Immortal Essence Box Set: Aligned, Exiled, Beguiled (3 page)

Flashes of images snap through my mind: Aetha’s body created from the dust, air, and the water of Kelari.
The wonder on her face as she sees, for the first time, through her new eyes.
Aetha swimming across a large body of water, fighting what looks like a sea monster. Her crying out in frustration when she can’t find me.
A man descending from the sky in front of her and speaking.
 

Then I hear her thoughts: She’s been with me, in spirit, since
Mithrith
died. How she loves me. I also hear the conversation with . . . my father. I was created for a purpose, placed here for a purpose. He left me with
Mithrith
so I could learn, and love this planet. Aetha has come to help me. Her essence and body created for me. We are here to serve and heal Kelari. This planet was once filled with higher beings, but they all died. And their spirits are trapped in a place called Helker, by an evil creature that tortures them to feed on their pain. My father wants us to release the spirits and create bodies for them. These spirits need us, need me. But my father had to wait until I became of age, so that my eternal heritage would kick in (apparently Aetha’s boot in my face was all I needed), to fulfill my destiny.

I stagger back, falling again to my knees, as the memories, the thoughts, all the feelings, the
all knowing
whoosh in, faster and faster. I clutch my head, not in agony, but in awe . . .
I have so much to do.

She kneels next to me. Her hands caress my face, lifting so I can see her eyes.
Yes, we do. I’m here to help. And, you’ll never be alone again.

Her lips find mine, gentle but urgent. Savory juices from the red berries she’s eaten linger on them. Her body smells of jasmine. I respond to her with fervor, the kisses soft and wet. Mutually, we pull away, our eyes searching. We laugh and then we’re kissing again, hungry. Passionate. Perfect.  She wraps her hands around my neck, and I sense her need to be closer. My arms encircle her waist, tugging her to me so we’re
chest to
chest
,
hip to
hip,
thigh to thigh . . .
  

I’m yours forever.

Just as I’m yours, Aetha.
Thank you for finding me.

***

We are going into Helker.
Ramien’s domain.
He isn’t from Kelari either, but is a ferether. They are scavengers who prey upon war, death, and pain. They delight in capturing the souls of the dead and torturing them. Ramien was drawn to Kelari during a war that happened long, long ago. And, like a fisherman casting his net into the ocean. Ramien has flung an enchanted net over this planet. It won’t allow the souls of higher beings to return to their creator. Instead, the net entices them, drawing them closer, until their essence is ensnared. The soul remains there until Ramien retrieves it. Then with traps that look like glass jars, he places them inside. They are his playthings.

It is our duty to liberate them.
O
nly
Ramien can
undo the malicious magic surrounding the planet. Aetha and I have a plan, though. As we release each spirit, we will create a body for them (yes, I can do that). We’ve decided they’ll look like us—look human, though their organs will be different, so that on their sixteenth birthday, the gift of immortality will be bestowed upon them. We will also create bodies for irrihunters, whaletins . . . whichever body the higher soul began in. Once we’ve released all of the souls, and after they’ve had time to adjust, we will teach them our ways.

With the gift of the
all knowing
, we are able to acquire everything we need. Dressed in a sleek red jumpsuit, Aetha looks stunning. I am in black. Across her back as well as mine are swords, fashioned from
derenth
, the strongest existing metal in all of the Universes. They will easily break through the “jars” Ramien is using to possess the souls. 

***

The entrance to Helker lies in the sea.
No, not under the sea, but
in
it.
It’s difficult to explain, but let me try. Aetha and I float out over the water until no land can be seen from any direction. We come to a stop and say two words together:
Incana
.
Thretum
. Instantly, the salty green and blue water, parts. The door appears and opens. Hot air explodes around us, turning the air misty. I expect sulfuric odor or even the reek of brine, but am stunned by the aromatic mixture of burning wood, like a campfire, and carnations. Within is a long set of stairs going down.

I move to the fi
rst step
knowing the carnation smell comes from the tortured souls
, and steel myself.
I look back at Aetha. “You ready?”

She nods, determination so strong, it rolls off her and over me. “As I’ll ever be.”

The steps are steep. And they go on and on. Hard, dirt walls press upon us from both sides. We are quiet, listening. The only sound comes from our boots. The further we go, the stronger the scent, until I almost wish for the rotten egg stench of sulfur. I begin to hear what sounds like waves crashing against rocks. As the steps curve, the walls slowly give way until I’m in a magnificent room. Behind me, Aetha sucks in a breath.

The room is bright and dressed in heavy drapes, their colors shifting in shades of reds, gold, and oranges. Tables gilded in gold are overflowing with food. A dozen glittering chandeliers hang from the ceiling. But what holds the attention of Aetha and I? The chairs are filled with an array of perverse . . . creatures.

Hundreds of them.
Beasts, the likes of which I’ve never seen before.
One has the head of an alligator, only without any teeth, his body is a deep green and covered in scales, but in the shape of a howler monkey. Another has the head of an elephant, ears of a giraffe, and the spotted body of a leopard. There are those that look human-
ish
. Their bodies are an assortment of colors, like canary yellow, lavender, and pickle green, and their skin ranges from cat fur to feathers.

They are seated around tables gilded with gold and overflowing with food. A dozen glittering chandeliers hang from the ceiling. 

Where are the jars?
Smashing a container to free a soul is one thing, but this . . . I hadn’t planned on slaughter.

Ramien must’ve sensed we were coming. He’s placed them in these grotesque bodies to elicit our humanity and their increased pain. We must free them!

Abruptly, the noise I thought to be waves, stops. All eyes face us, their demeanor less than civil. Wary, I move in front of Aetha. From the crowd, a figure dressed in a black tuxedo, top hat and shiny black shoes, stands. A superior smile sits on his face. He walks toward us, arms spread wide, like we’ve just arrived for a party. “Welcome. Welcome.
So good of you to join us.
Won’t you sit down?”

“Ramien, we’ve come for the souls.” Aetha speaks softly, but with conviction.

Ramien’s hair moves as though it’s made of shadowy smoke. There isn’t any skin on his body, or it’s iridescent, making the inner workings, the veins, bones, and muscles, visible. His face has many eyes, more than I care to count; his nose is that of an ape, his mouth a circle of sharp teeth. And though his body is shaped like a human’s, his hands are octopus tentacles covered in suction cups oozing a yellow substance.
Disgusting
. Out loud, I say, “That’s right. Let them go. They’ve been subjected to your torment long enough.”

I anticipate anger, and keep glancing over at his unhappy dinner guests. But Ramien surprises me by clapping. His hands transformed into those of a human. He does it slowly first, then he turns to the beasts. “Wasn’t that little speech divine? Show the young half-breed some love.”

In methodic rhythm, they follow his lead. The noise ascends to a deafening level. Then they rise.

Be ready. He’s going to make these poor souls fight so he can feed upon their agony. Let’s destroy the bodies as quickly and painlessly as possible.
There’s
aggravation in her tone, sadness as well. I want to comfort her, but now is not the time.

The battle begins quickly. Ramien vanishes, and the creature with the alligator head rushes me. With one hand I reach for the sword strapped to my back and drive it through his stomach. His hands clutch the blade as he screams in pain. Yanking it from his bleeding belly, I shove a footed foot into his chest, launching him backward, into two other creatures. His eyes fill with anguish. As they hit the ground, a gleeful laugh fills the room.

Damn it!
I’d reacted without thinking and given Ramien exactly what he wanted. Annoyed, I right myself.

Ith, focus on their eyes. Use your power to fill their minds with peace. 

Behind me I hear Aetha’s sword slice through what sounds like a juicy cantaloupe. I turn and witness the top half of a beast
,
with an elephant head
,
separate at the waist from the orangutan lower half. Its knees hit the floor before it plummets forward, spilling out pea green blood. Swallowing the sick ache in my throat, I notice a silver vapor leave the body and rise into the air. It quivers, like a nervous hummingbird, near Aetha’s head.

Aetha and I will create their new bodies once we get back to our cave.

She is free, Ith. We must be quick. This soul has agreed to help us find the others.

I nod. I know what must be done. Turning toward the oncoming creatures, I charge. One after the other, I find their eyes and force a single word into their minds.
Freedom!
Right before I carve them in two. After I’ve destroyed a rhinoceros-dragon, its soul quivers near me. A familiar voice fills my mind.

Hello, my child. Thank you for freeing me of that horrendous carcass.

Mithrith
!

Not too many minutes later, I slaughter the last body. Hundreds of souls buzz around the room with excited energy. Now that their pain is gone, the carnation smell isn’t as strong, and a putrid decay takes over. Blood in ten different shades is spattered on the walls, the floor, and my beautiful Aetha. 

She has her wrist over her mouth and nose.
Ugh, this place reeks. Let’s get the rest of the souls and get out of here.

You read my mind, love.
I give her a
smirky
smile
.
More seriously, I add,
I’ll follow you anywhere.

Exiled: Immortal Essence #1

1. End Of The Innocence

Venus escaped her party. It’d been hailed, ‘The Celebration of the Century.’ Had they asked her opinion, she would’ve called it, ‘The Motley, Molten Party of the Month.’

No one did. 

Still, there’d been cake.  

A decadent piece balanced on a plate in one hand as she hurried down the enormous, column-filled hall toward her bedroom. Her faint footsteps bounced and echoed around her, the only sound.

At the entrance, she waved a hand over the Carania family crest. The door shimmered and vanished. She paused and peered inside. Everything looked in order. 

There’s nothing dead in there.

It was the unknown she didn’t like. Doors kept out help and could hide secrets. They allowed evil. 

“When I’m queen, I’ll banish all doorways,” she whispered fiercely. Holding her breath (for she believed that by doing so, the bad stuff, whatever that might be, would disappear before she saw it), she rushed through, moving past her bed to her vanity, where she placed the cake on top, and fell onto her overstuffed green chair.

“Happy birthday to me.” 

There’d been presents at her party, too. One in particular she’d been most excited about.

The Kelvieri’s Boots.

To receive her own pair meant she’d reached the age where age no longer mattered.

They were black as a starless night, soft as feathers, yet stronger than any metal ever discovered.  

Thrantum
.
That’s what the Gods called the material. None of her people knew where the boots came from. The shaman would pray and they’d appear for the kelphi child. The word meant permanent, which fit perfectly. The boots would last as long as she would, after her transformation—forever.