nia looked away from the glass towards the stone alter that was engraved with more pictures of Sabriel. There was an image of Sabriel holding a chalice; Nia remembered listening to stories about the Holy Grail. It had been inspired by Sabriel’s Chalice. There were many things in the human world that had its origins among the Volstir.
Something else from the altar caught her attention. Ignoring the looks from the people, Nia walked up to the altar. Lowering herself, she looked at the bottom right corner where an engraving was barely noticeable. Nia reached into her pocket and pulled out the stone with the winged lion, the image on the stone matched the one on the altar perfectly.
“The stone belongs to the Second” a deep voice said from behind, Nia turned around quickly to see someone she had never thought she would ever see again.
He appeared to be only a few years older than her however she knew that he was much older. If Nia was supposed to be how Sabriel looked than the man she was looking at would be how Israel looked. Nia tried to remember his name however for a long time she’d only referred to him as the glassmaker.
“What are you doing here?” Nia asked as she quickly shoved the stone back into her pockets. If the man saw anything, he didn’t let it show on his face as he smiled.
“I came because you’re here, you don’t remember? I have the sight just like Olivia however with a slight difference” the glassmaker said kindly.
“I don’t understand” Nia began however the glassmaker simply took her hand and began leading her out of the church.
Making a quick and silent prayer for Sabriel’s protection; they stepped outside. Nia could see in the distance that there was some commotion from outside the Sanguine Building. The glassmaker led them over without a word as a small crowd began to gather. Several people were being lead out of the building.
The crowd began shouting and throwing things at the criminals who were all covered with bags over their heads. The council had found out what Nia and Venus had already discovered. Those who had been helping Marcus smuggle the Soulem in the city had been rounded up in a short amount of time. Nia knew that all of them were going to be executed in a matter of hours.
“Things are going to be changing soon. If you want to know more, meet me here” the glassmaker whispered gently as he tucked a note into her pocket.
“What if I don’t want to know more?” Nia asked as she looked into the glassmaker’s eyes.
He seemed genuinely surprised by her words however he didn’t say a word. Instead he pursed his lips and looked down towards En. “You’re her familiar, protect the Second Sabriel at all costs” the glassmaker said before bowing and walking away.
Nia wanted to stop him however she felt compelled to let him go. Going after him felt like asking for more trouble. Nia couldn’t didn’t want to work on anymore mysteries or puzzles. She just wanted to have her happy ending like any other Volstir. Together, En and Nia began walking towards somewhere where they could actually do something good.
Walking down the alley; they were surprised to see that Camden’s pub was looking quite nice. He had received quite a bit of help from the Volstir. Everything seemed to be working out for him without her help. It was good to see that some things could be fixed without her. The pub seemed to be a beacon of hope for the citizens; it was surprisingly more crowded than normal.
“The attacks seems to have brought the Sanguine and the Volstir closer together, I can’t remember the last time this many blood drinkers have been in here” Camden exclaimed with a chuckle.
Looking around, Nia couldn’t help but agree with the pub owner. Many places in Loc Moines were still destroyed. The places left standing had suddenly become common ground for everyone. Slowly, Nia was starting to see some of the good that had come from all the bad. Together they walked out of the pub, feeling a little better.
Nia and En returned to the hotel as everything seemed to have calmed down. Venus was still going over the files; though more for entertainment than anything else. Nia wanted to allow En some rest so she sat down and began looking at an old photo album.
Venus was able to salvage it from the burned down shop. Despite the burnt edges; the pictures brought back memories of when they were all happy. It seemed so long since they were all able to enjoy themselves without any worries.
She looked at a picture of Lauren who was laughing at Venus. She’d accidentally spilt chocolate pudding all over herself. The picture had been taken only a few years before Venus was turned. Venus had been so angry with Lauren but more angry at Nia who had been the one that took the picture.
Nia frowned as she thought about Lauren being decapitated in front of everyone. She hadn’t deserved to die that way. She started looking through other pages, hoping to find a memory. She wanted something that could make everything better instantly. The pictures however seemed to only make her feel worse.
Nia looked up and tried to smile brightly since Olivia and Venus had noticed her more somber attitude. Both of them began trying to cheer her up however it had little effect. The thoughts in her head were starting to take their toll. Closing the album, Nia apologized as she grabbed her coat and walked out of the room.
Standing alone in the hallway, she pulled out the note the Glassmaker had given her. Nia didn’t know if she wanted to meet with him. She was feeling unsure about her options; Nia didn’t want to make the wrong move anymore. Crushing the note in her palm; she knew that there wasn’t a choice.
Nia left the hotel and began making her way to Las Vegas. Nia hoped that the bright lights and energy from the city might help her. She didn’t want to be depressed but couldn’t find a way around it.
Heat rushed towards Nia as she stepped out from the elevator. Night had already settled as she watched the flashes of light in the distance. Nia recognized the heat lighting as she spent a few moments watching the clouds light up. People were moving around quicker than normal, they could smell the water in the air. Thunder could be heard rumbling in the clouds above.
Entering the Royal Queens Casino, she admired the red carpets with the crown pattern on them. The entire casino was bright and filled to capacity with people that were hoping to hit it big. If the note was correct, than the glassmaker should be appearing at any moment. Nia decided to try and waste some time by playing the slot machines.
Fifteen times she repeated the motion and fifteen times in a row she lost. Even the man next to her was able to notice her bad luck. He was able to hit the jackpot and fill up two more buckets with coins.
He offered to give Nia some however, she politely decline as she got up and began looking for another game to play. Music was starting to play as Nia’s attention was taken away from gambling. Walking towards the live band that was playing, she was able to feel the feelings of the humans around her. Nia hadn’t been trying to use her ability, it had activated itself.
Her mind was taken back many years when her ability had first manifested itself. She hadn’t been able to control it at the time. In those days she believed that it was going to drive her insane. Olivia had helped her through the ordeal by forcing her to face it head on. Nia had tried to argue against the idea at first, now she was incredibly thankful.
She remembered being taken to a large stadium where a large group of people were gathered. Nia didn’t even remember the sport that was being played. She did remember the strong emotions they all held inside. They were intense and almost all full of hate.
Nia had been given only two choices and that was to either learn to control her ability or allow it to destroy her. It had been incredibly difficult and she’d almost failed. Somehow she was able to gain control and keep from being pulled over the edge.
Opening her eyes, Nia found herself looking at the live band. She didn’t recognize them from anywhere. The song they were playing was full of hope and love. The female lead singer had amazing talent as Nia found herself dancing to the music. She felt the stress of the last few weeks begin to fade away as she listened.
“It’s good to see that you are able to still find enjoyment in the little things” A familiar voice said from behind.
Nia wasn’t surprised to see the glassmaker standing behind her. Using her ability, Nia tried to see if she could feel out his intent. Unfortunately, he was very old and quite adept at blocking his emotions. He chuckled before asking if they could go somewhere more private.
They walked into an empty parking towards a black mustang that sat in one of the corners. It was strange to be inside a parking garage that only had one car in it. The glassmaker continued walking over towards the mustang until he noticed that Nia was no longer following him.
“I’m tired of the lies and the games, tell me what you know” Nia said sharply to the man.
Part of her felt as though this was all some elaborate trap. She wouldn’t have been surprised if Marcus and his cronies stepped out of the car and attacked. Once again, the glassmaker chuckled before walking back towards her.
“It’s alright, I understand your skepticism. You have every right to be paranoid, all things considered” The glassmaker answered gently.
“You still haven’t answered my question” Nia said coldly, the longer he avoided telling her what he knew, the more paranoid she was going to get.
“You don’t really know how special you are, how much of a threat you represent and how much hope you‘ll give” the glassmaker explained as he took Nia’s hand.
She was able to see Marcus and his allies. Nia had seen visions of the future however, this was not the same. It was as though she were standing beside them without their knowing. She recognized all of them from the Coliseum, even Ellen was with them. Nia tried to hear what they were saying but was unable to.
Blinking, she was back inside the empty parking garage with the glassmaker. “They think I’m going to destroy the world” Nia whispered in fear.
“They believe that you are going to destroy their world, there is a difference” the glassmaker answered with a chuckle.
“You have to tell me why, it can’t be just because they think I’m the second Sabriel” Nia exclaimed while trying to keep herself calm.
During the vision she had been unable to hear anything. Everything she had seen, appeared blurred and unfocused. Somehow, Nia was able to piece everything together through feelings alone. Perhaps this was how the glassmaker saw his visions; it was different from Olivia’s sight but appeared to hold more truth in them.
Olivia was able to see into the future however the glassmaker was able to see into the past. It made things easier to understand since he was able to see what thoughts guided their actions. Nia had been able to know who they all were along with sensing the fear they had towards her. The vision had told her a lot but was also lacking in some of the important details.
The light was important however there was something else. A pitch black shadow that was surrounded by five brilliant points of lights. The vision felt like a story that she’d been told many times but had still forgotten. Nia looked at the glassmaker before asking if he knew what the vision was about.
“My vision is important because it shows the past however it is not alone; you should ask Olivia about her own vision. I must be going now; but I will be in touch” The glassmaker said calmly before walking away.
Nia was left frozen in her tracks. It had slipped her mind that Olivia might actually know the reason for everything. Olivia would have her reasons for keeping her vision of secret but that didn‘t matter. Nia would have no other choice than to confront her maker about it.
Finding herself back inside the city of Loc Moines, she found herself thinking about Lauren. Her sister had been unaware that her fate was unfortunately absolute. Fear gripped her heart as she thought about what Olivia might know. Would Nia’s fate be the same as Lauren’s?
She thought about Andrew before closing her eyes tightly. He was counting on her to be strong. Nia couldn’t let the glassmaker or Olivia’s vision keep her from finding him. Pulling out the Lion Stone, she tried to look for guidance through it.
The stone was just like the glassmaker and provided little relief. Slowly, Nia started walking back towards Loc Moines as she continued struggling with her thoughts. She knew what she wanted; but would outer forces keep coming after her if she tried to claim it?
Returning back to the hotel, she found it all but empty. Venus and Victor were surprisingly sitting on the bed together, looking over an old book. It was a history book; however it was one that Victor probably had never seen before. It was the history of the Volstir and was one that humans might only know about in their myths.
“Venus was telling me about the Volstir Civil War” Victor said excitedly as he looked back down at the book.
Nia was not too surprised that he would find interest in a history that was now a part of his. In the beginning there had been only Sabriel and the first family. After her death the family separated to the four corners of the world and thus created the Volstir. Large clans began to form with only their bloodline to unite them; this would eventually prove not to be enough.
Another group of Volstir appeared; they rejected the bloodline and wanted to unite all Volstir under one law. In essence, they wanted a Revolution away from the kings and queens of old, time past and eventually they were strong enough to challenge the old ways. Many Volstir turned their backs on the children of Sabriel and for over a thousand years the Volstir Civil War raged in the shadows of the human world.
It was official declared over when all of Sabriel’s children and followers were hunted down and killed. The Council was then established and the current government was formed. Both sides had suffered greatly and the rumors were still spreading until finally the council made the war illegal. It was considered history and there it was required to stay, anyone that spoke about the war in a modern or future sense was to be executed.
“Luxen Silverback, killed three of Sabriel’s children in the battle of Blood Rheine” Venus explained as Victor read along. “During the final days of the war; he tracked down their hiding place and led an army of th
ree hundred against the three. Four twenty days they fought, destroying three nearby towns and devastating the land” Venus said to a shocked Victor.
“How could it be that difficult to kill just three of them?” He asked as his head turned towards both Venus and Nia for answers.
“Well four of Sabriel’s children were very special and extremely powerful, they were referred to as the Elements however the humans would know them as the four horsemen of the Apocalypse” Venus said as Victor looked at her in shock.
“They liked the names and took them for themselves until they were all killed. War had control over fire and was said to be able to blow things up with his mind. Famine was the master of water and could suck the moisture out of the air. Pestilence controlled the air and could create terrible hurricanes or simply spread diseases through just by having them breathed in. Death of course had the ability over the earth and could use it to destroy whole cities” Venus explained in a tone of reverence.
They were the first four children made by Sabriel and they were all hunted and killed because they were deeply feared by both humans and Volstir alike. Victor was quick to ask more questions about them and why the First family was treated kindly in the church if they became the enemy of the world.
Venus explained that it hadn’t really been their fault. Without their mother to guide them they were all lost and forming their clans had only made things worse. They all had different views and without a unifying society, became the monstrous Vampires that humans knew about. “Like humans, we aren’t meant to live in small groups. We need to be together with our own kind to help keep us all from forgetting our lights and losing ourselves” Venus explained gently.
It was ironic considering how paranoid everyone always was; but there was logic in it. Nia had only spent a fraction of her life away from the Lost Cities of the Volstir. She could never imagine staying away permanently, they may all be severely dysfunctional but they were still family.
The answers did not appease Victor’s curiosity; however Nia felt exhausted and asked that they continued their history lesson somewhere else. They were kind enough to oblige and left her alone with only En. He didn’t say a word as Nia closed her eyes and allowed her body to rest. Strange dreams came that night; many were about the Civil War, The Elements, and Luxen Silverback. They quickly shifted to the Coliseum, Marcus, and the Soulem.