Not Just Another Fae (Vegas Fae Stories Book 4) (18 page)

I walked silently through the grass, just looking, and
listening. I finally noticed her sitting by a headstone in the moonlight. She
appeared in her human looking form, the mist turning and twisting about her as
she moved. I could hear her voice, and by the tone, she seemed to be singing a
tune.

"Worry not, my love," I heard her say as the song
ended. Then she caressed the ground. "You are not forgotten. I will always
remember you."

As I got closer, I got a glimpse of the headstone as she
moved her hand over the granite. It was a child's. From the inscription, she had
been eleven when she died, some twenty years earlier. How, I had no way of
knowing. I suddenly got the feeling that I was intruding and started to back
away.

She must have heard me then, because she twisted around, her
form changing, and all of a sudden I was facing a monster. Head like a grinning
skull, with pale skin and gnashing teeth, her claws stretched out toward me. The
mist bellowed up around her, making her look twice the size. I took a step
back, almost pulling my sword, but then she recognized me, and switched back.

"Kyras," I said, relaxing a bit. "My apologies.
I did not mean to intrude. I can come back another time."

"No apologies are necessary, Lord of the Wood,"
she replied, in an almost childlike voice, bowing. "I was but singing to
the child."

"Singing?" I asked without thinking. This was not
what I had expected from the Greek equivalent of a Valkyrie.

"Death comes for us all," she replied. "Not
every soul is dark and hard like those of the Topielec. Sometimes, it is good to
remind myself of those that I escorted into the light."

"Do you do that often?" I asked. "Take souls
to the light?"

"No, only rarely so," she admitted. "There
are others of my kind that I grant that honor. But this one I knew, having
feasted on he that slayed her, before sending him to his own torments."

"She was murdered?" I asked, fascinated by the
conversation. I'd seen her briefly switch back to the monster when she talked
about the girl's slayer.

"As the Fates decreed," she replied, before
walking away from the grave and moving closer. "But surely you have not
come to talk about the Night. You are a Lord of the Wood, and the sun is
bright, even in your speech."

Whatever that meant. But she was clearly done with this line
of conversation.

"No, Kyras," I said. "I came to see you. As I
said I might the other night."

"Seldom do any seek us out," she replied, her
voice changing, no longer childlike and dreamy. "It is said that even Zeus
feared Nyx, the Goddess of Night. I am her descendant and I have seen how you
look upon me when I change." As she said the words she shifted into her
other self. A Fae persona of something hideous. The dark mist swirled around
her as she stared into my eyes. "You are repulsed, perhaps even afraid, as
are all of your kind. Yet still, you asked for my name."

"You're right," I said, maintaining eye contact so
as not to appear revolted. I decided on honesty. Gruesome as she now appeared;
I sensed no evil from her, and she couldn't help what she was. Which is not to
say that what she had become could be ignored. She was of the Keres, after all.

"I do not fear you, Kyras," I said. "Although
I admit, I'm not particularly fond of this side of you. But then again, I was
raised as a human, and they have an inherent distaste for things that look like
monsters; contrary to what their entertainment choices may have one believe.
But the humans also have a saying: beauty is only skin deep. I've seen a lot of
fairer creatures than either of us, whose hearts are cold as ice. They're the
real monsters, and I can promise you this, none of them would be singing to a
forgotten child. So forgive me my momentary weakness. Know that it does not
make me think any less of you, for we did not ask to be created, yet each of us
has their place."

"My Lord chooses his words well," she said, shifting
slowly back to her other persona. The mist receded, and once again clung to her
like a gown. Only this time it was more revealing then before. There was a
glint in her eyes when she spoke again. "Tell me then, what is it that you
wish to see?"

"I meant that I wished to visit," I replied. So
much for my choice of words. "I wanted to learn about your kind. More
specifically, I wanted to learn about you. I was also hoping you could help me."

"I see," she said, in that soft, cooing, voice
again. "It is answers you seek." She moved closer, and ran one hand
up my arm. "But what are the questions? And what help can I offer?"
She put a finger to my lips. "Do not answer. This is not the place for
such things." Without another word she raised her arms, and the dark mist
encircled us. "Are you willing to accompany me to my home?"

"I am," I replied, wondering what I was getting
myself into.

"Take my hand," she said, holding it out. She was
smiling, but I couldn’t tell what the emotion behind it was. I guess I was
about to find out.

"Let's go then," I replied, and placed my hand in
hers.

The mist billowed around us, and then we were somewhere
else.

Once again, as when I first visited other Fae lands with
Meredith, I was on a sea shore. But this time it was night. Actually, it felt
more like twilight; with just the barest hint of what looked like stars visible
in the sky. A black sand beach surrounded me. The dark waves of the sea sounded
like the ocean's pulse, gently breaking on the shore in a quiet rhythm. There
was a sound behind me, and I turned to see Kyras standing there, the mist swirling
around her body. Behind her, several meters past, a walkway led to the opening of
a cave.

She turned without speaking and began to walk toward it. As
I followed, the tranquility of the scene was broken, as I now realized that the
path I now walked on wasn't made of sand. Instead, it was crushed bone. There
was a cloying odor of rot in the air and I wondered what I had gotten myself in
to. But as we entered the cave, a fresh breeze hit my face and ahead in the
distance, only slightly lighter than the darkness that surrounded us, was an
exit. It was then I realized that this was just the route to our eventual
destination.

"Welcome to my lands," she said as we came out of
the cave. "Ahead lies the Temple of Nyx, the home of the Keres."

I was standing outside the cave entrance. The sky was stuck
in perpetual twilight. It was as if the last rays of the sun were just about to
fade, but never did. Even so, it was a beautiful world. Set within a large
valley, the hills rose up in the distance, and everywhere I looked I could see
forest. The temperature was moderate, maybe high 60s. A swift stream flowed in
front of me. Across it, what I can only describe as a Greek inspired temple,
sat on the other side. It was made of what appeared to be marble, with columns
in the front, and steps leading up to a doorway. There were torches lit all
around, and it shone in the semi-dark twilight between night and day.

"It's beautiful," I replied as I followed her
across a small bridge that led to the other side of the stream.

She took my hand and led me up the steps. As we entered the
temple, two people, a male and female, dressed in Greek togas, awaited. I was
surprised to see that they were not of the Fae.

"Bring wine for our guest," Kyras ordered, any
pretense of anything less than a Queen of Fae now gone. "And fruit and
anything else that you think he would enjoy."

They looked to be barely twenty, and as she finished
speaking, they both bowed.

"I would offer more, but somehow I doubt you would find
my tastes in other nourishment as pleasant."

"Human?" I asked, ignoring the remark. Besides,
she was probably right.

"Once," she replied.

"Slaves?" I asked, hoping I wouldn’t offend her.
But I was curious as to why humans would be down here.

"Wait!" she commanded to the two, and they both
stopped and turned back towards us.

"Selene, Capaneus," she said. "Do either of
you wish to be released from your responsibilities?"

"No my Lady," they both replied, then bowed again.

"Attend to your duties then," she said, waving her
hand in dismissal before turning back to me. "I have no need for slaves."

"I meant no disrespect," I said. "I was just
curious as to what the humans were doing here."

"Few greet Death with open arms," she explained. "Many
bargains are offered to avoid one's fate. On occasion, I will grant their wish,
in exchange for service."

"I didn't know you could do that," I replied,
looking around the temple we had entered. In front of us was a large room, with
chairs and rugs, and tables. The walls were covered with a mosaic tile, images
of Greek Gods and Goddesses in various settings depicted. Across from me was an
arched doorway, hidden by a curtain. To the sides were various doors, one of
which her two humans had gone through.

"Rarely do I feel so generous," she said, a hint
of pleasure in her voice. "But they... interested me, so I granted their
wish."

"Really?" I replied. "Again, no disrespect
intended, but they look too young to have done something that interesting."

"These two were no innocents," she said, leading
me further into the room. "They are both beautiful to look at, are they
not?"

"I suppose so," I replied.

"I found them near Volos, a port city where they had
made their home, waylaying travelers," she continued. "Selene was
very adept at seducing men and Capaneus dispatched them for her, robbing them
after death. They were captured near an Inn where several bodies had been
found. Caught by one of the families, a wealthy one, they were killed slowly.
I... liberated them at the moment of death, in exchange for their service.
Neither of them were yet willing to face the sentence the Fates had decreed."

"I see," I said. Not exactly my kind of
interesting, but she was a Death Spirit.

A few minutes later, her little murderers returned, bringing
wine with trays of fruit and cheeses. A large bowl with steaming water was
brought in, then towels put down as well. These were placed on a table near the
couches and chairs. When everything was to her liking, the two were again
dismissed, with a wave of her hand.

"You do not approve?" she asked, more as a
statement. Then she poured wine into a gold drinking cup and handed it to me,
before sitting down on the large couch.

"I didn't say that," I replied. "It's just
not something I'm used to."

"As a king, do you not have servants?" she asked
as she lifted her cup to her lips.

I had to think about that for a moment.

"Yes," I said, thinking of Sendy and the others
that would come at my command. "But not like these. Then again, I spend
most of my time in the human world where servants such as these are not a
custom. At least not where I reside."

"So it has been said," she replied. "You live
mostly among the humans."

"Then you knew of me before the attack?" I asked,
wondering if that was why she had been so close to the house in the first
place. To be close to me.

"Of course," she replied. "You are the second
of the High to appear. While the other is particularly violent, your victories are
more... satisfying. The death of those so evil is particularly delicious, as it
were."

Well, that was an interesting way to put it.

"But enough of my world for the moment," she said,
sliding closer and moving her hand to my arm. She stroked it and then leaned
forward to the table and grabbed a cluster of grapes. She popped one in her
mouth, then placed one to my lips. "Tell me then? Why then did you ask my
name?"

"Yeah," I replied, after finishing the grape. "About
that. Please don’t take this wrong; but I really didn't know that asking your
name was inappropriate."

"Inappropriate?" she asked.

"What I mean is that I didn't know there was some kind
of custom about asking," I replied, again deciding on honesty as the best
policy. "Especially since we weren't going into battle at the time."

"So you did not wish to know my name?" she asked,
looking disappointed.

"That's not what I'm saying," I replied, turning
towards her. "I did want to know you. I just don’t want to give you the
wrong impression. But then again, here we are."

I see," she said after a moment. "Then it matters
not. Not all battles are fought on the field." She placed another grape to
my lips. "Now, what is it you seek answers to?"

Among other things, Diantha had told me that asking a Keres
for her name was something like asking her out on a date, but in a really
strange,
you'd have to be a Keres, or a warrior, to understand
kind of
way. If you were an ancient Greek warrior hero facing insurmountable odds, you
could invoke her aid by asking her name and then together, go into battle.
Assuming, of course, that the Keres was willing and found you worthy.

If not, then you were on your own. But if she did, it was
apparently a glorious way to fight a battle when the odds were against you; with
the equivalent of Death at your side as you fought. If you won, then ecstasy
with the Death Spirit was your reward. If you lost, well... there's no prize if
that happened. What can I say? Worshipping Death was a big thing to warriors in
the day. But since she had given it to me, her name that is, at least she
thought me worthy. Which was a good thing, since having asked, I had sorta committed
myself to see it through, battle or not.

"Well," I replied, reaching down and picking up
two plump strawberries. I offered her one before continuing. "For one
thing, do you remember the Mage I killed? The one you took with the Fae?"

"He was bitter," she said, after taking a bite. "The
Fae was much more satisfying." A smile came to her lips, and I got the
impression she was just waiting to see what I'd say.

"Like you said," I replied, reaching for another
strawberry. "Our tastes in such things are different; but I agree, he
fought poorly."

"What of him do you wish to know?" she asked,
taking a sip of wine.

"I took something from him," I said, reaching for
my cup as well. "A talisman. One of great power. I wondered if there was
any way to know where he got such a thing."

"I am sorry," she replied. "His soul was
bleak and uninteresting. I would know nothing of what he carried before death."

"Didn’t think so," I said. "But I had to ask."

"A simple answer for a simple question," she
replied, pushing back and standing. She refilled the wine cups from an engraved
wine jug and handed me one. "Never has another ruler of the Fae sought out
one of my kind. Surely that is not all you wish of me."

"It isn't," I said, standing up beside her. "I
would like to learn more about you. Little is known of the Keres and I probably
know less than most. Tell me about yourself, or at least, about your home."

"Come with me," she said, taking my hand and
leading me back to the door.

With our wine cups in hand, we went out through the doorway
and down the steps of the temple. She led me out beyond the stream and into the
forest. There, in the moonlight, I saw firs, and to my surprise, birch, spruce,
and aspen. It was strange, being so close to trees that I would have thought
were part of my domain, but instead were simply that; trees. Trees with which I
had no bond. At least not yet. She had explained that her land stood on the
edge of the Fae worlds, hence the perpetual twilight, and far removed from the
rest of Fae. The dead lands were almost impassable this far from my own lands.
She spoke of
The Fall
and of the changing of the human world. Nyx,
herself, Goddess of Night, had not been seen since, so her line had led their
Fae as best as they were able. The changes in the way wars were fought causing
them to evolve from battlefield Spirits into something more. Then she told me
about herself. Not much, but enough to know that the Keres, as different in
appearance and duties as any Fae I knew, were still, in other ways, just the
same. Eventually, we found our way back to the stream, within sight of the temple,
where she let go of my hand and turned to me.

"You have seen some of my lands and heard my tale,"
she said. "And I have agreed to listen to your request. It is time to tell
me what you wish of me."

"All right," I said as I knelt down by the river
and brushed it with my hand. "But first, do flowers not grow here? I mean,
I see trees and grasses. But what about flowers?"

"You are of the Dryad," she replied. "I
thought you might know the reason. It is said that reeds once bordered the
stream and fish swam the waters, but that was before my time. Perhaps it is the
twilight."

"No fish?" I asked, ignoring the jab as I put my
hand into the water. It was clean and pure but I sensed no life. "The
water’s nicer than I thought it would be, and as to flowers, the moon still
shines, does it not?"

"Few Fae visit the land of Nyx willingly, as you should
know," she replied. "And the fish? It is said that the stream runs
miles under the dead lands. Perhaps that is the reason. I had thought once to
ask the Naiads, but never have I seen one this close to the edge of the worlds."

"Got it," I said, sitting down. I took off my
boots and hiked up my pants. I slid down the bank and placed my feet into the
cool water and then patted the ground. "Please sit with me. Let me tell you
why I wanted to learn more of you."

She looked at me strangely, as if not sure of what to make
of my request. Then, after a moment, having apparently come to a decision, sat
down next to me on the bank.

"The truth is," I began. "I seek an alliance."

"An alliance?" she asked, surprised.

"Yes," I replied. "You already know the other
High Fae. She is evil and Tartarus will not hold her forever. I propose an
alliance. I already have one with the Nereid and many of the other Fae. Even
imprisoned, her tentacles reach out and her followers seek to continue her work."

"Now I see why the Fae Lord has come. You seek our aid
in battle." she said in a harsh voice as she stood. "As do those who
ask my name. What then, when the battle is over? Will we be forgotten again,
except in stories told to frighten children."

"You misunderstand," I replied, turning to face
her. I changed my manor of speech to that of a Fae Lord." The old Gods are
gone and times have changed. There is no reason that the Keres need stand apart
from the other Fae."

"I see," she said, then switched to her hideous
persona. The dark mist around her swirling as it lifted her a foot off the
ground. "And like this? What then will your Fae do when the battle is over
and they see us in this form; or when we feast on the bodies of those we have
chosen?"

"Kyras," I said, getting up to face her. She was now
horrible to look at, but I knew I couldn’t let her see that from me. "If
all I wanted were warriors, I would not have come to you. I could just have
easily tricked the Lilin and used them instead; binding them with their
Tears
as I held them in my hand and freed them from the ancient spell. I have
told you this before, I am not of the old Gods. Nor do I care what you look
like in this form. Neither, in time, will the rest of the Fae, should you be so
willing."

"That is difficult to believe," she said. But her
voice softened just a bit.

"Change comes to us all," I replied. "But
there is one more request I must make before you tell me what you would ask in
return."

"Name the request," she said.

"The other High Fae's followers have opened a gateway
into Hell and Demons have escaped into the human worlds," I replied. "I
need you take me into Hades. I must find a way to close the gate and I cannot
do it from this side. Nor can I enter Hades without your help."

"Even a God cannot return from Hades, or any of the
other Hells, lest he be a God of the Underworld," she said. "You do
not need my help if your wish is to die in such a way."