K Á R A
I stared at the wooden ceiling of the empty warehouse apartment. Considering the fanciful dream of her. My imagination couldn't have been wilder... yet it felt too damn genuine to not press those words. Your fates are tied to nothing but an end now. If you seek her out one of you will suffer.
I was already suffering. Who on the realm would think separation alleviated that?
I sighed and swung my legs over Kaden's horrific excuse of a bed. The sheep's wool left the sinking thing too frequently. I plucked a chunk of white off my shoulder and rolled my neck.
It had not taken long to return the night before from the rift Thanatos had opened. The dark shield glinted in the corner and I drew it onto my back.
I needed their scents. Objects from the men and any evidence I could use to track them down across every corner of the realm. I was half expecting to throw the door open last night and find them there–wide eyed and gawking when I told them Tayah was gone.
But the familiar stab of emptiness lay the space bare.
As I made my way into the kitchen with the small stove and familiar wooden table with many stab marks through it I felt the longing all the more. I plucked up a chess piece. The queen. Still thrown aside from our last game before it had all changed so much.
"Where are you now." I murmured, staring at the corse wooden carving.
I pocketed the piece and scanned the rest of the room. I walked to John's workstation and made out various leather pouches in different sizes with a splash of red paint or orange. I shrugged and took three into my cloak before taking his work cloth that had a heavy scent of Keavesmith all over it.
I cast one final look around the kitchen before sinking slowly onto the space in the centre and closing my eyes. I stole myself into the calm focus easily and sent out a call.
"Stormbringer." The voices spoke simply before.
I opened my eyes and calmly bowed my head.
"Odin."
"I am surprised–yet pleasantly." The voices spoke with caution.
I narrowed my eyes. "I never said I did not wish our paths to cross again, merely that I hoped your mind would change."
The god chuckled briefly before drawing his cloaked arms together.
"What is your reason then, daughter?"
I paused and considered my words before speaking.
"I had a strange... experience last night."
The god waited patiently. After all, dreams were the one place a god could not see. The one realm that remained shrouded.
"I saw her." I stated, without bothering to clarify who. "–and she told me your own words to her before we were separated." I stated clearly.
The cloak of shadow and smoke seemed to consider this. "It would not be a shock to me that you were seeing Tayah Ashrive in your dreams again–"
"But I think it was really her." I pressed.
"Valkyries cannot enter the dreams of other Valk–" The god's words suddenly cut short and mused upon something else. I felt my entire body tighten.
"What have you seen?" I demanded quickly.
I thought he would disappear before my eyes at that moment. Leave my questions hanging before me but he finally tilted the hood of blackness at me.
"It appears a few variables are coming into place." The voices murmured. "–it's too improbable to be a coincidence any longer."
I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to keep my calm before the being of endless power.
"If you would just tell me where she is–"
"Tayah Ashrive considers her power a curse." He interrupted suddenly making me frown. "Every moment that has gone awry since she has obtained it has led her to believe it had a hand in your fates. I believe it is now the same reason she has lost the ability to wield it on the mortal realm."
"She what?!" I shouted, feeling lightening spark across my arms suddenly in the small kitchen. Odin faded briefly before me as the sparks cracked viciously before us.
"Daughter this conversation will run much more smoothly if you control your temperament."
I resisted the urge to snarl at him. If it were any other being. I'd make it my personal mission to destroy him or her completely. But fighting a god was as pointless as fighting air. It was everywhere and no where all at once.
I drew the power back into my fists with a glow and nodded a curt movement indicating he continue.
"What did she say to you?" The voices asked quietly.
So I repeated her words back to the god in a measured tone. That we were now doomed to each other if we stayed together on any realm. That she would stay away. Odin merely stood wordless until I finished.
"Fascinating."
"So it really was her?" I asked breathless, "–and I was..." Stood there gawking at her thinking she was just my over active imagination. I had her within reach and I just stood their like a buffoon–
"This makes things. Difficult." The voices concluded.
I shook my head with a humourless laugh. "I will find her the moment she finds me in my sleep again. You cannot stop this any longer–"
"You seem to think she did not also agree to this. Tayah Ashrive agreed to stay away the moment I restored you from death, Stormbringer."
This time I did send a bright bolt of uncontrolled rage straight at the god's head. It went straight through and destroyed a hole in the warehouse but I cared not. It was worth it to even threaten the power in his general direction at all. Odin stared at me as if nothing at all had occurred.
"How dare you." I growled. "Making her watch me die just so you could manipulate her decision to meet your ends."
"Perhaps you would rather I took her immortality entirely." He stated simply making me freeze in place. "It puts a much higher probability on her own fate out in the mortal realm."
"Why are you doing this?" I murmured, staring into the darkness and seeing nothing back. Nothing of the immortal I swore an oath to–to protect souls and maintain the realms.
The cloak moved, materialising rapidly before me but I did not lower my gaze or flinch away. I had lived too long to know fear from a god any longer. My only fear was for a woman that was hells knew where without a drop of immortal power to her name.
"You are my last existing daughter that stood by my side to fell a power mad god. The only one standing to prevent yet more annihilation across the realms for the next foreseeable time. Yet you cannot see past one immortal. You cannot see anything outside your own desire." He spoke in a whisper of many that could chill the very air around us. "Just as she does."
I remained watching the darkness. Waiting on the words I knew were coming.
"It's occurred to me that if I were to let the cards fall where they may. To step back and let the mortals take her in this state of weakness–"
But I couldn't hear the rest of what the god spoke. I couldn't hear past an endless hum in my blood. A completely consuming feeling that wanted to burn and destroy. Because hearing that the one I had dedicated my power to was now betraying me so completely was too much. Hearing the disgusting words that meant she was somewhere else and in danger–
I tore Thanatos off my back and slashed the black obsidian relic across the cloak making the god ripple and shudder before tearing itself away in shock.
"You will thank me for this in time, Stormbringer." The voices murmured before vanishing as I launched Hades relic at his head.
* * * * *
I was in that warehouse for many slithers. Waiting. Meditating where ever possible and only stopping to eat and drink enough to keep my body running.
Every second was driving me insane. Why hadn't she reached out yet. She told me she would return once I relayed her words to the worthless god. I tightened my fists on the floor and glanced out the window. Dark once more.
I pushed off the wood and walked back to Kaden's oversized bed. I lay down slowly and stared at the ceiling. Then there were Odin's words... Let the cards fall where they may. What was her situation now? Anything would be a threat now she didn't possess immortal energy. Now that she wouldn't heal herself...
I shut my eyes and wished for sleep to claim me. But more than anything just for her to find me. So that I knew I wasn't too late.
I think many slithers had passed until I finally lost the claim on my thoughts.
The next reality was upon me–only it wasn't my own. An unfamiliar dusty space lay before me filled with bodies of fighters. But most strange was the crowds around it. The cheering as fighters drew blood. As two lone fighters were left trying to end each other.
The lighter, faster fighter ducked low under a sword and drove a blade cleanly through a massive opponent's skull. He dropped like a sack of grain and the crowd roared. The fighter turned and saw me across the arena. He dropped to his knees and ripped off the strange helmet of metals and it was not a he at all. It was a her.
The only her.
I rushed quickly across the space and took her shoulders into my embrace without further delay.
"You took your time." She mumbled.
I paused and drew her back staring into her eyes. "I waited for you–I thought you would enter my own again."
She shook her head against my shoulder with a weak smile. "I doubt I would have the strength now."
I took her face in my hands quickly and met those stunning silver. But they were hardly the eyes of an immortal at all. They were a few shades away from silver.
"Tell me now. Right now. Where you are." I stated without room for negotiation.
She sighed against my hands on her face. It was a dazed look–much like the one I was sure I wore like a fool the night before. I grabbed her a little tighter.
"Focus. Give me something–anything to find you–"
She moved her fingers over my lips. "I made a deal."
I cut out a bitter laugh. "Your deal was nothing more than deception and lies from a god trying to keep his hold on me. It's over."
"You're alive." She murmured, looking more intently into my eyes. "How could it be over."
I pressed my forehead into her own. "Try and stop me."
She chuckled and drew her hand up slowly to take my jaw in her fingers. She tilted my head down to meet her eyes.
"I can see breaking the word of a god having certain... consequences. Which is why I am honouring my part–"
"I just threw a two thousand year old relic at a god so I think it's safe to say we're past that point by leagues." I muttered with an eye roll.
Tayah stared at me in disbelief before sighing with a light laugh.
"Tayah." I said softly, making her meet my gaze. "There's no more meaning to my life without you in it. So consequences to me are very insignificant. I can't let you go."
She sighed and smiled a mixture of sadness and contentment.
"Tell me." I murmured.
She finally opened her eyes and they held mischief in them despite it all.
"How about I show you."
I stared as she stood back and crouched into the dusty floor. She drew a finger out in the dirt and sand. "As far as John knew, we were here–" She told me, drawing a cluster of small circles. "–and this was the continent we washed up on the other night heading West–" She added a larger jagged line away from what I assumed were islands.
I dropped low beside her and scanned it intently.
"Temperature?"
"Hot. A southern continent. Similar to Zanos but not as wealthy."
This made my eyes light. My knowledge of the mortal realm extensive and every piece of information I had gathered over the years began clicking into solidifying place–
"This fighting pit. This is an experience?" I demanded suddenly looking around at the shape of the arena, the distinct flag colourings and the armour they wore.
She nodded with a pained expression. "Fighting for sport is not a Uccellon custom–"
"It's a Kanton custom." I finished for her rising. "I know where you are."
Her eyes lit briefly before dimming again. "There's one problem with that." She said setting herself down in the dust with a more dazed expression.
I frowned and dropped to a knee before her, holding onto one of her hands.
"I'm not sure how long I'm going to last without my power." She whispered.
I pressed my other hand to her cheek and watched her intently. "Find a way." I almost growled. "You find a way to stay alive in that hells damned place, Tayah. I will find a way to get to you. That's the only deal you worry about."
Despite it all she smiled at me and covered my hand in hers. Holding me close to her face like it was the only time left.
"You drive a hard bargain immortal." She murmured.
"Promise me." I told her seriously. "Promise me you'll do whatever it takes to stay alive. For me."
She held my burning stare more seriously and pulled my head down to secure my lips. They felt just as they did the night before. They felt like a rush of life when I had none the moment before. They felt like a an eternity set out before us in promise. The scent of her wild and sweet aroma filled my senses and took away the present for just a blink.
Then she pulled back and whispered against my skin.
"For you. I'll do just about anything." She kissed me again softly. "The rest is up to you."