by K.N. Lee
Who could truly sleep after the never-ending torment he’d suffered at the hands of the voices inside his head?
In just weeks, the Aurorian border would be revealed to him, and he would have his moment to destroy the kingdom of frost and snow. To watch what was once a mighty stronghold give way to his army was a dream he’d been raised with since Dragnor took him under his dark tutelage.
Closing his eyes, he exhaled as the begging began.
“Your Imperial Majesty,” one of them began, only to have the wind kicked out of him by a swift, booted foot.
Captain Artero stood at his side, peering at the deserters in disgust.
Their hands were bound behind their back, yet that didn’t keep them from kneeling to the ground and kissing the red dirt at his feet.
“Found them on the outskirts of Keer this morning,” he said. “The bastards wouldn’t stop going on about something they saw in the woods a few days ago. Said they had to get as far away from Shadow Elf territory as possible.”
“And, what did they see?” Kavien asked, though it really didn’t matter. They’d be sentenced to death by sunset.
Captain Artero didn’t meet his gaze then, he simply shifted his weight, and answered the question. “Well, they say they’ve seen something unnatural.”
Kavien lifted a brow. “Unnatural?”
He examined the faces of the soldiers. They were indeed paler than any natural born Avia’Torenan, though they could have been enlisted from one of the western territories of Eura. One could never know for sure anymore. His empire was vast, and mostly composed of the conquered.
Careful to keep his face expressionless, he lowered himself to one of the kneeling soldiers and looked him in the eyes.
No, they weren’t natural born citizens of this empire. This one had eyes of bright green.
Like Lilae’s.
Could have been one of the Parthans—or any number of foreign villagers taken during a raid. His quest for supremacy over all of Eura had spanned several years, and each conquered kingdom began to meld into one another as they toppled over into his great empire.
Nonetheless, he treated all soldiers as equals once they worn the armor and crest of Avia’Torena. Once they were apart of his army, they were family, all steadily marching to the inevitable collective bow of the great nations of Eura.
Weary, but not without focus, Kavien stilled himself against the great surge of power that flooded his veins, and lungs, and the space between his eyes. He reached for the soldier, catching him by the neck as his power sought the truth of the matter.
The images that came were sporatic, and almost too quick to decipher.
Indeed, there was an unnatural energy that made the hairs on the back of his arms and neck stand on end. His throat tightened as the fear of the soldier he now held immobile was transferred to Kavien, along with all of his immediate memories.
To be a true Seer, like the Ancients foretold existed in different corners of Ellowen, was a sacred power. But, when Kavien saw the heart of the matter within his own head, the fear that was once unknown to him, became enfused within his own blood.
He let go of the soldier, who now choked and fought to regain his senses while Kavien rose to his full height.
He towered over nearly everyone he’d ever encountered, with only pure-blood Mithrani men to challenge his height and stature. But, never had he felt so small.
Captain Artero glanced at him, eyes narrowed. “Well? What did you see?”
Kavien didn’t answer his question. He didn’t have to.
Instead, he spoke the damning order as he turned to walk away. “Kill them all.”
The captain didn’t skip a beat. “Very well, Your Imperial Majesty,” he said. “Make examples of them then?”
“Yes. Do it without delay. Put their heads on spikes,” Kavien said, dusting his hands onto his pants. “Cowardice will not be tolerated.”
As he walked away, he couldn’t shake the unsettled energy still lingering on his skin and within his soul. If only he could dust off that sensation as easily as the stubborn red dirt on his hands.
He didn’t just sentence six men to beheading because they abandoned their posts.
No—there was something far more sinister than that filling his mind like a plague.
They’d seen her—another Seer.
The Seer.
And, what they witnessed was worse than unnatural. Images of men being held powerless in purple light while their skin was ripped from their muscles, and their muscles melted away from their bones by the sheer force and will of a beautiful Shadow Elf woman.
White hair whipped around her face as she tossed her head backward and allowed black tendrils of mist and purple and green energy collected from the ground and air to bend at her will. It wasn’t the ear-shattering screams that howled in his mind that left him with a pit in his stomach, it was the tears that rolled down her face, and the smile on her lips.
Kavien glanced over his shoulder as the men were marched off toward their deaths.
What he’d just sentenced them to was an act of mercy.
For now, Kavien held the truth of what was coming inside of his own consciousness.
The true Seer of prophecy was coming, and she would not hold back for anyone or anything.
He inhaled and cast a wary glance toward the sun-lit sky. The clouds seemed to momentarily part to allow warm glows to rest on his face.
“Very well,” he said, to the Ancients in the Overworld above. “You have your champions. And, I have mine.”
He just hoped what he had in mind would be enough to stand against the immense power of that terrifying elf.
For once, he was certain that he was not the only monster left untamed, and he worried what would become of his plans with a dark force like that set free.
The clouds returned and Kavien knew the Ancients heard his statement, and he could have sworn he heard a faint chuckle in reply.
3
Quiet filled Ayoki’s mind.
She smiled.
It was a moment of peace she hadn’t experienced since her days as little girl hoping from one lily pad to the next on the emerald pond behind her home. It had always been a fun game for her, one she would play with her instructor, Master Qyn.
That was before she killed her first victim.
The moment ended with a screeching noise that sent Ayoki’s eyes snapping open and drying instantly as a whoosh of wind slammed into her. Her boots squeaked against the floor as she was pushed backward by the unseen force.
She was alone.
The sound of her heart beating filled her ears and made them hot at the pointed tips. She spun around, sword ready, and eyes narrowed as she searched the dark for whatever assailant awaited. Darkness didn’t frighten her. It gave her power, and she didn’t even realize how much it recharged her as she stood within it.
When a light flashed before her eyes, that was when the fear left a slight ripple in her gut.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a very, very long time,” a female voice said, making Ayoki’s ears perk up.
It was odd, it was as though the woman spoke directly to her soul, for a wave of familiarity washed over her.
“You are the Seer—the divine catalyst for absolute change.”
Ayoki frowned. “Who speaks?”
It was odd hearing those words come from her own throat, after denying herself a voice for so long. But, the more she used her voice, she discovered there was power within it. Even when she spoke softly, people seemed to listen and look to her with respect.
Either that, or they feared her.
Fear—she was used to.
Ayoki took a step back, and narrowed her eyes once again as a stunning woman appeared before her. Her skin glistened like it was made of crystal—pale gray and smooth. Bright eyes looked to her from under heavy dark lashes. The source of light came from her palms, and rose upward along the staff she held in her right hand.
It w
as when the woman lowered her hood that she stiffened and realized that all was not what it seemed to be.
Pointed ears were revealed, and a gleaming smile spread across the elf’s face.
“You—“ Ayoki began, and swallowed the lump in her throat. “You’re like me. A Shadow Elf.”
The elf woman nodded. “Yes, I am. However, the term is interchangeable depending on the world we inhabit. Dark Elf, Swartself, etc. Here, Shadow Elf. Where I’m from, we are called Moon Elves.”
Moon elf. She liked the sound of that term.
“Call me Ocura Maga.”
Ayoki stared at her, entranced by her beauty and presence. Just moments ago, this creature who shared her physical characteristics had tried to kill her and her friends. Now, as she stepped closer, there was a pull to her that she couldn’t understand.
“Where did you come from?” Ayoki asked, trying to distract herself from Ocura Maga’s powerful gaze.
She gave a slight shrug. “One of the five worlds,” she said. “It doesn’t really matter which one. All that matters is that I accepted this task for one reason, and one reason only,” the elf woman said.
“And, what was that?” Ayoki asked, watching as Ocura Mage began to circle around her.
“You,” she said, and the glowing orb at the tip of her staff began to glow even brighter. “Just you.”
Somehow, those words didn’t resonate with Ayoki. Why would anyone be interested in her? For so long, she had been kept as a secret, forced to live a life of shame for powers she didn’t know how to control, and never asked for.
She’d always been raised to believe she was broken—something to be fixed, or rescued from the darkness within.
Though her throat still felt dry, she couldn’t resist her curiosity. “Why me?”
That brought a gleaming smile to Ocura Maga’s lips. “Its what I was created for,” she said. “I search the cosmos and the worlds formed by the gods and goddesses of Aden for the hidden weapons of change that are born in times of chaos—in times when the people who inhabits those worlds threaten to destroy them.”
Her brows furrowed. “I don’t understand. You speak of a weapon. I’m not a weapon. I am a disease, a plague, a disaster waiting to happen.”
Ocura Maga stared at her for a moment, and in that moment, Ayoki sensed a brief glimpse of pity in her eyes.
Pity was a new concept to her. Pity was better than the disdain and cruelty she’d grown to accept.
Setting her staff upward at her side, Ocura Maga lowered her head and outstretched her arms. “No, Dearest,” she said. “You are the key to saving this planet—this world at the brink of destruction.”
The air grew cold then, and spinning vortexes spun around the both of them. Darkness fell once again—but this time—stars were alight on the backdrop of the inky black surrounding them.
The stars twinkled and captivated Ayoki as she reached a curious hand forward to touch one that hovered before her nose.
“Ellowen is in danger,” Ocura Maga said. “When the universal laws that rule this world were broken by Wexcyn, time began to flow in reverse. The magic that has kept Ellowen safe from utter darkness—the darkness that even us elves born of it should fear—has begun to fail.”
Ayoki stared into her eyes. “What does it all mean? What am I supposed to do about this?”
Ocura Maga cupped her cheek in her hand, and Ayoki nearly whimpered at the physical touch of this powerful being.
“It means that Wexcyn is not the only enemy we have to worry about.”
That sent a shiver up Ayoki’s spine.
What could be worse than the Forgotten God?
“I’ll tell you what could be worse,” Ocura Maga said, and Ayoki stiffened at realizing that the Moon Elf could hear her thoughts. “The great destroyer of worlds is trying to enter this one.”
Her skin tightened with dread. “And, who is that?”
Ocura Maga inhaled, closing her eyes. “It doesn’t have a proper name like you or I. But, some call is Necro.” She paused, and the stars before them began to twinkle out and fade. “Most just call it The Dark.”
4
Daylight began to wane, and Lilae and Liam stood before the Shadow Tower.
While they awaited the emergence of their dearest friends and allies, hope slowly began to fade.
The air grew colder, and the sky darkened as sunset began its grand painting across the pale, blue sky. As she waited, the trees seemed to whisper, the wind caressed her face, as if comforting her.
Lilae crossed her arms over her chest, brows furrowed. She spoke softly to Liam. “What do you think has happened?”
She turned to him, reading his expression and discovering he was thinking the same thing.
“Do you think they failed their tests? I mean—what if they chose wrong, and instead of being reunited, they were all cast into darkness?”
Liam inhaled and met her worried gaze. He gave her shoulders a squeeze and smiled. “I’m sure they’re fine.”
“But, what if they are not? What if Nani chose to save Rowe again?”
His smile faded, and he gave a shrug. “Then, we will have to go on without them.”
Her shoulders slumped, and he pulled her in for an embrace. Smoothing her hair, he held her steady, and their heats began to beat as one.
“We all knew the gravity of our quests when we started them,” Liam said, softly. “We left our homes, our friends and family, and everything we knew. Wexcyn took nearly everything from all of us, and yet we still press on. We keep moving forward, one step at a time, because we know that if we don’t, then no one else will do the hard bits—the tasks that soak our hands with blood and break our hearts into so many pieces that we never know if it will be whole again.”
Her eyes fluttered closed at the thought. Indeed, they had all seen and done things that they never anticipated.
“If we don’t save this world, no on else will,” Liam said.
He kissed her forehead and she held tighter onto his waist, not wanting to let go.
“We do our job, because that’s what we were born for. Its what the innocent masses of Ellowen deserve,” he said. “Fearless warriors who will stop at nothing to defend them.”
When she opened her eyes, she expected a tear to fall. Instead, her resolve was strengthened, and absolute courage and conviction filled her heart and soul.
Pirin had trained her for this since she was strong enough to hold up a sword. But, it didn’t lesson the pain of leaving loved ones behind.
That never got easier, and she knew it never would.
He made her into a warrior, that much was certain.
“You’re right,” she said, with a nod. “If we don’t do this, no one else will.”
His smile returned, and he leaned in to kiss her. Their lips pressed together, and she sighed against the sensual electric shocks that rippled up her thighs and lower belly.
“We can do this,” he said. “As long as we stick together.”
“Forever,” Lilae added, and a smile came to her own lips.
He kissed her again, and rubbed her lower back. After one last glance at the eerie black tower, he turned back toward the group.
Risa and Jaiza had curled up next to the fire, and taken a nap. Better rest up, Risa had said, and Jaiza had agreed.
Runa lay on the other side of the fire, sitting on her hind legs, stoic like a statue. Delia stood from her spot, and walked toward them.
“Patience,” she said. “Not all battles are quickly won.”
Lilae lifted a brow. “What do you mean?”
Delia rubbed her hands together and cast a glance toward the tower.
“What may have felt like moments to you were actually days for those outside of those walls,” Delia explained. “Give Nani and Ayoki some time. They’ll come out when their time with the Ocura is done.”
That brought relief to Lilae. She nodded. “Great. We wait then.”
Liam gave her a pat on the shoulder. Th
en, he clasped a hand on her shoulder, and turned her around.
“Look,” he said, his voice raising with excitement. “Glittering wings.”
Lilae followed his gaze and clasped her hands together with joy. “It’s Nani! Nani!”
To her delight, Nani flew from the shadows and mists that hovered around the Shadow Tower. With her, was Rowe.
Her smile widened and she broke into a sprint to meet them halfway along the white path that cut through the barren wasteland that surrounded the tower. Liam joined her, and they raced until they were right upon their friends.
The closer she came, the more her smile began to fade.
She slowed herself to a walk, and carefully examined Rowe and Nani’s faces.
Neither looked happy. Weary would be the best way to describe what she saw—weary and disappointed.
Tension filled the air between them. It was so thick and palpable that Lilae could feel her own skin tighten with foreboding.
Something was wrong.
She could sense it, and apparently so could Liam, for he stopped at her side and exchanged a worried glance with her.
Even though Nani and Rowe now wore the same shining armor that Lilae and the others now donned, she could tell that something wasn’t right. The closer she got, the darker the sky began to grow. Dark clouds rolled in, toward the tower, and flashes of light behind them caught her attention.
“What is going on?” Lilae asked herself.
Nani flew to them, and landed on the pat with grace. Though she wore shining golden armor and now had her purple hair pulled back into a braided ponytail, her face was paler than normal, and her brows were knit tightly together.
Lilae feared what words would come from the fairy’s mouth.
“Well,” Rowe said, clasping his hands together with a scowl on his face. “That was a bunch of bollocks.”
“What is it?” Lilae asked, fearing the worst as her fairy friend refused to hold eye contact, and wrung her hands before. “What has happened?”