by G. S Tucker
“I hope you are not lying to me, Grimmer.” Nimayaorin cautioned, his tone indicating that to do so would not end well for the demon before him. Reaching down, he put a claw under Glimmers chin and forced the demon to look at him.
Grimmer felt the Claw pierce his skin and his black blood seep from the wound. Knowing that showing fear would only encourage his master to hurt him further, he reached into his pouch and removed his orb, holding it aloft for inspection.
“Master, here is my orb I placed a spell upon it so as to capture images of my elimination of the Elf.” Glimmer’s words were strained and slightly slurred, as he did not wish for the Claw to puncture all the way into his mouth. That would take days to heal and make eating most difficult.
Taking the orb and mercifully removing his now blood- soaked claw from his servant’s skin, Nimayaorin slithered over to his larger orb and muttered an incantation, moments later the orb was filled with images of the elf girl convulsing and bleeding on the ground. Her pain gave him immense pleasure. The prophecy could not come to pass once this girl was dead.
Nimayaorin turned to the large windows that overlooked the pits and laughed; the sound grew louder, echoing off the vaulted ceiling. Opening the windows, he continued to laugh, the slaves in the pits cowering at the manic sound.
“Hear me; your light carrier is dead! Nothing can save you now.” Nimayaorin shouted down to his slaves. As expected a cry of deep sorrow rose from the pits, as the damned souls below realised their fate was sealed. Smiling maniacally, his scarlet eyes shining, Nimayaorin closed the window and turned back to Grimmer.” As your reward go to the cells and have your fill of any creature you wish.”
The demon did not need telling twice; there was a vampire down there, who he was sure by the smell of her, that her blood would be most palatable. Thanking his master, he rose and left the room.
Nimayaorin returned to his throne the smile still set on his monstrous face. Soon all the realms would fall to the darkness, one by one, swallowed by the void, and he would be Emperor of them all.
Chapter Thirteen
Jericho thought his lungs might burst; the pain from running with Eve in his arms was taking its toll. He could have sobbed when the silver gates of the castle came into view. Like the park these too were open, glad that he would not have to wait for admittance, he dashed through. Ahead of him was a bridge, he crossed it unchallenged, taking no time to look into the moat and glimpse the Mer-people frolicking in the clear moonlit waters. Reaching the huge silver doors, he placed Eve gently down and with all his strength he banged on the ornate surface until a guard opened it.
“Please, my friend was attacked by a demon, she needs a healer!” Jericho exclaimed, already bending to pick Eve up. The guard was about to decline when he saw the girl in the Miscurts arms. Eyes wide he stepped back and pulled the door open further.
“Follow me I will take you to the royal healer,” the guard replied, already walking briskly ahead of Jericho to open the door to the left of the grand staircase. Not needing further encouragement, every second counted, he followed the guard. Eve was looking dangerously close to death; if it wasn’t for her shallow breathing Jericho would have believed she already was.
“Una, are you in there? We are in need of your skills this very minute!” The guard called; as he knocked on the door of what Jericho assumed was the healer’s quarters. The door opened to reveal a young fairy with bright red hair; she was beautiful. Blue butterfly wings adorned her eyes. Seeing Eve, she stepped back and gestured for Jericho to enter.
“Lay her down on the bed,” Una instructed. She then turned back to the guard.
“You must inform the King and Queen; go now, I will do what I can for her.” After closing the door on the retreating guard, Una moved quickly towards Eve and her Miscurt protector. Running her hands over Eve’s still form, she asked several questions, that Jericho did his best to answer, though, he had not been present when the attack took place. He described the convulsions and pointed out the dried blood on Eve’s cheeks.
“Please, you must help her; this girl simply cannot be allowed to die.” Jericho pleaded, pulling on his ears, tears pooling in his eyes. Una promised she would do all she could for Eve; she immediately began using her healing magic on the elf.
An hour passed, and Eve was still no closer to being well again. Una feared she had been poisoned and without the identity of the concoction it would take days to find the antidote; Eve did not have days, she had hours.
Caleb, Freya, and Bobby arrived at the summer house, only to discover the doors wide open and blood all over the floor. Caleb was distraught, where were they and who’s blood was all over the floor? Pacing up and down outside the empty house, he winced as his wounds continued to bleed. Feeling light headed he slumped to the ground, Freya seemed to have calmed now that she was no longer alone, on seeing Caleb fall to the ground, she rushed to his side.
“You are hurt,” she stated, this got her a withering look from the witch. Placing her hands over the wound Freya closed her eyes; Caleb was surprised to feel a tingling in his chest as the skin healed, within moments his chest looked perfect again.
“Thank you,” Caleb said as he got to his feet, still feeling light- headed but no longer in pain, Caleb climbed back onto Bobby’s back and pulled Freya up behind him. Where would they go? He thought knowing time was short for one of them judging by the amount of blood on the floor.
“The castle is where I would go if mortally wounded; the royal healer is the best in all Gloria.” Freya offered. Agreeing that it was the best place to start, they headed in the direction Freya gave Bobby at break-neck speed.
Una was exhausted, she had tried every spell and herb she could think of and some others just to see if they would have an effect, but nothing was working. Eves breathing was now irregular and coming in short, sharp gasps. Jericho had begged, he had pleaded and even threatened the Fae’s life if she did not heal the girl. Una had explained that she was doing all she could. However, it was dark magic that had concocted this poison and without knowing what she was given, there was a good chance Eve would die this night.
The door to Una’s room swung open with such force it hit the wall, knocking three books to the floor and smashing a glass vile of something blue. Into the room strode a man and a woman of middle age. Una saw the couple and dropped a curtsy.
“Your Majesties’.” Una murmured, and then turned back to the girl. The King and Queen walked to the bed and looked at the elf lying on the primrose sheets, Jericho was immediately on alert, if the King and Queen had come to see Eve, then they must know who she is, and then he remembered Una had sent the guard to inform them. The King looked over Jericho with a look of disdain, he did not trust the Miscurt race, primitive was how he thought of them.
“How did you come to be with this elf?” the King asked his tone slightly suspicious. Trying to stay calm, as insulting the King of the realm would result in him being banished or worse, Jericho answered with as much respect as he could manage given the situation.
“I have been accompanying the girl and her friend as protection Your Majesty.” Jericho bit out, though adding a bow of respect at the end of his explanation. The King was about to launch into a lecture about how this clearly hadn’t happened and that this Miscurt should maybe go back to simple guard duty when his wife touched his arm.
“Now is not the time, Efrin, the girl is mortally ill, we need to save her.” The Queen muttered as she gently squeezed King Efrin’s forearm. Sighing, Efrin nodded his head. Smiling at her husband, she moved to Una’s side and began speaking with her in frantic hushed tones. The two males paced the room, time was running out, and they both knew it.
Though his injuries were severe, Bobby ran as fast as he could, he became a blur of silver white, streaking through the night like lightning. The castle was not far away; to Caleb, it felt like a thousand miles. He was so consumed with shame, why had he not been able to protect her. Finally, the open gates came into
view. Please let her be alright he thought as Bobby practically flew across the bridge to the main doors.
Pain, so much pain, I can hear people around me, but I cannot answer. Jericho is here! But where is here? Eve fought to make sense of the situation she was now in, although the waves of pain made it feel as though every cell of her body was on fire. The demon! What had happened to him and where was Caleb? Too many questions and so much pain, Eve’s thoughts calmed as she felt the cool hand of ‘someone’, touch her forehead. For a few blissful moments, that small area felt wonderful.
“She is so hot, though pale like one already dead.” Una muttered as she continued to work on Eve.
I am not dead!! Eve wanted to scream, but no sound came from her parched lips. I must stay awake; I have to fight this for as long as I can, so whoever is caring for me can find a cure. Trying to move the very tips of her fingers caused so much pain Eve thought she must surely pass out.
“She cannot die; please there must be more that can be done?” Jericho begged as he paced the room.
“Where is she?!” Caleb shouted as he stumbled into the room two palace guards hot on his heels. Seeing Eve’s still form, Caleb rushed to her side, this could not be happening. Placing his hands over her heart, Caleb grounded himself and drew on the Earths power allowing it to flow into Eve, after a full ten minutes, Caleb was totally spent and Eve’s condition had not changed.
“It was a valiant attempt young witch; sadly, I believe she is beyond all help,” Efrin said as he placed a bejewelled hand on Caleb’s shoulder. Dashing the hot tears from his eyes, Caleb stood and turned to leave. Reaching the door, he turned back, looking at Eve’s face, still so beautiful even close to death.
“There was so much I had to share with her.” he choked out before he fled from the room. Jericho left to find him, knowing there was nothing more he could do now. Before leaving, he gave instructions that he would return Eve’s body to her mother and see she has the ceremony befitting such a brave woman.
Efrin looked to his Queen, this elf’s death was indeed a terrible tragedy, one that they could not hope to avoid, Una was the best healer they had, but even she was at a loss. Without the poisons ingredients, there was to be no saving Eve.
“Come, Sophia, let us retire, Una can do no more.” Efrin coaxed his wife away from the dying girl and led her to the door.
“You do know who she is, don’t you?” Queen Sophia asked as she took Efrin’s hand. This elf was the one to save them all, and now she was about to die, this was a dark day for all the realms. Looking down at his beloved wife, Efrin nodded.
“Yes I know who she is my love; I fear some hard times are ahead of us all. We should keep the boy away from this wing of the castle.”
Agreeing with her husband that it would do their charge more harm than good to discover the truth, they left the dying elf and the promise of being saved from the darkness to slip away quietly in the healer’s quarters.
All this time Eve drifted in about out of consciousness, fragments of the conversation had flitted to her like leaves tumbling on the breeze. She was pleased to have heard Caleb’s voice, yet heartbroken that he was hurting because of her. If only she could wake up, but the fire raged on, her limbs now ablaze her very bones felt like they must resemble ashes. They believe I am to die, she thought as another wave of heat coursed through her blood. I will never see my mother again, or find my brother. If she had been able to cry, Eve would have sobbed. Lying there, a prisoner in her own body she gave into the abyss for the final time.
While Eve suffered through the early hours, up in a plush suite in the east wing, Eli slept. Ignorant of the fact the world as he knew it was about to end. The King and Queen had not lied to him; no, he had always known he was an elf, that he had been rescued when very young. Although he accepted this, Eli also felt like a fundamental part of himself was missing, sometimes when he dreamed, as he did now, he would glimpse a small chubby hand reaching for his own. Smiling in his sleep, he rolled over unaware that the owner of that once chubby hand was dying downstairs.
By sunrise Eve was dead; Caleb was inconsolable and refused to leave his opulent guest chamber. Jericho had been in a heated discussion with Una and King Efrin for over an hour; he needed to return Eve to her mother. Unfortunately, the poison that had been administered to Eve was likely to decompose her body before they reached Hermoria. The King was adamant that the only compromise was that Eve be cremated as a warrior would be, and her ashes returned to her mother, along with any special keepsakes and belongings she had with her. Unhappy with this, but knowing he could not simply take Eve, Jericho agreed, the cremation was to be held at sunset.
The ceremony plans were taking shape, flowers and silver chairs were being brought to the Queen’s garden. The plan was to row Eve out to the island that sat in the middle of the lake and shoot burning arrows of purple fire onto the pyre. This was to be warriors send off, with the Royal seal of acknowledgment.
Jericho helped with the heavy lifting, though the Fae could have just used magic to move the heavy logs to the island, they were aware that the Miscurt needed something to do and left him be. While the outdoor arrangements were underway, Eve was being prepared by Queen Sophia and her hand-maidens, they washed her in rose water and dressed her in a beautiful emerald shift that even in death made her skin glow and her hair flame with amber fire. The maids wept as they anointed Eve’s skin with oils, they too knew who she was and what her passing now meant for all of Orea. The future was to be a dark place and so they wept as they carried out the last honour they could bestow onto their would-be saviour.
Nimayaorin was elated, oh how she had suffered! The thought of the Elf trapped, a prisoner in her body suffering unimaginable pain sent shivers down his spine. Grimmer was to be decorated for his instrumental role in the destruction of the light, the only being that could have saved the mewling parasites of Orea from his rule.
Sweeping across his vast chamber, Nimayaorin cast his claws over his orb of sight. His legion of spies’ should reach Gloria soon, and he intended to have a front row seat for the decimation of that girl’s physical form.
Caleb stood at the lake’s edge, tears leaving tracks down his cheeks, Eve was gone and his heart along with her. So many wasted chances, so many opportunities and now he was out of time. He had seen Eve before she had been taken to the island, how beautiful she had looked. He had kissed her cheek and whispered to her the words he never quite found the right moment to say.
Jericho stood on his left, the Miscurt seemed smaller somehow, He too was mourning the loss of a friend. Jericho would not shed tears here that would be a dishonour to his own race. There would be time for tears later in the privacy of his rooms. They were due to return to Hermoria tomorrow. It was several weeks away unless they could somehow call Sapphire once outside the magical boundaries of Gloria. As sunset approached, both Caleb and Jericho lamented the loss of a great friend and their freedom.
King Efrin stepped forward to begin the ceremony. He was an eloquent speaker and though he had not known Eve personally, he was able to evoke her soul beautifully. Queen Sophia was next to speak, at that moment the island seemed to come alive with light, tiny fireflies began to dance and weave around Eve in a beautiful ballet. To all watching it looked like her soul rising from her physical form, a beautiful, if somewhat sombre comparison.
As each person who wished to speak stepped forward, the sunset cast its fiery glow over the gathering, bathing them in light on one of the darkest days they had experienced, though far worse was to come. Jericho had just given a rather brisk speech, though his unshed tears were clear for all to see in his black eyes. When the sun finally passed below the horizon. It was almost time to light the pyre and allow Eve to pass onto the realm of the dead. Caleb was the last to step forward, still unsure as to what to say he decided to keep it simple and speak from his heart.
“Eve was an amazing person, she saved my sister’s life the very first night she stayed in Clear Water Va
lley. I knew then she was someone I wanted to know. Eve was beautiful, not just in appearance, but her very soul shone with light. She was brave and full of compassion for all creatures, even those that wished to do her harm. I loved her…and now she will never know.” His voice catching in his throat on a sob, Caleb returned to his place and faced the lake.
“Archers prepare the royal flames,” King Efrin called. The archers, a dozen in all made themselves ready, their silver filigree dress uniforms flashing in the light of the flames. Each knocked an arrow to their bow and awaited the order to set them loose them across the lake.
Taking one last look at the island where Eve lay, Caleb turned back to towards the castle. It was over.
Chapter Fourteen
Nimayaorin held a ceremony to celebrate Grimmer’s, successful assassination. Holding his head high, the demon walked up to the grand throne and knelt at his master’s feet.
“I welcome you all to my Fortress. You have come from the dark places in which you dwell, be safe in the knowledge that no harm can now come to you. We can all move freely between the realms of Orea. The light has been snuffed out!” Nimayaorin exclaimed raising his arms over his head. Looking around the room, he saw creature’s that nightmares are made of, cheering and celebrating this most welcome news. Today was to be remembered for all eternity, as the day the light was extinguished from the Orea…forever!
Gesturing for the gathering to quiet, Nimayaorin reached into his robe and removed a star ruby its polished surface was akin to a pool of fresh blood; it was hung on a thick rope of gold. Gliding down the steps of his throne, he stood before Grimmer’s bowed form.
“Today we reward the one who was instrumental in the ascendance of the darkness. Grimmer, you have always been faithful and have served me well; I reward you with this star ruby,” Nimayaorin said, placing the golden rope over the demon’s head. The stones deep red lustre flashing in the candlelight.