Evanescent

By Darcy Roche

A story that combines extreme fantasy with high adventure, creatures forgotten to time join with new species of magical beings to journey through the mystical realms and find out where their deepest desires truly lead.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9798823011266

Darcy Roche

This Author's uniques style of writing combines classic mythological creatures with new amalgamations to bring the reader a one of a kind Fantasy world they never dreamed could exist.

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© 2023 Darcy Roche. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  07/05/2023

ISBN: 979-8-8230-1127-3 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-8230-1126-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023912234

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

The Beginning

Part 1: Taking the Steps

Part 1.5: Old Beginning’s and New Endings

Part 2: Haunted by the Past

About the Author

THE BEGINNING

The Dark and the Light had always been there, well as far as anyone knew, and through these Original Powers the Immortals came into being. These Immortals were living aspects of the Light and the Dark, as such they were endowed with fantastical abilities that seemed boundless. Five were created from the Dark, empowered with its specific energies, called Daemon’s, and five were created from the Light called Celestial’s. The transfer of such energy and power created four realms of physical existence surrounded by the Celestial and Daemon realms.

The inner most realm was the Daemon Realm, dark and strange but surprisingly beautiful. It had trees and foliage, flowers and fruits of the rarest and most unique splendor. The landscapes were sprawling and breath-taking. But there was no actual sky, stars, sun or moons. (Only during magical events, the penumbra or syzygy were the moons visible from all realms.) Just the reflecting colors and beauty of the Eternity Pools (waters that teemed with the magic and primordial energy of creation). The pools and the colossus’s that guarded them, separated the Daemon realm from the others. The colossus’s were creatures of pure elemental energy left over from the creation of the realms. They had no solid form, constantly morphing from the endless combinations of the elements.

Surrounding that was The Otherworld… not exactly a ‘realm of existence’ considering only magical beings could reside there permanently. It wasn’t exactly a physical place, land masses free floated through the groundless space among clouds, of sorts. But time itself acted differently in this realm; it was slower somehow, what would seem like hours in the magical Otherworld could be weeks in the other realms. Mostly Fae, Nymphs, and Sprites occupy this realm.

Outside the Otherworld was the Corporeal Realm. Physical existence where most mortal beings and living creatures resided. It was divided into territories and states, clans and races constantly warring with each other. Land masses, oceans, islands and mountain ranges covered this realm with endless opportunities for adventure.

Above the Corporeal was the Astral Realm, protected and safe for raising the offspring of any magical beings. A realm of mountain tops and sky, light and stars. The offspring of the Immortals, called Spirits, tended to reside in the realm parallel to the Astral, called the Spiritual realm. A realm of water shoots, random keys of earth, ribbons of light, clouds and stars.

The Celestial realm was situated atop the Spiritual and Astral realms, visions of other planetary bodies, stars, nebulas and moons covered all the surrounding areas. Wherever you looked all you could see was an endless black filled with ribbons and gems of light and color.

Three moons circled the world, a moon that reflected light from the sun, a dark rocky moon that was always shielded from the sun but gave a halo effect, and a moon covered by a lunar magma ocean only visible around every 200 years. The union of Celestials and Daemons created an amazing array of magical beings and creatures with remarkable powers and capabilities. Eventually the magical offspring of the Immortals crossbred with humans, making even more subspecies categories. Giving those of direct lineage reason to resent these beings of lesser birth and nobility, causing many wars and attempted genocides. But only beings with direct lineage to the Immortals could travel to the Daemon or Celestial realms.

Once the seeds of creation had been sewn and took root the Original Light and Dark left the Immortals to govern and rule over their individual aspects. Most of the Immortals would wander the realms. It gave them joy to see their great works and creations happy in their existence. Gya, the Celestial of Life itself, had never left the Celestial Realm in her ethereal form. She was told by Alalyth, the Daemon of Fate, that her progeny would be the physical embodiment of balance, but a tragedy was also predicted, Fate bound by a choice. Her child’s life would be wrought with tragedy. So, in Gya’s mind if she had no children then no tragedy could befall them. Alalyth warned Gya that trying to prevent Fate would only bring it about in a dark and unnatural way. Gya knew that Alalyth did not share her prophecies often and certainly not with Celestials, so her warning must be heeded.

Part 1

TAKING THE STEPS

G ya would wander the mortal realms in the form of a Giant white wolf, tending to stay to the snowy mountains, and other sparsely populated places. She would admire the splendor of Noraya’s magic on the bodily worlds. On one such occasion Gya happened upon a mortal man. He was injured and half dead from the cold, but Gya could see the intentions in this man’s heart. She could see his memories of trying to cross the frozen mountains to get his family to the free cities. He’d lost his wife in a blizzard and after making sure his sons were safe, had come back to find her. Gya had never seen such devotion in a mortal before. She pulled a small patch of fur from her back and covered the man with it. She took a human form and started a fire near him, then called out to Rorik, her brother, the Celestial of Death. He appeared to his sister in an ethereal form and said,

My sister, how good to see you out of the Celestial Realm…

Rorik, can you tell me if this mortal’s wife has passed your gates into the afterlife? Gya asked, humbly. You are the Celestial of Life, you feel when they are born and when they die, just like me. You know his wife is gone. Why do you summon me, truly? Rorik said in a curious tone.

Once they die, I can no longer see them. This man just wants to bury his wife, I would give him that peace… she replied.

My little sister, showing compassion and sympathy for mortals… my, my, how you’ve grown. Rorik mused then continued, Stay with your mortal, I will bring her body…

Gya smiled and nodded at her brother as he faded away and she took a seat near the fire with the mortal.

It didn’t take long for the fur she’d covered him with to heal his injured leg and the rest of the damage caused by the freezing temperatures. The man bolted upright, fully awake and very confused. Gya put her hand on the man’s shoulder and said,

Lie still… you’re safe.

The man sat back, leaning against a boulder, a bit calmer but still obviously confused. He could tell by looking at the woman’s gossamer gown and flowing white hair that she was an Immortal, but why was she there, why would she help him?

I am Gya. She said warmly.

Dwern, my Lady. The man replied. Then his thoughts were interrupted as the thudding sound of something dashing through the snow approached. He sat up, alerted, as Gya said softly, It’s okay…

A Giant gray bear approached, Gya recognized it as her brother’s animal transformation, and Dwern watched, slack-jawed and wide eyed as this bear approached holding his wife in its arms. The body was perfectly preserved by the ice and snow. Rorik laid the body at Dwern’s feet as he said,

She died painlessly, in her sleep. She is at peace.

The man was so grief stricken that he hardly noticed that the Giant bear was talking. Rorik looked to Gya and as she nodded, he lowered his head in respect and left. Dwern was on his knees next to his lost love as he cursed the Immortals of Fate and Destiny (Alalyth and Tauin). Gya knelt next to him and said, Mortals live and die in such short spans, but that’s what makes everything so precious, the fact that it doesn’t last. A love as beautiful as yours wasn’t made to last either, but I can let you say ‘Goodbye’ to her…

Dwern turned from his wife to look at Gya as she began to wind and swirl her hands. Then a silver shimmer sailing downward on the wind, whistled and whipped playfully around Gya then moved over to Dwern. It hovered in the cool air before taking the form of Dwern’s wife. Dwern took a step toward her then fell to his knees, sobbing as he said,

You can’t leave me, my love. Our sons need you; I need you… I cannot do this without you…

I will always love you and our boys, but it’s my time to die. You must trust that you still have a purpose, I still believe a Great Destiny awaits you, my Darling. Her voice echoed on the wind.

No, my love, if you must depart this life, I beg that you wait a moment for me to follow. Dwern said as he pulled a dagger from his belt and readied to plunge it into his own chest. The image of his wife laid her hand on his and lowered the dagger as he sobbed, she said,

It is not your time, my love. I will be waiting for you when it is… she began to fade away with the wind as Dwern yelled out, desperately,

What do I do!?

Take care of our sons, raise them well… she said. And just as gracefully as she appeared the image faded into just falling snow. Gya shed a tear, for the beauty of that moment was littered with sorrow. Suddenly the body was covered in a blanket of white, then rose from the ground in a frosted tomb of ice. A final gift from the Celestial of Death so that time could not ravage her body. A permanent shrine to their love.

Rhen, the Daemon of Chaos, had been watching from the shadows as Gya helped the mortal. Rhen was very powerful, being the first created by the Light and Dark, he held both energies in harmony, but this made him extremely unpredictable. He decided to ease the mortal’s grief by inflicting a love spell on him. As the tomb of his wife faded from sight, he would fall in love with the next person he saw, which Rhen knew would be Gya. As Dwern looked at the Celestial to thank her he felt a sudden swell of admiration and affection overtake his emotions. As his love for Gya grew it replaced the sadness of his loss. The spell affected Gya as well, causing her to mirror Dwern’s emotions, so the more this mortal loved Gya the more she would love him in return. Rhen continued to follow Gya and the mortal, relishing the havoc his actions would cause. Gya and Dwern walked until the snow got too heavy then they took shelter in a nearby cave system. By the time they entered the cave, only hours had passed but Dwern had little recollection of his beloved wife or his grief, he had only the Celestial Gya in his heart. She summoned a grand feast and a large fire to warm the cave, along with pelts and furs stacked to make a bed. Gya didn’t understand what she was feeling but as the spell took full effect it mattered less. Neither Gya nor Dwern could remember how they got to the cave or how they had even met, the feelings had grown beyond control. Gya and Dwern spent the remainder of the Nyte adjourning each other in sweet passion in that cave.

Rhen continued watching from the shadows as Skye (the Celestial of Peace) appeared. Rhen smirked and said,

I would’ve thought watching something like this beneath a Celestial prude such as the Goddess of Peace, but if I was wrong by all means, join me and let’s see where the Nyte takes us. Skye scoffed at Rhen’s vulgarity and said,

It would be amusing if not satisfying to see my husband tear you apart until nothing remained, but that’s not why I am here… Rhen chuckled as he said,

As if I’d ever fear Tauin. Rhen calmed his laughter and continued,

So if you’re not here for the show, what then? Perhaps you hunger for a taste of the old days, before you were married to that pretentious gas bag. After all, he has his affairs… you have yours. Rhen’s tone lowered as he moved to stand cheek to cheek with her. Skye whispered to him,

Yes, he has his affairs… I have mine, she paused as a thunderous wind pushed Rhen a few feet away from her. Suddenly Tauin stood next to Skye as she continued,

But you will never be one of those affairs. You will never be anything to me but a memory. But as I said, that’s not why I’m here. Rhen stood up, brushing the snow from his coal-colored skin as he, smartly, said,

What then? You gonna scold me for having a bit of fun? Huh, you’re both so uptight, you deserve each other… Rhen went to turn back to the erotic entertainment inside the cave when he felt Tauin’s hand grab the back of his neck and yanked him back and to the ground as he angrily said,

Fun! Fun! Do you forget Alalyth’s prophecy!? Rhen laughed maniacally as he declared,

That’s what makes it ‘fun’, the gamble! Tauin raged as a sinister smirk crept across Rhen’s face. Tauin grabbed Rhen and jerked him up to his feet, but as he went to strike Rhen decided to remind him who the more powerful Immortal was; he threw his arms apart and a wave of energy rushed out of his body, throwing Tauin and Skye back away from him, and into the snow. Tauin was slow to get up, but as he stood, he helped Skye to her feet. They looked at Rhen, now hovering in the air and glowing with a red hue as he said,

Do not make the mistake of thinking yourself my equal, either of you. I am the Daemon of Chaos! I will execute my will as I see fit and will be hindered by no one! then Rhen disappeared, doubtlessly back to the Daemon Realm, his seat of power resided there in the shifting stone of his sanctum.

Tauin and Skye knew it was pointless to go after Rhen on their own. They quickly returned to the Celestial realm and informed Rorik of what had happened. The three of them together travelled to the Daemon realm where they met with Sorn (Daemon of Darkness), Alalyth (Daemon of Fate), Noraya (Daemon of Nature), and Shareth (Daemon of Eternity). After realizing what had happened it was decided that Rorik was the best choice to retrieve Gya from the corporeal realm. They all knew as soon as Gya exited the cave the spell would break and she would be extremely confused and hurt when she found out what Rhen had done. Rorik immediately left to find his sister while the others came up with a plan for Rhen. Tauin had one of the loudest voices in the room as he said,

Rhen has proven himself too dangerous and unpredictable to be left unchecked, and none of us, individually or even doubled up, can match him if he ever decided to come after us…

Shareth spoke up next, saying,

Rhen is erratic, impulsive even, but such is the nature of Chaos. Alalyth nodded in agreement as she added,

Even if there was a way to neutralize Rhen, it would only be a matter of time before he was reborn. He is the first and most powerful among us, even all of our power combined cannot keep him bound forever. Sorn, after hearing his sister’s sense suggested,

What if we made his shifting castle a prison? We each add a barrier around it until it stops shifting and Rhen is trapped inside. As long as we exist so will the energy that seals the barriers. The others were not keen on the idea of trapping Rhen, but Tauin and Sorn made a compelling argument as Rorik returned with Gya. She was completely distraught as she looked at Alalyth, her eyes begging the Daemon of Fate to tell her it wasn’t the prophesied time, but Alalyth could offer no such solace to Gya. As Alalyth lowered her eyes Gya knew Fate had been fulfilled. All she could do is submit to it and try to endure. Vaun was trying to be the voice of reason as he said,

I am no friend to Rhen, but there is a necessity for Chaos in order to balance the world. Suddenly the pouch on Alalyth’s belt began to shake as the runes inside started to glow. Alalyth emptied the pouch of runes onto the ground and as they landed a mist arose from the symbols; it created a scene of Gya’s child growing inside of her, but surrounded by the swarming red clouds of Chaos. Suddenly the clouds forced themselves inside the child upon birth. Then it showed all of the Corporeal and Daemon realms bowing in submission as a tidal wave of crimson vapors covered everything and destroyed the Celestial Realm entirely. Then the mists retracted back inside of the runes and Alalyth gathered them back into the pouch. Everyone was taken aback by what they had just seen. Then Sorn yelled out,

Even the mists of Fate are warning us… Rorik spoke up and asked,

How could Rhen have any direct effect on Gya’s child? Shareth was the one who answered,

Because it was His magic that facilitated the conception… Noraya spoke up and asked,

What do we even know about this human? Tauin scoffed and said,

Oh, that’s the best part… Dwern is not a human. He’s the child of the Spirit Kallemty; Sorn and Noraya’s son. Vaun was in a bit of shock, he raised his voice as he asked,

Dwern is a Demi-Spirit?! Do we even know what the offset of energies will do to an infant? Sorn added,

Celestial and Daemon energies combined in a mortal being… the statement made all present understandably nervous. After a while of deliberation, they agreed that Rhen must be imprisoned for the general safety of all. Rorik was the only one to protest, he cryptically said,

Chaos caged will destroy all… But as the others continued to berate Rhen’s actions and criticize his lack of control, Rorik looked at the face of his sister, her tears reflective of her broken heart, and he reluctantly agreed.

So it was that the nine Immortals met in The Otherworld, at the Eternity Pools, during the rise of the Stars of Mayhem. Capitalizing on the effect the stars had on Rhen and using the primordial energy of the pools they made the first barrier around Rhen’s sanctum. Suddenly the shifting stones began to slow, Rhen immediately noticed the change and was alerted to the formation of the barrier. As each Immortal added a layer to the barricade it not only made it more solid and impenetrable but also smaller. It became a compact fixed structure around a stone casement that held Rhen. The walls of the stone were etched with spells to contain and weaken Rhen, as the runes glowed to confirm their permanence the Immortals acknowledged each other than one by one left to return to their own sanctuaries, paying no mind to how calm Rhen seemed about the whole thing.

When Dwern awoke the next morning, everything was gone, the fire was only ashes, the table with all the foods and wines along with the pelts and soft pillows had all disappeared, if it had ever been there at all. Dwern thought it possible he had just dreamt the entire thing, but then he saw the white fur Gya had used to heal him, folded neatly at his feet. An obvious token of his Nyte with the Immortal. He walked outside, remembering the tomb Rorik had created for his wife, the spell broke and the memories and grief came flooding back. He couldn’t think straight, he felt like he’d betrayed his wife, but at the same time he felt both blessed and confused by the Celestial’s favor. He didn’t know how to feel or what to think, everything was rushing through his mind so fast he couldn’t focus on any one thing. All he could do was gather up his belongings, return to the free cities and tell his son’s that their mother had died. He wondered for a moment whether he should take the fur or not. But Gya had obviously left it there for a reason, as he gathered the fur up and secured it to his pack.

Gya was understandably scared and ireful, she’d been manipulated in the most private way. Now the child that grew inside of her could, potentially, wield a power strong enough to destroy the realms and everything in them. A Celestial, coupling with a Demi-Spirit that was possessed by Daemon magic… it had never occurred before. All the Immortals were a bit on edge about the situation. They argued and deliberated on what they each thought would be the best course of action. Some suggested binding the child’s powers at birth, while others wanted to remove the seed of magic entirely. As the Celestials and Daemons bickered with one another Gya slipped away. She went directly to the Otherworld, to Rhen’s prison. As she approached the sealed stone cage, she heard Rhen inhale deeply, then his deep voice rang out,

Well, well, well, look who it is? Come to give me another show? I do so relish those images of you in the throes of such passion. He licked his lips as he spoke but Rhen’s vulgarity and derision didn’t seem to effect Gya as she calmly asked,

Did you know he was a Demi-Spirit, before you infected him with your love spell? Did you know what would conceive in me? Rhen leaned as close to her as he could and he whispered,

Like I told Tauin… the gamble is what makes it ‘fun’, however I did not expect my magic to infect the child upon conception. That was just a delightful bonus. Rhen paused for a moment then added,

I must admit, seeing you with that mortal made me a bit jealous…I wish I had planted the Chaos in you myself. Gya began to tremble, at first Rhen thought she was crying, but as he looked on, he didn’t see tears in Gya’s eyes,

My child will never be the seed of Chaos. Rhen inhaled deeply and almost whirred as he said,

Ah, but I can smell the chaos, already inside of you. The seed will grow, and the fruit shall be mine. Gya looked up at Rhen and he realized it was rage in her eyes as they glowed with a white light and she began tightening her fists like she was clenching something in her hands. All of a sudden, the stone walls began to shake around Rhen. He chuckled to himself as he said,

Go ahead little Gya. Show me your darkness! Gya clenched her teeth and tightened her fists as the stone turned into liquid and closed in on Rhen until it was molding around his skin, coating him in the stone as Gya’s voice echoed on the wind,

Here you’ll remain, Lord Rhen. Chaos itself trapped in perpetual tranquility. Only my power can free you now… Care to gamble on that, my Lord? Rhen smiled through the pain, as he looked at Gya. He almost looked pleased with her reaction as he said,

I always knew you had it in you… he groaned as the stone completely covered him and hardened, rendering him inert.

Gya left the Otherworld, she knew she could not remain in the Celestial realm, her child was half mortal, she would have to go to the physical realm for her child to be born. As she left the Otherworld, she went to the Corporeal in search of Dwern. She knew he was headed for the Free Cities so she used the forest paths to get there. The streets were teeming with Astral beings, Spirits, Blood-Kin, and even humans. There was no monarchy in the free cities, rather a council made up of chosen representatives governed. Each race had one council member to denote their interests, setting laws that were necessary and inflicting punishments that fit the individual crime. It seemed a peaceful place where all were welcome. But as Gya travelled she noticed that the free cities were situated against a mountain ridge that separated the Shadowlands from the other territories. The Shadowlands were the Blood-Kin’s territory. The Blood-Kin were the descendants of Noraya and Rorik, prior to Noraya’s marriage to the Daemon Sorn. The Daemon of Nature and the Celestial of Death created a powerful being, once in their physical prime they seemed to stop aging, their capabilities with Cruor magic and physical transformation were second to none. They were able to absorb the knowledge and a part of the magic from any blood they consumed, and this magic seemed to sustain them. But as time went on this child of Noraya and Rorik’s had children of his own, resulting in a separation of magic into two distinct bloodlines. Both were amazingly strong in both magical ability and physical prowess, but they were also unmistakably different. The Ryke’s, more aristocratic, were naturally gifted with alchemy, necromancy, and thaumaturgy, whereas the Rayan’s powers were more nature based, they had transformation abilities, Cruor magic and the capability to control nature. Both bloodlines stopped aging when they reached maturity, growing only in knowledge and strength as the centuries went on. The young could change into a wide array of animal transformations but as they got older the change would settle into a single animal. It took a lot of practice and no small amount of self-discipline to be able to control themselves in their animal state, as in that form they had little more than base instinct. Both bloodlines craved the blood of magical beings, but did not require blood to survive. The Blood-Kin had exiled and purged their kingdom of any that were not of pure blood, only a small group made it out of the Shadowlands with their lives and their stories would terrify and enrage the masses for generations to come. The Blood-Kin had become increasingly hostile towards the free cities and this concerned Gya as she wondered if her child would be safe there. Her mind raced with worry, but all seemed to settle in her mind as she saw Dwern’s face in the crowd, on the far side of the docks near the river. She wasn’t sure what to say, after all she had no idea how much of their encounter, he would even remember. But Gya approached Dwern, she removed the hood of her cloak, when he saw her ashen hair and green eyes he immediately dropped to his knees in reverence and asked,

Is this a dream? Gya replied with a smile,

No. Dwern looked around and questioned,

Was it a dream, before, when we? Gya’s cheeks began to burn pink as she looked away shyly and said,

No… it was real. Dwern nodded and then stammered as he said,

You are ‘She’, truly?! Gya looked back into his eyes and took his hand in hers, guiding him back to his feet she smiled softly and said,

I am Gya…

Dwern was instantly tongue tied, only able to form partial sentences as he asked,

What happened…How did… Why did you… Gya raised her hand to calm him as she said,

I’ll explain everything… She proceeded to tell him how she found him in the snow dying and healed him, how her brother made the tomb to enshrine his wife. Then she told him what Lord Rhen had done, and that now she was pregnant with a child of prophecy. Dwern reacted better than Gya could have hoped. Anyone with any sense would have run away screaming at the prospect of a child under these circumstances, but Dwern was truly different. He smiled, seeming overjoyed at the idea of another child, he didn’t seem to be concerned with the details as he said,

Children are a blessing; I am honored to be chosen by the Celestial of Life. Gya smiled, knowing he had chosen his words carefully to make Gya feel like it had been her choice rather than another’s spell. She appreciated the effort. She went on to explain that the longer she was in a human form the weaker she would become and the more susceptible to mortal inklings. After the birth she would have to return to the Celestial realm and would only be able to commune with the child in a spiritual form thereafter. This information didn’t sway Dwern at all. He was happy to accept the responsibility, and eagerly told his son’s that they had a new sibling on the way. Gya quickly learned that Dwern’s powers, while Daemon based, where all healing in nature. He could heal physical injuries, effect one’s emotions, even alter memories. All the magic he had and he spent his time healing the sick and injured, enchanting widows and widowers to feel joy whenever they saw children, even easing the traumas and nightmares of those who’d survived the journey to the free cities. ‘A truly good man’ Gya thought to herself as day after day she watched Dwern work tirelessly to help others. His sons were equally as compassionate, taking turns helping Dwern while the others hunted and worked farms.

Gya summoned the other eight Immortals to a grove outside the free cities. When all were present, she used her thought actualization to show them Dwern’s actions over the past weeks. Some found it hard to believe that a mortal was capable of such empathy and kindness, but Gya’s memories were indisputable, as she said,

I propose that by Immortal Decree, we announce the free cities its own sovereign territory. I would also suggest that we name Dwern, son of Kallemty, Lord of this territory. Not a king, the council does a more than adequate job governing its people, but they lack the leadership to oversee such a large territory from a military perspective. Skye rubbed her chin and said,

It’s difficult to overlook the free cities proximity to the Shadowlands… war is inevitable…you do realize that? Gya nodded and replied,

I do.

Ah, Sorn said,

This is part of your strategy is it, Gya, appoint someone that can build a proper army but will not be quick to use it? Gya held her hands out as she said,

It is my hope that the show of strength will be enough to avoid war for as long as possible.

As the deliberations began Noraya called out,

The decision should be Shareth’s, she is the only one impartial in this situation. Alalyth agreed but

Shareth shook her head as she said,

No! my duty is to the Eternal. It is Gya’s child, she is the one that has to leave her child in that realm, it should be her decision. Rorik looked around at the others as he said,

If there are no objections...? he paused for a moment and when no one spoke up he continued, Then so it is by Immortal Decree the free cities shall now be known as, uh…

Freesha! Skye yelled out. Rorik smiled then continued,

Thank you, Lady Skye, so it is by Immortal decree that the free cities shall hence forth be known as the Freesha Territory, and appointed as Lord to oversee the already in place council, is Dwern, son of Kallemty. As Rorik spoke the words wrote themselves on parchment. Then the parchment multiplied and seemed to fold itself into little birds and flew off to all territories and kingdoms. As the immortals departed Rorik remained with his sister, he smiled at her as he said,

Motherhood becomes you. Gya rubbed her swollen stomach and smiled at her brother as he departed. Dwern was beyond honored when Gya told him of the Immortal Decree, his gratitude could not be expressed verbally as he fell to his knees and lowered his head in humility. Gya wanted to tell him to stand up but suddenly surges of light and shadow began to shoot through her. Dwern jumped to his feet terrified until Gya said,

This is normal for Immortals… Dwern calmed down and helped support Gya until he got her to the bed. He stayed by her side as she started birthing their child. There were flashes of light, storms began to surge outside as a child with curly white hair formed from the light in Gya’s stomach. Dwern lifted the child and wrapped it in a small blanket as he said,

A Daughter! We have a daughter. Gya smiled but then shadows seem to swirl around her stomach, as another child emerged the shadows forced themselves into the infant that was identical to the first, Dwern placed the first child in Gya’s arms as he took the second up and wrapped another blanket as he smiled widely and said,

Twin daughters’, we have twin daughters. Gya was shocked with twins, but when she thought of balance it made more sense, but she was too weak to worry over it as she said,

Nyte and Rayne. Dwern looked at her and asked,

What’s that my Lady? Gya whispered as she replied,

Their names, Nyte and Rayne.

Her corporeal form was beginning to fade with the exertion of the births. Dwern knew it was time for Gya to return to the celestial realm. She smiled and stroked his cheek as she said,

I will miss you, and the boys. Will you tell them? Dwern smiled as he looked at his beautiful daughters’ lying side by side and said,

Of course, I will. But when he went to look at Gya the bed was empty. Her physical form had faded away, and he was left admiring the two white haired infants. Dwern’s sons were thrilled to meet their new sisters.

The girls grew fast, in just a few years they were adolescence. They both excelled in their studies, academic and magical. The Celestials and Daemons saw to the girl’s education themselves. After only eight years the girls looked 16 years old. Their brothers stayed busy, fending off men that tried to woo the girls not realizing how young they were, or worse they did realize. Nyte was immersed in her studies of herbology and magic. Rayne was much more adventurous, preferring the open forest and animals to potions and old books. Rayne would get through her lessons as quick as possible and run off to the forest, causing her brothers to have to retrieve her regularly. Her curiosity was insatiable, she always wanted to know more, see more. She wanted to be the best at everything, she even wanted to learn weaponry, combat, and war tactics. Everyone thought that a bit odd for a girl so young, except for Rorik, he decided to train Rayne himself. She was a quick study. After only a few short years, Rayne was known as one of the best fighters in Freesha and Nyte completed her training with the High Mage’s. Gya was so proud of her daughters’, she swelled with joy, but she also knew what the future would hold for them. It made her seem cold as she taught her daughters about the importance of duty over personal desires. She wanted them to understand that as her only direct descendants they had responsibilities. But it only seemed to drive a wedge between Rayne and her mother. Nyte was the calmer and more tempered of the two, she seemed to accept what was expected of her and thrived within that structure. Nyte was everything the daughter of a Celestial and a Lady of Freesha should be.

By the time the girls were actually 16 years old; Rayne was given a position with the army, as an advanced scout with two of her brothers (Rory and Kell) and Nyte was teaching the magical arts to future mages. The girls spent a lot of their free time in the forests around Freesha. It was teeming with magical creatures and rare plants; but the most beautiful was a tree given to them by Noraya herself at their birth. The tree was black-barked with shimmering veins of silver running through its trunk and branches, the leaves were black and the flowers were deep blues and white. The tree itself glowed, illuminating the area around it, and lighting the way for travelers to find Freesha. Rayne enjoyed sitting by the river, but it was risky. Roving bands of ‘Bloods’ were known to travel down from the ridge close to the river for water and to snatch travelers, or so they said. Just beyond the river was the steep slopes of the ridge that lined the boundary and acted as a natural barrier between Freesha and the Shadowlands. An uneasy peace had formed between Freesha and the Bloods, but it was known the Blood-Kin craved the blood of other creatures, that’s why they called them Bloods. And every so often people would come up missing from the forest or the river. There was no physical proof, of course, but Rayne suspected the Bloods. She had openly shared her suspicions with her brothers for years.

Adyn, was the oldest and leader of the Freeshan Army, there was no weapon he hadn’t mastered, known as a serious man and a fierce warrior. Maren was next, he was proficient in both sword and spear and captained a group of soldiers’ elite in both as well. Oros was the middle son, the best bowman the free cities had seen in centuries. He trained and led the armies’ archers. Rory and Kell were the two youngest boys. They led the advanced scouts, a group that was considered beyond exclusive as the requirements could be outrageous; A well-rounded knowledge of most weapons, along with basic magic, there was also a certain amount of intellect needed that wasn’t usually required for normal soldiering. The advanced scouts went into a lot of different territories and were constantly in danger. They acted as spies, saboteurs, assassin’s, even at times a rescue team.

Adyn and the others had spoken with the council and it had been decided that the soldiers would begin regular patrols through the forest. When they told Rayne she seemed annoyed with the decision, as she said,

That would protect our borders. But what about the travelers and refugees that are trying to get to us? It is in these areas, between the ridge and the river, surrounding our territory that these people are being attacked. Nyte agreed with her sister and suggestively asked,

Can we not designate paths and roads for the travelers to use and keep soldiers patrolling those specific routes to ensure their safety? Kell looked up from the map and said,

An excellent suggestion, but we can’t post soldiers outside of Freesha. That could be perceived as an attack if we regularly send soldiers into surrounding areas. Adyn cleared his throat and added,

The Bloods could consider it an invasion. I’m sorry but the refugees and travelers have to make it to Freesha on their own, once here, we can protect them. Nyte was comforted by her brothers’ words but Rayne was just more annoyed by the political limitations. Rayne had no patience for politics or the social games of the aristocracy. Nyte, however, knew and accepted what was expected of her as the Lord of Freesha and the Celestial Gya’s daughter. It was a constant point of contention between the two of them.

Rayne and Nyte continued to bicker as their brothers left the forest to head back to Freesha. The girls decided they wanted to enjoy the ride back and slowed their pace. They were still bickering as they reached the river and Rayne said,

Oh, stop lecturing me about duty and obligations, you’re giving me a headache. There’s no reason to ruin such a beautiful evening. Nyte smiled and nodded as they linked arms and sat down while the horses drank. They had started to chat about pointless council gossip when a gang of Ryke’s attacked them. Grabbing their horses and catching the girls in nets they dragged behind their horses. They were dragged down the river to a camp where there were others, astral beings, and half-bloods mostly. The gang decided to stay put for the night and cross the mountains in the morning. Most of the people trapped in the nets were trembling in fear and too scared to think let alone act. Even if they could get free of the nets, the children especially might be too scared to even run. Rayne started to come up with a plan when she noticed a man holding his injured friend. His knuckles were bloody and his face was bruised, obvious signs of a fighter, Rayne whispered to him,

If you want your friend to survive, Help me take out the Bloods. The man turned to her and said, He’s wounded in the gut, but he’s strong, he’ll make it. But I guess snapping these guys in half might make me feel a bit better. Rayne smiled and turned to Nyte, whispering something the man couldn’t hear, then she retrieved two daggers from the back of her corset. She cut the ropes of the nets, freeing the people, then she handed one of the daggers to the man. She ripped her dress up the right leg and tied it around her waist, as she said to the others,

Stay here, we will let you know when it’s safe. Nyte nodded and replied,

I’ll keep them with me until you get back. She cradled the injured man in her arms as Rayne and the man disappeared into the dark.

Rayne and the man split up when they got a good view of the gang holding them. The man moved around to the front of the gang and Rayne stayed positioned at the back. A few seconds later there was a sudden scream followed by an eerie silence, a few moments went by and then a yelp of pain followed by more silence. The pattern continued until Nyte heard Rayne’s voice ring out,

It’s safe, they’re all dead. Then Rayne and the man stepped back into the fire light, they were both disheveled and covered in blood. The man looked to see his friend still being coddled by the woman but his wound was completely healed. Nyte stood up and smiled at the man and said,

He’ll be fine…

The magical creatures ran back to the forest and the people back to their homes or camps. Rayne looked around and said,

Dawn is only a few hours off, let’s stay here and at first light my sister and I will head back to Freesha and you two can go where ever you are going. The man smirked as he said,

My name is Dryne, my lady, the one your sister healed here is Killian, and we are headed to Freesha as well. Rayne smiled and said,

I’m Rayne, this is my sister, Nyte… Dryne smiled back at her and chuckled a bit.

No offense, my lady, Killian grunted as he sat upright,

But the white hair kind of gives you away. Rayne laughed as well. The four of them began to talk and laugh around the fire as Nyte made some of the fruit into a nectar.

Rayne listened to Dryne and Killian talk about all their travels, she couldn’t help but notice how handsome both of the men were. Killian had light brown hair and blue eyes, he was clean shaven in the face, tall and lean, but clearly strong. Dryne on the other hand had dark brown hair and amber colored eyes, he had a bit of scruff on his face, he was also tall but he was broader than Killian, obviously much stronger. Their random scars told Rayne that they were both fighters, but the way Killian talked was a bit more cultured, like Nyte, ‘the obvious sign of an intellectual’ Rayne thought to herself. She looked over at Nyte to see her sister completely entranced by Killian’s story, her eyes glistened as she hung on his every word. It soon became just Killian and Nyte talking as Rayne slipped down to the river for a bath.

She stopped to scavenge through the dead Ryke’s things until she was able to put together some untattered clothing. It wasn’t easy to find a full set that wasn’t ripped, burned, or covered in an array of bodily fluids but she finally scraped enough together, she consumed the bodies in black flames after, not wanting to leave such a scene. Then she went onward to the river. She took what was left of her gown off, quite carefully considering it was completely ruined, torn at almost every seam and soaked in blood. Then she removed her under garments and walked into the warm waters. As she waded through the water a shimmering of variegated blue sparkles seemed to trail her motions, like stars were generating from her movements. As the water splashed it seemed like it released sparkling dust into the air, like thousands of tiny starflies shining from the water surface up to the tree canopy.

When Dryne approached he saw the shimmer in the air. He’d been drawn to the water for the same reason as Rayne, but he wasn’t thinking of washing himself so much as his clothes and weapons he recovered from their captors. He thought he’d heard singing but the voice sounded different from anything he’d ever heard before. It was like the voice was calling to him, pulling him towards the source of the melody. He couldn’t explain it, it wasn’t any kind of thought, only feeling, and it felt like nothing he’d ever experienced.

He approached some light brush and could see only yards away, in the water, was Rayne singing as she bathed. He wanted to look away but couldn’t take his eyes off her. The image of her in the azure flow of the glowing water with the icy gleam in the air above was absolutely ethereal. A few moments later he noticed another path down to the waterline and started to move away, then he heard Rayne’s voice,

Seen enough already? her tone was playful and a bit sarcastic. Dryne quickly tried to start explaining, Killian and Nyte seemed to be fine so I thought I’d sneak down to the water to clean my clothes and weapons, I didn’t mean to spy… he paused when he noticed the smile on her face and she said,

I was only teasing. There’s plenty of water for the both of us. He smiled at her invitation as she dove beneath the water and swam away from the shoreline to give him some privacy, badly as she wanted to look, she also wanted to be respectful.

When she heard the sound of the water splashing, she turned back around. He seemed fascinated by the water and the effect movement had on it, Rayne swam closer and said,

It was once called the Solemn River. Long ago Shareth and Vaun (Daemon of Eternity and Celestial of Time) made love on the shores of this river. Their offspring were the water sprites you see dancing around you, lending their magic to those who drink the waters and their blessings to those who bathe in it. That’s what the sparkling in the water is. Because of the Bloods using the river to dispose of their dead and stage kidnappings, refugees have come to call it the River of Woe. Dryne turned to face her as he asked,

So, which one did you come for, magic or blessings? Rayne scoffed as she ran her hands through the water, looking back up at him she said,

I just came to wash the blood out of my hair. Dryne moved even closer to her, brushing her hair back from her shoulders as he said,

Mission accomplished.

He looked deep into the sheen that was her eyes, he could feel her tightened nipples against his skin. He could feel himself becoming lost in the sea of green that was her eyes as he said,

I never actually thanked you for saving Killian and me, did I? Dryne noticed that she wasn’t backing away from him, indeed she was moving even closer as she contemptuously said,

No, actually, you didn’t. Pressing her chest against his now, he leaned down and whispered,

Thank you. Then his lips covered hers, kissing her sweetly. He teased her neck with his lips as she ran her hands up his chest and around his neck. As she pressed her body against his she could feel him, hard against her thigh. She wrapped her legs around his waist, cradling him with her legs. He reached under her thigh and began stroking her sex. She jerked against him at the sudden sensation but quickly calmed as she took him into her hand and guided him inside of her. Then she fluidly rolled her hips into him. Their subsequent weightlessness of being in the water only added to the vigor already teeming through them. Nothing felt better in that moment, than the sensation of him inside of her. She inhaled deeply and Dryne paused his movements and asked,

Are you okay? he sounded strained, like it was taking all of his control to keep himself in check. Rayne answered him by arcing against him, pulling him deeper into her and moaning aloud. His grip on her thighs tightened and he started pulling her onto him. It was by no means her first sexual encounter but she had never felt pleasure like this before. The men close to her age were always so rushed and clumsy. Dryne pulled himself out of her and was working her with his fingers, prolonging the pleasure. Her eyes rolled back as he ravaged her breasts with his mouth. She couldn’t stop her hips from rising and falling with his hand, her pleasure seemed to excite him all the more. Her fingers were tangled in his dark hair as he entered her again, her body coiled tighter around his, begging him to finish her. He was very much enjoying her responsiveness as she moaned and arced against him. As her climax sent waves of pleasure rushing through her, Dryne continued to thrust, compounding her pleasure into an extended crest of apogee. She gasped and then her body relaxed against him as he whispered,

That’s it, just feel. She moaned and bucked, wildly, against him as he smiled and continued to pleasure her, holding off his own satisfaction until she could barely hold herself up anymore. Then he entered his final rhythm, groaning his release.

He’d walked them up to the shore and she collapsed next to him, her body shuddering as sudden thrills jolted through her. Her hair was a flood of white, falling over her face as she moved closer to him. He stared up at the stars, his chest heaving as he caught his breath, but he fell asleep quickly. Rayne lingered a while, basking in the night air and the satisfaction, but she knew it was temporary. She waited until she was certain he was asleep then she quickly dressed and gathered her things. As she went to leave, she looked back at him and decided to leave the dagger she’d given him during their escape. She laid it on the ground next to him where she’d been, stroked his cheek lightly and left. She had never really shown that kind of favor to a lover before, but there was something different about Dryne that she couldn’t quite figure out. The mystery teased her mind as she walked back to the fire and her sister.

Nyte was still awake, waiting for Rayne to return. Killian like Dryne, was asleep on the ground by the fire. Rayne walked up and sat next to her sister as Nyte said,

This is a mistake.

What is? Rayne replied. Nyte looked annoyed as she said,

What is!? Nyte rolled her eyes then continued,

This! This is a mistake, us and them.

Why don’t you calm down before you faint. It’s just harmless fun. Rayne replied. Nyte argued,

Horse Shit! she paused for a moment to regain her composure then continued,

We’re sisters, I know you. He is more than just fun. I get it, I like his friend Killian very much, but no good can come of this. Rayne rolled her eyes and started readying her things to leave, trying to avoid the rest of the conversation but Nyte kept talking,

We are of age; pure or not, soon father will have to choose husbands for us. For political gain or to stabilize peace it doesn’t matter, when that happens, we will never see them again. There would be less complications if we just got to Freesha and said ‘goodbye’. Rayne sighed, knowing that Nyte was right, then said,

You’re right, of course, but only one of us will have regrets when that day comes, and it won’t be me, my sweet sister. Rayne looked around, then shrugged and said,

Ah Fuck it, let’s just travel them to Freesha now and forget the ‘goodbye’s’. Nyte nodded in agreement as she said,

Outside the North gate then? Rayne just nodded and began walking back toward the river as she said, You take Killian, I’ll take Dryne. Nyte giggled a bit and said,

I thought you already had...? Rayne couldn’t help but smile at her sister’s joke. She took a last look at Dryne then using their magic, Nyte and Rayne travelled Killian and Dryne all the way to the gates of Freesha. The girls decided they wanted to walk back and joked about how furious their father and brothers were going to be that they’d disappeared for so long.

If they only knew how we spent the Nyte. Hahaha Rayne mused and Nyte just giggled as she said, You mean how ‘You’ spent the Nyte. Killian was a perfect gentleman. Rayne started to laugh as she said,

Aw Yuck, how boring. Then both girls started giggling.

Weeks had passed since the incident with the Bloods in the forest, as Rayne had expected there was no retaliation for the dead Ryke’s, but Nyte still worried over it. Rayne could have eased her sisters’ anxiety by admitting she completely consume the bodies with a spell called ‘Fires of Darkness’, but it was far too amusing to watch her sister fret. Nyte came to Rayne, absolutely panicked and rambling about impending war. Rayne snickered and said to her sister,

You’re worried over nothing. There will be no retaliation. Nyte was unconvinced as she anxiously said, What are you talking about? They had to have found their men by now… Rayne interrupted, still snickering as she said,

There was nothing left to find. Nyte looked confused as Rayne continued,

First of all, those men were exiles. They wanted to deliver us to slave traders, not the Blood Kings. Secondly, after Dryne and I killed all the Bloods I used the ‘Fires of Darkness’ to destroy their bodies. Rayne smiled wide as she shrugged and turned to leave the room. Nyte quickly realizing that Rayne had let her worry over nothing chased after her yelling,

You let me worry for weeks just for a laugh! You heartless harridan! Nyte chased Rayne all the way out to the training yard where dozens of new soldiers were waiting. Nyte stopped dead in her tracks as she saw all the soldiers. She turned, angrily, and walked away.

Rayne was still smirking as she walked over to join Rory and Kell in front of the men. It was Spring; time to test the winter recruits and find out what section of the army they would serve in. As the men assembled in the yard, Rayne and Kell joked about how many travelers came to Freesha thinking that because of their lineage or former nobility they should be treated like royalty.

There’s no place in Freesha for those who think themselves superior to others. Rory said, chiming in on the conversation. Rayne sneered as she said,

Freesha is the only free city left in this territory, and every single person here would die to keep it that way.

Adyn, Maren, and Oros walked out to the yard, followed by their father and Nyte, clearly still upset as she bit at her bottom lip. Nyte and Dwern sat at a table on the terrace, joined by a few other council members to observe. Adyn was in charge of the army and as such every recommendation had to be approved by him. The council could make objections based on age or on behalf of the families. But today was the day when the winter recruits would be separated based on ability, skill, bravery, and intellect. Those that were most skilled with sword and spear would be chosen by Maren, to become ‘Blades’, those best at archery would be chosen by Oros, to be ‘Bows’. But Rayne, Kell, and Rory were looking for those gifted at a combination of skills to include weaponry, magic and a practical understanding of problem solving. Most soldiers just took orders and complied, but the advanced scouts were often on their own, they were their own commanders most of the time.

Rory stepped in front of Kell and Rayne as he yelled out,

A few months ago, you were all strangers. Travelers and refugees looking to escape your tyrannical monarchs. You all came to Freesha to be free, and free you all are. The soldiers howled in unison then fell silent again as Rory continued,

You decided, as free men and women, to join this army, to defend that freedom and those who seek it. The soldiers again howled in unison and went silent. Kell stepped forward and said,

Today you will be put into pairs, you will face increasingly difficult and brutal challenges. Make no mistake, today will test you. But at the end of the day, you will either be a Blade, a Bo, or a Scout. If anyone wants to leave, now is your chance… there was a moment of pause and when no one flinched Rayne stepped forward and said,

You have five minutes to grab what you think you need to survive. She paused as the men raced out in all directions, then she added,

Make good choices. The men scattered to the walls to grab weapons and armor, along with water and rations. Nyte noticed that most were