NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: Power
I took a step back, my eyes widening a bit. "Your prison?" I gulped and glanced around. It didn't necessarily look like a prison. On top of an open-air bell tower, overlooking a beautiful land and starscape. What did concern me, however, was the term he used, "Infinite Twilight."
A rather ominous name for a place, I thought—are we even in Enora anymore?
"I apologize that the name of my home disturbs you, Luna Ashflow." The cloaked man said that, and I cringed.
"O-Oh shit, sorry. Sorry. I didn't mean any offense." I gulped.
Fuck I forgot he could read my mind.
"I indeed can." He nodded.
The figure began to walk, no levitate, around the giant, damaged black bell, the robes of his cloak barely moving as he glided over the surface to me. I instinctively took a few steps back as his tall, thin form loomed over me. His cloaked face was vaguely becoming silhouetted as I looked up, the faint glint of his eyes visible as he stared down at me. His plump lips were twisting slightly in thought as he leaned over me.
"I-Is something wrong?" I asked nervously.
The man hummed and said, "No. I'm merely taking in your new appearance. Last time we spoke, you still possessed your old body. So, I'm curious to see how you came out."
My eye twitched slightly, and I glanced to my left and right and said, "Ri-right… Yeah, last we spoke."
The figure nodded and straightened up. "Yes. You asked for me to give you a new form. One different from your old life."
My eyebrows lifted, and I looked back up at him and straightened myself. "So, you turned me into an elf girl? So, you're the one who reincarnated me?"
The being sighed and said, "No and yes. So many questions… I did not choose your sex or species; the Current is what decides that, and even I hold little power over its ebbs and flows. Though I did pluck you from your world and bring you here."
I clenched and unclenched my hands, and my anxious heart began to beat once more. Am I standing in front of a god? Is this for real? Or am I dreaming?
"Once again, Luna Ashflow, you are not dreaming," he said as he began to levitate around me.
"Wh-what are you?" I asked as I turned with him, following his unblinking gaze. "Are you a god?'
"What I am is entirely irrelevant to this conversation." He came to a stop and glanced at the broken bell before us before shifting his gaze back to me as if expecting another question.
"Okay… well," I stepped back from him as the sound of static returned, and the incessant beep was returning as my heart rate began to kick up a couple of notches. I glanced at the bell before looking at him. The sound was coming from within.
"Why did you call this place your prison?" I asked.
"Because it is. I have been trapped here for over two thousand years. Yet despite that, it hasn't stopped me from reaching beyond the veil and influencing those outside."
"If you're so powerful…" I took a step back; the noise was growing louder. "Why haven't you gotten out? Why did you influence me into coming here? Why did you even save me?"
"So many questions; you mortals never cease to ask questions." He sighed deeply. "Me answering such questions will yield no results and simply stall time by having you ask more."
"Can you please just answer some of them? Why am I here?" I gestured to the bell. "Why do I keep hearing these scary sounds?"
"You are here because I wish to speak to you, and to answer your second question, it's because the bell is feeding off of your fears. Manifesting them into reality."
I blinked and looked at the bell as I gestured to it. "What?"
"The Penumbra Bell." He said it with a huff and pointed to it. "It feeds off mortals fears and anxieties, and once they're satisfied, it brings them to reality. Your fear is that this new-found life of yours is fake, a ruse your mind is playing while, in reality, you're in a coma. You are fond of this new life." I noticed a smile creeping on his lips as he finished speaking.
I took a couple of deep breaths, and as my heartbeat calmed, I noticed the sounds of the static and beeping had faded. While not gone completely, they were quieter. "I am," I said. "Dying has been the best thing to ever happen to me. This world is pretty; my family is great; this new body of mine is fun; I love it." The smile on the man's face grew wider, his lips parted a bit, and sharp canines began to peek through.
"Excellent, that is what I wanted to hear." He turned to face me. "Come. There is something I wish to show you." He began to levitate around the bell to the opposite side by the piano.
Nervous, I began to follow him, and as we rounded the bell, I could see a large glass cabinet along the far wall. The being stopped before it and produced a silver key from his robes, unlocked the cabinet, and opened it.
Within, I could see a variety of tinctures, vases, and other bizarre artifacts. Yet what he plucked out was a small, turquoise vase, no bigger than my palm, and he turned to me. "What I have here," he said, "will help us both on your quest."
My head cocked to the side like a confused dog. "What quest?" I asked.
"The one you're on currently. Do not be surprised that you don't know what I'm talking about. This is deliberate."
Despite my nervousness and fear, I couldn't help but say, "Dude, you can't just keep falling back on the 'trust me, bro' argument." I bit my lower lip and glanced at the man.
Yet instead of irritation or annoyance, he smirked. "Well, if this is what'll get you to keep moving, so be it. You are to save the world, Luna Asfhlow." He smiled.
"You're kidding?" I crossed my arms. A fucking chosen one? I guess this is like those animes. I smirked.
The man in black side-eyed me. "I am not joking. The world is on a tragic path, and the gods are either idly standing by or leaving." He held out the tiny vase to me. "Yet you and I can stop this world's destruction."
So, this is where the anime plot kicks in? I jokingly thought.
"If you want to put it that way, sure." The being responded.
Fuck, dammit. I keep forgetting. Damn mind reading…
I took a shaky breath and said, "Okay, who or what wants to destroy the world?"
"That is irrelevant to this conversation."
"Oh, fuck off with that! You can't just say the world is going to die and not tell me who's going to do it." I stomped my foot on the floor.
"Me telling you would be pointless anyway, as when you leave here. You'll have no memory of this conversation."
I tensed up, blinked a couple of times, and looked at him. "Excuse me?"
With the hand holding the vase still outstretched to me, he said, "When you leave my domain, your memories will be wiped clean. Instead, you'll think that you walked off into the woods and were attacked; you took shelter in the cave and awaited your family's arrival."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, why? Why do you want to wipe my memories?" I threw my arms out. "What's the point of this, then?"
"Secrecy is why. The gods would not be so keen to know that my influences stretch beyond their iron bars. If they find out and stifle me, our chances of saving Enora and even your old world are next to none."
"Wait, my old world is in danger?" I asked.
"All of existence is in danger." He said it bluntly.
I blinked. "That sounds dire," I said as I looked him up and down, trying to gauge if he was bullshitting me or not, yet I couldn't tell. "You're serious."
"Why would I lie?" He asked.
"Well, you lied to me to get me to the cave by posing as my thoughts. You told me to call you the master; it sounds to me like you're a manipulator." I replied, gesturing to him. "You have an evil bell that feeds off of fear; you live in a place called the 'Infinite Twlight' and you're wearing dark robes like the grim reaper." I gulped and said shakily, "So forgive me for thinking you are sketchy."
"Said nearly as exactly as you did before." He chuckled. "Except for your new body and voice this time," he said. "Nonetheless, you're doing a lot of reaching—"
"Tricking me into going to a cave and influencing my actions isn't fucking reaching." I cut him off.
The man in black side-eyed me and continued, "—and judging me by my appearance, but I can assure you, Luna Ashflow, we are allies, or that we could be."
He inched closer to me with the vase in hand. "In time, I will tell you everything. Whenever you return to my tower, memories of our past experiences will return going forward."
"Wait return? I can come back here?" I asked.
He nodded. "Yes, but not to this exact point; only places near the magrite scars and places of power can my tower be reached. I am the one who forcibly creates the entrances, but only for a very, very brief time. Enough to allow any mortal through, but not myself."
"If you wipe my memories, how will I know to come here?" I asked.
"The same way I brought you here the first time. Whenever you are near one of my Web Ways, you'll sense the presence of the bell, and my mind will meld with yours."
"So, you're going to possess me?" This made him chuckle.
"Not entirely; I'll form part of your conscience and guide you, but I can never fully take control. Not yet."
Yet?!
"Not that I would want to." He muttered, "Have I made myself clear, Luna Ashflow? I know this is much to take in, but trust me. Dark times are coming, and well… as cliche as this sounds, you are special." He said that, and I stepped back.
This really is a chosen one plot. This sounds like a joke.
I could feel his eyes rolling, and he said, "This is not a joke. I'm being serious. You are special, truly. Why else would I reincarnate you?"
I bit my lip, nodded, and said, "I-I can't argue with that."
"Good. Now, take this vase and breathe in its contents." He handed the vase over to me.
"Wait, hold up, what?" I peeked over the vase; it had some weight to it, and the colors were nice. Is he trying to drug me?
"No. Within that vase is some of my power. I wish to deepen the wells within you."
I gulped. "You're going to have to elaborate."
"In layman's terms, I wish to make you more susceptible to magic. Your soul is already bolder than many, but I know I can nurture it and make it stronger."
"I, uh… think I get what you mean." I glanced at the vase and then back up at the being.
He motioned for me to open it by rolling his wrist.
"Do I have a choice in this?" I asked, and his arms stopped moving, and they slunk back to his sides.
"You do, but not partaking in this boon will be very detrimental."
"What exactly would it do? Is it going to have side effects?" I asked, my eyes flicking back and forth as I shifted from foot to foot, which was a mistake as my damaged knee flared up.
"Such information is irrelevant due to my telling you that you won't remember anything. But if my answer will get you to consume it, every being possesses a soul, and all souls contain a well. Within that well, ether is pooled. Ether is a byproduct of the soul that can be used to manipulate the fundamentals of reality, i.e., magic. There are many forms of magic, all of which I do not have the time or patience to dive into. Though to chalk things up, everyone and everything that is upon the creation of the soul is granted a well. A well that sticks with you through all cycles of life, including those reborn. Though that doesn't mean it cannot be changed; wells can be shrunk, deepened, or strengthened. Yet it takes time; for some mortal wizards, they spend their entire lives deepening their power by mere droplets, but even then, for a mortal, that is an amazing feat. While others, however, explore the darker sides of magic and choose the raw power of eviscerating their wells for vast exponential boosts of energy, thus damaging their total potential… and I could go on and on." He smiled. "But hopefully that is enough to give you an idea."
"So, if I drink whatever is in here, this 'well' of mine will deepen?" I clarified.
"More than that, it will deepen and swell faster with ether. As mentioned, you already have great potential, but this will allow you to become a great master of the arcane arts. But do not be too emboldened by this; there are still limitations. This is a small dosage. I would like to study how well this works and, if so, provide you with more in the future. Do not expect to walk out of here as a spell-slinging god. No. This is merely me paving the path for you; it'll then be up to you to learn how to control and use it."
I glanced at the vase and licked my dry lips. Holy shit, this is… amazing. If this is true, then that means my dream of becoming a wizard-like my mother could come true.
"It very well may." The man smiled widely, his fangs protruding past his lips.
I shuddered at the sight. Despite what he said about me having a choice, I couldn't help but feel it was a trick response. I could leave here without this, but the way he implied it made me agree that would be a horrible idea. So, I decided to go with it.
"Fuck it," I said, taking the top off the vase. A swirling purple and blue nebulous cloud soared out of the vase. I yelled and nearly dropped it as the cloud lunged at me and engulfed my being.
"Do not be afraid; this is merely part of the process." The being said as the swirling clouds forced their way into my very being. Roaring pain erupted within, and I howled with agony.
Then everything went dark, and I collapsed.
"Gyak!" I gasped awake and rolled onto my side, my back seared with pain and my body sore all over. As I shifted, I could feel the dried blood and flesh peeling off my back from having dried on the stone floor.
I panted and groaned. Fuck, I passed out… shit. I glanced at the entrance. I couldn't see or hear the wolves. Yet I wondered if they were still out there.
They are probably watching me from the tree line, waiting for me to get out there. I couldn't believe I escaped. That was close—too close.
I sniffed and wiped my eyes. "I'm going to die here, aren't I?" I asked myself. "I'm such a fucking fool; why did I come here? What did I hope to find?" I pounded the floor and sniffled as the hot tears streamed down my cheeks.
I wiped my face with my good arm; the other was still throbbing heavily with pain, and I could barely move it.
"No use crying, Luna… We need a plan," I said to myself. "Maybe there's a back exit. Or something, anything!"
I pushed myself to my feet and winced as I glanced back at the entrance. "Maybe I can scream. Scream for help." I coughed; my mouth was so dry. I should've brought a canteen with me.
Yet if I scream, maybe they'll come to me. I bit my lower lip in thought. Yet, they couldn't get in before. They were too big.
I took a deep breath. Before I go to the entrance, I should listen. Maybe, for all I know, something could be waiting. I nodded to myself, closed my eyes, and trained my ears.
Yet nothing. I heard nothing, not even the static and beeping. Just the soothing howl of the wind and rustling Kefner trees. There are no monsters that I can hear. No weird TV noises either. Maybe I was just imagining those. I sighed. Why the fuck do I feel bummed about that?!
I shook my head. Maybe I should wait till morning, yet my wounds... I feel weak, and it hurts. What if I get infected? What if Momma and Papa can't find me? I wrapped my arms around myself and began to tremble. I'm going to die here. I'm going to die. Maybe I should scream? Isa would probably hear me. She has really good ears, a-and if they heard my screaming earlier, wouldn't they be here by now? How long was I out?
My heart began to race as I began to feel panicked. Fuck it! I don't want to die here; I'm doing it! Those wooden bastards can't get in here!
As a precaution, I listened once more. Nothing seemed to be at the entrance; at least I hoped and shifted a bit closer to it before bringing one hand to my mouth and screaming.
"Mother! Father! Isa! Heeelp!" Before stepping back and coughing heavily, my throat burned, and I screamed for water.
"Dammit!" I cursed, straightened up, and screamed once more, "Mother! Father! Isa! Help Me! I'm up here!" My voice wavered and echoed, yet further ahead at the tree line, I saw movement.
Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me… you dumbass, Luna! Fucking dumb ass!
For some reason, at that very moment, my memory drifted back to the old Jurassic Park 3 film. Specifically, the scene where Amanda Kirby was screaming into the megaphone for her son…
Maybe that was a bad idea… I thought, as out from the tree line came a massive, hulking construct of wood, vines, and plant matter.
A beast much larger than the three who chased me. A lupine monstrosity with branches extending from its head like antlers. Its stake-like teeth parted as the monster's vine-like tongue lapped over them.
Oh, thank God, he's too big. He can't get in here. I sighed slightly as I stepped away from the entrance. Yet the fear that my mother and father may encounter was unnerving to me.
As I moved away from the entrance, the monstrosity snarled at me as, from behind it, a smaller pup came out, and my heart sank to the floor.
A pup that was small enough to fit in this cave. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!" My heart began to race. "No! No!" I screamed, turned, and began to limp to the back of the cave, tears streaming down my cheek.
Outside, the Alpha howled, its tone accented by the sound of snapping wood and scraping bark, as the pup yipped excitedly and began to rush to the entrance.
As a shadow loomed behind me, I screamed as I limped to a decline that began to dip down and shrieked as my foot gave out from below me, and I tumbled!
My back impacted the ground as I gasped as the wound flared, and the sound of metallic clanging echoed to my right. Yet just as I opened my eyes and went to get up, I froze as, above me atop the incline, sickly green eyes stared down at me.
A small wooden timberwolf pup lapped at its jaws before snarling and lowering itself. The wood on its body snapped and popped as the bark splintered and rose like the bristling fur on a dog. I whimpered and cried as I began to kick away from the creature.
"No, no, please! I don't want to die!" My good hand frantically patted around for a weapon, a rock, or anything.
The wolf opened its toothy maw and howled before lunging off the incline and down towards me. Screaming, I felt my hand grasp onto something cold. I curled my fingers around it before thrusting myself forward with it.
The weight of the construct rammed into me, slamming my back and head into the wall and exposing my neck. Its teeth, however, stopped around my jugular, and the creature reared back, howling with agony as it squirmed on top of me.
Sticky, fowl-smelling liquid spilled over my hand as the timberwolf pup threw itself off of me and flopped onto the stone floor, kicking and thrashing. Despite my aching head, which I knew was bleeding from the impact, I frantically pushed myself away from the creature. I glanced up at the ramp leading out; I knew there was no way I could run away if it got back up. In a panic, I grabbed a heavy rock and grunted as I hoisted it up with one hand and flung it at the monster's head.
A heavy crunch, followed by hound-like cries, filled the cave as the stone smashed across its face, one of its green eyes popping from the impact. A green, glowing liquid gushed down its face, and the hound continued to kick. I crawled over to it and quickly snatched the rock one more time.
"Fuck you!" I screamed as I brought the rock down onto its face again. Another sickening crunch, its second eye exploding, the green gore spurting across the floor. With its teeth splintering, I hoisted the rock and slammed down again.
"Fuck you!" I cried, yet the hound continued to move. I shifted myself onto the creature, my knee ramming against the object I stabbed into the creature. I hesitated briefly as I glanced down and saw what I impaled it with.
The cold iron.
"It's the one thing that can slay a fae." Isa's words echoed in my mind.
Grasping the sticky, sap-covered metal, I grunted as I tried to yank it out of the injured monster. The wolf howled in pain as I tugged once, then twice, and finally, by the third pull, I ripped the gore-covered metal out.
Yet that was a mistake.
The wolf jerked violently and threw me to the ground. I screamed and rolled as my grip on the iron came loose, and it skittered across the floor. The now-blinded wolf got to its feet; half of its face was smashed and bleeding. It gurgled and snarled as it began to blindly charge around, looking for me.
I panted and glanced around for the iron, and I spotted it at the base of the incline. I dove for it, and the wolf screamed as the sound of my movement whipped into a frenzy, and it charged in my direction. I tried to move, but I was too slow. Its mangled maw clamped around my right ankle, and I screamed with agony as its teeth sank into my soft flesh.
I cried and pawed for the iron as the wolf violently began to shake its head, tearing flesh and bone. My vision blurred as I continued to cry in agony. Yet my frantic reaching paid off. I felt my fingers grip the metal bar just as the wolf violently yanked its head back, and I felt my body lift off the ground as it threw me into the back wall.
The wind flew out of my lungs, and I crumpled to the floor, thankfully with the iron still in hand. I panted and heaved for air as the mangled pup limped towards me. Even though my ankle was ruined, I tried to stand with my other foot, and with primal fury, I roared and threw myself at the wolf.
The monster tried to dodge, yet the injuries I inflicted on it were enough to slow it, and I tackled the beast to the floor. Getting on top of it, the wolf lashed out with its claws, striking my chest and breast, tearing a deep gash down my torso, and slashing my face and cheek. I screamed as its mouth latched onto my left wrist, skin, and flesh, tearing as blood poured down its maw. Yet with the cold iron in my right hand, I slammed downwards with it, puncturing the beast's neck.
The pup screamed around my bloodied hand and thrashed beneath me. Removing the piece of iron from its neck, I slammed down once more, again and again and again. The gory sap that shot from its throat splattered across my face and body as I repeatedly stabbed the beast. I lost count of how many times. Yet, after what felt like an eternity, the creature fell still.
"Fuck you… fuck you…" I sobbed as I ripped my mangled left hand from its mouth. "Fuck you!" Tears streamed down my face as I cried. "Mother! Father!" I screamed as I slipped off the beast, collapsing onto the cave floor.
I'm going to die, I thought, even if I took that bastard with me… I'm going to bleed to death. I sobbed, yet as I lay there on the floor crying, my voice hiccuped when I heard a familiar sound.
A distant bang echoed repeatedly from outside. It was gunshots—my father's gun. Suddenly, a deep, ear-piercing bang rocked the caves, and I could see up the incline a bright red light piercing the darkness. A wave of hot air rushed down towards me as an explosion erupted outside, followed by more gunshots and the sound of timberwolves roaring!
They're here; they actually came! My tears of sorrow, now tears of joy, streamed down my cheeks as I weakly pushed myself to my knees and began to crawl up the incline. I panted and moaned as I scurried as fast as I could to the top, but I screamed when a shadow loomed over me. Before I could react, something grabbed me by the scruff of my neck, and I screamed.
"There you are!" Father's voice shouted as he picked me up and dropped me behind a nearby rock. "Stay there! Don't move!" He hoisted his rifle up and cranked the lever, chambering a round before hoisting it up. "Cailynn, your left!" He shouted, and my ears rang as he fired what looked like a flaming bullet down the cave.
I saw the streak of fire rippling through the air before making contact with the side of another timberwolf pup's face, exploding its head into hundreds of pieces of charcoal. It knocked the beast to the ground before it could make contact with my mother, who stood just outside the entrance. Her grimoire opened in her left hand, yet in her right, she held what seemed to be a wand with a red ruby on its tip.
"Thanks!" She shouted. "Did you find her?"
"Yes! Let me know when it's clear!"
Mother nodded. "Battles of rage, warriors of honor, rivers of blood. Lord Kraten, lend me your might! Blade of fury!" A circle of red energy blasted outward from Mother as she twirled her wand, and out from the ruby tip, a blade made of magical energy erupted before igniting with fire.
I couldn't see what she was facing, but something massive outside roared, and the ground rumbled. It's the Alpha, I thought, and Mother is going to fight it alone!
"Father, Mother's alone…" I muttered softly; my body felt so weak, and my eyes were drooping. I'm bleeding out.
"Don't worry about her, "Father hissed as he pulled out the healer kit. Yet it seemed he didn't have a scroll as he pulled out bandages. "She can take care of herself. Just keep breathing. I'll get you out."
"Slyran! Take her back to camp when you can! I'll cover you!"
"Roger that!" Father shouted back as he hastily began to bandage my exposed wounds. "What the hell, Luna? What were you thinking?" He muttered under his breath. "Oi! Keep those eyes open!" Father lightly smacked my cheek, forcing me back to consciousness. "No sleeping." He hoisted me up and hastily bandaged my back as another loud explosion rocked the cave.
I could hear the sound of yipping and screaming wolves, along with Mother. "Stay the fuck away from my daughter, you wooden logs! Closer, and I'll turn you fucks into charcoal!" She sounded nothing like the mother I knew as I heard her laugh as another smaller explosion went off and another timberwolf disintegrated into ash.
"Alright, are you ready?" Father asked me, and I weakly nodded. "Hold on tight, dear; we're getting you out." I cried as my father lifted me off the ground and cradled me in his arms. "I'm sorry; I know it hurts. But you have to bear with me! Cailynn, we're coming!"
I weakly gripped his neck as Father began to jog with me to the entrance. Ash and smoke caught my nose as my father cleared the entrance, and here I could see my mother standing within the clearing in more detail. Her black and blue-striped hair was whipping around as if caught in a hurricane; her eyes were searing red, along with the runic tattoos I had never seen before on her arms and neck. The ground around her was light with a magical, crimson arcane circle that burned its way into the earth.
In her hand, she wields the flaming sword that was once her wand, which she used to effortlessly stroke the air, creating a bolt of flaming energy that shot forth like a cannon toward a pack of wooden wolves. The monsters tried to dodge, yet it was no use; the explosion blew them apart along with the nearby tree line, which was already engulfed with flames.
"Run, Slyran!" Mother looked in our direction, and I could see her slitted eyes, I whimpered; this didn't look like my mother at all.
Father nodded and began to dash out into the open with me, and I cried as I clenched tightly. Through the tree line, wolves began to dash towards us, yet one by one, flaming torrents of energy lashed out, incinerating each one before they could touch us. Yet before we could reach the trees, the ground rumbled as the alpha from earlier revealed itself.
Father planted his heels into the ground and skidded to a stop before the massive monstrosity, and I cried out in fear. "Shit!" Father cursed. "Cailynn!"
"On it!" Mother's voice boomed, and like a rocket, a flaming ball hurled over her head, yet it wasn't another one of her arcane cannons; it was Mother herself; she was flying!
With a sword in hand, I watched as she plunged the flaming blade into the creature's face, sending both her and it howling into the tree line.
"See why I love that woman?" Father joked as he tightened his grip around me and began to sprint once more into the woods.
I whimpered and buried my face in his chest as the sound of howling and fire echoed not too far off. I could faintly hear the sound of laughter, which disturbed me.
"We're almost there, Luna; just hold on tight!" Father said as he leaped over logs and obstacles effortlessly, never losing his grip on me as the sounds of battle grew distant and more distant.