Soul Taker's Redemption

by A. S. Hamilton

  'Your mother's mother's death brought you to the attention of Aurealis. Your father's death coincided with the next equinox and Ulyn held back her hunters for fear of discovery because a guardian was nearby, waiting for your father. Ulyn even issued an order that none were to approach you until she was ready as she wanted Aurealis to have no hint that she intended to hunt you. That was why you were ignored by the therilgalen at the ice rink.'

  And now things were adding up as I started finally seeing how everything connected.

  'While she was waiting, Ulyn did not give up her search for more yulari spirits. It was the result of one of these surveys that brought Maya to her attention.'

  He stopped and turned his eyes downwards, when he looked up again, I was surprised to see the ghost of a smile. 'Already you will be adding it all together. My summoning to Archmore so I could find Maya, which brought me in contact with your mother and eventually led back to you. But for my own foolish error in judgement, I would have been there to protect you when Ulyn made her attempt to get you. What joy Ulyn had when Silven was assigned in my place so close to the equinox, but still she would take no chances and she sent three therilgalen.' A spark of humour twinkled in his eyes for a moment as he added, 'I was not her favourite ex-servant that day.'

  Then all humour evaporated and he cast his eyes down again briefly. 'You will know, by now, the rest, how Ulyn sent Qu-te-se, how I lured him to the Light Realm, my bargain with Ceri-talen…' He looked away again for several moments. 'You see, I figured out how to return spirit energy to a vessel through my experiments with charging the phones. I realised I was capable of more than I ever knew and there was a way for me to save two souls, Qu-te-se's and yours, although I know you will not, cannot, appreciate it the way I do, not right now.' He looked at me directly again. 'I realise that you may be angry with me and the concept of returning to your life may seem incomprehensible. Yet, that is what I encourage you to do. Take time to grieve, to hate the unfairness of the situation, but not too long. You are strong enough to do this. I know, because I would never have burdened you with such a challenge if I did not believe you could recover from this.

  'Be strong, Jayden Emerline Thaneton. Be free.'

  For several long minutes after the message ended I stared off into space trying to sort out my reactions. Finally, I pulled my attention back into the room and turned my head slowly to look at Bastien. A slight frown creased his features, and he, too, was lost in thought. Then his deep voice rumbled softly to life.

  'He can't be trusted.' Bastien looked at the data crystal still glowing in the reader. 'You're taking just as big a risk as if you had chosen the other path, my friend. I just hope I'm up to my part.'

  I frowned. 'What risk? You mean Ceri-talen sticking to the agreement? But... the unicorn—'

  Bastien was shaking his head. 'The oath-taker? It will limit him. It might even work, but as I said, it's a risk.' He heaved a sigh. 'We can't change it now.'

  I got up and went to the coffee machine. There was no chance of getting to sleep now. I made my coffee and went down to the courtyard, curling up on the swing chair. I wasn't surprised when Bastien's voice murmured to my right. 'Do you need time alone?'

  I glanced up at him; he was leaning on the frame of the courtyard door. With the moonlight reflecting off his golden hair, he looked surreal, almost like he was floating above me.

  It was a lot to take in. And I needed time. I think Bastien did too. I was alright now. If I had any more bouts of crying, I was certain I could handle it on my own. Not that I didn't appreciate Bastien being here. Getting through the past few weeks would have been much harder without him. But the effects of the planes-shifting seemed to have mostly worn off. It was time to let Bastien go.

  'Yes. I think I can handle things on my own now. It will be easy enough to throw myself into the café. Should I organise for some kind of… um, bodyguard, I guess, just in case the Archmore case provokes some kind of action against me?'

  'Well, you have the two shape-shifters here in the day and the vamps at night. There's no reason they cannot stay. They'll chauffeur you about and shadow you so they'll hear any kind of attack long before you're in harm's way.'

  I nodded. 'If that's okay, I think Mum would appreciate it, and I know I certainly do.'

  'I'll message Thomas and Amelia to let them know to give you some space for a few days unless you get in touch.'

  One moment he was there, silhouetted in the moonlight, then the space was vacant. A few minutes later he appeared and tucked a blanket about my shoulders.

  'Thanks,' I murmured.

  He leaned down and kissed my cheek. 'Remember, my number is in your phone as is Amelia's and Thomas's. Don't be too brave, friends like to be needed.'

  He was gone before his breath cooled on my cheek.

  I smiled briefly, before turning my focus back to the moon. This was going to take some figuring out. One moment, I'm a café owner. Living my dream. Sometimes also living off two-minute-noodles and coffee, but happy in my job. You might even say my life revolved around it, but it was fulfilling and challenging and I didn't much notice my lack of a social life. The next. Therion. Vampires. Gods and angels. Now, aside from some numbers in my phone, I was almost back where I started.

  And yet, everything was entirely different.

  Bastien

  I sensed its presence an instant before it slammed into me, giving me barely enough time to brace as I was crushed between it and the trunk of an old Huon pine tree. Shadows misted about us, but I'd heard the sound of wings as it lunged for me. I felt hot breath against my cheek and saw a flash of fangs. And then an invisible source sunk its spectral fangs into my soul and tried to rip it from my body.

  Blood oath, it was a therilgalen!

  The forest was dark enough because it was night, but the shadows surrounding the dark-angel made it impossible to see. I placed my hands against what felt like a solid chest to hold the physical teeth at bay while I tried to catch my breath as the spiritual ones tried to take my soul. Then, twisting to put my back against the tree, I got my knee between us and then shoved him away. It worked for only a moment, but the move created enough space for me to slam a fist into his jaw and then follow through with a kick to his chest. By then, I had enough time, just, to draw my sword.

  At the sound of me drawing the weapon, the dark-angel finally slowed. He did not speak, but I could hear ragged, almost pained, breathing. I winced as he made a second attempt to get at my spirit. I didn't give him time to finish. I charged, raising my sword for a diagonal strike. He deflected with the armoured scales on the outside of his forearm.

  I didn't see him draw a sword, but the shadows surrounded us so heavily, I was not relying on sight. And it was a good thing, too, because it was only the slight change in the air about me that alerted me to the descending blade in time for me to raise my own sword. I grunted as I blocked the downward strike. He withdrew, taking a step back and to the side from the sound of his footsteps. Then, the heavy blade of a double-handed, long sword smacked against my lighter katana-style sword forcing me to back up and reposition. I moved into a crouch, sweeping my sword out to one side, hoping the dark-angel's hearing would pick up the sound of the movement and be drawn towards it. If it worked, he would end up bringing himself closer to me. It did.

  As his sword cut the air over my head, I raced forward, ramming my shoulder into his mid-section, throwing him of balance. I pulled back, kicked out his knee and then rammed him again, bringing him down. I spun my sword about and brought it up underneath his chin and was about to thrust it forward when—

  'Enough!'

  Only the voice of a god can echo through your mind like that.

  'Qu-te-se?'

  My query received a grunt.

  I immediately withdrew, sheathing my sword, but staying well out of reach.

  'I did not realise it was you, else I would not have resorted to lethal tactics.'

  'Better that you did,' Qu-te-se responded,
as he got to his feet and put his own weapon away. 'All my awareness was focussed on your spirit. I would have extinguished you had you not been such formidable prey.'

  He sounded as ragged as his breathing.

  A glow appeared, far off at first, lighting the forest around us gradually as it moved closer. When Aurealis finally stood with us in her angel form, it might as well as been daylight. Qu-te-se squinted his eyes and then looked to one side. Tears streaked his cheeks and then, after a moment, he moved in front of her and dropped to one knee, bowing his head.

  'I have failed, Master. The first significant spirit to enter my perception and I tried to consume it.'

  Aurealis placed her hand on his head, stroking it gently. I am sure she saw it as a gesture of kindness and comfort. I saw a master standing over her dog. It was clear in her posture that she saw herself as superior to him, his place was at her feet, that was where he belonged. I supressed the urge to just turn and leave. I'd come here for Therion. He'd asked me to, requested I deliver his data crystal.

  I looked at Qu-te-se's face in profile. It was drawn, his skin seemed an unhealthy colour. He was starving, I realised. Therion had looked like that sometimes. He'd said Aurealis demanded he get used to running off less than a quarter of the spirit energy he had been used to having in the Dark Realm. I felt a deep, far-reaching pity for him. I had been forced to starve more than once in my long life and it was never a voluntary or pleasurable circumstance.

  I pushed aside the emotion and turned my attention to the god.

  'Aurealis, always such a pleasure not serving you, but finding myself indentured to you none-the-less,' I said drily.

  She gave me a brief smile, her expression saying that the sarcasm did not bother her and my disapproval of her methods bothered her even less.

  I was tempted to keep the crystal. Look up the names of the yulari Ceri-talen intended to target and just provide protection to them. Except it wasn't my job. I already had Jay to look after and Thomas would give me grief for expending resources I did not need to expend.

  I dug the data crystal out of the coin pocket of my jeans and held it out to her.

  The god gave me a curious look and then plucked the crystal from my palm without making contact with me.

  'Therion brought that back from Unia-littah. It is Ulyn's latest research. Not only does it detail all of Ceri-talen's efforts to undo whatever you lot did to prevent his therilgalen from reproducing naturally, it lists all the yulari he has tracked down and where to find them.'

  Her smile became wistful. 'He is a significant loss.'

  'You could have fought harder to keep him.' I did not try to hide the resentment in my voice.

  The look she gave me was one of pity, like I was too simple-minded to ever understand the world of the telari and why they made such choices.

  'Why did you leave her like that? Could you not show at least an ounce of compassion for her?'

  She knew I meant Jay and how she had just planes-shifted her into her apartment and then left her there. Alone.

  'I left her only seconds before you arrived. Timed it so you would be with her. It was what he wanted. He wanted— trusted— no other to be her guardian. I honoured his wish. I kept her until you were ready to protect her, which is far longer than I should have had her.' Then, she tilted her head. 'I will not make you ask it. I will answer the next question on your mind. I did not heal the sickness caused by planes-shifting because she needed time to recover, to grieve. If I had healed her, she would have thrown herself into her work. She would have supressed or avoided facing the feelings of loss and that would have caused her longer-term harm. But, left fatigued and bedridden, she was forced to process them. It also gave her the reprieve of sleep in between and the need for a constant companion, which was a comfort she would not have had had she been well. You think we are beyond compassion, vampire, but what I did was the kindest thing for her at the time. It forced her to grow, to become stronger, more resilient. She formed a closer bond with the one who would be her guardian for life and she was given the chance to rest. Do not judge those you have no hope of understanding.'

  I found myself shaking my head. 'You lot are just so…' I heaved out a sigh. 'Just find those yulari and get them protected. Ceri-talen is taking them alive now. He wants you to think he's killed them, but he wants them alive.'

  I started to turn, then moved over to Qu-te-se and placed my hand on his shoulder. 'When she lets you off your leash, look me up if you want someone to talk to.'

  I didn't bother giving her any farewells, just turned my back and started back through the forest to the clearing where I'd shifted in. In truth, I didn't need to walk anywhere, I can planes-shift from any point. But I didn't, couldn't stand being near her. Loathed her as much as I loathed Ceri-talen, but had to concede, she was less destructive and actually helped some of her so-called servants.

  Demeaning. That was what it was. It was demeaning to a being like Qu-te-se to be treated like a simple pet. She'd parade him about, like he was a trophy. She would use him as evidence of her superiority and power. Just as she had used Therion. The taste of blood made me realise I was grinding my teeth. Not an especially sensible habit when you have fangs. I really needed a decent hunt to burn up all the negative emotions. I considered planes-shifting to my home realm, rejected it two seconds later. My home realm has plenty of creatures that will provide a challenging and worthwhile hunt. Many of them have just as much chance of killing me as I do them. I like those odds sometimes. But not today. Not for several decades. I had a human to guard now. I would have to be a little less reckless if I wanted better chances of making sure I was around to do that. Already, Thomas and I had altered my role in our political plans. I'd need more time for Jay. I cast a long look back in the direction I had come from. I could still see Aurealis's glow and Qu-te-se's shadow. Her light made his shadow seem darker; his shadow made her light seem brighter.

  Poor creature.

  I shifted back to my apartment. I would settle for a more mundane hunt today. Then… Then I would check in on Jay. I wondered what miseries Therion was suffering at the hands of his new master. According to Aurealis, all his experiences, including this renewed enslavement I presumed, would help Therion progress towards ascension. Wouldn't it just screw the both of them over if he managed to ascend into a being more powerful than they were? The thought made me smile.

  Therion

  [Carnival of Rust – Poets of the Fall]

  Rua was busy moving around me. She had some kind of device that beeped at her every few seconds, it also precipitated her moving to a new position.

  'By Foe Hammer, that's almost…'

  She had a habit of muttering and trailing off. I suspected she did not realise I was awake.

  'What about your cherished weapon?'

  'Ah, ye are awake, then. Good. Good. Ignore me, I just have a few more measurements left.'

  My hunger still gnawed at me, but it was easier to supress the urge to act upon my instincts. Not because I was any less hungry, but because I felt an affinity with her. Aurealis had been right; by putting me in positions where I connected with other beings, I found it more difficult view them as in the simple terms of prey. Rua's words finally sunk in. 'Measurements? What measurements?'

  The dwarven's face popped into view as she jumped down from the rock I was lying on. 'Call it an inspiration.'

  I raised my brows.

  Rua gave a happy sigh as she sat in front of me and began tapping at a device similar to a mobile. 'Before I set out to find Foe Hammer, I was a forger of weapons. Well, actually I make a lot of things, some might call me an inventor of sorts, but it's weapons I'm known for. In ma family, ye either wield 'em or forge 'em. I…' she trailed off and frantically tapped at her device. She started nodding. 'Mmhmm, mmhmm, I can do this. If I build a forge, I have ma tools. I just need to find that cavern with the discards again.'

  Finally, Rua looked at me, her grin almost reaching from ear to ear. 'I'mma gonna
make ye wings.'

  I resisted frowning and failed. 'I have wings.'

  'Yes, yes. Here's ye conundrum. Ye have wings, but said wings are broken, shattered in actuality. In fact, I believe it is a certainty that almost all ye bones are broken. To heal, ye need sunlight. To get to the sunlight, ye need some kinda support. If I make a frame to support ye wings, and mayhap something to help ye walk, ye just might get outta this dreary abyss.'

  In her excitement she had started speaking quite fast and I was not entirely sure I understood her. 'You want me to attempt to fly while my wings are still broken?'

  'By Foe Hammer's wrath, child, ye canna have everything. And I didna say fly— or mebbe I did— what I meant was; I can make ye a mobile frame to support 'em. It'll take me some time. I can build a forge, but I'll need to walk two or three days to get to the place I saw with all the junk at the bottom of it. And I'll hafta build another stretcher, or sled, more precisely, as I canna carry it back piece by piece, so loading it up and dragging it will hafta be the transport of choice. I'll need to scavenge more wood to fuel ma forge. That'll mean more walking. It'll be several days afore I start, which is more time for ye to heal, even incrementally. If it rains, I adjusted ma rigging so ye can pull yerself out into it.' She nodded to a pulley system set up within my reach. 'When I miraculously woke free, ma pack had rations, but I expect I'll hafta hunt at some point, unless ye god happens to resupply me, so that, too, will give ye healing time. By then, ye might have healed enough to have some mobility and the frame will help to support yer wings. The point I'mma making is that ye can lie here an' mourn ye losses or ye can prove to that assemblage of teeth, claws, and cruelty who claims godhood that ye are strong enough to overcome this and at least try something.'