'Push!' The female shouted, a female with long dark hair like her own, and a moment later, a soft cry shot through the room, growing louder with each new breath. 'Very good, Salora! Very good!'
'Is it? Is it a female?' The mother asked, though Navina could not see her face.
'It is!' Came the reply.
'May I see her?'
That was when the room grew silent, colder than it had been but a moment ago.
'Please? May I see her?'
Again, silence. A little white room, surrounded in pillars and candles, a red birthing bed in the center of it all, and on it, a Mother who yearned for her child.
'I need to feed her! Please, bring her to me!'
The child was screaming, as if it knew its Mother's voice, and felt the concern in her tone.
'She is beautiful!' The older female finally sighed, bringing the child closer. 'You have done well, Salora!'
'Thank you, Elonah! Thank you for everything!'
'Hold on to that child tight, this night is not over, and Foran isn't going to give up that easily!' The older female warned her.
'He cannot enter here! The Order will protect us!' Salora seemed so sure of it, but the other female just shook her head.
'You mated with him out of union, Salora...'
'He took, what was not his, to take!' The mother whimpered, holding the child to her breast.
'You traveled beyond the safe limits,you knew the risks of venturing too far...'
'So they will just let him take her? You cannot be serious Elonah? She is my daughter, the next in our line...'
'Not to them!' The female hung her head, and made towards the door. 'The sun will rise soon, and the child will be sent to the temple. She will be safe there.'
'He will not take Marena! I will not let him! I would die first...'
'Then die, you shall!' The voices echoed through the room, and Elonah drew her sword from her side.
'You are not welcome here, Foran, son of Karn! Leave, before your blood is shed this night!' Elonah spoke, her words so clear and yet the male, so large and so sinister looking, just laughed.
'I will not leave this realm, until I have seen my young!'
'She, is not your young!' Salora shouted,and his eyes drifted towards her.
'You lay on your back while I crawled between your thighs, My seed filled your womb and gave life to the young you hold at your breast. She is mine, I can smell it!' He grinned, 'And I shall see, my daughter!'
'You will do no such thing!' Elonah bellowed, raising her sword high above her head, but it was far too late for that.
He was before her in a heartbeat, his own sword piercing her armor plating, and slicing through her delicate flesh.
Salora watched as Elonah fell to her knees, her mouth open in shock, her eyes wide and filled with fear. 'No!' She screamed so loud, the young began to cry along with her. 'Elonah? Elonah, I'm so sorry!' She whimpered, as the female fell to the floor, the life leaving her eyes as she exhaled her last breath.
'Do you see what you have done? Really, Salora! If you had just given me what was mine...' He laughed and shook his head, 'You loved me, once!'
'You appeared so sweet and innocent, had I known what ran through your mind that night, had I known what you had planned for me.. You tricked me. You and your wicked female, drugging my drinks and defiling my body...'
'Defiling? Oh no, Salora, I remember quite well how you squirmed as I took you, your body accepting the sinful pleasures we shared. You enjoyed it, Salora, you loved the nasty things we did together!'
'Lies! All of them! I never who have lain with you, never!'
'Give her to me!' The male growled, his long dark hair hanging in front of his face. 'Give me, my Marena!'
'She is not yours, you will never take her from me!' Salora whimpered, but the sudden pain in her belly had her keeling over to the side, the child wailing in her arms.
There was no one to help her, and though Navina's heart ached, there was nothing even she could do, but watch as the beast approached Salora,taking the infant from her arms and cradling it close. The child cried for its Mother, screeching as its little arms reached out for her.
'Give her to me, Foran! Give me, my daughter...' But the pain was growing, her belly so round and swollen.
'She has my eyes, Salora! And my hair! She is my daughter...' He chuckled,glaring at the female as she writhed in pain. 'She is Kor'Mhia! Blood of my blood, and she belongs with her own kind!'
'Foran? Foran,you cannot take her! Please, Foran? She needs me! I am her Mother!'
'You were a tool, Salora! A tool along the path my fore bearers had set out for me! She, my Marena, will lead our people, Salora; and she will never know, the worthless shell, that was her Mother!'
'Foran!' She shouted, and then recoiled in pain. 'Foran, you cannot do this! She is of the Order, they will not let you keep her..'
'Who do you think, told me you were here?' He grinned at her,' Stupid, stupid female! Say goodbye to your Mother, Marena!' And with that, he vanished from sight.
'Noooooo!' Salora let out, trying her best to crawl from the bed. 'Marena?' She shouted, 'Foran, bring her back!'
It seemed like forever, but she had managed to get off the bed and scramble towards the door, only to have it open before her, and a handful of female's rushed in.
'Oh Gods, Elonah!' One of hem let out, and the door was opened again, and the century guards were summoned.
'Marena!' Salora tried to get out, as the hands came down and lifted her back onto the bed.
'Hush now, you need your strength!' She heard the voice say, and the pain shot through her again.
'What is happening? Where is my daughter?'
'Hush now, Salora, we are here! Do not worry now, it will all be over soon!' The female smiled at her.
'What...? What will be...' But she could not finish as the pain exceeded her threshold, and the female told her to push.
She was to what? But she had already...
'Push!' She told her, and Navina stood back in awe of what was before her.
'PUSH!' The female ordered, and Salora had no choice but to comply.
A cry from the Mother, weakened by the strain of a shattered heart, and then, the cry of a second child, one whose hair was lighter, but still dark...
'It's a female!' They shouted, and a few even clapped their hands, rejoicing in recognition of yet another kin to the Order.
'It's a... what?" Salora let out, her mind barely functioning, the light shimmering in her eyes, one last time.
'Salora? Salora, wake up!' But there was no waking the female, not after what she had been through, and Navina felt her heart crumble.
'Salora? Salora, wake up! She needs you! Salora..'
A few minutes passed, another put her hand on the female's shoulder, and the tears began to fall.
'Bloody hell!'
'It was only a matter of time! We knew he would come for her and the child, her light began to diminish the moment she met him.'
'And what of Pathen? You know he had a hand in this! You cannot tell me otherwise!'
'Pathen, will be dealt with! Salora will be the last daughter of the Rammal line, to fall by his hands.'
What had they called him? And what had he done?
'What shall we name her?' One of them asked, as the white sheet was pulled up over Salora's face and the final words of rest were spoken.
'Navina! We shall call her Navina, after the morning flower her mother loved so much...."
***
"We've got incoming!" Markus appeared in the doorway, and cocked a brow as he took in the sights before him. "So, yeah, what the fuck happened here?"
"Someone had a little temper tantrum!" Malice sighed, "I've never pulled so many shards of glass out of my shoulder before, and you're gonna need a new china cabinet in the lounge."
"You? Threw a tantrum?" He inquired, glaring at her.
"No, Navina did!" She laughed, "Don't be silly, I don't trash furniture when I'm mad, just people!"
"Navina woke up and freaked the fuck out!" Mia grumbled as she appeared beside Malice. "Turned the place upside down."
"Your Father is gonna flip his shit!" Markus pointed out, and Mia popped him the bird, as a 'Thank you Capt. Obvious' smirk flew across her face.
"She ended up in the other room, with Marena! Then she just stopped cold, and hit the floor!" Malice told him, "We moved her into the next room and told Nissa to stand guard."
"Where's her mate?"
"Getting some food for when she wakes!"
"Good to hear, we'll grab him on the way, cause we got company! The portal's been activated, there's no signal coming through at the moment, but we better get down there." Markus shook his head, "With any luck, it'll be Nyx and Kember." He added, and turned out into the hall. "Now, people!" He laughed, and took off down the hall.
Does he always got to be an asshole?" Malice groaned, and laced up her boots. "Shit's getting old!"
***
"You ready?" Nyx asked, hauling Tanin to his feet.
"To become prison bait, oh yeah, can't wait!" the male grumbled.
"Hey, don' look so glum chum, you may get some alone time with that lover of yours, if, you play your fucking cards right! I'm not a total fucking goon!" The Demon laughed, and pulled Tanin along by the scruff of the neck. "Yo, Kember? We good?"
"As gold!"She replied, making her way towards them. "Can't send a signal, but we should be able to dodge the fire if we run!"
"What fire? We'll send Home Slice here. He can go first and tell them we're coming!" Nyx howled.
"I don't know how to convince you, but I had no choice! It's not like I wanted to take sides! We just wanted to live our lives, and the Insid fucking.... Gods Dammit!" He added, as Nyx pulled his head back by his hair.
"I am not the judge, Homie! Wish to fuck I was, but then you'd have been dead back on that ship, cock hanging out and all!" Nyx growled at him, "So save your speeches for Lord Eroch!"
"Kember? You have to believe me!" Tanin turned towards her, "It wasn't all for nothing!"
"You wanted the book, nothing more!" She sighed, and looked at Nyx, "Fuck it, I'll go first!" And then she was gone.
What a trip, like a swirling whirlpool, right down to the bottom, only to be shot back out again and across space and time, until all you can do is close your eyes and hope to land softly on the other side.
"Hold it!" She heard the voice as she pulled herself off the ground. "Kember?"
"Present!" She let out, and raised her hand. "Incoming, prisoner..." She managed to get out, and weapons were drawn as a second rolled through the portal.
Nyx followed suit, though he did not land on his ass. No, he had done that hundreds of times, called it Portal Surfing even.
"My brother!" He called out as he approached Markus."Where the ladies at?"
"Nyx, you self centered, cold hearted son of a bitch!" Markus chuckled and embraced the Demon."Found your way back I see! So much for being a stray dog!"
"What the fuck? I ain't no dog, Homie!" Nyx cocked a brow at him, and then they both laughed.
"So, presents? Wicked!" Markus added, turning to look at Tanin, "A Kalvashian too! Nice work, now we have a matched set!"
"Where is my mate?" Tanin asked,and Nyx nearly tore him a new one.
"Sit, and stay, puppy!" He growled, but Tanin just rolled his eyes.
"Where is Kion?"He asked again, and Nyx fed him a knee to the stomach.
"Kion, is where he belongs!" The female spoke, and a moment later, Euphamia stood before him with her prison striped hair and amethyst colored eyes. "But don't worry, you'll be joining him soon." She added with a grin, and then turned towards Nyx. "And you..." She started, running her fingers up his chest. "We need, to have words!"
"A male's job is never over!" Nyx groaned, and followed along behind her, "Markus?"
"Yeah yeah! Just go!" The Vampire laughed. "Kember? You good to escort this douche bag in to the throne room?"
"I'd really like to see Madrina!" She replied, biting her bottom lip.
Gods, he was gorgeous; and totally Zahara's, but one could dream, right?
"She is in her study, has been since she sent Nyx out to find you!"
"Good! If you wouldn't mind?" She laughed, nodding to Tanin, "I've had my fill of him for the day!" And with that,she took off towards the main doors.
"Well now, isn't this a coincidence? I vaguely remember, this exact same scenario, except, it was another blue skinned asshole I was getting to know!"
"Is he alive? Gods, please just say he's alive!"
"He's alive alright, alive, and screaming for you! But he can't have you just yet, someone else wants to have words with you!"
***
Damn, it was bright. So bright, that she could barely make out the room around her. It was warm, and the constant hum seemed to drown out all the noise; and it smelled like...
Oh Gods, it smelled like him! Like, Lync!
Forcing her eyes to open more, and focus on where she was, she took in the dark walls and flooring, and the monitors that hung on the wall on the other side of the room. There were machines with tubes that sat in a corner,unused, but just in case, and there was a counter covered in bottles of juice and fresh fruit, buns and baked sweets, meats and cheeses.
Where was she? Was this a vision? Was it, real?
'She will never know the useless shell, that is her Mother!'
"Marena!" She called out, and shot up in bed, her mind still clouded, save for that one line.
"Vina?"
Her heart sank and the air in her lungs escaped so fast...
"Lync?" She whispered, afraid it was all just a dream; or worse, a nightmare.
It was no nightmare, nor fantasy, as the male came to sit beside her on the bed. Sheets and blankets in shades of red and black, covered her as she lay there, gazing into those emerald green eyes of her mate. No tubes or sensors attached to her arms, nothing but those coverings kept her from touching him, and she flung her arms around his neck.
"Lync? Oh Gods! It's really you!" She whimpered as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her in a tight embrace, and swearing to never let her go.
"Oh, Vina! My, Vina!" He whispered in her ear, taking in her scent as he nuzzled at her neck. "Oh, I have missed you!"
Her heart pounded, the blood racing through her veins as the fire ignited inside of her. It was him, he was here, now, and she wasn't taking the chance that he would disappear.
"I was lost! I couldn't.. I couldn't find you! Or anyone! I was trapped..." She started, her words scattered and her voice but a mumble. "I tried to understand what they were showing me, I tried to learn what I had done wrong, but they wouldn't listen, they wouldn't let me go!" She told him, "And I saw things! Things I don't think they wanted me to see..."
She was frantic, running her hands all over him,needing to touch him, to know that he was real. Every minute she spent beside him, every tingle every flinch, she needed to feel it, needed to see it...
"I saw a planet covered in snow, and a male dressed in black with a helmet that reflected the stars so clearly... and a female, who gave birth.... And then..." But she stopped, as if once again lost in the image, the horrifying scene playing out as it had before. "And then he..."
Her face went white as a ghost, and her voice was so quiet. "He took her!"
"Who, Vina? Who took her?"
"I have to see her! I have to know that she is real!" Navina started, desperate to climb from the bed, her mind yearning for answers. "I have to make sure she is okay, that she is real and that she is safe, Lync!"
She tore from his arms and lept from the bed, racing across the room to the door.
"Vina, wait!" He called after her, trying to keep up as she searched for the right room.
"What the hell?" The Valkyrie appeared before her. "Shit!" She added, stepping out of the way. "Where's she going?"
"I don't know! I think..."But Lync wasn't fast enough, and Navina had entered the room ahead of them, and stopped.
He entered the room behind her, hoping she wouldn't hit the floor like last time, and watched as she moved towards the female in the bed.
"What is she doing?" Malice asked, moving past him and towards Navina.
"She's real!" Navina gasped, "Marena, lives!"
"Of course she lives!"Malice replied, "How do you, know her?"
"She is Marena, daughter of Salora, sired by the Kor'Mhia, Foran!" Navina whispered, watching the female as she slept."
"What the hell is a, Kor'Mhia?" Malice inquired, as others filed into the room. "And how do you know all this? She doesn't even know who she is..."
"I saw it!" Navina told her, "I witnessed her birth!" Her head was clearing, though the chaos still remained, she could see now, the resemblance.
"You saw her birth?" Zahara asked. "You saw her Mother?"
"Salora, a daughter of the Order!" Navina replied. "I saw her give birth to Marena, I heard her screams and the child's cries... And then I watched as her guard was murdered, and the child was taken from her, cradled in the arms of a madman. He called himself Foran of the Kor'Mhia, and spoke of the child belonging with her own kind. And then he left Salora there, alone, and..." But Navina couldn't finish, the tears sliding down her cheeks and her words choking her.
"He took Marena?" Malice inquired, "Stole her, right from her Mother's arms?" The Valkyrie was fuming mad, you could see the flames ofrage burning in her eyes. 'To steal a young from its Mama is the most heinous of crimes..."
"But Marena was not the only birth she witnessed that night..." Another, entered the room.
"My Lady!" Nyx let out and bowed his head.
"What do you mean,Mother? Who else was..." But Zahara stopped as her Mother smiled.
"Marena was but one daughter, born to Salora and the beast Foran! And once his mistake was known, he spent the remainder of his life, searching for the one they had hidden from him..." Lady Ellaria smiled again.
"Wait..." Madrina cut in, "I've heard this before! It's in one of the books... The beast searched for an eternity, wreaking havoc and starting wars to get her back. He knew that she would come to witness the destruction, it was what her kind did... He hoped to see her, at least once before he passed, but he never did."
"But that story says that the daughter, the one he stole apparently, killed the Father, but no one ever knew why..." Mia cut in. "You telling me, that Marena, killed her father?"
"She did!" Her Mother replied.
"How do you know for sure?" Mia cocked a brow at her Mother.
"The Order has come to see things my way!" Lady Ellaria laughed. "They will hinder Navina no longer, her memories are hers to remember as they return."
"Which is why she woke up." Malice added.
"So who is the other daughter?" Nyx asked.
"In his hurry to leave, Foran missed the signs that another would soon arrive. He took Marena and left before Salora had a chance to give birth, to..."
"Me!" Navina let out. "Marena, is my sister!" She added, turning to face Lync. "She is my sister, my blood! And I had no idea, until now!"
"Holy, fucking,shit!" Nyx let out. "Mind, blown!"
"Language!" Lady Ellaria scolded him, shaking her head, "But yes, it is quite remarkable!"
"Does she know?" Mia inquired, "Marena, I mean! Will she know too now?"
"I'm afraid not! If it were the Order alone, who had toyed with her mind, it may have been possible..." Lady Ellaria sighed.
"Fucking Eno'tai!" Malice let out, shaking her head as she paced the room.
"That is correct! The Eno'tai have warped her thoughts, twisted her memories, not even the memory of her Father remains..." Lady Ellaria paused a moment, a puzzled look upon her face.
"What?" Mia cut in, "I know that look..."
"There had always been talk of another, one who may have interfered with their birth..."She started again, "It was said that this individual with abilities so great, took revenge against the blood line, though to speak of it now...."
"Pathen!" Navina spoke up, "The others,afterwards, after Salora..." She stopped again. "After she passed, they spoke of a male named Pathen, and his rage towards thefemales of our line..."
"Pathen?" Malice cocked a brow,and stared at Lady Ellaria, who in turn, cocked a brow.
"Whatabout, this Pathen?" Nyx inquired, "Where do we find him?"
"You don't!" Lady Ellaria sighed, "But it all makes sensenow!"
"Indeed!" Malice grinned.
"Okay, and who's gonna fill in the blanks?" Nyx cut in again. "Who, is Pathen?"
"Pathen was the mate of Rammal! The male promised to Rammal the day she became of age." Lady Ellaria started.
"But Rammal did not want Pathen, she was in love with another!" Malice grinned wildly, "Another, who would have done anything, toprotect her. A Valkyrie, so strong and powerful, one of the first tograce our verse!"
"Rammal hid away in secret with Janice, coming to hate what the Order had become. Corruption ran wicked through their ranks, the Eno'tai themselves taking part in thechaos..." Lady Ellaria added, taking turns to tell the tale.
"Pathen was greedy, wanting and warping the rules for him own use, and letting the blame lie on Rammal. When she ordered me to preservethe city that her mate had ordered destroyed..."
"I heard that tale too!" Zahara grinned, and leaned in to Markus.
"Rammal was banished from the Order, Pathen taking control of what was left, including her blood line. One by one, the females began to disappear, until only the daughters Kerris and Laval remained."Malice grumbled, "Janice did what she could to protect them, giving Rammal a place where she could rest, a place where they could be together, beyond the prying eyes of the Order."
"They banished her, because she fell in love with a Valkyrie?" Lync asked.
"No, they banished her, because they believed she wasthe enemy! That she would betray them..." Malice laughed, "When the enemy had been controlling them all along."
"Gods, this is confusing!" Mia let out with a sigh.
"So they banished her, right?" Markus inquired, "Did they strip her memories too?"
"I don't think so!" Malice replied. "If they had, there would be no ancient scrolls in the temple. No legends to tell..."
"And if she has those memories..."
"Whoa, slow down! If you're suggesting that we find Rammal..." Nyx chuckled.
"If we could, she might have a way of defeatingthe Eno'tai once and for all. And if not her, perhaps one of thescrolls she wrote will hold the answers..." Zahara smiled. "Where is this temple?"
"The Celestial Temple was lost a millennium ago. It disappeared around the same time the rift was closed the first time!" Malice told them, and listened tothe Ughs, that followed. "Temple, scrolls, even Rammal and Janice... Or so the elders say!"
"So there's no way, of finding it?"
"What exactly are we finding it for?"
"How would we even get there?"
So many questions, not enough time, and Navina's head was starting to swarm. "Kember!" She let out as the Witch entered the room, and she ran towards her friend.
"I brought your book!" Kember grinned, and steppedback to fish it out of her knapsack. "I had to hide it, for obviousreasons..." She laughed, waving her hand over the package, whichthen took the form of a leather bound book.
"Gods, I didn'tthink I'd see it again...." But that was all she could say, as shetook the book in her hands, and the room went dark once more.
***
'We had too much fun!'
'Nonsense! The Human's never saw it coming!'
It was the Valkyrie, and, Marena. They were standing in a cave, surrounded by fog, and at the foot of the great steps, lay a male.
'Wonder what he did?' The Valkyrie asked, and Marena turned her head. 'What?' Malice inquired, her hand coming up to rest upon her cheek. 'Tell me what bothers you, and I will slay it before your eyes!'
Marena looked up at her, those lost, distant eyes filled with the stars themselves... 'I love you!' She told her, and felt the kiss upon her lips.
'Don't be a fool! Love is for fools!' The Valkyrie laughed. 'Now come, before the Masters worry...'
'No! I need to give you something, but first, I want to feel your lips again, I want to hold you like the last time...'
The Valkyrie didn't need to be asked a second time, her hands sliding down her back, her lips pressing snugly against Marena's, their tongues dancing... It wasn't long, before their hands were caressing naked flesh, the moans and whimpers filling the cavern around them, and when it was over, the silence so deafening, felt just like home.
I love you too!' Malice let out, as she helped her female with her top, tying the straps behind her neck and then laying a barrage of kisses across her shoulder.
Marena's eyes let go of the tears, and Malice spun her around to see what was the matter. 'You cry? After such a wondrous gift?'
'I cry, because you finally said it, and now, I fear!'
'Wash your fears away, for they have no purpose here!'
'I fear they do, Malice! I fear for the both of us, if you do not take these..." She paused a moment, and handed Malice a scroll. 'You must take these, and you must leave!'
'Leave? What do you mean, leave?'
'There are plans, Malice! Plans that only you can prevent from falling in to place...' Marena told her, and Navina struggled to hear them. 'The Masters, they have plans for us, plans that I know, will ruin us. They are not what you think, my love. The Masters... they are...' Her face turned white and she looked over her shoulders. 'They know! Bloody hell, they know! You must leave Malice! You must leave, now, and take the charts with you! Do not let them fall into the wrong hands!'
With one last kiss, Navina watched as Marena ran up the steps, leaving Malice holding the scroll in a tight grip, and then she too, turned and vanished from sight.....