Dire Destiny of Ours

by John Corwin

  I shook my head vehemently. "Are you kidding me? I just got you back. I'm not about to risk killing you."

  "Just use a tiny bit of power." She regarded me seriously. "This is really important, Justin."

  I ran a hand through my hair and considered it. It would be safe if I kept the energy level really low. Besides, Clarity didn't seem to damage anything. I pressed my lips together. Nodded. "Okay."

  Elyssa kissed my cheek. "Take your best shot, babe."

  I conjured a small orb of Stasis and let it hover between us. "Hold out your hand."

  Elyssa put her hand in front of the gray ball. She winced as if preparing for a shock.

  Using my fingers, I channeled a trickle of Murk and Brilliance through the sphere. A stream of clear rippling energy emerged from the other side and flowed into Elyssa's hand. Her body stiffened. She gasped, eyes flaring, mouth forming a wide O.

  "Elyssa!" I stopped channeling immediately and gripped her.

  Her eyelids fluttered. Her forehead pinched. "That was so strange."

  I inspected her hand. It looked a little pale, but otherwise undamaged. "What happened?"

  "It was like an out of body experience." Her violet eyes flashed. "I don't know how else to explain it."

  "You left your body?"

  Elyssa looked at her hands and flexed the fingers. "For an instant, I was floating on a perfectly clear lake. At the same time, I hovered over my naked body and looked down on myself." She turned a confused gaze on me. "It was like a dream where you see yourself as another person. I looked happy and content. If I stared long enough I thought I'd be able to see through my body and into my soul."

  I groaned. "Just great. If I ever want to make somebody trip balls, I'll just dose them with Clarity. It must be the magical equivalent of LSD."

  Elyssa giggled but a frown quickly stole her smile. "I'm sorry. I wish Clarity was more useful."

  My legs abruptly turned to jelly. I dropped into a seat as the world blurred and a heavy weight seemed to fall on my shoulders.

  "Are you okay?"

  I leaned on a hand. "Yeah, I guess channeling Clarity into a person is a lot more exhausting than inanimate objects or animals."

  Elyssa's eyes widened. "You've been testing it on animals?"

  I gave her a sheepish look. "Just Cutsauce."

  She glared at me. "Justin Slade, you leave that poor hellhound alone."

  A text from Phoebe buzzed on my phone and saved me from further chastising. I'm onsite at the vault with several of Takei's people. I closed the omniarch portal in case you need to open one here.

  Elyssa read the text and gave me a look. "I think my sister is sweet on you."

  I flinched like she'd slapped me. "Say what?" I shook my head like a dog shaking off water. "Look, even if that's true, I don't want to talk or think about it."

  Elyssa took a sip of water and gave me a serious look. "When you thought I'd die, did you ever consider her as a replacement?"

  "Never." I mustered some energy and slashed a hand through the air to underline that statement. "I also never thought you were going to die—not if I could help it."

  "I'm not trying to trick you."

  It's a trap! "Can we move on to something worth talking about?" The bone-deep weariness retreated, leaving only a faint background fatigue behind. I stood and picked up my plate so I could take it into the kitchen.

  Elyssa smiled. "I'm sorry. I was just curious."

  A lone figure emerged from the foyer and looked at us with inhumanly large eyes the color of green seawater. Her light blue hair writhed as though it had a life of its own. A diaphanous gray dress that resembled fog enveloped her form.

  I almost dropped my plate in shock. "Melea?"

  "Is it true an Abyssal walks the Earth?" Her mellifluous voice belied her very young appearance.

  I hadn't actually spoken with Fjoeruss's adopted sister. She'd only been reborn for a short time so it was very surprising to see her physical age was that of a teenager. Rather than answer her, I gave myself a moment to overcome the surprise of seeing her here. "I'm glad to see you're in good health." I stepped closer to her and tried not to gawk at her strange hair. From a distance, she seemed to have a headful of sea anemones. Up close, I saw that her hair flowed and billowed almost as if she were underwater.

  "Why do you not answer, Justin Slade?" Melea seemed to sing when she spoke. Her large eyes blinked.

  "I'm curious why you came all the way from El Dorado and asked me that question without so much as a 'hello.'" I gave her a suspicious look to underscore my statement.

  She blinked again. Her hair flowed back to reveal long pointed ears. "The Abyssal are a grave danger to all the realms."

  Elyssa stepped forward. "Are your people the ones who banished the Abyssal to Haedaemos?"

  "So it is sung." Melea tilted her head slowly and her hair flowed back as if in a gentle water current. "Oddly, I do not remember all the songs I should."

  "Because you've only recently been revived," I told her. "Most of your memories should return before too long." I decided it wouldn't hurt to test her memories since she was a member of the race that built the arches. "I'll answer your question, but I'd like to ask you a few questions as well."

  "If they are within my power to answer, so shall I." Melea nodded her head like a queen granting a favor.

  I repressed a sigh. "Yes, an Abyssal escaped my control."

  "What was his true name?"

  My mouth opened, but I didn't have an answer for her. As Daemos, I had far more control over summoning demons than Arcanes who required protective circles to contain the powerful beings. Having the true name of a demon meant you could have complete control over a demon without most of the other prerequisites—or at least that's what my father had taught me.

  I shrugged. "I'm sorry, but I don't know."

  "By now, those in the Abyss have changed their names." She looked sad. "We will require new songs to send them back."

  "I didn't realize demons could change their names."

  "Even those in the infernal plane can change a name if given thousands of years to do so." She pressed the palms of her hands together and nodded. "You have answered. I shall return the favor if I can."

  I decided not to beat around the bush. "Are you familiar with the Relics of Juranthemon?"

  Melea's eyes lost focus as if gazing into the past. "I am familiar with the name Juranthemon, but cannot attach significance to it."

  "What about a map which can connect two doors anywhere in the world and a key which can open the connection between those doors?"

  She thought for a moment. "I am familiar with your language's meaning of key and map."

  Her answer confused me at first, but my recent adventure in Seraphina clarified her meaning. Even though many words in Cyrinthian were easily translatable to English, there had been times when the translation spell had chosen words that made no contextual sense. Simply put, there were some things that existed in Eden that didn't exist in Seraphina and vice versa. Arcphones were a good example, although the gems the Seraphim wore operated in a similar manner.

  Remembering what Underborn had told me about the key and the map, I knew there might be a better way to describe them. "The key is an analogue based on perception. If I think it's a normal metal key, then it appears as such. In its most basic form, it is simply an object that unlocks or gives access to something closed."

  "Ah, as in an opener." She pursed her lips as though she'd just solved a great mystery.

  "Uh, yeah, an opener." I'd expected a much cooler name than that.

  Melea continued with another brilliant revelation. "The map is a locater."

  Elyssa quirked an eyebrow. "And you would be considered a knower of stuff."

  The siren didn't seem to realize Elyssa was being snarky. "I am a knower, among other things."

  Despite the lack of cool names, I pressed on with my line of questioning. "What do you know about the opener and the locater?"
/>   "They were once used to chart the realms and facilitate easy travel." She tapped a slender finger against her arm. "Only the explorers were allowed such powerful tools, lest someone without proper knowledge create a rift to the Void."

  Jeremiah had told me about the Void and a supposed Beast which lived there. He'd considered unleashing the creature on Seraphina as revenge for the loss of his wife. "How much more can you tell me about these relics?"

  "That is all I remember." She stopped tapping her finger and traced it down her arm. "Should I recall anything further, I will tell you. For now, I must find a way to send the Abyssal back where it belongs."

  I stopped her as she turned to leave. "Wait, one more question."

  She regarded me patiently.

  "Can the Chalon do anything besides attune the Grand Nexus?" I couldn't think of a better way to word it. "Does it have any other abilities?"

  Her eyes once again lost focus for several seconds. "No. The Chalon, as you call it, aligns the resonance of one realm's magical energy with that of another. The aether separates the realms and makes them distinct." Her next statement was almost a murmur. "It was not always so."

  I looked at Elyssa. "Looks like trading a Chalon for the map and key are our best bet."

  Melea's gaze focused on me with razor-sharp intensity. "You possess a Chalon?"

  "We have two of them." I instantly regretted my decision to open my mouth.

  "Perhaps if you allow me to study them, I will discover something useful." The pitch in her voice altered ever so slightly.

  I got the distinct feeling she was lying. "Why do you want them?" I stepped closer and narrowed my eyes. "What aren't you telling me?"

  She didn't seem fazed by my aggressive posture. "I was simply offering my help." The song in her voice once again sounded enigmatic, but innocent. "I must go plan my next moves against the Abyssal. May the song guide you, Justin Slade and Elyssa Borathen." She turned and seemed to glide rather than walk out of the front door.

  Elyssa gave me a troubled look. "I don't trust her one bit."

  My stomach knotted. "There's a lot more going on with her than she's letting on."

  If the fate of the world hadn't been in the balance, I would've gone ninja stealth and followed Melea. Unfortunately, we didn't have the time.

  We had to visit the most dangerous assassin in the world.

  Chapter 25

  Elyssa and I stood outside the doors to the Grotto, a place I hadn't visited for some time. The way station looked virtually empty. The stables to the right of the Obsidian Arch, usually full of animals from all over the world and the steaming piles of dung to prove it, remained silent, aside from a small black goat bleating maniacally and running circles around a pile of hay. A smattering of travelers, most of them Templars or Arcanes, judging from their appearances, populated the vast space. It was as if the population of the Overworld was in hiding until the dust settled.

  Even though Underborn didn't live in the Grotto, this was the only place I might have a chance of contacting him. Elyssa and I had discussed how best to talk to the man and approach what we needed. Trying to outthink him was beyond me, but we weren't entirely defenseless. If he agreed to see us, it meant he wanted something. If he wanted something, I had to negotiate the best price for it. Now I just had to hope we could find him.

  Jeremiah had possessed a gold ASE with a direct line to Underborn, but that device had been lost when Daelissa killed the ancient Arcane. That left me with no choice but to rely on a method of contact I'd used once when Underborn marked my father for death.

  The entire event had been a ruse by the assassin to test my mettle and see what I was made of. My appearance on the Overworld scene had been prophesied by Foreseeance Forty-Three Eleven, but Underborn liked to know everything about everyone.

  I opened an email sent months ago from one Buzz Masterson. The account was fake, created by Adam Nosti during his more reclusive days before he'd become a part of the gang and started dating Meghan Andretti. Back then, he'd gone by the alias of Smith. It seemed like all of that had been so long ago, but it hadn't been much more than a year since I'd been a mega nerd at Edenfield High School.

  The email read:

  Go to The Laughing Dog in the Grotto.

  Purchase a Mr. Nutter's Angel Biscuit.

  Go to Grotto Park.

  Sit on the northeast bench facing Orange and MagicSoft.

  Wait. Wait some more. Keep waiting.

  P.S. You can eat the Angel Biscuit if you get hungry.

  Elyssa chuckled glanced at the email. "Wow, talk about a flashback."

  "Except this time we shouldn't have an army of gray men waiting to ambush us." I took Elyssa's hand and led her toward the double doors guarding the entrance into the pocket dimension where the Grotto existed.

  "G'day, guvnah!" said a peppy British voice.

  Elyssa and I spun to see Oliver, the pooper-scooper boy walking toward us from the stables.

  I smiled at the kid. "I guess job security isn't what it used to be, is it?"

  "No animals, no dung." He shrugged. "Not a lot I can do about it." He pointed at a donkey who was watching the crazed goat. "At least Rachel enjoys the time off."

  "Cute." Elyssa gave him a curious look. "Were you here when Daelissa controlled the Grotto?"

  "Of course." Oliver motioned at the cavernous place. "Plenty of places to hide around this place. I even came out and did my work, but nobody notices or cares about the stable boy." He gave me a pointed look. "By the way, Underborn said you can skip buying the Angel Biscuit this time, unless you're hungry."

  I almost choked on my own tongue. "Say what?"

  Oliver smiled apologetically. "He's a right bastard if you ask me. Always knowing what everyone is up to and all that."

  Elyssa looked at Oliver suspiciously. "How in the hell did he know we were coming to visit him?"

  "If I knew that I wouldn't be the stable boy."

  A sudden truth dawned on me as I regarded the young lad. He hadn't aged a day since I'd first met him, even though he was definitely of the age where growth spurts weren't uncommon. Even Shelton had been using Oliver as an informant for quite some time and couldn't explain why the kid didn't age normally. "Number one," I said, "you're not just a stable boy." A smile stretched my lips. "Number two, you're in a perfect position to snoop and eavesdrop on people."

  "Are you about to say he's Underborn?" Elyssa said.

  I shook my head. "Heavens no. Oliver works for the man. If anything, I think he's somehow related to Phissilinth."

  Elyssa tilted her head. "The teeny tiny man assassin?"

  "Or whatever he is."

  Oliver grinned. "You're more of a doer than a thinker, Justin Slade, but you eventually figure things out."

  I shot him a sarcastic smile. "Whatever, smartass. What do I need to do to see Underborn?" I looked at the prancing goat. "Do I need to scratch the goat behind the ears and then walk on my hands while reciting Mary Had a Little Lamb?"

  Oliver pursed his lips. "That would be quite amusing, and I'm awfully tempted to say yes." He ran a hand through his thick mop of hair. "Unfortunately, it would just waste your time." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the stables. "Underborn is in there."

  "Let me guess. We showed up here. You eavesdropped on me talking about visiting Underborn." I folded my arms and tried to look smug. "Then you called him, he used the Key of Juranthemon to get here super fast, and then you got my attention."

  "Someone is on top of their game today." Oliver motioned us to follow him. "You must be taking plenty of fish oil supplements, Mr. Slade."

  I resisted the urge to pop him on the back of the head. "Yeah, yeah. I'm really appreciative to see how much trouble Underborn went through to make himself look omniscient all for little old me."

  Elyssa squeezed my hand. "I always knew you were special, honey."

  I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, special in the head."

  A very small man whose heigh
t barely reached Elyssa's waist stepped from within the stable and regarded us with a pleasant smile. He wore a dark green suit with a red bowtie and matching bowler. Auburn sideburns hinted at the color of hair beneath the hat. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Ms. Borathen and Mr. Slade." Phissilinth's baritone voice didn't fit with his small stature, though it definitely fit with the confident way he carried himself.

  Oliver gave a curt bow to the short man and went inside.

  "Hello, Phissilinth." Though I'd seen him on a couple of different occasions, I hadn't exactly been thinking clearly. Then again, when did I ever think clearly? The small man's appearance reminded me distinctly of a mythical little creature who didn't want children eating his marshmallow cereal. "Are you a leprechaun?"

  Phissilinth gave me a haughty look. "If you'll notice, sir, my accent is markedly British and not Irish."

  Elyssa laughed. "Justin, there's no such thing as leprechauns."

  "How am I supposed to know that?" I threw up my hands. "I mean, there are vampires, werewolves, werecats, and demons. Why not leprechauns?"

  Phissilinth gave me a dour look, turned, and entered the stable. "Bloody leprechaun, indeed."

  Despite the promise of Underborn, the stable was empty. I knew better than to open my mouth and ask where he was. The assassin might have heard me divining his sneaky ways and decided to leave just to spite me. Phissilinth produced a small skeleton key. Even though it looked like a key, I knew it was the opener, as Melea had so eloquently named it.

  The small man walked toward a closed door that had no lock, only a sliding plank, which held it closed. The key seemed to melt into the wood. He twisted the key and pulled open the door. A carpeted hallway lined with paintings and candlelit sconces waited beyond.

  I managed to mask my surprise at how the key had worked with solid wood. "Looks like you've mastered the key and the map."

  "We've become quite familiar with them," Phissilinth said. "It took us only a matter of minutes to use the map and form the link between this door and the hallway." He waved us toward the door. "After you."