The creature tilted her head. “You can call me Nyneve,” a nurturing voice sounded from her wooden lips “I’m here to guide you all.”
Ethan lowered his arm. “Guide us where?”
“To the goddess,” Nyneve said. “She’s been waiting for you all to arrive for quite some time.”
She turned and headed up the steps. “Follow me please.”
“I think we should trust her,” Brianna said taking the lead.
The stone steps rose precipitously as they ascended each step with a child’s pace. With high rises and narrow treads, Brianna saw the steps were weathered and worn. She could only imagine how many people had made the full pilgrimage to the vista above.
“By goddess, do you mean Tira?” Ethan asked.
He studied Nyneve waiting for her answer.
The creature nodded, “she wished she could have come to you personally, but the goddess is forbidden to leave the island.”
Nyneve went silent staring straight ahead without blinking. “She made a pact with purgatory’s life force,” the words fell from her like a secret she was dying to tell.
“Since Giovanni wasn’t the original creator of purgatory, he couldn’t access the power of the life force... so he came here to the island and forced his way in. My people and I were unable to stop him. And by doing so he corrupted purgatory’s life force.”
Nyneve looked over her shoulders at her group. Dominic and Hayden’s faces were vacant, Brianna and Ethan’s held a look of dismay.
“But when Atticus and Tira learned of this, they came to the island in the hopes of reversing the process. But, somehow Giovanni found out about their plan and attacked the island. In the chaos Tira made a deal with purgatory. By bonding herself to the life force she directed the corruption from the life force into Giovanni. Because of this, he could never use his godlike powers to their fullest without becoming severely weakened and elderly.” There was a mocking edge to Nyneve’s voice.
Hayden shifted Kori’s body higher onto his shoulders. “Then how come Giovanni looked as if he was in his twenties?”
Nyneve groaned with disgust. “Because the vile being found a loophole. By consuming souls, he was able to temporally reverse the effects.”
At this point, the atmosphere was warm, humid and the climb felt as natural as walking. Dominic even took over Kori carrying detail and other times the boys would alternate between the two men carrying her. But the further they ascended, the more the responsibility of carrying her solely fell upon Hayden.
The mountain path winded ahead effortlessly, becoming more steep, narrow and rocky in chaotic ways. With each step, the teens lost more strength, while their guide continued showing no signs of slowing. They braced their feet, attempting to guard against the inevitable rolling mountain debris coming from random directions.
Overhead, thick grey clouds covered the entire sky. Under their dappled shade, the harshness of the midday sun was muted. Little by little, fragments of ice-dust changed the mountain landscape within a matter of seconds. The wind howled, piling up snow in drifts. Blinded by the snow-filled gale, the group protected their eyes with their arms and walked bent over against the cold. More than a few times Ethan would call for a halt, so he could check on Kori and wipe away flakes from her unconscious body.
He even urged the others to move faster, though he was the one lagging the most. Nonetheless, the others tried to quicken the pace, Knowing the tedious path was only going to get worse.
Multiple steps loomed into their vision then vanished, swallowed in a white blanket of snow.
Brianna lifted her eyes to the distance ahead. After rising sharply for a way, it simply turned out of view, carrying on in the same way. Breathless and pale against the numbing air, she blinked thoughtfully as the frost patiently kissed her face, captivated by the soft dusty illusion of light that sat heavy on her eyelashes. She adored the snow, but not the freezing winds that accompanied it. The cold licked at her face and crept under her clothing, spreading across her skin like the icy tide on a frigid winter beach. With chattering teeth, she wrapped her arms around herself tightly.
The laughing winds stalked the group up to the mountain, nipping at the warmth of their bodies. But it wasn’t long before Brianna’s eyes opened wide as they traced the horizon of the mountain top. It was an enormous open space covered in ankle-deep snow. Her gaze paused on a broad building towering in the distance. As she and the others followed Nyneve, Brianna saw that the structure was a castle. Its massive walls were built from stone of varying sizes and shapes, each unique. But the closer they got, the more the fort looked war-torn. Its ruin walls glistened with ice forewarning the crystal cold air on the inside.
The interior hadn’t been cleaned in years. There were cobwebs hanging from the high ceiling, to the stone walls and other various surfaces. Overturned furniture, dirt and debris along with broken stained glasses from windows decorated the floor. Due to the cannonball sized holes in the walls, the entire room was as cold as the outside.
The group continued their journey huddled closely together. They passed through multiple narrow hallways and rooms, each one as messy as the first.
Nyneve led them to a narrow stone stairwell. It winded downward in a tight spiral so that the inner part of each step was barely useable. The atmosphere drastically changed the further they descended. No longer did the cold air leach the warmth from their bodies, but instead it became warmer like a blanket on a cold winter night.
At the bottom was a tunnel. Streams of warm winds jetted, clutching dirt and loose rocks, twirling them in the air before scattering them. Lights flickered, casting a gloomy luminosity throughout the underpass. Walking a short distance, the tunnel opened into an underground forest. The woodlands were limitless, wet and alien, housing massive trees that twisted and wrapped around one another like tendrils covered in a bioluminescence substance. Its canopy was ruled by large disc shaped leaves overlapped with oval shaped ones, both forms of foliage hid the cave’s ceiling.
Though there wasn’t any sunlight, the ground somehow was fertile enough to produce a mosaic of plentiful bushes. Curling climbing plants embraced the occasional tree, while a mixture of flowers grew all over the place embellishing the otherwise astonishing backdrop. A disharmony of sounds and softly spoken whispers which were caused by unseen forest occupants, resonated from all sides.
“Look over there,” Ethan shouted, pointing to a creature peeking from behind one of the many mammoth sized trees. It closely resembled Nyneve, except for it wasn’t made of brown wood, but instead was green and had the body of a male.
The creature quickly ducked away.
Nyneve chuckled. “It’s quite alright everyone. These are the brave children the goddess has spoken of.”
The silence remained for a moment or two... then the loud sounds of awes resumed. Creatures like Nyneve began to come out of the woodwork, all of them different shapes and sizes. A few of the smaller ones tugged at their clothing, others played with their hair and some simply kept their distance. Dominic’s mouth twitched and Brianna saw the agitation growing on his face.
“Where is Tira?” she said to Nyneve.
Nyneve pointed to an area closed off from the rest of the forest by a high wall made from shrubbery. “Through there you’ll find the goddess.”
She bid them farewell as they made their way to the entrance.
The arc entrance was made of bright colorful flowers, vines and wood. One by one they passed through, stepping onto a jade patch of moss-covered grass that was encircled by aromatic hedges. A handful of broad trees stood near the edge, their barks and branches as tall as skyscrapers, but still unable to touch the cave ceiling. The rolls of flowers were well-manicured and had plentiful of spaces to grow. Glowing neon-colored butterflies and moths fluttered about the flowers like blinking Christmas lights. The hedges were not as tall as the trees but still towered over the group, enclosing the garden off from the rest of the forest.
In the
heart of the orchard was a large stone well. Gathering around it, they saw that it was full to the brim with emerald green, carbonated and luminescent liquid.
“Is that water?” Ethan asked.
“It’s more than water,” Brianna said with a mesmerizing smile. “It’s purgatory’s life-force.”
Hayden frowned. “But is it supposed to look this way?” he asked noticing a swarm of filth, debris, and slime floating around in the well.
Dominic reached to touch the liquid, but Brianna quickly swatted his hands away. He frowned at her.
“You could possibly end up like Giovanni if you touch it,” Brianna warned.
“Good point,” Dominic said with a shrug.
The floor quaked and the liquid began to bubble. A woman erupted from the well flying several feet into the air and floated gently down to the garden’s floor.
This woman had the deepest of brown smooth skin, black curly hair, and bright green eyes. Vines sprouting from her skin was fashioned as a bathing suit around her slender body.
“Are you Tira?” Brianna said excitedly.
“Can You save Kori?” Ethan chimed in.
“And help us get home?” Hayden added.
The woman laughed fondly. “Yes, I am Tira and I will help you all the best way I can,” she said. “But first why do you need me to help you get home when you have a carcerem orbis?”
Hayden frowned. “It was destroyed because my brother is a careless idiot.”
Tira shook her head. “I’m well aware, but the one belonging to Giovanni wasn’t.” She glanced over to Dominic who stared back coolly
He then cooed and pulled the orb from his pocket.
The others glared at him disapprovingly
He shrugged, “I legit forgot about it... besides we couldn’t use it with Kori all...” he imitated a dead person with their tongue hanging out.
The others groaned in annoyance.
Tira shook her head. “Let’s have a look at Ms. Kori.”
With a wave of her hand, a bed made from reeds, flowers and grass erupted from the ground. Tira motioned for Hayden to Place Kori on the bed. He did as he was instructed.
Ethan flinched involuntary as he watched Tira place a hand on Kori’s forehead. Brianna clutched his arm in hopes to calm him.
“Nyneve told us how you’ve become bonded to the island,” she said releasing Ethan’s arm. Tira looked up from Kori as if her words had struck a nerve.
“Yes, that’s true.” There was an immeasurable amount of sadness in her voice and her expression shifted to a look of dismalness. “Now I’m the only one left, and even with all this power at my disposal I am unable to bring any of them back.” Tira turned her gaze towards Kori and brushed away a few locks of her hair. “She’s very much alive. Normally a body could function without a soul albeit they would be void of any human emotions...but that’s only if the person willingly gives up their soul. However, Kori’s soul was forced out, reducing her into a coma.”
“What if her soul never returns?” Ethan asked tersely.
A look of the utmost importance was plastered across Tira’s face as she answered. “Her body will continue to live, naturally aging over time and will eventually shut down and die.”
Ethan felt his heart sink. “How do we save her?”
“One of you will have to go to the void and place her soul into an Anima Stone. She won’t be able to pass back into purgatory without a median.”
Tira paused and rubbed her chin as if debating if she was leaving out something important. Then with a deep inhale, “and beware of the Eater of Souls.”
Everyone stared at Tira with blank expressions.
“What’s the Eater of Souls?” Brianna asked curiously.
“According to Raiziel, it’s a dreadful entity that stalks the void,” she replied.
Dominic eyed her skeptically. “Why don’t you go and save her.”
Tira sighed. “I get it, you don’t trust me. But I’m not your enemy.” She looked back at Kori. “But If I go...then I’ll be trapped.” Now looking at them Tira asked, “which one of you is willing to go?” Though she was talking to everyone, her eyes were focused on Hayden.
Dominic laughed cold-heartedly. “Count me out.”
Ethan squawked. “I’ll go.”
But Tira ignored his offer.
Hayden remained silent, Tira’s eyes urging him to volunteer.
“Fine, I’ll go,” he said hostilely.
Ethan locked eyes with Hayden. “Are you sure?”
Hayden nodded.
Ethan plopped down at Kori’s bedside. “You better not fail.”
Tira held out her hand as a fist-sized emerald stone materialized in her palms. “This is an Anima stone.” She handed the emerald to Hayden.
“When you reach Kori, place the stone upon her forehead and let its magic do the rest,” Tira said gazing over the teens. She clasped her hands together. “Now let’s rescue your friend.”
Chapter-Forty-Two
“...Hello!” Kori’s voice cried out. There wasn’t even an echo.
All around her was an endless and featureless white expanse, engulfed in stillness. She couldn’t tell where the walls, floor or ceiling ended as if they were seamlessly blended. Every so often ghostly silhouettes appeared in the distance, sobbing or calling out for help. Kori would yell out to them, but they never answered, or they would simply vanish. Every step she took was like walking with a looping background.
What happened?
How did I get here?
Kori paused pushing her mind to remember everything.
Then it came back to her. She threw her hands to her mouth.
“Am I dead?” she whispered.
First, there were the sounds of lumber crashing to a hard surface and then came the voice of a little boy, “no...Not quite yet...”
Kori swirled around to see a life-sized marionette lying on the floor, twisted up like a pretzel.
She backed away. “That was not there before.”
“Why are you here?” another voice sounded but this time it was an elderly woman.
Though the puppet remained inanimate, Kori knew the voice came from it.
But in case there was someone else who could have possibly spoken, she did a full turn around. However, Kori was alone. And when she came back in the opposite direction, she released a horrid shriek. The once contorted marionette was now strung up by its own strings, on a wooden cross as if it was a scarecrow.
“What the hell?” Kori said backing away from the towering cross.
The puppet’s head lazily fell to the size as if to look at her. “I was sleeping so well, and then I heard your annoying cries.” A disharmony of multiple voices simultaneously sounded. “Normally damaged souls are waiting for me in the dark. But your soul isn’t corrupted and still has a connection to your body...how is it you are here?”
“I-I don’t know,” Kori said fretfully. “Giovanni ripped it from my body and the next thing I remember, I woke up here.”
The marionette was silent for what felt like hours.
Kori stared at the strung-up puppet questioning how insane she must have looked talking to a lifeless object.
“Who are you?” she said breaking the silence.
The question received an immediate response.
“I’ve been called many things throughout the ages. I’m you, I’m them, and I’m everyone and everything.”
Kori rolled her eyes. “Such a cliché answer. Just say you’re God.”
Apparently, the puppet found her remark amusing, because the laughter of a small child resonated from it.
“Oh no, definitely not... they are a lovely couple though...” he trailed off. “But the wife is getting agitated with mortals only recognizing the husband as the one true God.”
“What?” Kori said with a puzzled expression.
“Your creators, they are a married duo. She the designer and he the builder,” the puppet said in a multitude of voices and as i
f Kori should already know this.
“You know them?” Kori asked.
“I have a contract with them. They let me sleep, and in return I supply them with a very special and delicate gift.”
Kori eyed the puppet suspiciously as it continued to talk.
“But with you here there is a breach in contract, your soul is healthy.” Again, as it spoke the puppet sounded shocked that Kori didn’t know any of the information.
“Where exactly am I?” she asked.
“My pantry,” the voice was of a male with a tone of humor. “All worlds are connected to the void and it’s here that the unwanted souls end up.”
“So, the void is basically a dump yard,” Kori said with a scoff. “And you’re like a bottom feeder.”
There was silence from the marionette and Kori wondered if it had even heard her.
Then suddenly-
“No more like my personal food cupboard,” the puppet said, its voice offended and angry. “I may not be able to eat you, but I can still snuff you out.”
Its body began to twitch violently as if it was struggling to break itself free from the cross.
Kori backed away nervously.
But before anything could happen, the twitching ceased, and a puddle of emerald-colored water began to form in the space between her and the strung-up puppet like a leak on a boat. The pool increased in dimension until it was the size and width of a manhole. Then there was rumbling from it, so low it was almost inaudible, but getting louder. Kori looked around frantically, but the void was calm. She looked at the pool, and a pair of hands reached out and clutched the sides, pulling through a teenage boy from underneath. He came into view headfirst, rising out of the hole until he was lying on his back inches away from the puddle. For a time, there was silence punctuated by the sound of him gasping for breath.
“...Hayden?” Kori whispered as she eyed the newcomer in disbelief. Although he was just submerged in water, he didn’t appear to be wet.
He unsteadily got to his feet, looking as if he was ready to vomit, but once his eyes paused on Kori, his face brightened.
She squealed, hopped over the pool, and threw her arms around Hayden. “It really is you.”
LAMENT OF PURGATORY (ASHWOOD CHRONICLES #1) Page 32