by Amber Cook
Before she could try and push her way through, a bristling pain slammed into her back. Her eyes slowly lowered to her chest, where a blade of solidified blood protruded through her collarbone. She tried to use her Demonic Energy to melt the blood, but it did not budge. Instead, it only twisted in further, and Adira gasped in pain. A moment later, another blade of solidified blood was sent into her bicep, causing her to be thrown forward.
Adira twisted onto her back, wincing in pain as she forced her hands to grasp down onto the blade. She needed to get it out of her. She knew what her father could do to her. She knew that he could turn this blade into fire and burn her alive within mere seconds. Her quivering fingers tried to yank it out, but the blade's sharp edge caught it every time. Darkened blood began to seep from the gashes on her fingertips, and she winced in pain.
The door was right there, and yet she couldn't reach it. Adira twisted onto her stomach, forcing her hands to move. She curled her fingers into the packed, dirt floor and hoisted her body forward, crawling. If she could just reach it... Her vision blurred from the immense pain that buried itself deep into her back. The blades of solidified blood continued to twist, tearing through bone and muscle with ease. She tried to reach her hand towards the knob, but her vision tunneled.
Fingers pressed against her cheeks, wiping away the darkened blood that oozed from her gashed lip. The fingers that enveloped her were frigid, but she did not shy away from them. Instead, they were inviting and enticing to her. She knew these hands. She knew these fingers that had touched and branded her many times before.
Adira blinked her eyes hazily a few times, trying to clear away the grime and blood that clouded them, and they widened. The world around her was quiet- too quiet. She could not hear Kace yelling at her, nor could she hear Drima's sorrowful cries. She could not feel the talismans power draining her of her Demonic Energy, nor could she feel the blistering pain that swelled in her body.
All she could feel were these frigid fingertips against her face and the being before her.
There had only been a handful of times where Adira had seen the First Pillar's Orb. Each time she saw it, it presented itself in different ways. This time, the First Pillar's Orb had taken the host of a male, billowing strands of milky white hair cascading from its scalp. Its eyes were slit like a demon, but they were a vibrant and chilling blue. It appeared as it always did, bare of any cover, and its face was pulled in a sorrowful way.
"What have you gotten yourself into?"
Although its voice was constantly changing, flipping between different tones and volumes, Adira felt herself entranced by it. Its fingers continued to stroke her cheeks gingerly.
"A-Ah..."
"Don't speak. Did they do this to you?" It asked, its chilled eyes lifting to look at the stilled chaos around them. Adira barely nodded her head in between its fingertips, and its slitted eyes narrowed. The First Pillar's Orb crouched towards her, bringing her face to its own. Its breath was frigid against her skin, and it made her eyes tingle.
"How dare they treat you like this." It whispered, its voice low and full of rage. Its words were sharp and quick, almost deadly to listen to. "How can they treat my child like this?"
"I...I called you."
"Hm..." It looked down at her, unamused by her display of not listening to its request. "When?"
"The Fifth Pillar."
"Ah... That's unimportant."
"But it is important. They want me to retrieve it."
"Yes, I already know. Don't forget; I'm always listening."
Hearing that made Adira look away sheepishly, especially beneath the watchful eyes of the First Pillar. "Why did the Fifth Pillar allow itself to fall into the hands of humans? Did you do this?"
"There are greater things at stake here than you realize."
"Y-You sound like all of them! They all say that. When I ask them, they tell me it's not my place to know. But, doesn't this all involve me? Am I not the one who's going to be punished by these actions?" She cried out, and the First Pillar's brows lowered, its face softening.
It sighed, tilting its head sideways as it slowly patted the top of her head. "I forget you are nothing more than a pawn in this game of chest. Is this why you called me? Do you want to retrieve the Fifth Pillar's Orb?"
"Yes, I must."
It stalled for a few moments before smiling. "No."
"No, what?"
"I won't let you retrieve it."
Adira's eyes widened in disbelief, and she grabbed its wrist, not letting it back away. "Do you not realize what is going to happen? If I don't go to the Human Realm, Kace will kill me where I stand. You know him. You know I'm speaking the truth. Are you willing to take that chance? Are you ready to lose your little pawn?"
Its eyes narrowed from her words, and it looked at her hand out of distaste. She knew that she could use her words against them. "Ah...you are lucky that we all favor you. If we did not, then I truly would watch you fall."
It grasped her hand into its own, pulling her onto her feet. Adira fell towards it from the amount of force behind its movement, and the First Pillar wrapped its arms around her, smirking. "Come to me, Adira. Always come to me." As it finished those words, Adira collided into its embrace.
Hands enveloped her, and she could not break free from its grasp. Her body stiffened at the sudden feel of its frigid lips against her own, but she soon melted in its touch. She could feel its breath, void of life, against her lips as it deepened the kiss. Her knees felt weak, as if it were draining all of the energy out of her rotting body.
Chaos erupted around her, but the Orb planted in her chest began to burn brightly. Light swelled around her body and, before Kace could try and harm her again, the light consumed her. She was gone.
Chapter 3
Crickets in the distance began to sing their songs beneath the setting sun overhead. The vibrant, crisp blue sky had already begun to make its departure, leaving warm pastel shades above. The sun had almost finished setting, a few shafts of light still piercing through the cloud coverage. The world around was bustling with noise, even with the setting sun.
Cold dirt pressed against her cheeks, and Adira's eyes groggily opened. The last thing she could remember was the First Pillar's Orbs frigged touch and its parting words.
"I will bring you to the Fifth Pillar, but I cannot decide what you do from there."
Adira didn't understand what it meant. They made it sound like she had a choice. There was no deciding; she already knew what she must do.
She outstretched her fingers, smacking her lips before she was met with a sharp pain through her shoulder blades. Darkened blood pooled around her, soaking into the dirt beneath her frame. She forced her hands to investigate the gashes. The blades of solidified blood had already long vanished, leaving open wounds. Even though they were no longer buried in her, it did not stop the searing pain that coursed through her body every time she moved. Her nerve-endings had been frayed, but luckily she still had limited motion in her arms. She could make do with this.
Adira pushed herself onto her elbows, rolling over onto her side. The dagger was still fastened to her hip, and the sheer cloak she had grabbed still concealed her. Although, now it had a few peculiar gashes in the fabric.
She hesitantly reached down to her ankle and grimaced as she felt around the swollen, hot flesh. Although it seemed like the First Pillar's Orb had aided her with this, her ankle wasn't fully mended. She was at least thankful it no longer completely stuck out ninety degrees, similar to the servant she had seen.
As long as she was in the Human Realm, her healing abilities would be neutralized. Instead of healing like a demon, she would heal like any ordinary human. The thought made her skin stand on edge in repulsion. What would take her body in the Demonic Realm only five minutes to heal would take five days here.
Adira could never understand the difference between the two realms. Days passed differently, as well as years. Indeed, the two Realms were not similar at all, and yet they were t
he same.
Removing her fingers from her ankle, Adira lifted her head to get a read on where she was. Towering trees surrounded her, still retaining their leaves of vibrant green, and there were lights in the distance. When she squinted her eyes, she could see small houses and humans littering the street. Soon, when the sun fully descended into the sky, no one would be on the streets. They would be in their houses, doors bared in an attempt to protect themself from the demons that lurked outside.
Using the tree's base next to her, Adira forcefully dragged herself up so she could stand on her feet. The pain in her ankle was overwhelming, but she knew that once she started moving, it would become dull. It had always been that way. If she could get through the initial shock, the pain would become muddled and become one constant thrum. The first few steps she took were shaky, and she depended on the trunks of the trees beside her to keep her upright. But, as her ankle began to become loosened with each pop it emitted, Adira pushed herself further.
Her fingers rose to her chest, and she buried her fingertips into the puckered and irritated flesh around the Orb. She didn't know if the First Pillar's Orb had simply thrown her into the Human Realm, as this was not the same place she had seen many times. Typically when she had crossed over before using the 'tears' or the First Pillar, she had always landed on a deserted battlefield. The once plentiful land had been reduced to nothing more than a land of corpses and ash. But, this was not that battlefield. The world seemed so lively, filled with so many crisp colors she had never seen before.
Adira pulled the cloak tightly around her frame, flipping the hood up to conceal her abnormal features. Using the Demonic Energy that pulsed through her veins, Adira could hide her features from most humans. Although, Adira had found that children were the most troublesome ones. She could often stand right alongside men and women with no problem, but the moment a child was near her, they could see through her disguise. They could pick out her slit, crimson irises, and the radiating Demonic Energy that seeped from her skin. Even when she used her cloak to hide herself, there were still instances when children with sight could still pick her out.
She tapped the glassy surface of the Orb and lowered her tone as she spoke. "Where did you send me? Is the Fifth Pillar here?" She whispered, but nobody replied. Adira's eyes narrowed in annoyance, and she continued to stride forward into the commotion. It wasn't the first time the orbs had ignored her. She doubted it would be the last time.
Around her, people spoke of various events that had happened during the day. Vendors still littered the streets, but they had slowly begun to pack up as night approached. Some people discussed the particular drama they had heard, whereas others were chattering about the best deals they had found. Hearing so many people speak at once, in chaos, made Adira's ears hurt.
Compared to the way demons spoke, the chaos of so many fluctuating tones made her head throb. She brought a hand to her temple, rubbing it with her fingers as she continued to walk forward. Humans bypassed her, but not once did they acknowledge her. Even the children by their sides would only cast her sharp glances before looking away. The only signal that a demon was around came from the talismans that were scattered amongst the rooftops. However, with the harsh wind that caused one's hair to whip around their frame, it was not an issue. Nobody could see the talisman long enough to see the scribed characters flair in a warning.
As Adira shuffled through the crowd, she halted as a pain swelled in her chest. Her fingers dug down into the decayed flesh, and her teeth gritted. The pain was different than the dull thrum that filled her body. This came from the Orbs. She could hear it screaming.
Heat seeped from the Orb, and Adira hastily pulled her fingers away as it intensified. The flesh on the ends of her fingertips had been seared, and she stuck them in her mouth, trying to cool them down. Again, a sharp pain buried itself into the Orb, and she stopped, staggering to the side. She used the building beside her to support her frame, earning sidelong glances from the people walking down the street.
Her knees sunk out from beneath her, and Adira nearly tore apart the fabric that covered her chest. The Orb beneath it felt trapped. With the searing and blinding pain that came in tidal waves, she wanted nothing more than to tear the very thing from her chest.
"Stop! What do you want? What's wrong?" She whispered beneath her shaky breath, but she did not hear a reply. Sweat sprung on her brow, beginning to roll down the sides of her temple and the dip of her nose. She leaned her head backward to take shaky breaths, her body quivering with each tidal wave.
If the Orbs would not answer her, she had no idea how to relieve them of the suffering that purged them. She would have to wait it out, hoping that it would solve itself. But, Adira didn't know how much longer she could hold on. Between the prior injuries she had sustained from Kace and now this, the world before her seemed as if it were getting increasingly smaller.
But as those thoughts entered her mind, Adira's eyes widened abruptly. There was a tug as if something was trying to drag her forward. She nearly stumbled over her feet. A moment later, she could have sworn she heard a voice.
"Here."
Adira knew by those fluctuations in its tone that it was one of the Orbs. She hastily tried to push herself up, although her body grimaced with the movement. Every time she moved, she felt like a thousand, hot searing blades were being rammed down into her. But she couldn't contain herself when it came to the Orbs. If they called out to her, no matter where they were, she would always come.
Adira had never understood why, but she was willing to do anything when it came to them. Even when the Orbs were first implanted into her and would not speak to her, Adira was more than willing to lay her life down. She didn't know if it was because she would have no purpose without them or because she was finally not alone. As long as the Orbs were with her, Adira could rattle on about anything on her mind. There was no guarantee that they would answer but, during the nights when Adira was slick with blood and her skin was frayed, the Orbs were always there. She could feel their fingertips and their presence beside her, and that alone was enough to get her through the never-ending nights.
In the corner of her mind and buried deep into her chest, Adira could feel an invisible string pulling her forward. She stumbled onto her feet, and with each pull, she followed it blindly. The sun above had begun to set, a sliver of the sun still peeking above. Now, the moon had crawled into the sky. The streets had started to thin.
People had already returned to their homes for the night. When the sun had set, and the moon was the only thing in the sky, people feared for their lives. If they were not afraid of the demons that lurked around, it was the creatures that roomed this Realm. Or, even though many didn't wish to admit it, other humans.
She started to slow down as the invisible thread began to slacken as she neared a building. It was still full of lights, and no talisman hung off the edges of the roof. Even then, Adira could tell that there were worst things inside than the talisman. Out here, she could even feel the hostile energy that radiated through the building. She carefully tiptoed towards one of the windows, peering in.
Humans littered the room, filling every inch of it. Even from here, she could smell the stench of their foul body odor, and she could pick up something sour as she opened her mouth. She had never smelt something so rancid before. Sure, she was used to the smell of rotting corpses left out in the blazing sun on the battlefield, but this held a different potency. It made you gag for other reasons, the sour notes burying themselves into your sinuses.
She stood on her toes, peering further in. She could see women wearing low-cutting dresses, exposing the tops of their breasts, as they served pints of ale. Adira knocked her fingers against the Orb, looking at it in doubt. "Are you really here?" She couldn't believe that the Orb would be in a place such as this. But, a moment later, Adira felt the searing pain again, and she gasped. "Yes, yes! You're here. I understand. I won't doubt you again."
The throbbing pain subsi
ded, and Adira steadied herself. She knew that once she was inside, Adira would be able to feel the Orb better. All she needed to do was figure out who had the Orb and kill them. If that were not possible, then she would kill them all.
Pulling her cloak tighter around herself, Adira walked to the front door and shouldered it open. It took everything in her power not to double over at the overwhelming stench. She had no idea how so many humans could be crammed together in one room and still enjoy one another. There was no one posted at the door to greet her, and Adira assumed that it would be her choice where she sat. Ideally, if she could sit closest to whomever harbored the Fifth Pillar's Orb, the better, but she still couldn't get a good read. Everything seemed to be muddied together.
There were very few seats open. She even noted that women chose men's laps over sitting on the stiff, wooden planks on multiple occasions. But, Adira would have to lower herself to scum to ever think of doing that, especially with a human. The very idea was repulsive.
She limped towards one of the open seats at one of the tables, keeping the cloak tight. Beneath the shadow, she tried to keep her crimson eyes dull, not to attract any attention. She kept her head down and, even when people bumped into her side, she did not acknowledge them. No matter how angry she got, she could not lose her temper. She was here for one thing and one thing alone. Once she got it, then she could slaughter them all, but not before.
A busty woman waltzed forward, her hips swaying with each step. Her face was flushed with a rosy appearance, and she seemed unsteady on her feet. She offered Adira a dazzling, sickly sweet smile. Beneath the concealment of her hood, no one had yet to realize what Adira was. To the woman's eyes, Adira appeared like any other man she was trying to ensnare.
"Hello!" She sang, and Adira's face scrunched in distaste. There was a rasp to her words that caused droplets of saliva to land on her face. "What can I get you today?" Adira didn't reply, but the woman seemed unbothered by it. "Tight lips, aye? You aren't the only man to be that way. A nice lil' pint of ale will fix that up. Then, when you feel like talkin, let's have a nice chat together."