“Wait, when did you do that?” Esme asked, her eyes wide before she answered the question herself. “Ah, right. The Time Master. Duh.”
Time laughed, fumbling through his pockets until he produced a small pocket watch. It wasn’t the one he usually carried and checked almost obsessively. It was a smaller piece with different runes engraved on its brass cover. He gave it to Esme. “Keep this safe. If you ever need me, it will let me know. Just don’t call me for anything trivial or that you can resolve on your own, okay?”
“The idea is to keep contact between the dead and the living to a minimum,” Death stiffly reminded him, but Time couldn’t be bothered.
“Meh. GASP saved me once. We wouldn’t be standing here without them. A smidge of gratitude on my part won’t throw the universe off balance,” he replied.
I had a feeling Death would tear him a new one once they were all out of sight, but one thing remained clear. She loved her Reapers deeply, especially her First Ten. They’d caused her some grief here and there, but she hadn’t been much of a saint either. In the end, the world was right again—the equilibrium had been restored. Everything else was mere dust in the wind.
“There is one last thing,” Derek said as the Reapers turned to leave with Death. I noticed Unending wasn’t going anywhere, staying close to Tristan. “And I want Death to be present when I say this,” he added, looking at Mira and Kemi. “Spread the word to the Trakkians. Should they wish to become vampires, we will never tell them no. Our gift is one of kindness and peace. But I want to make it clear that they will be heavily screened. And should those we turn hurt innocent people, I will bring the wrath of GASP onto Visio without hesitation. I will convey the same message to our people, as well. Make them understand that Death will wipe us all out if we abuse our gift. Let’s not waste this opportunity.”
Mira nodded her agreement. “I wholeheartedly agree. But I’m not going to tell anyone outside this circle about the possibility of vampirism. The current generation is better off dying out. The future generations will be more able to appreciate immortality,” she said. “I agree with Death’s initial sentencing of the Trakkians here. Let them learn to live with what they have.”
“It’s better this way,” Kemi added. “Besides, chances are we’ll still need some assistance. Not all Trakkians will be happy with their new lives. Some will want to lash out, perhaps even seek revenge.”
“Don’t worry. You will have the full support of GASP going forward,” I said. “A new era begins, and we’ll make sure no one suffers over what the Spirit Bender has done. His deeds will not haunt us anymore.”
With those words, we watched the Seniors prepare to leave Roano. They had a world to deal with. There would likely be chaos and confusion, grief and misery. But I had faith in Mira and Kemi. From the moment we’d met, I’d known they would prove themselves capable of ushering Visio into a new and different age. And judging by the determined looks on their faces, I was glad to have been right.
“I hope we never meet again,” Death said to us, then glanced at her Reapers. “It’s time.”
“You all go ahead,” Unending replied. “I’ve got some things to work out here.”
Death didn’t look pleased, but she didn’t object. Instead, she looked at Nethissis. “Perhaps you’d like to say goodbye?”
The newly minted Reaper rushed straight to Lumi and Kailani and hugged them both tight. The witches were brought to tears as they realized Nethissis could engage in physical contact in her new form. After losing her to a Knight Ghoul in the imperial palace dungeons, they could finally hold her in their arms.
It was hard not to cry at this point, but Thayen, ever the sweetest child, gave my hand a squeeze. “It’s going to be okay,” he said, mirroring my own words. I found myself smiling. He was right.
We’d tested our own limits. We’d died, and we’d come back. Yes, life would never be the same again, but Thayen had a point. It was going to be okay.
Tristan
The days that followed our conclusion in Roano were the sweetest and strangest I had ever experienced. They weren’t enough to wipe out the memory of watching my sister die, but they did a decent job of making it hurt less, especially since she’d been brought back along with the others. Unending and I were given a room in the imperial palace—now occupied by Mira and Kemi, the new Lady and Lord Supreme of Visio. It seemed only natural that they would finish what they’d started five million years ago.
The Trakkians couldn’t exactly complain, either, since the removal of their immortality had shaken the empire to its core, leaving it in chaos and disarray. Mira, Kemi, and the Seniors were basically the only ones with the drive and common sense to restore order across the realm and quell any dissent.
We agreed to stay on for a little while longer and help with whatever we could. Derek and Sofia had already greenlit the construction of a GASP base on the outskirts of the imperial city, while Ben, River, Rose, and Caleb took the fleet back to The Shade. News of our victory had reached the entire federation, and we’d been promised the party of the century upon our return.
I wasn’t in a rush to leave. Unending and I were still figuring out what we were going to do. Our bond was unbreakable, our love stronger and brighter than ever, but life was moving forward, and we had some decisions to make.
Sleeping during the day, I found comfort in the night once again. The day-walking cure had been enticing, but given everything we’d endured, I was more than happy to settle for what I was given. The bed was covered in silken sheets. Unending’s dress and gloves were on the floor, and she lay sprawled over me, our souls singing under the moonlight that trickled through the wide-open window.
“There’s not much I can do for Death,” she said, her head resting on my chest. Making love to her was the single most extraordinary experience I would ever have. It was different but incredibly beautiful as we transcended time and space in order for our spirits to meet. Our destinies were forever intertwined, I realized as I ran my fingers through her long black hair. “If you’ll have me, I’d like to stay with you. Wherever you go.”
Her decision filled me with pure joy. I’d decided to give her all the time she needed in order to make her choice. I wasn’t sure Death would’ve wanted me to tag along with Unending on any of her Reaper missions, but we could’ve worked out something amenable.
“I take it you like dating an anthropologist?” I chuckled, and she raised her head to look at me. Her eyes held a billion stars in suspended darkness, and I would never get tired of gazing into them.
“I love you exactly the way you are. Your career is what brings you happiness, Tristan, and if your happiness comes from discovering and studying different cultures, I’m more than happy to show you some places you didn’t even know existed.”
She meant every word she said, and that reaffirmed all the reasons I’d fallen in love with her. We kissed, and the world vanished for the briefest of moments. My heart thundered at her touch, my body reacting to her mere presence.
We rolled through the sheets, laughing and kissing, not yet ready to leave our chambers. I couldn’t get enough of Unending, and she couldn’t get enough of me. I planted soft kisses along the smooth line of her jaw, trailing my way down to her navel. She whispered sweet and loving words as she surrendered to me, and I allowed my fingers to explore every inch of her pearlescent skin.
She held me tight as our physical forms united once more. We moved to a rhythm of our own, in perfect unison. “I will never get tired of this,” I whispered in her ear as we climbed the steps to an otherworldly plane. The room vanished around us, and we made our way into the heavens, the home of stars and suns and streaks of colored stardust.
“Eternity will be better when I spend it with you,” Unending replied, tightening her hold on me as we reached the peaks of ecstasy. Love unfurled between us like a cotton candy cloud unraveling, spreading and hugging us both in its warmth. Hours passed like this as we slowly descended back into the living p
lane, wrapped in layers of silk.
We took forever to even consider leaving the bed. As soon as we were both dressed and ready to meet the others in the throne room—Mira and Kemi had summoned us to a meeting—I was already looking forward to getting back behind closed doors, where Unending and I could talk and kiss and make love over and over until the very end of time.
“Am I wrong to be excited like this?” I asked as I looked out the window, taking a moment to admire the palace gardens. They were beautiful before, but I saw them in a different light now that the world itself had changed for the better.
“Excited about what, exactly? Us being together, or us going to meet my brothers and sisters?” Unending replied, half-smiling as she moved closer. I took the opportunity to kiss her again, reveling in her taste. Every atom in my body buzzed whenever she was with me, and I knew it had to be a specific trait of her Reaper nature. After all, I was alive. She wasn’t. And yet, we were so incredibly right together. I still needed some time to fully wrap my head around us.
“Everything,” I said, taking her hand in mine.
We left the room behind, saying hello to a couple of Trakkian servants as we made our way to the throne room. Unending had already gotten word that the other First Tenners were expecting us there, alongside Mira, Kemi, and our GASP crew. It was nice to see Trakkians working and getting on with their lives. A lot had changed since they’d been rendered mortal.
Order would take a while to be restored across the planet, but some important events had already taken place. Rimia and Nalore had both declared their independence, wishing to have nothing to do with the Trakkian nation. And who could blame them? They’d been subjugated and indoctrinated into thinking that serving the Aeternae was their single most important mission in life. Now they were all looking to a very different future with far better options ahead.
“Have you heard from Death?” I asked. We could’ve just teleported into the throne room, but Unending and I loved walking together, since it gave us a chance to see this new side of Visio and to further discuss things. “Since Roano, I mean.”
“No. She’s still furious, but she will get over it eventually,” Unending replied.
“Aren’t you the least bit worried she’ll try to find a way to make you pay for that seal?”
She shook her head. “Had that been her intention, I would’ve already paid the price, and we wouldn’t be having this conversation now. It’ll be okay, Tristan. She just needs some time to lick her wounds and accept that I will not be bossed around.”
“Even so, I have to admit that was a pretty ballsy move you pulled.” I laughed lightly, making her smile. “She didn’t see that one coming.”
“I wasn’t even sure I’d go through with it,” Unending confessed as we approached the throne room at the end of the hallway. “I thought she might concede the point in the end. Unfortunately, she didn’t, so I pulled the emergency lever. I’m not sorry. She did all that grandstanding about not having a choice and learning to live with it, and I figured, okay, we’ll accept the moral of this story, but she’ll have to accept it, too.”
“At least she didn’t lash out.”
“Death isn’t the type, despite her many shortcomings. With enough time to properly consider all aspects of any situation, I know she will come through for me. Some tough love was needed in this case, and since none of my brothers and sisters have the death magic knowledge to do it, I figured it was up to me.”
We reached the throne room to find the First Tenners, Sidyan and Lumi, who were still hanging out together from the looks of it, and Seeley and Nethissis waiting for us. Each of the Reapers had chosen a ghoul from Visio as their companion. I wasn’t sure what the swamp witch and the Reaper’s deal was, but the looks they stole from one another were hilariously obvious. They’d gotten closer lately.
Esme and Kalon were still on their way, I realized, as were Derek, Sofia, and the Lord and Lady Supreme. What was left of our crew—Amal, Amane, Ridan, Kailani, and Hunter—had flown back to The Shade. There was a lot of work to be done across the entire federation, and the few of us who’d stayed back were more than enough to handle the situation on Visio. Besides, after the hell we’d endured, I was certain they were all in desperate need of some time alone, along with a dose of rest and relaxation.
“Took you two forever,” Soul said as soon as he saw us.
“Oh, shush,” Unending replied. “It’s not like you’ve been waiting for ages.”
“Forgive him, sister,” Kelara said, holding back a laugh. “He’s been moody since we took Stan and Ollie in.”
“Stan and Ollie?” I asked, somewhat confused.
“Esme and Trev’s ghouls,” Kelara said, nodding at the two creatures that revealed themselves, shifting from subtle to physical form. Soon they were joined by other ghouls, Maya and Rudolph included, each settling by their Reapers’ sides. “Soul and I decided to take them in, since they were willing to work with us.”
I nodded, fascinated by the sight before me. “Okay. Then what’s the problem?”
“Well, Stan’s a bit of a handful.” Kelara chuckled.
“He’s an ass,” Soul muttered, crossing his arms as he and Stan exchanged scowls. “It’ll take forever to break him.”
“You can’t break him,” Seeley retorted. “He’s a ghoul, not a horse. A little bit of respect goes a long way. Look at me and Rudolph.”
That made Kelara laugh even harder. “Don’t even get me started. You used to torment Rudolph when he was a Reaper. Pulling childish pranks, sending him on bogus assignments, slipping dumbass spells in his pockets. Please, kettle—leave the pot be.”
“Well, I am glad we’re all back together again,” Unending declared.
“Mm-hm, I bet you are. Death still has a massive bone to pick with you,” Time replied, clearly amused. “That being said, it is good to see you again.”
“What news do you bring?” she asked.
“You’ll be pleased to hear that Death has not requested your presence back on Mortis, where she has once again taken up residence,” the Night Bringer said.
“Ugh, I hope she’s done keeping all those spirits in the forest,” Lumi grumbled. “That was a whole other level of creepy.”
Night shrugged. “Can’t change that, I’m afraid. Death needs an outlet after Unending’s stunt, so… let’s leave that for now. Anyway, the point is, we Tenners are in agreement about what we’re going to do next.”
“Oh?” Unending replied, her eyebrows raised.
“We’re going to spread out and round up all the ghouls, regardless of their shape or form. Soul-eaters, meat-eaters, both and all of them,” the Morning Star said. “We’ll clear all the dimensions of them.”
“What will you do with the ghouls?” I asked.
“They’ll have three options, much like the others that Death spared,” Morning continued. “Service to a Reaper, Herbert’s sanctuary, or destruction. No more of that roaming freely and eating souls. The toll that Visio’s Darklings took on the universe will be felt for eons to come, and we must do what we can to restore the balance.”
They went on to discuss their most recent operations, as well as describing Nethissis’s first few days on the job. She smiled awkwardly as Sidyan described an instance in which she’d lost her scythe in a fight with a rogue ghoul here on Visio—Unending’s charm had certainly come in handy.
“Shut up, I’m still learning,” Nethissis shot back when Widow laughed a little too hard. He stilled and fell suddenly silent. I had a feeling she intimidated him, and that didn’t come as a surprise at all—even during her life, Nethissis had been a force to be reckoned with.
“What about you two?” I asked Lumi and Sidyan. “What are your plans?”
The swamp witch and the Reaper looked at each other, prompting Maya to cover her face and groan roughly. That made Seeley and Nethissis double over with laughter. I’d never seen them in such a good mood before. Then again, we’d met and coexisted in the direst of
times. The world had changed, and they’d gone with the flow.
“Let’s not ask such complex questions right now,” Nightmare replied. “Sidyan would like to spend more time with Lumi, but Lumi’s a servant of the Word, and that kind of creeps Sidyan out, so… it’s still undecided.”
“You’re talking out of your ass again,” Sidyan said.
“That’s one thing we both agree on,” Lumi concurred, her lips pursed. “There is a lot of work still to be done here on Visio, and that’s what I will be doing. I don’t know about Sidyan, given this whole ghoul hunt, but I know where I stand.”
Maya dropped her gaze, suddenly looking disappointed. She probably wanted these two to stick together, but Lumi wasn’t the easiest nut to crack. Sidyan would have to work hard in order to stay in her life. At least we knew it wasn’t impossible. Unending and I were already proving that the living and the undead could live together in harmony.
A few more minutes passed in delightful banter until Mira and Kemi came through the side door and settled on their thrones. They’d returned to their gold-threaded garments and bejeweled crowns, appearing as beautiful and noble as ever. Most importantly, they looked like they belonged.
“Thank you all for coming,” Mira said, just as Derek, Sofia, Kalon, and Esme walked through the main door, all bright smiles. “We wanted to have a meeting where we bring each group up to speak about the developments on Visio. After what happened with Death, Kemi and I felt like it was important to establish a new rapport with her Reapers, at least during this earlier stage of the transition process.”
A Shade of Vampire 86: A Break of Seals Page 24