Rise of the Discordant: The Complete Five Book Series

by Christina McMullen

  A second pillar of flame emerged twisting and brightening like the last, until Nai stood, head held high, both hands resting on a sword that looked to be about half as tall and twice as heavy as she was. The regal demeanor did nothing to hide the smug smirk that tugged at the corners of her mouth. I had to smile as well, knowing how much restraint she was showing and how much she’d wanted this new role. Both Jem and I nodded and she nodded back before stepping to the center.

  “I, Nai Artemis Hawthorne, Warrior of Order, vow to protect and keep safe the citizens of Blackbird.”

  I smiled at the additional name. Agents chose their own surnames as a way of distancing themselves somewhat from their last life within the Cycle. Well, most, at least. As far as I know, I’m the only exception. But the teens were required to take Desmond’s name for convenience’s sake. The warrior goddess was an excellent choice as an amendment.

  After dragging the sword’s point through the motions of the protective ward, Nai stood up and raised the blade high above her head.

  “Be gone from our realm, scum-sucking bastards! And lay claim to this land nevermore!”

  It was all I could do to keep a straight face as Nai added her own spin to the spell. Though as she reared back and drove the sword a full three feet into the ground, my smile fell apart because my jaw was on the ground. The kid had some power. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled as all that remained of the fissure fell in on itself, sealing up the portal between realms for good.

  The three of us then clasped hands, forming a smaller circle within the circle of seven. Using the last shred of energy anyone had, we readied the spell that would place the final ward, ensuring the area would remain stable and never fall prey to the Discordant again. But before we could begin the chant, a third pillar of flame burst from the remains of the fissure, hissing and spitting until the fire sputtered away, revealing a most pathetic creature.

  It seemed Blackbird had a new permanent resident.

  Chapter 12

  Restoring Balance

  The shift was not subtle, but neither was it sudden. As I took the ancient book of spells from Donna, it felt as if a hidden door within my own psyche opened. I found that I connected to the elemental magic on a level that I’d never before understood, nor felt the need to understand. It hadn’t been necessary to tap into the magic of this world when I had access to all that lie beyond. What was most curious was that I still had access to the beyond, but already I could feel it pulling away from me.

  Knowing as I now did the origin of my soul and Seth’s, I was prepared for something to happen. I knew all of the changes that were coming were part of the greater plan. I understood that I was being granted an unprecedented opportunity. One that for all intent and purpose, my actions as a newborn agent should have deemed me unworthy of.

  And yet, as I took the book into my hand, and felt the transference of energies, an emptiness began to grow in the pit of my being. It was neither rational nor explainable, but I noticed a similar expression of loss reflected in Donna’s eyes in the form of tears she tried valiantly to hide. Funny how we do not realize how entrenched in our ways we are until that which has always defined us is pulled away.

  I never asked to be a part of this. In death as in life, I was given orders to do that which my physical presence deemed I was built to do. In my irrationality and anger, I’d often compared the role of Warrior to my life as a slave. Had I any rationality, I would have recognized that in death, I was the one who shackled myself in the heavy chains. I became a slave only to my own anger and guilt. And yet, here I was, standing on the threshold, poised to finally find the freedom I’d denied myself, feeling lost and afraid.

  * * *

  “Have you made your peace, Desmond?”

  The Creator’s voice was soft, laced with concern, and lacking the usual puckish edge that Desmond had grown used to. In a way, that was most startling of all, and yet Desmond did not take for granted the concern.

  “I’m not sure,” he answered with a frown, turning to face the child-like being in a simple white shift. This peaceful, playful, and innocent incarnation was new to Desmond, whose own inner turbulence often projected images of titans, warlords, tricksters, and malevolent beings, depending on his mood. Though new to him, he recognized this wide-eyed, smiling, and rapidly aging being as the spiritual representation of the harvest. Reaping and sowing, death and rebirth. The implications of which were not lost on him. “Far be it from me to scoff at the significance of symbolism, but I can’t reconcile that my one symbolic sacrifice in any way makes up for all that Seth has sacrificed for me many lifetimes over.”

  At that the Creator shook its head, sending a shower of wheat fluttering to the ground. “Ah, Desmond. You yet cling to the concept of balance as more than an abstraction of Order. What is fair when a soul’s rending is at stake? What is sacrifice to a martyr but a means to heal that which can’t heal itself?”

  Somewhere in the empty pit that had taken up residence where his gut had been, frustration churned. Vague and enigmatic to the very end. It seemed to Desmond that for all its outward concern, the Creator took great pleasure in making him jump through hoops to extrapolate but the smallest glimmer of meaning in its words. Sensing this dissonance, the Creator frowned.

  “Do not look to unravel that which you cannot see at face value,” the Creator admonished, reaching up to place one tiny and now wrinkled hand upon Desmond’s head. Like a mantra, four words echoed, repeating over and over in his mind, meaningless, yet significant.

  Sacrifice. Severance. Covenant. Heal.

  “Do not dwell here upon that which can only be changed by actions of acceptance. You’ll find that after the dust settles, all that is extraordinary becomes once again blessedly ordinary. Go, Desmond,” it said, its voice, now graveled and rough with age, was again gentle. “That which you seek awaits.”

  * * *

  I watched in abject horror as Jem and Nai fell willingly across the void, taking with them the countless thousands of Discordant souls who had threatened our world. I thought of the Creator’s words. Of all that I thought I knew. But as was often the case in matters pertaining to the infinite Cycle, my comprehension was for but a fraction of all that had been revealed to me

  “Sacrifice… Severance…”

  As I spoke each of the words the Creator had ambiguously imparted as wisdom, the haze cleared and I understood. So much more than Blackbird was at stake this night. So much more than the fate of a handful of insignificant souls. And yet, we, as insignificant and damaged as a tattered group of ragtag souls could be, had the power to make the needed corrections. To not just restore balance, but to become the reminder of what balance truly means.

  Donna’s sacrifice, not only of her life, but in giving up a significant role in the coven through which she had defined herself, was the catalyst that brought us to the beginning of the end. Embracing her new role as agent, not by rejecting her Discordance, but by incorporating the need for conflict, would allow Order to maintain peace.

  The twins, Jem and Nai, by facing their own unharmonious nature head on and severing their soul’s bond forevermore, were granted the strength required to lead the Discordant from our realm. But more than that, the forcing of balance and the reconciliation of their wholeness strengthened their own individuality, and in turn, gave strength to all of Order.

  “Covenant… Heal…”

  A vow had been made. By renouncing Chaos, a soul once lost was returned to Order. Symbolically speaking, that is, for I was certain that Order’s newborn soul had until now been demon through and through. Nevertheless, the significance was not lost on me. Order had, for the first time in its existence, acquired a new soul.

  My voice was joined by another and I looked up, daring to look at what was left of our world, and saw only myself, healed. The empty pit that had been growing inside me was not born of loss. The longing, the need to be completed had nothing to do with the relinquishing of my role as an agent of Order an
d everything to do with making room for that which was torn away eons ago.

  I saw my soul healed.

  I saw the completion to which I would soon return, reflected in the pale blue eyes of my dark half. And it was the most beautiful sight imaginable. I don’t know which was more surprising, that Seth kissed me, or that I found more peace in that one small act of intimacy than I’d felt in over three hundred years of existence. At long last, the darkness that had shrouded my own heart for so long ebbed away, like shadows dissipating beneath the midday sun. I could have stayed forever, lost as I was in this new feeling of wholeness. I might have, if Harry hadn’t reminded us that we had a world to save.

  Even before the ceremony began, before I was to speak aloud my role, I felt the final hold of agency release me. I had magic, yes, but I was again mortal. I had known, of course, and tried to prepare myself for what was to come, yet still, the transition was jarring. And I must admit, as Jem called his sister back from the abyss, I felt something uncomfortably similar to jealousy. But just as quickly, I stomped the unnecessary emotion down, instead allowing my heart to be filled with pride for the diminutive Warrior, knowing that what she lacked in physical intimidation, she more than made up for in attitude. I have no doubt Nai will be a fierce and capable Warrior who will not just live up to, but quickly surpass my own legacy. I looked forward to watching her inevitable rise to infamy amongst the agents.

  This served to remind me that my being here within the Cycle after my own tenure as an agent expired was an unprecedented gift bestowed by the Creator. One that I would not take for granted. That Seth and I were being allowed the remainder of our natural lifetimes to reconcile several millennia’s worth of turmoil might have seemed fleeting and inconsequential, but I was grateful for the chance to do so on our own terms.

  * * *

  With a final stroke of Nai’s flashy and oversized claymore, the breach was closed, both between realms and within my own mind. At long last, the peace which I’d always believed I did not deserve was within reach. Blackbird, it seemed, was finally free to flourish or languish under its own power.

  Almost.

  “Ajhe? What the heck is you doin’ back here?”

  Bogie’s bafflement and open revulsion was mirrored on nearly every face as the dust settled and we got a good look at what it was the realm rejected hard enough to send through what should have been impenetrable wards. I can’t say that I was surprised to see Ajhtyraeth, the former ruler of the demon realm, stripped of his position and tossed out like yesterday’s garbage, but what he was doing here, in Blackbird, was a mystery.

  “Ain’t it obvious?” the demon runt asked as he looked around and realized his unenviable position in the center of a double-warded ring of mystics and Order agents. “They threw me out! What’s worse, they added insult t’ injury and reinstated yer yutz of an uncle in my place!”

  “No kiddin’? I guess that stands to reason seein’ as you was the only one besides his numerous ex-wives what had it in for him.”

  “That’s all well and good,” I said, stepping in to curtail Bogie before the uncomfortable and awkward position turned into an hour long gab-fest. “But what are you doing back here in Blackbird? There’s a whole world to harass and there are most certainly easier portals they could have sent you through than the one that we warded only seconds before.”

  “Yeah, the difficulty mighta been part of my so-called punishment,” he growled, reaching up to rub at the back of his neck. “They said if I liked this scrap of dirt enough t’ make a town out of it, then it was good enough t’ live out the rest of my days.”

  “What on Earth does that mean?” I asked.

  “Ajhe here claims to be the founder of Blackbird,” Bogie answered for him.

  “Spoken like the insubordinate you always was, Bertie,” Ajhtyraeth groused. “I is the founder of this rat hole, which is why I’s been cursed t’ come back here. That portal were my lastmost effort t’ finally gain some standing in the community. Now thanks t’ yous bozos, I’m stuck here.”

  “Not if I have anything to say about it,” Nai growled, eyeing the deposed demon king with a look that I recognized as the one all new Warriors get when they are trying to figure out the least messy, but most effective method of obliterating a Discordant. After dealing with Ajhe for more years than I care to remember, I can’t say that the punk didn’t deserve whatever Nai could throw at him, which is why I was surprised when she let her threat hang as just that and nothing more.

  For a moment, Ajhe glanced between Nai and myself. His confusion turned into smug satisfaction when he realized I was no longer the Warrior and for a moment I was willing to forget that small detail, if only to wipe that smirk off his face. Then again, with the incredulous way he was eyeing Nai, it might have been more fun to watch her turn him into a grease stain. But instead of puffing up for a fight, his shoulders sank.

  “Eh, what’s the point?” Ajhe let out a deeply exaggerated sigh. “Gonna kick me while I’m down? Go ahead, ya cowards. I’s ruined anyways.”

  “Not just yet, you ain’t,” came a muffled but familiar voice from underneath a nearby pile of rubble, cutting off what was likely going to be one hell of a curse from Nai. Apparently her sympathy for the devil only went so far.

  After some rumbling and shifting of debris, a dusty clawed hand in a cheap pinstriped suit emerged, followed quickly by the rest of Mort.

  “Egads, kid!” He lapsed into a dramatic coughing fit as he uselessly attempted to brush the dirt and dust from his clothes. “Next time you lot decide to banish all of the Discordant, kindly remember that some of us are on your side. I was lucky I found this here post to wrap around because who knows what might have been waiting for me back home!”

  “You too? Ah geez,” groaned Ajhe, but the pathetic exasperation only added fuel to Mort’s fire.

  “Ajhe, baby! Good to see you too! Listen, Ajhy, can I call you Ajhy?” Mort swung his arm over Ajhe’s shoulders, ignoring the glare that said no, he could not call him Ajhy. “Ajhy, my boy, you are sitting on a goldmine! The way I see it, those suits on the council did you a favor.”

  “A favor? A favor?” Ajhe’s head wobbled in a way that made me think there was a very good chance it was going to shoot off his neck and explode like a roman candle. “I’m ruined! I’m disgraced! Ain’t it enough that I’m stuck in this dump!? Do I need t’ suffer alls of the fools what I banished too?”

  “Fools? Ajhy, buddy, you wound me! Is that any way to talk to the handsome devil who is going to save your hiney from utter ruin?”

  “You? Oh that’s rich! What is you even gettin’ at?”

  I had the same question. Just because Mort was still here and had helped us out the first time Blackbird was threatened with being overrun by werewolves, didn’t mean that he now had carte blanche to do what he wanted. Of course, I also had to stand down and remember that this was no longer my fight. It seemed getting used to civilian life would take some time.

  “What? Ain’t you also known as Aster Roth, the big kahuna in charge of Down to Earth Energy?”

  “Ah geez! You’s a real joker, Morty,” Ajhe said, shaking his head. “You know same as I do that company ain’t nothin’ more than a front for a failed bid at higher standing on the council.”

  “Which is all the more reason why you would do well to sell off such a worthless asset, ain’t it?”

  “Sell? Whaddaya talkin’ about?”

  “What I’m talking about is Morton Enterprises getting into the commodities market.”

  “Oh, and what, I’m just supposed t’ roll over and accept whatever lowball offer you throw at me?”

  “Ah, relax! Right now, you got lawsuits and legislation and all kinds of legal whatnot standing between you and making a tidy profit. By selling the business, you are also selling that headache. Seems to me that might be worth a discount, eh?”

  For a moment, it did appear as if Ajhe was about to agree, but before anyone could say another word, Betty jum
ped in between the demons.

  “Now wait just a minute!” she protested. “I’ll have you know the EPA is currently investigating the fraudulent practices that have gone on here for far too long. Down to Earth has a lot to atone for and I don’t care who’s running the show, they are not going to be allowed to operate within the city limits. I say if the owner no longer has the money to operate, then he can get out of town.”

  “And let another company swoop in and take its place?” Mort countered. “Nah, that’s a headache you don’t want, trust me. The way I see it, controversial business ain’t the order of the day no more, so I’m envisioning Down to Earth’s future dealings heading in the clean energy direction.”

  “Since when have you ever been interested in clean anything?” I asked, seriously wondering what angle Mort was working.

  “You wound me, Des. Look around. This place is perfect for wind farms. The damn at the old mill site could easily be outfitted for hydroelectric output. Why, by the time all those guys what lost their manufacturing jobs start learning about the opportunities in Blackbird, it won’t be just fast food keeping spirits lifted.”

  “That’s a lovely pipe dream you’re selling, Mort,” said Seth, who had been watching the conversation with a critical eye. “Pardon me if I’m not blown away by your promises.”

  “Yeah, same here,” Betty added.

  “Okay, how about I make you a silent partner?” Mort asked, turning to Betty.

  “Make it a not so silent environmental consultant and we’ve got a deal.” Betty held out her hand and to my surprise, Mort shook it.

  “Oh well ain’t that just hunky dory. While yous all is getting high on rainbows and unicorn farts, what am I supposed t’ do?”

  I had several suggestions, most of which began and ended with Ajhe inserting his head into his own backside.

  “As it so happens, I have an open position with my latest enterprise and you can even start in, oh…” Mort checked his knockoff Rolex. “…another three or so hours.”