Lore

by Sandra R Neeley

  “He’s trying to kiss him, like he does with Lily,” Carolena said quietly.

  “Little man!” Destroy said. “You don’t go around kissing your buddies. You shake hands, you pat them on the shoulder! You don’t kiss them! You kiss the ladies!”

  Boon, his attention taken from Zeke to Destroy, dropped back to his knees and crawled toward Destroy. Soon as Destroy scooped Boon up in his arms, he leaned toward Destroy and dropped an open-mouthed, drool-filled kiss to his chin. Destroy practically melted. “Well, okay. I get it. You can give me all the kisses you want,” he said snuggling the baby.

  “I can’t believe he’s missing all this,” Carolena murmured.

  Everyone looked her way. It had been a while since she’d spoken.

  “I can’t believe Lily’s missing this,” she said louder. “I should never have let her go.”

  “I know it’s hard, Carolena, but I really believe she’s safe. And so is Carnage. They’ll be back — with Lore. Everything will be as it should again. You’ll see,” Enthrall said encouragingly.

  Carolena snapped her eyes from Boon in Destroy’s arms to Enthrall. “Doesn’t make it any easier.”

  “I know. And I’m not sure I’d have allowed Lici or either of my sons to go after anyone. But Carnage isn’t your average, everyday male, and Lily isn’t a human little girl. She’s more like Lore and his kind than any other I’ve ever met. And she’s got her Papa in her, and some of you, too. She’s brave, and she’s smart. Have faith, Carolena. They’ll be home soon.”

  Carolena watched Enthrall intently as he spoke. She knew he was right. But her heart hurt. Half her family was missing. And it had been weeks since Carnage, standing between Terrus and Lucitari, had materialized in her living room, to ask her permission and her blessing to take Lily with them to vanquish Acaelo and save Lore. Her heart had been warring with her soul since that day. Though she’d wanted to, she’d not really even considered saying no. Lily would be with Carnage, and she knew Carnage would give his life for his daughter. And as Enthrall said, Lily wasn’t your standard, everyday little girl. But she’d also be exposed to dangers and possibilities that Carolena didn’t even begin to fathom.

  When she voiced that concern, Lucitari had all but made it a moot point. “But Lily does,” she said simply.

  And Lucitari was right. Lily fully understood what they asked of her, and as soon as their request was voiced, Lily’d gone to stand with her Papa, straight and tall, proud and determined, just as Carnage held himself.

  “They will come home to you safe and sound, Carolena. You will have no regrets!” Lucitari had pledged.

  Carnage had stepped forward from the mists that enveloped and swirled around him and Lily. He’d held Carolena at arms’ length. “Saaaayy nooo,” he’d said. He looked back at Lucitari and Terrus, waving a hand toward them. And at Lily who’d followed her Papa halfway across the floor so that she was no longer in the mists, though her own swirled about her. “Nooo? We staaay,” he said.

  Carolena looked at the two ancients waiting for her blessing, knowing they could have just as easily swooped in and taken Lily without a word to her, and then at Carnage, asking her permission, telling her to just say the word, and both he and Lily would stay here, sending the Ancients on without them.

  She turned her attention back to Carnage. Her eyes wandering his beloved face, finally settling on his eyes. She trusted him implicitly. And she knew if the tables were turned, Lore would stop at nothing to bring her mate and her daughter back home to her.

  Resignedly, she nodded. “Okay. I trust you. I know you will both come home to me and bring Lore and Evangeline with you. Go. But take your time, be careful.”

  Carnage grinned, taking her into his arms and squeezing her tightly. “Lub Leenah,” he’d said in his gruff voice.

  Lily had darted forward and hugged her mother’s legs. “Love you, Mama!”

  Carnage kissed her soundly, then lifted Lily into his arms, so she could hug her mother’s neck.

  “I love you both so much!”

  Carnage kissed her again then moved backward, still holding Lily, to stand with Lucitari and Terrus.

  “Thank you,” both Ancients said in unison. Their mists began to swirl as did Lily’s.

  Carnage’s face morphed into his battle expression. Lily grinned maniacally, watching her own mists swirl with those of the Ancients to transport them away to wherever it was Lore was trapped.

  “I love you!” Carolena called out as they faded from view.

  The last thing she saw was Carnage nod his head one single time, his eyes focused on hers, and Lily waving at her, smiling like this was the best thing ever, then they were gone.

  “Carolena?”

  Carolena snapped out of her reverie at the sound of Rowan’s voice calling her name. “Hmm?” she asked.

  “Lemonade?” Rowan asked again, holding out a tall, cool glass to her.

  “Thank you,” she said absently.

  “Can I bring you something to eat? You didn’t eat much earlier. There’s so much leftover in the kitchen,” Rowan said.

  Carolena looked around her deck, filled with people who cared about her and her family. Though she was feeling the empty space her family being away from her left in the middle of her life, she was not alone. And it would not always be like this. She had every faith that Carnage would see to it that both he and Lily came home to her safely. “Yes, just a little, maybe.”

  Rowan’s smile lit up her face. She’d been here, trying to do anything she could to help out and keep Carolena distracted, since they’d all found out that she and Boon were here alone now. “Oh, good! I’ve been worried you’re not eating enough. I’ll be right back.”

  As Rowan hurried back into Carolena’s home to make her a plate, Carolena called after her. “Thank you, Rowan. For everything.” Carolena looked around again at her friends gathered ‘round her. “And thank each of you, too.”

  “Wouldn’t be anywhere else. Not for one second,” Destroy vowed. Carolena was his first friend. His very first real friend, and as long as she needed him, this was where he’d be.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Lucitari performed a tight little bow, inclining her head ever so slightly to Carnage. “Thank you, General. Without your selflessness, and the strengths of both you and your daughter, this may have not been possible. We are indebted to you.”

  Carnage stood a little taller, slammed his forearm and fist over his chest, and jutted his chin out.

  Terrus did not hesitate in repeating Carnage’s actions right back to him.

  “On to the next battle!” Lucitari proclaimed.

  “Where?” Lily asked.

  “Mur’er,” Carnage said, at the same time Lore announced, “Murder and Evangeline!”

  “Vangen?” Carnage asked.

  “She’s there, too,” Lucitari told him. “We can feel her there,” she said, lifting a long, graceful finger to tap against her own temple.

  “’Ow?” Carnage asked, confused.

  “Acaelo took her back to Hell again after he stole her away from Lore the last time. He most likely assumed since Lore had started this whole chain of events by stealing her from Hell, where he’d hidden her originally, he’d not think to look there for her again,” Lucitari explained.

  “Since we changed the course of their lives,” Terrus said, speaking to Carnage, “by saving her from that she endured the first time, he had to change his own actions to try to have a similar outcome. Putting her back in Hell is how he was determined to regain control of Lore’s slow descent into madness. After you saved Evangeline, every occurrence beyond that point concerning Lore and Evangeline changed. That’s why Lore was so lost trying to find his way up here. The memories he’d been supposed to witness as Evangeline relived them were no longer existent, so he wandered around in circles. Until we redirected him,” Terrus said.

  “While he viewed the new memories, both his and Evangeline’s, Acaelo took her back to Hell.”

&
nbsp; “And now, my friend, we free them both,” Lore said. “I am restored, stronger than I ever was. Lucitari and Terrus stand with me, as do you. We will bring them both home.”

  Carnage agreed. They needed to bring them both home. But he had Lily with him. There was no way he was agreeing to taking Lily into Hell.

  He draped an arm around her, his fingertips grazing her shoulder, his chest out, standing tall. “No. Leelee? No!”

  “Why?!” Lily objected. “I can help!”

  “I can’t go into Hell, Carnage. It’s not possible at this time. I’ll stay with Lily up here, and you’ll go with Lore and Terrus,” Lucitari said.

  Carnage considered her offer. “Staaay!” he said to Lily, gently nudging her toward Lucitari.

  “We’ll be here waiting when you’re done,” Lucitari said, taking Lily into her care.

  Carnage knelt before Lily, who had her best scowl in place at being left behind. “Lub Leelee,” he said.

  She stared at a point over his shoulder, not answering.

  Carnage was determined to make her respond before he joined Lore and Terrus. He poked her in the ribs.

  Still she ignored him.

  He poked her again and again until finally Lily slapped his hand away. “Okay!” she finally acknowledged.

  Carnage grinned and kissed her forehead. “Be baaack,” he said, rising to his feet.

  Lily watched as the three males walked out of sight, disappearing into the murky haze surrounding them, while Lucitari stood beside her, holding her hand and wishing them well.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Lily sat on her bottom in the fog playing a game with Lucitari. Lucitari would place sparkling clovers, hearts, and diamonds in the air above them, and Lily would have to use her new talents to zap them out of the air to dissipate into a puff of smoke.

  But no matter how many times Lucitari made the game harder and harder to distract Lily, she continued to peek over her shoulder toward the last place she saw her Papa, Uncle Lore and Terrus leave her sight.

  “They’re fine, Lily,” Lucitari promised.

  “Why can’t we go help?” Lily asked for the twentieth time since they’d been gone.

  “Several reasons,” Lucitari answered. “I can’t be there, so I must stay here. You shouldn’t be there, so you must stay here. And together we will wait for them to free Murder; then, we’ll all go back home.”

  “And Evangeline?” Lily asked.

  “She’ll go home, too,” Lucitari said non-committally.

  “With us?” Lily asked.

  “It will be her choice,” Lucitari finally answered.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Terrus stood, his feet planted firmly in the black, ashen walkways meandering this way and that in the realm known as Hell. He was after all, Terrus, the Ancient, who oversaw all things earthen, and this was most certainly part of the Terra, the Earth, within the bowels of the Earth, to be exact. He closed his eyes, and despite the now constant shifting of the corridors that led from one place to another, was able to determine which way was the correct way to go. The very soil and earth upon which they stood told him what he wanted to know, whispering to him the direction in which he’d find both the Angel and the Gargoyle he sought.

  Lore and Carnage followed closely, keeping a wary eye out for any who might try to stop them.

  Lore listened, keeping his ears tuned for any weeping, yet there was none to help lead him to Evangeline. So, instead, he followed his brother’s lead, knowing this was the best way this time.

  “Here, she is this way,” Terrus declared, ducking to fit himself through a low arch in the corridor he’d just turned them down.

  They hurried toward the end of the rough-hewn corridor, this one more jagged than any Lore had ventured into in the past while searching for Evangeline.

  Terrus came to a stop outside a wooden door, this one only slightly fitted into place. The cracks where the door didn’t quite fit could easily be seen through from the outside.

  Lore reached out, placing his hand against the door, feeling for Evangeline on the other side. “She’s here,” Lore said, smiling, and began gathering his mists to move beyond the door.

  Terrus placed his hand on the door opposite the placement of Lore’s. “They’ll feel our energies as soon as we move beyond the door, be prepared to snatch her and run,” Terrus said quietly.

  Carnage shoved his way between them both, knocking their hands away and shoving them backwards. “Mur’er!” he said, scowling at them both to remind them they still needed to find Murder. They couldn’t do that if they gave themselves away while rescuing the Angel. They still had to locate Murder. Then he took two steps back, huffed twice, taking in deep breaths, then charged the door, lifted his feet from the ground, and slammed into the door with both his legs as he flew through the air.

  The door was no match for his strength. It gave as the weight of his body and the force of him striking the door made contact, sending the door and his body into the cell that housed Evangeline.

  She was sitting in the corner of the cell, her stare locked on the door. When it fell in, and the Gargoyle flew into her cell landing on top of the door, followed closely by two other males, she jumped to her feet.

  “Evangeline!” Lore rushed out, hurrying to her.

  Evangeline was already in the corner, unable to pull any further away. But her hands flew up between them to stave him off.

  Lore froze. “It’s alright. I will not hurt you. I’ve come to save you.”

  Evangeline looked at him curiously, then the other two males now standing together, watching.

  “Do I know you?” she asked.

  “You do,” he said. “I am yours.”

  “Lub!” Carnage snarled, waving his hands about to say, come on, get to the point. “’Mon!” he insisted. “Mur’rer!”

  Lore nodded. “Trust me, Evangeline. I am your love, and you are mine. I will not fail you again.”

  Evangeline’s face lit up. “You want to save me!” she cried happily.

  “Yes!” Lore agreed.

  Evangeline threw herself into Lore’s arms. He was only able to hold her for a moment before Carnage broke the moment by stomping across the downed wooden door and out of the cell.

  “We must hurry,” Terrus said.

  “Come, we must go,” Lore said to Evangeline.

  Evangeline nodded. Holding fast to Lore, she followed them out of her cell and into the corridor. She didn’t know him. But he made her feel safe, and anything was better than being stuck down here, living in fear at all times.

  Chapter 21

  Terrus took the lead again, using the very elements in the earth, shale and charcoal surrounding them, to determine where Murder was being kept.

  After several twists and turns, they found themselves standing before an iron door. This one was secure. It was fitted perfectly into the iron frame it was hung from, and it was locked securely.

  Carnage stood in front of it, smoothing his hands over the edges of the door, where they butted up against the frame. He looked back at Lore and Terrus and shook his head.

  “We’ll have to mist under, then. There is no other way,” Lore said.

  “Very well,” Terrus agreed. “But once we do, we must be away quickly.”

  Carnage stepped closer to Evangeline and indicated Lore should go ahead and get it done.

  Lore faced Evangeline. “This male will protect you while we free another. Trust him with your life. I do.”

  Evangeline looked up at the large, horned Gargoyle and didn’t feel an ounce of fear. She nodded and stepped nearer to Carnage.

  Terrus began gathering his mists, Lore did the same, then quickly their mists dissipated, taking both males from their view.

  Evangeline watched, amazement clearly read on her face. “I remember the purple!” she said excitedly to Carnage.

  Carnage was trying to keep himself under control. He didn’t want to be here, didn’t like being here. But there was no way he was g
oing back home without Murder. No matter the condition they found him in, he was coming home with them. When Evangeline spoke to him, he had to force himself to smile at her and nod.

  Then they heard a click, and the door slowly swung open.

  Carnage grabbed Evangeline and shoved her behind him. But there was no need. Lore stood there, Murder’s unmoving body held tenderly in his arms. There were tears in Lore’s eyes.

  Carnage let out a mournful wail and moved toward Lore, his hands out to place on Murder’s chest to feel for a heartbeat.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Phrygia stood before the massive black Gargoyle, hanging lifelessly from the chains supporting his body weight. Tears coursed down her face beneath her helmet as she stood looking at him.

  He’d refused to speak to her Master, laughed at his demands that he address him as Master and submit. And her Master hadn’t been able to read his mind — that had been the final straw. The more the Master tried to kill him in retaliation for his silence and his impudence, the more apparent it became that the Gargoyle couldn’t be killed. He could be injured, the beatings eventually causing him to pass out from the exhaustion and pain, but he couldn’t be killed. And that just angered her Master even more.

  Phrygia suffered right along with the male. Her mind screaming, her heart, the one she thought she’d lost so long ago, beating wildly in her chest. The need to destroy all who dared to harm him a live thing breathing in her chest — barely containable.

  The only thing stopping her was the knowledge that if her Master knew how she wanted to protect the male, he’d hurt him more, just to make her hurt. It was what he did — find the most vulnerable part of any in his domain, then exploit them until those he focused his energies on completely faded away and became lost souls. She stood her ground, not reacting, not intervening - she couldn’t — it might cost her her life as well. So, she bided her time while the tortures the Gargoyle endured slowly drove her insane. Then she’d wait until all was quiet, and the attentions of her Master and his assistants were elsewhere, and she’d go to him, bathing his wounds, doing her best to soothe him, heal him in any way she could, until she was forced to leave his side, lest she be discovered.