I didn't know why did they began to follow me. Anouck ran away because he saw me as the next Nephilim princess, while I didn't even know that meant. And Onyx decided that she wants to be my ally. She basically told me that she is not strong enough by herself so she wants me to help her. But again, I didn't know what she was expecting from me.
Yes, maybe I was strong enough in times to save my own life, but just think about what had happened to Rider and Joel because of my lack of knowledge.
Okay, I could bring back Joel, but could I find Rider as well? That was very unlikely.
He wasn't just half dead, like Joel. At least not that i knew of.
Of course, his power was present, braided into my own, like Joel's dragon was, but his power was present in a different way. It was like a guardian angel... one that is watching over me, and cannot come close. Oh the irony of life...
I walked around in the Greenhouse, sometimes I ripped off a lavender, and grinded the little, purple flowers between my fingers. The smell was intense. It was very surprising to see how these plants could take care of themselves while the people had already forgotten that they even exist. Trying to copy what Onyx had done, I began to pull out the grass. After an hour, I couldn't ignore the true reason of the visit in the Greenhouse. But I was afraid to keep on going alone.
I stood up, and wiped my dirty, but healthy hand in my jeans. The pentagram on my other hand was healing fast, and it didn't hurt anymore. I wished that I knew what was happening to Joel. To be honest, I was worried.
But right now, I had better things to do. For example, to find the book that would tell me what to do - if such book existed. Because to be honest, I saw that the people have this vision of me being all powerful and expect great things from me, while I have no idea how can I live up to the expectations the put before me.
I crossed the Greenhouse, and when I got to the exact middle, There was a hole in the ground. I almost fell in it, but thank god I didn't. Then probably the life I never even started living like I should would end in a second.
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The moss on the rocks made the stairs slippery, so I didn't go as fast as i would have liked to, but it was enough. As I got deeper and deeper, the light began to fade away, and slowly, there was no light at all. I felt really uncomfortable, but I remembered that Nephilims and Angels both heal with green flames, so I murmured the words, and blueish-green flames burst from my fingertips. The bottom of the stairs led to a dark corridor. Just like in the LA institute, the walls were covered with murals. But while in the walls of the institute, only one kind of creature appeared on the walls, on these walls, all of the creatures mixed together in a battle.
Angels were easy to make out, because their bodies were glowing with a white light, and they looked very majestic in their armor and with the Gloria around their heads.
And I could make out some werewolves, and Nephilims in their gear similar to mine.
But then there were the creatures that looked like beasts, with dark skin, saliva dripping from their mouth... claws and fangs as they tore into the flesh of the warriors. That's how I imagined demons back in the days, but I haven't seen a demon so far that wasn't the shape of a person. They had some beast-like features, but clearly, these creatures on the mural were more animal like.
Clearly, the animal-shaped creatures fought along the werewolves, and other creatures in black capes. But then I saw what most terrified me. Above all that, a girl stood. She had a white, lacy dress on, and many jewelry. It looked like she was watching the fight from the outside, and I couldn't tell if she was the cause of the battle, or she was painted there as a sign to bring peace. The cold ran up and down my spine when I looked at her eyes, so I just hurried down the corridor instead of examining the mural any more. finally I got to a door.
"This must be it." - I whispered. Everything was dark around me, and the only light source was the healing flames from my fingertips. This is probably not how you should use the healing magic. Okay, most likely this is definitely not how you're supposed to use the healing magic. But I don't know any spells or whatevers that produced enough light for me.
I put my hand on the doorknob and slowly turned it. The lock gave in with a loud click, and I pushed the door open. It was a challenge, really. The door was carved out of one huge piece of wood, and the clasps on the door were forged to look like branches of a tree. But when I finally struggled the door open, the view was breathtaking for many reasons.
First of all, I expected a simple library with endless rows of books.
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Secondly, there were trees growing from the floor, reaching for the ceiling. I get it: people haven't used this place for ages, basically... but trees? Really?
And thirdly, there were holes on the ceiling.
Okay, I didn't expect a perfect library. I thought there would be dust and spiderwebs all over the place, but this was just too much.
However, Onyx was right in one thing: The older the library is, the better books there are to be found. So I began my quest to find the one book that would tell me what to do, or if there is anything I can do to find my sister, or to give Rider back his powers...
I was hoping that if I can give it back to him, he would wake up, just like Joel did. To be honest, I only cared for Joel's death, because he died for reasons I have caused. But now that he's alive, I don't really think about the whole thing that much... while Rider never leaves my mind. He is present in every step I take, every swing of my hands, or every breath I take. He is there, at the back of my mind, driving me insane.
Clearly, it wasn't the kind of madness that the torture had caused to Iris, but it was my kind of madness: guilt mixing with heartache. I could feel the tears burning my throat every time his face flashed before my eyes.
Trying to shut away the memories, I walked up a rusty, metal staircase to the second floor. I figured if I search from the top to bottom, it could be more productive. In theory, it was. However I didn't calculate the cast in the plan that there over 70 000 pages of information about the magic world.
The first book that caught my eye was one called Libro Vitae - The Book of Life. It was all in Latin, but the words faded and it felt like someone smeared the ink, and it slowly formed shapes, and became English. I didn't start with the prologue, but I just opened the book at the middle.
Soul isn't equal to Spirit. Spirit isn't equal to soul. Body and soul are chained together, but the spirit is free to jump between place and time.
Philosophy was not really my thing, so I put the book right back to the shelf, but make a mental note of the fact that I could learn to jump through place and time, just for fun to see what happens.
I have gone through many books by the time the sun set and the light faded from the library. Just then, I realized that I know how to get out from the library - however I would rather skip that corridor with the battle scene - but I do not know where to go from there, and how the hell can I get back to the main building.
A wolf howled from nearby. Well, that's just great. So I am stuck in here for the night. I thought. But the wolves were the least of my troubles. The demons - the real ones, and my inner ones - could come into the library any time they please. The greenhouse was abandoned, and there were many holes on the roof.
I thought through the fact that I was stuck in a hall, full of books, or a dark corridor, a pit, a staircase, or a greenhouse. The choices weren't really appealing, to be honest. But I decided that I will grab some of the books, and go up to the greenhouse.
I knew that the fire that I was going to light wasn't the safest plan especially not in a house where the walls are made of light. It could attract many things in the forest... but I decided to trust in Skydown. The only demons inside the walls were sworn to protect this place, and they wouldn't attack me.
Of course, if there are any intruders here, I am screwed.
So at the last rays of sunlight, I grabbed some books, and decided to pull a all-nighter to read all of them. They looked very interesting to me - no philosophy, just spells, history, family trees, and stuff like a princess is supposed to know... because princesses are supposed to know the great battles, the history of archery, and the alchemy of making demon slaying weapons... right?
Okay, no.. but Those were the only ones that looked like they could keep me awake all night.
There was just one problem left: Skydown was in the mountains, and it got hella cold during the night. But as I walked back to the staircase, the light of the green healing flames lightened the corridors, and I found a small couch that I haven't noticed when I sprinted down to the end of the whole thing. On the couch, there were pillows and a blanket.
They smelled like rain and decay, but hey, they were warm at least.
I walked back up, and when I got to the top of the staircase, the view was crazy. It felt like I have walked into a whole another universe. The sky was full of stars, and the colorful plants glowed in the night in electric blue, purple, and turquoise. Even the plants I thought I knew were glowing: for example the lavenders.
I found a stone bench that had been carved out of a piece of marble. Vines and flowers were carved into the white stone, and with the years passing by, some real vines mixed with the carved ones. I put the pillow on one side and wrapped myself in the blanket, but the main idea that I will make fire, and read through the night went down the drain. There was just no way I could miss out on this night. The glowing flowers and the milky way above my head, it was more than enough for me.
I just wished there was someone, anyone, I could share this moment with. That brought Rider back to my mind, and sadness darkened my heart immediately. I missed him. More than I thought it was possible. I thought that maybe if I leave him behind, he would be safe from everything that was after me.
I didn't know much about the rules, and I didn't know that everything we had was illegal. For fact, I thought that it was okay.
When I fist saw Rider's memories, I thought Adriel was a heartless bitch to leave Rider behind like that, but I had to admit that I pretty much done the same with the exception that my actions killed him, while Adriel just broke his heart. I was way worse than her.
As I was thinking about that, I heard a noise. A small, but clear scratching noise. My heart began to race, and I pulled the dagger out from my boots. Obviously, I had no chance alone, if the intruder was trying to kill me, at least if my ancestors decide that this time I should control my actions.
From the shade, a wolf jogged towards me, but clearly without any intention to hurt me. I lowered my weapon, but didn't put it away.
"Hey little guy!" - I greeted the wolf as it came close enough. I rubbed the back of its ears. It raised its honey brown eyes on me. That made me smile. But this wolf was just too friendly. - "Do you have someone with you?" - I asked. I hoped that somehow it would give me a sign or something. Instead, a figure took a step out from the shadows. A tall figure with broad shoulders.
"Hey Spirit." - Haniel greeted me.
"Hey." - I nodded. - "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you, like the rest of Skydown. When you did something to Joel, he came back. But he is very sick, you know. He needs you, but you just disappeared." - His accusations were just like I thought people looked at me. I didn't want to disappoint anybody, but I just didn't know what to do to heal Joel fully.
"Why didn't you ask Onyx about where I was? She lead me here in the first place. Or Anouck? I sent him to the main building a couple of hours ago." - I sighed. - "Look, Haniel. About what had happened to Joel... You need to understand that I could bring him back because his essence was present, and his soul was bound to his body, while his spirit was bound to me. I don't know how I did it, and I couldn't repeat it even if you tortured me."
"We all know that you are talking nonsense. You are a soul-whisperer. You can do whatever you want." - He rolled his eyes at me.
"That is what you think of me? That is what everyone is thinking?" - It hurt. People thought I was capable of doing anything, I was just too selfish or lazy to do them. - "These voices inside of my head are not really nice, you know. These things I do, the spells, the black magic..." - I was articulating wildly with my hands - "These are not me! I have no clue how to call on certain memories. If I could do anything, I would have kept my sister safe! I would have protected Joel, and I wouldn't have let Rider die!" - Tears rolled down on my cheeks. - "If you think I am powerful, yes... you might be right. But try and live a life while you know that anyone who have died in your family can take control of your body and just push you aside at any time. It's maddening."
Because that's what it was. Maddening.
Meanwhile at Onyx
Of course, Onyx was very mad at Spirit for bringing the whole thing up with Anouck, and to be honest, she felt a little bit like she actually wanted to tell her what had happened that caused her hate towards the boy.
She walked towards the main building, when Anouck appeared from the woods, and blocked her way.
"Can I talk to you? Just the two of us?" - He asked. Onyx almost reached for her sword, but decided that there would be no good outcomes, if she and he would start a physical fight. Onyx wanted to be allies with Spirit, and she knew that if she harms Anouck, Spirit would be upset. After all he got her ready for the postaquam, and Spirit was one of the people, who grew to trust the people who help them. She was terribly naive, and Onyx found it hard to believe that she managed to kill everyone around her, but herself, even though the people, who got killed were all used to the magical world, and knew the laws of the consilium.
"There is nothing we could talk about." - She shook her head, and lowered her hands.
"Now, see? That's where you're wrong, Onyx. I have many things to tell you, but you constantly push me away, not letting me close. I don't wanna hurt you." - His eyes were blue as the ocean, and his blondish-brown hair waved in the wind. His honey colored skin was bare on his shoulders, and even in his torn clothes, he looked like he just stepped off a painting. Still, Onyx could not put aside the past. Anouck might be very attractive, and he might use kind words on her, but she knew him well enough...
"I don't want to hear what you have to say!" - She burst out. The memory of the only person she have ever truly loved sneaked into her memory. - "You killed Melchiorre! You killed him!"
That was the truth. Anouck took part in the postaquam a couple years ago.
He had been the champion for years and years. He had the destiny of a gladiator, the people whispered. Back then, Onyx didn't really care about the whole thing. She was living in the Fairy Kingdom, called Eirian.
The only thing she didn't understand was that the consilium didn't have any laws against tortures. Her mother, Lilith had tortured her for years as a child, until her father had rescued her from her mother's terror. Those years were spent in fear. Her scars were fresh, and the molten aquamarine that Lilith had poured into the wound on her back still felt strange. The wound was the shape of the Faerydae clan's symbol. By now, the thin layer of aquamarine had adjusted into her skin, and formed a tattoo under her skin. However, she knew that no matter how it looks, it still carried the memories of pain.
She had many nightmares, and the memories wouldn't let her be.
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One time she was taking a walk in the garden, when she ran into a guard. He was tall and fair, visibly belonged to the fairies of light, with his blonde hair, and light green eyes. He was visibly older a little bit than Onyx was.
But they just stood there, staring at each other for a long moment. She felt like there was something he just wanted to tell her, so she turned towards him. Her long dress - that she wasn't used to yet at all - was white and purple, and looking at the guard, she could feel that he didn't see her as a person, but as the child of the king.
"My Lady, you shouldn't be out at these times. I heard you are sick." - He said. Onyx wasn't sick, she just couldn't sleep.
"I am perfectly fine. May I ask your name?"
"My name is Melchiorre Springleaf. I am the guard captain of the gardens." - He introduced himself. A faint smile spread across Onyx's lips.
"You needn't be so polite with me, Melchiorre." - She said, and could feel this strange feeling in her chest. The long sleeves and the scarf covered her scars, but she still felt insecure, as she looked at him.
"But, my Lady... you are the princess of Eirian." - He said it, like it was a huge insult to tell him that he could be friendly. That made Onyx laugh a little. She was surprised, because she didn't think anyone could make her laugh so spontaneously.
"I am just the bastard daughter of the King, dear Melchiorre. I have no royal titles, nor see the need to be called Lady." - She said, but she felt a little sad. Onyx had loved her father, and if there could be one thing she could wish for would be that she could be the legal daughter of Ealdun. But sadly, that only was given to her half-sister, Faylinn, who was just a year younger than she was.
"If you are so against me calling you lady, then what name do you go by?" - He asked. The sun shone above their heads, piercing through the leaves of the forest above their head. Melchiorre's armor reflected the warm, late spring sun, his hair seemed like it was molten gold, and the green in his eyes were the color of the first leaves of spring at March.
"Call me Onyx." - She said.
"Ah, the black jewel. A perfect name for a princess." - Melchiorre.
That was how they met, a tale that none of them could ever tell. The guard and the princess met secretly every time, and they kept it as a secret, knowing that even though Onyx was only the bastard daughter of Ealdun, their love could never be fulfilled.
But then, everything went wrong: their secret got out, and Ealdun sent the guard off to Hell-Blossom, to fight for his life. Onyx left Eirian, and decided to go after Melchiorre, so when he becomes free of his sins - which seemed like the only option to her, since she had seen him as an unbeatable knight - they could be together again. Moths have passed with planning about the escape from Eirian.
However on her way, she was caught by Lilith, and forced to kill a fallen angel. For that, she was captured and dragged to Hell-Blossom. They tied her up in the Arena on a podium, and when they let the fairy-guard in, the guards of Hell-Blossom put a blade to her throat. Melchiorre looked at her with total shock and horror, he couldn't believe his eyes.
But then, the other door opened, and a young man sprinted towards the frozen fairy. Front of Onyx, Anouck sliced Melchiorre's throat open, and the fairy collapsed while his spring-colored eyes were still on Onyx.
She cried, screamed, but the Hell-Blossom guard held her tight. The killer of her love looked at her, and she swore that she would revenge her love's death.
She had fought for two years, killing many of the other attendants. She had never lost, however, her wish to attend the postaquam against Anouck had never came true.
He eventually disappeared from the Arena. Many had said that he had became a concubine of some noble woman, while others said he had earned his freedom. Then, the truth had leaked out, saying that he is a servant in the palace, and goes by the name: Melchiorre. That made Onyx's blood boil.
The past was there, and Anouck now stood before her, asking her to listen to what he has to say. But she felt no need to know what lied beneath his intentions to go by the name of her only love. That couldn't be forgiven, no matter what the cause was. He had killed Melchiorre years ago.
"Yes, I have killed that Fairy Guard." - He confessed, which was not needed. She had seen everything with her own eyes.
"You took his name." - She said. Anouck lowered his gaze. He didn't want to be the one to tell the truth about Melchiorre to Onyx.
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