by Jana LaPelle
Our reply is quick, “See there below us? The trees are beginning to thin. We are very close.”
“Would it be okay if we drop out of the shadow-realm soon. We could use the cover of the trees. It’s strangely cold here, and I don’t like it.” Her voice is quiet and full of angst.
Angling for the cover of the trees, I point. See there in the distance, where the mountain range, the trees, and the barren lands all meet. That’s where we are heading. Would you rather walk from here? I will not risk flying outside of the shadows just yet.”
Nodding she agrees, “Yes. Let’s do that. It will give me some time to become acquainted with this place.”
Circling, I find an opening in the canopy of the trees and quickly slip out of the shadows to land on the overgrown grass-like growth. Scanning the blood-red skies for anything remotely threatening, I see nothing to keep us from setting out on foot. “Come on, princess, we have about an hour's walk to get to our destination, but I think the walk will do us both some good.” I take her hand and pull her under the canopy of the sparse leaves of the trees. And so begins Lillie’s education of The Underworld, “See here? These trees? This is the Dark Forest. The trees here have wood that is black as soot and the sap from the trees bleeds red. It’s what we call a black elder tree. Most of the furniture back at the house has been crafted from the wood of these trees. Their timber is strong and sturdy. See?” I pull a twig of a limb down and snap the branch into two pieces, and sure enough, the sap drips red. As soon as the sap hits the ground it sizzles for a moment and then is absorbed by the dirt.
“Is the sap poisonous? Why does it sizzle like that?” She asks as we continue walking.
“I’m not sure if it’s poisonous. I don’t know of anyone that has ingested it as it tends to burn what it touches. Some of the majic users of this realm collect it to use it in certain charms and spells.”
“Can we harvest some of this sap? My aunt Lexie would love to work with something so undeniably foreign. She’s always looking to create new and powerful charms. This could come in handy in the future. Who knows what we’re going to encounter.”
“Let me see what I have in my pack, I’m sure we can do that,” I say. After a few minutes of rifling through my bag, I find a small glass vial and we quickly go about collecting enough sap to more than halfway fill the small bottle.
LJ takes the container and looks at the viscous dark ruby red liquid that appears to be glowing ever so slightly, and says, “I think this will do. Lexie loves working with new and powerful ingredients and I think that this substance is very powerful.”
She looks so serious as she carefully hands the vial back to me. “It is,” I reply, taking her hand in my own. “Powerful, that is.” I carefully place the glass container back in my pack. “There are a lot of things in the realm that looks like something that you would see in The Mortal Realm or even, maybe, in Faerie. They may look similar but they are far from it. See that berry bush over there, I point to the right. “They look like blueberries, but that’s blight. Just a taste can kill you.”
“That’s what my Da said. He and Pip told some tall tales about his time here but that one story stuck, but not all trees here are like the black elder tree. You have dragonfruit trees too, right?”
Laughing, I nod, “Yes, but we will probably not see any this close to the barren lands. There are other fruit trees here as well, but most of those are on the other side of the Great Divide.”
We continue walking in silence for a while and Lillie continues to take everything in. As we come upon a canopy-covered clearing, Lillie asks, “Daxell, what is that gods' awful stench?”
“Devil’s Bane,” I whisper. “I’ve heard tale of it but never thought to ever see it or smell it. I thought that it was all but eradicated. Lillie, we have to secure some of these flowers, but we cannot allow it to touch our skin and we absolutely must not breathe in any of its spores. The Fallen can be brought to their knees with this stuff, it’s very potent, but must be handled very carefully.”
39
Hellionite, AKA Devil’s Bane
(Lillie Joanna)
The foul-smelling flower looks as rotten as it smells. For the love of Lucifer, the putrid stench of death is suffocating. My eyes have begun to water and my stomach threatens to empty its contents as I clamp a hand over my nose. The flower in question is the deepest of purple, bordering on black, it reminds me of a cross between an orchid and a lily but with long whiskers that bow to the ground, like a cat. The whiskers look like they serve as the stamen with the anther hanging low to the ground below. This little patch of devil’s bane is thriving. Turning to Daxell, I ask, “What do we need to harvest?”
“See the cat-like whiskers that droop toward the undergrowth? We need what is at the end of them.”
“The anther, the pollen. How do we harvest it?”
“Very carefully. Here, wrap this scarf around your face. Do not breathe in the pollen. It could paralyze both of us in a matter of seconds. I’ll extract what we need. I don’t want you to inhale or come in contact with it. Stand back, LJ.”
I quickly step in front of him, blocking his way, and say, “No way, demon boy. I’ll extract and you can stand guard. That way, if I’m knocked on my ass, you can swoop in and be my dark knight, my guardian angel.” I smile sweetly up at my wickedly handsome demon.
He glares down at me before relenting, nodding, he acquiesces, “Your reasoning is sound, princess. You must carefully remove the anther, is that what you called it? The pollen.” His voice is all growly. He clearly is not okay with me doing this.
I gently touch his arm, gaining his attention, and say, “I’ll be careful. I promise.” He nods and I continue, “Okay then, what do you want me to put the pollen in? Do we have any gloves? How am I to do this without coming into contact with it?’
Growling, Daxell moves to my side and digs through one of our bags. He pulls out a drawstring bag made of linen that looks to have been soaked in wax and hands it to me. His demon is pushing to be released but Daxell remains firmly in control, neither are happy and he announces, “I don’t have any gloves.”
Grimacing, I look up at my kindred soul mate, “How much do we need?”
“Pollen from three or four of the flowers should be more than enough, but we should not tarry here. Get what you can, and don’t take any risks. I’m not kidding, LJ. This stuff is nothing to mess with.” He growls as I wrap the scarf around my mouth and nose and secure it into place.
Nodding, I take the small bag and say, “I’ve got this. While I’m doing this, why don’t you tell me more about this flower?” Walking over to the bed of flowers, I assess where I’m going to start. I choose a spot on the outer edge of the bed and go to work. My thought is that I’ll work my way inward so as not to accidentally come into contact with any of the stinky flower’s pollen.
Daxell’s voice is low and soothing when he begins. “It’s been widely believed that the plant was eliminated ages ago. The Fallen found out very early on that this flower has properties that affect them adversely. They can be completely incapacitated for a short period of time. Kind of like kryptonite.” He chuckles softly, “Instead of Devil’s Bane we could call it hellionite.”
I chuckle at his reference, and say, “I think I like that better. Go on,” I urge him to continue as I continue my tedious task.
“So Luc and the other princes set out to eradicate all of the offensive flowers. I only know about it because Devil’s Bane played a part in Asmodeus’s capture when his abilities were bound. My fathers showed me an ancient tome with an illustration and a general written outline of the plant's properties.”
By now, I’ve successfully harvested at least four flowers anther and pull the drawstring bag shut. Standing, I make my way back to him and drop it safely within our bags alongside the sap. “Okay. Let’s get out of here. The stench of this place is horrible. Even with the scarf. Are there any streams or water sources close by? I would like to wash my hands.”
Daxell hoists the bags back up and takes my hand. “Come on, we need to pick up the pace anyhow. There is a stream close to where we will layover for the evening. We’re not that far out now. Another fifteen minute’s walk and we should be there.”
“Lexie will be so excited.” I can’t help but smile before continuing, “I’m sure that in her studies she has come across mention of these two items, I’m sure that she will know what to do with them. Now, back to what you were saying, hellionite had a role in Asmodeus’s capture?” I ask, smirking at his newly coined term.
He grins back down at me as we continue walking through the dense forest. “Yes, hellionite knocked him on his ass, he was out for days. It was the only way that he was able to be captured and bound by the irons forged in angel fire. It’s a very sordid tale that took place in ancient times before the realms were sealed. Let’s just say that the tale is his to tell, but that he ended up bound in a cave and left to rot for all the strife that he caused in The Mortal Realm when he finally woke.”
“Wow, remind me to ask him about that story when we have time and we aren’t trying to stop a fanatical -”
“A freaking fanatical fruitcake like Nyx?!” Poppy burst through the branches of the tree right in front of us. “Where have you been, Lillie JoBug? I have been worried sick about you. We expected you hours ago.” She demands.
Pip is on her hovering heels as he comes barreling after her, how we did not hear him, I have no idea. His toothy grin is huge as he exclaims, “Poppy, chill out! They’re not late, we just got here earlier than expected.” Switching his gaze to us, he asks, “Why are you on foot? We expected you to slip from the shadows when you arrived. Did something happen?” The look of concern crosses his features.
Daxell claps Pip on the shoulder. “Nothing happened. We decided to walk the last bit. The shadow-realm was making Lillie a bit uneasy.”
“Besides, Daxell and I were able to collect some majorly cool substances for Lexie. Poppy, she is going to be beyond thrilled when she sees what we’ve brought her. I can’t wait to see her happy dance.”
Poppy lands nimbly on my shoulder and asks, “Do tell. I’m all ears.”
“Elder tree sap and,” I pause before saying, “Devil’s Bane.”
“Shhh … Lillie, you must not speak of that aloud.” Pipperton is quick to pull us forward on a barely concealed trail. “Come. We must get to the camp.” He gestures us through the brush and somewhat thorny foliage. We follow as a somber quiet falls upon us. There’s a reason that he has hushed us and it does not escape my notice that he is looking around as if he fears that I was overheard.
We quickly make it into camp behind Pipperton. The other male imps have a delicious smelling stew on the fire waiting for us to arrive. It looks like we will all sleep under the crimson sky tonight. Suddenly, I feel homesick. I want to see the stars, and I murmur, “Great …”
Daxell leans in and asks, “What’s wrong, LJ?”
I whisper back, “I guess I would be more at ease if there were stars. It’s okay. I’m just not used to the skies being red all the time.”
Daxell pulls me into a hug and I welcome his strong arms around me. Slowly, I melt into him and for a time, there is no one else around us. It’s just the two of us, and he begins, “This place, well, it defies the laws of astronomical physics. This realm is not a planet. It does not abide by the laws that you are used to. It is a dreadful place that some are unfortunate to be born to. The skies are red for a reason, they weigh down on those souls that need to see the blues and greens, the change of day and night, but it can be soothing if you let it. There are layers to The Underworld. It is a prison realm of sorts, but it can be so much more. I didn’t realize that until I met you. Because of you, I now see this realm in a different light. I hope that you can come to see it as I do.” He leans his forehead down to rest on my own and I sigh.
“It’s just different. It’s something that I need to get used to. I know that you are right. There is beauty to be found here and there are some amazing individuals that call this place home. Now, let's eat and find out why Pip was so cryptic about the hellionite.
Daxell grins back and kisses me soundly. Around the campfire, I hear several clear their throats, but a girl only lives once.
40
Slumbering Giants
(Lillie Joanna)
At some point I noticed that we are surrounded by large rock formations that look like carved giant figures. Some are beautiful females and males and others are grotesque statues that I cannot possibly understand what they are. All of which are strewn over the ground and covered in moss, lichen and surrounded by overgrown grasses and vines. They look ancient as if they have been here since the beginning of time. As we settle down for our evening meal, I ask, “Pipperton, what’s up with what we were discussing before? Why did you shush me? It was as if you didn’t want anyone to hear me.”
He leans in, “The item in which you mentioned has long since been thought to be extinct, but Luc knew that there would come a day that it would be needed again. I dare say that we have reached that time.”
“What do you mean, Pip?” I ask, and continue, “If it makes you feel better, we can call it hellionite.”
He chuckles, “Leave it to you to nickname the stuff.” Sighing, his next words are not above a whisper, “Luc knew, he’s been cultivating … hellionite for ages in secret in various places across the realm. Very few know that it has begun to thrive again. I found the patch that you found when we first got here. Luc asked that I harvest it just in case we need it.”
“Are there any more secrets that you are keeping, Pipperton?” I ask and then gesture around us. “Is there more than meets the eye to these stone statues, maybe?”
“Naw, Lillie. That’s all I got. As far as I know, these are just ruins.”
Daxell shakes his head discounting Pip’s statement, “These are the ancients.”
Poppy springs to life, leaping into the air and pointing at a large fallen stone statue, “Ancients? What are you talking about, Daxell?”
Daxell looks around the campfire and gestures for everyone to grab a bowl of stew before he starts, “Remember when we were talking to Jillisandra? She said that the primordial deities are beginning to awaken. Well, it's long been believed that these fields hold the ancient beings that went to sleep ages ago.”
“Why are they so big?” I ask in between mouthfuls of the hearty stew, my interest piqued.
“The ancient deities were giants among mortals. You know? Like how the Fallen can appear to be larger than everyone else around them? They were large, and this is where it is said that many of them went to sleep or became petrified as they settled into their slumber.”
“Why do you think they went to sleep? I can’t imagine …” I trail off.
“I think that at the beginning of time things were slow. As we all know, time is relative and in the beginning, it probably took forever for even the smallest of things to happen. I don’t think that any of us here have even the slightest perception of what those times were like. The realms were not developed. From Chaos or the Void came everything else with the unknowing help from the creator. The primordial deities representing earth, the abyss, love, darkness, day, and night. Things were evolving. In the beginning, they had a purpose and as their purpose evolved, so did other deities.”
I think about my memories of Eve and how quiet the earth was, how very lush and beautiful, how very new it felt compared to today. Now the earth and even Faerie feel ancient. The Mortal Realm and it’s hustle and bustle, the never-ending comings and goings, the internet and the constant exchange of information and technology. It’s almost too much to contemplate compared to how things were in the time of Eve, which was long after the Primordials came into being. “No wonder they became bored,” I mutter.
“What was that, Lillie JoBug?” Poppy is at my side in an instant.
“Well, I was just thinking back to my memories of my time as Eve. It’s no wond
er they chose to sleep, but why now? Why are they beginning to wake now? But, maybe the better question is why take a form born of flesh?” I muse.
“Why not now?” Rhynik asks, “When would be a better time? The Mortal Realm is busier than it has ever been, something that they have never experienced.”
“But why choose to be reborn of flesh?” Poppy asks my question again.
“I would think that would make them more vulnerable. They were ancient deities born from Chaos and then from her children. Why not take up their original form?” I ponder.
Daxell is quick to answer, “Look around you, LJ. Maybe their original form was no longer an option. Maybe they have heard something within the realms, the universe at large that has intrigued them enough to wake from their slumber.”
“I have so many questions. We can sit here all night and deliberate over what we think is happening and why, when what we really need to know is this: of all the primordials who went to sleep, who are waking? We also need to know who did not go to sleep, and can we track them down? Of those that slept who have been reborn, what is their objective? We know that Nemesis has been reborn in me, a more tolerant version of what she was before, willing to take a back seat to me so that she can fulfill her purpose. It stands to reason that Lachlan will also assume a role and if I’m Retribution then I’m willing to bet that he will become Redemption, but what primordial will be reborn in him?” Everyone ponders my question for a bit and the quiet of the evening washes over us.
Daxell looks at me and says, “If Lachlan is Redemption and his purpose is to carry souls to The Overworld, then it stands to reason that the primordial that he has been paired with will be Aether, the personification of purity and upper sky. Just a theory at this point. As to your other question, I know of one primordial that we can seek out once we are able to leave The Underworld.” Daxell’s face is grave.