Justice for Leanne

by Aine, Brigit; McLeod, Kayden

  Mammon was greedy, and wanted everything for himself. He would steal the energy of all living things on this plain, just so he wouldn’t have to share with others. As he stole energy, he would grow. His intent was simply to have the space for himself; he wouldn’t share and he would destroy everything that was in his path.

  There was no good in Mammon, he didn’t want any good and he never had. His sole intent in life was to destroy everything and become all powerful.

  “Leanne,” Justice watched as she looked up to meet his eyes; concern was evident in her face. “We have to be very careful. This is a powerful demon. I want you to work on weaving your magick into a shield around your chakras. Remember that you have seven chakras, and the heart chakra is the strongest. You will need a separate woven shield for each of these areas. This will keep your energy in. You will want to smother your own energy, not allowing anything in or out. I want you to imagine the two colors that keep you the most peaceful and that you deem are the strongest. You are choosing the colors because they have to be important to you. I am not going to tell you my colors because the ones that I choose may be different than what you choose. It is important that you choose colors that matter to you.”

  Leanne nodded as Justice paused to make sure she understood the importance of what he was saying.

  “Then I want you to weave the colors together like a giant blanket to wrap around your chakras. Not loose like a net because if the weave gets too loose, your energy could be drawn out. Once you get the blankets created, wrap your chakras like you are bundling them up to keep them warm.” Justice looked deep into Leanne’s eyes, making sure she understood what he was talking about. When she had first been created, they had talked of chakras and magick and energy; she had taken to it easily, he figured she would know what to do now.

  * * * *

  Leanne pictured the ocean as she remembered it from before as she closed her eyes. Beautiful blue greens mixed together, soothing her thoughts. She picked up the thread of blue, and the thread of green to weave them together, like Justice had told her to do.

  She could see the ocean color coming through while she manipulated the strands of magick into a blanket. Leanne worked on protecting her energy centers from the demon trying to get through the portal by creating her special blanket.

  Leanne took her time in creating them, not only as an excuse to lean against Justice but also to make sure the weave was tight and she felt protected. She realized that this was easier because of Justice’s nearness. She did feel protected as she leaned into his arms.

  As she finished up her seventh and last blanket, she wrapped up her heart chakra and opened her eyes. Justice was staring down at her, heat flaring in his eyes as he devoured her face with such an intense look that she could feel his desire for her.

  Why watching her weave her magick had made him hot, she didn’t know, but she wasn’t going to argue with it at the moment. She needed him and the energy and strength that he offered.

  Leanne watched as Justice brought his head down to hers. His arms around her waist tightened, and she felt him pull her even closer. As their lips met, she closed her eyes to revel in the feeling.

  Chapter Eleven

  She could taste him. He was light and dark together. Their tongues mingled, and Leanne felt his hands run up her back, to tangle in her hair. As they stood there feasting on each other’s lips, the energy around them seemed to lighten.

  The feeling of being smothered seemed to dissipate for a brief moment. Together, they mingled their magick. Her left over strands of blue and green reached out to encircle them both; it caressed their skin and left an electric feeling in the air.

  His magick, intrinsic to his nature, washed over them. It was colorless, something you could feel but not see, and yet his magick left a feeling of peacefulness around them.

  Their bodies pressed closer to one another, the magick was working to create a sense of serenity around them. She felt Justice pull on her head. He let go of her mouth to work his way down her neck. She shivered as he found the sensitive spot between her neck and shoulder.

  Faith noticed they were both breathing hard as he let up. But it wasn’t due to the oppressive feeling, rather to the passion just released. She realized quite a bit of time had to have passed as she took in her surroundings.

  They needed to keep going on this fact-finding mission, if they were going to figure out what it was Mammon wanted. She looked over to Justice and found him looking back, the thought that they both would have been content to just stay here and kiss all day crossed her mind.

  “So was it really that good, or are there other things at work here?” Justice tone was light, but Leanne heard the questioning behind it and knew that she had to be the dusa skala again.

  “Whew, I’m hoping it was just that good,” Leanne joked back, but she understood what was being asked of her.

  In her heart, she knew no matter where they were it would always be like this. Right now, she suspected it may have been someone else’s magick at work to make them forget why they were trying to get to the portal, and stop what was happening there.

  Leanne consciously slowed her breathing, moving into the meditative state that made her the dusa skala. She searched both inside of her and around her surroundings for answers.

  “It was really that good, but it was also something more. When the time comes for us, we will not be worried with anything else. However, this is not the time for our passion, and we were being influenced by something else. There is an awakening magick deep in the forest coming alive with this evil. All must be stopped or all will be lost.” She came out of it, still breathing deeply.

  Leanne looked around. She could see the new magick in the forest. A sense of betrayal was coming from below the ground. A magick that thought it belonged there with Mammon and nothing else should infringe on it. This was not a good thing. While there was always magick in the forest, this was something that had long ago been buried, so that mortals may walk this plain.

  If this magick had been released along with Mammon, then there wouldn’t be a mortal plain; for mortals could not survive side by side with this kind of magick.

  As she stepped away from Justice, and continued to scan the area, Leanne could feel the changes from those things that didn’t belong.

  The trees were denser, thicker; not allowing for anything to be able to travel through the forest, effectively trying to block off the entrance to the portal.

  Mammon was manipulating the forest magick to make sure that he wasn’t stopped. He was trying hard to block the path to the portal, making it almost impossible for them to travel through the forest. Leanne felt confident that at this moment, the portal was still holding and Mammon wasn’t through. However, she also knew that they were going to have to take a stand to make sure it stayed safe.

  “Justice,” she said in a hushed voice, “can you contact Faith? Tell her no matter what, we need Spero here within the week. Without him, we will not win.”

  She felt Justice look at her with both love and lust in his eyes. The heat that was in his look, helped to warm her from the fear that made her feel cold now.

  “I will do so now. After I talk to her, what are we going to do, Leanne?”

  “We are going into the forest. Do you see the trees? Do you notice how they are closing in on each other? We have to make it through to the portal, and then back out today. We must see what effect Mammon and the magick is having. If there are significant changes, you are going to have to reinforce the wards and hope that it is enough to hold until Spero can get here.”

  She looked up at him as she finished scanning. She could see the knowledge in his eyes. He knew everything was beyond what he’d originally thought. “Did you bring those items that would be necessary to reinforce the wards?” She asked and was wary, the look in his eyes changed when she mentioned enforcement.

  “I didn’t set the original wards, Leanne. I don’t know if I can.” She just looked at him. “I
brought very little but basic warding herbs with me. I was not prepared for this.”

  “You will have to try. If you can’t, you may have to teleport to Prya to seek counsel from the Higher gods. I will wait by the portal.”

  Leanne saw that Justice looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “Do you think I could leave you alone there, knowing that Mammon is trying to come through?”

  “You will have to. There won’t be another choice. I cannot travel to Prya, it is forbidden. And we cannot leave the portal unattended, until after the wards are reinforced. Please, for now contact Faith, and then we will work our way through the forest.

  * * * *

  Justice was trying to talk to her again.

  Faith could feel him. She really didn’t want to know what they’d found, but she knew he wouldn’t be wasting the energy to talk with her unless it was absolutely necessary. Opening up her mind she let him in.

  Hey there, she said.

  Hey,Leanne says Spero has to be here within the week. She wants to head out to the portal, and then have me leave her there while I consult the Higher gods if needed. Have I told you how crazy I think she is?

  Faith could hear the fear from his tone. She knows what she is doing. Hopefully, you won’t have to leave her there. Remember that your love for each other is strong, no matter what believe in that. I will continue to try and get through. Maybe if you shore up the portal, I’ll have an easier time of it. I am going to try and do this through dreams, so I won’t be available for a bit.

  Faith knew that Justice could hear her emotions behind the words; including the fear and uncertainty. We will do our best to make this task possible for you.

  That will be fine. All will be well. We will see you in a few hours. Faith shut down the connection and went back to her bed. Laying down she fell asleep immediately.

  She just hoped this would work.

  Chapter Twelve

  Justice opened his eyes to find that Leanne had wandered closer to the trees.

  She examined them trying to see if she could figure out what was going on with them.

  “Leanne,” he spoke softly, because he didn’t want to startle her into getting too close to the trees. They didn’t know exactly what magick was at work, and he didn’t want her to get injured either by the magick inside the forest or by using her own without knowing what was out there.

  Leanne turned towards Justice’s voice and answered, “Hey. Did you know that the magick actually hurts the trees? It is deep-earth magick and it hurts for them to absorb it. They don’t want to hurt anymore, but I don’t know how to make it stop. I can actually see it, and I think we can un-work some of it, or block off the source. Can you look?”

  Justice looked closer at the trees, sending out just a whisper of magick into the first tree.

  What bounced back was unexpected. He could actually feel the tree, it spoke to him of being on fire from the inside out. He whispered back that he was there to help, and the tree invited him closer to allow him to see what was happening with them all.

  Justice moved in closer and raised a hand to lay it on the thick and multi-layered trunk of the tree he had just connected to. It was restless under his hand, feeling better, but not wanting to be the only one.

  He thanked the tree for allowing him in. He followed the magick hurting the tree back to its origin. Justice had found the problem.

  Mammon had tapped into a source that was below Hell. He had released a fire-magick that was never meant to be free. Justice knew that the Higher gods were going to need to know of this. They should be able to fix this.

  Justice stepped back from the tree and looked to Leanne. “This is a job for the Higher gods. They can fix this much easier than either of us can, with just the wave of a hand. We must save our energy. I will tell the trees we are going to help them. I believe they will allow us passage without harm, if we tell them we can bring them relief.”

  Leanne nodded. “I agree this is not our battle. Right now we must get to the portal. Once we arrive there, you can go to Prya to speak with the Higher gods. There aren’t any souls coming through the portal right now, but I must see it,” she spoke with an urgency he knew she didn’t understand. “Please tell them we will be getting them help very soon.”

  Justice did as she requested, telling the forest it would be at peace again soon.

  “Let’s go Leanne.” His tone brooked no argument and she would give none. He was the god who’d created her, and she would follow wherever he told her to. This time she had no hesitation. He was leading where she wanted to go, and he knew it.

  As they moved into the forest, he took her hand, noting the scales in her other hand. He took a moment to squeeze her fingers reassuringly. Justice walked along the path he knew was there, even though it was no longer visible due to the magick.

  The trees knew he was heading to where he could get them help, and did their best not to create blocks within the pathway that they were on as they walked through. Justice led Leanne through the forest stepping over unnaturally large roots and branches that trailed over the ground.

  Justice knew that they were headed for trouble as they got closer to the portal and Mammon. He could feel the trees tremble with the effort of letting them pass unharmed. He was thankful they’d stopped to talk with them and letting them know that relief was coming soon.

  As soon as they were at the farthest tree line, the magick the trees had been holding back was let loose. The trees filled in behind them so that they were effectively trapped at the portal. Unless the Higher gods stepped in, and shut off the pool of magick, there was no way back to Brimstone.

  The trees wilted and grew black in front of their eyes, when the magick they had been holding back overtook them. The magick was killing them off.

  This was just a glimpse of what would happen to the rest of the world, if the deep-earth magick was allowed loose along with Mammon. Deep-earth magick was originally created by the Higher gods, long before there were mortals. The magick was of the gods themselves and was only able to be wielded by them.

  When mortals were brought into existence, the deep-earth magick was shut below because mortals could not co-exist with it. The Higher gods deemed that it was dangerous to those who walked the mortal plain and it was not to be used again.

  The air magick that was used by the Lesser gods and the dusa skala was purer and created from the lightness around them. Deep-earth magick was heavy and came tainted from those things it was drawn from like rocks and dirt; although natural, it carried the memories of that taint. Air magick carried no memories with it.

  Justice felt his eyes widen in shock at what he saw when he looked over to the portal. He turned to Leanne and saw tears were streaming down her face at the utter destruction of something she’d always found wondrous.

  When the portal was healthy and functioning as it was designed to be, there was a mysterious and calming feeling to it. It glowed a green-blue, looking like nothing more than a door in the middle of a field.

  Only those who were coming through from Hell or those who had the magick to find it on the mortal plain could see it. All others were blind to it; even if they stumbled into the field, they wouldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. The portal contained a ward that allowed mortals to see only what they expected to see.

  Justice smiled at the thought, but the smile faded as he looked at it now. Mammon’s energy was distorting and ruining the portal.

  Normally the portal was beautiful, but now it was red and black, full of angry dark energy. The misshapen door was growing, and the wards making it invisible were stretched so thin, anyone wandering into the area would see it. What was once a place for those who felt ready to come back to the mortal plain and have a second chance, now had become ugly and distorted.

  Justice couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The portal was almost ripped apart, and Mammon was still on the other side. He knew he had to reinforce some of the wards before he could go back to Prya. He set out
the few tools he always carried with him. The portal contained numerous wards and he was concerned that he wouldn’t be able to reinforce all of them.

  The simple wards that kept mortals from seeing anything, he would be able to keep in place. But some of the more complicated ones that allowed only souls with a certain level of purity to come through, were going to take more work and Justice wasn’t sure he could do it. Those were wards that had been put into place before there was a need for him. Honestly, the Higher gods had used magick he didn’t know if he would recognize.

  As he was kneeling on the ground next to the portal, he felt Leanne’s hand on his back. As he glanced over his shoulder, he saw her silhouette, sadness seemed etched into the image. He knew she was aching for the portal, the forest and those souls that were unable to be freed. Justice figured the best thing he could do to help her was keep moving on getting the wards reinforced.

  He gathered up the herbs he’d obtained during his night in Prya. He brought along a mixing bowl, and began working to grind the herbs together. Justice chanted during the mixing to infuse more magick into the bowl. Once everything was done, he got up to walk towards the cornerstones of the ward.

  At every cornerstone, he chanted and lay down a bit of the paste he’d mixed up. He hoped this was enough to at least keep the portal invisible.

  He could feel the wards picking up again and taking in the air magick that he was working with. There was an inverse reaction at the portal with the deep-earth magick to what he was doing with the air magick at the cornerstones. Every time he reinforced a cornerstone, it made the ward stronger, allowing it to better protect the mortal plain and the portal. The malevolent energy at the door swelled for every new reinforcement in place, testing the magick being put into the wards; getting angry when it couldn’t break them.